This is my one shot for the Choose Me Contest over on Jacob Black ~N~ Pack. Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think. -km3-
I woke up very warm and snuggled into Jake's side a little more. The air was still very chilly and crisp in the tent, but the worst of it was over now. Jake had his arm draped over my body, holding me close to him. I assumed this was to make sure I was warm, but part of me thought that maybe he had other ideas.
I stretched my arms up as best I could, and yawned. I peeked over at Edward who was sitting with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him.
"Good morning beautiful, sleep well?" he asked as he smiled at me.
"One of the best night's sleeps I've had in a while thanks for asking. Would have been much better if we were in a bed and not on the hard ground though." Jake said as he stretched his long arms over his head and yawned.
Since he lifted his arm off of me, I took the opportunity to sit up and really get a good stretch in. Jake stood and made his way to the tent door.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Nature calls Bells. Plus, I need to check in with Sam," he called over his shoulder as he unzipped the tent and walked out into the bright sun. It was strange the way the weather was today, considering we had just had what seemed like a blizzard in the beginning of June.
"So, did you enjoy your night last night?" Edward asked as I began to put my hiking boots back on.
"My teeth almost shattering? Not quite, but I can think of a way I would have rather spent the evening. Maybe, say, the way things went the night before." I blushed at the thoughts of the night I was alone with Edward. I tried desperately to get him to give into me, but still, he wouldn't budge.
"In time, Love. It will happen in due time. You just have to be patient. Once we're married, I will give you what you want, but-"
He was cut off by Jake ripping the tent door open. He was shaking horribly, and starting to blur.
"Wait, what do you mean married? What are you going to give her? Bella, you're really going to marry him?" Jake was shooting daggers at me with his gaze. It was so cold; the light was all but gone. I steeled myself to answer his question as Edward took a protective stance in front of me.
"You think I'm going to hurt her? Get out of the way leech, I believe I deserve an explanation from her." Jake seethed.
"Not until you get control of your tremors. You need to leave. Now." Edward was still blocking me. I knew Jake wouldn't hurt me, so I moved in between them and placed a hand on Edward's chest.
"Edward, it's okay. He won't hurt me. I know he won't." I looked down at the ground, feeling shameful for what I was going to ask of him.
"Can you leave us alone...for a second? I want to talk to Jake. He's right. I do owe him an explanation." Finally, I raised my gaze to his, and what I saw there almost broke my heart. His eyes were so...empty.
"If that's what you wish." And with that he left the tent, but not before shrugging past Jake, causing him to flinch at the coldness.
"Don't worry bloodsucker, I'll take good care of her while you're gone. Like I always do."
I wasn't sure what Edward had said because he was already gone with Seth in tow. Jake just chuckled to himself.
I glared at him when he glanced back over to me. He was not getting off the hook that easily. I stood to make my way out of the tent, and shoved Jake in the chest in the process. He laughed and followed me out.
"What was that for Bells? You know I was only joking with him." he shrugged.
"You know I don't like it when you two act like that. And quite frankly, I don't owe you an explanation. I just feel you should hear it from me, and not someone else." I hesitated before taking in a deep breath and continuing, "I'm going to marry Edward."
''Yeah, I got that. What are you asking him to give you?" he folded his arms across his bare chest. I really didn't want to tell him, and so I simply stated, "It's none of your business."
"The hell it isn't Bella. There is nothing that he can give you that I can't. Okay, well except for money and expensive things. But that's not you. You don't like those things and we both know it. Hell, even your bloo-... boyfriend knows it."
I was outraged that Jake would act like that. It really was none of his damn business what I asked Edward to give me. But I knew he wouldn't let it go, so I tried to being vague.
"I asked him to give me what every husband gives his wife." I shrugged, just as he had earlier. Jake looked like he was trying to understand my response, but it wasn't working out well.
"What do you want from me, Jake? Really, what is it that you think I can give you?" I yelled, throwing my arms in the air and turning around. He grew silent for a moment, but finally answered when I turned back to him.
"I want you to choose me Bells. I want you to want me; love me. Is that so hard for you? I love you Bella. You know that, and there isn't a thing in this world I wouldn't give you if you just chose me. But even more than all that, you love me too. You just don't want to see it," he walked over to me and lifted my chin with his finger until I was staring into his eyes. I could see all the love and all the devotion he had for me. All the hurt and suffering I had put him through, and I couldn't even offer him the truth.
Jacob had always been honest with me; he had never lied to me or left me. He was always there, the one constant factor in my life, even when I was putting him through so much agony.
"You wouldn't have to change for me Bella. You could stay just how you are and keep your family and friends; Charlie, Renee. You would never have to give them up for me. I would never make you do that. We could have kids, little Jake and Bells running around. It would be the way it's supposed to be; how we are meant to be."
