Alpha Rafael: Chasing My Ex-Wife

LILA

"You look like her." His growls sent cold shivers down my spine. I stared at the man before me, my long lashes batting across my vision. He's staring at me, cold brown eyes sizing me up like I was prey. I should have looked away-any sensible person would have-but my pride wouldn't allow it. Instead, I tilted my chin up, defiant, though I was painfully aware of how his towering frame dwarfed mine.

A shiver crept under my skin. Danger, his aura was dark. His long hair cascaded downward just like Jason Momoa, but this wasn't some Aquaman scene. It was real. The shirt he wore, with two buttons undone, clung to his body. His muscles are visible, bulging out from the shirt. Hot was one word, sexy another freaking one. But this dude was the full package, and I knew I was in trouble.

"Excuse me?" I blinked, fighting the lump that had formed in my throat. His long, hazy stare sent me reeling backward, and I gave way for him to come in.

With long, confident strides, he marched forward. His height towered above me. That's when it hit me: I had allowed an entire stranger into the house.

Enchanted? Yes, I am. This dude was freaking way handsome. Handsome was just a word, and hot was another.

But who was he? And what was he doing in our house, acting like he was in charge of everywhere? I might be enchanted, but my brain still thinks.

"Who are you?" I asked, raising my brows and folding my hands across my chest, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze.

"Someone you can't imagine," he snickered, his perfect lips drawing into a frown. He stared back at me with deep, piercing brown eyes. I couldn't read his expression, but I felt captivated, as if I were being drawn into a trance. My heart chose this moment to start its foolish lum-dum beat, loud enough to drown out any sense. His brown eyes were entrancing-like pools of chocolate. I had seen nothing like them before. It felt like a dream-a long, intoxicating dream. But reality came crashing back as I heard my mother's voice call out, "Lila, who was at the door?"

I broke away from his gaze, turning to face her. But her expression stopped me in my tracks.

-

Mom's jaw was slack, her gaze fixed on the stranger with wide-eyed wonder. "Rafael?" she breathed, barely above a whisper.

"It's Alpha Rafael, to you, Linda," he growled.

A heavy silence fell over the room. I felt like a stranger in my own home, surrounded by an unknown force that seemed to have brought everything to a standstill. The air was thick with tension, and I could practically feel the anger radiating from Alpha Rafael in waves.

Mom's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Her eyes were fixed on the alpha, an expression of disbelief mingling with fear flashing across her face.

"You didn't think you'd see me again, did you, Linda?" His Lips curled into a cruel smile, his eyes darkening as he glared at Mom.

"She's got quite a replica of you here. Has she done some dirty things just like you?" My eyes widened in shock, the crude words slicing through the air.

"No, Rafael... Alpha Rafael," my mom stammered, correcting herself when Alpha Rafael's gaze darkened with menace.

"Let's not do this in front of her. She-"

"Oh, quite the protective mother, aren't you?" Alpha Rafael sneered, ignoring Mom's warning. "You didn't tell her you were quite the cock sucker?" He sneered, his tone dripping with contempt, utterly ignoring my mom's plea.

My face flushed with embarrassment as Alpha Rafael's vulgar words hit my ears like a slap. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, and I couldn't believe that my own mother was a part of this conversation.

"Lila, you need to go check the pot, it's burning," my mother said, her voice trembling as she tried to wave me away to go to the kitchen.

With one last look at the so-called Alpha Rafael, I headed for the kitchen. I wasn't usually one to lose my cool, but watching him insult my mom like that left me seething.

Who was he to render Linda Cooper speechless? She might be my mother, but her authority could make even an Alpha like him tremble. Switching off the gas, but then, my mom's scream pierced the air, stopping me in my tracks. I couldn't resist sneaking closer to hear what had her so agitated.

"The pack is mine now, and all the looting you've done while I was absent, we have records of it. You know the consequences," he said, his voice trembling with anger.

I froze, realizing this wasn't just some random visit. There was a power struggle at play, and my mother was right in the middle of it. The accusation of looting meant serious consequences-possibly twenty years in prison for her. My heart raced as I struggled to process the implications of my mother's actions.

"You have no evidence, Rafael!" Mom cried, her voice echoing with disbelief and defiance, as she met Alpha Rafael's vicious gaze with a strength I had never seen in her before.

Alpha Rafael laughed darkly, his eyes flashing with triumph. "I don't need evidence to destroy you, Linda."

Mom stood her ground, her jaw set in determination. "The pack won't believe you."

Alpha Rafael's confidence didn't waver. He let out a low chuckle, as if he knew a secret she did not. "It's my world against yours now, Linda. I make the rule, and break the rules, and he will not be here to rescue you. Does that sound familiar?" He sneered, hinting at something he could not hold on to.

