The song for this chapter is " by Puddle of Mudd.

This chapter is dedicated to !

Enjoy!

⬆️ Austin

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Right now it was eleven thirty and I was suppose to be in the cafeteria eating chicken nuggets with my best friend but instead I was sneaking out of school. Which usually isn't a hard thing for wolves, we have an incredible sense of smell so we are able to catch a humans scent way before they can see us. However, I wasn't as confident in my actions as my wolf was. She was however, very encouraging.

Now back to the reason I'm running out. For starters this enjoyable lunch I was suppose to have would not be that enjoyable. In fact, I think it would be worse than the awkward birds and bees talk I had with my parents when I was fourteen. Oh the memories are enough to haunt me. Lynn really pissed me off earlier with her accusation about Nate. Days ago she was all "go true love, go" yet now she takes every opportunity to bash him. Though unlike Trent she wasn't trying to persuade me to go back to Carter instead it was almost as if she just wanted me to know who's side she chose.

The second reason I needed to escape was to see Carter. I know, I know I chose Nate so I shouldn't be sneaking off to see Carter but it's not like that. All morning the only thought on my mind was me sucking the life out of him by choosing Nate over him. Which wasn't my intention at all. I knew picking to leave would hurt him but I had to do what was right for me, and that was to be with Nate.

"Tsk tsk" a voice snickered directly behind me pulling me from story time with my brain. "Jamie Watson sneaking out of class? Who would have seen the day?" I spun back facing Austin as his mouth hung open as though he was really shocked by my actions. It was known that I was a goodie two shoes but hey I've used a fake I.D. sneaking out of school should be a piece of cake.

"I was looking for you earlier," I told him nonchalantly though an awkward feeling crept into my stomach as he smirked when hearing my words, he definitely took them a different way then I intended him to.

"Oh really?" He purred stepping closer nearly closing the distance between us causing me to step back nervously. "So the rumors aren't true?" What rumors? I could feel my features awaken as my blue pools became bug-eyed and my brows lifted to a dramatic high. "Of you finding your mate..." He trailed awkwardly realizing I was backing up to actually cause distance not to tease him.

"No, I did" I sighed chomping at my bottom lip not ready to hear his backlash. "Wait Heather didn't tell you?" I asked skeptically causing a confusion to fill him as he glanced around as though looking for clues and tilted his head to the side.

"What would Heather have to tell me about your mate?" He chuckled not seeing the connection as his chocolate eyes held mine intently as he tried to solve the puzzle without having all the pieces.

Realizing we were standing out in the open to get busted I grabbed Austin's wrist and tugged him toward a group of cars. Once we were in between Austin's Mustang and a bright yellow hummer I knelt down as he hesitantly did the same. "She would tell you that her mate marked me!" I hissed lowly just saying that Nate was 'hers' made an uneasily feeling flow through my stomach and causing my wolf to growl objectively. As my words hit his ears his jaw unhinged and he mouthed 'what'. He stared at me a look of disbelief dominating his soft features as if waiting for me to crack a smile and tell him I was kidding.

"But..." He stuttered his eyes going hard. "what?" He shook his head trying to understand what I had just told him. Even though he wasn't a werewolf himself he had a good understanding of how my kind worked."How is that even possible? If Heather is his mate..."

I stifled another growl as I tried to explain the situation to him, humans are so clueless sometimes. "Heather was his chosen mate but Nate never marked her so it wasn't official" I emphasized the past tense causing his head to cock sideways catching my clue. I sighed getting ready to ramble all on all of the grotesque details of how I became Luna of Paquete de Luna de Sangre. " I was out with Lynn using that fake I.D. you got me" I chuckled as did the same "and I met my...Carter, well he had to abruptly leave so Nate said he would take me to their pack house to see Carter" I could feel my whole mood change as I thought back to the night I never wanted to remember. The Nate I met that night wasn't the same guy I knew and loved today and I never wanted to think of him as that evil guy again.

"It's okay" he promised his face softening as though he could feel my pulse increase and the ache tormenting my heart. "Carter is the guy Heather slept with, isn't he? " He questioned as I nodded as he began crawling his body closer as he was knelt down and draped his arm over my shoulder. "But instead of taking you to Carter he marked you?" Austin pried lowly even though he already knew the answer. I nodded my head absentmindedly as he whimpered so quietly humans wouldn't be able to hear it and kissed the top of my head. "What does Carter think?" His tone turned soothing as he began to understand the complexity of everything that happened while he was away.

"I'm not with Carter" I admitted as he pulled himself back, shifting his hands to my shoulders forcing our eyes to lock once again, a brooding look now lay in his deep brown pools.

"Jamie, no" he begged his lips pursing together before turning down into a frown. "He's not your mate, why would you let him win? What he did to you was wrong" he drilled into my head. Though I didn't get upset with him like I had with everyone else. With Austin, it wasn't like he was angry at me for choosing Nate he was just trying to clarify the situation and make sure I was in control of my actions.

"He's not winning, I am" I whispered truthfully as he nodded his head briefly with an apologetic look stretching his face before pulling me back to him.

