Chapter 173

I'm an Elf. El-kor wants to kill me because I won't join him. He tried to kill me and Mark died. I'm an Elf. I'm an Elf.

I lay on our bed, tucked under the covers by Raph. Why did he have to do stuff like that? Tucking me in? I loved it, but why? It's too nice in a world that's not nice.

Rolling over I turned to face the window. It looked cold outside, same as it had up north. I heard a mew and then felt as Parker jumped onto the bed.

He decided to snuggle with me and I let him, stroking his back every once in a while.

Is Mark having a funeral? I wondered. Is Nathan okay? Is Duma okay? Does Kratos know I left? What if he's angry now? What if they're all annoyed and upset over my giddiness and overexcitement in the Haven, I should just stop being like that and be mature.

I heard footsteps coming and didn't turn to look to see if it was Raph.

He had a grim expression on his face when he came to my side of the bed and I wondered if maybe this morning had been good. Maybe I should've done a little more for him, maybe I should-

My thoughts were interrupted by his voice, "Brooke. I made you an omelet."

The only thing I could think of was why? Why would you?

But ignoring my thoughts I sat up and he sat next to me. It was a good omelet, perfectly cooked; not runny in any way and golden brown on the outside with yummy melted cheese and some ham.

I started to pick away at it slowly. I had no appetite but I would eat what he cooked for me.

Craning my head to look at him I could see he was thinking, and thinking about something serious.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly as I ate another bite.

"There are four Packs who have exceeded their spending budget, and on strange things like houses, pools, meat, plants, pets and more stuff. Each of them have reached from three hundred thousand, to six hundred thousand."

I chewed slowly as I pondered his words, "Maybe they caught wind of the huge battle that just happened and started panic buying." I suggested picking up and piece of egg.

"Hmm, maybe. But what would someone need with 22,000 things of toilet paper?"

I cracked a smile at this, "Seriously? Well, how big is the Pack?"

"It's in Prince Rupert." He said chuckling.

I laughed, "Wow, then yes. My theory is correct and they're panic buying because no sane person would buy that much toilet paper, especially in Prince Rupert where that much toilet paper could supply the whole town." I looked up at him and just saw him smiling at me.

I looked back down at my plate and finished my omelet.

"Thank you." I said hurriedly and pushed it into his hands.

"Your welcome, I love your laugh." He said as he gave me a kiss.

Yeah, most people like my laugh, I've always wondered why…

The day ended and Raph came to bed late, crawling in he immediately reached for me and rolled me so I was facing him.

I inaudibly sighed happily as I inhaled his calming scent and nuzzling closer I made sure that I was enveloped by it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Raph woke up the next morning and she was already up and out of the bed.

He walked downstairs and searched for her, following her scent he was led to the laundry room in the basement.

"You know what we need?" He heard her ask as he reached the last step, "More towels." She answered her question.

He watched her warily as she folded the few towels they had. Once she was done she turned and looked at the washer and dryer.

"Honey, how long have you been up?" He asked as he edged towards her.

"I don't know, since I've been up. Since you're here, could you please dust the ceilings and the top corners of things, I can't reach them and the dust makes me sneeze." She said the entire sentence in one breath.

"Brooke, love, you need to breathe."

"I am breathing." Was her retort as she picked up some sheets and walked outside, no doubt to put them in the linen closet.

He picked up the duster that was on top of the dryer with a sigh and began to clean away the cobwebs.

"Ah!" He heard a sharp yelp." Dropping the duster he left the room and found Brooke flat against the pool room door down the hallway far away from the linens closet.

"There's a spider in the linens closet. Kill it please." She said in a trembling voice.

He sighed in relief, just a spider. Although from how his mate looked it sounded a lot worse than a spider.

Turning he went to the linens closet and began to filter through the sheets trying to find the spider that had dare threaten his mate.

Finding it he squashed it with his fingers and called Brooke to tell her it was okay.

She ran up to him and hugged him, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!" She said joyously into his chest.

'You'd think I killed an Elf that was threatening her.' He thought which made him think of the familiar image of him driving a blade into El-kor's chest, or even tearing his head right off.

His eyes darkened in colour with these thoughts.

"Bradley would never kill them for me and would always tell me to do it myself, which I've had to do but sometimes I nearly blackout, and Ulyssa would sometimes bring either live or dead ones to show me and I'd scream."

He clutched his mate closer so she couldn't see the furious expression on his face. How could her siblings do that to her? That was cruel to someone who was clearly an arachnophobe.

"Raph, I can't breathe." She said after a few minutes.

He reluctantly released her and she then began to organize the spare bedroom.

He sat in his office most of the day listening to the vacuum or her music which was cranked to the max.

He knew that she was entering her next phase of processing, working. That's what she had needed to do at the hospital tent, she needs to focus on doing things with her hands while her mind was working.

He went to bed at eleven and he saw that she wasn't there.

Sighing he got up and searched for her. Following her scent he found her in the kitchen.

"Brooke, what are you doing?" He asked trying to keep the confusion from his voice but he was very confused.

"Making my gramma's casserole." She answered as she opened a bag of hash browns.

"Why?" He asked massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Because it's yummy and I want to have it tomorrow and then the next day with leftovers."

"Okay, when you're done come up to bed." He said. She was talking very quickly and never pausing for breath.

"Mmhmm." She hummed and he watched her a few more seconds before turning and heading back up the stairs.

Laying on the bed he could only sigh as he thought about his mate. She didn't sound tormented but he knew by how quickly she spoke her mind would not leave her alone.

He had an idea about how to distract her mind but he would wait till she was finished processing.

His mate ran like a machine and he feared she would break if he stopped her process.