~A/N Wow! What is happening here? I have no answers, only something revived my Jacob/Bella muse. So yeah, a new Perfect Relations chapter.

Let's recap since it's been so long.

The guys are older except for the few that are Bella's age, 18. Billy died not Sarah or Harry. Charlie is married to Sarah, so that makes him Jacob's step-father and Bella's step-brother, but this is the first time they've all lived together. Edward is still obsessed with Bella only in this story she doesn't return the feeling. It's still a conflict for Jacob and Bella. The Cullen family's intentions are questionable because that's the way I like it. Sue's real sick. There's a RL werewolf not too far from the pack and Jacob's worried about a lot of things, mainly Bella's safety. This is an imprint-free fic, but it doesn't mean that the wolves don't make intense connections when they decide to settle down. So far, only Sam and Leah were settled, but the others are following suit now that Jacob is with Bella. Oh, and of course, Jacob is Alpha as it should always be.

Bella and Jacob finally had their big night, but of course the parents almost crashed it. That was a close one. After Jacob had a rough time finding out about dead hikers and the rich reclusive was actually a werewolf, he still found comfort and sexual healing with Bella. Then she blew it confessing she hid a letter from Edward before telling Jacob.

You only thought he was in a bad mood when the last chapter ended. Here's what happened later that day...

Chapter 36: Rage

It was one of the worst rages I'd ever experienced. In fact, rage wasn't the right term. I don't know what it was, but it was primal and unrelenting. I lost myself until I realized the guys jerked my arms and shook me. Their voices and presence did little to calm me down. I was ashamed and shocked about what I'd done, but if Embry and Paul didn't stop touching me, they were next.

"Enough! I'm not going back inside. Back the fuck off so I can breathe." Where was the oxygen inside the house? It was like it had been sucked out and I choked on the air outdoors to breathe in enough.

"Jake, come on. You heard Charlie. Gain some control. The women are in there."

Charlie's ashen face surfaced in my memory. He had no idea what happened. All Charlie knew was he and Harry returned from a meeting to find me beating Quil to a bloody pulp on Sue's kitchen floor. Hell, I barely remember how I got to that place either. It happened so fast and didn't even feel real. We dismissed ahead of the other council members. They acted like they could go all day with their paranoid discussions and we had new patrol schedules to go over. Plus, I was anxious to get back to Bells. I'd been rough on her regarding the letter. I was ready to make up. My anger came from fear and uncertainty. She and I had everything one minute and the next second all hell broke loose. I had no idea what to think about this werewolf in our midst. Adding the bloodsucker and his strange obsession with Bells boiled all my anxieties over. I trusted Bells, but she needed some natural instincts. She seemed to lose those around Edward and I didn't know what that was about.

Charlie met us out back. He asked the guys to leave us alone. They were reluctant to leave. "It's Charlie, idiots. I won't hurt him."

Paul mouthed off, "Bet Quil thought something similar. Now Leah is piecing him back together with Sam."

I growled at Lahote. "He'll fucking live." I couldn't say the true reason why I was so pissed. Quil shouldn't have touched Bells. Of course I was used to my pack fawning all over her, but I was too edgy today. Quil needed to learn some goddamn boundaries. Apparently, I left a mark on Bells early this morning in the culmination of our passion. I honestly never meant to since we were trying to be on the DL around our parents, but for a second I couldn't think straight. It was a primal need. Bella. Mine. Protect. Fuck. Claim. I was a fucking animal. Before I could make an apology, she clearly stated how much she enjoyed what we'd done. The council meeting distracted me and I hadn't thought about that love bite until Quil made a point to tease Bells just I walked inside.

There was zero hesitation, I unleashed on him. My brother. My best friend. My flesh and blood cousin. Holy shit. He didn't have a clue until I was ripping into him. Every single one of them knew I was a jealous bastard, but deadly? No. Even I didn't want to believe it and now Quil was severely injured, the pack was losing their shit, and I'd scared Bella. She is the one person that should never have anything to fear from me. I love her so much.

Paul and Embry walked back into the shadow of the trees. Charlie shook his head. "What the hell, boy? You need to get a handle on that temper. I can't have you around your mother and Bella in this frame of mind. What did I walk in on? The truth Jake. Tell me the truth."

