Dr. Lee's therapy room was small and comfortable. The walls were painted a white-beige color to give it a warm, comforting vibe. The windows were Palladian windows that pointed to the wide open hills and valleys of the territory. With the sun shining through the window, I could see almost everything in detail.

I sat in a summer love seat opposite Dr. Lee. Her coppery hair fell around her shoulders. She looked around thirty years old. I expected to see someone in professional work attire, but Dr. Lee wore an old grey t-shirt with the phrase, ''Keep talking I'm diagnosing you..." written over her chest and khaki joggers. She paired the outfit with casual white shoes.

Silence.

We sat in silence for what seemed like hours. She hasn't pushed me to talk. Instead, she's been writing away in that small little notepad of hers. I busied myself by looking out the window. I counted the number of birds that flew by.

That was how our first day went.

The second day, she had her hair up into a ponytail. She wore a black t-shirt and blue skinny jeans. A pencil stuck in her ponytail, for I don't know whatever reason. This time, she brought a book and leisurely read through the pages.

Seriously?

This wasn't working. I could be sitting in my room and looking out my window. Although I have to admit the view here was beautiful.

On the third day, I had enough. She wore a plain white t-shirt that was tucked into high-waist jeans and a grey blazer. Her hair was all over the place.

This time, I couldn't stop myself. I sighed and turned to look at her. Her emerald green eyes lifted from her paperwork to look at me.

"This isn't going to work," I muttered.

"In order for it to work, you must talk to me," she responded evenly.

"Yeah, well, you aren't doing a pretty good job at helping me through my issue. Our first day, you ignored me throughout our session. Then yesterday, you were reading! Today, you brought your work to my session."

She snapped her folder shut.

"I'm here, aren't I?" she retorted.

I plopped down on the loveseat and sighed. Crossing my arms, I glared out the window. I don't know how to communicate with people.

"Where do I start?" I muttered reluctantly, feeling my wolf awakening in irritation. I didn't like to be pushed into a corner and although it felt like she wasn't doing that, I still felt irritated with her.

"Anywhere, Katya," Dr. Lee replied.

I scoffed and shoved a hand through my obsidian tresses. Pushing off from leaning against the sofa, I began to fidget. Thinking about opening that door again, it makes me anxious.

I didn't realize I said it out loud until Dr. Lee responded.

"Opening a closed door is always risky, Katya, but leaving it closed doesn't mean it isn't there. It will always be there."

It was true. Although I had closed that door, it still remained in the back of mind as a reminder. Unable to resist my old habit, I began chewing at my fingernails.

"Katya, tell me about your life before you experienced all the pain and hurt."

That was an easier topic for me.

"I grew up in a pack similar to this one. My father was a warrior in the pack. My mom and him were mates. They had me shortly after."

"Do you remember anything special about that time?"

I stood up, unable to sit down. Walking to the window, I tapped the glass lightly with my fingertip.

"I remember waking up every morning to pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries. My dad would make me his famous blended juice—"I paused and recalled the ingredients, "spinach, mango, orange juice, and bananas."

"You lived a pretty normal life."

A flash of my father picking me up and spinning me around. My mom is laughing in the background. We would do laundry together, shop together, go to the pack playground, and I even went to the training ground with him.

"When did things change?"

"I promise," my father said. It was his last words before all the bad things happened.

I swallowed hard and dropped my hand to my side. I could do this. I have to do this, for myself and for Liam. I needed to learn to live normal and stop letting my past take over my future.

"Our pack was attacked when I was fourteen. Liam was only a few months old. In order to protect us, my father ordered us to go through the secret passage built inside the packhouse."

"Please, no, not my babies!" my mom pleaded. She fought to take Liam back from the Alpha's minion. Liam was wailing so hard.

I dug my fingernails deep into my palms until I felt pain.

"Katya?" Dr. Lee asked softly from behind me.

I didn't answer her. Still trying to control my rapid beating heart.

"Put her with the other females. The children will be put with the rest on the bus."

"Katya, none of what happened afterward was your fault. You were a victim."

My mom broke off her stale bread and gave me half and Liam the other half. Her hand came up to smooth back my hair.

"You look so much like your father, Katya." Tears welling up in her eyes before she blinked them furiously away.

"This world that we live in isn't an easy place. Evil is everywhere, Katya. But even with all that is bad, there are so many good things."

Dr. Lee stood up and walked to stand next to me.

"For example, the landscape before us. Look at how the setting sun touches the valleys. How it warms the grass and trees. See how the birds fly in the sky freely and the evening breeze wafting through the leaves and branches effortlessly. Lastly, look at the werewolves around you. After the battle, it left a very dark imprint in our lives. In its place it left destruction, pain, and death. Yet, we live on because the good outweighs the bad."

I pondered her explanation for a very long time after our session.

Walking back to the bedroom, I didn't mind the gaze the pack members shot my way. Partly because I walked almost blindly back.

