(Claire's POV)

Tears stung my eyes and I angrily wiped them away. There was no way I was going to let Mark see me cry. I knew he had been waiting for me to cry and beg him to let me stay ever since he forced me in his car this morning. That's what he wanted. He loved seeing me beg him for things. Ever since my mother had passed two years ago he had taken joy from seeing me beg. Mark Tanner was a sick man. He started dating my mother when I was seven. I was never really around him on account of every time he came over my mom would send me over to a Ms. Gales apartment down the hall. Or she would come over so they could go on dates to parties and stuff. Two months after they started dating my mother had sat me down and told me I was going to have a baby brother or sister. I remember waking up late one night and on my way to the bathroom I came across my mother begging Mark to marry her and move in with us so the baby and I would have a father in our lives. She'd cried and said she couldn't bare doing it alone again. He gave in and a few weeks later he moved in and they went to a courthouse and got married. Everything was ok at first. I still was never really around Mark, but he seemed like an ok guy. Until my mom miscarried. After that it all went downhill. They fought most of the time and it always ended with Mark threatening to leave and my mom begging him to stay. He always stayed. His drinking got worse and then my mom started sporting bruises that she tried to cover when she left for work in the mornings. I remember watching her cake on the foundation and powder under her eyes and chin. She stopped eating, at least I never saw her eat a meal, and she starting getting thinner. She died when I was almost fourteen. That's when I started realizing the kind of man Mark was. The first time he hit me was right after we buried my mom. I was lying in bed crying and hungry because he had forgotten to get us dinner and we didn't have anything edible in the kitchen. He barged into my room, ripped my blanket off me and slapped me across the face so hard blood filled my mouth. He yelled at me to stay quiet and threatened if he heard me crying again he'd come back in do worse than just that slap. He pulled me out of school, telling people he was going to homeschool me but really he just didn't want people to be suspicious of the bruises and kept me home. I was able to avoid some of the beatings by doing what he asked. He loved it when I had to beg him for food and clothes. And when I needed female necessities he would laugh and make me work extra hard for the things I needed. For two years I'd pushed my feelings down and tried to convince myself it was going to be ok. I was counting down the days until I would be eighteen and be able to leave. That all crashed the night before.

(Flash back)

I was cleaning my mess from dinner and Mark had a few of his buddies over. They were laughing and making crude jokes. They always made dirty jokes and they'd tease me. I knew there was something different this time when I went to give Mark his sixth beer and one of his buddies reached out and slapped me on the butt. I'd frozen and stared at the middle aged balding man that was Marks manager at the store he worked at. I'd only ever seen Mr. Engle a handful of times and each time he had given me a bad feeling. Much like then at that inappropriate moment. I swallowed and shook myself before handing Mark the beer bottle and hurrying back to the safety of the kitchen. Once along I took a shuttering breath and tried to calm my racing heart. Mark may have hurt me a lot but he had never actually done anything sexual to me. The laughter in the other room was dying down and I could tell it was getting serious. At least as serious as you could get when your drunk.

"If you let me have her, I'll give you a better raise." Mr. Engle slurred. My breath hitched and I gripped the counter top so hard my knuckles turned white.

"I don't know Engle." Mark sighed out. "How much are we talking about?"

"Maybe a dollar more an hour?" At that answer Mark scoffed.

"I could put her on a street corner and make more off her in one night then you give me in a week." He laughed and there was a slap and a grunt.

"Alright." Engle sounded thoughtful and tears were starting to spring into my eyes. "How about two bucks more an hour and I throw in all the free groceries you need. All the liquor you want." There was a long pause, only the sound of my heart beat and the inhale of cigarettes. Then there was a laugh and another slapping noise.

"I don't think I can pass that offer up!" Mark barked out between laughs and my knees went weak. I scurried to my room and shut my door, pressing my back against it. There was no lock to the door. Mark didn't trust me to have a lock on my door. I soon heard footsteps coming down the hallway and Marks voice.

"She's in this room right down here." He was coming closer. I frantically looked around my room for anything I could use as a weapon. The only thing I could find was a hard back dictionary on the floor by my bed amidst a bunch of paperback books I'd collected. I picked it up and held it in front of me in a pathetic attempt of a shield. The door opened and Mark ushered Mr. Engle inside.

