AN: Wow overwhelming love (and hate lol, A1991 !) from last chapter. You guys are amazing! Ok, so that was a really mean cliffhanger, but I hope this chapter makes up for it :)

Griezz: Ah, did not know that the imprintee had to be looking back, is that true? Oops! I took creative license with this then! Taino Delsan13: Sorry! I hope this chapter makes up for it :) Guestdod: Read this chapter and let me know if I'm forgiven! Serenity1006: omg, I know! Poor Bella who finds it so hard to trust, I promise I am too much of a romantic to tear Jacob and Bella apart. Let me know what you think! Tigger722 SO true! She needs to be more trusting. Hopefully after this, she will be 4Gracie04 haha I am so mean, aren't I? Ooo, I hadn't considered the Kate/Henry possibility, but that is intriguing! I may just have to explore that option…;) AA1991 Read this chapter and then let me know if you still hate me :) harleymaria Thank you for your review! Hope this chap makes you happy. J hehe read on a find out BellaGirl No cliffhangers this chapter I promise! Although I can't say the same thing for chapter 26…;) xxTeamJacobxx Thank you! Xx Coolfun Haha, glad you're enjoying, thanks for the review

Enjoy! Xx

Chapter Twenty Five

"No," I moaned, hugging my knees tighter to my chest and squeezing my eyes tightly closed. "No no no no."

I wasn't ready for this. I hadn't prepared myself. I wasn't ready to lose Jacob forever. He was my sunlight, he was my happiness, he was my everything.

Gentle warm hands rested on my arms, but still I did not want to look up. It was probably Seth, trying to soothe me. Trying to tell me it would be alright.

"Bella," came a warm voice. "Look at me." I knew that voice. It was as familiar to me as my own. I couldn't refuse that voice. Summoning all the courage I had, I lifted my head from my arms. With a deep breath, I opened my eyes.

Jacob's beautiful face was mere inches away from mine. He knelt, naked in front of me, his eyes boring deep into my own. I found that I couldn't look away. The world around us seemed to stand still and all sound was dimmed. Jacob was the only thing I saw. He lifted his palm and cupped my face, tangling his fingers in my hair and stroking my cheekbone with his thumb. His dark eyes held a level of love that brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't help but reach out and touch him also, tracing a finger along his full lips, gently stroking the strong rough line of his jaw.

Someone cleared their throat, breaking the magical spell we were under. Jacob, his eyes never leaving mine, leant in and kissed me softly on the mouth. He took his time, gently exploring my lips with his own. When we finally broke apart, he kissed me on the forehead and then slowly stood to face the others, unashamed of his nakedness.

"Time is of the essence, Black," Edward growled.

Jacob held a hand out to me and helped pull me to my feet.

"I've seen the Volturi, and they will be here at daybreak tomorrow," Alice said her voice quiet but strong. A ripple ran through the shapeshifters and vampires within the clearing.

Jacob turned back to me. "I need to phase," he said, his eyes meeting mine and holding them yet again. "I love you."

I nodded and swallowed, unable to speak. Jacob kissed me again and then stepped away, a look of focused determination on his face. The russet wolf exploded into being.

Jasper took control, ensuring everyone knew their positions and their orders. Although originally I had intended to stand next to Sam in battle, I was placed near the tree line, furthest away from where the action would take place. I understood their reasoning. I needed to be somewhere out of the way where I could maintain my focus.

I leant against a tree, closed my eyes and practised throwing my shield over everyone in the clearing. I practised drawing the shield away from certain groups, wrapping it around one person at a time. Without looking, I was able to locate the Apache tribe, hidden in the long grass on the far side of the clearing and wrap them tightly in my shield. I found the mountain lions, creeping through the forest emerging from the tree line behind where the action would take place.

By the time the sun began to set, every member of the resistance knew where he or she needed to be and what role they would play in the upcoming battle.

The large russet wolf came to find me as everyone drifted out of the clearing and I swung myself up onto his back, laying low in his thick fur as he trotted through the woods, making his way to the reservation.

My heart thrummed hard against his warm back and I finally let myself think about the confusing events of the day.

Instantly I thought of Henry. Poor bloody Henry. What the hell had I been thinking, bringing him down to Forks? Why hadn't I insisted that he went back to the UK weeks ago? And now he was dead. Or at least his heart had stopped beating.

And yet I couldn't feel unhappy. Because Jacob was still mine.

The Black's red weatherboard house drifted into view through the tall pine trees and as Jacob slowed I slipped off his back. He phased back into a human, and took my hand as we silently crossed the yard towards his house.

Jacob opened the front door and let us in. The house was quiet – Billy and Rachel were clearly out. Suddenly, I felt nervous. Jacob leant to kiss me then left me alone in the living room as he went to find some clothes.

He reappeared moments later, dressed in jeans and a faded black t-shirt. His feet were still bare despite the chill and I understood why. Now he was a werewolf again he clearly didn't feel the cold. Jacob stood in front of me, his hands buried deep in his pockets, his eyes scrutinizing me with such intensity that I had to look away.

"We should talk," he whispered and I looked back at him. His t-shirt strained against the muscles in his shoulders and arms. My heart skipped and my abdomen clenched. I wanted him so badly I was worried I might simply melt into a puddle on the floor.

I licked my lips and nodded. "Of course," I agreed. "Let's talk."

He took a step closer and I could feel the heat emanating from him. It was like every nerve in my body was alive. My legs prickled under my jeans, the rough material of my sweater dragged against my belly and breasts.

