Chapter Thirteen - Newcomer
I woke early on Thanksgiving. Jacob was sleeping soundly beside me, so I left him be as I made my way to the bathroom. My parents were actually home this morning, probably because we all had plans to eat at Charlie's. Well, he would eat, at least.
Mom and Dad mumbled hello's to me, not being able to look me in the face. Dad was particularly upset, but I wouldn't let him get to me. He would eventually come to terms with the loss of my virginity. Hopefully.
I showered and dressed quickly and then decided I would go for a hunt. It was better to get it over with before Jake woke up and decided to go with me. I felt slightly less monstrous when I murdered things alone.
I flew quickly through the woods, searching out the scent of my prey. I caught a whiff of something that smelled alot like the wolves, but I ignored it. One of them must have been through here last night.
I focused in on a small group of deer that was already close to me. I chose the largest male and lurched myself at him. I began to drain him slowly, loving and regretting every drop.
About halfway through my meal, I caught another whiff of werewolf. There was something unfamiliar about it..... and it was close. Very close. Something rustled in the trees about twenty five feet away from me, and I readied myself for what was coming.
I dropped to a crouch and let a wild snarl rip from my throat.
Dad, I thought, If you can hear me, I need you now. I just hope I'm not too far away......
The thing behind the trees revealed himself. I gasped in spite of myself as I looked him over - he looked like he could be Jacob's brother. He had the same russet colored skin, the same black hair and eyes. He was also very tall and muscular. But this was not anything like Jacob, I reminded myself. This person/ wolf was a threat.
He did not look threatening, though. He looked like he was a blind man seeing for the first time. He reached his arm up and moved his hand like he was tracing the planes of my face, even though he was still standing more than twenty feet away from me. I gasped again when I recognized his expression - he was looking at me the same way that Jacob looked at me.
The wind shifted suddenly, blowing from behind me. I could smell my father getting close, and I mentally thanked him. The man staring at me smelled him too, and he quickly turned and ran away.
My dad stopped in front of me long enough to yell "Go home, Renesmee!" and then sped off after the newcomer. My mother was not far behind him.
I ran home as fast as I could, shocked at what had just happened. Jacob was pacing back and forth across the living room when I flew through the door.
"Nessie!!" He ran over to hug me. "What happened? What's going on?" he demanded.
I opened my mouth to explain, but the words were stuck in my throat. I placed my hand to his face and replayed the whole scene for him. His eyes were wide when it was over. I took my hand away.
"Another wolf? Where did he come from?" Jake asked.
"I think you're missing an important piece," I told him as I placed my hand to his face once more. I showed him the way the man had looked at me, the way he'd reached out to me. Jacob was completely speechless. He pulled me into his lap and rocked us gently, his eyes still wide with panic.
"What does it mean?" I whispered.
"He imprinted on you....." he explained.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I know that look.... you know it, too. You thought it yourself."
"Is that even possible, though?"
"I don't know.... I didn't even think there were anymore of us out there......"
I hadn't thought so either. Jake continued to rock us until my parents finally came back. Then, he set me down gently and stood up.
"Why didn't you hear him??!!" he half - screamed at my dad.
"He was too far away," Dad replied calmly. "I could only hear Renesmee because I know her voice so well."
"Did you find him?" I asked in a small voice.
"No," Mom answered this time. "He was too fast. He is extremely fast."
"What does it all mean?"
"Nessie, did you see the way he was looking at you?" Dad asked.
I nodded. I was so beyond confused - how could they both have imprinted on me? If I understood imprinting as well as I thought I did, this whole situation was impossible. I could not have two soulmates.
"I would have thought the same thing......" Dad said. He looked very deep in thought.
"What is it?" My mom asked. She was the only one left that didn't know what was going on yet.
"He imprinted on her. On my Nessie!" Jacob said angrily.
She looked to my father for a second opinion.
"It's true, Bella. His mind was completely filled with her - that's why I couldn't find him after so long. He wasn't thinking of where he was going, he wasn't seeing anything around him. We have a very large problem on our hands."
"I have to get out of here." I stood, pulling Jacob behind me. Both of my parents nodded.
"We'll be at Charlie's most of the day. Don't come home alone," Mom said as we headed out the door.
Jake and I walked straight to the car, now that running was no longer safe.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked as he pulled away.
"Let's go to your house. Billy should be at Charlie's all day, too." I needed to be alone with Jacob. I needed to show him that he was my only soulmate, in my mind.
The little house was empty as expected when we arrived.
"I think everyone should know," Jake said as we walked through the living room. He was right, but I had other plans first.
"Wait til later, Jake. It's Thanksgiving, they're all probably off eating with their families."
He nodded in agreement.
"Let's not think about this today. Let's only think about us," I whispered in his ear once we'd reached his bed room. I pulled my clothes slowly off as he did the same.
"Jacob?" Billy yelled from the doorway.
"Crap," Jake muttered as he stood to dress himself. "I better go tell him what's up."
I stayed where I was. I did not want to discuss the events of this morning. I did not want some random stranger feeling a compulsion to be with me. I was thinking maybe I would stay here tonight.
