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Raphael's POV

Ariel was watching Selene's mad rant about how she hated gays. Now this angered me, and I felt ready to beat her up. But I hold back... though I can hear Ariel's thoughts and I watch, everyone watches, as she looks at Parker and Justin.

Parkers face is broken. Absolutely broken. And then Ariels anger has peaked to something that makes me gasp and she's shifted. Everyone acts quickly, pulling Ariel away as she snaps and claws. It takes all of us to hold her down and even then it's hard.

"RAPHAEL CALM HER DOWN!" Justin exclaims.

I go over to her face and I hold out Milo. "You're scaring our pup." I say quietly and she instantly calms. Slowly people start climbing off her and Selene is mostly sneaked out.

I run my fingers through her fur. My poor girl... I think Selene hurt her with that speech more than Justin and Parker. Parker hugs her when she sits up.

"You're the best Luna ever." He mumbles.

I smile, a big one. "You're the bravest as well." Ariel licks my cheek and wags her tail.

"Thanks Ariel." Justin adds.

"Let's go upstairs and get you comfy. Dinner is definitely canceled." I say softly and I help her up. My baby just stood up for her thirds, I don't think I could be prouder.

She walks upstairs, her tail flicking back and forth. When she shifts back in our room, she tumbles onto the bed. I look over her beautiful body and sigh. I know I can't mate with her yet, despite how much I want to.

"You look exhausted..." I inform. I pull out comfy clothes for her.

"I am." She replies. "I've never gotten that angry... What if Aubrey hates me now?"

"He won't hate you." I tell her, walking over and handing her the clothes. She puts them on and I pull her up off the bed. "Let's eat dinner... Parker and Justin stayed."

We head downstairs to where our thirds sit at the dinner table. They're holding hands, Justin isn't generally affected by people shaming them and he still doesn't seem to be. He came out before he met Parker, I'm sure he's more used to it. Parker took this one to heart, he seems really upset. He generally takes it harder than Justin.

Ariel immediately notices how upset he is and she sits beside him. But the most surprising thing I've seen her do, probably ever, is she hugs him. A real hug. I've hardly seen her hug anyone. He hugs back, holding her tightly. He needs it... What Selene said was terrible. I'm surprised Aubrey or Ariel didn't jump in sooner.

"So..." Parker says quietly to Ariel. "I can smell that you still haven't had sex."

Ariel revolts and pushes him away. "I hate you."

"I know." Parker smiles, it's a bit forced but at least he's trying.

We make our plates and eat together in a comfortable silence. After a little while, we hear someone invite themselves inside. After a moment I know it's Blaire, and she walks over to us.

"I'm sorry..." she frowns, looking at the boys. "Selene doesn't understand love."

I glance at Ariel and I can see her smile like an idiot for a second, it quickly fades. "Oh?" She says.

"Selene... she's a great person and all, but she's a really bad mate. She really doesn't understand love. Every time Aubrey does something for her, she takes it for granted. She does nothing back. You have no idea how upset and stressed your brother is. All he wants is you to call him but you never call... and he doesn't want to bother you. He thinks you've forgotten about him."

I can hear Ariels thoughts as she takes everything in. She realizes her and Aubrey thought the same thing of each other. All she wants to do now is go see him. There's something inside her that lifts a bit, some of the lingering sadness fading away as it's really just a misunderstanding.

"You can go see him tomorrow before we go shopping. That way you can speak to him alone." Blaire offers. "Don't tell him I said anything, it will have hurt his Alpha pride."

"We won't." Justin smiles.

"Thank you for coming Blaire, join us?" I offer, her an empty plate. She sits with us and takes what I find is an awfully small portion of food. Nothing compared to the heaps Ariel eats.

Blaire turns out to be one of the easiest people to talk to. She's the sweetest woman I know by far. She's like a child who's heart is gold and she wants to give it away to everyone. Greedy people would take this poor woman for advantage.

"Ariel never told you about it!?" Blaire gasps after she mentioned Ariel's stuffed animal obsession. Ariel had a stuffie and a blanket that she occasionally slept with, but she never told me of this obsession. "Ariel adores stuffed animals! She still sleeps with one I'd assume. Her room, every shelf had one!"

"You still sleep with a stuffed animal?" Justin teases. "How cute."

Ariel glares at him while Parker smirks. "Oh Blaire, do tell us more about Ariel."

Blaire smiles. "Ooh! I'll tell you about the time she decided to eat-"

"Don't you dare!" Ariel exclaims.

"Fine." Blaire crosses her arms. "Then I'll tell them about when you dumped the flour all over yourself because you thought it'd be funny and that you'd look like you were a ghost."

"Mother!" Ariel whines. Parker laughs.

"Oh, and she was 16 and the time." Blaire adds, which makes Justin join Parker in their laughter.

