Lost
Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.
A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!
Chapter Eleven
Sam didn't tell Jacob until the next morning. He thought it best to use Old Quil's visit as a distraction before he relayed the information. He knew how much Jacob hated the Cullen clan, they all loathed them, but Jacob's hatred was much greater for personal reasons. Sam had pulled the wolves back from the outer territories. They were now on full alert and patrolling the reservation's borders.
"You should have told Jake straight away." Emily said worriedly when Sam told her what he had witnessed the night before. Unlike Sam she thought Jacob had matured enough to handle the situation.
"I don't need him kicking off." Sam replied testily. He sighed when he saw Emily lower her eyes at his harsh tone. He touched her scarred face, his eyes full of guilt. "I'm sorry. I feel under so much pressure right now."
Emily gazed up at him from under her long lashes. "I understand." She put her hand over his in silent support. "This is a difficult situation."
Sam frowned. "I hoped when Bella left the first time that it was finally all over. The leeches were gone and we could all live a normal life."
Emily smiled sadly. "Our lives were never normal, Sam." She dropped her hand back to her side and stepped away from him. "Just be honest with Jacob. Confide in him about your fears. He can handle it." Emily stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his mouth before she walked away.
"I'm nervous." Bella admitted to Jacob. Old Quil was due to arrive at any moment. She didn't know what to expect. Her anxieties caused cold sweat to break out on her skin. Twice that morning she had been forced to shower. This was her second change of clothes. Her emotions were threatening to overwhelm her.
"It's going to be fine." Jacob assured her. "There is nothing to be worried about." He smiled as he stroked her hair tenderly. "This could be the breakthrough we need."
"You really think he can help me." Bella was disbelieving. She was touched that Jacob had so much faith in the elder, but she didn't hold out any hope that the old man would be able to cure what was ailing her. She felt wretched for having so many doubts.
"It's another option to explore." Jacob continued to stroke her lustrous hair. It smelt fresh, like strawberries. He was feeling more positive after Bella actually managed to eat a full breakfast. After the revelation the previous day about the cinnamon he had coated all her food with it. Like before the cinnamon had tingled her taste buds.
"Okay." Bella was still shaking with nerves. Billy and Charlie had gone out to get some supplies. Jacob's father had used shopping as an excuse to get Charlie out of the house while Old Quil was there. Charlie had been worried about leaving his daughter but Jacob had promised he would stay with her during his absence while Charlie drove Billy into town.
"That's my Bells." Jacob caught her hand and lifted it to his lips. He kissed her fingertips. He watched Bella's skin flush as the blood rushed to her face. He loved seeing it and knowing that it was his touch that was the cause. Just for that few seconds it made Bella seem like her old self. The colour drained away again and her skin resumed its former translucency.
"You will be staying with me, won't you?" Bella checked for the hundredth time. Jacob kissed her fingertips again and it felt like a thousand butterflies took off in her stomach. She could feel her face getting hot, but she couldn't see what he saw.
"I'll be right here." Jacob promised.
Old Quil didn't come to the house alone, Sam was with him. Jacob wasn't happy about his Alpha's sudden intrusion or the fact that the elder insisted that he wanted to see Bella alone.
"That is not going to happen."
Sam frowned at the way Jacob spoke to Old Quil. He glanced at the elder. Old Quil didn't seem upset about it. For his age the old man cut a sprightly figure. He wore a baseball cap atop a pair of dark glasses. His long hair, which had long ago turned a silvery grey, was tied neatly at the nape of his neck. He pushed his cap up higher and scratched his forehead.
"It will make it easier if I can talk to Bella alone." Old Quil said congenially. "Anyway Sam has something important to tell you."
"What?" Jacob turned to glare at his Alpha.
"We'll discuss it outside." Sam jerked his head toward the door.
"Tell me here. I am not leaving Bella." Jacob insisted.
Old Quil chuckled. "Stubborn…. just like all the men in your family."
Jacob didn't know what the old man found so funny. He scowled. "Wait here a moment while I go and get Bella." He said abruptly as he strode out of the room.
