Chapter 10

"Brooke! Brooke!" Raphael shouted. He was holding her in his arms trying to wake her up. But she was out cold. He attempted to push the rising panic down and remain calm. His wolf was pawing worriedly in his head.

He took a deep breath, 'I need to get her to a healer.' Was the first thing he thought of when his mind was calm.

But she needed clothes. So he decided that he would go into the house and get some of her belongings, so that when she wakes up, she will have a few comforting things around her. Other than him.

He carried her bridal style into her house. He walked through a long hallway, going to where her scent was strongest. He pushed open her door, and put Brooke gently on her bed. Then he looked around the room, he found a backpack in the closet, and went to her dresser. It was an invasion of privacy but he didn't know her size so he couldn't buy her new clothes.

He packed a bunch of underwear, socks, a few shirts, including the blue one she'd worn today, he liked that one. He packed some pants for her. Then he looked around there were some shoes on the ground she might like those, he packed some sandals and sneakers. There was also a couple jackets on her bedpost so he stuffed one of those into the backpack. And he put her phone in the front pocket.

He glanced over at Brooke to see if she had woken up, or at least moved a little. But nothing. She was lying in the same position he had left her in.

He picked her up slowly, her full breasts moving as he did. He resisted the urge to do anything, as he wanted her to be fully awake when he did.

He got outside and closed the back door as quietly as he could but it squeaked a little. He walked to his car, and put her in the backseat and tried his best to secure her with the seatbelts. He got into the drivers seat, and drove off.

~~~~~~~~~

They arrived in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. At just after midnight. Raphael drove as quickly as he could to the 'Delta Hotel' that the Alpha was staying in.

He crossed the bridge and glanced back at Brooke with a worried expression, just like he had a million times already. No change. He sighed. Worried.

He parked and carried Brooke bridal style to the elevator. There was a man already in the elevator, and he was not one of the Lycans posted. Raphael just nodded to the man. The man looked at Brooke curiously, Raph had to swallow back a growl. 'He's just looking, calm down' he told himself.

"What's with her?" He asked, like he was accusing her of something. Raph had to swallow back another growl, and replied, "Fell asleep on the drive." And ended with a smile.

"She your girlfriend?" He asked after a couple seconds. 'Just shut up!' Raph wanted to say to him, 'Why do you care.' But he couldn't make a scene. "She looks a little young to be your girlfriend." Raph looked at him in disbelief, but then he thought, 'How old is Brooke?' That would be the one of first things he asked when she woke up. He decided to answer with the closet thing to the truth, "Hmm, she's my wife."

The man looked at the couple appalled but quietly hid it, 'the girl couldn't be more than sixteen years old!' He thought but didn't say anything. The man next to him was frightening.

After the man got off of the elevator, Raphael relaxed a little bit, he still had two more floors to go. The doors opened onto his floor and he was met with James and his mate, Lilla. She was a healer Lycan.

"We came to tell you that Thomas is-" She stopped short. She noticed Brooke in his arms. "Uh, Beta who's this?" She asked looking worried. She also had a tendency not to say the names of her superiors. Just like her mate.

"She's my mate." He answered with a little bit of an edge to his voice. Lilla's eyes went wide, James just stood there, silent. Lilla recovered from her shock quickly, "Oh. Well what happened?" She asked as she put her hand to Brooke's forehead. Raphael growled in return. She quickly removed her hand and looked down. It was not pleasant for anyone to be reprimanded by a Beta.

Raphael turned and headed for his suite. He opened the door and put Brooke down on his bed. Then he laid down next to her, and watched as she breathed in quiet, shallow breaths. His frayed nerves slightly calmer at that moment.

A knock sounded on the door, interrupted that peace, he could smell Lilla on the other side. "Sir, I need to check on her. So we know what's going on." She said with a worried tremor in her voice.

Raphael got up and opened the door. Lilla was standing there, with James behind her. "Thank you Beta." She said, the relief clear in her expression. He looked at James who watched his mate carefully. Raph watched his too, but she looked near death.

Then James spoke, "Honey, we're going to go debrief the Alpha." Lilla just nodded, concentrated on her work. Raphael jerked his head to look at James and mind linked him -It's midnight the Alpha needs his sleep.- he said the anger dripping in his voice. He couldn't leave his mate now, not when she was sick.

-Alpha has been waiting for you, since I brought Gamma back.- Raphael just nodded grimly. Lilla looked up, "Don't worry sir, she'll be fine." She said with a reassuring smile.

Raphael took one last look at Brooke, then turned to leave. "How can you leave her alone? Lilla I mean." He asked James. He could barely tear himself away from his mate, how could James bear it?

"It took time. We both had duties to attend to, and eventually we were able to work and live without having the other next to us. And don't get me wrong sir, I still miss her and it's still difficult to leave her, but, it's a little easier now." This was the most informal James had ever been with him. Raph was shocked that James could even talk like that. But instead of revealing his feelings, he just nodded glumly.

They arrived at the Alpha's room and knocked. There was an almost immediate reply from the other side of the door, "Enter." Came the deep, commanding voice of the Alpha.

They walked in.