"Hunter." I whisper out as Hunter backs away with a terrified look on his face. I can only look at the ground in utter disbelieve as the images of a few seconds run through my head. I hear Hunter shuffle backwards until he hits the wall.

He's just as shocked as me, his mouth hanging open and fear clouds is eyes as we look at each other. His chin quivers a small bit and his arms are hidden in his chest as he stares at me. He is terrified of what I just saw.

"Hunter?" I say in another whisper as tears fill his eyes and he looks at his arms before hiding them. "Hunter. Say something." I say taking a small step of bravery, taking a step to him and raising my voice a tad bit. his head shakes and sinks into the floor as he stares at his arms.

"There's nothing to say."

"The hell with that." Hunter looks up scared and I try to contain myself as fear takes over the both of us. "Hunter. tell me what is on your arms. Please?" I say taking another step to him.

"I didn't want you to know." He whispers and closes his eyes.

"Yeah, well I do." I say loud enough, but not enough to wake anyone. "Hunter talk to me. Why the hell are there scars all over your arms!" I say getting close to him and sitting across from him of the floor.

"I-I can't. I can't. I can't." He pleads as tears fall and he stares at his arms. This is breaking me to see him like this, in the state of vulnerability and fear. He really was hiding this from me?

How the hell did he hide it for this long, especially from me? I've been with him 24/7 these past two weeks. I sit there not knowing what to do in this situation, I've never dealt with anything like this with other people. he shrinks into his own world as we sit there for a bit.

Both of us thinking. He was there for me earlier and now I need to be there for him, but I don't know how.

"Hunter. It's me, you can tell me. You can tell me anything." I say as I reach out for him. He shrinks further away and I go sad as he does so.

"Hunter, please. We should talk about this, we can take all the time in the world, but we need to talk about this." I say reassuringly as he curls his head into his knees and goes back into his own world.

I get sad and angry to see him like this. I don't like it, seeing him like this. It upsets me to see him sad and scared, I get brave and get closer to his and I force my way onto his lap and straddle him as tears continue to slip down his face.

I bring my hands to his cheeks and wipe my thumbs across his cheeks. His eyes open and fear clouds every part of his beautiful blue eyes. My heart breaks as he looks at me with fear. Why was he so scared to tell me this?

"Hunter. Just say something for me. Please, I'm here for you."

"I can't."

"You can. Hunter, please."

"I can't."

"what can't you do?"

"I can't....open up...I can't lose you. I don't w-want you to leave. It's stupid, it doesn't matter." With the last words coming out My heart breaks again, over and over and my eyes go wide.

"Hunter, This isn't because of me...is it?" His head shakes and he closes his eyes again. "Hunter, you aren't going to lose me because of this. I know your scared to open up, but I think that you need to. Remember what we said, no secrets? Please Hunter, Just tell me something about this so I can do something."

"Y-You promise you wont leave?"

"I promise." I say as he opens his eyes and nods.

"Common. Lets go somewhere else." I say as we get up and hunter wipes away his tears. I take his hand to the closet and get him a shirt and pull it over him, it's a long sleeved shirt but it cuts at the elbows. I get myself into shorts and a shirt too before I take his hand again and go out of the house, trying to be quiet.

we walk outside and into the woods for a bit. Lucky for us, North Dakota doesn't get too cold at night in the summer. Hunter grips my hand as we walk in silence through the woods and into the small clearing with Hunters tent. He stops and I stop with him as his face only shows sadness and fear.

"Hunter. It's okay, You know that I wont judge you or leave you, right?" I ask bringing his focus to me but pulling his face down and closer to me. He nods and a tear slips out as he looks at me. I wipe it away as we stand there. I look at him as he pulls away and takes my hand again. We walk into the tent and Hunter sits down across from me and looks down.

We were just here an hour ago.

"when ever your ready." I say looking down too. It takes a few moments but he finally speaks to me again.

"What do you want to know?"

"When did this start?"

"A few years ago."

"Were you getting depressed?"

