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Ariel's POV

"Ariel, Ariel stop. Ariel. You're killing me here. Stop." Parker keeps talking as I have perched myself in his stomach. I was mad at him and Justin went to get me food so I could torture Parker without being scolded.

I look at my nails, remaining on his stomach. He's not a bad chair, I mean, besides the fact he keeps moving.

"You fat ass get off." Parker groans.

"I'm not fat you fucker, you've just been skipping out on your workouts." I snap.

"It's not my fault I wasn't born a macho wolf! Get off me!"

"I don't understand why you even have a rank." I mumble and Parker pulls on my hair, hard.

I look down at him with a death glare and punch him square in the chest. Apparently in time for Justin to see to as he walks in.

Parker is groaning and then he starts begging Justin to save him.

"You were provoking her, you idiot." Justin mutters, going to the kitchen with the food.

"Fine. It's on miss Ariel." Parker growls and I'm thrown off him. I look at him in surprise from where I now am on the ground. What the hell? Where did that come from.

And then we're fighting like the damn wolves we are. I don't think we've ever been so mad at each other for... For... What was I mad at him again for?

As we roll around, we crash into the coffee table and the sickening crack of wood makes us freeze.

I lay still between the now two halves of the once whole coffee table.

"PARKER GET OUT!" Justin all but roars from the doorway.

"Let's run before he kills us." I whisper and Parker pulls me up. We run outside, sprinting away from a furious Justin.

After a while I fall back and close my eyes.

"What the hell are you doing Ariel?" Parker exclaims.

"I have a rare disease called 'being lazy as shit' and I cannot run anymore." I groan.

"You little mother fu-"

"Now, now Parker. Don't make me use the soap method for that potty mouth of yours."

"You swear all the time when you're mad!"

"I'm me, you're you. We have our differences and what we're allowed to do and what we aren't. And you my dear, aren't allowed to curse in front of your Luna." I smile sweetly.

"Ariel, I swear to the moon goddess you're the worst woman in the world sometimes."

"Ouch? That may have even pinched my cold heart of I don't give a fuck."

Parker throws his arms in the air in exasperation and sits next to me. "So... What were we fighting bout?"

"Don't know."

"What do we do about our mates?"

"Seduce them."

"Yeah, cause you can do that." Parker snorts.

"Are you doubting my female abilities to be a sexy bitch and do some serious damage?"

"A little... Yeah."

I stand up and start marching my way back to the house. Parker follows quietly. I'm not surprised to find Raphael there now, talking to Justin as they look at the smashed table.

Okay, acting time. Let's show Parker. I run over to Raphie and throw my arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Parker made me mad- and- and- and then we got into a fight and he threw me on the table!" I let tears build up in my eyes, which is actually pretty hard.

"Hey, no harm done. We can get a new table." Justin says softly, patting my back before turning to Parker. "We're going back home," he growls at him.

'That wasn't sexy.' Parker links me angrily as I watch him get pulled out by Justin.

'But it worked, didn't it?' I reply smoothly.

I look up at Raphie and frown when I see he looks like shit. What's wrong with him? He seems to notice my gaze so he quickly moves, walking away.

"Raphie..." I go over to him again. "Hey, you need some sleep."

"I'm fine."

"Please Raphie? You aren't fine. Just some sleep, for me?" I beg. He honestly looks like so shit. Apparently gods can look like shit... Does that mean when I look bad I look worse? Ew. Sorry to everyone who ever knew me.

He looks over me for a second. "Let's eat first."

"Then you'll sleep?"

He nods and I go to the kitchen, making us sandwiches. He gets one and I get one, eating them quickly.

I wonder what's got him looking like this. He's so stressed. This dumb pack opposing us is gonna get it from me, I'll kill their alpha myself. My Raphie does not deserve to be stressed and tired for something he never did!

Woah... I shake my head at my protective thoughts. I should just be helping him now. He should let me help him more too, I know I can. Besides, I'm his Luna, he's supposed to share pack stuff with me.

When we're done, I wash the many dishes that happened to be piling up. Continuing to ponder over how to keep our defences up and stuff like that. When I talk to Raphie about it, I want to sound smart.

After I've cleaned the kitchen a little, I've thought up lots of things. Cleaning stimulates my smarts apparently. Raphie didn't listen to me, when I get upstairs he's in his office, typing on his computer.

I stand in the door way and place my hands on my hips. He seems to notice and looks up.

"I'm sorry, mi amour." He's obviously trying to make me feel bad and let him work. But I'm not gonna let him.

"Come on," I motion. He sighs frustratedly and shuts everything off before walking over. I push him to the bedroom and find him pajama pants which I toss to him. He never sleeps with a shirt on. "I'm going to take a shower quick, you better be in bed when I get out."

I go into the bathroom and start my shower. It's only moments into it when the bathroom door opens and I freeze.

"Hey, Ariel-"

"Get out!" I exclaim.

"No." He replies smoothly.

