Alana's PoV

Don't speak, I chanted to myself. I couldn't speak. I couldn't let them get hurt. It didn't matter that I was out. He is still alive. He's still breathing. That means there's a chance he could come back and hurt them.

Hurt everyone I've ever loved.

Just stare at the wall. Maybe they'll get the hint.

They never did get the hint. Even when I moved from the hospital to Graysons house, everyone still came to see me daily. Isla wouldn't leave my side until she knew Grayson or someone was here with me. Even though they were there, it didn't matter to me.

I couldn't talk to them.

I wouldn't talk to them.

"I can't believe you're finally here," Isla breathed out for the millionth time for the past hour. I understand that she might be feeling overwhelmed but she doesn't need to keep on saying it. "After almost a month..." I haven't heard that yet until now. Almost a month. I was gone for almost a month. Not one of the hundreds of faces I've seen have told me that I've been gone for almost a month.

"You need to eat," I heard Isla say, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced down at the plate she shoved in front of me before looking back at the wall in front of me again. I get that everyone means well and wants what's good for me but I am not a child and I know what my body needs and right now it's not food. She let out a frustrated sigh before holding my cold hands in her warm ones. "What happened to you in there?," she whispered as she searched my eyes. Searching for what, you may ask? I have no idea.

Suddenly, I'm teleported back in time.

I'm sat on the disgusting concrete floor once again. It's clear that I've only been here for a couple of days. I called out for anyone. It feels empty. Suddenly, the door flies open and a girl is thrown on the hard floor in front of me. She spits out blood as the door slammed shut once again. "Are you okay?," I hoarsely asked her, my throat feeling scratchy.

"Don't think so," she coughed out. "I'm Maisie."

"Alana. Y-You're young," I stated. "H-How old are you?"

"14." A child. How could he take a child? I could faintly hear the other doors slam open and shut.

I'm thrown back into reality as I realise that Isla had just left, closing the door behind her.

Maisie.

Deciding to get rid of these thoughts, I jumped in the shower. It had never felt so good being able to control the water and when to have a shower. Oh, and don't even get me started on feeling clean. It's the best feeling ever.

"Alana!," I could hear Grayson call me from downstairs. Why did he bother shouting for me when he knows I won't reply back? I quickly got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me before exiting the bathroom.

"Alana!," I heard him yell again but this time he was panicked. He burst into my room before halting in his tracks. "Oh shit, sorry," he rushed out as he swiftly turned around facing the opposite way. "Isla told me she left you here and I couldn't smell you either..." I nodded my head. "I'm just gonna...," he trailed off before closing the door behind him as he walked away. I guess I'm not the only one with nightmares.

I understand that he must've been panicked and terrified when I was taken because he couldn't feel my wolf and because I wasn't here. I know he's been pulling away from the mate bond and that he doesn't want a mate, I know that. I also know the reason why he now cares about me, the reason is that he's always cared about me but he just suppressed it because it wasn't important then but now that I've been kidnapped and he knows what it's like without me, he's different.

Maybe I'm just reading into things too much.

After an hour of just doing nothing, I managed to fall asleep.

"Don't you dare hurt her!," I yelled even though I knew it would be useless.

"'Don't you dare hurt her'," my kidnapper mocked me. "Shut the fuck up. I think I'll give you the gift of watching her struggle for her life in her last few moments." I watched in shock as her eyes widened in fear. She moved back. He noticed and pulled her forward, to his side.

"Please, no," she whimpered.

"She's just an innocent kid. What could she have done to make you wanna kill her?," I asked.

"She was born." With that, he proceeded to hit, punch, kick, whip and even touch her with silver. I watched in complete and utter horror at her burnt and battered body. When he was done, he slammed the door shut as he left. I could hear her labored breathing as she fought tirelessly for air. Possibly an hour later, I couldn't hear anything.

Not even her heartbeat.

Grayson's PoV

"Don't do it," Zane begged. "I know you and I know that you are gonna regret it."

"I need to keep her safe and that means rejecting her," I told him as I rummaged around my office. "I've hurt her enough. She needs peace and she needs to be away from me. I have so many fucking enemies that I know wouldn't mind getting their hands on her especially when they find out she's a white wolf. That's the only and the best option we have."

"She's safe with you," he argued.

She won't ever be safe as long she's bonded with me. Breaking the mate bond is the only way to keep her safe and to set her free.

"Zane!," I snapped, using my Alpha tone. He instantly fell silent. "I don't want to hear anymore about it. I've made my mind up and I'm sticking to it."

"My apologies, Alpha," he said as he moved his head to the side, giving me easy access to his neck as a sign of submission. I nodded my head before telling him to leave. I slumped down in my chair, thinking about my decisions.

Even thinking about rejecting her causes this pain my chest that I can't describe. The thought of having to live with that dull, throbbing pain forever is terrifying. Either it's me or it's the mate bond. I'm gonna blame it on the latter. I know that if I do reject her, I can't just kidnap her and bring her back here.

The thought of having to do it whilst she's still recovering from what happened is sickening. I can't just let her go. I need to let her heal from these physical and mental wounds before emotionally, creating a new one. She'll be safe, I reminded myself.

"She'll be an easy target," my wolf, Ice, piped up.

"At least she won't be around me," I told him. "I hurt everyone around me." With that, I blocked him. I didn't want to speak to him anymore. I know he loves Alana and her wolf; he'd do anything to protect them but I need to do what's best for her, me and the pack. I've made my decision.

I'm rejecting her today.