BPOV
I woke late the next morning. I was a very classical girl so the sound of the temptations booming 'My Girl' brought a bright smile to my face. I hopped out of Jacob's bed and rushed down the hall but froze at what I saw.
Jake had grabbed the TV remote while stirring what smelled like hash browns in the kitchen. He was dancing and singing to it like he actually was part of the group. I giggled as I watched him snap his fingers in rhythm with the beat and move his hips. He shook his butt back and forth and I gasped. I covered my mouth to hide my laughter, but I couldn't help but burst out laughing, grabbing at my sides to keep up right.
Jake whirled around; practically knocking the spices off the counter with the remote he had in hand and looked at me mortified. His skin darkened and he pressed a button on the remote that made the music stop. My endless laughter faded and I just stood there smiling at Jake who looked like he was about to melt of embarrassment.
"W-what are you looking?" he stammered. I giggled as I walked around the small kitchen counter and wrapped my arms around Jacob's waist.
"I just think you looked too darn cute dancing to one of my favorite songs." Jacob set down the remote and constricted his arms around me, picking me off the ground and spinning my around. I shrieked, playfully.
"Jake-! Can't- breathe!" I gasped.
Jacob's arms loosened a little so I could breathe. "Sorry, honey." He whispered into my ear, chuckling to himself. "I was just dancing while thinkin' about my girl." I giggled into his neck, squeezing my arms around him tighter.
I thought of something devious then. "You know…I have a song I think about when I'm with you, too." I pulled away from him and pecked him on the lips before running into his room to get his laptop. After a few minutes and I had Google searched Etta James's 'At Last' on YouTube, I turned and smiled as the music filled the room.
"You know who this is?" I asked him. He pulled me to him and held his hands on my waist. He kissed my nose, cheeks, forehead and then my lips.
He gazed down into my eyes, smiling. "It's Miss Etta James, of course." I laughed and he pulled away, only to grab my hand and twirl me around. I suddenly got nervous, because I didn't know how to dance.
Jacob noticed and he pulled me to him again and leaned down to whisper in my ear as the song ended. "I have a song I want to dance to with you. Hold on, sweetie." He said as he released me and went over to the laptop to type in a new song.
I gasped as 'Unchained Melody' by the Righteous Brothers started playing. He turned back to me and reached out with his hand for me to put mine in. I nervously put mine in his and he wrapped his free arm around my waist, lifting me up so my feet were on top of his. I put my other hand on his shoulder to hold on to him. He smiled down at me, and started dancing slowly to the music; moving in small circles as he did so.
I leaned down and lay my head on chest and he sighed deeply, still dancing to the music. I felt him kiss the top of my head.
"Bells?" I heard him whisper. I leaned back to look up at him. He had a loving look in his eyes.
"I overheard what Alice had said on the phone last night about Victoria coming…soon, and I was thinking about what you suggested to Alice about coming over to your house. I just can't let you out of my sight, I..I,"
"What Jake?" I asked nervously. He stared at me in worry. Gently, with two of his fingers he brushed my cheek.
"I don't think I can ever be separated from you, Bells." Just as he said that, the song came to an end. Jacob set me on my feet again and released his hold on me to turn and shut the laptop off. I sighed and walked over to see the kitchen stove smoking and a fire burning in the pan.
"Jake! The stove!" I screeched.
JPOV
I turned and saw that the stove had caught on fire. Damn it, I forgot I was cooking something! Stupidly, I ran over to it and started patting it down with my hands, pulling the scorching pan off the stove. Bella screamed and pulled me away from the stove looking at my hands. The skin had completely peeled and blood fled while you could literally see the bones in my hand. Shit, that hurt.
"Ouch! Damn it !" I yelled in pain. Bella's grip on my loosened and I heard her body plump to the ground. Shit, I thought to myself. How could I be so stupid?
"Bella!" I ignored the burning pain on my hands and got down on my knees next to Bella. She had fainted at the sight of my injuries.
I felt helpless because of my hands that were burned, but watched as they started to heal, and soon my hands were back to normal. I reached down and pulled stray hairs away from Bella's face. She opened her eyes and met mine. She suddenly turned frantic and her breathing accelerated as she sat up straight and grabbed my hands. Her face was relieved when she saw that my hands had healed. She closed her eyes and kissed every part of my hands as if each time she kissed it, it would take pain away. Oh yes it did, I thought.
I growled. Just the touch of her lips on my hands was making me turned on. I couldn't be a lusty wolf right now when she was worried and horrified. I sighed deeply. "Jake, don't you ever do anything stupid like that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she screeched at me, making me jump. I just pulled her onto my laps and secured my arms around her waist. She moved so she was straddling me. She gasped as her crotch felt my hard on. Damn, I was in trouble now.
"I'm sorry, Bells. It's just, when you kissed my hands, it made me hard." I swallowed, ready for her insult. A word never came out of her mouth; instead, she pressed her crotch harder against my erection and started grinding against it, sending me over the edge. I bit my bottom lip.
"Bella." I growled. She cupped her tiny hands around my neck and kissed my lips, biting at my bottom lip. I moaned against her mouth. God, I loved this woman.
"Jake, make love to me." She moaned out. I was frozen in shock for a slight second before grabbing Bella's ass and picking her up off the ground and rushing us through my bedroom door as I placed her on my bed. She was asking for it, literally. She pulled my shirt off of me and did the same to hers, marveling at her bare breasts. I leaned down and gave Bella a passionate kiss.
Knock. Knock. Knock. I instantly fell on top of Bella, covering her. I looked to my door. Paul was standing there looking at us in a mixture of total disgust and the same fire that was in my eyes as I stared at Bella was in his. I growled at him. He childishly stuck his tongue at me.
"W-who's at the door, Jake?" Bella whispered, nervously.
"Don't worry, honey, I'll get rid of the pervert." Bella gasped.
