Chapter Twenty-Three

"I give up!" William snarled with frustration as he slammed his bedroom door behind him. Seth, who lay on the bed with his eyes closed tightly tried to pretend to be asleep by pulling his covers over himself. His brother stalked over to him and yanked them off of him.

"Can't you two just make up already?" Seth whined and heaved a pillow over his head.

"I try!" William jerked the pillow and tossed it in the corner of the room as he began to pace. "And I would but she's avoiding me! If I could catch her I'd apologize right away!"

"What makes you think she'd forgive you?" Seth muttered darkly as he snuggled further into his bed.

"Well I don't but I'd beg her. She forgave Hunter for assaulting her, she can forgive me for a simple argument." William rambled, assuring himself.

Seth sighed impatiently. "But it's different."

"Yeah it is! My mistake wasn't as terrible as Hunter's!" William's hands angrily clenched around the pillow and he used it like a stress ball.

"Not to Jack it wasn't." Seeing the taller man's expression of confusion, Seth elaborated further. "A woman's mind is much different and Jack's mind is even more different than a man's. She expects men to screw her over. Her father, the various 'bad boys' she dated in high school, Raphael, Hunter; she didn't expect anything better from those people. But she trusted you. She put all of her faith into you and when you hurt her, it's a hurt she hasn't felt before making her confused and all around angrier. She hates herself for allowing you so close."

William, flabbergasted, flopped down on the end of Seth's bed. "Shit." He muttered as he dropped his head into his hands. "How are you an expert at this?" He looked at Seth with incredulity.

Seth waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I know everything there is to know about women."

William frowned and chucked the pillow he was holding at his brother. "But how am I supposed to fix this?"

Seth shrugged. "Lock her in a room with you and make her hear you out." William glared at him and Seth gave him a foolish hurt look back. "What? I'm being serious!"

"That would never work with Jack." William protested.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." He spoke with a shocking serious tone. "The full moon is in two days."

William threw his head back and sighed. "I know. If Hunter or that Diedrick guy tries to claim her…" He threatened menacingly.

Seth laughed. "You've become an overprotective asshole!" He hooted, slapping his knee.

William glared at his younger brother. "Wait until you find your mate."

"Don't tell me that you believe in mom and dad's soul mate thing?" Seth said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I don't know, but it sure feels like they're telling the truth." William stood up from his brother's bed, walked across the room, and flicked off the lights. "I'm gonna try to get some sleep before she starts screaming again."

There was a consistent knocking on Jack's door. She grumbled and turned over in her bed. She felt as if she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the previous night, she probably hadn't with the reoccurring Raphael dream.

"I'm coming." Jack called out annoyed as the knocking persisted. She sluggishly walked over to her dresser, slipped on her bra underneath her pajama shirt and then went to open the door. What if it's William? She suddenly worried, unsure if she should open the door. But as the knocking grew louder, she gave in and flung open her bedroom door.

"Let me in." Karen pushed her way past Jack, as she let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't William.

"Morning Karen." Jack greeted as she gently closed her door.

"Do you know what time it is?" Karen ignored Jack's welcome.

Jack looked at her clock. "Twelve." She answered meekly.

Karen rolled her eyes. "Yes twelve, in the afternoon! Just because you're avoiding William doesn't mean you can avoid us all!" She complained.

"I'm sorry," Jack apologized. "I wasn't avoiding you. I just haven't got a lot of sleep lately."

Karen released her tense shoulders, signaling her forgiveness. "I know, we all know."

"How do you-?" Jack begun.

"You scream." Karen explained curtly. "But the only one it keeps awake is William."

"I didn't know I screamed!" Jack yelped in embarrassment.

"Whatever." Karen shrugged. "Like I said, the only one it bothers is William. That's why you should forgive him today, you both need a good nights sleep for tomorrow, it'll be your first full moon."

She avoided Karen's gaze as she turned to make her bed. "He hasn't apologized."

"Oh don't give me that shit, you know he's been trying all week." Karen snapped, placing her hands on her hips.

Jack sighed and met Karen's eyes full on. "I know but I just, I don't know how to forgive him. Or if I even need to, he wasn't, I mean." She sighed. "I think I blew it out of proportions but now I'm too frightened to fess up to it. I don't want to lose him."

Karen looked at Jack for a minute, studying her and then sat down next to her on the bed. "He loves you Jack, you need to apologize to him."

"But what William and I have, it feels like something more than a normal love and I just, I'm having a hard time putting myself out there." Jack defended.

"Look, I'm not saying I have that rare soul crushing love that you two seem to have, but I get it. I know what love feels like and even though Joel is the most infuriating piece of shit ever," Karen breathed deeply to calm herself. "I still can't stand to be without him. And unlike you, the man I love doesn't even love me back so if I were you I'd try to spend the most time with him as I could, even if it was a limited amount of time."

