Chapter 10: The Third Wife
As I dressed for the bonfire in La Push, a nervous energy I couldn't quite explain coursed through me, making my hands shake like I'd had too many cups of coffee. I'd done things like this with Jacob before, I reminded myself. No need to be nervous. And yet, the trembling continued.
The best explanation I could come up with for my jitters was that this was, in a way, my first actual date with Jacob. We'd hung out alone at one of our houses for most of the very brief time we had been boyfriend and girlfriend, and every outing before that had been strictly platonic.
This was the first time we were going to be out in public together as more than just friends. Even though we weren't technically back together yet, it was the first step towards getting there. I wasn't very experienced in such things, but I supposed that made this a date of sorts.
My wardrobe was sadly limited in the date attire department, so I made due with a flannel button-up and jeans. To compensate, I actually took two minutes to apply a little mascara and lip gloss. Most people wouldn't notice that I'd done anything different, but I knew Jacob would. Hopefully, he would see it as a sign that I was making an effort.
Realizing how pathetic that sounded, I wiped the lipgloss off and settled for my everyday strawberry chapstick.
Jacob was on the porch waiting for me when I pulled up at his house. He was actually wearing a tee-shirt again, a cobalt blue one this time. The vibrant color looked wonderful against his dark coloring, and I had to take a deep breath to slow my racing pulse.
I started to get out, but Jacob held up a hand to stop me. He jogged around to the passenger side of the truck and hopped in.
"Hey, Bells," he greeted me with a smile that was more hesitant than usual, but still warm.
"Hey," I replied, clearing my throat as my voice came out weak and hoarse. "Where to?"
He directed me to the parking lot near the trail head that led up to the cliffs, chatting amiably on the way about what we would be doing that night.
"We eat about a week's worth of food in one sitting, then my dad retells our histories," he explained. "I told you the greatly condensed version of the story, but there's a lot more to it. I think you'll have fun."
I smiled and nodded my agreement, happy to be invited into Jacob's world like this.
When we got out of the truck and started up the trail, I wondered if he would hold my hand again, but he didn't. I briefly considered reaching for his but stopped myself. I wasn't sure if he would see it as me making an effort or not respecting his wish to take things slowly. Before I could make up my mind, he was talking again.
"So, Seth told me he saw you up on the cliff yesterday."
I'd been wondering if and when I should tell Jacob about that. It looked like the decision had been made for me. "Oh? What did he say?"
"Well, he didn't exactly say anything," he replied, tapping a finger against his temple. "Pack mind."
"Ah. How much did he see?"
"Not much," he answered, his eyes on the forest floor. "He heard something, though."
His face looked pained for a moment as he continued on, head down, up the trail. I fell a few steps behind, struggling to keep up with his long stride.
"Right after he caught your scent," he continued, "he thought he heard you say Edward's name."
Jacob glanced at me then, gauging my reaction. It pained me to see the hurt in his eyes, and I silently made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let my past with Edward hurt him ever again.
"Is that all he heard?" I asked.
Jacob nodded. "He was pretty far away, and you were whispering."
He looked away again, increasing his already brisk pace. I had to jog a little to catch up.
"Jake, wait," I called, reaching for his arm to stop him. He stopped, but kept his gaze over my head, his jaw visibly tensing under his russet skin. "Yes, I did say Edward's name, but what Seth didn't hear was that…Dammit, Jacob, would you look at me!"
I stood on my tiptoes to capture his face between my palms. When he did, eventually, meet my eyes, his were cold, hard, but now I could recognize this look as the mask it was.
"What Seth didn't hear was that I was saying goodbye to Edward," I finished, relaxing a little when the mask faltered and finally fell away. "I threw his pictures and the CD he gave me over the cliff."
"Why did you do that?" Jacob asked, his expression cautiously hopeful. My heart skipped a beat as he leaned a little closer, and I felt his fingertips gingerly brush against the sides of my waist.
"Closure," I replied simply. "My weekend in Florida helped me realize I was finally ready to let go of the past."
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he leaned closer. My hands snaked around to tangle in the thick hair at the base of his neck while his burning forehead came to rest against mine.
"Am I right to assume that, given the conversation we had when you came to see me after, you found the closure you were looking for?"
"I think I did." I smiled up at him, letting my eyes drift closed as I soaked in the intoxicating warmth of his closeness.
