Rottura Dell'Alba Chapter 10: Promises, a twilight fanfic

Finally! After wrestling with this chapter for weeks, it's finished! *Hooray!
You have all been so patient with me, and I'm so sorry this took so long… Life is just, UGH!! And that's all I can say about that! But I hope your patience will be rewarded... With the following 20 pages of writing o_O I just had a ton of ideas in my head this time and just had to get them all down… So enjoy :)

Oh, and we're back to Jacob's POV again…

10. PROMISES

Jacob POV

I took a seat in the last pew in the back of the church, taking advantage of a few quiet moments to myself before the chaos of the day began. I straightened the delicate white rose that was pinned to my tuxedo jacket and leaned back against the old oak pew, listening to the wood creak and settle. The church was quiet, except for the hushed murmurs of a few guests who had arrived early. Everything was draped in pure white linens and the accents of polished gold on the main alter sparkled in the early afternoon sunshine that filtered through the stained glass windows. Baskets of flowers were being carried in to decorate the alter as the organist took her seat and practiced a subdued melody.

I thought about the gravity of the day ahead of us. I still felt that my friends and I were so young and we had so much more growing up to do… But really, we didn't have as much time left as I once thought. I could still remember learning about Sam over the years. I used to believe he was someone to fear, then later being eternally grateful that he was there during the first agonizing hours of my phasing. And now, I only had the utmost respect for him as I watched him make the decision to dedicate himself to another human being. When we imprint, we are so grateful to have finally found that one person to spend the rest of our lives with that we don't even realize how much of ourselves we have already given up. Once Sam had made the decision to commit himself to Emily forever, he had already taken a huge step towards adulthood, and today he would take an even bigger one: Declaring in front of all our family and friends that he and Emily would be together. Forever. Until death do they part.

Until death. Just the idea of the words made me sneer. What did that even mean to us anymore? The lines of life and death had begun to blur the second each of us became the monsters we are now. I found it amusing that Sam and Emily chose to announce their vows in such a religious place, in such a mortal place even. I glanced up at the crucifix above the alter, finding it an ironic symbol. Most of our human morals had been forgotten, which was understandable considering the things we've witnessed. It was nearly impossible to sustain our former beliefs now that we had all become murderers. We had hunted and killed other creatures. Creatures with ivory skin and no heartbeats who were supposed to only exist in legends. Even us werewolves were believed to only be confined to myths, Hollywood movies, and children's nightmares. Glancing around at the religious relics from thousands of years of teachings about the pursuit of abolishing evil and restoring faith in the goodness of man, I felt a chill run down my spine. Evil was more real, and more frightening, than any mortal could ever imagine.

I decided then to set aside my usual bitterness towards the world. Today was not the day for it. Sam had chosen to keep things as normal as possible, at least for Emily's sake. Every girl has dreamed about her wedding day her entire life and Emily deserved nothing less. She would be escorted by her father, he would lift the veil from her face, all while keeping up the façade of the typical newlywed couple. No one would know about the torment Emily would go through whenever the pack was on patrol. No one would whisper about how the deep scars across her face were from getting too close to a phasing werewolf, or how Emily would eventually surpass Sam in age. These were the burdens placed on Sam and Emily and them alone. They had chosen to endure this life together, but hopefully now with the person they loved by their side, it would make their suffering that much more tolerable.

As I continued to ponder how all our lives had converged until this point, the echoes in the church steadily grew louder. I eventually glanced around to find that most of the guests had now arrived and Seth and Jared were busy escorting people to their seats. I took a deep breath and sighed, pushing back my negative thoughts and smoothed my jacket as I got to my feet. I made my way across the rows of pews and ducked into the side door in the back of the church, stepping into the small crowded room. The groomsmen were conversing quietly and a couple glanced up at my entrance.

"Are they here yet?" I asked Embry who stood closest to me.

Embry pretended to glance around. "Do you see anyone in a big white dress, Jake?"

I narrowed my eyes. "They should be here soon. Where's Sam?"

"He's up front with Quil," Embry gave me a puzzled look. "You need a few more minutes?"

"No, I'm fine." I paused. "Why?"

"You just looked like you were spaced out for a while," Embry snickered. "People might think you're the groom."

I smiled warmly. "Not yet."

Just then, the double doors to the back of the church opened and Emily rushed in surrounded by her bridesmaids. Leah held one door open with Claire in her arms and soon I caught sight of Bella, carefully grasping the train to Emily's dress. Even in such a crowded room, all my attention shifted to her, and she still managed to take my breath away with her presence. Her long brown hair hung in loose curls that were pinned away from her face so they cascaded down her back, in contract to her delicate lace dress. She caught my gaze across the room and smiled. As the girls got settled and Emily greeted her parents, Bella took a break from her duties and came over to me.

