Cover in media by @Sierra-Night

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Ariel's POV

"You could never beat me," I laugh darkly, arms up defensively.

"I kicked your ass loads of times," Aubrey growls in response.

"Ha," I laugh, until Aubrey is barreling into me, knocking the wind out of my lungs. I struggle under his weight for a moment before gaining my bearings and throwing him off.

I get back up and put my hands back up, ready for him to come again. Aubrey didn't like to fight but he could kick some serious ass. Since Aubrey has a heart made of sugar and candy and all the nice things in the world, as does my mother, he could easily become fearful of hurting me in a brawl. Currently however, he seems to be taking all his power out on me, he's angry.

But so am I.

Our punches give bruises, our knuckles going red. We were both so angry at what the world had done to us, Aubrey with his fake mate and myself with my missing mate. And through this fight, we were telling each other that. We were showering our anger and our prowess.

I knew everyone was watching us at this point. Other alphas, packs, my own pack. All watching. Intrigued by our force. Darcy taught us to fight, and if you've ever been trained by her, you're already a level higher than everyone else.

Darcy's fighting was the style of a mad woman. She used anything and everything as her weapon. Her body danced as she fought and it was her game. It was impossible to beat her at it.

My brother taps out and I let him go before turning to everyone who stopped.

"What are you doing?" I growl. "Get back to work!"

As they scramble back to their training, Aubrey and I sit together.

"I still haven't found my mate Ariel..." Aubrey sighs. "What if I never do?"

"You will." I promise, watching as my pack dominated over the others they trained with. I taught them well, sadly it just wasn't enough.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't speak of that when Raphael is gone." Aubrey mumbles.

"It's okay," I say softly. "I know it hurts you. Besides, we know she was at the meeting. So she must be an alphas daughter." I smile.

Aubrey's face twists and I frown in response. There's something he's not telling me.

"What is it?" I narrow my eyes.

"Can... can I talk to you? Alone." Aubrey almost whispers.

Inside, I smile, Aubrey was always the more childish. His maturity level was higher than mine, he was way up there. But when it came to actions he could be like a little kid. Both our childish actions came from our mother. I miss her...

"Yeah. Of course." I smile.

"With your betas." Aubrey adds.

"My betas?" I raise an eyebrow. I link them anyway, telling them to go to my house.

"Yeah..." Aubrey nods.

"Alright, well, let's get going. One more pack still has to come and should be soon. So whatever you say you better say quick." I tell him as I start my way to my house, Aubrey following.

Parker and Justin are already there, naturally bickering over something stupid.

"What is it?" Aubrey asks.

"Justin never lets me be the top!" Parker exclaims and I groan.

"I don't like hearing about your sex life, shut up." I whine.

"Okay, but is Parker a bottom or a top?" Justin asks, crossing his arms.

I look between them, and a devilish smirk washes over my face. "I don't know, I think he's more of a bottom."

"Ariel! I've been betrayed!" Parker exclaims, his hand over his chest. "What do you have to say Aubrey? Am I a top? Are I not a top?"

Aubrey's face grows crimson and I give him the weirdest look. "Aubrey...? You okay?"

"I just... I mean... yeah. I'm fine." Aubrey mutters, hanging his head a little.

"Hey, alpha, head up." I smile, pushing his chin up. "Ya can't be like that in front of my dumbass betas."

"Language." Aubrey comments and I roll my eyes.

"What did you have to tell us anyway?" I ask as I hear cars start to pull up. "Oh! The last pack is here. The alpha brought both his sons too, so we'll have lots of strong alphas in completing our plan."

My biggest issue now is that we still haven't caught a spy. Someone was constantly on the cameras, Justin, Parker, me, Ana or Liam, but no one has shown anything out of the ordinary. I mean, I caught some kids doing drugs accidentally. That's about it. Ask them how they did it accidentally but after interrogation, through the link might I add, they had no idea what they were smoking.

Sometimes...

Aubrey stiffens and I frown. "What? What is it? You've been acting weird. You were distracted during our fight, you want to talk and now your being funny. What's wrong?"