He leaned in to kiss me and I didn't move away. His lips crashed on mine and I didn't pull back from him. Part of me knew that I should. But I couldn't. Before I knew it, my lips were moving with his; an alien, yet familiar caress. I found my hands traveling up his arms and to the back of his neck where my fingers laced in his hair.
I pulled him closer to me as he found purchase on the small of my back and pulled me to him as well. His tongue danced along my bottom lip, savoring all of the flavors of me, but it was mine that so greedily pushed into his mouth. I wanted more of him, as much as he could give me with this kiss. I knew he was leaving to go fight the newborns, and I knew there was a possibility he wouldn't return.
It was no surprise that I wanted whatever he would give me of himself. That was how it always was. He gave and I took; offering nothing in return.
The life Jake spoke of, our life, played out like a movie on the inside of my eyelids. I could see a little boy that looked just like Jake running down First Beach with a girl on his heels. She looked so much like me, only with straight corn silk black hair. She had my clumsiness too.
As much as I wanted this life with Jake, I had already told Edward I would marry him; that I would be his wife, for all eternity. As if he could read my mind, Jacob pulled away. I was saddened by the loss of his lips on mine. I opened my eyes to see him staring into mine.
"Bells, I have to go. But please, can you at least think about changing your mind? Possibly reconsider."
Before I could answer, Jake turned around, placing himself in front of me.
"Get back, Bella!" he yelled at me, trembling from head to toe. I wasn't sure what was going on, but did as I was told. I saw what seemed to be a flame coming through the forest and just stopping at the tree line.
I suddenly felt sick to my stomach when I saw Victoria standing there. Her blood red irises were burning holes in my face. She smiled at me so devilishly. Something moved in the bushes behind her as another red pair of eyes came into view.
We were trapped. We were trapped and alone and there were two of them. How could this of happened?
Something seemed to be wrong, among all other things. Jake wasn't phasing. Why isn't he phasing?
Before I could process what was coming out of my mouth, I asked him.
"I don't know. This is not normal, why the hell can't I phase?" he seethed as he crept backwards towards me. He had me pinned between him and the cliff as they two vampires crouched closer to us. It was almost like watching a movie play out in slow motion.
"Bella, don't be scared. I'm going to protect you, no matter what. Just don't be scared, you'll be okay." Jake told me, but I could hear the tremor in his voice. He was outnumbered and for some reason unable to phase. Edward and Seth had not returned yet. Jake knew there was not much luck in us getting out of this.
True to his word, Jake stayed between my attackers and me. He never left, never faltered.
Just as they were about to reach us, a flash of white and russet sprang from the forest behind Victoria and her accomplice.
"Riley, I suggest you back away. My friends and I don't want to hurt you, but we will if you move another inch." Edward called to the male vampire.
Riley turned toward Edward, and then glanced back to Victoria, seeming confused.
"It's their mind tricks, Riley. Don't listen to them. She's the reason you're like this, she's the reason you have become like this." Victoria screeched and pointed her long, bone white finger at me.
Riley turned back towards Jake and I, stepping closer towards us. That was the last movement I could completely make out. Everything became a blur.
I tried to watch as I saw red and bronze hair do what seemed to be an intricate dance. Russet and white moved in the clearing just to the right of me while the red and bronze were to the left. Seth and Jake still weren't phased, which seemed to be due to the new vampire. I caught Edward telling Jake that Riley had a specific power that Riley, himself, was unaware of until now.
He had the power to make shape shifters unable to phase, or rather shift their shapes. They seemed to be holding him at bay, but not without effort. They were throwing punches and trying to grab him from what I could tell, but he was throwing them off effortlessly. It was hard to watch, knowing that they really didn't stand a chance in their human forms. Between the two of them though, they were able to keep him away from his target. Me.
My mind seemed to close in on itself at one point, not allowing me to see what was going on around me. All I could see was Jacob. My Jacob. He truly was the best friend I could ever ask for. He had stayed and protected me from these monsters even when he was unable to.
His love for me really was never ending.. He loved me so much, and it seemed that in what could very well be my last hour, I began to realize he was right. I did love him too.
I wanted all the things with him that I knew I couldn't have with Edward. I wanted to keep my family and friends. I wanted to grow old with him and life the natural life I was supposed to live before all of the supernatural messed it up.
I wanted to have kids. With Jacob. I can love him. I do love him. This is what I want.
I was pulled from my thoughts by the ear piercing scream of Victoria. It was soon cut off when Edward kicked her in the back and ripped her head from her body. He finished ripping her apart and threw her pieces in a pile before setting her aflame.
When he finished with her, he ran to help Jake and Seth. Seth was lying on the ground not even ten feet from me. What happened? I moved to go to him, but stopped as soon as I saw Jake being thrown in my direction. He landed right in front of me but quickly recovered running back to check on Seth.
Edward dismembered Riley in no time flat, and set fire to him as well. Jake started to help Seth to his feet, but Seth flinched as Jake grabbed him around his ribs.
