I cannot take this anymore
I'm saying everything I've said before
All these words they make no sense
I find bliss in ignorance
Less I hear the less you'll say
But you'll find that out anyway
Just like before

Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
'Cause I'm one step closer to the edge
And I'm about to break

One Step Closer, by Linkin Park, from the album Live In Texas, released in 2003

The scene was a peculiar one. Save for the two of us, the room was empty, no doubt making it look slightly confusing if someone came in. Despite the lack of verbal words, there was plenty of conversation going around. I sat down in the traditional dog pose- you know, hind legs back and flat against the floor, two fore paws straight and holding me up- my tail not quite tucked in.

The silence surrounding us was telling of the seriousness of the impending conversation: both of us were looking for words that wouldn't cause a large argument. Bella deserved answers, I knew that, but she also deserved vengeance, the one thing I took from her. I also had my own questions, mainly consisting around her personality change. It wasn't a bad thing per se.. I just wanted to know about it, and what caused it.

We were still waiting on the sandwich that Charlie was making her, craning out for his approach. We didn't want to get anybody else involved in this Imprint to Imprint conversation.

"My first question: What was the fight between you and Jared about?"

So she did know about that then. Blinking slowly, stretching out in an attempt to get comfortable, I opened my mind to her so she knew I was telling the truth. Truth be told, I wasn't proud of my fight with Jared. It got heated, I was stressed and scared for Bella, and in a moment of weakness, I let my instincts guide me too far.

I should have never assaulted him like that, regardless of his opinion to do with how I dealt with the Cullens. There was some truth to his words. Her eyes, bright and yet hard pierced my own, and I held her gaze as a spoke, trying to put weight into my own words.

"I let my emotions get the better of me, and fell prey to my instincts. Jared voiced his disagreement with my decision, and when he said that if he were you, he would be ashamed, I lost control, filled with anger and the urge to make him submit."

She nodded slowly, the action looking peculiar as she moved her head up and down the pillow. The conversation was already going better then I thought it would have- but then again, we hadn't gotten to the whole Edward topic, which was sure to cause a shouting match or three.

Bella closed her eyes slowly, sighing, before opening them back again. If I looked closely, I could see a glint of gold in her eyes, almost a reflection. Bella looked so much older then she actually was in that moment, weighed down by everything that had happened.

"And why did you lose control?"

I blinked at her in surprise. Did she hear what I said? I must have shown my surprise- or she sensed it- because she huffed and went on to explain. The Wolves' Official Dictionary everyone: things got across with a few huffs, puffs, whines, snarls, growls, pines, and croons. Who needs actual words? A small sign of amusement made itself present on Bella's face, before it hid once more.

"Did you lose control because you cared about me, or because you wanted to subjugate those below you?"

What the fuck?! No, I didn't want to make everyone subjugate to me- that's just fucking wrong. None of them were any less or more then me: aside from pack rank, we were all the same. That's why I never wanted to be Alpha until it was pushed onto me- I didn't want the power to make people do what I wanted, or to submit. I felt sick just thinking about it. And I was upset that Bella, someone who was my literal other had, could even suggest that.

"I couldn't- I could never do that to someone! I despise having that kind of power over someone!"

This time, I could feel belief pulsing through the bond. Flattening her ears, her pink tongue peeking out every so slightly, I was relieved when I realised that she did trust me.

"I know: and I'm glad."

It felt like I was in a test, only I wasn't sure what the test was on. All I knew is that it would likely have something to do with our future together. There was a brief lapse in conversation, before I decided to ask my own question, to break it up into question for me, question for you. It helped break the monotony, let me tell you.

"What is.. why.. is there a reason for your personality change?"

I flinched at my own wording. I didn't want it to come out as accusatory, but I didn't want to imply anything else either. The scent of meat floated up into the room, making my stomach rumble. I'd have something later.

"I.. saw some things while I was unconscious. My wolf's past. I don't want to be a pushover anymore, it's an injustice to her, me, and you. She says I'm ready to be Alpha female, but I sure as hell don't feel like it. I can't be walked over to be Alpha."

That explained a lot. I wanted to know what she saw.. but I knew not to push. It should be kept between wolf and human, and I shouldn't get involved with that. I could tell that Bella respected the privacy I was giving her. Charlie popped his head within the door, as I shuffled into a lying down position, looking up at him as he came in with a tower of sandwiches. And when I said tower, I meant that there were at least seven sandwiches in a stack.

Charlie placed them in front of Bella's head, before backing away to the door. He reached his hand down to my head, looking somewhat awkward as he ruffled my head. I leaned into it, nuzzling him, before he left, probably feeling perturbed. It was his son-in-law who was normally human, but he was stroking him like he was a dog after all. He'd get used to it eventually.. and understand that stroking us wasn't treating us like animals.

It was like the equivalent of a hug. Bella moved into a sitting position, looking like she was in pain the entire time. Once she was sat up in the bed, looking more bandage then wolf, she picked up a corner of the sandwich and threw it on the floor to me, causing me to tilt my head in confusion.

