A WASTE OF BLOODLINE

Rafael stood there for a second like someone had hit him with a brick, he couldn't believe she had just dropped the damn robe like that, what the hell did she think this was, a movie? this was real life, and he wasn't about to mess it up because some political pawn of a woman was feeling bored, or lonely, or desperate, or whatever this was,

He walked up to her quickly, picked up the robe off the floor and covered her up, he didn't look at her body, he looked her right in the eyes with all seriousness and no jokes in his tone,

"You don't have to do this, Anastasia," he said quietly

She looked at him, her eyes were glossy now, like she was holding something back,

"I know I don't have to do this," she said, her voice shaking just a little, "I want to"

He took a step back, hands off, arms folded, he couldn't believe what was happening right now,

She was standing there like a damn statue, wrapped up again but still trembling, her bones were begging him to touch her, and even though he didn't want her like that, not even close, he still felt a little bad, like maybe he'd been too harsh,

He looked at the couch and pointed, "Sit"

She obeyed, slowly,

He turned away, grabbed a bottle of water from the bar cabinet, poured it into a glass, and handed it to her

She didn't say thank you,

She curled up on the couch with her robe pulled tight around her knees, and just held the glass in her hand for a second before whispering like she was losing her damn mind,

"Do something, Rafael," she said with her eyes red now, "Take me as bride, or sleep with me, or mark me, I don't care, tie me up if you have to, just don't do NOTHING"

And he did exactly that,

Nothing,

He stood there like a damn statue, watching her drink the water, and he didn't say a word, his wolf inside was pacing, but not because of her, because something about this whole thing wasn't right,

She put the glass on the table gently, then looked up at him with big doe eyes,

"Taking me as your bride," she said slowly, "would show Caesar that you're ready for an heir, that would reduce the potency of the uprising"

That's when something shifted in his chest, his eyes narrowed and he asked her sharply,

"How do you know Caesar and about the uprising?"

She didn't answer at first, she just stood up real slow, her lips curved into a sly little smirk, and she walked toward him like she had the world in her hands

"I did my research," she said with a smooth voice.

"You know," she said softly with her voice like a whisper, "I also learned about your `impotency` "

She was right in front of him now, reaching out with her fingers sliding along the edge of his tie, she gripped it gently as if testing the waters, her breath brushing against his chin as she leaned in for a kiss,

" `the impotent alpha`... I'll keep your secret," she whispered, "take me as your bride, I will inseminate myself with someone else's sperm, we'll have an heir, and no one ever has to know, it'll be our little secret"

Her lips moved closer, her eyes locked on his mouth like she was daring him to give in but Rafael didn't flinch, he didn't blink, he just calmly placed his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back with gentle finality and with a firm voice,

"Anastasia," he said with steady eyes, "please stop this"

That rejection and refusal refusal snapped something inside her,

Her smile faded and a twisted fury took over her features, she had tried seduction, now it was time to provoke him by drawing blood where it hurt most, all she wanted from Rafael was a reaction;

"Did your father know you were impotent before he died?" she said, tilting her head with cruel curiosity, the words sliced through Rafael like a jagged knife,

His pupils dilated, his breathing hitched, and his control cracked, he looked psychotic,

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" he roared, as he took a step forward, the air around him suddenly felt electric, this is exactly what Anastasia wanted, she wanted to see him completely unhinged, what she didn't realize was that Rafael's rage wasn't something to play with, she'd just detonated a bomb, 

"DID THE GREAT FREAKING KING VOSS KNOW HE BIRTHED AND GAVE THE THRONE TO AN IMPOTENT ALPHA?" she shouted with her voice echoing through the walls "DID HE KNOW YOU WERE A TOTAL WASTE OF BLOODLINE?"

