Rafe’s Curiosity
787 Words
Rafe’s POV
The door closed behind her, and I found myself staring at the empty space she’d left behind. Every instinct I had screamed that Lena was trouble, but not the kind I was used to dealing with. She wasn’t a rogue or a rival Alpha encroaching on my territory. No, her brand of trouble was far more personal and dangerous.
I paced the length of my office, my wolf growling low in my mind.
She’s hiding something.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
Her scent lingered, wrapping around me like a noose. Lavender and rain, soft but wild—just like her. It had unsettled me from the moment she’d walked into my office the first time, but now it felt like it was carved into my senses, impossible to forget.
She was up to something; I was sure of it. Her sudden interest in pack responsibilities was too convenient, too calculated. And the way she looked at me—bold, challenging, with just enough vulnerability to keep me off balance— was enough to make any man question his sanity.
She’s not just playing games. She’s testing you.
I growled under my breath, the sound reverberating in the room. My wolf was right. Lena wasn’t just testing my patience; she was testing my control. And damn it if she wasn’t good at it.
But I wasn’t one to sit back and wait to be played. If she thought she could waltz into my office and toy with me, she was sorely mistaken.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Marcus.
“Yeah?” his voice came through after a single ring.
“I need you to dig into something for me,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his curiosity evident.
“Lena,” I said bluntly. “Something’s off with her. I want to know what.”
There was a pause at the other end, then a low whistle. “You think she’s hiding something?”
“I know she is,” I replied. “Start with her mate bond. She is mated to my son, right?”
“Yeah, Dorian.” Marcus’s voice was more serious now. “They were bonded until... what, a week ago?”
A week. That explained the edge of pain I’d seen in her eyes, the rawness she tried so hard to hide. But it didn’t explain her sudden interest in me. Unless...
My jaw clenched as the pieces started to fall into place. A broken mate bond, betrayal, and now this bold attempt to get close to me. The picture wasn’t complete yet, but I had a sinking feeling I knew where it was headed.
“I want details,” I said, cutting off my own thoughts. “Everything you can find about her and Dorian. Don’t leave anything out.”
“You got it,” Marcus said, his tone clipped.
I ended the call and sank into my chair, the leather creaking under my weight. My fingers drummed against the armrest as I stared at the door, my mind racing. Dorian, you i***t. Whatever had happened between the two of them, severing a mating bond was no small thing. And now Lena was trying to get to me, that much was clear. The question was why.
Revenge, my wolf growled. She wants him to suffer.
It made sense, in a way. If Dorian had betrayed her, she’d want to hit him where it hurt most. And who better to target than his father?
I should have been angry. Hell, I should have thrown her out the moment I realized what she was doing. But instead, I felt... intrigued.
She was unlike anyone I’d ever met—brazen, reckless, and so damn determined it was almost admirable. And yet, there was a vulnerability in her that she couldn’t quite hide, a c***k in her armour that made her all the more captivating.
I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes for a moment. The memory of her touch, her scent, the fire in her gaze—it all came rushing back, setting my nerves on edge.
She’d gotten under my skin, and I hated it.
But I wasn’t going to let her win.
If Lena thought she could manipulate me, she was in for a rude awakening. I’d play along, let her think she had the upper hand. And when the time was right, I’d turn the tables.
Let’s see how far you’re willing to go, Lena, I thought, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across my face.
This game she was playing, she’d chosen the wrong opponent.
- Writer
