Wrote this in record time to get it out before Christmas! Thank you so much for the reviews and new follows, it pushed me to get this chapter out faster than I thought was possible haha. I really hope you enjoy the chapter that I think you all have been patiently waiting for when Maya finally finds out about what happened with Bella.
Oh fuck. Jacob didn't want to step a foot into his house the moment he saw Rachel and Paul's car pulled up beside his home.
He was somehow able to convince Maya to come back to his house after she refused to go back into her house. She had no intention of ratting out Tate, not before she had a chance to talk to him herself. But that wasn't something she was willing to do until she knew it was just going to Tate there with her and not his mysterious lady friend that burned Maya's mind with her nakedness. So with much convincing done on Jacob's part, she agreed to go back to his place. It was easier to accept knowing that his dad was home. Maybe, just maybe, she would take the bull by the horns and once more try to tell Jacob how she really felt after today. If this was the universe's way of telling her to grow up and say what she meant then it was working.
Jacob slowed his pace as they walked up to the front door. The closer they got the more he dreaded inviting Maya here. He didn't even stop to think twice about the fact that his sister had been on a family trip outside of town for the last two weeks and they had planned to get back today. Which meant Paul hadn't phased since he left, which also meant he hadn't heard Jacob's thoughts like most of the pack already had. Paul had no idea he had imprinted, so neither did Rachel. They had no idea he ended things with Bella.
Maybe Jacob was too paranoid, but the last thing he wanted to do was show up at his home with his imprint before they even knew he had imprinted. With Jacob's luck, the two of them were bound to fuck something up. Jacob continued to walk as slow as Maya would possibly allow, almost hoping that somehow they would be gone by the time they walked in the door, a silly wish. Maya didn't even notice him slow down, instead, she inspected the tiny home in front of her, surprised at just how small it was. What must have been a bright red home at one point, was now faded and looked to be barely holding on. She imagined a good gust of wind could probably knock that thing to the ground. Even Tate and Maya's home wasn't that weathered, though most of the homes around here were.
Jacob held his hand out, inviting her to look at the home that she had already been inspecting. "This is home." He said in a sarcastic tone, more than likely seeing it in the same light that Maya did.
"It's quaint." She did her best to make small talk for the time being and realized her response probably didn't sound like much of a compliment.
Jacob chuckled. "Quaint is probably the nicest thing anyone can say about it. It won't be home for much longer though, thank God."
Maya turned to him quickly, eyebrows pinched in confusion and worry. "You're leaving?" She knew as soon as it left her mouth that she probably sounded and looked desperate. She bit her lip hard, scolding herself, trying to fight her instinctive facial reactions.
Jacob bit his lip too, for the exact same reason, trying to fight his smile that was dying to come out. Her reaction was thrilling for him. Any bit of interest in him she would give, he would gladly take. "No need to worry, I'm just relocating to another place in La Push." He grinned at her.
She scoffed, instantly annoyed with his flirtations, but loving them all at the same time. He laughed, before grabbing for the door handle to lead her inside. As soon as Maya heard the voices, she regretted coming with him. This was not what she had in mind. Meeting Jacob's family was not on her to-do list today, not at all.
"Hey, you fat fuck!" Maya watched as a man nearly as muscular and tall as Jacob, grabbed him roughly, pulling him into an overly tight hug.
Jacob pulled away giving him a far too aggressive lovetap to the cheek. "Oh Paul, I definitely did not miss you." Jacob looked over Paul's shoulder to the woman who stood with Jacob's dad. She let out a chuckle before walking over to hug Jacob as well.
Maya stood in the doorway completely silent, awkwardly, rubbing at her arm aimlessly and wishing that she wasn't invading this intimate family moment. Everyone looked to her after their greetings, which she knew was inevitable. Her face burned bright red and she smiled sheepishly. Though they smiled back, she wasn't blind to the clear confusion in their eyes. Maya was just as confused as they were.
Jacob reached out for Maya as if to take her hand and lead her over, she denied his gesture, staying firm in her stance and her intentions with Jacob. His stomach dropped in response, but he carried on anyway pretending that he didn't care. "My sister, Rachel and her annoying husband, Paul."
Paul scoffed and Rachel elbowed him in the stomach with embarrassment on her face. Maya tried not to laugh, allowing herself to drop her guard at Jacob's goof of a brother in law. He reminded her of Embry right off the bat. "I'm Maya. A friend of Jacob's, I guess."
A booming laugh came from Billy and Rachel quickly took to laughing along with him after hearing her dad's reaction. "Wow, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction." Rachel smirked at Jacob who sent a very childish glare her way.
