Chapter 28: Brotherly Bonding
"Jacob!" the pixie chimed, making Jacob look towards her only to be hit in the face with the clothes he and Leah has shredded phasing that morning for their outing. The impact hadn't hurt, but the shock of her actually throwing something at him sent Jacob rocking backwards on his hind legs.
Leah was by his side in less than a second, leant forward and growling.
"Oh, don't give me that," Alice frowned at the smaller wolf, and waved her hand at Leah in dismissal.
Leah released another growl and stepped forward. She didn't take being dismissed lightly.
/It's alright,/ Jacob told her, and made sure to send his amusement at the situation across the link. He knew Alice was bound to discover what he was doing once she realized none of his clothes were being washed and that he was constantly changing outfits.
Leah straightened and stepped back so she was even with his flank (as if she were his Second), but didn't take her eyes off the other three leeches that had been waiting with the pixie for their return to the tree holding their change of clothing.
Turning his attention back to Alice, Jacob recognized the anger in her eyes. "Is this what you've been doing, ruining all these clothes? These are designer labels! Do you have any idea how expensive these are? How long it took me to find a suitable look for you?" She was pointing and gesturing wildly with her hands. She was clearly very flustered.
Since Jacob was still a giant wolf he just snorted and flicked his tail at her. She wasn't amused, but Emmett was. The blonde glared at her husband and whacked him across the arm. It only made him laugh harder. Jacob could see Jasper was trying to contain his own amusement, and that he was also holding Jacob's folded clothes. Just to make sure, Jacob glanced up into the branches of the tree to see that his clothes were, in fact, missing. He looked back at the pixie and cocked his head.
"That's right. Since you can't wear these without destroying them you can just go naked," she said and laughed menacingly.
Leah bark-snorted behind him, and Jacob tried to block the image she projected of him walking around the Cullen house naked. One, Jacob knew his body, and he was certain that Leah was exaggerating specific parts of his anatomy. Two, he didn't need to think about Edward and Bella staring at him in awe as he walked by them. And three, having Esme see him naked was just disturbing. She was a mother figure!
But that was Jacob's answer to getting his clothing back, as much as he hated them. He unphased right in full view of all four Cullens, making sure to present a confident air even though he was dying to hide behind a tree or cover himself up with his hands. He tried not to give a reaction to the blonde or Emmett appraising him.
"It's not that I mind, but I doubt Esme's going to appreciate me walking around the house without any clothes on," he said seriously and started walking towards the house. As he walked by them, the pixie grabbed the folded clothes from Jasper's hands and shoved them into Jacob's chest.
"Put your clothes on," she huffed in defeat.
Jacob smiled at having won and did as she told him. "So what's up?" he asked them as he pulled his shirt over his head.
"We're here to kidnap Leah," the pixie smiled.
"What for?" Leah demanded as she joined them. She'd hidden herself to unphase and get dressed in another suit of Jacob's. She'd always tried to avoid unphasing around the pack, so a group of leeches seeing her naked was just out of the question. Both Alice and Rosalie grimaced at the cloth that just draped over Leah's body.
At seeing Leah's frown the pixie smiled and said, "Shopping."
"With you? I don't think so."
"Why not? I have great fashion sense."
"Really? So you actually think this looks good on Jake?" Leah pinched the shirt she was wearing and held it out a ways from her body.
"It makes him look studious," the pixie argued.
"It makes him look like a dweeb," Leah retorted.
Alice looked vaguely wounded, but quickly recovered. "So help me pick something else out for him. And while we're doing that we can get you some suitable clothing for school. How does that sound?" The pixie was laying the charm on very thick.
She wasn't very effective though. "I don't need your handouts," Leah informed her and started walking away.
Alice whizzed in front of Leah, making her stop in her tracks before she stepped on the pixie. "Look, you can either come with and pick out your own things, or you can wear what I pick out for you. Either way you are getting a new wardrobe." Alice pointed a finger at Leah as if to drive home her point.
