Lykos ✓

Chapter Nineteen | Steps

The sharp and harsh rebuttal was the first step backwards for Aiko and Rafael. A girl who had been ripped from her bed in the dark of the night and injected with unknown substances to play a chip for her family, her bloodline and her dynasty. The tide had always been against her. Yet, Aiko was a survivor.

With every bad hand that life had dealt her, she had managed to move forward, against the current that pulled her down. Once again, she was faced with a decision surrounding Rafael. There was something between them, something neither of them fully understood. The invisible forced drew them to each other. No matter the force, Aiko would not bow down. He had dismissed her right to have a voice and that was how the cycle she had just escaped started.

There was no space in life to make the same mistake twice.

Last night was a lonely night in another room. Rafael would shift into his dark grey wolf, proving that she hadn't lost her mind, and sleep next to her. He was her protectors from all that lived in the darkness, but he couldn't protect her from his tongue. They had no crossed paths since that moment.

Aiko had an agenda of her own. There were few rare occasions that Rafael hadn't hovered around her when Sandra would do her medical check-ups. Those were the moments that she would ask the most immaculate questions that would surround Micah and random medical things. Her interrogation of Micah was not as subtle as she would ask questions about Sandra, under cover of wanting to know her doctor better. She gauged the relationship of them both and eventually managed to squeeze out vital information from Micah about their past.

Usually, Aiko didn't care for relationships, but there was something electrifying about Sandra and Micah when they were in the same room that would escape no one's notice. Perhaps they both had the same invisible force that Rafael and Aiko had come to accept. The denial needed to stop of they were to be able to find out the meaning. Aiko and Rafael had shared nightmares; this wasn't your just matters of the heart.

Aiko put a plan into place. Since everyone expected the best from her, she had decided to tell a few white lies to get Sandra and Micah where she wanted them. She contacted Sandra, finding the perfect time to meet in the library and chose the same time to plan a meeting with Micah in the library. It was late afternoon when Sandra arrived just as planned. She went straight to the library. Not soon after, Micah strolled into the library. Aiko turned the key and now they were stuck together.

A simple trap.

There were many ways that her plan could backfire, but she knew that there would be unrest as long as the dispute continued keep them apart. Unknown to Aiko, the dispute that kept them apart revolved around Rafael. Aiko then set her second part of her plan in motion by going to Rafael. The confrontation would be the first for Aiko as she had never gone head to head with anyone. It was the one foolish notion that had been hammered into her head, since birth. The silence had not helped her in anyway.

Aiko rubbed the branding on her inner wrist, reminder her that her ties were nothing to her now. The second she hadn't been pawned off to the right men, was the moment that she had cut ties. Rafael at his desk as she had assumed. He wasn't working. Instead he was resting his cheek against the desk, his arms stretched out to the other end. He didn't move when Aiko slipped into the room, but Aiko wasn't stupid to believe that the wolf had his guard down for one second.

"You cannot speak to me the way you did yesterday," Aiko said, breaking the silence.

Rafael lifted his head, stretching his neck. Elbows on the desk, with his chin resting on his intertwined hands, he assessed Aiko. His sleep had been anything but peaceful nevertheless this wasn't the first time he had functions with little to no sleep. He had respected her silent wishes and stayed away. Now she was here there was no harm, except the harm he had caused.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Aiko placed her hands flat on his desk, staring into his green eyes.

Rafael swallowed, before speaking, "You're right."

It had taken him all night to know that he was in the wrong. That usually never bothered him. Since Aiko had entered his life, things that hadn't bothered him had started bothering him. The emotions he hadn't felt in a very long time started slowly suffocating him. A chip or two to his ego would be the sacrifice he was willing to make to the feeling go away.

"I'm sorry," Rafael apologised. An apology that hadn't been coated in sarcasm.

Remorseful.

Honest.

Sincere.

Aiko came from a different corner in the darkness. A place where she had learnt the difference between the truth and lies, yet she was scared that she would be making another mistake. Another downward spiral was the last thing she needed and wanted. She wasn't sure she would be able to survive Rafael Lykos.

"Aiko, maybe you don't believe me. However, I will answer your question about Sandra and Micah." He left his hands drop onto the desk. He didn't take her eyes off her, something told him that she was on the edge of disappearing. He didn't want that and hoped she didn't want to disappear either.

She nodded for him to carry on.

"I don't know what the exact label for Micah and Sandra are, but he started spending every spare moment with her. One day he was by my side and the next he was nowhere to been seen. Usually I don't interfere with Micah's relationship, but she made his turn away from me. He stopped answering his phone and started avoiding me. I couldn't lose him too, so I made sure he stayed."

"How?" Aiko urged him to continue.

"Let's just say I made a deal with something very valuable to both of them." Rafael didn't want her to know all the sins he committed. His insecurities had caused him to manipulate his own brother into staying. He hadn't manipulated any of his siblings since her death but for Micah to leave him alone was enough to push him over the edge. An immortal life was lonely one.

Aiko placed her hand on his, initiation the skin to skin contact they both craved, "You don't have to say anymore."

Rafael wanted to say more. Talking with Aiko was so different from talking with anyone else. He felt free of his burdens when he was with her. There was so much more that they needed to be said, however today it was enough. There was always tomorrow.

Despite the demons that had danced with, there were many more to meet. 

Only together would they overcome obstacles.

Rafael took her outstretched hand into his and kissed her palm gently.

The moment was disturbed was shouting. Rafael could hear it clearly and knew his time had come.

"Aiko, stay here and do not come out until I come and get you," Rafael advised, not waiting for her reply as he ran out the room. There was no time.

Rafael was to be punished for his sin.

~*~

Finish the sentence: "You cannot _______________," Aiko said.

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