Chapter 6

POV Willow

"Are you really going to break up with Jake? Tonight?" Carla asked after I told her everything that happened.

I was glad that I heard Dean and his parents leave a few minutes before so we wouldn't be overheard.

"I don't want to but I think I have to" I sighed and buried my head in my pillow.

"I really don't want to hurt him but Dean's right. I need to give him a chance. Plus this mate pull is harder than I thought to deny." I added and Carla looked sad but nodded.

"It will only get worse too. Unless you reject him" she explained.

"I've thought about that, especially at first but that could mean war with his pack and I don't want that blood on my hands, of course..." I remembered something then.

"I hate that look on your face, it's always trouble" Carla nervously observed.

"Dean DID say that his mom rejected his dad at first." I pointed out.

"Yeah but he didn't accept it. Dean won't either" Carla added and I nodded.

"But his mom and dad can't start a war with us if I'm doing the same thing she did. Especially if they see that I have reason to reject him" I smiled.

"Do you really think that would stop them? Everything we've heard about that pack says they are violent and cruel" Carla asked.

I shook my head, "I don't think that the rumors are true. The Alpha and Luna are powerful for sure but they didn't seem heartless. The Luna actually seems really sweet. If I can show them that Dean and I aren't a good match or that he won't treat me well, I think that they would allow me to reject him. I know that at least my parents would"

"How are you going to show them that? Dean seems like kind of a player but he's not going to mistreat you, at least not in front of everyone" Carla said.

I nodded. She was right but I still filled the plan away in the back of my head in case shit fell apart and I needed an out.

"I better call Jake, then we can get ready" I sighed. Carla hugged me tight.

"Do you think that James will hate me too?" I asked her as we hugged.

"No. James has been telling Jake that this day was coming for years. Jake knows it too." She said, encouragingly.

I nodded and texted Jake to ask him if I could come by in a minute. He agreed a second later.

"Wish me luck!" I said.

I quickly ran over to his house and met him on his porch a few minutes later.

"Hey, Wils" Jake said softly as he walked over to me.

He tried to kiss me but I leaned away.

"We need to talk" I began and he chuckled.

"Don't I know it? What do you want to do? Should we run or are you going to try to stay after you reject him?" he asked and I looked at him with shock.

He saw and his face immediately dropped.

"Oh, no, Wils. You aren't going to are you? You know how his pack is." his tone turned pleading.

I sighed yet again. It seemed like I was doing a lot of that today.

"He and his parents are claiming that the rumors are false." I replied and he cut me off again.

"THEY'RE LYING!" he yelled.

I was shocked by his outburst as he rushed to hold me. I stiffened as his arms wrapped around me.

"I don't know" I whispered and he shook his head.

"I have..... I have to give him a chance" I tried and Jake pulled away to look at my face angrily.

"WHY?!" he demanded.

"He's supposed to be my mate, Jake. We don't know what he or his pack is like." I replied and he shook his head again.

"No. He's going to hurt you. I know it" he insisted. I sighed. Again.

"I really don't know what else I can do. If I reject him it could begin a war between our packs. I can't have our packs blood on my hands. I must do what is good for the pack" I decreed as I pushed him away firmly.

"Even if that means that you could be misused and hurt? Even if that means that you will never be happy?" Jake asked and I closed my eyes.

"Please Jake, let me go. If he's as bad as you think, he will show his true colors and my family and I will figure a way out of it" I said, making the fatal mistake of giving him hope.

He hugged me again and we cried together but he agreed.

"Fine, Willow, but if he hurts you, promise me that you'll leave him" he demanded.

"I promise" I replied. We held each other a bit longer and then I got up.

"I've got to go get ready for the party" I explained. Jake nodded woodenly. I kissed his cheek and ran crying all the way back home.

I had just finished telling Carla everything just as Devon knocked on my door.

"Hey, Dev. What's up?" I asked as he looked at me seriously.

"How are you doing, sis?" he asked with a guarded look. I shrugged.

"I just broke up with Jake, which was awful." I replied and Devon looked a bit relieved. He hugged me.

"I'm sorry, Wils but you needed to do it. At least for right now. I still don't trust Dean but you need to show him that you're willing to try. Don't worry though, Dad and I will figure out a way to keep you here, okay? You and I will run this pack just like great grandpa and his sister. It will all work out." He promised and I nodded. He hugged me again.

"You better get ready for this party" He said as he pulled away.

"Thanks Devon. You really are a great brother" I smiled and he grinned as he shut my door.

"I wish I had a brother like Devon sometimes" Carla said wistfully.

"Then I remember all the fights that you two have and I decide that it's better that I don't" She added.

I smiled at her. That was Carla, practical and logical.

"Come on, let's get ready" I said.

We both quickly changed into sundresses and fixed our hair and make up.

"You look beautiful" I commented to Carla as we finished.

"So do you" she grinned back.

"Let's go" she said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs.

"You both look great. Mom and Dad are already at the pack house setting up. Are you ready?" Devon asked when we walked into the living room. Carla and I nodded and followed him out to his car.

We hopped in and he took off. I smiled, thinking that the drama was done for the night and I could relax.

I was wrong.... so very wrong.