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Disclaimer: I own nothing that has to do with the Twilight franchise. I just borrowed my favorite wolf and his lady love for this one-shot. ;-)

Cave of the Hunted

She was being hunted.

She knew she was being hunted. She could hear the faint crunch of leaves signaling the movement of the creature somewhere behind her. Sometimes, when the beating of her heart seemed to be trying to frantically beat its way out of her chest, she swore she could feel the creature's breath on the back of her neck.

It would make her turn to look over her shoulder, even as she continued to flee…but there was never anything in sight. Still, sometimes she could hear it…or feel it coming closer. Yet, when she tried to see it, there was nothing.

Nothing but the sounds of the leaves being crunched under foot or the heavy rasping of its breath.

Still she ran. Ran as fast as her klutzy, human legs could go. Pushing the stinging branches aside, breathing so hard that her lungs hurt. It was gaining on her, she knew this. It made her heart thunder in her ears.

Suddenly, she stumbled onto the beach and groaned. It would surely catch up with her now…out here in the open.

As she ran, she looked around, hoping she could find some place where she could crawl into, to hide. She was small enough that it wouldn't take much to hide her from her pursuer.

In the distance, she saw the cliffs, rising high with a narrow valley in between them. Running in that direction, she prayed she could make it to that valley in time… before the creature could catch her.

Her feet sank into the wet, grey sand of the beach, making it hard for her to remain upright. Taking deep gulps of the salty ocean air, she tried to focus on her destination while ignoring the sounds of the creature behind her.

She knew she couldn't turn around to see if it was closer now. It would only slow her down even more than she was already going.

Gritting her teeth, she whispered to herself. "Please, just let me get to the cliffs. I'll be okay if I can make it there."

Deep inside, a small voice told her it was an impossible feat, but she did her best to ignore it and trudged on…watching as the valley grew closer and closer. As the opening came into view, she could hear distant voices coming from the other side of one of the cliffs.

Still, she didn't yell for their help, there would be no use asking anyone to come to this secluded beach. The cliffs hid it well from the more popular beach on the other side, making it a private and elusive beach to most of the public. Besides, she knew better than to introduce strangers to the supernatural world that held her in its grasp.

Ignoring the excited voices of the lucky, ignorant beach-goers, she continued to run for the valley. There was a small, ankle deep stream there, one that trickled down to the Pacific behind her. She splashed through the stream, spying an opening in the side of one of the cliffs.

She smiled as she realized it was just the right size for her to crawl into, but just as she shifted to run towards it, she heard the splash behind her.

"No!" she gasped, between breaths, "Not yet!"

Years of practice made her forge on without even daring to look behind her. Especially now…when she was so close to her destination. She would make it, she knew she would make it this time.

Reaching out with her hands, she silently willed her body to make it to the opening when something shoved her from behind.

With a cry, she went tumbling into the sand, as the solid mass behind her became tangled with her softer body. Together they rolled into the stream as mud, salty water and other debris joined their tumble.

Just as the tell-tale smell began to clog her nostrils and something wet slammed against her cheek, her eyes flew open with a scream.

Bella thrashed on the bed as she pummeled the wet wolf that was slobbering all over her while dripping mud on what was once her clean sheets.

She tried shoving the wolf off of her as she complained. "Jacob Black! How dare you mess up the bed! I just put these sheets on this morning!"

The russet wolf chuffed as if laughing before he lowered his front half back to the ground. He was way too big to fit his entire body on the bed, but he was lucky the bed hadn't broken under his weight just the same.

Bella watched as he backed up a couple of steps and took a stance that alerted her to more danger.

"NO!" she cried…too late as the wolf sprayed her and the room with water droplets that he shook off of his coat.

She growled at him. "Jake! You idiot!"

Once more he chuffed before suddenly phasing back into the tall, bronze-skinned man known as Jacob Black. His laughter was easily heard now as he took in the sight of the drowned-rat look his wife was currently sporting.

Ignoring the fact that she looked ready to kill his naked butt, he moved to sit on the bed next to her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her into his side before burying his face in her hair.

"You were dreaming again, Bells." he whispered softly, not wanting to spook her…yet wanting her to talk about it.

She sighed as she leaned into his warmth. "Yeah, I know."