He doesn't reply so I go open the door. A boy around my age is raising his hand to knock. Two other men behind him. But his eyes skip right past me and onto the three stupid boys behind me. I swear to goodness if Parker and Justin are doing something stupid.

"You're..." the boy says, his bottom lip trembling slightly. Like a nervous, about to cry state. He's got black hair in this beautiful messy look, pushed back and shorter at the sides. These piercing green eyes that made me, for some odd reason, miss Raphael a little more.

"Aubrey." My idiot brother says behind me, his voice so soft it made me want to barf.

"Levi, no way!" Exclaims the guy behind him. I assume his brother since he has the same black hair and they look an awful lot alike. The older men behind is clearly their father, his green eyes must be the ones 'Levi' inherited.

"Is that him?" His father asks, a proud smile on his face.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, looking back at Aubrey and then to Levi.

They just stared at each other, drinking each other in. I watch in confusion, what the fuck?

"It's him," Levi whispers back to his brother and father.

"What the hell is going on?" I whine angrily.

"You're actually dumb Ariel," Justin snorts.

"You're just realizing that Justin? Come on, she's the stupidest little shit there is!" Parker adds.

"What? What am I missing?" I exclaim.

"He's my mate." Aubrey says, finally tearing his eyes away and looking at me.

I haven't smiled so big in forever. I think my face lit up like a light bulb and I throw my arms around Levi. "Welcome to the family."

Levi hugs back whole heartedly and I can't get the stupid smile off my face. I haven't been this happy in so long. Not since Raphael... but this made me so overjoyed. Aubrey found his mate. Aubrey finally found his real mate. Oh my gosh!

I pull away and push Levi towards Aubrey. "Go upstairs. I'll take care of my pack business."

I watch my older brother be the gentleman he is and lead Levi upstairs. Both looked nervous, both looked happy. And my joy was spilling out of me.

"Luna Ariel," Levi's father shakes my hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well," I nod. "I'll show you to where you'll be staying."

***

Being the wonderful nosy sister I am, I eavesdropped.

I mean, I found out my brothers gay and his mate in one day, I'm curious! And it was a great distraction from my own missing mate. I had a strict schedule made by Parker and Justin so I didn't overwork myself. They constantly were watching, if not telling someone else to, to make sure my schedule was upheld.

I was currently on a break and so I just listened to the boys upstairs. Aubrey seemed so curious and nervous, like he was still figuring out he was gay. Levi however knew he was gay, as did his family. Levi was good looking, and I don't doubt he had muscle, as all alphas do. But the poor boy was a twig next to my brother.

They spoke about their families. Aubrey actually said nice stuff about me. And Levi told the story how he knew Aubreys fake bitch mate and that's why his scent must have been on her at the meeting.

It's Parker and Justin who finally pull me out of eavesdropping by telling me to stop being rude.

I comply, eagerly waiting to see Levi again. I already liked him so much better. He was my age, which meant we should get along just fine. My age, Aubrey's mate, is a boy, isn't that first bitch? I already love him.

That must have been what Aubrey wanted to tell u- I scream in pain. Raphael's pain seeping through in some new kind of torture. Tears instantly start streaming down my cheeks. I wasn't expecting this.

Aubrey is at my side in seconds, cradling me to his chest. "It's all okay, it's okay, you'll be okay." He keeps saying, over and over. Levi gets me water and sits across from me like Parker and Justin are. Parker holds my hand as I shriek again. No! I can't go on bed rest again!

But that's just where I end up. Bed rest. They had gotten the pack Doctor and I was so weak from my wolf trying to block the new kind of pain and from experiencing it, she had me put in bed.

All four boys acted as my guards. They wouldn't leave my side, especially Aubrey who seemed like he was in tears.

I reach a shaky hand out to him, putting it on his hand. "I'll be okay." I say weakly. "I just..." A few of the rare tears slip. "Raphael."

"He's going to be okay." Parker promises. "He's just as tough as you if not tougher. And just as strong willed. He knows you're coming, he'll always fight for you."

They comfort me and coax me back to health. Levi stays with me when they go for the meeting about the plans with the other alphas. His excuse was that there were already two alpha males from his pack there, he could stay.

"Thanks Levi." I say softly.