Jack processed Karen's speech. She was right. This entire time she'd been so selfish. So afraid when, other than Ashburn and Seneca, nobody else was in love. Nobody else had that opportunity she had and here she was wasting it on being mad! She was spoiled! Why hadn't she seen this! Why wouldn't she let herself see this? Was she that stubborn?

"You're right!" Jack exclaimed. "This entire week I could have spent it with William, oh god!" She dropped her head into her hands. "He's leaving in two days and I wasted all this time!"

Karen frowned and smacked Jack's head. "And now you're wasting even more time! Quick! Go apologize!"

Jack shot off of the bed and ran to the door. "Thank you so much!" She called out as she turned to run off in search of William.

Jack raced into the last room she hadn't searched, the TV room in the basement. Where was he? He wasn't in here! She heard a creak of the door opening and turned to see William closing the door behind him.

"William." She breathed outward in relief.

"Jack!" William roared, not hearing her. He locked the door behind him and strode towards her. "You have to listen to me! I'm not giving you a choice!" He yelled.

"William-." She tried to interrupt.

"No just listen!" He shouted frustrated and then out of regret, lowered his voice a tad. "You've been avoiding me all week and I'm tired of it! All this time I've been trying to apologize and you won't let me! It's so damn frustrating! All I want to do is be with the woman I love and you won't even let me near you!"

"I know and-!" Jack forgetfully tried to interrupt.

"No! Just listen! I've been trying to tell you that I want to stay! I'll stay! I'll desert my pack! I'll do anything! I just need to be with you!" He pleaded dropping to his knees and taking Jack's hand. "I-." He paused. "I can't take this any longer! Don't you feel the same?"

Jack's felt her eyes watering slightly as she nodded her head. "Yes, of course." She dropped to her own knees and placed her hands on his cheeks. "I love you and I've been so stupid. And stubborn. And afraid, but mostly just stupid."

"No," William shook his head. "I shouldn't have-."

"Shut up William." Jack scolded. "It's my fault, you tried to apologize and I've been a bitch to you. I was confused and I took it out on you, everything has messed me up and I didn't see what was important anymore. I didn't see that you were what was important."

William's face bent into a happy grinned and he leaned forward to peck her on the lips. The touch left Jack with exploding fireworks of happiness, love, and content in her stomach.

"I'm sorry about not telling you Jack." He whispered against her lips.

Jack leaned backwards to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry for not trusting you. I should have known, you've been nothing but wonderful to me. You've saved me so many times, it seemed too good to be true and I jumped at the chance to prove I was wrong about you."

"You weren't wrong." He held her closer. "I don't want to hurt you, ever. I don't want to make mistakes, but I will. You need to trust me to know that I'll always love you."

"I trust you, more than anyone in the world." She wrapped her arms around him.

"It's about time." He whispered into her ear, sending shivers of excitement down her spine.

Unsatisfied with just a peck, she leaned forward and kissed him again. This time more fiercely. Apparently it was a little too much and as her teeth bit playfully at his closed mouth, William growled and opened his mouth, bringing hers with his, and began to joust with her tongue as they explored each other all over again. Like their first time, their kiss held relief and love and lust and excitement.

William began to rise slowly off the ground as Jack moved forward to wrap her legs around his middle. He carried them both over to the couch, still kissing her passionately, and his hand began to slip under her shirt.

"Wait-." Jack put her hand in front of his mouth and he growled in disappointment. "I just want to tell you that I don't want you to give up your pack."

"What?" William began to pull back but she grabbed the back of his head, slipping her fingers through his black locks, and brought him back to her.

"I want to come with you." She whispered with her forehead against his. "To Arizona."

As he realized what she said, his lips turned upwards in an elated grin. He leaned forward and caught her lips again. One hand tangled itself into her blonde locks and the other began to drift farther and farther down her body.

"Holy Shit!" Seth's yell rang through the basement and William and Jack snapped upwards and away from each other. "My eyes! I'm blinded!"

Jack began to chuckle as Seth slammed the door behind him while he ran out of the room. William cursed softly, a small smile hidden in his harsh features, and he fell back against the couch.

Jack leaned forward, alluringly and spoke in a low whisper near William's face. "I don't think we'll be able to do anything in the basement."

"No, not with a house full of werewolves." William pressed a kiss against Jack's cheek. "But later when we're all alone."

Jack smiled as his promise sunk in and she nuzzled her head into his neck as he held her tightly in his lap. "Why did it take us so long?"

"To do what, fall in love?" William whispered back in question. Jack nodded slightly and he pecked a quick kiss to her nose. "It didn't take us long at all, I've been in love with you for quite some time now. We're just both so damn stubborn and stupid we wouldn't admit to it."

