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Jake was about to die of embarrassment.
His father, with the same intensity he must use to question suspects, was interrogating Carlisle, Esme, and Alice Cullen. Bella, Rosalie, Edward, and the others weren't even pretending that they weren't using their enhanced senses to listen in on the conversation going on in Carlisle's study. It made Jake wonder why in the world the grownups and Alice were even doing this there since it was obvious that the others were going to hear anyway.
He didn't have much time to wonder that since the few vampires who hadn't realized they too would be imprinted on (or had been imprinted on already in Emmett's case) found out.
Jasper's eyes widened to comical degrees, his southern accent deepening as he squeaked out: "What?"
Emmett exploded.
It was actually kinda comical.
He went paler than usual, silent as death (unless you were a vampire, of course) and then he exploded with a "YOU'VE GOTTA BE FUCKING ME! PAUL? NO WAY IN HELL IS THAT EVEN REMOTELY POSSIBLE!"
Jasper had then had to use his power to calm Emmett down before the vampire did something stupid like track down Paul on the Rez and rip his lungs out.
Talking about Paul, Jake was a little worried about the other wolf. He knew that the moment Paul shifted the pack would know, and Jake didn't know how they were going to react. Then again, Paul had said he was more scared of his ex girlfriend, Rachel, finding out than the pack. Apparently he'd been going out with one of the daughters of Charlie's half brother, Billy, before his obsession with Emmett had begun. Billy and Charlie had never really gotten along, and after Charlie had been kicked out of the Rez the men had lost contact.
"Don't 'it's not that bad' me!" Emmett snapped at Jasper, pointing his finger at him accusingly. "At least your wolf isn't a total dick!"
"We don't know anything about Jared." Jasper corrected, obviously still trying to wrap his head around this situation.
"Exactly! Which means he's introverted! Which means there's no chance that he's an annoying asshole!" Emmett declared vehemently.
"You do realize that Paul acts that way to get your attention, right?" Edward wanted to know, eyebrow raised. "You pay attention to him when he's being an ass, so it makes him behave like an even bigger jerk."
"That's stupid." Emmett glared.
Edward shrugged. "Don't ask me about the inner workings of the wolf mind. I can barely keep up with this one's logic."
Jake slapped Edward up the back of his head, annoyed by that.
"At least yours doesn't come damaged." Rosalie mumbled, from where she was laying back against Bella on the sofa. "Think of poor Alice. According to her the wolf she gets has not only sworn off Imprinting, but love in general!"
"Men will do that to you." Bella grumbled, running her fingers through Rosalie's hair.
The men in the room took great offense to that, and yet only Emmett really glared at her.
But that was because he was in a really bad mood.
And that was to be expected.
"Has anyone not stopped and wondered why we're only Imprinting on vampires of our same sex?" Jacob asked, sitting down on the armrest of the sofa. "I mean, not only are we Imprinting on vampires-but they're our same gender!"
"Not your dad." Rosalie reminded him, bringing one of Bella's hands to her unbeating heart. "He Imprints on a female vampire, remember that."
There was a "WHAT?" from the study, proving that Charlie had, unfortunately, heard that.
Jake and Bella shared winces.
Rosalie flinched. "Oops. Sorry."
"It's okay." Jake sighed, sending a look towards the door of the study. "He was going to have to find out sooner or later."
Bella pressed a kiss to the crown of Rosalie's golden hair.
Rosalie smiled softly.
Jacob just couldn't help but watch them.
This was just so odd for him.
He was still getting used to the fact that this was all real, and to see his sister not only so openly loving with her girlfriend...well...he still needed some adjusting.
Yeah, I feel the same way sometimes. Edward's voice was in his voice. I never saw Rosalie really smile...not before Bella. The vampire was watching his blonde sister with a slightly sad expression on his face. She had it hard, very hard, and it took her a long to to accept what she was. For a while we were worried that she'd never really find happiness...and then Bella comes along and gets her to smile and laugh without even really trying. He turned him smile on Jake. We love her for that alone.
Something warmed in Jacob's heart to hear the fact that the Cullens actually loved his twin.
Then again, it was easy to love Bella.
"So, doggy." Emmett came towards him, eyes narrowed. "This Imprinting business doesn't mean that I have to end up like those two, right?"
"Hey!" Rosalie growled.
"What's so bad about being us?" Bella wanted to know.
Emmett ignored them. "Explain Imprinting to me in the easiest, simplest way possible."
"He won't understand you otherwise." Rosalie snarked.
Emmett showed her his middle finger, never once looking away from Jake.
Rosalie snorted.
Jacob wasn't able to enjoy this sibling argument because of the intensity of Emmett's glare. "Uhm, as far as I know...when you Imprint, it's like that person is the single most important person in the world-the world revolves around them-whether you want it to or not."
Edward made a face at him.
"And while most-if not all-Imprinters I've heard of have ended up with their Imprintees-the Imprinter really becomes whatever the Imprintee needs him to be." Jacob responded as best as he could. "With Edward, well, I might have fought it at the beginning, but now that I'm not I feel more...connected...with him."
"How so?" Emmett wanted to know, not at all teasing like one might think due to his personality, but completely serious.
"Well, like you know, because I'm Imprinted to him I have his ability-or at least I have it to the degree that I can read his mind, just not everyone else's."
"You're not missing out on much, believe me." Edward announced, leaning back against the wall. "The only thing that occupies people's minds in this day and age are sex and money."
"Wait. So you're saying that that mutt is stealing my strength?" Emmett looked utterly peeved at that. "Not only does he force his Imprintedness on me but he leeches off of me too?"
