Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own any of the characters; I'm just having fun with them! (Maybe a little too much fun with Edward…)
Author's Note: So, I know I promised one more from New Moon, and I'll do that one, I really will—but this was screaming to be written, I couldn't help myself. So, the chapters won't exactly be chronological, sorry! Also, this one is really long, but it's an immensely pivotal scene, so I couldn't really condense any dialogue…Edward deserved to get as much of his say as possible!
Thanks SO much for the reviews, but it's always nice to get more (hint, hint); And a HUGE thanks to A. Lincoln for the shoutout—everyone go read and review her amazing story, "Family Bonding"!
It's you to me
Your gentle face
Overdue, worth the wait…
Everyone's back
Hearts at war
With all the plans I had before
And I'm losing my grip
But I'd lose it all for you…
"Already In", Jon McLaughlin
"What can I do?" I pleaded with Bella, unable to stand the sight of her shaking uncontrollably in the small tent. The wind howled around us once again as she just shook her head. I had been trying to convince her to make a run for it, terrified that she wouldn't survive the night in the freezing cold, but she refused every time.
Outside, I heard Jacob Black make an unhappy noise. She's probably freezing… he thought miserably.
"G-g-g-get out of h-h-h-ere," Bella stammered, her teeth chattering. I wished she wouldn't try to talk—she could accidentally bite off the tip of her tongue.
"He's just worried about you," I assured her. "He's fine. His body is equipped to deal with this." The dull pain that I had grown accustomed to over the past months throbbed slightly as I calmed her fears about Jacob's well-being.
I deserved this torture to an extent, that much I knew. The torture of having to share Bella with someone else was deserved after I made the mistake of leaving her. Jacob helped her heal through those miserable months, and for that, I would be eternally grateful. However, seeing Bella's eyes light up whenever he called, or seeing her eyes cloud over whenever she thought of him, certainly caused a fair amount of grief. Though sharp at first, the pain was now a dull throb, pulsing almost as constantly as if I had a heartbeat.
She tried to speak again, but was unsuccessful. Jacob made another pained whining sound.
You could do something, you know…you're supposed to be the perfect boyfriend, remember? Taking care of her every need? And there she sits, right in front of you, freezing to death.
"What do you want me to do?" I demanded angrily. I was tired of being polite. "Carry her through that? I don't see you making yourself useful. Why don't you go fetch a space heater or something?" If the dog thought he could do better, I would love to see him try. Suddenly, I heard him howl loudly from outside.
"That was hardly necessary." I reprimanded him.
A space heater? I'll show you a space heater...how about I just come in there and keep her warm myself?! I have a coat out here, plus having some body heat in the tent… it would certainly help keep her alive—although, it's not news to me that you want her practically dead pretty soon, anyway…
"And that's the worst idea I've ever heard," I intoned, making sure he heard me.
"Better than anything you've come up with," Jacob said aloud. He had changed back into a human. "Go fetch a space heater…I'm not a St. Bernard." His grumbling did not stop there, and I could hear his complaints bounce around his head as he made his way into the tent. The putrid smell of werewolf permeated the small, compact space quickly. I kept my face composed, but made certain he knew what I was thinking.
"I don't like this. Just give her the coat and get out." His head was beginning to formulate an idea that I had no desire to allow him to act out. My attention suddenly turned to Bella, her face confused and blue. She was trying, unsuccessfully, to ask what was going on, I'm sure.
"The parka's for tomorrow," Jacob clarified. "She's too cold to warm it up by herself. It's frozen. You said she needed a space heater, and here I am." I inhaled sharply as his idea came to the forefront of his mind, quick images flashing through his brain that involved him lying next to Bella in her sleeping bag.
"J-J-J-J-Jake, you'll f-f-f-freez-z-z-ze," Bella complained. Once again, the dull throb.
"Not me," he said brightly. "I run at a toast one-oh-eight point nine these days. I'll have you sweating in no time." I did not miss the secondary meaning to his sentence, and I growled my displeasure. Jacob ignored my snarl, but I would not let him ignore me. I clasped his shoulder with one hand, to make sure he got one thing clear. I felt him tense beneath my cold hand.
"Get your hand off me," he growled at me.
"Keep your hands off of her," I said, slowly and deliberately. If he stepped one toe out of line, I didn't think I could stop myself from hurting him. Something that, though it would please me would ultimately harm Bella. I had already broken the promise to keep Bella from harm enough times, and I certainly did not desire to break it again with my own actions.
