HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Here is the Valentine's Day chapter I have been talking about! It's been cut down because it is super long. Without further ado, enjoy!
JPoV
Valentine's Day. Last Valentine's Day, I was pining after the new girl at Forks. I decided to allow myself to sleep in a little this morning. We all saw what Sam had in mind for Emily this morning, and I didn't feel like interrupting that. The other guys would be in school. Jared was filling Kim's locker with roses. Both Paul and I were sickened by the imprints. He had suggested we hit up the bars in Port Angeles (I could use his spare fake ID although he said that as an over-developed young man, he rarely needed it). Paul was hot-headed and could be annoying, but he liked to get rowdy.
I refused his invite. I would be trying to hold Bella together. I'll be her valentine and politely ignore the fact that she'd rather it be my uncle.
When my growling stomach became unable to ignore, I headed over to the Uleys. Sam and Emily were in the kitchen, and he was leaving a trail of kisses from her shoulder to the top of her head.
"Good Morning, Jacob," she said through a series of giggles.
"Morning," I said, sitting down to cover a gigantic pile of pancakes with whipped cream. I was the only other pack member here. It was like that a lot.
"We're sorry the pack's forcing you into delinquency," Emily had said a few mornings after it became clear that that was our routine.
I snorted, "Trust me, it's fine." St. Frank's had been torture. It made me miss home-schooling. I think I deserved a sabbatical.
"If you want, we could pull a few strings and enroll you at the La Push high school," Sam had suggested.
"You ain't getting rid of me that easy. I think hearing my name in roll call would bring upon some egg-throwing and tire-slashing."
Sam snorted. "I don't think you're really off base there."
I was glad we were laughing about it now. When our family arrived in Forks, the Quileute community was very unhappy. A lot of people from the rez boycotted the hospital. Carlisle had been very upset that he was the reason people weren't getting the help they needed. Only my grandfather would be upset that the people who hated him weren't getting their booboos fixed.
Thinking of my family made me flinch internally. At this time of year, Edward and I spent more time together as the two single guys. The other Cullen men spent the weeks leading up to the 14th trying to think up outrageous gestures for their beloved. On this night Edward and I always went out for ice cream or pizza or something because the other couples were unbearable. I made him toast to not having to grovel at any female's feet. He always reluctantly clinked plastic soda cups with me although never drinking from his. I knew he was lonely and tried to make him see the bright side. He played along but more for my sake than his.
I prayed Mom and Dad were finding a way to celebrate without me.
"You should have seen Jared last night, all discombobulated about how to woo Kim," Emily said, amused.
"The girl was already in love with him when he introduced himself. How bad could he screw it up?" Sam said. He dug into his own pancakes although his were red from cherries and had little heart sprinkles on them.
"Y'know, Emily, I'm starting to think you're playing favorites," I said. She laughed which brought me more pleasure than it should have. I was used to people instantly liking me, and I realized I had to work for that with the wolves.
I scarfed down my pancakes and taste-tested a few of the cupcakes she was helping Jared out with for his dinner date. After that, I took to the woods, letting Sam linger around with his fiancée.
I was glad for the opportunity to run on my own for an extended period of time. I went in the northeast direction, skipping over a highway when no one was looking. I wanted to take a look at the Cullen house, my former home. I finally caught sight of it, standing out among the greens and browns in its white glory.
It had seen better days. Weeds had invaded the driveway and pathway up to the house. The clear meadow around the house was infiltrated by plant life Grandma had worked to block. The grass there had grown halfway up to my knees. I walked slowly up to the house because it was tough to wade through the plants.
Jacob, Sam's voice appeared in my head. He wasn't chastising me. It sounded more like pity.
Sorry, I said, I know wolves shouldn't go on to Cullen territory, I know it's weird, but I miss them.
This is your land too. Stay as long as you need to, Sam said. He focused on his surroundings so it was almost like I was alone.
Thanks, Sam, I said. I moved closer to the house. Even the faded scents still stunk. I was almost used to it though. All my clothes had reeked when I got here. It took a while and a lot of Tide for them to start smelling normal enough for the wolves to stop complaining. As a wolf, I could pick out differences in individual scents, each awful in their own way. I could even smell two faint traces of human-Bella and me. I realized my scent had altered when I turned into a wolf. Mom had said I needed to shower more the day of my change. It had made me really mad. I didn't phase though; that was lucky.