"Him! There is a guy at the door! Get out, get out, get out!" Bella screeched. I looked down at her flushed face in surprise. Maybe my temper was rubbing off of her. Paul snickered.
"You heard her, Paul. Get out. Now." I said flatly. Paul held his hands up guiltily.
"Hey, I just came in to tell you that the leeches landed about an hour ago and the spiky haired one is at the borderline practically ripping her hair out, worried about Bella." Bella gasped, but didn't move.
"Paul, get out of here so I can move!" She yelled. I smiled evilly at Paul, but frowned when I noticed that she only wanted to move to get dressed and go see the leech. Paul muttered a 'whatever' and rushed out of the room.
I got off of Bella and watched as she ran down the hall to Rachel's room, grabbing whatever clothes she left behind.
Fantasy ended. Damn it.
BPOV
Once I got some decent clothes on I ran out the door and inhaled the air, searching for Alice's scent. She was deep in the trees by the border near her house. I ran fast, but I knew I could get there faster if I was in my wolf form, though. I knew I had to tell her soon, so I wouldn't have to laugh when she tried to accuse me of being weak.
Then show her now. She'll only be shocked for a moment. My sub conscious mind spoke to me. I shook my head.
I want to tell her in person, as a human. If she doesn't believe me then I will show her.
Her sweet scent was getting closer and I could make out a ghostly figure from a few yards away. I slowed my run to a human paced walk and when she saw me, I humanly ran to her. She enveloped me in her arms, squeezing tight, but it didn't hurt like it would've before the…change.
God, I missed this woman so much. I missed her spiky hair and her good energy whenever you were around her. I smiled.
"Alice!" I squealed as I pulled away from her. She laughed, smiling at me.
"Yes, Bella, I'm here, but ugh, you smell like dog." She wrinkled her nose. I knew that she was referring to Jake, but did I smell to her? I would worry about that later. I blushed.
"Ah, it's nice to see that red tint light your perfectly pale face." I snapped my head up and looked at her. I realized that I hadn't paid attention to my skin color when I ran out of the Kanuwat tribe perimeters. I looked down at my arm, smiling when I noticed the pale ivory tone that had always been…me. If she saw me as…Kalina, would she hate me? Would it be natural for her to hate me since I'm her natural born enemy? I didn't look at her as my enemy. In fact, I looked at her like the sister I never had. A sister that I would be saying goodbye to in a few days.
I snapped out of my train of thought and tried to answer as humanly as I could. "Yeah, same ol' Bella blushing like always." She laughed and I was glad to see that me, trying to act human, was so natural for me.
Bella, you're still human. Just because you are a werewolf, too, doesn't mean you're not human anymore. If you weren't human, you wouldn't be blushing right now. My conscious was scoffing at me. I rolled my eyes, wincing when I noticed Alice had seen it and was looking at me confused. I shrugged.
"Just thinkin' about my goofy boyfriend this morning." Yeah, that works. Apparently, not to her. She still gave me this weird look, but it changed to a look of excitement. Oh no, what is she going to make me do now?
Giddy, she grabbed my hand and started pulling me through the trees. "Come on, Bella. Emmett is dying to see you." I froze. She turned to look at me with a worried expression.
"You're taking me to his house?" I choked. Alice realized the pain in my voice and instantly shook her head, rubbing my arms.
"Yes, but he isn't home right now. It's only Emmett, Esme, Jasper, Rosalie and I." She was trying to be reassuring. I sighed. Of course, I wanted to see my almost family again. I missed them, but I wasn't planning on seeing him anytime soon.
"Fine. It would be nice to see the gang again. It may be the last time." I whispered the last sentence. Alice frowned, but grabbed my hand again and started skipping back to her place.
JPOV
I walked out of the house in just my sweatpants and saw Quil and Embry standing by the pile of ash where the bonfire was held last night. They turned and looked at me, waving to me. I sighed and jogged over to them.
"Hey, man. Heard that you were getting it on with Bella this morning, huh?" Quil teased. I glared at him and he laughed like the man he was. Ha, man. He sure wasn't a man by the way he acted. More like a 14 year hormonal boy. Of course, he was only 17.
"Shut up, Quil. You're just jealous because you won't be getting that in the next, oh, I don't know, million years." Quil grabbed his gut mockingly.
"Ouch, that hurt so bad." I playfully punched him in the shoulder. Embry patted my back.
"Don't worry about the pervert; he just wants to get it with someone right now really bad." Embry and I both burst out laughing.
"Got that right." I scoffed. Quil brushed off his shoulders.
"Hey, watch out man, it might be your girl that I get it with pretty soon." Oh hell no. Embry started backing away.
"Dude, how could you be so stupid to say something like that?" Embry said from a distance. I could only see him rolling his eyes at his best friend. My body was shaking.
"What did you just say?" I spat. Quil gave me an evil grin. He held his hands out in front of him like he was grabbing someone's ass and started moving his hips like he was humping the invisible someone.
"Just picture this as Bella." He said winking at me. The nerve of him! He was asking for it, and hell, he was going to get it. I growled and then I was on all fours. My lip curled back and snapping at him with my humongous teeth.
Quil held his hands up. "Hey, if you want a little brawl then okay." He ran away from me phasing and then turned to look at me. I growled at him and he just trotted around like he was high society.
'You are so going to get it, Ateara.' I said through my thoughts. Quil barked a laugh.
'Oh, come on Jakey. What does your Bella say when you two are in bed? Ohh, Jake. Oh God.' He imitated Bella, but it was far from anywhere near close to her. I snarled and started running after him, biting at his ankles.
BPOV
We walked into the house that I once thought was my home and I pretty much stood there, staring at everything in the house. Memories, flooding back to me. Rosalie and Emmett were sitting on the couch having an argument over what to watch. It was funny watching their banter.
Jasper was sitting quietly on the stool next to the kitchen island and Esme was cutting something up in the kitchen. Probably cooking for me, I thought.
