I woke up in the morning with Jack's head resting on my chest. He was letting his fingers run up-and-down my side. I smiled down at him and kissed the top of his head.

"Hey." He whispered, looking up at me.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?"

"Good."

"Any nightmares?" I asked, running my hands through his hair.

"Yeah, but I just.. I didn't want to wake you."

I gave him a sympathetic look. "Please, wake me up, Jack. You know that your safety and mental health is my top priority, so when you get hurt, even by a nightmare, I want to help you."

He nodded. "Okay."

"I have some alpha stuff to do today with my dad, but I'll be back around four, okay?"

"No!" He yelled, sitting up. I sat up with him with a confused look.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

"Don't leave me. Please.. don't leave me anymore. I can't keep them away when you're not by my side."

"Keep who away?"

He had tears in his eyes, so he lowered his head. I used my index finger and middle finger to lift his chin up.

"The hunters."

I sighed, softly, and pulled him into my arms. "Honey, they aren't going to come back. They're not going to take you again. I promise you."

"T-then what am I supposed to do while you're gone?" He whispered, tears falling down his face.

"Hang out with your dads. They've missed you. I can text you all day, okay?"

"Really?" He asked, his face brightening up.

"Yes, really." I said, chuckling.

"Okay, but can we.. can we shower together before you leave?"

"Of course." I said and kissed his forehead.

I miss you. The text that Jack had sent me said. I was supposed to be helping my dad with paperwork, but I was too distracted by my phone.

I miss you too. I tried to get back to the paperwork after I sent the text, but my phone vibrated again.

Am I distracting you? I chuckled and Father looked up at me with an annoyed look, so I went back to texting.

Um, yeah, actually. I'm sorry, baby. Carry this on at home?

I knew it would upset him, but this paperwork is really important and I know my father has been stressed about it.

Okay. He wrote back and I could tell that I had upset him. I told him I would text him, but I can't even do that.

I went back to writing on the papers when I felt my phone vibrate. My father didn't notice, but once I saw that it was Isaac, I picked it up immediately.

"What's wrong? Is he okay? What's going on?" I said and Father immediately stood up.

"I don't know. We were watching a movie and all of a sudden he starts shaking and runs and locks himself in his room. He locked his door. I don't know what to do, Matthew."

I looked up at Father and he nodded. "See what's wrong, but can you drop these papers off by tomorrow morning?"

"Of course. Thank you, Father, love you."

"Love you too." He said and patted my shoulder.

I walked from the quarter house, which is where the elders wanted us to work for the day. The walk was only like five minutes, but to make it quicker, I ran as fast as I could.

Once I reached the house, I barged in and ran up the stairs. I saw his parents standing in front of Jack's door.

"I got it. Wait downstairs, please." I begged them.

"Okay." Isaac said.

Once they left, I knocked on the door. "Jack, it's me. Open up."

The door opened and he had tears running down his face. I set the paperwork down on his desk and tried to wipe his tears away, but he backed up from me.

"You can't just fucking do that to me!" He screamed at me.

I gave him a confused look. "Do what?"

"Say you're going to do something and just not do it!"

"Jack, I had stuff to do for my dad. I can't focus on you every second, especially when I have alpha stuff."

"But you're my mate! I'm supposed to be able to trust you and believe you!"

"Why is this such a big deal?" I snapped.

"Because I'm terrified!" He screamed that the walls shook. The house was dead silent. The floor didn't creak. His parents didn't make a sound from downstairs. Our breathing wasn't even heard.

"Terrified? Of what?"

"Of everything! Ever since I've gotten back, I can't not be by your side! I need you, Matthew. What don't you understand about that?!"

"I want to be by your side every second, but I can't! I can't protect you every second of every day!"

"Then who will?!"

"Your fucking self!"

His eyes started to water and he turned away from me. I saw his hands shake, but he stuffed them into the front of his jeans pockets.

"Jack, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"Don't you fucking dare. You know I can't protect myself anymore."

"That's not true, baby, you can. You fought back in your confinement. You fought wolf after wolf. You are stronger than ever."

"But I don't want too. I might be too strong and I might hurt someone again." He whispered.

It broke my heart to hear him say those words. "Baby, you're not going to kill someone."

"I already have."

"Because you were trying to stay alive. You had too."

"I should've just let them kill me." He whispered and I gasped.

"Jack Austin Schemer-Kass, don't you dare say that!"

"But it's true. I shouldn't be here." He whispered and sat on the bed, setting his forehead on his knees.

"Jack, don't say that." I said, my voice cracking.

He looked up. "I can't help it."

"W-we need to get you some help."

"No! You promised me that you wouldn't force me to go to therapy!" He yelled at me.

I went over, sitting next to him on the bed. I set my hand on his knee. "You're depressed, Jack. I can't help you like a counselor could. They specialize in this stuff. You'll get the help you need."

"I c-can't be alone with anyone, except for you."

"Then I will be right there by your side."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay." He whispered.

"Okay, I'll make an appointment. We should tell your parents because they've been asking me to do this ever since you got back."

He nodded, looking at the ground. "Thank you for putting up with me."

"Don't thank me, baby, I love too."

He set his head on my chest and sighed. "I'm sorry for making you come home."

"Don't apologize either. My father is fine with me working from here. I just have to bring those papers by in the morning."

"I can help you, if you want."

"No, it's fine. You have schoolwork, right?"

"Yeah, I have a lot of make-up work too."

"Well, I'll work on alpha stuff and if you need help with anything, I'm here."

He smiled and kissed me, softly. "Thank you."

"Of course." He said, pulling one of the binders out of his bookbag. He handed me my papers with a pen and my laptop. We started working on separate things as I played music in the background.

I looked up at him while he wrote something on his papers. He looked up at me with a small blush on his face. I gave him a soft smile, reaching for his hand. He took my hand in his and smiled back at me.

"What's up?"

"I just love you." I whispered.

He smiled and leaned over, kissing me. "I love you too."

"Sorry, get back to work." I said, looking down at my papers and writing stuff down.

I didn't notice as Jack put his binder down and crawled closer to me. I gasped when I felt his small hands on my belt.

"J-Jack, what're you doing?" I whispered.

"I can't focus."

"W-why?" I said as he threw my belt to the ground.

"I've just been thinking lately.. you haven't been the focus of stuff we do in awhile. You deserve this."

"It'll bring up memories, Jack, we can't do this."

"I'm fine, just don't press down on my head." He said as he pulled my jeans down to my ankles.

"J-Jack, we shouldn't be doing this. I don't want-" I started, but gasped loudly when he took my into his mouth.

I felt my member thicken in his mouth as he went slowly on my member. I moaned out, trying to keep my noises down because of Jack's parents.

"Oh, fuck." I whispered, resisting the urge to put my hands on his body.

I gasped loudly when the tip of my member touched the back of his throat as he deep throated me.

"J-Jack.." I moaned out. I held myself back from bucking my hips up.

He lifted his head and replaced his mouth with his hand. I watched as his hand was covered with his own spit from my member.

"You o-okay?" I whispered.

"Perfectly fine." He whispered back.

I bit my lip as his thumb ran over my tip, making me reach my climax. I watched as my liquid squirted out and landed on Jack's clothes and hand. I looked up at my mate, who was running his hand up-and-down his thigh.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too." He whispered, smiling at me.