Disclaimer:
All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind- scary place that it is sometimes. In no way shape or form have I made or intended to make a profit from this story…. All rights still belong to Stephanie… though it's a shame she never did anything more with the wolves… ah well.. There's always fan fiction

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Chapter 9

Bella sighed and killed the engine of her truck as she pulled into her driveway. Edward and Alice were oddly quiet and somber and hadn't tried to talk to her at all for the whole day. She was pleased to note though, that when they were in the cafeteria his lip curled in disgust at the site of her mark- the faint scar only visible when her hair was moved completely off her shoulder. She both loved and dreaded that it was the weekend. If Alice was to be believed, Bella's fate would be decided sometime in the days to pass.

She groaned again when she got a text message from Paul. Jacob had just left his house and he was on his way over. He had taken one look at Paul before storming from the house, his proverbial hackles on the rise. Sure enough, not even a half an hour later, Jacob was there knocking on her door.

Bella grinned. "Hey handsome. You doing ok?"

"Honestly?" Jacob asked with a sigh.

She led him to the couch by the hand and smiled. "Nothing but."

"This sucks Bella. I mean, it's my sister! I mean… I get that I'm the youngest. But it's my sister. And she's always been… I don't know… a bitch? I'm not even mad at that he imprinted on her! I just hate that the spirits think they're perfect for each other. Sure Paul has a temper. But at least he's faithful to those he loves! He doesn't just… abandon them!" He ended his rant with a shaky huff.

And there was the real reason Jacob hated the imprint. He didn't think Rachel was good enough for Paul. While she agreed on some level, she also knew that every relationship was different. "Hey. It's alright baby. Maybe he imprinted on her to show her that it's ok to have someone to lean on. From what I remember, Rachel was always really independent. Snobby too, but… that's neither here nor there. My point is, we don't know what will happen between them."

"But-"

"What I do know is that you should give her a chance first. Paul is pack, but Rachel is your sister. Have a little bit of faith that things will work out. She might surprise you." Bella said kissing his cheek.

"Well, now that she knows, I guess she's been a little… odd. She looks at Paul, but she won't let him come much closer. It's like she's fighting it. I don't want to see him hurt is all. Even by my own flesh and blood."

Bella gave him a sweet smile. "You'll make an amazing alpha, Jake. You already care about the well being of your pack." She cooed.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Like you don't do it too. How often have the guys had to buy lunch since we started going to Forks High?" He teased.

She rolled her eyes. "It's my penance, Jake." She huffed.

"Bella." Jacob sighed. It was an old argument. Ever since she had first learned what they were. Ever since she sat down with Kim and Emily and divided the task of taking care of a pack of teenage wolves between two instead of three. She said it was her way to apologize. They took it to heart and let her do it, but swore to her she didn't need to apologize for anything. The hold the leech had had on her was too strong for her to fight it.

"So you promise to behave tonight?" Bella asked, changing the subject.

Jacob grinned. "Is that another command, little mate of mine?" He teased.

"Nope. Just a simple request." She grinned and moved to straddle his waist. Her arms snaked around his neck and she pressed her forehead against his. "You need to relax." She whispered before her lips met his.

The wolf in him almost purred with content. He had noticed over the course of the week- that even while they had been together multiple times- Bella had changed. Not just in the typical way a woman changed after losing her virginity. She had changed with the marking. She was a little more graceful, a little more hungry, a little more sassy- all things that made his wolf stand up and take notice with a proud eye.

Jacob shuddered when Bella's nails lightly ran over the back of his neck. His eyes closed and his head titled to the side slightly when Bella nipped at his neck playfully. She was enticing his wolf to play; it honestly wasn't that hard. "Fire Bells. Fire." He muttered.

"You'll protect me." She grinned.

His hands moved to cup either side of her face. "Always."

"Love you." Bella whispered against his lips. Her hips danced minutely back and forth over his and Jacob couldn't help but groan.

"Love you too honey." He told her, his eyes more wolf than man when next he looked at her. Before anything else could happen, Jacob sat up, his back rigid, proverbial hackles raised. Bella watched him as he stared at the door, a protective hand laid over her as he moved her off of his lap and slightly behind his hulking frame.

Bella stared at him in confusion. "Jake?"

"One of them is in the driveway. The others are in the tree line." Jacob told her. He never kept secrets from her.

Bella worried her lip between her teeth. "Should I call the pack?"

