Charisse's Pov

I pause in front of the stairs, unsure of how I'm supposed to descend. I smell like Xavier because I used his shampoo and body wash, and I'm wearing his boxers and shirt.

Sitting down, I place my crutches by my side and hurry down the stairs like a toddler, butt-scooting each step.

'This is fun,' my wolf says, grinning. Inside my head, I see her as a wolf, complete with paws.

One of my crutches falls and tumbles to the ground as I near the foot of the steps. Xavier appears at my side in an instant. "Are you okay?" he inquires.

I nod and allow him to assist me in standing. "Why were you trying to go down the stairs?"

"You told me I should meet you in the kitchen." I sigh.

"I meant for you to call me when you were finished showering," he adds gently as he picks me up. He carries me the last distance to the kitchen.

On the dining table are two dishes containing sandwiches. Xavier places me in a chair and brings a plate closer to me. The sandwich looks delicious, but I feel guilty knowing I'll toss over half of it.

After ten minutes, I can only eat half of a sandwich while Xavier has finished two. "I'm full." I shove the plate away, whispering.

"Just one more bite?" Xavier insists.

My head shakes. I know I'm wasting food and that others need it more than I do, but I can't eat it. He groans and sets the plates up.

"Baby, the doctors said you should try to eat."

"I know; my old pack doctor said the same thing."

"Have you been trying?" he inquires.

I shake my head once more. "Alpha wouldn't let anyone give me food, but people would occasionally sneak in some meals for me," I respond.

Xavier glares at the wall but shows no other symptoms of rage. "Brad wants to see you tomorrow; if you want to wait, I can tell him to reschedule," he says.

"I'll see him again tomorrow."

He's my only source of heat as we make our way up to what I believe is his bedroom. My clothing is large on me, but they're not warm, and it appears to be quite cold in the house. "These should help you fall asleep." Xavier gives me medication and a water bottle to help me swallow it.

The medicine's effects begin swiftly, adding to my fatigue. Xavier leaves me in his bed and goes into the bathroom to change. It's not king-size; it's much, much larger.

He will probably make me sleep beside him; I hope my dreams aren't too awful tonight. My shirtless comrade is the last thing I see before I pass out.

An evil voice sneers, "No one will want you after I'm done with you."

This is the third time this has happened today; the warriors are all worried and rely on me for relief. "Listen to me when I'm talking to you!"

I gaze at Beta Shawn, knowing he despises it when I stare at him in the eyes. They can torture me, but they can't make me submit.

I know I pushed him too far when I heard a snap. I end up coughing and choking on my blood as I try to stand up with my elbows. "I said to bend over!"

"Wake up, Charisse. You have a bad dream."

My eyes open, and I move away from the figure before me. "I'm not going to hurt you; it was just a dream." Xavier reaches out for me. I let him swoop me into his lap and bury my face in his naked chest.

"I don't want to go back." I tremble at the prospect of returning to Red Stone.

"Don't worry; I'll be right there for you."

Looking around the naturally lit room, I realize it's already morning. It's around noon.

'Best night ever,' says my wolf. I mentally concur with her. That was the longest we'd ever slept, and we almost didn't have a nightmare the entire time.

So, what should I do now? Normally, I'd begin preparing breakfast for everyone.

"Do you want to eat breakfast?" Xavier inquires, placing his hands on my waist. My head shakes. The movement hurts my head, but I attempt to ignore it.

"Are you sure?" In answer, I nod.

"How was your night's sleep?"

"Good, you have a soft bed," I say softly. Compared to where I used to sleep, the soft material and bouncy mattresses. Alpha James was kind enough to offer me an old couch cushion to rest my head on at night; I had to labor for it for a few months, but the pillow made sleeping more pleasant.

"You're supposed to take this every morning for two weeks." Xavier hands me a small white pill and a water bottle.

It's as if I ate an entire gummy bear.

A laugh perplexes me. "You like gummy bears?"

Oh. I must have said it aloud. "One of the pill's side effects is the inability to express yourself," he explains.

I extended my hand for him to place the bottle in.

Each morning, take one unit by mouth. The following side effects may occur: speaking of thoughts, openness, and numbness of hurts.

"How about we play a game where I ask you a question, and you answer it?" Xavier proposes.

"What's your favorite candy?" he asks first.

I don't recall much about candy other than that it was high in sugar. I had it maybe two years ago when a tiny child stealthily sent a small bag to my attic. "They're gummy bears. "What age are you?"

"Twenty-one." That means we're four years apart in age. I would like to know if Brad and I are the same age.

