Chapter 8
"Jake, no!" Sage begs, trying to escape his grasp, but his arms form an unbreakable wall around her waist.
"Come on, please? Or are you going to let me go to Forks, where no-one knows me, and let all those girls be under the impression that I'm single? Let them flirt with me?" he teases, leaning over so his breath tickles her neck.
"Maybe I'll get Seth to go with you and all those girls will think you're gay." She mutters.
Jacob laughs good heartedly. "Please, do I loo gay to you?"
Sage pauses for effect before laughing and telling him, "Good point." She receives just the reaction she wanted. "Why did you hesitate before answering?"
Again she pauses before answering innocently, "What?"
"It was an easy question, Sage- why did you need to think about the answer?" Jacob growls playfully.
Sage laughs and pulls away so he can she her teasing grin. "Because I'm a bitch like that."
*three hours later *
As they walk into Bella's high school together, Jacob marvels at the fact that he won her over.
"Jake, what am I doing here?" Sage asks under her breath.
"It's her graduation, you're my date." he replies.
"You know that's not what I meant."
They go inside and stand at the back of the hall. Once Bella's name is called out Jacob lets out a cheer and Sage claps politely. Then, in a matter of minutes, it was over.
"Now, let's party!" Jacob murmurs and she grins. "To the Cullen's," she corrects him and he winks at her. "Into the lion's den."
When Jacob and Sage arrive at the Cullen's the music is pulsing and there is a strong scent of 'vampire', although it is mostly hidden by the amount of humans inside the house. Sage rings the doorbell and someone answers and lets them in. Without saying a word, they step inside. It doesn't take long to find Bella.
"Hey, Bella!" Jacob calls out and Bella looks around at the sound of her name. She pauses and Sage puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Congratulations." She says, leaning close to her to say it so there is no need for her to raise her voice.
"Thank you." Bella replies loudly, even though she must know that as werewolves, there was no need for her to raise her voice. Although Sage respects that perhaps the girl just didn't want to think about that. Jacob pulls them away from the crowd.
"Friendly reception." He notes and Bella scowls playfully.
"I thought you wouldn't show," she says.
"No one did, to be honest, but he suddenly decided he would." Sage says but Bella doesn't seem to be listening, she glances around. This isn't the first time she's done this.
"Why are you so distracted?" Jacob wonders aloud.
"Its nothing." Bella says, but she's obviously lying.
"Bella?" he frowns and says suddenly, "Something's going on, isn't it?"
Bella looks lost. "Jake, I… no, there's nothing."
Sage almost laughs; she's such a crappy liar. "Don't lie to me," Jake says, "You suck at lying. You should tell me what's going on. We want to know these things," Sage smiles as he slips into the pack plural at the end. Again, Bella glances away, obviously looking for something.
"Jacob," she says, "I will tell you. Just let me figure out what's happening, okay? I need to talk to Alice."
Jacob seems to get something that Sage doesn't. "The psychic saw something."
"Yes, just when you showed up."
"Is this about the visitor in your room?" Sage asks.
"It's related…" Bella admits.
Jacob pauses. "There's something you're not telling me… something big."
Bella sighs. "Yeah." Suddenly she gasps and starts to walk away from them towards a smaller figure.
"Alice!" she squeaks.
Alice murmurs something in Bella's ear and starts to drag her away, but the wolves step in.
"Hey, not so fast." Jake says, blocking their way.
The vampire's eyes widen, "Excuse me?"
Jacob holds his ground. "Explain." Sage demands.
Another vampire appears quite literally out of nowhere, glaring at the couple.
"We have a right to know," Sage adds, a little more politely.
No one speaks for a minute, and then suddenly Alice's face is thoughtful. "It's okay Jasper. They actually have a point." But this Jasper guy doesn't seem relax… or blink actually, Sage notes curiously.
"What did you see?" Sage asks the little vampire, who pauses before answering, "The decisions been made."
"You're going to Seattle?" Bella asks.
"No."
Bella's eyes widen in fear. "They're coming here."
"Yes."
But then Jasper butts in; "We can't let them get that far, there aren't enough of us to protect the town."
"Wait." Sage says, holding up her hand, totally confused but they ignore her.
"I have to go to them," Bella says in sudden revelation.
"Hold it." Jacob orders in a low, forceful voice, "What is coming?"
Alice glares up at the wolves, "Our kind; lots of them."
"Why?" Sage asks, shocked.
"For Bella. That's all we know."
This is a surprise for Sage who frowns at Bella, a seemingly average human. "There are too many for you?" Jacob asks.
This seems to annoy Jasper. "We have a few advantages, dog. It will be an even fight."
Then it hits her- Oh yes! Sage quickly elbows Jacob who grins down at her. "No, Jasper." Sage says, letting Jacob finish for her. "It won't be even."
"Excellent!" Alice hisses, grinning in excitement.
"Wait, wait, wait,"Bella asks, "Why won't it be even?"
"You didn't honestly think you could keep us out of this?" Jacob asks.
"You are staying out of this!"
"Your psychic doesn't seem to think so." Sage says.
"Alice, they'll get killed!" Bella insists.
Sage tries to hide her laughter while Jacob down right scoffs in her face, "It'll be no problem. It's what we were made for, remember?"
Jasper interrupts again, "We were planning a strategic meeting- tonight?"
Jacob nods. "What time?" he asks.
"What's too late for you?" The vampire asks. Now that makes Sage laugh. "Jasper- What time?"
"Three o'clock?"
"Where?" Jacob demands.
"You can follow our scent from the Hoh Forest Ranger station."
Sage winks, "It's a date."
