With his arms wrapped around me tightly, I kept my face hidden within his shirt. I believed what Jacob had said to me was true, but my own stupid mother's words kept echoing in my head. I shook my head against his neck, trying to forget what she had said. I didn't believe her words anymore, but it was still hard to forget them. I trusted Jacob, I really did. But, I didn't know where that trust came from. I had only known him for just around a month and yet, it was like I had known him for years and years. Like I had known him since we both had been babies. But I knew that wasn't true nor could it be. He had lived here for all of his life.
With the tears freely flowing down the side of my face, my head rested into his chest as he murmured 'it's okay' into my ear softly every few seconds. I couldn't believe just how hard things had gotten so quickly and suddenly. It was like everything and everyone was trying to stop us from being together, and yet, a very few amount of people knew we were together. How was this all happening to me? To us? It didn't seem fair to me.
Abruptly, I noticed Jacob's breathing almost stopped and he froze against me. I looked up to him, seeing that his eyes were glued to the forest just ahead of us. I could see in his eyes there was something wrong. They had suddenly turned black and piecing in that direction. "What's going on Jacob?" I whispered into his ear softly with a cracked tone of voice from crying so much.
Slowly he arose to his feet, his arms and hold on me not loosening. "Keep your voice down," he murmured huskily, almost silent. I leaned against him, turning around so that I could try and see what he was staring at. I couldn't see anything. It was just all darkness of night and a forest a head and around us. Suddenly the sound of a tree branch been broken came from in front of us. Jacob started slightly shaking less than a millisecond after it. I looked up to him, his jaw was clenched tightly and his breathing soft. Once I looked back to the forest ahead of us, I could saw a faint figure coming out of the shadows. My body instantly froze against Jacob's. His grip tightened slightly around me, finding and taking my hand into his tightly while taking a step back.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Jade and her little pet dog," Dan humoured darkly. Jacob growled lightly at his words, taking another step back as Dan got closer to us. My entire body was shaking with fear. Even with Jacob here beside me, he couldn't protect me, himself and fight Dan all at the same time, but who was around to help us? No one! I didn't see any way out of this for us. There was only one way things could go and I didn't like it.
"Jade, calm down," Jacob said only loud enough that I could hear him. "Keep your heartbeat down and slow your breathing as much as you can." I looked up to him, confused by what he was saying but tried to do as I was told. I didn't see how that would help at all. It would only help if my heart stopped.
Another sound of a stick been broken came not far from behind Dan. I watched as he smiled slightly, looking over his shoulder and into the darkness behind him. Again I couldn't see anything, but it seemed to be that Jacob dropped his guard slightly.
"Now, now, now Dan baby. Don't go beating up my little sister just yet." I would know that sickly sweet voice anywhere. Katherine. As she came out of the cover of the trees, she walked slowly over to Dan's side and kissed his cheek softly. His arm wrapped around her as she leaned into his side. I could feel my eyes narrow with disgust. It would be typical of my sister to date someone who was trying to kill me! Of course she would! She was the one who hated me just as much as I hated her.
"You know dog, you can easily get my sister into big trouble with being with her right now. Pity, I don't have my phone or camera to take a photo of the two of you so my father could see," she shrugged, speaking softly. Jacob growled and held me tightly again. I thought that maybe, just maybe, my sister would help us, but I was stupid thinking that! Whatever she was thinking she was going to be doing with Jacob, she could think again! She wasn't coming anywhere near him while I was around!
Something behind both Jacob and I caught my attention. I looked over his shoulder at the soft sounds of padding coming closer and saw two boys just like Jacob, but one was smaller than the other and behind them were three huge wolves. One chocolate wolf, one silver and one a light grey. I didn't know what to think within that moment – if to be scared or grateful. Jacob stood up straight, his grip lightening on me slightly and just keeping one of his arms around me. I looked up to him to see a smug smirk upon his lips. I then looked to Dan and Katherine, seeing fear in their eyes. Dan gripped Katherine tightly to his side as her arms stayed tightly around his waist. I hadn't ever seen my Princess sister scared before. I had to say that it was quiet funny to see.
