Jacobs Point Of View

I just stood there taking her in, she looked the same yet so different. Her once wavy hair was needle point straight with blond highlights all through it and while it was always long it touched her waist now. Her eyes are still that beautiful brown that I always loved and her face still had the pink undertone to it that would turn to a bright red anytime I hinted at anything more then friendship. The only difference in her face was the light coating of make up she had on and a small diamond in her nose. The ripped jeans she had on hugged her hips, that looked a little bit bigger in the perfect ways. The black band shirt she had one was raised a bit, showing a bit of her milky white stomach and I could see the start of a tattoo on her hip. Bella had always been beautiful, but now she was way past that. The once shy and slightly awkward girl had turned into a gorgeous and sexy woman.

"Jake, man."

Paul's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I shook my head. I couldn't do this. I couldn't get wrapped up in all that was Bella, but when I took a deep breath to steady myself she was all I could think about. Her scent had hit me and I felt like drowning in it. Her human scent had changed, it smelled mostly the same but there was a really sweet undertone to it that I couldn't make out or understand. I wanted to run over there, grab her and wrap myself in that smell. My wolf purred at the thought.

"Jake. Man you gotta get your head in the game or I'll have to call for Sam." Paul growled.

I shook myself again and told them I was phasing so I could talk to her. I ran into the cover of the trees, feeling her eyes on me the whole way. Once I was back on two legs I put my shorts on and jogged back to the line and took my place in the middle of the guys. Bella was the first to speak.

"Are you alpha now? I thought since Sam called me he was still alpha."

I ignore her question. "You are human." It was a statement more then a question. She looked human, I could hear her heartbeat and she smelled human even though her smell has changed.

She hesitated for a moment. "Yes."

"Any of the Cullen's with you?" I said Cullen's, but I think everyone knew what I was asking. Is Edward with you?

"No, I'm alone."

I paused, unsure what to do. Seth nudged my side and I sighed. "Why are you here?" Not really a question that needed to be asked, but I asked it anyway.

She shrugged. "I wanted to come home."

I took a deep breath, reminding myself of her weird new smell. Weird probably wasn't the right word, she smelled amazing, but it was definitely different. "Why do you smell different?"

She looked shocked. "I smell different?"

I nodded, but didn't say anything else. Neither did she. A part of me was freaking out, I didn't know what to do. She isn't a vampire. What was it Sam said to do if she was human? I for the life of me couldn't remember. No matter how much I was freaking out on the inside, I kept my cool on the outside. My stance was one of someone going into my battle and I was glaring harshly at her. Every time she looked into my eyes, she would flinch slightly. I idly wonder why, what was it she saw in my eyes.

"Jake, can we talk? I mean without the security?" She asked, nodding toward the guys.

I didn't take even a second to think about it. My answer was simple. Her just standing there made me want her all over again. Made me want to forgive her and run into her arms, begging her to be mine, but I wouldn't do that. I had more self control these days. "No. Since you didn't let the bloodsucker take a bite out of you I cant ban you from La Push, but I will ask that you stay away. Is any of the Cullen's coming here?"

"Emmett might, but I doubt it." She looked sad. I wondered if it was because I said no to talking or if she was sad because Edward wasn't coming here. Maybe that's why she is here, maybe Edward has left her again.

"Make sure he contacts us if he should." I turned to leave, but stopped when I heard her taking a few steps toward me.

"Jake please…"

"Goodbye Bella."

I didn't take the time to lose my shorts, I phased letting the cloth rip into pieces.

"Good job Jake." Seth said.

"Go home and phase out." I told them, not commanding, but hoping they'd listen anyway. They did and I was alone a few minutes later. I started running back to the shop so I could get my car and go home. I wasn't alone long before I felt Sam phase.

"You done good."

Sam meant that, but there was something else he was hiding in the depths of his thoughts. I tried to probe to find out what it was, but he had the thought locked tight.

"No, I didn't. If it wasn't for Paul and Seth nudging me along I probably would have just stared at her for 5 hours."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. Even as a alpha we all make mistakes. I've made my fair share."

He was right of course, but that didn't make me feel any better. I couldn't do this. I couldn't let Bella get in my head. I'm not a 17 year old boy anymore and I cant act like it.

"Go home and get some rest Jacob. Don't forget about the bonfire tomorrow."

I snorted. How could I forget? We've been having a bonfire the second Friday of the month since I phased.

**!**!**

The next day work seemed to fly by, as soon as we was done we all left our cars at the shop and headed to the cover of the trees. Once we phased we set a easy pace to run at and made our way to the beach. These bonfires has become our way to relax, distress and just be the young adults that we are suppose to be. Our jobs as wolves has definitely gotten easier in the past few years. We've only had to hunt and kill a few stray bloodsuckers and we didn't have to worry about new born armies or the treaty. We don't have to patrol night and day. We each generally pick one or two nights a week to patrol and during the day we don't even worry about it. There is enough of us spread across our small tribe that if a vampire does show we've got every part of the place covered.

