DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. I live in the shadow realm, and can only appear corporeally to wayward travelers in the night. If you see me, you should probably run.
If you've read/reviewed/favorited/followed, I owe you my first born child. Seriously, it fills me with such joy to hear your thoughts, and I'm so glad most of you seem to be enjoying this so far.
I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself; like I've mentioned, I only have so much of this story that I've edited enough to convince myself to publish, and I'm trying not to leave y'all with a long cliffhanger. It may just come to that, unfortunately, since I have about eighty things to do for school. Oh well.
On that note, I'm looking for someone to read the parts that are not ready to be published. A beta, of sorts. An editor-in-chief to make sure I don't put in things like; insert gooey kiss scene here, or make Billy say something along the lines of; how else am I supposed to take a shit? If you're interested, let me know. I'll make a google doc and share you in as long as you promise to keep it a secret. (I don't know who you'd tell, honestly, but privacy is a big deal in the digital age.)
If you have a Thought, please do not hesitate to leave a comment, I promise I'll get back to you if I can. And Poppy, if I may add, your English is better than mine.
XXII
The rest of the afternoon passed effortlessly. I marveled at how easy it was to be with Bella, like I'd known her my entire life. I filled her in on Quil, whose grandfather said he had been "acting out," in school, though I didn't know the particulars since I hadn't gone back yet.
"You haven't been going to school?" She asked, eyes narrowing in disapproval.
"Nah," I replied. "Billy got me on sabbatical. Since I have mono, you know," I winked.
We chatted about the pack. She was eager to hear about how Embry was doing, and she listened to my stories of our antics with a smile dancing on her lips. I went on to tell her about the time Paul and Embry fought over a hotdog. While they were tumbling around on the ground, Jared managed to swallow it whole.
Too soon, I had to take her home. The Rabbit's back wheel was replaced – so it no longer made a funny squeaking sound every rotation – and I couldn't put off the drive to Forks any longer without incurring the wrath of Charlie. I sighed as we pulled into her driveway, taking my arm off her shoulders when I saw the Chief walk out onto the porch with his hands buried deeply in his pockets.
Bella giggled. "I thought you weren't scared of a few bullets?"
My eyes narrowed, but my tone was light and joking, a smile tugging on my lips. "I'm not, but you should be. He doesn't have supernatural aim, after all."
"And you do?"
"Of course," I smirked. "But wolves can't really throw things, y'know, cause we have legs instead of arms."
She laughed while I walked her up to the door. Charlie seemed surprised at the two feet of space between us. His eyes were sad, eyebrows drawn together over his face.
"Hey, Bells" he greeted, his shoulders drooping.
"Hey, Dad," Bella replied, stepping up onto the porch and wrapping an arm around his midsection.
"Are you coming back tomorrow?" I asked, stepping up with her.
"We'll be back for the funeral," Charlie replied, his voice heavy and thick with unshed tears. His eyes were red and bloodshot, but his face was dry. He was probably waiting to be alone to let the waterworks happen.
"I'll see you guys there," I replied, turning around as Bella walked into the house, shutting the door behind her.
"Wait a sec, Jake," Charlie called, clamoring down the steps to the porch and fixing me with a narrow-eyed stare.
I gulped. "Yeah?"
"You two seem to have gotten closer," he observed quietly, glancing back to the house to check that Bella wasn't peeking through the curtains. She was standing at the sink, washing a plate with her eyes fixed pointedly downward.
"Really?" I asked stupidly. I was hoping to have Bella around for this conversation as a buffer. I wasn't scared of Charlie per se, but the man had a loaded gun and could easily make my death look like an accident.
"Be careful," he cautioned. "She's stubborn, like her father." He smiled wistfully, as if he was remembering an old joke. "She doesn't get over things easily. When the Cullens left…" He trailed off, looking down at his feet. I noticed his face get dark with a blush I recognized from his daughter. "Well, let's just say I'm grateful she's feeling better, and I have a feeling it has a lot to do with you."
His eyes raised to mine. His lips were pursed in a guarded expression. "You know that, don't you?"