"No need. Sam knew. He was outside already. Paul and Jared are with him now." He sighed. "They want to talk to you."

Bella groaned. "Of course they do." She muttered dryly.

He chuckled and pulled her bitten wrist to his lips for a gentle kiss. That too, he had noticed was healing. He had talked to his father and Old Quil. They had consulted the journals, but never once had they come across anything involving a human being bitten and surviving. Bella was the first of her kind in that aspect. Because of it, Old Quil started making notes in a new journal- everything he had learned of the girl- from the power of the vampire allure over her, to the abandonment, post abandonment, finding her way to the wolves and finally being chosen by the rightful alpha's wolf as well as the man himself. When he had seen her wrist after the marking, he had been astounded. There in front of him, was an almost faded scar that was no longer frigid to the touch, but more a tepid and raised patch of skin.

Bella smiled down at him and placed her wrist cuff back on. It was something the pack normally hated her wearing now that they knew what was hiding behind it. Leah threatened her daily that she was going to tear it in half. Sam told her not to be ashamed of her scar. She had survived that which was meant to kill her. She continued to survive. With a giant sigh, she stood up, pulling her wolf with her.

"You know you couldn't move me if I didn't want you too, right?" He teased.

She laughed. "Of course. But you indulge me anyways." She retorted before the doorbell rang.

Bella rolled her eyes at Jacob causing him to snicker. They had heard him tell her who was there and yet they used the doorbell anyways. She answered the door and was shocked to see a chastised looking Alice along with Carlisle and Esme standing out front. Jacob moved out to the front door first, followed by Bella who stood just slightly behind him but still at his side where she could see the three clearly.

Carlisle took note of the strange behavior until he saw the claim mark on her neck. "So I see now why these two were so upset when they came home from school." He mused lightly.

Jacob and Bella both arched a single eyebrow each and waited for him to get to the point. Esme sighed. "It's come to light that Alice was withholding information from Bella. I told her to come here and try to rectify some of the wrong done. At least before we leave."

Alice sighed, she looked pained and for a minute Bella couldn't understand why. Her eyes darted around the yard until she saw Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie talking to Jared, Paul and Sam. He was feeding Alice all his disappointment in her. "Victoria is coming tomorrow. Sometime in the afternoon. It's more than the four newborns I saw the first time. It now numbers close to fifteen or so."

Bella gasped and grabbed Jacob's hand. "How could you?! Did you want to cause me THAT much pain?! Do I mean that little to you?!" She hissed finally.

"No… I didn't want to at all! The first day of training, I saw it. Edward did too. He told me not to say a word. That he would handle it. Look, I saw his future disappear in the cafeteria. Its clear you've chosen that m- chosen the alpha, so I wanted you to know when Edward wasn't around to try to stop the truth from being told." Alice told her tiredly.

Bella shook her head. "I pity Jasper. You trail after Edward so much, I'm starting to wonder if Jasper is really your mate at all." She said while leaning in towards Jacob.

For his part- and his wolf- Jacob was quiet. The additional newborns would be tricky. They'd have to leave the pups with Bella and the other imprints. He'd also have to tell his dad to call Charlie tonight about a fishing trip. He kissed the top of Bella's head before leveling a stare to Carlisle.

"What's to be done with your…son?" He asked. "I let it go while we were training but do not take my leniency as some kind of honor or acceptance that he was interfering in her life." He growled out. It was loud enough that the wolves started walking closer in case they were needed. Jacob welcomed them. They were his pack after all.

Esme sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "Carlisle and I talked about it. We're moving after its all said and done. Rose, Emmett and Jasper… they're going to travel together. Alice and Edward are to be sent to our friends. We just feel it's the least we can do for how he's acted towards you- towards both of you." She told them.

Jacob nodded. "I stand by my word. Just ONE more indiscretion, and treaty be damned, his life is forfeit. I'll not have him harassing my mate!" He growled. His arms began to tremble where he stood causing panic to flash in the vampires faces. This was the wolf, not the man.

Bella turned to him. "Hey, shh… it's ok. I'm here. You're ok." She cooed.

Carlisle watched in fascination as Jacob's trembling form was soothed by Bella's gentle touch. His words were caught in his throat as he listened to the sweet whispered coming from her lips. Jacob was lucky indeed to hold her heart in his hands. He smiled sadly. She was never meant for them- she was too precious to ever be tainted by something so cursed.

