I looked at him for sometime, my heart feeding on his jubilant mood, beating faster than it ever had.

I narrowed my eyes, "You won't back down on me?" I asked, one more time, letting him see my vulnerability. Letting him see he could tear me apart just with the nail of his little finger. Just for a second, before I schooled my features.

He went quiet, his smile slipping off his face. He lifted his hand, running his thumb softly near the side of my mouth. He then licked the sauce off that finger, his eyes steadfast on mine.

I let out a breath.

He wouldn't back down on me.

I smiled at him, then turned and walked out of the kitchen, food and all. I ignored the stares and shocked expressions of the people who had crowded around the kitchen and headed towards the couches that were there in the Common Cabin. I plopped down on it, curling my feet beneath me, twirling my spork in the food, tilting my head back a little and letting the very well replicated spaghetti slip into my mouth.

Wolf sat to my left and Freesia to my right. Kylee slowly walked towards us and when I saw her expression, I stilled. Her expression was blank. The kind of blankness that came from having to handle too much pain.

I cleared my throat, guilt gnawing at my insides at the thought of forgetting her struggle in the midst of my happiness.

She shook her head inconspicuously at me, stopping me from saying anything. I pressed my lips together as she came to sit next to Freesia.

She leaned forward, a forced smile on her face.

It was only after Wolf called my name two times, that I realised he'd been talking to me.

"Sorry, what?" I asked.

Wolf and Freesia shared an exasperated look before looking back at me.

"How did this happen?" He asked me.

I looked down at the plate in my hand. Smiling, despite myself.

"It just...did, I guess."

"He must mean business." Wolf murmured, his eyes far off, deep in thought.

Freesia looked at me expectantly and I smiled at her, my eyes flitting to Kylee once before coming back to Freesia.

"It wasn't easy, though." I continued, my eyes searching for the subject of my words, unconsciously.

"Nothing ever is easy." Kylee murmured and I looked back at her.

I agreed then, slowly, "Yeah, somethings aren't."

She looked away and I couldn't blame her for what she was feeling. I looked back down at my food, twirling my spork in it idly.

I saw Freesia and Wolf exchange a glance in my periphery. Wolf cleared his throat, "You better finish that." He said.

I looked up at him, surprised, then down at my plate of food.

"I have to finish this? It's a mountain of food!" I spluttered. I could never eat so much.

He smirked.

"Here, share it with me," I said holding up the plate to Freesia and Wolf.

They visibly shrunk back.

"Whoa, no. You don't want to share that." Freesia said, her eyes darting around anxiously, as if looking to see if anyone had been witness to that.

I placed the plate back down, pouted.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Lady, sharing food means something to the C'Riel. And it means something worse if you're sharing what he made for you with someone else. If I even touch that plate, Rafe will probably see it as a challenge." Wolf said.

I admit, I totally pulled the plate away from him, for safety reasons.

I huffed. "Well I can't finish this whole thing."

Both Wolf and Freesia smiled conspiratorially at each other.

I rolled my eyes, "You guys are annoying me." I said.

They just kept smiling and I muttered some mean things under my breath that had them laughing in glee. Four seconds later Kylee got up, excused herself and left.

The three of us stared at her stiff retreating back quietly.

"Is she alright?" Freesia asked.

"Yeah, what's her problem?" Wolf asked.

I sighed, shaking my head then stood up.

"Where are you going?" Wolf asked, almost in a singsong voice.

I threw him a suspicious look.

"I'm going to share this with the only person I'm allowed to share it with." I said, rolling my eyes.

They both just grinned at that, and I looked from one friend to the other.

Deciding they were insane, I shook my head and walked away and when I heard a clap, I threw a narrow eyed look at them over my shoulder. While they wore innocent expressions, I'm pretty sure they'd just shared a high five.

I walked in search of Rafe and every step I took, I felt like I was being watched. I ignored the stares of others, despite how awkward it made me feel, my eyes sweeping across the room, looking for a specific dark head, but I couldn't spot him anywhere.

My brows furrowed.

Had he left?

"Looking for someone?" A voice asked behind me.