Jacob sighed deeply, and his hot breath ghosted over my face. I half expected him to kiss me then, but, to my disappointment, he pulled back, putting a safe amount of distance between us.
"Good. That's good," he responded with a hopeful smile. I was pleased to see the pained mask was gone now. He looked like my Jacob again.
I smiled up at him, hoping to convey with my eyes how much I felt for him. He must have been on the same page because his eyes softened further, and he reached down to intertwine my fingers with his.
"Come on. Let's go," he coaxed gently, tugging me back onto the path.
When the glow of the bonfire appeared in the distance, I started to worry a little about how I would be received. Seth had said that the wolves all knew about what happened between me and Jake. Would they be angry? Would they think Jacob was making a mistake giving me another chance?
Sadly, I realized they would be completely justified in either sentiment. All I could do was prove with time that I really was serious about not letting my fears get in the way of what I had with Jacob.
I was a little surprised that I received nothing but warm welcomes all around, with only one exception. Leah Clearwater nodded curtly when I greeted her before moving away to take her place beside Sue, who was seated next to Billy's wheelchair. Her beautiful face betrayed no emotion, but I felt like she was carefully avoiding looking in my direction for the rest of the evening.
Quil and Embry descended on us as soon as we arrived, laying it on thick with the teasing and innuendo.
"So, you're back with this loser, huh?" Quil asked, draping one burning arm around my shoulders and tugging me away from Jake. "And here I was thinking we were finally going to get our chance."
Jacob shoved Quil forcefully in the chest, knocking him back several steps.
"Back off, idiot," he growled, but his amused grin gave away that he knew it was all in good fun. He snaked one arm around my waist possessively, pulling me into his side where I stayed happily until we'd greeted everyone and taken our seats.
I found my eyes drawn often to Jared and the girl Jacob whispered to me was his imprint. The way he stared at her! He looked like a blind man seeing the sun rise for the first time.
So that was what imprinting looked like. That was what I had to fear. The thought of Jacob ever looking at another girl the way Jared looked at Kim made my heart ache.
Feeling eyes on me, I turned and met Jacob's gaze. He looked a little surprised that I'd caught him starting, smiling bashfully at me as he speared a hotdog on a straightened out clothes hanger and handed it to me.
Jacob hadn't been kidding when he said they ate a week's worth of food. I'd never seen anyone put away so many hotdogs in my life. I lost count after Jacob's eighth, and the other wolves were just as ravenous.
Once all the food was gone, a reverent silence descended over the formerly boisterous circle. Without preamble, Billy began.
I was instantly inthralled. Billy's voice was low and soothing, and I found myself leaning forward, elbows rested on my knees, so I didn't miss a word.
My eyes drifted back to Jared and Kim every so often. She was wrapped up in his arms, her cheek pillowed against his chest. It was sad to think that, if I hadn't reacted so foolishly to Jacob's explanation of imprinting, we might be snuggled up similarly.
Afterwards, Jacob and I walked hand in hand back down to my truck. I was surprised and disappointed when he opened my door for me but made no move to get in himself.
"Aren't you coming?" I asked.
"I'm going to stay a little longer and then take my dad home," he explained, the hint of regret in his voice easing my disappointment a little.
"Oh," I responded, knowing my reluctance to leave him must be written all over my face.
"I'm really glad you came tonight," he whispered softly, stepping closer and taking both my hands in his.
"I am too." I craned my neck to look up at him, memorizing his features in the dim glow of the truck's interior light.
Suddenly, he tugged me to him, enveloping me in a warm, comforting embrace. I squeezed my arms around his torso as tightly as I could, knowing there was no way I could hurt him, and turned my face into the warm skin of his neck.
A shuddering sigh rumbled through him, and I felt his impossibly soft lips ghost over the top of my head before pressing against the skin of my temple.
"Night, Bells," he whispered against my ear, raising gooseflesh all over my body. "Drive safe."
"Goodnight," I breathed into his neck, inhaling his comforting scent one more time before making myself let go.
He offered me a hand to help me up into the truck, and I took it, however unnecessary, eager for any shred of contact. We said goodbye one more time before he closed the door behind me and turned back towards the trailhead.
Inspiration suddenly struck, and I frantically cranked the ancient handle that rolled down the truck's window, only getting it half way before it wouldn't budge any further.
"Jake!" I called through the small opening. "Wait a second."
He turned, an amused smile on his face. "Yeah, Bells?"
"I was thinking…maybe, going to a movie might be a good baby step."
