Chapter 7: What They're After

Jacob smiled as Charlie and Bella came outside together the next morning.

"Jacob, good to see you," said Charlie.

"You too Charlie."

"So what brings you by this early?"

"Figured I'd give Bella a lift to school."

Charlie turned to Bella, "Well isn't that thoughtful."

Clearly Charlie seemed to forget Edward had done the same thing but Bella said nothing.

"Off to work," Jacob asked.

"Yeah, there's been another animal attack. This one happened near the res. They found the body washed along the rocks."

"Do bears even go that close," Bella asked.

"Sometimes but it doesn't seem normal for these parts," Charlie answered.

"Well be careful," said Bella.

"You know I am," Charlie said. "Jake, hope to see you around more often."

"Count on it," the boy said with a smile.

"Hey, be careful on that thing will ya," Charlie said not really trusting the fact that Jacob had come on his motorcycle as Charlie got in his cruiser and took off. Jacob looked at Bella, "You ready to go?"

Bella nodded as she took the helmet Jacob offered and sat behind him. "You know, we could just take the truck."

"Please, where's the fun in that?" Jacob said with a smile as he turned on the bike.

"Hey so what was that look on your face earlier," Bella asked when the two had reached the school and gotten off the bike.

Bella had ignored the stares from her friends. She was used to people looking at her and taking an interest in the person she was dating. It unnerved her but she was used to it unfortunately. She was just glad that Jacob had on a t-shirt so it made it easier on everyone.

"You noticed that hu," Jacob said.

"Kind of hard not to."

Jacob looked at Bella, "I wasn't sure if I should tell you. It's my job to protect you from all of this."

"Protect me from what…the cold ones?" Jacob simply looked at Bella, "Well sorry to disappoint you but I think that ship has sailed. I don't need protection. I'd like to know what's going on though, what's got you so rattled."

"You know what we are. You know what we hunt. Those attacks, they haven't been bears. They've been vampires. We've been trying to get the leech with the dreads and his red headed girlfriend. They keep circling, keep coming around but we don't know what it is they're after."

Bella's body suddenly felt very cold. She had thought that part of her life was over. She had thought that with the Cullen's gone the threat of James' coven was over with too. Sure she was now hanging out with werewolves but she hadn't imagined that she'd come into contact with vampires again. There was no doubting now that she was a magnet for supernatural trouble.

"I do," Bella said, "They're after me."

"What, why would they be after you?"

Bella looked around. Mike, Jessica and some of her other friends were still watching. They quickly avoided eye contact, all pretending to be focused on something else.

Bella rolled up her sleeve, the one that covered her moon-shaped scar. "Here, I want you to feel this."

Jacob had seen her scar before. She'd always been vague as to what happened but now he did as she asked. He lightly stroked his fingers, very surprised at what he felt. It felt like any risen keyloid scar but there was something more to it, something different.

"Jesus, Bella, it's ice cold. It's like them."

"Think we can go somewhere private and talk?"

Jacob handed the helmet back to her, "Hop on," he said as he got the bike ready.

Bella knew that Charlie would most likely hear about her latest ditch but she hoped that given that it was with a boyfriend he actually liked that he wouldn't be as angry.

"Last year," Bella said as she and Jacob walked the beach, "this coven of vampires came across us. Their leader, James, caught my scent. Some vampires have special abilities like I told you and James was a tracker. He tracked me all the way to Phoenix."

"Where you got your broken leg," Jacob said.

"That wasn't all that I got. And I didn't get the scar from falling through a window."

"I figured as much. So how did you get it? I probably have a good idea but I want to hear it from you."

"James bit me," Bella finally admitted to him.

"Then shouldn't you be… shouldn't you be one of them?"

"Yeah I should be but Edward got there in time. He was able to suck the venom out of my system before the change could happen. Edward saved my life, Jacob."

"Guess I owe him one. Had he not saved you, we wouldn't have hung out."

"And you never would have imprinted."

Jacob smiled a little, "Yeah and there's that. What about the dreads and the red head? How do they fit in?"

"They were with James. I thought Laurent was gone. He had planned on trying life out like the Cullen's but I guess that didn't stick. As for Victoria, she's here because of me. Edward killed her mate."

"So it's revenge she wants," said Jacob. He wrapped an arm around Bella, "I promise we won't let that happen."

"Don't underestimate them Jake, they're fast. You have no idea."