I turned to meet Anya's eyes and shrugged sheepishly.

"Yes, I am," I said, my eyes lifting again to search.

"You will have to look for him," she said.

I threw her a quizzical look.

"I am looking for him." I said.

Anya looked away for a few seconds, her jaw clenched a little and I realised something then.

This was hard for her.

Seeing me with the plate of food Rafe made, looking for him. Witnessing the whole thing...

I cleared my throat, "Would you like me to leave?" I asked softly.

She shut her eyes for a few seconds, took a breath and turned back to me.

She looked at me then and I saw the strength it took for her to do this.

"It is customary for the C'Riel male to...play games," she said, slowly as if she wasn't sure how to explain it.

My eyebrows raised, "Play...games?" I asked utterly and absolutely confused.

Anya's expression turned fond, as if she were remembering a memory that was very special to her.

She smiled a soft smile, "C'Riel men are fond of pranks. But they do not indulge in them very often. But when they do, it is to be taken seriously."

Then she laughed, "Or at least, as seriously as you can take a prank."

She then looked down at the plate in my hands, jerking her chin at it, "The amount he cooked is too much for you to eat isn't it?"

I nodded my head, slowly, and despite herself, she smiled.

"He wants you to find him." Anya said.

"He's hiding from me?" I asked.

"He is playing with you." she said and the fondness in her voice melted any remaining wariness I had for her.

"Thank you," I said to her. Her expression had turned neutral but it wasn't cold. She just nodded.

"I'm sorry if this is...hard for you." I said.

She smiled ruefully, "It is not your fault." She paused, then continued, "At least that is what I am telling myself."

I let out an awkward laugh and both of us looked down, quiet in our own thoughts.

"Did you love him?" I asked softly, looking back at her.

She met my eyes and shook her head, "I do not. It is the death of the hope of a future with him that is hard to manage."

I nodded my head in understanding.

"If fear doesn't kill us, hope will." I murmured to myself softly, thinking about how I had felt when I'd first come to Xe'Krein. It seemed like so long ago.

Anya gave a delicate snort, started to leave, then stopped. And when she looked at me, she didn't hide her feelings. Everything she was really feeling towards me was there for me to see. Stark.

"Do not hurt him." She said, then left. I watched her go, realising I didn't hold it against her for hating me a little. I would've hated her too if the roles were reversed. But she was making an attempt, which was important to me.

Shaking my head, I looked away from her retreating back.

Now, I had prey to stalk.

I went straight to his room, obviously. But not before getting a small utensil that would cover the food on the plate. When I swiped my bracelet against the identity screen outside his room, the door opened with no resistance.

Ryx stood before me, his tail wagging incessantly. He looked jubilant. I smiled down at him. I could guess which Master he was mirroring now.

I went in, letting the door close behind me, placed the plate on the couch and knelt to pet Ryx.

Ryx's energy was contagious and he had me smiling wide in no time. To my utter surprise, he leaned his head back and let out a howl. My eyebrows raised in surprise, my ears ringing a little.

"Good lord, you're happy." I commented, laughing as he licked my face.

"Now where's your Master, huh?" I asked him. His ears perked.

"He's hiding from me. Playing a game. He wants me to find him." I explained.

"Will you help me?" I whispered conspiratorially.

Ryx seemed to understand me perfectly. He went into full play mode, leaning back on his legs, letting out small yips and bouncing around a little. I laughed.

"Let's do this." I said and Ryx let out a short bark, running to the door. I contemplated leaving the plate before realising it would be best if I took it with me. So I did. Then I let a super excited Ryx out. His nose was practically glued to the ground from there on, scenting his Master. I had the elevator stop at every level to see if Ryx could smell him.

When the elevator stopped at the level where my room was, Ryx shot out, running to stop right before my room. I followed him, opening my own room. Ryx went straight to my small desk, propping his feet onto the chair and nudging something on the desk with his nose. Curious, I followed him to see what he was smelling.

When I saw what it was he was sniffing at, my heart warmed and a smile wider than a mile split across my face.