"Uh, do any of you guys have manners? Aren't you going to say hello to Bella?" Alice looked at her family in disgust. I blushed. Emmett was the first to jump from the couch and inhumanly run to me, picking me up and spinning me around in a tight hug.
"Emmett-! Still-human-!" I gasped. Emmett laughed and loosened his hold on me.
"Yeah, can't forget that." He replied and kissed my forehead before setting me gently on the ground. I giggled. He was always so playful.
Rosalie was next. She didn't approach me. She just stood a few feet away and nodded her head to me. "Bella." She acknowledged. Feelings never die, I thought, giving her a weak smile. I could sense Alice rolling her eyes at her sister's attitude.
I was instantly happy and calm and I knew why. Jasper was using his tricks on me. I mockingly glared at him, although it was hard since he was controlling my emotions. "Japer!" I whined. He simply chuckled and shook my hand. I held it firmly. His skin was ice cold compared to my blazing flesh. I almost flinched, but I didn't.
"It's good to see you, Bella." He said politely. I nodded my head.
"Yeah, same here." I said shakily.
Esme was in the kitchen still and Etta James was blaring from a stereo somewhere. The song that came next was 'All I could was cry' and it was so ironic how I listened to the lyrics. How true they were. I laughed nervously.
Everyone realized how the song effected me and Esme quickly ran over to go turn it off. "Sorry." Alice mouthed at me as she quickly ran upstairs. I stood there motionless, clutching at my sides. I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry. I made a promise to myself and Jacob. Damn it, Bella! Don't cry.
Esme's cold arms were around my waist in the next second and she gently pushed me towards the stool by the island in the kitchen. I sat on the stool and leaned my face into my hands, my elbows on the countertop. I heard the rustling of feet and noticed that a woman coming down the stairs.
She was in one word. Beautiful. More beautiful than Rosalie, even. Her strawberry blonde hair fell to her shoulders in bouncy waves. Her golden eyes told me she was a vampire and the way her ghostly white skin matched Alice's. She practically flew down the steps, she was so graceful. She was wearing a tight black skirt that stopped in the lower part of her thighs. Her blue sweater accented her marvelous curves.
I knew who she was the moment I got a glance of her. She was Edward's fiancé. And all I could do, all I could do, was cry, cry, cry. The lyrics of Etta James's song flashed through my mind and I winced at the horrifying irony in them. Her nostrils flared as she scented my presence. She paused for a moment and then smiled warmly at me. I stiffened.
"Bella, this is Tanya. Edward's fiancé." Alice said placing her hand on Tanya's shoulder. Tanya walked over to me and placed her hand on my thigh.
This time, I did flinch at her touch. "Hello, Bella. Edward has told me about you." I snapped my head up and narrowed my eyes as I stared at her.
"What has he said?" my voice broke. Tanya wrinkled her nose, and I knew she smelled my Jacob. I silently hmphed at her discomfort.
"He told me that he cared about you a lot a while back and he still does." I got up from the stool and walked over to sit on the couch. Silent whispers sounded from behind me. Being here was too much for me, I had to get out, but I needed their help. Victoria and an army was coming really, really soon.
"Everyone, I need your help. As you sure do know, Victoria is bringing an army of newborns with her, and I'm afraid just all ten of the pack members wouldn't be enough to stop her and kill her." By now, everyone was standing and sitting in front of me, including Tanya. Alice was staring at me confused.
"All…ten of the pack members. Who joined?" she asked me, narrowing her eyes. I didn't know if I was part of the pack, but I added me in there making it ten. I guess it was finally time to tell her, and everyone else that direly needed to know.
I looked straight into Alice's eyes, focusing on her completely because I knew she would handle it more easier. "You must all know, that I'm a werewolf." I waited for their response.
I jumped as the front door flew open, slamming hard against the wall. I turned to see the one face that controlled my heart.
Edward.
He stood there, his eyes crazed as black as night and his perfect white skin with his stone cold body. I almost felt the breeze as he flew through the door. He snapped his head in my direction and inhaled deeply, sniffing the air. I took a deep breath and surprised at my sudden strength, I stood and walked over to him. I was just a few feet away from and my wolf senses kicked in and I was…aware and sensitive to every move or breath he took. I think he noticed because his eyes narrowed as he looked at me after what seemed to be forever. Alice told me he wasn't going to be here, that little liar. I couldn't think about that now, I thought. Slowly, even for a human, Edward took a small step towards me. I flinched and recoiled like the sound of a whip striking something. My eyes darkened as I waited for his next movement.
"Isabella…" He breathed. Again, why were the Cullen's acting so human lately? They were cold stones that didn't need to breathe anymore, so why did they decide to start now? Of course, I didn't think of them as cold stones emotionally, but physically they were cold stones to me. It was more pronounced, now that I was a werewolf and the natural hatred I had against them seemed to rise to the surface. It wasn't like Jake's hate towards them. He was a passionate hater towards them, I, on the hand just had hate towards their kind for what they did to my village. My top lip curled into a snarl.
"Edward." My voice was flat, and cold just like their skin. His eyes narrowed even more into thin slits as he heard the tone in my voice. I found the strength not to care about how his pain made me feel. He hurt me. He didn't want me. He never loved me. I chanted on and on in my head, and suddenly, the anger and pain boiled at the tips of my lips, and I didn't stop myself when the words flew out of my mouth like a rumbling volcano.
"Edward Anthony Mason Cullen!" He flinched as I said as his full name. I sounded like his mother. "How dare you just leave me behind and abandon me like that! Do you have any idea how much pain I have been in these past months? Any idea at all at how much your existence has affected me? I could have had a normal life and happy one, but you just happened to show up and make me feel this way about you and hurt me and put me through death alive!" The room was silent, except for my endless tirade. Edward was frozen. No emotion at all. I wasn't going to give in so God damn easily.
