Author's Note: You'll see that this chapter is written from Jake's POV. Now he's not exactly the Jake you might expect but I love him and hopefully you will too! Just wanted to say thanks to luv2beloved for Beta-ing (wow I think I just made up a new word! lol) this chapter along with my bff who doesn't belong to ff. Happy reading all!
My phone went off and I resisted the urge to crush it. Carrie was getting on my last nerve. I told her I was fucking busy today. Women never listen.
I took the towel from around my waist and dried my short black hair. Thank the gods above that I had the house to myself for once. Dad was up at the Clearwater's. Sue and he had started something up after Harry's death. More power to him. Old man needed someone to look after him since I was doing a shitty ass job.
I pulled on boxer briefs, cut off jean shorts, a plain white tee and was ready. Wish I could just go as a fucking wolf today. God knows just about everyone was tired of my attitude. The whole hearing each other's thoughts can be a real bitch at times.
My phone went off again and I looked at the number. Yep. Carrie. What part of I'm busy didn't this female get? I needed to cut her loose. Better to be alone then deal with some needy girl. If I was being honest I didn't even like her that much. I mean shit the sex was good but other than that she was okay at best.
She was just the typical girly girl. Into shopping and getting her nails done and all that shit girls do. She was nothing like…her. Fuck, a year later and I'm still pining over some girl. I ran a hand down over my face. Who was I kidding? Bella was never just some girl to me.
Just thinking her name turned my heart into a knife cushion. I say knife cushion cause pins wouldn't hurt this much. I had been fighting for her, was close to winning when that bloodsucker Victoria had gotten to her. I swear Edward had let that bitch bite her. He wanted everyone to think him noble but I knew the truth. The bastard had seen that as his chance to have Bella forever without breaking the treaty. To make things worse he got to kill Victoria while I had ended up suffering alone with half a body of broken bones. Fucking Leah.
Truth is if I had been protecting Bella she'd still be human. As it was she was now my mortal enemy, but fuck, I still loved her. I can't ever see there being a day when I didn't. Not that I wasn't trying now, but I had stayed loyal to her even after she changed. I had foolishly stayed her Jake until the day she married him.
The Jake she knew and loved had died that day getting replaced with whoever the fuck I am now. I left for awhile thinking that was best but fuck if I wasn't pathetic enough to need to see her. So I came back. But I couldn't stand to be alone while she was living her happily ever after in the fucking Cullen house.
Six months ago I had gone looking for 'the one' only I realized that it wasn't meant for me. Evidently Paul, Sam, and Quil could imprint but fuck if I wasn't stuck wanting a girl I could never have. So I had settled for Rachel's friend Carrie. We've been dating for about two months now and it was okay. But she wasn't Bella. No one would ever be my Bella.
The need for a run was pressing me hard but I knew Embry was due here any minute. Rachel was trying to fix the poor bastard up with her newest friend. With the current way things were going he was bound to imprint on her.
I heard Embry approaching long before he called out. "Jake you ready?"
As I turn around I see he's already standing in the door way of my room. "If I say no will you leave without me?"
Embry shook his head. "You got to snap out of this man."
I crossed my arms over my chest going into full defensive mode. I knew where this was going and I wasn't happy about it. "Don't fucking go there."
Embry pushed off the door frame his own arms crossing over his chest. He was going there. "It's been a year man. You need to let her go."
My hands balled into fists as my anger began to rise. "It's not that easy."
I watched as the anger left Embry's body and was replaced with fuck…pity. I hated that look and was fucking tired of seeing it in everyone's eyes when they looked at me. "I know but you've got Carrie now. She's.." Embry paused searching for the right word for her. "hot."
Well he was right. Carrie was hot but that's about all she had going for her. All she cared about was shopping, partying, and gossiping. She didn't like coming out here to see me and she sure as hell hated being outdoors unless she was working on her tan. Even then she bitched about it being too hot. I wanted to tell her to try being 108 degrees by nature but of course I couldn't say anything even close to that. "So were we right? Rachel's trying to play match maker again?" I didn't want to talk about Carrie anymore so I purposely changed the subject.
Embry laughed. "When isn't she?" He sounded slightly annoyed but I knew he wasn't. It was hard to get mad at a girl who made our brother Paul so happy. She meant well, we all knew that, didn't stop us from wanting her to stop though.
"True." I replied returning his smile. "We should probably head out before she starts calling."