Mom's face went white as a sheet. "You can't do this, Rafael. Please, I'm your father's favorite, remember?" she pleaded, her voice tremulous and weak, like a flickering flame in a strong wind.

Alpha Rafael's eyes were icy one minute and dark with rage the next. "Don't you dare remind me of that title, bitch," he growled, his teeth gritted with anger. "To save your pathetic ass, I need just one thing from you." his gaze darkened as it settled on me, hidden in the shadows.

"What do you mean?" Mom growled, as if sensing a trap.

Alpha Rafael's smirk widened, revealing his teeth in a predatory grin. "My wedding with your daughter is in three days," he said.

LILA

"Mom, what's he talking about?" I stepped out from my hiding spot as soon as he left, my heart pounding in my chest.

"You're getting married to the Alpha," Mom announced, her voice dripping with bitterness.

My mind is reeling. "Is this a joke? I'm not getting married to anyone! I'm not even eighteen for another three days!"

"Don't you get it? Would you rather be a Luna and rule our entire pack, or be banished with me to jail?" Mom snapped.

"I don't care! That's your mess, not mine!" I screamed, tears of anger and betrayal streaming down my face. My voice cracked as I realized how desperate she was to sacrifice my future for her own. "You looted from the pack, you committed the crime, so you should face the consequences! Why would you sell me off to an Alpha to cover up for your mistakes?"

"You didn't mind the lavish lifestyle you've been living, did you?" she shot back, her eyes narrowing. "How much is that jewelry you have on? Five dollars? Please. Everything I do is for us. "

Silence. Obviously, I don't know how to refute it. She gave me no emotional retreat."Do you think, after being raised with a silver spoon, that you'd survive out in the wild? This is the only way out. Mother knows best."

Reality is cruelly placed in front of me. I can no longer be a good child for her, and always stay rational, or act as if I were. "I'm not surprised you were truly sucking cock just to get where you are. You're quite the desperado," I spat, using Alpha Rafael's cruel words against her.

The hurt in my voice was clear, and I knew it was a slap in the face for her. But it was the only thing I could say to relieve the pain clawing at my chest.

I've never said such a crude and disgusting thing; this is the first time I have used such ugly words in front of her. I should curse her to go to hell at this time, right? Why am I shedding tears?

This may be fate, maybe an order. The mood rides my face to flushed and burned, with a trembling body. I had no choice but to squat down in despair.

**

I stood at the altar, feeling the weight of the ivory gown clinging to me like an unwelcome embrace.

It was my eighteenth birthday, and yet here I was, dressed in white not for celebration, but for submission. Around me, members of the pack whispered, their voices a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"Why her?" I heard someone mutter, their words like venomous darts aimed at my heart.

"Alpha Rafael could have had anyone, and he chose her?" Their words stung, but I refused to let their judgment break me.

As I walked down the aisle, each step heavier than the last, the whispers followed me like a shadow.

"She's not even pretty," I heard someone say, their words cutting through the air like a blade.

I lifted my chin defiantly, my gaze sweeping over the assembled guests. Their eyes bore into me, some with pity, others with open disdain. I knew what they saw – a girl they deemed unworthy, plain and unremarkable compared to their powerful Alpha. Nobody knows that I never wanted to marry that arrogant Alpha in the first place. Yet, here I was, a pawn in the game my mother had set in motion.

The crowd's jeers pierced the air, pulling my attention away. There he was-the devil himself. His long legs moved with an unsettling grace as he strode towards the altar. His hair, curled back and flowing, framed an irritatingly handsome face.

"It's just a contract marriage," he boomed, his voice cutting through the noise. "You didn't need to make such a fuss." He gestured at the half-crowd filling the courthouse.

I don't care about the audience's opinions. I clenched my fists, feeling the fabric of the gown bunching beneath my fingers. This wasn't how I imagined my birthday, nor my wedding day.

"You asked for it," I shot back, my voice laced with indifference. If he wanted a marriage, he got one. Why whine like a spoiled brat?

His jaw tightened, but he didn't bother responding. Instead, he marched over to the lawyer, muttered something, and signed the papers. When it was my turn, I scribbled my signature without glancing at the terms.

His smile was anything but friendly. It was the kind that sent icy shivers down your spine. His eyes, dark and menacing, locked onto mine. "You'll start paying your dues. I'll make sure you won't be able to leave my bed, just like your mother," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear.

I should have been scared, right? But my heart fluttered, a swarm of butterflies erupting in my stomach. The F does he think he's messing with?

"Fuck you," I muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.

His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in a glare. My heartbeat quickened as he stepped forward, his turquoise eyes burning into mine. He looked ready to devour me.

