Naya's P.O.V.

The bullet nearly grazed my skin.

For a split second I thought I was somewhere else. I had reached out thinking it was reality but it was only my imagination.

For fuck's sake what's wrong with me?

There was another swish in the air above us followed by a soft thud against the tree once again. I was beyond terrified. I knew how to fight but how could I fight with someone who was miles away. 

It had been too long since my wolf was allowed to run free. I must admit, I got a little bit carried away.

I hated not being able to communicate with anyone via our werewolf link. My old bond hasn't been severed yet because a new one hasn't been formed but they were too far away. 

I had never felt so alone in my life before. The way she acted it might not appear normal to a human but I could tell she was speaking to Aaron. Her breathing slow, her lips moved and she kept nodding her head.

I wished I was in contact with my Mate. Even though I was terrified inside I remained calm on the outside. Separated emotions from logic. 

Another swoosh tore through the fog. A grunt came short after. A soft scream. Macey jumped across and hugged me fiercely.

My senses became triggered. Five smell hit my senses. Two I was already familiar with thus my nerves calmed. 

I didn't know if it was safe to get out but those five shadowy dispersed figures took form among the light greyish fog.

Then emerges Ocean.

The mist parted, swirled around him. He was panting like a bull. His chest was heaving uncontrollably. Macey ran into Aaron's arms and disappeared from my peripheral vision. 

My throat clogged up from unwashed tears when he raced towards me. My legs tentatively inched forward, hands reached out to touch him.

"Are you CRAZY? What the hell is WRONG with you?" He grabbed my upper arms and gave me a good shake. I held onto his forearms from shock. I had initially thought he was storming towards me to comfort me not scold me.

"I wanted a run. YOU told me I could be free." I shouted back from shock. His face looked murderous. I wanted him to hug me.

"How the FUCK does that mean that you can go out and nearly get yourself killed?" He brought me closer to his body without letting us touch.

"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU BLAMING ME FOR HUNTERS? Did I invite them to SHOOT at me?" I was furious. My nails dug into his arms but his remained intact. 

His chest caved in. Hot air blew my hair back. Letting me go he stepped back. His breathing became controlled, heart beat returned to normal.

The other shadowy figures broke through the mist. They had sniper rifles and holstered hand guns. I felt foolish and embarrassed. I blinked a couple of times to hide the tears forming in my eyes.

 Crossing my arms, I looked at the thin shards of grass peeking out of the snow. Aaron held Macey so tightly in his arms, a crowbar might have been required to pry them apart.

"We should head back."

His enforcers didn't move a muscle but Ocean had turned his back to me before he even finished his sentence. A new emotion formed in the pits of my stomach. I have never needed anyone to coddle me. But I wanted him to hold me.

I walked quickly, not wanting to look Aaron in the eye for putting his mate in danger. This had never happened to me and I didn't think it would on our first run. I wondered about the human sniper, how could he see in this intense mist. Heat-ray detectors?

The walk home was shameful. It took us half an hour to get back. Macey tried to talk to me but I just couldn't deal with being around people. 

My emotions were acting up again. Something was screaming at me from the back of my mind. 

I quickly apologised to her and Aaron without looking them in the eye and walked away as quickly as possible. They let me go. An enforcer with short brown hair and keen milk chocolate brown eyes followed every move I made. 

He wasn't as built as the others but he looked sharp. He was holding the long range rifle. I couldn't see anyone else properly due to the fog.

I kept thinking of these recent images I kept seeing. My mother was a Behavioural Psychologist. She would sometimes explain actions about people to me but other times she educated me about mental illness. 

Schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and many more. Werewolves couldn't get ill, physically that is. But could we get ill mentally?

I'm only 22, it couldn't be schizophrenia.

Yup, I'm going crazy.

Somebody just tried to kill me yet here I am thinking about an illness that a wolf couldn't get. Honestly, I didn't know. I needed to talk to someone. Those thoughts, brought tears to my eyes. I still felt angry. 

I doubted that was my emotions. I had no reason to be angry. I wanted to go home, wash the dirt off my hands and from under my nails. 

My hands shook and my vision blurred from the tears once again. Using the back of my hand I wiped my eyes before tears could touch my cheeks.

An Alpha mustn't cry. An Alpha is strong and resilient. You are going to lead the pack.

My father's voice kept running through mind.

I wanted to go home.

More tears formed in my eyes the minute my father's house came into my mind. I was too protected. I needed to fucking toughen up. 

I widened my eyes trying getting rid of them. Wolves loved to stay in packs and now that I'm not in any, it was messing with my system.

Ocean didn't speak to me once the rest of the day even though he was in the house, slamming things around. I balled like a baby in the bathtub. Pressed the back of my hand against my mouth trying to muffle the sounds. 

I wondered if he felt it. Even if he did, he didn't act on it. No one ever shot at me in my life. 

I didn't dare to tell my parents about it when I called my dad later in the evening. They seemed to be doing fine and Alex had finally accepted his role as an Alpha. 

He was being trained by my father. The difficult part of the transition was the spiritual evolution from Beta to Alpha.

One can earn his way to the top and one can fall from his reign. But in this case my father was handing it down. If I spoke to my mum I would have started to cry once again therefore I asked him to tell her I was okay. But I was far from it.

