Author: Hannah

Before you read this I just want to say to Amy and to whoever is reading that I'm really sorry this isn't up sooner. I've hardly had time to write (which I know isn't really a valid excuse), until I found one free day where I could sit down and get lost in this story, which Amy had left so amazingly in the last chapter. So I hope you enjoy it and apologies again!

Chapter Seven - Jacob's POV

Damien could say whatever he wanted about me, the point was – he was threatened; threatened by the fact that Annie and I had a connection now. You could tell by his body language that this revelation unnerved him. For once in his life, he wouldn't stand such a chance of beating out his competition.

It had considered to me though, that I was wasting way to much time on Damien. It was Annie that needed concentrating on, and it was Annie that would need my help. But it was no good, trying to take that egotistical sadist out of the picture. Annie was the solution to everything, the reason I was here – but Damien was the problem; to all of Annie's suffering, pain and immense misery.

It was my approach to that sadist that I needed to work on. He would use every trick in the book to outwit me and get me to back off, and usually these tricks would work. He can't stop imprinting though, so after he's exhausted his usual game plan, he'll be moving on to bigger things … try to cause an impact …

Anyway, Damien's not the sharpest knife in the drawer so dealing with him shouldn't be too hard, unless he keeps picking at my fragile temper. Too many times I've let him get away with angering me, and for Annie's sake it needs to stop.

Holding those thoughts, I jumped out of the Rabbit and climbed the stairs up to the school entrance. The paint was peeling off the worn sign, flaking down on to the damp ground, uncurling as it settled. That was me throughout the day, peeling away the anger, uncurling and falling into a routine, finally settling away from my thoughts by last lesson – gym class: the perfect way to let off steam and relax.

The smell of teenage boy hit me in the face as I brushed open the changing room door, tossing my bag down in its usual corner. I was getting changed quickly, pulling the worn material of my t-shirt over my head, when I heard a small whimper. Cautiously I headed towards it, swinging open the toilet cubicle door where a small boy was sitting on the floor, crying into the sodden sleeves of his jumper.

When he saw me he jumped a foot in the air, startled and embarrassed. It was obvious he was new here, and in his first year. Hiding his pale face he tried to run past me, whacking me in the stomach to push me out of the way. Obviously it wouldn't do anything even if I wasn't a werewolf, as he was at least three heads shorter than me.

"Wait up!" I called after him as he tore round the corner as fast as his little legs could carry him. Before he reached the changing room door I hooked my little finger around the back of his jumper and dragged him backwards. Determined not to look at me, he held his hands in front of his face. "What happened to you?" I asked calmly, trying not to upset him further. When he wouldn't respond I gently tugged his hand away from his face, revealing his horribly split lip, and all of the blood that was running down his face. It was even matted in his dark hair,

"Woah," I remarked, breathing out heavily. "How did this happen to you?"

But the boy wouldn't say anything, instead shaking his head and trying to get away again. "Please, wait," I asked hurriedly, standing between him and the door. He was so affected by what had happened to him I could barely look in his tortured eyes, as I placed a firm hand on his shoulder and begged "please tell me who did this to you. It's important somebody knows."

Letting out a noise that resembled a squeak, he shook his head in a panic and made towards the door. But this time I let him go. And I knew, with a surge of anger, that even though he hadn't told me, Damien and his 'cronies' had done this to him. For whatever reason I didn't know, but I vowed find out. Damien was becoming a danger to the people of La Push, who I was there to protect. And after everything that had already gone on with him, I was finding it increasingly hard to restrain myself from doing something to sort it out.

Now in a sour mood, I ran back to grab my bag and stormed out the changing room, just as the rest of the guys were piling in. "Watch out Jake!" They muttered angrily as I smashed my way through the crowd. I needed to phase, to get rid of this anger that one idiotic … idiot was causing me. There was only one person that could calm me down now, and she was stuck in a sixth period Biology lesson.

* * *

Annie was attending La Push high school now. I was ecstatic when I found out the news, but at the same time sort of pissed because it meant that I had to see Damien smother her. At least she didn't enjoy his company...?

Anyway, apparently her dad's working hours had changed and he was out most of the day. Because of this, Annie had somehow gotten her maid to secretly help her get a place in our school so she's been attending for the past week now. In all honesty, I'm pretty worried about if her dad finds out. He sure is going to be angry but he's her dad so she can probably handle him.

I could see her through the window as I crouched underneath it, just watching the way Annie's glossy hair streamed down the back of her pretty t-shirt. I needed a way to get her attention, and although I knew this wasn't the most sensible idea I'd ever had – what can I say? It was my heart making the decisions, not my head.

Maybe I could connect with her in some way, I don't know, mind to mind or something? Feeling totally stupid, I shut my eyes and called Annie's name in my head, whispering it out loud at the same time. I cracked an eyelid open, but nope, she was still staring at the teacher, taking notes from the whiteboard. I tried again, calling her name, asking her to look out the left windows, but there was no reaction. You're such an idiot, I thought to myself, Annie isn't freaking telepathic!

