9 HER SILENCE

We are all broken, that's how the light gets in.

-Ernest Hemingway-

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"Sir!" Madam Anne's patience was getting thinner as he put her free hand on her hips. "I need you to release the girl now!"

The disrespect on Madam Anne's voice made Torak growling dangerously and it made Raine become more uncomfortable, she looked at Madam Anne with tears on the edge of her eyes, unable to release herself from Torak's deadly grip.

"Hold her." Torak snatched the umbrella that Raphael was holding for them and handed Raine towards him.

Once Torak released her, she attempted to run toward Madam Anne, but Raphael held her shoulder firmly. "Please stay, we won't hurt you." He said in a low voice, enough for Raine to hear. 

However, she was so scared and determined to get herself free, turning around she bit down Raphael's hand that was holding her shoulder. 

Surprised by what she did, not by the petty bite, Raphael released his hand from her shoulder. He looked helplessly towards Raine who was running towards Madam Anne's direction. 

Yet, before the little girl could reach her savior, Torak grabbed her waist and brought her to his side, again, ignoring the shrieking from Madam Anne and Raine's attempt to hit him.

Turning around, the Alpha shot his Beta a dagger look after failing his duty, which Raphael reciprocated with a nervous grin.

"What do you want?" She snapped and tried to threaten him. "I will call the guard if you don't release her!" Madam Anne demanded.

'How many guards do you think that she needs to stop the Alpha?' A grumpy voice echoed inside Raphael's mind.

Out of the blue, a big grey wolf with height around Raphael's hips appeared beside him. 

'I told you to come' He replied to the wolf through the mind-link. 

Since wolves couldn't talk, they would communicate with a mind-link that connects them whenever they were in their wolf form.

'I'm here!' Calleb answered mischievously while wagging his bushy tail like a puppy. 'You didn't tell me specifically that I have to come in human form right? It is raining, I don't want my thousand dollar suit to get wet.' He retorted smartly.

For the shapeshifters like them, once they were in their other form, it means they were in another realm, no human was able to see them. 

The most beneficial thing for them was, they could keep their clothes intact when they returned into human form, so they didn't need to stark naked or bit boxer brief for their change.

Raphael didn't say anything when he kicked him, however Calleb avoided his feet lazily. 

Both of them looked toward the direction of Torak and the fat lady who was, finally, talking calmly despite the heavy rain that was pouring down.

'It's her?' Calleb pointed his snout toward the girl who was cowering in Torak's embrace. 'Our Luna?'

'Yes. It's her.'

'Seriously? What is she? Fae? But, fae wasn't a shapeshifter.' He mumbled. In other words, humans couldn't see them.

Raphael glanced down at the grey wolf, puzzled. 'She is human of course.'

The wolf raised the corner of his lips and showed his canine that Raphael assumed as a smirked. 'She was clearly seeing me a moment ago. No human could see me in my wolf form.'

Raphael looked at Raine, but the little girl had buried her face in Torak's arms, since she couldn't get away from him.

After five minutes of discussion, finally Madam Anne nodded to whatever Torak's suggestion and let him go inside the orphanage as she opened the gate and held it for him.

Like on cue, Raphael approached them when a white plastic bag caught his attention. Bent his body slightly, he took the plastic bag with him as he continued to walk inside the building with the wolf tailing behind him.

The orphanage building was huge and obsolete, it seemed the building had been built for centuries and it had been a long time since the last time they renovated it.

Madam Anne walked ahead with Torak and Raine, in his arms, followed her closely. Meanwhile Raphael and wolf Calleb walked side by side three meters away from them.

They walked along the hallway in silence before Madam Anne stopped in front of a blue door, she opened it. "Both of you can rest here for tonight. I will ask someone to deliver clean clothes for you."

"I want to talk about her adoption now." Torak said right after Madam Anne finished talking. Immediately Raphael knew where this conversation would be going and he stepped closer.

"Sir, we can discuss this tomorrow morning." Madam Anne slightly frowned. 

"I will not wait until the morning." Torak was talking with her, but his eyes never left the girl beside him. 

"Sir—"she fumed, but her word was cut briefly.

From the side Raphael cleared his throat to get their attention and introduced himself politely. "Please let me introduce myself first." He stepped closer towards them and looked at the distaste expression that lingered on Madam Anne's face. "I am Raphael Lockwood, personal assistant of Torak Donovan." Raphael gestured at Torak beside him who was still holding Raine's waist, knowing her attempt was futile, she didn't try to escape again.

Meanwhile, in a matter of seconds Madam Anne shrieked and closed her mouth with her big hand. "Are you—are you the multibillionaire Mr. Donovan?" She gasped and leaned forward to take a better look of the man who was standing mightily right in front of her.

Who doesn't know Donovan's name? He was the most famous bachelor among businesswomen and women in general.

The successful businessman who rarely appeared in public, but once people saw him, it was impossible to forget. His strong impression made his figure engraved in every mind.

Madam Anne didn't notice him before, because of the lack of light and rainy night. But, now when Raphael mentioned it and she saw him with her own eyes. "It's him!" she let out a stifle scream. 

She was an unmarried woman in her early thirty, of course with a sight of Torak Donovan before her eyes with droplets of water fell down from his hair, it was quite of view. "I am Anne… Anne Julliane." She stuttered.

Calleb snickered in his wolf form beside Raphael. 'You just made the lady almost get a heart attack.' he jested.

Raphael ignored him as he continued talking to her. "Good evening, Ms. Julliane."

"Anne please." She said sheepishly.

"Anne." Raphael nodded politely. "We would like to talk about the adoption right now. You see, because in the morning we need to return to the Redriver City and we need to bring her with us."

Torak didn't pay attention to whatever discussion that was happening or noticing Anne's smile at him. 

He was preoccupied by the girl beside him. Raine was looking at her shoes, fretting in his arm, he could feel her body trembling. Now, Torak wondered, he hadn't heard her voice from the first time he saw her. Why didn't she talk?

"What's your name?" Torak asked softly, but Raine didn't even raise her head. 

Ignoring her conversation with Raphael, it was Anne who answered him instead. "Her name is Raine."

"Raine," Torak repeated and liked the way her name rolled on his tongue. "Beautiful name." He complemented.

"How old are you?" He thought she must be very young, teenager at least. 

"She's seventeen years old sir." Anne answered him again with her overly sweet voice.

"Did I ask you?" Torak raised his head to glare at her. He wanted to hear her voice, but this woman kept answering his question. It annoyed him.

"No, sir—but—she," she stuttered. "But, she won't answer your question."

"Why?" Torak furrowed his eyebrows.

"She doesn't talk." Anne glanced at Raine who still lowered her head.