Chapter 38

Raphael was confused. When they had started shopping she was doing great, she was happy. Then her voice started to quiet, and now she would only use mind links. Her face looked emotionless, he was actually amazed at how well his mate could hide her emotions. But he knew that she was sad.

'Was it because she missed her family?' he wondered.

They walked to the next store, her arm still wrapped around his. He'd loved how the moment they'd entered the mall she had wrapped her arm around his. Like he was hers. And he was. And she his.

He watched her emotionless face with a worried expression. He touched her shoulder, "Hey, you okay?" He asked.

She nodded, "Mmhmm." He thought back to when he had touched her shoulders this morning and how she had gasped, he loved the affect he had on her. But now he was really quite worried about his little mate, who was now staring blankly at the store.

"We can go to a different store if you want." He asked concerned. Her brown eyes met his, they looked hollow, okay now he was really worried. Her eyes usually held such life and happiness, why did they now look so lifeless.

She looked at the mannequin in the centre of the store and let go of his arm. He watched as she started sifting through clothing racks. He stood at the back of the room, watching his mate's lethargic movements, while his mind was running overtime trying to figure out why Brooke was so sad. He watched as she sighed and moved on to another rack, and then moved behind a rack then he heard her mind link, -I'm gonna try something on.-

-Okay.- He said quickly. Her voice sounded so sad. He thought back to the other stores, he remembered her looking at the models and pictures, suddenly a thought crossed his mind. 'Was she comparing herself to those models.' He didn't want to believe it, but it made sense.

'Why would she do that?' He asked himself. 'Doesn't she know that she's the most beautiful woman on the planet?' He walked to where the change rooms were and waited.

He soon heard the door open and she stepped out looking gorgeous. She was wearing a deep red, long sleeve shirt, with a deep v-neck that revealed her pale skin and collarbone. His teeth began to itch at the thought of marking her, but no, he would hold back till she was ready. And he certainly wouldn't do it in the mall.

He refocused on her brown eyes that were watching him expectantly. She swallowed and then looked away from him. He snapped out of his daze, "Brooke, you look gorgeous," He said sincerely, then asked tentatively, "Do you want to try another one on?"

He watched as she swallowed again, then she uttered a barely audible "okay" he smiled softly and said, "Okay." He helped her pick out a few more shirts than he paid for them. He was concerned, his mate seemed depressed. From all of the books he had read about depression, it seemed like she was depressed. But it was okay, he would help her.

They left the store, Brooke seemed a little happier. She was clinging to his arm while he carried the clothes in his free hand. He stopped in front of a shoe store. "Would you like some shoes?" He asked gently while looking at her small face. She stood just below his shoulder, she really was tiny.

She again whispered a barely audible "sure" He replied the same as before "Okay." With the same soft smile. He loved spoiling his mate.

He got her some sparkly sandals, two pairs of sneakers and a pair of rubber boots, they fit her shapely calves perfectly.

'She really was beautiful.' He thought.

On their way out of the mall he kissed the top of her head, he like doing that her hair was soft and it smelled and tasted good too, he would make it a habit of his. "You're beautiful." He told her as they walked to the car.

He watched as her expressionless face turned into one of confusion. But she still didn't say anything. He sighed. 'Why didn't she believe him?' He asked himself frustrated.

They got into the car and she didn't pull her phone out to play her music. He could tell that she loved playing it, so once they were back on the road he asked, "Why don't you play your music?" Looking at her out of the side of his eye.

-I just don't feel like it.- She replied dismally. She was mind linking again, it appeared as though she didn't have the energy to speak.

"Then why don't you sing for me." He said with a smile. She clearly knew the words to the songs, and he wanted to hear her sing them.

-Really?- Her voice held surprise and something else he couldn't place. Doubt, he heard doubt in it. Yesterday she had seemed so confident when she'd argued with him, he never would've expected her to have such low self-esteem. He would have to change that.

"Yes, really. I want to hear you sing." He said, and hoped that she would do it.

She cleared her throat, "Okay." She said shakily. The sound that came out of her mouth shocked him. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, even if she had a horrible singing voice he would probably still have loved it, but the sound that exited Brooke's lungs was heavenly.

She was singing one of the songs that they had listened to previously on there drive here, and she sung it perfectly. She even matched the tone of the guy who had sung it in the original song.

Once she was done he was amazed, "Could you sing another one?" He asked, eagerly wanting to hear more of his beautiful mate's beautiful singing. She giggled softly to his request. He smiled at hearing such a happy sound come out of her mouth. She sung the entire album, she said that she had skipped the rap songs, cause she wasn't a rapper. He'd smiled at that, he wouldn't care if it was bad anyway.

"Could you sing some more?" He asked, then realized that they were nearing the airport. "Wait, we're almost at the airport." He looked at his mate to see that her eyes had widened and her skin had paled.

He reached over and put his hand on hers, "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I-I've never been on a plane before."