"I mean, like, I know Jacob. We haven't spent much time - um- Tate's my brother! I'm sure you know him." Maya fought the blush creeping up her neck, feeling embarrassed enough without a bright red face. This was a horrible predicament to be stuck in. Showing up alone with Jacob, being introduced to his sister and her husband. She knew exactly how this looked and that was not her intention whatsoever.
Paul's face lit up and he gave Maya a big grin. "Tate told us all about you!"
"Quit just standing at the door, all of you, come inside and relax." Billy gestured for them to come to the living room where he sat in his chair with a little girl at his feet, going to town on a lollipop, she looked to be no more than two.
Jacob followed Rachel and Paul to the living room, eagerly scooping up the little girl into one arm as if holding a toddler was as simple as holding a newborn. "Hey Sakari, is that lollipop really more important than saying hello to uncle Jacob?" He spoke to her in a baby voice, which was almost humorous to Maya, coming from the intense guy she knew.
His monstrous hand tickled at the little girl's belly, sending her head back, giggling uncontrollably. He kissed her tiny head, smiling at her with all the joy in the world. Maya mindlessly bit at the inside of her cheek, entranced seeing Jacob with a child. As soon as she realized her daydreaming state she quickly relaxed her jaw and let the poor piece of flesh in her mouth free. Jacob carried his niece over to Maya, ignoring everyone else who had settled in to continue watching football.
A smart move on his part, because Maya reached out to give the little girl a gentle touch on the arm, unable to avoid a baby voice just like Jacob. "Hi, pretty girl." Maya gave Jacob's niece the biggest grin, one of those uncontrollable grins that little one's often pulled out of her. Maya's heart swooned when the girl smiled back, her cheeks almost taking up her whole face, her little mouth hardly there with all that cheek. She had big black eyes that were curious and inviting. Her fine black hair fell just below her chin.
She was tiny as it is, but still so much more tiny looking curled up into Jacob's strong arm. "This is Sakari, right?" Jacob asked her, chuckling at her overzealous nod. What was it about a man with a child that had to make a woman swoon? What was it about seeing his completely sweet demeanor that made her want to forget anything wrong with Jacob and just fall for him then and there? It was stupid hormones she told herself, ignoring her impulsive, ridiculous thoughts and focused on just getting through this time at Jacob's house without stirring up anything unnecessary. Being friendly, acting natural, and enjoying it where she could.
"How old are you Sakari?" Maya continued with that big grin that Sakari responded so well to.
She held out her tiny little fingers proudly, with as much excitement as her nod earlier. "I'm two!"
Jacob and Maya both laughed, anyone would at such a beaming child. Jacob grinned at Maya and she could read his smile instantly, the way he looked at her oozed flirtation. "So am I more desirable if I'm holding a child?"
If Maya let herself she would've laughed right in his face. How he could so blatantly and unapologetically flirt at this point was beyond her. No care about who was interested or not, no care about the fact that he shouldn't be flirting. Of course, underneath all of that hesitation and voice of reason was the stupid girl that wanted him to flirt with her as much as he pleased. Apparently, Jacob's family felt the same way Maya did because they all groaned in unison. Almost comforting to her, she chuckled slightly, deciding at that moment that she approved of Jacob's family.
"Oh god Jacob, was that supposed to be an enticing line? Was that one supposed to win her over?" Rachel rolled her eyes.
Jacob, naturally, was not impressed with his sister. Not impressed with any of his family who were keen on teasing and embarrassing him. Though he was partly glad that Rachel was going along with the fact that he was flirting. Rachel had always been quick-witted, she could fit into any situation at any given moment. At this moment it was clear for her to see that for whatever reason Jacob's interest was in Maya.
A shiver coursed through Maya's body, she crossed her arms over her chest, completely forgetting that her clothes were still damp from earlier. Jacob, who had made it a point to be hyper-aware of Maya's every movement, noticed instantly and wondered why the hell he hadn't done anything about it sooner. "Maya you're still freezing. Come, I'll get you something to wear." The words came out almost as if he was scolding her, but she tried to see it more as a kind gesture, than him accusing her of wanting her clothes to be soaked through. She timidly looked back to his family, once she realized she would be following Jacob alone to his room. God, she wished it didn't look the way it seemed. They didn't seem to care though, they didn't look at her with accusing or overly curious eyes. Maya was overthinking, something she had always done best.
But she followed him anyway, even though her body trembled, not from the cold this time. Nervousness quickly took over. The idea of being in his room was equally thrilling and terrifying. Of course Jacob was beautiful, godlike, the perfect man some would say. She was certain there was probably a waitlist of women, eager and willing to find themselves in this situation. Something about that idea made her stomach turn. She didn't necessarily feel like she was the lucky one, she didn't even feel like she was worthy of his attention. Bella aside, even if he was available, how could someone like her be worthy of someone who looked like that?