My eyes were puffy when I went downstairs for dinner. I must ask him who cooks for him considering he's never home. It was my time to bang the cabinets doors and fridge. The lights were dim around the house. 

The shadows slanted around the dark surfaces. It looked like a haunted house. I ate as quickly as possible. It was roast chicken and vegetables. Whoever made it was a good cook.

I felt so cold and lonely.

My heart dropped as tears sprang to my eyes. I haven't cried this much since- well since forever. I heard footsteps going back and forth for a while upstairs and just when I finished my dinner and put the plate in the dishwasher, I pulled out the chocolate cake that was newly inserted in the fridge. 

I heard something going on downstairs when I was in bath and crying. I just didn't care then. I needed comfort food. The incident had finally settled in. I could have died from that damn silver bullet.

Finally, Ocean opened his bedroom door. The tiny squeak gave it away. The lamp in the far corner next to the dining table was the only light source in the kitchen. He came down stairs, crossed the dark living room before emerging from the shadows. 

I kept my eyes on my cake. At first I was mad at him for scolding me like I was a child. Then I was just plain old disappointed at him for not even caring enough to check up on me or having any kind words for a traumatised mate.

The white light over my head illuminated the dark granite island. The reflection blinded me slightly. I used my other hand to block my eyes.

"Did you eat?" His gravelly voice tore through the awkward atmosphere. I made an affirmative noise at the back of my throat. My gaze went to his feet from behind my hand.

 My hair was slightly frizzy and wavy. I didn't have the energy to blow dry it. Ah for fucks sake. I don't care. "Can I get you something?"

"No." Attitude laced my answer. I finally looked at him. He blinked in surprise. I must look crazy. Gulping he came forward.

"Are you okay?" He tried to sound soft but because of the baritone of his voice it just sounded dense and serious. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "I... Are you..."

"I'm fine." I interrupted him. Suddenly my appetite disappeared. Picking up my bowl I shoved it inside the fridge.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Of course, I wasn't going to throw it out, I'd have to be crazy to waste a good piece of chocolate cake.

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"No, you must eat. I'll go." He sounded desperate and it tugged at my heart. Fucking mate pull.

"It's fine, you eat." Without making eye contact I finished my water and walked around the counter to head for my room.

"Wait, just..." He blocked me under the kitchen threshold. His face softened when he finally looked at me so closely. 

His eyes wondered over my face, landing on the puffiness of my eyes. Reluctantly, his hands cupped my cheeks, thumbs swiped across my cheeks. "I..."

I waited for him to finish, waited for an apology but it never came. Rolling my eyes, I ripped my face away from his hands. Light from the kitchen spilled into the lounge but all I wanted was darkness around me.

"Wait." He grabbed my forearm halting in my place. "Look, I didn't know you were crying." He sounded sad. I rolled my eyes once again.

"I was shot at." I kept my voice low but stern. "I've never been shot at." I looked him in the eye. "I nearly died."

He physically flinched. It was the first time ever I saw different emotion on his face other than intensity. He looked like he was going to be sick. His hand automatically reached for his throat. My stomach flipped.

"I can't have anything happen to you." He pulled me to him but this time every inch of my body was pressed against his contours.

"It wasn't even that. I thought you'd be relieved to see me in one piece. But you just acted like it was my fault." I tried to rip myself away from him but he held on to me like his life depended on it.

"Don't you EVER say that. You understand?" He spoke through gritted teeth. "You're my MATE?"

"THEN ACT LIKE IT." I shouted in his face going toe to toe with him. He was a foot taller. 

"You humiliated me. In front of your enforcers. Do you know how embarrassing it was?" Tears sprung to my eyes but they were from anger. I hated it when that happened. It made me appear weak.

"It wasn't my intention. If you want, I'll speak to them." Does he ever apologise?

"I don't WANT you speak to anyone. I don't want to speak to you right now." Wet beads fell down my cheeks. He became frantic. His thumbs swiped them away quickly. His brows furrowed in concern, mouth hung open. 

"What I wanted was YOU to treat me like I was your mate when you found me instead of act like I was some inconvenience..." He kept shaking his head from side to side. 

"I needed you to just reassure me but the times passed. You had the whole day and the moment is gone." I schooled my features and managed to successfully wrench myself away from him. "I don't need you now; I'm fine."

"It wasn't like that. Just listen to me-" He spoke as he followed me. "I was furious at myself for letting something like that happen to you- just wait." He didn't try to touch me again but followed me up the stairs and to my door.

I looked back but not at him.

"I'll die if something happened to you." He stroked the back of my hair. His heartfelt confession made me sagging against the threshold. "I was mad at me. Not you." 

Sighing he rested his lips against the hair line of my forehead. "Next time, I'll go with you. Just tell me when you want to go." His lips moved against my skin in a soothing trance.

"I'm... I'm sorry for... everything." He gathered me in his arms and hugged me tight. I bunched his t-shirt up into my fists. 

I inhaled deeply burying my nose into his chest. It felt good to be comforted after the day I had. We stood there for a long time. Every then and now he would peck the side of my head.

He was a good person but just rough around the edges. It was up here but we could see just fine. I appreciated his apology but I was still mad at him. De-tangling myself from him, I went into my room. 

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This chapter is completely un-edited. Please ignore it. If you like it, vote and comment. Thank you very much.