Chapter Nine
Edwards POV
My love thinks she can hide from me. These mutts think they can keep me from MY love. These low life mangy flea bags won't know what hit them. I'll give them credit they can fight, they only know violence. They are disgusting creatures, but they can't outsmart me. I'll have to bide my time, timing will be key in the rescue of my Isabella.
"Edward, I'm not sure it's smart to go in just yet. We'll have to wait for the others, we are extremely out numbered." A voice cuts through my thoughts.
"If they don't arrive soon, we go without them. You owe me, don't forget that. You try and turn your back on me and I will end you." Edward sneered
"I'm not turning my back on you. I am looking at the big picture. Making a move now would give them an advantage. We'll get your Isabella back soon enough." the same voice explains.
I know waiting to gain some very important and much needed intel is best, but I have a feeling my so called family will be showing up soon. By now they have to know I escaped Carlisle's punishment. I have blocked Alice the best I could. That back stabbing bitch is surely looking into my future. At least I know she hasn't seen any of my plans. I am careful to do all my planning on Quileute land, high above in the tree tops, when those mangy mutts are around, yet far enough away, so I can escape. I bet she can't even figure out how I am blocking her. They are all so simple minded.
"Come, we have to move out. They'll be coming through here soon. I want to go further in and see if I can scent out my Isabella." I said breaking away from my thoughts.
About a mile or so away from the boarder, her scent hit me. All I had to do was follow the sweet smell of her blood and we end up in front of a run down red shack, which I'm guessing is supposed to be a house.
"How could that mutt think this place is good enough for someone like Isabella?"
"The one I overheard the leader say was her mate is with her. Edward are you sure she was kidnapped? She looks cozy all snuggled up with him." Edwards companion says right before his fist comes flying towards her face.
"SHE WAS STOLEN FROM ME! THESE MUTTS TOOK HER AND I WILL GET HER BACK. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"
"Yes, Edward. I'm sorry. I understand."
"It would be in your best interest not to question me again." Edward said voice still laced with anger.
She was right, my Isabella was snuggled up with that mutt. It's not something that will go unpunished. I must keep my head clear and in the game right now. I'll focus on her betrayal once I have her back.
"Let's go! We're going to need to find out Charlie's schedule. We won't be able to pull this off unless everything is timed right. We need a smooth and flawless plan in place." Edward says as they begin sailing through the tree tops heading towards Forks.
(BPOV)
Seth tried to keep me calm as we waited for Jake to return. I kept hoping he wasn't disgusted with me. I was already disgusted with myself enough for both of us. It was getting later and still no sign of him.
"Maybe he isn't coming back." I said to Seth.
"He'll be back, don't worry." he smiled at me.
It wasn't a full Seth smile, it was one that told me he knew. It told me he was doing his best to be supportive.
I must have been driving him crazy with my pacing. I couldn't sit still no matter how hard I tried. My heart ached for Jake, I could feel his hurt. I couldn't help but think it was my fault. I felt like I had betrayed everyone. How could I have been so stupid?!
"Bella, please sit down." Seth broke though my thoughts
I gave him a half hearted smile and sat down.
I traded the pacing for nervously shaking my leg up and down.
"I don't know what is going on inside your head. Just know that if you need to talk I am here for you. I don't just mean now, I mean always." Seth said once again breaking through my thoughts.
"Thank you, Seth"
"Look Bella he loves you and whatever you're thinking right now, whatever has you so worried, you're probably wrong. He isn't mad at you and what happened, it wasn't your fault. Doesn't mean much coming from me, but when he comes back, I know he's going to tell you the same thing." Seth said trying to comfort me.
"How could he not be mad? Its my fault Edward came into any of our lives. I put myself in danger, I put Charlie in danger. How can he ever look at me the same again knowing his mortal enemy... Nevermind." I said putting my head down in shame.
"He loves you, everything else, you'll work through." no sooner had that left his mouth we both heard a vicious growl coming from the woods outback.
I Saw Seth stiffen and sit up straight.
"Seth is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything is fine" he said but I wasn't convinced
The door flew open and both Seth and I jumped.
"Shit, Sorry!" Jake said as he pulled me into his arms.
"You're back." I said stating the obvious.
He didn't say anything just held me tighter.
