Chapter 14: His Ability
Jake didn't follow me into his bedroom where I collapsed on his bed. I wasn't sure if I wanted him to or not. I guess I only really wanted him to follow me if he was going to tell me the truth. This whole situation had been a problem for as long as I had known him. I'm not talking about honesty in general. Jake had always told me the truth if I asked.
Except with this.
Whenever I hurt myself, Jake showed up if he wasn't already there. There was this one time where I had broken my toe running into a wall, and I had trouble walking on it for a couple weeks. Jake limped around, same as me, as if he had also broken a toe. It had always been this way. No one seemed to understand the pain I went through more than him. This also held true for emotions. Jake could always tell what mood I was in. I had always played it off as him being my best friend and knowing me the best, but this didn't explain how he knew when I was physically hurt. It didn't make sense.
I had decided to ask him about it after we started dating, and Jake just brushed it off as knowing me well and having a sixth sense. I never believed him, so I kept asking. Eventually, he just started ignoring the question. Then I went to the rest of the pack and asked them because they all shared a mind, so they must know. The only problem there was they told me they couldn't say anything. And what does that mean? Jake, their alpha, had ordered them to not tell me. I asked my family, and they all said they had no idea what I was talking about while giving each other suspicious looks. The last people I asked were the humans that hung around the pack which included the imprints, Emily, Kim and Rachel, and family, Sue and Billy. They all told me that Jake had to tell me.
Bastards. All of them.
Even Claire, who turned out to be Quil's imprint, knew now. It was like "oh, you're an imprint now? Yeah you can know what Jake's deal is with Ness, but you can't tell her. You have to promise." I approached Claire about it after it was revealed that she was Quil's imprint at the beginning of the school year.
"So, you're an imprint, now?" I rocked on my toes as I watched Claire unpack her stuff.
She turned around and smiled. "Yeah. I never thought that Quil would ever return the feelings I had for him. I mean he took care of me as a toddler and child. He watched me grow up for years. I could never figure out why he would stick around for a dumb kid like me." She paused and gave me a weird look. "I mean with you and Jake, he was your Mom's best friend, so he was around." She said quickly while gauging my facial expressions. "Then I started growing to like him as more than a friend, ya know."
I laughed. "Of course, I know, Claire. You talked about it all the time, remember?"
"Yeah. Thanks for being there, by the way." She giggled. "When I finally told him how I felt, thanks to you and he told me that he had been waiting to hear that for so long, that I was his imprint, it all made sense."
"That's great, Claire. I'm happy for you." I twirled my hair around my finger.
Claire sighed and put her hands on her hips. "What is it?"
"How did Jake know-"
Claire groaned. "Please, please don't ask me about that. I can't tell you. Actually, I'm surprised you asked at all. That's the first time you've asked about him since he left." She looked at me pointedly.
I closed my mouth quickly and turned away. "Nevermind, then."
That was the last time I had asked because I never thought I would have Jake part of my life again. I began running through all the possibilities like I had a thousand times before. The only option that made any kind of sense was that Jacob was psychic. He must just know that I'm hurt and others as well, but I'm his best friend and he loves me. That must be why he only comes when I hurt.
I had read this trilogy once about werewolves. In it, there were humans that had "knacks" or special abilities. One could control animals, one could evade the power of other knacks, one controlled emotions, etc. Jake must have a "knack." The more I thought about it the more plausible it seemed. I mean there were werewolves and vampires, so why couldn't humans have some supernatural gifts as well. It was obviously rare, but even my mom had been gifted. My dad had never been able to read her mind and other vampires' powers were useless against her as a human. It only became stronger when she turned into a vampire. I wonder if this was true with all gifted vampires, if they, too, had had some less powerful version of their abilities as humans. Jacob must have had this ability before he was a werewolf and his supernatural half amplified it. It only made sense.
I was becoming drowsier and drowsier as I laid in Jacob's bed. I kept thinking about my revelation and how I was going to confront Jacob about his ability when I finally drifted off to sleep
My hair was pushed away from my face by warm fingers that continued their journey through my hair. The movement was repeated a few more times before one of those fingers traced around my ear and down my jaw line. Finally I opened my eyes and found Jake with a soft expression on his face. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he said, "Hey."
"What are you doing? What time is it?" My voice came out scratchy.
"I, uh, took the rest of the day off after how mad you got earlier, and I went out to get you a s'mores cupcake from the Wolf and Dough Bakery." He lifted the familiar pink pastry box that held the delicious cupcake. I felt myself subconsciously lick my lips, and Jacob laughed. "I take it I'm forgiven?" He lifted his eyebrows hopefully.
I sat up and grabbed the box. Jacob's smile faded as I placed the box on the bed next to me and looked back to him. "Jake, can I ask you something?"
He searched my face for some clue as to what I would ask, but must not have found anything because he still looked suspicious when he said, "You can ask me anything, Ness." He brushed the back of his hand down my cheek.
I played with my hands in my lap, twisting the ring on my left, middle finger every so often. "And you'll answer honestly?"
"Of course, baby." I shot him an exasperated look. "Sorry."
"Jake, I think I know why you know when I hurt myself, and-"
He cut me off. "You do? Ness, I- I'm sorry. I understand if you're freaked out. I should've told you ages ago, and I just-" I held up my hand, and he stopped ranting. He looked terrified of what I would say next, so I took a deep breath.
"Yeah, and, Jake, I just want to know why you didn't tell me? I mean we're best friends. I'll love you no matter what!"
His fear turned to something close to happiness. "So you-"
"Jake! Let me finish, please." When he didn't say anything, I continued. "You're psychic. So, what? Did you think I would judge you or love you any less?"
Jake shook his head. "Wait, what?"
"You're psychic."
Jake stared at me for another moment before bursting into laughter. "Yeah, Ness, I'm psychic." He sounded sarcastic.
"Are you saying you're not?"
He stopped laughing and looked at me hard for a second. "Well, what do you think?"
"I just told you! You're a psychic! It's the only explanation."
"Well, if it's the only explanation." He gave me an amused look.
I finally smiled, content with his answer. "Why didn't you just tell me, doofus?!" I smacked him in the arm. He raised his hand to cover where I had "injured" him, but it was just a reflex. Jake didn't say anything in response, only shrugged.
