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Raphael's POV

I watch as Ariel goes from being my little cuddle bug to a stone cold woman in seconds. Someone came in the house and when she recognized the scent, it happened so fast. Ana and Liam. If it were Parker I bet she'd stay the same.

She pushes the last couch back into place when they walk in.

"Parker told me you had built an epic fort yesterday." Ana smiles.

"Yeah," Ariel shrugs.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out today?" Ana asks slowly.

Ariel looks over at me suddenly. It's not a look asking for approval though, it's more like she doesn't want to go. I don't say anything in reply. I like talking to her, but I don't particularly care for pointless conversations with anyone else. Surprisingly, I didn't mind them with her yesterday. It was nice.

"Where would we be going?" Ariel finally replies, trying to make up her mind.

"On a little adventure, with Raphael and Liam too. No shopping, I promise." Ana smiles.

Doesn't Ana realize I have to work? I took yesterday off to spend with Ariel, I can't take another day off. But the way Ariel's face brightens a little, well, this is something I don't want to miss.

"I'll do it," Ariel nods. "Do I have to change?"

"No, just bring your phone." Ana smiles more.

Ariel leaves the room, coming back with her phone. We leave the house soon after, walking to wherever Ana decides to take us.

We end up going to the spot they often went to swim as kids. It's a beautiful spot in the forest.

I watch as Ariel and Ana both have fun taking pictures, of the scenery and each other. Liam stands with me though he's pulled in for pictures with Ana.

It's not long before Ana pulls me and Ariel for a picture together in front of the water. We stand, her smiling, though I don't. I don't like pictures and I have no reason to smile. I watch as Ariel's smile turns to a smirk.

She turns and pushes, hard. Causing me to fall back into the water. But not before I grab her arms and yank her with me.

We tumble into the water, Ariel quickly shooting back up and slowly I resurface beside her. Liam and Ana are laughing. Ariel, she's furious but amused at the same time, I can see it on her face. I quickly see why she's mad though, almost instantly her teeth start to chatter. She knew she'd be cold.

I pull myself out and gently pull her out after me after she hardly moves her arms from around herself. I wrap my arms tight around her.

"We'll go home now, muffin." I attempt at another name.

"I don't like that one either." She doesn't like any of them for some reason. I mean, yeah the first two were purposefully bad. But cuddle bug and muffin are fine! Well, she didn't comment on cuddle bug, I'll take it she doesn't mind that one.

I pick her up and hold her close, trying to keep her warm as her little body shakes. Now I feel bad for pulling her in with me.

Ana and Liam walk a ways ahead of us, giving us space. When her body shakes more violently, I hold her closer.

"Sorry Ariel." I sigh, feeling bad about what I did. Even though I know on a usual day she'd be fine, it's just the day I chose to pull her in with me.

"It's okay Raphie." She manages through chattering teeth.

When we get home, I take Ariels phone back from Ana and head inside. I take Ariel to my room and I get her dry clothes as she stands shivering. Though I move to leave, Ariel makes no move to change.

"Ariel..." I raise an eyebrow.

"Too cold." Her body still shakes and I frown. She seems really sensitive to temperatures. She's too hot in certain temperatures and too cold in others. I'll have to find some temperature that fits her.

I grab her a towel and then I gently pull off her clothes for her. Her skin covered in goosebumps and when I pull off her shirt I think she gets a little mad. She stands in her wet undergarments. A perfectly fit body stands in front of me, she's a small person like her mom, but Ariel's sure fine as ever.

"Are you gonna tell me about your pack business now?" She asks as I wrap the towel around her. Her lips are a blue purple from behind so cold and her hands shake more violently than the rest of her body.

I don't reply.

Instead, I scold myself mentally. I can't believe I didn't realize the water would be that cold with the chilly air.

I quickly dress myself into dry clothes so I can keep helping her. Soon, I have her in dry clothes and wrapped up in blankets. For once, she didn't care about being naked in front of me. It's impressive, I thought I might get an angry ball of fire when I took her undergarments off.

