Juniper awoke slowly to the tapping of a keyboard.

She rolled onto her side, aware that it was later in the day from how bright it is. Juniper cracked an eye open to see Raphael resting against the headboard with a laptop in his lap.

Groaning lowly, she rest her head in his lap while pushing away his laptop.

He lifted it with a raised brow, glancing down to see her face contorted in discomfort.

A frown tugged at his lips, she probably felt even worse today.

Brushing her messy hair out of her face he leaned over her, "You need your medicine."

Juniper turned her face into his stomach to ignore him.

A loud sigh fell from his lips, "You'll feel better with pain killers."

The woman begrudgingly sat up slowly, blinking at him in unamuesement.

She didn't even want to try speaking as she felt even worse. "If I go get it will you take it?" he asked with a raised brow.

Juniper nodded once, leaning forward and thunking her head against his shoulder.

Raphael stalled for a moment before rubbing her back gently, watching as she scratched at her bandages.

After a few minutes, he stood up to get the elixirs and medication.

Juniper crawled out of the bed, feeling as if she was hit by a truck. Suddenly her head whipped up with wide eyes, she couldn't even wince as her face burned as she remembered what Raphael did last night.

She sucked her lips in sheepishly, not used to this feeling. All of her sexual encounters were one night stands where she didn't have to stay back to deal with the aftermath.

waking up in bed with him was nice though... she thought to herself.

Despite how miserable she was last night she specifically remembers how good he made her feel.

Stumbling to her feet, she went to brush her teeth.

Raphael came back and his eyes scanned for Juniper, his heart jumping into his throat when he couldn't spot her. She meekly poked her head out of the bathroom with her toothbrush hanging out of her mouth.

Sitting on the bed again, his brows furrowed when he noticed she was significantly more anxious compared to when he left.

He'd never seen her... jumpy.

"Juniper," he rumbled as she stalled in the bathroom. Her gray eyes darted to him.

"Is something wrong?"

She abruptly shook her head.

"I don't like it when you lie."

Juniper threw her hands up in annoyance, spitting in the sink and stomping towards the bed. He held her pills to her with water.

She reached for them only for him to pull them back with a raised brow.

Huffing loudly, she pointed to him- then to her. Then she proceeded to shove her index finger into the 'o' she'd created with her other hand.

(👉👌 lol)

"Oh."

Juniper stared at him incredulously, his lack of reaction making her balk.

"Did you not like it?" he asked in confusion.

Oh my god, Juniper groaned inside of her head.

She shook her head vehemently, waving her hands.

"No, you didn't like it or no you did?"

Juniper smacked a hand over her eyes, unable to stop herself from laughing. Biting the bullet, she made a heart and once again pushed her finger into a whole made by her other hand.

Raphael scoffed in amusement, smirking at her as he gave her the medicine and watched her take it.

"So you're embarrassed?" he asked bluntly.

She narrowed her eyes at him as she shrugged.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he shook his head as if it was obvious. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I almost came in my pants while we did it?"

Juniper gasped with wide eyes, spluttering another laugh before nodding.

Raphael grinned a little and leaned forward, she met him in the middle and pecked his lips.

He hummed as he trailed his tongue over his lips, "You need to eat."

He gripped her hand and lead her downstairs.

When Juniper began getting things out to make breakfast, Raphael swatted at her to go and sit, she swatted back at him.

"Sit the fuck down," he growled and turned her away.

Just as she was going to turn back, he slapped her ass hard.

Juniper's mouth fell open and she stared at him in surprise as he smirked down at her.

She rubbed the spot before sitting down to watch him start eggs.

"The nymph wants to see you soon," Raphael glanced at her as he turned on the stove.

Juniper frowned, grabbing her phone as she hopped up to sit on the counter next to him.

She typed quickly, in her notes it read- she has a name :<

Raphael glanced at the message.

He scowled, "I don't need to know her name she's not my woman. What the fuck am I going to do with that information?"

Juniper was annoyed and also happy with his answer. She huffed through her nose, pinching him. Raphael gripped her thighs and squeezed gently, raising a brow at her.

Sticking her tongue out at him, she began texting Seraphina. He pinched her to get her attention back.

"I don't remember a lot of names, not like it's personal," he grunted begrudgingly.

Juniper showed him Seraphina's contact information, tapping by her name incessantly.

"Fine, fine, fine," he pushed her hand out of his face.

"Do you want toast?" he asked as he reached and turned her head towards him. His fingers grasping her cheek.

She kissed his palm as she nodded to answer his question.

He hummed and moved around the kitchen, as he did that Juniper's phone vibrated.

"Ah!" she couldn't help but yelp when she saw who was calling.

"Juniper!" Raphael scolded.

She was pale as she stared at her phone, tossing her phone to him. He caught it with one hand as he held bread in the other.

He peered at the phone and his own face dropped when he read the contact.

Dad is calling...

"What the hell do you want me to do about it?" he thrust the phone back at her.

She scrambled away from it, shaking her head. Juniper motioned for him to answer it, pointing to her throat with a shake of her head as if it was obvious.

He snarled in annoyance, looking between her and the phone before abruptly answering it.

Juniper covered her mouth to hide her smile as Raphael pinched the bridge of his nose and put it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Who the hell is this?" the foreign voice rumbled through the speaker.

Raphael groaned lowly, "This- uh- I'm your daughters boyfriend." He felt stupid calling himself that, but he couldn't risk introducing himself as her mate at the moment.

"What the..." her father trailed off. "Where's my daughter?"

"She's lost her voice, she wanted me to tell you..." he trailed off as she'd snagged his phone to begin typing what she wanted to say.

He squinted at the message, "She wanted me to ask you... why the hell are you calling..."

Glaring at Juniper, he frowned as he heard her father cursing on the other end of the phone.

"I'm calling because your step mother and I are getting married, officially. We wanted to invite you... and your boyfriend apparently..."

Juniper frowned in disinterest. She slowly shook her head while looking at her mate.

"She'll get back to you when she's healed," Raphael answered.

Her father went to say something but Raphael hung up on him.

Juniper was wide eyed, staring at Raphael.

Slowly she shrugged at him.

His jaw dropped, "What do you mean just a shrug?"

She shrugged harder.

Quickly she typed into her notes again, he's a weirdo we're not going.

"He's your father, Juniper."

She stuck her tongue out, We're not talking about this right now.

He huffed and finished up her eggs. Juniper hummed when he handed her the food, she filled her fork before holding it up to his mouth.

Raphael looked at her warily before taking the bite. Juniper chuckled a little and ate her food quietly.

When her phone buzzed again, she glanced at it before showing Raphael the text. He grunted before reading it, Seraphina announcing her and Phoenix would be over soon.

He groaned in annoyance as he stepped between her legs, resting his face on her shoulder.

"Can't believe you made me talk to your dad," he grumbled into her collar.

Juniper giggled like the little shit she is and kissed all over his face.

~

surprise update for fun!! i think this is the shortest chapter in the whole book just filler so i figured why not post it