Juniper tried crawling away from the now five demons crowded around her. Snagging her ankle once more, she was yanked back down between them all.

She puffed ragged breaths, trying to stand only to be shoved down.

Just as she reached to sink her hand into a nearby shadow, her hand was stepped on. It was the same hand where her wrist was most likely dislocated and she released a harsh cry.

Suddenly, bright lights were brought in. They were prepared as it banished nearly all the shadows in the room.

Juniper pressed her back to the wall as she glared at the men around her. Her gray eyes darted for a way out, a weapon to grab.

"Just give up already," one of them sneered.

Abruptly, she laughed quietly. "I'm personally going to cut your fucking dick off. See how you like it when I take away your future fucking kids!"

A hand swiftly slapped across her face, Juniper didn't hesitate to lash out at the man. She growled as she shoved her foot into his crotch and watched him crumple.

Before they could all lunge to restrain her, Juniper's stomach dropped as the door opened.

Stepping through the door, was the yellow haired witch who started all of this.

The asian woman smiled at the sight of Juniper beaten and surrounded.

"Juniper," Haley Kim practically cooed. The age was showing on her face as she walked closer, "It's such a shame you made this so difficult. We could've done this much easier."

"Haley," Juniper muttered as she pushed herself farther away.

The oracle tutted, instructing the men to keep her where she is.

"Now, I know this is probably very defeating. You've given us a run for our money certainly you have no idea how difficult this was. But we certainly had many people willing to help end the berserker race. Money truly does talk nowadays," Haley grinned while kneeling in front of the shadow demon.

"All we need is for you to tell us who your mate it, we know you've gotten in contact considering you were under berserker protection," Haley spoke as if they were old friends. The old woman wiping at dirt smudged on Juniper's cheek.

She jerked away from her touch, tears welling in her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she rasped uselessly.

Haley just pursed her lips disappointedly. "We can make this easy or hard. Long and painful or quick and painless Juniper. You know we can't let you live. Call it insurance."

Long and painful would gain her some time...

"The demons here say you smell of another male. So... we have to assume you've been with someone you dirty girl," Haley winked.

Juniper frowned in disgust and swiftly brought her foot up to peg it in this woman's face. She barely got to make contact before she was being dragged away.

Haley laughed loudly, "Check her for marks."

Juniper shrieked in protest as the mens hands were all over her, tugging at her clothes different ways to check for marks. They took obscenely long before finding the mark that was very obviously on her neck hidden under her shirt.

The man that found it froze. He visibly paled after reading the name, hands shaking.

"No way," he rasped. "No fucking way did I sign up for this!"

Juniper yanked her clothes back in place while wrapping her arms around herself.

Since the neck of her shirt had been ripped, she knew the name on her skin was visible.

Raphael Saint.

"You're all fucking dead," Juniper tried to keep her voice strong but even she could hear the fear dripping from it.

The men were freaking out while Haley was flabbergasted. The Saint was a death sentence.

"Don't panic! Don't panic!" she yelled at the men. "We're paying you so man the hell up! We promised safety after this and we will deliver!"

"Safety?!" Another man screamed in the older woman's face. "There is no safety from that man!"

"We have a mission to finish! We kill the girl and this is over! We don't have to go after the father anymore! It'll be out of the question."

"We," someone scoffed. "We don't have jack shit! We were hired for you. Now we're all going to die!"

"Well we might as well finish what we came here for then," Haley snarled and gripped a large knife.

A bang outside caught everyone's attention.

Everyone froze and Juniper's eyes were trained on the knife pointed at her neck.

Suddenly Haley flew to finish the job just as the door burst open.

Juniper screeched as she caught the oracles hands. Once again a knife was being held to her by a woman who was much stronger than she looked.

A loud roar shook the room and Juniper would've winced if it wasn't for the crazy woman trying to end her life. Her feet dug into her stomach and kept her from stabbing into her neck.

Grotesque sounds could be heard of bones snapping, limbs tearing, and overall death. Juniper sobbed loudly as her injured wrist felt as if it was tearing apart while holding off the attacker.

Just as her grip was slipping, a hand snagged Haley's hair.

In shock, Haley dropped the knife into Juniper's lap as she was dragged up.

Hanging from the grip of none other than Raphael.

Juniper cried out at the sight of her berserker and rolled over in relief. Raphael snarled, his eyes completely black as his skin was grayed.

Long sharp claws dug into Haley's skull as she screamed in agony.

Snarling loudly, Raphael began bashing her skull into the nearest wall.

Over and over and over.

Finally, while his hand gripped the back of her head he roared lowly while crushing her skull with his hand.

The limp body of the oracle fell in a heap, lifeless as Raphael panted wildly.

Juniper was struggling to stand as the adrenaline was leaving her body.

While his eyes slowly turned back to normal, just barely, he felt his chest seize before turning back to her.

Just as her legs gave out he crashed into her, lifting her up and into his chest.

Juniper sobbed aloud, Raphael thrusting his face in her neck as he himself felt his breath hitch.