I hated that Charlie saw too. He wanted the truth, but I continued to lie. "It was a disagreement between Quil and I, Charlie. I'm going to go apologize and check on him right now and as for Mom and Bells, you know I'd never lose control in front of them."

"Do I? Because Bells was in the corner crying her eyes out, so you sure as shit did lose control and she was an eyewitness. I'm sorry to say this. You know I love you like a son. You're my son in every way that counts, but I need you to go home and pack your things. You can't stay with us. Not anymore."

"Charlie, come on. The place is nowhere near finished. I'm not going to flip out at home. I never have."

"Your house is habitable. You roughed it way worse when you first became a protector. Hell, I bet you practically lived in the woods a year you were so cautious around your sisters and mother. And the girls will be home for Thanksgiving in a couple weeks. We need to get ready for them. I'm not saying you aren't welcome to visit, but the stress has gotten to you. I understand why, but I can't risk Bells and Sarah in the middle. I want Bella to enjoy this last year of high school, feel like a normal teenager for a change. Her mother always wanted her grown, practically since birth."

"I want Bells to have a normal experience as well, but how normal can she feel knowing she is the intense obsession of psychotic vampire? Normal flew out the window a long time ago around all this supernatural bullshit. I would never hurt my family, our family."

"Yeah, well, you just did. Thank God, Quil can take a beating. This isn't a suggestion. I mean it. I want you to distance yourself from Bells. Something is going on."

"Wh...what do you mean?"

"I can't place it, but you're not acting like yourself. I guess Cullen got under your skin. I can tell how protective you are of her. It's my fault for trying to hide everything in the beginning. Bella would've never been chummy with the Cullens if I would have been honest. Now you think it's your sole duty to protect her." It was. "But the rest of the guys do just as good a job. We're all family." No one would protect her like I would. Charlie was still blind or in denial when it came to Bells. He didn't connect the dots. Fuck. I needed to hand him a pencil and get it over with. Me. Bells. Draw a line between us. We're together. In love. Mated. Etc, etc.

"Fine. I'll get my shit, but I need to apologize to Harry and Sue, and go over some logistics with the guys. Then I'm going to check on Quil. I'll go clear out my room and move to the reservation. Charlie."

"Yeah."

"I'm still going to protect Bells."

"I would assume, but do your best to stay in the shadows."

I didn't exactly agree to that stipulation. In fact, I was about to lose my fucking mind being away from her when I knew she was upset. Bella was in the Clearwater's kitchen cleaning invisible dust off the countertops.

She jumped before I got ten feet from her. Bella felt me same as I felt her.

It looked like a struggle for her to turn around to face me. "How's Quil?"

"I'm not sure."

"Don't you think you need to be with him to find out?"

"Yes, but first I needed to see you, make sure you're okay."

"Really, I'm not the one that had the absolute shit beat out of them for no damn reason. Seems like your priorities are messed up."

"Bells."

I closed the distance to reach for her. She flinched. My Bells who hours ago was wrapped around me while I was inside her, both of us screaming our love was scared of me.

"Don't."

"I didn't mean it."

"You didn't mean it? Holy shit Jacob! I wish you could see an actual doctor because you need your head examined. I can't believe what you did all because I pissed you off over Edward's letter."

"You think that stupid letter was why. My back's against the fucking wall right now Bells. It's not a smooth wall either. It's like there's sharp spikes sticking out of it and every move jabs a little deeper into me. Yes, I'm pissed you hid the letter, but there's more to it than that."

"Temporarily. I hid it temporarily."

"Whatever. I can't afford to let emergencies be put on the back burner. This is you. Your life is at stake each second he's stalking you. I've got a mess of dead bodies, a strange werewolf man that wants to partner up with my pack and he all but admitted his kind is completely untrustworthy. Sue is sicker every day when we were all convinced she could beat this cancer. Everything pretty much sucks right now... except. You. Us. Last night was the best night of my life. This morning with you was just as perfect. We weren't even back to the ground from the heights we reached together when I got hit with the shitty reality that is our situation once again. Edward Cullen is a vampire obsessed with the woman I love and you are in denial always downplaying it to me."

"How does any of this pertain to Quil?"

"He touched you."

"What? That's insane. Quil always touches me. He tickles me until I almost wet my pants, tosses me over his shoulder and spins in circles until we're both ready to puke. He teases me every second we're together and the worst you've ever done is telling him to knock it off with a slight play punch on the shoulder. You know how Quil is. I thought you loved the relationship I have with the pack."