"I'll just rip them up like we're doing with these monstrosities."
Alice glared at Jacob, but he just shrugged. He did not feel the least bit guilty.
"Look," Rosalie said as she stomped over to Alice's side, "Since the mongrel's mated to Edward that makes him family. And you're part of his pack, right? So that makes you family as well. Families do things for one another. There are no handouts here. So just get your ass in the car so we can go. I don't have all day for this shit."
Jacob tilted his head at Rosalie in confusion. She'd done nothing but give him grief since he'd woken up a couple weeks ago. But apparently she thought of him as family. That or she just really wanted to get the shopping exertion over with and was just saying whatever she could to get Leah to go along with it.
He glanced at Leah when he felt her hesitance. She wanted to go shopping and have a day out with the girls since she'd had no other company besides the pack for so long, but the girls in question were bloodsuckers. And Leah still hadn't forgiven them for just existing yet. But when Rosalie had mentioned them being family Leah was reminded of her own revelation of that very fact the night she'd arrived on the Cullen's doorstep.
"You should go," he assured her. Leah turned to him with a vulnerable look in her eye before she quickly covered it up and squared her shoulders.
"Fine, but the windows are going rolled down," she said sharply as she stomped her way towards the house.
"As if I would let you stink up my car," Rosalie informed Leah as she stormed after her.
"Well, this is going to be fun," Alice sighed. She kissed Jasper's cheek, then followed the two at a more sedated pace.
"You're not going with her?" Jacob asked Jasper. He'd never really seen him away from Alice for very long. And from what Jacob already knew of Alice, the shopping trip was going to take the majority of the day.
"No," Jasper answered quietly.
"We have a bet going, actually," Emmett said as he stepped close to Jacob and slug his arm over his shoulders. "Feel up to another match?"
"Sure sure," Jacob nodded. He was all for another mock fight like the one they'd had a couple days ago. There was something very satisfying about working oneself to complete exhaustion. "Wait. It's not going to be against the both of you, is it?" he asked, looking between the two of them. Emmett had promised to teach Jacob, but starting out with two-on-one was a bit much.
Emmett laughed and started leading them towards the clearing he and Jacob had used the last time. "That would be fun! But no."
"So what are you doing here?" he asked Jasper.
"To make sure Emmett doesn't cheat on our bet," Jasper answered as he walked alongside Jacob.
"What's the bet?" Jacob had to duck under several branches as they made their way through the underbrush. He hated being so tall at times like this.
"How long you last!" Emmett called back over his shoulder. Jacob arched an eyebrow at him. He clearly remembered being able to keep up with Emmett for over an hour last time. Emmett had started off barely hitting him, but after Jacob had dislocated his shoulder Emmett had stopped holding back, which was what Jacob had wanted.
His body felt different. Stronger. Able to take more than when Jacob had been the a part of Sam's pack. He hadn't really thought about it much until Emmett had started hitting him, and then Jacob had wanted to know just how much he'd changed since becoming an alpha.
"Really? Because I could have sworn it was seeing how often he knocked you on your ass."
Jacob couldn't help but laugh about how deadpanned Jasper sounded. Emmett mock-glared at them over his shoulder.
"Alright, but what's the real reason?" Jacob asked once he was finished. He sensed there was more to Jasper's presence.
"What do you mean?" Emmett asked as he stopped and waited for them to catch up.
"We're not sparring just so the two of you can have something to bet on."
"What makes you say that?"
"I can smell it," Jacob answered. "You're trying to hide something."
"I thought our odor was too overwhelming?" Jasper asked. Jacob couldn't tell if he was trying to tease him or if Jasper was being serious.
"It takes some getting used to, but your bodies react just like everybody else's."
"And you can smell a lie?" Emmett sounded doubtful.
"I can smell a lot of things."
"Even while you're human?"
Jacob nodded.
Emmett whistled. "Damn."
"Surely you can smell just as well."
"Most don't bother identifying smells and their corresponding emotions," Jasper informed him and continued walking.