"Hey," she smiled broadly as I pulled her into a tight hug.

"You look beautiful," I whispered in her ear as I let her go.

"Thank you, so do you," she winked at me and took my hand. "Come on, we have to get lined up."

I allowed her to lead me across the room. "Who's first?"

"Jared and Kim."

The other couple turned to look at us. Bella motioned towards the double doors that lead to the main aisle and the two of them quickly followed suit.

"You're good at this," I squeezed her hand.

"It's part of my job," she reminded me. "Then it's me and you behind Seth and Leah."

"Ok," I let go of her hand. "Go ahead, I'll be right back."

I made my way to the bride, who was currently letting Leah fix the finishing touches on her dress. As I approached, she greeted me with a huge smile.

"Now remember, you're marrying the big ugly one at the end of the aisle," I reminded her.

Emily giggled. "I won't forget that. Thanks, Jake."

"You look gorgeous, Emily. Good luck." I kissed her on the cheek and pulled her into a tight hug, feeling the cold presence of Leah next to us.

"Thanks Jacob," Emily whispered next to my ear, her voice thick with emotion. "Thanks for everything."

I let her go and shook her father's hand before I excused myself and made my way back to my place in line, slipping in beside Bella. Seth and Leah came in step ahead of us and soon the wedding parties were in order, waiting to hear the music that signaled the start of the ceremony.

I leaned closer to Bella. "Who's behind us?"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Take a look for yourself."

Curious, I glanced over my shoulder to find Emily's sister Danielle smiling politely back at me. Embry was attached to her arm, giving me a more puzzled stare.

"What?" Embry looked guilty. "I'm not doing anything."

I shook my head. "I didn't say you were."

Before I turned back around, something lower to the ground caught my eye. I peeked over my shoulder again and found Claire clutching a basket of flower petals in her tiny hands, her big brown eyes gazing up at me. She broke into a huge grin and began bouncing up and down where she stood, her tiny white dress falling around her.

"Oh my goodness," I couldn't help but smile.

"Isn't she adorable?" Bella turned around and grinned at Claire as well. "Quil's job is to make sure she gets down the aisle."

"Perfect," I mused as the two of us looked ahead again.

Just then, we could faintly hear the beginning of the wedding march. The heavy double doors were pushed open allowing the boisterous organ music to flood the tiny room, and Jared and Kim stepped out and began making their way to the front of the church. Bella placed her hand on my arm and we gave each other a warm smile as we took a few steps forward, waiting for our turn. Seth and Leah proceeded down the aisle in front of us, followed by camera flashes and the smiles of excited guests. Once they were a good distance away, I turned to Bella.

"Ready?"

She smiled up at me and nodded. I placed my hand on top of hers that rested on my arm, and we began making our way down the aisle. I couldn't help the slight grin on my face as I escorted the most important person in my life in front of our close friends and family. My heart beat erratically in my chest as cameras turned towards us, flashes went off, and soft murmurs echoed around us that were quickly drowned out by the church's thundering music. I knew I wasn't what held people's attention for the moment, it was Bella. She was truly unaware of just how beautiful she was and I felt privileged to be beside her, let alone be planning to marry her. I caught the elated expressions of Charlie and my father who both sat near the front of the church and I nodded my head as they waved. Bella and I broke apart as we came to stand behind Leah and Seth along the steps of the front alter. After Embry and Danielle took their places behind us we all turned and faced the congregation, just in time to catch Quil kneeling down at the end of the aisle with his arms outstretched. A murmur went through the crowd and flashes went off frantically as Claire wobbled down the center of the church as quickly as her short legs would carry her. Flower petals flew out of the basket in every direction as she headed straight for Quil. With a shrieking giggle, she ran into his arms and Quil gracefully picked her up, the two of them settling into the front pew. Their scene caused quite a stir and I turned around to find even the priest laughing.

Once the parishioners settled down, the organist began the traditional wedding march and the old wooden benches creaked as everyone got to their feet. The doors to the back of the church opened and I quickly caught Emily's beaming smile behind her veil. As she began her way up the aisle attached to her father's arm with all eyes on her, I turned my gaze to Sam. I watched him stare at Emily in complete admiration. Watched all the doubt leave his features, all the fears of the unknown, and all the weight of our complicated lives dissolve with just one glance from his bride. I shifted my eyes to Bella across the aisle from me, imagining how I would feel to be in Sam's place. Feeling that everything was suddenly in place, all with one subtle glance from behind a veil. Bella glanced over at me and caught my stare, and we both smiled. Emily soon stood in front of us, unable to take her eyes off Sam. She quickly turned and kissed her father with tears in her eyes and he joined her hands with Sam's. Once the music came to an end, the congregation took their seats as we all turned towards the front of the church.

