The Alpha's Forbidden Love

Chapter 8: Steps Toward a New Life

Raven was planning to leave and become a professor at Westbrook University. He actually wanted to hand over the Alpha role to his Beta, confident that the Beta could handle it. But the Beta, along with the pack, refused. They just said they could manage the pack if Raven really wanted to go, but they still wanted him to stay as their Alpha. Besides, Westbrook wasn’t too far from the pack’s base, so practically, Raven could still keep an eye on things without having to lead every single day.

Raven smiled widely, something Selina had never seen before. His smile had the quiet charm of a wolf holding back its wild beauty, making him even more magnetic. Selina quickly looked away, realizing she’d been staring too long.

That smile sent a strange ripple through her, something she wasn’t supposed to feel. Her cheeks heated up, but Raven’s offer to go with him sparked a new hope. She imagined a different life. A life that was free and happy. A place she could build by opening herself up to genuine people. A world full of positive energy, not chains.

Like a breath of fresh air without poison or pressure.

“I… I’ve never told anyone this, but Westbrook University was my buried dream because of my responsibilities with the Nightclaw Pack,” she whispered, fiddling with her food and biting her lower lip nervously.

Selina looked up and felt Raven’s gaze on her.

“I know,” he said softly.

Selina froze. How could he know? She had applied there before and even got accepted, but Alaric had convinced her to stay. He said the Nightclaw Pack needed her, and that was more important. At the time, her dream had quietly crumbled.

“You should apply again, Selina,” Raven said. His blue eyes locked on hers.

Selina was stunned. So he knew she had applied before.

“Do you think I could?” she asked quietly, her heart racing with hope she had buried long ago.

“Of course. I’ll help you,” Raven said firmly.

“You’ll help me?” she whispered again, hardly believing it. Raven nodded reassuringly. Her stomach fluttered like a swarm of wild butterflies.

Happiness surged through her so strongly that she instinctively grabbed Raven’s large hand and squeezed it gently. Raven froze, tensing in surprise. Selina immediately pulled back, embarrassed, instantly regretting it.

“I… I’m just really happy,” she muttered nervously.

Raven gave a faint smile, and the two sank into a silence that somehow felt comfortable.

The next day, Selina contacted Thomas mentally, asking him to bring a few things from the Nightclaw Pack house. She wasn’t taking much, just photos of herself with her parents. She didn’t need clothes since Raven had already bought her a few sets over the past few days.

Once cleared to leave the hospital, she organized her things. She carefully packed a bouquet of flowers and a teddy bear, gifts that meant a lot because she had never received anything from anyone before, not even from Alaric.

Selina then took her things to Raven’s house.

His home was spacious but warm and inviting. The scent of sandalwood mixed with fresh rain filled the air, a smell unique to Raven that she was slowly getting used to, and somehow it made her feel calm.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Raven went to see who it was, and Selina heard an unfamiliar laugh followed by quick footsteps and a surprised gasp.

A man stood in the doorway, staring at Selina with wide eyes before glancing at Raven. “Is that her?” he whispered, but Selina could still hear it.

Raven muttered a quiet curse, something Selina rarely heard. He shot the man a warning look, and the man quickly nodded before turning his gaze back to her.

Selina looked confused, and Raven explained.

“This is Rowan, my best friend. He’s here to help us,” Raven said, then gave his friend another warning glance. “Rowan, this is Selina. She’s my friend.”

“Hi,” Selina said politely.

Rowan shook her hand, then exchanged a private look with Raven, full of unspoken jokes or secrets that Selina couldn’t decipher.

Rowan helped carry her things inside. Afterward, Selina insisted on helping Raven prepare lunch, even though he kept telling her it wasn’t necessary. Her stubborn streak wouldn’t let her sit back.

They ate together. The simple, quiet meal made Selina feel at ease, like she had finally found a place to breathe amid all the pressure of her life.

“You know, Raven was super shy and a nerdy kid,” Rowan said, grumbling. “You wouldn’t even recognize him if I showed you his teenage pictures… Ow! That hurts, man!” He jabbed Raven’s head hard enough to make Selina laugh softly.

Raven glanced at his friend and smiled when he saw Selina laughing too.

Rowan pouted, rubbed his head, and went back to eating lazily.

After lunch, Rowan left. Selina started arranging her new room, which Raven had prepared. It was bigger, with a comfy single bed in the middle, a study desk by the mirrored wall, a wardrobe, and a private bathroom. The room felt warm and inviting, like it was made for her to start a new chapter in life.

That night, Raven’s coworkers threw a small farewell party for him at the hospital. Selina attended. It wasn’t anything fancy, just cake and simple goodbyes.

The atmosphere was warm, genuine. The staff hadn’t invited the Nightclaw Pack, given the tension with Alaric. Many had heard rumors about the Alpha’s recent change in behavior.

Selina watched Raven greet his coworkers. The way he treated everyone showed her clearly the qualities of a true leader. There was no doubt he was an extraordinary Alpha.

Laughter and chatter filled the room, the warmth at its peak, when suddenly a low growl cut through the air. Everyone froze. Selina turned toward the corridor, her body tightening immediately.

There stood Alaric, his gaze icy and piercing. The look in his eyes made Selina’s blood run cold. Her heart shot into her throat, thick with a suffocating fear.