Raven knew something was wrong the moment she woke up.
Her body felt strangely heavy.
Her skin was burning.
Her heartbeat was faster than normal, and an uncomfortable weakness had settled over her muscles.
She sat up slowly.
"What the hell…"
She pressed a hand against her forehead.
Then it hit her.
Her rut.
It had been months since her last one.
And this one was arriving harder than she expected.
Raven was a repressed Alpha, and she had always hated how vulnerable her rut made her feel.
Her hormones were overwhelming.
Her senses were sharper.
Her body temperature kept rising and falling.
Even standing became an effort.
She looked at the clock.
Four days.
That was usually how long it lasted.
She could handle four days.
She had to.
By the second day, Raven had completely withdrawn.
She cancelled her meetings.
She instructed Jane not to allow anyone into the penthouse.
Her phone remained untouched.
There was only one problem.
Eleanor wouldn't stop calling.
The first call came in at nine.
Raven ignored it.
Another came at ten.
Ignored.
Then another.
Raven stared at the screen.
Eleanor.
She wanted to answer.
But she knew her condition wasn't something she wanted Eleanor to see.
She turned the phone face down.
At Vance Capital Holdings, Eleanor stared at her phone.
Nothing.
She called again.
Straight to voicemail.
Her worry deepened.
"Something isn't right."
Sebastian looked up from his tablet.
"Who?"
"Raven."
He frowned.
"Have you tried her office?"
"Yes."
"Jane?"
"No answer."
Eleanor stood.
"I'm going there."
Sebastian looked concerned.
"Do you want me to come?"
"No. I'll handle it."
A short while later, Eleanor arrived at Apex Raven Global.
She walked into the building.
"I'm here to see Raven."
The receptionist hesitated.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Ms. Raven isn't receiving visitors."
"Is she in the building?"
"I…"
Eleanor noticed the hesitation.
"Where is she?"
The receptionist lowered her voice.
"She hasn't been here since yesterday."
Eleanor's heart sank.
"Then where is she?"
The receptionist shook her head.
"I don't know."
Eleanor immediately called Jane.
No answer.
She tried Raven again.
Nothing.
Then Eleanor remembered something.
Raven's penthouse.
The elevator doors opened.
Eleanor stepped into the private hallway.
She hesitated outside Raven's door.
She knocked.
"Raven?"
Nothing.
She knocked again.
"Raven, it's Eleanor."
Silence.
Her worry became unbearable.
She tried the handle.
The door opened.
"Raven?"
Eleanor stepped inside.
The penthouse was unusually quiet.
"Raven?"
She walked farther inside.
Then she heard something.
A faint sound from upstairs.
Eleanor followed it.
She reached the bedroom door.
It was slightly open.
She pushed it.
And froze.
Raven was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Her black shirt was loose around her shoulders.
Her hair was disheveled.
Her breathing was uneven.
But that wasn't what shocked Eleanor.
Raven wasn't wearing her mask.
For the first time since Eleanor had met her—
she saw Raven's face.
Completely.
Eleanor couldn't move.
Raven slowly lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
Raven's expression changed immediately.
"Eleanor…"
Her voice was weak.
Eleanor stared at her.
She had imagined Raven's face countless times.
But nothing had prepared her for this.
Raven looked vulnerable.
Beautiful.
Human.
And suddenly Eleanor understood why Raven had hidden herself for so long.
Raven tried to stand.
She stumbled.
Eleanor rushed forward.
"Raven!"
She caught her before she fell.
Raven's body was burning against her.
Eleanor looked into her eyes.
"What happened to you?"
Raven swallowed.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Why?"
Raven looked away.
"Because you can't see me like this."
Eleanor gently held her.
"Too late."
Raven looked back at her.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Eleanor whispered,
"Why did you hide your face from me?"
Raven's eyes softened.
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
Raven stared at her.
"Of what you'd think if you ever saw the real me."
Eleanor's heart tightened.
She slowly reached toward Raven's face.
Raven didn't move.
Her fingers stopped just inches away from Raven's cheek.
Then—
Raven whispered her name.
"Eleanor…"
To be continued…