Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers owns Twilight. I do not. I do however, own my gang.
Flying solo folks.
Chapter 21
"Bella."
Bella heard Jacob speak her name, and yet she couldn't summon the will to respond. His face appeared above hers, dark eyebrows drawing together in concern. The grim set of his mouth did nothing to take away from the heavy emotion shining in his eyes. There was a deep aching sadness in her chest for him. She never wanted him to see her so weak and vulnerable. Her mind wasn't willing to waste energy on such a useless emotion. So her feelings of sadness died as quickly as it was born.
She knew what would happen next. Her brain would shut her senses down so her body could begin its arduous task of repairing her fractured bones. Until the job was done, she'd be completely useless.
Then there was arguing and voices raised in anger. Her heart sank.
Liz and Jacob were fighting over her.
The attempt to move her deadened limbs failed miserably. She was unable to move. The voices around her grew faint, and she strained to make sense of their garbled words. Like a candle being snuffed out, her sense of hearing disappeared, rendering her deaf. The world and everything in it fell silent.
Jacob's grim face appeared in her line of vision again, his hands reached for her. They slid under her body and hoisted her into his arms. Bright pain erupted and she almost fainted from its intensity. There would've been a groan of pain if she was still capable of making the sound. After the serum her skin always throbbed like the exposed nerve of a bad tooth. Taylor would've known that to move her so soon after the serum would cause her pain.
Taylor.
What she would give to be with him in the safety of their home right now. There wasn't a part of her body that didn't hurt. She wondered dimly where Jacob was taking her?
She was grateful when her brain shut down her sense of touch, and the pain from being touched faded away. A delightful numbness settled in.
She was staring at Jacob's throat when her sight went, leaving her alone in the dark. Try as she might her tenuous hold on the strings of consciousness slipped from her grasp. She was swept into the sea of memories past again. More than the pain and vulnerability, she hated this part. Being forced to relive her death.
"It won't be long now." Bella heard Alice murmur to the quiet room.
She wished she could see the faces of her friends and family one last time, but her eyelids would not move. Unfortunately what used to be an effortless task was too much for her now.
She was dying.
A week now she'd been like this. Entombed in her body, unable to move or speak. Still she could hear whenever someone in the room spoke, feel when she was touched.
Drops of warm tears hit her cheek and trembling fingers traced her lips.
Taylor brought his lips to her ears and whispered how much he loved her. The absolute desolation in his voice broke her heart.
She would've extracted a promise from him, that he wouldn't be sad forever. That he would try to build a life without her. Edward had already promised her he'd keep Taylor alive for as long as he could. Knowing Taylor, he'd try to follow her and that was the last thing she wanted. Liz and the others would need him to survive the blow her death would undoubtedly deliver. Taylor was the calm center of their group. He was the glue. Without him, what was left of their group would scatter like dandelions in the wind. Holding them together would be his job.
The room's silence was occasionally interrupted by her mother's inconsolable sobbing. Charlie's rough fingers raised her hand to his wiry mustache and kissed it. She didn't need her eyes to know the coldness beside her feet belonged to Edward. Every so often he'd rub her feet. All of her friends still lingered in the room, having said their goodbyes some time before. And she'd heard each and every tear-stained speech. She was so sorry she couldn't stay. Her thoughts wandered to Jacob and remorse left a bitter taste in her mouth. There were so many regrets where he was concerned. The biggest one; never having the chance to say goodbye to him in person. At least she got to say how sorry she was in her letter. Knowing he'd found happiness with his imprint would have to be enough.
The muscles in her chest ached with each expulsion of air. Her lungs heaved and strained with the effort. A terrible rattle accompanied each irregular breath. A merciful touch of morphine lessened the disturbing sound and Bella wondered if Edward heard her thoughts and voiced the complaint to Carlisle. The gentle squeeze of her foot told her yes. The pinch of her incontinence pad was a mild nuisance when compared to her injured pride. The cancer had stolen everything from her, including her dignity. Bella was ready. This was no way to live.
Taylor continued to speak but his words were urgent and growing more distorted by the second. Her consciousness was quickly being replaced by a growing void. The final thing she felt was Taylor's fingers roughly prying her jaws apart. Alice's unintelligible shouting was the last thing she heard as she drew her final breath.
The life threads that made up the hammock cradling her body began to give way beneath her, snapping one by one. She could feel the life draining out of a body that suddenly felt too cold. With no more will to fight, letting go was easy. There should've been more grief, after all she was leaving behind… someone. She couldn't remember who. For that matter she couldn't even recall her own name. None of it mattered anyway, not anymore. All the pain and despair shackling her to her frail body snapped and she was finally free.
She was flying through the darkness toward the place with no name. There was no hesitation, leaving her former life behind. It would be better, where she was going. No further thought was required as she instinctively knew the way. It had been tattooed on her being since birth. She followed the same path that countless others had used before her. She was finally going home.
Feelings of panic began to filter through. There was something desperately chasing after her in the darkness. As though sensing danger, the heavy darkness closed in tightly around her, attempting to force the creature back. It didn't belong here. Her death made way for new life. This was the way of things. All these things the darkness tried to impress on the creature were impatiently brushed aside like annoying gnats. The beast would not be swayed. It meant to return her to the land of the living no matter the cost.
The creature and the darkness began a tug of war over her. One would tug her forward while the other would drag her back. The darkness attempted to swallow her whole, and it would've succeeded were it not for the beast's unshakable hold. With the absence of a body, there was no pain as they wrestled over her spirit. She lost all sense of time as the struggle waged on with no end in sight. Something happened and the darkness suddenly relented, freeing her from its grip. She was being spirited back to her body.
She didn't want to go back!
She was ready!
It wasn't fair!
If she still had a mouth, she would've wailed in despair at the cruel injustice. Her spirit was returned to her body, but that wasn't the end of it. The creature also forced its way inside and wrapped its tentacles around her mind where it fully intended to stay.
Bella woke disoriented and angrier than she'd ever been in her entire life. She heard several gasps as she heaved herself upright.
There was a man lying motionless on the floor while Carlisle frantically worked to resuscitate him. It was Taylor.
Charlie crouched low beside them, his fingers were still checking Taylor's pulse but his incredulous stare was fixed on Bella's face.
Bella observed the scene through dispassionate eyes. She felt nothing for Taylor. No concern, fear or love. In fact she didn't feel anything for any of the people in the room.
A gasp.
More tears filled Renee's eyes, fingers touching her parted lips. "My baby!" Arms outstretched, she reached for Bella but Alice's hand shot out, preventing her from coming any closer.
Alice's eyes glazed over with a vision, and then a look of stark terror washed over her features. "Oh god!"
Edward's head snapped back, his posture stiffening. "Emmett, get them out! Get the humans out of the house!"
Never needing to be told when to run, Zach had already begun to edge his way toward the door the moment Bella opened her eyes. Liz and Ryan called her name, struggling to get to her as Emmett attempted to herd them out of the room. Esme disappeared with Charlie and Renee. Carlisle rose with Taylor in his arms and fled the room in a flash.
