Page 2 of Raven

There was an aura about her, an intangible quality that set my fur on edge. Beneath a veil of vulnerability lay a core of steel, a strength that both intrigued and unsettled me. I found myself wanting to know more, to unravel the mystery she presented.

Clay's elbow in my ribs snapped me back to reality. "When you're done drooling, Romeo, table five is still waiting on their food," he smirked.

I growled low in my throat, torn between irritation at Clay and an inexplicable pull towards the blonde girl in the corner. “I wasn’t drooling. I was …”

Clay raised a brow, his lips curving into a knowing smirk. "Sure, but you don't stand a chance. A girl like that ..." he trailed off into a low whistle. I ignored him, but his words needled at me more than I cared to admit.

The blonde had set up a makeshift office, her laptop, notebook, and pens arranged with precision on the table. It was an odd sight in our usually rowdy bar.

Scooping up the bowls of chips Clay had prepared, I tucked a menu under my arm and made my way to her table after dropping off the food at table five. My heart raced with each step, a mix of anticipation and something else I couldn't quite name.

She met my gaze before I even reached her, and a jolt of heat surged through my skin. My panther, usually content to lounge in the recesses of my mind, suddenly sat up and took notice.

Her eyes, the colour of deep green, sparkled with a hint of mischief as I approached. The soft glow of the overhead lighting seemed to spotlight her in that isolated corner, and for a moment, just a moment, it felt like everything else faded away.

I stood at her table, lost in those captivating eyes before I managed to clear my throat. "Good evening," I said, my voiceraspier than usual as I extended the menu. "What can I get you to drink?"

She waved the menu away with a graceful flick of her wrist. "I don't need that. Can I just get a Coke and a raw burger?"

Her voice made my breathing hitch. She was a shifter. A panther. What were the odds of another panther being in town? Of all the things that could have knocked me off balance tonight, this was the last one I expected.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "I'll get that for you," I croaked, stumbling back towards the bar to relay her order to Clay. By the time I reached the hatch, my panther's growl was vibrating through me, demanding to be set free.

My heart thundered as I fought to keep control. My panther wanted to break free, to shed this human skin and dance with her in our true forms.

Clayton eyed me suspiciously. "Orders are up for twenty-one, nineteen, and nine," he gestured to the plates lined up on the steel shelf. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

I pinned her order to the rack and grabbed two of the waiting meals. "Nothing," I growled.

Try as I might, I couldn't stop my gaze from wandering back to the girl. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. Was it the effort of keeping my panther at bay, or just her? Either way, I was so distracted I almost missed the group of men who entered, making a beeline for the empty table closest to her.

"Oi, show some bloody respect. Keep back," one man barked, his sneer pulling me back to reality. The stench wafting off him was unmistakably Human, and hostile at that.

I had to bite back my response, fighting the urge to let my panther loose. The cat inside me was ready to pounce, to go to the girl and slash at anyone who dared get in his way.

But I had no right to confront Humans, especially not here. Spy Glass was Max's pride and joy, a rare sanctuary where Others and Humans coexisted. It didn't change the fact that many Humans remained hostile, seizing any opportunity to assert their supposed superiority. The fragile peace here was always one wrong move from shattering.

Max, though, was different. She wasHuman, but she understood us, stood with us. Her acceptance made Spy Glass special, but it didn't change the reality of the world outside these walls.

My teeth clenched tight as I fought against my instincts, stepping back when every fibre in me screamed to stand my ground. Losing control now would be catastrophic; theHumanswouldn't hesitate to end me. With as much grace as I could muster, I murmured an apology, the words tasting bitter.

The man's eyes burnt with fury, his fists clenched as he invaded my space. His finger jabbed my chest to punctuate his words, "What did you say? You dare speak to me?"

His hatred was thick and choking. I retreated, trying to keep the peace despite my towering height. My heart pounded, echoing my mother's warnings—never talk back, stay silent, avoid confrontation. Years of caution and fear battled against the rage of my panther, who wanted nothing more than to show thisHumanexactly who he was messing with.

I could overpower them physically; I was stronger. But theHumans, in their cruelty, always had the advantage. Lowering my gaze, I stepped back again. Too much was at risk: my college prospects, the money I'd earnt, the life my mother and I had scraped together. It simply wasn't worth it.

This was aHuman-run world, and I had to live in it.

TWO

The girl remained in her corner, working quietly until the bell for last orders rang. She had ordered another drink, this time lemonade, and two more raw burgers. I brought them to her as discreetly as possible. Part of my caution was due to the rules Humans had imposed—insisting the burgers be served on buns with salad and chips—and partly because I didn't want to draw undue attention to her.

Humans had this peculiar discomfort when we ate raw meat in front of them. Hence the buns. It was all about their comfort, their need to pretend. As long as they left us alone, what did it matter, really?

The men who'd given me trouble earlier were still lounging at their table. Like everyone else, they began to pack up when Max rang the bell, announcing they had ten minutes to finish their drinks before being shown the door.

I couldn't help but keep my gaze fixed on the path between their table and the one where the girl sat. My blood was boiling, igniting a fire in my panther, urging him to leap out and slash some faces. I felt my claws extending, pushing through, and my panther teeth pressing against my gums. I fought to hold them back, to keep myself in check.

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