Chapter 52

I sat down in the downstairs living room, or game room, with my parents looking at me expectantly.

I had told Raph that I was fine, and he begrudgingly left.

"What?" I asked after the long prevailing silence that had followed since we'd entered the house.

"Brooke, sweetheart, has Mr. Rivers hurt you?" My mom asked, her hazel eyes concerned.

My eyebrows drew together in confusion, 'Hurt me? Wait.' "You think," I gasped, still not believing that this had even crossed their minds, "You think that Raph hurt me, like-like, attacked me?" I whispered those last two words. Horrified that my parents thought Raph capable of something like that.

"No." I whispered, "No! How could you think that?!"

"We're just confused, honey." My dad said, trying to placate me, "In the car on the way to the dump, he said that he loved you." My dad stared at me, as if waiting for me to deny him.

"Yes," I said slowly, "I know, he told me on the Ferris Wheel, and I said it back." I looked down at my feet, remembering that happy moment.

"You love him?" My mom asked, confusion and happiness written on her face, my dad had a confused expression as well.

"Yes." I said.

"Does this mean that you're going back with him?" My dad asked. My mom's face returned to the worried one. She placed her hand on my dad's leg, they always did this for as long as I could remember, this was one of their many shows of affection. A hand on a leg. To show the other that they were there.

I hesitated at their question. I wanted to, more than anything, go back with Raph. I would miss my family, but I don't know if I could live without him. My mate.

I nodded slowly, "Yes. I will go back with him."

"Will he take care of you though?"

A smile spread slowly across my face, "I'm sure he will."

"Brooke… don't, just, be safe."

I choked on my breath a little bit, "Mommy, of course I will." I said fiddling with my braid nervously.

"Okay, we'll-we'll have a send off party for you when you leave. When are you leaving?" She asked carefully.

I looked away like I was thinking when I was actually just asking, -Hey Raph, when are we leaving?-

-What do you mean? What day?-

-Yes.- I said insistently.

-Wednesday.-

"I think he said Wednesday." I told my parents.

"Wednesday, okay." My mom said, I could see that her eyes were shining with tears. I was her first child that she would have to let go, Judith had moved out, but she lived in an apartment very close by. Prince George, wasn't close by.

~~~~~~~~

Raphael lay on his bed listening to the conversation that was just over twelve metres from his door.

Brooke's parents were drilling her on how she felt about him? If he was safe? And if he would protect her?

He knew that she loved him, she'd told him as much. A smile was still painted on his face from the experience. If he was safe, well he would be, most of the time. And if he would protect her, yes. With his life.

Brooke had asked him when they were leaving and he'd acted as if he had no idea what was happening outside his door.

At the end of the interrogation they'd decided that they would throw a going away party. He was fine with that, as long as Brooke wasn't overwhelmed with anything, he was fine.

He listened as she walked to the bathroom then walked out, into her

room.

-So, how'd it go?- He asked.

-Eh. It went well, I think. I mean-yeah, it went well.- She replied stumblingly.

-You know it's all gonna be okay in the end though?-

-Yeah.- She said, then he heard her yawn in the next room, -Anyway, I'm going to bed goodnight.-

-Goodnight, Brooke.-

He got up and changed into his pyjamas. Then he rolled into bed, and closed his eyes, breathing in his mate's calming scent.

But it stopped. Just like last night.

He rushed out of his bed and ran to the door. He tried to get to Brooke's door but an invisible barrier blocked the way. His wolf was on the edge, wanting nothing more than to shift and protect their mate.

A low growl puttered out of his throat, his teeth and nails had elongated. He paced the small hallway and kept attacking the barrier but with no luck.

'What did they want with her?!' He asked a thousand times in his head.

He stood there feeling defeated and awful, he couldn't protect his mate, and who knows what was happening to her at this moment.

~~~~~~~~~

I crawled into bed and began smelling that same decaying smell that I had last night, I tried to push it away, thinking it was only a dream, but it wasn't.

A cold, clammy hand grabbed my neck and raised me in the air. I started to loose my oxygen. I opened my eyes and the creature in front of me, nodoubtedly an Elf, but different than the one that had come last night.

This one had long, light, blonde hair that was kept half up. But his eyes weren't white, they were blue. A terrifying blue. His image flickered and for a millisecond I saw his frightening true form, a black, skeletal frame with flesh still hanging off of it, it seemed. His blue eyes stared at me with the same unchanging intensity.

I tried to hide my fear, but it was pointless. He moved so my body was dangling over my floor, instead of my bed.

He spoke with the same 'nails-on-a-chalkboard' voice though.

"What are you?" He asked and the smell got worse.

That question again, what do you want me to say?!

I tried to kick him but to no avail. I was beginning to black out, the smell and lack of oxygen was too much.

All of a sudden I remembered when Thresh had scoffed at my pain when I was out, I had transferred that pain to him through some sort of mind link. I couldn't sense a channel coming from the Elf, but it was worth a shot.

I stopped struggling and concentrated on the Elf, I wanted him to feel my pain. My lack of oxygen, how hard it was to breathe.

Soon I heard him gasping and he clutched his throat, and dropped me. I collapsed on the ground coughing and trying to regain my clarity. But every time I inhaled my lungs filled with the noxious, rotting air.

The Elf composed himself quickly and pinned my arms against the wall with lightning speed. I strained to release myself but he was freakishly strong.

"Hmm, that was impressive?" His voice sounded deeper now and more like the monster from Ferngully. He licked his lips and snaked his tongue along my collarbone. I held in a scream and closed my eyes.

I couldn't sense Raph, just like last time.

"No mark." He said, more to himself. "Interesting…"

He grabbed my breast and I did scream and kneed him in the groin, he didn't flinch and smacked me across the face, "Shh… I only have a few more seconds." He said while holding my chin.

My face still stung from the slap and I focused on him feeling that. He soon grimaced slightly and stepped back. Then slapped me so hard I saw stars, "Stop doing that!" He yelled.

I looked up waiting for the next attack but he was gone.

I slumped against the wall then everything went black.