Chapter 1: A Crushing Weight

Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns Twilight

A/N: I would like to publicly thank all the wonderful people who have already favorited and/or, are following this story. The response was so staggering that I couldn't keep up. Ordinarily I would thank each and every one of you individually, but I was overwhelmed with the awesome numbers, and thought this would be an easier way to show my appreciation. I will continue however, to respond to any reviews. I'd feel ungrateful if I didn't do that at the very least.

JPOV:

Whaaaat? I couldn't believe what she was telling me. Was she crazy? She was gonna let that leech make love to her? She'd be ripped to shreds. "Bells—no, you can't be serious. He's a vampire, don't you get it? You'll be in a casket the morning after your wedding night."

Her face was a mask of stone. "He's my husband, and anyway, it's none of your business."

My fear for her and my anger toward him ignited the power in me to shift. "I'll kill him; I swear to god, I'll kill him!"

I felt myself beginning to fly apart when I was seized by several hands hauling me away from the scene. Paul, Jared and Sam dragged me into the woods as I sputtered and snarled, half in rage and half in despair.

They held onto me, until we heard the horn on the Volvo honk when it pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.

As I continued to struggle, Sam yelled, "Guys, let him go."

Instantly, I was on all fours, chasing after the couple, howling in agony. I knew they could both hear my baying. It was a known fact that a wolf's howl can be heard from a distance of ten miles. I ran, as fast as I could, howling nonstop until my throat burned, then realizing that she was gone, already on the way to her honeymoon, I launched myself into a tree, banging against it with my head, again and again. Maybe the pain there would make me forget the terrible aching that was filling my heart. My Bella was gonna die tonight. She went like a lamb to the slaughter, and there was no way for me to save her. Not this time.

Falling to the ground, I phased back and lay there naked, crying human tears—tears that continued for months, even after her return. How could I go on without her?

I stayed away from the happy couple, even when Charlie and Sue threw a party for her … a going away party. She and Cullen were moving to New Hampshire for College. Maybe it was wrong of me, but I couldn't drum up the courage to say goodbye one more time. It hurt too much, knowing that the tick would probably change her once they got free of Washington State.

Still, whenever my dad got a call or a visit from Charlie I would listen in on the conversation, even though the pain in my gut was sure to start up again. Every time I heard that there wasn't a funeral planned, I secretly celebrated, only to dread the day in the future when the news came.

Bella wasn't one of the undead yet, but she was long gone, and I still had to live out the life I'd been dealt. I had to shoulder my responsibilities, so I threw myself into my studies and made it into College.

I wasn't much fun to be around during that first year, especially for my father. I grieved at night, trying to at least act halfway cheerful during the daylight hours. I didn't date, and missed out on all the get-togethers my friends hosted.

One evening at dinner, Dad put down his fork and cleared his throat. I guess he'd had enough of my moping. "I know you're still hurting, Jacob. But you have to face the facts. Bella is gone. She made her choice, and as much as you'd have liked her to choose you, she didn't. You need to go on without her, and all this wallowing in self pity, won't bring her back."

Reluctantly, I nodded in agreement. The facts didn't lie. "I know that, Dad. I just wish I could imprint already so I could be happy like the others. Even Embry and Leah have found their soul mates. I'm the last to join the imprint party."

"There's Seth, Brady and Collin," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but there're younger than I am. They have time, and it's running out for me. I'm nineteen, Dad. No one's imprinted as far as I can tell after the age of twenty-one."

With a cocked eyebrow, he replied, "Is that right? Well, then you have sixteen months to see about it, eh?"

During my senior year, it finally happened. I met and imprinted on a sweet, gentle soul, named Jeanne Caudel. The magic bond wasn't as powerful as I thought it would be. I'd witnessed other imprintings, and expected to fall on my knees. Instead, it was soft as a whisper … quiet, comfortable, not at all like I'd imagined.

Jeanne was smart, and pretty, and totally in love with me. She made my life almost bearable ... almost.

The first day we met was by chance. She was wandering around the campus, lost. Jeanne was reading over her schedule of classes, and wasn't looking where she was going. And so, she literally bumped into me, her nose pressed into my chest.

"Oh no," she muttered, her words muffled in the fabric of my shirt. "I am so sorry."

Lifting her head, she gazed up into my eyes and I realized this was it; what I'd been waiting for. She tilted her head at an angle, utterly confused, probably thinking what the hell just happened?

I smiled at her. "Can I help you find your class? I'm Jacob Black by the way."

Jeanne blinked a few times, and shook her head. "Um … yeah. That'd be super."

We started to walk toward the Lit building. It was where her first class was meeting. "So what's your name?"

"It's … uh … oh, it's Jeanne."

Poor girl was really shook up. I must've made some kind of impression on her. My eyebrows rose. "And, you do have a last name, don't you?"

She let out a long, loud breath. "I think so …

"Caudel, yeah, that's right. Jeanne Caudel."

