Obsidian: Raven (Book 3) (The Reaver Chronicles Spin off Series)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I made my way back into the trees, away from Talus. The further the better. One week. Well, technically five days. My birthday was on Friday and it was Monday. So four and a half days. I could last that long, right? I did it thus far, I could last that long. I had to.

I walked back through the tree line towards the school slowly. If you thought I wasn’t milking it, taking as long as I possibly could, you were wrong. Because that’s exactly what I was doing. I admired the snowfall coating the town like a soft blanket. A new snowfall was always my most favorite thing to look at. It made the town feel quiet, as if they were enveloped in an eerie silence. I loved that silence, it was peaceful, calming.

I took out my cell phone and turned on my camera, snapping a photo of the view. I wanted to keep this memory for as long as I could. I looked down, it was 7:40am. s**t, how was I out here for 40 minutes? It didn’t seem like that long at all. In fact, I swear it was only a moment. I must have been watching Talus for longer than I wanted to admit. Ugh, my stupid conflicting feelings.

I was almost to the gate when I swear the temperature dropped a couple degrees. Then the scent of the ocean mixed with a woodsy calm washed through my nose. Without looking I knew exactly who was behind me. Talus… I didn’t even turn around. I didn’t even want to entertain the idea of making eye contact so he could torment me. I just pushed the gate open, but to my surprise he was already pushing it before I could.

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat due to his presence and tried to just remain calm. “Oh, hey Raven… uh…” He mumbled, and then he just shook his head, placing his hand on the back of his neck. He looked at me briefly then just kept walking. What in the f**k just happened?

He’s never, one time, in all these f*****g years, not taken the chance to say something snarky, or derogatory towards me. He’s never missed an opportunity to put me down, or make me feel like s**t, or make his friends laugh at my expense. Never once. So why now? I know he was alone, but that never made a difference before.

I hated the fact that the way he said my name, with no malice behind it, almost sounded like music to my ears. Or the fact that Aya just swooned at him causing me to lose my inhibitions for a singular moment. I hated it. I hated him. And I hated that I was still standing right inside the gate, dumbfounded, like a lost little school girl, pining over a man she can never have.

I don’t want him! Ugh.

Frustrated, I forced my feet to keep moving and headed towards the front doors of the school. I was greeted as soon as I walked inside by the Headmaster. “Ah, Raven… I see you decided to show up for school today. Late, but you’re here so we can take that as a win!” He said

“Yea, yea, Headmaster Shane. I’m here, heading to class now.” I mumbled. “You know, you’ve only got a week left and then you’re done. Why not make the best of these last few days?” He said with a smile. “I know. It’s just snowing and I would so much rather be outside in the snow.” I said with a cheeky grin. “Wouldn’t we all?” He replied.

My first period was pointless and over by now so I headed to my second period instead. It was a lame class, and so was my third, really. But my fourth, fifth, and sixth periods I had with Talus. I was not looking forward to the torture, not at all. Five more days I kept telling myself. Well, four and a half more days… I could do this.

Of course the few periods without the insufferable Alpha’s son, flew by as if I weren’t even there. On my way to my fourth period I strongly considered just ditching again. I looked out the window in the hallway as I was walking and watched the snow fall. I noticed how the other Wolves my age had coats on and were bundled up, and it made me laugh because they got cold so easily, despite being Wolves.

The Reavers never really bothered with the weather much. I could tell it didn’t bother them, but they could just snap and change their clothes at a whim, so what would it matter? How I longed to be outside, instead of stuck in this f*****g prison.

I hadn’t even noticed that I had actually stopped and was standing by the window, just looking outside, until I felt the temperature change a couple of degrees. That was followed by the scent of Talus flowing through my nostrils.

It was so annoying because his scent never used to be this strong. It was just a hint in passing, but now, since about a week ago, it just battered my senses bloody anytime he was relatively close to me. The scent of the cool ocean and woodsy pines intertwining, tantalizing my brain. All the while I was fighting it, just trying to push him away from my thoughts.

I knew with the scent this strong that he was close. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for what was sure to be an eventful meeting. But it never came. He walked right by me and didn’t say a word. Ok… This was the second time today he hadn’t taken the opportunity to terrorize me. I was starting to think he wasn’t feeling well.

