To say Bella was appalled was putting it mildly. She knew she had consented to the potential that Jacob was watching them, but to think he had stayed for the full act and was now showing displeasure at their post-coital cuddling made her feel sick. More than sick, however, she was furious.

How dare he come to her home, intrude on such an intimate moment, and have the audacity to act as though she owed him anything other than continuing on with her life? How dare he take the good will she had shown him, the modicum of faith she had entrusted in him, just to throw it back in her face in such an obscene way?

Friendship over, she decided, only the slightest twinge of regret in her heart. She had tried, after all, and given so many chances. Now, she just had to wonder what came next for them. She doubted he would just let it go, take the message that she was fully satisfied in her relationship and leave.

"He's gone," Edward murmured in her ear. He squeezed her a bit tighter for a moment before shifting, having her roll on her back. "Are you okay?"

"They're angry tears," she assured him. "I just…I thought he was my friend."

"I'm so sorry, love," he brushed away the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"I'll be okay," she sighed, rubbing her eyes before taking a deep breath. "Come on, we're likely already missed, and I am sure that Emmett is capitalizing on it."

"We will need to move quickly," Edward told her. "Jacob is gone, but he was furious when he left. Even he couldn't make out what he planned to do, his thoughts were so jumbled. I'm not sure you would be safe if he saw you now."

Bella was past trying to defend her former best friend. She could understand how something like what he had just witnessed could send Jacob over the edge, and she agreed that he could pose a threat to her.

"Okay, then," she nodded. "Let's run."

"What do you want?"

"You."

The words had pierced through him along with the sight of the leech's hands groping Bella's ass.

"Any way I can have you."

She was breathless, and if he didn't love her so much, if her words didn't cause him such pain, he would feel sorry for her. After all, she was begging for what she would never be able to receive.

But I could give her that, and I'm sure it drives you insane, he thought daggers at the mind reader. More than that, he felt confident the torture would end soon because Edward would always stop it before it got too far, both because he was worried about hurting Bella as well as protecting her modesty, stupid fucking gentleman. If I was the one she chose, I wouldn't hesitate to show the world.

But then he asked for consent to put on a show, and she fucking agreed. She knew he was out there, and she wasn't willing to stop.

What is she playing at? Why?

He comforted himself again that he wouldn't have to see much; he just needed to make sure she didn't get hurt since Edward was so keen on proving a point; at least, that's what he told himself.

"By all means stay, Jacob," he heard Edward's voice, though neither he nor Bella could see his lips move. He hated when vampires did that weird shit with their voices. "If it will convince you she is still mine, then please—let me show you so you'll never doubt again. You can watch, just this once."

Jacob was confused now. What exactly did he mean? Then he saw her laid back on the ground, though Edward was somewhat obscuring his view.

"Isabella, you are mine," Edward growled, and Jacob nearly gagged when he saw what that did to her face, the way her pupils dilated, her cheeks flushed, her heart raced…the way her scent became heavy enough that he could smell it out there. The scent of the smoke escaping the chimney wasn't enough to dampen that stab to his heart.

How many times had he imagined making her wet? How many times had he touched himself, picturing her making that same wanton face at him? Had come to the thought of her desperate for his cock?

Now here he was, seeing exactly what that expression would be on her face, but it was for somebody else.

Then the way the leech said that word, forever. He was taunting him.

Then came the sound of her zipper being undone, and that would signal the beginning of hell for Jacob. If he thought things were bad before, he had no idea what it would feel like to keep himself frozen in place, seeing her head thrown back in ecstasy as the bloodsucker brought her pleasure. That he could have his mouth on her in her most sensitive places without biting her was shocking, but the worst shock came in the realization that this was far from the first time. He knew what she liked, and he used that to torture the wolf.

Hadn't Jacob run over because he dreamed of the taste of her kiss on his lips? Meanwhile, Edward flaunted how he knew the flavor of her most intimate places.

He hated the scent of her, that it was so arousing to him, and yet it was a torture device now; he hated the sound of her, mewling out words that should have been for him but were now praising her…her husband's actions…he hated her movements, the grasping hands, the shaky breaths, the trembling that he could see. He hated as he heard the monster growl into her most sensitive areas, and she reacted just as she had warned him she would; she said she liked the vibrations and the dominance of it all. She warned him, but he hadn't listened. But it got worse.

She knew he was there, and she still opened herself to be taken, and a part of Jacob hated her for it.

How cruel could one person be?

And then the monster did take her. Jacob locked his muscles in place to prevent himself from storming in and interrupting, but it meant he heard as Edward unbuckled his pants, heard the sound of stone flesh sliding against wet skin as another man entered the woman whom he gave his heart to.

The rest was a blur. The impossible was happening, and Jacob could no longer focus. It was a great blessing, a terrible curse. He only came out of the daze when their mixed shouts hit his ears, and their mixed scents assaulted his nose. Then, and only then, did the pain he had been attempting to quash overwhelm him to the point that it escaped in a long, drawn-out howl.

He ran back towards the reservation, the sympathetic, though disgusted, voices of his packmates finally making themselves known in his mind.

"And just where have you been, young man?" Emmett's bass voice resonated in the dining room as they slipped in the back door. Bella was shivering from the cold, and Edward was running his gloved hands up and down her arms rapidly in the hopes that the friction would get her warm again.

"Shut up, Emmett," Edward snapped.