I had to chuckle. She was really cute—about five foot-five, with long, glossy brown hair, big smoky eyes, and a mouth that housed an overbite. She was wearing a loose fitting white sweater, with lace at the sleeves and a dark green skirt. There was a simple black ribbon at her neck with a delicately carved wooden feather hanging from it. Her feet were covered in short suede boots.

Jeanne seemed to reek of femininity, without being overly froufy. I couldn't stand the way some girls wore long, dangly earrings, rings on all ten fingers, bracelets galore, and purses with bling dotting every damn inch. Even her scent was light-handed, kind of a shea butter and honey thing, which I inhaled with pleasure.

After taking all this in, I asked her point blank, "If you're not doing anything at noon, would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Um, sure … I guess. That would be super."

Winking at her, I repeated, "Well, then, that'll be just … super."

The commissary was crowded, so I grabbed two seats as soon as they were available, putting books on the seat of one and my backpack on the other. I was a regular there, so I knew no one in their right mind would dare walk off with either. I spotted Jeanne with some guy, escorting her to the food counter. I caught up with her, giving the opportunist the eye, and a view of my biceps. He sized me up, didn't like the odds, and backed off pronto. Good thinkin', moron.

"Friend of yours?"

"No. I never met him before. He was just being nice."

"Did you let him know you were already taken?"

Her eyes got big. "What?"

"C'mon, Jeanne, you felt it, the same as I did."

Her hands were waving in the air. "Good gravy. I'm all discombobulated. I can't think or talk straight. Are you a magician or something? Did you put a spell on me? I'm not even sure what happened this morning, except that I'd probably follow you anywhere."

With my palm on her lower back, I steered her to the tray line. "Fair enough. Let's get something to eat, and I'll explain it to you."

I caught her staring at me as I took the initial bite out of my sandwich. Okay … so I guess it was a pretty big bite. "You just transferred here from Peninsula? You're a junior, then."

"Yeah, I didn't make it to orientation. My younger brother got mixed up in drugs, and my mom had to put him in rehab. I didn't want to leave, but Mom said she didn't want this to interfere with my education."

"I've seen that happen so many times among our people, but it's good that you wouldn't allow that to get in the way of your schooling."

I took a long pull on my water. "I knew I hadn't seen you here before. Where are you from?"

"We live in Beaver now. We moved from La Push when I was five. Dad got a job there as an electrician."

That was a shock. My head jerked slightly at the comment. "You're Quileute, then?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Same here. Small world, huh?"

I hesitated a beat, ready to plow into the matter at hand. "If you're a Quileute, then you've heard the legends of out tribe, haven't you?"

"Some of them. Which ones did you have in mind?"

"The one about the cold ones and the spirit warriors."

She started to rise from her chair, and her voice got shrill. "Wait—are you telling me …?"

"Yep, unfortunately."

Jeanne sprung out of her seat. "No, I don't believe you! You're saying that the legends are true? And that you're …?"

I placed an elbow on the table, and rested my chin on a fist, nodding the whole time at her reaction. "Do you wanna hear why you were so confused this morning, or do you wanna go screaming out the door?"

Her breath escaped sharply, and resigned, she sat back down. "I may as well hear the rest of it."

"Do you have any idea what imprinting is?"

She leaned in closer, intent on what I was saying. "No idea."

"It's the way a wolf finds his true mate. It's kind of like love at first sight, only stronger. I never cared much for the whole magical connection thing, but lately, I was praying that it would happen soon, and here you are."

"Yeah, here I am. Just peachy—but don't I have any choice in the matter?"

"Sure, sure. Your wish is my command."

"This is absolutely crazy. I just met you this morning, and I have all these overwhelming feelings for you."

"Okay. Here's the deal. It's up to you as to whether or not you want to accept the imprint. Why don't you take a week and see how it goes? I'll wait for your decision."

She pushed her tray away from herself, and let out a groan. "Super …"

Quil and Embry came by that Saturday. Quil needed to borrow my RAV. He was taking Clare to a kiddie show at the movies for her birthday. In case you're wondering, the Rabbit had long since given up the ghost.

I handed them both a couple cans of root beer, taking one for myself. Embry commented, "Who's that girl I see you with at school? She your tutor?"

"No, for your information, she's my imprint."

Quil pounded me on the back so hard, I thought I would belly flop onto the garage floor, with the can of root beer still in my hand. "Hey, congrats man. How come you didn't let us know?"

"It's not set in stone yet. I'm giving her a week to weasel out of it if she wants."

"Well, for your sake, I hope she doesn't," Embry brayed. "She's a doll. What's her name, anyway?"

"Jeanne Caudel."

Quil scratched his chin. "You know, I think there are some Caudels in my Uncle Omni's family. I'm probably related. Why don't you bring her by sometime? Isn't there a bonfire next weekend?"

"Yeah, she should give me her decision by then."

"Okay, c'mon, Em. Let's get goin'. I'll drop you off at your place."

Before he backed the SUV out the door, I yelled. "Quil, put some freakin' gas in it this time, huh?"