The priest cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen. We are gathered here today…"

I stole another glance at Bella while she stayed focused on the service in front of us, but soon my attention shifted to Sam and Emily as well. The bride and groom stood listening intently along with the rest of the congregation who sat hushed, but my own thoughts drowned out the formal words spoken by the priest. I watched Sam shift his weight every few minutes and he involuntarily kept wringing his hands. As the priest continued to bless the couple, Sam attempted to steal a few glances at Emily out of the corner of his eye. As if sensing his vulnerability, Emily tilted her face up to him and gave him an encouraging smile, and I could tell instantly that Sam's whole demeanor changed. His fidgeting ceased and I sensed a calm came over him that was reflected in Emily's face. She even appeared more steady as she gazed into his eyes. They were both ready for the next step, a step they would now take together.

I smiled as Emily and Sam turned to face one another. Sam took Emily's hands and cleared his throat as the priest turned the page.

I glanced across the aisle and caught Bella's eye. We smiled at each other again.

"Repeat after me," the priest's voice cut into my thoughts. "I, Sam Utley…"

"I, Sam Utley…" came Sam's shaky voice.

"I, Jacob Black…" I mouthed to Bella, watching her face pale.

"Take you, Emily Young…"

"Take you, Isabella Swan…"

"To be my wife."

"To be my wife."

Bella tried to ignore me and look straight ahead, but she couldn't hide the grin on her face, and snuck glances at me out of the corner of her eye.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward…" My heart swelled as Bella slowly turned and looked at me.

"For better, or worse…"

"For better, or worse…"

"For richer, or poorer…"

"For richer, or poorer…" I shrugged and Bella abruptly giggled, hiding her face behind her flowers. Leah quietly shushed her over her shoulder.

"In sickness, and in health…"

"In sickness, and in health…"

Bella peeked above her flowers.

"To love and to cherish…"

"To love and to cherish…"

Bella lowered the flowers.

"Until we are parted by death…"

"Until we are parted by death…" My stomach tightened at those words, and I could tell Bella saw it on my face.

"This is my solemn vow."

"This is my solemn vow."

Bella smiled warmly at me and I could tell Leah was glaring ahead of her. While the priest turned his attention to Emily, Leah shifted her cold stare to me and I stuck my tongue out at her. Bella giggled, but quickly composed herself.

"Emily, repeat after me," the priest continued, oblivious to the wedding parties' antics. "I, Emily Young…"

"I, Emily Young…"

"I, Isabella Swan…"

I raised an eyebrow as Bella began repeating after the priest just as I had.

"Take you, Sam Utley…"

"Take you, Jacob Black…"

"To be my husband."

"To be my husband."

A warmth spread through my chest as I realized Bella's eyes were beginning to fill with tears.

"To have and to hold, from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold, from this day forward…"

"For better, or worse…"

"For better, or worse…"

"Hey," Seth mumbled over his shoulder at me, "what the hell is Bella doing?" He turned around slightly and rolled his eyes. "Ugh, nevermind."

"For richer, or poorer…"

"For richer, or poorer…"

I winked at her, causing her to grin.

"In sickness, and in health…"

"In sickness, and in health…"

"Speaking of sick…" Embry groaned behind me. I ignored him.

"To love and to cherish…"

"To love and to cherish…"

"Until we are parted by death…"

"Until we are parted by death…"

I watched a single tear slide down Bella's soft cheek.

"This is my solemn vow."

"This is my solemn vow."

The church fell silent again as Emily carefully dabbed at a few tears. Embry slipped past me on the stairs and handed two rings to Sam. Sam took them from him and turned back to Emily as Embry quickly got behind me in line again.

"Sam, repeat after me," the priest continued with a smile on his face. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring I thee wed," Sam repeated, carefully placing the delicate white gold band on Emily's finger.

"As a sign of my love and devotion."

"I pledge you my love."

"Now and forever."

"Now and forever," Sam squeezed Emily's hand.

"Emily," the priest turned to her as she held Sam's ring between her fingers. "Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, I thee wed," came Emily's tiny voice, which barely went past the alter.

"As a sign of my love and devotion."

"I pledge you my love."

"Now and forever."

Emily's voice cracked as she forced out the last verse, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks once again. I glanced over one last time at Bella and caught her attempting to hold back her own tears.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the priest concluded, closing his Bible. "It is my great pleasure to introduce to you for the first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Utley. You may kiss the bride."

Loud applause erupted in the church as the newlyweds grabbed each other and Sam planted a passionate kiss on Emily. The two of them were lost in their own moment, but they soon turned towards their friends and family and began making their way down from the main alter. The wedding parties fell in step behind them as we met up with our respectable partners again. I caught Bella's arm as she descended the alter stairs and she glanced up at me with a smirk on her face.