Jake couldn't keep the smirk off of his face, thinking the irony of that certain word considering that that was what wolves called vampires.
Emmett glared at Jacob, obviously figuring out what was causing him such amusement.
"Considering that we know, and he knows, we should bring him into this conversation." Jasper surprised everyone by saying.
"What about the truce?" Emmett was quick to point out. "He can't come onto our lands! That's the law!"
"Considering he's your Imprinter, I think he's a special case." Bella rolled her eyes at him. "Honestly Emmett, do you think Paul wanted this to happen? He's just as dumbfounded and confused as you are about this, and unlike you he doesn't have a big, warm and supportive family who don't care who he ends up with as long as he's happy. Once the pack finds out that he's Imprinted on a leech they could banish him from the pack and Rez as punishment. He'd lose everything. His friends, his family, everything."
Emmett frowned, obviously not happy at having been made to see this in a way in which Paul wasn't the big bad villain.
"She's right." Jasper agreed. "Even if things don't end up romantic between you two, he has a need to be close to you, I mean, look at how he's been making sure it happens up until now. He's been making a nuisance of himself so you'll go to the boundary line."
Emmett made up his face. "The mutt had ulterior motives all along!"
Rosalie rolled her eyes.
Jacob jerked a little in surprise when he felt hands on his shoulders, but scenting Edward he relaxed in his hold, closing his eyes in appreciation as the vampire began to expertly knead his tense muscles.
Suddenly the door to the study opened and Charlie walked through the doorway, eyeing his children, who both sat up straight the second they saw him.
Carlisle and Esme walked through next, arm in arm, smiling serenely.
Alice glided through next, a pleased expression on her face as she passed them and went to sit next to Jasper, gazing up at Emmett. "It's going to be romantic."
"The hell it is!" The vampire scoffed, horrified.
Charlie leaned heavily against the wall. "I'm too old to have to digest all of this. Old dogs shouldn't have to learn new tricks. Especially not on an empty stomach. There's a law somewhere about it, I'm sure."
"Would you like something to eat, Sheriff Swan?" Esme asked him. "We usually keep food around for Bella, and now Jacob."
Charlie looked up at that, surprised to learn of this. "Uh, no thank you, Mrs. Cullen. I'm fine. I was just venting, to be truthful."
She gave him another serene smile. "If you need anything, please, just ask."
"And please, feel welcome to come to our home any time." Carlisle announced benevolently. "And should you have any questions that I can answer, you can always find me in the hospital."
Charlie just looked between them, obviously not sure how to handle this situation or his gracious hosts. "Uh, thank you." Clearing his throat, Charlie turned to his children. "Let's go home."
Bella whined.
She really did.
Jake snorted in amusement at her.
She glared at him before turning back to their father. "Can't I stay? Rosalie will drop me off later."
Charlie looked torn.
He obviously still doesn't completely trust the vampires or the situation, but Charlie had always found it hard to say no to his daughter.
"Come on dad." Jake decided to help her out, getting up. "It's game day anyway. Bella always goes out."
Charlie couldn't say anything to that, sighing and nodding, before turning to Carlisle and Esme to say his goodbyes.
"I thought you were going to stay too." Edward frowned, reaching out to hold Jacob's hand. "I wanted to spend some time with you now that we don't have to hide anything."
My dad really needs me there with him now that he's trying to process this. It's a lot, and it isn't good to leave him alone right now. Jacob explained, squeezing that hand when he saw Edward's lips forming a pout. But why don't you come over later tonight after he's gone to sleep? We could talk and...you know...catch up or something.
Edward's pout melted into a large, lecherous smirk. Talk.
Jacob felt a blush coming on. Amongst other things.
Edward grinned brightly, any disappointment he might have been feeling moments ago completely gone. I'll be there.
Good. Jacob smiled.
But this time...we're locking your door. Edward declared.
Jacob's eyes widened and he snorted in amusement. Okay then!
"Do they do this often?" Charlie asked someone. "Just stare at each other like they're having a conversation or something?"
"They are, having a conversation." Bella piped up. "Remember what we told you dad? Since Jacob Imprinted on Edward he can read his mind. So they sometimes forget that they're not really talking and can just spend hours in silence."
Charlie watched, intrigued.
Jacob looked away, a bit embarrassed. I should go.
Do you think your dad will have a fit if I kiss you in front of him?
I'll have a fit if you kiss me in front of him! Jacob chuckled, shaking his head and saying his goodbyes to everyone before leaving with his father.
The drive home was silent, both men lost in their own thoughts, but when they arrived home to see a beat up mustang in the driveway, and Paul sitting on the doorstep, they found their voices again.
"What happened?" Jacob asked, hurrying out of the car and stopping when he saw the suitcase in the back of the truck, flinching. "They found out."
Paul stood, nodded. "I couldn't keep from phasing forever."
He gaze then wet questioningly to Charlie.
"He knows now." Jacob answered, understanding the look.
Paul made a face, looking away. "So, you weren't banished from home then."
Jacob didn't know what to say about that.
Charlie looked at the boys before sighing. "We have a guest room."
Paul looked up in surprise. "Sir?"
"Get your suitcase before I change my mind." Charlie mumbled, walking passed him to unlock the front door. "All I want is a beer and the game. That's all."
And with that he entered the house.
Paul and Jacob exchanged looks, before they went to his truck to get his things.
As Jacob helped Paul lug his things to the guest room, he couldn't help but think that Emmett was going to flip when he found out that since Paul was no longer a part of the pack, the truce and its rules didn't apply to him any longer.
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