"I can't eat all of this. It's far too much. And I could hear your stomach rumbling. We can have a little break from talking for now."

I mean we hadn't been talking for very long.. Still, I knew when to pick my battles, and I bit the corner of it. What Bella had gone through.. she was keeping quiet about it. She made references yes, but never outright said anything. Even I knew it was a bad thing to do, to keep it bottled up. But I could hardly force her to say anything about it, could I?

And I wasn't sure how well a therapist could work, considering half of the things she had to experience would have to be edited. Well, I didn't know what he did, like I said, but I imagine 'werewolves' and 'vampires' wouldn't exactly come down as sane to any good therapist.

Swallowing the current bite, I took another, this time more slowly. Despite me eating as slowly as I humanly could, rather then rushing it down or just gulping it, I had still managed to finish the two- Bella threw me another down- before Bella had even eaten one.

It became fairly evident by then, even if the ribs weren't a give away, that she had indeed been starved. She pushed away the remains of the sandwich, a few bites being all of what was missing. It was her first proper meal since waking up.. and what little she had eaten was nowhere near enough to sustain a person, let alone a wolf with a ridiculously fast metabolism.

She must have caught me looking at her, or caught my thoughts, because she bared her teeth at me, her eyes narrowing, and her whole posture shifting into 'I'm pissed off, you come near me and a limb is coming off'. I stepped back in surprise, carefully keeping my form neutral.

I was less concerned with being attacked, and more concerned she'd hurt herself trying to attack me. It took a minute or two, before she scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head, before opening them, this time her form being much relaxed.

"Just.. don't stare at me?… please Jake."

I nodded, as Bella shuffled again and moved her plate on the bedside cabinet, the china making a little click as it quivered against the wood. I stood up, slowly moving up over to her, as I stepped up onto the bed, rubbing my head against hers. She leaned against me, as I crooned deep in my throat. We sat like that for five minutes or so, the conversation long forgotten in favour of comfort: well, it was forgotten for the minute. We'd be coming back to it after.

"Wait so my wolf spirit what now?"

I couldn't help but stutter out, my head spinning. We'd strayed away from the topic Edward and my decision.. but that was the next topic of conversation. What she said.. it sounded mad, out there, impossible. And this was coming from someone whose entire job was to maul Vampires. Bella huffed, stretching out with a small flinch.

I swear that's her favourite noise or something. Still, I needed her to further explain it, because I was trying to decide whether she was bullshitting me, genuinely being honest, or just dreaming. It didn't look like she was winding me up.. but God only knows.

"So."

She began, like she was talking to a three year old. I wasn't very impressed, as I clicked my teeth together. It wasn't me being stupid! I just couldn't decipher whether she was winding me up or not. She chuffed, a smirk playing on her features. Jesus Christ, Bella didn't do personality changes half assed did she? Admittedly, I kinda like the personality change.. because I didn't have to worry about her being stepped on or taken advantage of by other people.

"My wolf said I was always destined to be a wolf. I don't know how."

I nodded slowly. That was simple. I didn't understand how she was destined to be a wolf, but I understood the statement. Bella progressed on with her tale for the second time, me paying attention avidly. Something told me I wouldn't like the consequences if I didn't pay attention.

"My wolf spirit was around as an actual wolf many, many centuries ago, predating the Vampires. She and your wolf were together in the same Pack- they were heart-bonded."

I knew what that term meant. In 'wolf-grammar 101', they believed in soul-mates, the one person who were the other half to their soul. That was what a 'heart-bonded' was, and it was their equivalent of our Imprints. The 'predating the Vampires' was something I'd like to explore one day though. For the sake of confirming what she was saying, I went and asked my wolf, figuring that he'd either confirm or deny this whole thing.

I wasn't eager to finish this conversation, don't get me wrong, but there was pain in holding the impending conversation for a long time. I wanted it over and done with. My wolf paced in the corner of my mind, circling while looking deep in thought.

It's true. We were heart-bonded.

"This is why we are Imprints- our wolves already belonged to one another. According to my wolf, we take a lot of aspects from them: she had a shield power like I do. Your wolf also had an ability."

So that's… an interesting fact. Is that why we have Imprints? It's our wolf spirits other half? And this thing about powers.. that's also to do with our wolves? But Bella had her shield waaaaayyyy before she was a wolf.. Bella shrugged, flinching a little in the process.

"I asked that. That's how the whole 'destined' thing came up."

Apparently they'd been having quite the exciting conversation. It almost made me smile until I remembered the situation surrounding the whole thing. Then it wasn't quite so funny any more. Anyway, I was losing track of the conversation yet again, and we had to get this finished eventually, even if it took a long time. A long time and a lot of arguments. As to be expected. Someone I knew once said no healthy relationship was without an argument. Whether that was good advice or not.. well, I shrugged.

"What was my wolf's ability?"

"Well, you see.."

