A/N: Once again thanks for the reviews. I won't keep you long though because I know you all are anxious to get on with the story….So here it is. Enjoy chapter 14.

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*Jacob's POV*

My hands gripped the skin on her thighs as I lifted her onto the kitchen counter, knocking off a couple cups that were occupying the space. My lips tasted the skin at her neck and she tilted her head back and let out a soft moan as I made my way lower. Her fingers gripped my hair tightly, pulling me back up and she kissed me hungrily. She pulled me against her so hard that I almost knocked us both over but I braced myself with one arm against one of the cabinets above us.

I didn't know what had come over me but these urges were becoming frequent.

While the imprint between Naomi and me was not as strong as it once was, the urge to be near her was brought strongly to the forefront. I tried to ignore it most of the time as we were both just trying to be a comfort to one another. But then I found myself in the house we had once shared a lot. She always offered to cook dinner for me once I was done at the shop and I always obliged. I found myself studying her a lot too, watching the way she moved, and taking in her shape. She wasn't skinny but she wasn't out of shape, in fact that's exactly what she had….a shape. Her waist was small so it made her hips more prominent. She had a very nice curved and lifted ass that made her jeans and dresses look extremely good on her. Her legs were toned and had a beautiful honey brown complexion. Against my better judgment I found myself wondering if the rest of her was that same color.

Believe me when I tell you, I had to use every ounce of restraint that I had to stop myself from basically raping her every time I was near, but it got progressively harder. I didn't know if Naomi knew the internal struggle I was having with myself but she definitely wasn't helping. If I needed to get a cup out of the cabinet and if she was standing in the way, I would have to get really close to her just to do so because she refused to move, so close sometimes that my chest would be pressed against her back as I leaned forward to retrieve the glass, her ass pressing into my groin.

Sometimes I had a distinct impression that she knew exactly what she was doing.

One day though, my restraint completely left and all I could think about was how I wanted to take Naomi against the kitchen table. I started to stay away from her, frequently taking refuge in the garage at my dad's. He never asked what brought me and I never said what it was. He just let me work on whatever I could to take my mind off whatever was bothering me for however long I needed to.

He could never understand how grateful I was for that.

I did this for a couple weeks before Naomi reached out to me. I couldn't help but smile as she bashed me on the other end of the phone one night. She was not a woman you could avoid for too long and before I knew it I was being told that I was coming by for dinner the following night.

I must have stood outside the door for twenty minutes before I could ring the doorbell. I kept telling myself that my eyes would remain solidly on Naomi's face the entire night and I would walk out of there with dignity.

But once she opened the door, it was almost automatic. She came to the door in a pair of short pale pink cotton shorts and a white tank top. Her hair was up in a bun and her feet were bare.

"Hey there". She said, smiling. "I hope you don't mind this". She indicated her clothes. "I was so busy with dinner that I didn't have time really to get dressed".

I nodded numbly and cleared my throat. "Um no it's fine".

Naomi gave me a huge smile and a kiss on the cheek before she turned around and walked back inside, giving a wonderful view of her backside as she sashayed back into the kitchen.

It was all downhill from there.

Naomi kept up a consistent stream of conversation the whole night and I gave my two cents every once and a while but my mind was elsewhere and this time the wolf wouldn't be denied what he wanted.

The last straw came when dinner was over and I had helped Naomi clear the table. We washed dishes together and I had her laughing at the joke Embry had played on Jared the other day at the shop. I was doing well up until the point Naomi turned around with some chocolate on her index finger.

"Here Jake, taste this. Emily taught me how to make it from scratch. I hope it came out right". She said excitedly.

I obliged, slowly taking her finger into my mouth. I twirled my tongue around taking the chocolate into my mouth. Naomi bit her lip slightly, let a soft, quiet moan that I probably wouldn't hear if I didn't have advanced hearing and her eyes darkened just a fraction.

That was it. I lost it.

And that's exactly how we ended up in this position that we were in now. I gripped Naomi under her thighs and swiftly transferred her to the kitchen table, knocking over the vase that was there. It went crashing to the floor and neither of us gave two shits about it. My fingers were working her tank top up her stomach and Naomi sat up a bit to take it off before she wrapped an arm around my neck and brought her lips crashing back into mine. My hands caressed the skin of her back and I made my way towards the clip of her bra.