His room was tiny, far too small to be comfortable for someone of his size. His bed didn't even look like he could fit on it without curling up. She was just barely able to stifle her chuckle, instantly retracting her first thought that this was a popular place the women wanted to be. Jacob was certain she had thoughts about the size of his room. "I know, it's really small." He rubbed at the back of his head in embarrassment. Maya almost hated the little things he did that made her swoon, like getting embarrassed.
She leaned against the nearest wall, timidly, awaiting warm clothes. Her presence alone intoxicated Jacob. The utter thrill and satisfaction of having her in his house was exciting alone. In his room? In his clothes? The thought made him practically euphoric. He took a long deep breath, loving her smell. Vanilla. Cinnamon. God, he bet she tasted as good as she smelled. He felt himself get too excited and focused on the task at hand, quickly grabbing a light grey hoodie and some black sweatpants that he was sure might fall off of her. He wished he had more to offer. "I hope this stuff works."
"That - that's totally fine Jacob, thank you." She stuttered over her words nervously and gave him a sheepish smile. He quickly grabbed some pants for himself to replace the wet ones he was wearing and gave her a lopsided grin before leaving. He hated having to leave her and his perverted mind wished that he could change with her.
She took a slow breath, almost relieved at him leaving, he made her so damn nervous she couldn't handle it. But the idea of him or anyone walking in on her was also a thought in the back of her mind, so she rushed to remove all her wet clothing and threw the hoodie quickly over her head.
It took over her body, sleeves well past her hands and hitting just above her knees. But it was the perfect warmth that she had been craving since they left the beach. She let out a little moan of satisfaction after feeling cold for so long. Bringing her sleeve covered hands over her mouth and nose, Maya inhaled deeply. Goosebumps ran across her entire body, the musky wood-like scent filled her lungs, it brought her back to the forest that she was learning to love so much now. It was comforting, almost nostalgic in a way.
Quickly she let her hands drop, feeling like a fool enjoying Jacob's smell like that. The thought of him catching her do that made her cheeks go hot. She put on the pants without a second thought, which instantly dropped to her ankles. Her much smaller body frame than Jacob, unable to hold them up. In a split decision, she folded the pair of sweatpants neatly and laid them gently on his bed. She told herself it was just like wearing a dress and left the room with her damp clothes in hand. Maya jumped when she nearly bumped into Jacob leaving the bathroom door across the hall from her at the same time.
Entertained, he took a glance over at his hoodie taking up half of her body. "So the pants didn't fit, huh?" He smirked at her with complete satisfaction taking over, having his imprint standing before him in his clothes.
Maya tugged at the hem of the sweatshirt, pulling it lower on her legs as she blushed. Jacob let out a booming laugh, grabbing her clothes from her hands. "I'll put these in the dryer for you."
She tried to slow her breathing, hoping her face would be less red by the time she got back to the living room. "Thank you." Maya said in a whisper.
Upon entering the room, everyone's attention turned to her in only a hoodie. Paul let out a whistle and the blush that she had just worked so hard to get rid of came to her face again instantly. Rachel gave him a swift slap across the arm. "Leave her alone!"
Paul laughed before leaning forward in the large recliner, letting his arms rest on his knees, hands together. He looked to Maya with curiosity in his eyes, forgetting about the game on the TV. "Even I wouldn't fit in his pants, why do you think I call him a fat fuck?"
Jacob walked in with a snort, covering his niece's ears. "Language, my friend." Maya grinned in amusement.
Jacob couldn't help but notice Paul watching Maya with overly observant eyes, he obviously had an inkling about what was going on with Maya. That much would be obvious for a pack member. Jacob looked over at his sister as well, he could see the burning questions in her eyes. Surely she was wondering what happened with Bella and who the hell Maya was. Jacob had become a completely different person in the two weeks they had been gone. Jacob had imprinted, something every single one of them told him to prepare for. To look forward to. The fact that he thought imprinting would ruin his life seemed so ridiculous to him now.
Rachel looked at her brother and inconspicuously gestured toward the kitchen with pursed lips before standing up from the couch. "Help me make something warm for Maya." Jacob knew this was coming, his nosey sister couldn't stand to wait until Maya wasn't around anymore so they could talk freely.
Maya's wide eyes shot up at Rachel, not for a moment wanting anyone to feel like she needed to be waited on. "No, no! I'm totally fine, I don't need anything!"
