You play too much

RAFAEL POV

My eyes wandered to my wristwatch. I couldn't tell how long I had been staring at it. All I knew was that I had been counting the minutes and hours while waiting for Winter to pop in from the large entrance where the Etas and deltas were standing with me.

She hadn't come. I guess she had indeed left. But should that bother me? I didn't think so.

Naomi wanted me to feel otherwise, to issue an apology I was sure would never come forth, even if Winter was near me. I hadn't wronged her, and I never asked for her presence in the first place. Yet, deep down, I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of throbbing in her absence.

"Alpha," James said, snapping me out of my thoughts about Winter.

I turned to stare at him, and he pointed to the receding water.

"I believe this was orchestrated," he said.

"How so?" I asked, a frown forming on my face.

James stepped forward, but I held him back before he could step into the water.

"If this was orchestrated, don't you think it's unwise for you