Chapter 12

[Amelia POV]
I had just agreed to let Owen mark me, and I didn’t know why. I feel like I am going crazy. My brain is telling me to be careful and cautious because this was not how things are done usually inn relationships. Then another side of me is saying that I am not human, I am a werewolf and this is how things are done, because he is my mate and we are destined to be together. I am pretty sure my wolf is the one who has been deciding things since we met Owen because she knows I over think everything. Is that normal between a person and their wolf? I feel like I don’t even realize she is doing it. Honestly now that I thought about it I was kind of scared. She was making decisions for me and I didn’t even realize. I felt my heart race as my thoughts were overwhelmed. I felt my heart hurt and my eyes started to water.
My chest was getting tight and I felt it was hard to breath. Oh no not now! Not again! Owen was watching me, and worry took over him when he saw I seemed to be panicking again.

“Amelia? What happened? What’s wrong?” He asked standing and kneeling down in front of me.
I could barely see him now because my tears were blurring my vision and I couldn’t talk because I was hyperventilating. Owen was panicking, and the only thing he could think of was to call my brother.
“Liam! I need you to come to Amelia’s apartment now!” He says in a commanding voice. “Amelia? Baby hang in there, Liam is coming!”
I nodded that I understood him, and I pinched my eyes shut as the tears fell. I couldn’t seem to shake this attack and the tears kept falling. About 5 minutes later there was pounding at the door that made me jump and my eyes widened and my heart started racing again. I think my adrenaline was pumping too much that it was not letting me calm down, I felt completely overwhelmed like I was drowning .
Liam rushed in followed by Olivia who sat next to me on the bed.
“Mimi, what happened? Why are you having an attack?” She asks me.
“Mia, can you talk?” Liam asks me.
I shake my head that I can’t and I turn to Olivia and let out a loud cry and collapse into her arms. She hugs me close to her and strokes my hair. Owen looks petrified and Liam walks over to him.

[Owen POV]
What is happening? She was fine a moment ago, why is she crying? Was she afraid of the mark? I didn’t know what to think and I feel myself worrying that maybe this was all to much for her and maybe I should leave her alone. Liam walks to me with a sympathetic look.
“How long has this been going on?” he asks me.
“I called you about a minute after it started. She seemed fine and then she started crying and panicking. Did I do something? Am I overwhelming her with the mate bond? What is wrong with her?” I feel like crying seeing my mate hurting like this and I have no idea what to do.
Liam sighs. “We don’t know why she has them. I don’t know if she told you, but my parents never took her to be checked out for them. They thought she was just exaggerating or wanting to get attention. So, she tried to hide them when they happened, but she always told me. She knew I would be there for her, but I didn’t know how to help her either. I would just sit with her until it passes, and she would get quiet like she was in a trance and then get sleepy.”

“I need to help her.” I say
“Maybe the pack doctor can run some tests.” Liam recommends.
“Did I do this to her? Samuel took over and wanted to mark her and she said it was ok and then this happened. Did I make her like this?” I ask.
“No. It’s not you, something is going on inside her. Wait, she told you she would let you mark her?” Liam ask confused.
“Yeah, why?” I ask him.
“Well, I am just surprised because she is usually not that easy to convince to do anything. She always over thinks everything. It takes a while for her to be brave enough to make big decisions. So for her to just agree is kind of odd.” Liam admits scratching the back of his neck.
I thought about it for a minute and he was right. She had been so shy and reserved at the beginning and then suddenly she would act bold or impulsive. It’s like she is two different people, and it hit me.
“Liam, earlier when we first got here…she said that her wolf had taken over her for a minute when she offered for me to come and stay the night.” I tell him.
“And then just now she agreed to let you mark her without debating or even pausing to think about it.” Liam added turning to look at his sister.
She had started to finally relax and was completely silent and motionless with a blank expression.
I walk over to her and kneel in front of her.
“Amelia? Can you hear me? Amelia?” I watched her expression and there was no change. It was as if she couldn’t even hear me. “Anaya?” I ask softly.

Her eyes turn to look at me. My eyes meet her’s and she smiles at me before sitting up straight. We all watch her as she sits up and perfectly straight.
“Owen.” She says.
“Anaya?” I ask again.
“That’s right.” She says calmly.
Olivia looks to us confused and back at Amelia. She stands and moved next to Liam, she seemed scared.
I move and kneel down in front of Amelia or Anaya and she turned her attention to me.
“Anaya? What happened to Amelia?” I ask her calmly.
“She is sleeping.” She says calmly, in a very creepy calm way.
“Why was she so upset?” I ask her trying to stay calm.
“I took over because you wanted to mark us and she didn’t know how to answer you. She does that a lot. She is scared of a lot of things.” Anaya says in the same calm voice but now with a ting of disgust.
“Why did you take over her?” I ask.
“Because she is weak. She acts and thinks like a human. I have to show her what she should do and she finally realized that I have been influencing her recently. I guess it was too much for her.” Anaya said nonchalantly.
Liam and Olivia look nervous.

