I slept horribly, jolting awake more than once. Jacob was a deep sleeper and thankfully continued snoring. At dawn, just as the sky began to lighten, Jacob rolled over and kissed my temple. The softness of his lips and the brushing of his fingertips over the shell of my ear made my heart patter off-kilter, which he heard with his stupidly acute werewolf senses. "Bells?" He murmured huskily.

"I'm awake." I croaked and winced at the hoarse sound of my own voice. With Jacob, that husky note was deep and soothing. With me, it was harsh and ugly. I sat up and dizzy from lack of sleep. Dark hooded eyes watched me intensely as I wiped at my own dry eyes. I mumbled, "Let me grab you something quick to eat."

Stumbling down the staircase, I ran into the kitchen. I dug through the pantry only to return with a strawberry pastry and an apple. He took both gratefully and swallowed the offerings in two bites. Jacob chugged a half-empty glass of tepid water on the nightstand before cracking his neck. I winced and said, "Sounds painful."

He hummed and sent a smile my way before correcting, "Feels great."

I replied, "You're going to have arthritis before you're thirty."

"I doubt it." Jacob chuckled and stood up. There was a pause before he raised his eyebrows and asked, "You going to be okay?"

I shrugged and muttered, "Sure, sure."

He sighed, "Stupid question. Sorry. I'll pick you up today. Meet you at three."

"At school?" I asked, standing up and wrapping my arms around his waist. Jacob returned the hug instantly, engulfing me in big arms. His warmth slowly began to seep through my clothing. I muttered, "Don't want you rearranging schedules just for me, Jake. I'd rather make things easier for you."

"It's no problem. I'm about to go on a shift and I'll be done around two in the afternoon. That will give me enough time to grab a bite to eat and head your way." He explained quietly, "Don't worry about me, Bells. I can take care of it all."

My fingers clutched at his naked back when he tried to pull away a moment later. Jacob chuckled with arms tightening around me once more. He crouched and playfully rubbed his chin across the crown of my head while saying, "You have to let go of me or else I can't move from this spot, honey."

"Kiss me before you go." I said with my heart skipping a beat inside my chest. Even before I finished speaking out loud, I knew my words had changed his mindset. Both of our mindset. It was as if the air around us, warm and cozy, had altered itself to fit what was happening. I inhaled as he did, breathing in pine and earth and salt. Jacob leaned down. Thick fingers gently wrapped around my chin to tilt my head upward. As our eyes connected, my throat went dry. I swallowed heavily and felt the slow spread of heat climbing up my body, starting from my toes and collecting in my cheeks.

Mocha eyes tore themselves away from my gaze to take a glimpse of the glow spreading across my face. His full lips tilted upward, but this wasn't a silly grin or a carefree smile. This was a sharp, dark pull of masculine satisfaction. His eyes returned to mine as he murmured, "Stand on the tips of your toes, Bells."

As I hastened to comply, Jacob's big hand dropped from my chin, slid down my neck, and slowly caressed the length of my body before resting on my hip. His other hand joined him in cradling my pelvis. His hands were so big that they easily covered the bulk of my slender hips. The tips of his thumbs were touching along my stomach. I trembled and my breath was shaky as I exhaled. He whispered, "Close your eyes."

Slowly, I did. I felt his heat as he drew closer. Even knowing, I was still surprised and jolted when soft lips pressed a chaste kiss to my mouth. He chuckled lowly as my hands crept up from his waist to skate across his ribs and curl around his biceps. Hot, open-mouthed kisses were peppered across my neck. Eagerly, I turned my head to give him better access. Jacob hummed under his breath. The feel had my skin breaking out in gooseflesh. When a warm tongue darted just underneath my ear, I felt my breath hitch. My fingernails dug into his blistering skin when Jacob nibbled at my earlobe. He nuzzled playfully with his nose. A sound very close to a moan erupted from my throat as I pressed myself closer to him, so close that my feet stood on top of his.

