he song for this chapter is "" by Three Days Grace. It's absolutely perfect for Carter!

Also, a picture of the happy couple is attached! :D

This chapter is dedicated to !

Enjoy!

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"Carter don't" I pleaded gripping Nate's shirt tightly from behind in an attempt to pull him away from the situation before it could get out of hand. I wasn't actually worried about Nate, I knew he could handle himself I was honestly terrified for Carter's safety. He may be a tough guy but he stood no chance against his Alpha, then again most people didn't.

"Why should I listen to you?" He spat back his black eyes unfriendly and cold as they glared at me cowering behind Nate.

"Because you don't need to do this" I whispered in an attempt to calm him as I tried to step out of hiding but Nate gripped my hip and pushed me securely behind him as if he thought Carter would hurt me though I knew he wouldn't.

"Oh, but I want to" he growled flashing me a smile revealing his sharp pointy fangs that were begging to sink into his previous Alpha. Slowly he ran his pale pink tongue against his teeth as if teasing us for what's to come.

"Please do us a favor and don't act like you care" Heather spat as she stepped up behind Carter. A menacing growl escaped Nate's mouth and I knew just the sight of them together brought back painful heart-wrenching memories.

Knowing she was getting to Nate she placed her hand on Carter's shoulder to get a bigger rise from him though all that did was send Carter over the edge. "Don't touch me!" He howled yanking himself from her hold. "This is all your fault" he accused boldly as she looked taken back.

"Me?" She hissed "This is his fault!" She stammered pointing at Nate. "You lied to me, you acted like we were finally going to be together but the second you see Jamie you lose all sense of reality" she hissed getting closer to him as my wolf began to kick in wanting to protect what was hers.

"Back up" I warned her pushing my way out from behind Nate without allowing him to stop me.

"Relax" Nate advised as he laced his hand around my waist delicately. How was he so calm? I was literally on the edge of changing. "It doesn't matter what she says" he cooed whispering directly into my ear as his warm breath fanned my neck causing chills to elope across my body.

As this was all taking place I could hear my dad telling me I wasn't going to make this mistake and telling my current Alpha and Wyatt that there was no way I was going to be with Nate. All of this went ignored as I focused on Carter.

"You make me so fucking sick!" Carter yelled at us now being held back by Brett, thank God. "Did you forget that he attacked you, Jamie?!"

"You attacked her?" Heather whispered softly seeming completely shocked by this though I don't blame Nate for not telling her. If it wasn't for my injury I would have kept it a secret as well.

Nate leaped forward ready to annihilate Carter; his patience was gone as his temper began to take over. His hand-formed into a fist, and one hit with it and I knew Carter would be in pain. "Nate no!" I screamed my voice almost deafening from the high pitch. Instantly he stopped as he turned to me. "Please don't" I begged as he sighed letting out his frustrations.

"I think it's best if you leave, Nate" my Alpha finally chimed in sensing the tension building even more and knowing he needed to take action before things got out of hand. Let's face it if Carter and Nate fought one of them wouldn't come out alive.

"You are coming with me" Nate ordered instead of asked as he mashed his lips together.

"Over my dead body" Trent hissed gripping the table with as much force as he had in his body.

"That can be arranged" Nate retorted unaffected by my brother's concern as he cocked his head to the side infuriating everyone else in the room with his statement.

"I'll come with you" I assured him not wanting him to fight with my brother as he grinned devilishly at me making my heart flip and my knees go weak. He reached down and grabbed my hand, entwining our fingers lovingly. Sure he has held my hand a dozen times or so but that was different, he was usually just pulling me from one place to another. This was gentle as he tried to make himself even closer to me then we already were. If a simple handhold made butterflies erupt in my stomach I was in big trouble as our relationship progress.

"He's right you should wait outside while I get some of my stuff" I whispered as his eyebrows lifted skeptically. "Brett can stay with me" I offered knowing that would soothe him as he kissed my forehead and walked off without another word though I knew he would be ordering Brett to watch me. Heather charged off after him and I knew he would be preoccupied for a while anyway.

"You have to stop her!" My father begged my Alpha once more, the desperation in his voice was enough to break my heart.

"There is nothing I can do George" he sighed with defeat. "They are mated."

"But he's not her mate!" Trent spat turning his miserable gaze back to me. "Jamie please you can't leave with him" he begged walking over to me hoping if I saw his terror I would realize I was making a mistake but I knew I wasn't.

"He is my mate" I fought back as he shook his head rapidly to tell me I was wrong. "What's a mate, Trent? Someone who loves you unconditionally and someone you love. Someone who can feel your emotions and you can feel theirs, someone who will take a bullet for me, and he would" I assured him and trailed off.

"So would I" Carter murmured as I tried my very best not to look at him, it would be too hard to face him knowing what I was unintentionally doing to him.