“She is not weak Anaya, she is just cautious and shy.” I tell her.
“NO! SHE IS WEAK!” Anaya says angrily. “She is always whining and thinking and overthinking! It drives me crazy! She won’t listen to me and just do as I say, so I do it for her!” Anaya is getting more agitated.
I need her to calm down.
“Anaya did you take over when she spoke to Samuel?” I ask her.
“No. I can only take over when she is scared or about to have an attack. She is good at blocking me, she did for a long time.” She says sounding spiteful.
I drop my gaze to her hands and notice she is digging her fingers into her legs, and the fingers had sharp claws forming. I knew Amelia had never shifted before but with Anaya in control of her body she seemed to be half shifting.
“Anaya you need to calm down you are hurting Amelia.” I calmly say pointing to her legs.
She lifted her hands and examined her claws, a smirk formed on her face.
“Do you know she blocked me for years?” she says harshly fidgeting with her calf claws. “I tried to talk to her, and she ignored me and pushed me away.”
“She didn’t know what you were, she thought she was going crazy.” Liam said suddenly.
“Did she tell you what your mother said when she tried to tell her what was happening?” Anaya ask shim. “Do you?! No because you were off in your own little world.”
She was getting more agitated and now she was digging her claws into one of Amelia’s legs. She ripped the fabric below them and then relaxed.

“Your mother told her she was crazy and the daughter of a monster. That she was a mistake and the worst thing too ever happen to her. She said that she never wanted her, but neither did anyone else. She said no one could love her because she was worthless and weak. Then do you know what she did? She slapped her. She hit Amelia, that was the first time I came out. I took over and watch your mother curse her and hurt her. I protected her! Then what does she do? She shuts me out! Well, I am sick of it!” Anaya yells.
“She didn’t know what was happening to her Anaya. She knew she was a werewolf but she didn’t know about you, my mother never told us anything about what we were. She did want us to know. I had been away trying to understand everything so I could help Amelia.” Liam says on the verge of tears.
“You abandoned her! Just like everyone else has! I was the only one who was there! I protected her and she locked me away, she shut me out! I could only slip out when she was hurting. She had to be hurting for me to protect her, and by then the damage was already done. Her episodes would get worse the more she was isolated from people who were spreading rumors saying she had gone crazy. Look at this!” Anaya lifted Amelia’s shirt to show scars were scattered along her stomach and back.
Liam, Olivia, and I looked stunned by the revolution. Who had done this to her?

“Who did that to her?!” Liam yelled.
“You should ask, who didn’t! Everyone hurt her! She was the school freak and that meant she was an open target, and if she came home crying your mother would beat her and starve her! I had to hide her away, she couldn’t handle the pain. I had to for her own good!” Anaya said her voice shaking now. “She was hurt for so long, I needed her to feel safe. To trust me, but she keeps doubting me. She needs her mate, but she wont open up and let herself feel the bond completely because she doesn’t trust anyone. She needs her mate and if she is mated then she would never be alone again. She would be safe, because her mate would never let anything happen to her. She needs this! Then when I told you to mark her, she realized what I had been doing. She started panicking thinking I was a threat to her. Me! She is sleeping because she is weak now, like ever one of the other times this has happened.”
I could see Anaya was torn between being protective but also hurt that Amelia never trusted her. She was angry but also sad, and worried that now Amelia will shut her out again. I took her hands in mine and looked her in her golden eyes.
“Anaya, you protected her when no one else did, and that is amazing, and I am grateful you did. But she didn’t know that you were doing it, she doesn’t understand. Yes, she is scared and maybe that makes her seem weak but look at everything that has happened to her. She has never felt safe, and the people who are supposed to love and cherish her have been the ones hurting her too. You are right, she needs me but she needs to accept me in her own time. Do you understand?” I ask her calmly.

“Owen, I’m so tired. I can’t keep protecting her. She has never shifted and I have gotten weaker, and I know I don’t have much time before it is too late. I need her to accept you and shift, or I won’t be there for her anymore. I will be gone.” Anaya says with tears falling.
Anaya was dying! She is desperate because now I am her last hope. Why did I not find her sooner? Now she is suffering like this and I should have been there! I felt Samuel hurting knowing his mate was dying, and we had just found her. I need to convince Amelia to trust Anaya and to save her.
“Anaya, I need to talk to Amelia now. I need to explain all this to her so she will understand. I will fix this I promise but I need Amelia back. Please!” I beg her.
She looks back at me and smiles softly. “You are perfect for her. Please take care of her.” She says.
“Don’t talk like this is goodbye, ok? I will fix this I promise! Don’t give up yet. I know you are tired but try and hang on a little longer!” I tell her.
She reaches out a hand and whips away a tear I had not realized had fallen, and then she goes limp and falls back on the bed. I jump up and rush to pick up Amelia’s unconscious body. Liam and Olivia were soon beside me calling out for Amelia to wake up. Samuel is wailing inside my head, he thinks our mate is dying but I don’t accept that.
“We need to take her to the pack hospital! Now!” I yell picking up my mates body and running toward the door.