Alpha's Faire

XXXIV

She was avoiding him. Granted, it had only been a day since he teased her. But she hadn't tried to even reach out to him beyond what was required. If he had seen her, it was only during required mandatory meetings with the research team. Even then, she only stated what was necessary. The red blood cell test was approved and had begun. But the past day, Raphael Stone found himself in a strange situation. He was craving her attention, and she was actively avoiding him. Raphael wasn't one to just assume such things. It was blatantly obvious. After all, he had asked a few guards to get her location and arrived at said location to find only her scent lingering in the air.

It wasn't like he needed to actually speak with her. But he was growing impatient, restless, and prurient. Dreams of her left him exasperated and on edge. Raphael didn't mind an occasional sexual dream. But this wasn't the occasional dream. It was every time he closed his eyes. And each time, he was left painfully hard.

It made him begin to seek Jexanna out. Her scent seemed to ease a thirst he was unaware of. But he couldn't even enjoy it, even faintly. As if she were a deer being hunted, she evaded him with a supernatural ability. Even if he caught her scent from a distance, she would flee the scene quickly.

This was bordering on fucking desperation. Raphael groaned, annoyed with this innate urge to see her. He wasn't one for being desperate. So he chose to be frustrated, annoyed, and slightly angry. His eyes glanced over to the clock on the wall.

5:00 AM. It was time for a morning run, and he needed to take as much of an opportunity to be outside as possible. Raphael changed into a pair of black shorts and a simple white shirt. It would be something easy to hold, if he wanted to shift.

Raphael walked out of the apartment and pressed for the elevator. The doors opened instantly. He stepped inside, and pressed for the ground floor. But instead of going straight there, the elevator stopped on the fourth floor. Raphael's heart skipped a beat. That was where Jexanna was staying.

It couldn't be right? The doors slowly opened and he found the sweet scent of honey and cinnamon rushing in. He released a breath that he even didn't know he was holding. Goddess, the sweet smell was delicious. As soon as the doors fully opened, Raphael found himself face to face with a pair of startled sapphire eyes.

"Alpha Stone." She blinked in shock. He couldn't even believe it, there she was. The woman of his dreams, the bane of his existence was in front of him. And she wore tight fitting workout gear.

Fuck. Her ample curves were revealed once more, drawing his eyes everywhere. Cleavage peeked from the top of her athletic bra, drawing his eyes to the very supple and round bosoms she bore. Raphael had to steer his gaze back to her face, but he found himself trapped by that pair of sapphire blue eyes. They reminded him of dusk, a deep blue.

And his thoughts started to travel back to several dreams.

Fuck. He bit back a groan.

"Dr. Lewis, going out?" He asked her, as the door started to beep. It was about to close. She looked down and her white teeth dug into her bottom lip. Raphael's eyes narrowed, annoyed. Annoyed that she was flustered, and annoyed that the action sent his thoughts under the sheets.

"Yes, But I'll catch the next one." She finally spat out, waving her hand. The doors began to close. Raphael reacted instantly. She wasn't going to get away, not without a conversation. He grasped the elevator door and pushed it back, effortlessly. The steel door flung back into an open state rapidly with a large boom.

"No, please." Raphael replied a little gruffly. "Let's not waste electricity here."

"Oh, okay." Jexanna's eyes grew wide at the action, but Raphael wasn't going to acknowledge it. He wasn't going to let her go. "Thank you."
She got onto the elevator and his entire body simultaneously relaxed and tensed up. Her scent. Goddess, her scent. It filled the whole damn elevator. He could spend hours immersing himself deep inside it. Raphael's fists tightened. When did silence torture him so much?

"So should I ask why you're up and ready for a run?" Raphael asked with a raised brow.

"Nothing much, just couldn't sleep." Jexanna shrugged, as her eyes looked away from Raphael. No, it wasn't that she was looking away, as much as she was just trying to avoid meeting his gaze. Curious. What was curiouser was the damn fact that her scent grew even stronger.

Raphael's body stiffened in shock. His thoughts raced as the smell continued to grow.

"Was it a dream, perhaps?" The words spilled out so effortlessly. "That sent you here?"

Jexanna's brow twitched upwards before she furrowed them down. Once again, her teeth dug into her lower lip as her smell grew.

"Not particularly." Her response seemed flat, but everything else about her told Raphael otherwise. Her cheeks began to tinge a shade of red. Her fingers drew tight little fists as her posture stiffened. She was nervous. "Just a round of insomnia." Jexanna's eyes glanced over at Raphael.

"Really?" He murmured. "I'm sorry that you're suffering from such a thing."

"It's fine." Jexanna tried to wave it off. The two stood in an awkward silence. Raphael couldn't bring himself to continue the conversation, but at the same time found her lack of interest wounding his pride. It didn't make any sense as to why, however. That was the best way he could describe the sensation settling in his skin.

"So, do you still want to meet later today?" She spat out and Raphael's eyes narrowed.

"Are you not looking forward to our private meeting?" He rumbled slowly. "Is there a reason why you're avoiding me?"

"Why would you think I'm avoiding you?" Jexanna's eyes narrowed as they whipped to meet his own.

"Because you've rescheduled our one on one meeting three times and appear to be trying to do so a fourth time." Raphael gritted his teeth.

"Are you being serious?" She raised a single brow. "Are you complaining about a lack of seeing me? I would think that you'd have other things more important on your mind."

Raphael's eyes narrowed. It wasn't like he could control this. This urge, these dreams, this fucking obsession.

"I'm more concerned about the lack of ability to meet up. If we can't meet when agreed upon, then how I can trust you once patients arrive?"

"Don't you dare say that it's a lack of trust." She replied quietly, nearly seething. "If you didn't trust me, you wouldn't be here in the first place. Trying to place me in charge."

"Maybe it's because I don't have a choice but to trust you. After all, you're the expert on lunar orchid." His fists tightened, knowing he was giving away his card. But at this moment, Raphael didn't care. He just acted impulsively. Now, all he could do was wait to see how she would react.

Jexanna's brows shifted upwards, then furrowed down. Time stood still as he waited for her next action. But at that moment, the elevator door opened. She shifted her gaze from him to the hallway. Then back.

"No, my father was. I'm just his daughter." Her eyes closed as she breathed in. "We all know that I'm only here, because of him. But I appreciate the gesture." And she started to walk out. Raphael's eyes narrowed as a fury rose within him.

Did she really think she could get off like that? In a sad state of almost self-loathing? Trying to deny her real worth?

Oh fuck no. Not when she was obviously so much more.

"We both know you're more than that." He stepped forward, out of the elevator. "Jexanna Aurlea Domitia Lewis."