Rachel just chuckled under her breath. "It's the mother in me, I guess." She smiled back at Maya, telling a little white lie. What she was really interested in was interrogating her brother. Rachel latched onto Jacob's forearm, dragging him into the kitchen with her. She grabbed the kettle that sat on the stovetop, holding it under the sink before turning to Jacob who just stood there. "Are you going to grab the mugs or not?"
Jacob gave her a grin. "Oh, you thought I was actually going to help?" He yelped, shocked at the water Rachel cupped in her hand to chuck at him. He laughed, opening the cupboard that held the mugs.
Rachel grabbed the mugs from him with a cheeky smile. "So, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"
Jacob shushed her quickly with wide, embarrassed eyes. She rolled her eyes, finding him to be immature and wanting to get right to the point. "Well?" She softened her voice, hoping this would encourage her brother to spill the beans. Rachel wasn't ashamed to admit that she was just as nosey as everyone said she was and needed desperately to know her brother's business right away. Which meant there would be absolutely no leaving this kitchen until she got all the info she desired.
"Well, what?" He didn't know where to start, he didn't even know if he wanted to start. Just the same way he had seen their car in the driveway and wished they weren't there, it was so hard to admit to imprinting face to face like this.
Rachel inhaled deep, instantly annoyed at Jacob's stalling. "What happened with Bella?" As much as she was impatient, she asked the question carefully. Setting off Jacob was something she, and almost everyone that knew him knew happened way too easily. But much to her surprise, he didn't flip out. His face didn't change at all. There were only two reactions that normally revolved around Bella's name. Anger or lovesickness. Rachel wasn't sure if it was bad taste to feel relieved when neither came up.
What Rachel and Jacob didn't know was that Maya could hear them from the other room. Not easily, but as soon as she heard them, she couldn't help herself. She listened in on the conversation, even though she knew she shouldn't. She aimlessly played with the toys Sakari and Paul were also playing with, pretending to be doing something other than eavesdropping.
"I told her I'm done." Jacob shrugged, unbothered by it all.
It was hard for Rachel to believe that he really was that unbothered, the guy who dedicated a huge chunk of his life to Bella. She was the one before Rachel had left to travel with her family, not that anyone was really pleased with Jacob's choice, Bella was still the only thing Jacob ever cared to talk about.
Rachel squinted her eyes at him, wondering if she just wasn't getting a good look at his face, maybe she was missing the joke. "And I'm just supposed to believe it's that simple?"
Jacob shook his head calmly, looking down at his feet. More than anything he was embarrassed at all the wasted time he'd spent on Bella, refusing to believe what everyone was trying to tell him all along, now looking like the biggest idiot. "She never really wanted me."
"You don't say," As much as Rachel probably should have been more considerate at the moment, she had been waiting years for him to come to this realization. "That chick has been using and abusing you for years. So what's different now?" She rolled her eyes, that gut feeling in her stomach saw Jacob running back to Bella not long from now.
"I'm serious Rachel. I'm done with Bella." His eyes almost blackened with intensity, his voice stern. He wasn't interested in being doubted right now, especially by his sister. All that time he wasted on Bella ultimately didn't even matter anymore, all he cared about was Maya now.
Rachel looked him right in the eyes. Reading them, understanding his voice, beginning to put the pieces together. She almost didn't know what to say, people always told Jacob this day was coming, but sometimes you say things without knowing wholeheartedly that it's true. Rachel was beginning to believe Jacob when he said it wouldn't happen to him.
"The last time I saw her, she completely rejected me. Treated me like I wasn't worth a fucking thing, like having me in her presence was a complete inconvenience. But I realized that more often than not I've just been a useless inconvenience in her life. She's been dragging me along ever since Edward came back in the picture."
Hearing him speak about it, any of her doubts were gone now. She let out a breathy laugh, not that anything was humorous, more shocking than anything. "Jake, I'm sorry."
He let out a laugh, surprised by any sort of sympathy for a situation that had to do with Bella. He'd have expected Rachel to practically cheer at the news. "It's freeing actually, it's the best choice I have made in a long time. I wish I had done it sooner."
In the living room where Maya sat, she almost couldn't remember where she was for a moment, far too focused on a conversation that she obviously wasn't meant to be a part of. Her stomach was full of knots, the sudden guilt she felt made her sick, almost embarrassed by the way she had been perceiving Jacob the last few times she had been with him. All this time she thought Jacob was with Bella, she had assumed Bella was his girlfriend and more than anything that he was being some sort of scumbag behind her back. The reality of it all was that Jacob was nothing like what she thought. Maya was so wrong but had been so confident that she was right. Slowly zoning back into reality, Maya recognized the hazy echo of her name that kept sounding in her ears was Paul.
