Chapter 90

"What did you say?" He asked menacingly.

The living room they occupied was now empty as everyone else could see that their Beta was angry.

The two Lycans were on their knees bowing their heads. He walked closer to Ryan and pulled his dark hair back, "Tell me what you did to upset my mate." He said through gritted teeth.

"We didn't know she could hear us." He said, wincing in pain and confusion on his face.

"Was that what I asked for?" He kneed him in the nose and Ryan cried out in pain.

He walked to John. Raphael knew that John had seen his wrath before, he wouldn't try to cross him.

He pulled his hair back as well.

John spoke through the pain, "We called her weak, and…" He trailed off.

Raphael was already furious about their first insult, "And?!" He increased the pressure on John's hair.

The Lycan groaned in pain, "We said that… that you weren't true mates."

Raph smashed the Lycan's face against his knee and heard a satisfying crack.

Both the Lycans were kneeling on the carpet holding their faces. He wouldn't kill them, he knew that they both had mates, and he was their Beta, they were part of his pack.

He walked out of the room following Brooke's scent amongst all of the others in the house. He spotted his Alpha near one of the living room's doorways.

He watched warily, unsure if he would rebuke him for his behaviour or ignore it.

To his surprise the Alpha nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

'So, he accepted it. Strange.'

He moved through the throng of people, their scents mingling, but her's was still the strongest.

"Beta!" He heard a familiar voice call.

He reluctantly looked at the speaker.

"Beta!" Lilla came into view, her giant of a mate walking directly behind her.

"Lilla, James. Glad to see you're back." Raph said with a smile. He continued to glance in the direction her scent was coming from.

"Thank you, Beta. I was just wondering why you've never called back." She asked her hand joined with James's.

Raph raised an eyebrow quizzically, "Referring to what?"

"When I called you, in October back. Gamma answered and said that he would tell you…" Her voice dwindled at the end.

Raph inhaled deeply, "Well it would appear that he didn't. What was the information?"

"Uh, just that Amelia wasn't Alpha Spruce's daughter, so now we have no way to account for her going missing if she didn't have the stealth ability." She finished bowing her head as if embarrassed for saying too much.

Raph froze. The girl, the hybrid. He couldn't think about that right now, he had to find Brooke.

"Thank you Lilla, James," He nodded to the hunter, "I'll begin searching as soon as I can, good evening, and Merry Christmas."

~~~~~~~

Raph followed her scent and found her in the ballroom sitting on a small love seat in the corner by a Christmas tree.

She was sitting with her back to the arms of the chair her knees were tucked in and her arms both rested on them, her nose and eyes were peeking out above her arms and watching the snow fall outside the window.

His heart softened at how vulnerable she looked at that moment. There were a few other people in the room but not enough to call a crowd.

He walked to the love seat and sat down at her feet, which were covered by her long dress.

He watched as she stared out of the window her eyes not moving, he wondered for a moment if she was listening to someone else talking behind her back.

He moved his hand and rubbed her feet, her eyes didn't move to look at him but her heard her voice.

"No one likes me."

The sadness in her voice broke his heart.

"That's not true." He said gently but firmly.

"Yes, it is,"

He was about to refute her words but she continued.

"Throughout the entire party everyone kept giving me dirty looks, and then those two guys start saying that I'm pathetic and not even pretty and that you don't care about me, and that by now I should be pregnant,"

His fist clenched at her words, those two Lycans got off easy. He watched as his mate's eyes began to shine with tears.

"And I know that I'm annoying and over excited a lot of the time, and I'm not really pretty. And I know that most people I know have to force smiles when they talk to me, a-"

He had to stop her there, she was putting herself down and he wouldn't have it.

He lifted her onto his lap and kissed her on her pink glossy lips.

"Do you know what you're doing?" He asked gently, his hand on her back and his other holding her small, pointed chin.

She wouldn't meet his eyes and looked down biting the inside of her lip. Her eyelashes looked dazzling from this angle. And her cleavage was quite noticeable.

When she didn't answer after so long he answered the question.

"You're tearing yourself down. Why?" He asked stroking her soft chin.

"It's all true." She said, her voice unsteady.

"No, it's not," he said firmly, "Has anyone ever said these things to you?"

She met his eyes and the hurt and frustration in them made his heart squeeze in anguish.

"They just did!" She spread her hand to indicate the two Lycans who had started this.

She rested her head on his shoulder and he stroked her back soothingly. He could hear her breathing in shallow, tremulous breaths.

"Shh…" He kissed her on the forehead, "You are the most beautiful women I have ever met. You are the most caring person I have ever met, and you are one of the strongest. You are incredibly intelligent and I think you're hilarious." He said rubbing her shoulder looking across the room thinking of how cute she could be.

He looked down because she was still quiet. Her eyes were distant and drawn together in thought.

He sighed agitatedly, "Why won't you believe me?" He asked.

She looked up, her dark hair had fallen around her shoulders in soft locks.

He quickly devised a plan to get her to finally agree with him. It might not work but he would still enjoy it.

He moved his hand to the base of her neck and pressed his lips to hers. The cinnamon flavour immediately exploded in his mouth with its spicy notes.

She placed her hands on his chest and warmth spread from where she touched. He slowly started to move his lips against hers and her soft lips parted, he asked as he moved his tongue playfully into her mouth, -Do you believe me now?-

When she still didn't answer he pressed his lips against hers firmer and began sucking and twisting her tongue.

He could hear her heartbeat increasing and her breath becoming unrhythmic.

-Do you believe me now?- he asked playfully as he continued to kiss her.

-Raph.-

-Do you believe me now?-

He pulled back and looked at his breathless, flushed mate. His wolf was wagging his tail in delight.

He rested his forehead against hers, "Do you believe me now?" He asked looking into her eyes.

She nodded, "Yes." Came her breathless reply.

He smiled and gave her a peck on her forehead.

Charm then entered the room and clasped her hands together and announced, in a clear happy voice, "The dancing will begin soon."

Some instrumental music started to play and he turned to Brooke, who was still sitting on his lap, he moved her off of him gently and stood.

He kneeled in front of her and held his hand out, "May I have this dance?"

He raised his head when she didn't answer. She was sitting with her hands on either side of her legs and biting her lips, which had nearly no more glossiness to them.

"I don't know how to dance." She said a small annoyed smirk on her lips, his mate's usual demeanour was back.