Time for Plan B, and this time I was going to do something a little more likely to work. I strolled back inside, walking past the door until she finally looked up and got curious as to who was there. Careful that no-one else was looking; I grinned at her and signalled for her to leave. She stared at me like I was crazy, shaking her head as much as she could in a full classroom. I sighed dramatically, dropping my lower lip into a pout and pressing my hands together palm to palm. 'Please' I mouthed.

Laughing incredulously, she put her hand up, motioning to the teacher that she felt sick. I snorted to myself, thinking how badly she was acting this out – how does anyone feel sick with a smirk plastered all over their face!? I watched her gather her things and head to the teacher's desk, where Mr Varner wrote her a note that I knew was to get out of lesson to see the nurse.

Hiding by the lockers I waited until she walked out, obviously not sick in the slightest. "I can't believe I just did that," she laughed shyly. "This better be good, Jacob Black."

Now, I do realise that my completely impulsive act could get both of us in a lot of trouble, but this girl meant the world to me, and I was following what Sam had said, to speed up the falling in love part up. All I wanted was this amazing girl in my arms, without having to worry about her ass of a boyfriend or her strict father or the rest of the wolf pack.

"So," she drew out the word, cutting into my reverie. "What's so urgent I had to skive off my very important Biology lesson for?"

"Us," I stated it simply. "We need to talk about us."

"Us …" she let it linger on her tongue for a moment, as if deciphering what it meant. "Maybe this wasn't such a –"

"No, hang on," I cut across her, determined not to ruin this opportunity. "I really need to talk to you, if you'd just come for a walk with me?" I left it like that, leaving it up to her. If she said yes, excellent. If she said no, well …

"Okay," she nodded curiously. "But you're going to have to explain what's going on here."

"I will," I promised, starting to walk towards the exit of the school, "as soon as we get there."

"There?" She questioned after me. "Where exactly is there?"

* * *

I took Annie to the only place I knew how to think properly – La Push beach. The sound of the rolling waves crashing against the rocks always seemed to soothe my mood, and the way the wind whipped around you felt like it was taking all of your worries away with it. Annie didn't act confused or upset, she just went along with it, walking down the beach front with me in silence and waiting for the moment when I would finally tell all.

"If I asked you a question would you tell me your truthful answer?"

She looked up from the sand rolling around her pristine shoes and nodded slowly. "Yes, depending on the question."

"Okay then," I breathed in, preparing myself for the worst. "What do you think … of me?"

"Of you," she exclaimed, surprised. "Oh, err … I guess I just feel quite … weird around you."

Weird. Hmm, weird was okay. Weird wasn't necessarily bad. Was it?

"Explain," I laughed nervously, hoping she would tell me that –

"Oh, I'm sorry! I don't mean it in a bad way!"

Well, thank god for that.

"I just don't quite know what to make of you, that's all. You confuse me a little."

"A little?"

"Well, okay, a lot. You make me doubt myself." She stopped then, staring at me with those beautiful eyes while the wind pulled her hair here there and everywhere. "Or maybe I'm lying. You make me doubt him – Damien."

Bingo.

"You don't like him very much, do you? I guess I can understand that, he isn't for everyone." She shrugged, the atmosphere suddenly turning quite serious and emotional. "Sometimes I wonder if he's for me. And you turning up that night at the cinema and telling me he's dangerous … it kind of gave me a wake up call."

I let out a long breath, continuing to walk slowly so she could match my pace again. I looked straight ahead as I said "and? How do you feel about him now?"

"Sometimes he can be the loveliest guy in the world; tender, and sweet, and –"

I blanked out the rest of her words for a moment, remembering the awful things Damien had said about Annie being great in bed. Not a visual I wanted.

"– but sometimes he can be unpredictable and angry and really not a very nice person to be around. You make me feel that he's not the right person for me."

We reached the driftwood logs just as Annie finished her sentence, waiting for me to respond – to tell her why I was making her feel that way. I couldn't though, not yet. I patted the space next to me on the log, and Annie sat down, shivering slightly.

"You make me feel like there's something more out there. Someone else I should be with."

I turned to her, gazing into her eyes. "I think we know who that someone else is. I'll be truthful with you too, Annie. I don't like Damien. I know about some horrible things he's done, and I hate the fact that you're still with him."

"That's it," she whispered softly. "Things like that, they really make me doubt what choices I'm making."

I held my breath as she shuffled closer to me on the driftwood. "What has he done that's so awful," she wanted to know. "What was so bad that made you hate him so much?"

"I shouldn't be the one to have to tell you that," I leaned in closer to her. "It's not my place to say."

You could feel the tension in the air, what both of us wanted to happen. And as Annie pressed her forehead to mine, I cupped her cheek in my hand, elated that this was happening but somehow doubting myself. Could it be that it was happening the wrong way?

So there it is, I hoped you liked it because I had a blast writing this one. Please review and let us know what you think :D