I nodded seriously. "You don't have to worry, Chief. I won't hurt her like they did." I focused on making my voice brighter. "Besides, we're practically family, right?" I asked, playfully punching his shoulder. "I ain't going anywhere."
He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, and rubbed his arm. I thought I'd only punched him lightly.
"I hope so," he said, eyeing me up and down. "I don't want to have to shoot you, Jake. Billy wouldn't like that." He laughed, and so did I.
That night, it was Sam, Jared, and I on patrol. We ran the perimeter of Forks and La Push, but it was quiet everywhere. I kept checking in on Charlie's house, but the only sounds I could hear were snoring and a lighter, even breathing from Bella's room.
I think Jake is right, Jared thought suddenly. Bella is his imprint. There's no other way to describe it, right, Sam?
Sam was more hesitant. It feels the same, he commented, slowing down on the edge of the coast. But is it just wishful thinking?
I growled. I'm right here, guys.
Jared laughed. See? He's just as defensive about her as we are, he thought.
Sam joined in on the comedy at my expense. Welcome to the club, Jake.
I realized what he meant as soon as he thought it. Bella was officially recognized as a wolf's imprint now, and no one would harm her without going through the pack. It calmed me down significantly to know she would be protected. If anyone needed a pack of over-sized wolves for protection, it was Bella.
The next morning at dawn, Harry's body was wrapped in a white sheet and some of his possessions were laid on top of him, then placed in a hand-carved canoe and sent out to sea with a candle burning on his chest. The candle got snuffed out immediately by the soft, dribbling rain falling from the overcast sky. Most of the tribe was there, choking back sobs. Bella stood next to Charlie, her hand on his shoulder while silent tears flowed down his cheeks like the river's current. He didn't bother wiping them away.
Sue, Leah, and Seth stood at the water's edge, wrapped in each other's arms. Leah and Seth were wearing as little clothing as possible, though it was unseasonably cold. People kept shooting accusing glances at their casual appearance, but it changed to pity when they saw how genuine their grief was.
I stood next to Billy, on the other side of Charlie, glancing over at Bella every now and then. She maintained the same stoic, solemn expression throughout the whole ceremony, but I could see fear in her eyes. I wondered if she was worrying about having to attend another funeral like this should we have trouble with the red-headed leech.
Afterwards, a smaller group congregated at Sue's house. She sat on her new couch, picked up from a secondhand store yesterday to replace the one her children had destroyed. Leah and Seth sat on the floor, whispering quietly to each other. Sam set up a blue plastic fold-up table outside and lit the grill while Emily set up the food.
Bella peeled herself away from Charlie, who sat with Sue, Billy, and Old Quil in the living room while the rest of the group transitioned outside. The house was too small to accommodate so many wolves and their families, so we set up chairs around a fire pit out back. Jared was lighting a batch of driftwood Paul and Embry had gathered while Kim watched with interest. I was helping roll a few fallen trees over to the fire so more people could sit, since there weren't enough chairs. Bella was helping Emily set up the food, and though I wanted to give them privacy, I couldn't help overhearing their conversation.
"Jacob seems… happier," Emily remarked as Bella placed a large bowl of macaroni salad on the table and began to peel away the plastic wrap. Emily was opening a plastic container of hot dogs and started placing them on the grill with a pair of metal tongs. My mouth began to water at the smell of meat cooking, and I gravitated closer to the pair.
"Does he?" Bella asked, her voice a few octaves too high.
"I think having you around has helped," Emily continued, a knowing smile curving half her face.
Bella blushed beet red, and I had to suppress a laugh.
"I just hope they're not putting themselves in harm's way for me," Bella said, wringing her hands nervously.
My fists clenched at my sides. Did she really think we were that helpless?
Emily, though, was calm and patient. "I understand," she said, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. "Every time Sam walks out that door, I worry. We can't help it, though; it's part of being a wolf-girl," she joked.
Bella laughed once, though the crease between her eyebrows didn't lighten up. "I guess we're both wolf-girls, now, huh?"
