Chapter 141

Raphael waited for her to come back. It had only been twenty minutes, but what else did she have to do?

He scratched his head. It had been a week since he'd last showered and his head itched really bad.

He felt dirty. He still couldn't believe that this was the way Brooke felt when she had been sick. He thought of the whole thing in a new light.

He heard the faint sound of a car engine, one that he could easily recognize as his.

He reached for his crutches and stood, then hopped over to the window.

She pulled into the driveway and parked. That was strange, usually they only used the garage.

-Brooke, how was it?- He asked as he watched the still car, with no signs of life.

She didn't answer.

He pushed down the fear that threatened to swell and he instead waited.

He decided to sit on the window seat and rest his foot.

The door eventually opened and she came out, she looked fine as far as he could tell; but why hadn't she answered him?

He watched as the other door opened and someone else stepped out.

He focused intently on the newcomer, the threat. He recognized her. He stopped and straightened, "Amelia?"

'But how?' He thought, 'She'd been taken by the Elves.' This was a trap and he knew it. His mate was in danger and he was unable to help her.

'Why was Brooke with Amelia? Driving, in the same car as Amelia?' His mind couldn't figure the situation out.

-Brooke, who is she?-

Still no answer.

He waited in agony as he watched her and the Shapeshifter talk and then they walked into the house.

He rested his head against the wall and waited for her to come up the stairs.

When she didn't he almost wanted to yell, "Brooke!" He called, "Brooke!"

He could scent and hear her approaching the door, he gentled his tone and spoke, "Love, you can come in. I won't hurt you."

He could sense her hesitation, and then he heard the door click and saw it slowly move open.

Brooke stepped in, her hair still wavy from the braid was draped like a curtain around her hung head. She stood with her arms wrapped around her waist and biting her lips. Her heart beat was incredibly fast and she kept gasping for breath like she was scared.

He watched her for a few seconds then he sighed, "Let's go sit on the couch, okay?"

She nodded and sat on the couch, he walked a little slower with the crutches and soon joined her. She didn't make any moves to sit closer to him and he felt a little hurt, but instead of focusing on that he spoke calmly, "Brooke, what happened?"

She wasn't looking at him and was staring at the coffee table with a new found interest. He watched as she swallowed hard, but still didn't speak.

He stretched his arm and slowly wrapped it around her shoulders, she sat as rigid as possible and didn't move to rest her head on his shoulder like usual.

"Brooke, speak to me, please love. I need to know why you're so quiet." He asked pleadingly.

She inhaled deeply, "I lied to you. I lied so many times. And I feel so dirty and awful." She sucked in a breath, "It hurts."

He felt shocked and worried, "What did you not tell me?" He began to stroke her soft hair slowly.

"So many things, I-" She gasped, "I don't think I can do this."

He clung to her so that she would move closer, his ribs hurt from the action but he didn't care.

"Yes you can. Just take a deep breath, I'm right here." He said.

"I think Thresh and Charm should hear this too. It pertains to them too," She stood putting her hair behind her ears, "I'll call Thomas too."

He knew that when she put her hair behind her ears it was a sign of weakness. That she was willingly showing her anxiety. He was glad that she wasn't hiding it from him but he was also upset that she wanted to tell everyone at once, what the problem was. To him it felt very personal.

He sighed.

~~~~~~~~

Soon after the Alpha and Luna, and the Gamma were all gathered in the upstairs living room belonging to the Beta and his mate.

The mate that was previously referred to was clearly struggling with the emotions she was feeling.

Raph once again put his arm around her and held her tight.

She just watched the carpet. She closed her eyes and finally spoke, he couldn't believe how much he missed that voice.

"Around New Years there was that break-in. El-kor had snuck in to see the former king Ainur, and to leave me a message."

Raph nearly drew back. This was new information. She had said that the former Elf king had nothing to say, and that he was just rambling, but she had actually received a message.

He watched and waited as Brooke continued.

"The message was, that in two months a girl would be dropped off at the front gates of the Pack, and that I had to pick her up. Only me." She hung her head and the room was dead silent.

"Why are we hearing about this now?" Thresh asked, his voice was grave and angry. Raphael and Thomas's instincts came in and they both felt shame for a crime neither of them committed.

He heard Brooke inhale and exhale deeply, "Because today was the day. El-kor visited me and told me she was here. I went to the front gate and found her. She…" Her tone changed into one he knew well. She had a thought but was trying not to appear as smart so people wouldn't think that she was as smart as she was. A very small smile attempted to appear on his face.

"The girl, she was different. Her channel was… very strange. It was like a bunch of channels were all trying to come out one port. If that makes any sense." She mumbled.

She was sitting with her hands holding her elbows, her back hunched.

"You didn't answer my question." Thresh said threateningly.

She was quiet for a long time and when she finally spoke Raph couldn't explain exactly what he was feeling.

"Ainur told me that if I told anyone about it, El-kor would kill them."

The room was once again dead silent.

Raph's grip on his mate wavered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, doing his best to hide the pain and hurt and anger from his voice.

She turned to him, her eyes strained with emotions, "Didn't you hear me? He said you would die. That you would be killed, that your throat would be slit." She gasped quickly and he felt her body tense.

Her eyes weren't glistening with tears but her voice was broken enough, "I didn't want that to happen to anyone, especially you."

"You could've just mind linked me and no one would've ever known." His voice was getting louder but he couldn't help it. He felt betrayed and angry.

Angry because his mate hadn't come to him, she didn't trust him as her protector.