Disclaimer: All characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer but the plot is all mine!
The Curse…
Summary: What if the imprint was wrong, that by its very existence it placed both the wolf and the tribe in immense danger? Would the man be strong enough to deny his imprint if he knew in his heart it was not right? What if his heart already belonged to another? Maybe the imprint was not the end game after all. Set in AU New Moon.
Suggested listening:- Agnes Obel The Curse...it sort of fits where this story is heading…
A/N: If I'm honest I not sure about the whole SM idea of imprinting. At first like many others I'm sure, I thought it sounded wonderful I mean who wouldn't want a gorgeous wolf man devoted to her for the rest of her days but once I got to thinking about it well was it really like that or could the gift from the Great Spirits in reality be nothing but a curse?
It got me thinking and the more I thought about it the more I began to dislike the whole process after all the imprint takes away the freedom of choice…But the imprint guides them to their ideal mate I hear you say… but then what's life without the freedom to take chances and make your own choices, even if they are not always the right ones? Is imprinting nothing but a heaven endorsed breeding program for stronger wolves?
So I began to wonder…could the magic of imprinting be broken by something stronger? The oldest and most powerful magic in the world is simply love. It comes in many forms, the love of good friends, the love of a parent, or just the love between two people. It's a magic that can conquer all or so we are led to believe… In a world of imprinting, duty and sacrifice can the oldest magic truly triumph…?
So here we are and you can thank 12Rayne for throwing down the challenge that set my muse in motion to make me write this tale. It was an itch and I scratched it …
So enough chat from me (steps off soap box lol)…
Let the story begin…
Chapter 1 - Falling...
Bella Swan was hurting; the hole in her chest which Jacob had healed had been ripped open by the events that had unfolded that afternoon. Despite the howling wind and the rain that was now lashing against her little body, stinging her face like a thousand ice cold needles she continued to climb the steep rocky path to the top of the cliff. The same cliff Jacob had promised to take her cliff top diving…yet another broken promise…in her short sad life…
Her heart missed a beat…
Jacob…
He had promised her the world and she had trusted him...she heard his voice in her crazed mind...
"It will be as easy as breathing …"he'd promised her "You and I Bella we were meant to be…the natural path our lives should have taken"
"But what about imprinting …?" She had asked biting her poor lower lip as Jacob's hot lips ghosted above hers
"Never…" He replied. "I will never let it happen …I love you too much…"
And just like that she had allowed Jacob to claim her heart…He was her sunshine…herbest friend…
The sound of howling in the distance brought her back to her senses as she teetered on the edge of the cliff looking down at the great steel coloured waves crashing against the rocks below. She hadn't felt like this in a while …not since Edward left her and the same old doubts invaded her mind…
Why did they always leave her…?
Why was she never good enough…?
The wind whipped her long chestnut brown hair up into the air, clasping her little arms around her small body she felt herself slipping as the cliff top crumbled beneath her feet and with one last push she sailed out into the sky. It felt like she was flying free …she wasn't scared not of dying it's what she wanted…wasn't it?
Bella hit the surface of the water which a crash and immediately felt the chill of the icy water. It completely knocked the air from out of her lungs, instinctively she struggled but the weight of her clothing dragged her down and before she could take a gasp of air a wave came crashing down from above. Round and round like clothes in a washer Bella spun out of control her lungs burning for air.
For the second time she popped up to the surface this time closer to the jagged rocks…but that didn't matter, cold and tired she just wasn't strong enough to swim against the force of the tide and once again sank below the water. As if in a dream Bella floated amongst the sea weed her very life flashing before her eyes as the water above continued to roll...
The burning in her throat and lungs as she swallowed salty water pulled her back to the reality of drowning…she was drowning… and it wasn't the peaceful death she had been led to believe…the sheer panic as life slipped away...she scrambled, twisting and turning in the near darkness but it only used up what little oxygen she had left. Her body went limp as the faces of those she loved seemed to flash across her eyes…Charlie, Renee…Jacob then …nothing…oblivion…
Paul Lahote arrived at the scene first. He had seen the small figure of Bella fall from the highest point on the cliff. He had raced in wolf form to the same spot and without any hesitation dived in after her, he hit the water smoothly and, even with his supernatural heat he could feel the intense cold of the steel grey water
Stupid fucking leech lover he thought Should have fucked off back to Arizona when she had the chance. He looked around as best he could as waves hit him from all directions. He could faintly hear Sam calling from the beach but the waves crashing and the wind howling made it almost impossible even for wolf hearing.
There was no sign of Bella Swan…
Paul dived and surfaced then dived again. He was about to give up when on the third attempt he saw that long red scarf she so liked to wear to keep warm.
