Chapter 49

Raven

Neil’s arms around me were an unexpected comfort. His warmth enveloped me, the steady beating of his heart thrumming against my chest.

I didn’t know how to react, didn’t even know how to breathe at the contact. I just stood there, my cheek pressed his body, my eyes wide and unblinking.

This wasn’t like him. Neil was all sharp edges, a porcupine in human form. Comfort was the absolute last thing that I associated with him—at least, not in a way that involved holding me close like this.

And yet, the warmth radiating from him was impossible to resist. His scent wrapped itself about me, invisible tendrils seeping up my nostrils. Had I ever even experienced his scent like this before? Had it ever been so… tantalizing?

Slowly, my body began to relax, the tension melting from my shoulders like frost melting on a spring morning as I pressed my forehead to his chest. My arms slid around his neck without even meaning to, my fingers tangling in the dark fur collar of his cloak.

With a soft huff, as if reading my mind, he gathered his cloak and tugged it around both of us. It was like a big, black cocoon, intensifying his scent and filling me with a heat that I’d never expected in a million years.

My heart throbbed in my chest.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… safe. Truly safe. And comforted in a way that I hadn’t realized I had been craving so deeply these past months.

For a fleeting moment, I let myself imagine what it would feel like to stay here forever—his mate, his Queen. The thought made my heart stutter in my chest yes again, but it wasn’t fear that made it race this time.

It was something far more dangerous than fear. Something more dangerous, even, than the lust I had felt for him on numerous occasions.

At that moment, a spark ignited deep inside of me like a lighter flicking to life.

My wolf, who had been quiet and subdued for so long now, suddenly began to stir. The sensation of her presence brushing at the back of my mind began to grow stronger, warmth flooding through my veins as her strength surged through me, radiating outward like wildfire.

It was overwhelming, intoxicating, and it took everything in me to keep a gasp from slipping out through my lips.

My heart pounded, but this time, it wasn’t just because of the wolf. Neil’s arms tightened around me ever so slightly, and I wondered if he felt it too—this magnetic pull between us. He was my mate, after all, and right now, that connection was impossible to ignore.

But then Neil began to move, pulling back just enough to look at me, his eyes wide with something I couldn’t quite read. His lips parted, and my stomach flipped as I braced myself for what he might say.

“Raven, I…”

My throat clenched. Was this it, then? My wolf’s strength was surging through me like a million fires, which meant only one thing: I could handle… it. The rejection. The one thing that we had been waiting for, like a ticking bomb, since the very first day we had met.

I stared up at him, my shoulders tensing. Was he going to reject me now that my wolf was strong enough to handle it?

But he didn’t say what I expected. Instead, his gaze softened, and he spoke the words I hadn’t dared to hope for.

“I will help you get home for one day.”

I blinked, his words taking a moment to register before I could speak. “You… You will?”

My voice was barely above a whisper, but when the realization hit, joy surged through me like a tidal wave. Without thinking, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug that nearly knocked both of us over.

“Oh, thank you, Neil. Thank you so much.”

Before I even realized what I was doing, I cupped his face and tugged his head down to meet me. I kissed his cheek, the gesture quick and light but enough to make me freeze the moment it happened.

I pulled back, my face burning with embarrassment. “I—I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

Neil’s hand lingered on my back for a moment longer, and I thought he might not let go at all. But then, he stepped back, clearing his throat as if to compose himself.

“It’s fine,” he said, although his voice was strangely quieter than usual. “I understand.”

For a heartbeat, the tension between us hung like a heavy weight in the air. I thought about what would happen if I leaned in again, if I closed the gap and kissed him properly. I felt suddenly cold without being wrapped in his cloak, and I wanted to feel him like that again.

And maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I think he wanted it, too. His gaze flicked to my lips, just for a second, and my heart skipped a beat.

But then he broke the moment, his expression turning serious once more. “Pack a small bag and meet me by the southern gate tomorrow night,” he said. “Late, and whatever you do, do not let anyone see you. I’ll take you then.”

I nodded quickly, already planning what to bring and how to slip out of the castle without being seen.

“Thank you,” I said again, my voice trembling a little. “Thank you for helping me.”

He simply nodded. “I would take you sooner, but it’s no simple task to arrange such a thing. And…” He paused, wearily pinching the bridge of his nose. “I have pressing matters to attend to here. Another band of rogues was spotted out west. And we believe they are being led by a Werewolf.”

My breath caught. I looked up at him, my fingers worrying the end of my braid. “I… I’m sorry,” I said quickly, although I wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe I felt obligated to apologize, if my people were banding together with rogues to torment the Lycans.

But he just shook his head. Then, suddenly, Neil reached out. I startled a little as he lifted my chin up with his hand to meet his gaze.

“Do not apologize for others’ transgressions.” His tongue darted out briefly to wet his lips, those stormy blue eyes glancing at my mouth once more, before he added quietly, “And keep your chin up. You will pull through this.”

I wanted to kiss him all over again, but I forced myself to step back, nodding instead. “I will.”

Just as I turned to leave, I remembered the phone. My stomach sank as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the broken device. “Sorry,” I murmured, holding it out to him.

Neil took it, his lips quirking up in a faint smile. “Perhaps it’s better this way.” He slipped it into his pocket with a nonchalant shrug, as if it were nothing more than a piece of trash to be discarded later.

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, the warmth of his cloak lingering on my skin. I let out a shaky breath, then made my way back to my room.

The castle halls felt quieter than usual, and for once, I was glad. I needed the silence to process everything. Neil was helping me. He was actually helping me.

Relief and gratitude whirled around inside of me, but beneath it all was a faint undercurrent of something else—something I wasn’t quite ready to name.

When I reached my room, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then, shaking off my thoughts, I began packing. Just the essentials, I reminded myself. It was only for a day.

The room was quiet save for the rustling of fabric as I folded a shirt and placed it into my bag. My mind drifted as I worked, my thoughts returning to Neil. The way his arms had felt around me, the way his scent had wrapped around me. The way his gaze had lingered on my lips…

I shook my head, trying to focus. This wasn’t the time to get distracted. My father needed me, and that was all that mattered right now.

The sound of the door creaking open pulled me from my thoughts. I didn’t look up, assuming it was Ember.

“Hey, Ember,” I said, glancing toward my bag. “Did Neil tell you about the trip to the Werewolf continent?”

But then the click of the lock made my blood run cold. My head snapped up, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw who was standing there.

It wasn’t Ember.

Hannah stood just inside the room, her eyes narrowing as a sneer curled across her face. The torchlight caught the blade in her hand, making it glint ominously.

“What’s this about Werewolves?” she hissed.