Raphael swallowed down his glass of whiskey as he sat at a desk. His office in this building was not his favorite, but he didn't want to spend anymore time in his full time home than necessary.

The door opening caught his attention, he glanced up past his reading glasses with a frown.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Phoenix furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked around. This office, that wasn't used often, was cluttered with more things than usual.

Phoenix's hazel eyes widened when he saw a blanket and pillow on the couch in the corner.

"Working," Raphael grunted.

"Not... in your house? Where your office, bedroom, and may I remind you- mate is?" His friend still looked around, unbelieving of what he was seeing.

"I want to work here," the powerful berserker sneered in a final tone.

When silence followed he looked up, irritated. Phoenix was staring at him with crossed arms.

"Did you come here for something?" Raphael slammed his hands down on his neatly organized desk as he stood up. Grumbling quietly he began fixing everything he knocked over.

Phoenix didn't budge, no matter how intimidating his leader was.

"I guess I came here to see why best friend is fucking everything up for himself," Phoenix shrugged casually.

Raphael sneered and snatched his papers back up, "Mind your own fucking business."

"It is my business. Seraphina had been talking about how Juniper hasn't been feeling well the past few days and I'm wondering why you're here and not at home," Phoenix lied through his teeth.

Raphael grit hit teeth, stalling for a moment before glancing up at his friend.

"What kind of not well?"

Phoenix shrugged with pursed lips, "But since you need to work so badly..." He stood up to leave.

As he turned his back to Raphael, he listening closely. When the sound of him grabbing his keys rang, Phoenix smirked.

"I have papers for you at the house anyway," Raphael growled while brushing past him. Phoenix followed with a sneaky grin.

When the two men walked into the silent home, Raphael waited for the stupid dog to greet them.

The taller man tensed when no such thing happened.

Turning on his heel, he took the steps by two and braced an arm on the bedroom door frame.

Knocking harshly, he held his breath while waiting for a response.

Raphael snarled when he heard nothing on the other side of the door, he barged in and saw no one there.

All of Juniper's things were still here but no sign of her.

With a roar of anger, his claws slashed the nearest wall before storming downstairs.

"Where the fuck is she?!" he snarled as he tore through the house. Her scent was everywhere, he could barely focus between the crazed thoughts of finding his mate and the crazed thoughts of how good her scent made him feel.

This was exactly why he couldn't spend his time here. There was no way to keep a sane mind as day by day the urges grow stronger.

Phoenix gripped his shoulders but Raphael shoved him away, "Calm down for a fucking second! Let me call Seraphina! If anyone knows where she is it's her!"

Raphael's body was thrumming with anger, his body heating up as his eyes searched for any hints to where she may be.

His chest heaved with every breath, focusing on the missing keys hanging by the door.

"Listen," Phoenix hissed as he put his phone on speaker.

"Hey sweetheart," the silver haired man greeted softly as if he didn't have a seething berserker glaring at him.

"Hi!" Seraphina sang into the phone. They could hear someone in the background.

"Are you leaving soon?" the nymph asked.

Phoenix hummed, "Yeah honey I am. What are you up to?"

"I'm just- Juni they don't go there- gardening," Raphael was already stalking out the door. Slamming it behind him.

"That's good babe, I'll see you soon yeah?" they bid their goodbyes and Phoenix hurried to follow Raphael.

He barely had time to get into the car before Raphael sped off. For the second time since meeting her, he sped to retrieve Juniper.

Before Raphael could break down the door, Phoenix hissed for him to quiet down. He led him around the back to where they would be.

Opening the fence, they both saw the women in the left corner farthest from them.

Juniper stretched her arms over her head, Raphael drank in the sight of her. His breath hitching.

Juniper was, to put it lightly, the most beautiful person he's ever laid eyes on. She was curvy, her waist small as her wide hips fought against the jean shorts confining her.

Her legs were thick, extra cushion in all of the places he could grab onto and grope. Her tank top straining against her chest that bounced with her movement.

She was in all black, contrasting the bright colors of the garden around her as her rich brown skin shined in the sun.

Her eyes were shielded by tiny circular sunglasses and a large equally black sunhat.

She bent down to lift a wheelbarrow, her brown boots sinking in the soil.

"Raph-" Phoenix tried.

The man of the hour snarled lowly, both women turned towards the opening of the fence quickly.

Raphael saw Juniper's eyes widen behind her shades as he stalked forward.

"Where the fuck have you been?" he growled.

Juniper's shocked face turned into a glare.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

Raphael didn't slow down, bending and tossing the woman over his shoulder. He whistled lowly and watched Bear follow behind him quickly.

"Put me down," Juniper sneered while fisting his dress shirt angrily.

She glanced at Seraphina who's jaw fell open, she went to go help her friend quickly but Phoenix stopped her abruptly.

Seraphina scowled at her boyfriend but met Juniper's gaze.