"No. I was just Angry....I was getting upset with myself on how much of a terrible person I am and I hated myself. So In a way yes and no."

"Why were you hating yourself and thinking your a terrible person?"

"Because I hurt you....I hated myself because I knew you were my mate and I was beating you up everyday. My wolf had suppressed me and I didn't know what to do with myself. I wasn't depressed until after I would cut, but that would melt away the next day and my anger would build up every day. I couldn't take it, it's the only thing I could think of to help me, without people knowing. I can't go to anyone."

"Why didn't you feel you couldn't get help?"

"Because that would be so easy, wouldn't it? I'm the alphas son and my pack isn't very fond of most humans with the encounters we've had in the past. So telling my pack that my Mate is a human, and I don't know what to do so I beat him up everyday while he's getting abused by his father, and then I get so self consensus I cut myself open every-night to make everything go away? That wouldn't go over very easy with people." He blurts out at me. After a few minutes I let him calm down and start to ask another question.

"When was the last time you did it?"

"A few weeks ago."

I hear a few sniffs from Hunter and he looks completely defeated. I get up and walk around the tent trying to soak in this information. Was this my fault, I mean, I am Hunters mate.

He did this cause he felt bad for me in a way. Taking a breath and stopping, I walk over to hunter and sit in his lap making him look up to me.

"I'm here. I'm here for you, and I want you to talk to me. I have no idea how you hid this from me but I am here Hunter. If this is going to work, we have to talk to each other. And I want you to talk to me about this."

"I know."

"Why did you keep this from me?"

"I...I was scared. That you were going to leave me behind because I'm not perfect. I'm torn up and have scars that aren't going away anytime soon. I didn't want you to know. I just got scared that you would hate me because of this."

"Hunter, I would never hate you because of this...you know I have pliantly of scars of my own right. And last time I checked you aren't leaving me because of them." Nodding to me, Hunter watches me.

"And you thought you could hid it from me forever?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"As long as I needed."

"And was this it? As long as you needed?" I ask. He nods and stares into my eyes as I look down at his arms. "You wont do it again. Right?"

"I-I don't know." I look up at him as He stares off trying to avoid eye contact with me. "It's my only outlet right now Tristan. I never knew how to handle it, and part of me doesn't want to know." He whispers looking back at me. He really thinks that this is his only outlet?

"Hunter. There are other ways to handle anger and fear. I know I'm not the best person to say it, but there is. Promise me you wont do this again."

"I-I can't." he says trying to not look at me. But I know it's hard for him not to.

"Hunter. please." Tears fill my eyes as I ask him this and he says no. after a few minutes he says okay and everything lightens up a bit. We sit like this for a good amount of time before I look at his arms yet again. But this time I take his arms in mine and My fingers glide over the scars.

There are so many layered up over each other and his skin is so rough. A lot are shades all types of pink. I know that are all healed because of the werewolf gene, but that doesn't mean they go away.

Hunter watches me carefully and I can feel his breaths getting a bit heaver. I lightly kiss one of his scars and he relaxes a bit as I trail kisses up and down his right arm.

"Hunter, You are so beautiful, don't let these scars scare you. Take it from your mate, These don't define you and they don't have control over you, So don't let them take over you. I am not leaving. Trust me, I've seen the worst in you but I've seen the best in you too, your not a bad guy. Your not He bad guy here, your he good guy. You just got confused and that doesn't change you. I am not leaving. I promise." I say looking at him softly again and kissing him lightly. A tear falls down his face and I feel it slip onto my cheek as we pull away.

His eyes close and I hug him tightly, letting him know everything I've said is the truth. His arms wrap around me and we stay like this for a good amount of time-I swear half of our time together is hugging and tears, but I guess we just need that-.

I'm just curious now on how he hid this from me, from everyone for so long. I mean the long sleeved shirts, yeah...but still.

"Tristan?"

"Hmm?"

"You never talked to me about your dad, or your family. You said you would." My eyes open and I stay hugging Hunter as he rubs my back. "You don't have to, but I would like to know. We would like to know."