Jacob grunted. Big palms slid backward until he was fully cupping my bottom. My heart jumped into my throat when he roughly yanked me flush against his hips. Our chests smashed together and the feeling sent a jolt of lightening through me. Gasping, I clung to him as his lips slanted across my own to steal my breath once more. I was so short in comparison to him that our hips didn't remotely line up. Frustration threatened to interrupt me. Quite suddenly, I was bombarded with hot, dark images of him picking me up by the waist and my legs curling around his hips. The smell of rain and the sound of harsh breathing as we thumped against the side of the Blacks' house flickered through my mind. Big hands had cupped my bottom then, too. Jacob's mouth was just as hot, messy, and demanding as it had been all the times before.

"Bed," I panted as soon as my swollen lips were apart from his. I tugged on his arms and nearly tripped, but strong palms gripped my hips too tightly for me to fall. Jacob was breathing as harshly as I was as he guided me backwards until my knees hit the mattress. There was a dazed, wild look in his eyes. Jacob loomed over me with dark eyes searching my face. He gave a slight smile before he swooped down and pulled me into a long, luxurious kiss. My hands were pulling at his back, frantically gripping although I didn't have a clue as to why. The moment his body weight settled atop me, my back on the mattress with his chest and hips pressing into mine, I realized exactly why I had been pulling at him. It was for the underlining feeling of warmth, safety, and the incredibly heady sensations Jacob brought out of me.

His hands were all over me, kneading softly along muscles and lightly scratching at my scalp. Jacob focused on my hips more often than not and it brought a sudden flash of memory. Just a glimpse of a dream-like fantasy in which I rolled over, hands and body searching for heat, only to find Jacob's skin. Sighing, I had cuddled against his chest. Without hesitation, his arms had wrapped their way around my waist, thumb settling on my hip where it began to swipe back and forth so softly. My own slurring, mumbling voice echoed through my head. Like when you do that.

Even as we kissed and touched and moved together, my mind was very much aware that the fuzzy images in my head weren't dreams, but memory. At some point in the dreary morning, I had searched for him subconsciously. That realization left me feeling thrilled and worried. Our lips broke from each other with a gasp. I instinctively tilted my head back, eyes rolling into my head, nails digging into Jacob's shoulders, as he pressed soft bites on my collarbone. A thin whine broke free from me as Jacob's hips pressed deeper into mine. His teeth scraped along the side of my throat. He grunted, "Damn, Bells."

He repeated his soft bite. I gasped, "My Jacob…"

"Yeah." Jacob huskily said, "Yours. Just yours, honey."

I blinked, eyes trying to focus on his dark and raw expression. My heart was pounding in my chest. He was hovering over me, palms now holding himself just slightly above me. Our hips were pressed solidly together, though, and I could suddenly feel, with extreme clarity, a hard length pressed to my thigh. My breath hitched and I whispered, "Jake…I…"

And then there was a brisk knock on my bedroom door. Startled, my shaking body jolted. Jacob quickly rolled off of me. He stood up and sent me a glance that showed both frustration and the tell-edges of something else. Something duskier and powerful. Charlie's voice called out, "You awake? You'll be late for school, Bella."

I glanced at my bedside clock and cleared my throat. Jacob was already unlatching the window and bending down. I frantically whispered, "Wait!"

I turned my head to the door and loudly said, "I overslept. Sorry!"

"It's okay. Er, I'll be downstairs." Charlie replied before his footsteps lumbered away. I was up and stumbling across the bedroom in a moment. Jacob caught me by the elbows as I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

I whispered, "Be safe."

"I will be." He said lowly, "Especially if I get to come back to that."

I was blushing as I muttered, "You're such a boy."

"Uh-huh." Jacob pulled back and swept one thumb across my right cheek. He smiled softly and said, "I think I remember who jumped who here."

Blushing harder, I pushed him toward the window. Jacob winked and said, "See you this afternoon, honey."

