<h4>Chapter 384: Bad Guy Rafe</h4>


    <strong>Eira’s POV</strong>


    The entire day had been filled with fun and enjoyment.


    Raven, more than anyone, had exhausted himselfpletely. By the time evening arrived, his eyes were heavy, his small body leaning into Kael for support. Kael ensured he ate properly before he slept.


    "He won’t wake up until morning," Roman said as Kael carried Raven to our room who had fallen asleep. "He’s drained every ounce of energy he had."


    "He had the best day of his life," Lucian replied, stretching his legs across the center table. "We heard himugh today. Actuallyugh. That sound... it was something else."


    "It’ll be even better when he starts talking," Rafe saidzily, ncing at Jason, sitting beside him on the side of the sofa. "Hey, Doc. What’s your professional opinion? How long before he calls me daddy?"


    "It won’t take long," he said thoughtfully. "But his self control is extraordinary. He remains constantly aware of it, that none of our efforts to make him talk works. Nothing can divert him at all." He leaned back slightly, expression turned serious like a professional analysing his patient. "That level of control over sensory reflexes is rare. Most adults can’t manage it. He dominates his instincts rather than being ruled by them."


    Roman hummed in agreement. "Sensory reflexes usually dominate the individual. But our boy dominates his senses. That’s truly impressive."


    Lucian’s lips curved faintly. "Makes me wonder what kind of Alpha he’ll be."


    "The best kind," Jason added. "You can already see traces of Kael in him. When he matures, he’ll be formidable."


    I sat quietly, listening to them praise my son. My heart swelled in ways words could not describe.


    Raven truly was a reflection of Kael in many ways. His quiet strength. Hisposure. His watchfulness. I was fortunate beyond measure to have him.


    "But for now," Rafe continued dramatically, "my only focus is hearing him call me daddy. Once we return home, I’m going to have so much fun with him that he’ll end up speaking."


    Roman groaned. "Fun? nning to turn our home upside down again? Your ways of having fun are never ordinary."


    Rafe replied coolly. "This time, it might be the entire estate that’s in chaos. You might have to n a budget to fix it all."


    Roman sighed. "Of course you would."


    Rafe only shrugged. "Every penny is worth it if he calls me daddy. That’s the goal."


    Lucian’s expression darkened slightly.


    "I’ll make sure he doesn’t call you that," he said coldly to Rafe. "No wish fulfilment built on a child’s innocence."


    The tension in the room shifted immediately.


    <i>Wish fullfilment? What does he mean? Sounds more like ast wish. These two confuses me.</i>


    Rafe’s gaze turned equally cold. "Stop fucking meddling in what I want." He frowned at Lucian, then looked at me. "Please keep your mate busy with fucking you or whatever and tell him to fuck off from my matters."


    <i>The fuck!</i>


    "What do I have to do with your fight?" I snapped. "Both of you go fuck each other and leave me out of it. Jerks."


    A brief silence fell.


    For a split second, it felt like I might have crossed a line.


    Then Roman let out a quiet chuckle beside me. "She said the right thing. Go fuck each other."


    "Shut up," both Rafe and Lucian spat at him in unison, though neither directed their anger at me.


    Rafe rose abruptly, clearly intending to leave, while Lucian didn’t bother pay him any mind.


    "Where are you going?" That was Kael, who had returned.


    "To get some peace of mind," Rafe replied without looking at anyone. Then he shot Lucian another re. "Some annoying fuckers can’t stop interfering."


    Lucian was ready to fire back, but Kael’s voice cut through first.


    "Sit," his tone and expressions serious, "We have something to talk about."


    All attention shifted to Kael as he walked forward and settled into the chair opposite us in the sofa arrangement.


    "What’s the matter?" Lucian asked, sitting upright.


    Kael exhaled slowly.


    "Before dinner, Alpha Gerald asked me something."


    The room grew still.


    "He wants to introduce Eira as his daughter during Evan’sing of age ceremony. All the important leaders from various packs will be present. It would be an announcement to the entire werewolf world."


    My heart skipped violently. For a moment, I felt as though it had stopped altogether.


    Announce me? To everyone?


    All I wanted was a quiet life with my family. A life where no one hunted me, no one whispered about my bloodline, no one plotted against me.


    And now they were speaking of revealing me to the entire world.


    "But, he asked for our opinion, and promised to follow it," Kael added.


    <i>Alright, that’s a relief. </i>


    Kael looked at me, "What do you feel about it?"


    In his eyes I could see he had something in his mind as well.


    "I...like my current life...away from everyone, and just with our family," I said, my reluctance clear on my face.


    After a brief silence, he offered a light nod of understanding, but I could see it didn’t align with what he must have in hid mind.


    <i>Well, he is a top tier alpha and a leader of his pack. The world needs to see his mate, the pack needs to see their Luna, and the most important thing, the world needs to see that his mate, the Luna of his pack isn’t someone ordinary with no bloodline. She came from the family of the highest regard and purest bloodline in the werewolf world. </i>


    That’s just how I concluded, but he might have another reason as well.


    "We will do as you say," Kael said, finally. "You can take your time to think about it."


    Before I could even give out a sigh of relief, someone spoke.


    "Do you always n to hide behind us?" Rafe said as he looked at me, "Don’t you want to have your own identity, existence and show those bastards who hurt you that what you are capable of. That they couldn’t destroy you how they wanted?"


    My breath caught in my throat, as I looked at his damn serious face and almost angry gaze. The rest others didn’t stop him, that meant they agreed with him.


    <i>So this was what Kael wanted to say, but he chose to respect my wishes and give me time to think over it. </i>


    But not Rafe. He wasn’t patient, he wasn’t calm, as if every day is thest day of his life and he had to do everything in just one breath.


    And unlike others, he didn’t have to filter his words and actions before me in a worry to hurt me. Always blunt and harsh with his words.


    "Do you want Raven to see his mother is just some weak nobody? Who just sit by the window and y with her pets, that’s it?" he said again with an annoyed tone, "Show some respect to yourself, if not to others, Caldwell. You can do better than that."


    Unlike before, I couldn’te up with anything to argue with him.


    And others were still quiet, as if they had nned it together to let Rafe take his usual role of a bad guy towards me.