Chapter 14
"Hey, Belle. Wait up!" Anabelle stopped and waited for Mason to catch up with her. She was at the entrance to the school and walking towards the parking lot. She turned to find Mason looking at her with a sad smile.
"Sorry. I just wanted to ask how you were. You weren't at school yesterday because of Harry Clearwater's funeral and when I called your house, no one answered." Anabelle smiled softly.
"I'm sorry Mase. I'm fine. I just wasn't at home last night, I was at Jacob's." Mason's eyebrow lifted and he smirked. "Not like that, Mase." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "We're just friends, plus it would be weird. He's a friend of my brothers. It's not... I'm not." She was stuttering her words and blushing quite dark. Mason laughed and put an arm around her.
"Just admit it, Belle. You like him. More than you do me." She gaped at him, turning a shade darker.
"How did you?" She asked, not even trying to deny it. He rolled his eyes and gave her a nudge.
"Oh please! I've known since we were in the fifth grade when you tried to kiss me."
She hit him playfully and shoved him off her. "I did not try to kiss you. I was aiming for your cheek when you swerved on me and made me kiss your nose!" They both laughed but stopped abruptly when a deep rev of a motorcycle made its way to their ears. They both looked to see Jacob pulling up into the school parking lot. Everyone's eyes landed on him. Boys were checking out the bike while girls checked out Jacob.
"It looks like your little boyfriend is here," Mason said wiggling his eyebrows smirking. Anabelle rolled her eyes but blushed nonetheless. Jacob hopped off the bike in one swift movement and shook out his hair. He was wearing his usual black T-shirt and faded blue jeans.
Anabelle watched and he pulled up the kickstand and walked towards her. It was like watching him in slow motion, his muscles moving with every step he took. She was taken out of her trance when a hand came into view. Mason was waving his hand erratically in front of her face. "You got it bad, Belle." He chuckled.
She rolled her eyes and walked towards Jacob. "Hey." She greeted, wrapping her arms around his torso in a hug. He did the same. Jacob greeted Mason and led Anabelle to the bike. She noticed there was an agitated look on his face, that he was clearly trying to hide. "Hey, what's wrong?" Jacob sighed, looking at her sadly before taking a deep breath.
"The leeches cane back last night. I have to go meet with one to make sure they know what they're dealing with if they don't abide by the treaty." He was practically shaking when he was done causing Anabelle to grab his hand. He calmed down with her touch but his face still held tension.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Anabelle asked. Jacob looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I kinda already thought you would be coming with me. But if you don't, I could drop you off at Emily's." Anabelle waved him off, strapping on her helmet.
"No. Then you'll have to make two trips and plus I've never met a vampire." Jacob tensed slightly. He didn't want Anabelle anywhere near vampires with the intention of meeting them. He looked at her face, the slight pout of her mouth and her big brown eyes. He couldn't refuse her.
"Ok. But you have to stay with me the whole time. Got it?" She saluted him and nodded.
"By the way, who is it?"
"Bella's leech, Edward." She nodded. "And Bella." Anabelle tensed.
Bella?
Jacob cut the engine of the bike a little off the main road and kicked the stand into place. He hopped off and helped Anabelle off as well. She took off her helmet, shaking her hair out and combing through it. "Where are we?" She asked, unbuckling her helmet and placing it on the handle. She wrapped her arms around her body, shivering slightly.
"A little ways off the highway. It's sorta no-man's land." She nodded, letting him lead the way towards the woods. Jacob helped Anabelle walk through the thick, dense, green forest. They stopped at the bottom of a hill surrounded by greenery and shrubs. Anabelle took her time admiring the view when she heard a car screech to a stop. She instinctively tensed, making Jacob wrap a protective arm around her waist.
A few seconds later, two people arose from the brush of trees. A small petite, pale girl who Anabelle recognized as Bella, and an even paler, lanky guy. His skin looked smooth as marble. His hair all tousled on his head and his gold, yellow eyes were piercing into Jacob's dark brown ones.
Edwards's eyes soon found Anabelle's, making her cower behind Jacob. He then glanced back at Jacob, a look of knowing filled his face. Bella's eyes brightened upon seeing Jacob but still held onto Edward's arm, not making an effort to move. Jacob glanced at Bella and spit, "See you're still alive. For now."
"He thinks I'm keeping you away," Edward said, his voice smooth as silk. Anabelle kept quiet and watched with interest. She remembered the pack talking about certain vampires having gifts. Maybe Edward could read minds. She saw Edward's eyes flicker to her in a sign of a 'Yes.'
Jacob growled. "You stay the hell out of my head. And hers for that matter." He motioned towards Anabelle who was now holding Jacob's hand, rubbing soothing circles on his knuckles.
"Jacob I know you have something to say to me." Edward started. "But I want to say something to you first if that's alright?" After a brief nod from Jacob, Edward continued. "Thank you for keeping Bella alive when I didn't."
"It wasn't for your benefit, trust me." Jacob sneered.
"I'm still grateful," Edward said. "But in here now. And I'm not gonna leave her side until she orders me away." Edward made a move to leave with Bella on his arm.
"My turn to talk," Jacob growled, stepping forward and bringing Anabelle with him. She moved to wrap her arm around his, watching as Bella looked at her intently. "I'm here to remind you about a key part in the treaty."
Edwards nods. "I haven't forgotten."
"What?" Bella asks, "What key part?"