I was losing myself to the intense feelings of the imprint but after a minute the fog began to clear and the only face I started to see was Bella's. I shook my head and tried to concentrate on the brown vixen I currently had sprawled on this table but her face kept popping up in my mind and it was becoming annoying. My fingers had finally unclipped Naomi's bra but I was no longer into it. I sat up and looked away from her, ashamed that I was thinking about another woman.

"Jake what's wrong"? She asked and I just shook my head, turning to look at her and hating to see that look of rejection in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Naomi; I just can't do this right now". I said and Naomi gave me a subtle nod and holding her bra to her chest with her arm, she picked up her discarded tank top, hopped off the table and walked right out the kitchen without a single glance back at me.

Now I felt like a complete asshole. I knew I shouldn't have done that, especially since things were so complicated between us as it is. But once again I allowed myself to be led astray by the animalistic asshole that resided inside me.

This could not happen again. I wouldn't allow it to happen again.

Eventually Naomi came back down and I was able to apologize to her and explain a few things that were going on with me. Of course I couldn't tell her that I was thinking about Bella, that would be throwing more salt into her already sore wound, but she understood none the less and reminded me that she was here to be whatever I needed her to be.

After I left I was still feeling like a jerk so I made a beeline towards my dad's house and was planning on losing myself for a few hours doing what I loved to do.

Imagine my surprise when I found Bella there. It was crazy because I had just thought about her twenty minutes ago and I find her in the very place I wanted to go and clear my head.

I watched her for a moment, following her as she walked around the garage almost as if she was in a daze. She was definitely not the girl she once was. Of course she wasn't, she was a woman now and even in the light gray sweat suit she was wearing I could make out the curves she now had. She wasn't a pale as she used to be, not as dark as I was, but she had a glow to her skin. Her hair was longer, reaching her waist almost and I saw that she had added some red and gold highlights. It wasn't much but when the light hit her hair just right, I could make them out.

Before she caught me staring like some crazed maniac I made my presence known. She was startled but it didn't surprise me, Bella always could scare easily. I was surprised to find that I wasn't that upset with her anymore. I guess the time in between the bonfire and now was enough for my anger to ease away.

When she stayed to watch me work it made me feel at ease and it was like I was that sixteen year old kid again, happy to have the girl I liked watching me do something I loved. I couldn't help but feel a little sad when Bella had to leave and I knew I couldn't let her go without holding her in my arms, so I didn't even think when I pulled her towards me. I heard her heart speed up a bit and when I pulled away I gave a kiss to the top of her hair and inhaled. She still smelled like strawberries.

I heard her truck rumple off onto the road and as I was making my way back towards the garage, Embry was coming out from the woods. He was wearing a smirk.

"Don't say shit man, I'm really not in the mood". I said, trying to head off whatever smart ass comments that were coming my way. But even as I said that, I couldn't keep the smile of my face.

Embry shrugged and leaned against the garage door, the smirk never leaving his face.

"So what was that back there"? He asked and I sighed, putting down the tools I had picked up again.

"It was nothing serious. Really it wasn't". I added after the catching the look of skepticism Embry had on his face. "It was just two friends trying to find a way to mend some things between us".

Embry shrugged again and opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when an urgent howl was heard from a distance.

We both took off at the same time, me phasing just a half second faster than Embry had. The howl came from Jared and I was almost immediately insulted with his thoughts. What I saw made me almost see red.

Bella standing outside her truck, clinging to it like her life depended on it and only about a couple inches away from her was that bloodsucker parasite she had once been engaged too. I pushed myself faster; I had to get to her.

"Jared, what the hell is he doing here? What happened"? I asked.

I could see Jared had made himself visible but doucheward didn't seem to care. But Jared wasn't moving any closer.

"I don't know Jake. I was nearby patrolling when I heard Bella scream. I came over as fast as I could but I can't get any further. Bella is across the boundary line, I can't go across it without violating the treaty".

I growled and cursed so loud in my head that I felt both Jared and Embry flinch. This fucking treaty did more trouble than it helped.

"Something is wrong with him". Jared had said then. "Normally he hears what we are thinking because of the whole mind reading shit, but he's not even paying me any attention".

Jared paused and I could see that he was looking at Edward more closely. He noticed what was wrong the same moment I did.

"Oh shit, his fucking eyes are as black as hell. He's come here to feed. He followed Bella's scent all the way to the Res and was waiting for her to come back".

I pushed my legs faster, wanting…..no needing to get to the clearing. Finally me and Embry reached Bella and Jared and Edwards dark eyes moved from Bella to me. He smiled and showed me his fangs. The growl that came from me made some nearby birds take flight.

