I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!
Enjoy my Lovelies!
The house came into view. The only thought was of a woman. He almost stalled at the door, but to his amazement he just went right through it. A growl tore from his chest as he saw the beautiful woman being held at the top of the stairs.
Then he watched horrified as she was shoved. The wolf and man split, the animal staying at the bottom of the stairs while the man held her head, trying to keep her from harm. Once she reached the ground floor, anger filled his entire being snapping him back into the wolf.
Growling, the wolf covered his mate, and whimpered at the injuries she had suffered. But her heart beat strongly.
"What the hell?"
His eyes snapped up to the man at the top of the stairs. Muscular, black hair to about his ears, but then earrings covered his ears. The wolf snarled, stepping over his mate. The fear radiated off the man, feeding the rage of the wolf.
"Oh God."
The wolf bounded up the stairs, and growled while tackling the male. THREAT! HARMED OUR MATE! Having seen the damage to their mate, saliva dripped from the wolf's teeth, relishing in the fear that this pathetic man was feeling.
An eye for an eye.
The wolf snarled again, and swiped its claws.
Jake bolted upright in his bed, and looked around. His heart was pounding as he got a hold of his surroundings. He put a hand to his head and fell back.
"It was just a dream. Even if it felt real, it was just a dream." Jake kept repeating himself, calming his racing heart. It had been one hell of a day, with the Cullens leaving, Bella being missing and the bonfires.
"Alright Jake. No moonshine at the bonfires anymore." He told himself, as he turned towards the wall, willing himself back to sleep.
"Now. Midterms were not what I was expecting. Several of you need to complete extra credit in order to pass this class or I will not recommend you for any sports team, or any event that the school hosts." Mrs. Talla droned on from the front of the classroom.
Jake zoned out, trying to remember why he even came to school anymore.
Oh right. Appearances and Sam's orders
Jake almost rolled his eyes while thinking of his alpha. He felt a kick on his leg, and glanced over at Embry. Everyone else was taking notes while Jake stared off into space. Not a way to get on Mrs. Talla's nice list. He immediately hunched over the tiny desk, and started writing.
Or at least trying to.
His mind wandered again. This time to Grace, making Jake smile at the memory. Last night's dinner lesson had involved pan frying chicken, and he had flicked some flour at her making her gasp. Grace then smiled and threw some back on him. This started a flour war, both of them laughing and throwing the powder at each other. Billy just shook his head, and told the two flour coated teenagers to clean the kitchen. It had taken a lot longer to clean up the kitchen after dinner, but hearing Grace laughing had been worth it.
"Mr. Black."
Jake looked up, and smiled at the teacher who frowned in return. "If you can't focus Mr. Black, perhaps detention would be better suited to your attitude."
He heard Embry groan, and Jake nodded looking back at the paper trying to write but was saved by the bell. He and Embry leapt up and ran out of the room. They walked straight out of the building and into the woods.
"Jake, Sam is going to kill you for skipping detention. Again." Embry stated, elbowing Jake as they walked.
Jake shrugged. "I don't want to sit in school anymore. It doesn't feel right."
"That's because your imprint is working her day away while you, like a child, go to school."
Jake growled. "I am not a child."
Embry smiled, "Legally speaking we are. We're 16 man. There is no way we can just drop out of school. The state will have your dad's phone ringing all day."
Jake stopped.
The phone. It had been ringing off the hook since Bella got back a week ago.
"Jake?"
He hadn't thought of her once today. Or really much any day. Was the imprint doing that? Jake felt a shove on his arm and looked at Embry.
"Bella."
Embry frowned. I thought we were getting past this. "What?"
Jake took a breath, "Bella. I haven't talked to her or really thought about her for the last week, or few days."
Embry rolled his eyes. "Jake, listen she made her choice. She could have stayed here." He moved to stand in front of his best friend. "She decided to save that leech, and she is still with them. She hasn't come onto the reservation once in the last week she has been home. The only thing she does is call you once or twice in the evenings, but Grace is always there with you and Billy."
"I know I just."
"Jake you don't know!" Embry shouted, startling the animals of the forest and his friend. Jake looked at him, seeing the tears in his best friend's eyes.
"You are worried that you have forgotten about Bella because of the imprint but all that I see, what they pack sees is the benefits of this imprint." Embry took a breath. "Grace has helped to take care of your home. Not just clean it up, but to fix it. She called Quil and me over to fix the squeaky front door last night while you were asleep."
