The Raven Wolf King: Wolfless novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30-1

Chapter 30

~Valeria~

I was going for a run, but watching Raphael leave with satisfaction still coursing through me, I choose a walk instead.

I’m in trouble. As much as I want to push Raphael away, I don’t have the strength. I can’t resist him. No one in their right mind could. I know we would’ve been incredible together if he hadn’t rejected me that night, but I refuse to dwell on what might have been. That’s nothing but torture.

This is my life, and I accept it. All I can do now is work on making it better.

My feet lead me to the small pond with the dead tree and the

ravens.

“Grimm?”

He stands at the edge of the pond, turning toward me with a raven perched on his hand. “Hey.”

I look up at the black tree where so many ravens stand watching us. “Why are you here?” I ask.

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I just noticed… he’s actually a really weird guy.

Grimm throws his hand up and lets the raven fly. Then he clicks his tongue, and another raven flocks to him, perching on his hand.

“How the heck did you do that? Did it come down when you called it?”

“Ravens are smart creatures. They’re easy to train.” He turns to me. “Put out your arm and call one.”

Slowly, I do what he says. One of the birds flies directly to me and settles on my hand.

“See? Easy.” He hands me a piece of meat, and I give it to the

raven.

“Why were you so scared of them anyway?” he asks.

I let the raven take flight from my arm as I begin to speak. “When I was little, I was attacked by ravens.”

“Really? That’s odd-they don’t tend to attack people like that.”

“Well, they did.”

“Were you in danger by any chance?”

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“No. That day I was with two other kids. Two brothers.” Stephan was one of them. My mind flashes back. “I was… crying… being teased by one of them. And then the birds were suddenly on us.”

Grimm’s stare unsettles me, his eyes locked on mine with eerie intensity. One of the ravens lets out a mocking laugh, and the sound pushes me to break the silence. “Anyway, it’s creepy that they can mimic sounds, too. Like that right there.”

Grimm laughs. “That’s true. When I was a kid, I kept hearing a voice in the woods telling me to ‘come here.’ I was scared to death, but it turned out the bird was mimicking one of the other pack kids who always told it to come.”

I shiver. “That’s so creepy, ’cause it’s not like they’re mimicking natural sounds either.”

“No! It sounded like a damn demon calling me.”

We both laugh but shiver at the same time.

“Anyway, even though that raven scared me half to death, I still thought they were cool. Still do,” he says.

“Yeah, I suppose they are-in their own creepy way.” Silence spreads until I speak again. “Uhm… so do you know about Raven Hags?”

3What?” He turns, looking confused.

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He shakes his head. “No. Where did you hear this?”

“I was told by… Lady Alma. She’s a descendant of the High Wolf King of old-the one who battled the Raven Wolf King. She said one of the Great Wolf Kings of Old was lured by a Raven Hag, and that’s how the Raven Wolf King was born.”

He looks so surprised. “I suppose something like that would make sense. I always wondered how a werewolf would get the power to control ravens.”

“Right? It’s so far out there, yet it makes sense.”

He nods, muttering. “Raven Hags… I need to find more on this.”

“Well, let me know if you do. I’m very invested now.”

He smiles and gives me a thumbs-up. “Will do. You’re the only person I know who’s just as allured by this story as I am.”

I have my reasons for being this interested… so what’s his

reason?

As I make my way back to the castle, the phone Raphael gave me rings. Urien’s name flashes on the screen.

“Hello?”

4 me,” Raphael says. “This is Urien’s phone. You can calling7

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phone soon?”

“And because I wanted to hear your voice.” His tone drops low, brushing against my ear.

“It’s only been around forty minutes since you last saw me.”

“So?”

“How long will it take us to get there?” I hear a woman’s voice in the background.

“Who’s that?” I ask him.

He hesitates. “Lady Fera.”

“Fera? I thought you were going to the borders to fight?”

“I am. Alpha Brimstone got hurt, and Fera and her mother wanted to go see him.”

Jealousy gnaws at me-anger, fear, and uncertainty tangled together. I hate it, and for a moment I don’t know what to say.

“Valeria?”

“Hm?”

Are you okay?” he asks.

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He pauses, waiting for more, but I remain silent.

“You don’t sound okay,” he says.

“I’m fine.”

“Valeria…”

I grind my teeth, unable to fully conceal my feelings.

“Talk to me,” he says.

“Not over the phone while you’re spending your time with another woman. Bye.”

B

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Chapter 30-2

I hang up and instantly regret it. Jealousy bleeds through every word, and I know he’ll probably find it amusing. I keep insisting we’re nothing, yet I act like we are. The thought of him with someone else burns through me, enraging me in ways I can’t justify. I shouldn’t feel this way—not after being the one who refuses him.

“Uh! Men always complicate things!”

I stand outside the forest, sliding my eyes across the scenery in front of me. The castle, guards doing their job, people walking about and frolicking-and then I see Stephan with a few of the people from the camp. They run, training while he leads them.

I need to decide. Is this truly what I want? If not, then what else is there? For now, I live off Father’s money. I own nothing. Perhaps I could take a job in the castle, like Grimm. But is that really the path I want?

My gaze returns to Stephan. They’ve begun sparring. Danica, the woman I’ve seen fight before, moves with strength and precision, holding her own against men twice her size. I want that. I want to protect myself, to stand without fear, to carry the same confidence she does.

But she’s a true werewolf. I’m wolfless. Can I ever fight like her? And yet… there’s this new strength in me, one that rivals theifs37

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Raphael told me to let him know my decision, and he would help me, but I feel like I need to do this on my own. This is my journey.

I make my way to the King’s office. Of course, I can’t simply walk in-there’s a waiting list, and I’m buried at the bottom. Still, I take my chance when I spot Prince Antonio, Dorian, and

Emmet.

“Lady Valeria?” Emmet asks when I stand in front of them.

I bow my head. “Princes, I was wondering if I could ask you a

small favor.”

They look at each other and give me a quick nod.

“I want to join the Royal Militia-or rather, the Firing Squad- and I was wondering if you could put in a word for me.”

They both look shocked. “You want to join the fighting?”

Honestly, I don’t, but I do want to learn how to fight, and the nice salary that comes with it entices me too. But I don’t tell them this. Instead, I nod.

“You don’t know what’s going on, do you?” Dorian asks.

I frown. “What do you mean?”

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