"D-d-d-don't f-f-f-f-fight," she begged, and once again, I pushed aside my hatred as my devotion to Bella won out. I wished with my entire being that I could help her…help her the way that I knew Jacob Black would be able to.
"I'm sure she'll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off," Jacob warned me. Begrudgingly, I knew that this was the only way to warm Bella, so I let my hand drop from his shoulder.
"Watch yourself," I threatened, hoping the venom from my teeth flowed into my words.
As Bella became aware of what was taking place, she attempted to voice her protests. I felt a twinge of happiness that she did not seem thrilled at the prospect of having the dog so close to her. But as he slipped into the sleeping bag, her body's survival instincts took over, gravitating towards the heat.
This will be perfect. I can't wait to see how the bloodsucker handles this. I couldn't help but listen to his thoughts as he settled in next to Bella, much to close for my comfort.
"Jeez, you're freezing, Bella," he noted unnecessarily. She apologized as he tried to get her to relax.
"You'll be warm in a minute. Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."
I growled at the unnecessary cut, already tormented enough. I was allowing him to do this only for Bella's warmth, not so he could play out his silly schoolboy fantasies with the love of my life right in front of me.
"That's just a simple fact," he said curtly. "Survival one-oh-one."
"C-c-cut it out, Jake," Bella snapped at him. "N-n-n-nobody really n-n-n-needs all ten t-t-t-toes." Once again, I felt a small consolation at Bella's discomfort. Now I had only to hope that she would warm quickly—I, personally, wanted her to keep all ten toes.
"Don't worry about the bloodsucker," Jacob said smugly. "He's just jealous."
Exactly. You know I'm right.
"Of course I am," I admitted smoothly. I was not about to let his provocations go unanswered. But I also wanted to conceal the fact that his current actions were wreaking havoc on my heart. It was almost too painful to watch. "You don't have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you're doing for her, mongrel."
"Those are the breaks," Jacob said, a smile still evident in his voice. But then his tone changed abruptly. "At least you know she wishes it was you."
"True," I said, knowing that it was. With the exception of the small percentage of my brain that merely hoped that it was.
All right, let's get the blood flowing here. That's right, Bells, deep breaths. Good God, she's freezing. These thoughts did not bother me quite as much—but his arms rubbing circles around her back and up and down her arms did. I had to keep reminding myself that he was helping her, all the while, trying not to remember that he was helping her in a way that I never could.
"There," Jacob said aloud as Bella's shuddering finally began to slow. I could hear her heart, which had been beating frighteningly slowly for the past few hours, become a relatively normal pace once again. "Feeling better?"
"Yes," she said softly.
"Your lips are still blue," he said. "Want me to warm those up for you, too? You only have to ask."
I could not hold back a sigh at his rude immaturity. Honestly, did he think these comments were going to get him anywhere with her?
"Behave yourself," Bella reprimanded, much to my delight. I saw her kick her shoes off, then saw her feet move in the sleeping bag against Jacob's legs. He then leaned over and placed his cheek to her ear, keeping that warm as well. It pained me again, knowing that I lay with Bella much the same way every night. However, I have to keep a quilt wrapped around her, separating our bodies so that she won't get chilled--and watching Jacob break that barrier caused me literal pain.
I focused on Bella's thawing out; tuning out Jacob's insidious thoughts much like I did with the students throughout the school day. After several minutes of silence, Bella spoke.
"Jake? Can I ask you something? I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything, I'm honestly curious." I felt my muscles tense, wondering what her question could be.
"Sure," he said, laughing as if her phrasing brought back some memory from weeks past. With a moment's study, I realized that he had asked her the very same thing once.
"Why are you so much furrier than your friends? You don't have to answer if I'm being rude."
"Because my hair is longer," he replied, the smile evident in his voice. I saw him shake his hair in her face, and wrinkled my nose as the movement evoked the horrible smell that had settled in the tent.
"Oh," she answered simply. "Then why don't you cut it? Do you like to be shaggy?" An innocent question on Bella's part, but an interesting thought process on Jacob's.
