Awakening The Silver Wolf

RAVENNA POV 

Suddenly, a sharp tingling sensation shot through the scar, spreading warmth through my veins. It felt like something awakening inside me, a pulse of energy that flickered with life. 

I gasped, eyes wide, as I sensed a presence curling within me. 

Mia, sensing my discomfort came back to my side, whining as she rubbed my leg. 

"I'm fine," I said, even though I felt anything but. "I'm fine." 

But just as quickly as it arrived, it vanished, leaving me breathless and disoriented. I staggered back, pressing my palm against my chest as if to contain whatever had surged through me. 

Darius finally moved from where and walked towards me. I tried not to turn back and run because of how big he was. 

The man was literally towering over me even in his wolf form. His snort was twice as large as my head. 

The other wolves had resumed their run but Mia still stayed beside me. 

Darius got to where I was and he circled me, those intense eyes fixed on me. The way he was circling and assessing me made me feel like prey. 

But I also felt… safe. 

Then he started sniffing and I heard something like he was… purring? 

Mia nudged my hand and Darius growled at her. 

"Hey! Stop that!" I shouted at him when Mia whined and lowered her head. 

Darius's whine, his ears flattened against his head, sent a shock through me. He nudged me with his cool nose, and I desperately tried not to touch him, but my hand faltered. 

Gently, I placed my hand on his nose. He pressed his face into it, then I moved my hand to his ear. He closed his eyes, panting with his tongue lolling out. 

"I think I like you better in this form," I said, still petting and he snorted. At least that was what I assumed was a snort in a wolf. 

I tried, I really did, but my self-control crumbled. I threw my arms around his neck, burying my face in his fur. It was as soft as I imagined, and he still smelled the same—musk and leather.

A growl rumbled deep in Darius's chest, and I was about to pull away, thinking I'd crossed a line, but then he rubbed his nose into my hair, purring. 

Yeah, I liked him in this form. 

"It wouldn't be bad if you remained like this, you know," I said, my voice muffled against his neck. "Lucian will take care of all your alpha work for you." 

Again, he snorted. 

DARIUS POV 

My wolf liked Ravenna. 

I'd known it for a while, but this really confirmed it. He had never allowed anyone to touch us like this before. Now, though, he was burying his face in her hair and purring. Goddamn purring!

I knew this would be awkward later, but I really didn't want her to pull away.

She mentioned that she liked me better in this form, and it stirred something in me. Honestly, I wouldn't mind staying like this if it meant she'd keep holding me.

And I felt her everything. 

I felt her scent in my nose, my head, my chest. Everywhere. It was overwhelming. But damn if I didn't like it. 

The answer to why I reacted this way to her was poking around at the back of my mind, but I refuse to acknowledge it. That can't be possible. 

I didn't know if I wanted it to be possible or not. 

"It's almost dawn," I heard Ravenna say, her face still buried in my neck. 

I raised my head and indeed the sun was peeking out from behind the trees. Where did the time go? 

I gently pushed her away, and she got the message. After a final pat on my head, she left with Mia. I wanted to pull her back and hold her when I shifted back, but I hesitated.

I wasn't sure if she'd be okay with that, and I didn't want her to see my body. I feared her reaction—disgust or pity would hurt more than her anger, which I could handle any day.

I shifted back and walked to the pack house naked, my heart heavy. 

Would Ravenna ever look at me in my human form without that anger and hate in her eyes? Would she let me hold her in my human form? Would she ever… forgive me? 

I could no longer deny my attraction to her no matter how hard I tried. It was impossible. 

The way her scent clouds my senses, the way her arms around me had felt like they belonged there, the way I felt possessive around her. There was no way in hell I could deny it anymore. 

I knew I was being a fool and would only hurt myself in the end. Ravenna hated me. She would sooner stick a knife in my back then return my affection. But I still couldn't help it. 

I would try. I would try to make her forgive me, to win her over. 

Lucian handed me a rode once I got to the house. I mumbled a "thank you" and climbed the stairs up to my room, Lucian walking silently behind me. 

I got to my room and sat at the edge of my bed, my head buried in my hands. 

The bed dipped beside me as Lucian sat. "What's wrong, Darius?" he asked, his voice unusually soft. "And don't you dare tell me it's nothing. Something is wrong."

I stared at my rug, a sigh escaping my lips. I could talk to Lucian. 

"I..." I snorted. "How the hell will I say this?" Lucian didn't answer and just waited for me to continue. 

I cleared my throat. "I'm attracted to Ravenna, Lucian," I started. "She's like a magnet while I'm iron. I'm drawn to her no matter how hard I try to stop myself. And I think it's beyond just physical attraction. You've seen the way she looks at me. She hates my gut." 

"Which is understandable," Lucian muttered. 

I shot him a look and he held his hands up. "Do you think she's your—" 

"No," I cut him off. "Don't say it and she's not." 

"Why does that scare you?" 

"Why shouldn't it? I'm not made for that kind of thing, Lucian. I'm made to be brutal, to kill. Not to love." 

"And who made you?" Lucian asked, I could hear the anger in his voice. 

"You know who, Lucian." My voice was not more than a whisper. 

Lucian held my shoulders and turned me to face him, his eyes hard. "You listen to me, Darius," he gritted through his teeth. "That fucker is dead. Gone. Out of your lives. Stop saying he 'made' you. You're not a toy for someone to mold and turn into what they want. You're a person. An alpha. And a goddamn strong one. You've achieved things he was too cowardly to even attempt. Live, Darius. Don't let the ghost of him stop you from living your life. You've done enough already. Now live for you." 

It was incredibly rare to hear Lucian speak more than ten words in a sentence. And even rarer for my eyes to burn and my throat to tighten. 

It was rare for me to show emotions. He had taught me that emotions only made us weak and vulnerable. So I had tucked those aside and become a heartless killing machine. 

But on days like this, days where I'm not so sure where I stand, days I'm not so sure what my purpose is, days where I could feel this ghost haunting me, those emotions slip out my tightly screwed lids. 

Lucian still held me by the shoulders while those emotions poured out.