"You have to fight it, Bella," Edward's face twisted in a plea as Bella ripped the IV out of her arm.
Bella tried to speak but wasn't able to. Her mind could not remember how to form words. Something akin to a gargling howl left her throat, taking her sanity with it. Uncontrollable rage colored her every thought, erasing everything that made her who she was. Sensing her growing malice, Jasper lowered himself to a crouch and growled in warning. His open show of aggression drove her rage to frenzied heights. She threw her head back and released a guttural roar. The house shook as if being hammered by an earthquake. Windows shattered, sending dangerously large shards of glass flying in every direction. Edward instinctively threw an arm over his face, even though the cloud of sharp splinters posed no threat to him. Bella trembled with the frenzied need to destroy.
Edward, Alice and Jasper were no longer recognized as friends, they were abominations. She would destroy every last one of the cursed creatures. She would kill them all!
Bones and muscles strained against her skin as her body began to change. Bella's consciousness fell away and something sinister took its place. The walls of the room began to crumble in the face of her destructive power and Edward screamed her name.
Bella woke with a start, the begins of a scream dying in her throat. Squinting against the light, she blinked rapidly in a bid to clear her blurred vision. Her sight cleared, bringing Liz anxious face into focus. Memories of what happened rushed back to her, bringing a disconcerted flush to her face. She almost had another episode, and Jacob was there when she was under the effects of the serum.
"Thank god you're all right, Izzy. I was so worried." Liz sighed. There were traces of irritation and relief in her tone.
Jacob regarded her silently from his chair, his features strained, mouth pressed in a hard line.
A glance down at her body confirmed that she was lying on his couch. He'd carried her into his house after she passed out and Liz was not the least bit happy about it. That probably explained the arguing she heard before things went dark.
Bella winced at the pain in her bones when she struggled to sit and Liz rushed to her aid.
"Take it easy, Bella. Your body's had a hell of a shock." Sam traded uneasy glances with Paul.
Liz helped Bella swing her legs off the couch and sit upright. Bella's attempt to sit up straight ended when her spine popped painfully and she sucked in a breath. She hastily returned to slouching like an old lady. The dull ache in her head warned of an impending headache. She'd gone too long without her painkillers. If she failed to get on top of the pain now, she'd be in agony for the rest of the day. Exhaustion tugged at her, nausea churned in her stomach. Both were lingering side-effects of the serum. She needed to go home and sleep it off. Anything else she had planned today would have to wait.
All the while Bella felt the weight of Jacob's stare boring into her. She kept her gaze averted, wanting to avoid the inevitable until the last possible moment.
"Can you get me some water, Liz?" Her voice sounded sandpaper rough to her ears. She swallowed against her painfully parched throat.
Eager to help, Liz hurried to the kitchen. With her friend preoccupied, Bella was finally able to risk a glance at Jacob.
He was getting ready to Alpha her hard. Looking over at Sam and Paul, they studied her with grim fascination. They all appeared determined to get some answers.
"Give us the room," Jacob ordered in a hard, yet calm voice after Bella took her pills. Sam and Paul immediately rose from their seats.
"Like hell." Liz took umbrage at the idea of leaving her alone with Jacob.
"It's fine, Liz. I'll be out in a minute." Bella offered a tight smile. She understood Liz's hesitation as she wasn't in the mood to be pumped for answers. But the sooner she dealt with him, the sooner she could leave.
Heavy reluctance wavered across Liz's features before she relented, following Sam and Paul outside.
As soon as the door closed , Jacob began his questioning. "What did Liz give you?"
"It's a serum. It… helps me." Bella stood and felt a distant echo of pain in her bones.
"Is this about cancer? Did it come back?" He asked, his expression curiously closed.
"No I'm still in remission."
"Does this have anything to do with Taylor being draken? Is he the reason you need this serum?" Why did she get the feeling Jacob was looking for a reason to turn his anger on Taylor.
"In a way. Sort of," she hedged.
Anger crept over his features. He looked as though he would start yelling any second now. "Bella—"
She held up a hand as the room began to spin. "Do you think you can take it just a little bit easy on me? It's been a long day and I can not."
"I want answers, Bells."
"And I promise you'll get them. Just not today." She paused and then added, "Please."
For a moment she thought he would agree, until she noted the stubborn set of his jaw. This wasn't old ex-boyfriend Jacob she was dealing with. This was the stone faced, angry mountain Alpha of a wolf pack. He wouldn't stop until he'd wrung the last drop of truth from her.
A wave of dizziness swept over her, pain came swiftly on its heels. What started as a dull throb, erupted in a searing explosion inside her skull. That vicious spike of pain flattened her lungs, making it impossible to scream. The pain would've brought her to her knees if Jacob hadn't been there to catch her when they buckled. A low groan forced its way out of her. Enveloped in the comforting warmth of his arms, she took comfort in his strength.
Beneath the gale force winds of agony roaring through her head, Jacob spoke words of comfort in low, soothing tones. When the pain subsided she was able to make sense of what he was saying.
"If you tell me, I can help you." He cradled her face between his hands.
Staring at his face, Bella caught a glimmer of the old Jacob. The teenage boy who would've done anything to protect her. Whether or not she told him, it would make no difference. The creature dwelling inside her could not be fixed, bargained with or made to go away. In this world she'd learned there were things that could not be undone, couldn't be fixed by good intentions. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.
Despair and hot tears stung her eyes, her throat tightened painfully. The aftermath of the pain left her trembling so badly, she could only bring herself to shake her head in response to his offer. Jacob couldn't fix this. How could he when he had no idea what he was up against?
"Are you ready to talk about it?"
"Not yet," She whispered, terrified he'd think she was a monster.
After a minute, he seemed to accept her answer. "What do you need?"
"Sleep. The serum's still in my system. If I don't go home and rest I'll pay for it in a bad way." As hard as she worked to keep the note of panic from her voice, Jacob heard it anyway. She also neglected to mention that part about needing raw meat to help fuel her recovery.
She should've been used to the serum aftershocks by now, after all pain had become a daily source of misery in her life. And yet it always managed to take her by surprise. It scared her to think she might never experience a day without some sort of pain.
"Fine. I won't push while you're this weak, but I'm letting you go on one condition, Bells." His face held a ghost of a smile but his eyes were dead serious. "The next time I ask about the serum, I want the truth. All of it."
Wasn't like she had a whole lot of options at this point. She held back a grimace when she thought about Taylor. He would not be happy when he heard what went down today. So much for maintaining her distance from the pack and keeping their affairs private.
"Okay," she readily agreed.
Outside Paul and Sam stood guard, arms crossed over their chests like two muscled bouncers blocking the front entrance. Liz stood in front of them. All three seemed to be engaged in a stare down.
Bella opened the door just in time to hear Liz threaten, "If you don't let me in there, I'm gonna go on a balls kicking rampage!"
Her face lit up when she saw Bella, only to darken once more. "Move!" She snapped at the two wolves and they obliged her.