In fact, why the hell was he even coming to class still? He turned 21 a week ago, and as soon as you turn 21 you are free to stop attending school. I mean, you don’t have to, but why would you want to keep coming?

He was a plethora of confusion to me right now. The second I turn 21, I will be gone. Hell, I'll be surprised if I even make it through the day on Friday. I might just skip altogether. In fact, why am I even here? I should be skipping this entire week. I should have skipped this entire year! f**k, I hate this place.

My thoughts were all over the place, but I realized I'm already here and may as well get into class and sit down. I would hate to go in late and have Talus’ ice blue eyes staring me down as I walked in, making a distraction. I would rather not bring any amount of attention to myself and just get these last few days over with.

I walked inside, keeping my eyes down. I wasn’t about to look at him. No. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. I walked to the furthest corner away from Talus that I could find, and took a seat. I pulled out my notebook and a set of colored pencils and started to draw. I wasn’t going to listen to the teacher's lesson anyways, why would I? I had four and a half days until I was free from this hell hole, and I wasn’t about to start paying attention now.

I started to draw that photo I took of the town covered in a soft white blanket. It was a rough sketch, but I couldn’t exactly pull my phone out to look, so I just doodled off memory. I was more absentmindedly drawing when I realized that I had drawn a sketch of Talus inside the town.

I quickly folded the drawing in half before anyone saw it. What the f**k was I doing? Why would I do that? That’s when it hit me, his scent was so f*****g strong, battering my senses. I had just realized it was there still, lingering, as if to tease me. I fought my urge but then gave in and looked up towards him. He wasn’t looking at me, luckily.

How was his scent so f*****g strong from across the other side of the room? I felt like I was going crazy. I had spent 15 years dodging him in every way I possibly could, and now It was like I couldn’t get him out of my head, literally. His scent was intoxicating, lulling my mind into a false sense of security that I loathed.

I knew it was a ploy, something to just get me to put my guard down and then have my ass handed to me. Well, not today, Satan. This s**t wasn’t going to fly. I stood from my chair right in the middle of the lesson and walked out without saying a word.

I could feel Talus’ eyes burning into the back of my skull, but I ignored it. It was snowing still and I had to get as far away from that man as I possibly could. I didn’t pass any teachers or the Headmaster when I left, which was a godsend. I pulled out my phone and looked at the time, it was almost noon.

The sun was hidden behind the gray clouds that were gently pushing the snow down, causing the entire place to fill with an eerie haze.

This is the type of weather I would kill for. Just being out here has given my mind a break, a renewed sense of being, if I may. I pulled out a pair of Heatwaves, my arctic chills, which were a frosty blue lens, and threw them on. I planned to be out here for a while.

I wandered out of the school yard and through the gate back into town, then took an immediate left, heading straight back to the forest. I felt the most at home here. With the plethora of icicles forming along the tree branches, I felt like an ice queen in a winter wonderland.

There was a specific spot that I loved to frequent here. It was a small campsite type area, with a fire pit and benches around it. I loved to just light a fire and lie on one of the benches looking up through the trees. I found myself here often.

I lit a fire in the pit, hoping that the brush wasn’t too wet to light, but it seemed to be fine. I walked over and cleared the snow off the closest bench and took a seat. I had thrown my backpack underneath my head as a pillow so I could lay down, and I just basked in the falling snow.

It was falling much harder around me, but with the tree coverage, I wasn’t getting as many flakes falling on me. I let my mind wander. I always wondered what it would be like to live in the trees. Just no cares in the world, doing as I pleased. No mother to deal with, no school, no Talus.

Talus… f**k, why does my mind keep wandering straight to him? I had never thought of him more than I had today, in my entire life. I hated it. I didn’t want to think about him, not now, not ever.

I didn’t want to think about his porcelain skin, and how soft it might be to the touch. I didn’t want to think about how soft his platinum hair might be under my fingertips, or how his plush lips might taste.

“Jesus fuck.” I said out loud, “What in the good hell is wrong with me today?” I asked Aya. She just snickered. “Maybe you’re starting to catch feelings.” She taunted.

“Oh hell no.” I said, rolling my eyes.

I was the furthest thing away from catching feelings, especially for the insufferable, Alpha’s son.