"Leech problem Jake?" the taller boy asked. I looked up to him as he stood beside Jacob and I. He was tall, but not as tall as Jacob, nor as muscular. His hair was just like Jacob's too – black and cropped short – but his was more like a mop than Jacob's styled, cropped spikiness around the sides.
Jacob looked to the boy as he spoke and nodded with great confidence like I hadn't ever seen before. It was clear that he was completely at ease around his pack. "You could say that Emb."
"But not for long!" the shorter boy said quickly, also with confidence and stood on the other side of Jacob. It was obvious that he was younger than Jacob and the one Jacob called Emb, but he was almost as muscular as Jacob. What was with these La Push Quileute boys and working out? I watched the shorter boy closely as he watched Dan and Katherine. The silver wolf stood beside him, almost like she was protective of him.
When I looked up to Jacob, I saw him staring at Emb. It was like he was having a silent conversation with him. He glanced down at me for a second and once again loosened his grip on me. I looked back to Emb and saw the light grey wolf standing beside Emb and the chocolate one on the other side of the light grey. The light grey wolf stared at Dan and Katherine sharply, half growling. The silver wolf beside Seth growled back at him slightly. He looked over to her with threatening eyes.
"Shut it Paul," Jacob growled at the grey wolf. His eyes rolled, getting impatience. I looked back to Dan and almost burst out laughing. He looked like he didn't know what to do and that he was about to faint with fear. His eyes were wide with fright and fear, watching the wolves closely. Good! He knew how he had made me so scared.
Katherine was watching them just the same way as Dan, but she wasn't as scared as he was. I guessed it was just how Jacob had said. She loved werewolves, so I guessed she had some idea of how they acted.
Dan suddenly took off running quickly in a blur. Katherine shouted out after him and took off as well. The one Jacob had shouted at a moment ago, Paul, growled loudly and took off running quickly without any sign that he was going to do so.
"Paul!" Jacob yelled just as the silver wolf took off after him quickly too. "Leah!"
Jacob's gripped loosened on my completely with seeing the silver wolf running off after the grey. He ran toward the forest before phasing into a giant russet wolf and taking off after them. "Jacob!" I shouted as the chocolate wolf took off after him too. I went I ran off after them as well, but the shorter boy and Emb caught my wrist and arm, stopping me completely. I looked back at them with narrowed eyes. What did they think they were doing stopping me?
"Chill Jay, Jake will be fine. He knows what he's doing," Emb smiled.
"Of course he does!" the shorter boy, shouted loudly with a hyper energy about him. "Jake's the man!"
I rolled my eyes at the two of them and stepped back away from them. "And you two would be . . . what to Jacob?" I questioned with my arms crossed tightly over my chest.
"Embry Call, his best friend and Beta," he smiled.
"Seth Clearwater, third best friend and second Beta, little brother of Leah Clearwater and not to mention leech lover, as Paul says," Seth rolled his eyes and laughed playfully.
"So . . . that silver wolf, was your sister?" I questioned. She acted more like a guy than a girl I thought.
"Yeah . . . sadly . . . at times," he said in a low tone.
I looked to Embry as I heard him half laugh, half scoff at Seth's words. "Yeah she's the pack bitc . . . Ow Seth!"
I couldn't help but laugh at Seth hitting Embry over the head for what he was about to call his sister. I could see that these boys really did care for one and other, especially their Alpha Jacob. Embry rubbed his head where Seth had hit him. His eyes were narrow, but still playful as he stared at Seth, who now had his arms crossed tightly over his chest. "Ask Jacob," Seth said, looking to Embry, rolling his eyes. "He made her the Alphaess." I looked up to Embry, catching him rolling his eyes.