"That didn't count," she raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not," I winked at her. "That was just practice."

She smacked me playfully with the bouquet of white roses she held in her hand. We followed the wedding party down the aisle and towards the back of the church as the rest of the delighted family and friends fell in behind us in anticipation for the reception.

***

At the reception, the wedding parties managed to gather around a single table perched alongside the dance floor and collapse into multiple chairs. The newlyweds were nowhere to be found, but Jared and Kim were to my left, presently content on gazing into each other's eyes. Embry sat next to them with a look of disgust on his face, while Quil was standing behind him bouncing Claire in his arms to the beat of the music. Every once in a while, the toddler would shriek with delight. Seth sat next to Embry watching Quil dance with Claire as I took in the whole scene with the love of my life on my right arm. Bella sat in the chair next to me, her hand in mine, her soft cheek on my shoulder.

"Hey," I leaned towards her and she looked up at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she smiled broadly. "Just tired."

"What have you done to be tired?" I teased her.

"It's a lot of work being a bridesmaid," Bella shot me a look, defending herself.

"Just wait until you're the bride," I winked at her and watched her blush.

I placed my hand on top of the one that already held Bella's and felt something brush against my finger. I glanced down and was surprised to find the delicate chain around her wrist that held the small carving of the wolf I had given her many months ago, back when I needed to know that part of me was with Bella all the time. Now, gazing into her eyes, I knew I didn't have to worry about that anymore.

"I found it when I was cleaning my room," Bella smiled at me. "I was afraid I had lost it."

"I'm glad you didn't." I picked up the small wolf, remembering back to when I had made it for her. I gently spun the bracelet on her wrist, stopping when I found the crystal charm that also occupied the silver chain. I looked up at Bella and I could sense her body become rigid.

She met my gaze. "Edward gave that to me."

"Ok," I smiled reassuringly at her, confused by her sudden reserved manner.

"I'll take it off the bracelet, if you want me to," her voice was cautious.

I knitted my brow. "Why would I want you to do that? It was a gift, right?"

Bella nodded.

"Then keep it," I rubbed her hand with my finger. "He was a part of your life too, Bella."

She smiled, completely at ease again, and I leaned down and kissed her forehead. Just then, Emily burst through the thick crowd that had taken over the dance floor and glared at all of us.

"What are you all doing sitting down!?" Her face was flushed. "Get up! Come on, it's a good song!"

"I'm already dancing!" Quil shot back, spinning around as Claire giggled.

"Embry's not!" Emily smacked him on the shoulder.

"Yes I did," Embry mumbled. "I danced during the last song. You missed it."

"Liar," Seth laughed. Embry shot him a cold look, quickly silencing him.

"Bella!? Jacob, please!?" Emily begged.

I held up my hand. "I'm pacing myself."

"Oh, all right," I heard Bella sigh next to me as she let go of my hand.

Emily squealed and picked up the flowing skirt of her dress, rounding the table to where Bella now stood and grabbed her hand. As Emily dragged her out to the dance floor, she glanced over her shoulder at me and shrugged.

"Bridesmaid," she mouthed, and I nodded in acceptance. I quickly lost sight of her in the dense crowd.

"Whew," Embry sighed. "Remind me to thank Bella later."

"Does anyone need anything to drink?" Seth stood up from the table.

I shook my head.

Seth glanced over at Jared and Kim, who were obviously too absorbed in each other to realize that a general announcement had been made.

"Coke, please," Embry held up a finger.

Seth stared down at him. "Coming right up, honey."

"Thank you, darling," Embry imitated Seth's sarcastic tone.

Seth shook his head. "You would turn out to be my date tonight," he mumbled as he strode away from the table.

I chuckled to myself at the pack's usual way of amusing themselves. Even though he was younger, I felt that Seth had managed to hold his own with his older pack brothers, and some had even begun to respect him. He had also been given the challenge of escorting Leah down the aisle, which wasn't a task any of us had been willing to accept.

Embry caught my eye. "Guess he doesn't feel like dealing with his sister anymore than he already has to."

I shrugged.

"Can you blame him?" Quil stood between the two of us, still swaying Claire to the music. "It seems like Leah's gotten worse recently."

"Well, I'm sure the wedding didn't help things," Embry mused, throwing another glance my way. "Then she gets shot down by this one too."

I felt my face flush. "Embry, not now."

"I have to hand it to you, Jake," Embry continued, ignoring my cold stare. "From what she remembers, that was a pretty intense make out session."

"Hey," Quil snapped. "Keep it PG, there are children present."

"So you didn't feel anything for her, Jake?" Embry turned his questioning to me again, ignoring Quil.

For a moment, I thought back to that day at the house. Leah worked so hard to show all of us she was stronger than we gave her credit for, and that was the first time I saw her falter. I refused to allow the other pack members to think any less of her and I realized Leah needed someone to stand up for her, now more than ever.