Jake's eyes widened. "Grace did that?"
Embry nodded. "Yes. She and Billy have talked about bringing him to the bakery every day from lunchtime till the time you get off of patrol at 6pm. Then he would just goes to Joy's to have a meeting with Old Quil or to the council."
Jake stood there, his mind going over all the details of the day, only a week or so since Grace stepped into his life. All the changes that were made in that time, none of which were ever thought of by Bella.
"Then she packs up the bakery, drops off baked goods and checks. Then will go over to your house where you two hang out." Embry looked down at his shoes. "Grace is good for you Jake. You're happier now then you ever were with Bella." Embry looked up at his friend. "Bella only cared about you Jake. Grace cares about the whole tribe, your dad, her employees, her family and you. Bella used you to pull her from her depression, and clung to you as a result. She never felt she could stand on her own. Grace can and does Jake, so why fight fate?"
Jake stared at Embry, his mind processing everything. True, Grace came over almost every night, but she did argue to spend nights in her own home, making Jake learn more skills to cook. She talked to him about her dreams, her life, and he told her all of his. She took care of her employees, her customers, and unknowningly the pack. Grace was warm, strong and caring always pushing him enough to expand his knowledge, or to just enjoying time.
Jake felt the warmth seep through him, his heart suddenly pounding causing him to fall to his knees, not hearing Embry cry out to him.
In his vision flashes appeared to him.
Small children with black hair running towards him, Grace behind them.
His wolf guarding Grace at the bottom of some stairs.
Billy and Grace sipping coffee, while Jake placed logs onto a fire.
Both of them standing in front of Old Quil, dressed in ceremonial robes as they were married.
A pregnant Grace baking cupcakes with him and a little girl at the table played with a toy wrench.
Him and two boys in a canoe.
Grace talking to him as he worked on a car.
His wolf curled around Grace, his own eyes almost boring into his soul.
Jake's mind swam with the truth. Nothing would have come from a relationship with Bella. A part of him would have wanted more, and the past couldn't be changed, but his future was in his reach.
"Jake? Are you okay? Do I need to call Sue?" Embry's panicked voice came through the buzzing in his ears. Jake gasped, looking up at the sky, almost as if for the first time.
"Grace."
Embry's panic stricken face came into his line of sight. "What?"
"I need Grace."
Grace smiled, looking at the toddler staring wide-eyed at Billy as he put the final touches on the whale he'd been carving. This was becoming a common occurrence of Billy's to carve smaller animals out of the wood scraps for the little children.
"Warms your heart doesn't it?"
She looked over her shoulder to Leah, who was holding a clipboard in her hand, while watching the same scene. Grace nodded, "It does. You would have to have a heart of stone to not love children."
Grace heard a small sniffle, and turned to Leah, watching her turn away and go into the office. Her own heart ached, knowing the story that she had heard from the gossiping ladies when she first opened. No one deserved to be treated like that, but Leah was so angry, and Emily was upset they almost couldn't work the same shifts. This was impossible since Emily spent half of her days at the bakery.
Now she was at an impasse. Leah and Emily had to work together.
"Spirits help me." Grace whispered, moving to the coffee machine. The bell over the door jingled, and she heard Billy.
"Jake! What's wrong?"
Whirling around, Grace looked at Jake where he stood near the counter, he was soaking wet, muddy feet and panting. Embry was standing behind him, whispering to Billy, whose eyebrows shot up, and then smiled.
"Grace."
She had never heard her name said like that before, like a prayer and song all rolled into one. But she felt her cheeks grow hot under Jake's gaze.
"Jake? Are you okay?"
He nodded, and started to walk around the counter. Grace felt frozen at his dark gaze, swirling emotions in his eyes, but only comfort and warmth surrounded her. She felt like a warm blanket was being put over her, and it grew when Jake came closer.
"Jake?" she whispered. He froze, now standing in front of her he felt lost in her gaze. Everything stop spinning in his mind as he focused on the one person who showed so much more compassion than anyone he met.
He raised a hand and brushed his fingers down her cheek. "Grace"
The heat radiating off of him was insanely hot, but Grace wasn't alarmed, but comforted. She dropped the coffee filters and stepped into his chest. As his arms came around her, Grace thought about how wonderful it felt to be in his arms.
Billy smiled, pulling the rolling pin over, and started carving the final of the wolves running across the front. He hoped that through it all, Jake would realize how great an imprint was.
Back at the Black house, the phone kept ringing.