The Painful Truth
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews!
Part Twenty Four
Bella was inconsolable when she heard the news about Riley and his little sister Bree. Jacob told her first before he let any of the others know. He knew she was going to be devastated, but he hadn't been prepared for the blame she began to pile on herself. "Bells, listen to me." Jacob said fiercely as he held the tops of her arms and made her look at him. "None of this your fault." He couldn't bear to see her so distraught. Her eyes were sore from crying, and even now she was gasping for breath as tears continued to pour out of her eyes. Jacob wrapped his strong arms around her and rocked Bella like a baby.
"I am responsible, Jake. This is all…all down…down to me…and the Cullen's." Bella choked out as she clutched onto Jacob like a woman drowning. "If I hadn't gotten mixed up…up with Edward and never come across James than Riley and Bree would still…still be alive."
Jacob tangled his fingers into her hair and pressed her head to his chest. She was half right; this was down to the Cullen's. If the leech had left Bella alone in the first place then none of this would have happened. They were the ones responsible for everything. They were the ones with innocent blood on their hands. Bella had been an innocent herself, caught up in the supernatural. She was human, she didn't seem to realise that it was Edward's obsession with her and his ability to use his supernatural charms on her which had led them all down this dangerous path. "You couldn't have predicted or prevented this, honey. This is what vampires are. They are cruel, cold and vicious. They get what they want by any means possible. The Cullen's may hide behind their civilised veneer but they are no different. If they had any morals like they claim, they would stay away from any contact with humankind, but they don't. They go to school, they work, they mix with us every day, and this is the end result. My ancestors should never have made the treaty with that coven. They should have banished them from our lands and never allowed them to return. This damn treaty has handicapped us all. I won't stand for it anymore. Things are gonna change."
A tremor ran through Bella's body as Jacob's words finally began to pierce through her grief. She felt him cup her face in his hands before raising her head so she had to look into his beautiful face. He looked so determined, and so fierce. His eyes were blazing with anger, not at her, but at the Cullen's. "Don't feel guilty for this, Bella." He told her. "Grieve, like we're all gonna grieve for poor Riley and his sister, but don't blame yourself for their passing."
Bella's sobs lessened as she nodded her head slowly. She was beyond words now. Jacob gathered her up in his arms again and rested his cheek on top of her head. "I'm here, honey." He said softly. "I'm here."
After Bella had regained her composure and assured Jacob she felt strong enough to face the others, Jacob called a meeting. Everyone was in attendance, the pack, Charlie and Billy, and the elders. The Black's house was crowded. The atmosphere was tense as Jacob told them what had happened in Port Angeles and what he had overheard in the conversation between Riley and his tormentor. Collective gasps of surprise filled the air when Jacob revealed that he had finally ended Victoria's life. For a moment the room erupted with noise as everyone began to fire questions at him. Bella sat off to one side in between her father and Leah Clearwater. She felt Leah reach out and grab her hand, squeezing her fingers in a show of empathy. Charlie's face was grim. He studied his daughter's face worriedly. Like Jacob, he knew that Bella would have taken the news about Riley and Bree's death hard.
"Simmer down." Jacob commanded. "I can't hear myself think."
The room went suddenly quiet. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad that part was over. Now he just had to answer their questions. Old Quil was the first. "You are a brave warrior." He praised him. "We are forever in your debt. You have proved yourself to be a great leader."
Jacob frowned. "I am none of those things." He replied. "It was actually Bella's idea that I go after Riley. If she hadn't made that suggestion I would never have been able to take the red head by surprise and end her existence." Old Quil opened his mouth to speak again but Jacob motioned for him to remain quiet. "I don't believe this is over."
"What do you mean?" Charlie questioned.
Billy put a hand on his friend's arm when Charlie began to rise. He could sense his agitation. He had guessed there was more news coming, and by Jacob's grave expression he knew it wasn't going to be good. There was another buzz of conversation around the room as everyone began to ask more questions. Jacob sighed again and called for silence. As he did so he caught sight of Paul Lahote. Paul's face had paled. He looked like he was going to be sick. Jacob's jaw clenched as he stared stonily in Paul's direction. It took a moment before Paul met his steely gaze, and when he did a fine tremor ran through his body. He was tense, as if he was about to make a run for it. Jacob growled, causing everyone to look his way again.
"What is it, son?" Billy asked.
"We have a traitor among us." Jacob pointed directly at Paul.
"What the hell?" Paul's back was pressed against the wall as everyone swivelled around to stare at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do." Jacob stepped forward. Everyone got out of his way as he strode purposefully toward Paul. He stopped mere inches away, before leaning his upper body forward, so he was effectively towering over Paul and giving him no room for escape. "I heard Riley spilling his guts to the red headed leech. I didn't know it was her at first. Somehow she masked her smell, and she had to be throwing her voice. I thought it was a male vampire, which was why I was taken by surprise when I found it was really her."
Paul's Adams apple bobbed up and down as he gulped a few times. "What has that got to do with me?" He mumbled.
"Before she ended Riley's life so cruelly he told the leech all about getting caught by you when he took Bella's shirt. But he told her not to worry as he had made a deal with you. He would do your assignments in exchange for your silence." Jacob's fist slammed into the wall next to Lahote's head. A large crack appeared.