I lift my head and nod, and move out of Hunters lap so I'm sitting next to him.

"Well, you already know my dad is a drunk. i don't remember when he started his heavy drinking, but he never hit me until I was seven or eight. It was a lot of yelling when I was younger, my aunt was always over to take care of me when my dad wasn't home, but she passed away from caner when I was eight."

"Your mom?"

"She died a few days after I was born. Something went wrong in labor while having me and the doctors couldn't ever figure out what happened to her. But I don't really know, that's what everyone told me as a kid. I have a picture of her in the hospital with me before she died and that's all I've got of her. When my mom died that's when My dad started to drink. That's why he got rid of everything hat was hers or something that reminded him of her. He was always bringing his friends and they would beat me too, I just hate being around so many people I don't know. I only ate at school until I was thirteen, and I hate to sneak food up to my room to even eat. Then I joined soccer to get away from home, and I fell in love with it."

"My dad never liked me cause I look like my mom I guess, it was just a reminder of his dead wife and it hurt him. The fact that I knew I was gay and he somehow found out at a young age didn't help me either. He was just a drunk and still is I guess. He doesn't really have anyone anymore though, Both my mom and dads side are gone as far as I know. I think that's maybe why I tried to stay as long as I did. I mean, I was hoping one day he would stop everything and get better. That we could be normal or something? He tried once and that's why I thought that...But it went side ways really really quick that one time. It's just been beatings when ever I even breathe."

"Well fuck." I laugh at Hunters response even though it's not the time to laugh at all. But I can't help it. I think we are both just tired and sad and empty of tears.

"Yeah. I mean I learned a lot of first aid and things like that I guess. I don't know, there's not much to me besides a deceased mom, drunk dad, bullied kid and soccer." I say shrugging the fact that I somewhat opened up to Hunter about my younger years. Hunter pulls me into him and hugs me as I stay still in his arms.

"Thank you for telling me."

"Thank you for telling me." I say back as we sit there.

------------------------

Hunter kisses my head and holds me tightly. out of no where a howl emerges and we hear twigs crunch outside the tent. We both look around and Hunter sets me on the ground gently before standing up. He stands still as something outside walks around the tent. "stay put." Hunter says before leaving the tent.

We've just been chilling here for a while, talking and laying there. We don't have anything better to do.

Doing as he says I stay sitting on the sleeping bag he has here and listen for anything. Hunters wolf pops in the tent and tuggs on my shorts. Hunter is in control but he gets down and I get on him like last time, even though I hated it.

"Whats going on?" I ask. He stays quiet and looks around as he starts walking. There are a few twigs snapping behind us as Hunter picks up his pace, running in the direction to the house. I clutch his fur to stay in him with how fast he is going, constantly looking behind us.

I look behind us again and in the distance I see a few wolves following us. "Hunter, there's wolves behind us." I say as he speeds up even more. Sliding when we get to the house, I'm tossed off of Hunter onto the deck and he stands defensively in front of me growling as the few wolves emerge from the woods. Rouges. I run into the house and scream for help. A few people including beta Mark and what looks like his wife.

"Whats go-"

"Rouges! outside with Hunter." I say quickly and people flood out of the house, running into their forms as the go outside. I walk out onto the deck and see Hunter at the front with The Betas and some of the pack out front. There's only three rouges but they look stronger then most. Hunter barks at them and they stand there ground as more of the pack walks out on the deck with me. S

ome guy; who looks to be a tad bit younger than me, but definitely bigger,looks at me and nods before pushing me behind him and his friends who all look around my age. All of them shield me a bit like hey know they should protect me or something. Or hide me.

After a moment or two one of the rouges goes for Hunter but the Betas get him first and he's dead as soon as he touches the ground. I cover my mouth as the other wolves growl and the two remaining rouges leave, running off into the woods.

The part of the pack that aren't wolves right now walk back inside the house and they part that are wolves go around back, some dragging the dead rouge with them. I stand on the pourch as they guys hiding me look at me and nod again before heading back inside. Hunter stands there watching the woods. I start to walk to him but he turns around and pushes me back up to the house.