Emily smiled. "At least we have each other," she said gently. "Kim has been eager to meet you, actually, since Jared told her about Jacob imprinting."
Bella jumped a little in surprise. "He told them about that?"
Emily laughed lightly, unconcerned with Bella's reaction. "Jake ran it by the rest of them before telling you, because of how… unusual it was. He didn't want to say anything until they were sure." Her voice was kind and reassuring, but Bella's eyes didn't relax.
"Jacob mentioned that it was different for him…" She trailed off as they paced over to the door to grab some more food from the fridge inside. I could still hear them, though, even with all the other voices buzzing around me. I focused on theirs, trying to pinpoint the source of Bella's worry.
"He feels very strongly for you," Emily conceded as I heard the fridge door close. They walked out, arms full of two more dishes. One smelled like lasagna, and the other was some sort of chili.
"But are we soulmates, like you and Sam?" Bella wondered, eyes flickering to me. I averted my gaze quickly, pretending to be interested in Embry and Paul's conversation around the fire pit.
"What if…" she continued, apparently deciding I didn't look like I was listening. "Is it possible he hasn't imprinted on me? Will he find his real soulmate one day, and leave me like Sam had to leave Leah?" Her voice became high and strained, and I heard her thick-throated swallow.
Emily looked shocked for a second, but then her face went smooth. She must not have expected Bella to know about Leah.
"I doubt it," she replied, shrugging while pulling off the top of a Tupperware container. "I've seen the way he looks at you, and it's the same as the other imprinted wolves." Emily smiled over at Sam, who was scolding Jared for letting the fire get too big. "You two are right for each other, two halves of a whole. You don't need to doubt that."
I stood up from my seat, throwing my arms up in a long stretch. I peeked through my eyelids to see Bella's gaze drifting down to my exposed midriff, and smiled when she blushed at being caught.
I'd let them talk long enough, I thought. Time to add some testosterone to the mix.
"Hey, Bells," I greeted, throwing an arm around her shoulders and tucking her into my side. "How's the grub coming along?"
"Just about ready," she replied, looking up at me with surprised recognition. Emily's smile grew broad when she saw us together, probably confirming her earlier words to Bella about the way I looked at her.
I felt it, too. The gravitational pull she had for me, the way all my thoughts seemed to revolve around her some way or another. An invisible cord had fastened itself between us, tied around both of our chests.
Charlie came ambling out of the house, pushing Billy's chair down a makeshift ramp I'd brought over from our house. I noticed them gawk at my casual embrace of Bella, then give each other a meaningful look. I had a feeling they'd been gossiping about us before.
We ate around the fire, swapping stories about Harry. Charlie, Billy, and Old Quil had the most, but even Sue chimed in with a funny anecdote about how nervous he had been when he proposed. People laughed and cried, but Leah sat on the ground staring into the fire all night, not seeming to register any of it. I felt bad for her, then remembered her harsh words the other night; I don't want your pity.
I sat on a damp log next to Bella, our shoulders touching. I was sad about Harry; I'd known him my whole life. He was so close to Billy it was like losing an uncle. But the joy of having Bella let me hold her hand was keeping me from diving headfirst into grief.
The sun had just finished its descent behind the mountains when Charlie stood up and said, "It's a school night, kids."
Bella groaned next to me. Spring break was over in Forks.
I grinned. "Not for me," I bragged.
Bella glared up at me for a moment before her gaze softened. "That's probably for the best. You look like you could use some sleep." She reached up absentmindedly to trace the circles under my eyes, and I caught her hand, holding it there. My lips brushed against the palm of her hand.
I forgot about the crowd around us. It was just me and her, inches away from each other's face, leaning closer as the seconds ticked on.
"Ahem," Charlie interrupted, clearing his throat to cover up a laugh. Billy was smiling at both of us as our cheeks got dark.
"You comin', Bella?" Charlie asked, sauntering slowly away from the fire while saying his goodbyes.
"Yeah," Bella replied, standing up too quickly and losing her balance on the wet grass. I grabbed her arm to steady her, fluidly rising from my own seat.