"Claire, Mr. Engle is gonna keep you company for a while." He smiled at me with a drunken sneer and a twinkle in his eye. I don't think I'd ever seen him that happy. "The door doesn't lock but we won't bother you." He winked and then he was gone, pulling the door shut behind him. Mr. Engle didn't waste any time. He reached for the front of his stained button down and ripped it open, buttons flying everywhere. At the same time, he lunged for me and had me against the wall. I opened my mouth to scream and he pressed his dirty palm against my mouth, pressing my lips against my teeth.

"Shh sweetie, I promise I'll be gentle." He slurred and the foul smell of his breath made my eyes water and my stomach turn. He reached for the front of jeans and I bit down hard on his thumb. He howled and jerked back. I took the opportunity and tried to make a run for the door only to have a thick arm wrap around my middle and pull me back right where I was.

"Don't run." He hissed and glared down at me with fire in his eyes. I suddenly remembered the book in my hand and I took a swing at him. With luck it hit him right in the crotch and he crumpled to the floor on his knees. I didn't have to think twice about bringing it back down hard on the back of his neck. He fell face on the floor with a grunt as I dropped the book and made a run for the door. I made it this time and yanked it open only to run right into the chest of my stepfather.

"What have you done you bitch?" He hissed grabbing both my wrists so I couldn't fight him.

"She tried to kill me Tanner." I looked over my shoulder to see Mr. Engle rising to his feet, red faced with anger and rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry Engle, maybe if I- "

"No! keep her away from me." He pushed passed us, knocking me out of the way onto the floor. Then he turned and pointed a thick finger at the Mark. "And you can forget about coming into work. You're finished." With that he stormed down the hallway and out of sight. A second later the front door slammed shut. Mark glared down at me and grabbed me by the arm. He slapped me across the face and threw me into my room, slamming the door shut. After a while I heard the chatter in the living room start back up and I shakily drug myself up on my bed. I curled into a ball and wrapped a blanket around myself as my body shook and choked sobs escaped past the lump in my throat. I buried my face in my pillow to quiet them so that maybe Mark wouldn't hear them and come back in. He didn't bother me till a few hours later when he woke me up by throwing a duffel bag on top of me and told me to get up.

"You're not living here anymore." He'd said. "Be in the car in five minutes or I'll drag you there myself." He left, slamming my door. I got up on shaky legs, not really knowing what was going to happen. I didn't want him to drag me to the car because I knew he would literally drag me. I grabbed the bag and reached under my mattress for the one treasure I hid from Mark that I knew he never knew about or ever would. It was a silver chain with a sapphire and diamond ring on it. My mother gave it to me when I was five and told me to always keep it safe. I used to wear until she'd told me to keep it hidden when Mark moved in. I stuffed it in the bottom of my sock before putting it on and putting on my beaten up converse. It was extremely uncomfortable but I was afraid it would fall out of my pocket or bag. I used the restroom and made it to the car with a minute to spare. Mark was already in the driver's seat of his beaten up Buick century. As soon as I shut my door and he stepped on the gas and the tires screeched as we sped into the streets. I clung the door handle and quickly buckled my seat belt.

"Where are we going?" My voice sounded raw and weak.

"You got me fired." Was his only answer. I clamped my mouth and didn't dare ask any other question.

(End of flashback)

Mark hadn't said any other word to me. We'd driven for hours. It was now eleven o'clock at night and he'd only stopped three times for the bathroom and gas. He'd eaten a slim jim and a candy bar for lunch. I hadn't had anything and my stomach was hurting from hunger. I had no idea where we were. Hours ago we'd passed a sign welcoming us into Washington but that's the only thing I knew. Wherever we were it was dark and we were in a forest. Every now and then we'd pass through a small town and houses were here and there, but we hadn't been in any big cities for a while. Now the road was starting to get rougher and it was like we were driving on actual gravel then pavement. My heart leapt in my throat when the car came to a stop and we were in the middle of a wooded area. I could see a dim glow from a porch light out my window and my throat tightened. My first thought was this was it. I'd crossed the line and Mark was going to kill me and bury my body in the middle of nowhere. I jumped when Mark reached across me and opened my door.

