Chapter 2 BETROTHED
22 YEARS LATER
RAVEN’S P.O.V
“Raven!”
I jumped as soon as I heard the voice, my head turning right and left contemplating on just running away to hide. My heart was not taking the situation lightly, beating as if to tear from my chest and fall on the ground for Elissa to step on and crush. What joy it would bring her.
I rolled my eyes, sighing with me rushing to meet her before she found my secret hiding spot.
My body was covered in nothing but sweat, quickly wiping it away with my t-shirt to pull it over my head, covering my upper body along with my sports bra. My feet were dirty with mud, no time to rush to the river to wash them off.
“The fact that I have to walk off this far to come get you just makes me so mad. You better show your face before my shoes get dirty or we will have a problem.” Elissa spoke out, hearing that she was reaching her boiling point. I sighed and moved even faster, dodging tree branches and making sure I was not leaving a trail behind me; stepping on tree roots and stones.
I could already smell her overly sweet perfume where I was, just nearly having me sneeze where I was. I shook my head, wishing I could throw her in the river to wash it away, what a lovely sight that would be.
I bent over a branch, raising my head with her form standing right there before me, looking so red I thought she would pop. Her arms were folded on her chest, it rising up and down with such distress sure shit would hit the fan soon.
She did not belong there. Her long hair was tied back in a middle-parted ponytail, looking so beautiful with her make up done to perfection but what more would you expect from her.
She wore a knitted jersey with high waisted jeans, tucking the jersey and then white sneakers on her feet. I felt bad in a way for making her walk all this way. She gave me one look, then scoffed, turning around and sighing to walk away.
I bowed my head, following after her and watching her body sway with her shaking her head now and again. Her form was tall and slim with her curves defined. She was every girl’s dream and to add to that she was very smart. I was jealous I would not lie, even when we were younger, she was always a shining star and I was just there at the back with my deep red eyes, hair so dark it was unnatural along with my shorter statue and more of a figure no matter how hard I exercised.
My head snapped from all that as we broke through the forest with the large mansion coming to view as some of the pack members strolled by. Right before the mansion was a large garden where most were seated and just enjoying the summer breeze as the sun set. It had been a hot day indeed but the night seemed to be cool.
I was sweating buckets myself so I would know, busy doing my things in the forest away from everyone’s eyes.
All eyes turned as we walked, a few people passing their greetings to Elissa. The way she drew people to her was amazing. They all adored her, even I kind of wished I was her, well, minus the evil sister attitude. She was kind to everyone except me but for that I blamed only one person who I would not say.
I stopped where I was, wiping my feet on the grass to clean them before my head rolled from my neck for dirtying the house.
The Greyhemm pack was on the top ten of the largest and wealthiest packs in the area. It was big and beautiful with the alpha having spent so much money to make sure the pack looked the part.
The mansion just before me was the Alpha’s house; the beta and gamma had their own exquisite houses. The pack was well taken care of I would not lie, a beautiful place to be in if you were a werewolf.
My head bowed just thinking of it with my heart sore.
The alpha and luna already knew I was not a werewolf but to make sure they had taken both of us to the forest on our sixteen birthday to observe the transformation of the Alpha’s daughters. Everyone had been there, all eyes on us with more whispering about me.
I had never prayed so much to the moon goddess, just praying for her to please give me a wolf because maybe just maybe everything would be better then but nothing.
Elissa had turned right next to me, her bones shifting with her crying out loud. The luna and alpha had ran to her, holding and cooing her until she completed her first transformation. As if I was not already burning enough her wolf was white with accents of silver just stealing everyone’s breath as I died over and over again.
I had stood there, watching the parents praise their daughter, kissing her wolf over and over again with such pride, something I would never have. It hurt so much but I had held my smile because the fact was that I was no werewolf and I was a stranger to all of them, an intruder in their pack and family.
After all had praised Elissa, the whole pack turned and they all took off running through the forest with me left behind, staring at their backs as they disappeared out of sight. The tears streamed down just that second, my body shaking, cursing my existence to no end.
I had bowed my head, turned around to my room where I slipped in my bed and cried so hard I thought I might die.
The memory was shaken away, looking up to see Elissa near the door. I rushed after her, my feet clean to enter through the house, closing the door after me. The house was so quiet you would swear there was no one but sure there were.
“Can I rush to take a shower before coming to dinner?” I politely asked Elissa with her turning where she was, staring at me with her face morphing in to one of disapproval before flicking her hand at me. I did not even waste a second. I rushed up the stairs to my room to take a shower, my hands so fast with my heart drumming just thinking of what the luna would say with me late.
I ran out of the bathroom, applying some deodorant and just jumping into jeans and a t-shirt followed by slippers. I ran out, the door closed behind me to literally jump down the steps.
My hair was flying all over my back, heaving until I got to the last step knowing I was in a lot of trouble from then.
I stopped right before the door. I knew they had smelt me coming, damn werewolves and their sensitive noses. I took a deep breath, making sure I was presentable to push the door open and walk in.