Page 19 of Raven

I grinned. “Exactly.”

“Yes, they are always like this,” Cade said, not bothering to whisper. “I've learned to just let them get on with it.”

She nodded. “Figured as much.”

Stephen let out a mocking laugh, but I didn’t mind. It didn’t really matter. We both knew where I stood in the Society’s ladder—somewhere near the bottom. But Stephen’s jibes were never really about patronising or demeaning me. It was all banter, and he had my respect for that. He was all talk, but it was in good fun.

Drawing in a deep breath, Stephen arched his back and stretched. “Well, McCulloch, we’re out of here. Darling,” he winked at Tia, “if you ever fancy playing with a real cat, he has my number. Get him to give it to you.”

Cade shook his head, grabbing Stephen. “She wants a real man. Not you.”

Stephen halted, his mouth agape. “Aren’t you meant to be on my side?”

“I thought you didn’t need sides. You're the big and powerful Stephen Davies.”

Stephen pursed his lips, his gaze shifting from Cade to me, to Tia, then straightened his spine. “That’s right. And none of you forget it.”

With that, Stephen strode away, Cade following closely behind.

“Is he always this dramatic?” Tia asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her green eyes sparkled with amusement as she studied me.

“Always.” I paused for a moment, taking in the serenity that now surrounded us. The night had been perfect, more than perfect. “But you get used to it. I didn’t know they were going to be here. I’m sorry we got intruded upon.”

“No. It was fun.” She leant her head back and inhaled deeply. “It’s been a long time since I’ve run with others.”

I frowned. “You don’t run with your pack?”

Something flickered in her eyes—pain, perhaps sorrow. “Not so much.” She made her way to the fence that protected everyone from tumbling over the edge into the vast drop below. “My family is a bit controlling. We’ve never been allowed to run with other shifters—other species. Especially not someone like Stephen.”

“Dominant?”

Her gaze held an intensity that struck me deeply. "Male," she said, leaning over the fence to get a better look at the view below. "This is absolutely breathtaking. You're so fortunate to have such beauty right in your backyard. I could stay up here forever."

"It's one of the reasons this spot is so popular. It's a peaceful escape from our busy lives," I replied, gesturing towards the surrounding landscape. "We could take a walk if you'd like. There are some great paths nearby."

I could sense her reluctance to leave and knew my mother wouldn't be home for hours. As long as I was back before her, it wouldn't be an issue.

Tia's eyes lit up with excitement. "I don't want to keep you from anything important."

"I don't have any plans tonight," I assured her, stepping back and offering my hand. To my surprise, she took it without hesitation.

We walked through the trees and onto the well-trodden trails, enjoying the picturesque views along the way.

But my real intention was to bring her to this hidden spot that I had discovered earlier. As soon as we reached it, Tia's reaction was priceless. She let go of my hand and ran ahead. "Oh my God, this is incredible."

Water flowed down from above, creating a small pool in front of us. This was where I had wanted to bring her all along but couldn't until now.

"Pretty spectacular, isn’t it?" I asked with a grin, gesturing to the stunning view before us.

She leant over the edge of a large rock, her fingers trailing through the cool water below. "It's absolutely breathtaking."

"Next time we come here, we can shift. I was going to bring you here. No one ever comes up this high."

"No one?"

I shook my head, stepping into her space. Our eyes met. "No one." My pulse had already quickened when I hooked my finger under her chin, tilted her face up, and kissed her.

NINE

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