Chapter 31

Raphael had spent the last two days sitting in a meeting room discussing borders and trying to calm down the three Alpha's present. Since Thresh was the Head Alpha and Raph was his Beta, he carried some weight with the Alphas under Thresh. But while Thresh could silence them with a single word, it took Raph yelling, screaming and growling to get them to listen.

He was now driving home from the airport, exhausted and wanting to see his mate. His wolf had been on edge the entire time after having seen their mate for only two seconds, he was a little impatient.

He got to his house and parked his car. He remembered that he would have to get Duma in the morning. He walked through the kitchen and smelled cinnamon, 'They were probably just making cinnamon rolls.' He thought dismissing the idea of it being Brooke's scent.

He walked up the stairs, 'Brooke isn't screaming, she must be sleeping.' The house was really quiet and he couldn't smell anyone other than Brooke in his room, 'Someone was supposed to be with her twenty-four seven!' He was furious that she had been left alone, but it was fine he was here now. His wolf was ready to pounce on anyone if they got in his way.

He walked in and saw her sleeping form. He smiled, she was in no pain. He went to his closet and saw a bunch of shoes on the floor, and women's clothing that definitely wasn't his. 'Had Gloria and Lucy put them here?' He questioned while holding a shirt and deeply inhaling his mate's warm scent.

He put on some pyjama pants and went shirtless. He crawled into his bed with his mate, and pulled her close to him. Overjoyed with this feeling of holding his mate in his arms, his Brooke. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

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I woke up to the feeling of someone's arms around my waist. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was, I could smell his sharp, minty scent. I smiled and turned to snuggle in closer. I heard him groan and shift then mumble something I didn't catch.

His eyes suddenly flew open, "Brooke! You're awake!" His surprised, drowsy voice rumbled in his chest.

"Mmhmm." I said, my eyes closed again, trying to regain sleep.

"Wha? How? When?" He stuttered. I laughed lightly at his attempt to speak. I decided to mind link him.

-Good morning.- I said cheerily.

-Your mind linking doesn't give you vertigo anymore?- he asked, his thoughts were a mess I couldn't read anything.

-What do you mean? I haven't had any pain or vertigo since I woke up, two days ago.- I said drowsily. I was still in his arms, inhaling that addicting scent. I kinda wanted to taste his lips again.

-What do you mean you woke up two days ago? I've been gone for two days, you woke up as soon as I left?- I could sense the hurt and frustration he was feeling.

-No, no. Not as soon as you left. Just the day after, I woke up and there was no pain.- I said smiling. Soon I sensed a strange feeling, desire, coming from Raph's mind. I opened my eyes and saw him staring at my cleavage which was showing because my loose "replacement" pj shirt had been pulled nearly all the way down below my breasts.

I moved and pulled my shirt up, blushing hard as I did so. I hid my face in the pillow trying to hide my embarrassment. I looked up to see Raph grinning at me like an idiot.

"What?" I asked slowly.

"Oh nothing, just how incredibly adorable you look when you blush." He said still grinning.

I bit my lip and looked down, which was a mistake because then I saw that Raph was shirtless. I stared then looked away hurriedly. He laughed and then got up, "You can look, I don't mind." He said on his way to the closet.

And I did look as he walked away, 'Oh, he was a gorgeous man.' I thought laying back down on the bed and pulling the covers back over me. 'Oh my goodness. I had slept, in the same bed as that man!' I thought in my head, 'I mean we didn't do anything, just cuddled I guess, although there was that one moment where I had sensed that wave of desire from Raph.' I pushed my thoughts away and tried to regain my sleep.

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Raphael went to the closet because he didn't know what he would do if he stayed in the same bed with Brooke any longer. The sight of almost seeing her breasts was tempting enough but when he saw her blush and bite her lip, he had wanted to kiss her on those soft, pink lips again. And he didn't know where that would lead.

He did not think that his little mate was quite ready for what he had planned.

He walked out of the closet after having put a shirt on, although he did want to see how she would react to him walking out with no shirt on. But he decided against it, he wasn't sure if he would be able to control himself if she bit her lip again.

He went to the bathroom to comb his hair and brush his teeth, then went out to see that his mate was sleeping again. He smiled; amused at his mate's behaviour. He walked up to her and started rub circles on her shoulder, she twitched then jerked awake and sat up, looking flustered.

"Uh… uh, don't do that," She said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, which Raph thought was precious.

"And why not?" He asked cheekily.

She bit her lip and looked away, blushing. He resisted the strong urge to kiss her, he didn't want to push her, she was supposed to be resting.

'Although she had been awake for two days.' He reasoned in his mind.

"Brooke, honey, you're gonna want to sit up for this." He said, because she had laid back down.

Brooke raised herself up on one arm then collapsed back down on the bed, "But I'm too tired." She said closing her eyes and sinking back into the covers.

"Well then, I'm leaving without you." He said then turned to leave.

"Hmm, and where are you going this time?" She asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Raphael smiled at how adorable his mate was being, "Somewhere you can go too, if you're well enough to walk."

"Oof, fine." She got up and trudged to the closet, grabbing the wall as she did.

"Are you okay?" He asked slightly worried.

She turned to look at him, with her eyes squinting, "Yeah, I'm fine." Then she yawned again, "I'm just waking up." Then she turned and walked into the closet.