I opened my eyes slowly, looking up from my horizontal position to see a group of men standing above me in a circle as they talked.

I immediately spotted Kieran from the group, his form being the largest and tallest of them all.

I looked around the room, unmoving from my position, my eyes landing on the sliding door that lead to a vast amount of greenery laden with snow.

I breathed in deeply and shot up, bolting for the door as quick as my legs could carry. I had just thrown it open when I felt a grip on my wrist and a man shut the door quickly, positioning himself in front of the door as he held me.

I grunted, pulling myself from the loosened grip and I fell back on the floor, looking up at a pair of hazel eyes that bore into mine.

"Where's my mother?" I growled.

"All you must know is that she's alive." Kieran said.

I stood up slowly, putting my back towards the wall as to not be caught off guard.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"All you must know is that I know yours, Kieran." I spat.

He frowned at my response.

"Tell me or I give the order to end your mothers life." He said.

I growled at him.

He rose his hand, snapping his fingers and the men began to move.

"Charlotte. I'm Charlotte." I said quickly.

He brought his hand down and the men paused, and then he suddenly snapped his fingers and they ran out the house.

I screamed, yelling for them to stop. I lunged at Kieran, managing to slap him across the face when his loud roar silenced me and he gripped my wrist, pinning them at my side.

I turned at the sound of my mother's voice as she walked inside the house, escorted by the men.

I ran to her and she embraced me, her smile making me forget, momentarily, the hell we were in.

"You smile as if I'm going to let her live." I heard.

I turned around, Kieran standing right behind me.

"Please don't kill her. She's all I have." I said truthfully. There was no reason to hide the truth.

He snapped his fingers, and the men came forward, gripping my mom and dragging her back, taking her out the house as she yelled and pleaded for her life.

"Please." I begged once again.

"Why should I do as you ask? You continue to defy me." He growled.

"Please, I'm sorry. Just don't hurt her. I'll do anything. Please." I said looking up at him.

I stood in front of him quietly. My mother sacrificed herself nearly every day for Samuels to allow us to live. It was my turn to protect her.

I walked slowly until I stood right in front of him.

I lowered myself down until I was on my knees in front of him. I reached up slowly with shaking hands, unbuckling his belt and trying my best to not let my inexperience show, but I froze when his hands gripped mine, stopping me as I placed my hands on the waistline of his pants.

He brought me up quietly as he stared at me silently.

I watched as my mother came back in, a fresh pair of clothes in hand, shock on her face.

I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"There's a guest bedroom upstairs for her. As for you, you will be staying in my room for it is now ours. You'll know it when you see it." He said.

I didn't like it, but I didn't want him changing his mind so I nodded quickly and went up the stairs with my mother without another word.

My mother went downstairs before I did I assumed because I could hear the shower from the room next door cut off just as I entered mine. After showering, I stood in an oversized grey plush robe I had taken from the bathroom because I needed to figure out what to wear.

Surprisingly, when I got out the bathroom there was a pair of jeans and an oversized knit sweater on the bed that I gladly put on.

I walked downstairs quietly, coming to the living room where about ten people stood talking, all turning my way as I entered, my mother sitting on the couch quietly as she waited for me, standing up at the sight of me.

I looked around for Kieran, and then I felt his familiar presence behind me and I turned.

Kieran beckoned me forward, but I held still, not wanting to move.

He growled at me.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked.

Instead of speaking, he suddenly threw me over his shoulder and began walking towards the small group of people as I struggled against him.

I growled when he simply released me and I hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Asshole." I growled looking up at him, my mother dropping to my side to make sure I was alright.

I stood up, seeing the people in front of me watching me with interest.

They stood in front of a large mirror that was on a wall above the couch and I stared into the mirror that reflected the scene behind us,noticing no one was near the back door and it was wide open, a cool breeze floating in from behind us.

I had to do it. I was going to.

I looked down at the table in front of me, noticing the silverware that littered the coffee table that had freshly diced fruit in a large bowl on it.

I reached for the fork and spun around, plunging it into Kieran's bicep then bolted for the door, gripping my mothers hand as I pulled her quickly behind me.

I shifted into my wolf without a second thought, feeling the heat of the change roll over my skin and seeing my mother as she ran alongside me, struggling to keep up.

I paused momentarily and let her jump on my back, leaping off the porch as my mother gripped my fur, when suddenly wolves sprang from the treeline and began circling me, enclosing me against the porch that was to my back. I had no idea where they had come from, but they were here and I was surrounded and I turned at the sound of booming laughter.

I growled as Kieran walked towards me with a grin, ripping the fork from his shoulder and tossing it to the side and I knew I was in deep now as he leapt from the porch and stood in front of my wolf.