Chapter 36

I sat on the bed waiting for Raph to come back out. I felt guilty and I hadn't even said sorry, 'That would be the first thing I said once he came out.' I determined in my mind.

I thought back to when my older sister, Judith, had asked me how I would be able to live in this world outside of home. I never really took responsibility for my actions and I usually walked away if I didn't like what I was hearing. Just like I'd done to Raph.

I sighed, disappointed in myself.

"Now, why are you so sad?" I looked up to Raph's soft voice and saw his shirtless body. I stared for a couple seconds at the perfectly sculpted abdomen and pecs. 'He is gorgeous I thought as I looked into his golden eyes set in his perfect face, all topped with his flawless silver hair.

He walked forward and crouched in front of me, "Why do you look so sad?" He said, holding my gaze.

I didn't like to apologize, I actually loathed it, but he deserved to hear one, "I'm sorry." I said quickly, a look of warmth? I wasn't sure, crossed his face, I continued, "I'm sorry for walking away, and for not talking and stuff, I'm sorry."

I looked back into his glowing, gold eyes and saw love. I saw love in his eyes. A warm feeling spread through me and I felt like I was floating.

He pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back. I inhaled his delicious scent that made my mouth water. I felt safe and loved. I felt happy.

-Raph, I need to get changed.-

-Okay.- he said. He still didn't let go of me, I smiled.

I came out of the closet dressed in my pjs, I had put on a thin bra so my breasts were still controlled.

I grabbed my brush and sat down next to Raph.

"Do you know how to brush hair?" I asked.

He laughed a little and said yes.

"Okay, great." I pulled my braid out and asked him to brush it. He started from the bottom and worked his way up very slowly, and every time his fingers brushed against my neck it sent a shiver through my body.

"I'm done." He said, his voice husky. I liked Raph's voice. It wasn't too deep or too high, it wasn't quite baritone but almost. It was perfect.

"Okay, thank you." I braided my hair back, and the entire time I could feel Raph's gaze on my back.

With my back still turned to him I asked, "Raph, what are we gonna do about my family?"

There was no reply. I tuned and faced him, "Raph?"

"I'm… not busy tomorrow if you want to leave tomorrow." He said, I could see hurt in his eyes.

"It's not like I'm staying there forever…" I realized, how would they see me all of a sudden moving in with a man they've never met before? They're going to think I eloped or something. I started to panic. What would they think of me?

Raph pulled me in for another hug and just held me. "How can we fix this? I don't want to lose my family" I could feel a hysteria rising in me, at the helplessness of not being able to fix this.

"Shh, I don't know. We'll figure something out." Raph said while stroking my hair.

I soon fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~

Raphael stared at his sleeping mate. She looked so peaceful, so calm with her long, curled eyelashes resting on her rosy cheeks. He had to figure out how to fix the problem with her family. He tucked her in then went downstairs.

He saw that Nathan and Mark were still in the living room watching TV, with Duma. 'Dammit!' He'd forgotten about him in all of the chaos.

He stood in the doorway and asked, "So Duma, what room would you like?"

Duma pointed to the one connected to the room, "I'd like this one, right next to the TV, it's perfect." He could see the excitement in the cheetah's eyes. He laughed, "Okay, then it's settled. The bed should be all made up, and I'm sure Mark and Nathan wouldn't mind sharing some of their clothes with you. Just until we get you some of your own." He gave the brothers both pointed looks.

"Uh… no, yeah sure man."

"We'd love to." The brothers affirmed.

"Great, be quiet, Brooke's sleeping. If you need me I'll be in my office." He said as he left the room.

He sat down in his office, upstairs, and opened his laptop. He began to research Brooke's family. Her father had been a chef and was now a land surveyor. Her mother had worked at Canadian Tire and now does manicures at home. Her eldest sister followed in her mother's footsteps and was now working at a salon, she was twenty-two. Her brother worked as a landscaper and part-time at a grocery store. Her youngest sister was fifteen and focused on getting her driver's license this year. They had a good income and clean records, except for something about her dad stealing a kayak.

He was glad to see that Brooke had been raised in a healthy home. He kept digging and found that her parents had married quite young, ages nineteen and twenty. 'So they would be lenient to her marrying at this age.'

As he was scrolling he found a newspaper article with a young Brooke's face on it and opened it. The headline read: 10 YEAR OLD GIRL KILLED ALONG WITH GRANDMOTHER IN DEVASTATING ACCIDENT.

The girl's name had been Erica and it said that she had been twins with a girl named Brooke, they showed a picture of a ten year old Brooke with tears streaming down her face. Her sister Erica and grandmother Elaine had died in a drunk driving accident. A drunk driver had sheered off the front of their vehicle and they had both died.

He was tempted to wake Brooke up and ask her why she'd never told him she had a twin who had died. But he decided to wait till she told him. She would tell him in her own time.

He made a couple more calls before he closed his laptop and left the room. He went to his room and laid down next to his mate. He watched as her chest rose and fell with her breaths. Her mouth was partly open.

He remembered how she had shivered when he had touched her neck while he was brushing her hair. Her smooth, rich, dark brown hair, which he had discovered had golden hints that shone when in the light. Her hair smelled strongly of her cinnamon scent, along with hints of what must've been her shampoo, a sweet flower scent.

He pulled her into his arms and rested his head against hers and inhaled her scent. He wanted to let her know that it would all be alright. That he had a plan.