Chapter One
"Don't freak out," he said.
Bella's wide brown eyes snapped up frantically and met his for a moment before flicking back down as she caught herself and tried to play it off. Jacob almost smiled to himself; she was so predictable, especially to him. He could almost read her thoughts; they were always spelled out so clearly in her expressions. Like right now, as she concentrated on stirring the chili she was putting together for supper, she was trying to keep her face calm and unreadable, but her cheeks were flushed bright red and the slight crease in her brow showed she was worried. And her lips were pursed, like she was trying to hold back whatever she wanted to say, they were normally so soft and…
"So what is it?" she finally asked, and Jacob blinked back to reality, realizing he had been staring for too long.
He steeled himself for the inevitable reaction he would have to face, and forced out the words. "I'm going to have to leave for a couple of days," he replied, hating the way her face crumpled.
"It's just another wolf thing," he added quickly, "Sam and I have to head up north to meet with our sister tribe about the recent leech problem," he finished with clenched teeth.
Bella glanced back up, this time with guilt written clearly in her eyes. She, for some reason unknown to Jacob, blamed herself for Victoria hunting her, and as Bella put it "causing problems for the wolves." Time and again Jacob had explained to her that she wasn't to blame for the redheaded leech's interest in her, although he couldn't tell her whom he actually blamed. Every time someone mentioned the bloodsucker's name, Bella grabbed around her waist like she was trying to hold herself together. Besides, he and his brothers loved the chase; there was nothing better to a wolf than to take down a leech.
"I'll be leaving tonight, but I should be back on Saturday," he added. He wanted to be back sooner, but Sam had said that it would be difficult to meet with the tribal elders in any sort of timely fashion and they would both have to stay until the council came to a decision. Both know that it would be extremely disrespectful to abandon a meeting before the discussion was settled.
"Okay," Bella replied simply. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and gnawed on it while.
Jacob watched her stare deep into the chili pot, as if it held all of life's mysterious answers. "What is it Bells?" he finally asked, leaning against the opposite counter and watching her intently.
"I just… why are you and Sam both going?" she finally asked.
Jacob could hear what she really wanted to know. "I really don't want to go Bells, but we have to meet with the tribe's council of elders, and we're not sure if they'll recognize Sam as the alpha of our tribe, because they knew my grandfather as the last alpha." Bella nodded and her face smoothed of most of its worry. While Jacob knew that she understood, as she had through all of his tribal and wolf duties, she wouldn't be completely relaxed until he returned. At least Jacob hoped it was because of him, he knew he wouldn't feel complete without Bella in his arms.
"Well that makes sense I guess, just be careful, both of you." Bella said. "The chili is almost done, Charlie should be here any minute."
Nodding, he took a closer look at Bella, and as he had noticed over the last few weeks, the dark circles under her eyes, while still there, had lightened considerably, and she was beginning to gain back the weight she had lost when that blood sucker left her. It was pretty bad at first, and he shuddered at the memory of her lying helpless in the forest. Seeing her curled up and almost lifeless through Sam's eyes when he found her a few months ago was one of the worst memories that Jacob had. But his Bella was strong, and with each passing day she was getting stronger. Now only the threat of the redheaded leech loomed over her, and when he finally got the chance to destroy her he was going to make sure nothing ever threatened Bella again. Although he had never imprinted, Jacob knew he could never feel as strongly about someone as he felt about Bella, and he was patient enough to wait until she was ready to accept his feelings.
He snapped back from his reverie in time to see Bella grabbing down bowls for their supper. Jacob loved it when Bella cooked, he was always hungry now, and she always seemed to have something good prepared when he came by. He heard Charlie's cruiser coming down the road and turning in the drive. Bella looked up and fixed her face into a pleasant smile when she heard him at the door. That was the thing with Bella, Jacob pondered, she always seemed to put on a face for everyone else to appear more normal, but for him, she was just Bells, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
AN: Reviews are always appreciated. Let me know what you like/dislike. I'll be updating as often as I can.