I set my jaw. "Drop it, Embry."

"Seriously?" Embry looked betrayed. "I don't even get details, after I have to watch all of you-"

"You know, Embry," I interrupted him. "You're starting to become just as bitter as Leah."

My observation seemed to work as Embry's mouth dropped open at when he apparently saw as the ultimate insult. Completely flabbergasted, he slowly turned to Quil for moral support.

"Jacob's right," Quil stood nodding his head. "You need to imprint, Embry. You're just lonely and bitter."

"Unbelievable," Embry mumbled to himself and turned away from us, gazing out towards the dance floor, choosing to surrender the argument.

I remained silent, biting my tongue at my pack mate's defeat. Now that the conversation had died down, the personal questions Embry had been bothering me with still kept coming back to me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget that day at the house. The way Leah threw herself at me, the unfamiliar sensation of her embrace, and the crushing look in her eyes when she realized I didn't share the same feelings. I still felt a need to defend her honor in front of the pack, but I couldn't tell if I was doing her a favor, or just making the situation worse.

"Hey, where did Leah get to anyway?" Embry's voice cut into my thoughts.

I paused for a minute, realizing I hadn't seen Leah in a few hours. The three of us began to scan the vast crowd, attempting to spot the missing member of the bridesmaids. I began to grow worried, wondering if the wedding had been too much for her. Just as I was about to get up from my seat to look for her, the crowd on the dance floor parted and I found Leah.

My heart nearly stopped as I watched her sway to the music wrapped in the arms of another man, a warm smile spread across her face. Neither of them seemed to notice the crowd surrounding them, much less the music, and Leah brought herself closer to her dance partner and rested her head against his chest. She closed her eyes as he kissed the top of her head. I smiled to myself as I realized I no longer needed to defend Leah in front of the others. Nothing they could say would affect her now, and she no longer needed me. Leah was now complete. She had imprinted. She had found her second half.

"She's fine," I broke the silence as Quil and Embry looked back at me.

"You found her?" Quil looked back over Claire's head at the mass of people. "Where is she?"

"Don't worry about it," I mumbled as another couple swayed in front of them, blocking my view. "I said she's fine."

I glanced over at them as Quil's face went slack. He nudged Embry and motioned in the direction I had last seen Leah on the dance floor.

"Ahh shit," Embry groaned as he discovered what held Quil's attention. "Not her too!"

"Shh!" Quil held Claire's ear against his chest. "Watch your language." Quil turned and walked away from our table, leaving Embry shaking his head.

"We're never going to hear the end of this," Embry mumbled to himself. "And we'll have to watch it every waking moment…"

"It's not so bad," I caught a quick glance of Leah and her partner through the crowd, their arms still tight around each other.

"Speak for yourself," Embry groaned.

Suddenly, I caught sight of Sam through the crowd as he began making his way over to our table. He breezed past Leah and her partner, thankfully not noticing them.

"Oh look, shrimp puffs!" Embry jumped out of his chair to chase down an appetizer tray, apparently noticing Sam's approach as well.

Apparently Jared and Kim came back to reality that instant as well because Jared suddenly grabbed Kim, and the two of them disappeared across the room. Before I could say anything, Sam pulled up the chair next to me and collapsed in it.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted!" Sam groaned, loosening his tie. "I was so glad when Emily wanted to dance with the girls. We still have four more tables to visit with and I need a break."

I looked up and spotted Seth making his way back to our table with two sodas. From out of nowhere, Embry grabbed him by the arm and seemed to whisper a warning in Seth's ear. The two of them glanced over at our table, then both made their way quickly in the opposite direction. Apparently, I was on my own.

"It is your wedding," I reminded him, making polite conversation.

"I don't even know half these people," Sam mumbled next to me.

"Don't worry," I chuckled, reaching over and patted him on the back. "By tonight, you will."

Sam glared at me. "Keep it up. Just wait until it's your wedding, you'll have all this to look forward to."

A warmth spread through my chest at the thought, and I couldn't help but smile. "I think I can handle it."

"We'll see," Sam rolled his eyes. "Hey, where's the rest of the pack?"

As Sam sat up and began to scan the crowded room, I suddenly felt the need to distract him.

"Oh, uh… Well you know the guys, they're probably where the food is."

"That's probably true, although maybe Emily dragged them out on the dance floor along with…"

Sam's voice trailed off and I could tell he froze next to me. I kept my gaze straight forward, knowing I didn't need to turn my head. I knew what he saw.

"Is that… Leah?" he whispered.

"Yeah," I answered, figuring there was no reason to avoid the issue. "Do you know who she's dancing with?"

"…She's with Jack."

