Chapter 26 I'll Bet
Jacob was sitting in his garage with his father, working on his rabbit and smiling as he remembered what he and Edward had done yesterday.
Then he shook his head, looking up into Billy's concerned brown eyes.
"Dad?" he asked hesitantly.
"Do you mind if Edward comes over for dinner later? I mean, I know that you want to spend time with me alone to, but I kinda miss him…"
He was worried when shock covered his father's face.
"Dad? Are you alright?"
"I… Of course I am, but Sam called me yesterday and told me that Cullen was dead. That's why I called you this morning. I thought maybe you needed to talk about what happened."
"What?" Jacob gasped in shock, dropping his wrench with a loud clang.
"Why would he think that? Edward is fine. Great, even. Though he probably misses me to…"
"I don't know. He said that he saw you attacking him yesterday, that your teeth were buried in his shoulder or something…"
Jacob growled in frustration, pulling the brown cell phone that Edward had just bought him out of his pocket quickly.
' It matches your beautiful eyes,' he has teased, making Jake blush.
' And I want you to be able to call me. Always. No matter where you are at any time, just incase you need me, alright? '
Billy was watching him warily as he flipped open the phone, hitting the button that dialed Emily's number, knowing Sam would be there.
"I'd better call him and set him straight," he explained as it dialed.
"Hello?" a soft voice answered.
"Emily?"
"Yes?"
"It's Jake. Is Sam there?"
"Yes. Just a second. He's been waiting for you to call."
"I'll bet," he said sarcastically.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just put him on, please."
"Jacob?" Sam said calmly.
"Why did you tell my father that Edward was dead?" Jacob said, not willing to waste time on pleasantries.
"Uh, because he is. I saw you attacking him yesterday, Jake."
"No, I did not attack Edward. I love him. You didn't see what you thought you saw, Sam."
"But you were on top of him, tearing into his shoulder," he protested, struggling to understand him.
"How could that possibly be misunderstood, Jake?"
He sighed, running his hand through his long brown hair in vexation, not wanting to share the details of something so intimate with Sam, even if indirectly.
"You just did. Edward is fine. I can't explain any more then that."
He frowned at the tense-silence on the other end of the phone-line.
"Sam, I'm going to make something crystal-clear to you. I want you to stay away from the Cullen's land. All of you. The whole pack. And all of you will stay away from the land around Edward and I's new home together. Only Embry and Quill can come to the borders, understand? I trust them that much, but nobody else. And none of you can be here when Edward is."
"How dare you treat your former friends like this?" Sam snapped, finally getting angry.
"The pack will not tolerate this indignity, Jacob Black."
"Do you really want to play the name card, Sam Uley? I may not want the Alpha position, but it is mine by rights. I am The Heir. If we can't settle into at least some semblance of peace, then I will come over there and challenge you for the Alpha position, and I will win. One more slip up like this, and I will. Tell them."
"Sheesh, Jake," Sam answered, his voice sounding nervous now.
"Relax. Nothing even happened. Isn't this a bit of an overreaction?"
"Don't you 'sheesh, Jake' me, Sam Uley. I am not overreacting. I will do anything that is necessary to protect the one I love with all my heart and soul. Tell them."