.

Enjoy!

*******

* *

Over the past day, I remained in Nate's bedroom, not bothering to fight him about leaving but instead trying to understand him. Nate was like a Rubik's cube, each time I thought I had him figured out there was another side that showed itself, one that needed to be fixed. One moment he was talking softly to me as though he wanted me to truly like him. Then without warning, he grew frustrated with himself and with me. "I want to see my pack" I stated suddenly into the eerie silent room. My words caused Nate to spin around from his desk leaving all thoughts of paperwork in the past as he focused on what I had said.

"This is your pack" he stated matter of factly. "When you accept your Luna position you shall meet them" he informed me blandly though a cheeky grin was playing on his handsome face. What? Just because I called him handsome does not mean I like him. His appearance had absolutely no correlation to the monster within.

"Wait" I stood up quickly from his unmade bed "what do you mean when I accept the position?" I pried, my voice coming out as squeaky as a mouse though he appeared unaffected by my confusion and smacked his lips together.

"When you accept Jamie, there isn't much to explain" he chuckled lightly as my eyes darted around the room briefly. "What?" He pushed when I did not reply. Nervously he ran his fingers through his dirty blond hair as he awaited my explanation.

"I thought you said you were sorry about what happened?" I pushed feeling extremely kerfuffle as I twiddled my thumbs as they hung near my waist. An overwhelming anxious feeling began to grow in the pit of my stomach and soon take over my entire body. He is not going to let me leave, is he?

Swiftly he stood from his chair and walked to me within three long strides he was only inches from me. "I am sorry Jamie. But that still does not change the fact that I marked you. I made you mine and it's eternal" he informed me his voice low and understanding though I couldn't agree with him. His hand rose stroking my cheek softly, instantly making my wolf compliant.

"What about Carter?" His eyes flashed darker briefly hating my concern for his Beta before they returned to their normal gorgeous icy blue color.

"He'll be okay" Nate vowed picking up my hands in his letting his thumbs trailed over my knuckles gently with the hopes of assuring me that was so. As much as I wanted to push him off me and tell him not to touch me because he wasn't my mate there was a certain calmness that came from his touch. A peace that I thought only Carter could bring.

Gulping I knew pushing the subject further would end up in an argument, but I could not help myself. "That's not what I mean. I mean he is still my mate too. I want to be with him" I voiced quietly mentally begging he would just nod agreeing and let me go on my way. Who was I kidding? This is Nate we are talking about. He would never let anything be that simple. Though when Nate was gentle like this, I could see myself with him like he said we were connected so it's not that far-fetched.

"It's. Not. Happening" he emphasized pausing between each word to fully get his point across. "I thought we had a mutual understanding here. I'm sorry for what happened and how it happened, but it has happened" he tugged my hands until I was closer to him. My chest lined up perfectly underneath his giving him the best angle to peer down at me. "From now on I want you to completely think of me as your mate."

Is he freaking serious?! I stopped backward forcing distance between us, but he never dropped my hands and I could not force him to no matter how hard I tried. "But you're not" I fought back stubbornly as his jaw tensed under my words. It was not just a matter of mindset where I could just think Nate was my mate and Carter was not. Both of their wolves had a connection with mine and both of their feelings swirled throughout me overriding my own. Each moment I was feeling something completely different depending on which of the two I was around it affected my mood.

Slowly his hand left mine and trailed to my neck. His fingers danced over the spot where he had marked me making my entire body relax under his delicate touch. Him touching my marking spot brought on an extreme high due to its tenderness. My knees felt weak, wanting to collapse into him, wanting to do more than just touch him. "Why must you antagonize me?" He questioned sighing deeply as he tried to calm his now racing heart. "Stop thinking logically, your body is telling you that you're mine" he whispered seductively. How could I not think about this logically?! "Now, I will take you to explain things to your old pack but first" he pulled away leaving my wolf wanting more "you need to change" he gestured to my party dress.

"I need to shower" I restated noting that I smelled like sweat and my outfit had dried blood on it from my not so romantic encounter with Nate.

"My sister will be able to help you with all that..." He paused searching for the correct term "girly stuff" he shrugged as he began to walk toward the door.

Without thinking I darted up behind him, not worrying about keeping my distance as I practically dove onto his back. "You have a sister?" I pretty much squealed causing him to spin around already wearing a cocky smirk. Just like when I heard about Carter's family, I wanted to meet Nate's. Well, what Nate had left of a family.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you sound nervous to meet her" he theorized tilting his head questioningly as I scoffed. Yeah right. I did not care about anybody linked to him. I just wanted to get to my packhouse so my family could help me, right? I could not even make myself believe that.

"Me? Nervous? Of course, not" I lied through my teeth. I did not want to meet anyone looking like this and under these circumstances. I look as though I got into a fight with a raccoon and lost miserably. Glancing at the bags under Nate's eyes I nodded to myself, close enough to a raccoon.