Jack held his hand, playing with his fingers. "We'll I'm glad we both finally became smarter, I don't think I could have waited another day."

"You're going to be with me forever, right?" William asked quietly, unsure, after several moments.

"As long as you want me forever." Jack whispered back, her face moving closer to him as she straddled his lap.

"I'll always love you." William pressed his hard lips against hers, tangling his hands in her hair.

"And," Jack returned the kiss fully, speaking while she caught her breath. "I'll always love you too."

The darkness was falling, slowly masking the scenery with night. Jack held William's hand firmly out of nervousness and affection. Tonight was the first night of her new life. No, she corrected. The first night was when William saved her life. That was the first night she had been introduced into the supernatural world and the first night she met the man she loved.

But this was a big night nonetheless. It was a test of her strength and acceptance. She was nervous that it would hurt. William had promised her that it would and she couldn't help but be terrified. But he had also promised to protect her and stay with her.

The others were gathering together, but since it was Jack's first time it was private between her and William. She was glad; Jack was nowhere near being ready to undress in front of everyone. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready to undress in front of Hunter but William had said that once a werewolf is mated other werewolves wouldn't bother her. Even so, she couldn't imagine changing in front of Ashburn who she thought of as a second father.

Not only was Jack worried about the full moon; she was also worried about the next day. They had decided to leave for Arizona early morning and she was already concerned over meeting the new pack. But then again it didn't really matter anymore, standing next to her was William; the man she loved. The man she was going to cherish and be with for the rest of her life and Jack didn't need anything more.

He led her farther into the woods as the moon began to raise higher, his touch never failed to leave tingles of excitement racing across her skin. But it wasn't just excitement that his touch gave her anymore it was comfort and love. For a long time she had been searching for that touch without knowing so.

"Are you ready?" He asked softly when he stopped at a small clearing in the woods. Jack looked towards the sky, seeing the moon fully raised and it excited her. Her entire body was aching for something she hadn't felt yet. She wanted to run and to be wild and free.

"Yes." She answered, anxious to change into her new half. Her entire body felt like electricity was racing through it and she was already starting to vibrate in excitement.

William chuckled and pressed a kiss against her forehead, the touch even better in her enhanced mood. "Everything will be perfect, it'll only hurt for a bit."

Jack smiled back as his hands slowly pulled the soft fabric of her shirt over her head. She did the same to him, her fingers lingering on his chest muscles as he unbuttoned her jeans. The sexual attraction to him had always been there, of course, but tonight it felt even more. She wanted nothing more to have him underneath her and to hear their screams of pleasure.

His calloused fingers curled around her chin and forced her eyes to meet his. "There'll be plenty of time for that later, for now concentrate on your transformation." He was grinning at the thought of their consummation. Mating under the full moon would mean that they were mates for life.

Jack pulled off her bra, her final piece of clothing, and stood proudly naked in front of him. No more was she worried about the slight roundness of her belly or the whiteness of her skin, she knew that he loved her as much as she loved him.

And then the change began. It started as a slight spasm and then Jack fell to her knees in shock. The dirt and sticks dug into her naked flesh but it was nothing compared to the pain of the transformation. William had described it accurately; it felt like someone was turning her body inside out. Her arms began to rip as her bones adjusted and the hair grew. Her face stung and stretched as an imaginary force grabbed her nose and elongated it into a wolf's. Her back cracked painfully and she hunched over as it grew into an arc. The flesh between her knuckles broke and the claws popped out like knives. She screamed, filling the night with her pain.

Her eyes were the last to change, her night vision became clearer and everything was brighter like infrared. She could see William outlined in static green, resembling the deep color of his eyes.

She was shorter now, lower to the ground and the earthy forest smell wafted to her nose. She was excited. The pain was long forgotten, her bones already healed, and she was ready to run with the moonlight.

The blonde wolf turned her head to the side, her silver eyes landed on her black haired mate. He stood on all fours, cocking his head curious as if to ask if she was all right. Her only reply was to sprint into the night, teasing him to follow.

She felt as if she were flying, her limbs pumping her forward and sending her soaring through the night air. She could tell he was right behind her, playfully nipping at her heels. She howled magically at the moon before increasing her speed and turning sharply to the right.

The horrors of before were long gone. Raphael and Hunter, only shadows of the past in her mind. She had forgiven her father. She had a family now.

Her call was replied, a chorus of howls filled the silence and Jack took off towards the pack with William by her side, where she belonged.

-The End-

A/n: Thank you everyone for reviewing, adding as a favorite, or just reading.

There will be a sequel, I have begun to write it, but I expect to start uploading this summer. It will be about Seth and his future mate.

Thank you.