"Hello Jacob". He said, his unnatural voice making my ears hurt. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you and that this would be quick and simple, but I gave my dear Bella here such a fright".

"Sorry to have ruined your late lunch asshole".

Edward laughed, with his head back a little bit. Bella took the tiniest of steps backwards.

"Lunch? No, once again dog you have gotten it wrong. I've come to take her back with me, so we can finally live out the life she's always wanted".

Bella whimpered but remained quiet and I almost went to her but I stopped myself. I had to play this smart. Edward obviously wasn't thinking straight because he was hungry with thirst and I needed to use this to our advantage.

"Your pretty smart right bloodsucker? Take a look at her face and tell me if she looks like she wants to go with you".

Edward did look but he all he did was smile.

"She's in shock". He said. "I doubt she thought she would ever see me again, well after our last encounter".

Something in my head snapped. The last encounter they had would have had to been when he lied to her about my marriage and made her go and get rid of our baby. I could feel the heat radiating through my paws and I bared me teeth. The only thing wolf felt like doing was attacking but I knew I couldn't that. At least not yet, I had to try and get control.

"Use those unnatural senses you have leech, you and I both smell the same thing. That's called fear and she's almost drowning in it".

Edward took the smallest of steps forward causing Bella recoil. Jared, Embry and myself all growled at the same time, moving closer but not close enough. We were inches away from the boundary line, if we moved any closer, the treaty would be broken.

At the same time, Sam, Leah, Seth, Quil and Paul all came into the clearing then. Sam moved forward, his eyes glued to Edward.

"Stand down Guys". He commanded and immediately Embry and Jared did just that. I didn't move.

"Jacob, I said stand down". Sam ordered again but the command rolled right over my shoulders.

"Not until I know Bella's safe and I don't know if you noticed Samuel but she is anything but safe right at the moment".

I could feel the uneasy tension around the others as Sam came over to me.

"I realize that you care about her Jacob, we all do, but you have to play this smart. It's obvious that this bloodsucker is not thinking straight and we need you to do the same".

Even as Sam was talking, I looked at the leech again and he wasn't paying us the slightest attention. His coal black eyes were focused only on Bella. He would close his eyes ever so often when the wind blew her scent towards him and using this slight distraction to her advantage, Bells would take a couple steps backwards, stopping when his eyes snapped backed to hers.

She had been doing this a few times before I actually noticed why. She was trying to get behind the boundary line before Edward could make his move. She seemed to realize something wasn't right with his head the same time we had. I couldn't help but want to congratulate Bella for using her head like she was doing. That's my girl.

All that was left was to distract him.

"I am playing this smart Sam". I replied. "Bella is trying to get back across the line; she's taking short, quick steps backwards every time the bloodsucker becomes distracted. We need to keep his attention on us so we can get her to safety".

Sam looked at Bella and saw she was only a few inches from where we needed her to be. This time when he spoke, he spoke directly to Edward.

"We will leave you in peace as long as you leave our lands and leave Bella alone".

Edwards's soul-less eyes snapped over to Sam and he sneered.

"I can't do that Samuel, see I came for Bella and Bella alone, I'm not leaving without her".

I growled. I couldn't help myself. This asshole was pissing me off and my wolf was ready to finish this.

"You don't have a fucking choice bloodsucker. Either you leave now or you won't leave at all"

Edward laughed and his eyes locked on me again. "And how do you plan to stop me dog? Plan to reap revenge for what I did"?

The heat circled me again and I saw Bella glance at me with the most horrified expression. The anger was slowly starting to get the best of me and I was losing my fight.

"Nothing would give me more pleasure than ripping your fucking head off your shoulders".

I was preparing the launch myself when Sam knocked me off balance.

"You will stand down Jacob"! You know from this distance he will reach Bella first, you have to play this smart".

I growled and snapped at Sam's flank. Now he was pissing me off. If he knew what was best for him he would back off…right now. I was two seconds away from turning into something that listened to know one, someone that didn't take any orders.

"Back off Sam"

He didn't.

"I will not allow you to put this whole pack in danger just because you can't control your anger".

Embry stepped up to where we were at, Paul following him.

"Normally I would agree that hot head over there needs to reel it in, but we need to do something". Paul replied. "He's looking at her like she's going to be his last meal or something".

"Yeah Sam if we are going to move, then we need to do it now". Embry said.

I felt grateful that at least someone else had felt the same way I did. Sam was always the type to wait till he was absolutely sure something was going to attack before he made his move. I wasn't waiting that long.

