Sirius Pov.

Raven froze as he turned to look at me, clearly taken aback by my presence. It was an odd reaction, but I quickly brushed it off. "Did you have a good summer?" I inquired, nervously biting my lip. Yet, he just gazed at me in silence, his expression shifting from surprise to confusion, and then, unexpectedly, to joy as a broad smile spread across his face.

"No," he stated, which shocked me; I hadn't expected him to say that. "I was lonely without you," he admitted taking off his leather jacket, causing me to pause. Looking up at him, I stared, shocked by his admission. He was lonely without me? Speechless, I swallowed hard, and a smile spread across my face. "I was lonely too," I admitted, a shiver of ecstasy shooting down my spine from the way he was looking at me.

"We should start unpacking," he said abruptly, turning away. I lingered, watching him, biting my lower lip before turning to unpack my belongings, a smile playing on my lips. Confusion welled up inside me; we had been roommates for so long, yet this was the first time he had shown that he missed me, the first time his gaze held such desire. As I unpacked, the smile disappeared, replaced by a gnawing confusion. Was he okay? Could the portal have affected his mind? I hoped this wasn't all just a dream. On autopilot, I went to the bathroom to organize my things and saw Raven's reflection in the mirror. He seemed fine, usual Raven.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I caught sight of Raven and felt an electrifying rush surge through me, like a dazzling display of fireworks igniting in the night sky. My breath hitched, and my gaze fixated on his full, inviting lips as they curled into a playful smirk. When I dared to meet his eyes, warmth flooded my cheeks, and in a flurry of embarrassment, I hurried past him to my corner of the room. With my back turned, I glanced down and saw the unmistakable outline in my pants, a surge of frustration coursed through me. I could only pray he hadn't noticed.

"Hey, Sirius," Raven called from behind me. I climbed onto the bed and turned to face him. "What's up?" I asked, smiling and using my pillow to cover the front of my pants. "Are you going to the bonfire tonight?" he inquired, leaping onto his own bed. "Yes, I wouldn't miss it," I admitted. He turned to look at me, holding my gaze a moment longer before sitting up. "Are you gay?" he blurted out, catching me off guard-we had never discussed our sexuality with each other. "If I were, would that be an issue?" I countered, intrigued by his sudden interest. "Of course, not..." he began but was interrupted by an unexpected knock at our door.

In a moment of silent rapport, Keith pierced the calm, calling out to Raven, "Hey man, ready to go?" Raven diverted his eyes, grabbed his jacket, and walked to the door. Opening it, he smiled and greet Keith. "Sirius, see you at the bonfire!" he shouted, waving as he exited and gently closed the door. I silently waved goodbye to his fading figure as the door's click shut, sealed the moment.

Collapsing onto the bed, I couldn't resist slapping myself to confirm I was truly awake. The sting was exactly what I needed. Reflecting on Raven, even though we were close, I sensed he always kept a certain distance, as if he were treading on eggshells. It was as though he knew he couldn't get too close, so he erected a barrier. Initially, I assumed it was because we belonged to different species and he was merely being cordial, which is why I concealed my romantic feelings to avoid burdening him. But now, I'm starting to wonder if his actions are because he harbors feelings for me, just as I do for him.

Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, I muse, turning over and groaning into my pillow.

Raven Pov.

Strolling down the hall with Keith, I was absorbed in my own thoughts. The moment I laid eyes on Sirius, I could feel my inner wolf stir from the recesses of my mind, restless and eager to surface. It required all my willpower to restrain myself from claiming Sirius. I found myself confused because Sirius and I have been roommates since our freshman year. While I did develop a slight crush on him last year, it remained just that-a crush. Sirius is indeed charming; he has the warmth of a Golden Retriever, despite being sly as a snake. Standing at 6 feet tall, his lean figure is topped with white hair that falls just past his shoulders and contrasts with his striking red eyes. His aroma is captivating, evoking the sweet essence of lemon sugar cookies. Not only is he athletic, but his intelligence is also undeniable. He's on his way to becoming a doctor, already surpassing his seniors who have a few more years to earn their Doctorates. He's certainly impressive, but I instinctively knew that it could never develop beyond that; we were simply too different. Thus, I had resolved to dismiss my foolish crush on him, only for this unexpected turn of events to occur.

I felt no disappointment at all. Once it was confirmed that he is gay, I found no reason to restrain myself. His earlier reaction appeared to clearly show an interest in me, which was all the confirmation I needed. "Mate him. Mark him quickly," my wolf howled inside my head, pacing back and forth. "I will mark him. I will mate him. I will love him," I reassured my wolf. I was no longer the scared little boy I once was I had power, and more importantly, I had the resolve to see this through to the end. I would not be influenced by the counsel or my father.

