The Painful Truth

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!

Part Twenty One

Jacob and Bella were invited to the Uley's for dinner. Jacob had been surprised when Sam issued the invite, but could find no reason not to accept. So he agreed and told Bella about it the next morning when his patrol shift ended. "Are you sure it's just you and me, and not our dad's too." She checked.

"Sam was very specific. He said just you and me."

"But why?" Bella felt confused and a tad anxious. Although he had never said so directly she knew that Sam wasn't her biggest fan. She got on better with Emily, although she hadn't seen her in a while.

"I don't know, honey." Jacob shrugged. "Sam knows we're together now, so maybe he just wants to put us at ease or something to show he's okay with it."

"And is he?" Bella questioned. She wasn't convinced. This invitation had come out of nowhere. She knew she was being silly to be so suspicious, but she couldn't shake her worries.

Jacob sensed her fears and put his hands on her shoulders. "Sam is fine with us, I promise you. I can see into his head, well kind of, his mind can be like a steel trap when he wants to shut you out. He has that in common with Leah."

"Oh, Leah." Bella winced. Going to socialise with Sam and his imprint would not sit well with the she-wolf. Bella had begun a tentative friendship with the older girl since moving to La Push. Bella, Jacob and their father's had been over to the Clearwater's several times for dinner, and slowly Leah had thawed toward Bella. They now spoke to each other on equal terms. Bella hoped that going to the Uley's wouldn't ruin everything.

"Leah will deal with it." Jacob assured Bella. "She seems a lot calmer than she used to be, more accepting of things. She doesn't rile Sam up anymore. They've been getting along better. I'm really glad they are as it makes the pack more cohesive. The only one causing problems is Lahote."

"Ah, Paul." Bella shook her head. She had tried to talk to Paul that morning about giving him extra coaching on his assignments but he had shot her down, boasting that from now on he was going to ace everything. Bella found this statement odd, but was too preoccupied to wonder what he meant. "Okay, then we'll go I guess. I'll cook something for our dad's, and then store it away so all they have to do is warm it up."

"Thank's, Bells." Jacob leaned down and kissed her slowly on the lips, cupping the back of her head as he did so. Bella smiled into the kiss as she finally relaxed. How bad could it be at Sam and Emily's anyway? Jacob was going to be with her, she was probably stressing over nothing.


As soon as they arrived at the Uley's wooden cabin Jacob and Bella felt the tension. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Sam was the one to answer the door; he looked weary, as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He ushered them inside with barely a greeting. Jacob took Bella's hand, already sensing her nerves. He wished that he had refused the invitation now. When Emily appeared out of the kitchen, carrying a tray filled with food, she shot Sam such a glare of animosity that it made their blood run cold. Things were clearly not well with the imprinted couple.

"Please sit down." Emily's smile was forced as she gestured for Bella and Jacob to sit at the table. "I hope you like lasagne. It was the only thing I could whip up at such short notice." Her expression turned frosty as she looked at Sam again. "Sam didn't let me know you were coming until the last minute."

Jacob and Bella exchanged a confused glance. How could that be? Sam was the one who had issued the invitation earlier that day. "I love lasagne." Bella babbled as she tried to make small talk to cover the awkward silence. "It smells delicious."

Emily didn't reply. Instead she began to serve the meal, giving Jacob and Sam larger portions because of their increased appetite. She sat down on Jacob's other side, which forced Sam to sit beside Bella. Thus far he had remained silent. Jacob and Bella exchanged another glance, both wishing they could escape. It was so tense and they felt very unwelcome. Emily stabbed at her food with her fork over and over. She was blinking rapidly as if she was fighting back tears. Sam sighed and pushed his plate away. In the past he would have comforted her, but not this time.

"This is all pointless." Sam sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair.

"Huh?" Jacob paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. He had no idea what was going on.

"This is not fair, Sam." Emily said bitterly.

Sam frowned at her. "Nothing about our life together has been." He muttered.

Jacob put his fork down, now resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to be able to finish his meal. He saw Bella watching the Uley's nervously. He reached out and took her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing the back of it. Bella relaxed and shifted closer to him. They had been unaware that Sam and Emily had been observing this affectionate display unhappily. It was only when Jacob tore his eyes away from Bella that he noticed. "What's going on?" He dared to ask.

"You and her." Emily sobbed.

"Emily." Sam said sharply.

"No, I won't remain silent. You brought them here to shove it in my face." Emily snapped at him.

Sam's jaw flexed as he looked back at her guiltily. "Yes, perhaps I did." He finally admitted. "You see the difference."

