Ana just stares at the person in front of her. "Hey Ana." He tries to say in a comforting voice, but it doesn't do anything but make her nervous.

"You-you shouldn't be here." She stutters pointing at him. She doesn't understand how he's even here. 

"Why not?" He says advancing towards her. She moves towards him and pushes away him away from the house. She doesn't want Grace to get involved with this.

"You need to leave." She says and her wolf is wanting to take over.

"But I know you still love me." He says trying to touch her arm. Ana then lets her wolf take over. She rips her arm away.

"I told you to leave now go." Her wolf says in a stern voice. The guy has never seen her eyes change but doesn't think much of it.

"I know you want me." He claims and grabs her by her hair. Ana's wolf is getting angrier so she pushes her down. She can't risk him seeing what she is.

"J-just leave me alone Jack." She says trying to remain strong. He then pushes her to the ground.

"What's with you now? Did another motherf*cker decide to date you? Do you think you're better than me now?" He yells advancing towards her.

"No. I told you I didn't want to see you again." She says trying to stand up. He continues to advance towards her, but the boy's show up. Jack turns his head towards them. David looks angry, but when she sees Mason's face she knows he's not in control.

"So, these are the guys that are better than me." He says and laughs. Mason continues to stride towards him. Jack goes into a stance and Ana wants to stop it, but David holds her still. If she walks into what's about to happen she might get hurt, which will only anger Mason more. 

"He can defend himself." He says as she struggles in his arms. Ana watches as Jack throws a sloppy punch. There isn't much fighting because when Mason throws his punch it knocks Jack to the ground. He then continues to punch him like there isn't a human under him.

"Mason. Mason, stop." Ana cries and David lets her go. She runs and pushes Mason away. "Mason listen to me. Let me talk to Mason." She says staring at his eyes. They don't change back though. He continues to look above her, which he has been angling his head down towards her lately. She knows he's purposely not trying to listen to her. "Mason. I'm fine now. You got him good." She says putting her hand to his face. This calms him and she sees his eyes turn back to blue. He looks down more and Ana hugs him.

Grace runs out of the house and takes in what she sees. David had to mindlink her. "I didn't even notice. Ana, I'm so so sorry. I was listening to music. I should have been there to help you-"

"I'm fine. I didn't want this to escalate, but well." She says looking down at Jack. He groans holding his face. Mason tenses and goes to step forward again. "Stop," Ana says putting a hand to his chest. He does and she starts to walk over to the jerk. Mason stays close behind her. "Get up." Ana says using a stern voice. He glares up at her and slowly gets up. Before he can speak, she starts. "I told you to leave me alone and to never come find me. You'd better stay away and go back to whatever whore you're with." She says and he stares at her.

"I know-"

"She told you to leave. I suggest you do so." Grace says glaring at him. He turns back at Ana and tries to take a swing. Mason grabs his arm and twists it. Ana doesn't understand how he can sense so much, but she's glad he can.

"She's the only reason you're alive right now, but if you ever lay a single finger on her again there won't be anything to stop me." His wolf says. Jack's arm is broken, but he scrambles to his car and rushes out of there driveway.

"I'm sorry guys. I tried to-"

"You have no reason to be sorry. That's what friends are for. To help you." Grace says and smiles. Mason mindlinks them to leave them outside and they do.

"Thank you." Ana says turning to Mason.

"You could have been hurt. Why didn't you call out for Grace. She's had fight training." Mason says a little angry with her.

"I thought I could get him to leave myself-myself." Ana says Mason huffs.

"If something would have happened to you I-"

"I wouldn't have been your fault. He is my problem, not yours." Ana says and watches as Mason's frustration grows.

"Ana, what don't you understand. Your problems are my problems. I can't risk having anything happen to you." He says and he and his wolf really want to mark her. Then he can feel what she feels. He knows she's not ready to mate, even though that'd be the best because then she could mindlink him. She could easily call for him and he'd be there. "Ana?" He says questioning. He's right in front of her now and she's looking up at him.

"Yes-yes?" She questions back at him.

"Would-would it be alright if-if I marked you." He hears her sharp intake of breath. "If you're ever in danger I'll know. I'll be able to feel if you're scared and come instantly." Ana takes a step back. She wonders if she's ready for this commitment. Then her OCD hits in. It only happens once. What if it doesn't go right? What if she does something? If it goes wrong he'll be hurt.

Mason hears her heartbeat quicken. "Hey, hey. We don't have to. I just thought I'd be easier." He says putting a hand to her face. She then looks up at him.

"I-i-i can't. Sorry-sorry." She mumbles and looks down at the ground.

"Hey, it's alright. I can wait, but I won't be leaving you. I hope you know." He says and earns a light laugh from her.

"Well, I hope you like sitting in a waiting room." She replies and he cracks a smile. She works in a hospital, so if was to follow her to work he'd be stuck in one.

"Why not." They then make their way inside hand in hand. Ana had to walk to the house six times and Mason did it with her. She only open and closed the door twice before they made their way to the kitchen.

♪ ♮ ♫ ♭

Ana wakes up from her slumber panicking. Her thoughts making her think she's going to hurt Mason. She rushes out of their room and sits against the wall in the living room. The negative thoughts continue to run through her brain. You're going to hurt him and you won't even feel bad. You should just end yourself now. Or stand in front of a car. You're going to stab him and smile as you do it. She tries to block out the images as they flow into her mind.

She rocks forward and backwards her hands covering her hears. Her cheeks are stained with wet tears as she tries not to listen to them.

Mason feels Ana's missing and he sits up. He listens and hears her heart rate is sky high. He listens to find her in the living room. He gets down next to her. "Don't. I don't want to hurt you. I'll hurt you." She yells trying to push him.

