CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19
I could feel my chest burning as I ran through the unending forest. Branches clawed my arms and face, every breath coming out ragged and shallow. 

Behind us, the sound of engines still echoed faintly, then gunfire cracked again, distant but close enough to send fear flooding through me all over again.

“Keep going,” Raven shouted, his voice hoarse from running. His hand never left mine, warm and strong, pulling me forward every time I stumbled. 

I don't know how long we’d been running. Minutes? Hours? My legs were shaking, my throat dry. The forest sloped downward, and that’s when I saw it, a thin strip of light cutting through the darkness.

“Raven!” I gasped, pointing. “There’s a road!” He turned his head toward it, eyes flashing under the moonlight. “Let’s go, I’m sure there’s a car coming for you.” We broke through the last of the trees, stumbling onto the dirt shoulder of a narrow road. 

I bent over, hands on my knees, gasping for air. My heart felt like it might burst, and my chest felt like it’s on fire. Raven turned, scanning the forest behind us.

“They’re close,” he muttered. “Damn it, I should’ve—” Before he could finish, headlights flared in the distance, cutting through the dark. I froze, shielding my eyes.

A black SUV screeched to a halt beside us. The window rolled down, and a familiar voice called, “Rowan?” I blinked, disbelief hitting me. “Caleb?”He was one of Raven’s pack members, the quiet one who usually stood guard near the training grounds. 

Relief flooded through me so fast it made me dizzy. We walked to the SUV, my knees wobbly from running. He opened the passenger door and helped me in first before leaning close to Caleb. 

“Take her back to the pack house. Use the side route, don’t stop for anyone.” I looked at him, confused by the words coming out of his mouth.

“What about you?” I demanded, gripping his arm. Raven looked at me, his expression hard but steady. 

“I have to go back and finish this.” 

“No, you don’t! They’ll kill you—”

“I’ve handled worse,” he said quietly, eyes softening just for a moment. “Trust me.” I shook my head, tears burning my eyes. What if he doesn’t come back?

“Please, Raven, don’t—” He smiled faintly, that rare, crooked smile that always made my chest ache, and then he turned and walked away.

I watched in awe as he turned and shifted, bones cracking, body twisting until fur rippled across his back. His wolf form towered in the darkness. 

He looked back once, golden eyes meeting mine, and then he disappeared into the trees like a shadow. I pressed a trembling hand against the window, staring after him.

Caleb’s voice snapped me out of it. “Hold on,” he said, gripping the wheel. The tires kicked up gravel as we sped down the road, the headlights bouncing off the trees.

I leaned back in the seat, my hands still shaking. My mind replayed Raven’s face over and over, regretting letting him go.

“Is he going to be okay?” I whispered. Caleb didn’t answer right away. His jaw was tight, eyes fixed on the road. “He’s Raven,” he said finally. “He’ll come back.”I wanted to believe that, I really did.

By the time we reached the edge of the pack territory, dawn was just starting to paint the horizon pink and gray. The SUV slowed as we passed the guarded gates. 

The pack house came into view, still standing, though there were signs of damage from the attack: broken fences, scattered remains. Caleb parked near the back, turned to me, and handed me a small silver key. 

“This is for the Alpha’s cabin. You can rest there until he returns.” I nodded weakly, clutching the key like it was a lifeline. I didn’t even have it in me to ask why I am sleeping in his cabin, because a part of me wants to be there when he comes back.

The cabin sat a short walk from the main house, surrounded by tall pines and silence. When I pushed open the door, the faint scent of him hit me immediately: woodsmoke, pine. My chest tightened painfully.

Inside, the place looked clean. Dark wood, soft leather furniture, everything perfectly in place. It felt wrong being there without him, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave.

I showered in silence, washing off dirt and dried blood. The warm water stung the scratches on my skin, but I didn’t care. By the time I stepped out, I felt hollow and relaxed.

I spotted one of Raven’s shirts draped over a chair. Black and oversized, perfect. Without thinking, I pulled it on. It smelled like him, and somehow, that made my heart ache worse.

I crawled into bed, curled up under the heavy blanket, and let exhaustion drag me under. The last thing I remember before I dozed off was hoping that even if he’s hurt, he makes it back home. 

When I woke up, sunlight poured through the curtains. For a moment, I didn’t know where I was. The smell of coffee hit me, rich and familiar. Then I heard a voice, low and unmistakable.
“Morning, sunshine.” My heart lurched.

I sat up quickly, the blanket falling off me. Raven was standing near the counter, shirtless, his back to me as he poured coffee into a mug. His dark hair was still damp, his jeans low on his hips.

“You’re awake,” he said, turning with a small smile. “Didn’t think you’d sleep that long.” For a few seconds, I just stared. My throat felt dry. “You’re—”

“Alive?” His smile turned into a grin. “Barely. But yeah.” Relief hit me so hard I almost started crying, but anger came right after it, thinking about the risk he took. “You could’ve been killed, Raven!”

“I know,” he interrupted softly, setting the mug on the table. “And I’m sorry for all of it.” I blinked, thrown off. I didn’t expect him to downright apologize. “For what?”

“For last night, for rejecting you. For everything.” The words didn’t seem real, or they were real, but I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. 

He walked toward me slowly, his expression open in a way I haven’t seen before. “I thought I was protecting you,” he said. “From me, but all I did was hurt you.” My chest tightened painfully. “Raven…” He smiled faintly, eyes flicking to my shirt. 

“And for the record, that’s my favorite one you’re wearing.” I looked down, realizing I was still wearing his T-shirt. Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Oh—this? I didn’t mean to—” He chuckled, the sound soft and low. “You can keep it.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

He laughed again, stepping closer, his teasing tone melting into something gentler. “You look good in it, though.” I crossed my arms, trying to hide how much his voice affected me. “Stop changing the subject.”

“Fine,” he said, his eyes locking with mine. “Then tell me what you want me to say.” I hesitated, looking in his eyes, trying to assure myself that he was being genuine. There were too many words in my chest and none at the same time.

“Why now?” I asked quietly. “Why apologize after everything?”

“Because when I thought I lost you…” He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. 

“It felt like losing another person that I love all over again. And I couldn’t go through that again.” Silence filled the space between us. I didn’t know what to do with it, his words, the warmth in his eyes. Finally, I looked away. “What happened to the men who attacked us?”

“They won’t be bothering anyone again,” he said simply. The tone in his voice made me shiver. “Did you—”

“Don’t ask,” he said gently. “Just know you’re safe now.”The word sounded foreign. I wanted to believe it, but the fear still lingered in the back of my mind.

I stood up, pulling the blanket tighter around me. “I don’t understand any of this, Raven. The vampires, the mafia, the magic, why are they after me?” He studied me for a long moment. 

“Because you’re not just a witch anymore, Aine. And some people would do anything to control what you are.” I frowned and turned to look at him. “What am I?” He hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the window. “Your mother didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

His jaw tightened. “Then it’s not my place to say, not yet.” I frowned, looking at him. 

“Why would you say that if you weren’t ready to tell me anything?” I asked, still staring at him, and he looked away, avoiding my eyes. What the hell does he mean by what I am?

I stepped closer, heart pounding. “You can’t just—” He reached out suddenly, his fingers brushing mine, and the argument died on my lips. I was about to say something when he attacked my lips with his. The kiss made my skin flush and left my lips tingling.

"I want to formally introduce you as the Luna of the pack tomorrow. Please take me back as your mate."