I wake up to a dark new room. I frown as I sit up and look around to see Alec sleeping on the couch.

I was in his bed. I quickly climb out of his bed. My body feels a little weak. Food. I needed energy. I had no idea how I had gotten here but I did not care.

I woke up with a clearer mind. I stare at the bed. Don't fix it. Don't fix it. Don't care.

I walk towards the door.

"Go back to bed. It's really early." I hear his voice as he mumbles to me.

"No." I say and I smile at myself.

It was easy saying the word.

"Fine. Close the door behind yourself," he mutters and I hear him getting up from the couch and walking to the bed.

I don't reply to him as I walk out of the room and close the door behind him. I walk towards the room that I am staying in. I look at the suitcases and bags filled with my clothes. I needed to clean everything.

I close the door behind myself and walk towards the window, noticing the darkness outside. It was only four am in the morning. I can organize my closet and have a shower then go downstairs to help Stella and Noah in the kitchen. Maybe they could teach me how to cook better.

***

I pull down on my blue dress a little as I smile at myself in the mirror. I was going to be positive today.

You look beautiful. Ava tells me. The dress was sleeveless and perfect for the weather. It was short, just above my knees as well but it was comfortable. It was flowy and you could not see the marks on my stomach. I did not need to hide them.

I apply a light nude colour lipstick and mascara to my face. Done.

I leave my hair down as I slide my feet into some blue flats as I walk out of my room. I had finished organizing my closet in ten minutes with the help of magic. I had opened the suitcases and lifted all the clothes in the air. The dresses went first, then the jumpsuits, and shorts and shirts. The lingerie went last along with the shoes.

I walk out of the room, noticing the time. It is half five in the morning. I still had plenty of time.

I walk downstairs and head straight to the kitchen with a smile on my face. I push open the door to see Alec standing there, cooking.

I stop as he looks up at me and he flips the pancake. I turn around to walk out of the kitchen.

"You don't have to leave. Come and sit down, I don't bite." He calls out to me before I can disappear.

You can do this. He's not a mate. He's just a guy like Liam and Cam and Miles.

I walk inside the kitchen and make myself comfortable on the chair. "Where are Noah and Stella?" I ask him as he places a plate of pancakes in front of me.

"They've gone shopping. They needed some supplies," he tells me as he sits opposite me with his own plate of pancakes. He hands me a knife and fork and I thank him as I nod. I start to eat the pancakes slowly and they taste amazingly soft.

I don't tell him that though as I silently eat.

"Do you wake up early in the morning?" He questions.

"I like to help Stella and Noah." I answer him.

I see him nod as he pours me a glass of orange juice and puts it next to me. I thank him and drink it.

"About yesterday, I wan-" the door opens and I look up to see Anna walking inside. She frowns for a second too long but I don't look at her as I carry on eating.

"Baby, why couldn't I sleep with you last night?" Anna pouts at Alec.

No. I was not ready for this yet.

I stand up and Anna looks towards me. "I apologise for taking your space last night. It will never happen again. I will be leaving soon." I say to her with a smile and I force myself to walk out of the room without asking their permission.

Who are you and what have you done to Emily? Ava grins as she asks me.

I smile at myself as the kitchen door opens and I feel Alec walking behind me.

"Emily," he calls out my name and I stop. "I need a word," he says and I nod as I turn to look at him.

I wait for him to say something but he opens the door to his office. I follow him inside and close the door behind me.

"Listen Emily, I don't want you to feel upset over all of this. If I could,I would reject you and let you live happily ever after somewhere else, but I can't. I can't let you leave," he stands opposite me, leaning against his desk.

"Why not? Is there a reason I can't leave?" I ask bravely.

"Many reasons." He answers me.

"Tell me." I state.

"No." He says and I nod my head.

"Then I will be leaving, Alec. I don't want to come in between Anna and you and I don't want to live here anymore." I explain to him.

He was my mate and I could feel the connection between us even if he chose not to acknowledge it.

"I said you're not leaving." He stands up straighter.

"I see no reason to stay here. I want to live my life too,"I tell him honestly as I sigh. "I haven't had it easy and I think I deserve some peace."

I would never want him to look at me with pity or let me do something out of sympathy, but I wanted him to know I truly needed to leave this place.

"I said no," he growls slowly, his eyes changing a darker colour. I take a step back.

"I'm sorry," I quickly say as he advances towards me.

Alec growls as I take a step back, my back pressing into the door as he stands near me. I close my eyes tightly, my hands in front of my face.

"Why are you scared of me?" He questions softly.

I don't answer him. I don't open my eyes. He's standing too close.

"Emily," he growls, his hand wrapping itself around my hand tightly. "Look at me." He demands and I open my eyes to stare up at him.

"You. Are. Not. Leaving." He growls angrily and I nod.

"I'm sorry, okay," I whisper softly.

He walks away from me and I can finally breathe.

"If you need anything, Liam or Cameron can get it for you." Alec says to me as I nod silently.

