Cameron watched anxiously as the pack doctor looked over her wounds. The nurses had cleaned and bandaged her up as best as they could on the outside, but on the inside she was the broken shell of a girl.

"Well," the doctor started as he placed his stethoscope around his neck. "It seems as if you found her just in time, Cameron. Any longer outside and I'm afraid she wouldn't have made it." Cameron let out a long breath as he shook the doctor's hand.

"Thank you so much." Cameron thanked, his eyes shifting over to his mate. She was resting now, but he could tell she wasn't having pleasant dreams. When the doctor had left, Cameron pulled a chair up beside her bed and grasped one of her thin, cold hands. He watched as the pain that had come across her face vanish and in its place was peace and serenity. He smoothed his thumb over the back of her hand and kissed her knuckles.

Cameron had never been one for revenge, but he had to find out who did this to not only his mate, but to a poor innocent girl. A human girl no less. The rogues scent was all over her and the doctor was certain she hadn't been bitten.

But how had she come in contact with a rogue and not be bitten?

It was so strange and so odd, it left Cameron baffled and confused. How had she gotten in that tree in the first place? She sure was small enough to fit. He hoped whoever had done this hadn't put her in there.

Cameron was tossed out of his thoughts by her movement and the soft whimper of pain that escaped her lips.

Something warm and soft was holding her hand, but she didn't know what. It was nice, to feel so warm for once in her life. She was laying on something soft. A bed? With pillows and blankets? It seemed like a dream.

But then the memories came back. The chase, the beating, being thrown inside the tree. The cold. His voice. Her rescuer. Just one look into his dark blue eyes had her spinning.

Slowly opening her eyes, Cameron felt his own widen at the exhaustion that plagued her beautiful eyes. The perfect shade of hazel, a mix between blue and brown. Her hair wasn't a an ashy color, in fact it was a deep chocolate brown, one that had Cameron's wolf howling.

"How do you feel?" Cameron asked softly, not wanting to speak to loud. His mate swallowed hard and cringed in pain as she moved in the bed. She was most definitely not in a dream.

"Okay." She replied back, her voice small and soft, barely audible. Cameron gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know he meant no harm. For once in the last six years, she finally felt as if she could trust this male.

Anxiously licking his lips, Cameron asked, "What's your name?" It was a simple question, one she knew he was going to ask, but the softness and caring effect in which he had asked her, had her heart warming.

"Macy." Was her reply, her voice still soft and timid. Even though Macy couldn't explain why she suddenly trusted this man, she knew, deep down, that all he wanted to do was make sure she was alright.

Cameron smiled. He wanted to grin, but he knew that it might frighten her. Knowing her name was something of a huge step for Cameron. He thought she would have just shut herself in, wallow away in pain and mistrust.

But she didn't.

"I'm Cameron." He said, giving a friendly smile. Macy didn't smile back. She didn't know how anymore. Being in that place for six years, losing contact with everyone who she knew before, being forced to do things no one should ever have to go through, wasn't easy. They were anything but happy times for her.

She dropped her gaze from his and looked at his hand holding her's. That was why she felt so warm. Besides the blankets, she knew that if he left, that she would be freezing. That's all she ever was anymore. Cold and lifeless. Sometimes she felt so dead inside from all the pain and all the neglect. He had done this to her. He had taken every speck of happiness she ever had and taken it away, all without a second thought.

Tears brimmed her eyes and Cameron was worried he had done or said something to make her cry. Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, he made sure she was looking at him before speaking.

"Don't cry. You're safe now. No one here will hurt you, I promise." Cameron said, his thumb smoothing over the back of her knuckles comforting her instantly. Macy nodded and wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"Thank you." She whispered and Cameron smiled.

"Of course. Now, why don't you get some rest, okay? And I'll go see if I can grab some food for you." He said as he stood, forcing him to take his hand away. Panic settled in Macy's chest as she realized that he was going to leave.

"No! Please don't leave me. Please." She begged, fear evident in her voice as tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over if Cameron even took another step. Cameron's eyes widened and he quickly sat beside her on the bed as she wiped her eyes, her cheeks burning from her sudden outburst. Cameron touched her cheek and Macy couldn't help but lean into it. He was so warm, a warmth she never even knew existed.

"I won't leave. I'm here." A single tear leaked down her cheek as she closed her eyes, her thin fingers wrapping around his wrist loosely. Cameron's heart ached at the sight of his precious mate so hurt and scared.

Macy couldn't believe herself. She had vowed to never have anything to do with men if she ever got out, but here she was, begging a male she barley knew to stay. But it was because she was afraid that he wouldn't come back and that he would take her away again and going back to that place again seemed like a nightmare that wasn't even a dream.

Macy opened her eyes and they locked onto Cameron's worried dark blue ones. She was confused by how one look had her heart sputtering to resume its original pace and her stomach filling with butterflies. It had been a really long time since she last felt like this.

"You okay?" He asked, genuine concern in his voice. Macy nodded and wished he hadn't taken his hand away from her face. Instead it held her hand, entwining their fingers together. Cameron hoped that it would somehow show her that she wasn't alone and she was going to be okay.

Macy didn't want to go to sleep, but exhaustion was plaguing her body. Cameron noticed her reluctance and squeezed her hand. Her eyelids began to droop.

"Go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." He said and Macy felt her eyes instantly close.

"Promise?" She whispered as Cameron helped tuck her in.

"Promise." He said before leaning down and laying a soft kiss between her eyebrows, smiling at the soft whimper of longing from his wolf.

The moment her eyes closed and her body relaxed, the same terrifying nightmare she had every time she closed her eyes filled her dreams. It was always so realistic too. She felt the fear, she felt how afraid she had been. And the sad part was, her nightmare wasn't just a dream.

It was her reality.