FOUR

RAPHAEL’S POV

I watched her eyes widen to their fullest extent, I wasn't mistaken.. she was definitely scared, very scared and it broke my heart that I had no clue on how to ease her fear.

She tightened her grip on her cloth, pulling them together as though worried that they might fall off from her body with the slightest movement.

“You look like you haven't showered in days,” I pointed out, recalling how unkempt her hair is. Her lashes fluttered and her eyes were cast down in embarrassment. I should not have said that. “I'm sorry if that made you feel bad,”

“It …it is fine, your highness.” she fidgeted, clutching her throat, still not daring to look up at me.

“No it's not,” I insisted, still feeling terribly bad for the remark I made earlier. There were definitely more polite ways to say it— even though I wasn't keen on morals, “you know what? You can use my shower,”

Her eyes widened again, it might be wrong but I found her fear expression to be really cute. The way her eyes would widen as though they were at the verge of falling off from her pupils. Her expressions amused me.

“You mean this is your room, your highness?” Her eyes scanned the entire room, as though taking in the details for the first time in the couple of minutes she has been standing here

“Yes it is,” I nodded, wondering if it was right to admit that it was indeed my room

“I am afraid I can't stay here,”

“And why is that Lyra?” I inquired, craning my neck to observe her fully, this should be the longest sentence she has uttered since I brought her here and I can't deny that her voice happens to be the most melodious thing I have heard all my life, “I brought you here did I not?”

“But it still isn't right my alpha,” she insisted, shaking her head in protest, she moved as though wanting to escape me, “I will just–

“Lyra, I insist.” I grabbed her arm, blocking her from stepping an inch away from me, “ now go have a shower. You can take as much time as you want,”

Her head moved slowly as she nodded in agreement, dragging her soiled legs to the bathroom while I followed suit, standing at the door, watching as she examined the bathroom— she looked more like she was checking for bombs rather than wanting to bathe

“Are you going to um stand here while I bathe?” She bit her lower lips, the words finding it difficult to leave her lips.

Her words brought me to the realization that I ought to give her privacy.

“My bad, I totally forgot. I —I will leave now,”

“Thank you sir,”

I stepped out of the room, into the hallway and mindlinked Darius, who I knew was probably outside with one of his numerous flings.

“Darius, I need you to get me some women essentials,”

“For the entire group?” he inquired, linking me back.

“No,” I corrected almost immediately, “ just for Lyra,”

“And why is that, my Alpha?” I could tell that he was probably wearing one of his confused looks, wondering what on earth was wrong with me.

“Do you now question my decisions?”

“I don’t understand any of this, Raphael. I don’t think… Well I don't think that there's any way I would be able to get the things you want me to get,”

“And why?”

“Cause it's of short notice and I don’t even understand any of this. I don’t understand why you’re doing all of this. I don’t get what all of this means.”

“And what is all of this? What are you insinuating, Darius?”

“Why is she staying in your room, instead of with the rest of the girls?” He asked.

“Darius, what did I say about questioning my choices?”

“I… I am terribly sorry. But I am just afraid that the rest of the girls would see this as cheating,”

He did have a point, a strong one at that because it has never been heard that the alpha had favorites in the Luna games ….it was a fair game with zero sentiments attached..

I let out a huff, wondering if what I was doing was right in the first place, “The thing with this girl is that she looks lanky, thin, underfed. You saw her earlier, didn’t you? I want to make sure she is in shape, so she doesn't die before even trying,” I explained, more to myself than to him, even though my explanation was not cutting the feelings gushing through my entire body.

“But is there a slight chance that there is more to this? That you feel something more for her than the need to not let her die even before she tries?”

The mocking tone at the end of the sentence was evident in his tone but I chose to ignore it, focusing more on the underlying meaning in his words. His question took me out, pushing me to a state of deep thought.

“Um…” I mused, “ why do you say so?”

“Because then it would be a good thing, maybe she is your mate and all these dying for years would finally come to an end and she could even be the one you've been in search of. Just think about it,” he rattled on, not even giving me a chance to collect my thoughts.

“We can't be so sure yet, plus I don't think she's my mate,” I dragged, not wanting his words to get into my head, “I admit that there is something intriguing about her eyes but I doubt if she is my mate,”

“Give me something I don’t know. Why? Why? Why are you attracted to her?”

“It's getting late now,” I snapped at him, ignoring all his words and pushing it to the back of my mind. “I think you need to leave so you can be able to buy everything we need in time,”

“Alright then.”

”And also, Darius, have the maids send food to my room.”

“Will do my Alpha,”

Ending the mindlink, I turned back, towards the direction of my room, striding across the hallway and pushing the door open without any thought at all. The first thing that welcomed me was a faint gasp, making me raise my head up to meet the greatest shock and surprise of my evening.

She was…

Her body was…

She was naked. And not only naked. She was badly naked. She stared at me back in shock, her breasts in full view, every single part of her glaring back at me. But that was not the height of it, the shock of it. The shock about her body, her thinly, lanky underfed body was that it had scars. Not one, not two, but more scars, each of them looking like it was engraved deeply on her skin, drawn from one part to another..

I scanned her entire body with my eyes, taking note of every dent and dot. My blood rumbled within me, fury slamming right through my heart and setting my ever calm wolf in anger. I clenched my jaw, my eyes darkening as I returned my gaze to the one that caught my interest the most, the one on her stomach. A thick black line that ran from her right side to the left side, just a little above her navel.

It couldn’t be. They would never do that, cut her that deep. Her mate..

“Who did that to you?”