"Ness?" Jacob asked when he came back to the room. "Do you care if I go talk to the pack now? They should all be done eating."
"That's fine. Can I stay here?"
He smiled. "Yeah, you can stay here as long as you want. Do you need me to call your parents?"
I nodded. I wouldn't want them to worry any more than they already were. I fell asleep when Jacob left, then woke up when he came back.
"What did they say?" I yawned.
"They're confused, same as us, but they've got my back. Everyone's going to start taking shifts around your house to see if they find him."
"Don't make them do that, Jacob. I'm sure I'll be fine - why would he hurt me?"
"I'm not taking any chances. You are precious to me Ness. I can't let anything happen to you."
I pulled him down beside me and stroked his back lightly before pulling his shirt off of him.
"Don't worry about anything," I whispered. "For tonight, the world is only made up of me and you." My obsession for Jacob was unfaltering.
We spent the next five hours in a place that was only made up of me and him.
Afterwards, Jacob was laying silently beside me with his arms behind his head. I looked up at his face and noticed a small tear rolling down his cheek.
I had never seen Jake cry before, and I'd seen him every single day of my life. I quickly caught the tiny drop of moisture on my fingertip.
"What is it Jacob?"
"I...... I can not lose you, Renesmee."
"You won't. He won't hurt me."
"That's not the only thing he could do."
"What do you mean?" I propped myself up on my elbow.
"He's your soulmate. Too. He could have you for himself."
"I already chose my soulmate, and it's you. There's nothing anyone could say or do to take me away from you."
"I hope so."
"Jacob, look at me!" I ripped the sheet away that was covering my bare body. "Why can't you trust me? I've given every single piece of myself to you! How can I ever convince you that all I want - all I need - is you??"
"Shh, Ness." He petted my hair to calm me down. "I didn't mean it that way."
I didn't know what way he'd meant it, but I did not want to argue. All I wanted was Jacob's love, and for this morning to have never happened. I would have to settle for half of that.
I woke up alone. Where was Jacob? He wouldn't just leave me here like that, would he?
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Jake said as he poked his head into the room, making my previous thoughts seem stupid. "Do you want some eggs?"
"No, I'm not hungry. I could use some clothes, though," I said as I noticed my nudity.
Jacob rummaged through his little dresser and pulled out some gray sweats.
"They'll be too big, but it's the best I can do for now," he said as he handed them to me. "Billy's not here. You can come out whenever you want."
I threw on the giant clothing and made my way to the kitchen. Jacob was eating some turkey, probably leftovers from the meal he'd missed. He looked up at me when I walked in and a huge smile spread across his face.
"What?"
"You look so cute," he laughed.
"Huh?" I looked down at my over sized outfit. He must be going crazy.
"You should wear my clothes more often."
I sat down beside him and played with my necklace. "Half the time I'm with you, I don't wear any clothes at all," I laughed.
He nuzzled his face into my neck. "True," he said. "I like it that way." His hands pushed underneath the shirt and felt the length of my mid section. "Maybe you should just do away with clothes when we're alone."
"Maybe," I laughed. "Only if you do, too."
As I sat there cuddling with Jacob, I almost forgot all of my recently acquired problems. Almost.
"So, has anyone figured out anything yet?" I asked quietly.
"No. I will though, Ness. I promise."
"What did my parents say last night?"
He sighed heavily. "They're afraid this is going to turn into a fight. That - He - feels like he needs you now, and nobody knows how far he'll go to get you. We're all going to be a little overprotective until this is dealt with."
"He wouldn't hurt me though, right? I mean, he pretty much can't. Right?"
"I don't know. This is a new situation to all of us. I've never heard what would happen if we couldn't have the objects of our affection, because I'm not sure it's ever happened before."
"Well what would you do in his shoes? What if the situation were reversed?"
"If it was for you Nessie, I'd probably rip his throat out."
I jumped up from my seat. "You don't think he'd try to hurt you?!?" I screamed.
"Yeah, he probably will. I'm the only obstacle he would see, or the biggest one at least."
"No, Jake!! No!!!"
He pulled me gently back into my chair and rubbed my back. "Don't worry about me, Ness. Don't worry about anything. I'm going to make sure that we're both okay."
"No. We're going to make sure that we are both okay."
"No," he said easily. "Let me take care of this."
"If there is a fight, I'm going to be there."
"You can't do that. I have to protect you."
"We'll just see about that!" I glared, using my 'putting my foot down' voice.
"Don't be stubborn about this, Renesmee!" he glared back, using the same tone.
I turned away from him and crossed my arms childishly.
"I don't want to argue with you," he said in a small voice.
I sighed. "You're right. Let's not worry about any of this until we actually have to."
"Okay."
I cuddled back up to him as he finished his meal. I suddenly remembered something else important; it was like being with Jacob had wiped my mind clean. I still had not heard what my parents had found out about my..... capabilities.
"I need to get home soon," I told Jacob.
"Are you sure? Billy won't be back for awhile."
"No, I need to talk with my parents."
"Do you want me to just drop you off?" he asked sadly.
"You should be there too. This concerns you as much as it does me."