Chapter 8 – Willa

"She wants me to get back with Wyatt," Wynter said, between sobs. Zed looked up at Willa, with the deadliest look he had ever given.

"That's not what I said," Willa said quickly, sensing Zed's anger. "All I said was that it was time for you to come back to the den. You can't stay away from the pack forever, Wynter. You have responsibilities, to me, to Wyatt, and to the pack."

"You want me to move back to the den, to a room I have to share with Wyatt," she sobbed, burying her head into Zed's chest.

"Why does she have to share a room with Wyatt?" Zed growled at Willa.

"You don't understand Zed. Once the elders have paired two wolves, they have to live together, to raise their pups, to strengthen the bond of the pack," Willa explained, but it just made Zed scowled harder.

"Raise pups? You mean like have kids!" Zed shouted, causing Wynter to sob harder into his chest. "You expect her to have children with the guy who cheated on her; who broke her heart; who physically hurt her yesterday! Are you fucking insane, Willa?"

"Obviously not right away!", she exclaimed. "But when the elders have spoken, we must respect their wishes. It's a wolf thing, you wouldn't understand."

"Fuck the elders!" Zed shouted, getting more and more angry. "I thought you were the alpha! Doesn't that literally mean they have to do what you want!"

"It's not that simple, Zed!" Willa shouted back at him. "They were matched a long time ago! And unless one of them is exiled or dies, they're bound for life!"

"Then exile Wyatt," Wynter said quietly, finally looking back at Willa.

"Wynter, you know I can't just exile people over fights! It's a serious matter! Without proper cause, I can't-"

"He cheated on me, slept with a human, attacked me and Zed in public! What more reason do you need Willa!", Wynter shouted.

"Wynter, he's my brother! No matter how much shit he does, and how much he fucking puts me through, he's still my fucking brother!" Willa growled at Wynter. "So no, I'm not going to exile him."

Wynter paused for a moment, before looking Willa directly into her eyes. "Then fucking exile me.", she stated, snarling as she did so.

"What? Wynter no-" Zed started.

"Wynter I'm not going to do that!" Willa yelled. "You're not thinking straight! Just come back to the den, and we'll figure this out!"

Wynter looked up at Zed, seeing tears forming in his eyes. They both knew if she went with Willa, they probably would never be able to see each other again. Wynter would be forced to drop out of college, and live permanently in the den. "Then let me make this easy for you," she scowled, looking back at Willa. "Fuck you. Fuck Wyatt. Fuck the entire pack. You've all done nothing but lie and screw me over. So fuck it, I'm done, Willa. I'm done sacrificing me happiness for the pack. I'm done doing stuff I don't want to do you please you, or the elders, or Wyatt. I'm fucking done, Willa!", she said, slamming the door in Willa's face.

Wynter turned to Zed in disbelief. "I can't believe I just did that," she said, letting out a small smile of relief.

"You are the bravest person in the world, you know that right," Zed said, pulling her into a hug. "I wouldn't have been able to do that."

"Neither would I," Bonzo smiled, watching the two of them from the couch. "You guys look good together, you know. And I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

"Thanks, Bonz," Zed said. "But we do still have one issue." Bonzo and Wynter looked at him slightly puzzled. "The article. It literally had a picture of us kissing, and Addison is going to be pissed!"

"Shit, the article," Wynter muttered. "There's no way that the Aceys will take it down."

"And so now everyone thinks that you two cheated on them," Bonzo added.

"There's nothing we can do," Wynter sighed. "Addison probably already knows, as does every other person on campus. All we can do is hope that people will believe us when we tell them the truth."

"And if they don't, we could always kick their asses," Bonzo laughed.

"But either way, we'll do it together, right Wynnie?", Zed said, pulling her into another hug and smiling goofily.

"Yeah," she smiled back at him. "And the name Wynnie is growing on me."