CHAPTER THIRTEEN

(BPOV)

I awoke to the sound of the ocean waves and it was heavenly.

The bright light pouring into the windows made me squint against it's harsh rays, as I sat up and caught sight of the note left there on the edge of my pillow.

Wiping the remaining sleep from my eyes, I took hold of it and smiled at the sight of Jacobs scribbled words on the folded paper.

Bells,

I didn't have it in me to wake you before I left to meet Sam for an early patrol at Dawn. Please stay here and wait for me to come back, honey. There's so much I want to say to you. I'll be back before noon. There's some muffins for you on the counter. Emily sent them with Sam before we left. She made three extra blueberry just for you. I love you. See you a in a bit.

-Your Jacob-

I tucked the linen sheet in around myself and wandered out to the front of the small beach cabin where the kitchen was, seeing the muffins there on the counter with a glass of orange juice already poured, and a handful of long stemmed wild flowers laying beside the plate.

I lifted them, inhaling the sweet scent they offered with another smile before biting into one of Emily's home made muffins. They were delicious and I made a mental note to get the recipe from her sometime soon.

I hunkered down in one of the cream colored accent chairs placed by the largest bay window that gave way to the breathtaking sight of the ocean just outside and enjoyed the rest of my breakfast there in peace.

Though the cabin was rather tiny, it offered a semblance of peace and tranquility that I rarely found elsewhere these days and I relished in it.

My mind soon wandered to the memories of Jacobs heated bare skin pressed to mine just a few hours earlier and I blindly reached for my left shoulder, tracing my fingertips carefully over the mark that had sent him running when he'd seen it.

I tried to remember the moments that led up to it, but I couldn't. All I could recall was how whole and safe I felt wrapped up in him. The briefest recollection of pain was all the memory I could pull forth, and even then it was blurry at best.

What I could recall clearly was the horrified look on Jacobs face at the sight of it. It was a look I didn't want to see again.

I knew him well enough to know that he still feared that part of who he was. The part that made him see himself as a monster because of the wolf, and how he hated the idea of it erasing him altogether someday. He'd told me how much he feared the very idea of that part of him being able to hurt someone he loved one day. Someone like me.

This mark seemed to only serve as the tangible evidence of that fear now and I worried where his head was at with it.

I was anxious to ask him the many questions still swirling around in my head.

I wanted to know everything he knew about it.

My stomach rumbled as I got back up and went for another muffin, the sound of my cell ringing repeatedly dragging me out of my reflections for the time being.

Charlie's number flashed on the screen and I hurriedly answered it.

"Hey Dad."

"Bella? You had me worried kid. Not used to waking up without you here this early."

"Sorry...-we stayed on the beach...-" I replied, trailing off and letting him mentally finish the rest of my answer so I wouldn't have to.

"You stayed with Jake all night?" He half chuckled.

"Dad-..." I huffed with a blush.

"Hey- no need to give me anymore details. I just wanted to check and be sure you were safe. Jacob did text me at the crack of damn dawn. He told me you were camping out at the Uleys cabin there on the beach, but I figured I'd give you a call myself to check in for a minute."

"Thanks."

"Sure thing."

"Are you alright? Do you need anything when we head back to town later before I come home?"

"Nope, I'm feeling pretty good this morning and plan on heading into the doctors for my check up at eleven. Sue offered to take me. I'll be just fine."

"Okay, as long as you're sure?" I double checked.

"I am. I'll see you guys later?"

"Yeah, we'll be back before dinner tonight. I might stay with Jake today for a while. I'll let you know when I'm on my way home."

"Sounds good, kiddo. See you then. Love you."

"Love you too, dad."

With that, we ended the call and I headed for the bathroom, drawing myself a warm bath in the clawfoot tub and soon sinking down into the steamy water waiting for me.

I winced when the hot water touched the healing mark on my shoulder, the sting making me inhale sharply while I sank further down into the tub, wetting my hair and face and enjoying the silence of the cabin.

It was in moments like these that I was finally able to process all that had happened since the wedding I almost went through with.

I inwardly cringed as I thought of Aro and the Volturi, my body tensing at the vivid memory of Italy and the sight of his blood red gaze on mine.

He was lethal and I would be on his radar if I wasn't already.

I'd been willing to leave everything behind. My family and my friends. My future was seconds away from being tied to Edwards.

My stomach knotted when I pondered the possibility of him being involved with Charlie's heart attack.

Could he really be capable of doing something that dark just to secure that I would stay with him out of need? To be the hero of that tragedy?

If anyone had asked me those same questions just weeks before, I would have vehemently defended Edward and the Cullens, but now, I wasn't so sure.

I didn't believe in mere coincidences anymore. To me, there was no such thing in this mythical world we currently lived in. The one where monsters and magic were real.

Nothing was turning out the way I anticipated it would.

I had made up my mind before, I was set to be married to Edward, ready to go through with the wedding so I would keep my promise to the Volturi and ensure that no one I loved would be harmed. Aro would have been pleased and I would've been frozen in time forever.

I wrapped my arms around myself at the sense of loneliness that came along with that thought now.

The truth was, I was only lying to myself, only pretending that living that shell of an existence would have been anywhere damn near fulfilling for me.

That wasn't what I wanted.

I wanted Jacob, but I kept telling myself that it didn't matter what my heart cried out for because I'd made a promise to someone far more poweful than Edward and I had no choice but to keep it.

My heart felt as if it was being ripped out of my chest with every step closer I got to marrying Edward. It would have been the worst mistake of my life.

In a way, I owed my father for it, and I was going to be sure to be there for whatever he needed on his road to recovery over the next few weeks.

I added some more hot water when the tub began to cool and was washing my body when I heard the creaking of the cabin door as it slowly opened.

Footsteps trailed across the front of the kitchen as the husky voice I loved carried in to me.

"Bells?"

"In here...-" I replied, as he paused by the bathroom door, his shadow lingering there a beat before he spoke again.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just taking a bath. Hope that's okay?"

"Sure, Sure." He sighed. "Get my note?"

"I did. The muffins were great. Please thank Emily for me?"

"I will."

"How was your patrol with Sam?" I hesitantly asked.

"It was good. Nothing worrisome."

"Was he okay with us being here last nite?"

"Yes, he said we could use the cabin for as long as we wanted. You know- if-...if we-... need to talk- after last nite-..."

His words were thick and I could hear the worry there behind them, even though I couldn't see his face with the door between us.

"Come here...- come in with me." I beckoned him.

Jacob slid the rustic barn door open, his gaze falling to my bare breasts just beneath the waters surface as I looked his way.

"No bubbles?"

"No-... didn't think they had any."

"They probably do somewhere in here. If I know Emily." He chuckled in return, his smile falling some when he caught sight of the mark again on my pale skin.

"Jake...-"

He paused in his brief search for the bubble bath then, his eyes meeting mine a second before he knelt down next to the tub, his warm fingertips lightly touching the healing scar with a tenderness that didn't go unnoticed.

"I know you have a million questions and I want to answer whatever ones I can. I talked to Sam while we were on patrol this morning. He knows. I'm sorry, Bells. I had to tell him. I needed his wisdom and advice."

He leaned in and placed a kiss to my shoulder before slipping out of his cut offs and climbing in the tub with me. His arms wrapped around my middle and I relaxed against his firm chest.

"Tell me everything."

A/N: More to come soon. Please review.