"Maya? You okay?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion after she hadn't answered the first couple of times. He knew exactly what she was doing though because he could hear it all a lot better than she could and if his suspicions were correct, then a conversation about imprinting was bound to be brought up and Paul knew that Tate didn't want Maya to know a damn thing. So, as much as Paul had a good idea of what was going on, even he had many questions for Jacob.
Her eyes shot open wide and she felt her face burn hot. "Sorry!" She looked down as soon as she met eyes with him, too embarrassed to look at him for long. Paul chuckled under his breath. Everyone in the pack had been waiting for this moment when Jacob would imprint, they all knew he needed it. He needed someone to need him. A feeling Jacob had never really felt before. Here she finally was.
"I was just mentioning Tate. Oh man, the stories I could tell you." Paul grinned, almost lost in thought of all the fond memories from when they were all younger together.
Maya chuckled, remembering some of the stories he told her. "Oh, were you there when he…" Maya went on to see if Paul was just as wild as Tate was.
But back in the kitchen, Rachel still had questions that needed answers. More than anything itching to ask one question in particular. "Can't say I ever expected you to come to the realization that Bella wasn't good for you through your own logic."
"Ha ha." Jacob let out an overly sarcastic impression of a laugh. He couldn't put it past his sister to not get in a few jabs in where she could.
She pursed her lips, folding her arms over her chest before leaning back into the counter. "So, what's going on with Maya?"
His eyes shot wide and he brought his finger to his lips, gesturing for his sister to lower her voice. The truth was that Jacob wanted to scream to the world that he wanted Maya and only Maya. After what happened at the beach though, he also didn't want to tell a single soul, worried of it somehow ruining his chances with her. Maya clearly needed more time.
Rachel raised an eyebrow, shooting him a mischievous smirk. Jacob inhaled deep, Maya's sweet smell tickling his senses, the satisfaction he felt having her underneath his roof was nearly unexplainable. It almost made him laugh, that something so simple as that could make him feel like the happiest man in the world.
Jacob looked back to his sister, with her silly look plastered on her face, waiting anxiously for his answer. "I know exactly what you're thinking right now, you know?" He teased, knowing that she would go insane if he dragged this on any longer.
Rachel let out a groan, just as Jacob suspected and he let out his signature booming laugh.
"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking right now, then you're one hundred percent correct." He smirked back at Rachel the same way she had been earlier.
Not another word was needed for Rachel to put two and two together. Her eyes went wide, a huge grin slowly growing from cheek to cheek. "Wait, so it happened? It happened?" She brought her hands over her mouth as she bounced with excitement. Not necessarily the reaction Jacob would have expected from his sister, who more often than not poked fun at his expense, but he embraced her excitement with a laugh and a nod.
Rachel closed the gap between them in the kitchen, aggressively squishing at his cheeks with her hands and smiling bigger than Jacob ever thought she could. "It happened with Maya, right?" She whispered, knowing better than to bring attention to them from the other room.
He rolled his eyes, really not expecting such a silly question from his sister. Rachel squeezed his cheeks even harder before letting out a squeal. "I cannot explain how happy I am for you right now!"
Jacob threw his massive hand over her mouth, covering half her face. "Can you shut up?" She clawed at her face where his hand gripped, trying desperately to move one or two of his fingers from her nose so she could breathe again. What was once a face of excitement and joy, now had a glare. Rachel couldn't stand Jacob and his mood swings.
Finally, she managed to get his hand off entirely. "What the hell, Jacob!" She spit the words at him, watching his face drop as he glanced over toward the living room where his imprint was. The look was one she could read quite clearly. "She doesn't know, does she?"
He shook his head, looking down at his feet, stray pieces of hair falling onto his brow. "She doesn't know anything. She's off-limits. Tate refuses to have her know, he'd kill me if he found out I imprinted on his sister."
Rachel let out a snort that sent Jacob to instantly look up and shoot a look of annoyance at her. "Tell me you're not worried about Tate killing you. Oh, come on."
His face shot red in embarrassment. He had been so scared of Tate this entire time, something he never really stopped to think too hard about, just accepted. When in reality Tate couldn't do a thing to him, even if he wanted to. But Jacob wasn't completely heartless, it wasn't about who had more power. This was Maya's brother, how could he disrespect her brother so blatantly? Someone who probably knew what was best for Maya. Jacob hardly knew her at the end of the day, their friendship was so new. What if Tate really did know what was best for Maya? Everything was so damn complicated.
"It's not just that Rachel," He continued, knowing it would be near impossible to make his sister see things the way he did. "I don't think I could handle it if she rejected me. Maybe if Tate finds out he will somehow get in her head and convince her that I'm no good."
