Chapter 10
A Better Life
"I`m standing on the edge of your words
That is where you`ll find me
I`m paralyzed by all the things that hurt
But I`m coming"
-Sia
Thera sat alone in her room with her father's medallion clutched in her hand and a pensive expression on her face. It was early morning, the distant call of seagulls mixing with the consistent swish of the ocean as it lapped lazily against the docks. A faint breeze rustled the palm trees outside Thera's window, their billowing limbs blocking the sun's rays and creating dancing shadows across the floor. The air was already muggy, but it was cooler than usual and smelled faintly of rain. Thera could hear the distant rumble of thunder still miles off the coast. She smiled softly at the realization; storms always brought her peace.
With a sigh, Thera glanced down at the packed bag at her feet. Peace was exactly what she needed at the moment. Jacob was gone, and with him went her feelings of certainty. Thera was anxious now, and even though she knew the way to fix it, finding the courage was suddenly difficult. She told herself that it was simply another state, another city, another house, but she knew that it wasn't. Thera was reentering the world that she belonged to, and there was nothing that could prepare her for what was to come. For once she had no plan of escape, no side door that would automatically lead her to safety. For once she had to place her faith in someone else.
After giving the bedroom a quick once over, Thera pulled her ragged, leather bag onto her shoulder and walked slowly out of the room. The house was now clean, if not bare. The majority of the wall hangings were currently situated in a large outdoor garbage bin awaiting their journey to the dump, while the cracked walls and nonexistent door would simply have to wait. Thera grimaced at one rather large hole in the wall; hopefully Mrs. Reynolds wouldn't blow a gasket at the state of her house. Jacob hadn't seemed concerned, but after Thera's announcement, she didn't know if he could find any room for unease behind the giant smile that refused to leave his face.
It was obvious by Jacob's initial reaction that he had expected Thera to choose to stay. At first he only stared at her with wide eyes, which caused Thera to repeat herself for fear that he hadn't heard, but after a few extra repeats and a long moment of awkward silence, Jacob finally allowed the most beautiful smile that Thera had ever seen to erupt onto his face. Something changed between them after that moment. It was a feeling more than anything, a sense of ease that settled comfortably upon their connection and removed all feelings of doubt and insecurity.
Thera grinned at the memory, and, after suddenly finding her confidence, stepped through the wide open front door. The trip to her destination was short, maybe a few blocks, but she walked slowly, fully intending to enjoy her last few moments on the island that had served as her home for nearly four months. Thera took in the clean smell of rain and looked up at the steadily darkening sky. There were few people on the streets, the early risers probably avoiding the storm, and the late night party-goers still tucked comfortably in their beds. The quiet was enjoyable, and before Thera knew it, she passed the entrance to what was now her old neighborhood and made her way onto the main drag.
Without paying any attention, Thera followed the pull in her chest by the bars and shops and towards a nice hotel situated against the water. Each step seemed to calm her, the reality of the cause both terrifying and exciting. Slowly Thera made her way through the lobby and up one flight of stairs, before turning a corner and stopping in front of a weathered looking door. After taking a deep breath, she went to knock when the door suddenly swung open.
"Hey," Jacob greeted with a towel in his hand and a fresh pair of jeans sitting low on his hips. His earlier smile was still visible on his face, the sight of it causing Thera's certainty to return to her in full force.
"Hey," Thera replied as her eyes swept briefly over Jacob's naked torso. Instantly her heart rate increased and a warm blush caressed her cheeks. From this angle her future looked rather appealing, and for a moment she felt more excitement than anxiety.
"Come in," Jacob continued as he stepped to the side and ushered Thera forward.
Thera walked fully into the room and let her bag slip from her shoulder and land softly on the floor. Behind her, Jacob closed the door and tossed his dampened towel into the still steaming bathroom. "Embry ran out to grab us breakfast, if you're hungry," Jacob said as he slipped past Thera and began rummaging through his bag for a shirt.
Jacob's body was humming with nervous excitement. It was a feeling that had refused to leave his body since Thera agreed to return to Washington with them. At first he couldn't believe it, but after Thera repeated herself three times it finally seemed to sink in. Jacob's life was starting. He could feel it. Thera was still uncertain and uncomfortable with the imprint, but she was giving him a chance. What more could he ask for?