With each second that passed by his heart was crumbling even more. I couldn't even begin to explain the emotional turmoil taking place inside of me. For the first time in weeks, I was able to make up my mind, I knew what I wanted and I wasn't going to talk myself out of it. A while ago Nate told me not to think logically but to think with my emotions and when I did that it brought me straight to him.

Feeling both Nate and Carter's emotions within me had me constantly being yanked back and forth. Even now, Carter was completely falling apart and Nate felt extreme happiness, somewhere in the middle lied my feelings, caught between the two of theirs.

"I have to pack" I stated and charged up the stairs having Lynn directly on my tail. On one hand, I felt empowered, happy that I finally gave in to my wolf's desires and admitted that we were connected with Nate. The feelings we had for one another were inevitable and couldn't be avoided no matter how much time or space we put between us. On the other hand, I knew I was crushing Carter by following my heart. I knew that despite my wolf's dedication to Nate his was dedicated to me. I knew that each second of pain I felt without Nate was multiplied for Carter as I chose his Alpha over him. I hated myself for hurting Carter.

After about ten minutes of packing Lynn was called out of the room by my Alpha and I knew Carter would be coming in any minute. I couldn't blame him for wanting to persuade me to stay with him, it was a natural reaction. "How could you do this to me?" Carter whispered barely able to get the words out of his mouth, his anger was temporarily forgotten as a deep hurt took its place. I could feel his wolf groaning as the pain set in and their heart continued aching. In turn, his anguish was being felt by my wolf but there was no way I could soothe him.

"I didn't want to," I told him honestly as I focused my gaze on the bag I was packing instead of facing him. I couldn't look at him. I knew I was a coward.

He stepped up behind me as he held my shoulders encouragingly "he made you do this?" He questioned hopefully as I shuttered, pulling myself from his loving hold.

"No Carter, that's not what I meant" I explained as his eyes saddened even more "I mean I didn't want to hurt you. Nate... He... I..." I trailed unable to say what I really felt in fear of hurting him more.

"I trusted you" he wailed as he turned his body and rested it on the dresser as if he needed it in order to stand. "I gave up everything for you Jamie and you're just going to leave me? What am I supposed to do stay here and live in your room?!" He was now screaming though I could hear the vulnerability in his voice. "You were just with me earlier yet you didn't tell me how you felt, instead you kissed me and let me believe we were good."

"I'm sorry," I told him honestly as I placed my hand on his back to try to comfort him. I know it's hard to understand, it's hard to explain. I loved Carter, I did but not like I loved Nate. With Nate, we were connected, my wolf was dedicated to him. I couldn't live without him.

He spun around quickly nearly knocking me over, the contact between us clearly shaking him up. "I want to be that good guy Jamie, that tells you to follow your heart and do what makes you happy" he began as he grabbed my hands and tugged me closer "but, I can't. I can't encourage something that disgusts me."

"Come back with us" I offered as his eyebrows arched to a high peak of disbelief.

"I can't even think about you with Nate let alone see it, I already want to kill him" Carter growled his hold tightening on me but not enough to cause any real pain.

I lifted my hand to his face as I forced his eyes back to mine. "Don't turn spiteful Carter, you're better than that" I vowed as he yanked his head away and rolled his eyes.

"Why not? It worked out pretty well for Nate" he shot back matter of factly, and he was right, I couldn't deny that. Nate was obsessed with getting back at Carter and to make him feel the same pain he had felt and today I helped him succeed in getting his revenge. "God Jamie!" He yelled pushing himself off of the dresser and began to pace around my room. "All I wanted was to make you happy but I'm not good enough for you!"

"Carter-"

"What does Nate have that I don't? Do you need to be treated poorly to feel good about yourself? Do you want me to try to kill you in order to prove I love you?!" I'm sure his loud voice could be heard throughout the entire pack land. I knew Nate heard it because he felt the danger and wanted to come and protect me but instead gave us space. "Why am I not good enough?" He asked me lowly now sounding completely devastated as he let his body slide down the wall.

He clutched his head in his hand as he rested his elbows on his knees. His body rocked back and forth in an attempt to truly calm himself but there was no easy way to heal a broken heart. I squatted down in front of him as I took a hold of his wrists and pulled his hands away from his face though he refused to look at me. "You're amazing Carter. You're kind and lovingly and truly the greatest person I've ever met" I promised.

"If he never marked you would I have been good enough?"

"You would have been more than enough," I told him as I leaned in and give him a tight hug, forcing my body to fit between his legs. "You are going to make somebody really happy and she will be the luckiest girl in the world" I promised him as he kissed the top of my head, signaling a goodbye.

"I wanted it to be you" he murmured against my hair making me feel like a ton was dropped on my heart.