"What are you talking about?" He questions confused as she continues to cry. Grace and David come in confused. Mason waves them away thinking it might make her more upset. They both quickly walked back down the hall.

"Don't. No, I won't." She mumbles and continues to rock.

"Ana. Ana tell me what's wrong." She doesn't respond just continues to mumble. Then she stands up and runs out the door. "Ana." Mason yells after her.

Mason gets up quickly and chases after her. He continues to listen for her.

She stands in the road hoping for a car. She doesn't know what to do to get the voice to stop. She sees Mason running and turns to run away. She starts to make her way through the forest.

Mason runs even faster and then grabs her. She thrashes around. "Don't. I'll hurt you." She cries as he pulls them both down to the ground. He holds her to his chest. 

"Ana. Stop fighting me." He whispers in her ear. She stops but continues to cry in his arms. He pulls her closer to his chest. "Shhh. It's ok." He says trying to soothe her.

"I-i don't w-w-want y-you hurt." She stutters.

"Nothings going to happen to me." He says trying to reassure her.

"I-I could." She mumbles as a steady stream of tears roll down her cheeks.

"Why would you think that?" He asks still in a soft voice. Ana tears start to slow down, but she doesn't respond. "Ana?"

She takes a while before she answers. "There are thoughts of hurting you, of how I'd kill you. That I wouldn't care if you were gone. What if I do that?" She asks looking towards him.

"You'd never hurt me and you clearly care." He replies and she shakes her head.

"You don't know that." She says and starts to sway in his arms.

"I do know. You wanna know why? Because we are mates and you're too kind of a person to ever hurt someone." He says and she stops swaying. "Ana, why'd you wait in a road?" He asks almost afraid of the answer. She turns a little in his arms.

"If I were gone I couldn't hurt you." She says barely above a whisper.

"Ana, don't you ever think that. The only way you could hurt me is if you were gone. I need you." He says and she lays her head on his chest.

"What if the urges come back?" She says and Mason's confused. There's so much he doesn't understand about her.

"What urges?"

"The ones that makes me hurt myself. The ones that I feel I can't control." She says quietly. Mason never knew that Ana's had these thoughts or issues.

"Then I'll be there. I'll always be there." He says and kisses her forehead. Minutes pass as they stay in each other's arms. "Ana, why do these urges come to you?" He questions softly not understanding if it's a physiological issue or a psychological issue.

"Most people think OCD is just cleaning, organizing, obsessive behavior, but what most people don't know about are the urges, thoughts that come to mind. Pictures that flash through your mind. Suddenly you want to feel how a blade feels, or if you burn yourself. What it's like to be shot, to turn a car off a bridge. All of these urges can come and sometimes they won't leave until you try them." She says and Mason's heartaches. He wonders why she has never got help or why she didn't tell him.

"Have you tried to go to group sessions?" He asks and Ana nods against his chest.

"They end up triggering me more. It can be common they say." As she finishes she gets a coughing fit. Mason rubs her back and then pulls her up as he stands.

"It's cold. We should go back." He says, but Ana stops walking.

"I can't go back in there yet-yet." She says and looks at the ground.

"Why is that?" Mason says in a carrying voice.

"I-i-i-i d-don't w-want it-it to start a-another o-one." She says starting to panic.

"Ok. Ok, how about we just stay close so I can grab us blankets?" He asks noticing her heart rate pick up again.

"Ok-ok." She says and rubs her arms. They walk back towards the house and Mason leads her to the backyard. Close to the little pond that is there. He lets her sit down as he quickly walks back into the house.

"Where have you guys been?"

"Is she ok?" Both Grace and David ask questions towards him.

"Just make sure she doesn't run off." He says quickly walking to his room and grabbing a few blankets.

"Mason you have towel in your blankets." David says. Mason feels David pull it out.

"Thanks."

"So what happened?" Grace says staring at Ana outside.

"Her OCD makes her believe she'll do bad things to people. She thought she was going to hurt me and panicked. I had to chase her down and then try to get her to talk to me. She can't come back in here because it'll start another session." Mason says quickly and then leaves out the patio door that Grace opened for him.

Mason sets a blanket on the cold grass and then Ana sits on it as Mason sits behind her and pulls the other two blankets over them. Ana shivers and Mason puts his arms around her. She leans a little into him and stares at the sky. He just listens to her breathing and loves that she's in his arms.

They stay like that for hours until Ana finally says what she's been thinking about. "I'm a bad mate aren't I?" She questions.

"Why would you think that? Of course not." Mason asks confusion written all over his face.

"I cause so many issues and I haven't..." She pauses. "completed the mating bond." She says wording it carefully.

"We are working through the little issues and just because you aren't ready for that step, it doesn't mean you're a bad mate." He says hoping she never thinks that again.

"You're amazing you know that-that." She says smiling.

"Why yes I am." He says making her laugh. He notices that he's getting a really bad headache. "Is it ok if I lay down?"

"Yeah-yeah." She replies. They untangle from their warmth and then lay back down quickly pulling the blankets around them. Ana lays on his chest and he wraps his arms around her. He continues to have his headache grow though. Ana notices that he keeps tensing. "What's wrong?" She wonders.

"I have this headache and it seems to keep getting worse." He says squeezing his eyes closed. Ana then puts her fingers to his head and tries to massage it. It seems to help a little and after a while of doing it, she notices that he had fallen asleep. Ana moves back into her old spot and falls asleep looking at the beautiful night sky.

♪ ♮ ♫ ♭

"Ana." Mason says confused. "Ana, Ana you wake."

"Yeah-yeah." She says confused. Mason starts to blabber and Ana can't hear him. "Slow down what?" She asks sitting up.

Hey readers. How's life? Hopefully going ok. :D