I took the two beautiful snowflake earrings and put them back on my ears. I was soon distracted by Ryx who was sniffing at the part of the wall that was my closet, so I went to open it, curious.

Ryx sniffed at one specific suit and I smiled when I realised which suit it was. It was Rafe's suit that I had most definitely stolen. Right beside it was the night suit I had borrowed. But Ryx was more interested in the silver suit.

Rafe had probably opened the closet to see if I still had it with me. Stalker.

I smiled when Ryx quickly lost interest and headed to the entrance, nudging at it and looking at me. I let the closet close and had the door open and followed him out.

Ryx shot back to the elevator and I followed him, shaking my head at his excitement. When I let the elevator stop at the next lower level, Ryx immediately stepped out, sniffing at the ground.

I stood back...wary. I'd never been on this level. I didn't know what was here. Lord forbid I get another round of punishments, this time for meddling about.

Ryx stopped when he realised I wasn't following him. He came back to me, sniffing at my hand.

I looked out of the elevator at the corridor that had doors similar to mine, but the whole corridor was dimmer than the others I had seen. I ran my fingers over Ryx's snout.

"I've never been here before. Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?"

Ryx carefully held onto the hand that was petting him between his jaws and started to tug.

This time around, I followed him.

When Ryx stopped at one of the rooms and sat back, looking up at me expectantly, I hesitantly swiped my bracelet against the identity screen—more evidence that I was sneaking around where I shouldn't, just great—not expecting it to open at all.

But it did. Much to my surprise. I peeked inside the dimly lit room, warily.

Ryx walked right in like he knew exactly where we were. I followed in, taking one step at a time.

When a voice spoke up behind me, I turned around, my breath catching.

"Bringing him was cheating," he said.

Rafe sat reclined on the most comfortable looking sofa in the world—I say sofa because it was one. It was a very human looking sofa. A little old but a lot expensive from what I could tell.

His eyes were flitting across the words on a book. A book who's cover had come off. But definitely something human.

I watched as he folded the book and gently placed it aside, lifting a small cylindrical vessel that had steam twirling from it and getting up to walk towards me.

He took my face in, eyes first, ears next. A smile tipped his lips and he handed me the container.

I looked at it and looked back up at him in confusion.

"I told you I would replaced the one I caused you to drop." He said simply.

I smiled down at the broth, remembering the time in the pool room when he'd accidentally caused me to spill my broth when he'd turned me around to look at him.

"Thank you," I murmured, looking back at him.

"Nice earrings," he said, a lazy smile on his face.

I snorted softly, rolling my eyes.

I held up my hand, the one with the plate in its grip, "I can't eat the whole of this." I said.

"I know. I made enough for two." He said.

"And then you ran away?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rafe raised one right back.

"You did not even notice." He said in response.

"Maybe you should start wearing a bell." I said, smiling sweetly.

"Who wants to stalk who now?" He asked.

"It's still you, stalker."

"Red head." He said.

I was thrilled and I knew I was beaming at him. He was relaxed, an almost lazy expression on face, his eyes twinkling.

"You like my hair." I said in response.

An excited bark had us both looking at Ryx who looked just about ready to jump out of his skin.

"Whose emotions do you think he is responding to?" I asked.

"Yours." Rafe said without a pause.

I snorted, "No way."

"Are you saying you are not as happy as he is?" Rafe asked me, his eyes taking me in. I stilled at the question thinking I'd crossed some line then relaxed when I realised there was a playful glint in his eyes.

He was teasing me.

"Are we going to eat or gossip like old ladies?" I asked.

He turned around, heading to the sofa and I followed.

"What's with the sofa anyway?" I asked as we both settled into it and Ryx dropped down into a peaceful slumber at our feet.

"I thought you would appreciate it," Rafe said, taking the container from me and sipping on the broth, before keeping that aside. He took the plate from me, swirling the spork in the food and eating.

I stared at him.

"You got the sofa for me?" I asked him.

He just looked at me, still chewing.

I finally looked around the room and my brows raised. This was an entertainment room raised to the power of four. There was everything here. It was huge. A kitchen, large C shaped couches facing a large black wall. But the material of that wall was different from the usual material of the other walls I had seen.

