Chapter 12 – Jake & Karen

Jake and Karen had been best friends since practically birth. When Bella Swan moved to Forks two years before they graduated, Jake was suddenly missing from her life. No amount of Billy trying to warn Jake about Bella's love interest in Edward Cullen worked either. Not even when he finally started phasing and learned who the Cullen's really were. He still tried up until the very last minute going to their wedding and trying to convince Bella she didn't have to give up her human life. When he said he was going to fight for her until her heart stopped beating he wasn't kidding.

After the wedding, Jake left La Push. He'd left once before the wedding for a few weeks. But the second time he left it was for two years. When he went back to La Push, Karen was at his father's house helping him restore an old book with the Quileute legends that the elders had written when they were just boys. Jake didn't even recognize her until she looked up from the table. Their eyes locked and he instantly imprinted. Her forest green eyes were enough of a remembrance. He was suddenly aware of who she was. All of his feelings he'd had for Karen before Bella came flooding back into his body.

Now here he was 3 years later at twenty-three still trying to convince her they were destined to be together. He knew he'd hurt her bad. He just wanted one chance to make it up to her. Only one.

Jake frowned, "Karen, I was in love with you before I even knew Bella. Crushes happen. And it happened to me before I was a wolf. And as harsh as it may sound I was so wrapped up in her safety, that I forgot about what mattered most to me in my life."

Jake took a step towards Karen, "I know I'm a jerk for it. And I'm sorry I hurt you so badly. Karen you've been my best friend since we were 2. Our mothers had us a day apart in the same hospital. Both of our mothers died in the same car accident. The one thing that has been consistent in my life has always been you."

Jake sighed heavily, "I know the last couple of years of high school were terrible. But I've been trying to make up for it. You're my imprint. My Soul mate. The other half of me. And I know I can't take back the two years I abandoned you for Bella. But I want to make up for it. Please."

Karen blinked and the tears slid down her cheeks, "I don't know Jake. I don't know what to tell you. I mean what's to stop you from suddenly wanting to be with someone else down the line. And don't say the imprint. I'm still not entirely sure you imprinted on me."

Jake moved closer as he rested his forehead against her temple and he felt her lean into him, "You might not be sure. But I know. I know I imprinted on you every day of my life. I can feel it in my heart, because it hurts so bad. I can feel the pain of your tears right now. Every time you cry, I just want to be the one to make the tears disappear. But I know the tears are my fault. Don't you think I beat myself up everyday you're not in my life Karen? I physically hurt and I know you do to. I don't know how many times I can say I'm sorry. But I'm going to keep saying it until you believe me. I don't care how long it takes me to convince you. But I swear on my life. I will."

Karen looked up at Jake and could see the tears building in his eyes, "I don't want you to stop either. I want you to keep fighting for me. Because eventually the pain will stop and it will be replaced with something entirely different. I don't know what yet, because it hasn't stopped. But I can only hope and pray it happens soon."

Jake nodded slowly, "I'm never going to give up fighting for your heart Karen. It belongs to me. Just like mine will always belong to you. Even if you're not ready to look after it yet. Let me drive you home...Please." Karen couldn't even answer as she just nodded. She felt Jake wrap his arm around her waist, steadying her against his side as they walked over to the beach parking lot and he opened the passenger side door of the rabbit. He let her get in as he carefully closed the door.

The drive to Karen's was a comfortable silence. At one point, Karen hand held his big right hand in both of her small hands in the middle of her lap. He nearly came unhinged when she held his hand up to her cheek, feeling the warmth as it radiated down her whole body. As Jake pulled up to Karen's house, he got out and opened the door taking her hand as he helped her step out of the car.

Karen walked up the steps of the porch as she heard Jake turn to get back into the car, she spun around, "Jake!" She jogged down the steps and noticed he was already standing in front of the driver side door. As she jogged and stopped in front of him. Her breathing was shaky as she got closer to him and noticed his chest was rising and falling at a fast pace rate. He was breathing through clenched teeth like at any minute the wolf inside was going to bust out and attack her.

Karen's bottom lips quivered as she noticed Jake had backed her into the driver side door of his car and had placed a hand on each side of her small framed body as he looked down into her captivating green eyes, "Tell me what you want Karen, please." His eyes and words begged, but his voice was husky and several octaves lower than normal, "I swear on my life I'll do anything you want me to do. I'll never hurt you ever again and I'll kill anyone who does hurt you."

Karen chewed her bottom lip for several seconds, before she could stop herself anymore as she pushed up on her toes as her hand went to the back of Jake's neck and pulled him down, their lips crashing together...hard. In a mind numbing kiss, Jake's hands left the car and roughly slid down her perfectly shaped body sliding down her ass to her thighs where he lifted her and her legs instinctively went around his waist as her back met the side of the car. Not hard, but his weight pressed her into it.

As soon as their tongue collided, they both groaned into each other's mouth, trying to dominate each other. Both completely willing to surrender to the other, but never breaking the kiss.

Once oxygen was needed, they pulled back as tears poured from Karen's beautiful green eyes as she buried her face in Jake's neck. He held on to her all the time whispering how sorry he was, and how he'd never meant to hurt her.

He promised over and over he would spend the rest of his life making up for his stupidity.