I was alive.

Somehow I survived. I didn't remember a lot but I knew what happened. We were this close to escaping together. But no, something bad had to happen. Who knows how long I've been unconscious. I didn't feel my mate.

That's when I got worried and opened my eyes. I had to wait for a little so they could adjust. When I was able to see properly I saw I was still in a hospital bed. I was in a hospital room. But there was no one here. I wanted to say something but my throat was way too dry so nothing came out of my mouth. I looked at the nightstand next to my bed and found a glass filled with water. I drank it quickly. I tried to get up but the pain in my stomach stopped me on my tracks. I pulled the blanked out to see how it looked but all I could see was a big bandage on the place I was shot.

"Katerina?" I heard my mate's voice from my left but all I could see was the curtain separating us.

"Emmet?" I asked and I heard him sigh in relief.

"Emmet where are you? Come here." I asked him. I needed to know he was fine. I needed his touch and his kiss. I needed to see him smile again.

"I'm here. Everything is okay don't worry about anything." I started to get worried.

Why wouldn't he come to me? What was the problem?

"Emmet I don't understand why don't you just come here?" He could hear the concern in my voice.

"Katerina I don't want you to worry I'm okay I just... can't come to you right now." I felt the pain in his voice when he said the last part.

Something was wrong and he didn't tell me. I was getting worried and angry. The only logical explanation would be that he was hurt too and he was on a bed just like me. I mean we are in a hospital what else could be the problem.

"Emmet if you don't tell me right now what's going on I swear I'll do something."

"I don't need you to worry I told you I'm fine. All I need you to be concern about right now is your health. I need you to stay on the bed and don't move because you may break a stitch. I know it hurts when you move so don't." That wasn't the answer I was looking for. I was stubborn. I needed to see him and find out what was the problem. Why couldn't he come to me?

I remembered the moment the guard told me not to do anything stupid. And of course, here I am trying to get up with fresh stitches on my stomach. I carefully moved my legs to the left side of the bed.

"Katerina, what are you doing?" He asked, suspicious but I kept quiet, concentrated on getting up from the bed. Every single move I made, made me feel that agonizing pain and it was very hard to move.

"Katerina!?" He asked again just as I was about to step on the floor.

But something I didn't see coming was how numb my legs were. I couldn't stand on them so I fell on my stomach. But before I touched the floor I grabbed the curtain breaking it from the ceiling and dragging it down with me. I cried in pain closing my eyes and feeling like I got shot again. I didn't move from the place I fall. I looked at my wound and I saw the now bloody bandage. Congratulations to me, I successfully f*#ked myself up again by breaking the stitches.

"For god's sake, Katerina are you okay? I told you not to move from your bed." Emmet's worried voice reminded me of why I got up in the first place. I looked up expecting to see my mate on a bed but what I saw made my heart stop.

There was a wall of glass in front of me and behind that wall was my man. Silver chains were burning the skin on his hand. He didn't have a shirt on exposing his absolutely amazing figure.

But what really broke my heart was that he had dried blood, wounds, and bruises all over his body and face. He was beaten by someone a lot of times. That's when I realized we weren't in a hospital. We were captured again by our enemy. A few seconds after I fell some people dressed like nurses barged in the room. Two men lift me up and put me back on the bed. I couldn't protest about it because of the excruciating pain. A woman injected me with something I'm guessing a painkiller or antibiotics I don't know. But whatever it was, it made me feel so sleepy I gave up immediately.

**************

The next time I woke up my left hand was tied up on the bed.

"How are you?" The precious voice of my mate asked me. I looked at him and I felt like a huge chunk was stuck in my throat and tears formed in my eyes ready to be let down. I was now both physically and mentally hurting.

"Emmet. What happened? How did we get here?" My voice cracked in the middle of the sentence.

I wanted to get us out here once and for all. And here I am when I thought I would never step a foot in this place ever again. And this time I wasn't the only one. They got my mate too. I wish they had only me so they didn't have to hurt him so much. He looked so tired of everything. He sighed and looked at me.

"We got to the hospital just in time. They took you to the operating room and I had to wait in the waiting room. The room was empty and I was shirtless. One guy dressed as a nurse came offering me his shirt and when I was putting it on they drugged me and I've been here since. They brought you in here four days later. It's been four days since you're here." I heard the pain and desperation in his voice.

