*Jacob's POV*
The night was quiet, and I couldn't be happier. Christina and Alexander were spread out across the couch watching a movie. While I had the most amazing woman in my arms as we watched the sun set. I stared out at the yard in front of us and smiled.
"Bells," I said quietly into her hair.
She shifted in my arms, curling herself into my side more. "Hmm?" She mumbled against my chest.
"Remember when this place was just weeds and bushes?"
She laughed quietly and picked up her head to look at me. "And my stomach was huge." She added.
I leaned my head back against the swing we were sitting on and smiled. I pictured Bella when she was pregnant with Christina. How she sat on a blanket while I worked to build us the home that neither of us would have guessed we would raise three beautiful children in.
"Remember the yard full of toys?" Bella asked as she looked out in the empty yard.
I nodded and held her closer to me. "Do you know how amazing you made my life?" I asked her, remembering back when I had thought we were through. That I could never look at her again for kissing… I let my thoughts trail off, smiling at the memory that brought us to Christina. "I don't think I would have changed that night for anything in the world."
Bella moved so she was leaning on her elbow to look at me. Her eyebrow raised in confusion. "What night?"
"The night I found you in that field after you and Edward… the night Christina was conceived."
Bella's cheeks flushed a light pink and she ducked her head against my arm. "She was actually your fault."
I laughed loudly and shook my head. "I wasn't thinking straight."
Bella giggled and kissed my arm. "Neither was I."
"It's amazing how one little girl changed our life. You think we would have been where we are today if we waited?" I asked, suddenly wondering if we would still have everything we have today.
She shrugged and laid back in my arms. "I don't care to think about it. I'm content with what we've got. Christina was our anchor. And the twins are our binding pieces. Our lives wouldn't be complete without our Christina, Alexander, and Asherah."
"You're absolutely right." I hooked my finger under her chin and brought her lips to mine.
"Sorry to interrupt." Ethan smiled as he walked up to us.
"Bringing my baby home?" I asked him.
Ethan stood frozen with wide eyes.
I jumped to my feet, taking Bella with me. Asherah wasn't with him.
"I thought Alex was taking her home… she called him… she was meeting him…" Ethan trailed off when Alex stepped beside me.
"No, I figured you were bringing her home since she never called me. I left Amber's house a few hours ago."
"Well then where is she?" Bella's voice grew frantic as she spoke. "Someone had to have seen her if she tried walking home on her own."
"Why would she want to walk home on her own? She knows better than that." I growled through clenched teeth.
"Maybe she wanted some form of independence." Christina grumbled as she walked into the yard. "She can't ever do anything on her own."
"Well this would be why! Phase now and go find your sister." I demanded.
"I'll handle my own orders since I'm the alpha and you're just a wolf." Christina said sarcastically. I didn't have time for her smart remarks.
"I'm not giving you an order as an alpha. I'm demanding it as your father."
"What are you going to do?" She asked me, folding her arms against her chest.
"You're handling the supernatural aspect. Your mother and I will go by car and see if she's just off wondering… being…" I waved my hands in the air uselessly. "Being independent." I spit out and took Bella's hand as Ethan and Alex immediately phased while Christina hurried around the corner to phase.
I spun the wheels and took off in the opposite direction Christina and the others were going in. I could hear Bella's panicked heartbeat and reached over to lay my arm across her lap. She gripped it tightly, her fingernails digging into my skin. "She's okay, Bells."
She didn't answer me. She bit her bottom lip and stared out her window, fighting back tears.
Soon enough we had people walking on foot looking for her, wolves looking for her and besides Bella and I driving, Charlie and a few others were in their cars as well.
Bella clutched her phone and mine in each of her hands as she stared our the windshield, then her window, and back to the front.
I jumped slightly when both phones dropped from her hands and she gasped, pointing out her window. "Jake stop, there she is."
I was surprised she could see her sitting in the shadows of the darkness on the side of the road. I turned so my headlights hit her dirty tear streaked face.
