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“A griffin as a familiar is a true blessing, Raven.” Their words warm my heart but don’t ease the growing pain at the distance I’m feeling from him. “I think I can help with the wards. Come.”

TEN

RAVEN

Idon’t want to leave. I really don’t want to go. I’m completely overwhelmed with information, along with a stack of questions that are still unanswered. I want to stay forever. Above all that, I don’t want to leave my men. Even if this is a dream and not my true form, I could stay forever and easily pretend the outside world doesn’t exist.

Despite what I want, I know I can’t. It seems I’m meant for bigger things. Things I’m not sure I care about, but I’m here nonetheless. Maybe once everything is said and done, if I succeed in whatever needs to be achieved, then I can just be. Me, with my men. Nothing else matters.

Brax grabs my hand, his fingers flexing around mine as he pulls me out onto the wraparound porch. My chest aches, disappointment seeping into my bones as the others follow behind us.

Once I’m at the bottom of the steps, I turn back to look at the pieces of my soul I’m going to have to leave behind. Sadness weaves its way between us, drawing us closer while making the distance that’s about to follow even more prominent.

“I don’t want to go,” I admit, emotion clogging my throat.

Eldon reaches for me first, tugging me from Brax’s hold to wrap me in his arms. “I don’t want you to go either,” he whispers against the shell of my ear. “It won’t be for long, though, Little Bird. And it’ll never be forever. I won’t allow it,” he adds, warming my bleak heart.

I cling to him, making sure to take a deep breath of his t-shirt so he lingers with me when I’m gone. Looking up at him, he strokes his hand over my hair, a lazy smile on his lips.

He doesn’t utter a word and neither do I. Instead, his lips descend on mine, claiming me delicately as I fist the back of his t-shirt.

All too soon, we’re parting, the distance growing between us once again, and Zane spins me to face him before my emotions get the better of me. “What we need more than anything else, Dove, is for you to behave,” he says with a grin and a cock of his brow. I gape at him, which only makes a chuckle vibrate from his chest. Ass. “But for real, you can’t be getting hot-headed right now, either of you.” He lifts his gaze, glancing over my shoulder to find Brax, who doesn’t verbalize his agreement. Zane rolls his eyes, turning back to me with one hand at my waist and the other cupping my cheek. “I’ll see you real soon, Dove.”

The softness of his voice leaves me weak as he presses his lips firmly against mine. I drink him in, eager for every ounce of him as I cling to his shoulders.

My eyes fall closed and remain that way until he takes a step back. A breeze flutters around me and I sense the moment it’s Creed before me this time. I want to draw it out. Once I say goodbye to him, there’s no reason to stay, which means we must leave, and the thought alone pains me.

“Look at me, Raven.” I gulp, exhaling softly before I do as he asks. The moment my eyes clash with his deep onyx pools, my heart races. “You’re stronger than the rest of us put together. Not just with your magic, in here too.” He presses his palm against my chest, the beat of my heart beneath his touch. “We were meant for you because we each offer a part of ourselves that completes you, but you, my sweet fucking Raven, you offer yourself wholly to all of us because you have the heart, the resilience, and the fight deep in your soul to hold us together while shattering the world at the same time.”

I’m rendered speechless as I stare at him with a soft smile ghosting my lips. I don’t know how to respond to that, but it sure as hell feels like he’s showering me with praise I can’t handle or fathom. Before I can refute anything he’s said, he kisses both corners of my mouth, dragging out the tension until his lips claim mine.

I thank him with my mouth, portray my feelings with my lips, and show how much strength I actually take from them, too, with my fingers clinging to his arms.

Breathless, he tears his lips from mine, his eyes dark with desire as he takes a step back, not missing the opportunity to tuck a loose tendril of hair behind my ear before slipping his hands into his pockets.

A large hand engulfs mine and I don’t need to look to know it’s Brax. Turning to him, he lifts his hand to wave toward his parents, who quietly stand in the open doorway. I should be embarrassed over all the PDA they’re having to witness, but I can’t bring myself to care. Not when I’m basking in my men for the first time in what feels like an eternity. Every second away from them is just too long.

He drops his free hand, turning to me with a nod that I return, even though I'm not ready to go.

Looking back at Eldon, Zane, and Creed, I take a deep breath.

“I lov?—”

The wind rushes from my lungs, cutting off my words as I find myself tumbling backward through the never-ending darkness. Nausea pools in my gut as my hand slips from Brax's, leaving me free floating on my own. It feels longer than it did on the way here, but I eventually hit the ground with a thud, and when I open my eyes, it’s the familiar four walls of my bedroom that greet me.

Panting, my palm flattens against my chest as I lurch forward in bed, catching my breath as I take stock of my surroundings.

Fuck.

My body aches, and although I’ve technically been asleep, my eyes feel as heavy as they did when I was lying here staring into the twilight abyss. Dragging my hand down my face, I glance at the time and groan. Of course, we need to start getting ready for classes now.

“It feels like I'm living a double life,” I grumble, shifting to swing my legs over the side of the bed.

“You’re not wrong there, but we don’t have time to dwell on it. We have things to do. A purpose,” Brax states, shuffling to the other side of the bed. Rising to my feet, I move around to where he sits, and before I go into the bathroom to get ready, I slip between his parted thighs and drape my arms around his neck.

“Before we do that, we need to decide on a word.”

“A word?” He quirks a brow at me, tired but intrigued. I nod. “Why?”