"Brad and I are both twenty-one; however, I am six months older." Xavier declares triumphantly. He somewhat expands his chest, and I imagine how he'd look as an ape.

"What kind of food do you like?" he inquires.

"I don't know," I say, shrugging. "Anything that makes me happy." "Do you have hair gel on?"

I fight the overpowering want to stroke his hair. 'Do it, and I bet you five dollars. It's soft,' says my wolf.

'You don't have any money,' I say.

'What you have is mine.'

'But neither do I have any money.'

'And what is your point?'

"Are you talking to your wolf?" Xavier inquires.

'It's not fair! He didn't respond to our inquiry!' My wolf accused me.

"Yes."

'CHEATER!' she yells, making me cringe.

"What's wrong?" Xavier inquires anxiously.

'He's done it again!'

"My wolf is acting strangely," I observe.

'I'm as strange as you are. What does C-H-E-A-T-E-R stand for? Cheater!!!' She yells.

"You and your wolf have the same personality, Baby." The only difference between a person and their wolf is that the wolf side expresses itself more than the human side." Xavier informs me.

So everything my wolf says is something I would say.

"That's exactly right." Idiot drugs.

"Are you wearing any hair gel?" I inquire about quieting my beast.

"No. "Do you like being tickled?"

"No," my voice blends with my wolf's as we answer the inquiry too quickly. Xavier lifts an eyebrow before teasing my sides with his fingers.

Xavier's fingers continue to glide along my ribcage and belly button. His and my giggles are the only sounds in the room. There's no way he's not ticklish, so I move my hand to his neck and tickle him. "You aren't ticklish." With a frown, I say.

"I'm not," you say, "but you are." When he returns to tickle me, my frown immediately turns into a smile.

Looking at me, he replies, "You should smile more." My cheeks become hot, and I cover them with my hands. Xavier pulls his hands away from my face and pushes his lips against mine.

It takes some time for me to grasp the situation, but I eventually return the kiss. My lips brush up against his, and I follow his lead-

Ding, ding, ding!

As the doorbell rings, Xavier groans in frustration. "That has to be Brad," he mutters as he pulls away. He groans once again as he looks at the bedroom door.

When I hesitate to leave the bed, he asks, "What's wrong?"

"What if he doesn't like me?" he wonders.

"Brad likes almost everybody, plus you're his sister."

"But I don't remember anything about him, and he might get mad at me."

"He's not going to get angry, so let's get out of here before he steals the fridge." Xavier assists me in positioning my crutches and walks downstairs with me.

"Where's Charisse?" Brad inquires.

"She's right over here," Xavier says as he steps to the side. I do the same, half-hiding behind him.

Brad frowns, and I stare up at him, terrified. He's one inch shorter than Xavier but still taller than 6'0. "Hi," I say hello quietly.

"Hi."

We enter the living room and take a seat on the couches. Xavier places me on his lap, and Brad sits across from us. "You have no idea how long I've been looking for you," he replies with a smile.

"You looked for me?"

"Our parents, too," he laments. I'm interested in what he's saying but don't ask any questions.

"What's inside the bag?" Xavier inquires as he examines Brad's backpack.

"Videos and candy." I pay more attention when candy is mentioned. Candy.

Xavier carefully lifts me from his lap, places me on the couch, and rises. "Sweetheart, I'm just going to the kitchen." "I'll be right back," he adds as he turns around.

I grab a cushion nearby and hug it. "I'm hoping these videos bring back some memories."

I nod and observe Brad as he slides a disc into the media player. "This was when I was eight, and you were four," he says as he presses the play button.

The video is set in a bedroom with three children. "Is that you, Xavier?" I inquire, my gaze fixed on the two boys on television.

"You and me both."

Little Brad and Xavier are enjoying a video game while munching on food. The girl who claims to be me is gently tiptoeing towards the snacks, trailed by a bag of marshmallows. When she trips, the toddler version of me says, "Hi."

Both boys set their controllers down and turn around. Brad inquires, "Why are you here?"

"Can I have some candy?" I inquired while seated Indian-style.

"I've brought you some marshmallows," I add, showing the fluff bag.

"Deal." Xavier and Brad promptly bring me a pouch of sour worms in exchange for the marshmallows.

Pause.

"Do you remember that?" Brad inquires.

"No."

"Not even the candy part?" My head shakes. "Do you have any questions you'd like answered?"

'Ooh, ooh, ask if he uses conditioner,' offers my wolf.

