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Hayden—17,two weeks after being kidnapped...

Everything hurt. Her face. Her body. Her legs. She’d been chained up for so many hours, abused because she wouldn’t answer her captives, she didn’t think she’d ever erase the sensation of cold steel wrapped around her wrists and legs. Of the large manacle around her neck, trapping her like a dog.

Beg Hayden. Beg for your life...

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her classwork. It was a losing battle. Her mind wandered. Her hands trembled. The evil reminder of what happened to her started when she woke that morning. The aches and pains came later once she was in school. She chalked them up to being so bad since she hadn’t been at school since the kidnapping. Of course, she didn’t have to go to school anymore. She could have taken the rest of the year off and no one would’ve said a word.

She could have even graduated the year before too.

Yet, Hayden had wanted to be there. She wanted to graduate with her friends and her brother. Today, however, she wished she’d have stayed home. Someone behind her laughed and she cringed. The noise was too much for her. The sound vibrated through her setting her teeth on edge. She’d never experienced anything like it before. The shredding of her senses. The cruel shrillness silencing everything else around her. Even her skin prickled, becoming too tight for her liking.Maybe I should have listened to Danielle and talked to Brie about everything.

After being kidnapped, Jace and Loraine along with Danielle and Kalkin believed she should talk with a therapist. Holly had been hesitant, leaving it for Hayden to decide, which surprised her more than the rest of her family. Hayden hadn’t believed she needed it. Unlike when she’d been five, scared no one would find her or save her, this time, she had Nico and Logan in her life. Nico had rescued her, and Nico had stayed by her side for as long as he possibly could. Now, they were back to their regular lives. Hayden had school and Nico was a deputy.

Their time together had become limited due to their schedules being so different, so what time they did have together, she’d treasured. They were mates after all. A subject she tried hard not to dwell on, especially since would turn Nico twenty-one in a few weeks, and she was still seventeen.

After everything with Lindsey and Claire had done to Hayden, there was no way Nico couldn’t tell her the truth. Same with her fathers and Kalkin. The knowledge was a heavy, though comforting weight on her conscience. Nevertheless, Nico allowed her to explore a little. He might be her mate, but at such a young age, she still had time. The rest of her life seemed like forever into the future, even though it could also start tomorrow. While she’d been held captive, scared out of her wits, she clung to the idea of Nico finding her and him being hers. The one person no one could ever take away from her.

The ache in her sides and middle had her biting her bottom lip to keep from whimpering. Today was not the day to be at school. Hayden wasn’t ready. Her body was still a marbled pattern of bruises. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths in hopes of quelling the pain.

“Miss Raferty,” her teacher said, drawing Hayden from her concentration.

“Yes?” She glanced up and saw the concern in her instructor’s eyes.

“Why don’t you go to the nurse’s office or better yet, go home. You don’t have to be here.” She gave Hayden a sympathetic glance.

Hayden didn't want to. Being home meant being alone. No one was there. Everyone was at work or in therapy. If she was alone it would give her time to dwell on what happened to her and she didn't want that. Thinking about being trapped, chained, and threatened with rape, would do nothing for her. If anything, it would make healing ten times harder. Plus, the less she had time to remember what happened, the less she'd get lost in the miasma of pain and fear.

“I’m okay.” Hayden grinned, trying to push aside the muscle deep tightness. “I guess I should have taken a pain pill before school.”

Yes, she should have healed by now. Kalkin had given her the choice of either riding out the injuries or allowing him to force her shift, something she hadn’t been able to control since her first Strawberry Festival three years ago. Now she regretted not taking him up on his offer.

“You’re not even focusing on class.” Her teacher sighed. “You’ll be fine. I’ll give you slip.”

Reluctantly, Hayden took her advice. The longer she sat in the cold plastic chair, the more she hurt and the more uncomfortable she became. By now she should have found some relief, the bone-deep pain only seemed to get worse until she worried it would never go away. As she stepped out of class, she bypassed the office and the nurse's station. She had a pass, after all. The few classes she had for the day wouldn't miss her either, and she could always get the work from one of her friends later when she felt better or even from the teachers.

Hayden started for town with the idea if she moved more, she’d feel better. Stiffening up during class only made her situation worse and would take a longer recovery time. She could—should go straight to Kalkin and have him help her, instead she kept going until she ended up outside of Nico’s apartment. Deep down she knew she shouldn’t be there without her parents or anyone else knowing, but at the moment, his place was home for her. If anything, she could pop a couple of pain pills and catch a little sleep or Nico could help her shift, so she’d heal faster.

As she knocked on the door, she worried maybe he'd be sleeping. He was, after all, on night shifts, and he needed to sleep during the day. Worry ate at her gut while she stood there, second-guessing her decision. Convinced she'd made a horrible mistake, she turned to walk away, not wanting to burden him with her problems.

"Hayden?" Nico's sleep-addled voice did things to her. Naughty, dirty things to her. She turned around and there he stood. His hair was rumpled from sleep. His muscular chest was exposed to her perusal and the grey sweats he wore, hung low on his hips. He was a feast for her eyes and a new ache took root deep within her. "What happened?" Instantly he was at her side, going on full alert.

He'd been the one to find her. To see her naked and shackled to the table. He'd been the one to rip his shirt off then put it on her. He'd been the one to cradle her to his body then stay with her for hours on end until finally, Kalkin made him go home. She licked her bottom lip and opened her mouth, but what did she say? Instead, she acted on instinct. She kissed him. The simple meeting of their lips pushed away the pain coursing through her. Kissing him was natural and forbidden for them. If they got caught, not only would she get into trouble, so would he—more so Nico.

"Shit, little wolf," he murmured across her lips. "We shouldn't be doing this." He pulled her into his apartment. "Do you know how much trouble we can get into if your uncle finds out?" Yet, instead of pulling away, he nuzzled her nose with his while pinning her to the apartment door. "You're not eighteen and smelling you right now is like pouring lighter fluid on embers."

“I hurt all over.” Was all she managed. “I came here because...” She inhaled drawing in the scent of cedar and pine. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Where do you hurt, Hayden?” he coaxed, bracing his forearm to the door, as he stared down at her. “Show me.”

She hated the fact her hands trembled as badly as they did. The aggressive side of Nico, the part of him he kept in check whenever he was around her family had slipped away revealing this man... This wolf. He was dangerous and exciting. Her sex ached. Her panties were damp. Even her nipples were hard points and hurt. Every time she breathed in; her lungs were filled with his natural perfume. He was intoxicating. Was this what she’d been looking for when she left school?

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth and Nico growled. "Here," she motioned to her breasts, "and here." She placed her hand over the crotch of her jeans. "Here too." She motioned to her midsection where most of her bruising was.

“Jesus, little wolf.” He pressed his lips to her neck and breathed deep. “Sunshine and cotton candy. Makes my dick hard. Are you saying you’re in heat, baby?”

She shook her head. Heat was still a mystery to her. Unlike the others, her cycle was all screwed up. In that sense, she was more human than a wolf. So far, since she arrived in Window Rock, she never experienced the pull of the full moon, and even with it a week away, she still didn't understand the ramifications. "No."