Chapter 7

Raven sat cross-legged on the hospital bed, finishing the last bite of her sandwich. The soreness in her body reminded her of the attack, but she felt a little stronger after eating. Across the room, Alaric and Caspian stood on opposite sides, their tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Sarah sat by the window, nervously fiddling with her bracelet as she watched the brewing storm.

"So," Raven began, brushing crumbs off her lap. "What's the plan here?"

Alaric was the first to speak, his amber eyes fixed on hers. "You're coming with me. My pack will protect you."

Caspian, leaning casually against the wall, crossed his arms and scoffed. "Oh, yes, because a pack of wolves is the epitome of safety. She's coming with me to my kingdom. The shadow wouldn't dare follow her there."

"I'm her mate," Alaric growled, his voice low and possessive. "She belongs with me, Caspian."

"She belongs where she'll actually survive," Caspian countered, his tone calm but sharp. "And that's with me. My kingdom is far safer than your forest. Face it, Alaric, you wolves can't protect her from this."

Alaric stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. "You really think I'll just hand her over to you? After everything?"

Raven held up a hand. "Okay, okay, time out. Let's pause here for a second. Alaric, mate? What are you even talking about?"

Alaric's gaze softened as he looked at her. "You're my mate, Raven. My pack is your home. You're meant to be my Luna."

She blinked, raising a hand as if to physically stop the words from sinking in. "Hold up. I didn't agree to any of this mate stuff. And besides"—her voice dropped, her expression pointed—"don't you already have a girlfriend?"

The room fell silent. Caspian raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying Alaric's sudden discomfort.

Alaric's jaw tightened. "I'll break up with her."

Raven let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, perfect. So I'm just a rebound now, huh? That's flattering."

Alaric's shoulders tensed, but he didn't respond.

Sarah cleared her throat, cutting into the silence. "Um, Raven, it's not really like that. You and Alaric are… fated. Being mates is about destiny, not a relationship status."

"That doesn't make it any less messy," Raven muttered, running a hand through her hair. "And you," she said, turning to Caspian, "are just as bad. Acting like you can dictate where I go and what I do. I'm not some prize to be fought over."

Caspian pushed off the wall and took a step closer. "I'm not trying to control you, Raven. I'm trying to keep you alive. The shadow won't even think of approaching you in my kingdom. You'll be safe with me."

"Safe in your kingdom," Alaric growled, stepping forward again. "And what happens if the shadow comes on land, Caspian? You going to swim after it?"

Caspian's eyes darkened, his voice icy. "My reach extends far beyond the ocean, wolf. Don't underestimate me."

"Prove it," Alaric challenged.

"Enough!" Raven snapped, standing despite the ache in her body. Both men froze, their eyes immediately locking on her.

"This is ridiculous," she said, rubbing her temples. "You're not helping anything by fighting with each other. If this is how it's going to be, then I'll just figure things out on my own."

"No!" Alaric and Caspian said in unison, both of them stepping forward.

Sarah smirked from her seat. "I think that's the first thing you two have agreed on all day."

Raven sighed, dropping back onto the bed. "Alright, if you're both so determined to protect me, how about this? I'll split my time between you two. Half the day with Alaric and his pack, half the day with Caspian and his kingdom. Problem solved."

"That's insane," Alaric said immediately.

"Absolutely not," Caspian added.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Raven held up a finger. "This is the deal. If you don't like it, I'll figure things out without either of you."

The two men exchanged a long, reluctant look. Finally, Alaric exhaled heavily. "Fine. But only because it's for your safety."

Caspian gave a slow nod. "Agreed. But don't think for a second that this makes us allies."

"Likewise," Alaric muttered.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Great. Glad we're all on the same page."

The rest of the day passed in tense silence as Raven tried to focus on a dusty old book about curses and protection spells. She sat cross-legged on the couch, the book balanced on her lap, while Alaric and Caspian occupied opposite sides of the room, glaring daggers at each other.

Caspian, leaning against the armrest near her feet, glanced at the page she was reading. "You've been stuck on that same paragraph for five minutes. Do you need me to read it for you?"

"I can read just fine," Raven muttered, not looking up.

"She doesn't need your help," Alaric growled from his seat by the window. "If anyone's going to help her understand curses, it's me."

Caspian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Since when are werewolves experts on magic?"

"We don't need to be experts when we can sense danger before it even arrives. Something you clearly failed at, given your history," Alaric shot back.

Raven groaned, slamming the book shut. "Are you two seriously doing this again? I'm trying to figure out how to not die, and you're making it impossible to concentrate!"

Both men fell silent, though the tension between them was palpable.

Caspian exhaled slowly. "Fine. I'll behave if he does."

Alaric huffed but crossed his arms and stayed quiet.

"Thank you," Raven muttered, reopening the book.

They spent the next few hours in relative peace, though the occasional pointed comment from one or the other threatened to reignite the argument. As night fell, Raven's eyelids grew heavy, and the words on the page began to blur.

"You should get some rest," Caspian said softly, noticing her struggle to keep her eyes open.

"I'll watch over her," Alaric added, his tone protective.

"I'm not a child," Raven mumbled, but she couldn't fight the pull of sleep any longer. She placed the book on the coffee table and let her head rest against the couch cushions.

Raven stood in a foggy void, her grandmother's familiar figure materializing before her.

"Raven," her grandmother said urgently, her voice echoing. "The answers you're searching for aren't in those books. You must go to your father's belongings. He doesn't know, but I left clues there."

"What kind of clues?" Raven asked, stepping closer.

"My diary and your mother's," her grandmother replied. "Everything about the killer, the curse—it's all there. You must find them, my girl."

"Where are they?" Raven asked desperately.

"You'll know when you look," her grandmother said, her figure beginning to fade. "But be careful. The shadow is watching."

"Wait!" Raven shouted, reaching for her, but her grandmother disappeared into the mist.

Raven jolted awake, her breath coming fast. The room was dimly lit by the glow of a lamp, and Caspian was seated at the foot of the couch, his gaze immediately snapping to her.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice steady but concerned.

She sat up, still catching her breath. "The answers… they're with my dad. It's in his things."

Caspian frowned, leaning closer. "What do you mean? Did you see something?"

She nodded. "My grandmother came to me in a dream. She said the diaries—hers and my mom's—they have everything I need to figure out what's going on."

Caspian placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then we'll find them. Whatever it takes."

Alaric stirred from where he had been dozing in a chair nearby, his ears perking up at the sound of their conversation. "What's going on?"

Raven glanced between the two of them, determination settling in her chest. "I know where to start looking. My dad's things. That's where we'll find the answers