Her arms encircled Bella waist and she helped Bella crawl into the car's backseat. Bella shut her eyes, and tried not to think of how close she'd come to almost killing the bake sale committee.
"Have you talk to Angela since she moved out?"
"No. She's still mad at me." Frowning in concentration, Bella worked on the length of ribbon in her hands.
"Have you tried apologizing?" Taylor flicked a glance in her direction.
"Angela's an adult. If she wants to sleep with a dog, she better not come crying to me when she gets bitten by the fleas. Not my problem." If Angela could chose a sex-romp with Quil over years of friendship then she was welcomed to him.
"It's okay to admit you miss your friend." His fingers practically flew across the keyboard.
"I don't miss her." She'd never admit how much it hurt when Angela returned her house key.
"You're pouting."
"Am not."
After chilling cookie dough overnight, Bella placed them in the oven to bake. It was a calculated risk, leaving them alone with Ryan on the loose. But she assumed the cookies would be safe in the time it took them to bake. In the meantime, she was busy clipping ribbons for packaging. She sat on the bed, surrounded by labels, cellophane wrapping, boxes and markers. It looked as though she cleaned out the entire craft store. With the bake sale two days away, Bella didn't have room for distractions. That included talking about Angela.
Scissors in hand, she could feel the weight of Taylor's knowing gaze bearing down on her.
Releasing a sigh, Bella set the ribbon down and stared back at Taylor. Angled slightly away from his desk, he sat behind his laptop regarding her silently. In a few days, he would interview for a teaching assistant post at a private school, so he was researching the school and position as much as he could until then. He didn't need the distractions either.
"I'm being passive aggressive."
"Yes." His mouth twitched in a smile.
"I didn't mean to bring up Trent. It's just that…" She wetted her lips. "When I saw her with Quil, my protective instincts took over and I went on the attack. When I gather up the courage, I'll go see her and apologize."
"You've been doing that a lot lately. Attacking." Despite the casualness in his posture, he carried tension in his shoulders.
"I already spoke to Carlisle. After my near slip with Quil and what happened on the res, he thought I should start taking the serum on a weekly basis instead of an as-needed one."
"Does that mean the serum's not working as well as we'd thought?" Taylor swiveled away from the screen, giving her his full attention.
"Of course not. Doctors make slight adjustments in their patient's medications all the time. It's nothing to worry about." Except that Carlisle was now insisting on getting weekly updates on her condition. He was concerned the serum's effects had weakened somehow. It had taken a lot of convincing to keep the good doctor from paying her a visit to collect fresh blood samples.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not being completely honest with me?" His eyes carefully studied her face.
Once, she'd confessed to Jacob about the times when she felt that Taylor didn't truly know her. What she never mentioned were the other times. The times when he could unearth her secrets with just one look. From just one glance he could tell what she was feeling. Maybe it came from them being mated, or as a result of spending everyday together for four years. Whatever the reason, Bella never felt it more keenly than she did now. Taylor saw right through her.
Evasion wouldn't work, not this time. Still she could not tell him about Carlisle and the serum's eventual failure. Things were finally starting to fall into place for them. They were happy and it was a happiness she guarded jealously. She'd have to give him something else.
"I almost told Jacob the truth about the serum and why I need it." It was a little scary to think of how close she'd come to confessing everything to Jacob.
Surprise lit Taylor's eyes. "Why didn't you?"
"I didn't want him to start giving me the look."
"What look?"
"The look I get from you sometimes." Before Taylor could deny it, Bella continued, "I'm not accusing you of anything. I already know I'm dangerous, and after the attack you have every right to be cautious."
Taylor frowned, his fingers absentmindedly stroking his scarred chest. "You were not yourself. It's not your fault."
"That doesn't change what happened." It also didn't change the fact that a part of him now feared her.
Taylor didn't insult her by lying. She knew him too well for that. "You didn't want Jacob to be afraid of you."
"I don't want any of them to be afraid of me." She smiled sadly. "Knowing I'm a ticking time-bomb and continuing to hang around them is selfish, I know. But being around the pack gives me a break from thinking about my issues. I get to be regular, old Bella." Not sick Bella or dangerous Bella. She meant to keep her promise to Jacob. He would know the truth, but on her terms not his.
Taylor appeared somewhat dismayed by her admission. "It's been my experience that humans don't do well with different. They tend to hate and fear what they don't understand."
Years ago, Taylor told her the story of how Marianna's daughter, Helena was betrayed by a human she trusted. That betrayal led to her capture by the Volturi, who then turned her into a vampire when Marianna refused to give herself up. And if that wasn't bad enough, draken also had a history of being persecuted by humans. Being stoned to death and burned at the stake didn't inspire a lot of faith in the goodness of the human race. Up until Taylor left Spain, the draken were still keeping their supernatural talents hidden from human sight. They were so successful at hiding that the private investigator Taylor had hired to search for them remained empty handed to this day.
"Believe me, I understand the need to be accepted by your friends, but I don't want you to be disappointed when you finally see the truth."
"And what is the truth?"
"That people are people. They can almost always be counted on to disappoint you."
"Or surprise you?" She thought back to when Taylor revealed what he was to her. Through his fear and shame she gained knowledge of the deep-seeded self loathing he'd carried around since he first manifested. Without the slightest hesitation, she'd accepted him just as he was. A tiny part of her hoped to find the same unwavering acceptance from the pack when her secret eventually came to light.
"They may not understand what you are." Taylor shook his head, smiling to himself. "Even I have trouble understanding at times. I don't want you to get your hopes up."
"I've given up hope twice in my life. When Edward left me and after my miscarriage. It's a lonely, terrifying place to be." She smiled sadly. "Werewolf, vampire, draken. It makes no difference to me. I'll always see the person beneath the supernatural and hope the pack will too. I can't… no I refuse to believe that I'm some kind of anomaly, that the pack won't see it the way I do."
"Maybe you're a weirdo," Taylor teased, attempting to lighten the mood. She rarely spoke about Kate's suicide as it was a terrifying reminder of how close she'd come to doing the same thing. Were it not for Edward overhearing her thoughts in the nick of time, Taylor never would've known the depths depression had brought her. The thought of a world without hope was a terror she couldn't endure.
"But there's always hope, right?" Bella pressed eagerly.
"Of course." Realizing his attempt at reassurance needed more work, he added, "Your faith in the goodness of others is one of the things I love about you. I've always thought the people who felt that way were the lucky ones."
It made sense why Taylor wanted to be a teacher. Children usually start out believing in magic and goodness until the world eventually taught them otherwise. As an educator he'd always get to be around people that believed like Bella did. Though he didn't harbor the same hope, he was drawn to people who did.
Taylor went to speak but Bella stopped him. "Hold that thought."
The bladder she'd been stubbornly ignoring for an hour was now on the brink of bursting. She entered the bathroom and closed the door. Bella settled on the toilet with a sigh, but before anything could happen, Ryan pounded on the door.
