Chapter 4

Raven woke up in a sweat, her grandmother's voice still echoing in her mind: "There's no time…" The dream had been vivid but frustratingly vague, and it left her feeling uneasy. Shaking it off, she got ready for the day and decided to distract herself with something productive.

By midday, she'd already signed the lease for a new apartment, a small but charming place that instantly felt right. It wasn't perfect, but the kitchen alone made her heart sing. Settling in would take time, but for now, she wanted to celebrate the little victory.

So, she baked.

With music playing softly in the background, Raven whipped up a batch of cookies. They weren't perfect—she'd never been much of a baker—but they smelled heavenly. As she stared at the freshly baked tray, a thought struck her: Why not bring some to Caspian?

He'd been… peculiar, to say the least, but there was something about him that intrigued her. Packing a few cookies into a tin, she made her way to the docks, where she found him leaning against a post, the ocean stretching endlessly behind him.

"Hey," she called, catching his attention.

Caspian turned, raising a brow. "What's this?"

"Cookies," she said, holding the tin out.

He didn't move at first, studying her with that unreadable expression of his. "Why?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Because I felt like it. Just take them."

Finally, he accepted the tin, peeking inside. He plucked a cookie out and took a cautious bite. His eyes widened slightly. "Huh. This is… good. Weird, but good."

"Weird?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"You humans really do strange things," he said between bites.

Her brow furrowed. "We humans? Aren't you human?"

For a moment, Caspian froze. Then he gave a nervous laugh, brushing the comment off with a lopsided smile. "What else would I be?"

Raven narrowed her eyes but didn't push further. "Right. Well, enjoy them." She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

"Thanks."

She glanced back, surprised. His tone was softer than she expected.

Later That Night:

Raven arrived at Sarah's house under the glow of streetlights, her tin of cupcakes in hand. She paused at the door, noticing a colorful banner strung across the entrance: Happy Birthday, Alaric!

Her stomach sank. This is for Alaric?

Before she could second-guess herself, Sarah popped her head out the door, pulling her inside. "You're just in time!"

The house was packed, and the air buzzed with anticipation. Raven found herself tucked into a corner as the lights dimmed. When Alaric walked in, the crowd erupted in a chorus of "Surprise!"

Alaric looked startled but quickly recovered, his smile awkward but warm as he scanned the room. His gaze briefly landed on Raven, and for a moment, it lingered. She felt her heart skip, but she quickly averted her eyes.

She kept her distance throughout the night, but eventually, she worked up the courage to approach him. Holding her tin of cupcakes, she stepped into his line of sight.

"Happy birthday," she said softly.

Alaric turned to her, and something in his expression shifted. His usual aloofness was gone, replaced by something… different. He stared at her like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Thanks," he said after a pause, his voice lower than usual.

She smiled nervously, suddenly hyper-aware of how close they were. Before she could say anything else, his girlfriend appeared at his side, latching onto his arm and pulling him away. Raven quickly retreated, feeling foolish for even approaching him.

Hours later 

The party wound down late into the night. Exhausted, Raven decided to head back to her new apartment. The streets were quiet, the moon casting an eerie glow over the forest trail she took as a shortcut.

Then she heard it.

"Raven…"

Her blood ran cold. The voice was soft but unmistakable, calling her name from the shadows. Against every instinct, she followed it.

The figure emerged before she could react—a hulking shadow with glowing red eyes. It lunged, claws slashing at her as she screamed. She hit the ground hard, pain searing through her back as it tore into her.

Just when she thought it was over, a deafening growl shattered the air. A massive black wolf burst through the trees, slamming into the creature with unrelenting force. Its golden eyes blazed with power as it tore into the shadow.

But the creature wasn't alone. More shadows began to close in, and the wolf struggled to fend them off.

Then came the sound of crashing waves. From the lake, Caspian emerged, no longer human but something far more powerful. His scales shimmered under the moonlight as he wielded the water itself, striking the shadows with devastating precision.

Together, the wolf and the merman drove the shadows back, but not without a fight. The creature let out a final, unearthly shriek before disappearing into the darkness.

Raven lay on the ground, trembling and barely conscious. She watched in shock as the black wolf approached her, its golden eyes locking onto hers.

Then, to her horror, the wolf began to shift. Bones cracked and fur receded, revealing Alaric, bloodied and human.

Her gaze darted to Caspian as he stepped closer, his shimmering form rippling until he, too, was fully human.

Raven's breath hitched. Her mind couldn't keep up with what she'd seen. The world spun, and before she could make sense of it all, darkness claimed her.