It's longer because I thought you liked it longer…I wanted you to think I was more attractive…No, no, I can't say that out loud…
I couldn't hold back a small laugh at my invasion of his thoughts. Utterly ridiculous, the lengths this boy would go…
"Sorry," Bella apologized sleepily, mistaking Jacob's hesitation for irritation. "I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me." He grunted in response.
"Oh, he'll tell you anyway, so I might as well…I was growing my hair out because…it seemed like you liked it better long."
"Oh," she replied lamely, and I could feel the awkwardness begin to fill the tent. "I, er, like it both ways, Jake. You don't need to be inconvenienced."
"Turns out it was very convenient tonight, so don't worry about it," he replied casually. I tuned him out again, watching as Bella's exhaustion finally caught up with her. She began to fall asleep, but I knew from her heartbeat that she was still awake. It was too erratic.
"Seth is here," I noted.
"Perfect. Now you can keep an eye on everything else, while I take care of your girlfriend for you."
Once again, an immature and unnecessary thing to say. His juvenile attempts to anger me were beginning to do just that—and that in itself made me angrier. I did not want the likes of Jacob Black to get to me, and I had the power to fight back if necessary. I had warned him before.
"Stop it," Bella whimpered. I was reminded that she did not wish for us to fight. I told myself to make a significant effort to remain civil with Jacob for the duration of this uncomfortable—unbearable—situation. After several minutes of silence, Bella's breathing became more even, and her heart rate slowed to a normal pace. She seemed to be asleep. Suddenly, Jacob's thoughts came searing into my head; I could not ignore them even if I wanted to.
Wouldn't it be nice if every night could be like this? Bella, in my arms, sleeping contentedly. Her heartbeat pulsing in time with my own…one day, laying like this together in a much different way, our bodies finally coming together as one. I could get her blood pumping in a way that the leech never could. Her underneath me, her crying out my name in pure—
Enough.
"Please!" I hissed, venom in my voice once more, cutting off his lewd train of thought. "Do you mind?"
"What?" Jacob demanded.
"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?" I raged quietly, so as not to wake Bella. If this is what the night had in store, I doubted I could keep my promise to Bella—I would have to murder Jacob Black.
"No one said you had to listen," Jacob said. His embarrassment was palpable, mingling with his defiance. "Get out of my head."
"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me."
"I'll try to keep it down," he replied rudely, with no intent of heeding my warning.
You're just jealous that you could never be with her like that without stressing out about breaking her into pieces.
"Yes," I replied aloud, my voice barely above a whisper. It pained me to admit anything to Jacob, but I could not stop myself. "I'm jealous of that, too."
"I figured it was like that," he replied, smug victory laced through his words. "Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?" You can love her eternally, give her anything money can buy, kiss her without having to ask permission, spend every waking moment with her…but I can make love to her in the way that it was meant to be done—uncontrollably, passionately…
I laughed. If sex was all he could use as leverage against me, then he had a lot to learn about a fulfilling relationship. "In your dreams."
"You know, she could still change her mind," he taunted me. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is."
"Go to sleep, Jacob," I said softly, evenly. "You're starting to get on my nerves."
"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable."
More immaturity. It made me want to wring his neck, but I restrained myself for what seemed like the thousandth time that night. Suddenly, Jacob's mind was full of questions. Apparently, the cocky little boy as not as sure of himself as he pretended to be.
What does Bella see in him? Is he really so much better than me? Why on earth would he try to be all noble and skip out on the fight tomorrow? What's his motivation? And what is she feeling so guilty about? How much does he hate that he can hear my thoughts? Does he wish he could hear Bella's as well? I wonder how much he really hates me—or if he even really feels threatened by me. I could ask him, but I bet he would never give me a straight answer.
Suddenly, I lost all of the energy to fight. "Maybe I would," I replied to his latest thought. If we were going to be here all night, might as well find a way to pass the time—and maybe I could convince him (not that he deserved to it, regardless) of the depth of my love for Bella. I had to remind myself that he was there for her through the darkest point in her life—darkness that I myself had inflicted upon her. No wonder he did not care for me much.
"But would you be honest?"
"You can always ask and see," I answered, already knowing all of the questions he was thinking of asking me.
"Well, you see inside my head—let me see inside yours tonight, it's only fair."
"Your head is full of questions," I noted, reminding him that in fact, I had been seeing inside his head. "Which one do you want me to answer?"
"The jealousy…" he chose. "It has to be eating at you. You can't be as sure of yourself as you seem. Unless you have no emotions at all."