"Do you think that one vampire will ever come back?" Seth asked, listening to my thoughts.

"Let's fucking hope not." Quil shook his head, remembering the smell.

Around a year ago, we had a vampire run on our beaches and attack our pack. We chased her for hours, from night to late morning but it was like she was playing with us. She was faster then us and never gave us an opening to attack. The worst part was the interesting smell. The sweetness and slight bleach smell was there like an average bloodsucker, but there was a undertone of raw meat that has been sitting in the sun for hours. There was more then a few times that I got closer to her that the smell alone stopped me in my tracks and made me gag.

"Can we stop thinking about that now? Your going to make me puke little alpha."

I rolled my eyes at Paul and stopped running at the edge of the tree line. I quickly phased leaving the guys behind and jogging up the beach alone. All the imprints and most the pack was already there. I saw Sue and Charlie up at the parking lot pushing my dad toward us and smiled. Charlie hasn't been to a bonfire in a very long time and it was good to see him here. No matter how much confusion and pain Bella being back caused me I was extremely happy for Charlie. I went and found a seat by the fire that was already blazing. It wasn't long till Amanda found her way to me, she sat right beside me and put her hand on my knee.

"How was it?"

"Horrible." I said simply, but didn't say more. I didn't want to talk about it in front of all the pack. No matter how low we talked they could still hear.

She nodded, understanding. "You know if you need to talk…" she trailed off.

I smiled at her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and giving her a half hug. "I know." My hand ruffled her hair and the smell about knocked me on my ass. I smirked at her. "Good Lord girl, how many times did he mark you?" The smell was pure Seth and sex. She still carried her scent, but Seth's scent now covered her. The scent of sex would die down after the mark healed.

She blushed, hiding her face in her hands. "Shut up, Jake."

I laughed, removing my arm from her shoulder and leaning forward a bit. The mark on her neck was slightly swelled, but already healing quicker then a normal wound would. I could see the impressions of Seth's teeth, but no normal human could see it. To them it would just look like a weird placed scar.

"No, really all teasing aside I'm happy for you." I told her, meaning every word.

She smiled at me. "I hope it happens for you one day Jacob."

I smirked. "Don't wish something like that on me. I'm staying single until the day I die."

She frowned. "Don't joke. Someone like you deserves someone great and I know that person is out there waiting for you to be ready."

I huffed at her, not liking the seriousness of this conversation. "Sure sure."

She shook her head at me. "I really do hope you fined someone to love you like you deserve."

I smiled at her. "Maybe one day." I don't think it will ever happen, but if agreeing to it gets her to stop talking about it then sure I agree.

I jumped when something hit me in the back and turned to growl at Paul and Quil who were standing a few feet behind me, laughing. I looked down at what hit me and picked the football up, swinging my arm back and letting the ball fly straight toward Paul's face. He of course saw it coming so caught it at the last second. "Come on little alpha, time to get your ass beat."

I patted Amanda on the knee and ran toward Paul, planning to tackle him. "Stop calling me that." I told him as we flew together to the sand. Once we landed I punched in him the shoulder and stole the ball. "Now come on so I can beat your ass." I told him standing up and holding my hand out to help him up. Us guys and Leah played until Emily announced that the food was ready. By the time we was walking toward the food we were sweaty, wet with the salt water of the ocean and sandy. Emily shook her head at us as we made plates of food. I found me a spot to sit beside Sam and Quil and ate my food in silence, just listening to the happy chatter of my family. Once my food was gone I threw my plate away and told everyone I was going for a walk.

I walked slowly down the beach, taking in the night sky that is crystal clear, not a cloud to be found. I walked a good mile before I found it. I didn't even realize I was looking for it, but now that I'm here sitting in the sand and leaning my back against the old drift wood I know I was looking for it. Memories swam through my mind, I closed my eyes and relaxed back. A small chuckle left my lips as I thought about the first day we sat here. Bella was flirting – very badly – with me in order to get information on the Cullen's. Being 15 of course I didn't mind the flirting, no matter how bad it was. We spent a lot of time here, just sitting sometimes talking but mostly just enjoying each other's presence when Edward left her. Then when he came back we had more then a couple arguments here. I often wonder what would have happened if Bella never jumped off that cliff. The fortune teller wouldn't have told Edward that Bella killed herself and he may have never came back. Even then I don't know that anything would have happened between Bella and I. She was so broken and her heart just wasn't open to me, I don't think it ever was. Its like Edward wrapped his icy hands around her heart and blocked me every step of the way. Sometimes I wondered if he used some type of vampire voodoo on her. So many times I could tell he pissed her off and whenever he would look her in the eyes, she would instantly forgive him. Don't know why she couldn't ever be that forgiving with me.

I took a deep breath, trying to rid my mind of thoughts of her and froze. I didn't open my eyes I didn't need to. "What are you doing here? Didn't I ask you to stay away?"