"Alphaness?" I questioned, having no idea what that was.
"Female Alpha," Embry answered.
"Why?"
"Because . . ." Seth paused suddenly and I wondered why. "Of something she and I did a few years back. Sort of in the way of help."
I thought for a moment, wondering what he meant and then Jacob's words from a few days ago echoed into my head loud and clear.
I left them and become my own Alpha, with two of the others joining me.
I instantly knew who Seth and Leah were now. They had been the two who had joined Jacob back when he was protecting Bella and her unborn baby two years ago. I wondered if he had any feelings toward Leah for what she had done for him. I guessed he didn't, otherwise he would have been with her instead of me?
"So, you and your sister were the two who helped Jacob with Bella?" I asked. Both Embry and Seth's eyes went wide at my question and I started to wonder if I should have asked or not.
"He told you about that?" Embry questioned after a moment, seeming as though he was shocked by what I knew.
"Yes, he did. But why wouldn't he?"
Embry looked down to Seth and Seth looked up to Embry after hearing my question, but it was Seth who answered this time. "It was the hardest time in his life Jade. He doesn't talk about it to anyone really. Not even to his sister Rachel."
I stared down at the ground of the forest around me. I didn't know what it meant by him telling me of his past. I guess it meant that he loved me and trusted me, but why wouldn't he at least tell his sister? I wondered why he hadn't told her. Maybe he didn't get along with her?
"Come on Jade. Let's get you home before we're in huge trouble with Jacob," Embry laughed, walking a head of me and Seth. I took slow steps with Seth staying at my side the whole time we walked back toward my home. I didn't want to go home. I wanted to wait for Jacob to come back. I hated the thought of him out there with Dan and my rat sister. But there wasn't anything I could do to stop him from going out and doing what he already was. I just hoped that he would be okay.
The rain started to fall again, heavily with a strike of lightning flashing over our heads. I didn't think anything of it, but it stopped Embry and Seth in their tracks. They both looked up to the sky and looking as though they were deep in thought. I looked up to the two of them, about to ask what was going on when they started walking again.
As we got to the edge of the forest, I stopped dead with knowing that if my father was a vampire, he would know that I was out and he would also know that both Seth and Embry was around too. Embry stopped and looked what to me, his eyes were questioning me what was going on but I didn't answer. I was too worried about them to speak an unspoken question.
"Hey, Jade are you okay?" Seth asked softly.
I shook my head. "You cannot go any farther than from here."
"And why not?" Embry questioned, looking to the house and then back to me again.
"My fathers' a vampire, he'll know your hanging around me."
Embry scoffed and laughed, shaking his head. "Jade, we're werewolves. We're stronger than a vampire. I don't think your father is a threat to us," he said with humour.
I didn't say anything as he stepped out of the cover of the forest. I couldn't believe how confident he was. He was just like . . . Jacob. Jacob was just as confident if not more, but I wasn't sure if that was because he loved me or because he was just that way in general.
I got to the front door and looked back to Seth and Embry behind me. I smiled and nodded my head, mouthing a thank you to them. As I opened the door to go inside, I glanced back to where they had been standing and they were gone. It was like they hadn't even been there a second ago. I stepped quietly inside and went up the stairs to bed. I hoped I had been quiet enough that Aaron didn't hear me.
As I snuck under the blankets, I hugged myself tightly, trying to get warm. My teeth were chattering away loudly, even with my trying to stop them the best I could. After a long while, I fell asleep with my teeth still chattering. It was a wonder that my father didn't hear my teeth going away at it and came to look at what was going on. When I awoke again, it was to the feeling of a warm, feather like touch down the side of my face. I turned onto my side with my eyes slowly opening to the dark figure above me. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Jacob standing beside my bed. I hadn't heard him come in. I almost shouted his name with excitement of seeing that he was okay, but he covering my mouth softly with the palm of his hand and pointed toward my father and mother's room stopped me thankfully. I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"I'm so glad you're okay," I murmured against his neck, holding him tightly. His arms wrapped around me tightly too, holding me to him and stroking my hair softly for a moment. His love and care for me was obvious as he held me. He was so comforting. He was always there when I needed him most.
