After Jacob's woodsy scent intoxicated me for a few minutes, I grew calmer. Too upset to speak, I just lay surrounded by my thoughts.
''You're okay. It was only a nightmare.'' Jake whispered with a calming affect.
"My worst ever'' was all I needed to say for Jake to understand. crying. ''Shh. Don't cry. You're safe. I haven't left your side,'' Jacob cooed in my ear.
''Do you want to talk about it?'' he asked. I knew I was safe in his arms, and I breathed in his pleasant, woodsy scent once more.
Looking deep into his chocolate brown eyes, I asked, "Do you want to hear it?"
He pushed back a strand of hair away from my face, and gave me his best that was a stupid question face.
'' Okay . . . well . . . I was in the meadow with you. A group of vampires came and demanded Percy for your survival. The rest of the pack came to save us but one of the vampires used powers over water, metal, and wind until all of you surrendered. Sam, Paul, Quil, and Embry all died and you were bitten, Jacob.'' I started to cry as the final words left me. I didn't tell him about the last part because it was too upsetting. It didn't make any sense either. In fact, the whole dream didn't make much sense. There wasn't even a logical reason behind having these dreams.
''Don't cry, babe. It was just a dream. That would never happen—trust me—with my fast reflexes, phht! I would never give our son over to a bloodsucker. And we'd never surrender to a bunch of leeches either.'' He reassured me in his silly childish manor, while rubbing my back with his blazing hands. The feel of heat from his skin on mine always helped to calm me down.
''Embry would reflect the leech's power back at him, and Jared would be able to burn them, so your dream could never happen. Although, as you know, Jared prefers tearing them apart—can't say I blame him. If we were as fragile as in your dream, my friends and I would never have lasted this long against them, nor would we be designed to kill them if we couldn't.'' Jacob looked at me with a grin on his face. I smiled in agreement.
''You're right, Jake. You would have been history fighting Laurent.'' I was slightly more cheery, even though I was still a little shaken from my dream. ''I don't ever want to lose you, Percy, or Diego.'' Diego was Percy's new baby brother. He was born eighteen months after our wedding.
Jacob stroked my cheek as he explained, ''Bella, no parasite is ever going touch you or our sons. Remember that promise I made in the movie theatre the night I first phased?" I nodded. "Well, I meant it."
"I know, but Jake, he was so powerful. He hurt all of you,'' I said, remembering my dream again. I kept mulling it over in my head, and it made no logical sense, but since when did dreams have to make sense?
''It was a dream, sweetie. Vampires' powers don't work on us, and we heal from just about any injury. You, Percy, and Diego are all that matter to me. If something happened to any of you, I'd never forgive myself.'' Jacob put his other warm hand on my face. His words and love-filled touches were always reassuring and comforting.
Suddenly worried, I said, "Oh my gosh, where are Percy and Diego?'' I rarely had nightmares, but whenever I did one of them was usually in our room, wondering if I was okay. They don't have Jacob's super werewolf hearing yet, but I scream pretty loud.
''Percy and Diego aren't here,'' Jake answered calmly. How could he be nonchalant about our sons' well being? They were both missing and he was calm about it?
''Where are they then? What happened?'' I entreated, starting to panic just as I realized how silly I sounded. The La Push school year ended a week ago, so Percy and Diego were spending the night with their closest friends. Jacob shook his head and smiled at me when he realized I noticed my mistake.
I groaned, still filled with maternal worry. ''The four of them are defenseless against vampires, even if they're stronger than other kids their age. Unlike you and the pack, they're vulnerable to their powers.''
Jacob continued. ''Sam would never let a vampire hurt them, plus I overheard him saying he'd likely have Quil and Embry come over to look out for the Turkish leeches we're still after. We haven't caught three of them because they got away in Puget Sound the other night near Port Townsend.''
I didn't like the idea of those vampires being so close. Jacob doesn't phase as much as he used too because there hasn't been a lot of vampires around lately, so we've had a bit of normalcy. Admittedly, I was so thankful for that.
I turned my head to look at the clock with guilt; it was three o'clock in the morning. "You're right, and Percy and Diego really like Quil. I'm sorry for waking you, Jake." I said with a guilty conscience.
''Bells, it's okay. Today's Saturday, and you're more important to me than sleep. I don't have work, nor am I leading training today; it's everyone's day off.'' Jacob said it with one of his famous grins. He has the most beautiful smile.
Jacob, along with Embry and Quil, has a job working at a car and motorcycle repair shop in Forks. Jacob's boss is Quileute and understands about the responsibilities of Jacob's other ''job."
