Chapter 22

Raphael watched as the Shapeshifter spasmed from the electricity. It wasn't pleasant, Raphael didn't enjoy torture but it was what was necessary.

He signalled for Louis to turn the car battery off. The snake slumped against the wall hanging on the chains around his wrists. The shapeshifter took after his instinct animal, in being cold-blooded. He was becoming sluggish in the cold cell, and the electricity seemed to make it worse.

"So…" Raphael said as he held the prisoner up by his red hair, "What did the Elves want with Spruce?" He asked again.

"Ttthhheey…" his speech was slurred, and it wasn't easy to understand with his Australian accent, "Wwwaanted tooo geeett Aaallphaa Thresshh ouut offf hisss pack." Then he slumped back against the wall looking dead.

'Most likely hibernating.' Raph thought as he turned and left the cell.

"What do we do now?" Louis asked carrying the battery and cables.

"Now." Raph said tiredly, "Now we ask why the Elves wanted our Alpha drawn out of our pack."

He walked to the next cell that he could smell a Shapeshifter in.

Louis opened the door for him. Louis may have been the head warrior but Raphael was still the Beta. Raphael looked imposing in the door frame, his gold eyes glowing, and his silver hair catching the little light from the hallway.

He walked forward and found another naked man, although this one had eagle eyes. Bright yellow with a small, black pupil. His hair was so matted it looked like feathers.

Raphael rolled his eyes at the egos of Shapeshifters and their appearance.

The Eagle was staring at him with defiance. "What did you do to him?!"

"What did I do to who?" Raph asked narrowing his eyes.

"Hal, the snake? Did you kill him?!" He seethed at Raph.

He just cocked his head at the Shapeshifter, "You're their leader then. Because of what I know of Shapeshifters, they don't care for others unless they need to."

The eagle shifted his yellow eyes nervously, "He's my brother, what did you do to him?!" He screeched. They did have the same accent.

Raphael tsked his tongue. Rule number one of being interrogated: never reveal if you have a personal attachment to another prisoner. They could be used against you. Simple minded Shapeshifter.

-Louis?-

-Yes, sir.-

-Bring the snake here.-

There was no hesitation. Louis walked out and back to the previous cell. He dragged Hal the snake into the Eagle's cell. The eagle stared at the unconscious man on the floor.

"What did you do to him?!" He asked furious.

"Oh, you here that Louis? He wants to know what we did to him, why don't we show him." He said unsmiling. He was the packs best at getting answers from people, he could see what it would take to break people. He just didn't love the painful part of it. He saw Louis smirk out of the corner of his eye, 'Louis apparently did.' He thought sardonically.

Louis clipped the cable onto the snakes skin.

"Now why don't you tell me why the Elves wanted to draw out Alpha Thresh."

"Never." The eagle said glancing nervously at his brother.

"Never." Raphael said raising his eyebrow, "Louis what do we say to that?"

Louis turned the dial on the battery and Hal's lifeless body jerked around.

"Stop it! Stop it! You'll kill him!" The Eagle said.

"Tell us what we need to know, or he dies. Louis turn it up."

"No! They wanted him here so they could get to your Luna!" He yelled.

-Stop.- Raphael ordered.

"Why?" He asked, his voice grave and threatening.

"I don't know. All I heard was that she had a key to something. The Elves used Spruce to lure you out." He paused, "That's all I know."

"Hmm." Raph sensed he was lying about something, but he would ask one of the other Shapeshifters about it. He was done with these two.

"Louis. Take the snake back to his cell." Louis dragged Hal out. Raphael then proceeded to move to the stairwell, "No more today, sir?" He heard Louis' voice behind him.

"No. No more today, Louis." We'll continue in the morning."

Louis nodded glumly. Raphael was slightly concerned about Louis's behaviour, but then again he had never understood warrior Lycans.

He got in his car and drove back to camp. He had been in the dungeons for five hours, electrocuting Hal had taken awhile. It was five-thirty when he got back to camp and the first thing he did was call Mark. It took a few rings but a tired Mark finally answered, "Hey Raph." He sounded like he had just woken up.

"How is she?" He skipped the pleasantries and asked his main concern.

"Well I've been sleeping, she fell asleep at around three-" He yawned, "I'll check and see how she's doing now."

"Who's watching her now?" Raphael asked worried she was all alone. He had only met her four days ago, he couldn't believe it. It felt like ages and just yesterday. 'The mate bond sure worked quickly.' He thought.

"Nathan and Lucy are on duty. Gloria's sleeping." Raphael assumed that Lucy and Gloria were the two healers.

Mark was quiet for a couple seconds before he spoke again, "Apparently her nose is bleeding nonstop." Mark said sadly.

Raphael just nodded. His wolf whimpered. He couldn't believe he had spent most of the day torturing Shapeshifters, and not comforting his mate. He held his head in his hands, trying to remember why he was here and not with her. He could feel his wolf rising to the front of his mind, he didn't stop it he wanted to shift, to run his anger out.

His silver wolf lunged out of the tent and bolted for the woods. He needed to run. The wind in his fur was slightly calming, but his nerves were still frayed with worry about Brooke. He'd been separated from her for too long. He needed to get back to her and hold her. To touch her and to breathe in her warm, comforting cinnamon scent. The scent that could put him to rest.

His emotions were always more intense when he was in wolf form. He ran to the beach. It was sandy and cold. He sat down and looked at the dimming sky. He could see the sun setting on the horizon and he wondered if Brooke liked sunsets. The thought made him more on edge. He paced the sand trying to think about the problem with the Elves, and not Brooke's pain, trying to focus on how to break the other Shapeshifters and not the feeling of Brooke's hair between his fingers, or how small her hand had felt in his. He gave up and focused on his mate. Her curvy body in her pajamas. The way her shirt had showed her pale white skin beneath, and her cleavage. His wolf was restless with this image in his mind. He started pacing again. He decided it was pointless in trying to get away from it all and went back to camp.

He arrived and went back to his tent. He hadn't had a chain on so his clothes were now ruined. He put on some new ones then dropped to his bed and succumbed to his exhaustion.