She seems too perfect, too distant to be real. Just like the moon her scent conjures images of every time I take a breath, whether she's near or not. Like she's inside my mind, my very soul infected withherin a way no fever could ever burn out.
She's a goddess.
Raven is right about that. It was one thing when I thought she just hated all alphas. When I thought there was no way of getting past those towering walls of ice and stone that surround her heart.
Now that I know it'smeshe hates?
That she's capable of tenderness, vulnerability, even love, whether she realizes it's in the way she looks at him or not…
"What does he have that I don't?" The words slip out before I can stop them, barely more than a whisper.
"Two eyes?" Raven's voice comes from directly behind me, dripping with false sweetness.
Leave it to him to turn my self-loathing into external loathing.
I spin around, a snarl building in my throat. "Fuck off."
Raven's lips curl into a sneer. "Now, now. Is that any way to talk to the person who so graciously packed your bag while you were off having your little tantrum?"
My eye narrows. "Don't touch my fucking things."
"You're welcome," he says airily, reaching out to wipe something from my cheek. His fingers come away stained red. "I see you found a way to occupy yourself."
I jerk away from his touch. "None of your damn business."
Raven's expression softens slightly, and for a moment, I see a flicker of the boy I pulled out of that hellhole all those years ago. The one who used to look at me like I hung the fucking moon.
"You should tell her," he says quietly.
I snort. "Tell her what?"
"That you're her mate," Raven replies, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "She deserves to know."
I laugh, but there's no humor in it. "Right. Because that worked out so well for you."
The barb hits its mark. Raven flinches, hurt flashing across his face before he masks it with his usual easy smile. "At least I had the balls to try."
Before I can respond, he turns on his heel and saunters toward the room where Cosima is packing.
"You'd better go say goodbye to your 'Daddy' soon," I call after him, unable to resist getting in one last dig.
Raven's steps falter for just a moment, but he doesn't look back. I watch as he approaches Cosima, saying something that makes her laugh. The sound cuts through me like a knife.
I've never made her laugh like that.
I push the thought away and go to collect my things, resigning myself to yet another suicide mission. Because there's no doubt in my mind now.
We're going to fucking Surhiira.
Gods help us all.
Chapter 8
RAVEN
Morning arrives too quickly,streaming through the narrow ventilation shafts that provide the black market with odd slivers of natural light. I fasten the last of my bags, finally finished with my careful, methodical packing. Half my supplies for this insane, self-inflicted expedition may be outright luxuries, but I've never seen the point of survival without style.
The markets will be stirring now, merchants setting up stalls to barter and haggle over pre-war trinkets and necessities alike. A world away from what we're about to attempt.