"Now, Edward."

This was it. The topic I'd been dreading, but also wanting to get over and done with. I nodded, pawing at my face to scratch it, akin to what cats do. Bella's shield was still wrapped securely around my mind, like I was wrapped around her form. Not in that way you dirty minded people. No, she was curled up in between me, with my body being on the outside- okay, I'm just digging myself a hole at this point.

Bella's voice was flat at the mere mention of the damned Leech, and her words dropped all emotion. It was like she was.. disassociating from the events. But I could hardly prove that, not with my suspicion being mainly fuelled by films and cliches- I'll have a research into it later.

I could see her claws tense into the blanket, a demonstration of her true feelings towards the matter. It wouldn't be an easy thing to get over, I knew that and I'm hardly a therapist. Well, there's no hardly about it, I'm not a therapist.

"Why-"

She paused for a second, the beginning of a growl building up before it cut off abruptly. I could hear her exhale through her nose, as I gently groomed her fur where I could, so I didn't cause her any more pain.

"Did you let him get away with what he did."

Her voice was stern, straightforward, a no nonsense tone that didn't leave any room for argument. Continuing to groom her, my wolf coming up beside me inside my mind. His voice was rumbling, a constant crescendo, as an imitation of the sounds came out my own throat. I didn't bother trying to stop it- it was just a sound intended to comfort.. I think.

I'd deliberated over this many a time since I'd made the decision, and I had bouts of both regret and assurance that I'd made the right decision. Which was I leaning towards right now? Er… neither? I was conflicted, okay!

"It wasn't that I wanted him to get away with it.. I wanted nothing more then to maul him."

"So why didn't you!"

Her cool, collected demeanour disappeared faster then Bella did when she ran full pelt. I nudged her, but was met by a hardened glare. Okay.. I probably shouldn't groom her any more. Getting up and shaking off my limbs, I jumped off the bed, before pacing in a circle, watching the glint in her eyes, and the tenseness of her muscles like she was about to bolt.

"Calm Bella. I know it's a bad ti-"

"Don't calm me!"

She snapped, her teeth yet again snapping hard on the empty air. If she got any more wound up she could risk injuring herself more.. but if I injunctioned her, not only could she probably break it, but she'd be even more pissed. I matched her glare with my level stare, my posture shifting into one that could be read as aggressive. Not that I would jump on her- fuck no.

"Fine. I won't. But I'm not going to tell you anything until you calm down."

I sat down on my haunches, demonstrating my point. She definitely looked pissed, but I held firm. I wouldn't allow harm to come to her again, even if it meant damaging our relationship. Because what came after everything- a lesson I had learned from this whole experience- was Bella's well being and safety. And if that meant that she hated me for it.. well, I'd have to learn to live with it.

Unknown POV

It was dark, the pouring rain covering the vision of all who dared be out in this torrential weather. The dull glow of occupied shops, the light only barely illuminating the streets, and the roar of cars having been growing quieter and quieter as the day progressed into the night. Footsteps padded along the cracked and worn concrete, the steady pounding of shoes making an addictive rhythm that couldn't be easily ignored.

The moon pierced through the dark and black sky, the weather being nothing more than a nuisance to it. The sounds of footsteps picked up, louder and louder, the tempo increasing with every footstep. A woman, figure blank and obscured, turned a corner, a fearful glance being thrown over her shoulder. There was no sign of any pursuer, as she kept walking, the dark of the sky swallowing up behind her.

Having seemed to calm down, she stopped glancing behind her, which proved to be her undoing, as when she crossed a section where the back alleys criss-crossed at a junction, she was tackled from the side at a near impossible speed. She didn't have any time to scream or react, before a rough hand was placed over her mouth, and a sickening squelch was heard.

The obscured figure picked up the limp woman, slinging her over their back like a sack of limp potatoes, before disappearing, their ruby red eyes being the only thing to pierce the dark of night. Behind them, the screams of a tortured soul rang out like a gunshot, reminding everyone that we weren't alone in the place we called home.

Author's Note

It's that time of the week again!

Admittedly, this isn't my best chapter, and I know that. It's full of dialogue, and probably a drag to go through because goddamn if I'm terrible at writing conflict within speech.

Next chapter though will have the other half of the argument, and possibly a bit of bonding between Charlie and Bella, regarding her wolfishness: plus, it's a relationship I know I've been neglecting so far.

Now, I have something pretty cool to say. Well, cool for me, not so much for you guys. I met my Norwegian Pen Pal today! We went out for ice-cream, and talked to one another and played guitar, before she had to go as she had to go to Edinburgh, which is a fair distance from where I live.

And now, question of the week: Where does your farthest away friend live?

Disclaimer: I do not wish for addresses. Or even cities. Just a general country. Or nothing at all. But please, please do not give me specific addresses: I want your friends to have their privacy.

Of course, I know most of you won't give me their addresses, but I just want to warn anyway.

Anyway, I'd better skedaddle.

Have a nice week!

~Cait