Reflecting on the book from earlier, I pull out my phone and scroll through my photos, pausing when I can't find it. Looking at my most recent photo, I see a page I captured from the book, but it's blank. Gritting my teeth, I let out a groan of frustration. "Now what am I supposed to do?" I ask myself. "Earth to Raven. HELLO," Keith shouts, waving his hand in front of my face. "Dude, what's gotten into you? You've been spaced out since earlier," he inquires. Blinking, I decide to push the thoughts aside for the moment.

"Sorry, I'm a little distracted. What were you saying?" I asked him as we started walking toward the center of the sports field. Whenever we have large outdoor events, this is where they would take place. "So, as I was saying, I found my mate earlier. It turns out she's a werecat from the Lion Pride," he stated excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Oh, wow, man, congratulations! I'm so happy for you," I responded, pulling him into a hug. "Thanks!" he exclaimed happily, before his smile faded. "I've decided to join her Pride after graduation," he declared matter-of-factly. I stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Do what makes you happy and remember that I'll always be here for you as your best friend." With a playful bump to his shoulder, we continued walking in silence for some time.

"I've mind-linked her to meet us later tonight. I can't wait for you to meet her," he said as we approached some members of our pack. "Good. I need to meet the woman who's stealing my best friend sooner rather than later," I replied, striking a pose like a concerned father and placing my hands on my hips. He laughed and playfully pushed me. A thought struck me; I could ask the Dean or perhaps Professor Ivan if they knew about Second Chance Mates. Dismissing the thought for the moment, Keith handed me a cup. I took a sip and grunted at the strong taste of alcohol mixed with punch. Shaking my head, I took another swig as they lit multiple preset bonfires surrounded by logs and tables laden with food. In the middle of the field, a massive bonfire roared, accompanied by the sound of music.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the moon ascended, bathing me in its soothing glow, its light a comforting presence on my skin. My body hummed with the buzz of alcohol from the red cup in my hand and the sweetness of the s'mores in the other. In my distraction, I bumped into someone, a shiver coursing through me at the unexpected contact when I noticed the aroma of lemon sugar cookies. Turning, I met Sirius's gaze and a smirk played on my lips. "Hey, you," I drawled, the smirk widening at his endearing expression. "You're so sexy."

Staring a/t me in astonishment, I noticed his cheeks flush red. "What did you say?" he asked, clearly shocked. Did I just say that out loud? As my own cheeks warmed, we locked gazes, /neither of us moving. "You're adorable," he finally declared, grasping each side of my leather jacket and pulling me closer.

"Raven," Keith called out to me. As I turned, I saw him approaching with a striking woman of mocha complexion. Petite at 5'3", she had long, angelic curls cascading down her back and light honey-brown eyes. Despite her delicate appearance, her presence exuded strength, signaling she was not to be taken lightly. "Hello, it's nice to meet you," I said languidly, finishing my s'more and extending my hand for a shake. She laughed and shook my hand, "The pleasure is mine, I'm Olivia," she replied, her gaze following my arm as it wrapped around Sirius waist, her smile broadening. "Keith has shared quite a bit about you," she mentioned. I returned the smile and fist-bumped Keith, "I hope it's all good," I said with a smirk, she laughed.

"This is Sirius, my roommate," I said happily, taking a gulp from my cup and pulling him closer. As I heard the laugh of an angel, I looked down at Sirius. He is breathtakingly beautiful. "I think you've had enough to drink," Sirius remarked, taking my cup, which I willingly handed over. Turning to Olivia, he extended his hand for a handshake, "It's nice to meet you too," he said with a smile. I turned to Keith and mind-linked him, "He's my mate," unable to contain myself. His eyebrows shot up as he glanced between me and Sirius. "Raven, maybe you've had a bit too much to drink," he mind-linked back, his concern evident. Shaking my head, I gazed down at Sirius and, before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and gently pecked his lips, to which he stiffened in my embrace.

He pushed me away and, like many others, stared at me in silence. Suddenly, Sirius began to speed-walk towards the dorms, causing me to panic instantly. "Shit. Shit," I thought to myself. "I'll catch you later, Keith. Olivia, it was really nice meeting you," I said hastily, running after Sirius.

Good Evening,

It's now 5:45 am. This chapter took me some time to complete, but it's finally finished. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.

Love,

GoYaoiNeverGoBack!

Q.A.

Oh no, Raven! What have you done?