It took a lot of time and convincing to coax Malia into my arms and even longer to get her to leave with me. I wasn't frustrated that she wouldn't crawl up to me as soon as I entered the room, she was scared. It was natural for her to stay as far away from people as she can when she was scared and I didn't mind that. A gentle voice and slow, soothing movements and patience were all that were needed in these kinds of situations, and I could handle that.

She hung limp in my hold as I carried her, her and and legs dangling loosely. Though, she wasn't tense in my arms, I could tell she wasn't all for it, still wary of close people and physical contact. Her body quivered in my arms as if she were cold, but I knew better. Terrified, is what she was feeling and I felt utterly useless because I had no idea how to help her in this type of situation. I felt pathetic knowing how helpless I was to my mate, knowing how much she is suffering and just letting it continue because I couldn't help it.

"It's true." She whispered in my ear, making goosebumps rise on my skin as my body reacted to her voice.

"What's true?" I spoke gently back, running my fingers through her hair, trying to pass it off as a soothing and calming gesture.

"What everyone is saying. That I am a murderer." Her voice hardened slightly, as did her body. It tensed and the muscles constricted as if she were preparing for a fight.

"I don't care, Malia." I reassured her. "Everyone here is a murderer in one way or another." Shifting her weight in my arms, I opened up the door to our house and walked inside. I felt her head shaking back and forth against my neck.

"No, you don't get it." The gentle speaking was gone, her voice getting louder and louder by the minute.

"Get what, Sweetheart?" I kept my voice steady, trying to calm her down. "We are all the same, we have all had to kill something one time or another."

"You don't get it!" She snapped, pushing her hands against my chest until I set her on the ground, releasing her. "I'm a murderer!"

"I am afraid I don't understand, Malia." I tilted my head. "I've killed people before. I am a murderer, the same as you. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does! I'm disgusting! I killed innocent people for entertainment!" She shouted at me loudly. Her head ducking and hiding her face behind her hair. "I'm a monster." Her voice dropped, sounding small and fearful.

"So, you killed people for fun?" I asked, trying to get a better understanding. "You killed them because you wanted to?"

My questions froze her, making her hesitate to answer before she let out a choked sob. Tears rolled down her cheeks, the wetness shining in the light. My heart clenched at the sound of her cries, feeling physical pain at the sight of each tear. Reaching out to her for a hug, she reeled back and harshly shoving me away.

"No! I'm useless, pathetic and a disgrace!" She screamed at me as she sobbed. I am a disgusting murderer who killed innocent people, kids!" She cried and shoved me back further, her small hands planted themselves against my chest as she pushed. "You're supposed to hit me!"

"H-Hit you?" I sputtered, terrified and confused over her sudden outburst. "Why do you think I am supposed to h-hit you?"

"Because you're supposed to." With her head down, she stood in front of me completely still. It was if she were waiting for me to draw my hand back and beat her.

"Why would you even think that?" I asked, appalled that she would even have the slightest thought in her head that I would lay a hand on her inappropriately.

"Because I am supposed to be punished?" She sounded as confused as I was. "I pushed you and yelled at you." She said it with a tone that conveyed that she was certain that it would be a legitimate reason for me to harm her.

"I am never going to hit you." I stated firmly, trying to to keep my hands from shaking in anger.

"B-But, why?" Her eyes grew wide and she took a wary step backwards, like she was suspecting that I was lying to her. I couldn't bare the thought of her being afraid of me or her thinking that I would ever be dishonest.

"Because no one deserves to be hit over something so insignificant, something so petty, like you voicing your opinions or getting angry."

"You still don't get it! You're supposed to hit me! You have to punish me!" She cried, lasting out at me again in a panic. "I am an ugly, repulsive monster that deserves to get beaten to the ground. I have taken the lives of innocent people and they deserve justice for what I had done to them. I killed them brutally. I am a disgusting, hideous, murderer!" She them looked at at me with tears in her eyes. "You need to hit me." It was almost as if she were pleading for me to do it, to bring pain upon my own mate.

Gently and slowly, I grasped her hands and intertwined our fingers, holding them close. Making sure to maintain eye contact, I tried to convey my thoughts and keep my voice from quivering. "No, you are not. You do not deserve to be hit and I am not going to, not now, not ever."

Ripping her hands from my grasp, she turned away from me and took a few steps forward. Her hands pulled at her shirt and yanked it over her head, making me turn away, my cheeks feeling hot. My body became hyperaware of hers, my senses becoming even more heightened. The sound of fabric hitting the floor made my ears twitch.

"Look at me." She whispered.

"I-I can't." The heat crept up my neck and my face burned even hotter. "You're indecent."

"Look at me." She said again and I heard the snap of her bra coming undone, the small noise of it hitting the floor, it now laying along side her shirt. "Look at me and tell me that I am not a monster." I slowly trailed my eyes to her, just in time to see her pull her hair together and rest it against one shoulder, letting it expose the top of her back.

"Oh, Malia." I sighed, letting one of my own tears escape my eyes, more soon followed. The scars were everywhere, deeply embedded into her skin, the new layers had a sheen to them, reflecting the light. I didn't find her repulsive or hideous like she thought I would, rather, it made me think she was even stronger than my previous theory. If anything, she was even more beautiful in my eyes. "What did they do to you?