"Easy, Jake." Embry and Quil were by their Alpha's side in an instant. They could tell he was on the verge of losing it. They kept close in case Jacob lost control completely. But they couldn't stop their own anger building up inside. They glared at Paul in disgust, as did the rest of the pack. Only Sam was missing.
Bella's eyes were round with horror as she stared at Paul in disbelief. He had known something was up, had actually caught Riley in the act of doing something odd, and had kept quiet. He must really hate her. Leah's grip on her hand was so tight that she was losing feeling in her fingers. Bella tore her eyes away from Paul and glanced at Leah. The she-wolf was on the verge of shifting, her eyes were glowing and there was a fine tremor running through her arms. "Leah." Bella whispered. "You need to keep calm."
Charlie was out of his seat. This time Billy couldn't stop him. He was as livid as Jacob was. "Your silence could have gotten my little girl killed. It could have got your brother's killed. You stupid, dumb piece…"
A growl erupted from Paul's chest as Charlie's insult hit home. It ignited his own anger which replaced his guilt and shame. He tried to shove Jacob out of his way, but his Alpha was like an immovable piece of rock. "This is not down to me. How was I to know what he was taking her shirt for? I thought he was just being pervert. We all know he had a crush on her. Any one of you would have done the same."
Jacob's jaw clenched as he smashed his other fist into the wall by Paul's head. "You are lucky that there are others here to stop me tearing you apart for what you've done. You have been causing trouble relentlessly for months. The red head wanted that shirt for a reason. She may be dead but her accomplices are not. Now Riley is dead our chance for finding out has gone. We are all still in danger here. Charlie's right, you are a dumb, arrogant piece of shit."
Paul lashed out with his fist but Jacob caught it in his hand before it could connect with his face. He was so much stronger than Paul. He gripped Paul's knuckles, causing them to crack. Paul howled in pain as Jacob literally shoved him to the ground. "I want you out of here. You're banished. Do you understand? You are no longer part of this pack."
The room fell silent as everyone absorbed the enormity of what Jacob was saying. Paul was practically in a kneeling position in front of Jacob. The fight had left his body as he realised what his pettiness had cost him. "You don't mean that." He faltered.
"I mean it." Jacob stated coldly. "Now get out."
Paul couldn't disobey a direct Alpha command. He looked in anguish at his pack brothers as he was forced to skulk out of the house. No one spoke for a long time. Tension hung heavy in the air as Jacob retreated to the kitchen for a few minutes to calm himself down. Bella was the only one to follow him. "Don't, Bells." He warned her. "Don't tell me I was being too hard on him. His actions could have gotten us all killed. You could have been hurt, and I won't fucking stand for it."
"Okay." Bella said in a small voice. There was no changing his mind. Instead she slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest as she sought to comfort him. The tension in Jacob's body eased as he felt her slim frame pressed against him. He loved her so much. They stood together in silence, just holding each other, as they braced themselves to return to the meeting.
No one dared to refute Jacob's decision regarding Paul, not even Billy or the elders. Instead they all sat quietly as Jacob outlined his next plan of action. "I am going to call Sam back. We need every wolf on full alert. The red head wanted Bella's shirt for something, and it's plainly obvious she isn't working alone. I hope I'm wrong but we have to be prepared." He paused for a second as his dark eyes rested on Old Quil and the other elders. "As of today the treaty with the Cullen's is null and void. I want them out of Forks and away from here for good. I will not tolerate them mixing with humankind again. It is their selfish attitude that has caused all of this. I blame them for Riley and Bree's deaths, and all the other unfortunate deaths that have occurred since they moved back here." He waited for the elders to argue their case for the treaty being kept in place, but to his surprise the old men came together and agreed with him.
"You are right, young Alpha." Old Quil said tremulously. "Their presence here has caused nothing but grief." His rheumy eyes wandered to Bella. "For everyone."
Jacob nodded. "As we are all agreed then this meeting is over." He turned to face his pack. "I want patrols twenty four seven around the borders of our lands. There will always be two wolves together, and we'll rotate the shifts every six hours."
His brothers stood up, their faces all wearing determined expressions. Embry, Quil, Seth and Jared left immediately to take the first shift. Leah promised to contact Sam. She had a feeling where she could find him. Jacob thanked her before she left with her mother, Sue. One by one the elders had a quiet word with Jacob before they eventually headed home. The house seemed empty now that it was just the four of them again. Charlie hugged his daughter fiercely before he and Billy headed to the kitchen to give Jacob and Bella some space.
"You think something bad is going to happen, don't you?" Bella asked with her voice full of despair.
Jacob pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Yes I do. Something's just not adding up, Bella. I want to make sure we are not caught off guard. But don't worry I'll keep you safe."
Bella felt tears prick at her eyes again. She was surprised she had any let to shed. "Who's going to keep you safe?" She begged him.
"I'm the big, bad wolf, remember." Jacob teased her. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss onto her willing lips, before holding her so close that he could feel the steady rhythm of her heat beating in her chest.
A/N-thanks for reading! Was Jacob treatment of Paul too harsh? Thoughts please! Thanks.