Another wall filled with weapons and other instruments, that I could only guess was for working out or training. Another wall of computer geek filled things. But what really caught my attention was the slightly raised large stage-like structure that stood right in the middle of the room. It reminded of a ... Boxer's ring. Except there were no ropes around the corners like in actual rings to keep the fighters in. But I could tell that the platform of the ring was not made of anything I'd ever seen before.

"What is this place?" I whispered.

"My room." Rafe said.

My head whipped to look at him.

"Your room?"

This was way bigger than a room. It was the size of the largest owner house in the world.

"My actual one," he said, holding the plate out to me. My jaw was sweeping the floor. I shook my head when Rafe offered me the plate and his eyes narrowed.

I reached across him, taking the broth he'd sipped from, drinking it. I watched his reaction then, his gaze was tethered to where my lips met the container. They flitted up to meet mine, burning me so much that it felt like there's wasn't anything left in me that he didn't know about.

I looked into the container I was sipping from, unable to hold his gaze.

Was his reaction so intense because I was eating food that he'd eaten first? Rather than the other way around?

I looked up again when I caught movement. He kept the plate aside, reached to take the container in my hand, stopping me from drinking the whole thing.

He then placed his lips exactly where I'd placed mine, keeping his eyes glued to mine as he finished the contents of the container.

I swallowed as heat spread throughout me, my heartbeat thudding in my ears.

I looked away, feeling my face flush, heart still racing. My eyes caught on the book he'd been reading.

I lifted it up and made a face at it.

"You were reading Shakespeare?" I asked, staring at him.

He held out his hand, "Give it to me."

I got up, out of his reach, book still in hand.

"Answer me," I said, holding the book behind my back and walking backwards facing him.

"Yes," he said slowly, his eyes narrowing at my retreat. He slowly got up, starting to stalk me.

"I do not think we can go ahead with this relationship anymore Rafe." I said, bringing the book forward to look at it, "Especially not when you're reading..."

My eyebrows practically hit the air in shock. "Hamlet?" I looked back up, "Dude's crazy." I said, grinning.

When I saw the expression on Rafe's face that said he was going to chase, I ran. The raised ring being right in the middle, I ran around it, trying to use it as a buffer. Rafe jumped right onto it, his calf muscles absorbing the impact of the land as he straightened and stalked towards me, almost lazily.

I squealed whipping around, my hair flying, heading to the walls. When an Identity Screen popped out I instinctively ran my bracelet over it hoping it would open, it did.

When it opened, I froze. I stepped in, looking around in curiosity. This place looked like a...lab of some sorts.

I looked at Rafe as he entered, remembering him telling me how taking up his father's position in society wasn't his actual ambition in life. Maybe this room had something to do with that.

"Did I just walk into your secret lair?" I asked him, walking around, staring at the containers that had liquids that sent fumes into the air.

I saw Rafe raise his eyebrows in question.

"You know? Where you use Unicorn hair and magic mushrooms to take over the world."

"Not to forget the blood of a virgin." Rafe added dryly.

I laughed at that, walking around, my eyes taking in all the different instruments I would never be able to describe or understand. I couldn't even understand what the marks on the instruments said. Maybe they were for measuring? But they didn't have lines to mark the amount like the ones I've seen on Earth.

Rafe didn't rush my perusal, he just followed me, letting me take in my fill. I tapped the book against my other hand, contemplating.

"Are you a mastermind in hiding?" I asked.

He walked up to me, slowly prying the book out of my hand.

"What do you have against Shakespeare?" He asked me.

"The thing about Shakespeare is, you either love his work or you don't. There's just no in-between." I explained.

Rafe came to stand right in front of me and I leaned back, the wall supporting me. He placed one hand on the wall near my head, leaning close to me.

"Why do you not like about it?" He asked. His eyes flit over my face, his face tilted towards me. His hair brushed my forehead as I leaned my head back against the wall to look at him.

"It just does not move me like it did the others, I guess," I admit, shrugging. And because I couldn't hold back anymore, I lift one hand to press it against his chest.