His grip tightened. "Tell me…"

She looked up into his eyes, seeing the worry there. She knew what he was thinking. After all these years, her nightmares had come back. No matter how many times she had tried to reassure him, he still panicked every time he heard her dream.

A smile spread over her face. "It's not what you think."

He didn't smile. "Isn't it?"

She sighed, lifting a hand to run over the still perfect indentions of his chest. "Trust me, Jake. It wasn't a nightmare. I was just…"

She giggled.

"Just what, honey?" prodded her husband.

Her twinkling gaze lifted to his dark one as she answered him. "Just remembering the last race I lost to a certain russet wolf a year ago. I think I'm due for a rematch, don't you?"

His eyes widened. "That's what you were dreaming of? Seriously?"

She nodded. "Yep. I was so close to reaching the cave last year, but you still caught up with me!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Bells, you were breathing really hard and thrashing…like…"

"Like I was being chased. I was desperate to win!" she finished.

This time he couldn't help the small grin that appeared. "Okay, yeah. I remember how you sounded then. And the look on your face when you knew I'd caught you."

He shook his head. "I was almost sorry that I had."

She playfully shoved him even though she knew she couldn't move the boulder that was her husband. "Not funny! Come on! I want a rematch!"

He sighed. "Come on Bells, not this time."

"Yes! This time! You promised that I could!"

He pulled her into his arms, pressing open-mouthed kisses on her neck. "Wouldn't you rather spend this Spring Break making up for lost time? Our classes have been hell on us this semester."

She moaned, clearly falling prey to his lips as usual.

Ever since she had kissed him on that mountain top…which resulted in her having visions of their future children, she had been unable to resist his lips at all. That kiss had sealed the deal for her future.

Once the fight with Victoria and the newborns was over, she had ended it with Edward Cullen and his family. Edward had kept his word to Jacob, backing away, letting her be happy with Jacob while he and his family left the area for good.

Bella had never looked back since then. The vision had been too powerful for her to ignore, making her desire for those children, with Jacob, surpass even her desire to be young forever. She wanted those kids, but she knew she couldn't have them right then and there.

Still, it was a dream she knew she could one day achieve. A dream she had shared with Jacob while he lay in his bed, healing from the injuries he had received in the newborn battle. It was there that she confessed that she really did love him more. That she was willing to be with him, if he still wanted her after everything that had happened.

Jacob had been cautious at first. Asking her if she was sure because his heart wouldn't take it if she tossed him aside again. For once, she had stood her ground. Telling him she wasn't leaving his side ever again…even Edward had helped by leaving as soon as his family was ready to leave with him.

Once the Cullens were gone, it was like a weight had been lifted from everyone's shoulders. The gloomy clouds had disappeared, exposing the warmth of the sun again, allowing nothing to stand in the way of Bella and Jacob's happiness.

The Cullens' leaving also did one other thing, something that had been a long time in coming. It was something that had already been happening naturally, but Edward's absence from Bella's life and heart, seemed to have made the other part of it finally snap into place.

Jacob Black had imprinted on Bella Swan.

It had taken both of them by surprise…and then they had cried tears of joy, knowing that from then on, nothing…absolutely nothing could ever separate them again.

And nothing had done so.

Bella had graduated, then started taking a few community college courses while she waited for Jacob to graduate. The moment they had found out he had passed the exit exams that following Spring, they had gotten married in a small ceremony on the beach despite Charlie's grumblings.

They wanted to be husband and wife before going off to college together, even though they didn't go far. Washington State had everything they wanted, so they found an apartment on campus and returned to La Push when they were on break. Bella had even taken up track, trying in vain to get rid of her clumsiness.

It had worked, although many attributed it to the fact that being with Jacob just made her more assured and confident with herself. Still, she ran track and that had begun the race she and Jacob had every time they went home for Spring Break.

For three years, she had tried to beat him to the little cave they had found not too far from his grandfather's old house, which became their house once the pack had repaired it…as a wedding gift to them. Every year she had gotten closer to the cave before Jacob's wolf caught her, and every year they had enjoyed their Spring Break in that cave.

This year, she was almost certain that she would make it this time. After all, last year was the closest she had come to the cave before she had been caught…and she refused to let Jacob talk her out of it, even when he was letting his sinful lips do the talking.