"Get out." His voice was hoarse from lack of talking all day. I looked at him, not really knowing what to do. His eyes narrowed and I slowly slid out of the car into the freezing cold rain but kept my eyes on him. He reached into the back and grabbed my duffle bag so he could throw it at me. The force almost knocked me down.

"Shut the door." He hissed, still glaring at me like I was the scum of the earth.

"W-what?" I wished I sounded stronger.

"Shut the door!" He barked. I jumped and did as he said. As soon as it closed he stepped on the gas again and spun the car around, slinging muddy water all over me. I lifted my arm to shield my face and watched the tail lights of the Buick speed away. I watched in shock until the lights completely disappeared, swallowed by thickets of trees. A breeze blew and seemed to go hit me right in the bones. I shivered and hugged my bag to my chest. I was getting soaking wet by the rain. I turned to look at my surroundings and noticed a small rundown house where that light was coming from. I hurried to the porch for cover. Once out of the rain I was able to get my thoughts in order. Ok. I had no idea where I was. Mark had apparently abandoned me here. And now I was on the porch of someone's house late at night. That's all I knew. I stared at the front door and wondered if anyone was even home. Lightening flashed and from that light I saw a truck parked on the side of the house. Ok so maybe someone was home. Maybe they could help me. I nervously walked towards the door and opened the screen door with a loud creak that made me wince. I knocked twice and jerked my hand away to wait. Nothing. I looked at the window a few feet from the door and knocked again. No lights came on and still no noise from inside the house. Thunder rumbled in the distance and I shivered as another cold wind blew. Maybe no one even lived here. I went to the window to look inside. Total darkness met me. My teeth started chattering and my whole body started trembling from the cold. Maybe I could sneak in the window. I could at least get out of the cold. I tested the window and was relieved when it opened smoothly. I lifted my leg to climb in when a voice boomed from behind me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I whirled around slammed back against the hard wood door. Standing on the front steps of the house was the biggest man I'd ever seen in my life. His face was hard and his dark eyes were narrowed into slits.

I tried to explain but I couldn't get anything out. With shaking legs, I stepped forward and stumbled past him off the porch.

"I asked what the hell you think you're doing?" He growled again. Without thinking I started to run. I had no idea where I was going but I knew I needed to get away from here. I ran as fast as I possibly could down the gravel road.

"Hey!" The man yelled behind me and I heard loud slapping footsteps on the wet ground behind me and I screamed when I realized he was right behind me. A hand brushed my elbow and I jerked to the side, going off the road and heading into the forest. I stumbled in complete blindness and just then noticed that I had at some point dropped my bag. I cursed but couldn't care for that at the moment. I could hear the man cursing behind me and knew he was catching up again. All of a sudden the ground disappeared from under me and I fell on my bottom before I started rolling down a muddy steep hill. I came to a crashing stop in what I assumed was a small creek since I was now waist deep in dirty water and my head cracked against something hard. There was a blinding pain and I heard the man curse above me and then I was out.

(Sam's POV)

I didn't recognize the kid. She wasn't from rez that was for sure. At least I didn't recall seeing her hanging with the other kids around town. She may have been from Forks or somewhere. But she was stupid if kid thought she could sneak into my place and steal my stuff. And then thinking she could run from me? I stared at the unconscious child in the creek with my hands on my hips. I heard footsteps behind and knew without looking that it Paul in his wolf form. He's probably watched the whole thing.

"You could have helped." I glared back at him. Paul ducked his big head and let a few snorting noises. He was having himself a good laugh. I punched him before carefully sliding down the hill so I could get to the kid. She'd knocked herself out and she was soaking wet now. I sighed and put my arms under her knees and arms and lifted her up. She was light as could be and it wasn't because of my inhuman strength. The kid was tiny. By the time I got back up the hill Paul had shifted.

"Sorry," He was still laughing. "I just wanted to see if you could catch her." I glared and pushed past him heading back to my place. He followed and picked up her bag that she'd dropped before darting into the woods. It was easy to shift her to one side so I could open my door and turn the light on. My living room was simple. Just a couch and a chair and a TV that was hardly ever used. There was a coffee table with takeout boxes littering the top of it.

