The-Wrong-Bride-Ares--Raven’s-story-(Maura,-Catharina)_bibis

Chapter Nine
RAVEN
“Raven?”
I frown at the sound of Grandma Anne’s voice behind me and snuggle a bit closer, not wanting to
wake up.
“Ares?”
My muddled mind slowly starts to clear, and I freeze when I realize that I’ve got a strong arm
wrapped around me. Fragments of last night flash through my mind, and my stomach drops. Oh no.
I twist in Ares’s embrace, waking him up, and he blinks slowly, his eyes finding mine as he smiles
lazily. “Morning, drunkard,” he says.
The smile melts off his face as he looks past me, and I let my eyes fall closed in shame.
“Grandma,” he says, his voice tinged with horror. His grip on me loosens. “What are you doing
here?”
Ares sits up and pulls me up with him, keeping his arm wrapped around me. I raise my face
hesitantly, well aware of what this looks like. My dress is on the floor, and Ares is in nothing but his
gray sweatpants, while I’m wearing his t-shirt.
Grandma Anne’s expression is unreadable. “Big night?” she asks, and I nod.
“Sierra and I, um… we drank way too much, and Ares ended up having to take care of us.”
I can’t face him, not after what I did last night. The way I harassed him last night was not okay. I
have no doubt he’ll be furious, and I’ve probably done irreparable damage to our friendship, and
what for?
“Where is Sierra?”
Ares clears his throat. Does he realize he still has his arm wrapped around me? “In my bed. Best
to let her sleep a bit longer. She was really quite drunk.”
Grandma nods. “How about you two get some more rest too? You look… disheveled. I will have
some breakfast sent over for the three of you later. You can just warm it up once Sierra wakes up.”
Ares and I are tense as Grandma Anne walks away, a sweet smile on her face. “I should go too,” I
say the moment the door closes behind her. I rise to my feet nervously and grab my clothes off the
floor, embarrassment flooding me.
“Hold on,” Ares says, and I turn around to face him, my heart hammering in my chest. “Come