"I actually don't remember the last time I've eaten," Thera commented as she sat lightly on the edge of one of the beds and glanced around the room. It contained the same bright colors and tacky decorations of nearly every dwelling on the island.
"Then you're in luck," Jacob replied while pulling a plain black t-shirt over his head. Thera frowned slightly at the loss of view. "I told him to grab a bunch of crap because I didn't know what you liked."
Blood probably wasn't the response that Jacob wanted, so Thera smiled softly instead. "Thanks."
"It's the least I could do," Jacob commented as he sat heavily beside Thera. His voice was suddenly soft and full of meaning. Thera shifted her body towards his, but wrapped her arms protectively around her chest. She knew that he wanted to touch her, wanted to hug her as he had hours before, but she didn't know if she could handle it again. Fearing an embrace sounded silly, but touching Jacob was a dangerous sensation, and Thera wasn't ready for the emotions that it entailed.
The first hug came quickly, with Jacob so excited about Thera's decision that he simply couldn't control himself. She responded without a second thought, Jacob's happiness overwhelming her body just as quickly as his. Thera recalled with clarity how amazing Jacob's arms felt as they lifted her easily from the ground and held her tightly to his chest. The warmth was intoxicating, and the feeling of Jacob lips buried deep in Thera's hair and nearly grazing her skin was a feeling that she would never forget.
But this wasn't spontaneous, wasn't a reaction that Thera could write off as involuntary. This was calculated, both Thera and Jacob understanding why it was happening and what it meant. Avoiding Jacob's eyes, Thera loosened her arms and allowed them to fall lightly at her sides. Instantly Jacob scooted closer, his fingers reaching forward and pulling Thera's chin away from the floor and towards his face. Thera allowed Jacob to slowly turn her head, her eyes finally meeting his.
"You wouldn't believe the amount of sausage I nabbed." Thera immediately recoiled from Jacob at the sound of Embry's voice. "Oh you're here," Embry continued as he set three bags of food beside the TV, his voice suddenly becoming softer. "The whole not being able to sense you thing is kind of creepy."
"What the fuck, Embry?" Jacob reprimanded.
"What?" Embry responded with a look of confusion.
Jacob went to reply when Thera's delicate hand landed softly on his thigh. "It's fine," she said, or at least, that's what Jacob assumed she had said. All he could focus on was the weight of Thera's caress and the response that his body was having to it. Quickly Jacob shot up and attempted to readjust himself without looking too obvious.
"What did you find?" Jacob asked Embry as he began rummaging through the bags. Embry frowned at the change in mood before pulling a variety of boxes out of each bag. He seemed to have everything from bacon to bagels.
Soon the three companions fell into comfortable silence as they grabbed random bits of food from the boxes. Thera had forgotten the ridiculous appetite that was common to shifters, but the memory quickly returned as she watched Jacob and Embry devour nearly everything in less than ten minutes. Luckily, Jacob had fixed her a plate before the feeding frenzy began.
They sat in a circle on the bed with the empty boxes of food creating a center piece when Thera felt a tingle of fear run down her spine. Only a moment later Carlisle and Edward slipped silently into the room. "You're here, wonderful," Carlisle said as he stopped beside the bed and offered Thera a quick nod of recognition. "Our plane leaves at twelve, so after you're done eating you need to pack," he continued with a pointed look at Jacob and Embry, the latter of which had a piece of egg stuck precariously on the side of his lip.
"Ok," Jacob replied.
The room then fell into awkward silence. Jacob sent Thera a few worried glances, the rigidness in her back indicating how uncomfortable she was with the vampires in the room, while Edward's face twitched randomly as he attempted to form the words that he wanted to say. Finally, Edward managed to speak. "I don't know how to thank you."
Thera remained withdrawn. She didn't know how to respond to the anguish in Edward's voice. It was deep and raw, and reminded her of the pain that she pushed aside centuries ago and continuously refused to acknowledge. Edward's words of appreciation didn't help either; if anything they made Thera feel even worse. She wasn't doing this for him, and for the first time she realized just how difficult infiltrating Volterra was going to be.
