Page 46 of Raven

"You mean, you open your legs and produce babies for them." The bitterness in my voice made her flinch, and I felt guilty the moment the words left my lips. But I was desperate, my emotions a tangled mess. My panther was wearing my patience thin.

She looked at me, pain and frustration mingling in her eyes. "You don't understand," she whispered.

"No, I don't. Because you won't let me in. If you want me to walk away, fine. But tell me why."

Her gaze darkened, and for a moment, I thought she might lash out. Instead, she swallowed hard, trying to compose herself.

"Whatever this is, we can deal with it. I'm not afraid of your brothers."

She laughed bitterly. "You don't know that. You don't know what they're capable of."

"If you're so precious to them, are they going to stop you from meeting people for the rest of your life?"

She gave me a sad, knowing smile. "Probably."

"You’re not their property," I said, my voice fierce. "Do you want to spend your life like this? Trapt by them?"

My ability snaked out, dark tendrils weaving around us. Maybe it was a breach, a violation, but I needed to know what was going on. If she wanted me to walk away, I needed a solidreason. And if she didn’t want me, that was a solid reason. But everything about her said she did. She was just afraid.

Her gaze wavered, and I sensed a change in her. She swallowed hard, her vulnerability breaking through. "I don’t know how to make you understand. We're just from different worlds."

"We can figure it out," I said softly, stepping closer. "Just meet me halfway."

Tia’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she met my gaze again. "I don’t know how," she whispered.

"Then let me help you." I reached out, gently lifting her chin. "We’ll find a way. I promise. Did they hurt you because of me?"

She shrugged. "I pissed them off. I’m here to study, not fraternise with other students."

"We weren’t fraternising. You love me and I love you, right?"

"Yes," she said softly.

"Hey, Raven, you almost done?" Lachlan called out from the car, leaning out the window. He tapped his watch.

"Yeah, just a sec," I replied, turning back to Tia. "Please meet me. If not tonight, then tomorrow. Anytime. Just meet me."

She paused for so long that I thought maybe she wasn’t going to agree.

But in the end, she gave me a slow nod. That was all I needed. I just needed to talk to her. If, in the end, it came to it that me and her weren’t right, then sure, I’d leave her alone. She’d never see or hear from me again. It would break my heart, tear at my panther, but if that was her true wish, I’d go.

"Raven," she said softly as I started to walk away.

"Yeah?" I turned back to her.

Her bottom lip trembled a little, and she bit down on it. She hugged herself, pulling her hoodie tighter. "I did want to talk to you," she said. "Just ..." She trailed off, the words hanging in the air between us.

"Tia ..."

"I have something I need to tell you. Something I ..." she trailed off.

"Raven, come on. We've got to go," Lachlan called out again.

"Just a sec," I snapped back before turning to Tia. "What is it?"

She looked around, then back at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "I think I’m pregnant," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The words hit me. "Tia?—"

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