Rafael's body stiffened like steel after he heard this, he became consumed with rage, his eyes blazed golden, thick black veins popped across his forehead and jawline, and with a feral snarl, his fangs slid out, and deadly claws grew from his finger,

In one swift movement, Rafael lunged forward and grabbed Anastasia by the neck his claws dug slightly into her skin, she bled a little, he threw her to the wall and she slammed into it, leaving a dent on the wall, before she fell back to the floor, he used his wolf speed and held her up on the wall by her neck and then he pressed her even harder against the wall and he looked at her with rage,

Outside the office, Niko heard the chaos, the low growl and then the loud thud against the wall,

He rushed to the door with panic gripping his chest, "Rafael! Rafael open up!!" he shouted, banging against the metal but the doors were already sealed shut, locked by Rafael's override

Niko knew Rafael had snapped,

Inside, Rafael stood like a demon, holding Anastasia there with his claws as his body trembled with fury, his beast was fully awakened;

"I ought to snap your neck now and kill you," he growled, but Anastasia… she smiled

Even with his hand on her throat and his fangs inches from her face, she smiled, her own fangs slipped out, this was exactly what she wanted,

"So that's what it takes to get your attention," she whispered in a smug voice,

In that moment, the heat between them wasn't sexual, it wasn't romantic, IT WAS WAR

Rafael finally let her go,

His claws retracted, his eyes dimmed and she dropped to the floor like a discarded doll, coughing and rubbing her throat gently as her fangs and claws retracted too;

"Get out," Rafael commanded, "I have candidates to interview for a job"

She stayed quiet for a moment, still catching her breath, 

Then she said, "I would like to sit in silently at the meeting, I just want to see how things are done"

It was bold and arrogant, completely outside protocol and she had no right to request that but Rafael didn't care enough to argue, his mind was still resetting and shoving her existence into a drawer labeled 'irrelevant'

He glanced at her with empty eyes and muttered, "Whatever, do as you please"

Rafael took a slow breath, adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, then looked down at Anastasia still seated on the floor with her robe half loose and her chest rising and falling from the impact,

"Tie up your robe and fix yourself," he said calmly, as he turned and walked toward the door.

He unlocked it and swung it open, and right on cue, Niko almost stumbled in, his eyes darting instantly between Rafael and Anastasia, he froze when he saw her hair tousled, cheeks flushed, adjusting her clothes like she'd just had sex, her breathing was shallow, and the robe was barely holding together, Niko's gaze shifted around the room and he thought maybe he was wrong for thinking Rafael was outraged, maybe they were just having a moment, he thought.

Then his eyes met Rafael's with heavy suspicion,

Rafael said dryly, "It's really not what it looks like."

Niko didn't reply, just stepped inside slowly, glancing once more at Anastasia before turning back to Rafael,

"You have a meeting with Rutherford by 1:30, that's twenty minutes from now," Niko said, 

"Cancel it," Rafael replied without hesitation,

Niko blinked, visibly thrown off, Rafael was never one to cancel meetings, not even for blood loss, "Cancel it?" Niko repeated, he was confused

"I'll be conducting the interviews for the job applicants today," Rafael added, walking toward his desk,

Niko's eyes widened "You… will?"

That was unheard of, Rafael had never! not once! attended a single interview, he didn't care about hiring, he didn't even ever read applicant files, the last time someone asked him to approve a candidate, he waved it off with one hand and said, 'If they can spell their name, hire them or not, I dont really care'.

Rafael smirked to himself, only he knew the real reason why he suddenly cared today, this had nothing to do with the applicants, he just wanted to amuse himself, to continue the mental chess game he had going with Isabella and to keep her close and confused

Niko didn't know what to make of it, "But you've never conducted job interviews… why now?" he asked, 

"There's a first time for everything brother," Rafael replied mischievously, "we leave now to the hall" he added.

Anastasia who was now seated properly with her robe tied tightly and hair tucked behind her ears, tilted her head slightly at Rafael with so much curiosity, his whole mood had shifted, he went from almost murdering her to a casual, smug and humorous, 

She watched him suspiciously as they moved to the hall and quietly mouthed to herself under her breath, "What is he up to?"