I went close enough to the windows. We had left some things behind. Grandma had been optimistic that we would be back soon. The big white couch was still there as well as the furniture Grandma didn't prize. Immortals couldn't bring all their possessions around with them forever. Grandpa took the favorites of his many books and the most valuable paintings. Grandma did bring Uncle Edward's piano although he hadn't taken it up since we were here. She had to hope though.
As much as I was truly furious with him, I felt sad knowing today would be one of his worst since he left. Another Valentine's Day alone, but this time he knew exactly who he wanted to be with. I had kept him company for the last fifteen and was missing for the one where he actually needed a nephew, a brother, a pal.
Is it okay to go inside? I asked.
Your house, Sam said. I pushed off my front legs and shimmered back to two legs. I grabbed the pair of shorts and t-shirt I had tied around my leg. The door was unlocked. Vampires didn't worry about robbers.
The dust was almost as powerful as the reek. I pulled my t-shirt up to cover my mouth and nose. I just walked around the house, picking up a medical book off the shelf or pausing to look at a photo still left on the wall. Grandma had a ritual where she always left one family photo from our time here in every house, no matter how long we plan to leave. The Forks estate was one of the only ones with a picture of me, and the only one with a picture of Bella.
I smiled at the frame. Grandma had sneaked this one because she wasn't in it. It was an everyday scene on the big white couch. Grandpa was visible in the background in his leather chair, smiling like a man perfectly content with his life over a fat ancient history book. I was sitting on the floor next to Bella's feet on the couch. She was snuggled into Uncle Edward with Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper on his left, holding hands. He was obviously happy with the emotional environment. Mom and Dad were sharing the loveseat. Mom had reached out a hand from her entanglement with Dad to touch my shoulder.
I took the picture off the wall and the backing off the frame and released the picture. I folded it carefully and put it in my back pocket.
I continued walking through the house. The kitchen and dining room were empty of furniture. I walked up the stairs pausing at Grandpa's study (the dust on the remaining books was overwhelming) and Mom and Dad's suite. Almost everything in the bedrooms was still there. Grandma and her best helper, Aunt Alice, said this furniture here didn't go with the "vision" for the Ithaca house. I was positive Aunt Alice force-fed that fallacy just so she could buy a few bedrooms worth of stuff.
I grinned when I went up the stairs and found my room. It was empty except for my dresser. I opened it up. All the sports jerseys Mom hated were in there. I've been looking for those. I guess I was too mad to review what she had packed and what she hadn't when we left. I'm sure she took advantage of the opportunity to do the same with Dad's less favorable attire.
I went into Edward's room. Grandma had taken all of his possessions so that his room in Ithaca would be near-identical. The room only had the couch and a dresser left in it.
The space looked awful. The glass-covered floor was weathered from rain and wind because someone had smashed Edward's door to nowhere. I knew it wasn't my uncle. The glass would have landed outside if he punched it from the inside. Someone had let themselves in.
There was another vampiric scent. It was around the whole house, but I hadn't noticed it under the other vampire's scents. This scent was recent and stuck out when I noticed it. It was strongest in this room.
I started shaking. Someone had trespassed into my family's house. They could have walked in, but instead they broke in. They went through the trouble to make destruction. My chest rumbled with my growl.
The red blocked my sight, and I let it. I wanted to get a better smell of the intruder. Taking advantage of my last seconds of control, I kicked off my shorts. I opened up the wooden part of the door and jumped, landing on four paws.
Jacob, Sam greeted. He saw my rage, what's wrong?
The leech was here. They were inside my house. They broke their way in. My use of the slur surprised me. I didn't try to stop my brothers when they used it because it was hopeless and I didn't want to disrupt anyone's ways. I remembered Jared's words, "They aren't all good."
The trail from the stranger continued to where I was standing.
I'm going to follow it.
I'll catch up to you.
It's definitely Victoria, I said. As a wolf, I could recognize this scent as the same one I came upon a few days ago. The same woman who was going after Bella, who had also threatened the life of the last girl I cared for, who had lured me to near death.
I snarled more as I followed the trail. She had known exactly where to go. I followed it through the Cullen turf's forest, into La Push's boundaries. I lost her at the ocean. I growled and stomped the ground. Sam came up next to me.
She went into the water. She knew exactly where she was going. She went straight to my house from here.
Had she been to the house before?
