The Painful Truth

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-thank you all for the kind reviews!

Part Twenty Two

Jacob and Bella left the Uley's and headed toward First beach instead of going directly home. They walked in silence, holding hands, their heads buzzing with everything that had just happened. It had taken a long while for Bella to calm Emily down. She thought Sam had been a bit cold inviting them over in order to force his imprint to see the truth of their situation. It had obviously torn Emily apart. Bella was glad that Jacob hadn't imprinted on her if this was the result. They eventually reached the old driftwood log which had been the setting for numerous serious conversations between them. It had been where Bella had told Jacob she knew what he was. That had been a tense time. It made Bella feel anxious recalling that fraught time when he had been forced to stay away from her on Sam's orders. If it hadn't been for her persistence and his strength in defying the Alpha command she could have lost him forever.

Jacob sat on the log and pulled Bella onto his lap. There was a chilly breeze blowing and Bella buried herself against Jacob's warm body, grateful that he was so hot. He was like his own space heater. She rested her head on his chest. His heart was thumping rapidly under his skin and she was alarmed to hear it beating so fast. She splayed her fingers over his hot skin and glanced up at his face. Jacob looked downcast, and his eyes darted anxiously to hers. "What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. "What are you not telling me?"

"Sam is stepping down as Alpha. That means I have to step up. As of now I'm the new leader of the pack." Jacob's body became taut with tension as he saw dawning comprehension in Bella's beautiful brown eyes. He swallowed thickly, trying to keep his panic under control. "I was always destined to be Alpha. It's my birth right, but I revoked my claim on the title."

Bella took a moment to respond as she absorbed this new information. "You were meant to be Alpha all along?" She repeated slowly. Jacob nodded in conformation. "Why?" She whispered, although she had a sinking feeling it had something to do with her, and by the guilty look on Jacob's face, she had presumed correctly. "It was because of me."

"Yes." Jacob fought down the panic making his chest tighten. He knew this day would come. He had hidden this vital bit of information from her because he didn't want to scare her away. "Accepting the Alpha position meant that I would be tied to these lands forever. I knew that you wouldn't stay in Forks, Bells. You're so clever; you could go to any college you wanted. When you left I wanted to be able to go with you." He confessed.

"But you love it here." Bella gasped. Her stomach was tied up in knots at the enormity of what he was saying. Jacob was willing to give up everything, his home, his responsibilities; he would have left Billy, all to allow her to follow her dreams, but what about his. It really drove home how much Jacob was willing to sacrifice to be with her.

Jacob gazed around First beach with a hopeless expression. Bella was right, he did love it here, but he loved Bella more. She was his home. Wherever in the world they ended up, the place wouldn't feel foreign to him as long as she remained by his side. He felt Bella touch his face with the gentlest of caresses, and when he dared to gaze upon her lovely face he was blown away by the love shining in her brown eyes. Jacob had never seen her show it so openly before. He felt himself getting emotional and he swiped his hand across his eyes before he embarrassed himself and cried.

"I know I've been selfish about many things, Jake." Bella said softly as she continued to stroke his smooth skin with trembling fingers. "But I would never ask you to leave your home, and more especially your dad. It would kill you to leave La Push. This place is bred into your bones; it's in your soul. You're gonna be Chief one day." Bella smiled. "Chief Jacob." She said again with a hint of pride in her voice.

"I don't want you to give up your dreams, Bella." Jacob cupped the back of her head and drew her face nearer to his. "I don't want to hold you back."

Bella rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "You would never hold me back. Home is where the heart is, Jacob. And my heart is here." She promised him. She kissed him passionately, trying to drive home her point with her touch alone when words just didn't seem enough.


Leah stared at Bella in surprise. She was speechless. She sat on her bed, her legs crossed underneath her as she tried to absorb this surprising news. "Jacob is Alpha now." She repeated the phrase slowly as if saying it aloud enough times would convince her it was true.

"Yes." Bella replied. She was perched on the edge of Leah's bed. After Jacob had been forced to leave to start another patrol shift, Bella had told him she would speak to Leah and fill her in about the latest developments. She didn't want the she-wolf to hear about Sam and Emily's problems second hand. Leah was still probably trying to get her head around the fact that Sam had kissed her.

"Just like that." Leah checked.

"Yes. Sam wanted to step down." Bella revealed cautiously.

Leah frowned. "Why now?"

Bella moistened her lips as she tried to think of the best way to break the news to Leah. She sighed as she realised there was no way to sugar coat things. "I know that Sam kissed you, Lee."