The bluenette shook her head once, Seraphina slowly dropped it but still crossed her arms tightly at her boyfriend.

Sitting Juniper in the passenger seat with a grunt, he slammed the door shut. After a moment, he was starting the car. Juniper was glaring at him as Bear was pressing his wet nose against her shoulder from the back seat.

"I thought we agreed you stayed at the fucking house," Raphael barked.

Juniper crossed her arms and turned away to look out the window.

Raphael scoffed as they sped down the road to his home.

"Real mature, Juniper. Imagine my surprise when I get home and no one is fucking there!"

Juniper sneered, "That's rich coming from you."

He sent her a scathing glare to which she ignored, face still hidden with her hat and sunglasses.

"What you're pissy you didn't have my attention? You've got it now. We never agreed to anything, I don't know what you want from me," he rose his voice once again as his house came in sight.

"I want communication, you moron. It doesn't have to be about anything other than my situation but when you stick me in your house and disappear for a week do you really expect me to be okay with that?" she yelled back.

As soon as the car was stopped, she opened the door and slammed it shut. Letting her dog out, she stormed off with him on her heels.

Raphael glared and followed after her, slamming the door shut.

"Someone could've seen you!" he hated chasing after her.

"I took your car, took backroads, only went to Seraphina's! If I had some way to contact you maybe we could've had a discussion about it!" She swiftly turned and shoved her finger in his chest, the two yelling in the others faces.

"You never asked for a way to contact me," he threw his hands up. His veins were popping out as his anger got the best of him.

Juniper was no better as she threw her boots over by the door and tossed her hat away.

"I never asked to eat the food out of your fridge either but I did anyway because it's common fucking sense!"

She pressed her hand to her eyes in absolute annoyance.

The two were seething, puffing angry air as they were mere feet apart.

"You're infuriating," Juniper hissed as she loosened the tie in her hair.

"Look in a mirror," Raphael husked as he clenched his fists.

"I'll just sit on my ass then for the rest of time, while you give me no information whatsoever. Why don't I put on an apron and spread my legs like the house wife you expect me to be?!"

Raphael balked at her words, "I didn't ask anything of you besides to stay safe!"

Juniper could throw something at the moment, pacing around before stalking to the kitchen. Her mate once again followed after her, his dark eyes trained on her.

They stared at one another, the island counter separating them.

"Can you look at things from my perspective," she pressed her hands together tightly.

"I've been doing this by myself for months. You coop me up here, barking orders and completely cut me off!"

Raphael pinched the bridge of his nose, "And on my end, a woman practically falls into my lap that I feel responsible for now who was almost killed right in front of my eyes." He snarled lowly, the base in his voice almost shook Juniper.

"I smell you, everywhere," he hissed. "I see you in my fucking sleep, I can't think straight long enough to do anything before I'm thinking about you!" His teeth grit in frustration.

Juniper's eyes widened a little as she was taken aback at the confession.

"The house, everything's reminding me of you and I've got assholes running around on my land trying to fucking execute you. For a reason I still don't know!" Raphael glared at her, fists balling up on the granite counter.

Her lips parted, mind blanking for a moment. Her heart was thumping, he thought about her that much?

"I-If you talked to me more maybe I'd feel comfortable telling you," Juniper quipped as her voice lowered. "You think I got any sleep either? I'm in a new place, you disappeared, I-I'm cooped up here with no word from you whatsoever! It's not easy for me either Raph!"

He braced both hands on the counter, eyes boring into the small woman across from him.

Juniper felt heat pool into her stomach, his eyes were dark and completely focused on her. His arms flexed in his anger, the muscles seemingly carved from stone on his giant form.

He'd unbuttoned his work shirt, probably during their yelling fit.

She peaked at his chest, his own eyes darted down to hers.

"We go in circles when we do this," he rumbled quietly.

Juniper nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do then?"

She peaked up at him through her lashes. Juniper crossed her arms over her stomach, waiting on bated breath for his answer.

He frowned in thought, "I... suppose I could be around the house more."

She rose a brow at him as she thought it over. Propping an elbow on the counter, she rest her face on her fist, "Maybe I could be nicer."

Raphael huffed quietly.

"Give me your phone," he held out his hand. She eyed him before handing it over unlocked. When he slid it back, he'd added his contact on her phone and vice versa.

She smiled a little, nodding while editing his contact.

He watched her tap on her phone, somewhat pleased at the peaceful conclusion to their umpteenth argument.

Raphael cleared his throat, "You get cleaned up. I'll get dinner ready."

She looked up in surprise, Raphael rose a brow wondering if his offer was so hard to believe.

"Okay," she nodded quickly. Her hair bounced around her head.

~

i have a doctors appointment early as FUCK so i posted ;))

IM POSTING CHAPTER TWELVE TOO CAUSE IM A WHORE FOR PRAISE LOL