No, the closest she's been is a field a few miles away from here.
It would have made sense for her to go there and try to find her way, retrace her steps from the last time she was there, Sam pointed out.
You're right. Laurent must be helping her. He's been to the house.
So he's left the other animal-eaters?
I don't think so. This trail is pretty old, from before I left Ithaca. My family keeps strong ties with the Denali coven so I think we'd know if he left. If he did leave them, for it to fit with the timeline, I was gone right before my family got news. Damn it! I would have known if Laurent had gone rogue if I was home. Missing my family had a whole new meaning. If I was with them, I would have known this information.
It's not your fault, Jake. We'll get him. Let's go home.
I would have rathered scouring the surrounding area for the vampire, but I knew why he wanted me to go. I jogged home so that I would be completely calm when I was around other people. Sam went at the same pace too. I left his thoughts and ran to where I knew I would find who I needed to see.
Bella was hanging out with Emily when I got home. I pulled her in tight.
When I let her go, she asked, "What was that for?"
I shook my head. I was not going to add fuel to the "missing the Cullens" fire Bella had lit.
"Miss your family?" she guessed. I frowned. I wasn't hiding enough. She knew me too well.
"No," I very clearly lied. She laughed.
"You're worse at that than I am at lying which is weird considering I know for a fact that your uncle taught you how to forge a passport."
I laughed. "Why is it easier to lie to the government than you?"
"Because I know you. And I know you're lying. You miss your parents. Let's face it, Jake, you're a total mama's boy."
Emily started laughing hysterically over where she was stirring spaghetti noodles. Bella smirked. I heard a guffaw from outside. Paul was home from school.
"I am not," I grumbled.
"Sorry, Jake, but yeah, kind of."
"I am not!"
"Aww, Jake, it's kinda sweet," Emily said.
"Yeah, I'm sure it warms her still heart," Paul said.
"She is a very nice person," I muttered in her defense.
"To you," Bella said quietly, "There's nothing wrong with missing the people that raised you."
"Well, I'm fine," I insisted.
"Are you ever going to tell them what happened?" Bella said. Emily and Paul looked at me too. Neither of them wanted to see a Cullen homecoming.
"I don't know. I'm kind of surprised they haven't found me yet. I don't really want to be on the other end of that phone call so I'm just letting what happens happens."
"You're hiding from your family because you don't want your mom to yell at you?"
"It's not that simple. Your mom doesn't have a bloodlust and a murder record."
"Your mother would not kill you over this."
"And if she tries, you're a wolf. Take her arms off until she calms down," Paul said. I glared at him.
"I'm not turning my mother into Mrs. Potato Head."
"How mad do you think she'll be about the wolf thing?" Paul asked.
"I think she'll be less mad about that and more mad about the keeping it a secret and running away part. I didn't choose to be a wolf, and she didn't choose to be a vampire."
"Who would? That goes for both. One thing we all have in common. We envy the normals," Paul said. Bella looked at the floor.
"So you still going to the bar, Paul?" Emily asked in a disapproving tone. She was like a mom or a big sister in a lot of ways. She wouldn't boss him around, but she didn't like Paul taking advantage of his maturity to talk to college girls.
Paul nodded and smiled widely. Her disapproval only made it more fun for him.
"Last chance Jake. Help me make some lonely girls my valentine," he offered.
"Still no, Paul," I said.
"Is it Valentine's Day?" Bella asked, "I didn't even notice."
"Consider yourself lucky. We couldn't escape the date if we tried with the imprint lovefest going on around here," Paul said. Emily giggled to herself. Paul and I both wrinkled our noses in disgust.
"I bet," Bella said. I had been learning the legends of the tribe from the tribal meetings. A lot of the elders were wary of me hearing their stories, but Sam fought for me, reminding them I was, by birth, part of the tribe. I relayed the cooler stories to Bella.
Bella looked at the clock on the wall. "I have to go to work."
"I'll walk you," I offered. I stood up, quickly, throwing my chair off balance. I caught it before it fell and smiled sheepishly. Paul's laughed boomed. Bella smiled, and we walked out the door.
Two steps out the door, Bella's brown eyes widened and she moved behind my huge frame.
"Bells?" I asked. I looked where she was looking.
A girl walking down the road had hate and betrayal written across her face and was glaring daggers at the girl behind me. She gave me a dirty look as well. What did I do? She sent a dirty look to Bella again and turned off the road.
