Cross-species Relationships Don't Work Anyways

At least you're still a wolf.

Quil. Quil was calling to me. He was on the verge of change; of becoming human for good. He could be a wolf for now, but I sensed that he only had a few weeks before he gave up for good. Claire had told him the night before how she felt. Quil played the scene over and over in his mind, like he couldn't believe it himself.

''Quil?'' Claire called. Quill turned; his eyes focused on Claire.

''Hi.'' He said. He walked to her side, slowly, deliberately. He went to take her hand but she stopped him.

''Quil.''

Quil looked into her eyes.

''I-I love you.''

''I know.'' He responded. ''And I love you.'' He took her in his arms. Quil led her into his house and -

I growled.

Sorry, Jake. Quil was mildly apologetic.

Whatever. Quil ran off in the opposite direction, leaving me with my poisonous thoughts.

I was a wolf again. Running. The last time I ran it was because of Bella. I still loved Bella; deep down, I knew I'd never get over her. But Nessie… Nessie was made for me. I was made for her.

She needed me.

And yet… Imprinting worked to the advantage of the… uh, imprintee. Whatever they needed the Imprinter to do, be it friend, soul mate… That's what we were here for.

To be what she wanted me to be.

But what the hell did Nessie want? Besides that idiot, Ethan Evans.

What did he have that I didn't?

I'm eternally sixteen in the body of a freakin' twenty-five-year-old. What more could she possibly want?

***

Hours later, I found myself at the Cullen's house.

My house, too.

Nessie was home; I could see her car in the drive.

Maybe she cried for me.

If she did that, I'd know. Know what she wanted.

I neared the front door, pulling on a shirt and jeans.

Laughter.

I could hear people laughing.

I slammed the door open. Bella and Edward were seated on the sofa, watching TV. Bella looked worried as she glanced up, her gaze meeting mine.

''Hi, Jake.'' She said. ''Don't - um, Nessie's…''

''What?''

Edward stood and walked over to face me. He always did this. The father role in the vampire-werewolf romance game.

''Jacob… Jake.''

No. No.

I sniffed the air. A feral growl escaped my throat.

''He's here?'' I whispered.

Ethan Evans. In my house. With my girl.

No.

I turned and marched up the stairs. Bella didn't say anything. She didn't have to. She knew how I felt. I'd felt like this before. About her.

''Nessie?'' I called.

I heard giggling, then nothing.

I bounded up the rest of the stairs and straight into her bedroom. Evans was at the other side of the room, standing overly far away. Too far away to have been standing there on purpose.

''Hey, Jake!'' Nessie greeted me with enthusiasm. As always. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Evans roll his eyes.

Moron.

''Nessie, hey!'' I responded, then wandered across the room to give her a hug. She wrapped her arms around my waist and held me tight.

Nessie.

Damn.

''Am I interrupting something?'' I asked. Nessie was closer to human when it came to interacting with her peers.

Oh, boy that sounded wrong.

I hoped Edward wasn't on concerned-parent duty and was listening to our thoughts.

''Oh, Ethan and I got assigned to do a project together for Science…. You can stay if you want though.'' She added. I was just turning to go.

I didn't know what I wanted.

I knew Evans didn't want me there.

I flopped down onto Nessie's bed.

''I'll stay.'' I announced. My heart did somersaults in my chest as Nessie smiled brilliantly at me, her teeth practically sparkling.

Evans rolled his eyes.

Take that, loverboy.

Jake: 1

Evans: Zeeerro

***

''Jake?'' Bella whispered.

''Hmm?'' I mumbled. Watching Nessie playing with sheets of paper while Evans touched her hair every few minutes - he thought I hadn't noticed - was physically draining. It had taken every ounce of my strength to stay sitting on Nessie's bed and not rip Evans' head off.

That could have upset Nessie.

''Jake, just tell her.'' Bella said. Nessie was so like her mother. So trusting. So loveable.

''I can't.'' I almost shouted at her. I stood by the window and watched Nessie walk with Evans to her car - she obviously intended to drive him home - and glared at the back of Evans' head as he lifted her onto the bonnet of her car - the car I'd lovingly helped her build - kissed her.

''Jake….'' Bella was using her tone with me. Her special, 'It's okay, Jake' tone that she'd always used. Ever since I'd known her.

''No. Dammit, Bella. You know as well as I do. Cross-species relationships don't work anyways.''

Bella recoiled as if I'd slapped her in the face.

Oops.

I continued glaring at Evans' head.

''You know as well as I do that it was Nessie that brought us back together as friends.''

''Jacob, YOU brought you back. You wanted to see me.'' Bella's tone had disappeared. She was just angry now.

''Bella. I can't say anything to Nessie. I have to be what she needs me to be. I can't force her to love me.''

''Look at Sam and Emily. He told Emily. And Quil and Claire. Quil knew what he wanted. And now he has her. Just look at the other wolves. See what they did.'' Bella reasoned.

''I do that all the time. I can't look at happy couples anymore, like it's some sort of whacked-out happy-land Disney film, where the guy gets the girl every time.'' Lord knows Nessie had made me watch enough of them in her early days of youth. ''Nessie's happy with her human friends. She doesn't need me.''

''Jake…''Bella said.

''Just… Just shut up, Bella.'' I snapped.

Breaking point.

I ran to my room, pausing in Nessie's on the way. I continued down the hall to my room, collapsing onto my bed - specially made, over eight feet long so I could lie in it comfortably. Rosalie had wanted a dog bed for me, and I'd said I was fine with a normal-sized one, but Bella and Edward insisted on a specially made one.

Tears started to pour down my face. I wiped the first ones away angrily, then let them fall as a steady stream continued.

Crying over a girl.

Not just any girl, though. The girl.

I clutched the scarf I'd stolen from Nessie's room to my face.

Imprinting is a joke.

***

A/N: -shivers-. Agh. Goosebumps. I hate writing Jake like this. He's so miserable, and it's really sad… Anyway, please review!

~ Carley xx