I knew he wanted to kill every single one of those people. I knew he was exploding with rage. I knew his wolf wanted blood and they wanted their mate back in his house safe and sound. That was exactly what I wanted too.

"And why did they beat you up like that?"

"No apparent reason. I guess they just hate us. I don't really know what is the reason for all of this." I stayed quiet after his answer rethinking everything that's happened to us. One thing I remembered that I had to ask him.

"How did you removed the watch?" I asked intrigued.

I looked around for a glass of water again.

"I can't tell you now." He said and he looked somewhere above me. I looked up to see a camera no wonder there's a microphone somewhere too. We had to be careful about what we say.

"Oh, good another camera." I said throwing the glass at the door in front of the bed, making the injury wake up again. I hissed in pain. The glass broke in little pieces just when someone opened the door. When I saw who it was I wished I had waited a few seconds to throw the glass at him.

"Oh God just kill me already!" I screamed in irritation. I heard Emmet growling at him or probably my comment.

"What do you want again you freak?" I was more than angry and ready to kill him if he touches me in front of Emmet.

"I see you're awake obviously you've hit your head." He seriously believed himself. I couldn't. I laughed at his madness. He came towards me caressing my leg and I shrugged him off immediately.

"Hey, do not touch me you hear me?!" I screamed at him pointing my finger at him.

"But Kate sweetheart! I've missed you." That was the icing on the cake. I think he does it just to get on our nerves.

"Get away from her!" Emmet warned him.

"Shush yourself. I need some quality time with my mate." I can't believe he just shushed at Emmet. I mean I know he's tied up but still. If he was angry before, he is mad now. I looked at that stupid guy whose name I don't know. Actually, I don't know anybody's names.

"Emmet wait!" I tried to stop Emmet from talking because I got an idea. I smiled at that idiot and continued with my plan.

"So as your mate can I know your name?" I got the feeling to strangle myself after saying that. He smirked at me.

"No my dear my father forbid me to tell you. He actually forbid me to see you but he can't stop the love between us." That was disgusting. The name didn't work I had to try something else.

"Ok tell me about your father I should know something about your family at least."

"No, no. I am not going to tell you anything now you need to rest." Okay, that was it. I couldn't take this circus.

"Oh, I see you got my flowers!" He looked at my right.

"What those flowers?" I said and quickly tossed the vase on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm not really into roses. I like hyacinths." I said smiling innocently at him. What he did next caught me off guard. He got mad with just a second and his hands we're on my neck squeezing tight stopping me from breathing. I heard Emmet yelling at him and moving the chains probably trying to escape them to save me. But I'm not that easy to kill my friend.

I poked his eyeballs really hard and when he loosened the grip on my neck I quickly punched him with my fist. He backed up from me.

"If you ever touch me again I will kill you I promise you that!" I warned him and just then the door opened and revealed the guy that shot me.

"Oh look who it is!" I started off laughing but then turned to anger.

"The guy that put me in this bed. Why don't you do me a favor and get this sick prick and your pathetic self out of here like right now?" He didn't say anything he just grabbed the guy and left. I sighed in relief.

"Are you okay?" Emmet asked concern. I looked at him and smiled as much as I can assuring him that I was fine.

"Yeah. That guy couldn't kill me even if he holds me for hours." I sighed in frustration about how weak and powerless I felt.

"Why do I feel so tired, so weak and so vulnerable? I want to get up from that bed and kill everyone in this building for putting us here especially you."

I was tired of always having to protect myself. I wanted freedom and relaxation. I wanted to be in Emmet's house with him and do absolutely nothing. Or maybe not "noting". I have some ideas about what to do. We could take a shower first. All naked under the hot water. And then we can move to the bed.

"Katerina, please calm yourself down I can feel your arousal from here." I grinned at him.

"Maybe if you didn't pick up the phone when it rang..." I said thinking of what we would have done. He growled in agreement.

"Next time we turn off all the phones and break the bell so no one interrupts us."

"Katerina!" He said warning me that I was getting him horny even more. I looked down and I saw his guy wanting some attention too and how much I wanted to give him all of my attention.

"Ok, ok I am stopping. Sorry." I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

"No need to apologize, baby. You know I want you as much if not more. Now get some sleep you need it." I didn't need more to be convinced. Once I closed my eyes I fell asleep immediately.

