Veya
He narrows his eyes, scrutinizing my details.
"You— you aren't Lena," he says quietly.
I pull away, a deep frown settling on my brows. For the love of the moon goddess, can he stop mentioning this Lena?
Sudden realization flashes in his gorgeous eyes, then they darken almost immediately, giving me a look filled with.. disgust?
"Who are you?" He asks gruffly.
"Your mate, duh?" I roll my eyes so hard, they almost stick at the back of my head.
"I can't be your mate. I want to claim Lena," he says.
That damned name.
"Just cut it out with this Lena girl. She's not here!" I almost scream, "She has probably been claimed by another guy, who is most likely fucking her," I hold my head, wishing I could just pull out my frustration from my face.
He staggers backwards, visibly shaken.
Oh, talk about being dramatic.
"That can't be true," he mutters, "I don't.. why isn't your scent appealing to me then?" He narrows his eyes.
"I masked it," I look at my fingers with a bored expression, "I came here for a reason, and it has been accomplished."
He looks me up and down, his eyes still showing that irritation.
"Save your strength and come with me," I brush past him.
"Who do you even think I am?" The feeling of a calloused arm grabs me by the waist, pulling me back.
I audibly gasp as my ass hits his abdomen.
"What the—"
"You don't get to talk to me like I'm some kind of puppet, lady," he lowers his head.
Well, someone's getting a little feisty.
I spin around on my heels, grabbing his collar, "You don't get to talk to me like I'm some kind of fragile being, honey."
The hint of a grimace teases the bridge of his nose, but his face goes back to being expressionless almost immediately.
"What's your name?" He frees himself from my grip, "Let me reject you."
His words pierce through my chest with a force I didn't expect. A sharp sting hits me in the chest, my throat drying up at those words. Reject me?
"Hell no," I drag out my words, wagging my index finger, "so I can go through the pain of having to find another man rougher than you are?"
"I don't care. It's either you reject me, or I reject you. I want to be with Lena. Now what's your name?" He demands, his brows pinched together, his pupils dilating till they almost disappear.
I rack my head thinking of what to say. I can't let him slip away just like that, but he probably will just leave me standing here because my mouth is too sharp.
Okay, think, Veya, think of a softer response.
I open my mouth to say something more 'polite,' but my ego is bigger than my entire frame, so I chant a spell instead.
"By silver moon and tender plea,
Let truth bend soft, let will agree.
What once was 'no', now drift to 'yes',
Let doubt dissolve, let choice confess."
I open my eyes to see him staring at me with an arched brow.
"Will you agree to be my mate?"
He blinks, his brows furrowing deeper than they already are, "Is this what Moonsingers do? Try to bend others to their will?" He scoffs.
My eyes widen in disbelief, my mouth hanging open. It didn't work. That's impossible. Anytime I sing, it always works no matter what. How come it didn't work on him?
"Ugh, okay, fine, fine. I'm sorry, I need your help," I let out a long groan of defeat.
"With what?" He closes the space between us.
I open my mouth to say something, "Uh.. just agree to be my mate for the time being. I really need your help to acquire my full power at the lunar convergence."
He cocks his brow, his eyes asking for more explanation.
"I will explain later on, but please first agree to be my mate. If you want, we can make it a deal," I stretch out my hand.
He looks at my outstretched hand skeptically, "And what about Lena? What if she finds someone else?"
I grab his hand, and shake it firmly, "I could make her mate reject her if she has one by then, or she rejects him," a proud grin spreads across my face.
He places a hand on his chin, his eyes still showing a hint of doubt.
"Hmm, is that the only thing you'd do for me?" He finally speaks up after a long moment of torturous silence.
I release his hand from my grip, "Name anything you want."
"Fifteen million dollars."
I almost snort, but I hold myself back, "Fifteen million dollars?"
"No room for bargaining," he shrugs his shoulders, crossing his arms over his chest.
"That's not fair. You'd only be staying with me for six to eight months!" I protest.
"Fifteen million dollars. That, or we forget about this, and I proceed to look for my beloved."
She doesn't even love you, bitch.
I force a smile on my face, "Deal."
He sighs softly, "What a great evening.'
"Now that it's all concluded. What's your name?"
He uncrosses his arms, closing the breathable space between us, "Raphael," his hand plays with a strand of my hair.
"Oh," I almost whimper, trying to pull back, but his hand wraps around my arm.
"What's wrong, mate?" A teasing smile plays at the corner of his lips.
If only he wasn't so gorgeous...
"Ugh, I would need to lay down rules when we get home," I sigh exasperated, placing my hands on his chest to push him back, but he doesn't budge.
"You're the one who asked for a mate," he twirls his hand around the strand of hair, "I'm a very touchy person."
"Shut up," I snap at him, finally pulling away from his grip.
Straightening my clothes, I look up at his amused face, "Now there's something I want to show you before we proceed to the mating grounds. I'm actually—"
"What's an ethereal creature like you doing at the outskirts of the woods?"
That sonorous voice makes my heart skip several beats.
It's him. One of the reasons I'm so bitter and have given up on love. One of the bastards who I thought took care of my heart, and cherished it, but it turns out I was only a dreamer.
With dread, I look up to the man who took my heart, and dashed it against rocks.
Rafayel.