Chapter 165

While he and Brooke were helping in the hospital they were called to a meeting.

She entered before him and he ducked through the low door.

Looking around he could spot most of the heads from his pack, save Lilla and James who still hadn't been seen.

His brows furrowed. They were some of the most diligent Lycans he knew, where could they be?

Shaking it off he led Brooke to stand at the corner of the table, next to where Thresh would stand.

Thresh, Alastor and their sister: Brissa, all arrived, soon followed by a rushing Kratos. Alpha Ditri came in along with a few other Alphas that were under Thresh and were in this area.

"The Elves have completely pulled their forces and the Pixies are no longer to be seen. We have taken a few Shapeshifters hostage and we are interrogating them now." Thresh said robotically as if he was reading from a script, "Now, how many casualties did each group suffer?"

The heads each began to round off how many they'd lost, the highest of them being Louis and his warriors.

"James?" Thresh asked, his eyes searching the table.

Raphael was just about to reply when all of their heads rose to see Thomas arriving, his face severe.

"Lilla's dead." He said in a lifeless tone, "And James is missing."

On instinct Raph wrapped his arm around Brooke, her heart was beating rapidly and her breathing was shallow. He stroked her back, once they were back home he would have to do something or else she would shut down, he just knew it.

His focus changed back to Thresh as the Alpha recounted for this loss, "Malcolm?" He called.

"He's at the hospital, Alpha." A person responded.

Thresh nodded, "He is the new head healer."

Everyone in the tent nodded, recognizing the Alpha's order. He made no move to replace James as the hunter had not been pronounced dead yet, but the odds weren't good. Most Lycans went feral after their mate died unless they had a strong hold on their wolf, but if they didn't. Well then… it was never good.

"Raphael. How many strategists did you lose?" Thresh asked as evenly as he had the others.

"Three. And I have two in the hospital." He replied.

Thomas was then asked how many stealth he had lost, which was it's usual minimum.

After that, the meeting was adjourned and the occupants of the bunker dismissed.

-You two, stay.- Thresh mind linked them.

Raph looked down at Brooke but she had covered her face with her toque. They both turned and she reached to hold his hand.

Raising his eyes he looked at Thresh who had a small, fire laying in his grey eyes. Swallowing he looked away from his Alpha.

"I'm sure Raphael has said that I wanted to speak to you." He stated to start off the conversation that was sure to be full of yelling, mostly on his mate's part.

Brooke didn't reply.

"Sit." Thresh said and Raph sat down on one of the seats, Brooke sitting on the one next to him, their hands still linked.

"Now, as I'm sure you are now aware, you are part Elf, Lycan and human. I knew the first of your species, Henri, he was a Métis. You are part Métis, correct?" Thresh asked, raising an eyebrow.

Raph's eyes moved to see his mate nod, her face was blank but he could see her eyes moving quickly compensating for her usual rapid movements, "Yes." She said slowly, "I'm part Métis from my Gramma's side, but mostly Scottish."

Raph's brows rose at this, 'Interesting.'

Thresh continued, "You see, Henri, was the second born generation of a human and Lycan mating. His grandparents were dead but he'd still inherited his grandfather's ability to mind link. His father was an Elf."

Thresh paused and the bunker went silent.

Clearing his throat he began again, "None of us knew that he was part Elf, his mother had only been with child… we'd all thought her to be… well, indecent. We only knew that his grandfather was a Lycan. When Henri found his mate, and the mate bond was strengthened… he collapsed just like you had." Thresh nodded at Brooke who was silent, "For three or four days he was in the infirmary with the healers but they could do nothing. When he awoke, he was much stronger than you… you are of a weaker strain of blood than him; he was able to shift, and use the magic of the Elves. His father one day came to him after his… transformation and told him of who he was. Henri was… confused and though his mate tried to comfort him, he left her, and joined with his father."

Raph watched his mate very carefully, as she was eerily silent. He had been expecting her to speak up at every chance and ask questions but she had done nothing of the sort.

"After many failed attempts to defeat him and his father, along with the Elves with them; I recruited Kratos to help me, in hopes that somehow with his gift he would not be as transparent as we had been. Kratos and I eventually killed Henri and we had thought that we'd slain all of his descendants but…" Thresh waved his hand at Brooke, "Apparently not."

It was relatively the same story he'd told Raph, save the bit about Kratos. Raph waited for Brooke to speak but she still made no signs of it.

After a few minutes of utter silence, her lips parted, "Who was his father?"

The bunker went silent once again and he could feel the clamminess of her hands.

"El-kor."

Author's Note: Métis are what we Canadians call the offspring of the European explorers and the indigenous people.