I take her with me to my office so I can work but also keep and eye on my girl. I set her on the couch and go make her hot chocolate.

When I come back, she looks like she's almost sleeping.

"Raphie, can you please tell me about the other pack?" She murmurs, slowly opening her eyes. Gently I hand her the hot chocolate and then sit at my desk.

"Well..." I don't have to tell her everything maybe... "The RavenWing pack... Their alpha believes that I killed his mate."

I thought Ariel would silence after that but she presses on. "Did you?"

I look at her. She's tense now, on guard for whatever my reply is.

"No." I promise. I really didn't. Though, this is only one pack. I'm sure I must have hurt another at one point.

"Why do you talk about them so much?" Ariel frowns.

"Enough for today, Ariel." I sigh. "You rest okay."

She seems to know not to push it. But her eyes show she wants to.

Ariel is so strange to me, unlike any other girl I know. She has this hidden childish side, reserved only for special people. And Ariel is so tough, a warrior. Ariel's personality is so different, often rude and selfish yet understanding and she just accepts things.

Maybe she doesn't want to do something, or she doesn't like a person. But she accepts them as they come. So she and Ana are different, almost like polar opposites, she still can get along with her at times like today. She can push herself to shop for two hours before her hunger gets the better of her.

That's one of the things I love about Ariel. Food is over everything and everyone else. It makes me want to laugh. Something I haven't done in years.

I find myself turning to watch Ariel, doing something on her phone. Her hair pools around her face and she keeps having to swipe it away if she moves.

This is the girl I'm stuck with. And I'm so happy I got stuck with her.

***

"Ariel!" Parker exclaims as I walk into the house. I had to work out today so I couldn't stay with her. "Stop playing with your food you aren't a little kid!"

"Oh cmon!" She giggles.

They're in the dining room by the sounds of it.

"I would appreciate if you ate the food I made Ariel," Justin voices.

"Fine," she huffs. "Can you draw something for me again Justin?"

"Hey! You're supposed to like me more," Parker whines.

"Justin draws pretty pictures and makes me food." Ariel retorts.

I walk into the dining room. An extra plate of food sitting out for me no doubt. The other three eating and the remains of a smiley face made of food on Ariel's plate.

"Oh, hey Raphael." Parker smiles.

"Raphie," Ariel whispers, 'correcting' him.

"Yeah, I don't want to know what he'd do to me if I called him that." Parker replies.

Ariel tilts her head. "Why don't you let other people call you Raphie? You didn't get mad at me when I called you that."

"Because..." Why did I let her call me that?

"Oh well, eat!" Ariel demands. "I tried to help Justin make dinner, but I'm not a very good cook either."

I sit down and start to eat. When Parker and Justin finish, they leave the house. Ariel is eating off my plate by then, unsurprisingly.

"Any pack business you're keeping from me?" She inquires, leaning towards me.

"No." I say simply in reply. There wasn't for now.

She finishes eating after we've finished my plate. I help her wash the dishes, though there isn't much conversation between us. Ariel doesn't seem to mind today as she heads upstairs when we finish, seemingly casting me away.

I follow her, curious as to what she's doing. I see a flash of her black hair swish as she turns into the guest room I had slept in while she took my bed. What could she possibly want in there?

When I walk in, I find her holding a pillow to her face.

"Ariel?" I ask and she jumps a little, clearly not having heard me. "What are you doing?"

"I like your scent..." Her cheeks burn red with a blush. "And it'd be weird if I just walked up to you..."

I look over her and walk over. Sitting on the bed, I wrap my arms around her and pull her with me, half laying half sitting. The surprise is written all over her face but slowly she relaxes.

She takes a fistful of my shirt as she makes herself comfortable, her head on my chest.

"I really like you Raphie. Believe it or not, I really do." Ariel murmurs.

"Not love?"

"Give me some time. I'll say I love you soon."