The Taming Of Alpha Rafael

Chapter 9

I stood there, stunned, as Rafael asked me if Gracie's father was the man I had gone to meet earlier. it was him, but telling him a bit about it would require telling him all about it - my relationship with him (something he's asked and I refused to talk about), how and why he rejected Gracie, and why he wanted to see me now.

“No!” I shook my head, denying his accusation. “How could you even think that?”

You have been odd and off all day. Silent, cold, and clouded with a mix of anger and confusion. I can see it. We haven't spent much time together but I can see it.

“It was just a coworker from where I used to work before here,” I argued.

Rafael scoffed. He paused, looked at me and scoffed again. “Don't give me that. If you give me that and I absorb it, then you take me for a fool and I'm a fool for taking it.”

“No…”

"Sonya, I want to be a part of your life, a part of your problem, a part of Gracie's life," he said firmly. "But it can only happen if you allow into it, the whole nine yards.."

His words hung in the air, heavy with expectations and potential consequences. I took a deep breath, trying to formulate a response. "There is nothing deep and saddening about my outing today, Mr. Rafael Salvatore," I managed to say, plastering a smile on my face.

The truth is I wanted someone to talk to before tomorrow night, someone who'd stand for me or give me a hint on how to scale through and escape Kantos’ claws but not in Rafael's present situation where he's lost his pack and leg. I didn't want to burden him with the truth, with my messy life and the potential dangers it posed.

Rafael looked at me for a moment, his eyes searching mine for any sign of deception or hesitation. I felt exposed under his gaze, like he could see right through me.

Finally, he sighed and said, "Alright, you don't want to talk about it, then don't let it disturb our flow tonight."

Relieved, I nodded. I appreciated his understanding, and his willingness to let me keep my secrets hidden.

But as I started the application of the panacea on his leg, I couldn't shake the feeling that our connection had been tainted, that a wall had been built between us, a wall built.

I continued to apply the balm from his feet up his thigh and he hummed. He was looking at me and I knew it. But my mind was elsewhere, wondering where the conversation was heading and how Rafael seemed to know more than he let on.

“Do you have a tattoo, Sonya?” Rafael asked.

“What?" I asked incredulously, hoping it was all some sort of joke. I could hardly believe my ears. What kind of question was that?

"I asked if you have a tattoo,” he repeated.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I have one," he said, pointing to his chest where his tattoo was proudly displayed. “I got it seven years ago when my father died and I rose to be the alpha of the pack. I want to know if you have one, how, when and where.”

"Why do you want to know where?” I asked with my eyes keen on him. He was beginning to hit on me again and not this night. My mental health wasn't ready for such.

However, his sudden interest in tattoos made me uneasy, making me wonder if he somehow knew about mine or if he'd seen it.

My tattoo, a delicate butterfly, was hidden on my breast, a secret symbol of freedom and transformation that only I knew about.

Rafael's eyes never left me as I continued to apply the balm to his leg, trying to focus on the task at hand. But the thoughts that swirled in my mind were overwhelming. How could he know about my tattoo? Has he seen it before? What else does he know?

Feeling exposed and vulnerable, I decided to put a stop to this conversation. "I'm done," I said curtly, dropping the balm back on the table. I needed to distance myself from Rafael, from his probing questions that seemed to reveal more than they should.

As I turned to walk away, Rafael called out to me. "Sonya, I love Gracie as if she were my own, and I won't allow anything to affect her. If there's any way I can help, let me know," he said with sincerity in his voice.

“Thank you, Mr Salvatore. If there is anything there is to know, I won't hesitate to tell you.”

He stared for a while and then nodded.

I paused for a moment, my heart swelling with appreciation for his words. Rafael truly cared for Gracie's well-being, and that meant the world to me. But my fears and insecurities held me back from accepting his help, from allowing him any closer into my life.

The weight of my secrets bore down on me, suffocating me from the inside out. How could I burden him with the truth? How could I risk his safety and how can I keep my daughter?

The only way to protect them was to keep them at a distance, to keep them ignorant of the dangers lurking in the shadows and to deal with my demons alone.

With a heavy heart, I nodded at Rafael and continued my exit. As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel grateful for his offer, for his unwavering support for Gracie. But I also couldn't ignore the growing distance between us, the walls I had erected to protect everyone involved.

As I walked into the night, I knew I wouldn't win without help and a day lie between myself and the timeframe that Kantos gave me.

The morning would come and the wedding would hold. “I will speak with Cecilia and see if she can help," I said to myself and immediately saw how senseless it was.

Cecilia would be getting married to Gabriel and telling her about it would be a burden to the new couple.

As much as I wanted to keep Rafael out of it, he seemed like the only one who could hear me out and help. He was willing, all I had to do was tell him.

I huffed and puffed as I paced across the room, wondering how Rafael would help me and get me out of it.

The future seemed blurry but I knew one thing - "I will do anything to keep Gracie."