Jacob had never been one to overthink, he always went for what he wanted even when it wasn't reciprocated, that much she saw with Bella. So Rachel had to fight back rolling her eyes or laughing in his face. "You think she's really going to let her brother dictate her life? Doesn't seem likely. She's here with you right now, isn't she?" She smiled at him, hoping he would see what she could see.
"Yeah, but that was a fluke." Maya didn't necessarily want to be here at the moment and Jacob was well aware of that. It was hard to accept what Rachel was saying when all Jacob could do lately was overthink.
Rachel gave him a swift tug on the ear and he grimaced. "Stop whining like a little fucking baby." There she was, the harsh sister he knew so well. "I don't care what you do. Take her to your room, go for a walk outside. Do something you dumbass and do it right now. I have absolutely no issue telling her to join you if you don't." She placed all the hot mugs of tea on a tray and gave Jacob a scowl, gesturing for him to pick up the tray before pivoting to leave the room.
"Don't you dare say a word, let me figure this out." Jacob hissed at his sister, knowing she was more than willing to push both Jacob and Maya's buttons. Rachel waved her hand back at him, blowing him off entirely.
It didn't take long before Jacob forgot he was even agitated, hearing the sound of Maya's laughter was like a song, one Jacob wanted to hear over and over again. When he got sight of everyone in the living room, he felt like his life was complete for the first time in a long time. Paul laid back on the floor, holding his stomach, laughing to the point of hardly getting in any air.
"Thank you." Maya barely got out, tears brimming her eyes from too much laughter as she accepted a toy that Jacob's niece was excitedly handing her. Jacob felt a twinge of jealousy, wondering if he missed out on any gems Maya might have shared from her past, he longed to know everything about her.
That magnetic pull that was always there anytime Jacob wasn't by Maya's side pulled so desperately on him. It was hard to describe how difficult it was to not touch her or be as close as possible when he could see her and smell her. He felt like an addict, Maya was his favorite drug. As much as he wasn't certain of how she felt or what she wanted, he knew he wanted to be close to her immediately, so he tested his luck.
Jacob sat down by Maya who was sitting on the floor with Sakari and Paul, still wiping away tears from all their laughter. He rested his hand by her hip, letting his arm press against her arm, looking for her reaction. What Jacob didn't know was that the only thing that had been stopping Maya from allowing herself to fall hard for Jacob was his commitment to Bella. He also had no idea that she heard the first part of the conversation in the kitchen, with just one bit of eavesdropping a lot changed. Quite frankly, she didn't know if she should feel guilty or relieved. But one thing was for certain, she felt a shock of delight where Jacob's arm rested against her.
"Wait, so you've never been to La Push before this Maya?" Rachel asked, now looking to make up for her lost time in the kitchen.
Maya shook her head. "Not even once." She chuckled, mostly to herself, because she knew it sounded crazy when her brother had lived here his entire life.
Rachel and Paul's eyes widened, more curious than before. "Never?" Rachel asked in a voice of disbelief. Maya laughed, shaking her head again.
Jacob grinned as he watched his family interact with his imprint. The idea that she could be a part of this piece of his life meant more to him than he could ever explain, she was meant to be there and he could feel it with every fiber of his being. Jacob desperately hoped that she felt it too. His mind couldn't slow down, he needed to know how to show her how much she meant to him.
"Who the hell would want to come here anyway? I think most people who stay in La Push only do it because they are stuck, not because they want to." Jacob wrapped his arm around his niece who snuggled up into him in response. He tried to play his statement off as a joke, but they all could hear the bitter underlying tone.
Billy struck Jacob in the back of the head, where he sat in reach of his dad. "Hey! Do you even like it here?" He asked his dad, head hunched forward to avoid getting smacked again.
"That's enough, Jacob." Billy's words were harsh, though it was natural for a parent to be stern when they felt they needed to be, it didn't stop Maya from feeling instantly uncomfortable.
Jacob's temper was bad, but Billy's was worse. The only difference between the two of them was that when Jacob lost his temper, he lost control entirely. Which is exactly what happened when Billy scolded him in front of Maya. "Well? Answer the damn question, dad." Jacob spoke with authority, refusing to stand down to anyone.
Rachel instantly grabbed her daughter. "You might want to join me." She whispered over to Maya before leaving the room to remove her daughter from the commotion. Rachel's face was practically expressionless, leaving Maya to wonder if this was a common occurrence.
Paul casually put his hand on Jacob's chest, something that he should have been wise enough to know would set him off more. "Get the fuck off!" He gave him an aggressive shove that Paul clearly didn't expect, it sent him into the wall with a loud thud.