He sat down beside me silently as I still held him. I then noticed he was wearing new clothes to what he had been wearing earlier – a grey tank top that hugged his body and grey jeans. My hand ran over his new shirt, wondering why he had changed clothing. I looked up to him and he smiled softly. He laid back against my bed as I leaned into his comforting hold on me.
"Get some rest," he whispered. "I'm here. I won't leave. I promise." He pulled the blankets over me with one hand, while still holding me close to him. I felt safe within his loving hold and arms. I listened to his heartbeat for a long while before thinking of my father and what if he caught Jacob with me. I looked back up to him abruptly and swiftly. I hadn't even said a word and it was like he had read my mind.
"I'll hear him. Don't worry. He won't know I am here with the way the wind is blowing."
I tilted my head to the side with my eyes questioning him. He smiled, leaning down and brushing his lips over mine in a gentle kiss. "And if the wind shifts?" I questioned as he leaned away from me a little.
"Then I'll worry about it then. It isn't supposed to change anytime soon though."
I nodded and rested my head back on his chest, falling asleep like I hadn't ever before. I loved falling asleep within Jacob's arms. When I awoke in the morning, Jacob was still there beside me, holding me like he had been when I had fallen asleep. It was early morning, I could tell by the light outside of my bedroom window. He instantly awoke too with the feeling of me moving be him.
I was surprised that we had made it through the night without my father finding us together. He would have gone crazy if he knew that Jacob had been my friend, even if he still was. But now . . . it was greatly different. My mum would freak out if she found out my feelings for Jacob. My father would send me to boring school within the second he knew – like he had wanted to for so long now – and now that Katherine knew that Jacob was in my life, I would have to be careful that she didn't tell on me. I knew how I would have to keep her from squealing on me and I didn't like it. She would make me her slave for everything she didn't want to do for sure. I was so scared of losing Jacob though, I would do anything to make sure that he was always going to be there with me. I needed him more than anything else in my life. He was my life now. There wasn't any doubt about that!
With hearing my father calling my name downstairs, I looked to Jacob quickly with worry. He held me tightly once more for a moment and kissed me strongly before getting up and sneaking out my window. I just hoped my father or sister hadn't seen him leaving.
I quickly got dressed into a white shirt with splashes of bright colours over the front of it and a pair of jeans. With running the comb through my hair, I heard a soft knock at the door and after a moment, my father stepped in my room slightly. "Breakfast is ready Jade," he said softly and sternly. I nodded and murmured an okay to him. I held my breath for a moment, waiting for him to say something about my room with Jacob staying the night. Surely he would pick up on a different scent, but nothing came of it – thankfully.
I ran downstairs quickly and jumped to the table to start eating my breakfast. Katherine glared at me the whole time while I ate from the other side of the table. I tried my best not to take any notice to her. I knew if my mother or Aaron found out about her and Dan, she would be in just as much trouble as I would be if they found out about Jacob.
Suddenly I heard my mobile phone ring my pocket, telling me I had a text. I opened it and realized it was Katherine's number.
If you tell, you're dead!
She wrote. I rolled my eyes at her, writing a text back to her quickly while neither my father nor mother was watching us. I knew this conversation couldn't and wouldn't be spoken out loud for the risk of us been over heard.
I wouldn't threaten me too much Katherine.
I texted back and looked up to her smugly. She met my gaze, questioning me silently. I quickly went through the folders on my phone and found what I was looking for. I pressed OK and the video I had taken of her sneaking out of the house started. I raised it in the air high enough for her to see. Her eyes went wide and into shock. I snapped it shut just as she was about to snatch it out of my hand as Aaron walked into the room.