I glance at Ariel. "You aren't the brightest, are you?"

"Shut up Raphie." She pouts and I chuckle.

"I think Ariel and I are going to head into bed. Thanks for stopping by Blaire, it was nice talking to you." I tell her as I stand. I take Ariels hand and lead her upstairs.

"I am smart." Ariel mutters, more to herself. "Sometimes..."

The two of us feed and play with Milo for a bit before we put him in a big kennel that Ariel had made look like the cosiest home inside.

Then I go to have a shower and Ariel sits on the counter. She doesn't say much today as I go through my routine, normally she goes on and on about the most pointless things. But today she is just... silent.

I step out of the shower when I'm done and I can hear Blaire and the boys leaving. Ariel looks at me and cocks her head to the side.

"Yes?" I copy her motion as I grab a towel.

"You didn't disappoint me." She says after a moment before sliding off the counter and walking into our room.

I don't know what that means... I frown and walk into the room where Ariel has pulled out a piece of lingerie.

"What is that?" I raise an eyebrow.

"I think my mom must have put it in my stuff as a joke..." Ariel scrunches up her nose.

I look over her. "Go put it on."

"What?" She looks over at me in surprise.

"Go." I almost demand. I want to see her in it. Not even in a sexual way, I just want to see her wear it.

"Um... okay." She walks into the bathroom and I can hear her start the shower. I go sit on the bed and wait for her, going on my phone as I do.

When she steps back out I smile at the most beautiful girl I've ever known. Her bust looked extremely good in the bra, her waist, even if not the slimmest, an absolute gorgeous size. I think I could almost see some abs, she even has a light indication of a v-line. Thick thighs to strong muscled calves. My girl was gorgeous.

"What? You're staring." She says.

"You look beautiful, princess." I say softly, walking over.

"You're only in boxers."

"You're only in your underwear."

She kisses me and I happily kiss back. I lift her legs around my waist and I push her against the wall. Her kisses grow hungry and hot. I can smell her arousal and I'm almost positive she can smell mine.

I pull away from her. If I continue...

"What are you doing?" Ariel pants.

"Ariel, I can't do this anymore." I frown. "Then I'll..."

Ariel pulls me closer. "I want you to." She whispers and kisses me again.

***

I watch Ariel still asleep. Surprised she hadn't woken up before me. I shamelessly start playing with her and she lets out an annoyed whine.

"Raphie I'm trying to sleep." She says, not opening her eyes.

"You don't have to get up, I'll be quick." I smirk to receive a hard hit to the chest. She glares hard at me.

"Watch it mister." She growls. "I know you've been sexually frustrated but I'm not up for another round at seven in the morning."

"Fine." I sigh and give her neck a few kisses. She rolls away from me, getting up, but as soon as her feet touch the floor she stumbles. "Ariel?" I ask frantically.

"I'm fine." She says through gritted teeth. "My legs just kinda hurt a bit..."

Although she's turned away from me, I know she's blushing. I get up and scoop her up in my arms, walking us into the bathroom.

I start the shower and I shower with her, helping her wash off. When we're done I dry us off and I get her her favourite undergarments. Then I wrap her up in my bathrobe. I feel like spoiling her today. She's not going to see her brother this morning and she's not going shopping- unless it's with me. I want it to be a day for us.

"And what would my princess like for breakfast?"

"Waffles!" Ariel smiles, getting a childish glint in her eye.

"Done." I link Parker and Justin since they actually know how to cook and make food and Ariel is most comfortable with them.

I lead her downstairs where Parker and Justin are arriving. When I look at them I realize they must have already been on their way, Parker generally comes at this time although, I wonder what Justin is doing with Brianne. He is her guard...

"You had sex!" Parker half yells which makes Ariel jump a bit.

"Oh yes now go tell the world," Ariel growls sarcastically.

"I will." Parker smirks which spikes Ariels anger a bit and I'm sure she's ready for a punch but I wrap my arms around her.

"Let's go sit down." I say.

Parker and Justin help me make waffles as Ariel does what she wishes. We eat together before I ask Parker and Justin to cancel Ariels shopping trip for her. I also ask that they take Milo out, which Justin does quickly for us. Then they leave and I'm once again left alone with Ariel.

I don't even know what to do, all I know is I want to be all hers today. I want to do what she wants. The bond grew so strong and I could feel her emotions and everything in a much more powerful way.

"Do you want anything mi amour?" I ask, kissing her forehead as she holds me in a hug. She was in a cuddles mood which I didn't mind. I play with her hair and she voices the question around in her mind.

"I want the pack issue to go away." She sighs. "And for Brianne to feel one hundred percent at home here."

"I do too. But I want to know if there's something physical you want. Like dessert or clothes or anything."

She thinks for a moment. "I want cake. And candy. And junk food."

"Then I'll get you that."