THE LOVE OF A LYCAN

144 SHE REJECTS HIM

You know the dark to my very soul

You're the light in my deepest, darkest hour

You're my saviour when I fall

And you may not think that I care for you

When you know down inside that I really do

-'How Deep is Your Love' by Bee Gees.

**************

With Serefina, Calleb, and Raphael leaving the room, the supreme Alpha remained inside along with his mate. Raine was staring blankly at the floor, where the diary disappeared into ashes. Even its dust had no longer lingered in the air. He sat her down on the edge of the bed, and pulled a chair for him to sit and face her. He clasped her hands, but Raine refused to see him.

"My little angel… what must I do to ease your pain?" Torak asked gently, and cupper her small face, so that they looked into each other's eyes. But this time Raine closed her eyes. "Please don't do this to me…" He didn't feel good by the way Raine responded to him.

He knew that she was upset. But he didn't know how to persuade her. He would do anything that he could to ease her pain, he would even take that pain in her place. Regardless of how he couldn't exactly understand her feelings right now.

But, Raine was too upset to even give him a chance. The moment she closed her eyes, she followed by saying, "Can you leave me alone for a while, please?" There was nothing Torak could do. Before Raine, he never had any attachment, be it towards anything, or anyone. Let alone a single book! Thus, he didn't quite get it the moment she gave him such a reaction. Her strong reaction was a surprise to him.

He couldn't help but worry, just by looking at the sight of his mate being in this state. Raine was afraid of him, the first time they met. And over the time, Torak had finally gained her trust. He was not losing her trust now, the current situation was different.

Her body was trembling, and a drop of her tear was rolling down from the corner of her eyes. She bit her lips, and shook her head gently to make Torak let go of her face. She rejected his touch. His presence. Torak took a deep breath upon receiving his mate's rejection. "Alright, I'll leave you. If you need anything, there'll be someone outside the door to help you. I'll be in the study room."

There he saw her sad face, and closed eyes. To him, it felt like his world crumbled by the sight of it, but for now Raine needed to be alone. And he would leave her for a while, at least until she felt better, and calm. Before he left, he caressed her head so lovingly.

"Guard this room closely." said Torak to the two guards, who were standing alertly by the door, outside the room. "Put another three more people under the balcony." added Torak as he stared at the closed door behind him. This was the least he could do to ensure Raine's safety, to avoid her disappearing accident to ever happen again.

"And also, ask someone to bring breakfast inside." He added, giving the last order before he walked down the stairs to his study room on the first floor. Both of the guards looked at each other, exchanging questions with their eyes. Not so long ago, they heard Raine was yelling to the other woman. And now, Torak's order felt just like he was trying to lock Raine up inside the fully guarded room.

Or perhaps, they were just misinterpreting it in a wrong way. Because, even though Raine looked so young, and innocent. But, she was seemingly the mistress of the house. For how their boss valued her greatly. They had heard about Torak, but never have they imagined that he'd be keeping someone so green like Raine, even though it was not their place to say something, or to judge.

Shrugging their shoulder, they did what they had been told.

==============

"Where is Serefina?" That was the first question that Torak asked, the moment he entered the study. There, he could only see Raphael, and Calleb. He had been looking for the witch, but her scent somehow disappeared all of a sudden. He couldn't seem to locate her being inside the house at all.

"She disappeared." Raphael answered from behind the table, where his face was buried behind the pile of paper that he needed to handle. For the Beta, paperwork was indeed more tiring than their actual battle.

"Again." Calleb added to the Beta's statement right behind him. He had just hung up the phone in his hand. He was apparently on the phone, talking with someone regarding the matter in the hospital, where Torak had killed a man there.

Upon hearing their answer, for a split second Torak's eyes flicked with anger. But then, he walked towards his chair, and sat down. His hand intertwined with each other, as he rested his chin on top of it. He was thinking. The look in his eyes was louder than any of his spoken words. His silence stretched out across the room, bringing such discomfort to anyone inside it.

"How is Luna?" Raphael asked carefully, as he put down the paperwork in his hands. He was now focusing all of his attention towards his Alpha.

"She asked me to leave her alone." answered Torak rigidly. The voice that sounded from him, didn't feel like it belonged to the Alpha. Meanwhile, it was clear to be seen that the Alpha's mind was wondering about the many possibilities that could happen.

Raphael nodded his head, understanding the situation the Alpha was facing. "She needs some time to arrange her feelings. After that, she will be fine." He said, trying to reassure the Alpha. Raphael had been by Torak's side for many years now. He knew exactly what was in his mind, and understood almost immediately the thing that he was worrying about.

"She rejected me." Torak closed his eyes, while the image of Raine refusing him from before, playing back inside his mind.

"Impossible…" Calleb chimed in, but a glare from Raphael managed to make him swallow back the rest of the comment that he was about to say. He pouted his lips, and busied himself with the paperwork in front of him instead.

"Luna is a human. And they tend to be filled with many complicated emotions. Unlike us we could not understand any of those emotions." He then gestured to themselves. "We are shifters, we don't have attachment towards anything except, to our own family, our mate, the pack, and our respect towards our Alpha."

"I feel bad for not being able to feel her pain. It's hopeless." said Torak as he opened his eyes that were the color of gloomy blue. "I feel like I don't care enough."

Never had they imagined to witness Torak open up about what he felt. It was rare to even come close to that happening. But, to think about this again, Raine was the first person who had uncovered the affection, and compassion side of him beneath his rotten heart. While he thought that he would never be able to feel anything anymore.

"No." Raphael shook his head. "You cared about her more than enough. That's the only reason why you're not at ease right now."