A huge weight has been lifted since Edward left Forks for Alaska. Bella had never felt more free with her ex out of her daily life but she knew in time she wanted to get back at him. For the given moment, Bella just wanted to focus on herself; her friends, Charlie, and her family to be with Julian and Cynthia.
"What are you thinking about Bella?" Jacob asked.
Bella was spending her day with Jake since her motorcycle was almost finished. She hoped to take it out for a test drive with him before picking up Alice and driving them on her motorcycle, maybe getting a bite at the diner and then catching a movie.
"Just my date with Alice tonight. Can you imagine me rolling up in my leather jacket and my motorcycle on a simple yet sweet date?"
Jake chuckled lightly.
"I can Bella because you're a romantic but also a bit of a bad ass. You've become a bit of a spark plug since you dumped Edward."
Bella chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"I hope so since I'm not going back to that girl I was...I don't want to be a girl period but a strong woman. Girl makes me sound like I'm weak and defenseless."
Jake respected Bella and nodded in agreement. Bella noticed Jake was sweating a bit more than normal and went up to him to check his forehead. She pulled way and exclaimed,
"You're burning up Jake, are you okay?"
Jake sighed as he went to down some of his water.
"That's a symptom Bella...you know?"
Bella recalled Jake telling her he was becoming a werewolf and she couldn't help but be concerned. Jake being sick, writhing in pain, and feeling something clawing to escape from him...she wanted her friend to be okay. It was who he was going to be but she still hoped he would pull through and be the Jake she was best friends with.
"Are you going to be okay for the test ride? I can easily just have my test going to pick up Alice from the Cullens."
"She returned there? What about her sister and her sister's boyfriend?" Jake questioned.
"Alice wanted to spend some time with Jasper since she missed him. Now that Edward left, she can spend some time with the Cullens before we..."
Bella grew silent since she didn't want to upset Jake. Despite his immense support, Bella becoming a vampire was something that was going to bother him. His best friend with pale skin and blood red eyes for the first few months of her immortal life, cold skin, and a loss of humanity. Jake just nodded but he sighed deeply.
"I'm sorry." Bella finally stated with a slight frown.
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. Yes you dying essentially to be one of them will hurt for a while. But if you're going to be in a loving relationship forever then I can't be mad if you will be happy." Jake forced out.
Bella knew this was hard for him since he was a really good friend that had his teachings about vampires, or rather cold ones, ingrained in him. It would be awhile for him to fully accept Alice being her mate but at least he was open and respectful.
"What will happen...once you are a werewolf?" Bella questioned.
Jake sighed.
"I would need to go to the pack but there is something I will try to do since I do have something in my veins and blood."
Bella raised an eyebrow in confusion, making Jake chuckle a bit.
"Well packs have a leader, an Alpha wolf, and Sam is the current leader. However I am a descendant of Ephraim Black, which means by all counts...being Alpha is my birthright. With Sam being pack leader, things won't change among our kinds, werewolves and vampires; however they need to. It might be costly to me if I need to fight him, but for you Bella...I'm going to give it my all to reclaim the pack under Black reign."
Bella cracked the lightest of smiles but was also concerned. Jake being a wolf fighting Sam who was a very big person so who knew what his wolf was like. She did understand why Jake would do this but she still asked,
"Is this because you want there to be a way for Alice to turn me?"
Jake nodded.
"Our current law and agreement is with the Cullens and that is that they can't bite a human. But I know for you to be with Alice, she needs to inject her venom. I've been thinking about it for awhile and while there are loopholes, you want the intimacy don't you?" he asked with a slight cheeky smirk.
Bella blushed and nodded slightly. Her being turned in an erotic yet intimate scenario with Alice biting her, most likely her neck, but maybe some playful nips across her body. They have yet to be close in that sense but she thinks their greatest will be when Alice, her love, turns her into a vampire in bliss and passion.
"It would be nice...my last human moments being with her and she uses her fangs to inject me with venom rather than a needle in my heart...sorry again not the moment you want to imagine..."
"It's fine...it's not like you have many friends to talk vampire and werewolves to. Besides...I do wonder what it will be like for me to have someone like that someday. I hope it's out of pure love and acceptance rather than just to pass the werewolf gene. I'm young yes but I still long for someone and if it's not with you Bella; maybe someone like you."
Bella smiled as she finished tightening loose bolts on her bike.
"There's someone for everyone...that is what I want to believe; but I hope you find the right person and not force something because you have to. If I learned anything from Edward, it's that you can't just want the feeling but the person."
Jake nodded as he looked over the motorcycles. Both were ready and he grinned in delight. He got his bike and moved it out from the garage to the empty road. Bella followed after him and he smiled as he went through how to operate the bike. It seemed heavy at first but Bella got into a comfortable position that didn't make her wobble. She knew all the parts by heart and that impressed Jake.
"Very nice Bella, it's almost sexy the way you know the parts of your bike." Jake teased lightly.
Bella rolled her eyes while chuckling.
"I should know the aspects of my fantasies and dreams, including this wonderful baby I'm straddling and wanting to ride." Bella spoke confidently.
The purr of the engine excited Bella and felt the power of the motorcycle course in her body proudly. She looked at Jake with a smile as she revved up the bike.
"Go on Bella, be like the wind and let's see you ride this puppy." Jake encouraged her.
