The Fragile Broken Mate

Chapter 12- Memories

My mother never got around to telling me much about love.

The only thing she ever did mention to me was that when you fall in love, you'll know it.

Ethan and I had literally been best friends from birth. We did everything together. Sleepovers, picnics, trips to the beach, you name it. We were inseparable. When my mother died so did my friendship with Ethan. My father prevented me from seeing any outside people and soon, the only thing I had to remember Ethan by was my memory.

There was no doubt in my mind that I held a special place in my heart for Ethan. Through my father's torturous ways, every dream and thought of escaping was filled with Ethan. Ethan riding on a horse to save me, as childish as it sounds, and even Ethan fisting fighting his way through my father to get to me. I had dreamed of Ethan and I actually being together and living happily ever after.

You could probably say I loved Ethan in some way.

“ So you're saying you've known Katie for how long now?," Noah questioned.

Given the previous circumstances, Liam's birthday dinner had ended early and we had returned back to the pack house along with Ethan. We were all in Liam's office, the room was very tense given that Liam was continuously shooting daggers at Ethan.

“ Since birth," Ethan answered, sending a smile my way. I smiled back.

Liam cleared his throat. “ Why are you on my territory?," he asked or more like growled.

“ I was just passing through. But then I caught Katie's scent and....," he trailed, giving me a wary smile. “ I missed you so much"

A lot of emotions filled me in that moment, sadness, joy. “ I missed you too"

Tears streamed down my face as I ran towards Ethan. He engulfed me in his arms and I buried my face into his warm chest. His scent warfed around me like a blanket, bringing back pleasant memories.

A hand firmly clasped the back of my dress and forcefully pulled me back into a hard chest. I peeked up through my teary lashes and met Liam's stone angry face; his anger directed at Ethan.

“ Don't. Touch. Her," he grounded out.

“ Liam, let me go," I said as I struggled in his grip. I was a bit aggravated of the way Liam always behaves when someone else touches me. My struggling only caused Liam to tighten his grip around my shoulders.

“ You're hurting her," Ethan said.

“ Liam calm down. Don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion?," Noah asked.

The room fell silent once again, Liam's ragged breathing was the only thing that could be heard as he mentally debated in whether he was being over dramatic or not.

He slowly loosened his grip. “ I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear.

“ Its okay," I said.

“ Have a seat," he said as he gestured for Ethan to sit on the couch next to Noah. Once Ethan was seated, Liam spoke. “ If you are Katie's best friend, you're the sane age, right?"

“ Yes," Ethan answered.

“ Then where is your family?"

Suddenly Ethan's body stiffened as his face took on a hard look and his eyes trailed to the ground. His face twisted in pain, anger and grief.

“ They're dead"

I gasped in shock. His family is dead?. I can't believe that- wait a second. His family....his pack.

My old pack.

“ Ethan-," I started but he cut me off.

“ I'm so sorry Katie. I tried but there was nothing I could do," he said.

A sudden wave of nausea swept over me and I felt like I wanted to puke. All my other friends, aunts, uncles, cousins and my grandparents, dead. The word rang over and over in my head as I tried to process the information I just heard.

Who would do this?

“ Katie," Liam said as he gently touched my arm. I couldnt hokd it in anymore. I latched onto his chest as a whimper escaped my lips followed by sobs. Liam affectionately ran his hand up and down my back in a comforting manner.

“ Who attacked your pack?," I heard Noah ask Ethan from behind me.

“ Rogues. It was like a whole army of them. Way too much for our small pack to handle," he answered.

“ I think it would be best if you stayed with us for a while," Liam said, much to my surprise. By now my sobs had been reduced to hiccups as I looked up at Liam, and he shot me a smile.

He can truly be kind when he wants to be.

****

“ Do you remember when your grandmother used to make us those delicious chocolate chip cookies?," Ethan asked with a grin.

I laughed. “ Of course, Gran's cookies were the best"

I would never taste those cookies again.

My smile faded as I thought once more of my dead relatives. It all seemed so unreal.

“ I'm glad I got to see you again Katie. After the many theories back home about what your father had done with you," he shook his head.

“ Theories?," I questioned.

“ The pack back home had come up with different ideas when your father refused to let you see anyone. Their main assumption was that he was abusing you," he said.

“ He did abuse me," I said as I lifted my sweater to reveal the healed but visible wound across my stomach. His face hardened a bit as he took in my injury.

“ Does Liam know about the abuse?"

“ No"

“ Why?," he asked. I shrugged.

“ I don't know," I said.

“ You're gonna have to tell him soon, you now that?. Its not good to keep secrets from your mate"

“ I know," I said.

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Author's Note:

Its short I know.

But this chapter along with the next are gonna be kind of short because they're filler chapters.

In the meantime please comment and tell me your opinions.

What do you think about Ethan?

Vote!!

Comment!!

- booksmiler