Wolfie
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N- Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter, your awesome feedback on this story keeps me motivated. :)
LOL, you all guessed what was up with Bella correctly! There is drama coming up in this chapter so brace yourselves!
PART TWO-GROWING UP
Part Three
Bella knocked on the Clearwater's front door nervously. She had been rehearsing in her head about the best way to broach the subject with Leah. The door was suddenly yanked open and Embry emerged. He looked surprised to see her, but he smiled in greeting.
"Hey, Bella, where's Jake?" He enquired.
Bella frowned in irritation. "Still at the beach, we are not attached at the hip you know."
Embry snickered at her words. "Duh...Bella, you two are always together."
"Never mind that now, where is Leah? I need to speak to her." Bella tried to see past Embry into the house.
"Ugh don't mention Lee. Honestly she should join your dad in the police force. She has been interrogating me for the last hour about what I have been up to because I keep disappearing off. She thinks I am into drugs or something..." Embry ran his hand through his hair.
Bella smirked. She could just picture Leah following Embry around demanding answers. "She only worries about you Em."
Embry rolled his eyes. "Whatever? I am going for a run, maybe then I could get some peace."
Bella giggled as she watched Embry sprint away from the house and into the nearby trees. Shrugging her shoulders to release the tension Bella entered the house and began to search for Leah. She wandered around slowly and ended up in the kitchen. She came across Leah's textbooks scattered around the kitchen table, the words SAM LOVES LEAH were scrawled across the front in red marker pen. Bella shook her head; Leah really did have it bad.
She eventually found Leah in the small back garden. Her friend was stretched out on the lawn, a paperback in her hand, reading. The weak sun shone on Leah's shoulder length black hair. She had decided to grow it out from the pixie crop she used to wear. Bella made her way over to her and flopped down beside her.
"I thought you were with Jakey boy having a romantic stroll on the beach..." Leah turned briefly and grinned at Bella.
"We did...I mean I was. Anyway I came here to ask you about something..." Bella began nervously.
"Shoot girlfriend..." Leah closed her book and sat up, crossing her legs in front of her.
Bella felt her face heating up with embarrassment and she cursed the fair skin that always gave her away. Leah was about to make a smart remark but she stopped herself when she saw how panicky the other girl looked. She reached out and gently patted Bella's hand.
"Don't worry Bella, just ask me anything. What's wrong?" Leah asked in a gentle voice, totally unlike her usual tone.
Bella swallowed nervously. She began to bite her bottom lip in agitation. "Lee...I...I...err...I'm now a woman." She suddenly blurted out.
Leah stared at her friend's flushed face for a second, not sure what she was getting at. Then it hit her like a freight train. Bella had started her periods. "Oh hon...I see. Do you need some stuff? I have some spare. Oh Bella..."
Bella gave Leah a small smile. She had been worried that the older girl would tease her. "Yeah please...I don't know what to use for the best. I mean, I can hardly ask my dad. I still haven't recovered from the embarrassing sex talk yet."
Leah smiled at her in sympathy. She grabbed hold of Bella's hand and towed her toward her bedroom...
XXXXXX
Billy came home to the smell of cooking. He opened the front door and crept inside, wondering who was making the effort to actually cook. It couldn't be Jake, that boy could burn water. It must be one of the twins. Billy felt his mouth watering. He had missed his wife's home cooked meals. He walked tiredly into the kitchen and was astonished to see Sarah in front of the stove. She was so intent on what she was doing she did not hear her husband approach.
"Sarah? " Billy's voice made her jump. She swivelled around in her chair and smiled at him.
"Hey Billy, come into the kitchen. Dinner is nearly ready. I thought I would make the meal tonight, give you a break." Sarah patted down her freshly washed hair. Sue had helped her put on one of her best dresses and apply some makeup. Billy couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Sweetheart you look beautiful..." He said huskily.
Sarah smiled tremulously in response. "You have to say that..."
Billy knelt down in front of his wife and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "No I don't, you're beautiful Sarah, inside and out. I love you so much."
Tears pricked at the corners of Sarah's eyes as she reached out a shaking hand and touched Billy's cheek. "I'm sorry...I know I haven't been..."
Billy leaned forward and stopped her words with a soft kiss on her lips."Never say sorry to me..." He whispered. They both rested their foreheads against each other's and closed their eyes. For the first time in an age, they both felt a spark of hope...
XXXXXX
"So that's about it," Leah finished as she handed Bella what she needed.
"Thanks Lee...I really appreciate you doing this." Bella replied gratefully.
"No problem...come on girl, I need some food." Leah began to get up from the bed and waited for her friend to join her. However Bella sat frozen in place. Her eyes were glassy and she seemed to be staring at nothing.
Leah waved her hand in front of the other girl. There was no response, she did not even blink. "Bella stop it, you're scaring me now."