For the past few hours Thera hadn't even considered what these vampires were asking her to do. Her concerns were centered completely on Jacob and deciding whether or not their connection was something she wanted to accept or run away from. Aro was cunning, manipulative, and surrounded by followers that would gladly give their lives to save him. Thera's appearance could lead to death just as easily as life—for all of them. "Thank me when it's over," she finally replied.
Edward seemed to understand her train of thought, for he suddenly looked drawn with fatigue and weighed down by the unexpected awareness that Thera wasn't the answer to this long and complex equation. Thera was merely an added variable, and all they could do was hope that she was powerful enough to throw Aro's game. "I'll do both," Edward commented after another moment of silence. He had to stay optimistic. The pain would cripple him if he didn't.
"Everyone is very excited to meet you," Carlisle said suddenly in an effort to break the tension. Thera responded with a pitiful smile, her mind now focused on Aro and how horrible it was going to be to revisit her past. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, for her or them. Aro had defeated her father, and Thera—even now—was a child when compared to him. At one point she had known Aro well, even shared part of her life with him, but those were recollections that she had shoved aside and forced herself to forget. Remembering would be painful, and she suddenly didn't know if she wanted to do it.
"Why don't you guys let us finish getting ready?" Jacob's words came out more like a statement than a question, and his tone clearly indicated that it was time for the vampires to leave. Carlisle glanced at Thera with a worried expression before offering a quick wave goodbye following Edward through the door..
Thera didn't notice the change in the room, and with a worried frown, Jacob shifted closer to her on the bed. "Hey," he said softly as his fingers lightly caressed the back of Thera's hand, "everything will be ok."
"Yeah," Thera responded softly, although she was visibly unconvinced. Jacob felt the fear as it began to creep forward, the clarity of Thera's decision fading into a blur of emotion and uncertainty. Instantly Jacob gestured for Embry to leave.
"I'm—ah—going to go take a shower," Embry stuttered out as he slid easily from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.
Once alone, Jacob turned his body fully towards Thera and attempted to catch her eye. "Look at me," he pleaded softly. Sighing, Thera finally stopped averting her gaze. "I won't ever let anything hurt you," Jacob continued with conviction. "Especially not some pasty leech."
"I can take care of myself," Thera responded defensively, although it wasn't her life that she was worried about.
Jacob closed his eyes and forced himself to actually think about the next set of words that left his lips. He needed to avoid any response that would lead to Thera leaving and Edward glaring at him with the 'you suck at everything' look that he so loved to give, but Jesus was Thera's attitude a pain in the ass. "I just mean," Jacob started after reopening his eyes, "that you aren't alone."
"I know," Thera replied as she glanced down at Jacob's hand resting comfortably against hers.
"I'm not just talking about myself," Jacob added after noticing Thera's line of sight. "The Cullens will do everything in their power to protect you—to protect their entire coven—and my pack already considers you one of us."
"There is so much about my past that you don't know," Thera replied quietly, "So many horrible things."
"We all have ghosts," Jacob answered.
"But do we all have demons?"
BBBBBB
Washington was a landscape that Thera hadn't seen in ages. She generally stuck to sunny days and warm nights instead of consistent rain and moody skies. It wasn't that Thera disliked the weather, the change in scenery was actually nice; it was that vampires preferred it, and whatever vampires preferred, Thera avoided.
"It's a bit of a drive from here," Jacob mentioned as the group made their way out of the busy terminal, past the baggage claim, and towards Carlisle's car. Thera nodded absentmindedly, her eyes too mesmerized by the snowcapped peaks to form a reply. The air was brisk and the sky a mellow wash of various grays and an occasional shimmer of blue. It was beautiful. Different, but beautiful.
They reached the car quicker than Thera would have liked. It felt nice to actually stretch her legs, and the idea of being shoved in a car between two behemoth shifters wasn't appealing. Still, she slid over the smooth leather of the backseat without complaint and attempted to find a doable position once Jacob and Embry were beside her. The feat proved to be impossible, and after nearly five minutes of struggling, the three finally gave up and allowed their limbs to be a tangled mass for the sake of comfort.
