"I do love you Jake." Bella said as she starred down at him. He looked so fragile she almost didn't recognize him. Bella had never seen Jacob hurt like this before, and despite the obvious pain he was in from protecting her she was about to cause him some more. "It's just not enough." He murmured; Bella frowned. She couldn't do this. Leave her Jacob? She shook her head and sat herself down on the floor and placed her back to the side of his bed.
Bella listened to his pain filled gasps for breath; they tore at her heart, which brought tears to her eyes. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "It's not that Jake." She told him. She could feel Jacobs gaze on her. "Then what is it?" His voice was strained and horse. Bella thought for a moment. "I'm scared Jake."
"With Edward I know what the future holds, but with you I don't know." She confessed this realization new to herself. "That's crap Bella." He argued. Bella turned around her arms rested on the bed now. "Is it Jacob? I am Edwards forever. He will love no one else as much as he loves me. You can't guarantee me that.-" He cut her off his voice determined. "Yes I can!"
Bella shook her head. She felt her heart breaking. "No you can't. I know you love me. Jake I know, but who's to say that one day you won't imprint. A-and I don't think I could deal with that Jacob." She looked scared and Jacob reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Bella." He let out a shaky breath. "What if I promised you that it would never happen?" Bella looked at him, her eyes searched his. "Jake." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You can't promise me that." Jacob groaned and tried to shift himself on the bed. Bella's' hands flew to him and tried to still his movements. "Don't move Jacob."
He reached up and grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed so she now hovered over him. Her hand rested on the only part of his chest that was not covered in gauze while Jacob kept her wrist in his grasp. One knee rested on the edge of the bed while other foot still touched the ground. "Jacob?" she breathed out softly.
He held her gaze in silence. Bella could feel her cheeks heat up and her heart pound in her chest. "Kiss me." She whispered before she could stop herself. He didn't need to be asked again, he moved his head up and Bella lowered hers. The kiss was soft and warm, nothing like their first two. Bella could feel her control and resolve slipping away.
Jacob stopped so abruptly that Bella whimpered at the loss of contact. He searched her eyes and debated with himself if he should open up to her. "Bella I haven't been honest with you." Her brows furrowed together and her lips pursed. "I have imprinted Bella." Bella's eyes widened and she retreated slowly. "I imprinted a long time ago." He confessed. He watched as tears filled her eyes. She pulled away from him; her heart throbbed in her chest.
"But you said – you promised-" she couldn't finish her thoughts. Her mind whirled with thoughts and everything in the room seemed to spin. Jacob kept his grip firm on her wrist. "Listen to me Bella. It's you, it's always been you." Bella held his gaze. "I'm not sure I-" he cut her off. "You're my imprint Bella. You always have been. The first time I saw you since I started phasing was when that Laurent guy attacked you, remember?" Bella nodded. Remembering the brief moment when Jacobs wolf and her locked eyes.
"I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me?" Bella asked her body relaxing slightly. Jacob scoffed. "You were broken Bella. I don't think telling you that you were my imprint was such a good idea." Bella studied him. She was his imprint and yet he's let her stay with Edward. Suddenly a realization hit her. "Edward knew didn't he?" Jacob looked away, his eyes closed for a brief moment. "Jacob!?"
"Yeah, he read it in my mind the day we were in the woods when you returned from Italy." He admitted. Bella's anger was at a whole new level. Edward knew and he still flaunted the fact that she had chosen him over Jacob. How could he?! "Bella I know what you're thinking, and as much as I hate to admit it, he does love you. You were right when you said that Edward won't love anyone as much as he loves you, but Bella understand that I won't love anyone other than you. That's why it is killing me to see you throw away your life before you've even had one."
"Why tell me now?" she asked her voice conflicted with emotions. "I'm not telling you all this so you will pick me over him. I'm telling you because you have the right to know that if you did choose me you would have nothing to worry about." Bella starred at him, her thoughts running wild. Could she choose Jacob over Edward? Would she still be happy with a full human life? "I-I don't know Jake."
"Just think about it Bella. There would be no having to say goodbye to anyone." Bella opened her mouth to reply when the door opened. She turned and saw Billy in the door way. "Bella, Charlie just called asking for you. He wants you home. And I think Jake needs some rest." Bella nodded and stood, Jacob still didn't release her. "I'm going to fight for you." Bella nodded remembering what he had said by the other day.
"Yeah, 'until my heart stops beating.'" She quoted a small smile graced her lips. Jacobs's expression was pained and serious. "And maybe even then." His voice rasped as he took a painful gasp. Bella sucked in a breath and held his gaze. He shifted in the bed before he rolled his head over to look out his window. Bella hesitated, but did turn to leave. What was she going to do now?