My morning only went downhill from there. I twisted my ankle on the staircase, spilled orange juice on my T-shirt and was forced to change clothes. When I finally got to school, I slipped on the wet pavement and bruised my knees. I was late for first period and received detention. I endured a surprise quiz in Spanish and spent entirely too much time having to listen to Jessica and Mike chatter endlessly. Midway through class, I peeked through a curtain of my hair and met a piercingly golden stare. He was sitting at the back of the classroom with Alice at his side. She was pretending to read the textbook, but he wasn't. Edward was staring directly at me as if he knew I was thinking of him. My heart ground to a halt and began to pound.

When the lunch bell finally rang, I had sweating palms and a heart that was beating too hard against my ribs. Jessica and Mike filed out of the room along with the rest of the students. I hoped the Cullens would follow as much as I wished they wouldn't. I pawed mindlessly through my backpack, exaggeratedly slowing all my movements. Purposely, I dropped a pen and bent over in my seat to retrieve it. I had just slid my notebook into my backpack when I felt a soft, cold breeze. The scent of snow and sweetness entered my nose. Slowly, I straightened in my seat. I hated myself for breathing heavily to inhale such a smell.

I stared straight ahead for a moment as I fisted my hands in my lap. The teacher was gone, having been on lunch duty. Alice hesitated for only a moment before gracefully slinking from the room. I had no doubt that she would sit in the cafeteria and listen in on the conversation I was about to have with her brother. Swallowing heavily, I abruptly turned sideways in my seat. Edward was perched on the edge of the table. He wore a dark grey sweater with a white collar, designer denim jeans, Italian loafers and a heartbreakingly soft smile. He was stunning.

He whispered, "Bella."

Edward's voice was like the blue of a night sky in the dead of winter: pure and crisp and smooth. I swallowed again and croaked, "Edward."

"If you are uncomfortable, I can leave, as I don't wish you distress. Have I mistaken your looks during class? I had thought you wanted to speak with me, too."

"N-No." I stuttered as I tore my eyes from his. I stared pointedly at his hands, which were elegantly folded upon his thigh. "No. I wanted to…speak with you."

"I'm glad." He murmured, "Relieved."

There was an awkward pause. My mind was circling itself and several words were crashing into each other, bumping off of the sides of my skull just to repeat the process. I discarded every speech I had thought of beforehand. I released a shaky breath and mumbled, "What did you want to talk about?"

When he didn't speak, I glanced from his hands to his face. I realized instantly that this decision was a mistake. I didn't have the strength to tear my eyes away a second time. It was as if his gaze held power beyond comprehension. I was frozen like a rabbit in the sights of a raptor. I croaked, "Carlisle told me you wanted to speak with me b-before the meeting."

"Yes." He murmured as his golden eyes flickered quickly across my face. It seemed as if he were taking in my expression, but I knew it went beyond that. He was scenting me as well. I could tell by the slightest rising of his chest. Vampires didn't have to breathe, but Edward had once told me it was a comforting reflex for his family. Still, I had noticed during all our nights together, during all of our close contact, that his shoulders rose visibly when he was inhaling my scent.

I said, "What do you want? What I mean is…um, just tell me what you wanted to tell me."

Edward quietly replied, "I have wondered how to word this for far longer than I care to admit. It is frustrating to a person like me, one who is used to knowing precisely what to say or not to say, in order to achieve the outcome that I want. You were right in so many ways, Bella, but rather specifically about me. I am arrogant and rather set in my ways. It was a bittersweet realization to come to."

I swallowed and his piercing eyes followed that movement as if he were just as ensnared as I was. Edward's lips barely moved as he continued. "The truth is that I know what I wish to say to you, Bella, but I can't possibly know how you will react. I know how I want you to react. I know what I hope you will say and do. It's frightening. In fact, I would admit one of the most frightening events in my life is occurring at this very moment."

Frowning, I slowly shook my head. "I-I don't understand."

Edward's lips twisted into a wistful smile as he whispered, "Strange, isn't it, that a human woman could terrify me so much and yet remain unaware of her power?"

