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Ariel's POV

Raphie doesn't come home. Justin and Parker stay over instead. They keep reassuring me he'll be back soon. I can't link him either, he's blocked out everyone. But I can feel his emotions of course and he's just so angry, frustrated, upset.

We end up watching a scary movie at the appropriate time of midnight. Justin is holds Parker who's shaking in fear. I thought he didn't get scared. As for me, I try really hard to relax. It's just a movie. But there's no one here to hold me.

"Will a joke make you feel better?" Justin whispers to Parker. Parker nods and I quickly grab my water, scared of reaching out because like, what if something grabs me? "When we get home, let's play house. You can be the door and I'll slam you."

I choke on my water, spitting some of it out. Parker bursts into laughter though I'm not sure if it's about the joke, or about me.

And then it happened.

A scary scene comes on while our door eerily opens. I'm not sure who screamed louder, Parker or me. My water spills everywhere and my glass drops, thankfully not breaking. Parker cowers into Justin who honestly looks terrified too.

Raphie flicks the light on, giving us all looks. He shuts the TV off and tells Parker and Justin they can go now. It's kinda funny watching them leave since they're both pretty scared and it's only like, past midnight now.

He doesn't say anything to me. He just picks up the glass and starts to walk out.

"Wait... Wait!" Am I really brave enough to confront him? I don't know if I can do this. He turns and looks at me, his face void of emotion, like usual. Suddenly I don't know what to say, I look away from him and a weak voice escapes my lips. "I'm sorry."

I just want to hug him. To have his scent calm me again. To relax and feel safe in his arms.

"I'm sorry too Ariel." He sighs. I look over at him for a moment before running over and throwing my arms around him. He picks my legs up and wraps them around his waist, holding me up.

"It was very nice of you to put so much effort in this morning. It tasted great." I say, my voice coming out kinda funny, like I was going to cry.

"You're welcome Ariel." He says softly, he carries me upstairs and to our room. He sits on the bed and I stay on his lap. "I'm sorry for what I did yesterday, I know it wasn't right. I will wait until you're ready."

"Thank you." I whisper, resting my forehead against his. This is... Really nice. This is when I think the Moon Goddess made the right choice. When I don't want to scold her but praise her. Praise her powers, the mate bond, what she did for the wolves.

"Let's get you to bed." Raphie says softly as I move my head to his shoulder. I'm set in bed gently and he ends up pulling my clothes off. I don't mind now. It's like the other times when I was cold and I simply couldn't. That's when I don't mind, when I don't feel shy. Because there's nothing... Nothing there to be shy about. Just a guy being nice to his mate.

He pulls one of his shirts over my head and I smile at him as I wiggle it the rest of the way on. He tucks me in and I listen to him as he changes. I hope I never have to leave him and he never leaves me.

When he slips in bed beside me, I curl into him, breathing in his scent which puts me right to sleep.

***

"Wake up, princess." Raphie whispers, sending butterflies to my stomach. I don't want to wake up... My dreams were great last night. I open my eyes and Raphie sets clothes beside me. "Put these on and come downstairs." He says before heading out.

I huff. Really? I just wanna stay in bed. I slowly push myself up and get dressed in the clothes he gave me. I head downstairs where he has breakfast made again. I smile a little and sit down to eat.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come into work with me today... We're having a meeting about the opposing pack..." Raphie says.

"I want to!" I smile.

"Good. Now eat up."

I do so quickly, excited to be apart of something. We head out together and we get to the pack house. I still hadn't been introduced to the pack really... Was he even planning on doing that?

"I am."

"Get out of my head."

"Then stop letting me get in."

I give him a look as we walk into a conference room. Raphie takes his seat and motions to the seat beside him for me to do the same. There's already papers set out for him to look at and he starts. I read them too. No ones here yet.

They papers are about defence strategies and attack strategies and how to use our land to our advantage. I can't help but make pointers on some things that weren't quite on the greatest standards.

Soon people start to file in. Taking their places quietly. I glance at Raphie, hoping they accept that I'm here. What if they don't? Or what if I end up hating the meeting? Or have no ideas?

When everyone's seated, Raphie doesn't miss a beat to start. He talks about our plans, defence strategies first. I stay silent, not having anything to say or fix. I don't know this pack or their territory. I hardly know my own territory...

I end up saying nothing throughout the whole meeting. I simply have nothing to share. It was stupid of me to have wanted to come to a meeting. I haven't even met my own pack yet.

When Raphie calls the meeting off, the room erupts with normal conversation as people head out. Even Raphie goes to talk to someone. I awkwardly pull over Raphie's file and open it to make it look like I'm doing something.

It's forever until people leave, and soon I'm alone in the room. Raphael left... He just left me. I put the file down and slowly stand up, looking around the empty room.

