Chapter 154

All six of them sat around one of the tables in the strategy tent, the sky now dark and the battle having died down.

Kratos, Thomas, Raphael, Mark, Nathan and Brooke.

The only sound was the occasional beeping from the radios.

Thomas was near passing out and Kratos was attempting to hide his tiredness by bothering others. Thresh had remained in the forest with a small team of warriors to keep an eye on the Chimera and just in case the Elves decided to attack during the night.

Louis was guarding the outside entrance to the Haven and Rob with him. Ditri and Onyx were guarding the main, hidden, hedge entrance to the Haven. Other heads were stationed along the mountains with small teams. The forest was lit with a few fires from the Chimera that were being put out slowly.

"We need some entertainment." Kratos said stifling a yawn.

"Do we?" Asked Brooke in her sarcastic manner.

"Yes, why don't you sing like you did in that bar?" He asked leaning forward, a smirk on his face.

Brooke's face spread into a smile.

"What singing? What bar?" Raphael asked, his body getting tense.

"It, uh. Well, you remember when I said that Kratos went to lunch with me, yeah well, uh… it was a karaoke bar and I kinda sang Footloose." She finished biting her lip with a smile.

"Why?" He asked, feeling upset.

"Because." She answered her eyes looking at him playfully.

He just looked at her with a smile and pulled her onto his lap, nuzzling her neck. He wasn't in the mood to fight.

"Raph!" She shrieked in objection to him nuzzling her mark.

He smiled, "Yes, love?"

"People." She said angrily.

He just smiled and rested his chin on her opposite shoulder. He liked showing that she was his mate. And no one could touch her. She was his and he wanted to show the other males in the room that, especially Kratos who seemed to think that he was in charge of her.

Mark and Nathan were looking away to avoid seeing the couple's intimacy, Thomas was half asleep and Kratos was just watching with a smile on his lips.

A few seconds of silence passed and Kratos spoke again, "You two boys fighting yet?"

Raph hugged her tighter, he didn't like it when the Alpha spoke. It felt grating on his ears.

Mark looked at the new man, regarding him with his dark, green eyes, "No, we're not able to fight on the field yet."

Kratos nodded the smile never leaving his face, "And you're a warrior?"

Mark drew back and Nathan looked at the Alpha distrustingly.

"Yes." He replied, "You're the Alpha's brother, right?"

Kratos nodded. Mark then asked, "Do you have a gift like him?"

Kratos's smile widened to show his white teeth, "That I do. Care to guess what it is?"

Nathan looked at Raph then at his brother then at Kratos, "Ice?" He asked.

Kratos burst out laughing, "No, no, but my other brother does, but no, I don't."

Raphael could see why Nathan would think ice, the man's eyes were cold and ice-like.

He looked down to see Brooke smiling in his arms. During the fighting she'd seemed so depressed and anxious, he still felt a rotting guilt at telling her to unlock Amelia's gift but for now, nothing absolutely horrendous had come of it.

He was glad to see her smile.

"I give up." Mark said, tossing his hands in the air, Nathan nodded indicating that he had as well.

Kratos continued smiling, "Well, I'm afraid it's a secret."

Mark and Nathan both looked at each other looking upset.

A few more seconds passed and he looked out the window to see that most of the fires were gone and it looked like normal forest once more, except for the giant scorch marks left from the Elves magic.

"So, what do ya say Brooke, how about you sing a song for us." Kratos said interrupting the peaceful atmosphere.

He growled low in his throat at the Lycan's persistent requests.

Brooke held his hand but he still continued to glare at the man, "I don't feel like singing." She stated.

"Ah, well. You don't have to sing something like Footloose, you can sing something slow, Thomas here is already asleep." He kicked Thomas's chair and the Gamma only stirred slightly.

Raph hid a smile at how exhausted he had become from only one day of fighting, but to be fair Thomas had not fought in any of the previous wars.

He heard Brooke give a breathy laugh, "I know a few slow songs, one that would even be a great lullaby, but…"

"But what?" Kratos asked.

"Well it's… it's not really, you know a song that you'd sing, in like public." She answered.

He kissed the top of her head. Her scent could calm him but right now it was only reminding him of how she was his and that Kratos was attempting to dominate her. He would not let him.

"Oh, come on. Did I laugh before, we won't laugh now, isn't that right boys?" He asked pointing at the brothers. Both of them nodded, their eyes showing the awkwardness of Kratos asking them.

She opened her mouth and sang her shower song. Raph listened to it with a small smile on his face. It was a slow, sweet song and her voice helped to calm him.

She finished and the three men clapped, Thomas slept through it all and Raph gave her a little squeeze and kissed her below her ear, "That was beautiful." He mumbled gently.

She leaned against his chest he could see a blush on her face and a small smile.

"Where'd you learn to sing?" Kratos asked.

Raph swallowed a sour flavour in his mouth as he turned his head to look at the persistent male.

She cleared her throat, "I never learned, uh. My mom actually she uh, she has a really nice voice so I got it from her."

Kratos smiled and nodded, "Well," He rose to his feet, "I'm off, see you tomorrow." He said then left.

"Finally." He breathed once he could tell that the Lycan was gone.

Brooke laughed, "Raph! Really, he wasn't that bad. At least he didn't… you know." She made a gesture with her fingers making them wiggle to show Kratos's gift.

He laughed, "No, but he was sure annoying enough." His face darkened.

"Oh, come on, cheer up." She said as she stood from his lap. Her brown hair was pulled into a braid resting on her shoulder and her face was calm despite the stressful day she'd had.

"Hey, Raphael." Nathan said and they both turned.

In both of the brothers' hands were handfuls of snow. They were gesturing towards Thomas as if asking if they could.

He heard Brooke giggle then cover her mouth.

He cracked a smile and nodded.

The two boys walked to where the sleeping Gamma was and dumped the snow on his face.

He woke up with a start and began jumping around the cold snow having fallen into his shirt.

The entire tent burst into laughter at the scene. Mark and Nathan were rolling on the ground.

"Ah! Ah! What the-" Tom looked up and saw the four of them all bent over laughing, "Why?" He asked attempting to hide a smile and appear angry.

"Oh my gosh." Brooke said breathlessly as she straightened still laughing.

Raph couldn't help the laughter that exited from his mouth. Thomas's expression was priceless.

"Yeah, yeah, I see. Well, I'm glad that you guys found it so funny, we need more laughter around here." Thomas said as he shook his shirt to free it from the snow.

Once they had calmed down and apologized to Thomas they all retreated to their cabins.

Unlocking the door he turned his mate to look at him, "I'm gonna have to stay at the tent."

Her eyes widened and her mouth parted to speak but he spoke first.

"I know, but I can't risk an Elf attack and being caught off guard."

She shook her head, "But you need your sleep, yo-you need to rest. You've been working and standing all day, you need to sleep."

He pursed his lips and looked at her with sorry eyes.

"Please, darling." She said holding his arms and resting her head on his chest.

"Shh, shh, I'll be fine." He stroked her back, "You need your sleep too." He closed his eyes and listened to her heartbeat, it slowly reduced in it's beats indicating she was nearly asleep.

He carried her to the room and removed her boots and coat, and bra and socks. He knew she never slept with those.

She opened her eyes sleepily and he gave her a kiss, -Be safe.- She told him and she raised her hand to stroke his hair, tickling his scalp a bit. Her eyes closed and he left.