I can see his figure move outside the shaded glass and he goes to the sink. Thank goodness the glass is shaded like this. I listen to him brush his teeth and wash his face. Standing frozen, waiting for him to leave.

Why is he in here? I swear I locked the- I forgot to lock the door! I want him out. This is uncomfortable and I just want to finish my shower.

He doesn't leave though, he leans against the counter of the sink instead. Slowly I let myself relax and I start to wash my hair. Though, I still feel a little tense with him in here.

I'm halfway through washing my hair when the shower door is slid open. Instinctively, I cover myself. Wrenching myself further back from the cool air flowing in.

"Ariel," Raphie growls.

"Get out!" I almost scream.

"No." He says again. Instead he get in the shower with me. I cower away from him, facing the tiled wall. I hate this. I hate this. My mind is screaming at me to cover myself better with red lights flashing everywhere.

But Raphie just moves to take a shower, grabbing his shampoo.

"We're mates Ariel. You're going to have to show me your body at one point or another." Raphie says.

"I want another." I say in a small voice. I've always been shy, and he's putting me in the most uncomfortable situation.

It's then that he opens his mind to what I'm feeling. Of course, he had completely blocked everyone out while he worked. This is when I hate the moon goddess. She paired me with an alpha who always gets what he wants. And right now, right now I'm facing that alpha side. And I hate this side. Because he's going to be the dominant one, he's going to force me to do whatever he wants. I know it, because that's that kind of alpha Raphael is. I don't let him read my thoughts, but he can feel what I feel. Anxiety, embarrassment, worry, annoyance.

"Ariel," he sighs frustratedly. His hands find my arms and he pulls me hard so I'm facing him, no longer having the protection of the wall or my arms to cover myself. And bare to him. It angers me he'd do this, dad would have never done this to mom. Ever. So angry in fact a few tears spill. Some of those rare things.

When he sees them, after looking me up and down, he lets go. I leave the shower so fast I almost slip and fall. I grab a towel and run to the guest room where I slam the door shut and lock it. No intention of going back out.

I know Raphie is tired and worked up, but that gives him no right to do what he just did. He just pulled a, 'I'm your superior and you answer to me' again. But the funny thing is, my wolf didn't come out.

I don't have anything to change into and there isn't an adjoined bathroom. So I simply crawl into bed, the towel around me, and pull the covers tight around me. I want to call my mom, but I can't with no phone. I want to call June-Bug, but even if I could, she wouldn't care. I desperately want to talk to Aubrey, but he's always busy. Busy with his mate.

I miss them.

***

I wake up to the sun and the smell of a yummy breakfast. I head out of the guest room with the towel firmly wrapped around me and slowly make my way to Raphie's room.

When I know he's not in there, I go in and get dressed. I put on comfy clothes, not in a great mood today. I don't want to see Raphie at all, though I can tell he's in the house. Along with some other people but I don't listen to find out. Instead I focus on braiding my hair into two French braids.

When I'm done I head downstairs, prepared to face what I have to face. I'm surprised to see Justin gently directing Raphie around the kitchen as he tries to make breakfast. He gets frustrated about something and Justin uses an almost childlike tone to sooth him and tell him it's fine.

Parker is at the island on his phone, occasionally looking up at the scene before him. Ana is here too, which I think is the most surprising thing. She looks impatient about well, moon goddess knows what.

Parker notices me in the doorway and frowns. "You ruined the surprise Ariel."

Raphie and Justin both freeze and look over and this upset look settles on Raphie's face.

"What surprise?" I look back at Parker, wanting to avoid Raphie.

"Raphael wanted to surprise you with breakfast and something nice!" Ana exclaims. "He said you slept in later."

"Well, surprise, I woke up early." I say saucily.

"Clearly." Parker mutters.

I can't believe Raphie thinks a surprise breakfast made by him will make up for what he did! He has to stop treating me like I'm not his equal. Okay, I'm not his equal in rank, I know that, I respect that, in my opinion the alpha always outranks the luna. But we are equal as mates. Neither one should be dominant over the other.

I realize my thoughts were open to Raphie and the room had gone silent. His face just falls, he looks broken. And then it goes to stone. "I'm going to work." He says and leaves, brushing by me, momentary sparks where our bare skin touches.

After he leaves, Justin slowly takes over the breakfast. Ana gives me a disapproving look which I return before she leaves, saying she has pack work. She must do more than I do, that infuriates me.

Parker, my beloved Parker, takes me by the hand and leads me to the living room. Together we sit on the couch, I curl up into him and I tell him everything. I just need someone to talk to, someone to help me out of this loneliness. Parker and Justin are always so helpful with that.

Parker respectfully listens and when I'm done, Justin brings in our breakfast which we eat together in silence.

"Give Raphael another chance." Parker finally says, speaking softly. "He's trying very hard not to be dominant over you, to give you such freedom of speech and action around him. He's not used to it, but he's getting so much better at easing up. It helps with the rest of the pack too, he became a kinder man after meeting you. Raphael is trying so hard to please you Ariel, in his own strange way."

"You think?" I inquire.

Parker smiles a little. "I know."