"Jake," I moaned as he leaned in, running his fingers up the back of my neck and tangling his fingers in my hair. He kissed my jaw and then down my neck, his lips burning my skin.

Then his hands were under my jumper, peeling it off and my fingers were working similarly at his own clothes, so pointlessly donned only moments ago.

Standing naked in the moonlit room, our bodies hotly pressed together, I let my hands roam the smooth, hard planes of his back as he pulled my hips into his. Then, with a swift strong movement, he reached down to my thighs and lifted me bodily. I wrapped my legs around his middle, our lips never breaking apart. Stumbling slightly, he carried me down the hallway and sat on the bed. My legs were still tight around his waist and I tangled my fingers in his hair, letting my tongue explore his mouth.

Jacob's hands drifted up my thighs and lifted my bum and then he was inside me and I cried out at the sudden intrusion. I could see his smirk in the dim silvery light and bit my lip as he thrust upwards into me.

"Don't," he whispered, leaning forwards and taking my breast in his mouth.

"Don't what?" I asked, worried for a moment I had done something wrong.

"Don't hold back," he murmured into the soft skin. "You're biting your lip to stop yourself from making a sound. I love the sounds you make."

I smiled and rocked my hips forwards, meeting each thrust. His teeth grazed my nipple and I hissed.

"You make the most beautiful sounds. The way your breathing starts soft and gets faster and louder. The moan you make when I first take you." He changed his angle and plunged in deeper and I couldn't help but cry out.

"I love your whimpers, when I know that you want me as much as I want you. And your cry when you're getting close."

"Jake please," I moaned, gripping his shoulders and grinding myself hard against him. "Please."

His hips slowed. "Not yet, love," he murmured, his hands gripping my waist to slow me. Carefully he picked me up and placed me on the bed, laying gently on top of me. The contact between us remained unbroken.

Jacob raised himself up onto a forearm and stroked my hair back from my face, kissing me with such depth and love that I nearly lost myself in his lips. And then he began to move in me once again, gently rocking his hips. My back arched and my breasts pressed into his chest. We shuddered in the hot darkness and I grabbed at the sheets with a clenched fist, trying to stop myself from falling and spiralling out of control.

"Jacob," I groaned.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice breathless and ragged. "Bella, come with me."

My body shook with the rolling waves coursing through it and we cried out in unison, grabbing each other, holding onto each other as if nothing else in the universe existed.

When our breathing had finally slowed, I tucked myself into the crevice of his arm, my cheek pressed to his chest. He inclined his head to kiss my hair and I couldn't help but smile in happiness.

"We were supposed to talk," I mused.

Jacob chuckled. "I know. I even put on clothes for the occasion."

We both laughed and I sat up, crossing my legs and letting my fingers play along his chest and stomach. Jacob tucked his arms beneath his head and gazed contentedly at me.

"So," I began. "Imprint, huh?"

He just smiled lazily at me. "Easy as breathing," he commented and I couldn't help the smile that twitched at my lips.

Of course it was as easy as breathing. It always had been between us. Jacob was my sunshine and being with him had always been so right – so good.

"Why do you think it happened now?"

Jacob took a deep breath and sat up, took one of my hands in his and rubbed his thumb gently on the skin of my palm.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Perhaps when I first phased, I couldn't imprint on you, because back then you weren't my soul mate."

I frowned. I wasn't sure I believed in soulamtes. "What's changed?"

He raised his eyebrows and smiled at me. His deep brown eyes were so full of love and admiration that I nearly had to look away. "Bella," he breathed my name so quietly that he might have been sighing. "Look at you. You are such a different person than you were 5 years ago. You are confident and strong and happy. And most importantly, I think, you're not in love with a vampire anymore."

I thought about this. I suppose what he said was true. Both of us were different people now then we were back then. It would make sense that 5 years, ago, perhaps we hadn't been a perfect match for each other. But now?

Easy as breathing.

"Why didn't you imprint when I walked into the garage a few months ago?"

He shrugged one shoulder lazily. "I wasn't a werewolf then, was I? I needed to transform again."

I chewed my thumbnail and frowned in thought.

"What does this mean for us now?" I asked him, afraid to hear the answer. As much as I loved Jacob, I had no desire to move back to Forks and spend my life as just another pack mate, constantly on the watch for vampires. Both Jacob and I had left that life behind and I certainly didn't want to return to it now.

He pursed his lips in thought and brushed his thick mop of black hair out of his dark eyes. "I don't think it means anything," Jacob said. "Except that we're now free to be together, without ever having to worry about weird werewolf magic forcing me to be with someone else."

"But what about your free will?"

Jacob grinned. "What about it? I chose you. Bels, all I want is to be with you. To stay with you forever, to marry you, to have a family with you," he grabbed both of my hands and gazed deeply into my eyes, "to grow old with you and to die beside you. That's all I have ever wanted, and imprinting doesn't change that."

I swallowed hard. His words overwhelmed me.

"Eventually," he added with a grin. "I want to do all that eventually. When we're ready."

But his deep dark eyes burned with a love that told me he was ready for it now. I leaned in and kissed him and we lost ourselves in each other's touch. We made love again, so intensely and passionately, and then fell asleep curled in each other's arms.

I hope you enjoyed! That was a bit of a filler chapter full of fluff. Which you will need in preparation for next chapter. Prepare yourself for a little bit of heartbreak!

As you may have noticed, more reviews means faster updating. So please, review review review! xx Annie