IX. Loose Ends

"Open the door, bloodsucker!" Jake hollered, pounding on it so hard that I was sure the entire floor heard him. "I know you took her! If you don't I'll—…"

Edward looked at me questioningly but I'd already risen, swiftly pulling open the door.

Jake's fist was midway in the air—probably about to put a hole through the door—his expression twisted with rage, but all of that died the moment he saw me. He seemed flabbergasted.

"Bella?"

I waited, but he only shifted his weight, a hand running through his dark hair. The last time I'd been this close to him was before I'd moved out. After that, we'd only ever caught glimpses of each other. Being with Nessie should've made him happier. But he didn't look any less tired than when he'd been fighting the imprint. His eyes were bloodshot, and it looked like he hadn't been sleeping.

Something tightened in my chest—it was hard to stop caring about someone. "Is there something you want?"

His eyes darted past me, nostrils flaring and I knew that even though he couldn't see Edward, he could smell him.

"Bella, what's going on? You just disappeared and—"

"I sent an email to my dad."

"An email," he repeated, looking incredulous. "Anyone could've sent that."

I folded my arms. "We also spoke to Carlisle. And I was about to give my dad a call. Look, Jake, thanks for coming all this way to check up on me but I'm fine. You can go home." My words sounded stiff but thankfully steady—the product of years and years of keeping my emotions tightly in check.

Jake didn't budge. "And where are you going?"

"I'm flying to Vienna."

"With a vampire?" he said in disbelief. "What about the trackers?"

"That's why I'm going with a vampire."

"You don't even know him!"

"Did you know Nessie when you imprinted on her?" I shot back, and instantly regretted it.

Jake looked gutted. He opened his mouth as though to say something when his expression suddenly changed, fury replacing the guilt. Without warning, he pushed past me and shoved the door open.

"It's him, isn't it?" he asked, whirling around to glare at Edward. "He's threatening you!"

Edward was leaning beside the open window and at Jake's forceful entrance, he arched his brows. Jake advanced towards him, trembling with rage, and I tensed. "Jake, no! He's not threatening me. Jake!"

But Jake had never been one to listen.

Edward was still—only those sharp eyes studying Jake's every move—and despite how sweet he'd been, I couldn't shake off the feeling that he could rip Jake to shreds.

I ran forward, planting myself between them, whirling around to face my ex.

"Jake, what the hell are you doing? Cut it out," I said and his eyes narrowed.

He made as though to take my arm when Edward shifted suddenly. I didn't know what happened—one moment I was in front of Jake, and the next I'd been deftly steered to the side, Jake's hand closing around thin air.

"Get a hold of yourself. You could've hurt her." Edward's hand remained on my shoulder, his voice steely but oddly patient.

It was the unexpected patience that got through to Jake—I could tell. Jake's eyes widened with surprise, then realisation, before anger clouded his gaze once more.

"As if it matters to you," he snapped. "You just want to use her like the others!"

"Use her?" Edward prompted, and then a crease formed between his brows as he no doubt read Jake's thoughts.

In times like these, I was grateful that the Elders never told the pack the whole truth. Hot-headed young wolves made poor secret keepers.

"Fuck!" Jake realised his mistake, and his eyes darted to me. "Bella we've got to go—" He made a grab for me a second time but Edward was there in a flash. He snarled, a terrifying sound that ripped from his throat and sent chills down my spine.

"Mind your manners, boy," he hissed. There was nothing pleasant about his expression—the same eyes that had seemed patient just moments ago were stone-cold, the scarlet a striking reminder of James' predatory gaze. Then he straightened, schooling his features back to normality. "Talk to her if you wish. But keep your hands to yourself."

Jake had backed up at his snarl, his stance wary, ready to transform, but Edward had stepped away, his arms folded as he leaned back against the window.

Jake straightened as well, looking dissatisfied, but he made no move to touch me.

Seeing the boy I once loved was oddly uneventful. He was still the same—hot-headed, protective and pushy. But I'd changed. I was ready to stop hiding. My world now consisted of more than just La Push, my dead mother, and my ex.

I sighed. "Look, Jake, I'm here because I want to be. I don't have anything else to say."

"How can I trust anything you say while he's here?"

"He's part of the treaty! Carlisle trusts him! What more do you want?" I was fed up of having to explain myself to him. "I'm not any safer in La Push anyway."

Jake was shaking his head. "Bells, what happened with James won't happen again. We have Alice now. We—…"

"Don't you understand?" I said. "I'm tired of hiding. I'd sooner... I'd sooner die than hide again. Hiding is no life."

Jake clenched his fists. "How could you say that? The pack has done everything to protect you. The Cullens. Your dad—"

"And now you're free," I said. "You're free of me, Bella the big burden. I know I've been nothing but trouble for you and I'm sorry. I truly am. I've made my decision and you don't have to feel responsible for it. I am."

Jake's eyes slid back to Edward once more. "So I'm supposed to go home and leave you here with a human drinker. A lone one, no less. Don't you remember anything Carlisle taught us?"

"That human drinkers are more vicious? That lone vampires are more aggressive?" I challenged. "I remember. It's going to come in handy whenever someone tries to grab me."

Jake pressed his lips together.

Edward quirked a brow. "I'm going to need a word with Carlisle. That feels like a personal attack. Bella, I don't want to interrupt, but we have a plane to catch."

"I think we're done," I said, looking around for my bag. "We should go." I turned back to Jake, feeling a little sorry about my outburst. "Jake, I'm grateful that you cared enough to come. It's just... I need some time to be away from..." I gestured around. "Everything."

Edward had taken our suitcase and we stood at the door, ready to leave.

"Bella," Jake called. He seemed to be struggling with himself. "I never wanted to," he said finally. "To… you know…"

"I know." The imprinting wasn't his fault.

"Will you ever come home?" he asked.

"I can't promise," I said. "But I'll try."

"Please be safe," he said.

Telling him not to worry about me was futile. Didn't I worry for him too every time the pack hunted Victoria? "You too," I said.

"I'll keep her safe," Edward said unexpectedly. "You have my word."

"Goodbye," I said, and then I followed Edward into the lift.

"About my mother—" I began, as the lift doors closed.

"We'll talk about that later. We're going to be late for our flight," Edward said, glancing at his watch. "You don't want to miss a flight to Vienna now, do you?" And just like that, I knew that the first of my mother's secrets changed nothing between us.

"When is it?"

"In two hours. But we still need to drive to the airport."

I looked at him and grinned. "Leave it to me."

Edward's expression grew wary. "I don't like the look of that smile. I don't like it at all."


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