Stone Crest: Rise of a Raven

64. Chapter 64

Chapter sixty-four

Locke

O ne week later

“Thank you, officer Reid.” I hang up my phone then toss it on my kitchen island.

They finally closed the case at the warehouse. It was ruled an accident. Faulty wiring that unfortunately ended the lives the two businessmen who owned the property. The building was still standing after Malikiah was killed, giving us time to get everyone that was involved in the auction back to their homes safely. There was only a handful involved in the first sale, but something tells me this wasn’t the only location and a bigger problem was probably on our hands.

Speaking of hands.

Raven runs her small hands over my shoulders and down over my chest. Her soft lips nip at my ear.

“Baby. You know what we talked about.” I take her arms, removing them from my chest.

Until we handle the curse, physical contact has to be limited. I can’t stand the thought of hurting her.

“Whatever,” she huffs before she pads barefoot to the fridge. “I’m finally caught up on all of my classes.”

Raven took a few days off after the fire. I made her rest, and we had a long talk about the information I received from Giselle. It wasn’t what we wanted to hear, but hope wasn’t completely lost. We just had to find some other soul to transfer the curse to. Either way, someone’s life is altered. There’s still pain.

“I feel bad.” Raven sighs.

“For what?” I ask.

“Presley,” she admits.

“Come here,” I motion with two fingers.

She walks over, twisting open a bottle of water. “I hate what I’m keeping from her, and I hate that she moved back to our apartment alone.”

I take her face in my hands. “Sometimes we have to do things that are hard to protect the people we love.”

She nods but her eyes hold a sadness that I hate. She places her water on the counter.

“With her father’s involvement, it’s better if she doesn’t know anything. She won’t be able to be questioned or compelled for information.” I press a kiss to her lips. “Just be her friend. And just be you.”

She sighs into my mouth, her tongue slipping past my lips. I groan, letting my hands tangle in her hair.

She steps up, climbing up onto the bar stool to straddle my lap.

“Rae," I groan.

She smiles. “Humor me, professor.”

I chuckle before I let my hands fall to her ass. Almost two weeks of not touching her is killing me. My hands cup her cheeks and right when she grinds down on my lap, the front door slams.

“You got to be kidding me,” she mutters before dropping her head to my shoulder.

“Knock knock!” Kingston shouts.

“In here,” I call.

She rolls her eyes, climbing off of my lap.

“Morning Raven,” Kingston lifts a hand.

She waves, leaning back against the island.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Do you both got a sec?” He asks.

“Sure.” I step off the stool. “We can go to the living room.”

Kingston follows us, taking a seat in the chair across from us. “I’ve been doing some thinking and there’s something I want to do for you.” He clears his throw. “For both of you.”

“Ok.” I observe Kingston as he rubs his hands together, his eyes meeting mine.

“Giselle told us the only way to remove the curse is to transfer it.”

I nod. “Yeah, we’ve been discussing that.” I reach for Raven’s hand.

She intertwines our fingers, and he looks to our joined hands. “I’ll take it.”

I frown. “Take what?”

“The curse. Give it to me.”

“Kingston, no,” Raven says.

Her eyes flicker from mine to his, pleading for me to convince him otherwise.

“No,” I state.

“Locke. We both know my mate is gone. She’s been gone a long time, and I don’t get another one. It makes the most sense. It won’t affect me. And to be truthful, I feel like I’d still be honoring my promise to Charlotte somehow.”

I can feel my throat swell with emotion. “King…. I.”

“I owe you. I owe Charlotte. Let me do this.”

“But….” Raven’s eyes glisten. “You would do that?”

He lifts a shoulder. “Of course.” He looks to me. “You're my brother.”

Raven squeezes my hand. I can’t let him. Can I?

“Where's the book?” He asks.

Raven pushes to her feet, stepping over to the end table to grab the thin black book. She’s been studying it harder than any college book she’s actually supposed to be reading.

“Do you know which page?” He asks.

She nods, a tear dripping down her cheek.

“Yes.” She sniffs. “I have it memorized at this point.”

She flips it open and moves her gaze to my brother. “I can’t tell you how much this would mean to me. To us.”

She leans forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. His eyes widen as he looks to me, silently asking permission to touch her. Even though I was the one to take out Malikiah, being the alpha of the pack was not my place. I had been so far removed from that life it felt foreign. Kingston was appointed alpha, and it suits him well.

I nod, and he pats her shoulder, returning the gesture before pushing to his feet. I follow suit, standing up next to Raven.

“Join hands,” she says.

I clasp hers in mine, watching the way the blues of her eyes shine with tears. Kingston latches onto my other hand and Raven takes a deep breath before asking, “ready?”