"Yeah, it's mostly 'Oh look, food! Right over there!' They don't really care what their prey is feeling. Well, other than fear," Emmett added.
"But you've taken the time, it seems." Jasper looked at him with respect.
"I'm still learning. I still get confused and get in trouble because I interpret smells wrong. But I've smelled enough to know when someone's trying to hide something."
"I wasn't always so great at reading others' emotions, myself. It took a long while for me to understand, and even longer for me to realize that I was able to affect others emotionally. It'll come to you."
Jacob nodded at the reassurance and then smiled. "And now you're trying to distract me."
Emmett snorted.
"Honestly?" Jasper asked. Jacob nodded. "Emmett spoke with Carlisle regarding your stamina and durability during y'all's spar. Carlisle's interested in your developing abilities. He asked that I observe any future spars you may have and report my findings."
"So you're going to spy on me?"
"Essentially. Betting on the match just makes it more interesting."
"And we bet on everything," Emmett inserted.
"Are you angry?" Jasper inquired. Jacob had to remind himself that Jasper hadn't been able to feel any of Jacob's emotions since he'd returned to Forks. And then he had to ask himself if he was upset with the doc for sending someone out to gather information on him instead of just asking Jacob about what was going on with him.
"No. The doc means well. But seriously, he could have just asked or came himself. Hell, I probably need to talk with him anyway. Everything's so different than it was with Sam."
"Meaning?" Emmett pushed.
"Well, the physical stuff, for one thing. None of us were this durable before. Fighting the newborns had hurt, but when I'd sparred with you it wasn't any worse than roughhousing." Jacob paused, not sure that he should reveal anything about the link being blocked between him and Leah.
But there was a vibe that Jacob got off the two walking alongside him. As much as he didn't want to, he felt he could trust them. They weren't Quil and Embry, but maybe they could be something more than leeches to him. He'd already warmed up to Emmett, and Jasper just exuded trustworthiness. He decided to go for it.
"The link between Leah and I is also different."
"How so?" Jasper asked as they arrived at the clearing. All three stopped and the two leeches...vampires turned their attention and focus towards Jacob.
"I could feel her the second she joined me. I can hear and feel her while I'm like this," he explained and gestured to his body.
"And Sam wasn't able to do this?"
"He never mentioned it. And we never heard anything about it while we were phased together."
"So you can feel her right now?"
"Yes," Jacob nodded.
"What are the girls doing?" Emmett asked with a perverted smile on his face. Even though Jasper and Jacob frowned at him, Jacob took the question seriously. He was also curious to know how Leah was feeling being alone with two...vampires. Both of whom Jacob was convinced weren't entirely sane.
Even though Jacob had been consciously blocking Leah out of his head for most of the day it only took him thinking of her to know what was happening. "They're still driving. With Alice trying to deafen them with her singing."
Emmett laughed while Jasper smiled fondly. "Alice can't carry a tune, I am afraid."
x x x
Jasper watched the smile fade from Jacob's face. Jasper may not have been able to use his empathy on Jacob, but his emotions were visible for everyone to see if they knew how. Jasper was grateful for all the time he'd spent watching people and learning their body language and gestures. He'd never believed he would be in the situation to use his knowledge, but he was glad he'd taken the time to learn.
Jacob was clearly troubled. Maybe he felt he was revealing too much. Jacob had not known them personally for very long. It was only natural for him to feel uncomfortable speaking to them about something that was clearly very intimate and personal among the shifters.
"You don't have to speak with us about this if you'd rather just speak with Carlisle," Jasper told the shifter softly.
Jacob looked startled, but quickly covered his surprise and shook his head. "It's not that. I mean, if it were just me, it would be one thing. But Leah's not going to like me even talking to the doc."
"So there's more?"
Jacob took his time thinking of how to respond. "In Sam's pack, when we phased, we were instantly able to hear one another. There weren't any secrets. All our memories, thoughts, everything was out in the open for the others to see."