"Open up, Izzy! I need to use the bathroom."
"Go away!" Bella swore under her breath when her shy bladder closed up tighter than a vault. When using the toilet, she needed absolute privacy and quiet.
"Come on, Iz. I need to go real bad and Liz won't let me use the only other toilet in the house." Ryan groaned in desperation and resumed his pounding.
Bella almost groaned right along with him. Liz was probably having another one of her private times, where she'd monopolize the bathroom for hours at a time.
"What are you doing in there anyway? You taking a dump?"
"No!" Bella almost died of shame. Taylor was still at his desk and was without a doubt listening to their exchange. Sure he'd seen her at her worst, but a little mystery was good for a relationship.
"Oh god, I can't wait anymore."
Ryan burst into the room and Bella screamed. She could only gape in shock at his disheveled and crazy-eyed appearance, while mentally kicking herself for forgetting to lock the door again. His eyes hardened with grim determination as he stalked toward her. Sweating profusely, he managed to avoid Bella's flailing fists as he dethroned her and took her place on the toilet. Burning with mortification, she struggled to pull her pants back up before Ryan got an eyeful. But her naked lower half was the least of his concerns.
Ryan groaned and there was the sound of liquid splattering against the bowl. The accompanying stench hit, like a punch in the face. What on earth did he eat? She was forced to cover her nose and dash from the room. She made sure to slam the door shut behind her. The last thing she needed was Ryan's noxious fumes making it into her bedroom.
"Ryan, you big jerk!" She kicked the door in frustration.
"I'm real sorry, Iz. It's gonna be a while," Ryan told her through the door after a grunt.
"What am I supposed to do now?" Bella couldn't keep the whine out of her tone.
"Maybe you can try your luck with Liz." Ryan's suggestion was closely followed by a symphony of disgusting noises.
Her bladder protested and she caught herself doing the potty dance. The sound of Taylor quietly chuckling to himself stopped her. Right eye twitching, she slowly turned to fix him with an incredulous stare. After failing to intervene when Ryan chased her out of the bathroom, Taylor had the gall to find her predicament amusing. Some mate he was!
Taylor's amusement abruptly dried up under Bella's harsh glare. Mouth still twitching at the corners, he watched her for a moment longer, before quietly turning back to his laptop. Quelling the urge to throw a shoe at his head, she went to find the only other bathroom in the house.
"Liz, are you in there?" Bella pounded on the door.
"Private time, Izzy." Liz's serene voice grated on Bella's nerves.
It must be nice to be able to go to the bathroom in peace. She wouldn't know what that was like, having been literally hauled off her toilet seat.
"Liz, you open up this door right now or I swear I will tit punch you!"
After a most put upon sigh, Liz relented. "Come in. It's not locked."
Bella slipped inside and gaped at the scene before her. The second bathroom had been transformed into Liz's private sanctuary. A soft glow of lit scented candles surrounded the bathtub. A portable stereo played gentle sounds of the rain forest, and pink rose petals littered the floor. Queen Liz lounged in her bubble bath, her hair gathered in a small towel. Bella's irritation returned with a vengeance.
"Why don't you use your own bathroom?" Liz asked plaintively.
"Because of your disgusting boyfriend, that's why," Bella said through gritted teeth.
"Well, don't stand on ceremony, Izzy. Go ahead." She extended a leg from the bubbles and languidly ran a loofah down the length of it.
Making sure to ruthlessly crush some petals underfoot, Bella yanked on her pants and sat down. Despite closing her eyes and pretending she was alone, she couldn't squeeze a drop with Liz watching.
"Not having any luck, huh?" Liz asked after a few unsuccessful seconds ticked by.
"It would go a lot better without you staring at me." Bella shot her a glare.
"There's nothing else in here for me to look at." Liz shrugged, a reaching up to twirl an escaped lock of hair.
"Talking to me is not helping either." This was why she never went to the bathroom with Liz, who loved stall to stall conversation.
Mischievousness entered Liz's gaze. "Are you constipated? Maybe you need to bear down."
"Never mind." Bella pulled her pants back up and left the bathroom.
"Aw come back, Izzy. I was just kidding around!" An airy giggle ruined Liz's weak attempt at seriousness.
Bella wasn't sure she'd ever be able to use her toilet again. After what Ryan did to it, that poor toilet deserved to be taken out back and shot. There was only one option left.
The woods behind the house.
Feeling as though her bladder was about to explode, Bella sprinted down the stairs. She rounded the corner and almost collided with Zach.
He grabbed her shoulders to steady her. "Where's the fire, Izzy?"
"I have to pee." Bella roughly shoved him out of her way and ran for the back door.
Behind her Zach appeared genuinely distraught. "You can't piss on the lawn, Izzy. We play football out there."
She only realized her feet were bare when they hit wooden porch. Briefly, she entertained the thought of returning for shoes but there was no time. Her eyeballs felt as though they were floating around in her head.
From the doorway, Zach yelled, "It's called a toilet, you animal!"
As she took the steps two at a time, she made a mental note to punch Zach in the balls as soon as she emptied her bladder. She should've peed on the lawn to teach Ryan a lesson. Given how fanatical he was about lawn-care, it would've been the perfect revenge.
Bella ran barefoot across the grass, only stopping when she crossed the boundary into the trees. Sharp stones and twigs stabbed at her feet as she hunted for a sheltered spot away from Zach's prying gaze. He might've been dating Leah but Bella didn't put it past the pervert to watch her pee and then torture her about it later. Aside from her complaining bladder, she felt a naughty thrill at the prospect of going outside. She hadn't done that since childhood. Anticipating the feel of a cool breeze on her ass, Bella hooked her thumbs in her waistband. She yanked her shorts down and squatted.
It was pure heaven.
Bella sighed with sweet relief, eyelids fluttering shut, mouth curved in a goofy grin.
When the deed was done, Bella pulled her pants back up and kicked some dirt over her puddle. A twig snapped in the distance, startling her out of thought. She looked up and met the gaze of an equally surprised Jacob.
"Nice."
Quil and Jacob admired the mouthwatering roast beef sandwich in Embry's hand. It was their usual habit to have lunch together, on the bench behind the workshop.
"It's a little surprise from Bella when we met up this morning."
Jacob experienced an irrational pang of jealousy at the thought of Bella preparing food for his best friend. His own boring tuna sandwich didn't help abate his envy either.
"Got an earful about Angela moving out so she could keep seeing this one." Embry flicked his chin in Quil's direction.
Quil heaved an exaggerated sigh. "God, is she still whining about that?"
"Word about you gets around, Quil. Can't blame Bella for being worried about her friend. Not when you'll just dump Angela like you did all the others."
"Maybe Bella should mind her own damn business."
Quil's tone irritated the wolf, but Jacob fought hard to remain neutral and maintain his silence. He intended to stay out of it.
"Did you have to go after her friend? You hate her that much?" Embry's mouth curled in disgust.
"You really think I'd sleep with Angela just to get under Bella's skin. You honestly believe I'm that big of an asshole?" Quil's eyes narrowed, hurt mingling with anger.