"Jacob, my boyfriend, I don't even think I should call him that since he is obviously more to me than that, but Jacob, my savior, my life, my reason to live, can give me happiness and a life I would want and a life that would be best for me. I just feel so guilty because every time I look at him, I see that I don't deserve him because of the feelings I still have for you! You've screwed everything up for me, and I just feel so horrible that I can't love him as much as he does! Damnit, Edward Cullen! Why did you even use me like you did?" My breathing was getting ragged and I took deep breaths to calm myself down. It worked a little.
"Was it because you were so drawn to the scent of me and my blood? Was it just was too much for you to stay away so you made me feel you loved me for me, not my scent? I can't believe this, that was why!" I glared daggers into his face. He was still frozen. If I was wrong he would have corrected me, but he didn't flinch so I must've been right.
He reached out with his hand and I flinched when his ice cold skin touched my skin. My body started to tremble, but I had no plans on phasing right now. I wanted to scream and yell at him for hurting me the way he did.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Although, it seemed like I hated Edward so much at the moment, I knew I would regret the brutal honesty I was telling him in the morning. I hated him for hurting me, not for who he was.
"Get. Your Hands. Off. Of. My. Bella." The husky, but pained voice was behind Edward. Jacob was seething, his top lip curled back into a snarl. He glared at Edward in disgust and pure hatred. I wanted to run to Jacob, hold him and tell him it would be alright, but I didn't because I couldn't find the strength to move.
My lips quivered. "J-Jake…cob." My voice was strangled. It was as if I was sucking in for my last breath. As if blood was gurgling in my throat and choked me. The sound you made when you were about to die from someone gripping at your neck, closing off all life from you. I was confused on why my voice sounded so pained and then I knew. It was the sound someone made when they looked at their loved ones as if they hadn't seen them and thought they had lost them forever.
Jacob. Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. His face flashed through my mind. It felt like I was seeing him in a new light. I was…holding on to him by a thin thread, afraid that the line that connected me to him would break. I realized it wasn't a thread…it was a strong and powerful line of light that glowed the color purple around the edges that it shined white. Everything went black and the only thing I saw was Jacob, standing in front of me.
I moved towards him in my sudden black out, and felt little strings tug at me. I turned to see that they were attached to my family, the wolf pack, my friends from school, the Cullens. I grabbed at them, trying to yank them off so I could run to my Jacob. They just tightened. I pulled and thrashed for the strings to break, but then they just…disappeared. Like the switch of a light, they were there and then they were gone. Just like that, I had no reason to be sad over that. I turned to finally run to Jacob, but again I felt a tugging on my back.
The string attached was connected to Edward. The light yellow wrapped snugly around the bright white glowing. I knew what this meant. Every feeling I had for him, every emotion that made me hurt for him, turned into a friendly hurt. He was my friend. He would always and forever be just my friend. I stared down at the string, but instead of vanishing like the other strings, his string just started to fade away, until the sight of the string was no more.
The light, but insisting pull of my Jacob's string brought me back to reality. I was facing the worried expressions of Jacob and Edward, and I could see the house around me, but the feeling of Jacob's string never seemed to fade away. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it. It was like a snug blanket that wrapped around you when you were cold. I smiled and let the warmth wrap around me.
Jacob was mine. I would forever be his.
JPOV
I had been running through the trees on two legs since I wanted to talk as myself, not as my wolf. I had heard the conversation Bella and Alice were having by the borderline in the trees when I was wrestling with Quil. Damnit, that Alice just tricked her into going. I didn't care. I was going to make sure Bella was okay no matter what.
I stopped just as one of my toes stepped on the borderline. The treaty. It was strictly forbidden for us to crossover. Damn it! The thought of diminishing the treaty came through my mind, and then flew right out. Hell no, I wasn't taking away the treaty. My great grandfather had pretty much written it and set it in stone. Fuck disobeying the treaty, I thought, I'll deal with the consequences later.
I followed Bella's scent all the way to the house. I could already hear Bella ranting on about something. I gasped when I realized just what.
"…any idea at all how much your EXISTENCE has affected me? I could have had a normal life and a happy one, but you just happened to show up and make me feel this way about you and hurt me and put me through death alive!" I frowned at the pain that was catching in her voice.
"Bella…" I whispered. I was about to run inside when I heard her say my name and I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Jacob, my boyfriend, I don't even think I should call him that," My frown deepened, "since he is obviously more to me than that," My head snapped up and I inched closer to the door to hear what she had to say, "but Jacob, my savior, my life, my reason to live, can give me happiness and a life I would want and a life that would be best for me. I just feel so guilty because every time I look at him, I see that I don't deserve him," my hands clenched at my sides, Of course, you deserve me Bella! You deserve every ounce of me! "…because of the feelings I still have for you!" I decided not to listen anymore. She admitted, rather loudly, that she still had feelings for him. I was trembling, but not out of anger, out of pain. Bella, why can't you just let go of him? He's getting married! He doesn't want you the same way anymore!
I snapped my head up when I heard Bella shout, "Don't fucking touch me!" That did it. I busted through the Cullen's front door and stared at Bella's shocked face, softened a little, then put on the same mask I had when I came in as I glared at Edward.
"Get your hands…off of my Bella." I snapped. Edward slightly turned his face in my direction, but his eyes never met mine. Instead, his eyes were locked on Bella. She was staring right at me.
"J-Jake…cob?" Her voice was all wrong. It was like she was dying, but not dying. Kind of like the movies, when a boyfriend looks lovingly into his girl's eyes before he dies. That was the expression plastered on her face. What was happening?
A few moments passed and she just stared, no, gazed lovingly into my eyes. I started to get worried. What was going on? Bella? As if she had read my mind, she ran willingly into my arms. I hesitated a little at first, before picking her up in my arms and holding her to me as I pulled our mingled bodies out the door. I shifted her in my arms so that I was carrying her bridal style through the trees. She never said a word, she just clutched on to my neck like if she loosened just an inch I would disappear.