"We'll take our leave now. We're going hunting in order to be prepared for tomorrow. Alice has told us that you have somewhere to be tonight too." Esme said with a sweet smile.

Bella nodded. "Just taking time to spend with friends." It was the best answer any of them would get. Bella hated them fishing for information. She caught on ages ago that they would take that information back to Edward. He would try to use it against her, or to benefit him in some way, so she stopped saying anything at all.

Esme frowned but nodded. In the blink of an eye the vampires were gone and the wolves sighed in relief. "So… that was interesting." Jared mused.

"Come on in guys. The deserts for the bonfire are almost done." Bella called from the open door.

Paul shook his head. "I think I'm just gonna head home till tonight." He said with a frown.

Jacob winced. He had done that to his friend. "Please… stay here."

Sam nudged Jared and together they walked inside to leave Paul and Jacob the illusion of privacy. They found Bella in the kitchen stirring a bowl of chocolate. Before they could even say a word, spoons were shoved into their hands and the bowl was presented for their approval. Sam moaned; he had died and gone to heaven with Jared right beside him from the sounds of it.

"Bella, you have to teach the girls how to do this!" Jared whined.

She laughed. "It's just simple frosting. Nothing to brag about really." She teased.

A few minutes later, Jacob and Paul walked in, each of them smiling and laughing. Paul hugged Bella to him and whispered 'thank you' in her ear. She only shrugged him off of her. She didn't like to see the pack torn, if it was something she could help with, she would.

Over the next hour, they laughed, joked, teased and relaxed in Bella's kitchen waiting for the cake to finish baking. When it was frosted along with the cookies bagged and brownies boxed, the wolves carried everything out to Bella's truck for her. She raced upstairs and changed- a simple pair of jeans with a long sleeved black shirt- and came back down the stairs just as quick. What stopped her, were the raised eyebrows in her direction.

"What? Does it not look ok?" She asked.

Jacob grinned. They were seeing what he had been seeing since the marking. With Bella more free, she was less of a klutz. "No, baby, you look gorgeous. You just didn't trip. It threw them for a loop, that's all." He teased.

She rolled her eyes. "If THAT'S all. Can we go now?" She huffed. "I promised Kim I'd braid her hair for her like I did last time. I guess I'm the only one who knows how to do it." She said dryly.

They laughed and shook their heads. Paul and Jared hopped into the bed of the truck with the tins and bags of deserts with a strict warning from Bella that it'd be the last ones they got if they snacked on the drive there. Sam and Jacob snickered and hopped into the cab with Bella. When they were half way there, Bella heard one of the tin lids pop up through the open window. She looked in the rearview mirror to see Paul with a cookie in his hands.

"Put it back Paul. You were told." She scolded.

Sam and Jacob snickered at the shocked look in his eyes. "I swear, she's got super hearing now." He teased.

"No, she just has an ear for trouble." Jared mused.

The rest of the ride was peaceful and when they stopped at Sam's house, Bella was swarmed by the rest of the pack. All of them intent on buttering her up for a chance to be the first to get a cookie from her. She rolled her eyes, pulled one of the chocolate chip cookies from a bag and shoved it into Jacob's mouth.

"Sorry, my man gets fed first by me." She teased before making her way over to the girls. "Hey Angie, is Nicole here yet? Or Rachel?" She asked giving her friend a hug.

The girls had been told on Wednesday about the pack. Angela had taken it with an optimistic smile and told Embry that- for the time being- she wanted a friend until she could whole heartedly commit herself to him. Embry had smiled and told her he understood. It didn't stop him from wanting to tear Ben's beating heart from his chest for hurting the girl though. When he told her that, she had laughed and hugged him.

Nicole had been a little different. She hadn't run away screaming, but she had kept her distance from everyone for two days after that. When she saw him Quil on the beach, she simply said 'ok' and then told him to tell her everything about being a wolf. By Thursday night, the two were sharing their first kiss after he walked her to the front door. Bella had laughed and laughed at that, simply because of the dreamy glint in Quil's eyes as he talked about it.

Rachel, she had been the least enthused. It was what had started all the drama. She had only come home to visit her dad because she had finished school. She told him she felt bad for not writing, hoping he would forgive her in some way shape or form when she really didn't mean it at all. Jacob could tell. He loved his family dearly, but he had always sworn his sisters were well and truly spoiled beyond belief. When she learned of the imprint, and all that it entailed, she merely groaned and walked away.