I walked her out to the cruiser a few feet behind Charlie. We stopped just outside the passenger door while he got in the driver's seat. Neither of us really wanted to say goodbye.
"You'll come back tomorrow, after school?" I asked hopefully, almost pathetically.
"Of course," she promised, and my smile broadened.
I leaned down to her ear so Charlie wouldn't hear. "I'll be out tonight. Well, tomorrow morning, actually. If you want, you can leave your window open." I wiggled my eyebrows as I pulled back, hands pushed down to the very bottom of my pocket. I didn't want to seem too grabby in front of her dad.
Her mouth opened in shock, and she looked like a fish gasping for air. "Jake –" she started, but I interrupted.
"You don't have to. The pack will thank you if you don't," I joked, thinking about leaving them with one less wolf. "But if you need help getting to sleep, I don't mind."
A warm smile tugged up at the edges of her lips, fighting against her indignant expression.
"I'm not sure that's very responsible of us." She said jokingly.
"I'm not one for responsibility," I retorted, leaning back down and pecking my lips to hers quickly before backing away, heading back into the house.
"Think about it," I called over my shoulder as she lowered herself into the car with a dazed look on her face.
Charlie's expression was one for the history books. It looked almost painful for him to suppress his smile, his lips pursed like he had just swallowed some nasty cough medicine. I waved at him as they pulled away, and he nodded solemnly, one side of his mouth turned up in a grimace.
I was running the line between the reservation and Forks with Embry and Seth at my side while Paul, Jared, and Sam were patrolling La Push. Leah was sulking along the coast, feeling sorry for her mother, who was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being an elder on the council.
Hold on a sec, guys, I thought, turning to the right and bolting over to see if her window was open. Leah scoffed while Seth wondered if he would ever imprint. I was surprised to hear him thinking about a girl at school hopefully. Embry and Paul snickered, Jared rolled his eyes, and Sam wished I would stop being so immature.
It didn't matter what they thought, though, because as I approached the house, I caught a whiff of the sickly sweet burning scent that had become all too familiar.
Victoria, I growled, and the rest joined me.
The red-headed leech? Seth asked, though he could see her in our thoughts. He was still getting used to the pack mind.
This should be fun, Leah thought to herself. I might finally get to kill a bloodsucker.
The whole pack was coming. The trail was new, probably less than an hour old. I followed as it wound through the trees around the house then split in two different directions. One trail headed farther into the forest while the other continued straight, towards the town. The other trail was a different vampire, one I didn't recognize.
My eyes glanced up to Bella's window. It was wide open, though the night air stung with an unseasonable chill.
I need to check on her, I insisted, shifting out of my wolf form before Sam could order me not to.
I pulled on my shorts, then climbed the spruce that grew in Charlie's little front yard. My weight bowed the tree toward the house as it had before, and I swung myself in the same way, feeling accomplished.
My feet hit the floor with a dull thud, and Bella sat bolt upright in bed, eyes flying open.
Charlie's snores hadn't even been interrupted. I was getting better at the whole 'werewolf-strength' thing.
"Jake," she hissed.
"Hey, Bells," I greeted, walking forward and sitting on the edge of the bed, satisfied now that I could tell she had not been touched by the vampire smell. I brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. "You look good with bed-head." I joked.
She tried in vain to pat down her wild brown hair while I chuckled under my breath.
"You came," she whispered, eyes wide in surprise.
"Of course I did," I said in a low, throaty voice. "I said I would, right?"
She nodded. "Will you stay?" She asked, laying her head back on the pillow and opening her arms for me.
The invitation was too good to resist. Her hair was twisted like seaweed across the pillow, still wet. Her eyes were unguarded and trusting. I could practically see her thoughts laid bare in front of me. Even if I didn't know her so well, I would have recognized the fear there. Charlie had mentioned her nightmares to Billy, propelling her out of sleep and into waking life as she screamed bloody murder. Maybe I was kidding myself, but I thought maybe I could keep the bad dreams away, whatever they were. I laid down next to her, resting one hand on her waist and lifting the other to cup her cheek.
