Chapter 166

I wanted to say I was surprised but I wasn't.

With the way things were headed, and being the pessimist I was, it felt only natural that my ancestor's father would be the creature haunting me.

"Brooke?" Raph's soft, concerned voice broke me from my dismal thoughts.

My eyes flitted up to meet his, something I'd been hesitant to do before. His warm gold eyes held mine and stopped the cold ache that had begun to form. A cold that threatened to spread and freeze me till I cracked.

Taking a breath I looked at Thresh, "This doesn't exactly explain why you didn't tell me, or Raph." I said raising our joined hands.

Thresh observed the both of us, his grey eyes slowly moving. He looked exhausted, he wasn't showing it but something about how he was acting he looked like he could pass out at any moment.

I didn't care but I didn't understand why he was still sitting here when he could've just as easily walked away once he was finished speaking.

"I didn't tell either of you because I was apprehensive of the past repeating itself." He said.

'Apprehensive. No one talks like that. He must've planned this conversation a long time ago.'

"Did you know immediately?" I asked.

He watched me unwavering, "No. At first I'd thought that you'd simply passed out because the strengthening of the mate bond had been too much for you, but as soon as the signs started to appear I began to… the pieces fell together." He answered.

I shook my head as I remembered when he had told Raph about knowing the first one with my gift. He had made it all seem so harmless.

I blinked, not knowing how to express my anger, my frustration, the feeling of betrayal from someone I'd thought I could trust. After all that time in that cell, was he testing me? I threw the thought away but I was just so…!

I stood, "Well, thank you for the chat Thresh." I said his name with venom, "But I will be leaving." Raph followed me to my feet and we left the bunker.

As soon as we were free from prying eyes I wrapped my arms around myself and hung my head. Raph held my shoulders from behind. He didn't say anything as he offered me comfort. I loved him. I loved his touch and his hugs, the way his arms felt around me, the way it felt to hug him back. Somehow I knew that no matter what he would still love me, I hoped it wasn't because of the mate bond, but even if it was, it was special and he was my mate.

Feeling slightly comforted by my happier thoughts, I craned my head to look at Raph who's eyes were trained on me.

"Let's go find Nathan. Maybe Duma's even feeling better." I said with a sliver of hope. Raph had told me that Amelia had died; the thought still sent a pant of guilt through me. She wouldn't be dead if I hadn't unlocked her gift. But, the small amount of a good side was that maybe, Duma had recovered.

He smiled with a sad look in his eyes, "Yeah."

We walked back and people ran past us quickly, and limped past us, I looked at them nervously, torn between helping them but if I did, I might accidentally make it worse.

We eventually made it to the underground bunker and found that the door was wide open with people climbing in and out.

Making it past the thrall of people we made our way to the main room. Asking for Nathan a woman directed us to the room where he'd been put.

I clung to Raph tightly as he opened the door. But what I saw was more than I could take.

Nathan was sitting on a bed, hunched over, his hands grabbing his black hair in tufts as he made a growling sound. He sounded like he was in pain.

I didn't know what to say. It felt like "the boys" had fallen apart. Mark was… dead, Nathan was struggling with his brother's death and Duma was still unknown as to how he reacted to Amelia being dead.

"Nathan." Raph said.

"Go.... away." He said his voice breaking under the stress of whatever was happening to him.

Raph closed the door. I looked up at him in shock, "But, he needs us."

Raph shook his head, "No. this is something he has to do on his own."

I nodded and looked down, "Is he going feral?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. He could be, or he could manage to get control of his wolf." He began to walk away and I, still holding his arm, followed.

"What ever happened to your wolf?" I asked as we walked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you used to talk about him a whole lot more. But recently you haven't." I explained.

He chuckled a little, "Hmm, before, my wolf talked a lot because we wanted to claim you." He looked at me with a wolfish grin. My brows rose as I looked at him with a cheeky smile, he continued, "Now, I'm not sure. He must've calmed down because we claimed you. But don't worry, he still chirps up if someone tries to harm you." He swung our now joined hands.

I giggled. Raph had explained how his wolf works to me once; it's not a whole other part of himself, it's just his instincts basically. The wolf will just hover over him and represent all of his animalistic instincts. It sounded like a lot and I think I would go insane if I had such powerful instincts like that, but Raph said he liked his wolf.

I guess it's easier to blame things on his wolf rather than on himself.

I shook my head mentally, then again, I was not a Lycan like him.

Our feet brought us to where Duma was staying. Opening the door we saw a cheetah lying on the floor of the cage.