Hey guys, this is sorta just a filler chapter to give a bit of back story on Melanie and Jacob. Next chapter will be more interesting.
The night Bella Swan left for Italy a knock came to Billy Black's door. It was late, almost one in the morning, and he knew that if was one of the wolves they would have just barged in. He wheeled himself to the door and opened it to a raging wind and a familiar face.
"Melanie Jones?" He asked the girl, rubbing some sleep from his eyes.
The girl nodded and gave a familiar smile, "Hi Billy."
"What are you doing here, girl? Come inside out of the cold." He moved to the side and Melanie came in, rubbing her goosebump covered arms. Billy left the room and came back a minute later with a blanket from the hall closet. After he made sure she was warmed up a bit he sat her down on the couch. "What brings you all the way down here? Your dad didn't say you were in town."
"He doesn't know. I meant to surprise him but I had a little car trouble and it took me longer than expected to get here." She gave a little laugh and gestured to the owl shaped clock on the wall. "I don't have a key to his place either. I know it's a lot to ask but I was wondering if I could stay here for tonight?"
Billy thought about her request. Of course he wanted to say yes. He had known Melanie's father for years, he had even been there for Melanie's birth. She was practically family. On the other hand he never knew when one of the wolves would come rushing in looking for Jake or to tell Billy news to deliver to the Council.
"I suppose it'd be alright for tonight." His eyes drifted out the window behind her as he rubbed his chin. "You can stay in the girls old room."
"Thank you Billy!" Melanie jumped up and wrapped her arms around the man in the wheelchair.
"Sure, sure." He said with a smile and pulled out of her hug before starting down to the hall. "Bathroom's where it always is. Help yourself to the fridge. It's good to have you back, kiddo."
Melanie smiled. It felt good to be back.
Heartbroken, devastated, and angry, Jacob Black came home at three in the morning after trying to run his problems away. It hadn't worked. Now he just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. Walking inside, he let the screen door slam and headed straight for the illuminated kitchen. He was met with a female back turned to him.
"Hello?" The girl turned at looked at Jacob.
It hit him like a freight train, like it had for Sam and Quill. He felt the steel chords implant into his heart and tether to the beautiful girl in front of him. It was so quick but so monumental that Jacob had to place his hands on the counter to avoid falling to his knees. For a moment he forgot about Bella and oh did it feel so good.
"Hey Jake." His name sounded so sweet falling off her tongue. "I see you've been working out."
"Melanie." He very nearly gasped her name, like he was taking his first breath.
She chuckled at his out of breath appearance and gestured to the microwave on the counter, "In the flesh, stealing your Hot Pockets."
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, first off I'm stealing your Hot Pockets. But I'm moving back in with my dad for a while. I'm taking a year off of school to try and reconnect." Melanie had missed her father and the time was finally right to come back home. She was home. The microwave beeped and she took out her molten food before exiting the kitchen, stopping to give Jacob a hug, "It's nice to see you again, Jake."
Just like that Jacob Black was hooked.
A week later Melanie knows about the Pack and the imprint. Jacob's fears of her turning away from him are soothed when she reaches across the table and takes his hand. By the end of the week Jacob is Alpha. The timing is right, with the redheaded leeches activity in their area and the increase of vampire activity in Seattle. Sam had been a great Alpha, strong and wise, but the Pack needed the true Alpha. It seems to soothe all the wolves. Jacob admires how quickly Melanie has taken to the wolves. She shines in her job as den mother, always having an ear open for the Pack and soothing the Jacob when he starts to get on edge. Everyone is finally settled.
Until Bella returns.
Jacob had told Melanie almost everything about Bella, including how strongly he had felt about her, so of course she was on edge when Bella had arrived. The Swan girl had looked sick to her stomach as she sat on Jacob's couch across from them. Melanie couldn't blame her, Swan's life was kind of upside down at the moment. Even Melanie was having some trouble with the Pack; constant touching from the boys, intense emotions, and firecracker tempers brought about some craziness. Still, she felt very at home with the Pack. When she wasn't with her father she was with one of them. Spending time with Jacob, cooking with Emily, or watching tv with the boys, it had a way of sucking up her free time. It seemed to make everything move very quickly.
"You want me to move in with you?"
Jacob gave a little shrug, "The Council is giving me a house that better fits the needs of the Pack. Besides, you sleep here half the week anyway."
"I know but," Melanie wasn't sure what to say.
"Are you worried about everything moving to fast?" Jacob asked her. She leaned her head against his shoulder and nodded.
"Babe, that's what the imprint does." He tried to explain. "It speeds up the natural process. It'll be fine. We can even sleep in separate bedrooms if you want."
"Now you know I don't want that." She teased and placed a soft kiss on his lips.
He kissed her back and smiled. "So does that mean you'll move in?"
Melanie gave him a wry little grin and pretended to think about it. "Oh, I guess so."
Jacob picked her up and swung her around, her laugh echoing in his ears. "Now to celebrate."
"And how are we going to do that? Packing?" She laughed at him.
"Oh, I've got something else in mind." He told her before carrying her off down the hall.
Two hours later Bella Swan's truck pulls into Jacob's dirt driveway.