Before I could stop the car, Bella was out the door.
"Bella, wait for me, please!" I called after her. We still didn't know what was going on. But of course, she ignored me, dropping to her knees to take our shaking daughter in her arms. She didn't ask questions, she cried with her.
I had to be the stronger one, I had to swallow my tears, hold in the pride of the fact that she was safe. I knelt down in front of them and took off my shirt to help clean off her face. I jumped to my feet when I realized it wasn't just dirt.
"What the hell happened to you? Don't you know you're supposed to have one of the boys bring you home?"
She didn't answer. She stared up at me with tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Asherah," I asked more calmly, kneeling in front of her again. "What happened, baby."
She opened her mouth to talk, but she collapsed in Bella's arms, sobbing.
I leaned in towards her and sniffed her clothes.
She flinched away from me, watching me with wide eyes.
"He found you. His scent is all over you… more… more than one male." My body shook, but I fought to keep it in control.
"What?" Bella's voice shook as tears spilled from her eyes.
Asherah continued to stare at me.
I fought with myself to ask the next question. As her father I didn't want to hear the answer, but the wolf inside of me did. He needed the fuel to burn the fire inside me out of control.
"Did he-did they… touch you?" I swallowed the blood in my mouth as I bit my tongue.
The horror-struck look she gave me made my body vibrate. She lost my gaze and dropped her eyes to her hands, shaking her head slowly and burst into tears again.
"I don't believe her. Bella, take her home. Call Carlisle."
"No!" She sobbed. "Please, no."
"It's either Carlisle, or I take you to the hospital for a rape test myself."
Asherah unsteadily jumped to her feet. "It wouldn't work! And they didn't touch me that way… I wouldn't let them."
"Why wouldn't it work?" I said through clenched teeth.
"I-I was with…" She trailed off and my stomach turned.
"Take her to Carlisle." I told Bella.
"Dad-"
"Go with your mother."
"Who are you going after?" She asked with a shaky voice.
I thought about it for a moment. Did I want to tear apart Ethan, or go after this guy and end him once and for all. "Don't know yet." I said flatly and leaned down to kiss Bella. "Straight home, please. Call everyone when you're in the house. Leah and Seth are running close so they'll hear you arrive." I informed her and kissed her again.
I watched Asherah walked to the car and curl up on the backseat.
"Here." I grabbed Bella's arm before she walked away and stripped from my shorts. I shoved them in her outstretched arms and kissed her before turning and diving into the air. I phased before I hit the ground.
"Jacob!" Bella yelled after me.
I skidded to a stop and trotted back over to her.
She tucked my clothes under her arm and gripped my fur with both her hands to pull my face down so my eyes were level with hers. "Go after the threat. She's a big girl, Jake. You knew they were having sex."
I growled and pulled my head free.
"I mean it, Jacob!" She yelled as I turned away from her.
I turned back and licked her cheek.
"Don't be cute when I'm trying to threaten you."
I rolled my eyes and ran out of view. I heard her get in the car and drive away.
Chris, she's fine. I informed her, placing the vision of her sister in her mind for the others to see, too.
We're heading back now. Good job, Dad.
My job's not finished yet. I groaned and focused my thoughts on Ethan.
Leave him alone, Dad.
Go home, kid.
Surprisingly she did as I asked and I ran ahead of them, pacing the front yard until Ethan arrived. I would talk to him and then go find the threat.
I think we need to focus on something else, right now, Jacob. Ethan said nervously as he walked a wide circle around me.
And what's that. I growled, snapping at his neck.
He leaped away from me, his heartbeat beating out of control.
You should focus on your son. He said quickly.
I stood up straight and listened to the commotion inside. Alex wasn't in there. I knew exactly where he went. He was always protective over his sister.
I'm not through with you. I warned him and ran from the yard.
You want me to tell Bella where you went?
Absolutely not! I'd like her to worry about one of her kids at a time, please. I rolled my eyes and picked up my pace as I ran.