"Edward please just leave okay? Before you make things worse for yourself". Bella spoke quietly, causing all of our attentions back on what was in front of us.

Edward took on a pained expression that made his features look even more unnatural then they already did.

"My love, I know what Alice and I did was uncalled for and for that Bella love I apologize but I can no longer survive without you in my life. I won't".

Bella shook her head and for the first time since I've seen them together, she looked outraged at him.

"You lied to me Edward!" She yelled, angry tears coming to her eyes. "You lied to me for your own selfish reasons and you didn't care who you hurt in the process". She paused to wipe her eyes hastily. "You never cared about anyone, as long as you got what you wanted".

As she was talking, she was also taking steps towards us. The heel of her foot now was just touching the boundary line. That was good enough for me. Seth had come up on my other side, his eyes trained on Bella.

"I can get her Jake". He said confidently. "Just let me know when".

I had complete faith in the kid. Next to Leah, he was our second fastest wolf. I gave him a nod.

Edward had taken a step towards Bells that made us all tense up and growl.

"I must admit, that being a vampire certain emotions' of ours are ten times more amplified than humans". He spoke to Bella only, choosing to act as if we weren't there but he couldn't ignore us completely. He was greatly outnumbered.

"We feel jealousy more prominent than you do, when we want revenge we will go to the ends of the world and back to get it. But please don't mistake my feelings for you love, they were and always will be real". He said.

Bella looked appalled and she was shaking like a leaf, but when she spoke her voice was steady. "I never want to see you again Edward. This is my life now and you have no choice but to accept that".

After that, many things happened all at once. Edward rushed towards Bells without so much of a warning, grabbing her face firmly between his ice cold hands. "You will always belong to me". He muttered to her before I knocked him on his back. The move startled Bella and she let out a shriek right before Seth got to her, pushing her behind the safety of the treaty line.

I hovered over the bloodsucker's body, my teeth bared and growling so hard it rocked the ground beneath my paws. To say that I was pissed was a complete understatement, I was heated.

"Easy Jacob". Sam said on my right. "You're on their land now".

Edward laughed underneath me and I snapped my muzzle in his face quickly to get him to shut up.

"Better listen to your leader mutt". He mocked. "One bite and the treaty is broken and we don't really want a war now do we"?

Jacob Black was completely gone now. The wolf was in control now and it was no telling what he was going to do. I growled low and lowered myself as close as I could stand.

"I am my own leader leech or didn't you know? It's because of you and that pixie bloodsucker that I lost myself to the beast inside me. And guess what? If he wanted to, he would rip you apart right here, right now".

I snapped my muzzle in Edward's face again and this seemed to anger him. He tried to get up but I placed one heavy paw on his chest and pushed him roughly back down, causing a small crater to form under us. My pack brothers came closer but I paid them no mind.

"Fuck this treaty and fuck you and your family of parasites. Listen and listen well leech, if you ever set foot near this reservation again I will not hesitate to kill you. I don't give a shit about what's written on that goddamn paper this is MY land and if I smell you anywhere near it, you're dead".

I backed away, continuing to ignore the looks from the pack. Edward stood to his feet, dusting himself off before he gave me a dark look.

"Very well mutt, have it your way. But be warned. Bella is mine and I won't stop until she's with me again".

With that he took off before any of us had a chance to react. I didn't care as long as he was gone. I made my way over to Bella and she was gripping the fur on Seth's back like she never wanted to let go.

"I got it from here kid".

Seth nodded and tried to disengage himself from her but she wasn't budging. I sighed. If I wanted her to move, I was going to have to phase. Before I could do so Sam approached me.

"We need to talk Jacob. I don't know what it is with you but this is exactly why we couldn't have you take back up the position of Alpha. Your letting this girl cloud your judgment again. You're not sixteen anymore."

It was like someone had hit a switch in my head because the anger came back tenfold. I rounded on Sam, who stood his ground.

"I did what needed to be done. Maybe you should take a page out of the hot heads book. You can't always wait around Samuel, sometimes you have to act on pure extinct especially if you want to keep your family and friends safe. A TRUE Alpha knows this already".

I phased on the spot after that, not missing the menacing growl that came from Sam. I bent down to grab the pouch off my leg, but it wasn't there and it was a minute before I realized I had phased in a hurry before.

However, something soft hit my thigh and I looked over and saw a pouch at my feet. Quil had given me his. "Thanks Bro". I said quietly and Quil gave me his signature wolfy grin in return. I put on his shorts and T-shirt and walked over to Bella. She was still holding Seth tightly.

