Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.
Note: This is an Eclipse Spoiler for Chapter 21. If you haven't gotten that far, don't ruin the fun.
Jacob:
I was getting annoyed. The snow was falling fast and the wind was so strong. It was shaking the tent that stood quietly behind me. I couldn't take my eyes off the tent door. I kept hearing the bloodsucker whisper suggestions to Bella on how to get warm.
I knew if I was inside, I wouldn't waste my breath.
I would be lying there right next to her, keeping her warm with my own body heat.
"What can I do?" I heard him ask again. 'Get her warm!' I shouted in my mind. I knew he'd hear me. I stood up and walked toward the tent, brushing the flimsy fabric with my were-wolf body.
"What do you want me to do?" His voice was only muffled slightly from the fabric. I knew he was talking to me. "Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful! Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?"
He wanted a space heater? Fine. I calmed my raging anger toward him, 'Stupid bloodsucker,' and changed back to my human form. I quickly grabbed my jeans and dressed…
It wasn't that cold out here…
When I entered the tent, the stupid bloodsucker growled at me. "What do you think you're doing?" I glared at him and growled back, "Go fetch a space heater… I'm not a St. Bernard!"
"I don't like this." The vampire said as I slowly inched my way toward Bella. I didn't care if he liked it or not. If he wanted Bella to live, he would have to deal with the consequences. "Just give her the coat and get out."
I turned to look at him. "Are you crazy? The coat is frozen!" I slowly unzipped the sleeping bag, and revealed the already freezing Bella. She was curled into a ball, shivering, trembling. Her lips were already blue.
For a moment, I wondered if she would look this pale, this white… I glanced back over at the bloodsucker and wanted to kill him. When I glanced back down at Bella, I could see her angry eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned with a growl to see the bloodsucker's face.
"Get your hand off of me."
"Keep your hands off of her!" He said with a warning tone.
Ha. Keep my hands off of her? "You and she will both thank me later." I mumbled, shoving his hand off of me. "Scoot over Bella." I managed as I unzipped the sleeping bag completely and pulled my body into the crammed place.
"N-n-n-n…" Poor Bella couldn't even tell me no.
I pulled the zipper up behind me, and pulled her cold body next to mine. I knew the moment my body heat hit her, because she suddenly curled toward me. Her body trembling next to mine.
My arms wrapped around her. I would do anything to have this every day.
To hold her.
To love her.
"Jeez, you're freezing Bella. Try to relax." I managed. 'Try to relax, Jacob.' I quickly thought to myself. I heard … Edward… growl from the corner.
I knew Bella had heard him. She was pulling away, despite her need for warmth. I quickly grabbed her and held her tight.
"Don't worry about the bloodsucker, He's just jealous."
And boy did I know I was right.
I knew he really wanted it to be himself wrapping his arms around her…trying to keep her warm. But he did…the way he was…he'd kill her.
He knew that.
He was jealous that I was human; that I was warm. I had a heart.
I wasn't damned like he was.
I was perfect for Bella. I felt my heart twist painfully, and I quickly pushed it away.
"Of coarse I am." The bloodsucker seemed calm. How could he be?
"At least you know she wishes it were you." I managed. It was the truth. I knew that Bella was imagining her Edward holding her, keeping her warm.
Not me.
Not Jacob.
Not the stupid were-wolf…
… Who loved her so…
Bella's body began to relax, and I smiled down at her. "Better?"
"Yes." She said clearly, in a low whisper. All that trembling and shaking she was doing had defiantly tired her out.
She had closed her eyes and I knew she had begun to fall asleep. She felt comfortable in my arms. I laid my head gently on hers and began to think about the way her lips had felt on mine. How badly I wanted to kiss her now. To warm her, kiss her… tell her I could love her.
"Please! Do you mind?" Edward hissed in the corner of the room.
I jumped up, and glanced at him…I had forgotten… "What?"
"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?" He said angrily. I suppose he had a reason to be angry with me.
"No one said you had to listen." I muttered, feeling my face turn a little hotter than normal. I had been caught thinking about kissing her. "Get out of my head!" I said defiantly.
"I wish I could…but you have no idea how loud your little …fantasies are."
"I'll try to keep it down." I managed, relaxing back. I couldn't help but go back to the time when it had been just Bella and me. Spending all those days together…the motorcycles. The hiking trips. The movie theater… her hand in mine. Her half smiles, the look she'd give me, unsure… The kitchen, our lips so close. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stop. Knowing he could hear my thoughts. See them.
"I'm jealous of that too."
"I figured." I managed, trying to control myself. Trying to stop. For Bella's sake. I knew if the stupid bloodsucker told her, she'd never talk to me again.
I couldn't live without my Bella.
My Bella.
"You know, she could still change her mind." I began, knowing I was trying to reach the stars…and would never get there. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't…"
"Go to sleep Jacob." The bloodsucker said annoyed. I liked rubbing in the fact that I was human. That I was good. That I was perfect for her…
And he wasn't.
He was just trouble.
My hatred ran much deeper than some stupid treaty. It was over this girl…in my arms.
"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable." I said smugly, knowing I'd get a reaction, but when he didn't say anything, I closed my eyes.
'I think its annoying that you can know so much about me, bloodsucker. I wish you'd start admitting your own faults…'
"Maybe I would." He said out loud.
"Yeha, but would you be telling the truth?" I accused.
"Just ask and find out."
After our long talk…
After the human side to the bloodsucker was revealed… I knew what Bella saw in him.
And I hated it more.
I hated it, because he could be just as human as me. Just as perfect…
Minus the body heat…and the heart beat.
I had laid my head close to Bella's sleeping face, and felt her light breathe brush my cheek. Gods I loved her.
This was torture.
Did the bloodsucker see that?
Could he hear how torn my heart was?
"Jacob…" She sighed, wrapping her arms around me tightly. "My Jacob…" She sighed against my chest. I knew I could hold her tonight… get away with it tonight…
It was an excuse to keep her warm.
'Bella…' I thought. 'My Bella.'
I was grateful when Edward didn't comment to my thoughts. I was so tempted…with her lips so close to mine.
But I couldn't touch what didn't belong to me.
I knew she loved me too. But I couldn't take advantage of Bella.
Not again.
I let my body fall back into unconsciousness, with her name on my lips. 'My Bella…'