Chapter Two: Tears Start Flowing and the Wind Starts Blowing
(A/N: This chapter has been done for weeks and I have 1-3 more chapters until it's all finished. I hope you enjoy. I apologize for the delay. Luv. --NL)
As soon as I allowed the distance between Leah and I to widen, I felt so alone. And when I felt alone, I thought about Bella more than ever. She was probably a bloodsucker now, ready to kill whatever was in her view.
There was just something … something about her that I couldn't let go of. I had to know. I had to see. When I arrived at the Cullen's doorstep, before I could even knock, it opened. "Now's not a good time to try and see her." Alice stated abruptly, ready to close the door.
I could hear sounds of scrambling and chaos in the background, sounds that weren't synonymous to the Cullen household.
"When should I come back by?"
"We're going to be leaving soon so … it's best that you don't come back at all." Alice closed the door firmly.
"I'm not going anywhere!" I yelled, finding an alternate way into the house, but Alice was standing in front of me before I could even execute the plan. I hated that they could predict what I was going to do before I even did anything.
"Jacob. Don't make this difficult." Alice explained as though she were ready to fight. I was ready for anything. I'd do anything to see Bella, as usual.
"Is she okay? I'm not going anywhere until--"
"I know. You can see her but … at your own risk." She gave me a look that was way too cynical and evil to come from such a seemingly delicate being. I wasted no more time on her, instead running downstairs towards the commotion.
"Restrain her!" A rough voice demanded.
"Bella. Bella." I could hear Edward's voice plea. "Concentrate." He demanded. A few moments later, the house was filled with a sudden calm as I saw her for the first time since the transformation. Bella Swan, a shell of who she used to be, looked at me with red blood-shot eyes which looked hungry and very un-human.
Her pale white skin made my stomach churn and although her hair looked longer, softer, and more beautiful than ever it was sickening. She wasn't my Bella. I took a deep breath before starting to talk.
"Bella. I came to see…"
"Jake." She whispered, a flicker of recognition crossing her face, but the Cullen clan refused to let her go.
"What are you doing?" I wondered as they successfully tied her in one of those straight jacket things.
"She's not stable." Jasper answered, taking cover in one of the shadows.
"Stable?"
"It's not safe for you to be here Jacob." Edward commented looking extremely forlorn and contemplative.
"I can handle it."
"No. You can't. A vampire's venom is fatal to anything that it touches, werewolves included." Edward explained.
"Bella would never--"
"Look dog, you're not wanted here. Why don't you just go home?" Rosalie spoke up angrily.
"Not until I talk to her." I remained persistent, wondering how Bella could have trouble not biting me when she had just had a very helpless newborn.
"Carlise and Esme need to take her away for a while … until we learn to deal with Bella."
"Well, like it or not … I'm not leaving." And I didn't. I frequented the Cullen's house everyday, waiting for the chance to talk to Bella and to have her to myself. Until then, I waited and … tried to make peace with the pack.
Finally, I got that chance. I was neglecting my pack duties and Sam was growing less and less patient with me, but I kept seeing Leah. She was just a distraction. Whenever I was with Bella, she was my world and whenever she wasn't around, Leah filled the void.
That was how she wanted it, so that was how I made it. Impersonal. Business. An opportunity too good to pass up. And now that I finally got the chance to be with Bella… Bella who looked at me like a rabid raccoon ready to attack anything in its course.
"Bella … are you okay? It's me, Jake." I reintroduced myself as she started to calm down a little. Her eyes, which were previously as large as small plates, were slowly returning to a more human size.
"Jake?" She looked at me and smiled. Bella tried to move closer to me, but Edward was still holding onto her, restraining her.
"Let her go." I demanded.
"Yeah Edward, it's okay. We've worked on this, remember? I can handle it." Bella slowly walked towards me and then quickened the pace before jumping into my arms.
