THEY CHOSE THE WRONG PREY

CHAPTER9 - RAVEN KNOWS SOMETHING

The entire day had felt wrong.

Lena was nowhere to be found.

Security was searching the forest.

Students were whispering in every hallway.

And Raven kept staring at the woods like she knew something everyone else didn't.

Selene was done pretending not to notice.

She found Raven sitting alone behind the Humanities Building, looking out toward the tree line.

Then she walked over.

"We need to talk."

Raven didn't look surprised.

"That sounds serious."

"It is."

Raven closed the notebook resting on her lap.

Selene crossed her arms.

"What aren't you telling me?"

That got Raven's attention.

A small crease appeared between her brows.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Yes, you are."

Raven sighed.

"Selene...."

"No."

Selene cut her off.

"First Lena disappears. Then security finds her jacket. Then her phone. Then that notebook page."

Raven remained silent.

"And you're acting like none of this is news to you."

The accusation hung between them.

Raven looked away.

Toward the forest.

That only made Selene angrier.

"There."

She pointed at her.

"What?"

"That. You keep doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Looking at the woods."

Raven's expression hardened.

"Lower your voice."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

"No."

Students continued walking across campus nearby, completely unaware of the conversation.

Raven glanced around anyway.

Almost like she expected someone to be listening.

Or something.

The thought sent a chill through Selene.

"You know something."

"I don't."

"That's a lie."

Raven stood.

Immediately, the difference in their heights felt more noticeable.

"Be careful, Selene."

"About what?"

For a second, Raven didn't answer.

"About asking questions you don't actually want answered."

Selene blinked.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Raven stared at her.

"Do you remember the picture Lena posted?"

Selene froze.

"The blurry forest photo, the one with the golden eyes"

"Yeah."

Raven looked toward the woods again.

"I wish you didn't."

The words made no sense.

Selene took a step closer.

"Raven."

No response.

"Tell me what's happening."

Raven looked back at her.

For the first time since they'd met, Raven didn't look mysterious.

She looked worried.

Genuinely worried.

And that frightened Selene more than anything else.

"You're not going to stop, are you?" Raven asked.

"Stop what?"

"Looking into this."

Selene folded her arms.

"No."

Raven closed her eyes briefly.

As if she'd expected that answer.

Then she reached into her pocket.

Slowly.

And pulled out something small.

A silver chain.

At the end hung a tiny charm.

A wolf.

Selene stared at it.

"What is that?"

Instead of answering, Raven held it out.

"Keep this with you."

Selene frowned.

"What?"

"I'm serious."

"Why?"

Raven's gaze shifted toward the forest one last time.

The sun was beginning to set behind the trees.

Long shadows stretched across the campus.

And for the first time, Raven seemed afraid of something.

Something hidden beyond the trees.

"Because," Raven said quietly

She stopped.

Her jaw tightened.

Then she looked back at Selene.

"...you're going to need it."

Before Selene could ask what that meant, Raven turned and walked away.

Leaving Selene alone.

Holding a silver wolf charm.

And with more questions than answers.