"If he's who you want then I support it regardless of Heather" he promised as he rested his chin on the top of my head. "Now where are you sneaking off to?" He questioned sobering up as I pulled myself back and he wiped the stray tears from my cheeks and ran his fingers under my puffy eyes to catch any fallen makeup.

"I have to go to my old packhouse and talk to Carter" I murmured humbly as he sighed disapprovingly and opened his mouth like he was going to advise against it but nothing came out. "I have to Austin, he's..." My brain burned with Lynn's digs as I fought to formulate a proper sentence.

'Stop it. It's not your fault' my wolf promised me and I knew with all her heart she believed that but, I didn't. I was the sole reason Carter was in pain.

I shook out my hands in a spaz like motion as I allowed my body to fall completely to the floor like I was giving up, no longer feeling the need to squat. "I just need to see him" I concluded unable to explain the overwhelming sick feeling rolling through my body.

After a moment Austin pushed his body up to a standing position and just when I was sure he was going to turn his back on me he extended his hand to me. "Do you want a ride or not?" He asked still not thrilled with my indecisive idea yet going along with it. I nodded my head briefly, placing my hand in his as he swiftly pulled me up. "You're lucky I hate to see you unhappy" he huffed digging into his dark blue jeans and pulling out the keys to his car.

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We pulled up to La Meute de La Lune Blue and instantly I didn't feel welcomed. Though the guards on duty gave me friendly smiles a certain displeasure laid in their eyes that I could read all too well. "You can stay in the car if you want" I murmured my gaze focusing on the front door as if I really thought someone would bust out of my house and swear me to leave.

"Are you kidding? I didn't skip school to sit in my car and listen to Puddle of Mudd. This" he pointed to me in the passenger seat "is better than Jerry Springer" his grin instantly fell when he caught me scowling at him. "Tough crowd" he mumbled yanking his keys from the ignition and killing the engine. Sensing my hesitation he turned slightly in his seat "you know what you have to say, stop psyching yourself out" Austin ordered sternly.

I knew he was right. I wanted to come here and see Carter and now I was acting like a baby and hiding out in my exes car. Quickly I unbuckled my seatbelt and forced my body out of the car before I could change my mind though as I stepped into the grass two unfitting scents invaded my nostrils. Gulping to myself I knew I was caught. After a millisecond of debating with my wolf to run I began my walk up the patio steps but before I could make it to the door my mother rushed out.

Her deep brown hair decorated her face covering her features letting me know that once she caught my scent she came running out without hesitation. Without wasting a second she pulled my body into hers stroking my back delicately like only a mother could bringing a certain comfort to me. I wrapped my arms around her back squeezing her tightly and clenching my eyes shut feeling her pain from my absence. "They're here" she whispered sadly after a moment once realizing she was no longer able to communicate with me throughout wolves.

"It's okay, I'm alright" I promised her trying my best to be the strong one for my mother. I needed her to know that I was safe and she was wrong about Nate. I ran my hands up and down my mom's upper arms quickly as I flashed her my best fake smile though I knew it was weak and didn't meet my eyes. She nodded back as she drifted her head sideways welcoming Austin and me into the house.

Sensing the tense mood as we stepped into the house Austin decided to crack another joke as if they had already been successful today. "It reeks of dog in here" he hissed playfully waving his hands in front of his face causing a chuckle to escape Wyatt's lips as he walked down the hallway pushing in front of my brother and pulling my body into his before lifting me up a foot or so and giving me a tight squeeze.

"Who are you?" Chloe questioned her voice strong and powerful as she stepped from the living room and I pushed myself out of Wyatt's tender embrace. Once I looked back at her noticing Brett directly behind her both of their gazes focusing intently on Austin knowing he was a human and sensing danger.

"I'm Austin" he spoke up politely extending his hand to Chloe who ignored the gesture followed by Brett. Slowly he pulled his hand back to his side awkwardly looking to me for help.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked lowly taking the attention from Austin as Chloe's bright blues met mine almost in a challenging way.

"Nate wanted to make sure you would be okay" she murmured letting her eyes trail off submissively. I shook my head telling her that couldn't be right because I didn't tell Nate I was coming here. "He knows you better then you think he does, give him some credit" she whistled out defensively as Brett placed his hand delicately on her shoulder to calm her. I knew Chloe was on edge because of Carter and adding an unknown human to the mix didn't help.

"He doesn't know half of what he thinks he does" a strong, sturdy, manly voice echoed from behind me causing me to jump with surprise and my wolf to groan indifferently. Spinning back quickly my eyes met those of Carter's. The same coffee color greeted me though his eyes seemed heavy and lifeless making my guilt grow. Dark bags circled under his red-rimmed eyes as though he hadn't gotten much sleep. The two of us remained in an intense staring battle as everyone else just seemed to fade away into oblivion.

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Hey guys. I've been wanting to update for the past two days but I'm not exactly sure how the ending of this chapter would turn out. So instead of making you wait even longe,r I figured I would update what I had so far, even though now you're left with a cliffhanger.

Please let me know what you're thinking at this point. How do you feel about the friendship between Jamie and Austin? Als,o do you think it was a good idea for her to go to see Carter?

Don't forget to if you enjoyed this chapter! I love you guys! Xoxo