Chapter 54

Hunter watched his dad speak to Nathan and Scott. It puzzled him how Nathan was so nice and friendly yet his son was so horrible.

Jacob was watching his mum sit next to the fire by herself. She seemed to be very down and a little on edge. He was beginning to feel bad for doing this. He could have just talked to her about it like an adult instead of playing games with her.

"You're just testing her," Hunter thought. "You need to see what you're dealing with. It's not like you're going to announce it in front of everyone. You're only going to question her in front of William and Scott."

Jacob looked down to his hands and chewed his bottom lip. Being stuck in this situation wasn't great. He was going to get hurt either by his mum's opinions of him or his family breaking apart. He wasn't sure how his dad would take this. They love each other so much. This would really test their relationship.

"Just do what feels right. Or don't do anything and let Grace sort this out. It's her mess, not yours."

Jacob glanced at Hunter who was standing with his pack near the fire. He was watching him too with a gentle expression. The fire mirrored in his beautiful glossy eyes.

Just then, a different voice popped into Jacob's head making him choke on his drink. William turned and patted his back.

"Are you alright?"

Jacob's heart was thumping hard in his chest but he recognised the voice. He looked over to Sam and watched him quickly grin.

"We're officially best friends," Sam's voice was vibrant in his head. Jacob remembered Margo saying something about developing mind links with Hunter's pack when they were closer. "Welcome to my head, Jacob. I can only apologise, it's a bit messy in here."

"It's fine," Jacob smiled. "Mine too."

"Sam," Hunter's voice invaded them both. "Get out of his head."

Jacob turned to his jealous mate and rolled his eyes. Sam instantly froze, not wanting to upset his Alpha.

"You're really strict with him," Jacob mumbled.

"I'm his Alpha. And he's used to it."

"I am."

"Sam!"

The Beta wolf switched off his mind link and turned to talk to Flora.

"You're so possessive," Jacob thought but deep down, he secretly liked how protective Hunter was. It made him feel special.

"I'm pretty sure we had this conversation when we first connected. I'm an alpha, I get jealous and dominant over my territory."

For the first time, Jacob allowed his eyes to flicker down Hunter's body and Hunter's eyes almost popped out of his head. His mate just checked him out, in public and without an ounce of his timid behaviour.

"If you do that again, I'm making out with you right here."

Jacob dug his hands into his pockets and looked down to the grass with a little smile. But just like that, he was shy once more. He had little bursts of being confident and he really wished it would stay longer than a few minutes. He overthinks things constantly and it's hard for him to be himself around a lot of judging eyes.

Of course, nobody is judging him, yet it's incredibly easy for him to convince himself otherwise.

"Hello," A deep voice boomed, making him quickly look up to see Nathan standing in front of him. His eyes diverted back to the ground and his hands made their way out of his pockets. Nathan watched how he almost instantly began to fidget. "You're Jacob, right?"

He nodded. This was an odd situation. He was pretending like he didn't know who Nathan was and Nathan was doing the same about him.

"Well I'm Nathan, it's nice to meet you."

Jacob was just about to say something when his brother stepped in, seeing how he was a little tense and awkward.

"Hi, I'm William."

"Hello," Nathan smiled warmly. He has waited for years to speak to his Nephews. "Are you both friends of Hunter's?"

"I am, but he's Jacob's boyfriend."

Jacob felt all tingly from hearing that. It was still a little odd to think that he has, in fact, got someone special in his life when he never thought it would ever happen. Especially with someone like Hunter.

"Remember, we're both good enough for each other." Hunter's voice filled his head. Jacob saw him watching him out of the corner of his eye. He took a breath and focused on Nathan.

"Did you meet through their relationship?" He asked William.

"No actually, we're on the same course at college."

"What is it that you're studying?"

As they continued to talk, Jacob's eyes wandered over to his mother who was watching him with a very intense stare. He contemplated walking over and asking why she was looking at him like that. But before he had a chance, thunder crackled in the sky. It was so loud that it covered any conversations and made everyone jump.

Jacob looked up when he felt the lightning coming for him. He wasn't sure why it would come now, he already developed another power today.

"You're starting to feel overwhelmed Jacob, it said in the letter that the storm is your comfort." Hunter made his way over.

"I hope it doesn't rain," Kayla's voice was covered by another huge roar of thunder as Hunter took hold of his mate's hand.

"This situation," Jacob said. "It's too much."

Hunter then understood that inviting Nathan was a bad idea. Jacob couldn't cope with the pressure of pretending like he didn't know what was going on.

"Alright, let's go inside-"

"No," Jacob shook his head. "I can't do this." He looked at Nathan who seemed concerned. "I know who you are, I know my mums secret."

Grace immediately stood up with wide eyes. William had heard but Scott was too far away.

"What did you just say?" She asked.

"I know about-"

"Now you have no idea what you're talking about," She interrupted in a desperate attempt to bury her secret. "You're struggling today, I knew it." She grabbed his wrist and started pulled him towards the car. "We are going home where you belong."

"No," Jacob frowned and pulled his arm out of her grip. "Don't cover this up by using me."

"I'm not covering anything up," She said through gritted teeth. "Now come home with me."

"No."

"What's going on?" William questioned. Everyone had stopped to watch what was happening.

"Nothing," Grace said quickly. "Jacob just needs to be home."