"Thanks for accepting me..." he replies. "I was scared that when I met my mate, he wouldn't like me or his family wouldn't. But you were so... happy. And nice. Just... thank you."

"I didn't even know Aubrey was gay." I laugh lightly, though it hurts. "I was just so happy he finally found his mate- you, I could care less what gender you are."

Levi smiles back and he sits with me as I drift in and out of sleep. Waking me up when I get restless, my many nightmares haunting me. Most of Raphael, some of other things. But if Raphael were here, he'd chase them away.

Finally I fall asleep, my mind not going straight to my nightmares.

When I wake up, all four boys had camped out in mine and Raphael's room. The bed no longer smelled like him and all I did was long for him. I walk into the closet, over the sleeping bodies, and hold one of his shirts to my face. I drink in his scent, the slowly fading scent. Not as strong as it once was.

I'm with it for long enough that the boys had awoken and further coaxed me down to breakfast. Levi and Aubrey had their first night together worrying over me. Gosh I feel so bad now.

I make them breakfast and slowly I start talking again. I just... the pain from Raphael cause my hole to grow. The hole that was his being in me ripped out. It hurt so much...

"You should call mom and dad..." I tell Aubrey. "They'd love to hear about Levi." I smile.

"They... they don't know." Aubrey mumbles.

"You think they care?" I reply.

"Well... good point." Aubrey sighs. "We'll call together."

I smirk and I grab his cell phone, calling my mom and putting it on speaker. She picks up almost instantly. "I am coming in today baby, your father is such an asshole keeping the information from me." Mom growls over the phone.

"Mom, you aren't fighting." Aubrey shakes his head.

"Blaire," Darren whines. "I didn't want you to stress about Ariel so much."

"My daughter has been struggling without me Darren go away." Mom says childishly and I smile, shaking my head. Of course, hardly anyone really told her. We maybe briefly brushed over it. But mom would have been more stressed than me.

"Hey beautiful," I say.

"Baby girl!" Mom exclaims. "I'm so sorry. I'll be there in a few hours. Okay?"

"Mom I called about something else. Aubrey has something to say to you." I smirk.

Aubrey chews on his lip and I watch Levi encouragingly take his hand on the table. I smile a little and watch.

"What is it baby?" Mom asks.

"Dad needs to be there too," I add.

"He's listening."

Aubrey takes a deep breath. "I found my mate."

Moms squeal makes me wince and Aubrey looks panicked. "For real? What's her name? What's she look like? I want a picture!"

Aubrey's pause before continuing makes my stomach churn. "His name is Levi."

Mom doesn't miss a beat. "And what does he look like?"

Aubrey looks at Levi, a smile on his face. "Hot as fuck."

"Don't curse in front of your mother," Dad says through the phone, though I can hear the smile in his voice.

"I want a picture- face time me. Now." Mom hangs up and starts a face time call.

I laugh lightly and answer, handing to phone to Aubrey.

"This is Levi," Aubrey says, holding the phone out.

"Hi Mrs-"

"It's Blaire." Moms camera angle makes me laugh, she seems like she's focused on something else.

Wait.

"Get out of the kitchen!" Both Aubrey and I say at the same time.

"Out! Out! Out!" I reply.

"I'm baking something!" Mom whines.

Dad comes in out of no where and picks up both mom and the phone. "You sneaky woman," he mumbles.

We all know what happens when moms in the kitchen. She is destructive. Mom is only permitted to bake under supervision, close supervision.

Dad looks at Aubrey and Levi through the phone. "Congratulations."

"Thanks sir," poor Levi seems so intimidated, but the phone is pulled back to my moms face.

"Levi deary, you come back home with my baby boy. I want to meet you in person as soon as possible." Mom says. "You really are hot as fuck."

Aubrey laughs as dad hangs up the call and Levi has pink tinted cheeks. Parker and Justin who had managed to remain quiet for... well, this must be a record, finally speak up. Justin leaves to watch the cameras while Parker tells the other two boys to go out on a date. Parker gives them advice on how people might react which Aubrey drinks in, whereas Levi already seems comfortable.

I watch and another smile comes across my face. I can't wait for Raphael to see this.