Thera kept her eyes out the window as they drove, the landscape changing from rocky and bland to a mixture of lush greens and drearier skies. Jacob spent the majority of the trip with his eyes following Thera's and his fingers pointing out important sights and historical locations. Embry fell asleep only minutes after finding a decently comfortable position, his snores causing Edward to glance back repeatedly with a hint of annoyance. Carlisle, apart from a few added tidbits of information regarding the area, remained silent.
A little over two hours later, Carlisle maneuvered the car down a long and winding driveway that took the group miles from the main road and deep into the forest. Soon the car rose over the apex of a bridge, a slow moving, clear river running yards beneath it, and around one last curve. A mixed group of vampires and shifters stood excitedly before a large, white, almost Victorian looking home. The two shifters were in their animal form, and for the first time Thera caught a glimpse of what Jacob might look like as a wolf. She suddenly became eager to see for herself.
Carlisle stopped the car outside of the garage and only feet from the group, Embry and Edward both stepping out as soon as it came to a halt. Embry phased immediately, the energy of his transformation moving through the air like an electric current, while Edward opened his arms for a mass of porcelain skin and long, dark hair. Thera watched the commotion with interest, although the majority of the group still had their eyes focused on the backseat of the car where she sat.
"You ready?" Jacob asked once Carlisle's door slammed shut and another round of happy cheers erupted within the small assembly.
"I suppose," Thera responded with wide eyes and a frantically beating heart. The last time she had seen so many vampires her entire family was slaughtered, and their pungently sweet smell wasn't helping Thera to ignore the memory.
"I'll be beside you," Jacob promised before slowly pushing open the door and stepping out into the brisk afternoon air. Thera followed suit, her fingers immediately searching for Jacob's when all eyes turned to her. Jacob clasped her hand forcefully in return.
After a moment of thick silence, a petite vampire with light brown hair and a kind expression walked timidly forward. "I'm Esme," she said softly. After receiving a nod of approval from Jacob, Esme stepped closer to Thera and opened her arms wide. "Welcome to the family." Still clasping Jacob's hand, Thera hesitantly leaned forward and rested her hand upon Esme's back. With an audible laugh, Esme's arms wrapped tightly around her and squeezed. "I'm so happy to have you with us," she whispered into Thera's hair.
The following introductions went smoothly. A tiny vampire with spiky hair and a voice similar to tinkling bells came next. Her name was Alice, and Thera could immediately feel her power of foresight. It was a formidable gift and solidified Edward's claim that Aro wanted the lot of them. The knowledge made Thera calm slightly. It was one less possible lie she had to worry about.
Next came Jasper, his gift better formed than both Edward and Alice's, although its power was far less useful that theirs. He seemed kind and composed, Thera automatically liking the quietness of his nature. Rosalie and Emmett followed Jasper, the former rather cold in her introduction and the latter easily making up for it. Emmett grabbed Thera in a huge bear hug, the tightness of it nearly making her gasp. Jacob's growl of warning quickly ended the embrace, and with a barking laugh and a slap on Jacob's back that nearly knocked him forward, Emmett and Rosalie moved easily away.
"Thera," Edward said once the others had stepped back, "this is Bella." Thera knew at once that this was the girl that Jacob had mentioned previously. The one he was loyal to. His best friend. Edward's wife.
Thera's hand instinctively tightened around Jacob's.
"I can't thank you enough," Bella offered graciously, although her eyes were more focused on Thera and Jacob's clasped hands than Thera's face.
"As I told your husband," Thera replied evenly, "thank me when it's over." Bella nodded in understanding, her eyes leaving Thera and resting comfortably on Jacob. Instantly, she smiled.
"Bells," Jacob said softly as he let loose Thera's hand and wrapped both arms tightly around Bella's slender waist. Thera took a step back and averted her gaze, her vacant hand tingling after the sudden loss of heat. The embrace lasted longer than any of the other quick, one armed hugs that Jacob shared with the rest of the Cullen family, and when it finally ended Jacob reached for Thera's hand only to find it crossed purposefully over her chest.
