Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my passion and conviction for the belief that everything can be solved by true loves kiss.

A.N – This story does not go as one might think at first, so I hope everyone gives it a chance. NOT A CLICHÉ! :D

In The Arms of a Man

By LoverGurrl411

Bella couldn't breathe. She stood there, in front of the alter, and she felt as if she was suffocating. She felt as if the world was tipping in its axis and letting her fall into space.

She was about to get married. She was about to get married to Edward Cullen – the beautiful, the forever young, the perfect – and she couldn't breathe. Why couldn't she breathe? Oh God, help her breathe. But she didn't want help…not really. She never wanted to get married, so if she stopped breathing…well it would be an escape.

And now came the infamous part in every soap opera. The moment where everything could change, but sometimes didn't.

"If anyone has any objections, please speak now or forever hold your peace" the Priest spoke loudly, and if the Cullen's could breathe, they'd be holding their breath. One thought was in every person's mind: Jacob.

Would he show up? Would he really stop the wedding? But nothing came. There was a mandatory silence for a minute, but after a couple of seconds Charlie, Billy, Seth, and the Cullen's all felt sure that if Jacob was going to make his miraculous entrance, that he would have made it by then.

Tears filled Bella's eyes. He said he'd always fight for her…until her heart stopped beating. Well, where the hell was he? Her heart was still beating! He should be there dammit! But he wasn't.

30 seconds had passed, and nothing. It was the longest minute of the day, and the sun wasn't even shinning. It pained Bella, but she understood that it would pain Jacob more to show up, declare his love for her in front of everyone, and run the risk of being humiliated and have to watch her marry another man – thing.

45 seconds and time was so slow, and Bella could feel everyone's eyes on her…her friends wondering if that Jacob guy they saw a lot would show, Charlie wondering if she would run, and Renee wondering why the hell everyone was staring so hard at her daughter. Renee knew she was missing something. She knew it because it was Bella's wedding day and she was not a happy blushing soon-to-be bride.

50 seconds. He wasn't going to come. Bella knew it. She didn't blame him.

Bella blinked back the tears that glistened her eyes and looked at Edward, and gave him a soft smile. He mouthed 'I love you' but Bella couldn't concentrate on that. She could only concentrate on the slight breeze hitting her back and the sway of the veil over her face. She had to concentrate on everything that made her feel slightly alive…because though she loved Edward, she knew she'd miss these things when she died for him. She'd miss them horribly, and sooner or later she'd forget the feel of them and then even later down the line than that she'd forget that she ever forgot.

55…56…57…58…59

60 seconds passed. Edward gave a sigh of relief but Bella just stood stock still. Time was over, and her body felt as if it would float away at any moment. Her only hope…gone.

But she did love Edward, so she supposed that fate took the decision out of her hands.

The priest made to turn back to his book to continue the vows and the door was heard opening.

"No…" Bella said with a barely-there-smile that wanted to make a sparkling appearance. He wouldn't show up now...would he?

Jacob was wearing black slacks and a black button up shirt with black faded shoes. He looked like a God amongst men, his hair shining even in the gray sky and his muscles bulging and stretching through the shirt and pants.

The Father was about to begin and it looked as if Edward was about to rush the man but Charlie lifted his hand to signal a pause.

Renee watched it all with eagle eyes that saw every twitch and every deep glance. Renee watched and finally saw the missing piece: it had been this overpowering presence of a man called Jacob.

Jacob reached them, and no one moved. It was like he he stole the words out of every voice, and now all every one could do was watch.

Jacob looked into Bella's eyes, and he was 9 years old all over again, eating mud pies and falling in love. He felt cursed, but still the words wouldn't die on his lips. He spoke, and the Alpha he knew he was took hold of him.

"If you look me in the eyes, and say that you want to marry him, I'll walk away."

Billy's proud smile outshined any bride in the world.

Charlie held a bitter sweet smile as he let the words wash over him. He let the power of alpha in Jacob's voice unknowingly soothe him, and he just turned and watched Renee. He watched her see what love really meant. Jacob loved Bella. And the way he loved her…it could move mountains if you truly believed. The way Jacob loved Bella inspired others to love…and in a sweet unguarded moment, Charlie allowed himself to love her all over again.

It was all consuming, and almost brought him to his knees…and Renee never even noticed.

"Jacob…don't do this" Bella whispered. She had been waiting for this very moment, and now that it was here, she couldn't do it.

Jacob got closer to her; so close that his chest was almost pressed against hers and his heat radiated off of him, into her pores and her very soul. It shook the foundation on which she walked all her life, and her body shivered from lust and yearning.

"Say it, Bella. Tell me you want to marry him and I'll walk away." Jacob whispered, but his voice never wavered from strong.

The entire pack had shown for fear of this exact moment, but when it arrived they all just watched entranced. They were so moved that even Sam forgot that Jacob wasn't Alpha…maybe because in that moment Sam wasn't alpha. Just another brother.

"I love him" Bella said loudly enough that the first few pews where her family and friends were seated heard. The rest were vampires so they heard anyway.

Jacob nodded his head, and it was this fierce glow in his eyes that allowed Bella to see the determination that had made him battle an army of newborns and survive. This determination that said he wasn't walking out of there without either her on his arm or her word that she wanted this marriage, instead of just doing it to please.