He chuckled lightly. "She's cool after all she is my sister" oh right because Nate was the definition of cool, more like the definition of a jerk.

I followed him down the hall passing three other doors, one which I knew had belonged to his parents, but the others had a more vacant feel to them. As Nate lifted his hand and knocked, I became more and more nervous even though I had claimed I was not. I gulped deeply as I wiped my hands on the scratchy material of my club dress.

Seconds later a petite girl answered the door. She had short blonde hair framing her round face perfectly as she smiled at her brother. "Nathaniel" she murmured in a sarcastic yet friendly tone. Nathaniel huh? I always assumed Nate was short for Nathan. Her eyes were just a few shades lighter than her brothers I noticed as she turned to fully take me in at his side. "Jamie I'm guessing?" Wow, news spreads fast around here.

"It's nice to meet you" I greeted her before Nate could introduce us properly. I did not want him thinking I was helpless and could not meet people on my own.

"Chloe Ryder" she informed me reaching out and shaking my hand. She flashed me a bright smile showing off her perfectly aligned white teeth which led me to not want to smile considering I had not brushed my own teeth since yesterday.

"Anyway" Nate broke in giving me a hateful glare for interrupting him, to begin with, though I just smirked in return. Irritating Nate was fun, it is my new favorite hobby. "Jamie needs to borrow some clothes and all your girly stuff" he almost ordered being back to his normal crude self.

"Please" I interjected as he rolled his eyes which caused Chloe to laugh at our petty argument.

"Of course, come in Jamie" she opened her door as I walked in "not you!" She shrieked placing her small hand on her brother's sturdy chest and shoving him back slightly. Surprisingly, unlike when I had used all my force to push Nate he moved. I guess the saying is true, do not judge a book by its cover.

'Don't take too long' he demanded through our wolves. Our first communication through our mind link and it was an order, how romantic.

'Yeah yeah, Nathaniel' I brushed him off easily.

'Nathaniel Matthew Ryder VIII but I prefer Nate' he replied as I quickly looked back seeing the corners of his lips twitch up slightly as his sister shut the door in his face carelessly. I can already tell I am going to like her.

"What do you want to wear?" She quickly questioned walking into her oversized walk-in closet. Chloe and I were nearly the sizes except my assets were larger and I was a couple of inches taller, so I knew borrowing jeans was out of the question.

"Do you have a dress? A casual one" I whispered feeling slightly awkward as she gestured to a section in her closet where dozens of dresses were. Well, I guess I asked a dumb question then.

****

As soon as I was dressed and walked from the bathroom, I noticed Chloe giving me a strange look. I tried to ignore it, but I could feel her light eyes burning into the back of my head as I began drying my dark hair. "I have to ask you" she stated flipping her legs over the bed, so she was now sitting up straight. "What's it liked to be marked by someone other than your mate?"

"Painful, terrifying, abnormal, wrong" I listed without thought. At that moment when Nate had claimed me, there was nothing sweet or loving about it, it was all negative and downright traumatic.

Chloe remained silent for a couple of minutes taking in what I had said before she replied. "He's not a bad guy I know how it looks but Nate is honestly the greatest guy I know" she whispered as if trying to assure me that he was going to be a good match for me but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't think of life as the Luna of Nathaniel Ryder.

****

* Carter Stone *

I had an extra pep in my step as I trotted up to our packhouse. After all, hearing that your mate was not accepting to become the Luna of your crazy Alpha was good news. I could feel everyone's eyes burning into me the closer I got. Some looked nervous about my intentions while others looked like they pitied me completely. Though I just ignored their questioning glances and continued to see Jamie.

I was not sure how I was going to persuade Nate to let her go but it needed to be done. I mean seriously what was he going to do force her to be Luna? Okay, that was rhetorical knowing Nate he would try.

I yanked open the packhouse door prepared to trot up to the top floor when a whiff of my wonderful Alpha hit my nose. Quickly my neck craned as my head spun to my right to see Nate sitting on the couch. His legs were kicked up on the table as he sipped on a beer carelessly. Nate was not one to drink. He only did so when he was depressed or celebrating. Perhaps Jamie ran from him on her own?

"Where is Jamie?" I questioned a slight unintentional growl escaping my lips as an arrogant smile stretched on his face.

"My Luna is with my sister" he retorted easily and cockily. I knew he was trying to get to me by calling Jamie his, but I was not going to show him how much it pissed me off. But trust me my wolf was livid. "We are going to see her old pack" he informed me slyly as he turned his head back in front of him. As if implying that I was too much of a burden to even look at.

"I'm coming" I demanded without thought as he laughed deeply, this reaction taking me by surprise. I expected him to order me to silence or rudely to object to my plans. However, this almost seemed worse.

"Feel free" he shrugged severely confusing me to the core. He must have something up his sleeve. Since last night he has done everything in his power to keep Jamie from me yet now he was fine with the idea of us being together. "We need an escort" he yawned carelessly. What a dick.