Chapter 160

Twisting his lips in distaste of the bloody flavour he stood and shifted then washed his mouth in a pile of pure, white, mountain snow.

Brooke would probably be worried for his health, he thought with a smile.

Standing he realized that his shoulder was pretty banged up, along with his back and a few other places.

But, he was slowly healing and he could now use all of his senses.

-Beta.- He turned and saw Rose, Thomas's second in command of stealth.

"Yes."

-Strategy tent called and said that you needed help, they also said that they need you back up there.- She said.

He had moved his gaze to the strategy tent before she had finished her sentence.

Only Brooke would have known that he would be in danger, but why would she need him up there…

Before his thoughts could finish a bright, sickly green lit up the sky and he saw it crash directly into the tent.

He immediately shifted and ran for the place, for his mate.

As he ran he recollected that El-kor had said he would have Brooke in his grasp. He grimaced in hatred for that Elf.

He was nearing the tent and shifted mid run and began to slow as he neared the scorching heap that used to be the tent.

"Brooke!" His ears caught the distinct sound of sobbing, of his mate sobbing.

He ran faster and his nose took in all of the wretched smells of burning flesh and burnt plastic.

He scanned the area and spotted his mate curled into a ball, her head resting in her knees as she wailed loudly.

He sprinted towards her but his eyes looked at the body next to her and he collapsed to the ground in shock.

Mark.

"No. No! No!" He yelled in anger. He began to panic as he searched for Nathan, his shoulders sank when he found him, only a few metres away from where his brother had died. Still breathing.

He looked back at Mark and felt his eyes burn and his throat close. He knew that dying in that way was excruciating. He choked and crawled to where his sobbing mate was.

He encircled her and felt her small arms reach around his waist.

They cried together until they were spent, she whimpered softly and he began to rock her slowly. His shoulder objected to the movement but the pain lessened as he healed.

He heard her attempt to croak out his name but he just silenced her. He doubted his vocal chords could even form words much less her's.

He turned his head and looked at the young Lycan's body. His heart was stung at the thought of what he had gone through.

-I sang to him.- She said.

He gave her a squeeze, -That's good.-

-He asked me to.- She paused, -He saved me. He took that thing for me.-

Raphael didn't know what to say, Mark had sacrificed his life for his mate's. Blinking he raised his stinging eyes to the sky.

He slowly shifted where they were sitting so she wasn't facing Mark and he pulled away slightly.

Her eyes were red and her entire face was flushed and warm. Her eyes looked so sad. Before he could stroke the hair that had stuck to her face, her thumb reached up and stroked his cheek gently. He sniffed, and she simply stared at him with a mixture of warmth and sadness.

-I have something to tell you.- She said in a timid voice.

He heard a noise and turned his face to look at the wreckage they were sitting in. The unconscious Lycans were waking.

He straightened and picked up his mate then carried her to a tree stump, he dusted the snow off and sat with her on his lap.

"What do you need to tell me?" He asked, his voice was hoarse and his throat was dry.

She cleared her throat but didn't speak. Her eyes only stared blankly at the trees.

He nudged her temple gently with his nose and she looked up at him, fear was evident in her eyes.

He heard her swallow, "I… I'm… El-kor said that I was-am, I am… part Elf."

He froze.

He didn't know how to react. It didn't change the way he felt about his mate, she was still his mate; the one he loved. But… it did explain a few things, the fact that she can speak to Elves and to Shapeshifters, the fact that she could unlock Amelia's gift…

He felt her tense, he looked and saw that she was staring at him with terror.

"No. No… I still love you." He held her chin, "Nothing, nothing could change that. You are my wife, my mate. And you are mine."

Her shoulders relaxed and she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.

He stroked her back and rested his nose in the crook of her neck.

"Beta! No! She's an Elf!" He heard Luke his second yell.

She tightened her grip on him and his eyes opened. A fire in the golden irises.

He growled at the intruder, his eyes darkening.

"B-beta, but she's-"

"My mate." He said coldly.

He set her down on the stump and stood before Luke and checked to make sure she was okay, she nodded, -Just don't kill him.-

A warmth bloomed in his chest, how could she still care about him after what he'd said about her.

Sighing he straightened and stalked towards the younger Lycan.

"Beta, you don't understand. She's controlling you. She's not actually your mate."

Raph burned with fury against these wolves. They had the audacity to say that Brooke was not his mate?!

He moved quickly and grabbed Luke's neck in a deadly grip.

"She. Is. My. Mate. And you…" He looked at the surrounding Lycans, "Will respect her."

"But B-" A female warrior, Tammy started to object to his statement.

"She may be part Elf, but she is also part Lycan." He saw some of their eyes glaze over and wondered what Brooke thought of their words.

"She has never fought for the enemy." He dropped Luke back to the ground and the Lycan collapsed, coughing.

"Mark? Mark!" A distraught voice suddenly interrupted him.

He looked at Brooke but she was already running in the direction of the ruined tent.

He watched the other Lycans they seemed confused.

He knew that the Pack had never cared for his mate and it had hurt him and had made him furious. He was their Beta. They have no say in who his mate is, and they should not care. All they needed to do was respect her.