I’m not sure I’ll be able to stick to that promise, especially with how eager my packmates are, but I don’t want her to feel trapped.
Raven bites her lip, drawing my gaze to the mouth I want to taste so desperately again. It’s been far too long. I want to tug that lip from her teeth, soothe the hurt with my tongue. I’d do it right this time.
“Okay,” she finally whispers, shocking me. “But Foster comes too.”
I bristle, then remind myself that he’s there to keep her safe, and the Olympic committee mandated it. But if she only has eyes for him during our dates, it defeats the purpose.
“He can come, but only as a bodyguard. Not as this.” I wave a hand at their touching arms. “He gives us space, and you give us a chance.”
Foster straightens, muscles tense as he looks at Raven. Her agreement is hesitant, but she gives it. Which is all I need. One chance.
“Orion’ll be first,” I say.
A little ripple of relief comes through the bond from her. I figured that would be the case. Despite him royally messing up with the bonding, she seems most comfortable with him. I don’t blame her.
“Hurry up,” Ana yells from about half a block ahead of us. She’s standing in front of a cab with the door open as Harriett climbs inside. The rest of my pack is hanging off to the side, waiting to hear what Raven said to our proposal. I smile reassuringly at them before taking Raven’s phone, putting in my number, and calling myself so I have hers.
“He’ll pick you up in an hour.” I give her back her phone, then brush a quick kiss across her forehead.
“That won’t work.” Raven glances at Foster.
“I’m taking her to the doctor,” the bodyguard says in answer to my silent question.
I’m glad she’s gonna get checked out, but I hate the idea that he’ll be the one holding her hand through it. “We can all go.”
“No.” The word comes out fast, and my head snaps to Raven. She tucks her hair behind her ear and looks at her feet. “I need a break.”
“From us?” My heart drops, a weight settling in my stomach. How is this going to work if she already wants to get away from us? If she’d rather face bonding sickness than spend the day with us?
“I don’t want Coach to get suspicious, and I just need to think, Tanner. Please.”
Her expression is wary, like she isn’t sure I’ll give her this. I can see her walls building again, and I know I need to take a step back. I may be pack lead, but I’m not in charge of her. If she needs this, then we need to give it to her. That’s our job as good mates, and I so desperately want to be a good partner to her.
“Okay. But we’ll see you later?” I acquiesce.
“We should be back at the hotel by six,” Foster says.
“Ana planned dinner with a few of the other skaters,” Raven adds, “but I’ll fake a headache. We’ll make this work.”
I nod once, feeling like it’s already falling apart. I’m nearly certain she’s not agreeing to go on these dates because she wants to, but because she needs to spend time with us to satisfy the bond. She’s only going to end up resenting them, resenting us.
Before I can spiral more, Raven places her hand on my arm. Shit, she must have felt my despair through our connection. I’m usually pretty good at locking down my feelings, but lately everything I feel seems amplified.
“It’s gonna work out,” Raven says. “I hope,” she adds in a nearlysilent whisper.
As she walks away, I put a lock on my more terrifying thoughts that she might be wrong, and focus instead on the fact that she said yes to this date idea. It’s a start, a chance.
41
RAVEN
“You’re sure they won’t say anything to anyone?” I ask as Foster ushers me into the waiting room of a tiny doctor’s office.
The outside of the building was nondescript, but the inside is anything but. Golden bamboo floors spread out across the waiting room with colorful, plush rugs placed across the middle. Instead of the uncomfortable chairs you’d normally see in a doctor's office, there are myriad soft chairs and stools. The lighting is low and fresh green plants dot the space. It’s obvious this practice has a heavily omega-based clientele.
Ana and Harriett tried to insist I was well enough to continue with my schedule even after I told them several times I was sick. Foster ended up stepping in and insisting. He and Ana had a bit of a showdown, but my alpha is more dominant so Coach backed down eventually. Not without griping at me and mumbling something about me being weak, though. I know Foster heard her, but he didn’t react, just led us away from the whole situation.
“I made them sign an NDA in addition to typical doctor-patient confidentiality,” Foster assures me.