"Jake," she sighed, as she gripped a handful of his long hair in her fist and yanked.

"Ouch! Bella, what the…" he cringed as he reached up to pry her fingers from his hair.

She didn't let go as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I. Want. A. Rematch."

His eyes were actually beginning to water, Bella knew his weakness. "Okay, okay. You win!"

She grinned as she released his hair, bouncing up from the bed. "Great, I'll meet you at the starting line in ten."

He pouted at her as he rubbed his head. "What? I don't even get dinner before we go?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's one in the morning, Jake."

"Okay, breakfast then?"

She tsked. "You eat now, you'll never want to race." She stopped short of the bathroom door. "Then again, if I feed you, you'll be lazy and sluggish, which means I'll win for sure!"

He growled at her. "Go get dressed, woman! I'll meet you outside!"

Her giddy laughter followed him out of the bedroom.

It was the same as before.

Just as she came close to the edge of the forest, she knew she was being hunted. She could hear the faint crunch of leaves signaling that Jacob's wolf was gaining on her. Even over her frantically beating heart she could hear it, plus feel his breath on the back of her neck. It was his way of teasing her, letting her know he was close to catching her.

She knew, she was his favorite prey…and just like a predator, he toyed with her. Making her look over her shoulder, trying to catch sight of him. She always knew he was there, but he was too good at hiding himself from her, no matter his size. The only things he gave away sometimes, were the sounds of his breathing or the crunch of leaves beneath his paws.

No matter what, she had trained herself to keep running. Ignoring the branches in her face or the way her lungs began to burn. Ignoring everything except getting to the beach, then racing towards the cave once she had it in her sights.

Just like last time, she silently prayed that she would make it to the cave before Jacob caught up with her. He had an unfair advantage since the flat beach meant his huge paws would allow him to run flat out, covering more distance than her petite human legs could.

Still, she ran with everything she had over the wet sand of the beach, measuring her breaths as she focused on the mouth of the cave in the distance…her training clearly helping her not to turn around to see just how close he was now. She kept her eyes on the opening of the cave, ignoring the voices of beach-goers coming from the other side of the cliffs despite the late hour. She knew it was probably members of the wolf pack family anyway…and they all knew better than to interrupt their Alpha's play time with his imprinted mate.

As she reached the small stream, she tried not to grin in triumph. She was almost there! It was now just a few feet away. She ran across the stream, reaching the other side in time to begin the last desperate sprint towards the cave.

She was half way there when she heard the splash behind her. Gritting her teeth, she launched herself at the cave opening, laughing in glee when her body sailed past the entrance.

She was still laughing when Jacob's furry body collided with hers, sending them both tumbling into the soft sand inside of the cave. As they rolled, she could feel the fur give way to warm, muscled skin until she was wrapped up in the arms of her very human, very naked husband.

When they came to a halt, she was sprawled over the top of him, her heavy breathing pressing her breasts against his chest. Crowing her triumph as she felt his laughter rumbling from him, she finally voiced her victory between heaving breaths.

"I won! I finally won!"

He beamed his sunny smile up at her. "Yep, you did it, honey! You beat me!"

She could hear the pride in his voice, making her grin even bigger as she looked down at him.

He lifted his hands to run his fingers through her hair. "Hm, now that you won, care to celebrate your victory?"

She giggled as she felt him lift his hips against her stomach while he ran his hands down her back until he gripped her ass. "Geez, how did you run with that in the way?"

He shrugged. "I've learned to live with it over the years."

Her giggles increased as she imagined the suffering he must have gone through trying to run with a hard-on…not to mention the ribbing he had to have gotten from the pack!

Jacob's smile faded into a scowl. "Not funny, Bells."

She tried answering him between gasps of laughter. "Yes…it…is!"

He growled at her as he rolled them until she was beneath him. She was still laughing as he began to tickle her with his fingers…until said fingers began to remove her clothes so that he could use his tongue to tickle her skin.

In no time at all, her laughter became breathy moans as he pleasured her with his hands and mouth. He left nothing untouched…and the feel of his skin sliding sensually against hers only intensified her need for him.

