Chapter 4 Chapter-4
Raven's POV
Pain woke me first. My body felt heavy, aching like hell.
I opened my eyes. White walls. A machine was beeping nearby. Wires covered my arms. The room was empty and quiet.
Too quiet for a hospital. Too clean. Where was I?
I pulled the wires off and sat up. My legs shook, but I made it to the door.
A man stood outside. Tall and big, fully dressed in black.
“Who are you?” My voice was slow. “Where am I?”
“The kings want to see you.”
“Kings? I don’t know any kings.”
“This way.”
He walked away without waiting.
I followed him quietly.
The hallway was long with dark wood walls. Rich and expensive. We stopped at massive double doors.
He opened the door for me.
My eyes fell on two men. They sat in chairs like kings, like they owned the whole world. The one on the left held a glass of whiskey. His eyes were ice blue, and he watched my every move. He had dark hair and a perfect suit—no emotions on his face.
The one on the right had no drink and was red-eyed. Not brownish red. Blood red. A scar cut through his eyebrow. He mirrored his brother’s dark hair and robust build, but rougher, wilder. He stared at me like I belonged to him.
“Sit,” the red-eyed man spoke. His voice was rough and cold.
I didn’t move. I was too scared to even talk to them. Some part of me just felt the danger, even if I couldn’t explain it.
“Where am I?”
They didn’t answer. Just stared.
Heat crawled up my neck. Without Ryx, without my wolf, I felt naked. Weak.
“You look scared, little rabbit,” Blue Eyes put his glass down.
Rabbit. Like I was prey.
“I’m not scared. I’m confused.”
He came toward me fast. I didn’t move when he stopped right in front of me.
He was tall, dangerously tall. Six-foot-five I guess, towering over my five-six frame. I had to tilt my chin up just to keep my eyes on him.
His fingers touched my scarred cheek, a warm, unexpected touch that sent a sharp jolt through me, I jerked back trying to avoid that feeling.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Trying to be brave?” His smile was dangerous. “I like it.”
“Who are you?”
“Have you ever heard of Zayne Ironclaw?”
My blood went cold.
Zayne and Magnus Ironclaw. The twin Lycan Kings. Killers. Monsters. The kind parents warned children about.
I couldn’t speak. These men could kill me without thinking twice.
“Rogues were attacking you,” Zayne said, his voice colder now. “We saved you.”
“Thank you. But I should go—”
“Where?” The red-eyed one, Magnus spoke for the first time. His voice was deeper, rougher than his brother’s. “Where will you go, Raven?”
“How do you know my name?”
“We know everything,” Zayne said, walking around me like a wolf circling prey. “Your husband locked you in a dungeon. Your sister tried to kill you. You have nowhere to go. Where will you go?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“It became our business when we saved you,” Magnus said, moving beside his brother. They surrounded me. “If Alaric finds you, he’ll lock you up again. If Kat learns you’re alive, she’ll send more rogues. You’re alone.”
The words hurt because they were true.
“We can help you,” Zayne said.
“Lycan Kings.” I forced a smile. “With all due respect, thank you for your kindness, but I don’t need anyone’s help or sympathy. I can manage on my own.”
“Look at you, cute little wolf,” Magnus said, stepping closer. “You have no pack, no money, nothing. Nowhere to go. No one to take care of you.” His tone was mocking, cruel.
He stood at the same height as his brother, only a foot taller, and also had a dangerous look.
He was right. I was alone in this world, tears slipped down my cheeks as the truth hit me.
“Why do you guys want to help me? Lycan Kings don’t help wolves for free.”
“No,” Zayne agreed. “We don’t.”
“Then what do you want?”
Zayne lifted my chin. His thumb wiped away tears I didn’t know were there.
“Don’t cry,” he said quietly. “I don’t like seeing these pretty eyes cry.”
Pretty. Alaric used to say that before the scar.
“We can destroy them,” Zayne continued, his voice dropping low. “Say the word, and I’ll show them hell.”
Someone finally wanted to fight for me. But could I trust them? I had no idea why they wanted to help an ugly and injured wolf like me.
“What do you want in return?”
His smile came back. Wicked and dangerous.
“You’ll mate with me.”
The room spun. “What?”
“Protection. Money. Revenge. Your pack, your shares—everything they took. All yours again.”
“So I have to sleep with you guys?”
His fingers slid through my hair. Heat rushed through me. He leaned close, his rough hands tracing my scar, slow and calm.
Goosebumps formed on my body with his touch. I had no idea why I was craving more.
Terror should have consumed me. Every instinct screamed to flee.
But standing there, trapped between two Lycan Kings who looked at me like I mattered, I felt something new.
“And if I say no?”
Magnus spoke, his red eyes bright. “Then you go back out there. Alone. And when they find you, and they will—we won’t help.”
Zayne’s thumb touched my lip. “Choose carefully. This offer doesn’t come twice.”
I looked between them. Dangerous, they held my life in their hands.
I thought of Alaric’s betrayal. Kat’s lies. The dark dungeon. The rogues’ attack. Everything ran through my mind.
Everything they stole from me.
Magnus moved closer, boxing me in. “Be clear about what you’re agreeing to. Once you’re ours, there’s no going back. No escape.”
“Ours?” I mumbled.
Zayne’s fingers tightened in my hair. “Did you think only one of us saved you?” His voice dropped. “We both did. We both want you.”
“Both of you want me to...”
“Carry our heir,” Zayne finished. “Be our mate. Our Queen. You’ll belong to both of us. Completely.”
This was unbelievable. Wrong.
But standing between two men who looked at my scar like it was beautiful, I had nothing left to lose.
And everything to win back.
“I agree,” I said.
Magnus smiled. Slow and dangerous.
“That’s our girl.”
I blushed when they suddenly said that I’m their girl.