I knitted my brow as the tone of his voice unsettled me. Curious, I forced myself to turn in his direction and was stunned at what I saw. Sam's gaze was intently fixed on Leah, his jaw clenched. I had never seen him look at her with such intensity, such jealousy… At least not since he met Emily.

"Sam…" I began, unsure of his reaction. "You know him?"

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine," Sam's voice seemed distant. "We've been friends for years. We used to go to school together, until he moved away…"

I stayed silent while I watched Sam come to the realization that Leah had now met the most important person in her life. The same painful realization that Leah herself had already been through with Sam.

"She imprinted, didn't she?" he asked me through his teeth.

I turned my gaze to Leah again briefly, then back at Sam, realizing I had nothing to say that would make him feel better.

"Isn't it obvious?" I shrugged.

Instead of answering me, Sam chose to sit in tense silence again, his stare never leaving Leah and Jack. He clenched his fists and I could tell he was breathing deeper, lost in his own thoughts.

"Sam-"

"I love Emily," he spat as his hands trembled.

"I know."

"She's my wife," Sam shifted his gaze to my face, his eyes blazing. "She's my imprint, I have to love her, there is nothing I can do about it even if I wanted to."

"I know, Sam." My heart sank as I watched the torment churn in his eyes. "None of us really have a choice."

Sam's gaze softened and he looked back at Leah and Jack on the dance floor, who were still content on swaying each other gently to the music.

"I had no choice," his voice came out in barely a whisper. "It was beyond my control, I had no choice…"

"Sam…"

My pack mate turned his tired eyes to mine again.

"She's happy," I reassured him in a low whisper. "You know she's complete now, this is what she wanted." I slowly shook my head, remembering back to when Leah frantically kissed me on the front steps of the house. "She deserves this."

"I know she does," Sam looked back towards the dance floor. "But, Jack? Why did it have to be Jack?"

"Well, you imprinted on Leah's cousin," I challenged him.

Sam glared at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Like I said before," I continued. "We don't-"

"I know we don't have a choice, Jacob," Sam turned his frustration on me as his gaze searched my face. "And neither do you."

My entire body froze with those words, and I couldn't help the defensive stance I took as he glared at me.

"Please Sam, don't start this now," I slowly shook my head. "Not here."

"Just don't think you're immune to this, Jake," Sam's condescending glare never faltered. "Like you said… None of us have a choice, it's already been made for us."

I breathed deep and even, trying to calm my trembling shoulders. "It's different with Bella."

"Bullshit," Sam snapped at me. "Did you imprint on her?"

I set my jaw. "It doesn't matter."

"You're being a hypocrite, Jake," Sam pushed. "Don't think that I didn't feel the same way for Leah at one point."

I chose to remain silent, the two of us ceasing our bickering for the moment. I didn't want to argue with Sam, but I was also too terrified to admit that he could be right. I was completely in love with Bella, and I knew I would sacrifice everything for her, but was it enough? My adoration for her had grown over time, it wasn't something that hit me all at once. Was that the same as imprinting? Either way, Bella was everything to me, and I knew there was no other. I refused to accept that my life wasn't in my hands, that it was up to some inexplicable fate that brought two perfect strangers together for reasons none of us really understood. If we had already found someone we love, what was this other person brought into our lives for? And where did the devotion we felt for our previous partner go? Now, as Sam watched Leah in the arms of his friend, I understood that these feelings didn't completely disappear. Even with an imprint.

"Look, Jacob, I'm sorry," Sam eventually broke our silence. "I would just hate for you to go through the same thing I did… Having to break the heart of someone you once devoted yourself to."

I glanced over at him and he met my gaze, shaking his head.

"And then I had to watch Leah's thoughts every time she saw me…" his voice trailed off. He turned from me and looked back out on the dance floor. "At least she's happy now. That's all that matters."

I had nothing else to say, at least nothing I wanted to say out loud. Thankfully at that moment, Emily appeared through the crowd and made her way over to where Sam and I sat. I watched all the anguish and torment melt away from Sam features as he looked up and beheld his bride who nearly ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Jacob, do you mind of I borrowed my husband for a little while?" she giggled.

"Of course," I grinned at her. "I don't want him."

Emily dragged Sam up from his chair and the two of them continued the visitation of their wedding guests. I stayed at the table by myself, mulling over what had just happened. After voicing his frustration to me, Sam seemed content, but our discussion only left me with more questions. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get his words out of my head. The more I thought about it, the more helpless I felt. And the more helpless I felt, the more angrier I became.

I found Bella on the perimeter of the dance floor, watching the other couples dance. I lightly placed my hand on the small of her back and she greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hey," I took her hand tentatively. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course."