Embry fished his phone out of his pocket. "Too late." He opened the phone so he could read the text. "We're supposed to head over to Paul's first. Guess they need help carrying stuff or something." I raised a brow and Embry shrugged. "It's what it says."
The hair on my skin stood up as my gut churned. I had the feeling that something was up. "I believe you, but damn how much is she taking?" We turned and started to head over to Paul's. " We're just chillin' on the beach, right?"
Again Embry shrugged. "Far as I know."
There was something he wanted to talk about but my less then friendly welcome had him keeping his yap shut. I could guess what it was. He did just spend the entire day yesterday with the new girl. "So what's she like?"
Embry smiled so wide I thought his face was going to break. "She's actually really cool once you get her to talk."
"She's shy?" I couldn't believe Rachel could be friends with anyone that was shy.
"Nah, she doesn't like people all that much."
I nodded. I hadn't even met her yet but I was already curious. What could happen to make her shy away from people? And did I want my best friend to get messed up with a girl that was damaged? I knew firsthand what could happen if he did. Fuck. What if he had imprinted on her? "You imprint?"
His face fell a little and I knew the answer. "No but I like her."
I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Then I hope it works out for you man." I meant it. I wanted him to be happy. He was having the roughest time with being a werewolf. He was always getting in trouble with his mom. Since she didn't know about the existence of werewolves, she thought Embry was sneaking out every night and just refused to tell her where he went and what he was doing.
"Thanks." He didn't look at me when he spoke but I could hear he appreciated it by his tone. "Can I ask a favor Jake?"
I removed my hand from his shoulder. He was worried about something, almost afraid. "Yeah."
I watched Embry swallow hard. "Can you just, ya know, be on your best behavior?"
He meant not be an asshole to the new girl. I gritted my teeth in frustration. I hadn't gotten that fucking bad. I was only an asshole to people who deserved it, namely Edward Cullen or any of those blood sucking leeches. All but one. Frustration at my own pathetic hang up had me wanting to break something again.With effort I swallowed it. "I promise not to run her off, ok?"
"Thanks."
We walked in silence for a little while due mostly to my quiet fuming. I decided to try and make it better. "So is she pretty?"
Embry looked over at me. "You saw her."
I looked at him confused. I would remember meeting someone new. "No I haven't."
"Yeah you did. She was at Paul's yesterday."
My brow knitted as I tried to think back. Had I somehow forgotten her in my hurry to get home? No. No way had I missed someone new. "Where?"
A small sigh left Embry. They all thought I was less observant now a days. "She was in the car. I thought you looked right at her."
Now it made sense. "There was glare on the window. I couldn't see a damn thing inside it, let alone realize someone was in it."
"Oh. Well then yeah she's pretty. Though not in the typical sense of the word."
I wanted to ask what he meant by that but I couldn't, we were at Paul's. I followed Embry into the house and was immediately greeted with the sight of Paul and Rachel making out on the couch. "You had us come over so you could blind us?"
Rachel threw a pillow at my head which I easily ducked. "You're just jealous Jake."
I snorted as Paul laughed. "Of Paul? Never."
"Just keep denying it pup." Paul replied grinning. I wanted to remind him that I had chosen to let Sam be Alpha. I wasn't anyone's pup. Not by a long shot.
I was about to respond when I heard the most beautiful female voice carry down the stairs. "Are you sure this is the only other swimsuit you brought with you? I swear I'm going to fall out of it!"
We all turned to look where the voice had come from but it was Rachel who got up and walked to the stairs. "You look fine now get your skinny ass down here."
There was a very unfeminine snort that followed Rachel's comment. "My ass is a lot of things, skinny isn't one of them."
Rachel sighed. "Would you stop being dramatic and just get down here already!"
"I so hate you for this." Was mumbled before footsteps started down the stairs.
Rachel laughed, "yeah, yeah, yeah."
I looked over Embry and he was smiling already. He hadn't even seen her yet. I remembered that feeling. He was in so much trouble. "Hey Renesmee."
I turned when Embry spoke and then stopped. The world tilted the moment I saw her. Tilted and then stopped. Someone was talking but I couldn't hear them. I was starring into the eyes of forever. I swear I could see the binds that would tie us together knitting into one as I stood motionless. The girl was all I could see, all I would ever need. She is the answer to every question ever asked. My life is no longer mine, it's hers. She is the sun and the moon. My reason for staying on this earth. She is my lifeline. She is everything.
I heard a voice that sounded a whole hell of a lot like Embry's off in the distance. "Oh, hell no, you didn't."