"I've missed you." I whispered, trying to ignore the coolness of her skin and the acid smell of her body which made me want to turn away in repugnance.
"Me too … and I miss the way you used to smell." Bella joked, looking at me as I looked down at her. The moment was intimate and maybe a little too much so for a married woman.
"Umm … I think …" I cleared my throat as Bella pulled away, but we kept looking at each other and smiling, even when Edward wrapped his arm around her possessively.
"I think it'll be alright if Jake and I spent some time together."
"Okay." Edward nodded. "But we have to take you to the basement." Edward explicated. As I followed them, he informed me that Bella had to be watched controlled, locked up. When I was ready to leave, I had to lock her down there … like an animal. When I tried to get some sort of reasoning for this craziness, Edward told me that it was the only way to make sure that she didn't hurt anyone.
"If she tries to attack you, give her this." He handed me a steel needle filled with some sort of vampire tranquilizer. I tried to smell It and see what it was but was sealed with something … I knew that Edward was reading my mind and that he was getting a kick out of it. I felt him smirk as I placed the needle into my back jean pocket and finally got to spend some time, alone with Bella.
"Finally." I smiled once we were all alone. Bella smiled back, but her eyes were calculating. I could see all of the differences in her, but I wasn't going to let that change how I felt about her. I was in love with Bella and always would be.
"What have you been up to?" Bella asked as I sat next to her with my arm around her neck.
Not wanting to talk about Leah, I switched everything back to her. "How's it feel being one of the undead?"
"Not as awful as you would think. I can really see things like never before. Even the lightest sound … and the smells. It's amazing." She gushed.
"But they still have you locked up in here, treating you like a child."
"They have to. I'm not stable."
"There you go, always defending them. The Cullens can do no wrong to you." I stood up, angrily. Bella always found a way to bring out my temper.
"I am a Cullen now."
"Only by name." I snorted. "How are you ever going to experience your new … life if they're always holding you back? I believe in you Bella and I know you wouldn't kill anyone."
"You think so?" Her eyes shimmered looking a little less serial-killer like and more doe-like. I nodded, hugging her as I held my breath while doing so. Even though she was still Bella, her body was one of a vampire, one being that my body still had an adverse reaction to, no matter what.
You missed the rounds again Jacob, Sam complained to me. I nodded, accepting whatever 'punishment' that he would create, but I didn't care. Right now, I would make nice with the group and then go back to seeing Bella again.
Since distancing myself from Leah, Bella stayed on my mind like a constant, like a drug. I dreamt about her more vividly than ever before. I loved being able to have an almost identical relationship with her as before except that she refused to kiss me.
And that her smell repulsed me. But she was still Bella and would always be my number one.
Still thinking about the vamp? Leah wondered sardonically.
That comment turned my attention back to Leah and why I was really starting to hate her. I didn't allow myself to think about the fact that she admitted that I was just something she could use and toss but … what did she know about Bella and I? Bitter people like her just didn't get it.
No. I'm thinking about getting rid of you. I answered back with as much abhorrence as I could muster up.
Cool it. Sam ordered.
I'm not the one being a big baby about everything. People use people … right Sam? Leah wondered, not being as subtle as she could have. I knew she was referring to what Sam did to her … I could feel her anguish and so could everyone else.
See what I mean Sam? You're always talking about us needing to be stronger, but what could be stronger than a pack without a weak link?
How am I the weak link? Leah howled, angrily.
You cause dissention in the group. I answered back simply.
And werewolves aren't supposed to be girls. It adds a weird dimension. Quil backed me up as I could hear the other guys start to agree. They wanted to kick her out of the group, if that was even possible.
It's not. Sam responded allowing his mind to roam freely and briefly to his relationship with Leah and his possible culpability in all of this. Then quickly, it all went away and his conscious was clear. I realized that he didn't care about Leah one way or the other.