"If the asshole shoe fits." Embry snorted and slid Quil a sidelong glance.
"You know what, Embry. Fuck you. Judge me all you want but don't you fucking pretend you're innocent." A hard smile. "Not when you're creaming yourself at night over Bella."
Embry's fist shot out with lightning speed and slammed into Quil's jaw. Quil stumbled back under the force of the blow, catching himself on the wall. He brought a hand up to the split on his lower lip and stared in shock at the blood on his fingers. Quil slowly balled his fists, fury contorting his features as he regarded Embry who bared his teeth in warning. Quil lunged toward Embry, fists raised but Jacob intervened before it could connect with Embry's face. Jacob moved with speed, twisting Quil's arm behind his back before locking his neck in a choke-hold.
"You son of a bitch!" Quil struggled against Jacob's unbreakable hold.
"It was one fucking dream and I told you that in confidence!" Embry growled before rushing at Quil.
"Go back to the store, Embry!" Jacob worked hard to tramp down the wolf's growing outrage.
Guilt and embarrassment colored Embry's features. "Jake—"
"Go!" Or else Jacob would give into the wolf's desire to kick his friend's ass for lusting after his imprint.
Embry stormed over to the workshop and wrenched open the back door. He paused on the threshold, only to turn back and collect Bella's sandwich. The door slammed shut behind Embry, and Jacob kept a firm hold on Quil who still labored to free himself.
"Knock it off!" Jacob growled and Quil's struggles came to an end. "I'm letting you go now and me and you are going to have a conversation."
He released Quil and took up a spot on the table. Breathing hard, Quil raked a hand through his hair in pent up frustration.
"You and Angela. This complicates things," Jacob said in a flat tone.
"So what? You want me to stop seeing Angela because Bella doesn't like it? What Bella wants, Bella gets?" Quil asked, a sneer in his voice.
"No but if you don't watch your fucking tone, we will have a bigger problem." Jacob growled, his voice hard and Quil dropped his gaze. "Why her? Out of all the women you've been with, why Angela?" If Jacob even thought for one minute that Quil was using Angela to screw with Bella, he would put an end to their relationship. Issuing an Alpha command was a heavy handed tactic that he rarely used, but he would not allow Quil to use an innocent woman to hurt his imprint.
"She already knows what I am. I told her about Claire and she didn't think I was some kinda sick fuck. Most of all, she won't want more than I can give her."
Jacob was ashamed to admit how little thought he'd given to how difficult it was for Quil to have a child for an imprint. Though Quil adored Claire, it wasn't romantic love and there wasn't any way of knowing if it would stay that way. Until she grew up, he was stuck in limbo. In the meantime, he refused to let himself get serious with anyone and risk breaking their heart. One night stands and casual flings were his goal. The slightest whiff that a woman might want a commitment and Quil never hesitated to end things. His callous dismissals had earned him the reputation of an asshole. Interestingly enough that bad boy reputation had worked to attract more women than he knew what to do with. Once upon a time Jacob felt envious of Quil's active social life, but now it all seemed so hollow. He jumped from woman to woman because he couldn't have a relationship. It was either that or endure years of loneliness. Under all the grins and sarcastic barbs Quil was angry and filled with so much self loathing. Jacob couldn't bring himself to blame him. Quil had been dealt a truly shitty hand.
Anger sufficiently tempered, Jacob wondered out loud. "How can you be sure Angela won't wake up one day and want what the others did?"
Quil shrugged, unconcerned. "I think there used to be a guy but it didn't work out. She has her own reasons for wanting to be with me."
Jacob gave himself a moment to think. It was a fine line he walked between Alpha and tyrant. As difficult as it was to fight against the wolf's compulsion to stamp out anything that made Bella unhappy, he had to consider the needs of his pack brother. Angela was a grown woman who knew what she was getting into. Jacob could only hope it didn't blow up in Quil's face.
After a moment of serious thought, Jacob rose from his seat. "Don't make me regret backing you."
"Where are you going?"
"Run." Jacob tossed over his shoulder as he headed for the trees.
"A run. Sure." Quil sent him a knowing glance before returning to his lunch. Never one to let food go to waste, he reached over and snatched was left of Jacob's sandwich, claiming it for his own.
Whenever he needed to clear his mind, he went for a run. Today a clear mind eluded him as the wolf repeatedly attempted to steer his feet toward Bella's house. The wolf's obsession with her was growing, but Jacob still fought the imprint with everything in him. He didn't want to care about her happiness but his mind betrayed him at every turn. Half the time he felt insane. He was constantly at war with himself and some days, like today, the wolf won. Tired of fighting he gave into the wolf's desire to see her. Although he agreed to go to her place, he would wait in the trees to catch a glimpse of her. He wouldn't approach or speak to her. The wolf would have to be satisfied with just looking. Jacob liked to call it window shopping, Bella might've called it stalking.
As Jacob ran past the waterfall, he began to detect faint traces of the vampire he'd killed. The closer he got to Bella's house the stronger the offensive scent became. The wolf bristled, irritated that a vampire had come so close to his imprint's home. Without stopping to consider what he was doing, Jacob raised his leg and began to cover the smell with his own. A very canine thing to do, but it calmed him to mark Bella's territory as his. He was vaguely aware of the pups in his head, inquiring about what he was doing and why, but he ignored their questions.
He was so caught up in his task that he didn't notice Bella until he was almost on top of her. They stared at each other wearing identical expression of shock. A light breeze blew and the mild scent of ammonia drifted past.
Bella turned a deep shade of red the same moment realization dawned.
What the hell? Did Bella just pee in those bushes? Adrian's question drew the mental focus of every phased wolf.
"It's not what you think." She looked as though she would die from mortification.
As werewolves, they lacked the facial muscles to form expressions. But Bella rightfully interpreted his blank stare as skepticism.
"It… I—It's none of your business!" She exploded.
The pups were beside themselves with laughter.
Although Jacob was tempted to phase and tease her until she turned all kinds of fun colors, he still had a job to complete. He ambled a few yards away where the putrid scent of vampire still lingered and offered a ceremonial spritz.
"Hey, stop that! Scram!" Bella made a shooing gesture with her hands. "My backyard is not your personal toilet. Go lift your leg on someone else's tree."
Kind of hypocritical of you, Bells. Jacob shook his head.
"It's different. This is my property," she stubbornly insisted.
That's so weird. It's like she can understand him, one pup commented. Even weirder, Bella had no idea she was doing it.
You don't own the forest, Bella. Jacob pawed the ground with one foot.
Hand on her hips, Bella scoffed at him. "Oh, don't start that with me."
I think she's reading him. Another pup's suggestion was met with murmurs of agreement.
Jacob huffed in frustration, knowing he'd never win the argument, so he moved to the next spot and sniffed it.
"Oh no you don't." Bella positioned herself between him and the bush.
Jacob narrowed his eyes in warning, and raised a leg in an unspoken threat.
