CHAPTER SEVEN: REASSURANCE
(Jacob's POV)

I took Bella's hand and led her outside. As we got closer to the fire, her grip on my hand tightened, and I looked down at her. She was nervous, and I guess I couldn't blame her. She was hanging out with a pack of wolves.

"Bella!" Emily called.

I didn't want to part with her. I'd just gotten her back. But Bella wasn't a crowd kind of person, and I knew Emily would probably help her feel more at home. I kissed her on the forehead and said "Go on." She flashed a sweet smile before I turned to join my brothers.

I sat down on the ground, leaning against a log and watched Bella. She was sitting on a bench with Emily, and she was watching me, a shy smile playing about her lips. Embry was talking to me, but I wasn't paying attention. I saw her eyes grow wide then felt a jarring pressure in my shoulder, followed by Embry's laughter. The idiot had punched me! I shrugged and laughed, and Bella resumed chatting with Emily.

Emily was pointing at people and talking, and Bella was nodding her head. She seemed to be enjoying herself, so I relaxed and looked around. Isaiah was watching her a little too closely for my liking, but Bella didn't seem to notice so I tried to ignore him. I wasn't having much luck, especially when I caught her smiling at him.

"So, are you back among the living?" asked Embry.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"C'mon Jake. You were like the walking dead without her," he teased.

"That obvious?" I laughed.

"It was disgusting" he snorted. "All that and you haven't even imprinted!"

The others chimed in, with lots of verbal jabs and some really terrible advice. I watched Bella out of the corner of my eye the entire time. So did Isaiah, but at least Bella was too busy talking to Emily to notice. I glared at him for a while, much to Jared's amusement, but Isaiah didn't even glance my way. I was about to go over and say something when Embry distracted me again.

"So what do you think of Meg? You think I've got a chance?" he asked.

"No."

"No?" he repeated, surprised.

"You smell like wet dog," I chuckled.

"You're one to talk! Five bucks says she kisses me before the fire's out."

"You have to talk to her first, moron," I said, my eyes going back to Bella.

Her pale skin glistened in the glow of the fire, and her hair danced over her shoulders as she laughed with Emily. Even her eyes sparkled, reminding me of the bonfire where I'd first met her, back before either of us really believed that monsters existed. She was beautiful like this, when the pain she'd been in for so long was nearly gone. I wondered how she'd managed to get past it. I wanted to think I'd had something to do with that, but I couldn't be sure. Whatever the reason, I was going to make sure she never went back to that dark, destructive place again.

I was tracing her name in the dirt when I felt a hand on my knee. Had she come to sit with me? I looked up and was met with disappointment. Maria.

"I was hoping I'd see you here," she said, smiling.

"Oh?"

"Why haven't you come over and talked to me yet, Jake?"

"I've been busy." Oops. That sounded rude.

"Too busy for me?" she asked, moving closer.

Uh-oh. "Ah, no." Crap. I was too busy for her. But saying that would just be mean.

"It's a little crowded here, don't you think?"

"Not really," I said, pretending not to catch her drift. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." Okay, so maybe it wasn't the smoothest change of subject, but I was willing to do anything to get out before things got any more awkward.

I looked over to see Bella still sitting with Emily. Sam was beside her now. It looked like he was talking to her and Bella was staring at the ground, her shoulders hunched down. Something was wrong again. Was Sam upsetting her? Whatever it was, it had to be fixed. Now.

"Bella!" I called.

Sam and Emily glanced at me, but Bella didn't budge.

"Bella!" I called a little louder this time.

She seemed dazed when she looked up. But then she stood and walked clumsily, adorably, toward me. She now looked terrified. I held my hand out to her, and pulled her down to sit with me. I held her close and wrapped my arms around her. She was tense, and I started to wonder if she was uncomfortable just being here...with me.

"I've missed you," I whispered against her ear. "You were with Emily so long I think Isaiah was getting the impression you're available."

