"Anya you need to eat something, you'll get ill. You've haven't touched a thing since you got back".
"I told you Kim I'm not hungry".
"I even made your favourite. Do you feel alright? Do I need to take you to the doctor?"
"I'm fine Kim, Just leave it!" Anya finally snapped making Kim jump back.

It had been a week since Anya had been accepted back into the pack but Kim had began to notice a change in her flat mates behaviour. She was more subdued, less chatty, angered easier and almost more alpha like.
She was also refusing to eat anything, even when Kim would make her dinner Anya would just turn it down.

Grabbing her backpack with a spare set of clothes Anya slammed the door as she left.
Kim sighed and grabbed her phone, quickly sending a message to Smith.

Kim: "Something's up with Anya"
Smith: "Like what? She keeps saying she's busy, or tired. Is she avoiding me?"
Kim: "No idea. She's just so.... Not Anya. I think she's hiding something"
Smith: "Should we tell Lewis?"
Kim: "No! But I'll talk 2 Hannah. Anya just left with her bag so she will be in wolf form somewhere"
Smith: "Just going on patrol so will check on her"
Kim: "Thanks Smiffy"
Smith: "No probs"

-~-

Placing down his phone Smith groaned, something was off with Anya. Ever since she got back she's been so secretive. Hiding in the flat or running in the woods, she kept to herself.
Smith had tried to talk to her but she would block him out, how she managed to turn off her mental communications he will never know.

"What's up mate? You look down" Ross questioned seeing Smith's puzzled face.
"Anya's at it again, Kim's getting concerned" he explained shaking his head.
"Yea she's been a bit odd since getting back" Trott shouted from the other side of the room.
"Your telling me, she nearly bit my ear off when I gave her a fright the other day" Ross shuddered remembering how fierce Anya had looked.

"What happened when she was with Parker?" Trott asked and Smith sighed, "She had all those wounds she see was obviously attacked a lot, but she won't talk to anyone about it, and we still have no idea how she managed to get away".

"Do you want us to come with you on patrol?" Ross asked and Smith shook his head, "Na the way she's acting she will spook if there is more than one of us, but stay in wolf form so I can contact you if something happens".

"Alright mate, but be careful, she's not the Anya we once knew" Trott said but Smith glared at him, "She's still Anya, my Anya! Something has happened to make her like this, and I'll find out".

-~-

Running through the woods Smith quickly caught Anya's scent and followed it through the trees. The sun setting and moon rising, Smith thought about what must of happened at Parker's pack, she couldn't have just ran away and no way would Parker just let her go, so how did she break the link?

The scent getting stronger Smith slowed to a trott, slowly making his way to Anya's position. However as he caught a glimpse of her he stopped in his tracks and gasped.
There lay Anya, feathers and fur around her, blood on her muzzle as she ate the meat from the woodland animals.

That explained the not eating, so long of eating fresh meat her body had obviously trained itself to accept the wolfs appetite.
Stepping backwards carefully, Smith paw ultimately stood on a twig, alerting Anya to his presence.

Her head shooting up she launched herself at him, teeth bared as a deep growl escaped her lips.
Landing on his check Anya immediately withdrew, shocked by her sudden attack.
Tail between her legs, she shook with fear of her own loss of control.

Seeing this change in personally Smith slowly got to his paws, "Aurora?"

Looking up Anya's blue eyes were lined with tears, the shaking of her body continuing.

"It's okay, it's okay" Smith tried to comfort as he very very slowly began to move towards her.

"It's not okay..." Anya finally spoke drooping her head, shame, regret and fear filling her.

Feeling these feelings through their mating bond Smith felt awful, what had caused her to become so full of these emotions.

Finally within a few pawsteps away Anya let the tears flow, collapsing to the ground, she sobbed as Smith tried to comfort her.

"All my fault, All my fault" she repeated over and over.
Smith didn't know what to do, so he let his instincts take control, lying down beside her he pushed his head under hers so she was resting on his neck as she sobbed.

"Your fine, I'm here, I will always be here" Smith assured, wrapping his tail with hers.

"I don't deserve to be in this pack, I'm a bad person, I'm a bad wolf. I don't deserve you as a mate" Anya said and Smith pulled away to be able to look into Anya's blue eyes and shook his head, "No Anya this is your family, I couldn't wish for a better mate".

"But.... But...." Anya began to argue but then looked down at the ground.
Using his nose Smith lifted Anya's head up, "Your safe here, Parker won't find you".

Swallowing the lump in her throat Anya took a deep breath, "I know he won't find me".

"Well why are you so secretive?" Smith asked tilting his head.

"He won't find me because he's dead. I killed him. I killed Alpha Parker"

Smith didn't know how to respond, never had he thought that Anya would have killed to be free of Parker, but then he thought of the scars Anya has received in her time with Parker.

"Did he beat you?" Smith asked, his thought hardly a whisper.

Anya swallowed back the tears and nodded, "Every day, every night. He would punish me for fun. I did all the hunting, no one ever helped. I wasn't a pack member I was a slave".

Expecting Smith to run off, Anya hung her head, ashamed of her actions, but instead of running off Smith began to nuzzle Anya affectionately, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, I'm so so sorry" he apologised.
Anya was taken aback, she just told him that she had killed someone, why hadn't he ran off to tell Lewis?

"Aurora, you are my everything. Parker beat you and you killed him for your freedom, so you could return to your true pack. I will protect you. You are home" Smith said and Anya could feel the tears rise again.

"I missed you" Anya began to sob again but this time she buried her head in Smith's fur, "Every night I would look to the stars and I would think of you" she said through the tears.
"Your home now, no more hurting" Smith said comforting the wolf he loved.

"Alsmiffy? Is she alright? Are you alright?" Trott's concerned voice said in his head, "All is good, I'll explain when I get home" Smith replied and he could hear Trott mentally sigh in relief, "Good see you in a bit".

Smith looked down at Anya and smiled, he had his mate back, he was at ease, finally happy.

<><Authors Note><>
Another chapter for you lovely folk :)
Hope you enjoying.
I have big plans to come for this fic so don't worry there is more to come
~Leigh