Page 30 of The Alpha's Forbidden Secret Baby

She's deflecting.

Xander knew her better than anyone else and he knew all of her tactics whenever she didn't want people prying into her personal affairs. This was one of them.

“Well,” he said, his eyes flying up to the heavens. “They are windows into the past, reminders of the myths and legends that once walked the earth.” He looked at her, then back at the sky, where he pointed at a streak of three bright stars. “See that? That's Orion, the Hunter in Greek mythology who's said to have been a mighty hunter placed amongst the stars by the gods.”

She was quiet for a moment, looking at him with something one could easily mistake as passion in her eyes. She was really beautiful tonight and her orange hair was dancing to the rhythm of the gentle wind.

“Speaking of mythology,” she said, breaking the silence that followed Xander's previous response. Rayla took her eyes off him and focused on the heavens. “I've always been intrigued by the story of Clytie.” She turned to him.

Xander knew where this conversation was going because he was familiar with the story. She was trying to link the mythology to their own case.

“You know, she was abandoned by her lover, Apollo.” Rayla looked at him for a second.

He sighed softly.

“I see what you did there. Guess I sorta deserved that,” he replied. “But in the end, she transformed into a sunflower, so it wasn’t all bad,” he concluded.

Rayla flouted and exhaled sharply.

“Are you okay?” he asked her, unable to continue paying a blind eye to her unhappiness.

Xander was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that there was something eating her up, and he hoped that she would feel comfortable enough to let him in.

“Yeah… yeah, I'm fine.” She faked a smile. “Why wouldn't I be okay?” A nervous chuckle escaped her lips.

“Rayla,” his voice was soft and tender as he reached to try and hold her hand. He thought in a split second that she would pull away, but she didn't. He noticed how her body trembled at his touch and how her eyes lit up like sapphires. “You seem frazzled. I know something is going on.”

“It's nothing I can't handle, Xander,” she responded.

“So there is something bugging you.”

“I didn't…”

“Ah—ah! There's no denying it this time, you've been busted,” he teased.

She cocked her head at him, struggling to hold in the smile that was threatening to spread across her face.

“I know that I'm the last person you'd want to talk to about anything,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “But it would mean a lot to me if you opened up.”

She was quiet for a while, probably contemplating whether or not she should talk to him.

He knew he didn't deserve her opening up to him… at least not this soon, but he honestly wanted to help.

“I appreciate the concern, Xander,” she replied. “But I'm fine… I'll figure something out.”

He was disappointed, but he wouldn't press on. He wouldn't pry again or go further to try and convince her to speak even though every fiber of his being was telling him to do just that.

For some time there, they stood under the cold and distant stars draped in the soft luminescence of the crescent moon. Their eyes were locked to each other's and Xander could feel his heart racing, his body longing for her.

Her eyes were shimmering in the balcony lights. Her skin, soft and smooth, seemed to be glowing in the moonlight while her lips enticed him, tempting him to grab hold of her and plant a fervent kiss that she wouldn't be able to resist.

He wondered if she was feeling the heat of the tension rising between them as he was. The sound of her racing heart was evidence that she wanted him as well, accompanied by the facial expression that he recognized. Oh, how he had missed that look!

Rayla cleared her throat and took her eyes off him, tightening her grip around the railing as she tried to control her breath.

“So,” she said, facing him again, this time a lot more composed. “I've never really asked you this but… I'm curious. How exactly does this Shadow Jumping thing work?”

Rayla had once again managed to change the subject, and he had to admit that her self-control was admirable, even though he knew that it was because she was obviously still mad at him.

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