Jacob crossed his arms.

"I can't believe you're putting the attention on me so you can cover up your secret. You're the adult here."

"Jacob shut your mouth. I'll talk when we're home," She hissed. "Now get in the car."

Nathan shook his head. He could not believe what his sister had become.

"You need to talk to dad and William," Jacob said quietly. "I don't want to embarrass you. Just take us into the house and tell us about what you know."

Grace's eyes dotted around the people. She wanted her brother to tell Jacob and only Jacob who he was. She didn't think it would backfire like this.

"They can not know about this."

"Why not?" Jacob whispered. "Just talk to us, I'm sick of the secrecy."

Grace didn't want her husband to know. She couldn't face the shame so she did something that would take the focus off of her secret and land on something else.

She lifted her hand and smacked her son hard across the cheek. Jacob stumbled back and fell into Nathan. The echo of the slap was heard around the field. The silence was visible, as were the gasps that came after it.

Grace was fighting back tears. She couldn't believe she just hit her child but this would be forgiven. Her secret might not be.

Jacob was so shocked that he allowed Nathan to hold onto him as he brushed his fingers over his stinging cheek. Never in his life has his mother been physically violent towards him.

"Mum," William breathed, unable to move.

Scott then marched over. Anger was oozing out of him.

"What the hell have you done," He growled at her and pulled his son into him. He examined his face and checked that he was okay. But Jacob was quite the opposite.

His mum slapped him because she thought he'd run and cry so she didn't have to announce her secret. This has made him determined to now let everyone know about it.

"Tell him," He said with sorrow in his tone. "Or I will."

"Tell me what?"

Hunter could feel that his mate was on the verge of breaking down but he was masking it very well.

"I have nothing to say," Grace felt like the world's worst mother. Why did she hit her son?

Jacob turned to his dad and wondered if this was the last time his parents would be together. Yes, they love each other but sometimes there are things that ruin it all without the love ever altering.

"She knows everything. She knew about the werewolves before I was even born because of Nathan," Jacob looked at him. "He is her brother. She believed about the prophecy when grandad told her because she knew werewolves existed. She's angry at you for calling me Jacota when she knew who I was all along."

Hunter's pack were hearing this for the first time too but they stayed quiet because it was the respectful thing to do.

Scott stared into his son's eyes. They were submerged in too much emotion and he knew he had fought to keep this hidden. The thing that stuck out for him the most was that she just smacked her own son so she could keep this a secret. He couldn't begin to understand the trauma in her troubled mind.

"Why-" He cleared his throat and took a breath. "Why did she keep you hidden?" He looked at Nathan and suddenly realised why he seemed familiar. He had the same facial features as his wife.

"She doesn't like werewolves." Nathan wanted to say so much more but he was sure that he could talk to Scott when this has settled. He seemed like a very level headed guy.

Scott's eyes turned to face the one that he loved. Lately these days, he has really questioned his feelings. It felt like they were growing apart and this just proved it.

"You don't like werewolves?" He questioned. Jacob felt him grip onto him harder. "But you know what your son is, how could you just ignore that?"

"I don't like who he is. I know he can't help any of it but it breaks my heart to think that he's one of the unnatural."

"Unnatural?" Hunter frowned. "We've been around for almost as long as humans. How dare you."

Anthony stepped forwards and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, silencing him. This argument was for the Jones' family. They could interrupt if it got too out of hand.

"You turn into wolves, of course, that's not natural. You live in secret so you know it yourselves."

"They live in secret because there are humans like you in the world," Scott sighed sadly. "How can we be so similar but have such different views? If I knew you thought this way, I would never have married you."

The hairs on William's neck stood on end. His heart was breaking and he could do nothing about it.

"I never rejected Jacob-"

"But you have," Scott interrupted. "You babied him and tried so hard to separate him from Hunter when you knew fine well that they were bonded for life. You ignored his fate and tried to make him think less of himself because you knew if he had no confidence then he would struggle with the power of being who he really is."

Hunter could see it now. Grace stripped her son of his independence and created a vulnerable and unstable version of him. She knew when he was older that he would be an incredible role model for many, many werewolves so she peeled away the ability to have pride and self-love.

"All those times you put him down because he was too... unstable," Scott's eyes grew very, very unfriendly. "It was because you wanted him broken didn't you?"

A tear fell down Grace's cheek, ruining her pristine makeup.

"I'm so sorry."

Jacob's heart felt like it had been thrown a million miles. She didn't deny it.

He is the way he is because of her. He has trust issues because of her and he hates himself because of her. What a pathetic excuse for a mother.

"How could you?" Scott whispered. "He's our son." He sounded very emotional as William stood next to his brother and took his hand. They squeezed each other for support because no matter what, they will always stick together.

"But he deserves a normal life-"

"Grace," Margo's voice didn't sound angelic and calm. She sounded stern and full of hatred. She couldn't understand how any mother could do such a harmful thing. After slapping Jacob, she could barely look at her. "Get off our property."

Grace's vision grew blurry from the tears. She was hurting but she deserved to be feeling this way. What she has done to Jacob over the years was silent abuse. He never felt good enough because she would let him believe it. She knew it was wrong and one day, Karma would find her. And now it has and it hit her hard.

She was going to lose her perfect little family and it was nobody else's fault but her own.