Watering the plants, the sun beamed down on her, and the raven tattoo on her arm was still evident. It was permanent; Aunt Mel did not even see it, luckily, but she wouldn't be able to hide it from her aunt any longer. Continuing with her task, the flowers bloomed beautifully, checking over her shoulder as if Dorian would appear out of the blue. But he was still not back and did not know when he would be back. She had spoken to him two days ago and had not heard anything from him. And this time, she had been looking for clues as to what was on the piece, staring down at the torn part of the page. The last ingredient was missing.
Lastly, all that needed to be done was for the one to finish; apart from that, she needed to get a rose, which she could not seem to find anywhere. Flipping through the pages (flowers drawn onto the pages), a big rose stood out on the page of the curse, black and white. It was the same rose she and her grandmother had planted.
"What is missing?"
Something tugged at her heart. Raven's head snapped up from the book. A strange feeling filled her body. Slamming the books shut, Raven hurried out of the cabin, locking up behind her.
Heading up to the pack house, Raven's car pulled up next to the house; voices came from the back of the house.
"Raven, what are you doing here?" Ophelia questioned her, confused.
"Is he here?" she questioned.
"Who?" Ophelia asked.
Hearing his voice, Raven rushed out of the car to the back of the house. Her eyes landed on the fire in the distance; Dorian stood talking to Eve, the pack elder.
"Dorian," she breathed, the feeling in her was growing.
***
"Dorian!" Raven called toward him. Dorian's eyes snapped toward Raven.
"We try to hide our feelings, but you forget, boy, our eyes speak for us," Eve said, turning around, leaving him to look at the girl that had infiltrated every part of him. "I don't know what you speak of," he told her, glancing at her before his eyes traveled back to the girl.
"I am here if you need to talk," she told him, but he was focused on Raven's appearance.
Her hair was messy as a few strands had escaped from her braid, and her UGG boots were covered in mud. She wore skinny jeans and a two-layered long-sleeved shirt. Not appropriate for this weather; a snowstorm is approaching soon.
"I will leave you two."
"Hello, Mrs. Blackwater."
"Hello, dear," Eve said as she walked past. Raven came to a stop in front of her.
The two stared at each other; neither of them said anything.
Throwing her arms around his shoulders, she stood on her tiptoes, hugging him. Dorian stood frozen as she hugged him, her sweet scent filling his senses.
Her body grew rigid; she took a step back.
"Sorry," she apologizes, a blush spreading across her face.
"You're back," she told him.
"I'm back"
"Good," she smiled at him.
***
Placing the blanket around her shoulders. Her eyes softened. Dorian reached out from next to her, grabbing her arm from her lap and staring down at where the raven used to sit with the flower in his beak.
"The mark has changed." He said.
"Yeah, what did you do?" she asked him.
"He had lied to you; he never knew how to remove it, but how do you feel? Do you still feel the effects?" he asked her. Raven stared into his silver and burgundy eyes. "No, it's gone," she told him. Taking a step away from him, she studied him.
"Yes,"
"You were wrong, you know," Raven whispered, glancing up at him.
"Amid the hell you are in, you have something that is keeping you from losing any control. You once told me you no longer have a heartâ€"" taking a deep breath, "but you were wrong. You have one; yours just beats differently, and that does not make you a monster; that just makes you different." He stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.
Raven stood up from the chair, pulling the blanket from around her shoulders and facing Dorian.
"Thank you for helping me once more, but maybe for once you should help yourself," she told him softly. He sat in front of her, just staring at her. Raven broke their stare, leaning closer to him, draping the blanket around his shoulders, pulling it tightly so he would warm up. "You matter too," she finished.