Emmett whistled and mumbled another "damn."
"But when Leah joined me and we phased she couldn't even sense me. If I hadn't been able to talk to her she wouldn't have known I was there. There's something in my mind, a shield or a barrier, that's blocking her. That's blocking you," he gestured to Jasper, "and E-…and Edward. We spent the day trying to unravel whatever it was from Leah's link just enough for her to sense me."
"Is that all you two were doing?"
Jacob glared at Emmett, apparently knowing that they'd heard Leah's response yesterday to Bella's demand.
Jasper decided since Jacob was being so open and honest with them, he would be honest with Jacob. "I'm unable to feel Leah, as well."
Again, Jacob looked shocked for just a second before he frowned. "Even while she's unphased?"
"Yes. I didn't sense her approach the night she arrived."
"And yesterday? When I was adjusting the link, did you feel anything or were we too far away."
"I'm unsure of the distance, but I felt nothing from either of you."
"Maybe 'cause I was just messing with the part attached to her?" Jacob guessed.
"That's plausible."
"Do you…" Jacob paused. "Do you know if Edward can…?" he trailed off.
"Just like with you, Edward's unable to hear her thoughts."
Jacob sighed. "Well, Leah will be disappointed to hear that."
"How come?" Emmett asked.
Jacob actually blushed. "Let's just say her thoughts haven't been appropriate."
Emmett snorted and clapped Jacob on the back. Jacob barely moved from the force. "C'mon, boys. Let's get this party started."
Jasper stayed at the edge of the clearing and watched the other two as they began circling one another. Emmett eventually lost his patience, always ready for a fight, and made the first attack. Jacob had been ready for him and merely grabbed the fist aimed at his face. Emmett tried to hit Jacob with his other fist, but Jacob ducked, twisted, and used his hold on Emmett's arm to flip the smaller man over his back and onto the ground. Before Jacob could move away, Emmett swiped his legs out from underneath him. Jacob rolled with the motion and was back on his feet in time to block another punch from Emmett.
Jasper had been present for Emmett's conversation with Carlisle. However, his brother's description of Jacob that day had not prepared Jasper for actually seeing Jacob in action. He'd seen Jacob fight as a wolf during the newborn battle, and it had been astounding to see an animal so large move so effortlessly, so gracefully. There had been so much power behind every motion the giant wolf had made. And yet it all paled in comparison to what Jasper witnessed in the clearing. Jacob was fast on his feet and quick to recover from any hit that Emmett landed. And, like Emmett, Jacob was not pulling his punches either. He gave just as good as he got.
There was indeed something very different with Jacob's body. Jasper knew from what Carlisle had told him that while shifters may have had accelerated healing, they could still be injured. And that they were more vulnerable to injury while in their human state. However, Jacob wasn't showing any signs of being hurt even after sparring with Emmett for almost an hour.
x x x
Emmett was fascinated with Jacob's body. After a match like the one they'd had it was only natural for a body to show the damage that had been inflicted upon it. However, there wasn't a single cut, scratch, bruise, or protruding bone anywhere to be seen. But there had been, several in fact. Except the protruding bone part.
Since Emmett had been up close and personal with Jacob he'd been able to witness all the wounds he'd inflicted as they healed over in rapid timing. None of the cuts had lasted long enough to bleed, and any bruises that formed disappeared in less than ten seconds. And no matter how hard Emmett punched Jacob in the chest, his ribs held true; Jacob barely grunted from the force of the impacts. If he had managed to bruise, crack, or break a bone Emmett hadn't heard it, and Jacob hadn't given a response.
Jacob's body was truly amazing.
He could still feel the warmth along his skin from where Jacob's hits had landed. And Emmett would never admit it out loud, but he may have put Jacob in a headlock or two just so he could have full body contact. The warmth was addicting. He was very tempted to offer Jacob a place in his and Rosalie's bed if Edward didn't get his act together soon.