I began to reminisce about my life with Jacob. It amazes me that we've been married ten years, and our kids had aged while Jacob and I don't look a day over eighteen. I teach English as well as history at La Push School, and we have a house of our own down the street from Billy.
Our bedroom has beige walls and a nightstand by each side of the bed. Each table has a small Tiffany lamp, which seems out of place in our house, but the Cullens got them for us as a wedding gift. The hallway in our house is of medium width. On one side is the laundry room and Percy's room, and on the other is Diego's room and a guest bedroom. Lining the walls are pictures of places we've been and of our friends and family. We reached the bright, open kitchen we modeled after Emily's. Across from the kitchen is the brightly lit living room with a brown sofa, a coffee table, and a purple armchair. Needless to say, Jacob has very strange taste in furniture color.
In the morning, Jacob put on only his beige cut offs and his brown hiking boots, ready for breakfast. I cooked chocolate chip pancakes for him. Sometimes he helps me cook because of his guilty conscience about having a werewolf appetite. That way he could sneak in more food.
After scarfing down his seventh pancake, he asked, "What do you say we visit our nephews, Jason and Galen? We haven't seen them for a few days.''
''Sure, let's go. Whose car are we taking?'' I asked, knowing it was a silly question. Jacob prefers driving his car, but has nothing against my new green pickup. I still have my old truck because I'm too fond of it to get rid of it, even though it wheezed it's last breath a few months ago. I should have it bronzed for posterity.
''Mine,'' Jacob said as he grabbed the keys to his vehicle. It was a beautiful brown four door Ford F-150 pickup that Jake's worked on quite a bit and we headed out the door.
Jake still has his red Rabbit because, like me, he refuses to get rid of it. I don't want him to because of all the time he spent on it, but I like our new cars as well. Jacob didn't put a shirt on, not that I was complaining because I liked seeing his muscles. It's fun to ogle him when he drives shirtless.
''Jake, aren't you going to put a shirt on?'' I asked. Knowing it was a dumb question. I climbed in the cab waiting to see what he would say. He hardly ever wears a shirt, and neither does his pack. Yeah, Jacob took over as Alpha when Percy turned three. Sam stepped down to Beta and Quil decided to stay Delta.
''Bella, do my friends and I ever wear a shirt on the Rez?'' He gave me a look as he got in. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. ''Well, do we?'' he badgered.
''No, not often,'' I responded, blushing.
He smirked at me, and jokingly asked, "Why is that?''
''Well, I suppose because of your body temperature and to show off your werewolf muscles, Mr. Conceited.'' That told him.
''Exactly. Plus, I like driving shirtless, and when you've got an eight-pack, you might as well show it off,'' he asserted. Then, he gave me another one of his famous grins.
Flirting with him shamelessly, I told him, ''That's true, and I think you look better with your shirt off. When you drive shirtless; I get to drool over your werewolf muscles."
''Thanks, beautiful. I also do it because, believe it or not, it's more comfortable for me.'' Jacob started the car after we both fastened our seatbelts. His vehicles always smelled like Jacob with his pleasant scent of rain, earth and forest combined.
After pointless banter, we arrived at Emily's house, as Quil walked out with Jason—of course, both of them shirtless. Jason, like his father, Sam, hardly ever wore a shirt. Like always, Quil was eating something, and this time it was a pear. Jacob and I got out of the car to greet them, and Jason immediately ran over to Jacob.
''Uncle Jacob!'' Jason cried. ''What's up?'' he squealed as he hugged Jacob.
''I'm doing well. You know, you're getting strong, buddy,'' Jake said as he messed up the hair on Jason's head.
''Hi, Aunt Bella,'' Jason said as he ran over to me to give me a hug too. He might be only ten, but for someone his age he'd already got some muscle on him and has quite the grip, but he is a werewolf's son. He's also understandably, a bit warmer than a normal ten year old, just like his brother and our two kids, but that's normal for them. Their average temperature is about one hundred and one or so.
''Hi, Jason, how was your sleepover?'' I said as I looked at Quil.
''Awesome! Uncle Quil tells the coolest jokes,'' Jason chortled.
I put on a fake frown as I chastised Jacob's pack brother. Lightheartedly, I spit out, ''Quil, do you ever stop eating? Every time I see you, you're eating something.''
''I have a raging inferno for a stomach, and so do the rest of us, so I don't care that we're always hungry. And, you know the reason why, Bella. How have you been?'' Quil taunted. Taking a bite of his pear, he was careful about his choice of words as Jason was too young to know his Uncle's secret.