'No. That's bizarre.'

"H-how'd I get to a different pack?" I ask. How did I wind myself in the clutches of Red Stone if I was born and raised in Lunar Blood territory?

"You were abducted. A pack of wolves broke past the border where we spent the weekend. They invaded the neighborhood and seized prisoners; you were the only one who couldn't flee," he adds, running his hand through his hair.

I was kidnapped. My family did not sell me, despite what everyone said.

"Who in the hell told you that?!?" Brad snarls. The side effects are still present.

"My old rucksack," I respond, cringing at his loud voice.

"What's going on?" In an instant, Xavier is by my side.

"Charisse's old pack fucking told her she'd been sold to them!" Sold."

"Is this true?" I nod and go away from the two irate males. They have clenched fists and commanding postures. I don't know the big deal about being sold to another pack; isn't that the same as adoption?

"Sweetheart, when a wolf is sold to another pack, they're sold as a slave," Xavier explains that he's noticed how I'm slowly moving away from him and Brad. He moves towards me, and I automatically flinch. My wolf growls at my actions and tells me to approach our mate more closely.

"Are they the ones who have starved you?" Brad asks more calmly.

I nod, my heart pounding louder with each passing second. "Don't believe anything those cretins told you," he commands.

"Wait right here." Xavier kisses my forehead and exits the room hurriedly.

I only need seven crashing sounds to know he's breaking something.

Charisse's POV

Grrrrrrrr. 'Shift, I could open it for you,' says my wolf.

I keep pulling the bag of chips but never open it. I hand the bag to Brad and watch as he easily unlocks it. "Try to finish this," he adds as he leads me to the game room, where Xavier awaits us.

They pushed me to eat something earlier and are now attempting to persuade me to snack. While sitting on the couch, Brad laughs, "You're about to see me kick Xavier's ass at Halo."

I was ready to do the same thing as my brother and sit next to him, but Xavier let out a low growl and pulled me towards him instead. "Eat," he grumbles, sitting crisscross with his legs on the outside of mine.

I curl up against him, looking up at him, and insert the smallest potato chip I can find in my lips. It feels good to be fed and cared for, finally. Xavier and Brad have yet to hit me; all I have to do is do as they say and hope they don't turn out to be like the men in the Blue Stone Pack.

Xavier's arms are squarely in front of me, clutching the X-Box controller and wrapping his arms around my body. Looking up, I notice his lips are slightly apart, and his tongue protrudes slightly. 'Does that imply he desires a chip?'My wolf inquires.

I grab a potato chip from the medium-sized bag and place it in his mouth. "Why'd you do that?" he wonders as he chews on the chip. Was that anything I should have done?

"Y-your tongue was sticking out," I say quietly.

I watch him and Brad play for a bit, occasionally nibbling on a potato chip. "You barely ate."

"I'm not hungry."

He and Brad exchange glances but don't say anything else. I'm quite aware I'm underweight and have been trying to eat. It's only that I've gone years without eating and been considered overweight.

Brad inquires, "Charisse, do you have any hobbies?"

I sigh.

"Favourite color?"

I sigh.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

As I shake my head, Xavier laughs. "You two are opposites, and I wish Brad would stop talking."

I shift my weight and wrap my arms around myself. It's quite cold. The sleeves on the shirt Xavier allowed me to wear practically reach my elbows, and the boxers extend past mid-thigh. It's still freezing outside.

For warmth, I lean back and put my head against Xavier. It was quite cold. "Are you OK, baby? You're trembling."

"Y-yeah." I stammer. He pauses the game and grabs a lovely blanket to put around me.

"Thank you," I respond, extending one foot.

Brad laughs, "You're still the same." "You always slept with one foot outside of the blanket."

"How tall are you?" I inquire at random.

"I'm 6'0," he says.

"You're tall."

"I'm 6'1," Xavier exclaims.

"And you're a little taller."

"That's what I was thinking," he mumbles, tenderly caressing my cheek. I burst out laughing.

"No!" Brad yells, hurling a pillow at Xavier. He does, however, take care to shoot away from me. "No PDA. No lips on lips or lips on anything in front of me!"

He shakes as he says, "Nasty."

When Brad notices me laughing, he teases, "Ha, Charisse thinks I'm funnier than you."

"No, she doesn't," Xavier says flatly.

"Then explain to her that she stopped laughing when you started talking."

All eyes are now on me. "Charisse, why'd the chicken cross the road?" Xavier inquires.