Grabbing his head in her hands, she tugged him until he slid up her body so that she could devour his kisses with the same hungry passion his mouth had been devouring her skin. As their tongues performed the dance that their nether regions would soon be doing, they rolled some more until she was as naked as he was.

Ignoring the way the sand clung to their bodies, their hands roamed over slippery, satin skin and rippling muscles as they quickly heated each other up…more so than the dance of their dueling tongues did.

Bella could feel how wet she was now…not the wetness of the ocean water on her skin, but the wetness between her legs which only her husband could seduce out of her. Not wanting to wait any longer, she rolled them so that she was on her back, spread her legs and grabbed his luscious ass to tug him down.

"Jake," she half-gasped, half-moaned. "Jake, now!"

Jacob, having had a few years of experience being her husband…plus all those extra years of being her best friend…knew what she meant. He could practically read her mind now.

Needing no more encouragement, he lined his cock up with her opening and thrust deeply into her tight, moist cavern. Her walls quickly grasped hold of him, despite the slickness that engulfed them. It was that slickness that allowed him to surge in and out of her with ever-increasing speed. Her hips rose to meet his, her body just as eager as his was to reach the end.

It had always been that way between them…their lovemaking…so intense from the beginning. So much so that Bella had quickly gotten over her shyness and bashfulness of being nude or having sex with Jacob. There was no way she could deny her attraction and desire for the man she loved with all of her heart…and she quickly discovered that she didn't want to.

Jacob slid his arms beneath her arms and shoulders, holding her body up to his chest as he deepened his thrusts. Burying his face in her hair, he gritted his teeth as he felt his end nearing. He knew the angle he had her in would only increase her need for release. The affirmation came when he felt her walls convulse around his shaft as she screamed her ecstasy against his chest, her nails digging into his ass.

He loved when she made love to him with such wild abandonment…it only made his desire for her escalate more. That proof was in the way he reacted to her screams and her nails digging into his skin. Her actions triggered his powerful explosion that bathed her walls even as he growled his pleasure into her hair.

Her body clung to his, holding him tight to her until the last tremors left both of them limp and sated. Only then did she collapse back into the sand, tugging him with her. He allowed his body to lay over hers for a while…catching his breath before he rolled to his side, taking her with him.

They lay there, facing each other, sharing languid kisses and lazy smiles as they basked in the afterglow.

…until she began to giggle again.

"What?" was his lazy drawl.

She beamed a bright smile at him. "You were right…I like being hunted. It's a huge turn-on."

He grinned at her confirmation of their yearly debate during Spring Break. "Hm, so is being the hunter."

"Really?" she giggled as she swept her arm around her to indicate the cave which they had made their own with a few blankets and other select items. It was their little romantic hide-away when they had too many visitors at their house. "I would have never guessed."

He rolled his eyes at her teasing as he began to get to his feet, tugging her with him. "Shut up, woman and come have a victory meal with me."

She followed him to the blankets where he sat down and began pulling out the sandwiches from the cooler next to their makeshift bedding. Sitting down next to him, she tugged one of the blankets over her shoulders to keep the cold off until she could snuggle up to her wolf again.

She watched with a smile as he handed her a sandwich then began devouring his pile of sandwiches with gusto. He was halfway through them when he noticed she was watching him even as she continued to nibble on her half-eaten sandwich.

"What? It's not like you don't know how much I eat."

She laughed. "I know."

"Then what?" he mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich.

Her smile widened as she leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

He swallowed his food, pushed the rest of the sandwiches out of the way and pulled her into his lap.

"I love you too, Mrs. Bella Black." he murmured against her mouth.

She sighed in contentment now that she back in his arms. "Okay, maybe we can spend the rest of our Spring Break here in the cave. Do you think the pack will leave us alone?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I'll make sure of it."

"Good," she mumbled as she reached into the cooler for the champagne bottle she had noticed Jacob had packed. "Now…let's really celebrate my victory."

He laughed as she managed to open the bottle until she tilted it to pour the liquid over his chest.

"Bells!" he groaned as she made sure some of the champagne dripped over his crotch.

She gave him a wicked smile. "My turn to be the predator and you to be the hunted."

Her wolf gave her a cheeky grin as he lay back in order to let his wife have her way with him in their little cave.

He was certain this was going to be a very memorable Spring Break for the both of them.