Silence...Bella remained as still as a statue. Leah began to panic and she grabbed hold of Bella's arms and shook her hard. The other's girl's head snapped back and her eyes closed as she slumped back onto the bed.
"Bella, don't do this? Please what's wrong? Bella..." Leah cried out as she knelt beside her friend. Bella's body began to jerk, almost like she was having a fit. After a few seconds of this her body stopped moving. Leah stared at her in fear, she tentatively touched Bella's arm and her eyes flew open.
"Bella are you back now?" Leah's voice shook as she spoke.
Bella took in a deep breath. "Jacob..." She whispered before she suddenly opened her mouth wide and began to scream...
XXXXXX
Jacob had been running through the forest aimlessly after his tiff with Bella. He stretched his wolf legs to their limit, bounding over fallen logs and bursting through low branches, not caring that they whipped him in the face and drew blood. He felt so angry and hurt. Running like this was a good distraction and helped him burn off his anger. He felt Embry phase in but ignored the other wolf's questions. He just wanted to be alone and sort through his pent up emotions. He was so focused on this that he was totally unaware of the nomad vampire who had been watching him, hidden deep within the undergrowth. The wind was blowing in the opposite direction so Jacob had no warning before the vampire suddenly burst forth and attacked.
Embry heard Jacob's howl of pain echo in his mind through the shared mind link. He saw Jacob being attacked and he instinctively headed in the direction of his friend. It took a good five minutes of hard running before Embry finally managed to reach Jacob. The disgusting smell of rotten meat hit his nostrils and Embry felt like he wanted to gag. It was the first time he had ever smelt a vampire. Breathing heavily he caught sight of a whirling mass of wolf and a pale faced, skinny human like figure. Jacob was trying to get a grip on the leech's neck but unfortunately the vampire had snapped one of his front paws and he was hindered in his movements.
Embry did not hesitate, he jumped in the fight and got a tight hold on the back of the leech's head and pulled hard. This gave Jacob a chance to get to his feet. Limping badly on three legs, he gripped the leech's legs with his strong jaws and tugged. With Embry's teeth still holding onto the vampire's head they both ripped the creature in half. Its deafening screams pierced the air.
The two wolves released the vampire and took deep, gulping breaths. Jacob slumped to the ground, his paw was bent at a weird angle and he had deep gashes down his sides. Embry immediately phased back and assessed the damage.
"Jake...I have got to burn the pieces like we were told. Then I am going to help you get back home, alright?" Embry watched Jacob nod his large wolf's head tiredly. His healing ability had kicked in but it was using an enormous amount of his energy reserves to work. He longed for Bella and it was her face he saw in his mind as he closed his eyes and lay his head on the ground.
XXXXXX
After a lot of begging and reassurance that she was fine, but insisting she had to see Jacob, Bella finally managed to persuade Leah to let her walk over to the Black's house. The other girl insisted on accompanying her in case she suddenly blacked out again. Bella did not care, she had seen the whole fight with the vampire through her connection to Jacob, and she just wanted to get to him as quickly as possible. She knew that he would head home as soon as he was fit enough to. The fear and overwhelming devastation she had experienced when she thought he was going to die kept whirling through Bella's mind. She had felt every injury and hurt that he had. She thanked god that he was okay.
It seemed to take an age to walk over to the little red house. Leah kept shooting worried glances her way, but Bella was entirely focused on getting to her destination and ignored the other girl. After fifteen minutes they saw the little red house ahead through the trees. Leading the way Bella began to run toward the front door, Leah sprinted after her.
"Hey slow down Bella..."
Bella stopped suddenly and glanced around with a frown. Leah could see a myriad of emotions crossing the other girls face and wondered what she was thinking. Eventually Bella gave her a half smile. "Lee would you do me a favour and go ahead and see if Jake wants to see me. I mean we did have a bit of an argument. Please?"
Leah rolled her eyes but carried out Bella's request. Bella watched her go for a few seconds and then changed direction and headed over to the garage. She knew that Jake was not in the house. She just needed to get Leah out of the way. Yanking the doors of the garage open Bella cried out when she saw Jacob sprawled out on the floor, Embry kneeling beside him. He was trying to mop up some of Jake's blood with an old t-shirt.
"Bells?" Jacob called out weakly when he heard her gasp. He shifted around so he could see her. Bella ran to his side and embraced him, hiding her face in his shoulder length hair.
Embry watched the two of them curiously. Jacob's injuries, although bad, were already healing up quite well. He just needed to rest. He heard Bella muttering sorry to Jake repeatedly. Jacob had rolled onto his back and pulled Bella into a tight embrace. Embry felt like he was intruding. He stood up and stealthily slipped away, leaving the two of them alone.
XXXXXX
Later that night another wolf joined the pack as Sam Uley phased for the first time...
A/N-I was up really early this morning writing this chapter. I just needed to write it down. The ideas kept buzzing around my head, keeping me awake...Thanks for reading!