"To get t-"

"To get to the other side!" he exclaims, tickling my sides and making me laugh. Because of my ailments, laughing hurts, but I can tolerate it. The whip marks on my back are already numb.

He ends his assault on my skin with one last laugh, "Ha." 'I like it,' says my wolf.

'Me, too.' I concur. While cleaning, I noticed people hanging out at Red Stone, but I was never one of them. It feels good.

I also appreciate how Xavier allows me to spend time with my brother. Often, Alphas are overly protective of their mate and forbid any men from approaching her. Brad rushes up from the ground, placing the controller and his hands under the blanket and around my waist.

"Hands above the blanket, Ryan!" he exclaims as he points at us. I clutch my palms and shrink even further against Xavier. My brother's yelling is frightening me.

When Xavier returns his arms to their original position above the blanket, he says, "That's better." My wolf laments the loss of contact but does nothing about it.

"So, when do you want to go shopping?" asks Xavier.

My puzzled expression tells him I don't know what he's talking about. "For clothes, we could go to the mall and fill up half of the closet."

I explain, "I don't have any money."

"I'm paying." I don't like the idea of someone wasting their hard-earned money on me. I'm fine with old clothes; that's why we have washing machines, right?

"How many clothes did you have before?" Brad inquires.

"From the pack ladies; they had small clothes in storage and gave them to me when Alpha wasn't looking," I explain.

"I swear I will find and kill your old Alpha."

"You need to tell me the name of your old pack," Xavier continues, but I shake my head fiercely.

"Why not?" "They shouldn't get away with abusing you!"

Xavier's POV

Charisse says quietly, "I don't want anyone to get hurt." Her former pack mistreated and malnourished her, and she didn't want them to suffer.

I can tell she's compassionate and caring, but it doesn't mean she has to look after her old pack. "You realize I'll find out who they are sooner or later, right?" I want her to know that they'll receive what they deserve no matter what.

She nods, tightening the blanket around her. "When do you get your cast off?" Brad inquires, abruptly changing the subject.

"Three weeks for the boot, five weeks for the rest," I explain. Charisse was fast asleep when Dr. James told her how long she had to wear them. We're expected to return to the hospital in a week to get her stitches removed.

She heals slower than the usual wolf, almost human-like, but her wolf powers are gradually improving with me nearby. "You want anything to drink, sweetheart?" I am still waiting for a response.

Brad says, "She's sleeping."

"Did you review the patrol plans yesterday?"

"Yeah, I added three more wolves to sector seven to improve communications."

"Anything else happens?"

"We've got two rogues in here," he says.

"How come they aren't dead?" Rogues are usually dealt with swiftly. Only enter Lunar Blood land if they intend to fight.

Brad says, "They said they came to get someone."

"Who?"

"I don't know, but we could conduct some interrogation tomorrow."

"I'll do the interrogation, and you'll stay with Charisse," I say. I want to be at her side, but if I don't let out my rage, I might take it out on the house--there's no way I'd hurt my friend, but I don't want her to be any more terrified of me than she already is.

She should be terrified of me.

"Shit. I have to cancel the search team," Brad says as he struggles to stand up. He bolts from the house, slamming the door behind him.

What should I do now? I would be alone on a typical day, watching TV or assisting the search team with Brad. Now that my friend is beside me, I have nothing to do.

I reach my feet and carry her bridal gown into our room to place her on the bed. She mumbles something about surfing on potato chips as I open the door. Despite the strange occurrences in her dream, she appears to be experiencing a dreadful dream.

"Charisse," I murmur, attempting to rouse her. She's supposed to sleep a lot, but I don't want her to have nightmares when she does.

"Hmm?" she asks as he gradually opens her eyes.

"You had a bad dream again."

"Oh."

"Are you hungry?" I inquire, even though I already know the answer. She sighs and shakes her head.

"Do you want anything?" she asks, which surprises me.

"What?"

"If you're hungry, I can cook something," she offers, looking at me in the eyes.

"No, it's fine," I say dismissively. Charisse shouldn't be doing anything right now; she shouldn't be working at all.

"Are you sure?" she asks. "I could bake you cookies or a cake." She sits up straight and leans on me like the mate bond is working on her.

"I'm perfectly fine."

I keep my gaze fixed on her while she fiddles with my hand. She appears to be innocent, but the black bruise beneath her eye, cut on her lip, and damaged jaw indicates that she has endured a lot of blows. Scars covered her skin when I first met her.

Most people believe that shifters do not have them, although nearly everyone has at least one. Charisse has much more than usual; nonetheless, they will heal with time.