Disclaimer - the Twilight universe was created by Stephenie Meyer - I'm just playing with some outter planetary systems--don't sue me.

Chapter 13 – Adjustments

When Jacob and I finally returned to the carriage house, I was expecting snarls, growls, and lots of yelling, instead, I heard my parents—going at it—again.

"Wow, your mom's really buttering him up, isn't she?" Jake nodded thoughtfully.

"Hmm, since they seem to be busy, why don't we go to my room?" I flashed him a devilish smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Nice, Nessie. I'm sure that having your dad find us alone in your room is not going to convince him not to flay me."

I sulked. "You've been alone with me in my bedroom countless times before. I see no reason for things to change." I wrapped both arms around his waist, yanking him towards me.

He grinned. "But it seems that some things have changed." He snickered to himself. "Quil is going to be so jealous."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What does Quil have to do with anything?"

He pursed his lips and looked about the room as if determined to change the subject. He lifted my hand from his waist and kissed the underside of my wrist, before pausing to stare at it. His brow furrowed and he dropped my right hand in order to lift and peer at the left, before kissing it quickly and dropping it, too.

"Where's your bracelet?"

"Oh, I wore it until my most recent growth spurt hit, and then the leather strings could reach no more. Two of the strands snapped, and Alice threatened many deaths."

"Do you still have it?"

I grinned wickedly at him. "Follow me."

I kept the bracelet in the upper drawer of my bedroom bureau. I waited until he had sat down on my bed and then I handed it to him. "Here it is."

The bracelet was a pearl-sized carving of a wolf pierced with an intricately woven leather chain. Jake smiled at me gently and tenderly fingered the leather strands. "Scissors, Nessie?

I wordlessly handed him a pair, and he began unweaving and reweaving the cords, shortening strands that did not fit. I curiously watched as his large hands dexterously manipulated the threads into their new shape.

"When I first gave this to you, your fingers were so tiny—it had to be a bracelet—it wouldn't have fit, but this weave is not meant to be a bracelet." He grabbed my right hand then and slid the band onto my finger, making final adjustments to the leather before withdrawing his hand.

"It was always meant to be a ring—a Quileute promise ring."

I held my hand up, thoughtfully examining the amazing amount of detail Jake had achieved in a matter of minutes. Jake was watching my face carefully.

Then it occurred to me that I had seen similar rings before—on Emily, Rachel—and Claire."

"Jake, do all Quileute women have these rings?"

He noticeably tensed. "They are pretty common on the rez—it's traditional to weave one for your promised," he shrugged, keeping his eyes glued to the ring on my hand.

"Claire has one, too. She's Quil's imprint."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Yep."

He was clearly determined to drag his feet on this. I pointed to the ring. "I've had this since I was a baby."

"Yep."

I took a deep breath. "Jake, why didn't you tell me?"

He looked up at me. "Because it was your choice. "

"But you didn't have a choice." I frowned slightly as I said this. I did not like the idea that Jacob had not chosen me.

"Nessie," he laughed. "Who really has a choice about whom we love—imprint or none? When you were born, I'm not sure how exactly to explain this to you." He scratched his head. "I was in a pretty bad place. I was actually running around like a crazy person looking for any girl I could find to imprint on." He laughed at his memory.

"You were still hung up on my mom."

"Yeah, I was. Pretty screwy, huh? When she got pregnant with you, I was even more drawn to her. At the time I thought I had a nasty case of masochism. But then I finally saw you, Ness, and everything in my life fell into place. I've been so happy since you were born, content—like I was before I became a wolf."

I pursed my lips. None of this was really helping. "Do you even find me attractive?"

He gave a maniacal laugh, hugging me. "Nessie, are you not aware that you are the most beautiful woman in existence? Do you have any idea what you did to me when you peeled off that sweatshirt? Or what you're doing to me right now?"

He lifted my chin and pressed his lips against mine, kissing me softly but intensely.

Then we heard the door to my parents' room open and we both jumped to opposite sides of the room.

My mother came through my door first, my father directly behind her.

"Renesmee, Jacob—we'd like to talk to you both in the dining room."

This was not going to be good.