Chapter9
1085 Words
Chasing Shadows
It's been over three minutes since Raven and Selene arrived at the garden, and Selene still hasn't uttered a word.
At some point, her brain stopped functioning. More like she was losing her mind, she couldn't find the connecting dots.
And with Raven talking tirelessly, her woes keep getting worse. She always knows Raven to be very reserved and a man of few words.
She can't understand Raven's sudden interest in her. She wants to assume it's all a dream.
She shut her eyes and hoped to find herself awake in bed. But sadly for her, it's her damn reality, and she can't even deal with it.
She stood there staring at Raven like a dummy, as though she was just meeting him for the first time.
She never intended to act like that, but the situation has completely overwhelmed her to the point where she is ineffective.
This isn't the kind of personality she wants to be known for.
She wished there were a way she could explain to Alpha Raven to make him understand the reason for her silence.
She has a lot on her mind to let out, but she doesn't know how to go about it. At the same time, she would rather not say something that will upset the Alpha.
Her only contribution towards Raven's gist has been constant nodding without moving her lips.
She's worried that she might suffer a sprain in her neck region due to excessive nodding.
“Hey,” Raven stopped halfway through the conversation. “Are you okay? You aren't even listening to me,”
“Sure!” Selene nods and forces a smile.
“I am just exhausted,” she caressed her forehead to deceive Raven. “But don't worry, I'll be fine,”
Not satisfied with her response, Raven leaned forward. “I do know an exhausted person when I see one. And this right here isn't fatigue or any sort. So tell me, what exactly is the problem?”
Selene pulled away from him. “I'd rather let it slide,”
She wasn't comfortable with his closure anymore even though she also wanted it. “You are getting too close to me. With all due respect, it makes no sense,”
“You know you can confide in me, right?” Raven assured Selene.
“Trust me, I won't judge you. I mean, we all have our flaws, don't we?” Raven goes the extra mile to try to prove himself to Selene.
He hasn't acted this way towards anyone before. But with Selene? He wants to make an exception.
Raven is moving faster than his shadow, and Selene does not like it. Selene surely wanted Raven to be nicer to her.
But from what she just witnessed from the Raven? She can tell it's pure obsession and nothing else.
“Okay. I am just going to say it to your face already even though it may sound offensive,” she heaved a heavy sigh.
She already prepared for the worst to happen should Raven berate her pouring out her heart to him.
“Why the…” She paused.
She wasn't sure if it was appropriate to speak up. The words are becoming heavier to emerge from her lips.
Raven didn't pressure her to speak. He was willing to wait. He knew for sure that Selene would never change the topic.
“Perhaps, she needs some time to summon the courage needed to spill,” he thought.
“Why the sudden change of mind about me?” Finally, Selene did it.
She has removed the gigantic burden from her heart, and she feels lighter than she ever was.
“You weren't always this nice to me from the start. I thought you hated me. I already assumed you wish the worst to happen to me,” she kept on spilling. The fear and anxiety are gone.
Raven giggled. “Is that what you think of me? Unbelievable!”
He strolled around the garden with his hands positioned behind him. He can't understand where this question is coming from.
The last time he checked, he hadn't once yelled at Selene or punished her for being innocent.
As he returned to Selene with a wicked glare, her heart sank.
A new Raven has emerged. She hasn't witnessed this version of him before in her lifetime.
She would prefer to be swallowed by the ground rather than endure the punishment that awaits her at the hands of Raven.
Without being told, she knew her question may have awakened a sleepy beast inside the raven, and now she has to suffer the consequences of her actions.
She was on the verge of apologizing for overstepping her boundaries when she spotted Raven's smile that spread to every part of his face.
She felt a bit relieved by this new approach. That was enough proof she needed to believe that Raven won't punish her.
“Do you really want to know why I was acting this way?” Raven revisited the question just when Selene thought he'd never speak about it anymore.
The way he presented the question got Selene even more confused than she was before.
From seeking answers to looking lost. She doesn't even know what she wants for herself anymore.
She is tempted to change the trajectory of the conversation without hurting anyone's feelings.
“You're pretty,” Raven confessed. “You possessed the kind of beauty that money can't buy,”
He caressed her hair and brought it down to her jawline. “You got a perfect dentition too.”
“I'm sure you were created differently by the moon goddess. That explains why you're endowed with excess beauty. Your beauty is new every day. It doesn't fade away,” he teased her.
“My Alpha,” Selene resisted the touch and pulled Raven's hands away from her face. “I respect you a lot, but we can't be doing this."
She stood up and faced the opposite direction while folding her arms. “I won't be happy with myself if I ever engage in a secret romance with you?”
“But why?” Raven hesitated and stood up to join her. “Don't you find me attractive?”
“Of course I do,” Selene retorted. “But it's rather complicated, and you know it,”
“You are married to Aria, my step-sister. That alone disqualified me from having anything to do with you,” she highlighted her reasons
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