"If any of them bites a human, the treaty is off. And that's bites, not kills." Jacob took another step close to Edward and Bella. Anabelle moved to stand behind Jacob, her arm around his waist and head tucked into his arm.
"But if I choose it, it has nothing to do with you," Bella said, moving closer to Jacob. Edward followed, not trusting the wolf. Jacob tensed and tightened his arm on Anabelle.
"You know what we'll have to do to you, Bella. It doesn't matter if it's you or someone else. That's the treaty! I won't have a choice!" Jacob was shaking slightly. Anabelle tried to soothe him while Edward tried to drag Bella away.
"Belle, please come," Edwards said. She looked at Jacob then at Edward.
"Wait. Is he gonna hurt me? Read his mind." Anabelle glared at the Swan girl for thinking that Jake would hurt her. She intertwined their fingers together, Jacob giving her a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. Bella stepped forward right in front of Jacob, ignoring Anabelle. "Jake...I love you. You know that. So, please, don't make me choose. Because it'll be him. Whether you like it or not, it has always been him."
Edward stepped closer, grabbing Bella's hand that was on Jacob's arm. "Goodbye Jacob." This made Jacob angry.
"No, you don't speak for her!" Jacob was now tensely shaking making Anabelle remove herself from him and look at him in worry.
"Jake, stop." Anabelle tried telling him before he lunged at Edward, causing him to be flung across the forest. He phased mid-air, into a reddish-brown wolf. The wolf growled at Edward and ran towards Anabelle, shielding her from the vampire. Anabelle gently stroked his fur and looked into his eyes, which were the same dark brown. "I'm ok. You're ok. Everything's ok, right?" The wolf nodded, placing his forehead on her stomach.
Anabelle then looked towards Edward. "¿Sabes español?" After a nod from Edward, Anabelle continued. "Estoy Seguro de que Sam querría Habla con su Aquelarre en algún momento en el Futuro cercano. Ahora, si Hemos terminado aquí, nos iremos ahora." Edward nodded, while Bella looked confused. Anabelle looked towards Jacob's wolf and smiled.
"Let's go home." She said before the wolf sat down on his stomach, letting Anabelle climb herself on his back. "We're gonna go to your house and get some clothes than to Sam's ok? We can get your bike later." The wolf's head nodded and slowly stood up. Anabelle tightened her hold on Jacob's fur before he slowly stood to his full height. She took one final glance towards the couple before The wolf trotted out if the brush and towards the reservation, both feeling uneasy about what just happened.
Jacob's wolf led Anabelle towards the garage behind his house where extra pairs of shorts had been stashed. She picked a pair of cut off jeans shorts and placed them on the floor when Jacob's wolf was. The wolf gathered the fabric in his mouth and walked behind the brush of the forest. A few minutes later, Jacob appeared with the shorts on and no shirt. He embraced Anabelle in a tight, heated hug. "Are you ok?"
"I'm perfectly fine, J. Nothing to worry about." She smiled a genuine smile and grabbed his hand, walking him towards Sam's. He intertwined their fingers, feeling himself relax, her rose scent wafting towards his nose.
They made it the Uley's in less than five minutes, both being able to smell the freshly cooked muffins inside. When they stepped over the threshold, Anabelle was pulled into Paul's arms and into a tight embrace. "Are you ok? Are you hurt? What happened?" He then looked towards Jacob. "Where the fuck has y'all been!?" Anabelle flinched at her brother's assertiveness but kept quiet.
"I did what Sam told me to do. Belle was completely safe, you know I would never let anything happen to her." Jacob said through gritted teeth. "The leeches needed to know what they were up against and if you want to know how Belle felt, why don't you just ask her?"
"Honestly Paul, I'm completely fine. Jacob protected me." Paul took her word and led her to the kitchen table to eat, glaring at Jacob as he did so.
The air was tense while everyone ate. Mostly because of the reappearance from the Cullen's. Anabelle suddenly looked up at Jacob and asked, "What about your bike and my backpack?"
"Embry's on patrol." Sam interrupted. "He can go get it." Anabelle nodded and continued eating her chicken. Jacob was sitting next to her and holding her hand under the table. She sneaked a look in his direction and smiled. He did the same.
The pack, Emily and Anabelle were all sitting and watching a movie when Sam spoke. "What did the leech say when you met with him? Was it Edward?" Jacob nodded and stood up straighter, careful not to jostle his imprint too much.
"I reminded him of the treaty until Bella tried to intervene. She kept on saying that it was her choice and it didn't involve us."
"Well, it does involve us," Paul interjected. "The whole reason we are here, protecting our tribe and our people is those leeches who decided to come back." Anabelle nodded in agreement.
"I told him that Sam would want to meet with their coven. I know I'm technically not in the pack but I think it's best if you talk with them." Sam nodded, taking in what Anabelle was saying. He always respected the 14-year-old because of her problem-solving skills. She was the one to come up with the idea to tie their shorts to their legs.
"Ok. I'll contact the elders and set up a meeting with the Cullen's." Sam said.
Anabelle grabbed her backpack from where Embry put it and grabbed her phone from the table. She heard Paul call her so she rushed to get to the door. "Belle!" She heard Jacob yell from behind her. He ran up to her holding her hardcover copy of Goblet of Fire.
"Oh thank you so much! I would've been looking for it tomorrow." She reached up to peck him on the cheek, having to jump a little because he was so tall. Jacob blushed but straightened up before anyone could see him. He waved from the front door when Anabelle got into the car, before driving away into the night.
