Chapter 3

*Jake*

Beta/pre-reader: Mangock89

*DISCLAIMER*

I do not own Twilight or Legend.

I do not own the characters.

I know where to meet you

To wait for you is onerous

Finding you is simple

It is your scent that carries across the wind to me

I know the sound of your dress, your song, your step

Sensing your spirit

I will always find you

"Jake? Jake?"

Birds cry in the distance as Bella progresses through the woods, calling his name. As she wanders through the thicket, she can barely contain the excitement she always feels when she is about to be with him again. She awakens each day with exuberance, only for the moment she will get to see him, touch him, and see his beautiful smile.

The goblins in their hideous forms remain hidden behind the twisted branches and trees, keeping themselves distanced well enough away to remain undetected by her. They watch her closely with their morbid eyes, waiting for the opportunity to advance upon her.

"Jake...?" Her voice is gentle and cheerful as she travels down the small dips and hills. She stops abruptly, gasping when she sees something move swiftly from the corner of her eye within the shadow of the trees. "Jake?" She calls curiously...wondering if it is him, coming to meet her finally. After a moment of silence, she does not understand why he hasn't shown himself.

"Jake, answer me." The lightness in her heart begins to falter when he does not do what she asks. Remaining still, she listens closely, waiting mutely to hear his smooth voice. Instead, there is a strange croaking sound that drones from the forest behind her, causing birds to fleet into the sky.

"Jake..." Bella's arms wrap around her midsection, knowing the terrible noise did not emerge from her beloved.

Something is hiding from her...watching her...stalking her. She wearily looks about, surveying her surroundings for whoever or whatever might be there. Her heart beats furiously beneath her chest as the fear twists inside her stomach. She cannot bear being alone, knowing nothing of the thing amongst the woods that frightened her so. "Jake." The eerie quiet when he does not answer makes her feel so vulnerable.

"Jake, please...if you're here, say something to me, please..." She whimpers, almost to tears.

A loud thud behind her causes several white birds to take to the air, their flapping wings a loud drumming against the forest. Bella screams in terror and cowers near the ground...then she sees him beneath the low branches of the tree he had jumped from.

"Jake!" She hisses, holding her stomach. "You scared the life out of me!" The anger lasts only a moment, and she laughs...relieved it is only him.

Crouched low, knees bent close to the ground, his curious brown eyes watch her...But his attention is stripped away when he seems to listen to something in the air. The muscles in his arms roll beneath his skin as he shifts his body. Jake raises his head, sticking his nose out to sniff the wind as he cocks his head, he listens. A black bird sweeps in, landing on his shoulder. Jake's face is mere inches from the gentle creature as he listens to it's chirps in a manner that proves he comprehends.

"You're so clever." Bella tilts her head to the side, smiling adoringly.

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The weather is divine, and the wonderful sounds of the forest fill Bella's heart with joy. She marvels at the magnificence of the enormous wood...It is a magical painting to her wide eyes.

Coming to a small brook where the water trails musically over the rocks, Jake holds her hand and carefully guides her across it. They stop to listen to the breeze as if it is carrying a message to them, but Bella begins to run off from him, turning around only to see if he is going to follow. Smiling, Jake excitedly races after her as she dashes across the wild terrain...her dress fighting violently against the wind. He catches her and lifts her in his strong arms. She throws her head back in a fit of soft giggles as Jake spins her around, encasing her fragile body in a tight, yet gentle embrace.

Bella grins eagerly as Jake leads her through his territory, taking in the sights around them. When she hears something in the woods to her left, she turns her head, only to see nothing.

"Did you hear that, Jake?" But when she turns around, he is not where he had been in front of her. She frowns...the pit of her stomach becoming heavy, as she is afraid something has happened to him. But then, she hears shaking leaves from above her, and she looks up to see his playful white smile lighting his dark face. "What are you doing? Come down from there." She shakes her head. "Are you going to leap from that tree and scare me like before?"

His dark eyes twinkle at her as he walks across a huge branch. His bare legs flex to keep him steady, but suddenly, he just steps off. She shrieks, afraid he is falling to his death, but his body flips in the air and he lands loudly on his hand-crafted boots.

She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry as he is always so wild and carefree, her heart can barely take it...along his magnetizing energy and frisky nature. She does love him all the more for it.

