Chapter 168

Waking up the next morning I stretched and sat up on the bed. Raph was sleeping next to me and I crawled on top of him, unbraiding my hair I let it fall all over his face creating a curtain covering us.

His eyes eventually twitched and then he slowly opened them so they were just slits.

"Good morning darling." I said in a smooth voice.

"Morning." He mumbled, smacking his lips and looking around as if just realizing my hair.

I smiled at how sleepy he looked. Leaning down I whispered in his ear, "Do you know what time it is?"

"Hmm."

"It's eight 'o' clock and we have to be at Ditri's house in an hour." I whispered to him. I felt his hands slowly reach into my shirt and begin to massage mindless circles along my back.

"Really?" He asked his eyes opening wider, interest clear in them.

"Yes, really." I said as I leaned down to kiss him.

"Hey guys, I think we're out of food-"

I smiled nervously as I lowered my head to rest on Raph's chest, hiding my embarrassment.

"Good morning Duma." Raph said darkly raising his head to look at the doorway.

"I- uh, I'll just find some somewhere else."

I heard the door close and raised my head to look up at Raph. Biting my lip I let out a nervous smile.

He rubbed my cheek which I assume was bright red, "Why are you so embarrassed?" He asked chuckling.

"I'm sorry? Why do you think?" I gave him a quick peck then rolled off of the bed. I walked to the dresser and pulled out my outfit for the day.

Choosing a purple t-shirt with sleeves that cut off at my elbow and dark blue jeans I removed my pyjama shirt and turned to see that Raph had fallen asleep.

Shaking my head with a smile I dressed. Sitting on the edge of the bed I reached my hands into his thin cotton shirt and began to creep them up his chest.

His eyes blinked open adorably and he sat up reaching to grab my hands that were tucked inside of his shirt.

"Ah! Why?" He asked and I burst into laughter. In the few short seconds of getting dressed my hands had turned cold in the frigid mountain air, and our unheated cabin.

"Why you so sleepy?" I asked once I'd mostly calmed my laughter.

He pulled his knees up and rested his elbows on them, rubbing his eye he spoke looking out the window, "Most Lycans get like this when they've been fighting for so long." He yawned, "I usually don't but for some reason I feel more tired than usual."

"Hmm, we'll you did cry a lot yesterday. Crying always makes me feel tired." He sent me a short teasing glare but it diffused quickly. I looked away from his eyes and at his ears which had tinted red.

I folded my lips at the realization and stood to finish getting ready. We still had more than forty-five minutes but I like to be early so does Raph but he's sleeping something off.

"So…" I started as I rummaged through my assortment of sweaters, "All of the Lycans will be feeling tired today?" I asked putting one on.

"Mmhmm." He replied laying back down on the bed.

"And I'm not feeling tired." I said triumphantly, "Me! A human. The weakest of all species is feeling exactly the same as usual," I saw him crack a smile at my words, "And maybe I wasn't in the throes of danger but it was still stressful, I had to pull an enchanted silver spearhead out of an angry Lycan and that was not particularly pleasant." We both knew the most stressful part of yesterday but I didn't want to voice it.

"Wait?" He asked sitting up. I looked back at him while putting my loose, kinky hair into a half-up style.

"You touched an enchanted spear head." He asked his eyes closed and his face contorted in confusion.

"Yes." I answered slowly, afraid I'd done something wrong.

"Are you okay?" He got up and walked towards me grabbing my cold hands and holding them in his larger, warm ones.

He checked them over thoroughly and while he did I bit the inside of my lip as I felt his smooth fingers touch every inch of my hands. My heart skipped a beat each time his thumb rubbed against my palm.

"Did it hurt?" He asked not raising his eyes to look at me.

Licking my lips I blinked and recalled his question, "My fingers were a little red after… b-but other than that it didn't hurt." I shook my head refuting the worries shown in his eyes.

His eyes met mine and a wide grin appeared on his pale face, "Why are you stuttering?" He asked, very pleased at my reaction.

His hands still held mine and his thumbs began to reach for my wrists. I inhaled sharply as I met his gaze, my heart was speeding up and I could feel that my face was heating.

"You know why." I said feeling flustered.

He hummed and looking down at my wrists which looked smaller in his hands he took my right palm and kissed it. A shiver ran up my arm from the sensation but we couldn't do that right now.

I smiled cheekily and retrieving my hand from his I gave him a quick kiss then turning I left the room, "Get dressed! And maybe shower." I called over my shoulder.

After he got dressed we went to where all of the dead Lycans had been taken.

I held Raph's arm as we walked past the guards and into the marked off area.

The three Lycans that we had asked to watch Mark had said that they'd taken him here after the battle was over. Walking along the rows of dead my heart was speeding up and my breathing was getting increasingly shallow.

Raph kissed the top of my head and began rubbing my shoulders.

We stood in the centre and looked for Mark.

It disturbed me but there was something a little soothing about being here, other than the gruesomeness of the place, but… it was so quiet. No channels, no mind links, it was just silence. Other than Raph's channel which was always soothing.

Raph began walking and I followed with him, Mark lay on a piece of red fabric, his body exposed to the elements. My eyes burned and my heart clenched. In sadness and in anger.

"What were they thinking?" I said silently as I watched Raph place a soft piece of fabric overtop of his body. My bottom lip began to tremble as I watched Mark disappear beneath it. He was really gone.

Why was it so hard to accept? I'd lost my sister and my gramma. Why couldn't I just, get over this?

Raph hugged me and kissed the top of my head as he whispered soothingly to me.

Once I'd calmed down we left and headed to Ditri's house to learn what Kratos's reward for helping would be.