Free Web NovelChapter 36: Our Friend
Raven’s POV
There was a thin patch of grass beneath me, but it did little to soften the cruel bite of sticks and scattered stones pressing into my back. Every sharp edge seemed determined to remind me of what had just happened, grounding me in a reality I wished I could escape. For a moment, I lay there unmoving, my body too weak to rise, my limbs heavy as though they no longer belonged to me. My breath came slowly, unevenly, and I could still feel the lingering warmth he had left inside me—an intimate, undeniable reminder that seeped between my thighs and refused to be ignored.
With a shaky inhale, I forced myself to move.
Slowly, I scrambled to my feet, using the rough bark of the tree as support. My fingers dug into it, grounding myself as I turned my head sharply, scanning my surroundings. The memory of footsteps echoed in my mind—distinct, real, too close for comfort. My heart pounded as I searched, but there was no one in sight. No movement. No sound. No trace of anyone who might have witnessed what had transpired.
Rex was gone.
Of course he was.
Anger surged through me, sudden and fierce, coiling tightly in my chest. I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms as I steadied myself against the tree. He had come, taken what he wanted, and left without a word—leaving me alone to deal with the aftermath. My jaw tightened as I leaned back against the trunk, my gaze drifting downward to my stomach.
A cold wave of fear washed over me.
If things continued like this... if this happened again... I could get pregnant.
The thought struck me harder than anything else had. It wasn’t just fear—it was terror, deep and suffocating, wrapping around my chest and squeezing until I could barely breathe.
I pushed myself away from the tree abruptly.
I had to clean myself.
Quickly, I made my way toward one of the lower points of the river, where the water ran shallow and slow instead of rushing wildly over rocks. Kneeling at the edge, I cupped the cool water in my hands and scrubbed at my skin, desperate—almost frantic—as I tried to wash away any trace of what had happened. The scent clung stubbornly to me, faint but unmistakable, and I worked harder, dragging water across my arms, my thighs, my stomach.
Then, more carefully, I wiped between my legs, swallowing hard as I did.
I just wanted it gone.
I was just about to finish when the sound of footsteps behind me froze me in place.
My entire body went rigid.
Slowly—too slowly—I turned around.
Relief and panic collided in my chest as I found Loel and Xarna standing there, both staring at me with questioning expressions.
"We’ve been looking for you!" Loel said immediately, her tone carrying a mix of concern and mild reproach. She stepped closer, her brows knitting together. "You could have gone to the usual place for the women to wash."
Before I could respond, Xarna moved forward, her sharp gaze scanning me. She reached out without hesitation, threading her fingers through my hair. I stiffened, but she simply pulled out two small twigs tangled within it. She held them up briefly before letting them fall to the ground.
"Were you rolling on the ground?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity, though her eyes were observant—too observant—as they swept over my disheveled appearance.
My heart lurched.
I shook my head quickly. "I fell!" I said, perhaps a little too fast.
Wiping my wet hands on my dress, I turned slightly, eager to redirect their attention before they could question me further.
"You were looking for me?" I asked, forcing my voice to sound casual. freēwēbnovel.com
They both nodded.
"Yes," Xarna replied, her expression brightening. "Most of the women are free today—except for those stuck in the kitchen. So we’re all heading to the river to play games. The hunting team is still away, but there are still plenty of men around."
I frowned slightly, confusion flickering across my face.
Loel noticed immediately and stepped in to explain, her voice patient.
"It’s easier when there are more people," she said. "The men will be there with their friends too, so we can form groups. Then... we choose partners for the night." She smiled faintly, as though this were the most natural thing in the world. "If he’s good to you, and you like him, he can remain your partner. Sometimes it leads to bonding... and eventually, children."
I nodded slowly, though my stomach twisted.
No way can I sleep with any other man.
The thought came instinctively, firmly, and I forced my expression to remain neutral. Rex would have my head if I even considered it—and beyond that... I didn’t want to.
Still, I nodded as though I agreed, falling into step beside them.
But my thoughts were elsewhere entirely.