"You'll be fine in a minute, Seth. It takes a minute, but you need to reset those bones. Here, it'll only hurt for a second." Jake told him before popping Seth's bones back into place. Seth howled out in pain, but quickly regained himself. It must be grand to be a werewolf.
Not long after, Seth ran off to check on Leah and the rest of the pack, leaving me alone with Jacob and Edward. I couldn't look at either of them. I felt so remorseful for what I knew I had to do. I had to choose.
But that wasn't the worst part, because deep down, I already had. It was just telling them the decision I had come to.
"Bella, love, are you okay?" Edward called to me. I didn't answer. I wasn't sure if I was. I knew I was about to hurt one of them, and the pain from doing so would be too much. I couldn't look at them, but I couldn't help but look at him. He was all I could see; all I wanted to see.
Edward kept calling to me, over and over. Trying to get me to respond, but I didn't. It wasn't him I wanted to hear, to see.
Finally, I allowed my eyes to focus on him, only to find that his were focused on me as well.
"I already have." It was such a simple statement, but it held so much promise.
"You already have? Love, what have you- Oh? I see." Edward grew quiet and when I looked at him, I saw a burning man. I saw all the pain and hurt that I was causing him. His life, or whatever it was for him, had just come to a complete halt.
Jake seemed confused by my words, until he replayed our conversation in his head. I guess that is what Edward was listening to because his next words were simply, "You already have chosen him."
I didn't know what to say to him. Sorry just didn't seem to cover it. But, it was all I had.
"Edward, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen...it...it just...did." He held up his hand to silence me. I stopped talking as a traitorous tear ran down my cheek.
"Don't cry, love. I'll be okay. I knew it was bound to happen, given the circumstances. Just know that I will always love you, no matter what." He walked over to Jake and offered him his hand.
"Thank you, Jacob, for protecting her when I once again fell short. I know that you can and will always protect her, against anything." Jacob shook his hand, flinching only minutely at the difference in temperature.
"It was my pleasure, Edward. And thanks to you too...for uh...helping with that leech. I guess the best man did win, huh bloodsucker." Jacob sneered at him.
"I wouldn't go that far, mongrel. It was all for Bella. I should go and check on my family. Goodbye, Bella." He walked over and placed a chaste kiss on my forehead before disappearing into the forest.
I ran to Jacob and threw myself into his arms. He seemed shocked still that he had been my choice. He didn't move at first, but finally hugged me and sat down on the ground with me in his lap. I cried for everything that had happened that day. I cried from the fear I had felt when Victoria showed up. I cried for the way I had hurt Edward. But most of all, I cried because I knew I had made the right choice.
We sat there for what seemed like hours. The sky faded from a bright blue to a pinkish orange. All the while, Jacob held me. He never said a word; just ran his hand down my hair and held me close to his chest. The strong beating of his heart soothed me. The tears finally stopped.
I looked up to see Jacob smiling down at me. My smile. My heart swelled from the love his face shone with.
"Gee Bells; you make me feel like you got the booby prize." He feigned hurt.
I answered him with a kiss. The hardest, most raw kiss I could muster. I poured everything into it. All the emotions that coursed threw me came out in that kiss. He deepened it quickly, seeming to feel the same way I did.
We rolled onto the ground, Jake on top of me, settled between my legs. There were caresses and faint strokes from each of us to the other. I felt him grow hard above me. I knew this was getting hot and I part of me was screaming to stop. But I didn't want to. I wanted him. So bad.
He pulled back, admiring me. "Bella. I want you...so bad. But you don't have to do this. I don't want you to do something like this because of the emotional rollercoaster you've been on today. I'm more than happy to wait." His voice was thick and husky.
I thought about it for a minute before answering him.
"No." I shook my head.
"No, I don't want to wait. I was wrong for so long, and now...well...this is right. This is how it's supposed to be. Me and You." I smiled up at him, and he returned it with his toothy grin.
"Well, just not here okay. Let's go to my house. I don't want this on the ground in the middle of where some bloodsuckers just...died." He raised his eyebrows at me.
I agreed and we walked back to Jake's house. Well, he walked and carried me in his arms.
Billy was gone that night with Charlie; the pack way of getting him out in case things went bad. We had the whole house to ourselves, which was somewhat unusual.
There was no time wasted in getting to what we had gone there to do. It was beautiful and just so...Jake. I didn't feel pressured; it was comfortable. I wasn't ashamed to bare my body to him, nor was he to bare his to me.
There was a sharp pain when he entered me, but Jake caressed me and loved me until it subsided. He waited until I was ready before slowly thrusting in and out of me. It was so special and completely wonderful. I had never felt so loved before that moment.
I gave him all of me, as he did the same. When we had reached our high together, I knew without a doubt that he was meant for me, as I was meant for him. We were finally one, no longer two separate beings. We were two parts to one soul, and would be until our dying days.