*******

When I woke up I instantly turned around to see Emmet.

"Hey, beautiful. Did you sleep well?" Even though he's been tired up for who knows how many days he still had the energy to talk to me and be interested in my wellbeing. I felt so guilty about him being tortured like that. I felt like this whole thing was all my fault.

"How do you even care?" He looked at me questioning me with a look like I was going mad.

"I mean, you've been in pain constantly ever since they put you here. My pain probably feels nothing compared to yours and you still manage to care for my wellbeing." He smiled at me lovingly.

"Of course I care about you. You're my everything Katerina, no matter how much pain I'm in you're health and happiness will always be the most important things for me." I signed. I really don't deserve this man. After everything, I've done to him.

"I'm so sorry." I couldn't look at him at this moment.

"For what Katerina? I already told you don't have to apologize to me for anything at all. Never."

"No, you're wrong. It's all my fault and you know it. For all the pain your love for me has cost you. And especially that kiss with Peter. I'm so sorry about that, I never wanted to do it and I felt terrible."

"Katerina please stop this nonsense! None of this is your fault believe me and forget about that kiss. I know you didn't want it and you did it just because they made you do it. So it's okay. I know you want me and only me and that makes me feel better, so don't think about that, forget that it even happens. I have." His assuring word made me feel a little better.

"Yeah, but still-"

"No, buts Katerina. I want you and I would do everything to keep you by my side so don't put the blame on yourself when someone else is at fault. They are the people to blame for our misery, not you so please stop blaming yourself." I still can't believe how lucky I got to be for having such an amazing mate like him.

"You don't know how much I want to kiss you right now." I smiled at him happy that at least we're here together.

"Mmm, I have an idea." He smiled at me seductively but then the door being open caught my attention and a guy walked in. I was sure I've never met him and didn't know what his job coming here is because he was not dressed as a nurse and most surely wasn't here about my health. I was confused for sure.

"Who are you?"

"Katerina." I was going to ask him more questions but Emmet stopped me. Just the look on his face made me shut up but my curiosity just grew even bigger than before and I'm sure my face showed it.

"It's okay we can talk now I have a guy stop the cameras and the microphone and I made sure no one is coming soon." He said reassuring Emmet.

The guy stood up at the edge of my bed and looked at me. I felt weird and irritated not knowing what's going on.

"Okay, someone tell me what the hell is going on here, right now!" I demanded answers. The guy looked at my mate asking him to let him speak and Emmet let him.

"Hi. So, my name is Alex and I'm the one that helped your mate with the watch and everything else." Okay, that answered one question but a lot more came to my mind.

"Why? Do I know you or something?"

"As a matter of fact yes you do but I was just a baby the last time you saw me." Not really getting what he was talking about I kept silent letting him continue.

"There's no easy way to say this but I'm your little brother Alex." My answer was quick.

"Ha, are you mad too? Are you all crazy in here? How dare you involve my little dead brother in this nonsense?" I saw the genuine pain in his eyes but I didn't really care because this was getting out of hand. I looked at Emmet for any answer as to why is he not saying anything.

"It's true Katerina. Do you think I would let him help if it wasn't all true? Just listen to him and you'll see."

"I was raised by a woman that found me alone in the woods and decided to keep me and raise me by herself or so I thought. She was a terrible mother she would get drunk a lot and neglect me most of the time. I was wondering all the time why did she even saved me but one day I don't know what made her tell me but when she did tell me the truth about how she was part of an attack against a pack and while they were killing everyone she found the Luna of the pack with her second born in her hands. That was your mother, our mother. She was the one that killed her and took me. I didn't know any of this until a few days ago. She also told me she and the one that is thought to be alpha here knows who you are." He stopped for a few seconds to let me acknowledge everything he just said and looked emotionless not really knowing how to react to that information.

"How are you sure that all of this is true and this isn't just another cruel plan to break my heart?" I asked Emmet.

It was really hard to believe this guy. Did I want this to be true? Yeah, of course, that would mean that my little brother made it alive. But did I believed him? Not really. I honestly think this is all a plan to destroy me.

"Of course. Checking if he was saying the truth was the first thing I did when he came to me. I had him made a test to see if he was really your brother."

"And?" I asked impatiently.

"He's telling the truth, Katerina. He really is your brother."

