Chapter one

Aria's POV

I was so young at the time, but I knew exactly what happened that horrible night. I remember every detail and the horror of it will stay with me for the rest of my life, I'm sure...

That night my father, Ray, had been really angry because he had lost his job that day. I remember seeing my mom bring him a beer like every night, but the next thing I knew my dad had flung the glass bear bottle still filled with beer at my mom hard in the back. I heard my mom scream as she fell to the ground at the impact and Ray quickly grabbed a hold of my mom's long brown hair just like my own and wrenched her head back. My mom pleaded with Ray to stop to let go of her as tears fell through her eyes and she tried in vain to get out his hold. I was hiding by the door way to the living room where my mom facing towards me with Ray behind her grasping her hair violently. I didn't dare breathe or make a sound, but the urge to help my mom in any way I could was almost overwhelming. There wasn't much I could do as a six year old little girl. I knew this because I had tried before and the repercussions were horrible enough to freeze me in place.

Ray sense my presence and looked up to glare at me. He put on a sickly sweet smile as he pulled out his pocket knife with his left hand that was free. "Hey Aria, come here little one," Ray said as he waved me over with his knife in his hand. I didn't like the thought of getting any closer to Ray and my mom's eyes had tears streaming down them as she sobbed saying, "Ray leave her alone, please," she croaked out, "She's just a child, ple.." "No," Ray shouted at my mom yanking harder up on my mom's hair,"Come here now Aria," Ray growled at me. I scurried over to him and just before I could reach my mom, Ray brought the knife to my mom's throat and slashed it. He let my mom's hair go as her body slumped lifeless and feel to the wooden floor coating it with dark crimson blood. My eyes widen in horror and I started screaming, "Mom, no mom," as I hurried faster to her. I never reached her because Ray wasn't done. "It's all your mom's fault for me losing my job and she paid with her life. I'm going to give you a little reminder to never cross me," he said as he threw me to the ground and held me down as he started to carve lines into my skin. He started at my left arm and went up to my left collar bone all the while tearing my t-shirt. Ray repeated the same to my right arm and finally made a vertical cut between my collar bones all the while I was screaming and crying till I couldn't anymore. When Ray was satisfied with his work he stood up and smirked an evil look at me and walked away. I felt so much pain consuming me and driving me crazy as I lay on the floor looking at my mom's crumpled body. The pain was so intense and it felt like I was drowning from it when I heard a voice in my head soothing me.

Lincoln's POV

I was awaken by a girl screaming, launching up into a sitting position in my bed. I grabbed my head in pain as the screaming continued like nothing I've ever felt before. It was excruciating and was making my wolf go crazy it kept howling in my head. Mate. Our mate is in pain and in trouble. growled my wolf in my head as the screams died down but the pain continued. "Damn, who has hurt her! Who has hurt my mate" I said through gritted teeth as I cradled my head in my hands. Do something to ease her pain my wolf demanded "And how do you think I do that, huh?" I retorted as I groaned. Try to use the bond to comfort her, take away her pain. my wolf stated. I took a deep breathe and tried to follow where the pain came from through the bond to my mate. Everything is okay, I'm here little one. You can rest now your safe with me guarding you. I willed my thoughts through the bond. I felt the pain start to ease and all I heard was a small and weak response, tha..nk..you.. The pain disappeared from my head as I assumed my mate had probably slipped into the calm of unconsciousness. Damn, I thought, she is so young. I need to find her and take her away. My wolf barked in agreement. "I will find my mate and keep her safe. I vow that anyone who lays a hand on my mate will die by my hands for what has been done to her. No one hurts my mate" I growled as the hunt for my mate began.