Chapter 94

I was glancing out of the corner of my eye at Raph, he seemed really upset. He was practically vibrating with some sort of emotion. I wasn't sure if it was anger, stress or something else.

We needed to talk but he wouldn't stay for dinner and he would hole up in his office or our room, he'd even begun swimming laps in our pool.

I looked down as Parker began cackling at a steller's jay sitting on the branch of a pine outside.

I giggled as he stared intently at the bird he couldn't reach and cackled, it was such a strange sound.

I stroked between his ears and whispered, "You see the bird?"

"Could the cat stop?!" Raph yelled abruptly.

I glanced up at him. His hands were clenching his silver hair in tufts and his eyes were closed in anger.

He was more stressed than I realized.

I put Parker down and rose to close the curtains. I looked back and saw that he was in the same position.

I twisted my lips as I thought about how to go about this, my eyebrows scrunched together as my eyes searched the floor.

I sat down and tucked my legs under me as I reached for my sleeping cat. I stroked his smooth hair watching Raph's troubled form intently.

My only experience with men had been my brother, my dad, and movies. I knew that even if they weren't prideful or an egomaniac they still had quite a bit of pride.

He probably wouldn't tell me what was wrong unless I forced him too. Well, not force, but prod him.

He moved his head back up and looked at me. He looked tired and angry. I bit the inside of my lip.

"What?" He asked.

My eyebrows drew together at his frustrated tone.

I stared at him trying to figure out why he was so angry. What had made him like this? He was usually composed, he could crack a smile and laugh but he was usually controlled.

Maybe I was rubbing off on him. I thought wryly, but let no emotion show on my face.

"Can't you just tell me?" I asked.

Why can't he just tell me what's eating him?

I looked back at Parker who'd begun bathing.

My eyes raised when I heard Raph sigh heavily and saw that he was supporting his head with his arm, his thumb pressed against his temple.

I sighed softly and put Parker down. I got up and moved to sit next to him, I always liked having him next to me so I hoped he did too.

He wrapped his arm around me which inevitably brought us closer. I inhaled his scent; minty mixed with chlorine. I smiled, you'd think he'd have wrinkled by now, by all the time he spent in that pool, but no. His pale skin was as smooth and strong as ever.

I looked up at his face, his forehead was pulled together in pain it looked like. My heart panged and I tried to think of something to say.

I was always so bad at comforting people, or complimenting people, or just talking to people in general.

I opened my mouth to say, "It's alright." But I didn't know if it was. Then I thought to say, "It's gonna be alright." But maybe it wasn't. "We're okay." I thought of, because we were, but it didn't really pertain to the situation.

I decided since comfort wasn't really my forte I would just ask outright.

"Raph. Please, just tell me. You don't have to keep this to yourself."

I looked up at him, I knew that I looked worried but I wanted him to know that I was.

He sighed, "The night of the party there was a break-in at the prison, no one was freed and the guard on duty has gone missing, so have all the sentinels on duty."

I thought quickly, trying to think of the most reasonable explanation, I hadn't been with the Pack that long but I could tell that Raph was really stressed with this information.

"You think it was Elves." I said.

"Yes, with the help of Pixies."

I nodded my head slowly. Pixies. They were the ones who had helped kidnap me and Thresh. I inhaled deeply with those memories resurfacing.

"So, whoever broke in would've talked to an Elf, most likely." I said. It made the most sense. Maybe it had even been El-kor, but I really hoped it hadn't been.

I saw Raph nod out of the corner my eye, "Yes."

Then I could probably talk to the Elves like I had El-kor. The thought froze me.

"Can I meet them?" I asked.

I felt him tense, "Why would you want to meet them?"

I swallowed, "I um, I can talk to them." I didn't really want to tell him about what happened in Vancouver.

"So can I, but their voices aren't too pleasant and…"

I pressed my lips together.

"What do you mean by you can talk to them?"

I bit my lip and looked up at him and smiled nervously, "I… kind of met an Elf while we were in Vancouver." I squeezed my eyes shut and moved away.

I opened one eye and looked at the man next to me because of his silence.

'I killed him.' I thought.

"You're not, mad? A-are you?" I asked. I couldn't tell what emotion was on his face. I was afraid he was angry at me for keeping it from him, it made sense if he was.

He turned to look at me and I saw his eyes widen in shock, I think. Before I could react he pulled me onto his lap and squeezed me tight against his solid chest.

"How could I be angry at you, I'm worried, and confused as to why you didn't tell me. No, I'm not angry."

I was relieved to hear that but my lungs were burning.

"Okay, Raph I can't breathe."

He loosened his hold slightly and I took a breath.

"I-I didn't tell you, I don't know… I just didn't want you to be worried or anything." I explained.

"Worried? Oh, honey what happened?"