Anneka's eyes burned as she opened them slowly. The room was dimly lit, and the sound of heavy breathing filled the air. Anneka looked over to see Velken sleeping beside her. She struggled and after much effort finally sat up. Spread across her small cabin, some of Velken's people slept. The one named Bowen lay propped against a table leg, a dark haired female resting against his shoulder. They and another couple slept, all in very uncomfortable spots while she and Velken lay on the bed together.

Anneka couldn't remember what happened after Bowen had grabbed her hair. She remembered Velken growling and lunging for him, but after that it was just... blackness. Anneka rested her head back on the fluffy pillow and looked at Velken. The cuts and bruises on his face were almost healed, and leaving thin scars. She traced one and jumped when he gripped her hand. He smiled down and at her and, without saying a word, pulled her into the shelter of his arms.

'Thank you for opening your eyes.' He said, stroking her hair gently. 'My heart nearly stopped when you did not awaken after healing. And I must thank you for one other thing.'

'What's that?' She asked, using his chest as a pillow and closing her eyes again to go to sleep.

Velken's smile grew wider and he kissed the top of her head as she drifted off. 'Thank you for screaming for me when you were caught. You made me feel wanted and gave me motivation. The fact that you trust me is comforting.'

'Yeah, well you're growing on me. What can I say? Besides, you were the only one in that room trying not to attack me and the only one strong enough to fight those guys. Who else was I gonna call for? Indiana Jones?' It was meant as a joke, and he almost laughed. Anneka smiled up at him. 'Now can I ask you a question?'

'Anything, mon petit chanteur. What do you wish to know?'

'What happened after I passed out?' When Velken pressed their foreheads together Anneka saw clearly his memories of the event. When he released her, she looked at him with tears in her eyes before hugging his waist.

'Then I should be thanking you.' She said, burying her face in his chest. 'You could have forsaken me and killed them. You could have satisfied your urge to kill, but you stayed by me instead. You kept them from killing me and for that I will always thank you.' When Velken kissed her head again, she smiled into his chest and rubbed her face across it. He wore no shirt and his tanned skin was cool. Anneka felt as though she was on fire.

'Sleep, Ihbim. We can talk more when we wake.' He held her close to his chest as they both sank back into sleep.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Bowen, Loren, Laurel, and Melody were all awoken to the sound of banging metal and cursing. Melody sat up, her hair in disarray, and saw Velken's lifemate- who's name she still didn't know- moving about the kitchen. Bowen mumbled something under his breath and stretched. Loren was rubbing his eyes and Laurel had sat up quickly to look around with wild eyes.

"I'm sorry." Anneka said, whirling around to face the group. Her hands flew in front of her, making a series of symbols. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was only trying to make breakfast." She dropped the pan she held and shook her head.

"It's fine. You just startled us is all." Melody smiled warmly and held out her hand. "I'm Melody MacKeltar."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand you." Anneka was still speaking in Russian, a terrible habit she had of doing when she was nervous. "I'm deaf." Melody's face looked shocked and embarrassed, and Anneka rushed to reassure her.

"It's not your fault, you didn't know. I don't suppose any of you know sign language? It would make things so much easier. Normally Velken would tell me what you're saying, but I didn't want to disturb him." Anneka nervously rubbed her palms on her jeans in an effort to keep from signing everything she said, another bad habit.

"I know a little." Laurel replied, finally stepping forward and signing what she said. "I used to work with special needs children in a school. I'm Laurel Nikos, Loren's lifemate. This is Melody MacKelter, and her mate Bowen. Dimitri and Skyler left already, but they promised to return." She shook Anneka's hand.

"Anneka Svenjet. I'm sorry you all had such an uncomfortable sleep, but this cabin is not equipped to handle company. Actually, it's not equipped to handle much, just the basics." Anneka took three steps back when Bowen moved forward and bowed his head.