Who had heard those footsteps?
Had someone seen us?
A quiet sense of relief settled in me when I realized it hadn’t been Loel or Xarna. That alone felt like a small mercy.
We had only just begun walking toward the calmer stretch of the river when a thought surfaced in my mind.
"Wait..." I said, glancing at them. "You mentioned that those assigned to the kitchen work from morning to night. Isn’t that... unfair?"
Xarna shrugged immediately, as though the question barely mattered.
"It’s mostly people from your former pack," she said, her voice edged with bitterness. "It’s already bad enough that they’re not dead."
I stiffened slightly but said nothing.
"...working in the kitchen is more of a punishment," Loel added gently, as if trying to soften the harshness of Xarna’s words. "But it can also be a benefit. If someone has a dependent who can’t work, doing that labor counts for two people."
I nodded, though my thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
To my mother.
She was alive—I knew that much—but I hadn’t seen her. Nor had I seen Brandon. A part of me knew they would be grieving... yet I felt nothing for Father or Leon. Not even after the way they had died.
The absence of that grief unsettled me—but not enough to matter.
I had bigger problems.
Swallowing, I spoke again.
"What do you take... to prevent getting pregnant?"
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Both of them turned to me instantly.
Xarna looked amused.
Loel, on the other hand, chuckled softly.
"You’ve never had sex before, have you?" she asked.
My eyes widened, and I shook my head quickly.
She nodded, satisfied.
"Good. Then just make sure he doesn’t finish inside you."
I froze.
"Werewolves are very fertile," Xarna added with a knowing nod. "But as long as they don’t finish inside us, we won’t get pregnant. It’s never happened otherwise—not that the Knowledge Keeper has ever recorded."
I nodded, inching closer to them, my hands clasped tightly behind my back. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"What if they do?" I pressed, my voice quieter now. "By mistake... surely there’s something that can be done?"
I kept my gaze on the ground.
If I looked at them, they would see it—the fear, the desperation.
And if I got pregnant...
Everyone would know.
I would be shunned. Labeled. Humiliated.
The thought alone made my chest tighten painfully.
"Hmmm," Xarna murmured, tilting her head. "I’ve heard stories... but you’d have to ask the pack healer. Or Gessia—she makes potions. They’re very good, though I don’t like how close she is to the Alphas."
Then her expression shifted suddenly.
Suspicion flickered.
"Why would you even ask?" she said slowly.
My breath caught.
Her gaze snapped toward Loel, eyes widening.
"...is she asking for you?" she gasped. "You let a man finish inside you?"
Loel recoiled, horrified.
"Am I insane?" she snapped. "How would I? That would be social suicide. No man is worth that!"
Xarna squinted at her, unconvinced.
My heart pounded violently as Loel turned to me.
"Tell her why you’re asking," she insisted.
I forced a laugh—light, careless, completely false.
"I was just curious," I said, smiling. "Like you said... the last thing anyone should do is get pregnant before bonding."
They both relaxed.
Believed me.
We continued walking, reaching the main part of the river sooner than I expected. The water here was calm, flowing gently instead of raging. Groups of people had already gathered—women and men alike.
Loel and Xarna greeted them easily.
Most were from their pack.
Only one or two were from mine.
I lowered my head instinctively, bracing myself for insults—but none came.
Instead, my gaze caught on one girl.
I recognized her immediately.
She had mocked me before. Spat at me when no one was looking.
Now, she sat quietly, her posture submissive. The women around her ignored her, ordering her about, and she obeyed without hesitation.
The sight stirred something inside me.
A dark, quiet satisfaction.
It felt... good.
Watching her suffer—even a little—brought me a strange sense of relief.
And perhaps... it would feel even better if I made her suffer more.
"Xarna, who is she?" a voice called out.
I stiffened.
One of the women I didn’t recognize was looking directly at me.
"Your slave?"
Tears stung my eyes instantly as I watched Xarna shake her head firmly.
"No," she said.
Then, without hesitation, she added, "She’s our friend. Raven."