Jake can hear her breathing beneath her clothed chest as it rises and falls. He steps toward her slowly, a look of satisfaction on his face as if he is proud to have made the jump so easily. His eyes, completely sure and captivating, reveal he does not understand her fears. His strong, muscular physique is only one of the many perks of surviving in the wild for so long. She is immediately lost in his dark brown gaze as he approaches her. His face is calm, soft.

His tight, ragged green tunic grazes her dress as his body comes to touch hers. She is overcome by his handsomeness, his masculine, smooth, yet rough face that she can't help but find, although quite dirty, absolutely perfect. She feels as though her heart is going to explode with him so close, breathing so slow and deeply, his body pressing against hers. His life, his presence, his body is so warm she cannot think of anything more comforting than his heat. She marvels at the way the blood speeding through his veins keeps his large body so warm all of the time. She looks up at his face, and the pure love he displays makes her weak in the knees.

Reaching his hand up, he slowly cups the back of her head and slowly slides his fingers slightly beneath her shiny hair. He kisses her mouth with his dry lips and gently pushes her down to lay upon the soft, green grass before he pulls away. His dark hair falls around his face, tickling his jaw as he softly grins down at her. She stares at him in awe. His eyes worship her delicate features in wonderment before he closes them and falls slowly to brush his warm lips to hers again.

Bella's eyes drift closed at the sensation of his soft mouth hesitantly playing over hers. His amazing, earthy, woodsy scent mixed with rain surrounds her. Bella's body tingles with the deepest emotions she's ever felt as he scans her face, hair and eyes with longing. His large frame hovers above her...his hot, heavy body barely pressing against hers. He holds her carefully, trying not to crush her, and he feels so like a rock encased with soft padding to her touch...so strong, so rugged, so strapping, so protective.

Her fingers trail timidly over the tan hills of his arms and up to the shredded sleeves covering his hard shoulders...She can feel the goosebumps rise over his smooth skin as his body trembles. Bella feels her heart might explode as he holds her preciously to himself, as if he would die if he ever let go.

The contact is beautiful and it is innocent as he continues to stroke her perfectly smooth lips, running his hands through her soft, clean chocolate tendrils.

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They sit beneath a huge tree, the sun shining a beautiful stream of golden light through the branches and leaves as Bella holds her palm out for a little bird to hop onto. She smiles widely, bringing her hand up and whistling melodically...mimicking the song it sings. Jake's wide eyes move simultaneously between the small creature and Bella's lips in amazement as she tweets. She turns to look at him for a sign of approval.

"Good. Very good." Jake tells her honestly, his large hand caressing the fur of a small wolf in his lap. "Just right." He nods, wrapping his arms around the gorgeous animal. Bella smiles at him in return, pride filling her at the progression she has made in speaking the feathered animal's language.

The flowers sway in the breeze whilst the birdies continue to tweet, filling the air with their music. The sun cuts fiercely through the thick clouds overhead. It is effortless for the princess to feel at home here.

Lifting a gold bracelet, Bella holds it high in front of her, grinning as Jake stares at the exquisite jewelry in interest. As it sways back and forth, the golden heart charm jingles and twinkles against the sun's rays. The circular, glowing reflection dances across Jake's face and into his dark eyes, revealing the beautiful coco swirls that made them. Bella stares into them longingly, unable to hide her adoration.

"Jake," She lowers the bracelet into her lap and her face falls suddenly. "...tell me our future."

He shakes his head and grins, a thought seeming to come over him suddenly. "Not today," he tells her, his face lighting up slightly with enthusiasm.

"Why not?" Bella demands.

His hair slaps his face as he looks away from her, a powerful breeze traveling by them. "Because," he turns his head toward the shaking trees that stir in the rushing wind, as if there was something to learn from it. He turns back to her. "There is something very special I've been promising to show you."

She leans in closer to him...He interrupts her before she has a chance to ask questions.

"But we must go now. They will only be here for a short time." He breathes, taking the white cloth in his hands he had asked her to bring. He begins to place it around her eyes when she pulls away, not wanting to be blindfolded.

"Don't you trust me?" She asks, searching his face. He tries once more to place it over her eyes and she pulls back again. This time, he searches her face. His answer is a whisper.

"I trust you, Bella."