"I wish ta apologize for my behavior before, lass, but I truly thought you an attacker." He spoke so quickly Laurel had trouble keeping up, and he took Anneka's hand with ease, holding it loosely, although she resisted. "I should no' have acted so rashly, but you doona understand the situation."

"It isn't something easily forgiven, Mr. MacKelter, but I will try for Velken's sake, although I believe it is you who doesn't understand the situation." She smirked at the look on the Carpathian's face. Clearly he was unused to being spoken to in such a manner, and Anneka intended to help remedy that. "I found Velken. He was badly injured and half dead. He took my blood roughly and without my permission, then brought me back here to my cabin and treated me with tenderness, which confused the Hell outta me. I find out he has my memories, we're supposedly lifemates, and we share a link, something I have not experienced in a long while. He can't speak and can barely move. I tend to his wounds and keep him sane. He can't remember anything of his past, and when he tries all he gets is more pain. I was just about done closing up all his wounds and was gonna give him blood when you and your people come barging in here like the masters of the place demanding to know what happened to him. You grab me by my throat, lift me two feet off the ground, shake me about, and when I tell you I'm deaf you ignore me and fling me against a wall." She glowed with satisfaction as the man's wife glared at him and smacked his head.

"I have been ripped from my lifemate's arms, thrust into danger, battered, bruised, and cut. As near as I can tell, you have no relation to Velken, and he doesn't recognize any of you at all.

I'm his anchor and you took that away, then expected him to respond kindly and embrace you in friendship. You don't know what he's been through, you haven't felt his pain or frustration, yet you presume to tell me I don't understand this situation and then treat me as though I can be easily dismissed like a stray dog." She huffed and took back her hand, brushing away a lock of hair. "I think you need to learn some manners before talking to me again."

Bowen looked stunned. Laurel seemed to be snickering and Melody was exuding anger towards her husband.

"Anneka, little love, what has upset you?" Velken appeared at her side, taking her into his arms and shielding her from the others. 'Bravo, small one, on your courage. I believe that was the greatest performance I have ever had the honor to witness, and thank you for admitting we are lifemates.'

'I blew up at the man, Velken. He's supposed to be your friend, and I just let my frustration and anxiety overwhelm me and then I opened my big mouth and caused this.' She looked dangerously close to tears, and she knew if she cried over this Velken would blame Bowen and another fistfight would break out.

"I'm so sorry." Her apology was muffled by Velken's broad chest. "I didn't mean for that to all come out. I meant every word of it, but it was supposed to stay in my head. I's just so stressed out and I have this weird disorder where I can't keep my mouth shut or my thoughts in my head where they belong. Please don't kill each other." She peeked over Velken's shoulder to see Bowen frowning, as though he was still trying to process her words. He recovered quickly after Melody pinched his arm and smiled.

"It is fine. I do believe my wife shares that disorder with you, as she has a tendency ta do the same thing." He grinned when Melody smacked him, causing Anneka to smile. Velken stroked her hair.

"See love, everything will be fine. I will not kill MacKelter if he won't upset you." Bowen nodded and the men shook hands.

"Great. Now that we've settled that, why don't we all share our memories with Velken and show him what we each know of his past? He might not remember anything, but we each know a portion." Laurel looked from one Carpathian to another, her hazel eyes finally resting on Velken and Anneka.

"That seems like a good idea." Anneka said quietly, smiling shyly at everyone and then moving toward the kitchen. "Is anybody hungry?" When no one answered she sat back down.

"Who wants to start?" Laurel asked, clapping her hands together. Loren shrugged, Bowen scratched his head, and Melody frowned.

"We should wait for Dimitri and Skyler." She said. "They have some of the most recent memories of Velken. Maybe we should work our way backward."

"I think you should go forward." Anneka said. "He should know his childhood, if anyone was with him. Does he have a brother or sister?"

"Skyler is his half sister." Melody said quietly, looking away from the group shyly.