Hey readers,

I know that I haven't been updating as much as you would like and I do feel really guilty about it since I know how frustrating it can be waiting for a writer to upload. But I owe you an explanation which is simply that not only have I been concentrating more on my other story – the God and Goddess of War – but I have had a lot of work on lately and just haven't found the time.

Anyway, I hopefully will be updating more frequently since I know exactly where I want to take this story and how to mould it into what I want.

Thank you for all the reviews, I'm serious. I was curious as to what you guess thought, logged onto fanfiction before bursting into a grin when I saw all the fabulous comments. I looked and swore to myself to get this chapter up ASAP for you guys.

Hope you enjoy.

xxx

Chapter 38

The room seemed to go quiet after that declaration; Jacob knowing as soon as the words passed his lips that he had only made his relationship with Brooke worse. He didn't like it, didn't like how he could feel how badly he seemed to be hurting her and not having a clue in the world of how to make it better.

"Brooke…" was all he got out before his girl quietly slid past everyone and slid into the bathroom, the door shutting with a gentle click as the room remained silent.

"Well, you fucked up there mate" Paul snorted after a few minutes had gone by, but even the most vicious member of the back looked unnerved by what was happening in front of him.

Jacob couldn't even bring himself to growl as he slumped down in a seat and ran a hand through his ink black hair. How had he messed up so suddenly? And more importantly, how on earth did he fix his mistake?

"God, she is such a drama queen."

At Bella's muttered comment it seemed everyone turned to glare in her direction, suddenly making her seem very small as even the kind hearted Seth had narrowed his eyes at her. It was surreal.

"I think it would be best if you left, Bella" Emily finally worked up the courage to ask, her hand slipping into Sam's as she drew courage from him. She as well didn't like this sudden turn of events.

Bella's eyes widened in shock at the request before she shrugged it off, "I'm fine here, Emily."

"Maybe," the current alpha female murmured. "But I really think it would be best for everyone if you spent some time away from the pack" she suggested before glancing around to see if everyone else agreed. The nods from the other wolves said as much.

Sensing this as well Bella huffed, standing to her feet with a sneer before stomping over to where Jacob was still sloughed in his seat with a pained expression on his face. "Are you going to let them kick me out?" she demanded causing Jacob to shrug.

"Honestly Bella, I think it's for the best at the moment" he finally related causing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief that Jacob had made the obviously right choice and that he wasn't going to make things worse by sticking by Bella when his own mate was in such a state over it.

Shock filled Bella before she hissed; making a move to leave the house but not before she threw a comment over her shoulder. "Whether you admit it or not Jacob I know you still care about me, if not you wouldn't have told you're so called girlfriend how much you care about me to her face."

No one stopped her as she left, not that she really expected it but even so Bella knew that she was indeed right about her feelings for Jacob and his for her. If you loved someone you didn't treat them like that. So with that she headed to her truck with a grin on her face, not realising just how hypocritical she was actually being.

Back in Emily's and Sam's house the atmosphere was tense, and it wasn't until Jacob finally couldn't take it anymore and rose from his seat before practically sprinting to the bathroom which Brooke had yet to come out from.

The rapid knocking on the door broke through the silence as Jacob shifted nervously on his feet. "Brooke? Baby, are you ok?"

Hearing her mutter something under her breath Jacob frowned before pressing his ear against the door, his sensitive hearing for once failing him as she spoke too quietly for even him to understand.

"Brooke?"

Knowing that she couldn't hide away for much longer Brooke glanced at the door where she knew her mate was standing on the other side of, her face falling slightly when she remembered his words. Did he really care that much about Bella, another girl?

Splashing some water on her face Brooke patted herself dry before taking a deep breath. While she wanted do nothing more than to go back to Jacobs and burry herself under his sheets and simply finish this crappy day, she knew her vision was too important not to share with the rest of the pack. It felt as if it was her duty to look after them, to help when out whenever she could. She wasn't going to let them down if she could help it, not when she classed them all as close family.

Steading herself, preparing to face Jacob and not break out in a smile at the simple sight of him, Brooke unlocked the door before opening it only to come face to face with a very concerned looking wolf. If anything he looked worse that she felt.

"Hey baby," Jacob spoke softly, as if he was afraid that he would startle her.

Not knowing how to react Brooke simply nodded slowly before slipping past her mate, keeping far enough away not too touch him as she wasn't sure she would be able to remain stern if they touched. When he touched her she melted, it was as simple as that.