"I want to," I admitted. "But Sam is probably gonna kill me if I'm up here too long. I caught a whiff of Victoria outside, and the whole pack is on their way to follow the trail."
Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and her breath came in uneven gasps. "She was here?" Bella nearly shrieked.
We both tensed up as Charlie's snoring came to a sudden halt. We relaxed again a moment later when it started up again.
"I'll tell you everything as long as you promise not to freak out," I offered, rubbing circles into the exposed skin on her side with my thumb.
She didn't say anything, just looked at me imploringly.
I sighed. "I came by to see if your window was open, but when I got here I smelled her. There's a new smell, too, another bloodsucker I don't recognize. Don't worry, though," I assured, because her heart was beating erratically and her breathing had become too fast to be healthy. "We're going to take care of it."
"No, Jake!" She insisted, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling us even closer together. "Please, stay here. I don't want you to get hurt."
I was distracted by how her body felt pressed up against mine. Without thinking, I rolled us over so I was on top, supporting my weight above her with one of my forearms on the side of her head. The other wound itself around her knee, pulling it up against my hip. My nose dipped into the crook of her neck, then traced a line up to her ear while I inhaled her scent. She was like a bouquet of flowers, erasing the burn of the leeches.
She gasped at the sudden, blurringly fast movement, and reacted automatically. She lifted her other leg to wrap around my hips and arched her back so the whole length of her body was touching mine. When I pressed my lips to the sensitive skin behind her ear, a moan rumbled in her chest, making my need even greater.
There was an electric charge where our skin met, surging through me and setting every nerve on fire. She kissed my Adam's apple and I swallowed, throat suddenly very dry.
I realized with sudden terror that I had no idea how to do this. I may have been eager to get closer to Bella, but I was still a virgin. Did she feel how tight my nerves were coiled? Was she just as nervous? My train of thought abruptly halted when she pressed her lips to mine, as if one more moment apart would be their undoing. I kissed her back fervently, wrapping my arms around her waist and running my hands across the skin on her back.
From outside our bubble, I heard the hard thump of paws against the ground, and remembered why the pack was gathering outside. I groaned, pulling my face away from her, feeling torn.
"Jake," she sighed, eyebrows rising and meeting in the middle of her forehead. "You have to go, don't you?"
"Yes," I replied. "But I don't want to."
"Do I have to kick you out the window?" She joked halfheartedly.
I laughed, but the movement pressed us closer together, distracting me again from the matter at hand. A growl erupted outside the window, close enough for Bella to hear. She pulled away, eyes wide, and her arms loosened their grip.
"I'll be back," I promised. "Try to get some sleep."
It felt like tearing off a layer of skin, but I managed to untangle our bodies and hop out of the window. I quickly undressed and shifted into a wolf, instantly bombarded by Sam's anger.
What were you thinking?! He snarled, the fur on his back bristling with aggravation.
The bloodsucker could've climbed in the window, I answered.
Fire burned in my belly, the memory of her weight in my arms giving me away. I needed to focus now, but the electric feel of her skin against mine had awakened every single one of my nerve endings.
We don't have time for this, Sam growled, turning on his heel and following the scent of the leeches.
The pack had split up to follow in both directions, and we had to catch up now. I was grateful for any sort of distraction, anything to keep me from thinking about how close we had been –
Jesus, Jake, get a grip, Paul scolded.
Shut up.
Focus! Sam ordered.
Why would they split up? Embry wondered, hanging on the edge of the forest as he and Leah reached the town.
The red-head's scent just goes into the river, Seth added. He was tagging along with Jared and Paul, following the other trail. They decided to run down to where the Hoh meets the Pacific, to see if there was a trace of her along the riverbed.
Jake, go follow Embry and Leah. I'll meet up with the others so we can cover more ground, Sam instructed.
Sure, sure, I thought, picking up the pace as we raced towards our respective stations. I was glad to be out in the cool night air. It cleared my head, made it easier to focus on strategy. Leah and Embry were arguing over whether the streets were empty enough to justify following the scent through town.
