The Black Forest's Beta

Chapter 15

I looked at Inasya, Raphael's mother, she seemed terrifying. Raphael had her eyes and warm skin tone, he also got his dark locks from her. She smiled at me and took my hand that was tracing the veins on my mates hand. "You are very beautiful Emmaline." I sent her a shy smile not knowing how I was supposed to as respond. 

As if my silence wasn't loud enough, my stomach decided I was hungry so it grumbled. I cast my eyes to the ground knowing everyone had heard it. "Non limitarti a stare lì! Vai e dai da mangiare a Emmaline." (Don't just stand there! Go and feed Emmaline!) I heard Inasya snap at Raphael. Instead of responding I heard my mate huff. I took my hand from his mother slowly and brought it back to his. I felt his lips on side of my head before he lead myself and Ozzy who followed to a table with food on it. 

"Choose what you want to eat." He said lightly, after taking my hand from his, I piled a plate with foods that looked and smelled good. After I was done Raphael led me to a table where Alpha Gunter and Luna Gisela were already sitting, eating their food. I kept my eyes downcast as I ate, I could feel people staring and it made my appetite shrivel to nearly nothing. I ate until I felt sick, Raphael's hand found it's way to mine, his touch calmed my racing mind a little, but not nearly enough to make me comfortable. 

I rested my head on his arm while gripping his hand with mine while the other aimlessly passed over his skin. I felt his thumb rubbing lightly on the hand that was clutching his. Once he was done with his food my mate began talking to the other people around us. I listened and kept my eyes on his hand as I lightly traced his veins. 

"Are you alright?" He had turned his head so he was whispering into my ear. I looked up at him, his eyes narrowed slightly before clouding over, he was mind linking someone. Once his short conversation was over we left the gathering and walked back to his house. Once inside he went toward the kitchen, I however wasn't feeling well so I climbed the stairs after taking off my shoes. In the closet I took off the romper and pulled on one of Raphael's shirts before walking to the bed and slipping under the blankets.

I felt like the entire room was spinning when I closed my eyes so I pried them back open. The room door opened and my mate walked in holding dark mug that was steaming. He brought it to my side before taking a hand and feeling my forehead. "Do you want me to call Doc Walter?" I shook my head and placed whatever he was holding on the nightstand before opening my arms and squeezing my hands toward him. 

I noticed the small smile on his face as he skillfully climbed over me and onto the bed. Once he pulled the blankets over his body I curled into his side and inhaled his scent. Cassie gently purred as my stomach began to settle. There was no dizziness as I closed my eyes this time, it seemed like no time had passed when I found myself falling asleep on the solid block that was my mate. 

....Raphael.....

I ran my fingers through Emmaline's short brown hair as she slept on my side. She had only been sleeping for about ten minutes when Ozzy along with my mother and Nonna walked in quietly. 

"Sta bene?" (Is she okay?) My mother asked as she looked at my mate.

"I don't think she was ready for such a big gathering." I said running my hand through her hair. "I could smell her fear and nervousness the entire time." Ozzy sighed and moved so he could sit next to Emmaline's feet. 

"You have your work cut out for you Raphy. Breaking Emma out of her shell is not going to be easy with how anxious she is." Nonna spoke keeping her eyes locked on mine. 

"I know." Emmaline's hand flexed on my chest where she was lightly gripping my top. I could see a drop of drool sliding out of the corner of her mouth. Her face wrinkled slightly as I wiped it away, I looked back at my mother who was looking at my mate in adoration. A look of worry crossed her face and it seemed to fall as if a dark thought crossed her mind. 

"Does she know about the beast?" Her words were light and timid. 

"She's seen him." My mother seemed shocked for a second before her eyes fell back to Emmaline. 

"How did she react? Seeing Wrath for the first time can be frightening."

"She knew it was Raphael." Ozzy said to my mother, he then turned his face my way, a small smile graced his lips. "She knew you wouldn't hurt her." I smiled at the news, I wasn't focused on her reaction, I was more worried about keeping those nasty creatures from hurting my Emmaline, and of course my new brother. 

"Why don't you get your pajamas on Ozzy, when you're done you can come back here and we can watch a movie." We all chuckled as he jumped up and scurried from the room. My heart warmed and broke as I thought about excited Emmaline and Ozzy got excited at the simplest of things. 

"What is on your mind?" It was my mother who asked. 

"Watching a movie shouldn't be that exciting. I adore how easy Emmaline and Oz are to please, but it shouldn't be that easy." Nonna sighed and nodded while my mother shifted and wrapped her arms around herself. 

