Chapter 11

They walked in and saw the Alpha sitting in a chair behind a desk, that had been moved into his suite. His blond hair was gelled back. The Luna was nowhere to be seen, 'Oh, right Luna was back in Prince George.' Raphael reminded himself.

"So James said that you ran into some Elves and that they had a request." The Alpha said, seeming bored.

Raphael relayed what had happened on the west coast, and then finished with the request. "They said, that if we want Alpha Spruce to live, we would give their king back in three days." Raphael looked down waiting for the Alpha's answer.

"Hmm, we will attack them in two days. Raphael you will have to head strategy this time. And once Thomas is recovered enough he will form the ranks. James," James looked up at the Alpha, "You will lead a scouting mission tomorrow so we will be prepared to attack the day after." And that was it. The Alpha dismissed them, but Raph stayed behind.

"Alpha, Thresh." The Alpha's dark grey eyes, that looked like they held lightening storms, which Raphael very well knew they did, looked up from his paperwork when he heard his name. Raphael continued, "I found my mate." He said with a smile. Thresh smiled back, he was happy for his Beta. "Congratulations Raphael, so who is she?"

"She's not a Lycan." Raphael said, he knew that Thresh had a dislike for humans. They were too weak for his taste.

"A Fae then?" He asked his eyebrows slightly raised in surprise, he was one of the few Lycans to be mated to a Fae.

"No." 'Ah, just get it over with.' "She's human." There was nothing wrong with being mated to a human, quite a few Lycans were, but Thresh still didn't like it. He wrinkled his face in disgust. "A human, eh. Bad luck I guess."

Raphael held back a growl and clenched his fist, he would not challenge his Alpha.

"I-" he was just about to reply when he heard an earpiercing scream. He ran for the door and nearly tore it off the hinges. He bolted down the hallway to his room. 'She sounded like she was in pain.' His thoughts were interrupted by another scream.

He opened his door leaving it in the same condition he had left the Alpha's. And ran to the bed where she was laying . He didn't say anything to Lilla, as he threw her aside. He heard James growl but he didn't fight Raphael and just went and picked up his mate, and carried her out of the room.

Raphael's focus had been solely on his mate since he'd entered the room. He heard someone else come into the room, and scented that it was the Alpha. Raphael didn't care. All he cared about was at that moment was his mate.

Another scream escaped her lips, her eyes were closed tightly, and her face was scrunched up in pain. There were tears and sweat streaming down her face. He sat down on the bed next to her and drew her into his arms. At first she tried to push him away, but then she relaxed and rested her head against his chest.

He held her trembling body for the rest of the morning. She didn't scream in pain as much, but she whimpered and held her head the entire time. 'What was wrong with her.' He wondered worriedly while rubbing her back in a soothing manner. Her scent was a faint cinnamon smell he rested his head on her shoulder and breathed it in.

James had attempted to mind link him a few times, but Raphael had blocked him. Eventually he stopped trying.

Then the Alpha came in and sat down on a chair next to the bed. He sat there for awhile, watching them, then finally spoke.

"It seems your mate, has a rare gift." Raphael looked up confused, and waited for the Alpha to finish. "The last time I saw something like this was four hundred years ago. I was one hundred at the time, and a warrior." He paused, apparently remembering something. "There was a young Lycan who, out of nowhere broke down and was in the sick ward for days." He stopped as they both looked at Brooke who had just inhaled sharply and was squeezing her eyes shut. The Alpha continued, "After he woke up he had the ability to tap into mind links." He stopped. Looking at Raphael with his stormy grey eyes.

"You're saying that Brooke. Can tap into mind links?" He said in disbelief. "I could be wrong but that's not likely." The Alpha answered.

"How? She's not a Lycan." Raphael questioned.

"Lilla, who is recovering by the way." Raph winced internally remembering Lilla. "Had taken a blood sample and had someone test it for a virus or anything of the sort. Apparently your mate has a strain of Lycan blood in her." The Alpha finished.

Raph was amazed. He thought back to when she was able to see his wolf. 'Well that explains it.' He thought, looking at his mate with awe filled eyes. An expression that faded quickly upon seeing her pain filled face again.

The Alpha got up and left.

Then he mind linked. -We will need you in strategy tomorrow.-

'Right.' Raphael thought. The idea of having to leave Brooke was even more unbearable now that she was in so much pain. Brooke had just squirmed in agony when the Alpha had mind linked him.

Raphael kissed her on the forehead, then snuggled her in closer.

It was now four 'o' clock in the afternoon and he was still holding her. No one had come to bother them. At one point he had heard Brooke murmur, "Why does it hurt so much Raph?"

"Shh, I don't know." He'd said while rubbing her back, "You're gonna be alright, I'm here."

After around six p.m. she'd fallen into a fitful sleep. He had begrudgingly let her go, and put her head down on the pillow, and wiped her dampened hair out of her face, her braid had nearly fallen apart.

He then requested two guards to stand outside the door and one female guard to stand inside to keep an eye on Brooke.

Raphael then left to see how Thomas was doing, and apologize to Lilla. He was amazed that James hadn't killed him right there on the spot, 'The guy had incredible self-control.' Raph told himself.

He got to Thomas's room first, as James and Lilla's was on the floor below. He knocked and heard Tom say to come in.

Raph opened the door and walked in. He saw Thomas sitting on the bed, and stopped walking.

Thomas looked ill. His face was gaunt, and his skin was a sickly yellow green. His eyes which were once jovial, were now sunken and hollow, darting from one side to the next, his pupils shrunken.

'That took a lot out of him.' He thought. Raphael didn't know what to say to cheer him up, he was the one who always cheered Raph up.

Thomas' gold eyes, which usually glowed with life, now looked dull and lifeless, met Raphael's gold eyes.

After a few seconds of staring, Thomas spoke up, "I look pretty bad don't I?"

Raph didn't know how to reply, it was true, but he didn't want to discourage Tom. "Nah, man you look the same as you always do." He lied.

Thomas suddenly turned angry. "Don't lie to me." He growled and threw the cup on his nightstand at Raphael, who dodged it with ease. "After all these years, don't lie to me." Tom's voice turned pleading and he broke down in tears.

Raph swallowed not knowing what to do.