Frowning, he turned towards his pack. "Thera, I want you to meet Leah and Seth, and of course you know Embry. Quil is also in my pack but he's probably at work." Thera greeted both, starting with Leah, who was smaller than Seth and Embry, and sporting a thick coat of light grey. Seth wagged his tail happily when Thera offered a small wave, his color a dusty grey-brown and his tongue hanging happily out of his mouth.
"I'm going to make sure she's settled in before I join you," Jacob explained to them before turning towards the Esme. "I'm sure you're dying to shown Thera her room."
"Yes," Esme exclaimed with a clap of her hands.
Before Thera knew it she had Esme on one arm and Alice on the other. They chatted steadily about how they decorated Thera's room, and how excited they were to have a new addition to the family. Overwhelmed, Thera plastered a smile on her face and offered a nod when the timing seemed right.
The house was far roomier that the exterior suggested, the living room large, open, and enclosed on one side by a wall of glass. Literally everything, from the wood floors to the extravagantly high ceiling, was a shade of white. The color created a cheery brightness against the commonly grey weather, but Thera found it incredibly overwhelming. After pointing out important details like the kitchen and TV, Esme and Alice led Thera up a massive winding staircase—also white—and down a long hall decorated artistically with old school caps and tassels.
"Here we are," Esme cooed as she pushed open a thick wooden door and flipped on a light. Thera's room was spacious and contained two massive windows that looked off into the forest. In the center of the room and pushed back against the wall, was a king sized bed with a dark wooden frame and a thick quilt of braided blues. Opposite the bed was a dresser made of the same wood, and beside one of the windows sat a large mirror and vanity.
"We didn't know what you liked, and Alice couldn't see you, so we decided to leave most of the decorating up to you," Esme explained as she led Thera fully into the room. "Your bathroom is smaller than some of the other rooms, but your closet is large and stocked with an array of clothes."
"All courtesy of me," Alice interjected excitedly. "I guessed your size because neither Carlisle nor Edward could give me any real details, but I think that most of what I bought will fit you. If not, we can go into Seattle and get anything else that you need. I'm always game for a shopping trip."
Thera's eyes grew wider the longer Alice spoke, the Pixie's voice growing in both volume and speed. "You don't have to give in," Jacob said with a chuckle from behind the small group. "Alice is still trying to educate Bella on the importance of shopping, but the girl is a badass and refuses to give in."
Thera immediately frowned.
"I have eternity to change that," Alice countered, "and whether or not she wants to admit it, I have seen some progression in her generally grungy style."
"Sure, sure."
Esme stepped aside as Jacob moved into the room and dropped Thera's bag onto the corner of her bed, his eyes never leaving Thera. "I need to start dinner," Esme said with a pointed look at Alice.
"We'll talk later," Alice added with smile and quick wink.
"Thank you," Thera called just as the door clicked softly shut. She felt incredibly besieged and was thankful for a moment of peace. With a heavy sigh, Thera walked quickly to the bed and sat heavily upon it. The room was massive and made her feel exceedingly insignificant. All she wanted was to be back in her tiny room in the Key West that had no fine furnishings and only a small bag of clothes. She suddenly felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to be alone.
"Can I get you anything?" Jacob asked as he sat beside her.
Thera instantly tensed. "No," she seethed, her mind suddenly replaying Jacob and Bella's intimate embrace. It was a stupid thing to get worked up about—Thera knew that—but her entire decision was founded on Jacob's promises and their ridiculous connection. If anything was to break it, she didn't know what she would do.
"I need to head home and spend some time with my Dad and pack." Thera frowned at Jacob's statement. Was he truly leaving her, here, alone, in a house full of vampires that she didn't know? Thera instantly realized that wanting to be alone didn't mean wanting to be without Jacob, but if he wanted to leave, who was she to stop him?
"Fine," Thera heard herself reply, her voice sounding cold.
Jacob sighed audibly and ran a hand roughly through his hair. Was this ever going to be easy? One moment Thera was clutching his hand and the next she was practically telling him to leave. "I'll be back by in the morning," Jacob stated with near as much vehemence, "maybe by then you're attitude will have improved."
