Not My Type

AllzStar

- Jacob -

I stormed out of the house, nearly taking out the screen door as I went. It banged shut behind me, but the sound was drowned out by my roar of rage. I could feel the rippling begin under my skin, the familiar trembles working their way down my spine. I fought for control, and deciding it was hardly worth the effort, tore into the save cover of the woods and phased.

I ran through the forest until I was deep enough in that no human was in danger of meeting me. I sat down and panted, letting all the excess anger wear off slowly. I hated to admit it, but Sam was right. I needed to learn how to control my temper. I used to be good at it, but lately I phased every time one little, insignificant thing pissed me off.

When I was sure I was calm enough to be human, I phased back, and stretched out on the forest floor, face up. I stared at the underside of the treetops, breathed in the familiar sent of the ferns and the rain. My human senses could not smell it, but suddenly my wolf senses kicked in and sniffed cautiously at the nasty stench in the air. It smelled like…vampire.

I growled, not in anger, but in irritation. I didn't know how far from the reservation I had wandered, but I definitely didn't feel like fighting off any blood-suckers, especially if it was one of the Cullens. Not that the idea of ripping their heads off didn't appeal to me, but I really didn't need to give Bella yet another reason to hate my guts.

I took off through the trees, phasing as I went just to make finding my way back home easier. I ignored the dull throbbing in my chest. Stupid, stupid, I thought to myself as the trees whipped by me. Why was it that my body could heal a shattered bone in a day but one little imaginary hole in my heart hurt like a bitch for months?

As soon as the house and yard came in sight, I phased back, dropping into a casual lope as I exited the trees. I strolled down to the beach, kicking at a few loose stones, sending them skittering into the steel waves.

"Jacob!" I heard my dad calling me, but I didn't respond. He would have to come and get me if he wanted me. "Jacob!" I groaned, but didn't give in. "Jake! Bella's here!"

My reaction was ridiculous. There was a horrible, gut-wrenching feeling in my…well, gut. My palms became sweaty, which never happened. And I gasped—twice—for air as my heart raced in my ribcage.

I wheeled and sprinted for the house.

Bella's truck was parked on the side of the road, and it was empty. Was she inside? I ran to the door.

"Is he here?" I heard an all-too familiar voice ask through the screen door.

I stopped in my tracks. Did she really want to see me for me? Or did she just want to yell at me? I listened for my dad's response, but either it was too quiet for even my subconscious wolf senses to hear or he didn't answer at all. When nothing else was sad, I took a huge breath, reminding myself half-heartedly to let it out, and went inside.

Nobody was in the kitchen, so I passed through to the living room; all the while my whole body was shivering and sweaty and that clenching feeling was still in my gut. I told myself over and over to calm the hell down, but it hardly made a difference.

I rounded the corner, and there was Bella. Bella, my Bella, my beautiful, beautiful Bella. She stood up from the couch when I came in, her mouth hanging open a fraction. Her soft brown hair was half pulled back, her doe-eyes wide with…happiness? Relief? Irritation?

Next thing I knew she had crossed the room and she was in my arms. My arms. Where I'd always thought she belonged. I pulled her against my naked torso, my arms holding her tight, secure. Her arms reached for my neck, and I lifted her up so she could get there better. I buried my face in her shoulder, breathing in the strawberry-tinted scent of her hair. Tears prickled my eyes but I blinked them back, forcing myself to keep my cool. I'd never been so elated to see someone in my life.

Bella was murmuring things in my ear, sweet little things like "Oh, my, God", "I missed you so much" and finally "Jacob!" And then she was crying. Sobbing like a child, dissolving completely, her salty tears staining the front of my shirt. I just held her all the tighter, pressing my face to the top of her head, still breathing her in. She stuttered my name through her tears over and over again, and I found that I adored the way she said it. I never wanted to let her go.

But she remembered herself and pulled away. I kept my hands at her waist, though. I didn't want to let go just yet. "Hey, Bells," I moaned softly, absently reaching up to brush her cheek, then tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, Jacob, do you have any idea how much I've missed you?"