I could see the concern in her eyes, but she allowed me to escort her from the crowd. I led her out into the hotel lobby, away from the crowds and the pounding music, and found a quiet corner. When I knew we were alone for the moment, I quickly turned towards Bella and pulled her to me, kissing her passionately. She felt rigid in my arms at first, but soon gave into my embrace. Eventually I let her go, cradling her delicate face in my hands as we both breathed deeply.

"I love you, Isabella," I sighed, watching her blush.

"Is that what you brought me out here to tell me?" she teased.

"Well, yes that's part of it." I was relieved that her teasing calmed my nerves a little.

"Jake, are you alright?" She gently placed one of her hands on top of mine that still rested against her cheek. "You seem distracted."

I took a deep breath. "Leah imprinted."

I watched Bella's reaction carefully as she knitted her brow and took in what I had said. "Imprinted?"

I nodded.

"On who?"

"A friend of Sam's, actually," I explained.

"Oh," Bella raised an eyebrow. "How do you know? Have you talked to her?"

"No, I haven't spoken with her yet," I took my hands from Bella's face and interlaced our fingers together. "But we can tell, they've been inseparable all night."

Bella slowly nodded as a smile crept across her face. "Good for Leah. I can't imagine how awful it must have been watching Sam and Emily together, and I know she had an interest in you for a little while," Bella squeezed my hands. "I'm just glad she found someone."

"Me too," I smiled warmly at her.

Bella opened her mouth to speak, but paused for a moment. "Can I ask a strange question?"

"Sure."

She seemed to glance over her shoulder, making sure there was no one within ear shot. "Does Sam know about this?"

I attempted to gather some of my thoughts together before I spoke. "Sam does know," I kept my voice hushed. "And he's a little upset about it."

A perplexed look came across Bella's face. "Sam's upset?"

"I think he must still have some feelings towards Leah," I nodded. "I guess not all the feelings you had for someone just disappear with an imprint."

"Well, I think he has some nerve," Bella spoke with acid in her voice. "Leah is none of his concern anymore, he has a wife now."

"I know, Bella," I kept my voice calm. "It's complicated."

"I don't see anything complicated about it," she began to raise her voice. "He left her. Sam chose Emily over Leah, and whatever Leah does to move on with her life is her business."

"Bella please," I watched the anger build in her gaze. "It wasn't his choice-"

"Oh, don't give me that imprinting crap," Bella snarled and attempted to rip her hands from mine, but I held her fast. "So none of you are actually in charge of your own lives? You just completely surrender responsibility for your actions? If Sam wanted to be with Leah, then he would have stayed with her."

"Bella, just listen-"

"Did you imprint on me, Jake?"

I froze. "What?"

"Did you imprint?" Bella stared into my eyes, her body trembling as she waited for my answer.

My mind was racing. "I-I don't know."

Bella turned on her heels and began to storm away from me. I quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to me, dodging her flailing arms as she tried to get as far away from me as she could.

"Let me go, Jake!" she snapped.

"No, Bella," I tried to hold her steady so that we wouldn't make a complete scene in the lobby. "Just listen to me, please."

Bella's struggling soon relented and she became slack in my grasp. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, which only fueled my anguish.

"Bella," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "I told you already, I love you."

"But how do you know that for sure?" she whispered, the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "If the universe hasn't told you that we're meant to be together, then how do you know?"

"I don't need the universe to tell me that I'm hopelessly in love with you. I figured that out all on my own," I snorted.

"But," Bella sighed, "what happens years from now when you pass someone on the street, or you catch someone's eye across a crowded room? What happens to me, after we've invested so much together? What do I do then?"

"That's not going to happen, Bella," I placed my hands on her waist and pulled her against me.

"But how do you know?" she argued with me. "If you haven't imprinted-"

"Oh, screw imprinting!" I snarled, cutting her off.

I let go of Bella and turned away from her hurt expression, walking a couple paces to clear my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I still saw Sam's look of anguish as he watched Leah find the person who would vanquish all the painful memories of her past. Memories of him. I couldn't bear the thought of not waking up next to Bella every morning for the rest of my life, or some part of me ever feeling like we didn't belong together. I slowly and painfully turned around, and my heart nearly shattered as I found Bella still standing where I'd left her. She was crying, but stood waiting for me to gather my thoughts. I closed the space between us, gathering her hands in mine again.

"Bella, imprinting is bullshit."

She kept silent, watching me carefully.

"I brought you out here to tell you this… You are my choice." I clutched her hands with an almost desperate need. "I don't give a shit what the cosmos, or the universe, or what any other unseen force tells me. I am the one who's in charge of my life and nothing is going to change what you and I have."

Bella reached up and gently touched my face and my heart nearly stopped as she gazed at me with adoration.

"Jake," her voice was tentative. "Where did this come from? What's got you so upset?"