"You wouldn't dare." Bella scowled fiercely.
The pups held their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
She could be so damn pigheaded at times. The silliness of their situation struck Jacob and he snorted in amusement.
Unfortunately that movement resulted in Bella being sprayed on her chest.
She gasped and stared, aghast at her damp shirt. With a horrified little scream she took off running toward the house. Similarly mortified, Jacob quickly phased and chased her down, completely forgetting that he was nude. He finally caught up with her at the porch steps.
"Bella, I'm sorry—"
She whirled on him. "I've never kicked you in the balls, Jacob, but God help me."
With that threat delivered Bella stomped up the stairs, muttering about toilets under her breath. She stormed into the house and slammed the door so hard Jacob flinched. Inside the house, he heard Bella run up the stairs.
"Ew! Is that pee?" Liz's question was followed by, "Ow! What was that for?"
Suffering from his own embarrassment, Jacob returned to the woods where he phased and promptly wished he hadn't.
There were pups rolling around on the ground with laughter.
"We got a real good turnout this year," Sam said to Jacob as they gazed at the large crowd that had gathered for the Native American Craft Festival.
All around them people visited vendors, showcasing a variety of handmade jewelry, textile weavings, bead work and other traditional artwork. It was for that reason the wolf girls had decided to have the bake sale in the same location. Moving through the throng of people, Jacob followed Sam to the booths that belonged to them. Jacob felt the weight of the bead and feather necklace he'd bought for Carmen in his pocket. Though he knew beads were not her style, he wanted to get her something for trying to get along with the imprints. Through the crowd gathered in front of the booth, Zach, Amy and Carmen service customers while Claire collected money.
"Zach's here?"
"Yeah, he's been campaigning pretty hard for Leah to make him a Claimed One." Jacob was actually impressed with Zach's insistence on volunteering to sell, although he technically wasn't a mate yet. He'd admitted he couldn't bake worth a damn, but he made a hell of a salesman.
"How nice," Sam replied dryly.
"Is it hard for you to hear about your ex and her boyfriend?"
"No harder than it is for you to hear about Bella and Taylor. By the way, I heard you peed on her? I guess that's one way to stake your claim." Sam flashed him a grin.
"You heard about that, huh?" Jacob was unable to hide his grimace. He would never live that down.
"The pups told everyone, even the council heard about you giving Bella a… What do you kids call it? A golden shower."
"Kids? You're only a few years older than I am. Age doesn't make you more mature."
"Not peeing on your ex is the definition of maturity," Sam shot back in amusement.
Jacob's good mood vanished when Rachel told him Bella couldn't make the sale and had sent Liz in her place. To his surprise, his sister was keeping the promise she'd made to Bella about laying off Carmen. Though there were times when Jacob spied her glaring resentfully at Carmen out of the corner of her eye. Interestingly enough, with Bella's absence, Carmen and the other women pulled together to set up the booth. While Carmen said nothing about it, he did sense a muted glee at her rival's nonattendance. It should've pleased him, after-all claimed and imprints working together was what he'd wanted from day one. And yet he couldn't keep his thoughts from straying to Bella. Why wasn't she here?
He wandered over to where Emily sat, eating what smelled like meatloaf. Since her energy tended to flag in the afternoons, she'd volunteer to take the first sale shift. Sam hovered nearby, looking nervous and creepy as hell. The closer they got to his wife's due date, the more unhinged Sam became. They would all breathe a sigh of relief when the baby finally made his entrance.
"You okay?" Jacob asked as Emily picked listlessly at her food.
"I'm worried about Bella, Jacob. She was so excited about the bake sale when she came over yesterday to help with packaging. A little tired, but excited." Emily's eyebrows pulled into a frown. "She wouldn't say she'd be somewhere and then not show. It's just not like her."
"Did you call her today? How did she sound?"
"I've tried calling her a bunch of times but she's not picking up."
Doubt continued to nag at him. He couldn't shake the worry that something had happened to her. Jacob stepped away from the booth and decided to try getting in touch with Bella himself.
As Emily said, it went to voice-mail after ringing a few times. He kept redialing. After a few tries, his persistence paid off when someone finally answered.
"Bella?"
There was a pause on the line before Taylor spoke, "Isabella can't come to the phone right now."
"Is she okay?" Questions began to barrage his thoughts. Was she sick? Did she take that serum again? The memory of her face twisting in agony, and listening to the sound of her bones breaking was one he would never forget.
"She's fine. I'll tell her you called." Restrained anger layered Taylor's words.
Not good enough. Somehow Jacob knew his message would be mysteriously forgotten the moment the call ended. "Put Bella on the phone."
Full blown irritation. "She's sleeping."
Through gritted teeth, Jacob growled, "Put her on the phone."
The line went dead.
Jacob didn't know which of them made the decision to go see Bella, him or the wolf. But the next thing he knew the urge to see her overwhelmed him until he couldn't think of anything else. The wolf despised being denied access to her. Slipping away from the craft show, he entered the forest, shifted and made his way over to her house. Before he knew it, he stood in the woods, scanning the windows for any sign of her.
Somewhere inside the house, he heard Bella call for Taylor.
"She's sleeping, huh?" Jacob closed the distance to the house and stared up at Bella's bedroom window.
The lone tree in the backyard was too far away from the house. Even if he climbed it, he'd never be able to safely leap the distance to the window. Instead he used the wooden lattice with flowering vines snaking through it to scale the side of the house. At the top, he peered over the edge of the windowsill just as Taylor entered the room.
"I thought I heard you talking to someone" Bella sat up with a bit of difficulty.
"It was no one. Just a wrong number."
Jacob bit back a growl at Taylor's ability to lie to Bella so effortlessly. It rolled off his tongue without the slightest hesitation.
"Oh." She glanced around the room. "Have you seen my phone? I can't find it anywhere."
"It's downstairs where you left it." Taylor sat on the edge of the bed, a tiny smile played on his mouth.
"That's weird. I thought I brought it with me." Bella frowned.
Jacob also found it rather convenient that Bella's phone went missing while everyone was trying to contact her.
"Any missed calls?" She asked a tad hopefully.
"None that I heard."
Bella chewed her lower lip. "I must still have it on vibrate then. Can you go get it? I'd like to check in with the wolf girls and see how the bake sale's going."
"You're under strict orders to rest and they're probably too busy to talk anyway. Besides I'm quite sure they're capable of handling things on their own."
"I guess you're right." Her words held more than a hint of reluctance.
"Get some rest, I'll check on you in an hour." Taylor dropped a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.
Bella rolled unto her side, tucking both hands beneath her pillow before settling into a comfortable position.
Jacob softly tapped the window pane and her head snapped up, eyes widening when she saw him. After tossing a cautious glance over her shoulder, she kicked off her blanket and crawled off the bed.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered as she padded over to the window and unlocked it.
In a well coordinated move, Jacob swung himself inside, landed with a muted thump and grabbed Bella. He heard a sharp intake of breath as he leapt to the ground below and whisked her away from the house.
