I carry Opal high up, her slight weight propped against my chest. Kicking the door to the wolf sanctuary open, I stomp into the pouring of snow from overhead, shaking my head so the flecks of moisture fly out of my hair. I pull my jacket up higher with one hand to keep her dry.

She feels so small, so breakable, so exposed. I feel like one little snowflake will leave her shattered.

She's shivering, and I curse under my breath, breaking into a light jog to get her to the car as fast as possible.

By the time the suburban is in sight, the jacket is soaked through and Opal is shivering. Whoever is holding the keys unlocks the vehicle with a click of a button. The lights flash and I fling the passenger door open, crawling in and slamming the door shut behind me.

Opal is curled up in my arms. She tucks her face into my chest, her forehead colliding with the skin exposed under my collar. Warm tingles flood inside me. It's as if her presence has set them free, bursting the damn of feeling and letting every new sensation and emotion free.

These little tingles are odd. I missed them. They rush through my muscles and bones like life giving water, granting an odd amount of strength to my body.

I need this strength, this new power, I need it to take care of her. I need it to protect my mate. It just disgusts me, this newly found strength.

How can this bond lend me so much brawn when it's torn Opal apart? It's not fair.

"My dad..." Opal shutters between chattering teeth. "He was wrong."

I glance up through the fogging windows, seeing Beau as he opens my door. I frown at him, trying to ward him off. He simply holds out the keys. I grab them wordlessly from his hand, still distrustful of the faerie.

He may have helped us recover my mate, but he's still a stranger with a bad reputation.

"We're going to go find some clothes for her. Maybe it'll help Ace calm down." He glances once at Opal, quickly returning his eyes to me. He doesn't have to say it, but I know he silently judges me too.

Rightfully so. How can anyone let this happen to their mate?

"Ok. Just give us some time." I murmur, petting Opal's head gently, comforting myself with the contact.

He nods.

"I'll try." With that, he's gone with his son and Ace trailing behind them with his hands shoved in his pockets. Opal's dad won't so much as look at me as large puffs of air leave his flaring nice. He's still pissed.

They disappear into the dark town, likely off to go rob some tourist shop for something decent for Opal to wear.

I shove the key angrily into the ignition, trying to keep my limbs from shaking with anger and failing. I'm practically vibrating as the suburban rumbles to life.

I turn the heat up to full blast, turning the vent so it perfectly hits the precious cargo strewn across my lap.

"Did you hear me?" Opal presses, her voice raspy and small as she grips the wet coat closer to her chin.

That's when I look at her, truly look at her, seeing the damage I've done.

Her eyes are sunken, and the whites bloodshot. Her usual fluffy hair is scraggly and dull and filled with oil. She's pale. Opal is usually pale, but never like this.

Ace was right, she looks like a ghost. A shadow of what she once was.

I take a deep breath, preparing myself.

"I heard you, but you're wrong." I say, looking away from her because the site of her sunken, skinny face hurts to look at.

She's shaking her head, but I'm already talking again before she gets the chance to try to argue with me.

"If I had just accepted you years ago, none of this would've ever happened. You never would've ended up there, never would've ended up like this." I gesture to her.

My mate looks down at herself, observing what I'm trying to point out.

"It's not that bad." She tries to tell me.

I wrestle with the spades jacket covering her, pulling it away to reveal her rail thin limbs. My own body is a stark contrast as I grab what's left of her bicep, my fingers encircling it entirely. My hands flex, feeling how frail she really is.

"Bull. Shit." I seethe through my teeth.

Opal looks away as she tries to pull her arm away. I dont let go, letting her see just how weak shes become.

The veins in my hand pop under my tan skin, the muscles rippling as I squeeze her for effect.

"This should've been me, Opal. It's all my fault. I'm the one who should pay the consequences.

She gawks at me her mouth open as if she can't believe that I said what I said. It just goes to show me how right I really am.

"No, Kiefer, no. It's the pack's fault it's not.." She's cut off by a string of coughs that sound like they might break her. I release my hold on her arm, rubbing her back and cringing as I feel each and every notch of her spine.

Disgust rolls through me. I've done this to her.

"Stop trying to talk, darling. Its not worth it. Not only is your voice not ready, but news flash, nothing you can say will change my mind. End of story." I placed my finger under her chin, tipping it up so that she has to look at me. Her eyes meet mine, and regret fills me as I see not only her health at risk but her heart.

"How can I forgive myself? How can I, Opal, when I drove you to this, when you ended up like this because of me, but I could've prevented it?"

"You can forgive yourself because I forgive you. You have to. I order it, and you love me now, so you have to follow my orders."

I pause when she says this, mulling it over.

"Oh, silly Opal. I've always loved you."

She looks as though she might choke, her eyes going wide as dinner plates. And for a moment, I wonder if I've overstepped, but no, she has to know the truth. She deserves that much. She deserves the world.

"You have?" She asks me.

"Since the moment I saw you, and it's only grown since then."

She's sobers at that, snuggling closer to me.

"I love you too. Since the moment I met you. That's why I had to find you because without you I was... I was..."

"Dying?"

She presses her lips together, giving a firm nod.

Dying. She agrees.

I give a short, humorless laugh, hating myself more than I ever have. She was dying, and I had no idea. I'm a stupid bastard.

"Then how can you say it's not my fault? You just said it yourself, without me you would've died."

"Because you didn't leave, you didn't choose to go, you didn't choose to leave me there all alone! It was your Dad, don't you see it was all your Dad's fault."

I shake my head, knowing that she doesn't completely understand, although neither do I.

"Don't blame it on him. He didn't know. He didn't know that the reason I was behaving the way I was was because I couldn't have you. He thought I just had behavior issues, and I didn't want to correct him. I didn't want you to be blamed for all the shit that I pulled."

I look down, realizing that I hadn't thought about it much until now. All of this was just a big misunderstanding that could've been avoided. I was such a dumb kid, but how was I supposed to know what would've become of the person I love most?

We were never taught of the dangers of an unmarked mate, but it's not at all common. We're encouraged to love our mates, told to accept them right away. The only person to blame is me.

She doesn't say anything else, just closes her eyes so she can get a moment of rest. She needs it. Not only can I tell how exhausted Opal is by simply looking at her, but I can somehow feel it. It's like an instinct.

It's been something I've been able to feel since I've known her, but it's much stronger now. I'm not sure if it's because she's reached maturity or because I went through my first shift since the last time I saw her, but the bond has definitely grown significantly.

Opal shudders, the heat from the vents still defrosting her. I shush her, pulling her closer and letting her nestle herself in my neck. I squeeze her little body tight.

I can't get over how good it feels to have her with me once again. I've never experienced anything so right

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