"I do."

"I don't know what else to say. I need to think and I really want you to go check on him. Could you at least check on him and send me text?"

Harry interrupted us. It was a relief to be honest. Bells wasn't excepting my apology. Who could blame her? I couldn't even make sense of what I did. There was no excuse. I couldn't even remember how it went down.

"Hey, Harry. I was about to check on Sue. I wanted to apologize to both of you. I'm sorry for having a fight in your home. It won't ever happen again. You have my word."

"I hope not son. There's no need to apologize to her. She doesn't know."

That surprised me. An hour ago this whole house was a fucking chaotic mess: screams, shouts, cries for me to stop and Quil's blood splattered all over the kitchen floor. It was all gone now. I wondered if Bells was the one to clean it.

She's not well Jacob. Sarah's with her, but I don't think it's the right time to see either of them." I hadn't even thought of facing my mother. She knew. She watched from around the corner when the guys dragged me away kicking and screaming. Harry was way more distraught about his wife than my outburst in his house. "I don't know what else to do. They won't stop saying hospice. That means I'm giving up and I can't give up on her. I still have hope."

I looked at Bells dabbing her eyes. I would never give up on her either. Maybe we should all tell Harry to be realistic, but instead I gave the opposite advice, "Then hope. Don't stop. You do whatever you have to do to keep hope alive."

I slipped inside the unlocked door at Quil's. Leah was at Quil's bedside. Sam had just left. He said he'd gather the guys and start going over the patrol schedules since I was preoccupied. I thanked him for that.

"Well, well. Don't look now. The alpha has returned to finish the job. You're fucked dude since you can't move."

Quil had his eyes closed. I was pretty sure he had no other choice because they were swollen shut. "Is he healing?"

"Yes, but it's going to take a while. I would estimate his injuries are similar to a collision with a freight train. In case you're wondering, the only thing left intact is his mouth. He hasn't shut up yet."

"My junk too. It's still good, I think because the whole time Lee washed my wounds, it tickled down there."

"Knock it off Ateara or I'll bring in Sam so he can he'll finish you, pervert."

"Admit it Leah, you took a peek at what I'm packing and you're questioning if you're with the right man."

"Alright that's it. I'm out. If you kill him, so be it. But you're not, right? You didn't come back to kill him, did you?"

"No Leah."

"It's my fault. Everyone needs to lighten up on Jake."

"Pathetic. He still worships you. I tend to believe that's cuz he can't see how fucking pulverized he is, but I took a picture with his phone; he'll find out, eventually."

Leah left me alone with Quil and his mouth.

"I'm sorry Jake."

"You're sorry? That's rich. Quil, I don't know what happened. I'll never forgive myself for doing this, for letting you all down. I've never lost control before."

"I went too far, but I knew what happened. We all did. It was written all over her face and you know how our senses are. The shower didn't wash it all off. I was just teasing trying to make her blush. Bella blushes so easy. It's funny."

The elder Quil cleared his throat. I made a kill sign over my throat. Quil was taking some pain meds Leah gathered up from her parents' place and I had no idea what normal Quil would say. Fucked up Quil was sure to be way worse.

"Jacob Black. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry."

"Grandfather. I told you Jake and I are cool. You've always told me my mouth will get me into trouble. I went too far."

"How? This has something to do with Charlie's daughter."

"Jacob's protective."

"I see."

Shit. It was easy to read the old man. He knew something was going on between Bells and I. Who else knew our fucking business? Charlie had to be next to figure it out. I needed to get it over with and spill my guts, but after what happened, the whole step-sister situation was going to be the least of Charlie's concerns. Every single one of them thought I was a fucking maniac now. Me included.

"Charlie needs the truth." Old Quil stated matter-of-fact.

"It's not the time. You were at the meeting. Too much else is going on. Please don't say anything."

"It's not my secret to tell, but a man of honor doesn't keep secrets."

"A man of honor doesn't beat the hell out of his best friend for no reason either. I think my honor is lost."

"Nonsense. You have always done what's best for this group of men. Our tribe still has complete faith in you. You are our leader. And I don't believe you lost your honor. There was a reason this occurred. Tell me exactly what happened."

Surprisingly, Quil could recall the events better than I could. My mind was clouded by the rage.