She was always cold …
The pack had thought it an after effect of too much time spent in the company of leeches, after all time spent amongst the dead would surely leave its mark in one way or another. He grabbed hold of the scarf and pulled. Somehow god only knows how he managed to get a grip on her and towed her to the surface. She didn't look good so pale surrounded by the darkness of the deep water and in his heart Paul felt he was too late… she had gone.
"This is all the baby Alphas fault" he snarled to himself as he swum towards the shore towing a motionless Bella..."Fucking Jacob Black…" Sam and the pack had warned Jake not to start anything with Bella not whilst he had yet to imprint…it would only go bad…and the girl had suffered enough. He dragged Bella up onto the beach and sighed deeply to himself…" Go bad" That's what every fucking imprint did as far as he was concerned.
Bella lay on her back motionless on the sand her dark hair clung to her small pale face. Paul gently pushed the wet hair away as he looked at her blue tinted lips and sighed. He never understood her love for the leeches and a part of him didn't like her at all but… she was someone's baby and now she was gone. He sighed again as he felt a tinge of remorse about the names he had called her in front of the pack as he looked at those lips, the same lips that were usually so pink and plump …kissable lips he'd always thought…and then he found himself kissing those lips but with the kiss of life. Sam rushed up to join him and together they started CPR
"Too late she's gone…" Jared growled as his pack mates desperately tried to revive Bella. "What made the stupid girl go up there and do that…?" Paul and Sam both looked down the beach…The "what" was heading towards them a huge russet wolf that immediately phased back when it reached the small gathering around the still pale girl. Jacob Black sunk down onto his knees beside the unmoving form that was Bella his hands pulling at his hair as he began to howl a long no…
"I warned you…" growled Sam his normally stoic face full of fury. "I fucking told you not to start anything with Bella Swan. You of all people know how she reacted when the leech left town yet you willingly led her down a path you knew she may not survive if you imprinted." He was no fan of Bella's either but after the hassle between Leah, Emily and himself he knew only too well the negative side of imprinting.
It wasn't the gift that the Elders had promised… no not at all…
Sam shook his head and the calm mask he always wore these days fell back into place. He cricked his neck as his dark eyes swept over Jacob. He was furious but now was not the time to deal with the young pup, they had a death to deal with, a non-native on the Rez and it would bring the type of attention to La Push that they could well do without.
"I…I couldn't help it Sam!" Jacob wailed "I thought I was immune… that my love for Bella would be enough…prevent the imprint from happening." He hung his head in shame "But I was wrong and when she brought Jessica to the garage this afternoon ...well…"
"Yeah the rest is fucking history Jacob" Sam hissed "And now we have to tell Chief Swan his baby girl is dead."
"Not quite!" Jared yelled excitedly. Paul had turned Bella over onto her side and as sea water gushed up, she choked as she tried to take a breath.
"Bella ..!"Jacob cried as he moved to grab her but Paul pushed him back snarling loudly as he bared his teeth, then picking up the white limp form of Bella he turned to make his way along the beach towards Embry who was heading their way holding a blanket. Jacob watched Paul with Bella and anger flickered in his dark brown eyes, he may have just imprinted but he still loved Bella Swan, had done all his life. It didn't sit well seeing her in the arms of a young man who had made no secret that he loathed her and his arm raised as if to stop his pack brother.
Sam took a step forward to stop Jake, Lahote was unpredictable, always ready for a fight and he was a skilled fighter too, a sneaky fucker the best the pack had. He was still trying to make sense of the unfolding scene before him and the last thing he needed was two of his wolves fighting yet again over the stupid girl.
Jacob let his hand drop and wisely decided to bite his tongue, he would wait his opportunity. Typically Paul didn't miss a trick and feeling the animosity roll off Jacob, he stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. Jake swallowed hard Paul looked lethal…
"Why don't you just fuck off back to your little imprint Black?" Paul snarled as a low warning growl rolled through his chest. "I'd say you've done enough damage to this little girl for one day." His dark eyes bored into Jacob but he said nothing more as pressing Bella closer to his broad chest he turned his back on Jacob and took off at a sprint down the beach.
Jacob and Jared looked at Sam who stood puzzled as he watched Paul. He shrugged his shoulders but said nothing. Underneath he was thinking the same as the others …what had gotten into Lahote to help the very girl he so despised? It wasn't an imprint… at least Sam didn't think it was he hadn't felt anything, like he had with the others but, something was affecting Lahote…he was acting completely out of character.
Paul glanced down at the frail girl he carried in his arms, she was as light as a feather and she had tucked her face into his neck with a little sigh as her arm had reached for him seeking his heat pulling him against her frigid skin. He shivered slightly but not from the cold wind. It was Bella. He really didn't want her this close to his body and part of him was repulsed by her touching his skin with hands that had lovingly touched leech.
