The Alpha's Mate (Unedited)

Part 13

I stayed in this small but lavish room for days.

Mostly, I just lazed around on my bed feeling sorry for myself. Once, Luna attempted to enter, but I threw a cushion at the door and told her to go away. She took the hint.

Food got left on a tray outside my door and I managed to retrieve it during the nights and despite it being stone cold, I devoured it quickly. After around the third day, I started to get less depressed and more bored.

On day number four, Rafael came in.

I shoved my head under a pillow as soon as I heard his footsteps and sensed his alpha presence. I felt the weight of the mattress sag in one corner as he sat on the edge and a tender hand touch my back.

"Keira?" he said. I buried my head deeper under the bedclothes but kept an ear open.

"Keira, look, I'm sorry" his voice was quivering "I have a short temper - don't know if you've noticed - and I just fly off the handle. It's just, you make me so..." he paused.

"...passionate. I know you probably hate me. But I want you to know that I...don't" he sounded as though he was going to say something else but changed it at the last moment. I felt my heart melt ever so slightly.

I remained under the covers, waiting to see what he did.

He did nothing. He just sat there for over an hour, until I got cramps and started to fidget. I sat up and blinked, seeing him gaze at me enthusiastically.

"Raf?" I said, my voice slightly croaky from days of silence. He beamed.

"That's the first time you've used my nickname"

I blushed, realizing he was right. I decided I had punished him enough and untangled myself from the bed sheets. I darted into the bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth, before walking back into the room to stare bemusedly at a puzzled Rafael.

"I'm sorry" I said "I just kinda hate being out of control."

I hesitated in the doorway before going at sitting next to him on the bed.

"If I am going to forgive you, you must promise to never, ever use that alpha command-thing on me again." I said resolutely and he nodded. I smiled.

"I can't believe you just smiled at me" he seemed genuinely amazed and almost glowing.

It made me feel...well, I don't know how to describe it.

I stared into his beautiful, brown eyes (I know, clichéd, but, you know). His lips were bursting with a grin so huge, I was scared his mouth wouldn't be able to physically contain it.

And then I heard a scuffling behind the door and Luna's shrill protests. I drew away abruptly as the door to my bedroom swung open and slammed into the adjacent wall, and I swear cracks appeared in the plaster.

A young women walked in.

No, she strutted in, in knee-high black boots. She had long, blond (obviously dyed) hair that tickled her waist and gorgeous, big, baby-blue eyes, which were frowning below two perfectly plucked eyebrows. Her lips were full and emphasised by a dramatic red lipstick and her aura was so intimidating, I felt like cowering under the bed. I gripped the sides of the bed. Luna had followed the attractive woman in and her eyes were now darting nervously between Rafael and her.

I glanced at Rafael out the corner of my eye. He was staring at her open mouthed and she was looking him up and down, a predatory smile curving on her lips. Rafael lips moved and a whisper escaped.

"Amy"

I frowned slightly.

"Do you two know each other?" I asked timidly.

Rafael seemed to snap out of his trance and Amy glowered as she finally noticed me. She flicked her perfect, blond mane as if she was a show horse.

I stood up, edging round her to Luna. Amy immediately pounced onto my spot and wrapped a tanned, slender arm round Rafael's torso (who, I noted, made no attempt to remove it) and glimpsed up at us two innocently, fluttering her eyelashes.

She opened her rouged lips and giggled.

"Of course we do!" she exclaimed, her voice on the verge of song although I could detect a deeper, more possessive note lurking within it.

"Rafael is my boyfriend!"