There was another pause. I was surprise, and embarrassed, to find myself leaning forward in order to properly hear his quiet words. He stared intently at me before sighing, "I have only my stark truth for you, Bella, although you deserve much more than that. I have missed you. All of you. Every part of you. Your voice. Your hair. Your laughs and smiles. Your witty banter and endearing clumsiness. Your kindness and acceptance. Your warmth late at night. I could go on and will do so gladly, if you wish me to."

My heart skipped a beat. I reeled back, my shoulders digging painfully into the base of the chair. My breathing increased as I snapped, "Is this your idea of a joke? Is this one of your moody games? I didn't like the neurotic episodes then and I don't like them now. I knew you were capable of cruelty, but this is beneath you, Edward."

I stumbled to my feet, but found myself dizzy. Edward stood up in a blur of colors and I found myself abruptly sitting back down to avoid touching him. Edward's face caught my attention like a fish caught on a hook. His eyes were all but bleeding. His voice was anguished and beautiful face twisted as he said, "I lied to you."

He spoke urgently now. "Bella, I lied to you and I have regretted that decision bitterly for over six months. You loved me, so surely and amazingly, from the very beginning. Our attraction was, is, the singular most powerful phenomena I have ever felt in all my years on Earth. Even in the days before our love fully manifested, the attraction was so acute that I could label it as obsession. I knew there was only one option if I was to truly break our hold on one another. One option and one weakness that I could exploit within you."

He paused as if to breathe deeply before quickly saying, "I made a disgusting, unforgivable mistake. I hurt you in order to protect you, but it was in vain. I thought myself strong enough, thought both of us strong enough, to carry on without each other. And I was wrong, Bella. I have never been so incorrect in all my existence. I would have never, under any circumstances, committed such a crime, had I known the fallout of such a thing."

My heart was pattering rather weakly now. I sucked in a gulp of air and grabbed ahold of the edge of the desk. Edward's hands unfolded swiftly and he reached out, balancing me by placing cool fingers on my shoulder to hold me upright in the chair. I croaked, "W-What? Protect me? How did you protect me?"

My eyes flickered around the room as my hand laid against my heaving chest. My breath hitched as I whispered, "Jasper. From Jasper."

"Yes." Edward breathed, looming closer. His cool fingertips held steady my trembling body. "Yes, Bella. I wanted you safe from all of us. I never attempted to hide how dangerous we are. Jasper only proved what I knew to be true and yet tried to ignore despite my better judgment."

"Better judgment?" I echoed breathlessly, "Your better judgment?"

"You do yourself a disservice by not seeing how beautiful you are, Isabella." Edward murmured, "I knew I could use such against you, to make you think I didn't want you."

I released a desperate breath of air. "What?"

His fingers moved from my shoulder to my cheek. He brushed icy fingertips so slowly and gently. His golden eyes were liquid wet with tears and his breath hitched oddly as if he were choking, but no teardrops fell. Shutting his lids, Edward tilted his head backward and exposed the brilliant column of his throat. He whispered, "All of our time spent together, Bella, do you remember? Out of all the days and nights that I told you how much I love you, how much I care for you…of all of the lovely conversations and gentle touches, how could you believe so easily and simply that I no longer desire you?"

I tried to pay attention to his words, but they only made my chest ache sharply. My eye closed of their own accord when his thumb brushed my lips. I mumbled, "This isn't real. Not real. You're not real."

"I am," He breathed and when I opened my eyes, he was suddenly right in front of me. Golden eyes and slashing cheekbones were so close I was nearly cross-eyed as I attempted to stare. "Feel my skin against yours. Feel the difference in temperature."

A sob tore itself from my throat as I shoved his hand away with herculean effort. I jumped up from my seat and croaked, "No. No. I have to go. I have to…"

Stumbling, I snatched my backpack up and slung it over my shoulders. I was out of the door quickly and blindly racing through the hallways. They were blessedly empty as lunch had yet to end. I came across only one teacher, who offered a curious stare and nothing more. I didn't bother glancing behind me, too afraid to see if Edward was following. As I shoved open a back-entrance door, I inhaled the cold afternoon air as if I were a drowning man. Tears were hot and painful, but I swiped them off of my cheeks with impatience as I stalked across campus.