"Bella? You alright?"

Bella shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked to Leah who was now standing beside her. "Huh?" She asked.

"Eloquent." Leah teased. "You were staring into space. You ok?"

"Yeah, sorry, I was thinking about these last three imprints. I'm worried about Paul." She told her honestly.

Leah smiled. She remembered Rachel from before she left. "I think things will work out."

Angela hugged her. "You've got such a huge heart. How you did all that, survived everything. Bella, thank you."

"For what Angie?" She asked.

Angela smiled. "For being there when you were hurting so much more than we all knew. No one at school could wrap their heads around what was really going on. I guess they'd see things a little different if they really knew huh."

Bella giggled. Her retort was cut off when Nicole walked over to them with a tray of drinks. "Hey Bella. Emily said for you to taste test these. I would have come over earlier, but you were zoned out. I didn't want to interrupt the inner musings of the alpha female." She teased.

"Oh hush you. Emily is still alpha female for now. Besides, you'll learn in time, I don't mind you talking to me." Bella grinned. Out of the six on the tray, Bella had poured out all but two of them. One was a strawberry flavored punch, the other was Emily's home made cherry punch. Nicole smiled and headed back inside to tell Emily what Bella had chosen. She inhaled sharply when she almost bumped right into Rachel.

Bella's head whipped around with a raised eyebrow as Rachel stepped onto the deck. She smiled at Rachel and forcibly relaxed her body. "Hey, Rachel. I didn't think you'd be here this early." She said lightly.

Rachel shrugged. "Dad made me come over to help. He said it would give me a chance to get to know the other imprints. One of which, you aren't." She said.

Leah inhaled sharply. She was ready to tear into Rachel before Bella laid a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed more when she felt Bella's own body heat against her side. The girl knew, almost instinctually, how to act around the wolves, be in in their wolf form, or as humans. She huffed and simply walked away. Rachel was an imprint now- though she didn't like the girl- she had to protect her, her wolf demanded it of her. With the shake of her head, she walked over to where Emily and Kim were sitting with Angela and Nicole outside.

"What's wrong Leah? Are the guys picking on you again?" Kim asked when she saw her frown.

She smiled weakly. "No… Rachel was insulting Bella. I had to walk away, I hate hearing the girl insulted."

Emily and Kim smiled in understanding. Angela and Nicole- who had come to see Bella as an older sister to most of the boys- were quick to take offense. Before they could do anything, the older girls had them restrained. Angela glared and Nicole huffed indignantly. Before they could say anything, though, a loud gasp was heard from the front porch. Everyone turned to see what was going on. It was surprising to say the least, that Rachel was the one who looked like she had been physically attacked.

For the rest of the night, the pack and the other imprints watched the two. If they asked either of the girls what was said, they would clam up and refuse to talk about it and quickly change the subject. Any time Bella had her back turned, Rachel was there to glare daggers into her skin. A few times Paul was sure he could hear Rachel muttering things like 'bitch' and 'hokwat' when she thought no one was paying attention. For whatever reason, Bella decided to ignore it. Even Jacob ignored it, though it was hard, seeing as it was his mate being verbally attacked.

Bella merely shrugged it off. They had more important things to worry about. She had finally come back around to her wolf after talking with friends and laughing at stupid jokes. It was her eyes that gave away what she was trying to hide when she grabbed Jacob by the hand and walked down a stretch of deserted beach until they reached their driftwood log. Only in private, and in the safety of his arms did she let go and cry. It had been bugging her all night, as she walked among her friends- her pack. Some of them could die and it terrified her.

"You know I love you, don't you?" She whispered against his lips.

Jacob frowned and searched her deep chocolate eyes, trying to find out where all the sadness and worry was coming from. It was then he remembered, they had until tomorrow. "Baby, I'm going to be fine. You'll see. We all will be." He spoke confidently, and it seemed to do the trick as she relaxed a little bit.

"Please don't think I'm doubting you. I'm just scared for you." She told him. "You have to promise to come back to me. You're my sun, Jake. I can't lose you!" Bella whined near the end and she laid a sweet kiss near the corner of his lips.

"Come on. We're gonna go lay down. I need to talk to my dad before he goes to bed anyways. I don't want Charlie around the house tomorrow. In case she tried to go after him instead." He grinned when she laced her fingers through his. It wasn't but an hour later they were wrapped around each other in his bed falling into a deep and nearly dreamless sleep.