He didn't even feel any remorse for what he had done. The relationship between you two is toxic to the group. I can feel your hate, distrust … penetrating through my mind. Fix it. You have a week.
Sam and the others walked away, Seth giving me a sympathetic because he knew better than anyone what it was like being around Leah all the time. I sighed, rolling my eyes yet allowing myself to face Leah.
Outside of my wolf body, I waited for her to transform back. She did, peering at me from behind the bushes as though she were hiding.
"You heard Sam … start apologizing." I ordered.
"Maybe if you were alpha, that statement would hold some weight, but you don't matter that much."
"Did I ever? I thought we were just using each other, remember?" I shot back, turning away from her.
"I didn't know you were so sensitive." Leah rushed out of the bushes, placing her arm around my left bicep as I jerked away from her, leaving her to stumble backwards, caught by surprise.
"I'm not sensitive."
"You are." She caught up with me again, catching my eye this time. I remained firm. I would not budge this time. "Do you want to know why I say you're sensitive … besides crying over the fact that I want you for sex … I don't know if you remember my cousin Karima."
"Yeah . I remember her." I grumbled, thinking about the half-black Quilete girl that no one wanted to accept because she wasn't 'one of us.' Her mother had died and she was sent to live on the res. With her father's family … Leah's family.
"She was like a sister to me and what you did…"
"I know what I did." I groaned, not wanting to get into this. I remembered standing up for Karima and saving her life. I remembered Leah telling me that she was forever indebted to me. I remembered what it was like to crush on an older woman, a true older woman who was six years my senior. Then, I remembered seeing her fall in love with Sam. Damn.
"I wish I could read your mind right now." She added quietly. "I just don't know why this is so complicated. Do you … feel something for me?" Leah looked at me powerlessly.
My gaze wavered, telling her everything she needed to know. "Jake … whatever happens between us, it's strictly business. We are both are using each other." She admitted, waiting for my reply before pressing her warm body against mine.
"Is that an apology? You suck at it." I stated, hugging her closely with Leah resting her face against my chest. I was grateful that she didn't keep asking me questions about how I felt. It was great to know that I didn't have to think about Leah outside of the bounds of being an annoying additive.
"Can't be any worse than your love making." She challenged as I tried not to look disappointed. I wanted to know how she really felt about … me, but at least this way we were on safe territory.
"You know I put it down." I joked as Leah laughed off my attempt at being smooth. That just wasn't me. She stood on the tips of her toes, as I lowered my head so that our lips could meet and dance. Leah kissed me with such tenderness that I almost thought she meant it.
I was fixated on Leah, panting and taken aback by it all. She was biting her lip seductively, waiting a few seconds before wrapping her body around mine as I lifted her off the ground with ease.
The force with which she jumped onto my body almost caused us to fall to the ground. Once again, I was able to feel the smoothness of her bare back and the feel of her thighs caressing my body.
As I lay beside her after we'd had our make-up sex, I stroked her hair unable to be completely emotionless about this entire situation. I pressed my lips together, with thoughts of Leah and Bella taking turns and fighting for my undivided attention.
Soon after, once daybreak came, I gave Leah one last kiss and she retaliated by giving my 'flat ass,' as she called it a little slap. "Wait." Leah called back, running and jumping onto my back.
"What's this?"
"I think we should get out … away from the reservation and super-human beings." She whispered into my ear, running her tongue along its outside before giving me a quick kiss on the nape of my neck. I could feel my body shake and react.
Leah jumped down and then gave me a little push. "So, what do you think?"
"About what?" I joked, turning around as Leah placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "Just kidding. I'll be there. I promise."
"Thursday night." Leah added, as I nodded struggling between leaving her for Bella or staying. I compromised by cupping her face and kissing her like I'd only ever dreamed of kissing Bella. "Hmm … Better."
Satisfied, I left Leah behind, ignoring the empty sensation that was welling up inside of meand headed past the barrier line, to my Bella.
(A/N: Review... )
