Juniper

Thirty Five

Raphael, who'd just gotten to his meeting hall, felt Phoenix shifting besides him.

"What?" Raphael grunted.

Phoenix glanced up, doing a double take before waving the lead berserker off. Others were gathering at a large table.

"Sera usually texts me back really quickly," he shrugged. Raphael rose a brow, but before he could judge him for being clingy he realized he couldn't blame him.

He himself was awaiting a call or text from his mate, it began putting him on edge.

"Yeah," Raphael spoke slowly while looking at his own phone. "Haven't heard from Juniper. Or Warren for updates with the guards."

The two men glanced at each other, both stewing in their own anxiousness.

They're being paranoid, Raphael thought to himself.

"It... wouldn't hurt to call the guards. It's Sean out there?" Raphael suddenly blurted.

"Yeah no it wouldn't hurt," Phoenix immediately stood up.

Just as he was getting on the phone, listening to the constant ringing Raphael's head began hurting.

Searing pain hit his right temple, his head began throbbing as if he'd gotten his head bashed in.

Lowly, he groaned while gripping his skull.

"Fuck," he snarled lowly. His chest tightened, his other hand flying to rub over his chest.

"Call them," he grunted more urgently.

"I am!" Phoenix's chest heaved. "They're not answering."

"Get them on the fucking phone!"

All the demons around began tensing, the meeting hadn't even started yet.

Raphael hadn't felt pain like this before, dread flooding him.

"Someone get my damn mate on the phone!"

The room fell silent at the declaration as Phoenix kept trying the phone as Zane and Felix came to Raphael's side.

"Something's not right," he snarled while storming towards his car.

Just as he was starting the car, Phoenix ran out frantically.

"We need to get to the fucking house!"

Filling up two cars, the Court of Berserkers peeled away from the meeting back towards Raphael's house.

The dark haired man was trying to keep himself calm, his knuckles turning white until he threw the truck in park.

His heart stuttered when he saw a crowd of demons around his home, rushing forward and shoving everyone out of his way.

A strangled growl came from his chest as he saw his dog lying in the ground covered in blood. Dr. Ainsley, the same doctor that treated Juniper, was crowded over Bear.

"He'll be okay," Ainsley assured. "It was a graze that nicked an artery but I've got him sedated and stitched up. But..." The doctor looked over and saw that a man was obviously mauled to death.

Raphael couldn't breathe for a moment, "Where's Juniper?" he rasped.

No one responded for a moment as Phoenix was frantically looking around for his girlfriend.

"Blood in the kitchen," the silver haired berserker husked as he paled.

"No," Raphael croaked lowly. "No, no, fuck!"