A/N: And now for the Bella reveal. You're finally going to see what I was trying to do with her. I hope it works out.

This chapter was written while listening to Keaton Henson's Good Lust on repeat because it was drawing in some strong feels.

Notes:

No New Notes

Warnings:

No New Warnings

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, only the fic idea, so please don't sue the broke student, they got nothing to pay with.

Then They Fell In Love

Chapter 82: The True Story of the Rogue, As Yet Untold By History

He woke to the scent of death and decay thicker than he'd ever smelt it. He was up and in a defensive stance fast as lightening, teeth bared and claws out. He looked to the corner of the damp cave and found a woman pressed against the wall, eyes widened with surprise.

"Jacob?" the woman whispered.

The Alpha looked at her, head tilted in curiosity. She wasn't a threat, despite how she smelt. She wasn't here to hurt him, but she was here for something.

He didn't relax, but he straightened, claws retracting as he did. He looked at the woman, cataloguing her features: small and what some may call cute, but in a mousy sort of way, with long mahogany hair. Her skin was an off-shade of grey, her eyes milky, as though death had touched her, but in an unnatural way.

"Jacob," she repeated, stepping closer carefully. He watched her, tracking the movement, ready to defend himself if he had to. She continued to shuffle closer, slowly, carefully, until she was standing at the stone bed he'd been sleeping, across from him.

"Who are you?" he growled, low and dangerous, threatening.

The woman touched at something at her wrist, hidden by the large jacket she was wearing.

"What do you want?"

The woman swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice wavering. "I was too weak to fight him."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, quieting down now that he saw that the woman was no threat to him, that she wasn't going to do anything to him. She was here for something else, not the fight he'd thought she was here for. Her scent was off, but there was a familiar remorsefulness to her scent that he recognised.

"I never hated you or Edward."

Edward.

The name touched at something in him. He knew the name, knew that he should remember it, that it was important somehow. But it was too far away for him to grasp. He said nothing, waiting for the woman to keep talking.

"I meant what I said the first time, Jacob. I really did forgive you and Edward about the Imprint. I know that it's not something you can control, that it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't meant to be. But then— he got into my head, Jake, and I— —" she shook her head, the smell of salt filling the air. "I'm sorry, Jake, I'm so sorry that I let this happen.

"I wish I'd been stronger, I wish I'd talked to someone instead of letting his darkness get to me. I should've— I'm sorry that I didn't— —" She choked on her words. He watched her hand, how it clenched at the wrist of her other arm, as though holding something there.

"What did you do?" he asked.

She looked at him, blinking away tears he knew would never fall. She wasn't Human, she was something else, something he wasn't familiar with. The darkness coming off her was familiar but different, something else that he couldn't quite place.

"I be— I betrayed you. I shouldn't have done it, but I did. I was— he consumed me and I couldn't fight it. Everything felt so natural, felt so right. But it wasn't me."

"Why come to me now?"

"Because this may be the only chance. I don't know what you're doing to him, but whatever it is it's distracting him and his siblings enough that I can come here. They've been lax on keeping up with the mind control thing they've been doing with me, so I'm here. If they— if he finds out that I've been here though, that I spoke to you, he'll kill me. But he may kill me anyway. That's why I'm here: to apologise to you, ask for forgiveness if you can find it in your heart. I— I'll always love you, both of you. If I can't say it myself to Edward, please tell him I'm sorry, that I love him and that I understand why things went the way they did and that I'm not angry, that I don't hate him, hate either of you."

"Who— —"

"I miss you both so much and I wish that I could go back in time and fix everything. That would be a great gift right about now, wouldn't it?" She laughed, the sound wet and choked with emotion. "But for now it's impossible and all I can do is try and make amends now."

Thunder rumbled, loud and with dark intention.

"Shit! She's going to figure I'm here. Just remember, Jake, I love you and I'm sorry. I'll do everything in my power to get you out of here, I promise." She gave him a desperate look before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath and then disappearing.

He frowned, staring at the space that she'd occupied, and trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. Who was this woman and what had all that meant.

Even though he didn't understand right now, couldn't put things together, he knew this was important, that what the woman had said was important, to him— Jacob—and to Edward.

I love you and I'm sorry.

What had she done? Who was she? And why did seeing her again bring pain and relief all at once.

Who are you?

…TBC…

Short as heck, but well, I like this one and thought it was a good idea to leave it focused on Bella. And so there yah have it, Bella's thing has been revealed and now you know what I've been trying to do! Hope it worked and I didn't make a complete mess of things.

(",)