Paul took a deep breath he was so conflicted right now. He knew how he felt about Bella deep down but he needed to offload her on to Embry as soon as he got the chance, get as far away from her as he could …like he always did. A small part of him even wondered why he had bothered to save her life...after all her death would make his life easier. The ancient spirit wolf who shared his body bristled with anger at that thought and for the first time since he started phasing Paul found himself at odds with his wolf.
The wolf prowled close to the surface he let it be known that he was pleased they had saved the small girl, especially now they had an excuse to have gotten close enough to Bella to inhale her intoxicating aroma of sweet vanilla and strawberries despite the salty smell of the sea. They had to protect her…it was the least they could do…for now.
Embry watched Paul with those thoughtful eyes of his. He was quiet, intuitive and Sam had come to rely on Embry's assessment of any given situation, he was the thinker of the pack. Paul aware of Embry's gaze quickly handed Bella over as he opened the tail gate to his truck. He caught Embry's eye with a defiant come on and challenge me look. Embry's eyes dropped to Bella. He said nothing to Paul he knew better than to take on Lahote when he was in a bad mood which seemed to be all the time these days...
A few minutes later Embry sat in the cab of the vehicle and cuddled Bella close to his body as he pulled the blanket tight around her shivering naked body. He and Paul had quickly stripped her of her heavy wet clothes in the back of the truck despite her feeble protests, in an attempt to get her warm. As Paul climbed into the driver's seat Embry began to wonder why his pack brother had so obviously found it difficult to leave her in his arms and walkaway to the other side of the truck.
The feel of her icy cold skin against his over-heated body made Embry wince each time Bella moved. He watched Lahote carefully something was wrong with him for sure, he was agitated each time Bella moaned, every sinew of his body tensed his jaw hard. He'd wound the window down as if something in the cab was bothering him. Embry could smell nothing but Bella. His eyes snapped back to Paul as he wondered for a moment then dismissed the idea as totally crazy. The pack knew how Paul felt about her…the pale faced leech lover as he called her…he'd voiced his opinion often enough…
"Fuck Paul" he growled as Bella pulled him closer to her frigid skin, her nose buried into Embry's neck. "Close the god damn window she's as cold as ice and turn the heater up man or she's gonna die from fucking hyperthermia." Paul looked at him eyes narrowed, his upper lip curling in defiance revealing pointed canines making it no secret he needed to phase and soon.
"As if I give a fuck Embry" he growled "As soon as we reach Sue's you're on your own with the paleface, I want her and her stench out of my truck." Embry eyed the volatile wolf something was definitely wrong…if he didn't know any better he'd say that Lahote had imprinted on Bella, but it didn't feel like an imprint that's for sure…unless he was fighting it. He shook his head no Paul was being a complete ass as usual and his prejudice against Bella would wind up killing her at this rate
"If you didn't care about her Paul" He growled in return "Then why did you save her from drowning?" Paul kept his eyes on the road as he replied shaking his head a little as he spoke
"I really fucking don't know why" he sighed then added "But I'm beginning to wish I hadn't"
000
3 months earlier…
"So Bells" Charlie Swan sighed as he watched his small daughter shuffle form foot to foot one hand pulling at the hem of her t shirt. Charlie knew what Bella was about to tell him but she looked so cute blushing in front of him. He sighed a little when had his daughter grown up into this pretty young woman standing before him. Sadly the years had flown by in the blink of an eye and Charlie was beginning to regret his decision not to have pushed Renee for more access when Bella was growing up.
Renee… he thought. That woman had a lot to answer for especially after that little episode withthe Cullen's a few months back. If he had only spent more time with Bella, given her some of the stability that she so obviously craved and her mother so obviously did not provide….
"It's umm…It's umm…" Bella stuttered. Charlie's attention snapped back to his pretty daughter
"Yes go on…" Charlie encouraged. He smiled at her willing her to say what he already knew
"Jacob!" she blurted out "We're kinda dating!" There was the blush again he sighed to himself his moustache twitched a little…he was beginning to feel uncomfortable for his daughter he didn't do emotions very well.
"Okay…" He managed to smile "And…?"
"He's coming here to take me out on a date when he drops Billy off" Bella managed to say the whole sentence without stopping. Charlie shook the newspaper he had been pretending to read to give his daughter an opportunity to tell him what Billy had already divulged. That their offspring were going to make it official, after all these years they had finally realised what everyone else already knew and Charlie couldn't have been happier for both his daughter and Jacob.