"It's a good question," Alice followed into the room at a human pace, indicating their guests were still awake. In a quiet voice, she continued, "I looked to see when you would be back, and you had disappeared."

"There was a little run in earlier, but we're here now," Bella said, cutting the conversation off before it could go further.

"What happened?" Emmett asked, confused. "I can tell you both—"

"Nothing!" Bella insisted.

"It certainly doesn't look like nothing." The playful voice revealed Renee in the doorway. "A tip, darling? Try to come back in the same clothes you left in."

Bella blushed all the way down to her neck. "M-mom, please."

Renee just rolled her eyes. "We've all been there, sweetie. At least your dad likely won't notice."

Bella groaned, hands hiding her face as Emmett lost it laughing. Renee led them back into the living room where Bella and Edward were at the unfortunate end of Charlie's discerning stare; he did not look happy.

Esme tried to smooth things over, however, seamlessly transitioning to her role as hostess, giving everyone another round of hot chocolate and cookies before leading the conversation to talk of everyone's Christmas gifts—plane tickets to New Hampshire for spring break. It was barely stilted, but things smoothed out, and soon they were able to relax enough to watch one last Christmas classic before calling it a night.

That was, until Alice and Edward tensed and there was hammering at the door.

"You don't want to answer that," Alice warned Carlisle.

"Why?" he asked, pausing where he stood.

"Get out here, leech!" Jacob's thunderous voice carried through the door.

Edward cursed in a low voice. Bella's heartrate picked up, her throat feeling like it was closing as her anxiety spiked.

"What the hell is that?" Renee asked.

"That would be Jacob," Bella said, eyes glazed. She was almost in a daze, wondering what would happen next, how she would keep her family safe.

"Tell him to come out, Bella, or I'm coming in!"

"He can fucking try," Emmett nearly snarled, standing and moving into a protective position between the door and the family. "What the hell happened, Edward?"

"It doesn't matter," Edward said, casting a glance to his in laws; he didn't want to embarrass Bella.

"YES, YOU FUCKING THE LOVE OF MY LIFE DOES MATTER!"

"How can he hear you?" Renee scoffed.

"What is he talking about?" Charlie glared. Still, he stood up. Even in his civilian clothes, he assumed the authority of someone who had been the chief of police for years.

"Did he—?" Carlisle turned to Edward, not bothering to finish his thoughts aloud; Edward gave a firm nod. "I see."

"What?" Charlie snapped.

"He came to check on Bella, to wish her a merry Christmas, supposedly," Edward explained, glaring at the door. "Though that isn't the full truth. He saw something he shouldn't have."

Charlie narrowed his eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" Rosalie huffed. "Fido is busting down our door because he caught you fucking your wife?"

"Language," Esme admonished her. Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"I'll handle this," Edward shook his head, going to stand. Bella latched onto his arm, attempting to ignore the baffled look of her mother and the purple face of her father as he avoided looking at anyone.

"Someone will get hurt," she nearly whimpered.

"I will be perfectly fine, love," he kissed her hand. He had no sooner gotten close to the door than it busted open, and Jacob was there, grabbing his shirt.

"Let's take this outside Jacob."

"Boys!" Charlie started to walk over, but Emmett blocked his way, much to his frustration.

"You knew I was there," Jacob growled. Everyone's eyes turned to Edward then.

Edward narrowed his eyes. "We did."

Gazes shifted to Bella in shock.

"You risked her life to get your rocks off!" Jacob tried to shake Edward, merely tearing his shirt in the process.

"That's not what happened, and you know it," Bella intervened.

"Oh, isn't it?" Jacob glared at her, betrayal in his eyes. "To be honest, I could expect it of him, but I never expected you to act like such a—"

"Finish that sentence, and I end you here," Edward snarled, the human façade fading.

The family seemed frozen in place, the tension severe as Edward and Jacob stared each other down.

"Would you?" Jacob smirked. "Let's see if you kill me if you still have her begging you for it like a fucking slut."

Jacob was in Edward's face for only a moment before his head whipped back with the force of Edward's punch, the snap of his jaw loud.

A growl reverberated in Jacob's chest, and Edward shoved him out the door into the snow, attempting to hide the supernatural squabble from the ignorant humans.

"I hope that hurt," Edward bared his teeth. "But I know that nothing I do to you physically will compare to what you saw today. You call my wife a slut for making love to her husband. Guess what, mongrel? She chose me, and I can give her everything she needs. She was mine, she is still mine, and she was never yours! So stop fantasizing about her, stop trying to steal her, and accept she is a grown woman who made her choice."

Jacob spit blood and a tooth out on to the ground, staining the snow there, and shook his head. "We had a chance, a real chance."

"You never did," Bella stepped outside, contradicting him as she slammed the door behind her. "I tried to kill myself that day, Jacob. You were never going to be enough."

The words, complete with the sight that he had seen that day seemed to snap something in the young werewolf. His eyes went blank before filling with intense rage. He howled as Edward grabbed Bella, yanking her back onto the porch and inside the door as Jacob erupted in a flurry of teeth and fur. There was a pounding on the door as he attempted to get inside. Edward kept the door barricaded and intact with the help of Emmett and Jasper, the latter of which was sending as many calming, subduing waves towards the raging werewolf as he could.

Finally, Jacob realized it was futile and seemed to retreat. Bella was shaking, quiet tears falling in the silence as she lifted her gaze into the terrified eyes of her parents.

End Book 1