Bella knew as soon as she laid eyes on Old Quil. She didn't understand how she knew, but she couldn't deny what was in front of her eyes. She felt her heart beginning to race in her chest. She knew the old man could hear it. A half smile formed on his face as soon as it happened. He was smiling at her like a kindly grandfather as he held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Bella. Again." Old Quil greeted her warmly. Bella stared at him, hesitating before she dared to place her fingers in his warm grip. They shook hands firmly. "I hope you don't mind but young Jacob is going to leave us alone to talk. He has a meeting of his own." He turned his attention to Jacob who was beginning to protest. "That is alright with you, isn't it my dear."
The old man was expecting her to speak. Bella couldn't tear her eyes away from him. She gulped, trying to understand what her baser instincts were telling her. Why hadn't Jacob mentioned it? She eventually forced her eyes away from the elder and looked at Jacob. He appeared perplexed, even Sam seemed bemused. It finally clicked in Bella's brain that they couldn't see it like she could. In their eyes Old Quil was just an old man, a respected elder of their tribe. They saw him as he portrayed himself to be. She didn't know what to think. Why would the old man hide what he truly was? Or was there a possibility that she was going mad.
"Bells, I can stay." Jacob broke the tense silence.
"Um…no." Bella's gaze flicked back to the old man who was still smiling benevolently at her. "I'll be okay."
"Are you sure?" Jacob checked, still hesitating.
"I'm certain." Bella assured him. And she was. She wasn't nervous anymore. Old Quil didn't invoke fear or panic. There was something reassuring about his presence. He was ancient, far more so then Sam, Jacob or probably even Billy knew. "You should go to your meeting."
Jacob wasn't entirely convinced but Bella seemed insistent, which was odd considering her nerves only an hour earlier. He heard Sam call his name impatiently. "I'll be nearby." He promised Bella before he reluctantly followed Sam out of the house.
"Take a seat my dear." Old Quil pulled out a chair for himself at the kitchen table.
Bella took a seat across from him. She pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest. It was silly but it was her way of creating a barrier between them. "How old are you?" She asked boldly. "Jacob told me that you were one of the few members of the tribe who was alive during the time of the previous pack."
The elder gave Bella an amused smile. "I was."
"So that makes you…."
"Ancient." Old Quil chuckled. He removed his baseball cap and took his dark glasses off. Bella gasped as she caught and held his penetrating gaze. She was looking into the eyes of a young man. "You see me Bella Swan." His voice had changed. It was deeper, stronger.
Bella could feel his power. It surrounded her like a thick cloak. It was ancient, mystical and held the wisdom of the ages. She continued to stare into Old Quil's eyes, becoming lost in the dark pools. She felt light headed as if her soul was suddenly too heavy for her corporeal body. Bella heard Old Quil continue to speak. His voice seemed far away, as if travelling a great distance. Her eyes began to close and she lost all contact with this world. Her soul was shifting, moving out of this world and into another plane of existence.
"Open your eyes, Bella." The voice was deep, commanding.
There was no way she could refuse. Bella opened her eyes and gasped in wonder. She was in another world, beautiful, primal, and raw. She sat atop a high cliff. She could hear the sounds of the sea as it crashed against the bottom of the cliff. The sky above was a beautiful azure blue. Seabirds wheeled in the air, cawing, sailing close and dipping their wings as if in respect to the man kneeling in front of her. This wasn't Old Quil. This man was the spirit who had been residing in his body. He was beautiful, a warrior, fierce and strong. He was young and old, ageless. His hair was long and black. It fell around his face, smooth, shimmering like a black mirror. His tan skin glistened in the bright sunlight. His full lips were curved upwards as if in amusement.
"You were the first." Bella whispered in awe.
"Yes." The man agreed. "I was the first spirit warrior. I am immortal. I can travel from the spiritual realm and visit the corporeal world as long as I can find a convenient host."
"Old Quil." Bella murmured. She looked at the warrior sharply. "Does he know?"
"Old Quil died a long time ago from a broken heart after his son passed away too early in an accident. My soul entered his body when his left for the next world. My tribe needed me and I answered the call."