The match had been much too short for Emmett's liking, but Jacob had merely held up his hands when Emmett had charged him and said that it was enough for the day. Jacob had looked confused and a little wary.
Jasper was by their sides in seconds. He shot Emmett a disapproving glance before focusing on Jacob and commenting on his technique—that in Emmett's opinion, was still lacking and sloppy, but worked in Jacob's favor, because Emmett could never predict what he was going to do next.
"Why'd you stop?" Emmett interrupted them, and shifted his hips trying to readjust himself without using his hands. Zippers were not enjoyable. They could discuss the spar later. Jacob barely looked winded. Surely he could handle a little while longer. Emmett's body was still humming. All he needed were a few more full body contacts and he would be able to-
"Someone was getting a little too excited," Jacob said, effectively shutting off Emmett's train of thought.
Again, Jasper shot Emmett a disapproving glare. "I believe it's time to cool off."
"Huh?" Emmett said, trying to sound dumbfounded.
Jacob answered by tapping his nose.
Emmett dropped his act and smirked. "Can you blame me?" he said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and shifted his hips again. He didn't bother to contain his laughter at the blush that immediately flushed Jacob's face and neck.
"I'm not sparring with you anymore," Jacob grumbled.
"Aw! You mean no more foreplay?"
Jacob sputtered which caused Emmett to laugh even more. He huffed and started back for the house. Jasper gave Emmett a meaningful glare and tipped his head towards some trees in the far distance. Emmett just rolled his eyes.
"How am I supposed to teach you anything?" Emmett joked as he followed behind Jacob.
"I'd rather not learn how to hold someone in a headlock and grind against them, thanks."
"You know you liked it," he teased.
"Emmett," Jasper said sternly. Emmett looked at his brother over his shoulder and offered him a shrug. It wasn't his fault Edward was being a dumbass.
"So who won?"
Emmett turned back to Jacob who was clearly trying to change the subject. "Won what?"
Jacob sighed and shook his head. "The bet," he stressed.
"It would have been Jasper if you hadn't stopped me. Thanks for that by the way."
"Whaddja win?"
"You!" Emmett leered and lunged for him. He caught Jacob off guard from behind and locked his arms around Jacob's chest, bringing himself flush against his backside, and hoisted him into the air. He tried not to moan as he bounced Jacob to keep him from getting any purchase to break the hold. Gawd, this warmth, he thought.
Jacob growled at him which only succeeded in turning him on more.
x x x
"Should we start to worry?" Emmett asked from his position on the other side of Jacob's bike.
After Jacob had managed to break Emmett's hold and shove him into a tree hard enough to crack it, the three of them had returned to the Cullen house. Esme provided Jacob with an early lunch which he'd thanked her for and ate in silence since Bella was also eating with him at the counter. Once the dishes were cleaned and put away Jacob retired to the garage and began working on reassembling his bike.
Emmett and Jasper trickled in behind him. Emmett took up assisting Jacob while Jasper was content to watch them work. Despite Emmett clearly, and annoyingly, getting a boner (which Jacob did not want to know the cause of) during their sparring match Jacob wasn't uncomfortable in his presence. He knew Emmett wasn't going to force anything. He seemed to just really enjoy teasing Jacob about it.
The girls had been gone for nearly seven hours. And while Jacob hadn't thought he'd needed to worry, he was beginning to wonder if Leah or Rosalie had finally snapped; or maybe the pixie. He'd been blocking Leah all day, something he was getting very good at doing in only two days; he hardly needed to concentrate on doing it anymore.
Jacob gently opened his link with Leah so he wouldn't be bombarded with her thoughts and emotions, and was surprised to find her enjoying herself. She was in the backseat of the car, coming home, and all three were laughing. Laughing at some story Leah had told them about him. Part of him wanted to kill her for sharing stories about him, but another part of him was just happy that she'd let herself open up. He'd known that Alice would have been helpful in getting Leah out of her shell, but he was really surprised that it was actually Rosalie who'd made the first breakthrough.