"I think I have a pretty good idea, Bella," I replied, pulling her into me again.

She wrapped her thin arms around my waist and squeezed, then released. This time I let her go, but kept my hand on her shoulder. She sniffled for a minute, and when she had composed herself she said quietly, "Jake, this is my friend Emma. She's visiting from Phoenix."

"Hi," I said without even looking. I couldn't take my eyes off Bella.

"Hey," said a voice, soft as wind chimes. "Bella's told me so much about you."

Curiosity got the best of me and I looked up and into a pair of big, sparkling blue eyes.

I froze. I couldn't even blink. I felt like I was suddenly wrapped in a big, black vortex, and it was sucking the air from me. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling. I gaped, and I was sure I looked like an idiot, but I didn't really care. Snap, snap, snap, went the strings that tied me down to my regular, boring wolf life. I lost all sense of humanity, and let pure righteousness overpower me.

She was beautiful—maybe even more breath-taking than Bella. She was tall, willowy, and honey-blonde. Her skin was almost as dark as mine, but she was definitely Caucasian. None of that mattered. Her eyes were what captivated me the most. They stared back at me, wide with surprise and admiration. They were so blue, like a deep pool. I wanted to dive into them. I wanted to hold her, love her, kiss her, forever and ever and ever.

"Jacob?" Bella's voice was distant and worried. "Jake? What's the matter with you?"

That was when I passed out.

--

When I awoke, the sun was setting and the air had gotten much, much cooler. Something itched at my forehead. I reached up to touch it. Cold. Squishy? A wet washcloth? I tugged at it, but something warm and soft came down upon my hand. Stopping me.

"Jacob?" the voice was familiar, distant. She said my name again, tentatively, quietly, as if she wasn't sure I could hear her…

"Bella," I tried to say. It came out somewhere between a moan and a whine.

Something grasped my hand and I squeezed it. Her hand? Yes. She began stroking my hand, and I smiled as a tingly sensation spread where she touched me.

"Yes, Jake, it's me. It's Bella. Can you hear me?"

"Bella," I moaned again, reaching for her. Her unoccupied caught my searching hand and placed it again something smooth and warm…her cheek? I smiled. "Mmmm."

"Hey, buddy." Bella's hand left mine and touched my face, just below my eye. "How are you feeling?"

"Imfoin," I mumbled, stroking her cheek with my stiff fingers. When her cheek suddenly wasn't there anymore I searched for her again.

"Why doesn't he open your eyes?" Someone giggled. It didn't sound like Bella.

One at a time, I pried my eyes open. I saw Bella first. Perfect, sweet little Bella. She was perched on the edge of the couch that I was sprawled on, my limbs sticking out and over the piece of furniture, hanging. I groaned and stretched, shutting my eyes again. When I was done I opened my eyes and Bella was still there. Huh. Not a dream after all.

"Bells," I whined again. I reached for her.

She caught my hand and held it in both of hers. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," I repeated. I wanted to touch her face again. It had felt so nice.

"Is he alright?" that same, unknown voice asked.

"Yeah, I think so. He's just a little confused, I think."

"Hey…Jake? You alright?"

I didn't feel like saying "I'm fine" for a third time, so I said, "I'm fucking ace!" and rolled onto my stomach, smooshing my cheek against the cushions.

Bella laughed her tinkling laugh. "Jake," she whined, "come on. Wake up. You've been very rude to your guests." Her tone was mockingly pouty.

"Meh," I mumbled, pushing her prying hands away. "Go 'way."

"Okay, then. Emma, let's go."

Emma. Emma. Something in my memory whirled, and my eyes flew open. I was up and off the couch before Bella could even begin in the direction of her jacket. My gaze fell on her, and then swept the room.

There she was. Leaning against the kitchen counter, a half empty glass of water in her hand. She wasn't looking at me; she was staring out the window. My sudden movement caught her attention, though, and she met my eyes. Stared. Raised her eyebrows.

"I think he's good now," she teased, and I recognized her voice as the one I had sworn at.