"Get me a couple of towels would you?" I asked as Paul followed me in, dropping her soaked duffel by the front door with a flop. He did as I asked and returned a second later with an armful. Without having to ask he laid a few on the couch so I could lay the kid down. I felt around her skull and decided she felt fine. It didn't seem like she fractured anything. Though she did have a pretty good scratch on her forehead. I used one of the other towels to wipe her face clean of the blood and muddy water.

"Anything fatal?" Paul asked from behind me.

"She's going to have one hell of a headache." I muttered. I dropped the dirty towel on the floor and sat on the coffee table.

"Ok I'm gone." Paul started heading for the door. "You think you can handle her till the cops or her parents show up?" I threw a glare at him and he laughed his way out the door. I looked back at the kid on my couch. She was soaked to the bone and I noticed her body beginning to tremble from the cold. I sighed and grabbed the oversized throw Emily had made me for Christmas and threw it over her. I stared at her muddy tattered shoes and contemplated removing them. If I didn't it served her right for trying to rob me. If I did, it prevented her from probably getting sick and dirtying up the arm of my sofa. I decided to remove them. It may also prevent her from running again. I tossed them at the front door and the landed outside with a wet slap on the front porch and worked to remove her socks. When I removed one something shiny fell from the folds and when I reached to see what it was a discovered a diamond ring on a chain. I scoffed.

"Who'd you steal this from?" I muttered under my breath.

"D-didn't steal it." I trembling weak voice spoke from above me and I jerked up. The kid was staring at me with half closed eyes. Her lips trembled and she snatched her hand out to grab the chain from my hand. I was faster though. Her eyes blazed and she sat up so fast I could see her eyes go cross. No doubt she was having some serious pain behind her eyes. She shook her head and grabbed for it again.

"Give it back!" She literally growled at me. I couldn't help but be a little amused.

"Who'd you steal this from?" I asked.

"I didn't steal it." Her voice trembled from anger. I got up and headed for the kitchen to grab my phone and call the Forks police station. I dialed the number and heard sniffling. I looked in the living room and saw the kid with her head hanging low and her shoulders were shaking. A pang of sympathy shot through me and I hung the phone up.

"Where'd did you come from kid?" I sighed and sat down on the coffee table again, staring down at the ring. It looked familiar. For some reason it reminded me of the ring my grandmother had owned. It was a simple silver band with a diamond surrounded by sapphires. When the kid didn't answer I looked at her to see her glaring at me through tears.

"Look I'm giving you a chance before I call the chief of police and have him come get you. I'm sure your parents wouldn't really like that would they?" At that she scoffed and I frowned at her.

"I don't have parents." She hissed as she scrubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"What's your name?" The kid wasn't giving me anything. I pulled my phone and went to dial again. At least Charlie may be able to get some names out of her so they could return her to her parents or grandparents or whoever.

"Claire Maddox." It took her a while but when she spoke she sounded a little defeated. Maddox. I knew that name. Only I hadn't heard it in so long. And most of the time it had only been muttered with moist eyes and a tight throat of my father.

"Are you related to a Maggie Maddox?" I knew it was a long shot but I was curious if she knew the woman that sent my dad into a drinking depression that slowly but surely killed him. Her jaw hardened and she slowly nodded.

"Yes. She was my mother." When she said that my stomach dropped. Mother. I suddenly had a flash back to being eight years old and my dad telling me I was going to be a big brother. Maggie had become like a mother to me in the two years my dad had been dating her. I remember them coming home from a doctor visit and telling me I would have a sister. The excitement in the house was overflowing. And then it stopped. One morning I woke up and my dad was crying at the kitchen table. Maggie had left. In the middle of the night she had freaked out and left, leaving us and taking my baby sister with her. As I stared at the kid across from me everything in me wanted to deny it but deep inside I knew I was more than likely staring at my sister. I lived in a world where I was alpha of a wolf pack and sworn enemies of a clan of vampires living a few miles away and yet this was the shock of my life.