One minute I was standing an inch away from him, the next, his firm hands gripped my waist, yanking me close. His cold eyes bore into mine, and for a moment, my heart froze. Anger, hate, and disgust filled his gaze. It was as if I'd overstepped my boundaries, and he couldn't wait to punish me.

"Wow," my wolf Lora spoke for the first time in three days.

"What -" But before I could finish, his lips crashed onto mine, claiming them with a fierce possessiveness.

His kiss wasn't romantic. It was fierce, a raw declaration of ownership. His lips pressed hard against mine, sending a clear message: I was his.

LILA

I'd never believe that upon my return to Red Moon Pack, I'd be married to the Alpha in just a twinkle of an eye.

"Ma'am, you should change into this," the middle-aged lady, some of whom I assume should be in her thirties or so, said as she walked to me.

"I'm Eliza, and I'm assigned to be your personal maid."

Glancing at the silhouette she had stretched out, I had every intention of rejecting it, but on a second, she wasn't the one making things so difficult for me. So why punish the wrong person?

"Thank you!" I replied, as I made to collect it... But then she halted me.

"I'll dress you up, you know it's your wedding night and..." She trailed off, as if she was scared that I'd entertain such conversation.

"And what?"

"And you've got to look good, the Alpha isn't really a gentle person, but maybe you could tame him,"

I scoffed. This was the mess mom's recklessness had caused me. I wasn't looking for an abandoned project to work on.

"Is it true he's ruthless?" I tried to affirm the rumors I've been hearing.

"So far, though just a month since his arrival here, but trust me, RUTHLESS is a word far-fetched,"

I unzipped the gown I was putting on earlier, and then collected the gown from her.

"I'll do it myself," I insisted, .... "So, how ruthless can he be?" You can say I was studying my game beforehand to know how to approach.

"Oh heavens!" Eliza gasped, her gaze fixed on the door.

There he stood like a shadow; had he been standing there all the time?

"Leave us!" Those two words were like a warning, and without hesitation, Eliza rushed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Here I stood with the Devil himself. Quietness enveloped the room as he walked towards me.

My heart started its lum dum beating all over again. He took long, steady strides closer to where I stood.

My heart beat accelerated, and I found my legs moving backward, not until I felt my back leaning against a barrier, and then I knew I was at the wall already.

"What are you doing?" I blinked my long lashes, trying to avoid the scrutiny of his gaze.

"You really want to know how RUTHLESS I can be?" His right hands leaned against the wall, caging me completely. His intoxicating cologne filled my nostrils, and all I could ever think of was hugging his huge, masculine frame to myself.

Oh damn it! I rolled my eyes. He had been listening to our conversation.

"Do that one more time, and you'll see how ruthless I can be!" His hoarse voice sent cold shivers running down my spine.

His hands tilted my chin up... No, it was tempting, but I can't stare into his eyes. But maybe I could risk it. His turquoise eyes had me enchanted, but then, it wasn't saying what I wished it to... Hatred, Anger, and disgust filled his eyes.

I swallowed hard and then rolled my eyes away from his. It was the best I could do rather than keep myself hurt.

"Feisty, huh?" His hands grabbed my hair and pushed me to the floor.

"Ouch!" I yelled, the scorching pain of my hair being dragged.

He pulled me back up, "I'm your Alpha, when I say sit, you sit. When I say run, you run! You don't go against me... You don't fucking disobey me, okay?!" He roared, the softness that was once on his face disappeared, and was replaced with pure hatred. Did he really loathe me that much?

Yes, he was some bloody Alpha, but to think he'll just use his fucking manpower on me, then he's a failure. I can't be easily broken.

"I don't freaking care if you're some Alpha or not...," I was still struggling to counter his mandate, the collar of the nightgown is not very tight. With the shaking, revealing my perky breasts that were popping up from my bra.

He smirked and grabbed me by my neck; those laughter lines present in his eyes were obvious. He was mocking me.

"You're just a whore like your mother, isn't it? Did you as well learn more of sucking cock, because you'll be doing more of that."

I saw red, "I won't have you disrespect me like that. You married me, you trapped me into this marriage, and I never asked for any of this. Even if you were the most man on earth, I wouldn't look at you twice, not to talk of seducing you." I yelled as I punched him on the chest.

He grabbed my wrist mid-punch, his grip like iron, his eyes burning hot... Like he could devour me, it was so sharp and piercing, cutting deep to my soul.

'I think we're finished,' Lora's voice spoke in my head.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that. But don't think for a second that it will save you here." I glared at him, refusing to back down.

"I'd rather die than be your obedient little wife." I didn't know where the courage was coming from, but the earlier I stand up for myself, the better.

'Oh no, Lila, we're in trouble. You shouldn't have said that,' Lora panicked.

"I'll very much see how that feistiness of yours will last you." His face pulled into a smirk as he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt. "Take those undies off!"