Bella chuckled. "Seriously, Jake, I thought you'd just dropped dead on me. I mean, was my visit really that much of a surprise?"

I wasn't listening to Bella. Didn't even look at her. My gaze was fixed on Emma. My Emma.

My Emma? What My Emma? I didn't know what it meant.

"You should have seen yourself drop, Jake. Man, you just crashed to that floor like a ten ton weight. Shook the whole house. It was hilarious." Quil was leaning in the doorway, the biggest grin on his face.

I glared at him. "Shut the fuck up."

He held up his hands, mocking my might. "Whoa, boy, calm the fuck down," he countered, the grin back.

Someone giggled and my eyes immediately swept back to Emma. Her lips brushed the back of her hand as she tried to suppress her mirth. She was looking at me with some sort of…intrigue. I dunno. All I cared about was that she was looking at me.

"Maybe you should come back tomorrow, Bella," Quil was saying. "Jake's obviously not himself."

"Yeah, we should go. Come on, Emma."

I finally looked at Bella, when she said Emma's name. Bells was putting on her rain jacket.

Emma placed her unfinished glass of water on the counter and crossed the room. As she passed me, she looked at me and winked. My heart stuttered and leapt in my ribcage, thundering so loud I worried she would hear it. It was then I realized that she didn't have to look up too high; the top of her head just reached my jaw. She could tuck herself in against me, and rest her cheek on my collarbone…

It was all I could do to stop myself from throwing my arms around her and getting her to do just that. I wanted her so bad. More than I had ever wanted anything before, even Bella.

Emma threw her rain jacket on and stepped past Bella out into the rain. She didn't even glance back, or say good-bye. I then realized that she was leaving. Leaving. Leaving me. No!

"Hey, wait—!" I tried to call her back, but Quil's firm hand came down on my shoulder, stopping my words and my motion.

"Let her go, bro," he whispered into my ear.

Bella waved good-bye and left as well, following Emma up the bank to her truck. I waited until the engine roared to life and faded into the distance before turning to face Quil.

Quil smirked at whatever expression was on my face. "Amazing, isn't it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. There was no teasing in his voice. "How powerful it really is?"

"How powerful what is? What's amazing?" I asked, confused.

Now both of Quil's eyebrows shot up. "You don't know? Dude! Maybe you are as dumb as they say."

Too curious to get mad, I let that one by. I did take a step towards him, though. "What are you talking about?"

"You just imprinted on that chick, man!" Quil then burst into a loud, obnoxious fit of laughter, throwing his head back. "You passed out and everything!" He was really loving this. Getting a real kick, he was.

I was too shocked to get mad, though. I stared at my friend in disbelief as he doubled over with mirth. "Imprinted?" I whispered. I looked down at my hands, as if they were somehow responsible. I wheeled and looked at myself in the hall mirror. I didn't look any different. The expression on my face was the only unfamiliar thing. Shocked...disbelieving…and totally, unconditionally happy. I had never seen myself look so happy. Not ever. I had never felt this good, either.

"Yeah, man! That's what it was: that feeling of being cut off from the world, everything else disappears, you're suddenly in a vortex…that's it, dude! That's imprinting! And you done it, right smack dab on Bella's best friend!"

And then it dawned on me.

I freaked out. I completely lost it. I jumped up and down, ignoring Quil's shouts and the rumbling house. I turned and took off out the door. I sprinted down to the beach and didn't stop. I went right into the water. The freezing cold water barely scathed my flaming hot skin. When I came up to breathe, I stood, droplets rolling off my body, the waves lapping gently at my hips. I stuck my fists in the air and screamed. Just screamed and screamed and screamed. It was a joyful, blind-man-seeing-the-sun-for-the-first-time scream. It lasted forever. Birds squawked and took off, painting the dull grey sky. But to me, it was the most beautiful day ever. The skies were blue, without a cloud in it, and the sun was shining, beating down on me, standing in the ocean and screaming like I was the biggest idiot on the planet. But to me, I might as well have just won the lottery.

I had finally imprinted.