She rested her hand on my thigh. Her thumb began moving in circles on the inside of my leg, the effect of which I was pretty sure she wasn't aware. I heard her sigh as I felt her relax against me. Whatever was bothering her was gone. But what was bothering me was still moving in circles on the inside of my thigh.

I kissed along her neck and let my teeth graze her ear, and she shivered. I couldn't help myself. I slipped one hand just under the bottom of her shirt, careful not to move too high, and trailed my fingers across her stomach. Suddenly she gasped and wiggled against me, and it was all I could do to keep control. I pulled her hips back roughly against me, knowing she could feel me hardened against her back.

"Bella! If you can't control yourself..."

She just giggled and slid forward a little. Bella wasn't going to make this easy on me.

"I'm sorry Maria," I said, not surprised that I'd forgotten all about her. "I don't believe you two have met. This is my Bella."

"Hello, Bella. It's nice to meet you," she said, with a cold smile. Then she just got up and walked away.

"I don't think she likes you," I said to Bella.

"She seems to like you well enough."

That's what was wrong. Bella had gotten the wrong idea. I turned her to the side so I could see her face and smiled. "I guess that explains the tortured look you had over there. Jealous?"

"Nope," she said, smiling back mischievously. "I'm sure Isaiah wouldn't mind keeping me company if you're too preoccupied."

This will be better than confronting Isaiah, I thought. "Oh, I'll show you preoccupied..." and I kissed her again, slipping my tongue past her lips as my hand found its way back to her stomach. I had every right to torture her like she'd done to me. I stopped only when her breathing became ragged and she whimpered against my mouth. I hadn't really even done anything, but I loved her reaction. I smiled down at her as she tried to catch her breath.

"That's not fair," she pouted.

"Careful, Bells," I teased. "I could show you 'not fair,' too, but I'm pretty sure Sam would come unglued."

Her eyes grew wide with panic and her cheeks blazed red. I laughed as she tucked herself against me. A bunch of the girls were giggling, and the look on my sister's face was priceless. I couldn't resist giving Isaiah a smug smile, earning a nice glare in return. Yes, everyone had noticed, but it didn't matter. Looking down at her I knew that what mattered was that she was my Bella. And we were happy.

Then I felt her cringe and I looked up. Sam was watching us, and he was not pleased. I instinctively tightened my arms around her and shifted my position. I took my eyes off Sam for a second and saw Emily was looking intently at Bella...and she looked worried. Bella pressed closer to me. This can't be good. Suddenly Emily's expression changed and she whispered again to Sam, who relaxed immediately. I didn't have to be phased to know what they had been thinking. They thought I was pushing Bella again, and I was not about to explain myself to them. Since when is Sam so concerned about Bella? I could certainly appreciate their earlier advice, but Bella was mine to take care of now. How could they think I was stupid enough to hurt her? I didn't lessen my hold on her until she turned to look at me, her eyes filled with questions.

"You okay, Bells?" I asked, trying to hide my annoyance with Sam.

"Mmmhmm," she mumbled, then she snuggled her face against my neck.

I was stroking her back and still watching Sam when I felt her breathing change. She had fallen asleep. I held her close, listening to her slow breathing, silently reveling in the moment. It felt like I had waited forever for her. Months of watching her with that bloodsucker, followed by months of watching her fall apart over him.

The Bella that had first shown up with the bikes had looked so lost and fragile. Her eyes had been empty, and her face had lost what little color it had. I hadn't been exaggerating when I'd told her she looked like a little china doll. She had looked utterly breakable. She was skinny and frail, and Charlie had been beside himself with worry. Every time he'd talk to my dad he'd complained about not knowing what to do to help her. And he'd had plenty of names for the bloodsucker who'd made her that way. I didn't understand how the leech could have left her. Why would anyone leave her?

But now she was almost herself again. When she laughed, it didn't sound hollow anymore. And when she smiled, her eyes blazed again. She still wasn't over him, or at least the pain he'd caused her, I knew. But she was mine now, and I wasn't going to let anything hurt her---especially me. The leech had made a mistake in leaving her, but I was selfishly glad he had. I wouldn't make that same mistake.