I sighed when I crossed the border and we were walking normally. "Jake…"
"Shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here." Bella leaned away to look into my eyes. I stopped and gazed down into hers. She reached up and cupped her tiny hand on my cheek. I leaned into her sensual touch.
"Jake…I need to tell you something. I…"
"You don't have to tell me anything, Bella. I overheard your tirade earlier and I know that you still have feelings for him." She looked at me confused before closing her eyes and shaking her head. When she opened them, her eyes were…scared. Almost, fearful. Of what?
"Bella, why do you look so scared?" I asked her concerned. She stared at me for another moment, and then she hopped out of my arms and grabbed both of my hands, placing it in both of hers. I looked at her hands as she squeezed them tightly.
Her eyes bore into mine, and I gazed into hers. She was serious and scared. I just wanted so badly to take that look off her face.
"Jacob, I need to tell you something. It's really…important." Her hands tightened around mine. "The things I said earlier, about my feelings about Edward, was before I…" she struggled and I pressed her further.
"What is it, honey? You can tell me. I can take it." I waited for her hit. The final words that would mean I wasn't hers anymore. Her eyes went frantic as she shook her head rapidly and threw her arms around my neck in a choke hold. I didn't restrain from her, I immediately held my arms around her waist. I gasped when I felt warm tears on my neck. Was she crying?
"Bella!" I gasped and pulled her away from me to look at her. She was balling and my hands shook nervously as I tried to think of something to do.
Then her hands were on either side of my face and she was gazing into my eyes seriously, despite the tears that ran down her cheeks. I waited for her to speak. "Jake…I imprinted on you."
BPOV
Jacob's eyes seemed to glaze over for a tiny second before exploding with what seemed to be joy and love. I sighed deeply and stepped away from him.
I knew what was coming next. It would be, 'marry me, Bella.' As much as I wanted to marry Jacob now, I still felt apprehensive about it.
What if he imprinted on someone else when we were married? I wouldn't be able to handle it. Not after I had imprinted on him.
Marriage can wait.
JPOV
She was visibly shaking and her breathing was picking up in pace as I heard her broken whimper. Why was she like this? I mean, she imprinted on me! She should be kissing me, instead of crying.
Wait. Bella. Imprint. Me. Those three words mixed together in any way, and it made my day. She was officially mine forever. Mine.
I touched the small of her back with my hand, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she whimpered louder. I was instantly concerned and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. She didn't move.
"Bella," I kissed her lightly in the sensitive spot under her ear and I was a little upset when she flinched at the touch.
I was getting frustrated. I grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face me. "Are you sure you imprinted?" I instantly regretted saying that once they were out of my mouth. Bella recoiled from my words as if I had slapped her. She moved out of my arms and started to walk away from me. I grabbed at her arm, but she quickly moved so I couldn't firmly hold onto her. Her face was so sad and hurt when she looked back at me, and I wanted to slap myself for saying what I said.
"Jacob, the only reason I was acting like that is because I was thinking about you and if you ever…imprinted on someone other than me." She quickly walked back to me and pressed her body against mine. Her eyes showed a fierce intensity and I didn't dare look away from her.
"Bella, you think I'm going to imprint on someone else and leave you behind?" I asked her quietly in disbelief. I felt her shudder against my chest. As if a light switched on above her head, Bella's eyes locked with mine and her frown turned into a thin line and she was serious.
"My love for Edward, more like obsession," I grimaced at what she was saying, "Is nothing, Nothing, compared to my love for you now, Jake," I instantly smiled and looked longingly into her eyes as she explained herself. "It feels like your…presence, your life, your very one being, is the one reason I stay whole. It's like the one reason I exist. I feel as if being separated from you is making me ill. You are like my drug, I just can't get enough of you, and I just can't seem to stop loving you now."
I gave her my one smile that only she can bring to my face and leaned down to press my lips against hers fiercely. She threw her arms around my neck and jumped up, obviously knowing that I would grab her thighs and hold her to me. I bit her bottom lip gently, chuckling into her mouth. Her hands were gripping at my hair, pulling me back down to her oh, so inviting lips.
I happily obliged and she licked my bottom lip with her tongue for entrance. I opened my mouth and our lips collided passionately. It was as if we were the only two people meant for this. She was my Juliet and I was her Romeo.
"Bella," I whispered with my lips pressed to the hollow spot under her ear, "Let's take this to my house, before we just have a quickie outside in the cold."
BPOV
D-did Jacob just say quickie? Oh my God. My cheeks flushed red, but then Jake stiffened and his arms weren't around me. I felt the cold breeze on my shoulders. They were here. Victoria and her decipals. It looked to be about twenty of them who all stood at her flanks. A cold shiver went down my spine as Jake ran off towards them phasing and then letting out a feral howl alerting the pack. They were at his side in seconds, all snarling and growling and roaring at Victoria and the newborns.
I realized then that I hadn't phased. I tried but nothing happened. I looked down at my hands shocked and terrified. Why wasn't anything happening?
Then one of the newborns stepped out and lunged for Leah and then the battle started. Ripping and tearing as the wolves killed the newborns. I noticed Victoria standing off to the side, with her lip curled up at me. I took a fearful step back.
"Bella?" Emily surprised me by stepping out through the trees just a few yards away from Victoria. My protective senses kicked in and I ran towards her.
"Em, No! Get away from here!" I cried out in horror. Victoria snapped her head at Emily, then grinned evilly as she plunged for her and bit into her arm. There was a loud roar as I saw the Sam wolf furiously dive at Victoria for biting his mate. I ran and grabbed Emily in my arms before she fell to the ground.
