CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
(JPOV)
I couldn't shut my mind off and I waited until everyone was asleep before I left Charlie's, the sight of Bella in the rocking chair still holding Clarissa while she slept, being the last thing I saw before I closed the door and bolted for the forest.
I needed to run like I needed the very breath in my lungs right now.
All I could think about was what Peter had said and how pissed I was from it. Billy was right about one thing, Peter had always been about money and social status, it was what played such a crucial part in his severed relationship with Lilly in the first place. Pair that with the drinking and the abandonment he always left her reeling from, and their father/daughter bond couldn't have been more damaged.
There was a release I couldn't put words to that came from being in the wild when life felt like it was all too damn much.
I made fast time to the Lumber Yard and slowed my run when I heard Sam phase in.
"Didn't expect to see you till the dawn. Thought you were running the border shift with Paul?" Sam asked in a huff my way.
"I still am." I snarled back, seeing him halt his advance toward me when he heard the sharpness in my responding tone.
"What's going on?"
"I just came from Charlies. Judy and Peter finally showed up." I admitted.
"What? Did they finally get word about Lilly?"
"Yeah, they came with a mission in mind. Peter's threatening to take me to court for custody of Clarissa!"
"You can't be serious!" Sam huffed in reply. "What the hell is he thinking?"
"I don't fucking know, Sam."
"There's no chance in hell-" He angrily countered. "He's fooling himself."
"I hope so. I really do. He thinks she deserves more. That her upbringing would be better if it was in some big city. It's all about money."
"What do you need from us? You know we're in your corner, Jacob. Through and through."
"I appreciate that, Sam. Charlie is already on it. He thinks we should get ahead of Peter while we still can. I just had to get out of that house for a little while. Clarissa is asleep with Bells."
"How is she doing?" Sam asked.
"She's done so much for Billy and I."
"You know she wants to be here for you. Seems like her presence back here has done some real good for Charlie, too." Sam hedged in reply.
"Yeah, it has. Charlie's happier now than I've seen him in a long time and he's even growing close to Clarissa. I'm not used to seeing that side of him. Makes Bella happy to see it. I can tell."
"Listen Jake, don't worry about Peter. He doesn't stand a chance with this in the courts. You're a great, dad. Hold strong to that. Don't let that pompous ass place doubt in you." Sam huffed loudly.
"He's got a lot of power to wield and a lot of money."
"None of that matters." Sam countered.
"Thanks, bro."
"I did some digging around with the Elders earlier this morning about the removed imprint. They didn't have as much knowledge to offer up as I was hoping they would but they did tell me there could be a link between Bella's suffering and the removal of the imprint from years ago."
I turned my head his way and saw his wolf gaze meet mine with this. He had my devout attention.
"There is a link? What does that mean and why are they picking and choosing what to tell you? I don't like all the secrecy, Sam. What gives?" I replied to him in frustration.
"I'm not a fan of it either, but you know how they work. It's like pulling teeth to get anything useful out of them. Believe me- I tried with a meeting for over an our. I left with a bigger headache then when I arrived and not one straight forward answer."
"Where the hell does that leave us? Back where we started?" I dismally countered.
"Possibly but I think some of the pieces are falling into place better than they were before."
"I can't do the fucking riddles right now." I testily replied then with a huff. "Do they think our proximity can help heal her or not? I need to know."
"They do." He firmly huffed my way.
I glanced toward the way that lead back to Charlie's and Sam easily followed my thoughts.
"You want her to stay here, don't you? There's no shame in it. She's part of you. Always has been."
"You know where my shame comes from."
"Yeah, but I also know that Lilly wouldn't want you carrying that around with you."
"I know." I huffed in frustration.
"Does Bella still plan to leave next week? Head back to Maine?"
"I'm not so sure. Charlie let me know that he saw one of her texts to Callie. He said it was something about her not wanting to go back just yet. I don't know what to think of it. She has her whole life there-"
"...and you're here." Sam stated in reply. "If you ask me, I think her leaving you behind is something that's really hard for her to contemplate doing again. Especially right now. What if she truly wants to stay? Would you want that?"
"Of course I would. As long as she was at peace with that decision."
"You know Bella. She doesn't do anything she doesn't want to. You just have to trust and her believe her when she tells you that this is where she wants to be. Clarissa seems to have taken to her already." Sam thoughtfully replied.
"She really has. She's comfortable with her when I'm gone and that makes leaving her a little more damn bearable. I know she's happy and in good hands."
"The two of you need each other and I for one, hope she sticks around."
"Me too, Sam." I truthfully stated, turning away from him as I headed back into the snowy and darkened forest, the two of us going our separate ways then.
"See you in a few more hours, bro." Sam huffed out over his shoulder as we tore off in opposite directions.
"I'll be here."
I pushed my legs until they burned and embraced the heat that roamed over me as I weaved around the trees.
Bella being close by had mended something in me that I'd left broken for a long time and now that I knew what that felt like with her again, I didn't want to let her go and have things return to the way they were.
When I quietly crept back into Charlie's, my breath caught in my throat while I closed the house door and saw Bella fast asleep on the couch with Clarissa, the two of them looking so peaceful that I didn't have the heart to wake them.
My fathers voice was what startled me then.
"She moved from the chair a little while ago. She tried to wait up for you but she was simply too tired. I told her you could be out till dawn so-" Billy informed me from across the way.
"Did Clarissa settle back down okay?"
"Yeah, barely moved when Bella got up. Still sleeping like a rock. How was your run?"
"Brief but good. I saw Sam and he told me he still has a lot of unanswered questions for the elders. He's going to the council tomorrow. I'm not sure it will do him any good, but he's going to try." I sighed.
"I'll put in a call in the morning and see what I can do to help him with that." Billy countered.
"Thanks."
"I want you to know that I don't blame you for being angry with me like you have. My actions were wrong and I am truly sorry."
"I need some more time with it, dad. I won't lie but I do forgive you." I tensely replied.
"I love you, Jake."
"I love you, too dad. Get some rest."
I tucked the blanket in around Bella and Clarissa, and stretched out on the end of the sofa, listening to the stillness of the house while I thought of Sams words.
My tired gaze soon settled on the two of them, and I found it impossible to look away. There was nothing I wanted more than for Bella to stay.
A/N: (Long Authors Note This Time) Hey guys, sorry for the shorter update. I had every intention to get up way more chapters than this. but due to things being just absolutely crazy with all the sickness going around, not too mention the abrupt schedule changes for me this week, that made updating so hard and I am sorry. This weekend will be so much better for updating. I am truly doing my best. Till then :-)
