“Wake… Wake up… Wake up!” A voice shouted stirring her awake… A dream? She wondered as she pried her eyes open, the light burned and she quickly closed her eyes tightly.

“…” She wanted to call to someone anyone, but no sound, instead pain flared across her whole body causing her to gasp for air. She felt ‘trapped’ and then she felt like the more she ‘tried’ to take in just a little breath, tried to make just a small sound to beg for help… the tighter her throat contracted.

“It’s alright! Breathe, you’re safe!” A voice pleaded from beside her and doing as the calming voice instructed she felt the burning pain in her chest let up just a little bit; though her whole body ached she realized she could breathe…

Opening her eyes again she saw a woman with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes holding her hand, by the wall a man with darker chocolaty brown hair and the stormy grey-blue eyes stood worried, but he waited knowing that too many people crowding her could cause her to start panicking again.

“Do you remember what happened?” The woman asked.

“You can blink twice for 'no' and three times for 'yes'.” She instructed; the girl blinked twice fast, the woman frowned and yet seemed relieved...

“Do you remember where you are from?” Again the girl blinked a ‘no’.

“And what about…” She hesitated, “…your name?” Another ‘no’.

“Oh dear… Blaze...? Is there anything you can do to help her?” The man shook his head. A quick stroke of his beard and pushing himself away from the wall, he carefully came closer, noticing the girl flinch, her breathing hitched… So he stopped and just stood in place.

“Unfortunately not, if it was caused by some other means, perhaps, but no… not in her case; it might be for the best, all considering.” He sighed. His deep voice seemed to bounce off the walls and vibrate all around them, the loudness of his voice causing her to breathe faster… She seemed confused… as she struggled to breathe again.

“Hon… Calm down… It’s alright…” She cooed, her voice like magic as she spoke, instantly calming the girl again.

“I’m Ena and this is my husband, Blaze. You’re safe with us. You're at our home…” Her smile gentle and ‘warm’, easing the girl half lulling her back to sleep.

…

It took quite some time before she got 'used' to used to Ena’s and Blaze’s presence to the point she didn’t feel ‘afraid’ of them when they were 'near' her. What she still wasn't 'used' to were the ugly scars on her back, it still 'burned' with the slightest movement it set her nerves on fire, hence she chose not to 'move' about like Blaze had suggested she do to built up her stamina and her muscles since she had been in a coma for so long...

The Elder was pleased to see the girl up since she had yet to succeed at the Elixir, although it wasn't needed anymore, she wanted to finish it just in case anything were to ever happen that required it. She made note to teach Ena and Emelia how to make it, even if the success rate was only point-three percent for herself... perhaps her two 'disciples' could learn to do what never could.

The Elder visited often, but the child was petrified of her, the same with the Alpha; while the Elder and the Alpha could not get past even 'seeing' the girl, the Alpha's mate, Silva, and Gale, Ena''s brother, were the 'closest' to gaining her trust, so long as Ena was in the same room with them.  

She couldn't explain to herself why she felt so afraid of people being around her, especially when she came to know how kind Gale was and that Silva, she oozed with a loving warm presence almost the same as Ena. 

But it wasn't just 'people'; any loud noises or sudden movement was enough to sent her into a frenzy which is why she was currently passed out after yet another panic attack when the Gale had dropped a plate. She had been standing on the bottom last stair unable to go past. Every time she would freeze on that step and refuse to go further. Not Ena or Blaze knew why and even when they asked her to 'talk' with them she mostly 'ignored' them, only responding to certain questions at certain times - questions that was only 'yes' or 'no'.

She was mute, so they had given her a notepad to write on, but she had never used it. She seemed upset at her own disability; angry even. But not once after that first day after she woke up did she dare show any of her 'emotions'.

When they asked her something she didn't want to answer she would just stare out the window or at the floor as if they weren't there.

They had hoped she would be able to go outside by now, before the worse cold started to roll in for 'winter'; her only knowledge of the world being the view through her window... the ever white landscape with it's snow capped mountains... 

Even the Alpha was at end's wits, not sure what to do anymore to proof to the girl that she was 'safe'... He wanted to show her around the Coven and the Pack that was just further up the snowy mountain. He wanted her to meet more people, the people who were all there ready to fight to protect her...

All he wanted was to be finally able to take her home, even after his mate scolded him telling him to show some more patients. So he decided that it was time he brought the 'people' to her, starting with his son, Nate, and his friend and the Omega's son, William. Hoping that children her own age might be able to 'help' her get over her fears.

When she woke up she headed downstairs, following the whispers she heard coming from downstairs, still half asleep. On the last step, she instantly froze on the spot her foot midway down, she had almost made it off the staircase...