"Emily!" My legs gave way as I broke out into a sob and fell to the ground with her upper half of her body lying on my lap. She gave out a cry in pain and clutched her arm to her chest. Blood was all over her right arm and it trickled down onto her other hand that was clutching at the bite mark. My right arm clung to her waist as I held her to me while my other hand was holding her face to my chest. I leaned my cheek down onto the top of her head, crying endless sobs as we swayed dizzily.
Something happened then. It was fast, but I saw everything. I looked down at Emily in my arms, watching painfully as she screamed in horror and pain. I could smell the venom in her blood stream and my nostrils flared. Everything about Emily flashed through my mind and her pain was my pain. Was this…imprinting? No, it couldn't be that. As I gazed harder into her eyes, which were now black with no light in them, I realized that I would put my life on the line to save this woman. She was like my mother, my sister, my best friend…my other half. I kissed her forehead and she held me to her with her free hand, feeling the change, too.
"Stay, right here. I'll be back." I whispered brokenly into her forehead. I felt her pained whimper and gently laid her on the ground. When I stood and turned, I saw the men of the pack staring at me in mixed emotions. Confusion, horror, worry, concern, pain. Sam was the worst. His eyes were fixed on Emily who thrashed uncontrollably on the ground. I winced.
"Sam, go to her. Hold her. Tell her to fight off the blackness and tell her I'll be back soon." My voice was empty and flat, but it was full with demanding force. Sam looked at me and then nodded and ran over to Emily.
My eyes met Jacob's pained ones, and I ran to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist tightly and leaned my head up to kiss him fiercely. I pulled away and touched his face lightly.
"Stay behind me, but have your distance. Let me do this on my own. If you see me in trouble then you can help me," I grabbed his chin with my hand and forced him to look seriously at me, "But Jacob, I swear if you phase before I do and if you get yourself hurt I am personally going to blame you for the rest of my life." I stated flatly. He nodded in my hand and I gave him one last kiss before walking out into the middle of the clearing.
I knew he was here. It wasn't Victoria planning all of this, it was the man that had attacked my village. He was coming back for revenge I guess. He didn't appear, but I knew he was hiding in the trees somewhere. I took a deep breath and let all my emotion and feelings come back to me in full swing.
Behind me, I heard Emily's broken cries and whispers as she asked for me constantly and Sam soothed her, tirelessly.
"I know you are out here." I spoke aloud into the nothingness of the trees. I waited, but I heard no movement.
"And I know who you are." I continued. This time, I heard rustling coming from in front of me and my eyes locked in place.
"You attacked my village 18 in a half years ago, and my brothers killed your mate. You've come back for revenge, killing and wasting innocent people's lives . You created Victoria. You sat behind and watched as she created an army and gave her orders in between times. You created James and Laurent, too, and when they were killed it made you even more furious as you killed innocent people and created more newborns." My voice was loud, but it was even and calm. Lure him to you Bella, lure him to you, I chanted in my head.
A ghostly figure appeared then, and I squinted my eyes trying to figure out who it was. As the pale and recognizable face appeared, I gasped in horror.
I shook my head furiously, and angrily. No, no, no, NO! This couldn't be happening! No!
"Hello, Bella." Charlie said. His red eyes were crazed and crimson red. His ghost white skin glowed as he stepped into the soft ray of sunlight. It broke me to see him as a vampire. I clutched at my stomach and Jacob's arms were instantly around me, my back to him. I squirmed a little, trying to step away from Jake's grasp.
"Charlie…" My sob broke out and I fell to the ground, sitting on my heels. Jacob was right behind me; his legs were around my body as he enclosed me in my arms. I looked up at Charlie again. There was something different about him. The way he stood, his shoulders hunched and he was wearing what looked like a police officer's suit. It wasn't a Forks police officer suit, though, it was just plain black with a gold badge on his left peck.
I stood suddenly. It was a trick. He was trying to make me weak and not want to fight him. It was someone else, posing as my father. My body shook furiously, and I ordered Jake to step back away from me. I felt the heat from his body getting farther away from me.
"Bella, please," The mock image of Charlie pleaded, "Help me." Well whoever was playing as him was a good actor, but Charlie wasn't the melodramatic type.
I snarled furiously and phased into my wolf. Oh, so I can phase now huh? I asked myself in disbelief, but immediately focused.
"Bella, you're going to kill me aren't you?" The Charlie imposter whispered in a pained voice. I growled at him.
I heard the sound of shredding behind me. Bella, I'm right here. Don't you dare get yourself hurt, baby. I know what you're thinking. I noticed it, too. This isn't Charlie. It's a vampire who changes his appearance to make people to sad to fight. Fight it Bella, fight it. Think of him as an imposter and someone who had killed your father. I'm right here, I'-
Jake, shut up. Let me focus. I know what I'm doing
I love you.
Love you, too. Stay behind me and BE QUIET.
I felt Jacob nod his head behind me. I sighed and stepped closer to the Charlie newborn. He stepped back, almost cowering as I inched myself closer to him.
He was obviously trying to make this harder on me by the thing he said next. "Belly, baby, you know I would never do anything to hurt you, sweetie. Why do you want to hurt me?" He made his voice sound so much like the real Charlie, for half a second I faltered. That was my mistake.
The Charlie newborn flung him at me, roaring and snarling angrily as his ghostly pale hands came hard on my back. I howled in pain.
I jerked my body forward and the leech flew back into a tree.
Bella, are you okay!
I'm fine. Don't worry, he's trying to make me weak enough so he can finish me, but that's not going to happen. He's a weak newborn. This ability he has is his only strength. Stay behind me.
Careful, baby.
SHUSH!
The newborn quickly dropped to the ground with his feet making no sound as it touched to rough soil. Slowly, his appearance changed. He wasn't Charlie anymore.
I was cringing as I realized who had appeared. No, no, no! He can't do this!
Bella don't fall for it! It's a trap! Jacob's rushed thoughts filled my mind. I shook my head back and forth, trying to concentrate and not let the newborn get to me.