"I know you love him, Bella. Maybe more than you'll ever love me in a hundred years," Jacob spoke strong, loud, and honorably. The wind blew but he was like those eternal candles people always hear of…they never quite get to see it for themselves. "But that isn't why I'm standing here. I want you to tell me you want to marry him; you want to spend the rest of your life cold, and always just that bit away from really alive."

Bella heard his words and they were like a seduction that dripped chocolate all over her skin. He was that addictive, and she wondered why it was that she always seemed to choose Edward.

Jacob's heart beat furiously in his chest, and he knew every werewolf and vampire could hear it…but Bella couldn't and that was all he cared about. He didn't come here to sway her. He came to know the truth. The truth of her grand love for that effing leech that seemed to suck out the meaning of what living truly meant.

"I…Life isn't meant to be so easy, Jacob." Bella said as a way of an answer. But she was sidestepping the issue and everyone saw it.

"What the fuck is her problem? If she doesn't want to marry Edward why doesn't she just say 'no'?" Jessica whispered furiously to Angela and the guys who were seated next to Charlie and Billy, but everyone heard, except Bella.

Angela and the guys just shrugged, completely enamored with the soap opera scene unfolding before them.

"No life is easy. Even if you had chosen me, life would have been hard. What would've made up for that though would have been moments like dancing in a party to the perfect song that described how great that night was. Your back to my chest with one of my arms holding you and a beer in my other hand. That's what life's all about." Jacob said and Bella heard what he didn't say. She had already lost him. He was just there trying to save her from herself. Jacob loved her to the core of his very being, but he refused to be humiliated any more. He wouldn't chase her for her love.

He was done fighting for her, and she hadn't been witness to when it had happened.

Jacob was offering her that perfect picture with another man that she would meet somewhere down the line.

The thought of living a full life with someone that wasn't Jacob…it tore at her chest in an awful way that had her one moment looking at Jacob, then the next launching herself into his arms and clinging to his shoulders.

"Don't leave me. Y-you can't leave" Bella whispered brokenly into his ears. It didn't stop the humans from speculating as to what she was saying – pretty close to the mark – and all the non-humans from hearing.

"Then don't leave me." Jacob whispered back, and he held her just a tad bit harder than necessary. But Bella saw it – she saw that Jacob wasn't the same boy who had begged her by the cool salty water to choose him. He had turned into a man when she hadn't laid eyes on him, and now he was stronger for the both of them; in case she chose him or in case she chose Edward. Either way: strong.

This wasn't her Jacob anymore. This one wouldn't fall apart is she chose Edward. This one grew up.

But she was turning into a vampire soon, and then she wouldn't need to grow up. Bella wouldn't need to make hard decisions because if she truly wasn't living, no decision would ever be overly hard. Jumping off a cliff wouldn't have lasting effects if she wasn't careful, and driving a motorcycle too fast can't kill her.

She didn't want to grow up. It was scary, and Edward was showing her that she never had to.

"You already left me" Bella said sadly as she let him go. The people in the couple of front rows gasped, and everyone else … understood. It was an understanding that crept into the bones and left the taste of bitter sadness permeating through.

Jacob nodded once, and turned around and left. He knew she would never leave, and that knowledge was enough of an 'I-want-to-marry-him' as he would ever get from Bella, and he knew it. He didn't plead anymore, or give her a depressed kicked puppy dog look good-bye. He just turned around and left, head held high, and heart encroached in steal; his entire pack behind him. No one acknowledged the shift in leadership. Today wasn't the day…or ever for that matter of fact.

Renee didn't understand. It was obvious Bella wanted to choose Jacob. How the hell did he leave her? He was standing right there, in her wedding for God's sake!

Charlie was just as confused. He was so sure Jacob's love could conquer everything. Guess some women won't let themselves be loved, Charlie looked down dejectedly.

Billy sat in front with a small smile. His son finally understood. Some women just hated the idea of growing up, and moving on. Change…was a daunting experience and Bella had the option to never have to deal with it…Pshhh, just like her mother, that one.

Jessica could be heard whispering to the others "Tell me chica did not just do that? Why the hell was I ever friends with her?"

Angela didn't like gossiping so much but she couldn't help but put her two cents in. The entire moment had been too much for even her to withstand. "Omg! Did you hear what he said about dancing with the one you love with a beer in your hand? How romantic!"

She had the dreamy look in her eyes, and Mike couldn't help but roll his.

"What a sissy"

Bella didn't bother trying to decipher the whispers she heard. She just looked back at the priest and motioned for him to continue.

They were married in under three minutes.

That was how Bella ended up married to Edward Cullen and Jacob became the Alpha of the La Push Protectors. Not so romantic, but when the story of Jacob Ephraim Black –True Alpha– is told to future generations of Quileute, they won't be listening to a romance story, but simply: the truth.

The End.

A.N – So, I really hope everyone liked it. I took the peter pan syndrome and just ran with it, considering when I re-read new-moon that's all I kept seeing. I definitely saw this as a fitting end for Eclipse, instead of creating a whole new book –breaking dawn – which really served no purpose in my mind except to just go WAAAAAY OOC on the characters. I tried to stay true to Bella's indecisiveness while applying the Peter Pan Syndrome more overtly. Hope it worked!

Side note: My writing was a little off and I did notice as I was writing, so I hope all can forgive me if the oneshot isn't up to par.

Love it? Hate it? Review! :)