Everything inside me wanted to believe what Seth said to me, But insecure Bella.. Well, lets just say I didn't think I was good enough for him to love. I was still questioning whether he was judging me for the things Edward did. Had I deserved it? Was there something I could have done to change the outcome? I feel like I failed Jake and here he was picking up the pieces again, this time because he HAD to.
"Stop"
Uhh, crap, crap, crap! Was I talking out loud.
"Stop what?" I ask sheepishly
"Worrying" he said pulling back and looking me in the eyes.
"I..I'm not" I lied
"Bella, I've known you a long time. Even though we've been apart the past year, I still know when you're worrying." he said pulling me back into his arms.
"Jake?"
"Bella?"
"Are you okay? You know.. to talk?" I ask figuring now is a good a time as any to voice my worries.
"Bells, I am sorry I lost it earlier. I promise you, you can talk to me whenever you need to." he said leading me to sit down on the couch.
"I think I need to stand, if that's okay with you."
"Okay." he said looking a bit worried.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you before you phase again. I kind of talked to Seth and I don't want you to have to see it through the pack. I'd rather you heard it from me."
"Okay, talk. You're kind of scaring me, Bella." he said and the look on his face made me sad so instead of standing I moved next to him and took his hands in mine.
"First I want to say I'm sorry, for everything."
"Why are you apologizing? This isn't your fault, Bella." he said looking at me like I was a crazy person.
"It is my fault. This is what I was trying to tell Seth. I did all this, I brought the Cullen's into my life, into Charlie's life and in turn yours. They stayed here because of me, because of Edward. The Cullen's staying triggered the wolf gene, I made choices that led to Edward thinking I was his. Which led to him taking me from you before I even knew you imprinted on me." as I spoke tears I was trying once again to hold back spilled over.
"Bells." Jake said as his voice cracked. I couldn't look at him, seeing his tears would kill me.
"Please let me finish, if I stop now, I won't be able to say what I need to say later."
He squeezed my hand and I continued. "We lost out on time we will never get back. This is why I am sorry. I feel I could have prevented all of this. My choices took so much from me, from you, from Charlie. I'll never get back what Edward took from me. I'll never get to share that special moment with you. How can you look at me? How could you want me? I understand if you don't, believe me I do."
"Are you done?" he asked hesitantly
I nodded
"Bella, look at me." when I didn't, Jake placed his fingers beneath my chin and lifted my head so that I was looking at him.
"None of this is your fault. Especially not what that sick fuck did to you. Do you honestly think that Edward could make them do anything they didn't want to do? They chose to come back here knowing what their presence did all those years ago. They chose to stay knowing Sam phased. They had to know what Edward was doing, which makes them just as bad as he is. You have nothing and I mean nothing to be sorry for." Jake moved his hand away from my face and I braced myself for rejection.
I wanted to badly to look away, to look anywhere other than directly at him. I was terrified of what he was going to say next. I wanted to close my eyes and wish myself away.
"Bells, I have loved you since we were kids. I loved you when you made me eat mud pies." Jake said to me with a smile.
"I love you now and always. I know I haven't mention the imprint, even with you saying you knew, more than once. That's because I never wanted you to think what I felt for you was because of the imprint. Knowing Taha Aki chose you as my mate just makes my choice in loving you a hundred times better. Nothing could ever make me love you any less. You asked me how I could look at you, how I could want you.. The answers is beaus you are you. Without you in my life, I have nothing. Trust me, I know this much is true, I've lived it for the last 16 months."
I couldn't speak, the huge lump in my throat prevented me from doing so. I threw my arms around him and cried. Jake returned my hug and pressed his lips to the top of my head.
After everything I had been through, it had brought me back to right where I was always supposed to be.
Finally I managed to say what I had always known, but was too afraid to admit. "I love you, Jacob Black! You are my everything and I guess it helps that you're sorta beautiful."
"Bells, did you hit your head again?" Jake said with a chuckle
"I love you too, Sweetheart."
a/n
I am leaving you hanging again! I know, I know, I'm so mean. I just think after that talk, I gotta come up with something good to follow it and honestly my brain quit on me. I don't think I fully recovered from my recent illness yet. Yeah, we'll blame that. lol Anyway, let me know what you think. Also who do you think Edward has with him? Any guesses? As always thank you so much for reading.