The logical part of Maya wished she could just walk out and leave, avoiding this situation that she had no place to be involved in. No desire to endure this argument that escalated way too quickly for no apparent reason, such a silly thing to argue about. But as odd as it was, she saw something in Jacob as she watched the look of anger washed over his face. She remembered the guy who was hugging himself as he shook in anger after the fight with Logan. She remembered feeling that intense rush of desire that sent her to touch him when he was in that state. Wanting nothing more than to comfort him. Maya felt no different now. So, instead of following Rachel's lead, she stayed.
Paul grabbed the nearest cup, hauling it at Jacob's head, liquid and all. Jacob dodged without much effort, letting the cup smash on the wall behind him. "Really Paul?" Billy turned his frustration to Paul this time, feeling useless in his chair. Paul threw his arms out in defeat, shocked at Billy's annoyance with him and not his own son who started this whole damn thing.
Maya ignored it all, getting up without even thinking, she walked right up to Jacob to take his large hand in her own. "Let's go for a walk." She looked at him with eyes that cared, cared to make a difference and he saw that. Everyone in the room fell silent, seeing the same thing that Jacob did.
Jacob's face dropped, whatever he was angry about was gone, he looked at her with wide eyes. Hopeful eyes. All he wanted from her was anything, no matter how small it was, to let him know that he was allowed to show her that he cared for her. Allowed to be more than just a friend. His heart burned with desire, hoping and praying this was just that. The electricity that coursed through her hand into his entire body made him crazy, he wished he could grab her then and there, to pull her full soft lips to his own. He'd give anything to feel her. To taste her. Jacob was at her command, following her as she led him to the front door, fingers tangled within his.
The cold air hit hard as soon as Maya opened Jacob's front door. She let go of his hand, unaware of how it made his heart drop, holding herself to keep warm. If Jacob was brave enough, he would have just grabbed it back. Instead, he closed the gap between them. Hoping the heat from his body would radiate off of him and keep her bare legs warm, but mostly just because he needed to be closer to her.
She gave him a little nudge with her elbow, looking over at his eyebrows scrunched together in thought and possible frustration. "What's upsetting you?" She asked, figuring he would likely blow off the question.
Maya's voice, her face, every little thing about her made Jacob forget. His eyebrows softened and he looked over to admire her beauty, feeling more for her now than he ever believed he could. "I'm so sorry. I don't even know what came over me in the house. That's not me-"
"Hey, you're good." Maya smiled up at him, not looking for or needing an explanation. "I think all three of you in there are hotheads." She chuckled.
He smiled slightly, grateful for her kindness and understanding, but still upset that she even saw him like that in the first place. All his outbursts ran through his mind, more than he could ever count. He wondered who he was even kidding when he tried to convince Maya that wasn't him. There was part of him that feared he wasn't good for Maya. That he could never be good enough for her. That she might fall victim to one of his fits of nearly uncontrollable anger. Emily's scar filled face suddenly haunted Jacob.
"Maya, are you afraid of me?" Little did Maya know just how scary Jacob could be. Even though he was only asking about the few times she had seen his anger come out, naturally, he wondered how different things might be if she knew who he really was. If she knew bout his purpose in life.
But Maya didn't hesitate for a moment. "Absolutely not, Jacob." She shook her head, frustrated at such a silly question. Not once had she ever felt scared of him.
"I would be scared if I were in your shoes." Jacob shrugged, always trying to brush off things as if he wasn't that serious. But he always was.
She inched closer to him, needing the warmth, enjoying the warmth. "Well, I'm not. But what about you? What are you scared of?"
Everything he couldn't share with her. Everything that had to do with his birthright. More than anything, he was afraid of hurting her and failing her. Scared to death of losing her. "Scared of letting people down. Scared of being alone." Vulnerability was not something that came easy to Jacob, but Maya made him feel like it was okay, something he had never felt with Bella.
Maya felt for him and she understood, maybe not for the same reasons, but she knew how much it hurt to feel that way. Jacob had brought the same thing up at the beach, being alone. She wouldn't want anyone to feel that way, especially not him. Letting people down was another thing that was brought up more than once by Jacob. Maya couldn't understand how he could feel like he was letting anyone down, even in the slightest. Clearly, he couldn't see the good things, he had no reason to help Maya but he did. Right from the start. Working on her car for free, being there to protect her from Logan, and that in itself was something she could never thank him enough for. How he was able to be in the right place at the right time was something that she thought about often.
"Jacob?" She asked timidly, stopping to turn to him. Knees buckling as soon as his intense eyes locked with hers, something she thought she had overcome but still clearly fell weak to. "I just - you were there at the perfect time to stop Logan. How-" She stumbled over her words, knowing what she wanted to ask but struggling to get the words out.
