Awakening The Silver Wolf

RAVENNA POV 

I tried to struggle against Rowan but he had a choke hold on me, and he also had strength that I didn't have. That poison was still taking a toll on me and I haven't regained my full strength. Plus, I couldn't feel my wolf. 

That filled me with so much fear and panic. I had thought after the poison had worn off I would feel her again but I couldn't. Have I lost my wolf again? I wasn't sure I could live with that.

But I pushed that to the back of my mind. I couldn't panic now. I had to stay clear-headed.

Darius was here. My mate was here and Rowan was going to use me as leverage against him before he would kill him. 

I couldn't let that happen. But no matter how I fought against Rowan he didn't let up.

I had bite, pinched, and stepped on his foot but he remained unfazed as he held me and waited for Darius to come through that door. 

When he finally did, my knees buckled, but Rowan's hold on me kept me standing.

Darius was here, covered in blood, his hair tied up, his hand dripping blood on the ground, and his eyes… Those beautiful mismatched eyes were wide with panic as he took in the situation.

"Darius…" I breathed, but I couldn't get another word out before Rowan covered my mouth with his palm. 

Darius' eyes dropped to mine before they softened and he took a step forward.

"Take another step, Darius," Rowan said as he pressed the gun harder to my temple, "and you will see the insides of your mate's head." 

I wanted to tell Darius that Rowan was just bluffing. He had some kind of twisted feelings for me, he wanted to make me his mate, so he wouldn't kill me. 

But what if he did? a small voice whispered to me. I ignored that voice.

I tried to communicate with my eyes but Darius' eyes were fixed on Rowan, their depths filled with murder and hate.

"You will fucking regret this, Rowan," Darius growled, his jaw clenched. 

"Put all your weapons on the ground and slide them to me," Rowan said. "Slowly." 

Darius finally looked at me, and I tried to shake my head, telling him with my eyes not to. 

Darius' jaw worked before he took out two guns and placed them on the ground slowly before he slid them to Rowan. The guns stopped at my feet. He took out five daggers from his shirt, pants, and boots, sliding them all to Rowan.

No, no, no. He couldn't just offload all his weapons like that. Rowan had a gun! He could just shoot him square in the chest.

I was beginning to panic again, and I tried to fight Rowan again, struggling as I tried to break free from his hold. 

"You do anything stupid, Ravenna, and I would kill him," Rowan snarled into my ear. I stopped fighting, the strength leaving me. I looked up at Darius to see him looking at me with soft eyes.

"It's okay, baby," he said softly. "It's okay." 

No. No, it wasn't okay. Rowan would kill him. I couldn't just stay here and watch him do that.

"You don't deserve her," Rowan spat at Darius. Even though I couldn't see his face I knew his eyes were filled with hate. 

Darius leveled a glare on him. "And I assume you think you do?"

"I don't think I do, Darius. I know I do." 

Darius snorted, the sound humorless. "No, you don't, Rowan." He shook his head. "None of us deserves her. But you know what makes me better?" He didn't wait for Rowan to answer before he continued. "I'm not a pretender. The world knows I'm a bad person. I don't hide it. I don't hide under the shell of being good while I'm anything but, inside. That's what you're doing, Rowan. That's who you are. A goddamned pretender who can never be deserving of her." 

Rowan was shaking with anger, his hand holding the gun trembled with it. Darius met my eyes. Angry people tend to be stupid, or… off guard. 

I twisted my body, pushing my weight into him as much as my weakened state would allow. 

Rowan grunted, his hold on me faltering for just a moment, and I seized the opportunity. Using my elbow, I slammed it into his ribs as hard as I could. He staggered back, momentarily thrown off balance.

Before he could recover, I jerked free, my body screaming in protest, but I didn't stop. The moment I was free, I spun to face him. 

But I wasn't fast enough. Rowan recovered quickly, grabbing my arm as I moved to run, and yanked me back to him.

Pain shot through my body as he tightened his grip, but my focus was sharper now. I could see his eyes, full of rage and uncertainty, as he struggled to keep control of the situation.

In a final desperate move, I kicked back with all my remaining strength. My boot collided with his shin, and I heard him curse under his breath, but his grip didn't loosen. I had to think faster. My heart hammered in my chest. I needed to be free.

I noticed it—a moment of hesitation, a brief falter in Rowan's anger. His attention was split between me and Darius, who hadn't moved from where he stood, eyes burning with fury. His anger was palpable, and I knew it was only a matter of time before Rowan made a mistake.

With my heart pounding in my ears, I tried again. I twisted my body in his grasp, pulling hard at my arm. My shoulder screamed in protest, but I yanked with everything I had. For a second, I thought it was useless. But then, Rowan's hand slipped, just enough.

I broke free.

I stumbled, almost falling, but I regained my footing. The moment I was free, I spun around, facing him.

But Rowan was already raising the gun.

I barely had time to react. As he fired, I lunged to the side, but the bullet grazed my shoulder with a sickening rip of fabric and flesh. 

The sharp pain made me gasp, but I didn't have time to stop. My knees nearly buckled under the sudden rush of weakness, but I forced myself to stand, blood dripping from my shoulder, staining my clothes.

Rowan was still coming for me. I saw the look in his eyes—pure rage.

I backed away, trying to get distance, my body faltering with every movement.

But before I could make another move, Darius was on him. He moved like a blur, slamming into Rowan with the full force of his anger. The two of them crashed to the ground, fists flying.

Darius was faster and stronger, but Rowan fought like a man possessed. He managed to land a few hits, but Darius was relentless. His blows were precise, and calculated. 

I watched them, my heart racing, the world spinning around me. Blood trickled down my arm as I tried to steady myself. I had to stay on my feet. I couldn't let Darius do this alone.

But my legs were unsteady. The room was tilting. 

Darius and Rowan were locked in a brutal struggle, each one trying to get the upper hand. I had to do something, anything, to help.

But my body wouldn't cooperate.

Darius slammed Rowan against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Rowan swore under his breath, blood trickling from a split lip. Darius was on him again, fists landing with brutal force. 

Darius pulled back to land a blow on him again, but Rowan did something neither of us saw coming; he shifted.