"Why not?" He asked, stepping closer, crowding me, facilitating my touching him at the same time. My other hand went to join its twin. I let them travel up, over the hard planes of his chest to his glorious shoulders.

His other hand came to rest near the wall as well, book and all, locking me in between them.

"You have the best most magnificent shoulders in the world," I told him.

He pressed in closer, but he still wasn't close enough. But his forehead brushed mine now.

"You have the most unusual way of speaking." He said.

I stayed quiet, letting my hands travel into his hair. I let out a small breath.

"Come closer." I murmured to him, meeting his glorious eyes.

"I am surprised you do not like Shakespeare. He seems your type." Rafe murmured, one hand coming to press against the small of my back. Now I was up against him, my arms over his shoulders, in his hair and our breaths meeting in the air.

"My type?" I whisper, going on my toes until my nose touched his.

He hummed in response.

"What would I like about him?" I asked, rubbing my nose against his.

"The way he makes his characters speak." Rafe murmured. I heard a dull thud and felt the fingers of Rafe's other hand tangle in my hair, before trailing forward and tipping my chip up further.

"Like what?" I whispered.

He'd dropped his face lower, his lips pressed against my neck when he murmured, "Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love."

I stilled against him, drawing a sharp breath in when he sealed he statement with a kiss near my pulse. He leaned back, taking in my wide eyes.

Why did he choose that quote of all the others?

"Told you," he murmured, smiling softly, lifting his hand to brush his fingers across my jaw.

"What makes you think I even liked it?" I asked him.

He just cocked his head at me, "Because I can smell it."

I frowned, "Why can you smell everything?"

"I cannot smell everything." He said, brushing his lips against my forehead.

I narrowed my eyes at him, curling my fingers in his hair and tugging gently.

"I just smell everything on you." He said.

"It's annoying." I declared.

"It is not in my control." He stated, with a slight lift of those shoulders of his.

I pulled in a deep breath, his chocolate and almonds scent intoxicating me.

"You smell like my favourite ice cream," I told him, leaning my head back against the wall.

"Ice cream?" He asked me, coming closer, erasing the distance I had created.

I hummed, bringing the fingers of one hand to his face. I traced it over one eyebrow, along his nose and against his jaw.

"You're kind of really good looking." I told him.

"It is just a face, Amour." He told me.

I shook my head, "It's your face." I said, vehemently, "And it's very dear to me."

He smiled then. It wasn't blazing but it still burned. I let it. Drowning in the flames. Gratefully.

"Thank you, for the food." I told him.

He rubbed his nose against mine, pulling me closer and wrapping an arm around me. I hugged him back, pressing myself closer, resting my nose against his neck.

We stayed silent for awhile. Content.

"If you walk away again, I don't think I'll have it in me to chase you." I confessed softly.

He leaned back, trying to meet my eyes. When I kept looking away, he caught my chin, drawing my eyes back to him.

He just looked at me, taking in my worried eyes and frown.

He stepped back, twining his fingers with mine, tugging me closer.

"We have Infant Care today. We have a session with Kila." He told me, leading us out of the small lab.

As we headed out, Ryx in tow, I asked, "How come you don't stay here?"

Rafe didn't look at me, keeping quiet for so long that I thought he wouldn't answer.

"Because being here reminds me of everything I do not want to remember." He said.

-- --

He had watched his target all day.

Almost all day.

He watched as his target laughed with her friends, her red hair shining under the lights.

He watched curiously as his target conversed with his employer.

He watched carefully, making a note of his target's routine.

He watched his target's interactions with the son of the Leader. He watched as the boy he had never seen even look twice at another woman, watch his target with the kind of attention that could mean only one thing.

He watched his employer's interactions with the boy and the target.

But mostly, he watched his target. The girl.

The girl who was never meant to be here.

His employer must share the same sentiment about her presence here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Whatcha think ?

Sorry it's a little late, this chapter just took a lot of thinking time.

Hope you think it's good enough. <3

Until next time, my sugar muffins!

Vote and comment. Sorry if you find any typos. ❤️