I looked at my mate when he said that and for a split second, I couldn't help but feel intimidated by him, and not only that but also a little afraid of him because for a moment, I could see the monster underneath the person.

Even though I knew that he would never hurt me...

I didn't say a word about what I thought while I stared at him, seeing the Alpha, the beast, inside of the man that was very protective of the pack and its members.

My heart skipped a beat before it started to pound hard and fast in my chest, and I couldn't help but silently pray that the look he had given the door would never be sent my way.

Oh Goddess, save me...

The lock on the door turned, signalling that the door was unlocked before the door knob slowly turned to the right while the door was pulled inward and into the room.

A pair of gray wide eyes stared at us through the little crack in the door, but she didn't open it all the way like I hoped she would.

I bit back a small smile and tucked my head closer to my chest while I stared at her. "Hi," I said, softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "How did you sleep? Are you hungry?"

"Or can we come in first so that we can check on you and then find out what you want to eat, first?" Daniel asked. "You don't have to leave the safety of the room while we get you something, but you will be safe if you decide to exit and go to the kitchen yourself."

My mate shrugged and grimaced with a small apologetic smile on his face while he shook his head. "Unfortunately, there aren't any freshly baked cookies made by my mom, so I can't tempt you to come out of the room with that."

Jessica giggled and closed the door just a tad. She didn't say a word and stared at him with wide eyes, silently trying to tell us something without saying any words.

Daniel bit back a small chuckle and shook his head. "There is no one nearby besides us, Jessica," Daniel said softly with another shake of his head. He offered her a small smile and tried to make himself less intimidating to the young girl in front of him. "You are safe, Sweetheart, and no one is going to hurt you but protect you with your life."

Relief flashed through Daniel's cousin's eyes, and she slowly nodded while she pressed her lips into a thin line. She didn't say a word and opened the door before she stepped out of the way and gestured for us to come in.

Oh thank Goddess...

I breathed a small sigh of relief and tucked my head closer to my chest while I entered the room with Daniel close behind.

Jessica looked around outside of the room before she closed the door and looked at us with wide eyes filled with pain and fear. She didn't say a word while she did so, and tears filled her eyes, breaking my heart.

My mate's eyes grew softer, and he tucked his head closer to his chest. "Hey, it's ok," he said softly while he offered her a small smile. "You don't need to cry, Sweetheart. Were you scared that someone was going to hurt you?"

Jessica blinked back some tears and nodded. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, trying but failing to keep herself from crying.

"No one is going to hurt you. I promise, Jessica," he said and shook his head while he smiled at her. He opened his arms and cocked his head while he looked at her, raising an eyebrow in question. "Do you want a hug?"

Tears streamed down the little girl's face, and she nodded, biting her lip with her bottom lip quivering. She didn't say a word and practically launched herself into his arms, and he had to take a step back and let out a soft "oomph," just to make sure that neither of them fell.

"Shhhh," he said softly and placed another kiss on her forehead while he rocked her back and forth and rubbed her back, soothingly. He closed his eyes and hugged her tighter to his chest. "You are ok. You are safe."

"I'm scared," she said, her voice barely above a whisper while her voice cracked. "Does my daddy not love me anymore?"

"Oh, Sweetie," Daniel said and held her closer to his chest while he continued to rub her back, shaking his head. "Your daddy loves you," he said and nodded before he pressed a small kiss to the side of her head. "He loves you very much. That is why he let his sister take you from wherever you all were living."

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking some more. She cleared her throat and licked her lips. "Why would he do that?" Her sobs shook her whole body, and my heart broke even more while my mate continued to rub her back. "It shows that he doesn't love me."

"Because my dad wants to use you as a monster, and your daddy doesn't want that to happen," I said, my voice also barely above a whisper. I tucked my head closer to my chest and looked at her with a small smile on my face, and Jessica sniffled and pulled away from Daniel so that she could look at me. "He wants to use you as a weapon."

Jessica sniffled some more and cocked her head while she stared at me with wide gray eyes with such innocence that I couldn't help but feel jealous, for I knew that my innocence had been taken a long time ago. "A weapon?" she asked, curiously. She furrowed her brows and cocked her head further to the side while she studied me. "Why a weapon?"

Daniel and I looked at each other before we looked at Jessica, who was wiping her eyes but still in my mate's eyes. Neither of us said a word, and we couldn't help but wonder how much she knew or what she was told.

"Are you a hybrid, too?" Jessica asked and cocked her head further to the side while she studied me. "Are you like me?"

"What are you?" Daniel asked, and Jessica looked at him with wide eyes. He bit back a small smile and tucked his head closer to his chest while he studied her. "How is my mate like you?"

Jessica didn't say a word and looked at me. "Are you a Werewolf Hunter hybrid?" she asked, studying me while she cocked her head further to the side. Excitement and nervousness filled her eyes while she studied me with wide eyes. "Are you like me? I am a Werewolf Hunter hybrid."

I bit back a small smile and slowly nodded before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet, praying that I wasn't making a huge mistake to confirm that I was the same thing as her. "Yes," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat again. "I am just like you. I promise."