10.
A searing heat warming her entire body drew Bella slowly to consciousness. She opened her eyes to find Jared's intense gaze focused on blushed, noticing that he was covering her body with his. The heat was everywhere and she wasn't just burning from his temperature. Their closeness was causing her body to react and desire for him was burning inside her. The crush of his weight over her body was driving her nearly crazy with desire. "Good afternoon sleeping beauty." Whispered Jared.
She shivered at his deep voice, and blinked trying to push away the desire for him. "Hi." She was so overcome by his presence that word was all she could muster. 'Very smooth, Bella' she chided herself mentally.
His eyes darkened, clearly sensing how much she desired him, and he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. Almost involuntarily, Bella's arms snaked up his perfect chest to clasps around his neck, and pull him closer. At her touch he intensified the kiss, and let his weight settle on her fully. She gasped into his mouth when she felt him completely molded to her. Wefit together perfectly, her mind whispered. She didn't know how long they kissed, she lost all bearings of time and place, what mattered was her and the man that was consuming her senses.
Jared eventually broke the kiss, and his mouth nibbled down her chin and neck until he reached the mark on her shoulder. He placed a gentle kiss on the clothing and bandaged covered mark. "Sam was very pissed with me." he said suddenly. "Apparently he thinks I'm manhandling you." He was looking at her intently waiting for a reaction.
They were still pressed into each other, and Bella's mind was trying very hard to focus on what he was saying, but heat and desire were clouding her mind. "I told him it's none of his business," she managed finally looking into his heated eyes.
Jared pressed another kiss to her shoulder and then reluctantly moved off of her to stand up. He held out his hand, and helped her stand as well. "It seems I scared Emily." he chuckled. "She scolded me too; she accused me of hurting you, and that because of the imprinting you can't protect yourself against me."
Bella walked into his arms, and placed a kiss on his naked chest, tasting the saltiness of his body. Maybe their relationship was not conventional, but she really didn't care what other people thought. "I told them I don't mind, either you or the wolf. It's our business what we do alone with each other."
"Isabella, you really don't have any sense of self-preservation. I did bite you." He said gruffly, tightening his arms around her. His eyes were dark and intense, but for once there was some questioning softness in them. Was it possible that he too was unsure about their relationship? She hadn't thought until now that he might be just as uncertain about all of this as she was.
"And then you tended to the bite. I suppose that sometimes it can happen, you are a werewolf, super-strength and all. " Bella said, wanting to comfort him and also assuming that as there were dangers in her relationship with Edward, the same would be true in her relationship with yet another supernatural creature. "The wolf side is wild and untamed; I'm sure that it's normal that you have a few problems with it. I honestly don't mind as long as I know that it's foreplay, and that you aren't trying to hurt me." she said, blushing deeply. The word foreplay just slipped out, and she desperately hoped it might go unnoticed. Wishful thinking.
"Foreplay?" he chocked as his eyes darkened further. "You are full of surprises my innocent little Isabella. I think that I'm going to enjoy you so very much. However, let me assure you that I never would no, that I never could hurt you. If I hurt you it would hurt me far worse. Unfortunately something could happen accidentally, but I promise you I'll do everything in my power to keep from ever causing you pain. " He once again tightened his hold on her burying his face in her neck. She kept silent, stroking his back. She knew that he was thinking about Emily's scars.
Bella knew that Sam's accident was still troubling not just him, but the whole pack as well. She recalled that Jake once told her they had seen part of the accident through Sam's mind over and over again. She knew though, that what happened to Emily might prevent other accidents because at Sam's insistence the wolves were even more careful with their imprints.
She and Jared were basking in each other's presence, when a knock at the door alerted them of the passing time. They booth looked towards the door when Sam appeared, he was serious and tense. "The pack minus Colin, Brady and Seth is here. I think it's time Jared."
Jared captured Bella's mouth in another kiss, and then said, "Stay inside." She nodded, and then slowly she followed him into the living room. Already missing the comfort of his arms.
Bella knew that up to a point she would follow Jared's order, but if she thought for a moment that the situation would be better with her presence then she would be out the door in a second.
The wolf might try to control her, but she wasn't a weak woman. Not after everything she went through, she would just have to deal with the aftermath later. She didn't want Jake hurting Jared, and while she knew Jared wouldn't hurt Jacob physically,she also was aware that no matter what her best friend would be hurt by this, and she wanted to do everything in her power to ease Jake's pain.
Bella was probably most worried that the imprint would drive a wedge between her and Jake that couldn't be repaired. She knew of his love for her, and she knew he hoped that one day she would choose him. What would happen to their relationship? She feared that they couldn't hang around each other anymore, Jake was important to her and she couldn't fathom a life without him. Though she knew that if he gave her up she wouldn't go after him, he deserved to move on and find a woman that could love him the way he deserved.
Emily gestured for her to come closer. Bella walked to Emily, and she put an arm around her as they watched a tense Sam and Jared leave the house.
Both girls moved closer to the window to watch the scene outside unfold. Without super hearing they couldn't really understand the words being said.