His chuckle was warm, happy. "Sounds great, honey. I'll call you tomorrow."
Sleep, that night, wasn't easy to come by. The evening had given me a lot to think about.
When I did sleep, I dreamed about the Third Wife. It was the part of the story that had struck a chord with me the most, so I wasn't surprised when the dream began.
I was standing on the beach, my eyes fixed on her face as all fear vanished into courage and resolve as she realized that her wolf needed her and that there was something she could do to help him. No longer was she a weak, feeble woman. In that moment, as the blood began to stain the buckskin of her dress, she was a warrior queen, a heroine.
The vampire Taha Aki battled turned in a flash, but her crimson gaze locked on me instead of on the Third Wife. A strangled scream rose in my throat as I recognized the perfect marble face that stared back at me. Victoria.
I stumbled back as she approached, teeth bared and snarling hungrily. My fingers shook, and something metallic clattered to the ground at my feet. I looked down and saw a knife and several drops of blood rapidly pooling together into a large puddle on the rocky beach.
I woke with a gasp, my heart racing inside my chest. The dream had been so vivid, I could almost smell the tang of fresh blood lingering in my nostrils, and I fought back a wave of dizziness. I had little hope of going back to sleep after that.
The next day, I walked around like a zombie at school, exhausted by my nearly sleepless night. A sick feeling of foreboding pooled in my belly, making eating anything at lunch impossible. After the year I'd had, nobody paid much attention to my preoccupied state, except for Angela, who asked what was wrong. I brushed it off as a boat of insomnia the night before and made myself finish my soda.
By the end of the day, I was nearly desperate to talk to Jake. I hoped he was free for our movie date tonight. It was Friday, so I didn't see why not, unless he had to run patrol.
While I made a lasagna for dinner, I waited anxiously for the phone to ring, becoming increasingly frantic as the hours ticked by. If Charlie noticed my distraction, he didn't say anything, but I saw him throwing me concerned looks when he thought I wasn't paying attention.
I thought about calling Jacob myself. The idea was certainly tempting, but I held back, not wanting to pressure him if he wasn't ready to take the next baby step with me.
The sick feeling wouldn't go away, though. I couldn't shake off the conviction that something just wasn't right.
I fought it until Charlie excused himself to head upstairs for the night, then rushed to the phone. There was no way I was facing an entire night alone without making sure Jacob was all right, at least.
The phone rang several times before Billy picked up.
"Billy? It's Bella. Is Jake there?"
There was silence for what felt like an eternity before Billy answered. "No. No he isn't."
"He was, uh…supposed to call me. I just wanted to make sure everything's okay."
"I'm sure he's fine," Billy answered, his sigh a sound of ancient sadness before continuing. "Jake missed school today, and he hasn't been home."
Panic was starting to wash over me. What was wrong with Jacob?
"Why? Billy, what's going on?"
"The guys ran across a fresh trail late last night," he answered hesitantly. "The redhead and two others they didn't recognize. They're all out there now. Hopefully, they can put an end to this tonight."
My blood turned to ice in my veins. I almost dropped the phone my fingers were trembling so violently.
My nightmare was quickly becoming a reality.
Victoria was back.
The weekend passed in a dense fog of worry and fear. I hardly slept, and my appetite was completely gone.
Jacob called me once to let me know that they were still on Victoria's trail. He said he thought they were getting closer, learning ways around her clever gift of eluding capture, and that I shouldn't worry. They would have her in no time.
Despite his reassuring words, he sounded exhausted. I made him promise he would get some sleep before going back out.
"Sure, sure," he replied, in typical unconvincing Jacob style.
On Sunday night, I heated up the last of the leftover lasagna for Charlie, claiming that I had already eaten when he asked why I didn't have any myself. He had just taken his first bite when the phone rang.
Charlie answered, and I watched with growing alarm as his expression darkened into one of deep concern.
"Bells, I've got to go into work," he explained after hanging up the phone. "Think you'll be okay by yourself tonight?"
"What happened?" I asked, ignoring his question. He didn't want to know the real answer, anyway.
"I'm not sure yet, but…apparently, the bodies of a couple hikers were found just off the highway. I won't know more until I get there."
I gasped, a sinking feeling of guilt and fear dropping on me like a lead weight as I realized that those poor people had died because of me. Surely it wasn't a coincidence that people were turning up dead at the same time Victoria and her new companions arrived in town.