He had hit the nail right on the head, and I was determined to be honest. Perhaps honesty would convince him…and perhaps help me convince myself.
"Of course it is," I conceded. "Right now it's so bad that I can barely control my voice. Of course, it's even worse when she's away from me, with you, and I can't see her."
"Do you think about it all the time?" He asked. "Does it make it hard to concentrate when she's not with you?"
I could see through his questions that he was trying to compare himself to me, to see if his feelings measured up to mine…or exceeded them. I would not give him that satisfaction, knowing full well that I truly love Bella more than he could possibly imagine.
"Yes and no," I answered truthfully. "My mind doesn't work quite the same as yours. I can think of man more things at one time. Of course, that means that I'm always able to think of you, always able to wonder if that's where her mind is, when she's quiet and thoughtful." The last part of my confession pained me, and I could not hide it in my voice.
Does she think of me a lot?
"Yes, I would guess that she thinks about you often," I admitted. "More often that I like. She worries that you're unhappy. Not that you don't know that. Not that you don't use that." I did not try to hide the ice in my tone, hoping he could see how much I disapproved of his manipulative actions when it came to pulling Bella away from me.
"I have to use whatever I can. I'm not working with your advantages—advantages like her knowing she's in love with you," he replied petulantly.
"That helps," I agreed evenly.
"She's in love with me, too, you know," he said defensively. I tensed, knowing that only one person in the tent could absolutely refute his statement, and she lay unresponsive. I knew she wasn't asleep, though. I could hear her heart rate speed up slightly every time one of us made a significant comment. I hated that I could not refute him, however. It shook me to the core of my existence. Jacob sighed.
"But she doesn't know it," he said, whining slightly.
"I can't tell you if you're right," I said.
"Does that bother you? Do you wish you could see what she's thinking, too?" he asked.
"Yes…and no, again. She likes it better this way, and, though it sometimes drives me insane, I'd rather she was happy." It was true, though I did not reveal the extent. I always wanted to know what she was thinking, constantly having to resort to full out begging to get her to express herself more fully. Ever since I had returned to Forks, it had been even worse—ever since I began to doubt that she may not want to be with me anymore, that she could be happier with someone else. It was a notion that I had toyed with ever since I met her, but she had always vehemently protested whenever Mike Newton or any other boy's name came up. With Jacob, however…it was different. And I loathed it.
Another sharp gust of wind rocked the little tent, and I saw Jacob instinctively pull Bella closer against him, shielding her from the drop in temperature. I no longer had to worry whether she would survive the night. Jake was preventing hypothermia, even if it was giving me chills.
"Thank you," I said earnestly. "Odd as this might sound, I suppose I'm glad you're here, Jacob."
"You mean, 'as much as I'd love to kill you, I'm glad she's warm,' right?"
Once again, he hit the nail on the head. "It's an uncomfortable truce, isn't it?"
"I knew you were just as crazy jealous as I am."
"I'm not such a fool as to wear it on my sleeve like you do. It doesn't help your case, you know."
"You have more patience than I do," he protested.
"I should," I said, hoping I sounded wise. "I've had a hundred years to gain it. A hundred years of waiting for her." Now we were starting to get more personal. Now would be the time when I would make my stand. I would be as honest and civil as possible, in hopes that he got the point quickly. He did not seem like one to give up without a fight, and I needed him to know that I would not, either.
"So…at what point did you decide to play the very patient good guy?" he asked disdainfully.
"When I saw how much it was hurting her to make her choose. It's not usually this difficult to control. I can smother the…less civilized feelings I may have for you fairly easily most of the time. Sometimes I think she sees through me, but I can't be sure"
"I think you were just worried that if you really forced her to choose, she might not choose you."
I hated that, to a degree, he was correct. I was sure that Bella loved me, sure that she was happy to be with me again. But I could never be sure if she wondered what it could have been like with Jacob, had he had more time to spend alone with her. I knew that, had I not come back, she may have moved on. Unfortunately, that had been my original plan for her when I left, because I did not plan on coming back. But I did come back, and I selfishly wanted her all to myself once more.
"That was part of it," I noted aloud, hesitantly. "But only a small part. We all have our moments of doubt. Mostly I was worried that she'd hurt herself trying to sneak away to see you. After I'd accepted that she was more or less safe with you—as safe as Bella ever is—it seemed best to stop driving her to extremes."