"What are you two doing?" he questioned darkly.
"Nothing," we both answered at the same time. I got up from my seat and headed outside with having finished my breakfast. I wondered where Jacob was. I wanted to hang out with him some more today.
I flipped my phone open again and wrote out a message for him. The second I sent it, I head his phone going off in my room. I quickly ran back inside and up the stairs, only to find my mother walking out of my room with Jacob's phone in hand. Thankfully she hadn't yet opened it. She was only looking down at the screen on the front of his phone.
"Jade, whose phone is this?" she questioned, looking to me. I hid my phone back in my pocket.
"Mine. It's my new one I brought just the other week."
"Oh. I didn't know you were into cars."
"Um . . . yeah of course! I love cars, especially . . . the fast ones!" I smiled, acting coy and trying to think quickly. I didn't even know that Jacob had a car on his phone. Where had she seen that damn car? I thought she hadn't opened his phone yet?
"The fast ones?" she questioned, raising her eye brow at me.
"Yeah, you know . . . the Audis' and all." That was the only fast car I knew of and could think of within that moment, but I didn't even know is it was really that fast, but what would my mother know about cars anyway?
"Honey, that's a Ferrari on your phone."
Whoops. Damn it Jacob! And with just thinking of the devil, he suddenly appeared at the side of my door, mouthing sorry to me with my mother's back turned on him, thankfully. I rolled my eyes at him, forgetting that my mother was even there. The things he made me do!
"Jade what is going on?" she questioned, placing her hands on her hips.
"Nothing, don't worry. I know it was a Ferrari. You know what I mean. I was giving examples and all. I gotta go. I wana go outside before the rain comes in again." I took off running down the stairs and outside again before I could be questioned any farther. I looked around quickly, researching for Jacob. I finally spotted him leaning against a tree on the edge of the forest where no one would see him unless they were in fact looking for him. I checked that no one was looking and ran to his side, giving him his phone without a word as I caught my breath slowly.
"Thanks. Sorry about that," he said in a low tone.
"No worries, but just don't leave it behind again, please. I had no idea what I was saying back there." We started walking away from the house and into the damp and green forest of ferns and trees. Water from the rain last night dripped down on us as we went.
"Really?" he questioned, wrapping his arm around me after placing his phone into his back pocket. "You sounded like you did."
"I'm taking that as I said everything right and that you do know something about cars?" I asked, leaning into his side and wrapping my arm around his waist. I loved the warmth of his body against me. The warmth from Jacob's body was like the heat of the sun back home in Australia. Everything about him was warm and so lively. I truly didn't understand how Bella had chosen a lifeless and cold vampire over him.
"Ah, yeah, you could say that," he smirked suddenly, looking to the path below us while walking. "I know enough that I fix cars and motorbikes for a living," he smiled, a light tone of pink lighting his cheeks.
"Seriously?" I questioned, slightly surprised. I didn't really see how Jacob would have the time to do something like that and be Alpha of a pack too. He had to be very responsible to do a job like that. Or, that was what I thought anyway. It wouldn't be an easy job.
"Yeah. I've been doing it for a while now. You should come by the shop one day soon," he smiled, running his hand down the side of my arm.
"I would love to," I smiled back up at him, leaning into his side more as we kept on walking.
When I looked back to the path ahead of us, I stopped with seeing a girl with golden eyes, pale skin and long dark brown hair that was waist long. She wore a cream blouse, black leather jacket and a pair of jeans with black boots that really didn't match the rest of her outfit.
As Jacob looked to me, then at what I was staring at, he seemed to go into shock with the look that came into his eyes. He was frozen stiff. Not with fear but in a different way. Like he knew her, but wasn't expecting to see her. The girl smiled sweetly and walked up to Jacob, without looking at me. "It's good to see you again Jacob," she whispered with a sweet tone of voice.