''Uncle Quil? Uncle Quil?'' A voice sounded that I recognized immediately. It was Perseus, or as we call him, Percy, the older of our two boys. He wasn't wearing a shirt, either. Like Sam's sons, he has quite the muscle on him.
''Oh, there you are,'' Percy chirped. ''Hi, Dad!'' He ran over to us and gave Jacob a big hug. Jacob gave him a gentle hug back and a kiss on his forehead. Percy has grown up to be a handsome kid, as had Diego. They look so much like their father.
''How are you doing, buddy? Did you have fun last night?'' Jacob said.
''We had a blast. Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry tell awesome jokes,'' Percy said.
Quil motioned to us. ''Emily's wondering when you're coming inside. She's making muffins for everyone.'' His power really does come in handy. We all walked inside where Diego and Galen greeted us.
''Hey, Uncle Jacob. Hi, Aunt Bella,'' Galen said as he gave Jacob, and then me, a tight squeeze. Like Jason, Percy, and Diego, he has quite the grip for a kid his age.
''How are you doing, sir?'' Jacob said, hugging Galen back.
''You're just in time, Emily is making muffins,'' Embry said. What was he doing here?
Seth waved at us as we came in the door. ''Hi, Bella,'' he brayed.
''Hey, Bella, what a pleasant surprise,'' Jared repeated.
''Hey. What are you guys doing here?'' I asked stupidly, since the pack is always here.
Seth lowered his head to the table top. ''We are exhausted from watching westerns last night, '' he informed us.
''The kids are quite fond of them,'' Quil said as he took another bite of his pear.
''Who stayed with your son, Jared?'' I asked naively.
Jared snorted, "Silly Bella, I wouldn't leave Jimmy like that. He's my only child. I had Collin stay over last night to protect them.'' At seven and a half, Jimmy is the youngest of the kids. His real name is James, but everyone calls him by his nickname. .
"Jimmy is quite fond of him,'' I said.
''He sure is.'' Jared agreed.
Percy got all animated as he told us, ''Uncle Quil stayed near me last night. It's like he's on fire, and he's got a really cool tattoo.'' I just giggled and nodded my head at my son.
Out of all of Jacob's friends, Percy and Diego had the best relationship with Quil, but what was not to like about him? He had such a sweet personality.
In all innocence, Percy asked, ''Uncle Quil, what's a leech?''
Quil bit into his pear again. ''It's what the rest of your uncles and I protect you from, and just to let you know, I have the same tattoo as the rest of your uncles.''
''Uncle Embry stayed with me to keep me warm. He's warmer than Uncle Quil,'' Diego said, ignoring Quil's previous statement.
''No, he's not. Uncle Quil is.'' Percy asserted.
''Uncle Embry is warmer; it's like he's on fire,'' Diego said, getting into an argument.
''I'm 108.9, Diego,'' Embry told him keeping the argument heated.
''I'm hotter than you, Embry. I'm 109.2.'' Quil crowed—lying—and thereby instigating the kids' argument. The pack Beta had a slightly higher temperature of 109.2, and the Alpha just about 110. Quil, being Delta, had the same temperature as the rest of the pack.
''See, I told you, Diego,'' Percy gloated, crossing his arms.
''Our dad is warmer— right, Galen, or is Uncle Seth warmer?" Jason asked his brother.
''No, Uncle Jacob is,'' Galen answered.
''I'm the same temperature as Uncle Embry.'' Seth responded.
''Isn't our dad warmer than Uncle Quil, though?'' Diego asked.
''I thought you said Uncle Embry was warmer?'' Galen countered.
''No, I didn't.'' Percy insisted.
''Guys, we can figure this out later. We were in the guest bedroom and we only came in when Uncle Quil sensed you were cold,'' Jared announced.
''Percy was exaggerating, but why are you, our other uncles, and Dad so warm Uncle Jacob?'' Jason asked.
Sam's kids and ours were still too young to know the pack's secret, so Jacob lied, but to a ten year old it would be quite convincing. Our houses have heat, but the pack used it being cold as a cover for the reason they stayed with them on occasion when the real reason was to protect them from vampires.
''You uncles and I have a rare medical condition that causes an abnormally high body temperature of 108 to 110 degrees,'' Jacob told Jason.
''It's certainly cool, '' Jason said.
''Buddy, were not cool, we're hot,'' Jared teased Jason.
''He was just kidding, Uncle Jared,'' Percy said.
Emily brought over the muffin tray, which had enough on it to feed an army. The Cullens, before they left town for Juneau, Alaska, left Sam and the rest of the pack a large sum of money. We're by no means millionaires, but the initial sum they gave us has made things much easier than it would have been. They occasionally called us on the phone to check up on us and visit now and then although it had been some time since their last visit.