His tears soaked her shirt as he held her tightly, falling to his knees.

"H-How?" Juniper tried to speak through her cries but could barely form a sentence.

He shook his head, not ready to speak as he inhaled her scent.

"They took you from me," he sobbed while trying to catch his breath.

Pulling away suddenly, he gripped her face and his teary eyes searched her body for injuries.

Anger welling inside of him as her cheek and leg bled, her wrist swelling heavily.

"We have to go," he lifted her up as she tried to gather herself together.

Raphael rushed the two of them out of the forsaken house that'd been abandoned years prior, Juniper peaked over his shoulder to see Warren and Seraphina running to her. Seraphina's hand was tightly clasped in Phoenix's.

The shadow demon was once again crying, unable to stop as she was relieved her friends were alright. Reaching with her uninjured hand she gripped both of their fingers as they walked closely behind Raphael who was getting her into a car to go to the doctor.

~

Juniper allowed her mate to carry her around, both were eerily quiet after the events of the day.

The day felt like a week.

Raphael was constantly glancing down at Juniper as he got her to the Dr. Ainsley who was waiting for them at one of his other properties. As if to make sure she was still here.

When they stepped through the threshold, Juniper shot up at the sound of barking.

A shuttered breath fell from her and she scrambled out of Raph's arms. He still held on tight but set her feet onto the ground just as Bear hobbled over to Juniper.

"Bear!" she croaked while practically falling to the ground to meet him. Relief flooded her as she hugged the pet tightly.

Raphael's chest tightened at the sight, crouching to wrap an arm around Juniper while also petting the dogs head.

"Saint," Dr. Ainsley came forward quickly. Raphael immediately lifted his mate once again to get her seen and Juniper frowned tightly when she saw an IV bag.

Feeling compelled to protest as the belt she'd fastened over her stab wound was taken off, Juniper stopped when she saw how concerned Raphael was.

Grimacing when they took her pants off to look at the wound, the doctor gave her a warning before putting the needle in her veins.

Raphael came to sit behind her like he had last time, this time winding his arms around her sternum and keeping her flush to his chest.

He stared daggers at the wound on her thigh.

"What other injuries should I know about?" The doctor asked.

Juniper glanced at her mate worriedly, unsure of how well he'd react but he didn't look her way. Once again his eyes were trained on her wounds.

"Dislocated," she held up her wrist. "Bruised," she lifted her shirt up to show her ribs.

Raphael's mind was spinning, his leg bouncing as his emotions became high strung with all of his anger.

"I can't fucking believe this," he abruptly hissed while combing a hand through his hair.

"It was a matter of time-"

"A matter of time?!" Raphael roared. "What the fuck am I doing this for if I can't keep you safe?!"

Juniper was wrapped and stitched up on her thigh and wrist before pulling away from the doctor. Motioning discreetly for him to give them space for a moment, she watched him leave.

"No one else could've kept me safe for this long," Juniper tried to start but was cut off once again as he stood up to pace. She craved his warmth.

"They got in! They got my guards! They got you, what w-would I have done if they just killed you there huh? They could have!"

Juniper knew this and was painfully aware of this. She drank water quickly while trying to soothe her aching throat.

"This was going to happen no matter what Raph!" she shoved herself to face him on the medical bed she was lying on. "There was too many people interested in having me killed for it not to! But they couldn't kill me because of everything you've done here! Haley couldn't come on the island right away because of your laws. They couldn't kill us right away because they couldn't communicate with her because of your laws. That is the only reason I'm alive!"

Her voice was raspy as she croaked, holding her sides tightly as they both breathed heavily.

He pinched the bridge of his nose while trying to get a hold of his emotions, only when his anger finally simmered the remaining fear that plagued him was brought back.

"I almost lost you," Raphael's voice broke as the wind was almost knocked out of him. The weight of the words causing him to brace himself on his knees.

Reaching for him from the bed, Juniper eased him closer. He gripped her thighs as she let him press his face to her stomach, soothing her hands down his back.

"The whole-" he swallowed hard. "The whole future I saw was almost taken," he whispered hoarsely. "I was so fucking scared I barely knew what to do."

Juniper's eyes welled but she tried to stop crying, having done too much of it today.

"I could feel you," he inhaled her scent deeply while laying her back onto the hospital bed.

"Knew you were close," he kissed up her arms delicately. "I got fucking lucky, we were close enough when the magic from that witch was detected. I was almost too late."

Raphael pressed his lips onto her mark hard, as if to remind them both it was there.

Juniper wound her arms around his neck, until finally he captured her mouth gently.

"I love you," she reminded him softly against his kiss.

A raspy groan fell from his chest, "I love you so fucking much."

Before he could get carried away, he pulled away and called the doctor back to finish patching Juniper up as he looked over her worriedly.

"I'm okay," she reassured him quietly.

He could only nod while gripping her hand tight.

~

i actually posted on a decent time on friday!! lmao i think i'm going to post the next chapter too in celebration :))