Jacob looked between them. He was totally confused. He and never seen Sam and Emily split like this. They had always been in synch ever since the imprint. However there had always been an air of sadness and regret hovering over their union because of the circumstances behind it. Had these feelings now come between them? "Why did you want us here tonight, Sam?" He studied his Alpha intently. Sam seemed like a broken man. Despite his huge size he appeared beaten down. Jacob knew being in charge was stressful, but it was more than that. Something had eaten away at him so much it seemed to have torn a chunk out of his soul.

"I wanted you here tonight because I needed to open her eyes." Sam motioned toward Emily. "You and Bella are the embodiment of what true love really is. You chose each other. You fight, you argue, you even hurt each other, but despite all that there is the love. It allows you to move forward and forgive. We've never had that. It's the imprint binding us together. Not love. Not really."

Emily's head dropped as she clasped her hands in her lap. "I love you, Sam. I chose you." She whispered brokenly.

"But I didn't choose you." Sam replied tiredly. "Did I?"

Emily began to cry. Bella couldn't bear to witness her despair. She got up from her chair and went to hug the older girl. Emily hid her face in Bella's shoulder and sobbed harder. Jacob was unsure what to do. He hadn't expected this. He wondered when Sam had begun to crack and felt guilty that he hadn't noticed the signs. His whole attention had been focused on Bella.

"Let's go outside." Jacob suggested eventually. He looked at Bella helplessly before he left. He hated leaving her to bear the brunt of Emily's unhappiness. He hated the fact that they had both been pulled into what should have been a private matter between Emily and Sam. However there was little he could do now. Bella just nodded at Jacob as she continued to console a weeping Emily. Sam had already gone outside, so reluctantly Jacob followed him.


"What were you hoping to achieve in there, Sam?" Jacob demanded as soon as he shut the door behind him. Sam was sitting on the top porch step. His shoulders were slumped and he was wearing the same resigned expression that had been on his face since they arrived. Jacob sighed and sat down beside his Alpha. "You owe me an explanation."

Sam sighed again and rubbed a hand over his face. He didn't look at Jacob as he spoke but at the heavens above, almost as if he was conversing directly with the spirits themselves. "Something shifted inside me the day you and Bella left for Florida. I can't even explain it. It seemed as you and Bella became closer, I could see a crack in my prison walls and I got a glimpse of freedom. Lee came to see me and Emily that night. She was so different. It was as if she had let go of all her anger and resentment towards us. She said she was ready to move on, that she had finally reached a place of acceptance. I panicked."

"What did you do?" Jacob asked in shock when Sam fell silent.

"When Lee left I followed her." Sam hung his head. "I lied to Emily about where I was going. That was unusual in itself. I had never had it within me to be dishonest with her before. Normally the imprint would have prevented it." He paused for a second as he turned and looked back at the cabin he had shared with Emily for nearly two years. "Lee knew I was tracking her of course. She confronted me, we argued, and then I kissed her."

Jacob didn't know what to say. He sat next to Sam in stunned silence as he waited for him to continue.

"Lee punched me." Sam rubbed his jaw in memory of the pain. "She was so angry, rightfully so. She warned me to stay away from her, and that I had played with her emotions enough. I tried to tell her what I was feeling but she wouldn't hear me out. She left and I didn't follow her this time. She needed space to think and so did I."

"Is the imprint broken between you and Emily?" Jacob had never heard of such a thing. He was sure his dad or the elders would have mentioned something if it was at all possible.

"No, the imprint is very much in place. I can still feel the pull to remain by Emily's side, but it's more like a dull ache, rather than a strong force holding me to her. I could leave her for good, but only if she allows it. I need her to let me go." Sam sounded very weary. He finally looked at Jacob. "I asked you and Bella to come here tonight because I wanted Emily to see what love really meant. I wanted her to understand. I hate hurting her, but my emotions are my own. I don't want to live this way for the rest of my life, Jake. I deserve freedom of choice. Just like you…just like anyone."

"I'm sorry, Sam." Jacob apologised. "I had no idea things had changed. I thought you and Emily were contented together. I never got a hint of any trouble through the pack mind link."

"Being Alpha gives you the privilege of hiding the thoughts you don't want your brothers to see. You do it yourself most of the time, and when you take my place it will come easier to you." Sam revealed.

"That sounds very much like you're telling me that you're stepping down." Jacob said warily.

"Yes, Jacob. It's time." Sam agreed quietly.

A/N-thanks for reading!