Bella smirked a bit at him and she kick started the motorcycle effortlessly and held on to the clutch as she rode a good few miles on her own. The wind flowed through her hair and she would enjoy this moment while she could. Jake was behind her and caught up with Bella and they spent their day riding the open road before they needed to return to his place. Her heart was beating fast, drugged by adrenaline and her confidence was plastered on her face with a very light yet playfully smile.
"Well done Bella. You truly know how to ride with the win and cruise." Jake complimented.
"Thanks Jake...I couldn't have gotten this bike ready without you. This was really special and I want us to ride together a lot. Even when I'm turned, I can see us riding along the open road like this...when it's not sunny of course."
Jake smiled a bit since Bella wasn't going to abandon her old life completely and he would have a place in it. He looked into Bella's soft brown eyes and even though her body would change; he had a renewed feeling she would still be his best friend, his Bella in a platonic way.
"I would enjoy that. Maybe I will make a trip where you end up and we can ride...maybe you can help me get a woman or two." he grinned.
Bella and him chuckled at that but she nodded in agreement.
"Very nice thought, yes. I have to get going to see Alice...do tell me when you feel better and call before you decide to challenge Sam alright?" Bella asked.
Jake nodded and he gave Bella a hug. Bella hugged him tightly and she could truly feel how warm and strong Jake was becoming. He pulled away from her and smiled softly.
"I will be sure you're happy Bella; that you can have your coven and my pack form a treaty and that you can be intimate with Alice. Now go and see your girl. We will talk later alright Bella."
Bella smiled as she got on her motorcycle and drove to The Cullens to pick up Alice. The ride wasn't long and Bella couldn't wait to see Alice and her reaction to her finished motorcycle. When she got to the Cullens, she was greeted by Emmett and he wolf whistled at the bike.
"Nice ride Bella bear."
Emmett gave her a hug and Bella hugged back.
"Thanks, it was a really nice birthday gift. How have you and the rest of The Cullens been?" she asked as she and Emmett walked up to the house.
"Aside Carlisle and Esme still being upset about Edward; fine actually. Alice and Jasper see each other a lot again; Rose is happy to see Alice but bothered by Cynthia clearly, and Julian and I are starting to play a lot of sports and hunt together."
Bella had the smallest bit of guilt, but more towards Esme and Carlisle and not for Edward.
"You and Julian sound like good friends." she mused softly.
"Very much so Bella. You're going to like having him as a brother of sorts. We're making talks about him being a cousin to our coven so that would be awesome to extend family." Emmett informed her.
Bella smiled as she walked into the door and saw Jasper trying, and failing, to play chess with Alice. Bella knew Alice was a tease since no one would be able to beat her in traditional games as she saw all the moves. The only way her darling was a cheat but yet Alice was a comfort in what she could see.
"Losing Jasper?" Bella asked as she watched them play.
Jasper chuckled and nodded slightly.
"Always it seems but I still like to test my mind with Alice. It's not a complete blow out though unless Alice is dragging this out." he teased.
Alice smirked a bit as she took Jasper's knight.
"Check." she spoke softly.
Jasper raised an eyebrow and sure enough, he was in check. He scanned the board but there was no way out of it. He grinned and did one move before Alice checkmated his king. Alice had a playful smile as she shook Jasper's hand.
"Sorry Jas."
"You're not." he smirked.
Alice chuckled as she went to kiss Bella's tender lips. She trailed her fingers down Bella's body and lingered on her leather jacket.
"You're taking me for a ride?" she purred.
Bella smiled and cupped Alice's chin delicately in her hand.
"I would love for you to join me, for you to embrace me as we ride and take in the wind in our hair. No rules, no worries, just freedom and love." Bella spoke poetically.
Alice nodded and they both left the house. Her eyes studied Bella's bike and trailed her fingers on it. She had flashes of them riding this bike in their future that excited her. Alice smiled tenderly since it was always Bella that rode it but Alice didn't care. She would be Bella's princess on the road while she snaked her arms around Bella's waist as they rode. Her thoughts were interrupted by a tender hip graze and soft kisses on her neck.
"You must be hyped up if you're in a very loving mood already." Alice chuckled as she shifted her body to kiss Bella on her lips.
"Mhm...yes I am...now let me take you on a joyride and have you feel what I felt...Wait um..."
Bella blushed since she didn't know if Alice had ever ridden or drove a motorcycle before. Alice could feel Bella's doubts and questions and kissed her cheek.
"I hadn't ridden one in quite a while but it will be my first time riding with you and I know it's going to be lovely."
Bella smiled softly as she got on first and started to rev it up. Alice gracefully got on behind her and tenderly wrapped her arms around Bella as she drove off on her motorcycle. Alice enjoyed the sensation of holding on to Bella as they enjoyed their ride. Bella was hers and she was proud that Bella was herself, her real self. Nothing would break them apart.
All of a sudden she got a vision, a flash that horrified her. Victoria...how could they have forgotten her...consumed with revenge after what they all did and...she saw Bella as the cause. Bella could feel tension in Alice and stopped her motorcycle.
"Alice...what's wrong. Is it Edward?" Bella asked.
Alice shook her head and only clung closer to Bella. Her eyes were dark and she spoke with a very serious yet fearful tone.
"Victoria...she wants your blood and wants you dead."