We should circle around first, I suggested, joining in the debate. See if there's an exit trail.
Why don't you boys do that while I take this bloodsucker down, Leah replied. I'm going in.
I like this girl, Paul thought, eavesdropping. She's got bloodlust.
I have an idea, Embry thought. Two of us go through while one goes around. Leah, you think you can run the town's perimeter before we make it across?
Of course I can. I can make it around the town faster than you can get halfway through. Watch this.
Leah darted into the forest, faster than a bullet. She insisted that her small size was an advantage because it made her the fastest, but that was only good if you were avoiding a fight. I suppose it came in handy when we needed a runner, though. And her competitiveness made it so she was always up for a race.
C'mon, I urged, my hair standing on edge as the smell burned my nose. This scent was too strong; the bloodsucker must have been here just minutes ago.
Embry smelled it too, and we darted out from the cover of the trees, noses to the ground.
We heard it before we saw it. The growl of a feral animal came from an alley in the heart of downtown. As we rounded the corner, fur standing on edge, we caught the salty smell of fresh blood.
I'm on my way, Sam growled, turning so fast the ground beneath him got torn up. Jared, Paul, and Seth were hot on his trail. Leah growled and diverted her course around the town, barreling out of the trees onto a deserted street.
I looked to Embry. We had maybe thirty seconds before the leech noticed our presence, and I could feel our determination building with the tension in our muscles. We didn't need to plan; this was instinct.
You think he'll be surprised? Embry mused.
I slunk to the right and behind the building, hesitating at the edge just as Embry paused on the other side of the alley.
No one sees Death coming, I replied. Leah?
I'm around the corner, she responded, flying over the sidewalk.
Good. Back up Embry.
On it.
Jake, Sam said, we're on our way. Hold your ground.
We will, I responded, stepping into the alley, a snarl building in the back of my throat.
The bloodsucker shrugged away the corpse, blood-red eyes darting over to me, and I realized I knew him.
Mike Newton?
Who?
The entire pack had the same thought simultaneously, which would have been amazing if I weren't face-to-face with a bloodsucker and his drained victim.
There wasn't time for an explanation, but my memories of the last time I'd seen the boy were swirling around my head. Mike turned towards the other side of the alley and saw Embry standing there, haunches trembling.
In an instant, Mike was in the air, launching himself on the roof.
Damnit!
Tricky son of a –
Leah leaped off the sidewalk, trying to keep pace with the vampire as he hopped from rooftop to rooftop, moving so fast he blurred with speed. Embry and I ran on the opposite side, weaving around the buildings in our way. We had never pursued a vampire outside of the woods, and the more urban landscape was trickier to maneuver than we expected.
Mike was hopping over rooftops, and we were only getting glimpses of a dark blur here and there, but his scent was strong enough to follow his trail to the edge of town, where the highway exits. Sam, Paul, and Jared were pushing themselves faster than they had ever gone, and Seth was holding his own a few yards behind them, but they weren't going to catch up anytime soon.
Embry, Leah, and I were the front line. We couldn't afford to lose sight of him, but he vanished into the brush and we were left with only a scent trail, albeit a very fresh one. We followed it up against the edge of trees lining the highway when the trail abruptly stopped.
Did he have a car waiting?
He must have, Leah sneered, stalking forward and sniffing the asphalt.
Could the red-head have picked him up? Sam asked no one in particular.
How did she go from the water to the highway?
He could have hopped onto a passing car from the overpass, Embry noted.
So what do we do now?Seth panted, taking advantage of Sam's distraction to catch up with the rest of their group.
We make sure La Push is safe, Sam replied. Jake, you guys circle Forks. Check on Charlie's house.
I didn't need to be told twice. Leah and Embry followed me back to the town limits and circled around the perimeter while I ran straight to Charlie's.
The sickly-sweet smell had faded with time, meaning the bloodsuckers hadn't come back while we were distracted, which was a relief. As I was thinking about how I would tell Bella who I had just seen sucking the blood out of someone, my heart sunk down to my knees.