Thera felt her throat constrict at Jacob's words. She couldn't understand the swell of emotion, but as Jacob offered her a sardonic wave goodbye and disappeared through the door, Thera wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry.
So she did.
BBBBBB
After spending a solid few hours with his pack, Jacob tiredly made his way home. Everyone was ecstatic about the imprint, save for Leah, of course, but Jacob hadn't expected her to appreciate the situation. She hated imprinting even more than he did—well, had. Jacob's feelings towards the subject were now slightly altered, even though he still wholly understood Leah's point.
Apart from being jetlagged, sleep deprived, and completely stressed out, Jacob had to deal with Thera's swaying emotions all afternoon. He knew that she was upset when he left her, but her cold demeanor when he attempted to say goodbye had completely pissed him off. All Jacob was trying to do was be attentive, but once again, Thera's snippy attitude had squashed his ego and made him want to strangle her. Even now, Jacob could feel the imprint tugging on him. It was different then all of the usual connection sensations, more desperate, but Jacob pushed the feeling aside. Thera made it clear hours ago that she didn't need him.
Sighing, Jacob bounded up his house's few rickety steps and ducked under the doorsill. "Dad?"
"Jake!" Jacob didn't know the last time his father's voice had sounded so good. In a few long strides he made his way down their short hall and into the living room where his father sat watching a basketball game on TV.
Billy Black was a strong man with strong features. High cheekbones extenuated his structured jaw and square chin, and his long, black hair fell over his shoulders and perfectly framed his face. Billy was wheelchair bound after a car accident that had permanently damaged his spine, and, after nearly a mouth of fighting in the hospital, claimed his wife, but the enduring smile on his face illustrated his optimism regarding the situation. Billy still had his children, and at this point in his life, they were more than enough.
"You ok?" Billy's smile faltered slightly at the sight of his puffy-eyed, slouchy son. Jacob had finally imprinted; wasn't he supposed to be happy?
"Yeah, just tired," Jacob responded as he stooped low and gave his Dad a hug. "I've missed you," he added quietly.
"I've missed you too, son," Billy responded. "Why don't you tell me about this girl I keep hearing whispers about?"
Jacob frowned at the mention of Thera and sat heavily on the couch beside Billy. "She's amazing—" he breathed, "—gorgeous, but a total fucking handful."
"Like you would want anything else," Billy commented with a laugh. "When do I get to meet her?"
"Hopefully tomorrow," Jacob said as he leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Jesus was he tired, but there was something else creeping into his system. He knew it was the imprint, for it twisted painfully in his gut, but once again, Jacob refused to give in. Edward would call him is something was sincerely wrong. Right?
"Are you ok? Seriously." Billy asked after a moment of silence.
"Yeah," Jacob responded as he stared blankly at the TV, the images blurring into random movements of color. "It's just, so much has changed so quickly, and it's difficult getting used to the connection. Thera's such a mess right now."
"Well, wouldn't you be?" Billy questioned.
Jacob turned towards him with a frown. "I guess."
"Jake," Billy reprimanded, "the girl hasn't had a family in nearly fifteen hundred years. Not a year; not five years. Even those numbers would be difficult to deal with. Can you imagine how mindboggling it is for her to be discovered, imprinted on, captured, and moved in a matter of days? I'd be concerned if she wasn't a mess."
Jacob pursed his lips and glanced back at the TV. He knew that his father was right—as usual. Thera had every right to have mood swings that he didn't understand and couldn't fix. Jacob just hoped they didn't last much longer than a month. He might go insane if they did.
"Can you feel her now?" Billy asked with interest.
"Yeah."
"…and?" Billy pressed.
Jacob closed his eyes briefly and actually allowed the imprint to speak to him. "She's upset," he whispered. "Not to mention sad, mad, and any other negative adjective you can think of."
"So why are you here?" Billy questioned with a look of confusion.
"Because I wanted to see you," Jacob replied defensively.
Billy responded with the hardened look that plagued Jacob's childhood. It was one of those piercing gazes that made him quiver with fear and feel instantly ashamed of himself. Words were never needed when Billy brought out the gaze. Everything he needed to say was emitted through the coldness of his dark eyes.