The newborn had changed his appearance, so he looked like my Jacob. It wasn't my werewolf Jacob, it was my human Jacob, but before the transformation. His long black silky hair flowed down a few inches below his shoulders. My smile, the one Jacob always had when I was with him before he changed was plastered across his face. He was wearing long jean pants and a long sleeve shirt.
"Hey, Bells." The human Jake said as he would have greeted me before. I howled in agony and fell to the ground. This was going to be harder than I thought.
Bella, listen to me. I know this is going to be hard, but, honey, I love you. I'm right here. This is his way of making you weaker. He obviously knows that I'm your imprint and he's using it against you. Please, honey, you need to be strong. For me, do this for me. I love you.
Jake…I don't know if I can do this. It feels so…wrong…like I'm killing you. It's just so…I can't! I can't!
Bella! Don't let him get to you. He's a horrible leech who does this on purpose to get what he wants! I'm right here! The imprint is strong enough to know that. Just clear your mind. Tell me, do you feel a pull to him?
No…
That's because the imprint doesn't work like that. Clear you mind and focus. Do this for me, Bella. Do you…do you want me to phase back-
No! That'll only make it worse! Stay here. Please.
Okay.
In the time me and Jake had that conversation, a few seconds had passed and the newborn Jacob was walking towards me like…a human. I instinctively stepped closer.
Jacob growled behind me, telling me to stay back. I froze, and let out a breath.
The Jacob human/newborn started to run towards me and I felt the need to run to him. I shook my head violently trying to focus.
The Jacob newborn froze and crossed his arms, concern and confusion contorting his face into a frown. I stared at the Jacob leech in front of me, searching for any flaw that would make me see it wasn't him. I finally met his eyes. I admit, the vamp tried hard to not appear with the crimson red eyes of his own, leaving an auburn color in its place. It was just…not Jacob.
I immediately stood my ground and snarled.
The Jacob bloodsucker took a small step towards me, reaching out with his hand as if to pull me to him in a comforting embrace. I gulped and started panting.
"Bells, what's wrong?" The newborn leech asked. I growled my response. For a tiny second, I saw the Jacob human's eyes harden. They immediately lighted and then the parasite was changing again.
This time I doubted if I could go through with this.
Jacob leech was still in front of me, but he was kneeling on the ground crying. I instantly felt sorry because the Jacob that stood before me was the same one that stood behind me; only this one had the same auburn eye color.
Bella, I'm tired of waiting around for this leech to make his move. Just go for him. My Jacob behind me said through my thoughts. As if the Jacob leech in front of me heard Jake behind me, he immediately stood and took a slow step forward to me, tears going down his face. I whimpered.
"Bella, you can't kill me. I love you! I'm your imprint!" I flinched at his words and started whimpering.
Bella, no! Don't listen to him! Be strong! Jacob behind me thought rashly.
"You can't take me away from your life. I am your life. Don't you love me?" The Jacob in front of me started to cry harder.
Yes! I do love you! I'll never kill you Jacob Black! I thought quickly. I softened and took a step toward him.
Big mistake.
Bella, no!
It was too late. The Jacob in front of me snapped his head up, grinning at me evilly. I jumped back and the leech flew his hand and hit me hard on my right shoulder. I cried out and everything was blurry.
I heard a loud roar from behind me and the sound of metallic ripping in front of me. I swayed and the last thing I heard was a low sob, whispering my name frantically, saying, "I love you, I love you so much."
My eyes fluttered open and my Jacob was crying in front of me. His face was inches from mine, and I felt his warm arms that held me up. His warm wet tears fell onto my face. I moved a little.
"Jacob…" I whimpered and flung myself at him. My arms were like vice grips around his neck and my body was pressed so tightly against his it was like we were never meant to be apart from each other.
Jacob smoothed down my hair while his other hand clutched me to him. "Oh, Bella…" He breathed and his voice was cracked. I leaned back to look at him, wiping away the tears with kisses all over his face. I heard him chuckle and felt his hot breath on my face. I inhaled deeply at his woodsy scent.
I heard an ear splitting cry of pain come from behind me. I knew that voice anywhere. At least I knew it now, for one. Emily. She was still in pain. I squirmed to get out of Jacob's arms. He stiffened and knew what I wanted. His hold released me and I stood quickly running towards Emily.
She was thrashing on the ground crying furiously. I smelled the venom in her system and gasped in horror as it was getting closer to her heart. I had to hurry. Emily's eyes flashed to me and she reached out with her arms towards me in a begging gesture.
"Be-lla! He-lp me!" she cried. Sam turned to me with pleading and sorrowful eyes. He looked haunted that he couldn't do anything to help.
"Please, Bella…she obviously knows somehow that you can save her. Just please, save my Emily." His voice was burdened with pain and horror. I nodded quickly and kneeled on the ground beside Emily. She reached out with both of her hands grabbing mine and placing them on her arm that had the bite mark. She lifted her arm up to my mouth and placed the bleeding gash right in front of me. I knew what she was asking me to do. I gripped her arm tightly while shaking my head furiously.
"No, Emily! I'm not going to do that!" I cried. Sam was at Emily's other side in mere seconds.
"Bella, what does she want you to do?" Sam demanded. I looked at him for a moment.
"She wants me to fucking suck the venom out of her like some fucking leech." I spat out those words. Sam's head snapped up and focused on my pained expression.
"What!" He looked back down at Emily saddened, "Emily why!"
Emily looked at him with wide eyes, but they were determined. "It's the only way Sam! Do you want me to become like one of them!" She screeched. Sam looked at her with wide eyes and then turned to me and nodded like he was giving me permission or something.
I gripped Emily's arm tighter and closed my eyes sniffing the venom still in her blood. It was so close to her heart now. I had just a few minutes to get it all out of her. I looked at Emily who was squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for the pain to come.