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"Are you even listening to me?!" Heather squealed smacking my chest forcing me to look back at her. Honestly, I wasn't listening, I hadn't been for the last five minutes or so. It wasn't that I was purposely trying to be a dick I just couldn't stop thinking about what Jamie and Carter were talking about.

I could feel her regret and sadness growing for him which only made me nervous that she would change her mind about me. Not to mention I could hear him screaming from inside of the house but I knew I had to give them space. As badly as I wanted to go in and stop him from trying to persuade her not to come with me, she needed to explain to him and I was going to give her that. But in five minutes I'm taking her out ready or not.

"No I'm sorry" I admitted glancing back down at her briefly and wishing I didn't. The same disappointed and defeated look held her eyes as the day I denied her.

"I said that I already told everyone I was going to be your Luna. I already made plans to leave to be with you" she whimpered pathetically, pounding her foot on the ground in the process. "Why would you even tell me you wanted to fix everything just to turn around and go with Jamie. It's clear you love her so why would you deny it?" She questioned as I sighed actually feeling sorry for her for the first time since I met her.

"I didn't think she would want me so I was going to move on" I explained as her frown turned into a scowl.

"So what I was your back up plan?!" She hissed her tone turning bitchy.

'Exactly' my wolf answered honestly.

I couldn't even lie to her and deny the fact that that's exactly what she was to me. I didn't love Heather, I couldn't even stand her but she was my only option. "I was trying to right a wrong" I hummed lowly my eyes flickering up to George, Mary and Trent exiting from the house their sites set on me. Let the fun begin.

"By lying to me?!" Heather screeched as my pity disappeared and my annoyance grew. I opened my mouth to make some snarky comment about her fucking Carter again to help them both 'heal' when her hand extended and glided across my face. "Fuck you, Nathaniel Ryder!" She spat pushing past me at the exact moment Jamie's parents and brother reached me.

"I like her" Trent grinned rubbing his own cheek and mouthing an ouch.

"Yeah well, she's all yours" I retorted rudely as I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back on my car.

"I don't want my daughter going with you and if you really care about her you know her being with Carter is the best option" George rambled out calmly and smoothly and he gulped deeply letting me know he was nervous to challenge me yet did so anyway which was just as much admirable as it was stupid.

I chuckled lightly just to ignore the aching of Jamie's heart. "Let me get this straight to prove my love to her I need to push her away from true love and persuade her to be with someone she doesn't want to be with?" I asked rhetorically.

"We just don't want her to get hurt" Jamie's mom spoke softly as I finally pulled my gaze from Trent's and met her sad orbs that were the exact color of Jamie's.

A ball of guilt formed in my stomach as I took in how afraid she was of me and what I was capable of. The last thing I wanted was for the people that meant the most to Jamie to feel like this will be the last time they will see her again. "I would never hurt her again" I promised as she nodded though she didn't believe me. "Mary, I know I don't have the greatest track record but I am completely in love with your daughter and all I want to do is protect her and make her happy" I continued wanting her to trust me. After a moment of silence, I spoke up again "you guys are welcome to come and see her whenever you want and I'm sure she will be back."

"If you so much as lay a finger on my sister I will make it my life's mission to destroy you" Trent warned as I nodded to try to show respect even though I really just wanted to laugh and wish him luck.

"You have my word," I said as I looked them all in the eye to assure them that I meant it.

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I said goodbye to my pack with the except of Wyatt who was taking Heather home, thank God I didn't have to see her again. Brett opened the front door for me as he clutched my bag tightly. I glanced back once more flashing Carter a weak smile before turning around and facing Nate.

He was grinning widely showing off his perfectly white teeth which made my heartbeat going into overdrive as I ran to him. He engulfed my body automatically as he spun me around to where my feet were no longer on the floor. "I honestly can't believe you're mine" I whispered as he chuckled flirtatiously.

"And you are all mine" he purred back seductively. He placed me back down on the ground as he walked me over to the passenger side of the car having Brett already in the back. Nate opened my door like the gentleman I never thought he could be. "After you my, lady" he sang with a fake accent causing me to giggle like a schoolgirl as I peered up into his loving turquoise eyes.

I leaned up and kissed his cheek as if to say thank you before getting into the car. Though Nate wouldn't be the Nate I knew and loved if he didn't make some smart ass comment. With four words he completely killed our flirty mood. "You reek of Carter" he whispered as he kissed my cheek back and rounded the car.

I shook my head as a smile stretched on my lips. The always romantic Nathaniel Ryder ladies and gentlemen.

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Hi guys! So what do you think? Raise your hand if you feel for Carter? Also, do you think Jamie made the right decision? Lastly, how about that smack?! Were you surprised?

Thank you so much for reading and please don't forget to ! Thanks to your dedication to this story it is now #122 in Fantasy! You guys are absolutely amazing!