Jacob on the other hand couldn't help but feel a bolt of pain rush through him as his heart clenched when his mate stepped away from him. Had he really wrecked things between them? And for what, Bella? Because even though he still thought of her as a friend if it came down to it he knew Brooke meant so, so much more to him then Bella ever had, ever would.

He really needed to make sure she knew that.

Walking into the living room where everyone seemed to have relocated to Brooke nervously played with her hands in front of her, Jacob closely on her toes as he remained as close as he dared with Brooke being as pissed off with him as she was. In any other situation it would have seemed hilarious that one of the most muscular and power wolves of the pack was tiptoeing around such a tiny framed female such as Brooke.

"You ok, button?" Paul was first to break the silence causing Brooke to nod.

"Urm…where's Bella then?" she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Gone" Jacob spoke up in an instant, wanting her to talk to him even if it was only a few words. She could be angry with him, she could shout at him but when Brooke was upset he realised she just seemed to shut herself down and if anything that was a hell of a lot worse. He would rather she was in his face screaming then be as quiet as she was.

"Oh,"

Wanting to distract her Sam got straight to the point to what had been the reason for the meeting to be called in the first place, hoping that Jacob would be able to fix this quickly since he knew Brooke wasn't the sort of person to hold grudges, but that didn't mean she was a push over. It was one of the reasons he thought she worked so well with Jacob, what with at time Jacob being sometimes on the selfish side and Brooke being one of the most generous people he had ever met. They worked.

"Do you want to share your vision, Brooke?"

Glad for the distraction Brooke nodded. "We have a problem. The red-headed vampire-"

"Victoria" Seth buttered in causing Brooke to nod rapidly.

"Yea, Victoria I think is planning a newborn army to get her revenge" Brooke replied bluntly, not knowing how else to put it. It wasn't something you could really edge around.

It was quiet before Sam released a large sigh. "Fuck," was all he could think to say.

"Damn right fuck!" Paul snapped. "This is bullshit! We have to go into some crappy war and for what, Bella?" he snorted.

The pack didn't seem to be listening as they were all lost in their own thoughts on the impending battle that they were all going to have to face. Not one of the pack asked her if she was sure, not displaying a single doubt since they trusted her impeccably. If Brooke told them to expect a war, they were going to have to prepare for the battle which seemed to be well on the way.

The car ride back to Jacob's house was tense to say the least, Brooke leaning her head against the cool window as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore what the day had brought.

Sam had planned for them to have a more business like meeting in a few days to really discuss in detail of what was going to occur and what needed to be done. He had asked her to see if she could keep an eye out for any visions she might get, and while it was possible for her to force them it was the last thing she wanted to do. It could really screw up your head if you spent too much time in the further and not enough in the present, realities soon start to blur.

She knew why he had asked though and she had replied that she would do her best, telling him anything new she found out the moment she saw it. It was the best she could do in the situation though and she hoped it was enough.

When experiencing glimpses of what she knew would happen it didn't made it any easier on her when it came to experiencing it in the real life, if anything at times it made her feel worse. When she was a child and she saw how her father wanted to force himself on her, to make her beg for him to stop even though he never had the intention of doing so. Even though thankfully she had managed to avoid it that didn't mean she didn't experience it, have it as a memory even though it never happened in the present.

At times like that her so called gift was more like a curse from hell.

Pulling into his drive Jacob stole yet another glance towards his mate, taking the opportunity to take her all in as he felt his whole face soften at the sight of her. He had really fucked this up and he needed to sort it out before it got any worse. He couldn't handle her hating him, he just couldn't.

With that on his mind he shut off the engine before opening his mouth to speak to his darling mate, only to find her fast sleep. Not being able to help himself he felt a smile appear on his lips before he quickly got out of his side of the car, heading over to his mate's side as silently as possible since he didn't want to risk the chance of waking her.

He knew he was probably pushing his luck as he swept her into his arms, feeling her instinctively curl against him as he savoured the touch that he had been prevented from since the morning when he first broke the news to her that he had made plans over the ones he had already promised her. Really, what on earth had he been thinking?

Breathing in her scent he carried her into the house, his sensitive hearing picking up on his dads light snoring as he made his way towards his bedroom. She could be angry with him in the morning, but right now he knew it would be the best for the both of them if they could spend the night together since he knew his wolf would allow nothing less.

Not to mention feeling the brunt of her anger would be a hell of a lot better than the silent treatment, he couldn't handle her shutting him out like she was. He knew of her past, he wanted to be there to take the pressure off, not to put more onto his delicate little mate.

He suddenly couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.

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