Chapter 8

I turned in my bed suddenly when I heard something tap on my window.

I got out of my bed and walked towards my window which was a foot over my head, and level with the ground outside.

I was hoping to see Raphael, but with luck like mine I probably wouldn't.

I pulled the curtains aside and was surprised to see a wolf with his golden eyes staring at me expectantly. I looked away from his golden eyes to see silver fur surrounding them.

I smiled excitedly remembering Raphael's wolf had silver fur. I hopped on my dresser and opened the window and said, "Go around to the basement door."

He moved to go there, and I closed the window and jumped down from my dresser to run to the basement door. Which was on the other side of the house.

I opened the door and saw him. Raphael. And he took my breath away. He was standing there in the dark, his golden eyes glowing and his silver hair slightly covering them. His cheekbones looked very striking in the dark. He was still wearing the shirt that I had shot him in. I met his eyes and realized he wasn't meeting mine. I then realized that I was wearing my pjs, without a bra, so my breasts kinda had free reign. I crossed my arms over my chest to try and cover them, which was difficult.

I bit my lip, out of embarrassment maybe or something else. But he finally met my eyes.

"How did you find my house?" I whispered to him to break the ice.

"Oh, it was pretty easy, good 'ol phone book, and tracking your scent." He smiled then inhaled deeply. I laughed genuinely, he was being kind of cute.

"Can I come inside?" He asked with a hopeful and slightly worried look in his eyes.

"Emmm, no." I said while shaking my head, "I mean, what will my parents say if they see a man," I held my hand up gesturing to him, "in my room? Especially one with golden eyes?" I looked away worried that I might've offended him.

"Okay, no yeah that's fine." He reassured me, "I guess we just sit down here." He nodded his head to a pile of wood planks that had been sitting in our driveway for years. "Okay." I said quietly.

We sat down, not too close but still pretty close to each other. My heart was beating faster with his proximity.

I needed to ask the question that had been running through my mind all day, "Um… are… are we… mates?" I asked hesitantly. My question was met with silence. I looked at him afraid to see him holding in a laugh. But all I saw was awe in his expression. My lips parted slightly in shock and at the fact that I had been right.

"How did you know." He said, a smile creeping up onto his lips.

"I-I guessed. I mean, I've read lots of books and it-it was the only way to explain what I was feeling." I said, flustered.

"And, what were you feeling?" He asked his voice slightly deeper.

I blushed, not sure what to say, "To many things at once." I had just put my hair into a new braid before he had come, and was now playing with it. Nervously.

He took a deep breath, "Brooke." He paused and I turned to look at him, my heart had fluttered when he said my name. "There are Elves here. On the island."

I took a deep breath, not knowing how to reply. The way Raphael had said it it seems like they might be bad. 'Yeah, there was a lot of dread in his voice.' I said to myself.

"Elves? Like, Lord of the Rings, Elves?" I asked. I loved Lord of the Rings. He shook his head, "No, these ones are pure evil." He opened his mouth to say something but then he changed his mind. "You're in danger."

"What? How can I be in-" I stopped and sucked in a quick breath, "it's because we're mates isn't it?"

He smiled sadly in reply, "Yes, it's because we're mates." I looked away my mind trying to figure out what to do about this when he spoke up, "Which is why we need to get you off of this island."

"Get off this island?! Vancouver island?!" I whisper shouted at him. My mind trying to process this newest sentence.

"Yes." He said with a slight chuckle in his voice, I looked up, my lips twisted in annoyance, "I live here Raph! I have a life here! A job, my family. I live here!" I was standing up now whisper yelling.

He stood up slowly and came towards me, putting his hand on my shoulders, then slid them down to my arms. That slight move caused shivers to run up my arms. I tensed in reaction, then relaxed with the feel of his hands on my arms. 'I was safe, it's okay.' I told myself, touch makes me uncomfortable, but not his. I looked up, and his gold eyes, were just inches from mine.

"You don't have to leave if you don't want to. You can stay, but I'll have to post a guard twenty-four/seven. And we." He paused, looking down for a second, he seemed vulnerable in that moment, "We wouldn't be able to see each other." There was a slightly pleading tone to his voice, and it made my heart melt.

"But Raph, what will I tell my parents? My brother will be furious if I just up and left, and my sisters would be hurt. My parents-" I stopped, I didn't know how my parents would react.

"I. I understand." Raphael said. The pain clear in his eyes.

I wanted to say yes, more than anything. But the consequences were too great, I couldn't lose my family, but I didn't want to lose Raph.

I met his eyes and saw something in them, my lips parted slightly and I leaned closer and he did too. And we kissed.

My stomach exploded with butterflies, I felt lightheaded, and my legs shook. But Raphael held me steady. His lips were soft against mine, and his mouth tasted minty and sharp. I dug my tongue in to taste more. I put my arms around his neck and stood on my toes to deepen the kiss. He also leaned down and made the kiss more passionate.

Then all of a sudden there was this blinding pain in my eyes, I stumbled back out of his arms. Then I saw the world careening into blackness.

The last thing I heard was Raphael saying my name.