Bella didn't know what to think. Was she dreaming? It could be a hallucination but something inside told her that it was all too real. She returned her attention to the warrior. "I knew who you were as soon as I saw you. But Jacob and Sam couldn't see you like I could. Why?"
"I will continue to hide until they are ready to see." The warrior replied.
"But that doesn't explain why I can see you." Bella persisted. She felt a lump lodge in her throat. "If this is the spiritual realm than that means that I followed you. I left my body."
A flicker of sadness glowed in the warrior's eyes. "You are hovering between worlds right now, child. Your soul is in flux."
Bella's mouth wobbled as she absorbed what he was saying. Fear gripped her fragile heart. "Am I going to die?"
The warrior continued to look at her gravely. "Yes."
A sob tore from her throat. She wasn't ready to go. She couldn't fail to see the irony of it all. Once she had been willing to sacrifice her life so she could become immortal. "I'm not ready to go." Bella raised her eyes to his pleadingly. "Can you help me?"
The warrior raised his eyes to the heavens above. He held up his hands to the sky as if in prayer. Bella felt her own gaze drawn upwards. "You will die, child. But you will be reborn." His voice grew stronger, more powerful with each syllable he spoke. A glowing light surrounded his body. It was so bright that it made Bella's eyes sting.
"Who are you?" Bella cried as she held up her hand to shield her eyes from the intense light.
"I am the first. I will be the last." The warrior's voice echoed off the cliffs. "I am Taha Aki, the great wolf." His dark eyes, full of ancient wisdom, met Bella's one last time. The light around him began to dim. "I am here to protect my people. And you…you my child will save us all."
"They were here last night and you are only telling me this now." Jacob roared at Sam. His fists clenched as he began to pace like a mad man. He was so fucking angry. He wanted to phase and race to the leech's lair and set the damn crypt alight. Treaty or no treaty, the Cullens had revoked it as soon as they laid one finger on Bella. They all needed to burn.
"This is why." Sam retorted. "I knew you would kick off."
"Are you for real?" Jacob got in Sam's face. He was so enraged he wanted to punch his Alpha. "Of course I'm going to kick off."
"Yes, then you go and do something reckless and we all pay the price for it." Sam snapped bitterly.
"What does that mean?" Jacob snarled.
"It means that you never think." Sam shoved Jacob away to create some space between them. "You let your heart rule your head. You have to be rational. You need to think before you act."
"Bullshit." Jacob interjected angrily. "You go too far the other way. You overthink everything. You adhere to an ancient treaty that should have been nullified as soon as the Cullens entered that high school. They shouldn't ever have been allowed to mix with any humans. The fucking treaty was made so that the cold ones stayed away from all humans. But the Cullens flouted that as soon as they moved back here. Bella would have never crossed paths with them if we had run the bastards out of town in the beginning. You say that I'm rash and make bad choices but you are just as bad. You procrastinate until things spiral out of control."
Sam's body began to vibrate. It was very rare that he got so worked up that he started to lose control. The last time had been when he had accidentally phased and hurt his beloved imprint. Since then he had practised iron hard control. He kept his emotions locked down behind a stoical mask. It was his way of coping. He was the leader, even if he was never destined to be. Jacob could be passionate; he could let his emotions rule his head. He and the others had the freedom to do that, but not Sam, never Sam. The buck stopped with him every time. It was alright for Jacob to turn his back on his destiny but it meant that he had to fulfil the role. He would never admit it out loud but he resented Jacob for being able to have a choice.
"I am not going to argue this point with you, Jacob." Sam said thickly. "My orders stand. We keep to our side of the treaty line until we know more." He phased before Jacob could respond and disappeared into the surrounding forest.
"Go to sleep, my child." Old Quil touched Bella's head lightly with his fingers. Her eyes began to droop. Slowly they closed until she fell into a deep sleep, her chin resting on her chest. Old Quil studied her for a long moment. "You won't remember any of this but you have to stay strong for everyone's sake. You have a hard fight ahead of you, but you will not be alone. I will see you on the other side."