After he said that I lost myself in thoughts. He was indeed my brother. He was alive and he was here. He was here part of these horrible people. What was he doing here? Is he one of them? Does he want to kill me and my mate too? He may be my brother but the last time I saw him he was just a baby. He doesn't know me. How could I trust him? I felt a tear slip from my teary eyes. I wasn't about to cry but it was really hard not to. I mean I just found my baby brother in the worst place possible. Was he a bad guy or a good guy? What do I say now? What am I supposed to say after that?

"How do I know you're not one of them? Why should I believe that you really want to help me given the fact that you're part of this fake pack probably made to torture me and my mate and not even tell us why they're doing it?" He put his hands in the air surrounding himself.

"I know that you may have a problem trusting me regardless of the fact that we are siblings but I will show you how much you mean to me and how much I want us to be together and be a family again. I never wanted to be a part of any of this I was dragged here because of my mother, I mean the woman that raised me. I never had a choice, please believe me. The moment I found out that you really are my sister and that they were keeping you here and were using the watch on you I immediately made up a plan to help your mate save you without no one knowing so that I know what's going on from the inside. That's why I'm here now, to tell you what's the plan and how we're going to get you both out of here." I was flying from happiness from inside that my brother is alive and I let myself believe that he was going to help us escape this prison.

"The bad thing about it that you're not going to like so much is that you'll have to stay here for a few more days at least. We need you on your feet for the plan to work. I will keep an eye on you two and will come to give you food and the medicine you need to get better." Emmet was next to speak interrupting Alex.

"What do you mean medicine? They give her medicine." He was confused and was getting angry by the second understanding of what Alex said next.

"They do but not enough and not everything she needs for her wound and health to get better. They don't want her to be well so soon." I heard a loud bang and I saw that Emmet hit the brick wall behind him from anger. He growled and kept looking at the wall with his back facing us.

"Emmet please don't hurt yourself it's not worth it. We should have known that was going to happen." He was angry and hurt and I understood his pain. I'm his mate and I wasn't going to get better because of those people.

"Emmet don't worry I will help you both I promise. I will come every day to give you guys enough food and medicine. The next time I come I'll give you Emmet, the medicine you need to kill all the silver in your body so that you can contact your pack. Tell them to get ready and your whereabouts. I'll tell you when the right time comes, giving them enough time to come here and create a distraction so that we can escape unnoticed. Everything is planned, we just have to wait for your wound to heal. You shouldn't show them your wound so that they don't notice it's getting better faster than they're planning to." Emmet and I stayed quiet and listened to Alex.

"You should get us weapons. Katerina won't be able to shift until that cut is completely healed. She'll need to protect herself" Alex agreed with my mate.

"I have to go now. I'll come back in a few hours to give you food and the first shots of medicine. Do not talk about any of this they are listening to you all the time." After he said that he smiled at me and left. I sighed and looked at Emmet.

"It'll be alright Katerina. I promise. I'll get you out of here, I'll do whatever it takes." I smiled lovingly at him, knowing all too well that he will keep his promise and will get me back home. I couldn't wait for us to be back at his house and be together again.

"And when I do I am locking you inside the house and no one is leaving it anymore."

"Funny, that's what I was going to say." He laughed at my joke and that single thing make me feel so great. I felt the butterflies in my belly again and my whole skin bristled. I found myself enjoying the sound of his laughter and especially his gorgeous smile. He's everything I will ever want. I would never need anything else if I have him by my side.

We stayed quiet for a while thinking about everything. I personally was thinking about the things I am going to do when we finally escape this hell of a place. the first thing being Emmet of course. There's no doubt that we are finally going to mate the first thing when we get back. We've spent so much time apart that we're probably going to start the moment we get in the house. We deserve to be together and no one is going to stop us from doing anything different than that.

I've missed the feeling of his skin against mine, of his lips kissing mine. I've missed the pleasure he gives me by only touching and caressing my body. I've missed the sweet talk when he gives my body the most amazing pleasurable feeling. He is the best at everything and surely doesn't deserve to be tied up here in this miserable place.

I'll fight for him even if I have to die doing that. I promised myself that and I'll keep it because he deserves it. He is my mate. My love. My man. My everything. He deserves the world and I'll sacrifice everything for him.

"Can I ask you something?" Emmet asked out of the blue.

"Of course, Emmet."

