Bella
I had called Charlie and told him, everything. Well, everything that he needed to know. I told him that I realized that Jacob was the one for me. I told him that Jacob had ran away, and that I was going to stay at Billy's till they found him. Charlie decided to use his job as sheriff to help us find him. I didn't tell Charlie that Jacob was a wolf. I didn't tell him that it was going to be impossible, I let him believe that he could help.
Emily brought me a cup of coffee, and took a seat by me on the front steps. "It's getting cold out here." She said wrapping her arms around herself.
I sipped the coffee slowly, letting the heat press against my face, closing my eyes to remember the way Jacob felt next to me. I reopened them and looked out at the trees, wondering if he was okay, if he was eating, and if Leah was still by his side.
"They will find them, Bella."
"I know." I smiled tightly. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"How did it feel when Sam imprinted on you?"
She bit her bottom lip, and took a deep breath. "Like nothing I had ever felt before. We locked eyes and it was like the world around us disappeared, like there was never anyone-else in the world but the two of us."
"Like you couldn't exist without him?" I asked.
She nodded. "I hurt Leah. I pay that price every day. But I love Sam and I wouldn't trade any of this for anything."
"Yeah, they are pretty great aren't they." I said sipping the coffee again.
"They all don't imprint, Bella. Sometimes they just fall in love with whom they want too. Sometimes they get a choice."
"I wonder if he and Leah…" I couldn't finish the sentence.
Emily placed her hand on my shoulder. "He loves you, Bella."
"And Sam loved Leah." I said without thinking.
Her face turned pale white. I hit below the belt and I knew it.
"I'm sorry."
"It's true. He did." She stood up. "I'm gonna go and check on dinner." She entered the house.
I could hear the wolf pack as they neared Billy's. I stood up and searched the woods, till I saw the guys in their human form walking towards me. I try to see around them, for any hope of Jacob, but there was nothing.
"Sam?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, were going to eat then we'll head back out."
I watched as one by one the guys entered Billy's. I hesitated before following them, pausing to look back one more time.
Jacob
I hated eating in this form. It reminded me of the bloodsuckers. It made my stomach turn at the thought. I finished of the small deer and turned to find Leah already cleaning herself. I began to like the blood from my paws, then fell over on the ground, next to her.
Do you ever think about imprinting? She asked out of the blue.
I turned to look at her. Not really, why?
I just thought that maybe it would be easier for us if we found someone and imprinted.
You would be okay with not having a choice. I said a little shocked.
Yeah. I mean you forget the world around you. That person becomes the one that you live for.
I stood up and walked over to the edge of the lake, to get a sip of water. I could see her reflection in the water, as she walked over to me.
Jacob, we could go human, get jobs, get a place to live, and search the streets for the special someone that we are suppose to love. We can forget Forks, and La Push, and whomever there is there.
You know that they get a choice. The one that you imprint on. If they don't want to be with you, then they don't have. My voice was a little sadder than I had intended.
You imprinted didn't you. You imprinted on Bella.
I slung the water from my face on her as I turned to walk away.
Jacob,… she called after me, but I kept walking.
Bella
Three days later I found myself laying in Jacob's small bed staring at the ceiling. Emily was in and out, bring food to Billy and helping with project find Jacob. She would map out directions for the guys to go. Highlighting the places that they had been already. Charlie would come by and spend hours helping out, making phone calls, and printing fliers. When they all disappeared I would make my way to his bed, I would hold onto one of his shirts, and I would scream out in agony, longing to hold him close to me. To smell his musky scent and to see him smile at me the way he used to smile, the way he smiled at me in my dreams.
"Bella," Billy called from the living room. "Someone is here to see you."
I tossed the shirt on the bed and ran out of his room, just knowing that I would see him standing there next to Billy with his cocky grin. But I stopped short when I saw Edward standing were my Jacob should have been.
"Edward,…"
"Can we talk?" He nodded towards the door.
I shook my head yes and followed him into the yard. He stopped, leaning against the porch rail.
"What are you doing here? I thought that there was some law or something that you couldn't cross the line."
"There is. I called Billy and he said I could."
"Why? I mean, you know I…"
He shook his head. "Alice, saw your future disappear the night I spent watching you sleep. She told me, that's why I left. I want you to be happy, Bella. That's all I ever wanted."
I looked at him differently now. It was like I never loved him at all. Like he was a friend and not someone that I couldn't live without. "Jacob, hasn't came back. They can't find him."
"I know. I saw Charlie posting a flier at the hospital." He turned to me. "I want to help. I want to help find him for you."
"Why?"
"Because you belong to each other. I can't fight that."
I swallowed hard. "I think he imprinted on me. I think that's why it's been so hard to tell him goodbye, because we are meant for one another. I don't see anything but him."
"I knew it." He said. "He tried to hide it from me that day in the woods. He tried not to think about it, but he had imprinted on you. But he wanted you to have a choice and not feel like you had to be with him because of it."
It all began to make sense now. I belonged to Jacob in more ways than one. I was his soul mate. And he was being noble in giving me a choice. In leaving town to give me the freedom to choose.
"Find him. Please, Edward. Bring him back to me."