"Hey Bells, its ok honey". I said gently, placing my hand over the one she was using to grip the hell out of Seth's fur.

Her eyes met mines and I saw fear and tears swimming in them.

"Come on sweetheart, I'm going to take you home". I finally unglued her hand from Seth's fur and she collapsed in my arms, hugging my waist tightly.

I walked with her to her truck but paused and looked back over my shoulder.

"Hey Sam do you mind if I borrow Seth for the trip? I think it would be better if I had someone else driving with me". I knew Sam and I had our problems but he was Alpha of this pack for the moment so I at least had to act like I knew how this chain of commands worked.

Sam studied me for a long moment before he gave a nod and shortly after Seth was running behind me on two legs, pulling on his T-shirt. I placed Bella in the cab first and me and Seth followed, Seth in the passenger seat and me in the driver's. As soon as I started up the engine, Bella moved closer and snuggled up against my side tightly. I looked down but she wouldn't meet my eyes so I just wrapped an arm protectively around her and made our way to Seattle.

By the time I was pulling up in front of Bella's apartment both she and Seth were fast asleep. I knocked Seth in the back of his head and he jerked awake. Smiling slightly, I gently shook Bella awake.

"Bells, we're here. Your home".

Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up, rubbing her eyes cutely.

"You didn't have to come all the way out here". She muttered sleepily

I just shook my head. "I wanted to make sure you got home safe honey".

Bella's eyes popped open and she looked at me frantically. "Edward! Is he still here? Where did he go"?

I grabbed her gently but firmly by the shoulders. "He's gone for now and we have no idea where he's gone that's why me and Seth are here. To keep you safe".

Bella took in a few deep breaths before she had calmed down somewhat. She gave me a quick nod and with that we all made our way out the car. Bella led us into her apartment and I was kind of relived her roommate Angela wasn't home. She told Seth he could sleep on the couch if he wanted and he walked right over to it, flopped down on his stomach and was instantly sleep.

Bella giggled a bit and took a blanket that was hanging off the back of the couch and placed it on top of him. She turned around to face me.

"I'm just going to go change. I'll be right back". She said quietly and I nodded in response.

However it was over twenty minutes before she returned and I started to worry. I made my way down the tiny hallway when I heard quiet sobbing in the room to my left. I cracked to door open a bit and peered in.

Bella was perched on the end of her bed in shorts and tank. Her head was in her hands and she was crying. I took a step into her room.

"What's wrong Bells"? I thought I had asked this quietly but I guess I didn't because Bella jumped at the sound of my voice but made no effort to hide her tears.

"I'm so so sorry Jake". She said shakily. "I'm always causing you so much trouble. You shouldn't have to deal with this. I need to handle this on my own. You need to go home".

I folded my arms over my chest and leaned against the door frame.

"There is no way in hell that I or the pack is going to sit back and let you handle this alone". I said sternly. "Believe it or not Bells we care about you and anything we can do to keep you safe, we will do".

I walked towards her and bent down to place a kiss to her head. "Go and get some sleep okay"?

Bella gave me a smile and a nod and I turned and made my way back towards the living room where Seth was. I heard her blankets ruffle and her voice stopped me at the door.

"Jake"? She called out tentively. I looked over my shoulder at her.

"Yeah"?

She fumbled with a string on her tank top before she met my eyes again, her cheeks tainted red.

"Will you stay with me"? She asked quietly.

I stood rooted to the spot for a moment. This was dangerous ground I was thinking about entering but one look at Bella's face was enough to make up my mind. I gave her a small smile and closed the door behind me. I walked towards the bed, removing my shirt as I went. I didn't miss the look Bella gave me, her eyes roaming up my naked torso. She moved the covers back once I reached the side of the bed and I climbed in. Immediately Bella laid down on chest, one arm resting at her side, the other wrapped loosely around my waist. I wrapped my arms around her and I felt her relax instantly, burying her face in my side.

"Goodnight Jake". She mumbled, her breath tickling my skin.

I moved my face into her hair and inhaled, closing my eyes as I took in her scent. I would never get tired of it. I wanted to smack myself for even putting myself in this situation. It would only confuse things further between us but I decided just for the moment to forget what we were now and try to remember us as we were before.

"Goodnight Bells".


A/N: Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Please review and let me know what you all are thinking. I LOVE to hear you guys' ideas! Until next time…MN