Chapter 4 Third Chapter

**AVA**

I open my eyes and find myself in a white room which is far different then the rooms I'm use to in the pack house. I lift my hand to see lines sticking from it leading to bags hanging on a pole, slowly I move my hand to my mouth to feel some kind of breathing tube. Oh my god what happen where am I? I mentally begin to panic as I look around and see a handsome man asleep holding my hand. I rip my hand from his and he shot up right in his seat looking me in my eyes.

Mate! Ember says as she prances around in the back of my mind. What does she mean mate? Don't wolves only get one mate and you either make it or break it with them?

I watch as the male male hits a button and an older female walks into the room with in seconds. The woman approaches me with a strange look on her face. She checks my vitals before carefully removing the tape around my mouth and very slowly removing the tube from my throat. I gag on the tube as I feel it begin to slide up my throat. She writes a few things on her clip board before leaving the room, never uttering a word. After taking a long sip of water I look at the man who was holding my hand.

"Where am I? Who are you?" My throat was dry and sore as I spoke, but that isn't going to stop me from getting answers.

"You are at the Crescent Moon pack hospital." He looked at me with a slight hint of worry in his eyes. His scent was driving me crazy and I couldn't help but find myself sexually assaulting him with my mind. His skin perfectly kissed by the sun, short dark hair, and his eyes were the shade of blue that would turn any women's legs into jelly.

"Okay and the answer to my other question?" I ask him, tilting my head to the left as I study his face. He lifted my hand and press a light kiss on the back of it. His touch alone sent shivers down my spine, and when he kissed the back of my hand, I could see sparks and fireworks starting to fly.

"I am Liam Collins Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, and this is my Beta Tyler. Most importantly I am your mate. What is your name my love?" He said looking me in the eyes, no man has ever dared to even speak to me let alone make eye contact with me. Staring into Liam's eyes were exactly like staring at the Lake behind my old pack house beautiful and clear.

"I am Ava Stark, Heir... well former Heir to Silver Lake" I'm not hiding myself, if this guy is my mate he should know the true identity of his mate and not the made up identity. Hopefully coming clean will make Luther pay for what he's done before I leave this pack house. I'm proud of who my father is I know he died fighting to protect everything he stood for against Luther. I couldn't help but notice that all the colour in Liam's face has disappeared and he was as white as a ghost.

"But your..." He stopped mid-sentence.

"Alive? My mother managed to hide me last minute in an old safe room in my father's office, just as Crescent Moon attacked my pack. Unfortunately, instead of help finding me, Luther found me and brought me here where I've been a slave here ever since." Something about this man brings out every emotion I have suppressed for the last nine years. I wanted nothing more than to talk about my parents and share my story with at least one person who cares.

"Ava." As he quickly pulls me against him, the warmth of his body felt comforting and I felt like I belonged somewhere for once. "After all these years you're alive. I never stopped thinking about you." He pulls away and holds me at arm lengths before he stood up and walked to his jacket which was just thrown over the arm of a chair. He grabs his jacket and reaches in his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper and tosses his jacket back on the chair. He returns to my bedside taking his place beside me.

"I carried this picture with me ever since the day your mother took it. It may be old it may be beaten but it has never left my side." He said with a cracking voice as he extends and old beaten-up picture.

"This is the last time I saw you."

~~FLASH BACK~~

"Tag your it!" I say as I tap Liam on his leg.

"You better run!" He says in response. I love when Liam and Aunt Margaret or Uncle Marcellus come to visits. I always get Liam's full attention while everyone else is dealing with the boring stuff. Mom one day I'll be in my fathers' position and seeing to all the boring stuff while my kids run around and play. Liam tries to tag me and giggle and take off running towards Aunt Margaret. She will protect me from Liam, she always does. I run and hide behind her.

"Auntie help" I say as Liam scoops me up and starts tickling me. I wiggle laughing and screaming as I try to escape his grasp.

"Liam leave the poor little girl alone" Margaret said. I look at Liam and stick my tongue out at him scrunching up my nose in a mocking way. Liam put's me on the ground and I quickly jump on his back, if he can torment me, I can torment him. Liam started running around the yard with me on his back. Hopping up and down and spinning around in circles.

"Hey, you two, smile for the camera!" my mom says as she snaps a picture of me and Liam.

"To the pack house!" I say as I kick my feet into Liam's backside.

**End Flash Back**

I'm pulled back to reality by a knock on the door, I slowly look up to see an older man in a lab coat.

"I see you woke up sooner than we expected young lady. I'm Dr. Hamilton I'll be the one to taking care of you for the night, and if I overheard correctly your name is Ava?"

"Yes" I reply

"Ava I can see that your nervous. But please be assured that my medical oath as a doctor far outweigh any oath with any Pack. I am here to help you not hurt you." He said with a soft reassuring voice. He spent the new few minutes asking me a series of questions and going over each of my injuries and checking the various stages of healing. After what seemed like hours of being poked with needles, I was finally being wheeled back into my room where Liam is waiting for me. As soon as I'm in the door way Liam puts down his phone and assists me in getting back in me.

"I had Tyler run to a nearby shop and grab you a small variety of clothing to wear for the rest of the night and an outfit for when your discharged in the morning" he said extending me a small bag.

"Morning? I'm really staying here the night? I'm practically healed, the doctor even said so!" The last place I want to be is stuck in a hospital ran by anyone to do with Crescent Moon. How do I know if Hamilton is really telling the truth, after all he did technically pledge his allegiance to Luther and Crescent Moon.

"Dr. Hamilton may have said you were almost healed but, he didn't say you could go home."

**Liam**

Ava begins crying and my heart can only ache for her. I can't even picture what she has been through in the last nine years. If she was tough enough to survive the battle, nin6e years being beaten and abused I am completely sure she can handle anything this world throws at her.

"Ava, I will never let anyone hurt you again, I promise. Now why don't you go get cleaned up a bit and put on some comfortable clothes." I say kissing the top of her head as she went into the washroom to change. I look over in the corner where Tyler lay sprawled out and snoring on the cot. Poor man is exhausted, and his work got harder for the next few days. Not only does he have to take care of Beta duties, but he also must help me in the protection of Ava until she is able to protect herself. I pull out my phone as I take a seat in the chair. I pull up the internet and begin doing a bit of research on the Wolf and Elder Laws surrounding what could be done about the forced child slavery and abuse. My father would be able to help me I look at the time in the corner of my screen. Its 1am he would have been in bed hours ago; I make note to phone him in the morning.

"Liam...?" I hear Ava's sweet voice call out.

"What is it my dear?" I say moving to sit beside her.

"You're my second chance Liam I wasn't expecting a second chance so soon. I only just turned eighteen, and in nine years I've complete became a shell I've been beaten I've been starved. I'm not even sure if you really want me or if this is just a joke, Tyler bet you to do." My heart sank at her words. For nine years the love of my life being abused and starved. I look her in the eyes where tears have started to form once again. I pull her close and softly brush the back of my hand against her swollen cheeks.

"Please trust me not to hurt you."