"May I leave?" The words slip past my lips as he nods to me.

I walk out of the room, bumping into Natalie.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She questions, looking at me.

I don't answer her as I walk past her and head back upstairs to the room. I hear her following me.

"Why am I not allowed to leave this place, Natalie?"I ask as she walks into the room.

"What? Of course you are. Liam was going to put your fingerprint on the door today," she frowns looking at me confused.

"Alec said I can't leave but he didn't tell me why. He said if I needed anything, Liam or Cameron could get it for me but I wasn't allowed to leave."

It was a prison all over again. Locked in a house that I could not leave but my freedom was fingertips away. I didn't know where I was. Miles had blocked our mindlink when we had promised never to do it. I was feeling trapped.

"Okay listen," she grins suddenly as she closes the door to my room. "Alec doesn't know what powers you have, right?" She asks and I nod. I had tried telling him but he didn't care.

"How about I get Anna to get clingy towards him tonight and you can explore the garden? Feel the fresh air on your face in the dark. You're a vampire and they love darkness." She says and I nod.

I don't want to correct her and tell her I don't really like the darkness but I nod my head. If I could go out, I would be happy.

"Do you think it could work? Anna would do it?" I ask her and she grins nodding her head.

"Anna is on her periods right now so they won't be having sex but she loves cuddling." She explains and I nod thinking back to the time I first got my periods.

I had thought I was dying. I had screamed at Miles, to Cameron and to everyone. They were going to kill me, it was the only thought that went through my mind at that age until Cameron had brought a woman to the house for the first time ever. He had taken her shopping and she bought many supplies with her. She had taught me everything I needed to know and in the end, Cameron had sucked her blood and killed her right in front of me.

"Okay. Thank you, Nat." I smile at her and she grins back.

***

"Shush, you have to be really quiet." She whispers to me though she was making so much noise as she entered my room and closed the door.

It was midnight and I had not seen Alec all day. He had been inside of his office working on some party he had to organise. I had heard Nat talk to Anna in the living room as I had walked past and Anna had sighed and said yes. She did need cuddles.

It seemed to work because I had waited for Alec to come to my room and be angry at me for not being in his room. It had been two hours and he had not come.

The second it hit midnight, Natalie walked into my room.

"I'll wait for you so you can jump out of the window. I'll be your lookout," she whispers to me and I nod at her as I walk towards the window.

My mind runs back to the time I had gotten kidnapped. I didn't have my powers that time.

I let out a deep breath as I jump out of the window. A shield forms around me as I fly up into the sky, twirling along with the clouds. It was peaceful up here.

I could see wolves walking through the forest, as if they were protecting the territory. I touch the soft clouds and run through them, destroying their shape. I look down below me to see the garden Natalie had told me about. It looked beautiful and I could see the red roses shining.

I fly down below and remove the shield around myself as I stand on the ground near the rose bush. I smile at it as I pluck a rose and lift it up.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I hear Alec growl behind me.

I turn around to look at him. He's standing there, glaring at me as I look up at Nat from my window and she mouths sorry.

"I wanted some fresh air," I answer him.

"Fresh air? When I told you not to go outside?" He walks towards me.

"You can't keep me locked up inside there, Alec." I bluntly tell him.

Alec laughs as he grabs me by the arm and starts to drag me.

"Get the fuck back upstairs," he growls.

"You're hurting me!"

His hands tighten as he walks through the front door and drags me upstairs.

"Alec you sh-"

"Shut the fuck up Nat," Alec growls at Natalie as we reach the room.

"You're staying in here. Don't you dare think about fucking leaving." He throws me into the room and I hear the door slam shut.

"Anyone opens the door to her, I will kill you." I hear the threat in his voice.

"No no no!" I scream as I bang on the door. I try pulling on it. "Open the door! You can't lock me in here!" I scream louder, pulling on the door again as the room darkens around me.

Deep breathes Emily. You're not with Cameron. Ava warns me as I feel my magic flickering inside of me.

"Open the door!" I bang my fist on it.

"Alec she's petrified!" I hear Liam's voice.

"Liam! Open the door to me!" I call out to him. "Please!" I beg them as I hear them on the other side.

I feel my mind shutting down slowly, taking me to a dark place that I promised myself I would not go to today.

I rattle the door handle, crying, begging to be let out.

"You're not leaving!" I hear Alec say behind the door.

"I'll stay I promise. Let me out!" I plead as I hear the moans and the wolf whistles in my mind.

They would come and use me every night as I cried for someone to come and help me. The room would be locked, darkness trapping me inside.

"Cameron please!" I scream the monster's name, begging to be let out.

"Alec she's not well!" Natalie shouts at him.

"I will be good," I whisper as my mind loses control. I kneel down in front of the door, resting my head against it. "Please Cameron." I whisper as the darkness surrounds me.

"You are good, Emily," I hear them say behind the door. I hear Anna wondering what's happening.

"Why do you hate me?" I whisper softly.

●●●●●

Her mate is a prick.