When Bella saw Jake's horrified expression as he glanced in her direction before his gaze was fixed dangerously back on Jared, she understood that their secret was out and was very nervous as she waited for his reaction.
Jake's shaking became visible moments later and he violently exploded into his wolf form, and seconds later Jared did as well. Bella's chest constricted in panic as the two wolves attacked each other ferociously. No, actually Jake attacked and Jared just defended himself from Jake's blows. Jared wasn't fighting back. In that moment, almost involuntarily, a little more of Bella's heart became Jared's alone. However, while she knew his concern for Jake was the reason he wasn't fighting back, his lack of actions nearly made her blind with panic as she realized that he could be seriously injured.
He needed to fight back! Did he have a death wish? She didn't think that she could handle watching much more of this.
The other wolves were looking on at the confrontation with grim faces, everyone understanding thatthe two wolf-brothers had to sort this out between themselves.
The fight went on for just a little longer, but to Bella it seemed like an eternity. Every blow that Jake landed against Jared tore violently at Bella's heart, and she didn't even notice that she had begun to cry softly.
Emily's comforting arm around her had tightened to the point where it felt restraining, Jake was so fast and strong, but fortunately Jared was more refined in his movements, and was managing to avoid the worst of Jake's attacks.
It was obvious that Jared was more experienced, after all he had been a wolf far longer, but what Jake didn't have in experience he made up for in energy. Bella had been told that eventually Jake would be Alpha of the pack, and it was clear by his strength and his instincts that he was a born looked magnificent to her eyes, though Jared's leaner and fast wolf form fascinated her even more.
With tears streaming down her face, Bella was sure that she couldn't stand to watch one more moment of their fight when Jake attacked once again and this time Jared wasn't quick enough. Jake managed to get a hold of Jared's neck, and bit hard. Jared immediately fell down and lay motionless on the ground. Jake stopped, and took a few steps back, but he was still snarling at Jared's inert form.
Jared phased back into a man, and lay on the grass deathly still. She could see a deep gash on his neck that was starting to bleed. Bella's heart exploded with fear; she pulled free of Emily's hold and without thought ran outside, not seeing anyone, but her Jared. "Jared? Can you hear me? Are you hurt?"
Thankfully because of his werewolf genes the wound on his neck was already beginning to heal, though the blood made Bella's heart constricted with worry. One thing she didn't realize was, that for the first time, the smell and sight of blood didn't bother her, Jared's welfare was her only concern.
Jared slowly opened his eyes as the wound on his neck continued to heal, and locked them with hers. "Isabella, go back inside. I'm fine." He moved his hand to her waist gently pushing her away from him and back towards the house.
She ignored his urging and continued kneeling at his side. Slowly she leaned down and curled into his side, tears of relief streaming down her cheeks and onto his heated chest. "I'm not going anywhere. You can punish me later for not staying in the house like you said. " As she spoke these words Jared stopped pushing her away, the hand on her waist pulled her towards him and began rubbing comforting circles on her back. She was amazed that in this moment of discomfort and pain, his first thought was to reassure her.
He grunted. "You are really the most stubborn woman I know."
She laughed, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "And you are a controlling freak, but you don't see me complaining."
He looked at her and smiled, "I'm really fine, it was just a scratch. Now, could you go back inside and grab me some clothes?"
"Clothes?" she finally remembered he was naked, and she also saw the irony of the situation. So, it appears he didn't want to be naked in front of her, but was more than happy to make her uncomfortable about modesty. "Yes, right. Well, I'm not sure I should do that."
He growled and she smiled. "Payback is a bitch, now we are even." Though she hadn't yet been able to glance down below his waist, she could talk a tough game, but acting on that talk was an entirely different matter.
The blush she had been trying to keep under control finally appeared, and she winked at him."Next time I ask you to get out of my room when I change, you should just do it." She stood up and went back inside where Emily gave her a worn pair of cut-off jeans.
Bella walked back smiling, and gave them to him still only focusing on his face. Her face was bright red, but she didn't want him to think that he could have the upper hand about anything. "Here they are."
He didn't take his eyes away from her while he put on the jeans. The moment he was decent, he opened his arms and she went willingly into them, first dropping a kiss on his chest and then cuddling into his warmth
Until then, Bella had been so worried about Jared's safety she had almost forgotten what else was going on, however, now she knew it was time for her talk to Jake. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Jared's chest for a moment more.
Then the silence around her finally made Bella look around, and saw an array of expressions on the pack's faces. Quil and Embry seemed surprised and upset; obviously, they were Jake's best friends and would be worried for the pain this clearly caused him. Paul was smirking, and when their eyes met he winked at her, the nerve of that wolf! When she met Leah's eyes, she saw disbelief and pain. Was she sorry for her, Jared or Jake? Finally, she caught Jake's eyes; he was still in wolf form.
"Jake, I..." she tried to disentangle from Jared to move towards Jake, but he was having none of that. She struggled against him for just a few moments, but stopped when she drew the conclusion that further struggle was useless and remained in his arms. There was no use upsetting Jared more by trying to get closer to Jake. "Can you phase back? We need to talk."