Free Web NovelChapter 37: Where love could be?
Raven
"Friend!" the young lady spat, visible anger lacing her voice. She did not like me, and she made it painfully clear.
"Rya! None of that! Raven is good!" Loel added quickly before settling on the ground. I followed, lowering myself right beside her, knowing better than to sit anywhere else.
Rya—the woman being spoken to—glared as though she was about to say something else, her lips parting slightly. But before she could, one of the men seated to our left spoke up. His voice was gentle, almost intimate, and Rya’s expression changed instantly. Her eyes lit up in a way that made it obvious how much she liked hearing him speak.
"Let her be! Her pack are paying for their sins. Moreover, the alphas would have a good reason why they didn’t make her anyone’s slave," he continued, his tone calm and assured.
"Moreover, she looks weak—like a runt," he added, casting me an indifferent glance that revealed this was his only concern.
Rya looked at me again, her sharp gaze lingering for a moment before she nodded slowly, as though she had come to the same conclusion.
It soon became clear that being weak was acceptable—more than acceptable, even. They seemed to prefer it. Their voices softened, their hostility faded, and they began to speak to me normally, almost as though my weakness meant I could never pose any kind of threat.
To my surprise, it wasn’t long before we were laughing, playing simple games, and passing time together. The tension eased, replaced by something lighter, something almost... normal.
Soon, they paired up. Rya ended up with the black-haired young man with warm brown eyes. She clearly liked him, and he made no effort to hide that the feeling was mutual.
The men were all tall and muscled, their builds reflecting strength and dominance, but none of them came close to the overwhelming presence of Rex, Axel, and Thor. Still, they were pleasant to look at. Strength was everything in a werewolf pack, and each of them embodied it in their own way.
There were six men and six women, and of course, I was paired with someone who spoke to me gently.
He showed an immediate interest in me, and I responded with a small smile, aware that nothing meaningful could ever come from our interaction. Still, I didn’t push him away.
He had large brown eyes, with a faint sparkle that appeared whenever he smiled. And his smile... it was warm, inviting—almost impossible to look away from. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Unlike Rex, he was tall but not intimidating. When he leaned closer, it was done carefully, as though he was aware of the space between us and didn’t want to cross it too suddenly. It made me feel... safe.
We spoke all afternoon. And somewhere along the way, I realized I liked him.
It wasn’t just the conversation. It was the way he treated me—like I was fragile, yes, but not something to be discarded. Something to be protected... even cherished.
The thought alone nearly brought tears to my eyes. Because I knew, deep down, that there was no world in which I could be a normal girl—no world where someone like him could look at me this way without consequences.
And yet, my gaze drifted to his lips.
I found myself wondering what it would feel like to touch someone I wanted to touch.
Not something forced upon me.
Something chosen.
"You seem to have this sad look in your eyes sometimes," he said suddenly, his voice soft as he slowly reached out. His finger hooked gently around mine—the lightest touch—but even that was enough to send my heart racing wildly in my chest.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
I lifted my head from where I had been staring at the ground, glancing around in mild surprise. Most of the others had already left in pairs, disappearing into the distance.
We were alone.
"I’m fine... just... I was thinking," I replied quietly, turning back to him.
His face was easy to look at. There was no hatred there. No disgust. Only a faint glimmer of something softer—something that looked dangerously close to admiration.
For a moment, I wondered if I was dreaming.
My heart pounded harder as I took in every small change in his expression, as though I were starving for it.
"You have beautiful eyes," he whispered, his hand lifting hesitantly before brushing lightly against my hair as it fell over my shoulders and down my back.
"A unique color. Your mother must have been human?"
I shook my head, unsure if it was something I wanted to talk about.
"I think so... I never met her," I admitted softly.
He nodded, his expression attentive, listening in a way that made me feel heard.
"I never met my mother either," he said after a moment, surprising me.
He went on to speak about his father—about expectations, responsibilities, the weight he carried. His voice dipped slightly as he continued.
"I lost my brother in the attack..." he sighed deeply, the sound heavy with something that seemed to reach into his very soul.
"We call it the massacre," he added.
My chest tightened painfully.
Without thinking, I reached out and took his hand, my fingers wrapping around his.
"Fowva..." I whispered, my voice trembling as I looked into his eyes, fighting the tears threatening to spill.
It was my fault.
It was definitely my fault.
I was the reason his brother was gone—the reason that massacre had taken place. If I had just kept my mouth shut... if I had stayed silent...
The guilt rose sharply, clawing at my throat, making it hard to breathe.
He leaned closer.
And before I could think, before I could pull away, his lips met mine.
I froze for only a heartbeat before I let it happen.
Tears slipped down my face as I kissed him back.
I liked him. I truly did. But I knew this was temporary. The moment he learned the truth, he would hate me—just like Rex, Axel, and Thor did.
Still...
I kissed him again.
This time with more urgency, more feeling.
It felt... nice.
To choose.
To decide.
To not be forced.
His touch was careful, restrained. Even as the kiss deepened slightly, there was no attempt to take more than I was willing to give.
And that alone made it feel different.
Safe.
He pulled away slowly, the evening air cool against my skin as the sky darkened above us.
His smile was bright—genuine—as he looked at me.
"That was nice," he whispered, running a hand through his hair, his eyes betraying a desire to continue even as he held himself back.
"We should go for dinner. We’ll be late," he added softly. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
I nodded, my cheeks warming as I returned his smile.
He stood first, then offered me his hand, pulling me up with an ease that made my heart flutter again.
"We should meet again," he said, his tone lighter now, hopeful.
I nodded again, unsure of what I truly felt—but certain that I didn’t hate it.
As we reached the edge of the forest leading back to the pack, he leaned down suddenly and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek.
I looked up at him in surprise.
He grinned widely, almost boyishly.
"I want us to do this again," he said.
I nodded quickly, hating how easily I blushed as I lowered my gaze.
"I’ll head off to my friends now!" he added before darting away, his steps light as he joined a group of men gathered near the kitchen building.
There was a spring in his step that I couldn’t help but notice.
For a moment, I stood there, replaying the kiss, the softness of it, the innocence of his touch.
"I like him," I muttered quietly to myself.
Then I hurried back toward the pack grounds, weaving past buildings until I reached the kitchen where meals were served three times a day.
The line was long, as usual. People collected their food before either returning to their homes or sitting nearby to eat and talk.
I got my portion and scanned the area, searching for Loel and Xarna.
I found them easily in our usual spot.
"Look! A woman in love!" Xarna gasped loudly the moment she saw me.
I immediately glanced around, hoping no one had heard her.
I sat beside her quickly, trying to hide my embarrassment.
But this time, it wasn’t just Xarna.
Loel leaned forward slightly, eating as she spoke.
"So... did you two agree to mate?" she asked casually. My eyes widened in shock.
"What?!"
She shrugged.
"I’ve slept with the man I was with—and even Xarna’s man. The only time we can’t have multiple partners is when you marry or bond with someone," she said bluntly.
Xarna nodded in agreement.
"Look around, Raven. Apart from working and eating, the only thing werewolves truly enjoy is mating," she added with a grin.
"And in Xarna’s case," Loel cut in with a smug smile, "mating with a particular alpha and having lots of cubs running around."
"Ugh! Shut up, Loel!" Xarna snapped, her face flushing slightly.
"Go ahead, scream it for everyone to hear. Yes—I want to be Luna!"
I couldn’t help but chuckle softly as I ate, taking my time.
Food was a luxury—one you never rushed especially since it wasn’t everytime that wolf packs had excess food to spare.
