[A/N: I must be losing my touch. Oh dear. But I must admit the rules of living with wolves is getting scarce. Anywho! Hope you all like this one. I thought it was okay.]
How to live with Werewolves.
Rule Number Nine:
Wolves look out for their own. You should feel lucky to be in their presence.
Last Time:
"Dude, you got her hair. That doesn't count."
I looked between them, still mystified about what they were on about. As if answering my question, Paul reached into his pocket, a sandwich bag dangling from his fingertips.
"God, you keeping that thing is creepy."
"At least we'll get her now that we got her scent."
"As if you could miss it…" Embry snapped, eyes on the TV, but every now and then he would look at the plastic bag with a grimace. I noticed there was something in it. Stepping closer, I realized it was hair.
Bright red hair.
Something inside me snapped. Eyes kept on the brilliant shade of red locks. A handful of it.
"Victoria…" I whispered.
Jacob sat me down as my legs shook and I hated being this weak. I couldn't stand it. But the fear rose up quickly inside, and a thin sheen of cold sweat covered my forehead and slithered down the column of my spine.
"What's wrong?" he asked, and like a stressed puppy worried about its owner, he began to pace in front of me, eyes on my face. It took a while for me to answer, and when I did my voice cracked.
"She's here…" the words fell from my trembling lips in a whisper and Sam exchanged a look with Paul.
"The leech has a name?" Embry asked softly, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he'd heard.
"Wait. Why are you so afraid of her?" Jacob asked, pivoting on his heel to face me. I looked up and at that moment, his eyes found the scar on my wrist.
"No…" he breathed. "She got that close?" he asks, teeth bared, eyes blazing.
"No, it wasn't her. It was her mate, James. It was all a game to the two. Like tag… Edward sucked the poison out.. Like with a snake bite…" I bobbed my head in a nod.
"But he killed Victoria's mate. And now she's come back looking for him."
Some part of me nearly cracked at the thought of Edward being killed by her, while another snarled in fury-It was stupid, to feel scared for him. He would be fine. And the rest of me, half of my being, nearly wished he would die from her hands. I shivered at the vindictive thought with a grimace.
"Or… for me…" I uttered, eyes suddenly wide and unseeing.
A fair trade.
An eye for an eye.
Me.
She could have found Edward easily. She took what she knew and filled in the empty spaces.
But she was here for me. I shuddered and stood, fists clenched.
"I need someone to look out for Charlie in case she comes back. I'm not sure she'd take it out on him but I'm not taking any chances." I pointed a finger at Embry and Paul, my voice sounding stern and stronger then I can remember me being.
"You two. Get the rest of the pack and we'll meet in the clearing. Jake, Sam, I need you to drive me to my house to pick some things up."
For a moment, they all stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. Then Sam growls "You heard her. Move!" and they run outside as fast as they can.
I went to the bathroom, noticed my underwear and bra were dry and closed the door on Jacob. He stood outside it, pacing. I pulled the clothes back on and ran a comb through my hair, using a rubber band to tie it into a pony tail. When I opened the door he was still pacing.
"Last night in the forest, you were going after her, weren't you?" I accused. Jacob looked away.
"You… you didn't have to lie to me."
"Its not lying if I didn't say anything" he said.
"But you kept it from me…" I stage-whisper and sigh when he looks hurt.
"We'll talk about this later" he promised and we walked outside, where we piled into Sams car and pulled away with a squeal of the tires. Sam shifted gears and we sped forward.
I looked at Jacob out of the corner of my eye and slipped my hand into his. He lifted his hand from mine and for the briefest of moments I felt rejected-until he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close, pressing a kiss to my temple.
"I love you, Bella…" he whispered into my ear and the tension left my body in a gust of breath. I relaxed into his embrace and whispered "I know."
The clearing is somehow more different then I remember. Once peaceful, a place for secrets to be made and kept, now is filled with an eerie silence, a hollow haunting sound that sends my heart into overdrive. Out in the open.
Like Bambi, I think with a small nervous laugh.
Out of the corner of my eye I notice they're here and Quil is looking a lot like a kicked puppy.
Jacob takes a small inhale and flinches.
"Oh, dude."
Quil looks up with a glare.
"What?"
"On a kid? Really?"
Quil just mumbles under his breath and says "Not now."
The boys are nervous, some of them looking this way and that and the strong will to protect them suddenly rushes into me, making all other emotion bleak. I choke down the high-strung feeling with a grimace and sigh shakily.
"Alright. Let's get down to business," I say and they form a protective circle, me partway in the middle.
I notice a few wolves missing.
"Where's Seth and Leah?" I ask, looking around.
"They're at your dads place, with Sue." Jared says and his eyes go all glassy for a moment.
Harry's death lingered like smoke in the clearing and we all bow our heads wordlessly in a moment of silence out of respect. I try to remember the last time I had seen him-maybe that time when he came to take Charlie fishing. But his face lingered in my mind and then the silence was broken.