I sighed, leaning into her embrace. "Sam told me I was next. That I was arrogant to think I wasn't going to imprint, and that what we have might not be real."

Bella slowly shook her head. "Sam's just bitter from seeing things through his own perspective. Do you believe what he says?"

"No," I shook my head.

"Then that's what's important," she smiled faintly.

I nodded, allowing myself to gaze into her eyes. "I love you, and I always will."

"I know, and you'd better," she winked.

"Bella," I took a shaky breath. "If something ever happens, and I-I meet someone else…"

"Jake," she shook her head. "I don't want to think about that, alright? Let's just say, we'll cross that bridge if we come to it."

I nodded, taking her in my arms and hugging her tightly.

"Come on," she said, slipping out of my embrace and taking my hand. "We're going to miss the bouquet toss."

***

The next morning I awoke in a daze with a slight pounding in my temples. I rolled onto my side with a groan and pushed my aching body into a sitting position. As I ran my hands through my sleep-tousled hair, vague memories of the night before began to come back to me. I remembered many hours of dancing, the reception party that went well into the early morning hours, and Embry chatting up one of the waitresses who insisted on serving the wedding party multiple glasses of champagne. I was still dressed in my tuxedo pants, but my jacket and dress shirt were nowhere to be found. I pushed myself out of bed and stretched, summoning up the energy to get a hot shower and some regular clothes on.

It was then that I heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen. It sounded like someone was rummaging through cabinets, and a few pots and pans were clanging together. Wanting to make sure I wasn't being robbed, I opened the bedroom door and strode out into the hallway. As I made my way towards the kitchen, I could smell fresh coffee being brewed and a batch of pancakes on the stove. At least whomever was robbing me was kind enough to cook me breakfast first. I reached the end of the hallway and leaned on the frame of the doorway, taking in the sight in front of me.

Bella had set out two plates on the counter and she was busy flipping pancakes on a skillet next to a pan that held strips of sizzling bacon. She glanced up and caught sight of me.

"Good morning," she smiled brightly. "Rough night?"

"Yeah, you could say that," I groaned, unable to force back a yawn.

"Coffee?" Bella offered with a knowing smirk.

"Sure." I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I glanced around and realized a couple boxes now took up the space in front of my door. "What's going on?" I mumbled.

Bella raised an eyebrow. "I have a few demands."

I glanced at the boxes, then back at her. "Okay…"

"Whenever I cook, then you get to do the dishes. Deal?"

I thought for a moment. "Okay, deal."

"And I only need about half your closet," Bella shot a sideways glance at me as she placed a stack of pancakes on one of the plates.

I crossed the room and came to lean against the countertop in front of her, a smile pulling on my lips. "Anything else?"

"I snore, sometimes." Bella placed a couple strips of bacon on the plate in front of me. "And occasionally I take over control of the TV remote, you just have to accept it."

I nodded slowly.

"Hey, you wanted me to move in with you!" Bella held her hands up. "I'm just warning you about a few things now…"

"No no, it's fine," I assured her. "But is this it?"

Bella froze. "Is what it?"

"Is this all you cooked?" I glanced around the kitchen. "Because if you're going to be living here, you do realize I require a lot of food."

She rolled her eyes. "Ok, noted."

Bella picked up one of the plates and held it up for me. I went to take it from her but she kept a firm grip on it, looking into my eyes.

"Charlie told me it was my decision, my choice. But that he was happy the two of us are getting married, and he realized we'd be moving in with each other eventually."

I smiled.

Bella sighed. "And then I got the whole 'I'm so proud of you' speech, and I could swear there were some tears."

Bella let go of my plate and I deposited it on the kitchen table, turning back to face her. She poured each of us a glass of orange juice and set them on the counter, looking back at me.

"So I just brought over some clothes and shoes," she motioned to the boxes. "And maybe I'll stay over some nights as I slowly move in."

I nodded, watching her carefully.

"But I just had to know I was ready. I just needed some time…"

"You know I understand, Bella. Let's worry about this later, ok?" I interrupted her, picking up my glass of orange juice and holding it up. "Breakfast first."

Bella grinned and raised her glass to mine. "To breakfast."

"Breakfast, then unpacking." I winked at her.

"No," Bella shook her head slowly. "Breakfast, then dishes. Then unpacking."

My face dropped as she giggled. "Fine, you win. Don't get too used to that."

We clinked our glasses together and I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. Bella grabbed her plate and came over to join me at the table, for our first breakfast together in our new home.

Just so everyone knows, before anyone freaks out… I will not, WILL NOT, write about Jacob imprinting on someone else. I know some could argue it's a possibility, and I'm sure people have written that plot twist in other fics… But it will not happen in mine. I have enough drama already planned for this story, so don't worry, this will stay a BellaxJacob pairing ;)