"Ok, ok," Jacob said as he threw his arms up in exasperation. "I'm a shitty imprinter. I know."
With a quick shift of Billy's head Jacob was out the door and making his way to the Cullen's. He phased on the fly—again—which meant having to scavenge around Emmett's room for some sweats—again. Even though, he though with a cocky smirk. Maybe seeing him naked was precisely was Thera needed. Maybe then she would realize that she didn't have it so bad.
Sadly for Jacob, his humor diminished considerably the closer he came to Thera, their connection vibrating uncomfortably with pain, fear, and a morbid amount of sadness. Slowly, he began to feel like a total asshole. His imprint had needed him, and because of his ridiculous ego, he had ignored the signs. It was such a typical Jacob Black move, and the realization made Jacob hate himself even more.
Jacob reached the Cullen's in record time, Edward tossing him a pair of sweats as he took the stairs in a few long strides and made his way purposefully towards Thera's room. The smell of wild honeysuckle hit him immediately, but it was dulled by the smell of salt.
Tears.
Without thinking Jacob pushed open Thera's door and barged quickly inside. She barely looked up at his ridiculously dramatic entrance, her eyes fixated on some random tree just outside her window.
"Thera?" Jacob questioned softly.
"I'm fine," she replied.
"No you aren't," he stated.
"Did the imprint inform you of that?" Thera responded bitterly.
Jacob chose to ignore that jab. Technically, he deserved it. "Please tell me what's wrong."
"What's wrong?" Thera shouted as she turned suddenly and looked at him. Jacob winced at her swollen eyes and blotchy face. "I'm so tired," she began as another few tears leaked out of her eyes. "I haven't slept in nearly four days, and all I want to do is close my eyes and forget about all of this, even if it's just for a few hours, but I can't because I'm surrounded by vampires and I just know—I know—that as soon as I close my eyes something horrible is going to happen. And I want to punch that Bella girl for touching you, and I don't know why. I'm jealous over a guy that I barely know—a guy that isn't even mine—and half the time I can't tell if my feelings are actually my own. They could be yours, or they could be conjured up by this stupid connection."
Thera's tears were flowing freely now, the sight of them making Jacob's chest constrict painfully. For a moment he thought that he was going to cry too. Why hadn't Thera told him any of this earlier? And why hadn't he seen past her silly pride to begin with?
Thera once again turned her gaze to the window and hid her fears from Jacob's sight. "I've made such a horrible mistake," she whispered.
Jacob didn't know what to say or how to properly react, so he allowed their stupid connection to do it for him. After one long stride Thera was pinned tightly against Jacob's chest. He picked her up easily and moved her to the untouched bed, his long body sprawling out against hers. Thera didn't fight it. Maybe she was too tired, or maybe being close felt as good to her as it did to him. Jacob didn't care what the reason was. All he knew was that his imprint's tears were wetting his chest as her delicate hands gripped tightly to his sides.
"We're going to figure this out together," Jacob whispered into Thera's hair, "and we can move you to my place if it means you'll sleep better."
"I shouldn't have come," Thera replied, her lips tickling Jacob's skin.
"No," Jacob replied forcefully. "You belong here—with me—and I'm going to do everything it takes to prove it to you."
"And how are you going to accomplish that?" Thera questioned sarcastically. Earlier he didn't seem hell bent on proving anything to her.
"I'm going to give you a better life," Jacob answered with barely a second thought.
Slowly Thera's lips twitched into a watery smile. "That was so cheesy."
"Want to hear something else cheesy?" Jacob questioned as he glanced down at Thera's face. Even with red rimmed eyes and puffy cheeks she was beautiful. "This is our second hug."
"You're counting?"
"Every one."
Thanks to everyone that has reviewed thus far. Your comments mean the world to me! This chapter was a good bit longer than the rest, so I hope that it wasn't too dragged out and boring. Thera and Jacob are going through and awful lot right now, and I don't want their emotions to bog the story down too much. As always, comments and opinions are appreciated. Moving too fast? Too slow? Realistic (well as much as a fantasy story can be)? Anything else?
Cheers!