The elder sighed heavily as he retrieved his baseball cap and sunglasses. He could hear Sam and Jacob arguing outside. The pack was fracturing. Old Quil could feel the power play shifting between the two wolves. It was time to give Jacob a nudge in the right direction. The old man looked at Bella again. Her hair had fallen across her face. Her breathing was shallow, ragged. It wouldn't be long now. The transition was almost complete. Time was running out. Jacob needed to embrace his destiny if he was going to be able to cope with his biggest test yet. If he didn't it could be the death of him. Old Quil's face became drawn as he glanced at Bella one final time. It could be the death of them both.
Jacob was pacing up and down outside trying to cool off when the elder finally emerged from the house. As soon as he caught sight of Old Quil, his anger at Sam vanished as his thoughts were once again consumed with Bella. The sun reflected in Old Quil's dark glasses as he walked down the porch steps and met Jacob who was running toward him.
"Bella is sleeping." The elder said before Jacob could say anything.
"What happened?" Jacob begged. "Is she okay? Can you help?"
Old Quil paused as he gazed at the desperate young man. He wondered if this was how he had looked when he had lost his last wife. Her death would be forever burned in his memory. He had stayed beside her broken body for three days straight, keeping guard over her, pleading in his mind to the ancient spirits to bring her back to him. But they hadn't granted his request. His third wife, his soul mate, had fulfilled her destiny. She had cut her own arm, letting the blood pool from the vicious wound in order to distract the cold one so he could finish it off. She had sacrificed herself for him, for the tribe. But he would forever feel bitter about her loss. It had driven him to seek sanctuary in the spiritual realm. He had vowed never again to walk the corporeal world. He went into mourning for centuries, searching the planes for her spirit, but he had never found her. In his despair he had once again descended to the real world, needing to feel his spirit enfolded in flesh and blood, to feel a heart beating in his chest. His tribe needed him, so he had answered the call. He had observed the current pack in all its forms. He had watched this young man shirk his destiny. He put his love for his soul mate above everything else. Old Quil both despised and admired him for choosing love above duty. Would his wife have survived if he had put her first?
"All we can do is watch and wait." Old Quil said eventually.
"That's it." Jacob was incredulous. "That is all you have to say."
"That is all any of us can do. The truth will be revealed to us in time." Old Quil stated cryptically.
Jacob shook his head in disbelief. Disappointment flooded through him. He had allowed himself to get his hopes up, thinking that some ancient magic would revive Bella and she would be well again. If he couldn't rely on that to save her then he would try another way. He needed to get his hands on Carlisle's research. He needed to know exactly what he had been drugging Bella with, why he had been pumping venom into her body mixed with his blood. What was he trying to achieve. There had to be a method to his madness. Carlisle was doing all this for a cure. A cure for what?
Old Quil could see the thoughts racing through the young shifter's mind. He was so determined to save his love by any means possible. Bella was both his strength and his weakness. This was a blessing and a curse. "If you want to be in control, then take control." The elder declared suddenly breaking through Jacob's thoughts. "Strength lies in leadership, in teamwork. You cannot achieve everything alone." He had caught Jacob's attention and planted the seed inside the young shifter's mind. Jacob Black needed to embrace his destiny if he wanted to be strong. He had to learn to sacrifice those he loved most in order to keep their people safe from harm, just like he had.
But the elder was troubled. Was this right? Had sacrificing his soul mate really saved them all? Had her death been worth it? Here they were, centuries later, and his ancestor was facing the same insurmountable dilemma. Do you sacrifice the one to save the many? Or do you save the one in order to gain the strength to save them all.
Jacob noticed Old Quil's brooding expression. He wondered what was running through the elder's mind. It almost seemed like regret. Something about the old man was different. Jacob stared and stared as he tried to understand what his subconscious was trying to show him.
Old Quil finally roused himself. He stood taller and cleared his throat. "I have done as much as I can." The elder said huskily. "We will talk again soon, Jacob Black."
Jacob watched as the elder climbed into his car and drove away. Something was nagging at him. He ground his teeth together as he tried to contain his frustration. What wasn't he seeing? He didn't have time to ponder any further as inside the house Bella began to scream.
A/N-thanks for reading!