Apparently, there had been several mothers with baby strollers walking around the mall. Rosalie had picked up on Leah's discomfort and made some snide remark to which Leah had snapped at. Instead of the exchange creating a rift and starting a fight between them, they had both startled and then started talking about wanting children and not being able to have any.
Jacob quickly closed the link, because while he was sure Leah wouldn't mind him checking up on her, Rosalie's business was her own and Jacob didn't feel right listening in on it. The small bit he learned just contradicted with the blonde that he knew.
He told Emmett and Jasper that the girls were on their way home and apparently getting along. Neither of them seemed all that shocked which confused Jacob even more. The pixie he could understand as she seemed to be able to get along with anyone (not counting their first meeting at Bella's house), but just the thought of Rosalie getting along with anyone threw him. She was always so hostile towards him.
When he vocalized his thoughts Emmett just laughed at him again.
"That's just who Rose is," Emmett said, and passed Jacob another part. "Tough as nails on the outside, but soft and vulnerable on the inside. She has her reasons though. And it's her story to tell, but let me just say that it says a lot about someone who can carry a dying man a hundred miles to her father just because she sees something in him that she wants to preserve."
Jacob tilted his head to the side, silently inquiring Emmett to elaborate. He didn't hesitate. He told Jacob about him being in the woods and getting mauled by a bear. While he was waiting for death to take him, he was saved by a sparkling angel. She'd been the most beautiful creature Emmett had ever seen. She swept him up in her arms as if he'd weighed nothing and ran with him until she reached Carlisle and begged him to turn Emmett.
"She wouldn't do it herself. Rose values human life too much. But she felt our bond and wanted me to live."
"She never…tasted you?" Jacob asked feeling morbid, but his curiosity wouldn't let him not ask it. His tribe had always talked about how the Cold Ones would turn frenzy at the scent of blood. The Cullens were proving most of the old stories and assumptions wrong.
"Rose has never tasted human blood, like Carlisle. Next to him, she has the best control out of anyone I've ever met."
Jacob had seen Jasper flinch at the mention of control, but decided to ask Emmett, "But you have, tasted blood, I mean?"
"Yeah. When vampires are first turned they go through a year of wanting nothing but blood." Jacob remembered Bella telling him about it when they were training for the fight with the newborns. "Rose tried to keep me occupied, but she couldn't control me all the time. I'd sneak off and she'd find me later. I can't say that I really like sucking animals, but I killed a girl once, after the bloodlust wore off and I was clearheaded. People might taste better, but I don't want to be killer." Emmett cast Jasper a look of sympathy.
When Jasper opened his mouth to speak Jacob quickly cut him off, wanting to offer Jasper the same courtesy he'd offered Jacob early. "You don't have to share if you'd rather not."
Jasper gave him a small nod, but continued anyway. Most of the information about training newborns Jacob had already known. What he hadn't known was that Jasper had been used by a woman he'd loved and thought had loved him in return. Jacob could relate even though Bella had never had him kill anyone. Jacob had never really thought too long or hard on the fact that Jasper could feel his victims as they died. Jacob hadn't even wanted to imagine what Jasper must have gone through.
"The fact that I spent over a hundred years feeding on humans and prefer their blood makes my self-control very lacking. We had to move last year because I tried to attack Bella at her birthday party when she cut herself."
The two of them were watching Jacob for any reaction to the news that Bella had been in danger. A small part of Jacob wanted to rise up on her behalf and yell about how he knew vampires were dangerous. But mostly he just felt for Jasper. He was clearly trying very hard to control his bloodlust, and in doing so Jasper was hurting himself. His tone spoke of how much confidence he had in himself, and it wasn't much.
Maybe it was the softy in him, but Jacob couldn't help but like the two vampires before him. Like he couldn't help but like the doc and Esme and the pixie. There was more to these people, yes people, than them being Cold Ones. Not all of their humanity was gone. And Jacob couldn't help the surge of protectiveness he felt for them.
xoxoxo