"c-come on." I say opening the doors and walking in with Hunter. We walk up the stairs as people walk around and get back to their rooms in the house.

"Damn Rouges." "It's three in the morning." "Why the hell are so many popping up." "THere gonna put more of us on night shifts." "Just fucking learn their place." People start talking to each other and these are a few of the things that I hear as we walk to Hunters room.

"Where are the people on night shift Hunter?" He looks up at me and pushes the door open to the room, and I close the door as he walks into the closet and shifts back. He comes out with a hoodie on and shorts and comes and hugs me.

"What was that all about?" I ask hugging him back.

"I have no idea."

"Where were the people on night watch?"

"I don't think there was anyone."

"And your gonna start putting people on?"

"I guess. If they start coming at night its gonna be the safest thing." He says into my neck as he tightens his grip on me and plants a kiss on my neck.

"We should go to bed." I mutter as he hugs me tighter.

"But I don't want to."

"But you need to. We just had a really...rough night." I say rubbing his back and he sighs.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, and that you had to find out like this. It was an okay night and then it got better, and then it got worse, and then it got weird."

"Hunter, tonight was a good night for the both of us."

"I guess."

I pull him onto the bed and he cuddles into me as we lay down. I pull the blankets over us and we lay like this.Hunters arms wrap around my body and he holds me closer to him. He kisses my neck and cheek every couple minutes before we fall asleep.

But I like that he does that, I like when he is by me and when he holds me and kisses me sometimes. I don't know, maybe because its just affection or maybe because of something else.

All I know now, is that I don't want to leave, because I really really like being with Hunter.

-----------------

"Twistan?" I look up and See Lou on the side of the bed next to me.

"Hey lou, what's up?" I ask.

"Is Huntie sad?" She asks sitting down in my lap.

"What?" I ask looking over at Hunter and seeing his face twisted and he's clutching my arm. I pat the bed and Lou climbs up next to me and cuddles next to me. "Why would you think Hunters sad?"

"I jwust know. Why is Huntie sad?"

"He had a big night last night. But he's going to rest today and He'll be all better tomorrow." I explain as she crawls off the bed and walks over to the door.

"Mommy says you should get up soon" I nod and she closes the door lightly. I turn and cheek a clock to see it's only eight in the morning. I turn over and rub Hunters arm.

"Hunter...Wake up." I say loud enough for him to open his eyes and groan. Closing them and snuggling into my arms again I sigh and tap him on the head. "Hunter, we need to get up."

"Noooooo."

"Come on."

"I just wanna stay in bed."

"We can once we talk to your parents." He jolts up and his face loses it's color as he looks at me. It takes me a moment to realize what he is scared of, "Oh my god, no Hunter. Not about the...not about last night. They just want us downstairs." I rush out sitting up with him.

"Oh my god. Don't scare me like that." He says flopping back down on the bed.

"Sorry." I chuckle out as he rubs his face and sits up.

"Do you need to shower?"

"No I'm good. Just need to get dressed at this point."I say climbing it of the giant bed. Soon we both are ready to go down stairs but we sit in the room for a while. Hunter sits on the bed and looks at his arms even though they are covered up again. I walk over and stand in between his legs, making him look up at me.

"Are you sure your okay with this? With me now?" He asks in a hushed tone.

"Hunter. Yes I'm okay with it. It was a part of your past. I accept it like you accept mine."

He looks down and sighs. "It's okay to be scared Hunter."

"I know." He mutters out before standing up and heading to the closet to get new clothes too.

"Hunter? Are you two up? There's a meeting down stairs." We pull away from each other and open the door and find Hunters mom with Lou in her arms at the stairs. "You boys okay? You both look tired."

"Yeah we're fine mom."

"Alright, well let's get going." We follow Mary down the stairs and walk into a giant hall. Everyone in the pack is in here and Dean is talking up front about the rouges.