I lay Tala in my bed and cover her. I was tense and stressed. How could I take care of a child when I can barely take care of myself? I needed to scream or break something or I'm going to lose it. I run out of my room and into the cold night. It was nearing winter, or maybe it was. I've lost track of days lately. Everything from my pasta is coming to bite me into in my ass. I run into the woods that was probably not safe considering the number of rouge attacks but I can hold my own. I run to the area sectioned off for high ranks and shift back to skin. I don't bother to find any clothes considering I couldn't sense anyone here.

I find a tree to use it as a punching bag. I take in a deep breath and let out a large scream. Tears run down my face and I sink down and support myself on the tree. My life is falling apart right in front of my eyes. I felt week and helpless like I did when I was first kidnapped. I let out a shaky breath and run my hands through my hair and put my head in my hands. I yell out a string of curse words and get up and swing my fist at the the tree. The impact of the swing cause wood chips to fly around. I keep swinging switching from left to right.

Blood running down my arms and splinters in my fingers I still kept at it. My wolf was almost falling of the edge from controlling me. I let out a cry of agony and swung as hard as I could at the tree. I never felt the impact. I didn't feel the splinters digging deeper into my skin. I didn't get the satisfaction of putting my pain in the hole of the tree. Instead I was but in a hold where my arms were held against me in a cross.

"What the hell Sophia," I heard a familiar voice say. The sparks tingled through my arms that made me want to submit and apologize.

I thrashed under his hold and kicked him but he still held onto me.

"Let me go," I scream at him. I screamed so much and struggled and thrashed then I gave up. What's life worth living if I'm going to die. I barely got out of that torture chamber alive. I almost died on the way out. I wen limp in his arms and sobbed.

"I don't want to go back," I sob to him. "I ca-can't go back there." He sinks to the ground with me and holds me as I cry. I put my head on his chest and broke down right in front of him. The walls I spent building up since I escaped were crumbling down and I was struggling to hold them up. My wolf wanted more from Titus. She needed his touch. His scent calmed me down enough from me to stop crying.

"You won't go back there I'll make sure of it," he promises kissing my forehead. I wanted his lips on mine my wolf wanted more of him his smell intoxicating us.

"I don't think I would have made it through that day if you didn't find me. Terry rejecting me broke me," I whisper to him. I could feel him hold a growl from the back of his throat when I said his name. "And now Tala is here and I have to take care of her. I just turned 18 Titus how can I take care of a child."

"You have a little sister right?" He asks. I nod, confused ok where he was taking this conversation. "Tell me about her."

I think of all the memories I could possibly tell him of Laura.

"She is a troublemaker especially when she's tired. When mom and dad would take James our for training, I would have to watch her. One time she climbed so high in out pantry to get cookies she couldn't get down so I had to help her," I tell him smiling to myself.

"Aren't you basically a mother to Laura? So why not do the same with Tala?" He questions me. I thought about it for a second.

"I knew that Laura is my sister that my mom will be there later. I don't even know if her mom is still out there. Rouges are dangerous and will stop at nothing to kill," I say. He lets out a sigh.

"You'll be a perfect mother don't stress," he says kissing my neck. I let out a moan and regretted it. His wolf growled in satisfaction. He moved up to my lips and I couldn't help myself. The bond ignited between us as the sparks danced around us. My hands moved up to his hair and he moved back down to my neck where he sucked on the spot where my mark would be.

I panicked and pushed myself away from him. A new fear rose inside of me and took over my senses. What if he doesn't want me. We still never technically made up from out fight. I didn't want to be hurt again. I don't think I could take it. I scooter away from him and he looked at me with a pained expression.

"I'm sorry," I whisper and I run like I do when I'm vulnerable. I ran from the rouges. I ran from my rejection. Now I'm running from this. The fear of losing someone I care so much for. I've been dealt a bad set of cards and I'm so playing a losing game with the moon goddess.

I flew into the house and my tears stained my face. I take two pills that Dr. Jones prescribed me to help with the passing of the human sedatives. Why not silver, wolvesbane it could have put me out easily without using human resources.

I didn't want to wake Tala up so I grab a spare blanket from the closet and took a place on the couch. I snuggle into the blanket and slept. It came with great difficulty but I eventually cried myself to sleep.

"Why can't we just kill her it's not like she has any use for us," I heard someone growl. My hear stopped when I realized I could die today.