Part of me hoped that she was listening. It was my way of hoping that she, too, could be convinced of the depth of my love for her, my ultimate desire for her well-being above anything else.
"I'd tell her all of this, but she'd never believe me."
"I know," I said, smiling.
"You think you know everything," Jacob said, begrudgingly.
"I don't know the future," I retorted, unable to hide my uncertainty.
"What would you do if she changed her mind?"
I inhaled sharply. "I don't know that either."
"Would you try to kill me?" Jacob said, once again breaking the seriousness with his childlike impudence. He said it as if he thought that he could beat me if I tried.
"No," I said simply…and somewhat honestly.
"Why not?" he said, still insolent.
"Do you really think I would hurt her that way?" Does he never think of her first? Clearly not. I knew that I would be staying with her the next day, that I put her above anyone else in my life, even if it meant tearing myself away from my family. I had confidence in them, just as I had confidence in my love for Bella. Clearly, enrapt by her as he must be, Jacob Black was still too immature to know what it meant to share a remotely equal partnership.
"Yeah, you're right. I know that's right. But sometimes…"
"Sometimes it's an intriguing idea," I agreed. I was being honest.
"Exactly," Jacob said, laughing softly.
I guess I could ask, seeing as I may have to deal with it sooner or later…
"What is it like? Losing her?" Jacob's voice was no longer disrespectful, but rather filled with intangible sadness. "When you thought that you'd lost her forever? How did you…cope?"
My mind was suddenly flooded with thousands upon thousands of images. Bella's eyes, pleading with me not to leave her, the ripping of my insides when I thought I would never see her or kiss her again, the thirst in Jasper's face, the stitches on her arm that made me come to the hardest decision of my life…
"That's very difficult for me to talk about," I said slowly. He waited, still expecting my answer.
I then explained how I came to the decision to leave Bella in Forks for her own good. I explained that I wanted her to move on as if I never existed, so that I could never put her in danger again. I then went on to say that I could not stay away from her. That had I not gotten a phone call when I did, I would have come back anyway because my existence was completely meaningless without her. That my reason for staying with her rather than fighting was because I was still trying to make up for what my absence had done to her.
"And the other time—when you thought she was dead?" he pressed. I grimaced at the last word, taking a deep breath before I continued. I knew that answering that question was unfathomable, a line that I would never cross. No words could do the immense pain proper justice.
"Yes, it will probably feel like that to you, won't it?" I dodged. "The way you perceive us, you might not be able to see her as Bella anymore. But that's who she'll be."
"That's not what I asked," he interrupted.
"I can't tell you how it felt. There aren't words." I answered him swiftly and menacingly, not bothering to keep my voice even. I heard Bella's heart skip slightly, and I knew once again that she was awake—even if she herself did not know it.
"But you left because you didn't want to make her a bloodsucker. You want her to be human."
He was trying to dissect my character, trying to understand my thoughts behind my decisions. I opted to explain as simply as I could. I explained my reasoning involving Bella's future with me as four different options: hope that she would get over me, stay with her throughout her human years then find a way to follow her after, leave her and force her to get over me, or giver her what she wanted…and make her my equal. I explained to him that the fourth option was ultimately her decision before it became mine, and that at this point, I had no other option.
"I like option one," Jacob muttered after I had finished my explanation.
I did not dignify his comment with a response. It was unnecessary.
"You know exactly how much I hate to accept this," he said slowly. "But I can see that you do love her…in your way. I can't argue with that anymore." He then went on to have the audacity to plead with me that I give him a year to change her mind. Oh, yes, definitely, young one. I'll gladly prolong changing Bella. Make her angry with me for going back on my word, watch her go running to you for comfort, and then just let you tear her away from me without so much as a protest. Of course, I'd be willing to do that. But then he changed his tactics.
"You love her enough that you have to see the advantages of that plan. She thinks you're very unselfish…are you really? Can you consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are?"
I could not go any longer without responding. I could sense the important part of the conversation was coming to a close, and I had to make my piece known before it was too late—for Bella's sake as much as Jacob's and my own.
"I have considered it. In some ways, you would be better suited for her than another human. Bella takes some looking after, and you're strong enough that you could protect her from herself, and from everything that conspires against her. You have done that already, and I'll owe you for that for as long as I live—forever—whichever comes first…I even asked Alice if she could see that—see if Bella would be better off with you. She couldn't of course. She can't see you, and then Bella's sure of her course, for now."