She just stood there the front door wide open, she could hear Blaze's voice talking with someone else, Ena was at work, she recalled... The open door letting in the icy cold breeze that whipped through the air... it felt like it was pulling her… out the open door where she was frozen in place, it felt like the world was trying to swallow her whole… The heavy ‘pull’ like the ground was moving below her feat… she hated it… but at the same time she wasn’t able to move to do something about it.

She stood there, her own heartbeat sounding too loud in her ears, her heavy breathes overpowering any other noises... her vision blinded by the white snowflakes that danced in through the door... She felt 'numb', so much so she didn't even realize she was shaking, not because of the cold... Someone stood by the door, waving his hand hoping to get her attention, but she didn't even see him... the 'white' world beyond the only thing she could 'focus' on.

He frowned sensing something wasn't 'right', Blaze was still talking leisurely with his father, glancing over to them, he stepped inside and closed the door, pulling her from her trance. Her head snapping in in his direction, her eyes filled with new horror.  

He didn't say anything instead he slowly took a few steps back, surprising her... Until now every time she started to panic Blaze and Ena would 'move' towards her... After several more steps she felt herself calm down just a tad. 

She waited for the boy to say something, anything...

When he didn't she just continued standing on her 'step' and he just stood there in between the living room and the dining room.

His smile was warm and caring, it was almost the same as Silva's... except that she could tell he had a 'stubborn' and 'unruly' side to him. The longer she stared at him the more she felt her panic start to build again, he must have noticed she was starting to lose her 'cool' because he took a few more steps back and this time he spoke...

"We'll start from here, or should I take a few more steps back?" He asked and she nodded, taking more steps backwards until he saw her nod again.

"Okay, so from here, we don't need to talk. I already heard from Dad a lot about you. I would say I'm sorry to hear about what you must have gone through... But I'm pretty sure you don't want anyone's sympathy, right?" Her eyes went wide, she hadn't thought about it much, but he was in a sense right.

She hated feeling this 'pathetic'. She hated seeing that 'sad' look in Ena and Blaze's eyes, she hated feeling like a burden to them, and she hated not being able to do anything about how she 'felt'...

"So I won't feel sorry for you, because right now others, me included, feeling sorry for you aint gonna help you get over anything." Her look changed again... she seemed upset... what he was saying was exactly what she knew Ena and Blaze wanted for her, but just with a different 'emotion' behind it... Everyone seemed to want her to move on from her past, a past she didn't remember! 

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to 'help' you get 'over' anything since what's done is done and can't be changed, I want to help you from here on out in the present and in the future. I'm here because I want to be your 'friend', but I can't be that if I can't get close to you so we have to start somewhere, and here... this distance is our starting point." He pointed at the empty space between them.

She eyed the last step she hadn't been able to go down, something in the pit of her gut begging her to take that last step and start moving 'forward'. She wasn't sure how she would be able to life on knowing... always reminded of her unknown past, the scars a constant reminder - a threat - that she couldn't trust anyone... No matter how much she wanted to believe the words this boy spoke, no matter how much Ena and Blaze's kindness promised...

But at the same time could she even trust herself? Her own 'feelings'? She wasn't sure if she should listen to her head and her scars or heart and its feelings... In the end she took that step, finally off of the staircase. She looked up to see the boy smiling.

"I'm Nate." She opened her mouth to say something, but realized that she couldn't speak... and that she didn't have a 'name'...

"It's okay, as friends we can call each other by extra special names. You have to think of one for me, if you want to call me anything other than Nate, but I think I'll call you 'Snow'." Her lips mouthed the word 'tasting' it for herself, she looked out the window and saw the 'snow' outside and realizing that she actually hated the cold, but she gave a weak smile not wanting to 'offend' the boy after he went as far as to give her a 'name'.

She thought to herself... Ena and Blaze could have simply 'given' her a name and she would have been content with it the first few days she was here, but now, she wondered, what a name actually meant for her? Nate, he didn't give her a 'name' so to say as rather a 'nickname' something 'special' to call her by other than 'you', 'girl' and 'child'... or 'missy' like how only Ena calls her. She kind of appreciated that they  didn't just decide to 'call' her by a name... Because right now... a name is something that would define her identity, it'll be something that becomes a part of her just like she will became a part of it... or that was what she felt would happen.

Their silent stare completion was interrupted when Blaze entered, next to him was the Alpha and another boy around her own age.

Blaze turned to see Nate, and grin plastered on his face that was until he realized she was running back up to her room.

"Dad! Did you have to come in now?" Nate scolded.

"You look like a grizzly of course Snow's going to be scared of you!" Nate said, all too aware now why he and the Elder are always complaining about not being able to get close to 'Snow'. They both always look 'grumpy' or 'annoyed'.

"Snow?" The Alpha asked asked.

"Yeah I decided to call her Snow. You can't keep calling her 'you' or 'girl' or even 'child' every time! We can have our own special way to call her, like a nickname until she is ready to decide on a name for herself."

"You do have a point." Blaze agreed.