Chapter 15

The two young Lycans stepped through the door and found their way to Raphael's and now Brooke's room.

They knocked and Raphael told them to enter.

"Nathan. Mark. It's good to see you." He said with a huge smile. He was very fond of these brothers. He had trained them personally ever since their first shift. Mark was the older one, but they had both shifted on the same day.

"It's good to see you to." Mark answered. He had blonde hair and dark green eyes. He was six foot, shorter for a Lycan, but it made him no less lethal. Both he and his brother were of good stature, they had broad shoulders and strong arms. Raph was proud of them as though he were their own father.

"Sooo, who's she?" Nathan asked. Nathan was a hunter Lycan, so he had been trained by James in that area. Mark was a warrior Lycan so he'd had training from their head warrior Louis. Nathan had gold eyes, like Raphael. He had black hair that was gelled back greaser style. He looked a little ridiculous to Raph, but he didn't say anything.

"She, is my mate." They both looked at Raph then back at Brooke.

"Really?" Nathan said, sounding either awestruck or dumbstruck.

"Congratulations, Raphael." Mark said with a smile. Raph nodded at their reactions with a slight smile.

"I will need you to look after her while I'm gone."

"Where are you going?" Nathan asked. Still in awe.

Raphael debated wether or not to tell them about the Elves, he decided to go with a half-truth, "Back to Vancouver Island. There's trouble with an Alpha."

They both nodded.

"What if she wakes up?" Mark questioned.

Raph had thought about that. The attack on the Elves, and rescue Alpha Spruce should be over in two days, and Alpha Thresh said that she would be out for days and she'd been out for two.

"If she wakes up before I'm back, you can let her walk around the house, not the attic. Do anything she asks but don't let her leave." Raph told them. He noticed that they hadn't commented on her condition, she was still shivering. Or on the fact that she was human.

They nodded again.

He walked out of his room and pointed to the room closest to his, "That will be your room. Never leave the house unguarded. There will be guards surrounding the house, but there must always be one of you here." He told them sternly, "And no matter what happens you must tell no one what happens in here, especially Thomas." Though it pained him to say those words, Thomas was not reliable right now.

He was worried about his mate. He looked at her shivering form on the bed then walked over. He looked at her tear-stained face, her sunken eyes and sheet white complexion. She was still so beautiful in his eyes. He gave her a goodbye kiss on her cold forehead. And stroked her icy cheek.

Then he picked up his laptop and documents and left. He trusted Mark and Nathan, he was just worried. Brooke didn't know them, if she woke up, then who would comfort her, hold and kiss her?

All these thoughts swam throughout head as he walked to the parking garage. The entire pack houses most of their vehicles here. He opened the door and saw that most of the Lycans he'd contacted this morning were here. He saw someone eating a sandwich and realized how hungry he was. He probably hadn't eaten in three days. He would have to pick up something to eat on the drive.

~~~~~~~~~

They arrived at the airport in Brooke's hometown four hours later. It was the closest town to the west coast on the island with an airport. They all hopped into cars that James had prepared for them. They drove for another couple hours Raph was starving.

He asked James if he knew where a restaurant or gas station was, and James said that the last one was back before the highway. Raphael groaned internally, but he had lived without food and water for a week once he could survive three days.

The car all of a sudden turned onto a side gravel road. It was eleven forty-five in the morning by the time they arrived at the makeshift camp that James and a few other Lycans had set up. And they had coolers full of food at one tent, that would be his first stop after attending to his duties.

After the car was parked and Raphael had checked on the progress of things he went to the Alpha's tent.

"Enter." The Alpha said before Raph could announce his arrival. He walked in. The Alpha had arrived quite awhile before Raph so he was already set up.

"Do you have a strategy in place yet?" The Alpha asked.

"No. We will be planning it in a couple minutes." He nodded.

"You may go." He said. Raphael was about to but then he noticed something strange. "Where's Luna?" He asked. The Alpha turned and glared at him and he hung his head in shame for offending the Alpha.

"She decided to stay and watch over the pack. Now, you may leave." He repeated back, his voice lethal.

Raphael went to the dining tent and got a sandwich and protein bar. A sad meal but he was willing to eat anything at that point.

He walked over to a table that had a map of the area. It showed where they suspected the Elves base was and where Alpha Spruce was being held.

Soon more people gathered around the table. They were all of the strategists and leaders in their fields. James was present as he had scouted the area and was the head hunter. Louis was present, the head warrior and Rose was present she was the second in command of stealth. Thomas was the first. Raphael was the head strategist but since he would be in charge of heading the attack, Luke his second was in charge of strategy.

Raphael supervised Luke as he gave assignments to the squads that were being sent out. This was Luke's first battle with Elves, he seemed a little nervous, but his strategies were still sound.

The bulk of their forces would be facing shapeshifters. Elves usually stayed at the back of the army, launching spells and charms and the opposing force.

The plan was to attack at nightfall. The Elves were not supposed to be expecting them until tomorrow, when they would supposedly be willing to trade Alpha Spruce for their king. Which was not gonna happen. Luke's strategy was to place the bulk of their force at the north of Alpha Spruce's packhouse. Then he would have two stealth teams made up of stealth and hunter Lycans, come in from the east and west, while the first one came in and distracted the enemy, the other one would get into the house and retrieve the prisoners. As Luke was going over the blueprints of the house and who and where the prisoners were, a familiar, deep voice spoke,

"Raphael you will go with the second stealth team. I will lead the attack."

Everyone at the table turned and saw the Alpha looking at his Beta, who nodded and said, "Yes, Alpha."