''All your favorites guys, blueberry, banana, and cornmeal,'' Emily said as she placed the muffins on the table.
''Thanks, Aunt Emily,'' Diego and Percy said.
''Thanks, Mom,'' Galen whooped.
Emily peered at all the hungry werewolves seated at the table. ''Let the kids eat first. There's plenty for all of you,'' she suggested.
''Uncle Seth, where's Uncle Mike?'' Diego asked.
''He's out with Uncle Paul. He'll be back later,'' Seth told him.
''Oh really? I'm right here, guys.'' Mike announced as he walked in shirtless, like the rest of the pack.
''Paul's out with Brady. And yes, Bella, I know I look handsome without a shirt on, and the wolf tattoo looks good on me,'' Mike said, reading my thoughts.
''I know, I'm buff and look much better than when I was a white man, Emily,'' Mike said. In human form, he's able to read women's minds. In wolf form, he can read human women's minds as well as those of female vampires. It's a perfect power for him. Mike used to be paler, but after Seth gave him a blood donation, turning him into a werewolf, his skin got darker. Mike looks really good with a tan and is also muscular, but all werewolves are. The kids had developed a good relationship with Mike as well. He loves being a werewolf, perhaps a bit too much. Mike and Jessica are married, but don't have any kids yet, she told him recently she wants to have some soon.
Percy waved at his uncle. ''Hi, Uncle Mike.''
''How are you doing, Percy?'' Mike replied.
''I'm doing awesome. How come you can't read my thoughts?'' Percy inquired.
''I can only read girls' minds, but you can ask Uncle Quil to read your thoughts,'' Mike told Percy. He reached over his head, and took a blueberry muffin. Just as I could tell Percy was about to ask Quil to read his mind, a shirtless Sam, entered the kitchen.
Sam entered the kitchen and kissed Emily. ''What were you guys fighting over before? How warm your uncles and I are? And Mike, can you please try to stay out of my wife's head?''
''It's not like I can help it, Sam.''
''Sorry, Dad,'' Galen said, interrupting as the kids and the pack started to eat the warm treats.
''Why are you sorry? Your uncles instigated it, they always do. The four of you pick the weirdest things to argue about, '' Sam said in a pretend shameful face. Ever since he and Emily had kids, his heart of steel has softened quite a bit.
''I agree. Of all the things you guys could bicker over, that's what you pick? Which one of us is the warmest? I thought the banter between Jacob and Quil was corny, like who has the cooler boxers—which is me since I have some really cool pairs.'' Jared threw up his arms as everyone laughed.
Jason howled with laughter. ''You are so weird, Uncle Jared."
''That's funny—you calling Uncle Jared weird,'' I told Jason.
''Why is it funny?'' he asked.
''You guys are bickering over which of your uncles is the warmest.'' I taunted.
''Well it's hard to tell,'' Galen said.
''Just eat your muffins guys,'' I told the kids.
"Thanks for keeping Percy and Diego warm last night,'' Jacob told Embry and Quil.
"Do you really think we'd let our Alpha's kids freeze? We're their uncles,'' Quil said, getting to the last bite of his pear.
Jacob wrestled Seth into a headlock and rubbed his head with his fist. ''That you are, but you're still my little buddy, ''
''Jake, stop!'' Seth yapped. ''I'm not little,'' he complained. To prove his point, he playfully knocked Jacob over unto the couch.
''Seth don't hurt him!'' I snapped, teasingly angry.
Pretending to be mad, Jacob cracked, ''Oh, he'll pay later, maybe some extra running and jump training would be a good punishment.''
''Jake, I was just messing with you.'' Seth said, feigning hurt.
''I know, buddy.'' Jacob tousled Seth's hair and gently pushed him over.
''You guys are so weird.'' Percy stated.
''Are you calling me weird? When you argue with your brother about which of your uncles is warmer? Please, Percy,'' Jacob retorted.
Diego's eyes brightened. ''Yeah, but Uncle Quil has the best jokes.''
''Especially, the one about Cold One County,'' Galen added.
''I thought of that one out of thin air,'' Quil responded.
I've been married to Jacob ten years now, and we have a perfect life together. Wonderful children and Jacob's awesome friends surround me.
''Hey, who wants to go swimming at First Beach?'' Jacob yelled to the kids.
''We do!'' They all exclaimed. Percy, Diego, Galen, and Jason all went and put their bathing suits on, and we headed down to the beach for a swim.