"Who the fuck told you that?" Leah scooted away from Bella as if she had shot her. "Has Sam blabbed it to the whole fucking pack?"

Bella held up her hands in a placatory fashion. "Calm down. Sam told no one but Jacob, and then he told me." She saw Leah's anger beginning to rise so Bella hurriedly told her the rest of the story.

Leah was stunned. She remained silent as she turned this new information around in her mind. It was too unbelievable. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react. She supposed she should be angry. That's always the way she dealt with things before. She would let her anger burn away the hurt and despair she felt inside. Right now though, all Leah felt was an immense sadness. "What was the point of the imprint then, Bella?" She questioned. "All it's done is cause hurt and pain. I should be crowing about my cousin's unhappiness. If you asked me a few weeks ago I would have said it served her right."

"I wish I could give you an explanation. I don't know if something inside Sam shifted or maybe stepping down as Alpha changed things. All I see when I look at Sam is a broken man. He's tired, Lee. It's in his eyes and the way he carries himself. He's not the same person I remember rescuing me from the forest the night Edward abandoned me." Bella replied thoughtfully.

"Emily's love has killed his spirit." Leah said bitterly. "Just like her selfishness almost killed mine when she decided to choose Sam as her lover."

Bella winced at the blunt way Leah expressed herself, but maybe her bald statement had a hint of truth in it. The life seemed to have been sucked out of Sam, but it wasn't just his relationship with Emily or his guilt over hurting Leah that had drained him. No, it was seeing his life laid out before him, going on endlessly for years in the same pattern. He would be tied in a relationship with a woman he had no passion for. He would never be able to realise his dreams. He was trapped, and that was what had chipped away at his soul. His choices were gone, in the worst way possible.

"What am I supposed to do with this information now?" Leah gazed at Bella helplessly. "I was trying to move forward and now I feel like I've been thrust into the past."

"I think not confronting the issue will only make things worse. Believe me I know." Bella put her hand on Leah's arm in empathy. "You need to speak to Sam and make your final peace with him. Talk to your cousin too. Maybe you can make her see that holding onto Sam when he doesn't want to be there will make her let him go."

"I liked you better when you were scared of me." Leah muttered.

"Oh, I still am." Bella conceded with a tired smile. "These days I'm just better at hiding it."


It was the early hours of the morning when Jacob returned. As he usually did he bypassed the house and went straight to the Taj so he could crash. Even though he was exhausted, Charlie's constant snoring made it hard for him to sleep so he found it easier to just go to the garage to get some peace. He was surprised when Bella's sweet scent wafted his way as he drew closer to the Taj. He could see light burning from underneath the closed doors and he was intrigued. A fresh wave of adrenaline hastened his steps and he hurriedly slipped silently inside. A smile spread across his face when he saw Bella lying in a sleeping bag, reading. As soon as she caught sight of him an answering smile lit up her face.

"Hey, you." She greeted him.

"Now you are a sight for sore eyes." Jacob joined her on the floor and snuggled next to her. "How did you manage to sneak out here without Charlie catching you?" He asked curiously.

"I climbed out of the bedroom window. Not an easy feat I can tell you." Bella laughed quietly. "I had to time my movements with my dad's snores so he wouldn't hear my butt hitting the ground."

"I didn't know you could be so devious." Jacob teased as he lay down beside Bella. He put one arm around her shoulders while she rested her head on his chest. "Have you been awake this whole time?"

"Mmmmm." Bella closed her eyes in bliss as she listened to the comforting beat of his heart. "I wanted to see you when you got back." She opened her eyes again and lifted her head so she could look at him. Despite the sweet smile on his face, Jacob looked very tired. Bella sighed as she reached out and traced the curve of his jaw with her fingers. "How did the others take the news about the change in leadership?"

"Most of them kind of expected it." Jacob relaxed as Bella continued to caress his face tenderly. "Paul was the only one who kicked off. I guessed he would. I had to issue my first Alpha command to make him back off. He's royally pissed, but I'm hoping that once he's had time to get used to the idea that I'm in charge he'll calm down."

"You really think he will." Bella asked in concern. "You know how unpredictable he can be. Perhaps you should try and have a one on one talk with him so you can get your issues out in the open." She suggested.

Jacob laughed as he tugged on the end of her hair playfully. "Hey, who's the Alpha here? You or me."

Bella smiled as she rested her head on his chest again. "When it's just us, that would be me."

"True." Jacob agreed as he felt his eyes closing as tiredness crept up on him again.

A/N-thanks for reading!