"You know you're lack of faith in us is a little insulting."

"Sorry, I'm just telling you what I know and I know these vampires."

"Hey it'll be okay. We've got this covered. Though we should probably go tell Sam."

"Think we can inform the guys later? I mean don't they have school too?"

"We don't exactly run on a human schedule, Bella. We go to class when we want. If something comes up we put aside our humanly duties for the sake of the pack. Besides, there's always home school."

"Still, I'm not ready to tell them just yet. I just want it to be us for a little while."

Jacob shook his head, "You still love your alone time. Sure we can wait a while. What do you want to do?"

"Can we just sit here on the beach for a while?"

"Whatever you want," Jacob said as he found a place where they could sit.

Bella sat next to him. Though the clouds were in, she didn't need a blanket since she had her very own space heater. She placed her head on his shoulder. More at peace than she'd ever been despite everything she had just confided in Jake.

By the afternoon, Jacob and Bella had spent their time at Sam and Emily's place. It amazed Bella at how easy and comfortable it was to be there. Sure she liked her alone time but it was nice being centered in a warm home with people who had essentially become family. Jacob's brothers had become her brothers. And Emily had taken a liking to Bella right off and vice versa.

Bella did tell the pack about what she knew about their unwanted visitors, occasionally throwing in the fact that the Cullen's had saved her life just so there were no misunderstandings. Though Jacob promised her that the Cullen's were now off limits, she wanted her own reassurances from them despite the fact that it was believed the presence of vampires is what triggered their change.

Sam, being the current Alpha, strongly made it clear that they were only after the human sucking vampires and that the Cullen's would never be hurt as long as it's what Bella wanted and since it was, Jacob had to obey therefore so did the pack.

His words made Bella feel even more at ease with them than she all ready was.

"Don't worry," Jacob said as he and Bella walked up the sidewalk after they had arrived back at Charlie's place, "We've got a handle on this."

"Just be careful," Bella told him, "You have no idea what they're capable of."

"You know you've really gotta start trusting us."

"I do trust you but at the same time I'm being realistic. You don't know Victoria and Laurent the way I do."

The two stood at the door but Bella made no move to go inside. "So are you gonna come in tonight?"

"I'm not sure," Jacob replied, "As much as I'd like to I still belong to a pack. Sam calls the shots. Since I let Sam be the Alpha."

"Wait, since you let Sam be Alpha? Were you ever gonna tell me?"

"Eventually sure, it's not really a big deal."

"I don't know, Chief, sounds like a big deal to me."

Jacob smiled at her use of the word. "Yeah maybe. I never wanted to be in a pack, let alone be its leader. Can you imagine me calling the shots?"

"I don't know but at least you would have a choice. You wouldn't have to obey orders."

"Okay sure but all wolves have a hierarchy. If it didn't the pack wouldn't function and wolves wouldn't as be as intelligent as people know them to be. Someone's got to be in charge. It's no big deal Bella, I made that choice to step away. Plus I don't think I could even take it back even if I did want it, hypothetically. Sam likes being in control and it suits him."

Bella smiled, "Then I'm glad it's a choice you made. You know, since you don't have very many of them."

"You mean that? You're okay with me not being an Alpha?"

Bella leaned into Jacob, "Hey I fell in love with you long before I even knew you were a wolf. Being an alpha wouldn't change that. Although it does have a certain ring to it: Chief Jacob," she said as she reached up to him.

Jacob, knowing what she wanted, leaned down and their lips met.

"I could live the rest of my life and never get tired of that," Jacob said when they finally released.

Bella had to admit that neither could she.

She remembered her kisses with Edward and they had been completely different. Though it was magical in its own way, kissing him was like kissing a hard piece of granite. Hard and cold. They had to be careful, more specifically, he had to be careful of not hurting her.

With Jacob on the other hand, it was simpler. Despite his high temperature, kissing him was like the warmth you got from drinking hot tea, something that made you feel relaxed and wanting more at the same time. And unlike Edward, Jacob didn't need to worry about hurting her with the full force of their kiss because he couldn't. He knew the boundaries and he knew what was too little and too far.

"I should go," Jacob whispered.

"Okay," Bella said, needing more of the warmth on her lips which Jacob easily reciprocated.

"You and Charlie will be safe tonight, I'll make sure of it."

"You be safe too," Bella said to him.

Jacob simply nodded and took off into the woods, leaving his bike behind.