Bella stood waiting as Charlie eyed her for a few seconds he wanted this to look good like it had come as a complete surprise to him. "Well that's mighty fine news Bells" he finally said as Bella let go of the breath she had been holding "It's about time you two made it official that boy has been in love with you since forever" He folded his newspaper as he flicked on the TV searching for the sports channel. Taking a sneaky sideways glance at her as she stood twisting her hand in the hem of her t shirt another deep blush flooding her cheeks he added "Don't know why you ever bothered with Edwin, when you had Jacob waiting."
Bella rolled her eyes "Edward Dad" she frowned "But he's gone now" She didn't like to be reminded about the Cullen's it was always too painful to hear or say their name out loud, even now and it had been months since their sudden departure.
"Yeah and good riddance too" Charlie grimaced he'd totally disliked the Cullen boy from the first day he had introduced himself, smart ass he had thought and he had the cheek to dump his daughter in the middle of the god damned forest too! He bristled again and his moustache twitched if he ever saw him again….
The sound of the doorbell provided a neat escape for Bella and she ran up the hall way almost tripping and falling if it hadn't been for the quick reflexes of Jacob Black who had opened the front door. He helped her stand up straight then carried on with pulling his father's wheel chair over the last step and into the hallway.
"You two go on now" Billy laughed "I can get myself to the living room and the Chief" He smiled a little as he watched Bella place her small hand in Jakes as he pulled her into the kitchen before wheeling himself in the direction of the sounds of the game coming from the TV. Out of the sight of their parents Jacob pulled her into a close hug
"Bells…" he murmured as his hot lips met hers "I've missed you"
"Mmm...missed you too" Bella managed to say before Jacob deepened the kiss. She pulled away from him a small blush rising up her neck and onto her face. Placing both hands on his chest she pushed him back, it wasn't that she didn't like kissing Jake it was just the fact she was still getting used to being so intimate with him. Edward was never as tactile; he still had the same Victorian values from before he was turned and not really what a girl needed from a first serious boyfriend.
Bella didn't have a clue about guys and it showed…
Jacob on the other hand had no such issues. He had always been a physical guy and coupled with the lupine need for contact he took every opportunity he could get to get up close to Bella. He knew it made her uncomfortable when he pushed the boundaries of their relationship, but he wanted more. Problem was Bella wasn't quite ready to take the next step and he knew the reason…Cullen. It had been months now since the leeches had departed and he had patiently coaxed her back to life but in his heart he hated Edward not only had he interfered with the natural path of their relationship he had almost completely broken Bella in the process.
Bella rolled her eyes as Jacobs's full lips formed a pout and he made puppy dog eyes at her till she giggled in response. "Ow come on Bella I need a little more loving." he protested as he tried to draw her back into his arms. She managed to wriggle free and turning towards the stove she opened the oven door.
"If you don't want any dinner later Jake" she laughed "Then carry on but I'm guessing you would rather eat?" Jacob wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her towards him. He buried his face in her hair and his breath made little chill bumps rise on her skin. Bella sighed as she bared her neck to him not knowing it was lupine surrender and he softly kissed the creamy skin lightly nipping at the apex of her shoulder. She shuddered against his firm body, her eyes closed as sensations she truly wasn't used to swept through her.
His wolf purred in delight as he released her stepping back a little. Now was not the time or the place, it was her fathers house after all and both their dads were only next door. "We need to get going soon" Jacob whispered low in her ear as Bella shivered a little before moving towards the kitchen counter. As she passed by on her way back to the stove Jake eagerly sniffed the lasagne Bella had prepared before she placed it in the oven and set the timer.
"You sure can cook Bells" Jacob sighed then added "But just the one pan?" He looked disappointed
"There's another in the fridge wolf boy and that's all yours" Bella replied rolling her eyes before walking over to the fridge and grabbing the second pan of lasagne she had prepared earlier that morning
"And right there is one of the reason's I love you" Jake growled eyeing the food. "You know how to keep a wolf happy" he went to dip a finger into the cheese topping but Bella rapped his knuckles with a spatula
"Is my lasagne the only reason you love me Jake?" She pouted before pulling up a corner of her lower lip and nibbling it. She was so insecure it made his heart ache. Jacob reached out and pulling her close against his hot chest he covered her mouth with his own only releasing her so they both could take a much needed breath. Those deep brown eyes of his seemed to look down into her very soul and Bella's breath hitched in response.
"You know it's only you that I love Bella Swan" Jacob whispered "Always have and always will…" His mouth covered hers begging for entry that she willingly gave him and he kissed her breathless once again.
A/N: So do you want to see where this is going? Oh and this is not the Paul of my other story…thought id better warn you.
Till next time? xxx
