Lake Creek

Chapter Seventeen

Evelyn and Eric collected Raven from the hospital just after two in the afternoon as her father insisted on her being accompanied back to the cabin apparently for her own safety but everyone knew it was because Max didn't trust that his daughter wouldn't try to run away again, now that the Alpha had saved the boy's life. Raven was happy to be discharged but also very apprehensive as her future husband was arriving later on in the day with his parent's and older brother. She wasn't overly happy about marrying this boy but she had made the deal with her father and for Gray's well being she will not break her promise. 

As Raven walked out from her hospital room, she spotted Breaker holding back a furious Grayson Shaw who was supporting himself on his drip stand and was wearing his hospital gown. Gray was trying to push past Breaker to speak to Raven before she left the hospital and hoped to change her mind on their relationship but with Breaker acting like a brick wall it was no use. 

Gray paused from pushing against Breaker when he saw Raven leave her room and shouted for her to wait as he wanted to speak with her. Raven offered him a small smile that did not reach her eyes and turned her back on him, walking away with Evelyn. She pushed through the glass double doors leaving the hospital and could hear Grayson shouting her name behind her but she didn't look back and walked silently back to her cabin with Evelyn and a little while later Breaker arrived.

Max has arranged for a meal to be prepared for the two families to discuss the upcoming union and a formal date for the wedding will be set. Raven sat in the kitchen at the table and watched as Evelyn busied herself with preparations for the feast. Raven still felt queasy and Evelyn made her some hot lemon tea but when she smelt the acidic liquid she ran straight from the kitchen, up the stairs and raced towards her bathroom. She only just made it in time before discharging the contents of her stomach down the toilet. Raven sat on bathroom floor and remembered that only yesterday she was back home in Adela, sat in the shower whilst her father sat with her and heard about the car accident. 

Raven felt a little better after completely emptying her stomach and got back to her feet, she rinsed her mouth out with cool tap water and headed back down stairs. As Raven entered the kitchen Evelyn came over and placed her hand on Raven's forehead, it was clammy but not hot and Raven offered her a smile and walked back over to sit at the table.

"Maybe It's just nerves sweetheart. They will settle down once you have met the boy for the first time" she said placing a glass of ice water down in front of her. "Just keep sipping the water dear." 

Raven did as she was advised and although she didn't throw up again she couldn't get the nervous nauseous feeling to leave her body. Raven rested in her room for the afternoon and as she looked out of her window she saw the sun was setting behind the trees and the evening had arrived. It had been decided that Raven and Samuel would meet alone at 'The Rez Bar' for dinner to get to know each other in private whilst the remaining family members would dine in the cabin. Breaker was charged with escorting Raven over to the bar and chaperoning the date, from a distance of course.  Raven heard her father downstairs greeting the Beaumont family and listened as he introduced them one by one to Juliette who was by his side. 

This was Raven's cue to make an appearance and as she has accepted the fact that she will marry this boy and enter into the marriage willingly she might as well make the best of a bad situation and make an effort to get to know Samuel and her future family. Evelyn had explained to Raven that the boy was in the same position as her and that it wasn't his decision to marry and this made Raven rethink her attitude towards Samuel Beaumont and set off to meet her future.

She walked gracefully down the wooden staircase gliding her hand down the banister rail and she stepped carefully down each stair with a smile plastered on her pale flawless face. She had her hair tied back in a sleek ponytail and had only applied minimal makeup. She chose to wear a deep emerald green velvet dress that fell just below her knees and covered both her arms fully hiding her wrists and the tattoos from view. As she got halfway down the stairs she saw a suited gentleman stood next to the flaming wood burner and he was of stocky build, quite tall and had silver grey hair and a well aged face. Holding onto his right arm was a petite woman with flame red hair and was of tiny stature she lovingly looked up at her husband engaging in conversation with Maxwell and Juliette. Stood a little way behind them was a tall extremely handsome boy with designer stubble on his friendly face. He never took his eyes off Raven as she descended the stairs to a waiting Eric Breaker. He wore skinny black jeans and a short sleeved white shirt with an open collar. Raven took the last stair entering into the family area and the boy walked confidently over to her, extending his arm and introduced himself as Marcus Beaumont and the heir to the Beaumont pack. Raven shook his outstretched hand and immediately noticed his bicep straining to get free of his tight shirt sleeve and felt a blush rise on her cheeks. Max came across to his daughter and lead her over to meet her future in laws before she left with Eric to meet her fiancé.