"Be careful," I pled with him as he strapped on his gun belt before making his way out to the cruiser.
I had to swallow back bile several times as I cleaned the kitchen. It was bad enough that Jacob was out there hunting a bloodthirsty vampire intent on revenge, but now Charlie was too. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to either of them or to any of the other wolves.
And to think, only a few days before I was worrying about my wardrobe and whether or not I should wear lip gloss, looking forward to starting my relationship with Jacob over as a normal teenage couple. Apparently, normal would never be in the cards for me.
I made my way slowly up the stairs, knowing that even attempting to sleep was an impossibility.
My bedroom was unusually bright for this time of night, and I walked across to the back window to look up at the full moon rising overhead, casting its glow eerily across the nighttime landscape.
A split second later, I felt the air in the room shift, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up. A shiver ran down my spine as I sensed another presence in the room, though the lithe footsteps had made no sound.
"Hello, Bella." The voice was light, tinkling, almost childlike.
My blood froze in my veins as I spun around, coming face to face with my worst nightmare.
Victoria stood in the middle of my room, dark red eyes peering hungrily at me through the
curtain of her fiery curls.
"Vi…Victoria," I stuttered, trying my best to look brave, though I was sure she could smell the adrenaline coursing through me.
Her head tilted to one side, a pleasant smile revealing matching sets of dimples in her marble cheeks.
"Aww, you remembered," she cooed, taking another small step towards me.
"Of course," I answered, my voice barely audible as my throat constricted with terror.
Through the fog of fear, my mind quickly took stock of my options. Victoria was positioned strategically between me and the door to my room, blocking my only viable exit. Not that I'd be able to outrun her, regardless. My room had two windows: the one she had entered through, which faced the side of the house, and the one directly behind me, which faced the woods in the back. I could try to jump out the window behind me, but she would almost certainly stop me before I could. Even if I succeeded, the fall wasn't high enough to kill me, but enough to incapacitate. In any case, she would be on me probably before I even hit the ground. I didn't stand a chance.
At least she'd come on a night when Charlie was working and Jacob wasn't over, I thought. I wondered which one of them would find me, if she even left anything for them to find. I didn't know which option was worse.
"This isn't personal, Bella." Victoria's smile widened as she continued to slowly, deliberately narrow the gap between us. "Edward's mate or the dog's, it doesn't matter. I have scores to settle with both."
So she knew about Jacob. Edward was far away, out of her reach, but Jacob was out there, looking for her. What if she went after him next?
I was suddenly irrationally angry, at the beautiful angel of death standing across from me, but also at myself for being such a damned useless, weak human who could do nothing to protect the people I loved. I could only hope that my death would satisfy her and she would leave Jacob and the other wolves alone.
"Any last words?" she asked, stalking closer.
I drew in a shuddering breath and closed my eyes. There was only one face that filled my mind in these final moments.
"Goodbye, Jacob. I love you." My heart broke at the thought that I would never get to say those words to him now, that I had foolishly squandered my only chance.
I braced myself, holding the image of his smiling face in my mind as I prepared for death, hoping it would come quickly.
Suddenly, a furious snarl ripped through the air, and there was a tremendous crash. I flinched, waiting for the blow that never came.
My eyes snapped open, and I could no longer see Victoria. Russet skin blocked my view as Jacob placed himself between me and my attacker.
"Jake, no!" I shouted, quickly becoming frantic. "You have to get out of here!"
I wrapped my fingers around his arm, but quickly withdrew them. He was shaking violently, struggling not to phase in my far too small room.
I peeked around his shoulder and saw that Victoria had righted herself. There was a gaping hole in the drywall where Jacob had pushed her into it.
"Stay away from her, leech," he spat, the tremors increasing in strength with every word, "or I'll rip you apart with my bare hands."
Victoria giggled, and the sound was jarring in its inappropriateness to the situation.
"You may be stronger than a human, but you know you don't stand a chance against me in this form," she taunted. "And you know if you transform in this close space, you'll probably kill her yourself."
A snarl ripped free from Jacob's chest, and I shrunk back, pressing myself against the wall.
"Go, Jake!" I screamed with all my might. I couldn't watch him die. I just couldn't. I tasted salt, and realized that tears were streaming down my face.
"I would never hurt her," Jacob growled," and I'll die before I let you get any closer."
The terrifying smile returned to Victoria's face. No, this wasn't happening. It couldn't be.
"So be it, mongrel."