Her window was shut tight against the dark night.
Jake's got blue balls, Embry teased.
Why do I have to hear about this? Leah grumbled.
I do not have blue balls, I insisted weakly. I laid down on the grass, resting my head on crossed paws. I guess she got cold.
Leah scoffed. She probably got tired of waiting, she thought bitterly, remembering the nights when she sat up waiting for Sam to come back after he disappeared.
Leah… Sam began.
Save it, she interrupted. What you're doing is wrong, Jacob. You're just leading her on.
Shut up, Leah, I growled. She's mine.
Yeah, right now she is, but what happens when you meet her friends? What if you imprint on one of them? You're lying to her about that possibility. She should know. Her thoughts were strangely protective of Bella. I hadn't noticed the feeling of kinship Leah had for her, but now that I knew it was there, it wasn't hard to understand why.
It isn't a possibility, I snarled, willing it to be true.
Leah, Sam cautioned, this isn't about Jacob, and you know it.
So what if it isn't?
Her thoughts were vicious vipers biting at the back of my mind. Was she right?
You need to try and understand. Sam sounded weary even to himself. If Jacob says he's imprinted, then he has. He's seen it through our eyes, he knows how it feels. We need to trust him.
Why should I trust him? What has he done to earn it?
You followed his orders back in town, Embry reminded her.
That was different.
It doesn't matter, Sam declared. Jacob is family. We trust our family.
Seth yawned. Leah quit being antagonistic for a few minutes to tell him to go home and sleep, but he wasn't about to 'miss out on the fun,' so they ran patrol a few times before he finally tuckered out. Leah went home with him, struggling to keep her own eyes open. The others shifted back into human form once we were sure the leeches had left the area, leaving Sam and I on guard.
I was thinking about Bella, about the charge her skin had. I could still feel it electrifying every inch of my skin. My chest felt oddly empty without her pressed against it.
You understand now, Sam commented. It's impossible to describe, isn't it? How much power she has over you. She could tell you to walk on water and you would do it. His thoughts turned to Emily, how much he missed her during these long nights…
I get it, but I'm not sure if I want to hear it. I rolled my eyes.
Sure, sure. Sam replied, stealing my line.
Isn't it weird that Mike Newton is a vampire? I asked, changing the subject when Sam's thoughts got explicit.
It's interesting, Sam replied.
We thought about it together for a while, to distract ourselves from running to the people we would rather be with. Sam only remembered Mike's face vaguely, having only met him once in a group, but he knew his father. Mr. Newton and his wife were definitely not vampires.
We can only speculate, Sam finally said, but we can assume that the Cullen's haven't bit him, since they've been gone for six months. Maybe the redhead… but why?
Sam was remembering the same generic, non-descript white boy that usually came from Forks. He couldn't understand what Victoria might see in him. I had to agree.
Jared and Paul came to relieve us around four in the morning, and I stumbled into bed completely naked while my mind was swimming with images of Bella and I, tangled up in her sheets.
A/N: I had to add this little note at the end for the valiant knight Zzz; good luck on the TEAS! I remember those days. Happier times. Just wait until you meet good ol' ATI. I don't know where you are in your education but if I may offer some advice? Math is important, but so is Anatomy and Physiology. If you haven't taken that class yet, I recommend doing it first. Oh, and Microbiology. Basically get all of your general education (gen eds, as we called them in my day,) out of the way before you start applying to schools. They'll help with the TEAS and also just in general; if you can get some sort of health sciences certificate, you can probably also get a job at a hospital, who may or may not help you out with tuition. This is probably not helpful if you're already a CNA/LPN but if you're in high school right now and you want to go into nursing school, spend a couple semesters at your local community college and knock down psych/A&P/microbiology/etc. BEFORE applying and going to nursing school. It looks better on your application, it's a lot cheaper, and taking any of those classes on top of the nursing curriculum is a major undertaking. Sure, people do it, but at what cost? I'll get off my soap box now.