No words were spoken on the short walk to 'The Rez Bar' and Raven felt extremely nervous as the lights of the wooden structure came into view up ahead. 'The Rez Bar' had been closed to the pack for the evening and all the staff had been given a night off to give the Alpha's daughter privacy. Raven walked up the three wooden steps as Eric opened the door for her to enter. He smiled at Raven offering her reassurance and closed the door behind her and took up his position on the veranda outside.

Samuel was already seated at the dressed table in the center of the room and Raven walked nervously towards him. The lighting was low and as she got closer to the candle lit table Samuel stood up and took a couple of strides meeting her and held out his hand for Raven who took hold of it gently.

"Good evening Raven, I'm Samuel" he stuttered and Raven shot him a reassuring smile.

Samuel pulled out the chair for Raven to sit down and then took his own seat. Raven could tell that Samuel was very shy as his face had turned a rosy pink colour. He was also very handsome and tall like his older brother and his short sleeved shirt was tight around his biceps and showed off his defined abs underneath. Raven was not getting the feeling that Samuel found her attractive in any way, shape or form. He didn't rake his eyes over her body like boy's usually did and he hadn't once checked out her breasts but maybe it was because he was just shy. 

Samuel reached for the bottle of chilled white wine and filled both of there glasses. Raven took a long drink hoping to gain some courage but the wine made her feel instantly sick and she excused herself to go to the ladies room. She only just made it before losing the small amount of contents in her stomach down the toilet. She heaved and wretched until there was nothing left to eject and went to swill her mouth out at the sinks. She looked at herself in the mirror and she was white as a sheet and felt very light headed. She was glowing with perspiration and felt hot to the touch. Raven was concerned that she may be starting another heating episode and did not relish the idea of Samuel watching her shaking on there first date.

She made her way back out to the boy who was sat patiently waiting for her with a bowl of pasta in front of him and one waiting for her. When she smelt the creamy sauce it made her wretch again and she ran by a confused boy and straight out the door to a waiting Breaker. After a brief conversation outside Raven walked away from the bar and Breaker went inside to explain to the boy that Raven was sick and had to go back to the cabin. Samuel and Breaker walked back to the cabin together and were surprisingly comfortable in the mutual silence.

Raven ran in through the cabin door and head straight for her bedroom upstairs. The family area was empty and she was thankful that she had made it to her bedroom unseen. A few minutes later a light tapping on the bedroom door alerted Raven to a visitor and when she opened the door she was happy to see Evelyn stood with a bottle of water and a smile. Raven invited her in and went to sit back on her bed.

"Samuel is in the kitchen, Juliette's setting him a place for dinner" Evelyn explained.

Raven sat with her head down and her fingers locked together not knowing what she was going to say to her father who would be furious with her for running out on the boy.

"Raven, look at me sweet heart, your not in any trouble" Evelyn explained.

"I don't think my father will see it that way or the Beaumont's for that matter" Raven responded with tears filling her eyes.

"Samuel told everyone you had been physically sick and was very unwell and that he had told you to come back home" Evelyn said.

"Well that's a gentleman for you Evelyn, I never said a word to him. I just left him sat there and ran outside to Eric" Raven told her.

"Maybe this boy is not all bad then" Evelyn told her smiling at Raven.

"Come on freshen up then come on down and join the families downstairs, you'll be fine. I'll set you a place" Evelyn said standing and leaving Raven to get herself ready to join the meal downstairs.

As Raven entered into the kitchen Samuel and Marcus both looked up and Max stood up and escorted his daughter to sit opposite Samuel at the table. He asked if she was feeling better and Raven responded with a small smile and a nod of her head while taking her seat. A knock on the back kitchen door alerted Evelyn to a visitor and as she opened the door Zachary Green was stood there.