Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. I'm not the original author...
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I pulled the covers up over my head and so the tossing and turning began.
Chapter Three
(EPOV)
Caught
I couldn't focus on anything. All I could think about was Jacob Black and Bella. Every night that I didn't stay with her, he would come to her house. He should be at his home in La Push sleeping, away from Bella. I hadn't realized how jealous I was until I heard her and Charlie talking that one night at dinner. I could hear his thoughts. He wanted her to be with him. I knew Charlie had ever right to despise me. All the pain I'd caused his daughter--I shook at that thought--I could never forgive myself for that. I could see him remembering how close they were. They had to have been together.
That was the only explanation that made sense. A lot of Charlie's memories had them holding hands. Friends don't hold hands. Some of Mike Newton's thoughts of Jake and Bella even made them seem together. That would explain why he would kiss her. I never asked her why her throat would reek of werewolf again, I already knew the answer. I could almost taste his lips on hers when I would kiss her myself. If she had kept refusing his kiss he would have stopped by now. I growled just thinking about it.
I had been trying to distance myself from her, lately. I couldn't stand the thought of him touching her. She seemed to miss him too. Any time someone mentioned La Push I could hear her heart racing. I could see her face lift up, until she realized she was tied down, to me. Not being able to read her thoughts was starting to aggravate me more than ever. I wanted to know if it was him she was longing for. If he was the reason she wouldn't marry me. I wanted to ask her so many questions, but I knew I couldn't. I knew she'd never answer them. Just like she had avoided me when I asked her how close they were.
It pained me to stay away from her. Alice kept looking at me oddly. She'd never seen me hunt so much since before I was with Bella. Rosalie was happy that Bella wasn't around. I could hear Esme's worried thoughts. Every one of my family was sure I was leaving her again. Even Bella had that feeling; she made me promise every night that I would be here in the morning. I didn't understand why because I could tell she was growing more attached to Jacob Black.
Edward! Alice's thoughts were screaming at me. I looked at her, so she'd know I was listening. Why aren't you with Bella? This was one question I just couldn't answer. I took her aside.
"Have you talked to her lately?" she looked up at me and I could hear her worried thoughts at once. You're not leaving again, are you? I could see her searching for visions of my future. She couldn't find anything.
"I haven't planned to leave."
"What's going on then!? Bella loves you, we are all fully aware of this. Why are you staying away from her so much?"
"She loves Jacob Black." It hurt me to actually say it out loud. Alice looked at me with cold eyes.
"Now you're just being ridiculous."
"I smell him on her every night. Hearing about La Push makes her heart race; she avoids any topic that has to do with him while she's around me. I can hear Charlie's thoughts and I know how much she calls him. All the signs are there, Alice. I just keep waiting for her to give up the act and tell me the truth." I couldn't look at her. I couldn't believe how badly I sounded like a jealous human. I shouldn't worry about her being in love with him; I should be trying to protect her.
Jasper walked up behind me and touched my shoulder, "Edward, you're wrong. You have every right to feel hurt."
I quickly shrugged off his touch, I needed to rationalize my feelings myself.
"You need to talk to her." Alice looked as if she'd been hurt herself. I sighed and decided it was probably the best thing I could do.
I didn't look at the clock I already knew it was around midnight, Charlie would be asleep now and I just had to hope I'd show up before Jacob Black did. I ran straight to her house and went up to her window. I peeked in and I saw something, I wished I didn't ever have to see. He was pressed up against her. He was kissing her so passionately and I could tell she wasn't struggling to fight him off. Her fingers were intertwined in his hair. All thoughts of rationality evaded me as I quickly went to pull him off of her.
"Get off of her, you dog." I was so close to screaming. Jacob Black's fists were trembling and his lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Edward!" Bella sounded shocked to see me and I could tell she wished I'd never come here. She quickly raced in between us I could tell she wanted to protect him.
"There is an explanation for everything…"She trailed off and I didn't need to hear her explanations. I knew the truth I could hear it from his mind. She didn't tell him how close we were getting… she must have forgotten to tell him how much she loved my kissing. I snarled at his thoughts.
The monster inside of me was screaming to get out. I was about to attack him, when she whispered, "Edward, don't, please don't." I could hear the urgency in her tone. I looked at her and if I could have cried I would have been. My sweet, perfect, beautiful Bella, I'd caused her so much pain and this must be pay back. I was a fool to think she would have forgiven me so easily.
"You better remember that treaty Cullen; it's the only thing that's saving your life right now." Jacob Black snarled at me. I could hear him trying to calm himself down. "I warn you, if you bite her, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
"Jake, quit it!" Bella had begun to sob uncontrollably.
"I'm just telling you the truth, friends or not, Bells, I will not let him hurt you!" his tone was so much softer when he spoke to her. I wanted to rip his head off. I wanted to kill him.
"You need to leave." She whispered. I was sure it was me that she was saying this too, until Jacob went to her and kissed her again, this time I saw her struggling with him, until she just gave up and his kiss consumed her. She was so enveloped in him, I wanted to leave. With that he jumped out the window.