"When we met for the first time in the striptease club, how did you know I was going to be there?" That question I did not expect and I knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

"I came to your house earlier that day when you got a call and agreed to go there." I saw how he tried to remember what he was doing that same time and how his face changed when he did remember. It was not nice remembering the view from his window. Just the thought of him with someone else makes my blood boil and see red. I am really possessive when it comes to the people I love the most and Emmet being the most important one does not help me with the fact that I've seen him with that slut on his lab.

"Did you see-" I cut him off.

"Yes." He felt really bad about that and I knew it. His face showed it. He felt guilty.

"Did you know I was your mate then?"

"No, I only saw your back. I found out when I looked in your eyes in the club."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Let's not talk about that." I didn't need to feel angry at Emmet right now.

"Okay, but can you tell me why did you come to kill me?"

"I was told you were killing innocent people. And that you were leaving them almost dead. You've been acting like a crazy serial killer changing into a wolf." When I was talking he looked at me like I was going crazy.

"What the hell are you talking about? I've never killed innocent people let alone change in front of them and exposing our kind to a human being and let's not even talk about leaving someone alive. I would never leave someone alive." That was strange. He claims he didn't kill anyone bit my former boss said otherwise.

"Wait, no, that can't be true otherwise they wouldn't have sent me to kill you if you're not guilty. So you're saying that you have never killed anyone?"

"No, I've never said I never killed anyone. I said I've never killed someone that wasn't asking for it. I've killed rouges, people that threaten the safety of my pack. And most importantly I've never changed in front of a human." From the way he talked, I knew he was getting angry and betrayed. I didn't know what to believe now.

"Are you sure?" I saw how he clenched his fist angry at his mate for doubting him.

"Katerina!"

"I'm just confused as to why they would send me to kill you if you're not actually guilty."

"When I say I haven't done anything wrong or expose myself to the human world, it means I haven't. Do you think I'd lie to you?" The fact that I didn't believe what he was saying really got to him and he felt betrayed by his own mate. That made me believe that he was telling the truth but my confusion was still there and new questions were forming up. Why would they send me to kill him if he was in fact not guilty at all?

"Okay, I believe you. I'm sorry I doubted you but you have to understand where I'm coming from. I mean why would they make me kill you for nothing?" I started thinking of the possible reasons as to why they wanted him dead. I was shocked by the newfound information.

"I don't know Katerina. I guess your boss wanted me dead."

"But why? I didn't think they knew about our world. I guess I never really thought about that."

"Was he one of us?"

"I don't know. I've never met him in person and the people I met were always humans."

"You've never met your boss? Why? He could be anyone! How can you work for someone you've never even met?" That was a logical question for which I didn't have any logical answer.

"I don't know. I've seen the people that are working for him I guess I never needed to see him. But it doesn't matter how I quit a long time ago and they still think you're dead." I tried to put an end to this conversation because it wasn't getting us anywhere close to the answers we needed. He, on the other hand, didn't like that idea.

"And what if they find out I'm still alive? What then?" He was angry I could clearly see that.

"Emmet I was their best. Do you think that if they send anyone I wouldn't know if someone is trying to kill you? Do you think I won't be able to fight them?"

"Why did they let you go if you were their best, huh?" That was another good and logical question.

"I never gave much thought about how easily they let me go I was just happy that I was free to come to you. And I didn't really have much time to think about it anyway, because then I got that message and I was trying to find a way to be with you." My answer for sure softened him a little.

"Look I'm sorry for trying to kill you and I'm sorry for doubting you. I promise when we get out of here I will find out the truth about everything and will do anything to keep you safe and sound." I needed him to know that he will always be my first priority and I will never let my guard down when it comes to his safety.

"Okay baby, it's okay, get some sleep you look tired." That man will never quit amazing me. Ine second we're fighting and the next he's thinking about my health again.

"I love you." I saw the adoration in his eyes and how good that made him feel. It was like there was no one else but me. And I felt so good saying this out loud to him. And it was the truth. I was genuinely in love with this man and telling him that I love him is the best thing ever.

"I love you too, Katerina. I love you so much." His words warmed my heart so much I thought it was going to explode. I wanted him so much. I wanted to show him how much I really love him. I feel like I need to prove to him how much he really means to me and how much love there is for him in my heart. He is my world.

After hearing him say those three words twice I felt like I was in heaven and it wasn't so hard to fall into a calm dreamless sleep.