He'd only intended to carry her into the cover of the trees, but the wolf became distracted by her warm breath on his chest, her arms encircling his neck. At that moment his primal nature took over and he kept on running. His thoughts changed from talking to dominion. He'd managed to steal his imprint away from a potential challenger and now she belonged to him. He was victorious! Now to find a secluded spot among the trees so he could claim her completely. Before he knew it they'd made it to the waterfall, and he managed to regain control of himself. For a moment he stood still, enjoying the feel of her slight weight in his arms. Being alone with her, away from the prying eyes of others was such a rare opportunity.
The tranquil moment was ruined when Bella screamed in his ear. "What the fuck!"
Jacob winced against the acute pain in his eardrum.
"You kidnapped me!" She accused incredulously, completely unaware of Jacob's ongoing inner struggle as he set her down.
"This isn't a kidnapping." His denial sounded false even to his ears. He very nearly ran off with her. It was probably the shock of entering her bedroom and being hit with the lingering scent of sex. It made him possessive and damn near drove him feral. He thanked his lucky stars he came to his senses when he did. If Bella had any idea of how close he'd come to dragging her off to the nearest bush… Somehow he couldn't imagine that going down well with her. He would've been more likely to get his skull bashed in with a rock.
"You literally broke into my house and snatched me from my bedroom." She scowled up at him.
If he'd been really looking to kidnap someone, Bella would've made a poor choice of victim. Instead of cowering, she looked as though she was about to start swinging. "I did not snatch you."
"Said the deranged kidnapper to his helpless victim," Bella snorted and folded her arms over her chest. "What do you want?"
"Where were you today?"
"What are you, my dad? I don't owe you any explanations." Her mouth flattened in a hard little line.
"The hell you don't." His hand encircled her wrist and roughly jerked her to a stop when she tried to walk away. "You can't just flake out on me and think there won't be any questions."
"Fine, I was out partying late last night and I had too much to drink. I wasn't at the bake sale because I was too hungover. Happy now?" She muttered sarcastically and he released her from his grasp.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Disappointment didn't even begin to describe what he felt. "Happy? How could you be so irresponsible? You blew off the bake sale because you were too drunk?"
Her anger came out of nowhere, smoldering in her dark eyes. "Would you get off my damn back? I don't answer to you. I'm allowed to be a normal girl. If I don't want to show up at your stupid bake sale, then I don't have to."
Jacob blinked, confusion giving way to anger. It didn't make sense that she'd work so hard on something of that little value to her. Just a moment ago she wanted to check on sale. Why would she do that if she never cared to begin with? "That stupid bake sale is important to the reservation and you know that."
He didn't miss her flinch before her mask of indifference slid into place. "I'm not your Alpha female. If Carmen was doing her job, I wouldn't even be involved."
It was Jacob's turn to flinch. That was a low blow. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he struggled to keep his temper in check. No one else could push his buttons like she could.
"Say what you want about Carmen, at least she's there right now showing her support."
An eyebrow arched. "Congratulations."
There was something off about this whole situation. The wolf agreed, pulling him back into focus. He was letting anger cloud his judgment and unbalanced his instincts. Something told him Bella was counting on that and purposely working to keep him distracted. There was something he was missing. He opened his senses and regarded the woman in front of him. This time he really looked.
Her complexion was a little paler than usual. That coupled with the dark circles beneath her eyes told him she'd barely slept the night before. Under her cold, impassive features a nervous energy lurked. She had something to hide.
"You're not going to pee on me again, are you?" She asked, her anger sounding forced.
After a moment it hit him. He knew what was missing.
"If you were out drinking, why don't I smell a drop of alcohol on you?"
"We're done here." She began to walk away from him.
"Bells."
She stopped in her tracks. Her entire body sagged with defeat as she muttered a foul curse under her breath.
"You really are a pain in my ass. You know that right?" She turned to face him, exhaustion lining her face.
She ambled over to the water's edge and sat on the grass. After a beat, Jacob sat in the spot beside her and together they watched the waterfall in silence.
"I think the proper medical term is cancer-related fatigue. It's a lovely little parting gift from the treatments. I'm fine until it hits, and then I can barely find the energy to do the simplest things like wash my hair." Her eyes widened, cheeks flaming when she realized she wasn't wearing her wig. "This day just keeps getting better."
Jacob didn't quite understand her hangup with her hair. It could've been the imprint talking, but he still found her attractive even without the wig. Maybe it was her uncontrollable mouth, or the way she never hesitated to go out of her way to help someone else. It could've been her fiercely loyal nature or her big, generous heart. Or the ridiculously stubborn way she held on to her pride. She'd rather everyone hate her than admit she was sick. The woman was an enigma. He wished he could have told her that she was more than her hair and body. People were drawn to her spirit.
Instead he aksed, "Does the… fatigue happen a lot?"
"It comes and goes. Apparently you can't let someone slice open your brain, and pump poison through your veins without consequences." Her voice was mildly bitter.
"Why wouldn't you just admit you weren't feeling well? Why try to hide it?" Did she think he wouldn't understand?
"Because I don't need anybody pitying me," she snapped. "You think I don't know how you see me, how they all look at me? Poor sick, feeble Bella."
How could she think people thought she was weak? Suddenly angry, he grasped her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "You have no idea how I see you."
Bella's eyes widened slightly, appearing startled by his forcefulness, and he heard her heart skip a beat. Embarrassment crept into her expression and she jerked her face away, muttering a halfhearted, "Whatever."
The wolf absorbed her reaction with smug amusement, pleased that he still had the ability to make her nervous, to make her blush. However the feeling quickly faded when he wondered if she'd reacted to him or the imprint.
"So are the wolf girls completely pissed at me?"
"They'll get over it." Especially after he told them the truth himself.
"I guess I'm throwing Rachel a bachelorette party." She shot him a sly glance, a slight smile curving the corner of her mouth.
"Can I ask you something? Why did you turn down Rachel's offer to be in the wedding?"
"She had to know that asking me to be a bridesmaid would upset Carmen and that's the only reason she did it. Even though Carmen and I will never be best friends, I wouldn't go out of my way to hurt her feelings. She doesn't deserve that."
"You feel bad for her?"
"I've seen with my own eyes how Rachel goes after her. Having to do constant battle with your sister would be enough to turn any woman into a permanent bitch."
Jacob wondered where she'd gotten the impression that Carmen was his sister's victim. A few months ago he would've thought the same, but his eyes were wide open when it came to his mate's own viciousness. If Bella had been the one in Carmen's position, he couldn't say with certainty that Carmen would've shown her the same kindness. It bothered him more than he cared to admit that despite his mate's many qualities, kindness—to people who were not patients at her job—wasn't one of them.
"When you didn't show today, I got worried."
After a sigh, Bella reached over and laid a hand over his. "You don't have to do that, you know?"
"I don't have to do what?" He enjoyed the feel of her soft skin against his touch.
"Worry about me." Despite her small smile, her eyes were sad.
