Juniper

Thirty Seven

Juniper sniffled as the bath she was sat in steamed, Raphael sat on the toilet besides her while washing gently at her cheek.

There was a bandage over the long cut that traced her cheek bone, Raphael focused on cleaning around it.

They'd both been quiet since arriving to where they'd be staying, Raphael refused to stay in the same house they'd been attacked. He had multiple properties, this one a large two story villa.

Later on, when she wasn't in a mess if emotions she'd be excited that there was a pool.

Bear lied on their bed, the bathroom door open so she could see him without getting nervous with him out of sight.

Blinking tiredly, Juniper finally focused on her mates handsome face.

He paused for a moment, meeting her gaze with pain written over his face.

"We'll be okay right?" Juniper croaked softly.

His eyes softened, leaning forward and brushed his nose against her own.

"We'll be okay," his tone was confident even if he felt exhausted with everything happening around them.

She sniffled again, "I think he needs a cone." Juniper waved her braced wrist over to their dog who licked at his stitches.

Raphael turned and snapped his fingers, Bear quickly pausing when he realized he was caught.

Brushing his fingers over her brace, Raphael kissed it gently.

"I want you in here," the blue haired woman whined quietly.

Raphael shook his head a little before smiling smally down at her.

"I'll..." she trailed off as she thought. "I'll take my brace off if you don't," her eyes perked up as she thought of an adequate threat.

Raphael immediately scowled. He stood up quickly after, yanking his sweatpants that he was wearing down with his boxers.

Juniper hummed in pleasure while openly watching.

Raphael scoffed before sinking himself in across from her. Immediately, she waded over into his lap.

Nuzzling her head underneath his chin, Juniper spoke quietly.

"I told them you'd kill them," she trailed her fingers over his broad shoulders.

Inhaling sharply, he glanced down at her mass of hair.

"Juniper... when you were there they- did they..?" he trailed off.

Frowning tightly, she shook her head. "No, they just beat me up a bit."

"It wouldn't have changed anything for me if they did," his arms tightened around her waist suddenly. "I just would've had to find a way to bring them back from the grave to kill them all over again."

Pushing her back a little to glanced at her stomach that was bruised heavily, he exhaled loudly through his nose.

"I never should have left," he hissed.

Shaking her head, Juniper felt her hands trembling. "Don't say that."

He shut his eyes tightly, the self loathing rolling off of him in waves.

"Please don't do that," Juniper whispered as her lips wobbled with emotions. "I just kept telling myself that you'd be there and you were-" her voice cracked.

A shuddered breath racked her, "When she walked through the door... I-I thought-" Juniper wiped her face as she held in her tears. "I thought I'd never see you again."