Chapter 4

Over the next few days, I moved into Caspian's quarters.

He'd been gone too long—

Though the room was clean and well-maintained by pack staff, it felt cold.

I set up a small nursery in the corner.

Using soft blankets to create a warm nest for the pups.

The sticky night air crept through the window.

Carrying with it the cloying scent of flowers from outside.

Raven had torn out my flower beds and planted new varieties.

The pups whimpered and burrowed against my chest, sleeping fitfully.

They were heartbroken.

From birth until now, their father had never been so cold to them.

I lowered my head, pressing my lips gently to their foreheads.

My eyes suddenly stung with tears.

Outside, I could hear muffled crying.

I rolled over, covering my ears desperately.

Then suddenly—a loud crash.

"Raven, no! Don't touch me! I'm scared, please..."

Mixed with the sound of frantic footsteps.

My whole body tensed.

The next second, the door burst open from outside.

Raven stood in the doorway, his eyes glowing that eerie green in the darkness, locked onto me.

His gaze slid from my face down to my half-open collar.

I knew that look all too well.

Countless nights, he'd looked at me exactly like this.

Then pulled me into his arms in the darkness, pinning me down with his weight, taking me over and over.

He was in rut.

I instinctively shrank back against the wall.

Seeing my retreat, Raven's jaw clenched so hard I could hear it.

He didn't even know what he was angry about.

The surge of his wolf and primal instinct urged him forward.

His brain had only one thought.

She was his breeder. No one could take her away.

Watching Raven approach, I shook my head desperately: "No, I don't want this!"

My rejection seemed to burn the werewolf standing before me.

He stopped in place, looking at me with wounded eyes.

Don't look at me like that.

You're the one who rejected me first.

"I don't want—"

But before I could finish.

He had already easily caught my wrists, pinning them above my head.

Suddenly there was a sharp, high-pitched yip.

The largest pup struggled forward.

Using his little legs to push himself up, he crawled in front of me.

I could feel his body trembling.

Those golden eyes reflected his father's half-shifted form, full of fear.

But he still opened his mouth.

Baring fangs that hadn't fully grown in yet, making threatening sounds at Raven.

The other two woke up as well.

They shakily copied their brother.

Three pups barely the size of my palm lined up in front of me.

Tears flooded my eyes.

"Babies, no... don't come closer..."

I tried to reach for them.

But Raven had my hands pinned. I couldn't move.

Raven looked down, his mind clouded by rut.

He reached out, and the pup struggled desperately in his grip, tiny body twisting and kicking.

"No! Raven, let him go! You're hurting him!"

I went wild, my nails scratching bloody lines down his arm.

Raven frowned and carelessly tossed the pup aside.

The tiny body hit the wall and slid down.

"Baby!"

The pain nearly suffocated me, my eyes bloodshot:

"Are you insane?! He's your pup! How could you throw him like that!"

Raven seemed to come to his senses for a moment.

He looked down at his hand, then at the pup curled up in the corner.

But the animal instinct quickly surged back.

His gaze fell on me again, his hand moving back to my body.

He murmured incoherently: "Amber..."

Just then, a scream came from the doorway.

"What are you doing?!"

Raven's whole body froze. He whipped his head around.

Anya stood barefoot outside the door, eyes wide as she stared at us.

Raven shoved me away, his face full of regret.

In his panic, he blurted out: "She... she seduced me."