"I'm always going to worry about you, Bells." He flipped her hand over and felt her slender fingers curl around his own. "I've kept my distance because we're with other people now. But I want you to know that I never stopped… caring about you."
Head tilted to one side, Bella fixed him with an unsettling stare.
"Does Carmen know you're here?" When he didn't answer, she withdrew her hand suddenly and stood. "Go home, Jacob."
She hurried away from him and without hesitation, he went after her.
"Bells, wait." Jacob caught and grabbed one of her hands.
She released a shuddering breath, but would not turn and face him. He heard the pounding of her heart, smelled the blood rushing to her face.
Bella suddenly spun around, her widened eyes held an unspoken fear that had him on his guard.
"Bella, what's wrong?" He held her by the shoulders.
"Taylor's coming."
Jacob's face registered the confusion he felt. "How did he know where to find you?"
"Draken mates can feel when the other is close by. Sort of like an internal homing device." Following that hasty explanation, Bella pulled out of his grasp and guiltily placed some distance between them.
Moments later Taylor stepped from the trees. Taylor's eyes flashed dangerously, his cold gaze going from Bella to Jacob. "I tell you Isabella's resting and you break into our home and drag her out here?"
Bella took a step toward Taylor. "He didn't take me, I followed him—"
Taylor's furious scowl swung to her and she froze. "This morning you could barely make it to the car. Do not lie for him."
"He just wanted to talk, Taylor. It's no big deal," Bella said but Taylor walked past, ignoring her.
"Why are you so concerned with Isabella? Don't you have a failing relationship to save?"
At Taylor's hate filled sneer, his jawed clenched with sudden fury. "What did you just say?"
"I thought you werewolves had excellent hearing."
"My relationship is none of your business." The wolf snarled, battering itself against its cage.
"Is that right? Because that would mean Isabella's not your business either." Taylor's voice held a sharp edge.
Jacob fists balled tightly until he heard his bones crack. "Why do you insist on calling her Isabella? She hates when people call her that."
"Correction, she hates when you call her that."
Jacob would've given anything to knock that smug smile of that bastard's face.
"What is this? You're experiencing buyer's remorse so you come sniffing around my Isabella."
"You don't own her."
"She is mine, I am hers." Taylor leaned forward and whispered, "I have made her mine in every way possible."
Taylor's taunt conjured up an image of him and Bella, lying naked in bed together. Her face flush with pleasure, their limbs entangled. And worst of all Taylor touching her everywhere with his hands, touching what belonged to the wolf. The fragile grip on his temper snapped and blind rage surged. He felt an unshakable need to maim like never before. The wolf wanted to kill and relished the idea of a battle.
"You son of a bitch!"
He grabbed the front of Taylor's shirt and dragged him forward, until their faces were inches apart. Taylor stared back at him with naked hatred flaming in his eyes.
An unseen force slammed into Jacob's chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Another sharp blow drove him back a few paces, he stumbled but managed to keep his balance as his feet slid across the grass before skidding to a stop. He lowered himself to the ground, teeth bared in a snarl before rushing at Taylor. If that draken asshole wanted a fight, he'd get one.
He was a few feet away from Taylor when out of nowhere, Bella appeared between them. Jacob stopped his punch just in time, his fist halting a mere breath away from her face. She didn't even flinch. His anger abruptly subsided and he lowered his hand. He almost hurt Bella. The thought almost made him sick to his stomach.
"You need to leave." Bella stared at him, her face devoid of all expression. It felt like a stranger looking back at him.
The sharp stink of fear billowed and the wolf whined, shame washing over them both. Bella was afraid of him.
He paused, inhaling the air again and realized the scent was coming from Taylor, not Bella. Jacob traded his gaze to Taylor who'd gone considerably pale and was looking at Bella as though she'd crawled out of his worse nightmare. Taylor was afraid of her.
Now that Jacob thought about it. How did Bella end up between them so quickly?
At his last check of her position, she'd been out of harm's way. There was no way Bella could've gotten to them so fast, not even with running. The same thing happened the day she broke a vase over his head. She'd moved with unusual speed then also.
"Bella—"
"You should go." Her gaze hardened.
"You're bleeding."
Bella touched the blood running from her nose and cursed.
Taylor grabbed a shoulder and spun her around to face him. He seized her jaw in one hand and roughly tilted her face, peering at it from different angles. "Look at me," he demanded sternly.
"Taylor, it's fine. I'm stable," Bella said.
After a tense moment Taylor relaxed, reached into his pocket and passed her a beige handkerchief.
Jacob had enough. It was time for some answers. He'd agreed to wait until she was ready to confide in him, but he didn't like being left in the dark. "What do you mean by stable?"
"Not right now, Jake." She tipped her head back, pressing the handkerchief to her nose.
Jacob stared in disbelief. "You said you'd tell me everything when I asked. You promised me."
"I can't do this with you now!" Her tone bordered on hysteria, her gaze turned pleading.
Jacob felt like an ass. She was practically bleeding to death and he couldn't think of anything better to do than to badger her for answers. Bella briefly took the handkerchief away from her face, and swore again when more blood trickled from her nose. Concern softened his features as he approached her.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He laid a hand on her shoulder and saw Taylor stiffen out of the corner of his eyes.
"No big deal. I get nosebleeds sometimes." Her voice was muffled by the bloodstained rag, covering her lower face, but he could tell she was trying to downplay the situation.
"This wouldn't be happening if you'd just stayed away in the first place," Taylor's accusation unearthed a wave of fresh guilt.
Jacob growled at him. "If you don't get out of my face I'll—"
"Seriously? Can you two measure your dicks some other time? I'll even volunteer to hold the ruler." Her eyes twinkled with amusement but her skin had taken on a sickly pallor.
Taylor picked Bella up, cradling her in his arms while Jacob entertained himself with the thought of beating him to death with those same arms.
"It's okay. I've got you." Taylor shot him a glare.
"I haven't forgotten what I promised you, Jacob," Bella told him before Taylor carried her back to the house.
Jacob watched them go. He was left with an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Several things made themselves clear to him. For a moment Taylor had been genuinely afraid of Bella. And with good reason. Taylor hadn't used telekinesis on him. It was Bella.
My largest chapter to date. Lots of battles happening. Big reveal in the next chapter.
Back to the story
How Bella survived her death is revealed.
Should Jacob have agreed to wait until she was ready to tell him the truth?
Bella and Angela still aren't talking.
Is Bella right to hope the pack will accept her extra supernatural baggage?
Or is Taylor right to think they won't?
You haven't lived until Ryan fights you for the toilet.
Quil and Embry almost got into it.
Embry narrowly avoided getting his butt kicked for fantasizing about Bella.
Some insight into how tough Quil has it.
Jacob being a wolf doesn't stop him and Bella from bickering.
Jacob gives Bella a golden shower.
Jacob almost went caveman on Bella.
Bella stubbornly tried to hide her illness.
Taylor and Jacob almost fight.
Jacob figures out Bella used telekinesis on him, not Taylor.
Review and receive your teasers.