Raven’s head throbbed relentlessly, but she tried her best to focus on the sounds of the forest as her rescuer assessed her injured side. Flinching, his hand, surprisingly gentle, touches her exposed skin.

“Please, hold still,” said Dante, his voice deep and commanding, as he started chanting, a strange rhythmic cadence.

A soft blue light expanded from his hand, hovering above her wounded side. The heat began to replace the pain. She made out the strange words:

“Thigeadh na lasraichean uaith-san gu h-iosal,

thigibh a nis am ionnsuidh-sa agus sileadh.”

He repeated the phrase slowly, and the heat spread across Raven’s body, replacing the stinging pain. The sound was unsettling, but the pain faded quickly. She looked at him, and his once blue eyes glowed red as he looked down. His gaze was focused as he continued to whisper unfamiliar words. His eyes were reminiscent of the men who had ruined the party, and she was uncertain.

What am I doing?

Raven scrambled to her feet, rushing away from Dante, the pain in her side gone. Seeking refuge by a nearby tree, she hastily grabbed a branch as Dante turned to her, confused by her outburst. “Just stay back! Who are you?” she yelled, raising the branch as a warning, motioning for him to stay where he was.

He frowned and crossed his arms. “I have already told you that my name is Dante.” Raven looked at his face. His eyes were now a dark blue..

I’m sure of it. His eyes were red when he was chanting…

Raven frowned and continued to look at him with suspicion.

Frustrated, Dante uncrossed his arms. “Why must you insist on being so difficult? If you follow me, I can direct-” he attempted to step towards her.

Raven scoffed, cutting him off mid-sentence, her gaze fixed on him with a mixture of defiance and uncertainty. “I said stop!” she declared, twisting her hands tighter around the branch she raised.

“Really?” Dante smirked at her defiance and decided he did not mind a challenge. He took a quick step forward. Unafraid, Raven swung the branch; it immediately broke, the larger piece flying far from her reach. She swung again, but this time he caught her wrist and pulled her firmly to his chest, preventing her from swinging or running away. “Calm. Down. Please,” Dante said firmly. He held back the urge to laugh. Despite being immobilized, she maintained a look of fierceness.

“You think I’m joking, but if you let me go, I will hurt you with this,” she said through clenched teeth, still gripping the remnants of the branch, now a nonthreatening stick.

Amused, he tightened his grip around her wrist slightly. Before she could resist, he placed his left hand at the small of her back and rubbed it firmly up her spine, bringing her closer to his body. He whispered in her ear, “Well, I will never hurt you, little Luna...” His deep voice made her shiver. She hadn’t noticed that he was slowly taking the stick from her hand, too distracted by the closeness of their bodies. It reminded her of their dance at her birthday party. He took the small piece of wood from her and backed away. “Listen well. I am Dante Fireleaf,” he said, his gaze intense. “By the decree of my pack, I am bound to deliver you before the Council, where the Grand DireWolf shall preside.”

“Wolf? Pack?” She frowned. “I saw what you did with the wolf back there and everything, but you plan to take me to a WOLF PACK? How can you expect me to go with you? You sound insane!”

Anticipating a negative response, he pulled a small black handkerchief from his pocket. She watched him curiously. “What now?” He was unamused as he unwrapped the delicate fabric before returning his gaze to hers.

“I belong to the Dark Moon Pack, Guardians of the Celestial Prophecy.” As he said it, a strange flash of red glinted in his eyes, too swift to catch for certain. He unfolded the cloth completely, revealing a slender chain necklace. It was silver, crowned with a small diamond encased within a deep amethyst.

Raven gasped. Images of her parents flooded her mind. Flashes of her father snatching the necklace from her mother’s neck and throwing it on a mantel.

The shouting...

She couldn’t look away from the necklace in his hands. “Where did you get that?” she asked, her voice tight and soft. Several moments passed. She clenched her eyes shut as more broken memories flashed through her. “I’ve seen that before.” Before Dante could answer, a crash echoed from deeper in the woods. Both of them turned sharply toward the sound. Dante turned back to her.

“We cannot linger here. I swear to you, I will explain everything, but we must leave at once.” Raven closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing heart.

He knows something about my parents.

I need to know.

She opened her eyes with a new look of determination. “Fine,” she said tightly. “I’ll go with you. I want to know about my parents. But after that, I’m checking on Janice.”

I can’t believe I left her in the middle of that chaos. Our..things.

She was saddened, but fought back tears.

“We cannot leave yet. Your injury must be stabilized first,” Dante said, already beside her, moving with decisive speed. He placed his hands on her waist and carefully slipped them underneath her shirt.

“What are you doing?” She looked down, resisting the urge to jerk away.

“I’m about to stabilize your injury until we reach the city,” he said, ignoring her stiffness, proceeding to lift her shirt just enough to expose her bruised side. Despite the lack of pain, it was now swollen and dark. “Please hold your shirt for me.” She blushed but obeyed. She controlled her embarrassment, but failed as she noticed him lifting his shirt.

“What are you-,” she exclaimed. He silenced her instantly.

“Shhhhhh! Are you trying to let them know where we are!? Be quiet.” His voice cut like a blade. It was low and sharp. She frowned but remained silent. She watched as he ripped the bottom of his undershirt into three long strips. She looked away after noticing a glimpse of his firm stomach and the peak of a V at the corners of his hips. She snapped her gaze away, cheeks burning. His firm hands were gentle and soft as he bound her side with the strips of his shirt, finishing quickly. A branch snapped again, and Dante’s head jerked toward the sound. Without hesitation, he seized her hand.

“We move. Now.” He sprang forward into the shadows, pulling her with him. Raven gripped his hand tightly and remained alert, trusting to follow him.