"Bella." The voice was a cool wash of fresh air. "Bella, please."

Edward followed me around the corner of a building and across a wet sidewalk. His footsteps matched mine as he quietly said, "If you wish to never forgive me, I understand. Just know I am here for you and words cannot express how remorseful I am. I will repent in any way you see fit. Take the time to think and decide because, if anything, all I have is time and I am more than willing to spend mine waiting for you. I don't deserve your love, but I crave it all the same."

"I-I…" My voice broke as I unlocked my truck door with shaky hands. "I-I can't think right now. I just need to go. I need you to go. Oh, God."

My breath hitched again as I leaned my forehead against the truck door. I felt my shoulders trembling as I blocked my face from his view. Edward whispered, "I only want you to realize you are worth an infinity more than any other being. It was blasphemy on my part to convince you that you are anything short of extraordinary."

I let out a watery moan and shook my head. My eyes squeezed shut, but still tears burned. I felt him shift beside me and his voice became urgent once more.

"It will always remain my gravest mistake to have wounded you. For that, I am ignorant and treacherous. You must know that I will fight for you, if you want me to do so, with every ounce of power I possess. If you truly don't want me beside you, I will take my leave, but do not think you are ever unwanted by me. Jacob Black is not your only option of love, protection and safety, Bella."

And then, Edward was gone. My knees buckled and I plopped onto the pavement in between my monster of a truck and a tiny Honda. With my forehead to my knees, I cried. I heard muted footsteps and the crunch of pebbles on pavement before I smelt pine trees and musky earth. Glancing up, I saw black hair and bronzed skin on full display. Jacob was squatting beside me with a somber expression. My keys, which had fallen beside me, were scooped up with one big hand. He said, "Come on. I'll drive you home."

I said nothing, but scrambled to my feet and slowly walked to the passenger side as Jacob slid into the driver's seat. I was shaking as he drove, so Jacob turned on the heater until hot air was blasting through the cab. My thoughts were swirling about in a panic. I blurted, "What does imprint mean?"

The silence was deafening. My swollen eyes turned his way. His jaw was locked tight and he was grinding his teeth. My voice crackled when I whispered, "Jacob?"

He snapped, "It's a stupid wolf thing. It's like a powerful devotion at first, random sight. The Elders seem to think it's a gift, but I think it's unnatural. It's instant love and joy. It's just false as hell."

I wiped at my hot, wet eyes. My eyelashes were tangling and making me blink excessively. I croaked, "Do all wolves deal with an imprint?"

His eyes never strayed from the road as he drove slower than usual. Jacob's knuckles were bleached white because of how hard he was gripping the steering wheel. He muttered quickly, "No. Only one wolf from the last pack imprinted. With us, it's only Sam and Jared."

"But…" I croaked, "you could. You could find an imprint."

"I won't, Bella." Jacob said furiously as he glanced at me. There was a frantic plea in his dark eyes that made my heart hurt painfully. "I know that I won't."

I shook my head and mumbled, "You can't know that. It happens at random."

"Bella…" Jacob whispered, "Please."

My tears oozed to a painful halt, drying tacky on my cheeks. Once the roar of the engine was cut off, I realized how horribly silent it was. His hand tentatively reached out and brushed sticky hair away from my wet cheek. I ducked away. His hand dropped. I worked to swallow the lump in my throat as I stumbled out of the truck and inside the house. I never looked back.

My arms stayed firmly wrapped around my waist as I dragged myself upstairs and into my bedroom. I shut the door with a soft thud before collapsing on the bed. I didn't move again that night even after Charlie had cracked the bedroom door open to check on me three times. I listened to the beeping of the microwave and the shuffling of feet and the droning of the television. A hulking form never climbed through my window. Eventually, after hours of silent tears and gasping breaths, I fell asleep.