Jacob looked down at her arms, drowning in the sleeves of his sweater. He could still hear her muffled cry from that night, the thought made his stomach turn. He gently took her arm in his hand, lifting her sleeve to find the now barely visible green bruises that were still fading from Logan's harmful grip on her. He clenched his teeth together just at the sight, knowing that anyone could have done this to his Maya was enough to kill. If someone just gave him the permission to kill Logan, he fucking would.
Jacob softly trailed his thumb over the bruising, almost willing it to go away. He didn't want her to have anything physically visible to remind her of what happened. He wished to just spend his days helping her forget. All he wanted to do was give her everything worth remembering. As Maya watched him trace her bruises, she was overwhelmed by the feeling that he cared about her, that he wanted to protect her. Goosebumps ran across her arm where he touched, she was sure he could feel them but at this point, she didn't care.
He looked up from her arm to her eyes, discovering that she was already staring at him. He would have smiled if he wasn't so set on the idea that those bruises were somehow his fault. "I should have stopped him sooner."
Maya's heart raced, when she realized that she wanted to close the gap between them. Maya wanted to feel his lips against hers and know at that moment that he was falling for her the way she was so quickly falling for him. Just maybe Jacob was feeling what she was feeling because the way he looked into her eyes with the same desire she felt was so daunting and undeniable.
"Listen Maya, I'm sorry for pushing too much today. I know I upset you and I know I spent way too much time on Bella in my life, so I understand if you're uncomfortable or -"
"Don't worry about that Jake. Forget today, forget what I said. You don't need to explain anything." She chuckled, almost embarrassed at the thought of her previous assumptions that were so wrong.
Jacob stared at his imprint just for a moment longer. He truly had never seen someone so beautiful in his life. Her eyes hid stories that he longed to hear. The setting sun made the green sparkle like jewels, he couldn't remember ever seeing anyone in his life with eyes like her. Her skin looked soft to the touch, he wished to trace his fingers over her cheek, down to her chin, and gently pull her full lips up to his. He took a step forward without even realizing it, hearing her breath catch in her throat. Maya didn't know what to expect next, but let her guard drop regardless. Her stomach filled with butterflies, feeling his hand move from her bruises, slowly up her arm. This time she took a step forward.
But the damn heavens clearly had a different plan for them. Maya threw her arms over her head, ducking down and away from Jacob. The rain beat down on their heads without any warning, leaving them no choice but to run. She ran as fast as she could, wrapping her arms around herself, now feeling colder without Jacob nearby. Jacob's face dropped, watching her run off toward the house, he didn't give a fuck about the rain, he would have gladly pulled her in and let the rain cover them while he kissed her with everything he had.
He shook his head, removing himself from his thoughts, jogging toward Maya. Catching up to her with ease, hoping the clothes she was wearing wouldn't be soaking wet for the second time today. He smiled as he ran beside her, feeling a fire burning inside of him. There was something there, of that he was certain. Maya wanted to kiss him too. That knowledge alone sent a wave of desire and motivation through him stronger than he could have ever imagined. Jacob decided right then and there that he would do every single damn thing to make Maya his. He was meant for Maya.
Jacob ran past her, grabbing the door before she could, holding it open for her. She walked by with a grin, fully embracing the warmth of the house with a deep inhale, shaking off any remaining drops of water that held onto the sweater she wore. Fortunately, she hadn't been soaked all the way down.
Jacob's family looked over, all of them chuckling in unison at the same thing. "Did it rain on your parade, Jacob?" Billy teased, this time Jacob rolled his eyes before Maya joined in on their chuckles.
Maya pulled out her phone that buzzed in her pocket only to let her face fall into a slight frown. Jacob looked over to her with a raised eyebrow, silently questioning. "Tate wants me back now." She said with an apologetic look on her face. Right when she was allowed to start enjoying her time with Jacob too.
But just like Rachel, Maya was also a nosey sister and what happened earlier was anxiously awaiting to be addressed. So, as much as part of her would have loved to stick around, she decided to listen to her brother for once. Time for an interrogation.
A quick note: I got my first constructive review last chapter and because it was a guest review I can't thank them through PM, so I just wanted to say here how much I really do take constructive reviews into mind and respect them entirely. I have the basis of this story already well planned, but I'm obviously just making it up as I go in between those plans. I'm writing this for you guys and when you're able to leave a review to tell me what you'd like to see or what you're getting bored of, it's a HUGE help. So please, after you read a chapter if you have any ideas or points you want to add, I encourage you to share. I love to get inside your minds and seeing this story from your point of view. Thank you so much for your ongoing support. I know we are already 12 Chapters in but I still have so much planned for this story that I can't wait for you all to read! :)