It's like I'm invisible. The whole time I was just ignored, I thought Raphie wanted me to be here. And he left without me, left me to reading the file which I was never actually doing.

I head out of the room and start my way back home. It's kind of nice, not having Parker and Justin trailing me. But at the same time, it shows the Raphie simply forgot about me. How can someone forget about their mate!?

As I'm heading back home, I get that creepy feeling where you think you're being watched.

"Ariel, you're an idiot." I tell myself out loud.

Well, that's when all hell breaks loose. My mind finally breaks and I start to cry. Only seconds later, a snarling wolf runs out at me. I scream, something I don't normally do. A werewolf doesn't normally scare me, but with my mind so fragile I guess I just broke all together.

My tears quickly stop though as I grab the wolf's jaws and throw it away. I've always been strong. I've always been ready for anything. But I was not ready for the moment the wolf shifts back to show a terrified girl. She looks my age, maybe a year or two younger.

She's what I imagine my mom must have looked like when dad finally found her.

I slowly walk over and kneel next to her. She flinches away, but her eyes show she's ready for something to happen. My heart breaks for her.

"I won't hurt you." I promise gently. "I know how you feel... I hurt too, not physically maybe. But I still hurt. I know how you feel, so I'll help you."

I pick her up, feeling bad I have no clothes to give her in the moment. So I run to my house. I take her to the bathroom where she seems to know what she's doing at least after I show her how to work the shower.

I get her clothes and wait outside the bathroom for her impatiently. I felt connected to this girl, like its my job to protect her. Yet I didn't even know her name.

When she opens the door, she leans on it heavily. I help her downstairs and sit her on the couch.

"What's your name?" I ask softly.

"Brianne." She replies softly.

"I'm Ariel... How'd you get here on my land?"

"Your land- Luna?" She bows her head quickly.

"Just Ariel. But how did you get her Brianne?"

"I ran away... From my old pack." She whispers.

"Why?" I frown.

"Alpha... Alpha D-Drake."

"Could you explain further...?"

"He is a... Mean alpha." Her voice is so quiet, I'm lucky I have my werewolf hearing to back her voice up. "After his Luna died..."

I know instantly who it is. The pack that's going against us. This girl can help us! But she also needs to be taken care of... And she needs a friend. I'll be her friend, besides, I need a friend too.

"Let's get you something to eat, then you can take a guest room and sleep some. You need it." I smile softly.

I fix her something to eat and take her to a guest room where I let her eat in bed. We talk a little, but not much, she's stuffing her face with food most of the time. Who knows how long it's been since she last ate.

When she's done, I take her dishes and smile at her. "Have a good rest Brianne."

I head downstairs where I'm met with Justin and Parker running in. "We smell rogue!" Parker shouts.

"SHH!" I hiss.

They stop, staying quiet. I glare at them. Well, did Raphie actually take some time out of his oh so busy day to think about me? Wow.

"Brianne is upstairs sleeping. You will not wake her. Got it?" I tell them sternly.

"Brianne?" Parker asks at the same time Justin growls.

"She's a rogue!" He exclaims.

"One that needs to be taken care of. And one that can help us. You will not harm Brianne or you will feel the wrath of your Luna." I glower at them.

"Yes Ariel." Parker mumbles, dropping his head. Justin doesn't seem so sure but he nods his head.

"Raphael is coming."

I growl at him. "You shouldn't have told him!"

"He's the alpha, Ariel," Justin speaks softly. "He has to know if there's a rogue on his land."

I cross my arms. "And I'm the Luna, what I say goes above yours." I snap and walk back upstairs. I'm not in the mood to talk to or see Raphie. Now I have to deal with him.

It's a few minutes before Raphie is in the house and storming over to me. I had purposely went upstairs so he can't yell. If he does, there will be issues.

"Ariel, who is she and what the hell is she doing in our house?" He hisses.

"Brianne. She's from Drakes pack." I cross my arms.

That seems to end all argument. Raphie calms himself down and I watch angrily.

"Ariel?"

"You forgot about me!" I break, upset from this morning. "The whole meeting, after the meeting, you forgot about me."

"I didn't... forget about you..." He frowns. "I would never forget about you. I was just busy, caught up in work."

"You forgot." I say weakly.

He hugs me tightly, trying to heal the little hole he shot in my heart. Raphie rubs my back gently and kisses the top of my head. "I'm sorry." He whispers.

Raphie takes me to our room, sitting me on the bed. And he instigates conversation. Just simply talking. It's nice. I talk with him happily. Our topics range from everything to anything. It's... different. I like these chats, it's like our shower ones. They're just open.

I guess... I guess Raphie is forgiven.