Five

Rina took the plate of food she had dished out for Rafaele to the room.

What was she even doing? Why did she even care? From the little she had learnt about her sister and Rafaele, this wasn't something Rita would have done, so what was her excuse?

She was just being a nice person, she decided.

Today was already gone, tomorrow was the second day. Rita would come back and they would switch places.

And she would put all these behind her.

Rafaele was on the balcony. She stepped out with the food.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"bringing you food, you didn't eat anything at dinner." she answered.

"and somehow you care because....."

"Because you are my mate and I don't want you going hungry, so here, take it" she stretched out the food to him.

He took the food from her and sat down to eat it.

She also sat down.

They sat in silence while he finished his food.

"Rita, do you think I was too harsh with my mom?" Rafaele asked her.

Rina was suprised at the question. "You are asking me?"

"Yes, I am asking you. You are my mate, aren't you?"

"well, I think you were a bit harsh to her. Rain is a teenager and is in his rebellious phase. There is only so much she can do."

"I want my brother to grow up to be a well rounded werewolf. I don't want him to be a nuisance to the pack. Anytime I try to scold him, we end up having an argument and mother tells me to leave him alone."

"well maybe scolding isn't the way to go. He is no longer a child, he will be eighteen soon right, you need to start treating him like an adult, find a equal footing with him." Rina advised.

"hmmm, that's true."

"and you invalidating how he feels about the loss of his father because he was four isn't proper. No matter what age he was when it happened, he is allowed to feel grief." Rina added.

"who knew you were this smart and good in giving advise?" Rafaele asked her.

Rina shrugged as she stood up and took the empty plate from him.

"well, there are a lot of things, you don't know about me."

Rafaele stood up, and his hands circled her waist.

"things like what Rita?" he asked in a whisper.

Rina looked up at him, her thinking faculties, overridden by his proximity.

"Hmm, what else is my mate keeping from me?" he asked leaning down to sniff her neck.

Rina closed her eyes.

"Tell me Rita."

The name 'Rita' was like a bucket of cold water poured on her. Her eyes opened immediately.

What was she doing, this was her sister's mate. She was only here for two days and one day was already over.

She wasn't Rafaele's mate. She was just a replacement.

"Rita, are you okay?" he asked.

She freed herself from his arms.

"I am fine, I should go keep the plate." she replied and fled the room.

She dropped the plate in the kitchen and washed it.

She took a few minutes to compose herself. What was going on with her, Rafaele was her sister's mate. She needed to bring herself under control.

Rina went back to the room.

As she entered, Rafaele was stepping out of the room.

He had only a towel on, she gaped at his body.

"Rita"

"Huh" she answered.

"I already ran a bath for you, go in."

"Thanks" she replied as she entered the bathroom.

As Rina soaked in the bath, she tried to collect her thoughts. What was going on with her?

All her life, Rina had been firm that she didn't need a man, so why was Rafaele suddenly making her feel dizzy.

Rina had gotten a lot of suitors over the years, but she hadn't liked any of them, the only thing that had interested her was her research and her job.

So why was Rafaele her sister's mate making her feel this way.

She pinched herself hard, she needed to remember why she was here, to help her sister.

Once Rita was back, her life would go back to normal.

She stepped out of the bath and changed into the clothes that she had carried into the bathroom.

When she came out, Rafaele was already in bed.

She slipped into bed as quietly as she could so she wouldn't wake him up.

"Why did you take your clothes into the bathroom?" he asked.

"What?"

"You changed in the bathroom, you have never done that before."

"Oh, I didn't want to wet the floor."

"Okay."

They stayed in silence for a while.

"Rita" he called.

"yes"

"What you did today was nice, mother was so happy." he told her.

"and what about you, were you happy?" Rina wanted to bite her tongue off after that question, what had possessed her to ask him that.

"Maybe, I was a bit happy." he replied.

"I see."

"Rita, are you happy with me?" he asked

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because it never seems you are happy."

"i am happy Rafaele." Rina hoped her sister would feel the same after her closure with Adrian.

"Good night Rita." Rafaele said and slept off.

While Rina tossed and turned throughout the night until it was morning.

She got up and made breakfast like she did the previous day. She was in a turmoil and she hoped cooking would calm her down.

"Hmmm, you are cooking again." Rain asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Yes I am, and will you be joining us today or eating in your room?" she asked

"and what is it to you if I do that?"

"well your brother was kind of upset that you don't want to eat with the family."

Rain laughed sarcastically.

"You do not join the family to eat and he never said anything to you about it and now he is upset about me? What an hypocrite." he remarked.