The tremors rocking Jacob's body suddenly reached a fever pitch, and I braced myself, certain that he was nearing the end of his self-control. But I was glad. Now he would at least have a fighting chance. He might make it out of this alive.
He let out a pained gasp and suddenly doubled over, his shape blurring and pulsing as his human groans transformed into canine snarls.
I braced myself for the explosion of fur and tearing claws that never came. As quickly as he had bent, Jacob stood before me again, the tremors now completely stilled.
I heard a delicate gasp, and my eyes flew back to Victoria's face. Her eyes were wide, confused.
Almost too fast for me to see, Jacob was on her.
Just a few feet in front of me in my small bedroom was a blur of snarls and growls, tan skin and marble white. They were moving so fast, I couldn't follow their movements, until, suddenly, they were still.
It took my brain a moment to process what I was seeing, but when it did, I almost came out of my skin.
"No!" I cried helplessly as I watched Jacob struggle to free himself from Victoria's stone embrace.
She had managed to maneuver herself behind him and had him on his knees, his arms pinned to his sides. Her bared teeth were poised at his throat, ready to deliver the final blow.
My eyes moved to Jacob's face, and I gasped. He looked…different. Terrifying.
His eyes were a glowing, furious yellow, their pupils elongated and animal-like. I could clearly see his long, pointed canine teeth as his lips pulled back over them, the growls flowing from his mouth distinctly inhuman. He actually looked like a werewolf now, the kind you saw in movies.
The sound of crunching bone and a pained cry jolted me back to the moment, and I begged again for her to stop.
"Don't hurt him!" I cried. "It's me you want. Take me."
A chorus of howls just outside the window distracted all of us for a moment, and I felt a brief flash of hope. The other wolves were here. Then, ice-cold water was dashed over my hopes as I realized there was nothing they could do to help. They couldn't come in here in their wolf forms, and they couldn't try to fight Victoria in human form.
I had to do something. There had to be some way I could stop her.
The Third Wife, something inside me prompted. My nightmare from a few evenings ago flashed through my mind, and I felt a small spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance I could distract her long enough for Jacob to get away.
Before I could follow that thought any further, Jacob rallied with a roar, breaking out of Victoria's iron grip, though one arm hung limply at his side. Their shapes were blurring again as they fought, and I frantically looked for something, anything sharp enough to cut.
"Bella!"
The sound of my name being called behind me caught my attention, and I turned to see Embry standing beneath my window, arms outstretched.
"Jump, Bella!" he called. "Hurry!"
Before I could even open my mouth to refuse, a broken, very human cry made my blood run cold. I spun around, and my heart all but shattered inside my chest.
Jacob's eyes were deep onyx again, his teeth returned to normal. Rivulets of bright, crimson red ran down his bare chest and dripped onto the floor below. Heartbreaking cries continued to reach my ears as Victoria's teeth found purchase again and again in the soft skin of his neck, her white hand yanking his head roughly to the side.
Acting on instinct, I threw my weight backwards, driving my elbow through the windowpane with all the strength I could muster. A searing pain told me that I had already drawn blood, but I quickly snatched at the biggest shard I could reach, driving it into the soft skin of my palm.
Blood flowed from my hand and down my arm, its rusty smell mingling with the smell of Jacob's in the air, and I started to feel the familiar wooziness encroaching.
Victoria's head jerked up as she smelled the fresh, human blood, and she released Jacob, who fell to the floor with a thud. She stepped closer, her bared teeth smeared with red.
Before she could reach me, burning yellow eyes appeared behind her. Jacob was on his feet again, blood pulsing from the gaping wound on the side of his neck.
So quickly it was only a blur to me, he plunged his elongated canine teeth into the side of her neck, his one good hand reaching up to tangle in the mass of red curls.
There was a deafening metallic ripping sound, and a split second later, Victoria's head rolled across the floor, coming to a stop a few inches from my feet, and Jacob stood before me, fully human again. His eyes met mine for a second, and his good hand shakily started to reach towards me.
I watched, frozen with shock and despair, as he took one step, then coughed up a bright ribbon of blood and collapsed.
A/N: OMG, this chapter was soooo hard to write! *wipes tears* I already have a good chunk of the next chapter written, so you shouldn't have to stay in suspense for TOO long.
Thank you all so much for the feedback on the last chapter! It means a lot that many of you are getting so emotionally involved in this story. As always, your feedback would be greatly appreciated!