"There is a reason for everything Raph." I just rolled my eyes at the extremely overused statement from my mother. "I'm going to get back to the gathering, Rob is probably waiting for me." After the loss of my father and her fated mate my mother met a man named Robert in London. He was a single human male who had been rejected by his werewolf mate. My mother took him as her chosen mate and brought him back to the pack. I was seventeen at the time, he's a good man, he loves my mom, which is all I could ask for.

"Betty White is my company for the night, which means I win." Nonna said with a wink and a smirk before she exited the room. I slipped out of bed, making sure I wasn't going to wake my mate. Like I told Ozzy to I slipped into my nightwear which was a pair of briefs and pajama pants. Ozzy was already back in the room sitting next to a still sleeping Emmaline. 

Getting back into bed was easy, I set my pillows up so I could rest against the headboard. Emmaline was gently maneuvered so she was almost completely on top of my being. Ozzy slipped onto the bed and set himself up so he was comfortable.

"What are we gonna watch?" I shrugged as I turned on the TV, once on I went to a streaming service. I began scrolling through the movies waiting for Ozzy to say something. "What's that movie about?" I stopped on the Fast and Furious title.

"This one is about fast cars and crime." I said looking over at him. He looked intrigued so I hit the play button, his attention was captivated by the screen, mine however was taken by the warm female smiling in her sleep. 

I ran my fingers through her hair and she sighed happily when nestling further into my side. I smiled down at her as I envisioned our life together. Little pups running around with her grey eyes and my dark hair, I could see a boy and a fiery little girl with my attitude. 

I could feel myself hardening at the image of Emmaline pregnant with our pups. Her body would be deliciously plump, I could already see her glowing as if she were already carrying. As if she could hear her name in my thoughts my little mate opened up her tired grey eyes and looked up at me. My breath caught in my throat, the way it had when I had seen her eyes for the first time. 

......Emmaline.....

I was sleeping peacefully when I felt something hard poking into my stomach causing discomfort. I was so warm that I didn't want to move, so I looked up at Raphael hoping he could take care of whatever it was. He was wearing the strange expression that I had only seen a few times before, the way he was looking at me made my insides heat up. Not in a bad way, more like a comforting blanket. 

He moved his hand and used a finger to softly stroke my cheek. I took my own hand and began tracing letters on his chest. B-E-L-L-Y, P-O-K-E, H-A-R-D. I looked up at his face which held a blush of it's own. He brought his face down next to mine so he could whisper in my ear. 

"I've got to get up Miele." I sighed sadly and scooted from my spot on top of his torso onto the bed. He placed a kiss on my cheek. 

"Are you okay Emma?" I rolled over so I was facing Ozzy, I nodded and he smiled before pulling me into a light hug. "Do you wanna watch the movie with me?" Again I nodded, I moved myself so I was somewhat sitting next to Ozzy. My head rested on his shoulder as we watched two men in cars racing toward train tracks. 

Raphael was gone for about ten minutes, his hair was wet and he had a towel wrapped around his waist as he wandered into the closet. When he came out he was wearing black and red plaid pants and no top. He slid back into his spot on the bed, that was when I noticed his skin was colder than it usually was. I climbed on top of him and used my finger to write on his chest again. 

C-O-L-D, he wrapped his arms around my frame and pushed his face into my neck. "You wont be cold long miele." He raised an eyebrow when I pushed back a little, so I wrote Y-O-U C-O-L-D. Understanding filled his gaze and he pressed his lips against my forehead. "I needed a cold shower." 

After reading many books, I knew him taking a cold shower meant it was his d**k poking into my stomach earlier. Outwardly I nodded and sighed while snuggling back into my mate. My eyelids felt heavy so I let them fall as I descended into a peaceful slumber.

I felt Raphael place his chin on the top of my head as he and Ozzy continued watching the movie. His large warm hands never stopped lightly rubbing my back. At some point my mate slid down so he was laying in the bed himself. I still stayed curled up on his chest, I was half awake as Raphael began lightly snoring. His arms encased my small body in a large cocoon. A feeling of peace washed over me as I pictured myself as a butterfly, Raphael wasn't the cocoon I was leaving behind. He was the breeze that carried me from place to place, he was the sun and the stars that were always in the sky. Even on a rainy day he was there providing shelter and safety. It was in that moment of peace and serenity I realized, I was falling in love with Raphael, and that awakening both terrified and soothed me.