"I need her she's powerful. I could have a powerful pup from her and I could train him to help me have my revenge. I could rule the werewolf species," he said with his voice laced with revenge. I felt the wind rush by me when he was in front of me, nose in my neck.

"I would mark you make you mine," he whispers in my ear. I scowl at him and thrash around trying to get free. He bares his teeth and I scream.

I sit up with sweat rolling down my face. I heard the creaking of the door of my room open and I silently cursed in my head because I woke Tala up.

"Tala?" I fall for her. I see her little head pop up behind the couch and she rubs her eyes. She jumped up and sat on the couch next to me. I look at the clock and it was 4:35.

"You need to go back to sleep Tala," I tell her and pick her up.

"I heard you scream," she says. I curse in Italian and lay her back in bed.

"I'm okay Tala but you need to go to sleep," I tell her tucking her in.

"Can you lay down with me?" She asks me with puppy dog eyes. I sigh and close the door and lay down next to her. "Is the big guy with brown hair your husband?" She asks. I almost choked when she said that.

"No he's a friend," I tell her. She nods and cuddles up next to me. Her breathing evens and she falls asleep. I sigh as her body comes closer to mine. There was a knock on the door and it opened. Titus walked in and I froze.

"Get out," I say. "Tala is sleeping I'm not doing this right now," I growl at him. The rumble in my chest made her start to move a little.

———

"Luna," someone said waking me up. I look up and see the light shining through the curtains. I turn my head and see Charlotte standing there.

"Good morning," I mumble to her. I look down and I see Tala sleeping soundly still. Charlotte looked down at her and smiled.

"Could you make pancakes with two glasses of orange juice?" I request. She nods and walks out the door. I quietly pick up Tala and hold her up to me. She clung around my waist and started to move around.

"Tala it's time to wake up," I whisper to her. She lets out a small groan and sleeps again. "Tala," I said tapping her back. She looks up and rubs her eyes. Her green eyes sparkled as she looked me. I swipe away the hair from her face and she laid back down on my chest.

"Come on Tala. There's pancakes waiting for you when your changed and ready for today," I tell her. Her face immediately lit up and she jumped off of me and on the ground. I laugh and follow her. I pick her up and bring her to my bathroom. I dig through my drawers and took out a new toothbrush. I opened it and put toothpaste on it and brushed her teeth.

She skipped into my closet and I realized I had no clothes for her. I walk in and see another section of my closet was filled with clothes her size. She squeals in excitement and runs to the clothes. I saw a sticky note and grabbed it.

Here's some clothes for Tala

-Titus

That must have been what he came into my room for. I watch her as she goes through the clothes. She picks out a yellow dress with white flowers scattering it.

"Isn't a bit cold to wear a dress?" I ask her looking at her curiously. She shook her head and quickly changed into it. I smile and shake my head at her cuteness. She puts takes white sandals out and slips them on. She holds her hands out and I carry her. I walk outside and the scent of breakfast foods filled my senses.

I put sit Tala on her a seat at the table and take a seat. Charlotte hands us pancakes. I had Nutella and fruit and Tala had blueberries on hers. I cut up her pancakes and take the knife away from her so she wouldn't cut herself.

I wipe her mouth and wash her hands. We sit down on the couch. "What do you want to do?" I ask her. She thinks for a second and her daisy lit up.

"I want to see the tall man that I met in that white room," she finally says.

"Which one?" I laugh. She runs of the couch and brings back a picture frame. It was Titus, Brody, and Jacob. She points to the young guy on the right. "Him."

It was Jacob. I nod and I pick her up.

"Charlotte I'll be heading out for an hour," I yell to her. She nods and I leave for the pack house. I walked in and the stench of Titus was everywhere. I walk to Jacob's office and knock on his door and no one answered. I walk down to Brody's and knock. I heard someone yell come in and I see Brody sitting at his desk.

"Do you know where Jacob is?" I ask him. He puts his hand on his chest like he was hurt.

"I'm offended I thought you were coming to see me ," he said fake pouting. I laugh and look down at Tala.

"This one wants to see him. He must have made an impact on her," I comment. He nods and points down the hall.

"He's in Titus' room," he tells me. I smile and thank him and walk Tala down there. I knock on the door and let in a sharp breath when I heard Titus say come in. I slowly opened the door and Tala ran jumped out of my arms and into Jacob's.

I look around the office and make eye contact with Titus.

———