My throat clenched with emotion as I thought about how to express myself next. I knew that I had to say at least one more thing, but the words would not come easily. I could not lose her. I wouldn't lose her. But if she wanted me to go, if she loved him more, what choice would I have?
"But I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before, Jacob. I won't try to force her into that first option again. As long as she wants me, I'm here."
"And if she were to decide that she wanted me?" he responded, apparently oblivious to the force behind my monumental statement. "Okay, it's a long shot, I'll give you that."
"I would let her go."
"Just like that?" He made it clear that he did not believe me.
"In the sense that I'd never show her how hard it was for me, yes. But I would keep watch. You see, Jacob, you might leave her someday. Like Sam and Emily, you wouldn't have a choice. I would always be waiting in the wings, hoping for that to happen."
The phenomenon of imprinting could prove to be my biggest ally, should that situation ever occur. I nearly shuddered at the thought, hoping that I would never have to wait for Bella. Jacob's mind was finally starting to quiet down, question-wise. I knew that the conversation was almost over.
""Well, you've been much more honest than I had any right to expect…Edward. Thanks for letting me in your head."
"As I said, I'm feeling oddly grateful for your presence in her life tonight. It was the least I could do…you know, Jacob, if it weren't for the fact that we're natural enemies and that you're also trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you." I smiled, knowing that I was being brutally honest with him, keeping my promise to myself.
"Maybe…if you weren't a disgusting vampire who was planning to suck out the life of the girl I love…well, no, not even then." Jacob replied; apparently, I could always trust him to say the most inappropriate thing possible.
Suddenly, I remembered a question that I had for Jacob. It was my turn.
"Can I ask you something?" I broke the silence.
"Why would you have to ask?" he replied, surprised.
"I can only hear if you think of it," I explained. "It's just a story that Bella seemed reluctant to tell me about the other day. Something about a third wife…?"
"What about it?" he asked out loud, while quickly summarizing the story in his mind for me to hear. When I got to the part about the third wife, I sucked in a harsh breath. So that was her plan. I'd love to see her try…My Bella, always the self-sacrificing one.
Jacob demanded I explain why I reacted so badly, and I did so curtly. I noted that I wished his elders hadn't told her that story, and realized that it made for another good reason for me to stay with her the following day—she would try to get herself killed. Jacob interrupted, blaming Jasper for her ideas. I realized that I was wary of arguing with him—I knew that he would never keep his mouth shut, no matter what I said. Time to end this.
"Neither side meant any harm," I amended.
"And when does this little truce end?" he asked. "First light? Or do we wait until after the fight?"
"First light," we both whispered simultaneously after a short moment. I couldn't help but laugh with him. It was a common tale, two men in love with one woman, a constant struggle.
"Sleep well, Jacob," I said. "Enjoy the moment." If I could help it, he would have to make this memory last in his mind for the rest of his life…because Bella was mine, and I did not intend to give her up.
Enjoy the moment? With pleasure. I can very easily go back to these lovely pictures in my head, or what it would be like to be with Bella in bed, her heart racing and screaming out for me…
Ugh. It was going to be a long night.
"I didn't mean that quite so literally," I berated him again.
"Sorry. You could leave, you know—give us a little privacy."
I felt my muscles tense again. The rational part of my brain knew that he was just goading me on, that he knew I would never leave. But I let the irrational, "male ego" part of my brain speak for once.
"Would you like me to help you sleep, Jacob?" I sneered.
"You could try," he said flippantly, "It would be interesting to see who walked away, wouldn't it?"
"Don't tempt me too far, wolf," I said, still using that part of my brain. "My patience isn't that perfect."
"I'd rather not move just now," he said. "If you don't mind."
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. I knew that I had not won him over that night, but I felt oddly satisfied of the case I had made for myself. Wolves and vampires may never get along, it's true—but I had found a worthy opponent in Jacob Black. It did not matter whether I won him over, though. The choice was Bella's to make, and hers alone.
That meant that my only hope and concern was that I had won her over. Knowing full well that she had heard every word that we had spoken, I hummed her lullaby strongly. Partially to drown out Jacob's lewd stream of consciousness, but mostly so that, as she finally drifted off to sleep, I would be the last man she thought of.