When I appeared in the bedroom, Liam was not inside. Hunter said that Liam could benefit from social interaction with his peers. Possibly signing him up for school. I wanted Liam to have a normal life and I agreed hesitantly.

It was weird to be alone. Liam and I have never been apart. I tried not to panic too much. It wouldn't do Liam any good if I went chasing after him. Instead, I decided to try reading again. I had stolen a book from Hunter's office.

When I was in school, I could read, but it has been so long. Living in confinement for years, you begin to lose whatever you were in the past. So, reading took time. I knew the small words but the bigger words were a complete puzzle to me. I tried sounding the word out but it's proven more difficult than I expected.

I was a couple pages in when I heard footsteps but it only matched one person. Lifting my gaze from the pages of the book and to the bedroom door, I saw Hunter only.

Dropping the book onto the desk, I stood up immediately.

"Where's Liam?" I questioned.

"Liam is in the kitchen with Catalina. She's making him lunch. You don't have to worry, Katya. He's fine with Catalina." Hunter must have seen my panic expression.

I looked Hunter over and noticed he was dressed up in a black suit—black pants, black dress shoes, white dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top, and a black suit jacket. His dirty blonde hair tousled and swept back. He looked incredibly hot.

When he noticed that I was looking him over, he looked down at his body. Chuckling to himself, he stuffed his hands into his pants pocket.

"I had a virtual conference with officials today." Ah, that explains the dressing up. I nodded my head in understanding. Silence fell between us.

"So...how did your appointment go?" he asked hesitantly.

"I don't know how that woman got her degree," I muttered.

Hunter laughed and his light blue eyes twinkled with amusement. It was a breathtaking sight. I realized I haven't seen or heard him laugh like this. He looked relaxed and happy and I couldn't stop myself from smiling with him.

Geez! Was smiling contagious?

His smile slipped a little before he walked over to me. One hand shot up and cradled my cheek, his thumb rubbing the corner of my lips.

"You have a beautiful smile, Katya."

His thumb ran over my lips and I could feel it tingle.

"I have a secret," he whispered, lifting his eyes to look at me.

I swallowed hard. His closeness was almost mind-numbing. I wanted so much to move closer to him. To wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest while I inhale his scent. At the same time, this was so out of character for me. I didn't pull away though.

Even when he was leaning down towards my face, I didn't pull away. A second later, his lips brushed up against mine and I felt an internal fire ignite inside of me. My heart was beating so rapidly against my chest, I thought it would break and suddenly stop.

"I've never kissed anyone before. You are my first, Katya. After our first kiss, I realized how much I like it. I like it a little too much and every time I stand in your presence, I can't stop myself from wanting to kiss you."

I felt lightheaded. His domineering presence was inclosing and euphoric. All the negative energy seemed to dissipate when I'm near him. I swayed a little. He still had one hand cradled to my cheek. Another moved to rest on my hips.

"I've never kissed anyone before too," I admitted.

He smiled against my lips. "Kiss me, Katya."

Do I dare? God, I'm freaking out, but I wasn't one to back out. Plus, ever since our last kiss I've been wanting to feel it again. Surely, another kiss wouldn't hurt.

Slowly, I placed my hands on his chest before sliding them up to frame his neck. I slid one hand into the back of his hair and pulled his lips down to mine.

The moment our lips fastened, it felt like a dam being broken. Every cell in my body lit up like fireworks and I pressed my body up against his unconsciously. I heard his growl from deep within his chest. His heart rate was beating as fast as mine.

Hunter's fingers dug into my hip. His mouth moved in sync with mine. He felt amazing in my arms.

But when I felt his hand move from my hip to my backside crushing me up against his hard erection. A switch flipped inside of me.

"Your mom failed to give me what I wanted, but you, you will do what she failed."

His hands grabbed my ankles and he yanked me beneath him. I fought hard and pushed him off of me. I managed to flip myself over but that only made it worse. He grinded his hard erection on my backside. His large body covered me—

I pushed Hunter away from me. He stumbled back in surprise. Shaking now, I wrapped my arms around my body and focused on steadying my breathing.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked while moving back to my side. I stumbled backwards and fell on the floor.

"Stay away," I snarled with all the fear and anger that suddenly appeared inside of me.

He stopped moving closer. Instead, he stood and watched me fall apart on the floor. I felt weak and it made me angry. Over the years, I learned to numb these emotions and I thought I had overcome these memories, but now they were coming back. Just like how Dr. Lee said it.

Opening a closed door is always risky, Katya, but leaving it closed doesn't mean it isn't there. It will always be there.

I hate to admit it, but she might be right after all.

"Katya-"

"Stop talking." My voice came out with so much venom. "Get out."

When he didn't listen to me. I growled louder.

"Get out!" I lashed.

He listened this time. He walked out but remained behind the bedroom door. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them.