Page 57 of Raven

The room was massive, dominated by a giant table slightly off-centre. This wasn't just Malcolm's workspace—it was where Society and the Preternatural council convened to make decisions that affected our entire community. I couldn't even begin to fathom what it was like to be part of the Royal house, to witness and participate in shaping our world. It was so far removed from the life I knew, it might as well have been on another planet.

This wasn't just an office, though. It was the crucible where laws were forged, where the fate of our kind was decided. And there Tia and I stood, about to ask something that would change everything for us. Maybe not for all of Society, but for our slice of the world? Absolutely.

Tia's hand tightened around mine again, and I returned the gesture, drawing strength from her presence.

"So," Malcolm said, settling into his chair with the gravitas of a judge about to pass sentence. "What is so important that it couldn't wait until morning?"

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. This was it. No turning back now, no matter how much my instincts screamed at me to run. I cleared my throat, willing my voice not to shake. "I wouldn't have bothered you if I had an alpha to go to. I ..." I began, pausing as Malcolm's stoic gaze bore into me. He didn't interrupt, his face an unreadable mask. "Tia and I ... we want to put in a petition to mate. I'm not sure who I'm supposed to go to. I just thought ... I figured, since you're the closest thing to an alpha I have, maybe I'd need to come to you."

I watched Malcolm's face, searching desperately for any reaction, any hint of what he might be thinking. I reached out with my senses, trying to get a read on his emotions, but they were locked down tight. Malcolm was a master of stoicism. There was no reading him, even if I tried. Unlike my mother, there wasn't even a membrane to push against. It was all locked away, a void of emptiness that gave nothing away.

"Have you spoken with your mother about this?" he asked, his voice measured and calm.

I stepped closer, drawing on a well of confidence I didn't know I possessed. "I thought it would be better to speak to you first. If I can get your approval, then it's already done. And in the eyes of the law, with me about to turn eighteen, I'll be an adult. I know she's going to be mad at me, and maybe she'll shout and all that stuff, but this is my choice, right? Once I hit legal adult ..." I trailed off for a second, my heart racing as I prepared to drop the final bombshell. "I want to join the Sentinels too."

"Raven ..." Tia's voice was soft, coupled with a sharp gasp. I knew I hadn't told her before we got to Malcolm's, but in all honesty, I hadn't actually made up my mind until that very moment. Standing in front of Malcolm seemed to make everything fall into place, the pieces of my future clicking together with startling clarity.

"If I don't sign up, then I'll just remain the same and nothing will change in my life. It makes sense," I said to her, my voice taking on an edge of desperation.

Unlike Malcolm, her emotions rolled off her, and I had to choke back the intensity of it all. "I can lend you the money. We can talk about this." Her desperation hummed against my senses, but I pushed it back. I had to, or I'd falter.

"I need to do this." I looked back to Malcolm, my resolve hardening. It was shitty of me, maybe, to just drop it on Tia like that, but it was the only way. As I stood there, everything in me agreed—this was my path forward. "I'll sign up. I know that puts me in your hands for the next two years of my life, right? Even if my mother protests my mating, once I've signed up, it's your say."

This was the thing about being a Sentinel. It wasn't like signing up for the human armies. Malcolm would own me, body and soul. There was no leaving this, no falling out or medical discharges. My life would be under his total control. He had that power, and my life would be his for the next two years, no matter my age. There was no simply pledging allegiance to the council. We gave our lives for it.

"My mother won't be upset about the Sentinel part, though. She had wanted that for me, right? She asked you?"

"She had."

"Good. So, if Tia and I mate, and I become a Sentinel, she benefits too? She will be protected and looked after while I am away?"

He wasn't saying much, and not giving anything away, but it was there—echoes in his head that I couldn't reach and grab for. "We have to do all the appropriate tests and go through the rules, but yes, if I approve your application and the council signs off on it, then she will get benefits from you." He looked to Tia then. "You're in college too?"

"Yes." Tia bowed her head, acknowledging Malcolm's status. "Preternatural anthropology."

"And you plan to further your education?"

"I aim to work for the DSA," she stated. "That's my goal, at least."

Malcolm leant back, scrutinising us. He drummed his fingers on the desk, stretching the silence. He reached for his top drawer, extracted some papers, and slapped them onto the desk. My heart hammered, something inside me stuttering—this was it, the moment of truth.

"I don't need to consult the council about your Sentinel application. My signature approves it." He tapped the papers. "I prepared this in advance, anticipating our conversation." He extended the documents. "Read them, sign, then return them." He paused, his grip tightening on the papers. "But consider this carefully. Once submitted, there's no going back."

I stepped forward. Tia clutched at my hand, no longer seeking reassurance but trying to restrain me. I pulled away. "Raven ..."

Ignoring her, I focused on Malcolm. "I don't need to read it. This will clear my debt with the humans?"

"If that's your wish. We can allocate the rest to you or Tia, whatever arrangement you prefer."

I snatched the papers, grabbed the pen, and scrawled my signature. If I took them home, Tia would try to dissuade me.

Malcolm observed silently. When I finished, I thrust the papers back at him, and he offered another set.

"This is the mating application. You'll need tests, samples to ensure compatibility. The process won't be too rigorous for you both." His words implied tests for genetic compatibility, to safeguard future offspring. This highlighted why Humans dominated us. While Others seemed numerous, we paled in comparison to human populations. Every mating aimed toproduce another generation of Others. But Tia and I ranked low on the Society ladder, so the scrutiny wouldn't be as intense. They'd mainly ensure we wouldn't produce disabled panthers. Our world couldn't afford drains on resources.

"Will the mating process take long?" Tia asked. Tears glistened in her eyes, pain radiating from her, but she contained it for Malcolm's benefit. Not for me. I felt it, thick and heavy, and regret gnawed at me. But this was best for all of us.

"Not too long. Your lower Society status means more lenient rules."

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