"So I touched her neck to mess with her. Jacob left a little love mark. Bella's shirt had slipped off her shoulder. It was partly to tease her, but also to remind her to fix that if she didn't want her dad to see. I heard Jacob behind me, but I didn't think he would be mad."

"Mad? I wasn't mad. There's not a word for it Quil. You should have never touched that fucking mark."

"He's right."

"Who's right?"

"You, Jacob. Quil didn't know and neither do you, but that's a mating mark. No man should ever touch it. I understand everything now. We'll need to consult the archives."

"Are you serious? Over a hickey?"

"That's not what it is. It's a true mating mark. Permanent."

"Fuck. What? That can't be right. She's going to kill me. What does it mean?"

My mind was reeling. I thought back to that moment when I clamped down on Bella's skin. I hadn't planned it, but an overwhelming urge overtook me. The memory was clouded much like my attack on Quil.

Old Quil said his old age made many of the legends hard to recall, but he'd seen one about the mark. He could only recall it from one instance, not from Ephraim's pack, but the alpha before him, maybe hundreds of years ago, so all the information was sketchy, hard to translate.

"Your wolf was there. He had to claim her permanently. It makes sense there's danger all around us, especially for her. She appears to attract it."

"Whoa Jake. Bella lets the wolf in the bed with you guys? That's kinky as fuck."

"Shut up. It wasn't like that."

His grandfather corrected him. "It's the wolf's spirit. It's still Jacob only different. He broke your face and body too. That's why Jacob can't remember."

"I've always been in control. Can I not be trusted now?"

"You can, but it'll take practice and the pack needs to know. They'll need to avoid the mark; it's best she covers it."

"That's going to stick out like a neon sign to Charlie. What was I thinking?"

"You weren't. It's all instinct to protect her. There's no shame in that."

"Tell that to her father. Not only did I bite her, scarring her for life, now I will practically kill anyone that comes too close to her. I might as well give myself over to the fucking beast permanently. I just lost all my humanity."

"There will be adjustments."

"Bella's going to hate me."

"No, just the opposite. The bond between you will intensify. Your pack and your people need you more than ever until all these threats are banished, but your need to be with your mate will consume you. She still goes to school?"

"Yes, she's got until May."

"I don't see how she can continue."

"I'm not asking Bella to quit school. It's her senior year."

"You will. You won't be able to be apart from her. How does it feel right now?"

Now that he mentioned it, I felt a twisting in my guts like I had a knife plunged inside me. I thought it was my internal conflict over what went on the past 24 hours.

"He wants her. The wolf wants her all the time. That's how it will be for a time. He'll want to mate with her nonstop."

"Whoa, lucky. That sounds hot. You and Bella are going to be mating nonstop."

"Again, shut it Quil. No we won't. That's not possible." I wished... maybe, but constant fucking wasn't anyone's reality.

"He might settle down if you plant a pup in her womb. That's my only advice, but now's the time to tell Charlie. There's no way around it."

"Charlie kicked me out of the house."

"Seriously, bro? That's a shock."

"Yes. He's worried for Mom, Bella and the twins when they get home. Do you honestly think telling him now is going to help? 'Oh yeah, Charlie. Bells and I are together. Also, I'm going to need her to quit school and come live with me because I'm going to need to fuck her nonstop until I get her pregnant.' Fuck me. I heal fast, but I'm sure Charlie can shoot me enough times, I actually die. Quil can you text?"

"Yes, I've been texting Angela like crazy. She thinks I had an accident. She's totally crying over me right now."

"Great. Good for you. Text Bells and tell her you're fine, but don't send her the pictures Leah took. Don't say anything else. I've got to go."

Old Quil followed me to the door. "Jacob, you can't fight this."

"Watch me."

"You can't run from it either. What's done is done."

I didn't even bother shedding my clothes. I shredded them when I phased. I bet I could run this out of my wolf. He was ramped up on something, maybe we needed to kill a leech. Fuck if I knew. One might not be enough. I knew for certain I wasn't going to do any of the shit Old Quil talked about. I could fix this and I'd stay far away from Bella until I was certain I had. That was a solemn vow I made to myself. I swore to Charlie I would still protect her and I would until my last breath. I would always protect her... even if it was from myself.

~Thanks for reading.

I forgot how much I really love this story. I should totally finish it. Can I get a hell yes?

Love you all and Happy 4th to all my American peeps.