Shadow:

I shook my head. Tiana was a bitch, but I had to say, she did care for those girls she was monitoring. She was the warden of the dwarf bunnies.

Before I left, I decided to go deal with the bastard who tried to force himself on her. I heard groaning as I approached him.

“My legs…” The guy complained. “They’re broken.”

“Your own fault.” I told him.

I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off.

“Let me go!” He gasped, trying to breathe.

“You stay the fuck away from her.” I warned him.

“Who?! Oriana?”

So… That’s her name… Beautiful…

“Yeah, Oriana.” I told him.

“Dude, why do you care?”

I tightened my grip on his collar and he dug his nails into my arm.

“I’m not kidding.” I told him. “If I find you near her again, I’d love to remove every piece of meat from your fucking body. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes!”

I dropped him and he fell to the ground, gasping for air. I turned around and headed back to the bonfire.

“Help me!” He shouted as I walked back.

“Hopefully someone comes for you. Fuck you and your help.”

***

“Dude, I’m getting tired.” Torak yawned. “We should head back.

“I second it.” I told them. “Don’t we have a test with Mr. Alkaline?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Remus sighed.

.

Raven stared at me and I nodded my head at her.

“What are you guys going to do?” Gonzalo asked.

“I think I’m going to take a walk.” I told them.

“Can I join you?” Raven asked.

I looked at her and nodded.

“You guys go ahead and head back.” I told them. “We’ll meet you guys there.”

Raven and I departed from the bonfire and we took a headstart back to the dorms. Since the four murders had occurred, the Principal thought it would be wiser to put us wolves together instead of with other species.

We walked down the street enjoying the cool breeze for the night.

“You’re quiet.” Raven told me. “What’s on your mind?”

“The test and me failing it.” I chuckled.

“You never study.”

“I should.”

Raven tried to hold my hand and I pulled it away.

“Why are you being like this?”

“Raven, stop.”

She stopped in her tracks and I turned to face her.

“Do you not find me attractive?”

“No, you’re beautiful.”

“Then, why can’t I be your mate?”

“You know why.”

“But, I love you, Shadow. I always have. Why can’t you be with me?”

“Look, Raven. You’re a beautiful girl. Feisty, smart and a very good fighter. You run the women’s pack well. I just… I can’t force something that isn’t supposed to happen.”

Raven sighed.

“Can I prove to you that you should be with me?”

“Like how?”

“Many ways.”

Car horns honked behind us and we turned around.

“YOU TWO BE GOOD!!” Torak shouted out the window as he and the others drove past.

I shook my head as the two of us kept going.

“Are you talking about sex?” I asked her.

“One is that.”

“Raven…”

“We used to always have sex, Shadow.”

“Yeah, we did. But, not anymore.”

“Mating season is coming up soon. Please, think by then.”

“Why?”

I looked over at her and she turned the other way.

“This one coming up?” I asked.

“It’s almost time.” Raven told me.

“Raven, how are we going to raise a baby while in college? I understand we are in our 20s, but be real. Are you even ready for a baby?”

“I want one this coming mating season. And I want it with you.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. There was no way I was ready to be a father and I didn’t see me having a child with Raven at all. She was just a friend and that was all.

“Raven, can we talk about this later? I’m not comfortable with it.”

“Just, please, think about it?”

I nodded. We finally made it to the dorms, right with the dwarf bunnies. Tiana stopped and turned to her group.

“Go straight inside.” She instructed.

The other girls left, except for Tiana and Oriana. Raven held on to me, glaring at Tiana.

“What do you want?” Raven asked Tiana.

“Can we talk?” Tiana asked me, not paying attention to Raven. “Without your follower around?”

“Exc-.” I cut Raven off.

“Go in the dorm room.” I told Raven.

“Why?” Raven asked.

I looked at Raven and she rolled her eyes before she turned and walked off into the dorm building. When she was nowhere in sight, I turned back to Tiana and Oriana.

“What’s up?” I asked them.

“I wanted to apologize.” She told me. “I came at you wrong, not knowing the whole story. Oriana told me everything and how you helped her from Jesse and I wanted to apologize to you at the bonfire, but you had left. So, again, I apologize.”

“Apology accepted.” I told her.

Tiana gave me a small smile and she was ready to walk off with Oriana, but Oriana stopped her.

“Can I say something to him, in private?” She asked Tiana.

“Oriana, I-.”

“Please, it’ll be quick.”

“Five minutes.”

Tiana released Oriana and walked into the building. When it was just her and I, the only sound I could hear was my heartbeat slamming in my chest.

“Thank you and I’m sorry as well.” Oriana told me.

“You’re fine.” I told her. “Is it still painful?”

“Yes, but I’ll put some ice and wrap on it once I get inside.”

“Good.”

Oriana turned and grabbed the door knob.

“Wait.” I reached over and grabbed her hand.

She looked up at me.

“What?” She asked.

There were so many things I wanted to tell her, but what I said next… Fucked up with her.

“I would like it if you don’t… Talk to other men, anymore.” I told her.

She blinked at me, repeatedly, pulling her arm away from my grasp.

“Excuse me?” She asked.

“I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”

“Um, okay? I’m just going to go inside.”

“Oriana, please.”

“Please, what?”

I sighed. In order for me to not make it any worse, I closed my mouth and shook my head.

“Goodnight.” I told her.

“Goodnight.” She said and she finally walked into the building.

“What a dumbass.” I said to myself.

You got nervous…

“I fucked up.”

Calm down…

“Why her?”

It happens…

“No, it doesn’t just happen!”

Calm down…

It took a minute, but eventually, I calmed down and walked in.