Chapter 27
**Ivan**
The flaming raven was the emblem of the Ravenwood pack. My pack.
Someone in my pack was out to kill me and destroy everything had built while at it.
I ran my fingers worriedly through my hair and paced the length of my office.
“Silver, what do I do?” I murmured to my wolf.
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“You have to take what the edge dwellers said with a pinch of salt. For all we know, he could be lying, but at the same time, it could be the truth or a half–truth.
But you still have to be careful Ivan.”
I nodded seeing the sense in his words. Every pack member has an emblem of the pack etched on their coat which was given upon admittance into the pack.
A member could have had their coat stolen and the stranger used it as a cover.
All in all, I still had to tread with caution.
I left my office and walked back to the visitors area where Alpha Tommen sat, his face clouded with thoughts.
“I thought you’d be on your way now,” I remarked as I stepped in.
“Soon. Are the edge dwellers going to remain in dungeons?”
“The rest will remain while the leader will be executed on the night of the full moon.”
He nodded and took a swing of the drink before him.
After the shocking admittance of the edge dweller, I needed a drink myself.
Mallory walked in, her maid Maya in tow, carrying a tray of cupcakes, which she set in front of Alpha Tommen.
He murmured his thanks, not bothering to spare a glance at the maid before picking up one of the snacks.
Biting into the cake, his head shot up, and he fixed his gaze on Mallory, making my eyes narrow uncomfortably.
“I made them,” Mallory said, noticing his gaze and attributing it to the taste of the cupcake. “Is it to your liking?”
1 scoffed at her question and walked to the tray, picking up the rest of the cupcakes and gobbling them up.
“Who cares if he likes it or not?” She shot me a stare at my mean question, her eyes screaming at me to show some respect.
I ignored her gaze and looked at Tommen, whose eyes were still glued on Mallory, making her shift uncomfortably.
Hey Tommen. I barked. “I think you should leave now. Your pack must be worried”.
He turned his head towards me unwillingly and stood up from his seat, his eyes still going in Mallory’s direction.
“Yes, I should. Thank you, and once again. I apologize for the misconduct He replied.
I nodded and ushered him out of the area and towards the garage where his car was packed.
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Chapter 27
His beta arrived shortly–with Kelvin who noticed my simmering anger.
“What happened again?” He whispered.
“Bastard keeps staring at my Luna,” I murmured angrily.
“Best he leaves before I go back on my promise of letting him return alive.”
Kelvin said nothing and stared at Tommen before a chuckle burst from his lips.
“He’s not staring at Mallory,” he answered.
“What-
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He continued, lightly nudging me in the direction where Mallory and her maid stood. Tommen’s eyes were still glued to her.
“He’s staring at Maya.”
*Tommen**
I noticed her when I stepped into the Ravenwood pack.
She bent down in front of a garden, carefully pulling out weeds and tending to the baby tomatoes planted there.
I wasn’t able to see her face clearly, but the sight of her silky black hair, put up in French braids, and a purple hibiscus plant tapped to the end remained in my mind.
I sought her after, given I was limited to some areas in the pack as a rival Alpha; seeking her meant instructing my beta to inquire about her from Kelvin.
She was Luna’s maid, I was informed. This wasn’t the first time I had visited Ravenwood pack but this was the first time I had set my eyes on someone like that in this pack.
“We are almost at the pack,” my beta announced to me.
“Okay,” I replied absently, my mind filled with visions and images of her.
When she stepped in to serve the cupcakes earlier, I saw her face clearly, porcelain smooth and small complete with a pair of wide eyes and small button lips.
I felt my wolf, storm howl in response.
Was she my mate?
I had long given up on finding a mate after my first mate was killed by wolves.
Her death sent me spiraling and gave up on anything and everything love, but I found myself reconsidering as I set eyes on Maya.
“Brother, you’re back.” Shireen’s loud voice bursts through as the car engine dies down.
“I was to worried. I don’t trust Alphas Ivan one bit,” she continued, latching herself to my arm.
“We aren’t guilty of anything so no need to fear. Ivan is wise and won’t attack without plausible evidence of our
neokrinent 1 replied to her as we walked into the house.
walked to the liquor cabinet and mixed myself a drink.
Fis for one to Shireen called out from where she sat
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Chapter 27
“No,” I shot back. Shireen and Alcohol were like oil and water, never to be mixed.
“But brother-
“No buts, you’re still forbidden from taking alcohol.” I snapped back.
She scoffed and walked off leaving me alone in the sitting room.
My mind roved absently about the day’s events. The issue with the edge dwellers bothered me.
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How they managed to commit atrocities and the mysterious stranger who visited them all under my nose baffled me.
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The job of an Alpha was never my first choice of a role but the early death of my elder brother and father thrust me into the role with or without my consent.
My mother, out of grief, followed suit a year after their death, leaving Shireen and me to raise each other and pack to lead.
My mind returned to Maya, the fair maiden that had caught my heart that day.
The end to the feud between Ravenwood and the Moonshade pack was in sight.
But even at that, my constant presence in the pack would raise concerns and judging by the look on Ivan’s face, I wasn’t welcome.
This wasn’t the time to claim a girl from a rival clan, especially when she wasn’t my mate.
When the time is right, I will claim Maya.
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