"So…" Sam clears his throat. "Bella, the others haven't been updated on Victorias goal…" he snarls her name like a curse.
"She's here for me." I state simply, watch all pairs of eyes go wide.
"When Edward and I were together, these rogue sort of vampires came across us and they… Well, we were a game to them, I was the prize, I guess." My hand flies to my wrist, covering the scar. "Edward killed James, her mate, and now Victoria wants revenge." A low growling sound surrounds me so I add; "I guess she didn't get the memo that Edward isn't my 'mate' anymore…" it comes out softly.
Still so weak. So useless…
I push the voice away with a wince.
"But that isn't what's important. Right now we need to make sure Charlies safe no matter what the cost. I'll tell him I'm staying the weekend with you, and I don't know, having girl time or whatever with Leah."
At this, the awkward death silence is broken and the pack laughs hysterically.
"Leah?" Paul chokes out. "Girl time?"
"She used both in the same sentence, right?"
I can't help it. I smile.
"We'll need to explain what's going on with the council." Sam says suddenly, and the laughter dies.
"You really are a package deal of crazy, little one," Embry says, ruffling my hair.
Jacob stares at me coolly and I can't tell what he's feeling because he wears a thin veil of Sam's look. The one I always hated. I don't hate it anymore, but it still makes me wary.
"We'll always be here for you, Bells" he says, reading my expression.
I nod and reach forward, hugging him tightly to me and ignoring the feeling of my heart beating wildly against my ribs. I'm sure he can feel it too.
I walk into my house as Paul and Jared wait outside, Jacob walking with me to get my things. I feel like a prisoner, in this house. Every little thing sets me off.
The creak of the stairs had me jumping like a fool, and Charlie drops the remote downstairs but to my ears its as loud as a gunshot. Jacob places a warm hand on my arm and I turn to him with a small fake smile. He rubs my arm comfortingly and pulls me to his side without a word, walking me up the rest of the stairs.
I wondered when I'd been so happy with the contact he gave me, when I had become comfortable with it. I thought about our kiss as I piled sweaters and jeans into the duffle bag, and how Edward never would have given me that kind of kiss. There were so many restrictions.
Maybe because he was a virgin?
I can't help it. I laugh.
Jacob gives me a look but I just smile and he smiles back.
I'm done with the clothes, but I ask Jacob to get my toiletries, toothbrush, hairbrush, body wash and conditioner. He packs it all into a bag and turns around just as I'm picking out my underwear. His jaw drops noticeably and I blush, stuffing it into the bag with more force then necessary.
When it's time for me to lie to my dad, Jacob takes the wrap, telling Charlie how me and Leah were going to have some girl time while he worked on the truck. There was apparently a small leak and he wanted to find out where it was.
He was so good at lying I honestly thought there was something wrong with my car.
As we walk outside, I nudge him with my elbow.
"What?" he asks, blinking.
"You're a pro" I say with a grin and he just laughs, pulling me close as Jared and Paul make retching sounds behind the truck.
"Oh shut up," Jacob grumbles, punching Paul in the arm lightly.
He grins back and mocks him "Bella's truck has a small leak, Charlie. I'll fix it while Leah and Bella paint each others nails."
They both dodge and hit for a while, laughing and when it's time to leave I think I don't truly understand them. But I want to.
[Review Rant! Long-ass-list.]
.black - Ah, I was hoping someone would notice that. Shall explain it in the next few chapters.
Vette58Lover - I'm looking forward to letting Jacob get a bite out of Victoria, to be honest!
jharv241 - I was just annoyed when reading the book because she didn't comfort Charlie at all. So I put that in there. Thanks!
mad-bout-horses-nd-cowboys - Yeah, this story is taking everything out of me. Maybe 15 rules would be better then 20. But shall finish it soon-ish.
RealLifeWolfGirl - I'm making Bella hold back a little bit of stuff, like all the details so the guys don't wolf out, but I was thinking of putting in a Jacob Black point of view- How To Live With Bella. I don't know… But thank you for reviewing as always!
I'mAMusicGirl - I was thinking bald Victoria would be funny… Images. Ha.
Preetoaka Raven Potter Weasley - EXACTLY! I was soooooo annoyed. Seriously, I know she's hurting and all that jazz, but her dads friend DIED? Gr. Anyway, I think I did awesome with it. And her whole love with Edward? I think it's just like a kid who's fascinated with butterflies. Just sayin'.
Edward will always a piece of her heart, cause a guy who fucks with my car and dismantles just so I cannot see my male best friend, is not and never will even have a piece of my heart nor be my first love. - LOVE IT! Hm, thinking of putting something like that in the fic!
CrazyAbbss - I try to! Thanks!
Bripearl - Hope this updates okay. The zing is kind of slipping 'cause of all the school shiznit and whatnot. Working hard to bring it back.
jwstahle - I hope so too.
[End Rant]