Reclamation

10. Closer to Disclosure

Chapter Ten: Closer to Disclosure

"I can't believe you're willing to go with him!" I fidgeted with the blanket on the bed and tried to convince Jace that its ok for me to stay with Stephan for a couple of days. "What if he hurts you again Katherine? What then?"

"Jace you know the minute Stephan lays a hand on me, a knife would probably be planted on his heart." I reasoned with him. "Plus, it was you who even said that the faster we do this the faster we get to leave."

He signed loudly, "Katherine it's not that type of hurt I'm talking about. Emotionally not physically." I reached over to him and tried to plant a kiss on his lips for reassurance but he dodged before I was centimetres close. "I'm sorry I can't let you leave without me. I don't trust him." Jace untangled my intertwined hands and walked inside the closet to start packing.

I followed him inside, "then trust me. Please Jace." I said to him. Jace pulled me by the waist and hugged me while he buried his face in the crook of my neck. "Please?"

He brought his face away from my neck and put both his palm on either side of my cheeks. "Katherine I do trust you. It's him I don't trust. You have to understand that this is hard for me, knowing you guys are destined to be together and I'm just an obstacle you need to get through, its hard." He said with full honesty. I understand what Jace is going through but this is probably the only chance Stephan and I will have for disclosure.

Jace has to understand that Stephan and I need some disclosure so we can work together without any emotional interference. Stephan needs to know that I'm taken by Jace and that Jace needs to understand I will always be his. Will you? Will you always be his Gabriella? My stupid inner thought said.

Urgh! Of course I will always be Jace. I said to myself, but it sounded more like I was trying to convince myself. I shook the thought away, "Jace, listen to me. You will never be an obstacle I have to get through. You will always be the life saver I will thank for the rest of my life. You know me more than my own brother," I smiled at him and he smiled back, "and you know that I will never be the girl that makes the same mistake the second time."

Jace grabbed my hands and intertwined it with his, "fine but please Katherine, you make sure you will never let him touch you in any sexual manner. Including kissing your lips. That's mine!" He said possessively, I wasn't as much turned on when Stephan said "what" this morning but its probably just the mate bond calling. My wolf is really in over drive now that she saw his mate after three years.

I smiled at Jace and he kissed my nose. "Well, I guess I need to start packing." I signed quietly and started to pack clothes I will need for the following four days. My life just gets better and better, hence the sarcasm.

***

11:54 pm, 6 minutes before I leave the only family I can actually count on. I will be driving with the person I never would have thought. I walked downstairs with my bag in hand and a pillow on the other.

Jamie, Chad, David & Dylan were all staring at me while I walk down the stairs. It felt like I would never see them again and at that moment I was thinking twice about leaving them, it felt like this stupid disclosure doesn't need to happen.

I was about to tell them that I wasn't going anymore when Jamie hugged me tightly once I reached the bottom and said, "I'm so proud of you. You finally can be close to him without feeling attached." I swallowed hard and put on a bright smile.

Yes, you can do this Gabriella! Show them that you don't feel anything for Stephan and that you're perfectly happy with Jace. Stick by Jamie's words that your capable of being near him without Stephan giving you a rise of emotions.