"I'll make it all go away Em, I'll take the pain away." I whispered before she let out a cry that made me scream and bite down on her open gash, sucking furiously trying to get the venom out.
Sam and Jacob were holding her down. I closed my eyes as the smell of the venom in her system was slowly decreasing. The venom in my mouth went down my throat and burned me like a flat iron. I winced, but kept my mouth on her gash, still consuming the venom that planned to take her away.
"Bella, stop." A cold voice said behind me. I didn't stop, I kept sucking the venom out until I didn't have a trace of it in her.
"Bella, stop! You can't drink the venom!" I froze. My mouth dispatched from Emily's arm and I stood. Thankfully, all the venom was out of Emily and she blacked out.
I turned and saw Edward standing there looking at me in horror and concern all mixed into a contorted expression of pain. I felt something wet on my mouth and my hand reached up to wipe it away, only this time I gasped as I saw my hand with blood on it.
Edward's cold hands were on my shoulders as I sank to the ground on my knees.
"Bella, look at me." I glared up at him. Why was he here?
"What! I was just trying to save her! It was the only thing I knew to do! The venom was so close to her heart! I had to act fast, Edward! I couldn't just stand there and watch her turn into you! Do you know what that would do to Sam! Any idea at all!" I yelled furiously at the beautiful man in front of me who winced as I spat the last sentence.
I heard the whole wolf pack gasp from a distance beside me. Edward looked down and then back up at me.
"Bella, you can't drink the venom! You're a Kanuwat, dammit!" I looked at him in confusion. How did he…?
"How do you know that I'm a Kaunuwat, Edward?" I demanded.
"That's not the point! Bella, if you drink venom, or somehow venom gets into you, it's going to put you into an endless sleep! You won't ever wake up again, Bella! It's basically a death sentence to a never curing coma!" Edward shouted. His eyes looked tortured, and it looked like he wanted to cry. I stood up and looked behind me at Jacob who was standing just a few feet behind me with pain written all over his face. Tears were brimming at his eyelids.
"Jacob!" I cried, literally, and ran into his arms. He gripped my arms tightly as he held me to his warm, quivering body. We stood there for a few minutes.
Slowly, I began to feel myself slipping away; like I was falling into a never ending puddle of darkness.
JPOV
She cried out my name and ran into my arms. I gripped at her shoulders tightly, trying to keep her from falling away. I felt her hold loosen and I pulled her away far enough to see that her eyelids were slowly closing.
"No! You can't leave me now, Bella!" I cried out in agony as her knees buckled and she fell down into me. I fell to the ground, sitting on my heels as I cradled my Bells to my chest. Her eyes were dark and clouded, almost glazing over. I cupped her cheek in one of my hands. Her eyes met mine.
"J-Jacob…I'm…slipping away." I shook my head, trying to deny her words as they cut through my skin.
"No, don't leave me, Bella. I just got you!" My voice cracked and I felt the warm tears that fell from my eyes. Her lips were quivering as they turned into a frown. I wiped away the tears that were falling ruthlessly down her face.
I heard the mumbling voices coming behind me. "Alice, how much longer does she have?" grumbled Edward. I closed my eyes waiting for her to respond.
"Two minutes, forty seven seconds." Her voice was flat.
Another sob broke from my chest at the painful news. Apparently Bella heard their conversation and she pulled my face back to look at her. Her eyes were filled with pain and sadness, but her face showed determination.
"Jacob, I need you to listen to me. Don't interrupt. Just listen." She waited for my answer and I nodded. She closed her eyes, and frantically I kissed both of her eyelids wishing for them to open.
I leaned back and caressed her face with my fingers. She opened them and I let out a sigh in relief. Please, God. Let her stay with me. Don't take her away. I need her. I prayed in my head. Bella's now cold hand touched my cheek and I leaned into her sensual caress, holding her hand to my face.
"Jacob Black, I want you to be happy," I instantly did not like where this was going, "I love you more than my own life," another sob made my chest shake with broken breaths, "After I'm…gone, I don't want you to never move on."
I shook my head violently. I was never going to get through this. "Listen to me, Jake. Losing you like this is the hardest thing to do."
"She has a minute now." I heard a pixie like voice say behind me. I let out a strangled gasp and pulled Bella to my chest, holding my arms around her like vice grips. I felt her lips on my shoulder and I pulled away to cup her face in both my hands. Her eyes were half closed now.
"I don't have much time left, Jacob." I heard her breathe out those words.
"Bella, where is Bella?" I heard Emily cry out, then I heard the sound of Sam trying to sooth her.
"Bells, you can't leave me. Don't do this!" I pleaded with a shaky sob.
"Twenty seconds…" The same pixie voice said behind me. My eyes went wide in fear and my body started to tremble. Bella was becoming weaker in my hands. She reached up and pulled my face towards her and kissed my lips softly before whispering, "I'll always love you, Jacob."
"Ten…" Pixie whispered.
"No, you can't do this, Bella! No!" The tears fell from her eyes in waves and I kissed every single centimeter of her face, which was now very cold.
"Five…" my body felt so shaken and scared. The only thing that kept me from falling to the ground was Bella. Her hands were on my face and she was gazing up at me with tear filled eyes.
"Jacob, I'm scared." As she said that, her eyelids closed.
"One…" Pixie let out a gasp.
Bella's body went limp in my hands, and my eyes widened in fear. I shook her body gently, trying to get a response out of her.
It was like shaking a rag doll. "Bella?Beelllllaaa!" I shook her more fiercely now, but she didn't show any sign of moving. My body finally gave out and I fell to the ground beside her, laying my face on her chest, my hot tears spilling like waterfalls onto her body. I clutched at her, and wrapped my arms around her waist.
"No…NO!" My body was shaking violently with tears.
And then, with the last ounce of strength in Bella, her arms wrapped around my back and I felt her soft voice whisper above my head, "My Jacob."
Life. Meaning. Reason. Over.