I didn't notice how beautiful she was until she was walking away. She reminded me of a vampire with the sharp angles of her scowling face. I imagined they would be softer if she was smiling. She was Quileute, no doubt about it. Her clear skin was the same as mine, and she had long, straight black hair. The girl was tall and built strong too.
"Did you steal her graham crackers or something?" I asked Bella.
"That's Leah," she said. I had learned more about Bella's friend from the thoughts of Sam. He still loved her, but in a completely different way from his devotion to Emily. I guess she and Bella had bonded over broken hearts. They weren't alike in any other way that I could see. I saw Leah's spite in Sam's memories and how her pain had turned to hate while Bella was just sad.
"Why is she so mad at you?" I asked.
"In her mind, I was just seen leaving the home of her ex and his fiancée with one of his gang members. I feel like a traitor. I just wish I could tell her the truth. I really care about Leah. She's a good friend."
"Seems like a real pal," I said doubtfully.
"She is," Bella pushed. She opened the door to her truck, and got in. I lingered outside her window.
"Bella?" I asked, "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Jake," she said.
"It's just...There's kind of this Cullen family tradition, but it's obviously not happening this year so...do you want to get some pizza tonight?"
Bella smiled. "Sounds great. Could we order in though? The rain's going to be especially brutal."
"More so than usual? What about Charlie?"
"He's going out tonight. I told him I'd probably be in La Push anyway."
"Cool. I'll run over to your house later."
"See ya, Jake," Bella said before her and her truck rumbled away.
I was happy to have Bella with me on Valentine's Day even if she saw it as strictly platonic. We ordered from "Tony's Real New York Pizza."
I scoffed at my fifth slice of pizza. "Not as good as real New York pizza but pretty dang good."
"Everything tastes good to you. You eat like a starved man," Bella teased.
"True. If there's one thing I miss, it's the city. Have you ever been?"
Bella shook her head. "Until I moved here, I tried to avoid the north at all costs."
"Unlike Phoenix, New York has four seasons, and only one of them would be too cold for you."
"Is the city like Phoenix?"
"Better. It's the greatest place on the planet. Except Forks, of course." I snickered.
"A very green heaven on earth," Bella said dryly.
"I've been around the world and back, and Forks always wins," I said, softer this time, to let her know how much I loved it here. Could she tell she was the reason?
"It's special, I'll give it that," Bella said wistfully. Then she hummed two verses of a song before her face twisted in pain.
"Bella? Did you just hum?"
She blushed. "It was an old country song my mom used to play. It just came to mind."
"That's great," I said. Bella had destroyed all her CDs and tortured her CD player. It reminded her of Edward. This was a big step for her. I felt like her psychologist after a breakthrough.
"I guess it is," she said although she seemed as surprised by the slip as I was.
"What song was it?" I asked.
"A Johnny Cash song," Bella said after some thought, "Renee really liked him for a while.
"Uncle Jasper did too. He doesn't like it to get out, but the guy loves country."
Bella laughed. She picked up our plates and walked to the sink. I followed her.
"You wash, I'll dry," I offered. She agreed and handed me a wet glass.
Another Johnny Cash song slipped into my head. My mom loved the classics and used to sing them to me or play them on the piano or guitar when one seemed like a good lullaby. Edward was the best musician in our family so no one really saw her talent.
I started humming "You Are My Sunshine." It was a simple song that had an uplifting quality.
Bella looked at me, mouth agape.
"You know the song?" I asked.
She nodded. "It was on my mind. Because...you're kind of like the sun, Jake."
I raised an eyebrow. She continued, "You're so bright and happy that I can't help being...shined on."
I laughed, and she blushed.
"Don't be embarrassed," I said, "Really, that's one of the best compliments I've ever gotten."
Bella quirked her lips and focused on her washing.
"I'm Bella's sunshine, I'm Bella's sunshine," I sang. She started laughing and swatted me with a dishtowel. I sang louder.
"I make her happy with what I say," I continued. I took Bella's hands and danced around her while she remained stationary. Her feet didn't move, but her face continued to grow redder and bluer from lack of oxygen. She was laughing too hard.
"Bella laughs at me but that's okay. I'll chew you up if you take my Bella away," I finished. I took a little bow. Bella surprised me by wrapping her arms around my waist. I took her in. She was so tiny like a little doll wrapped up in so much of me.
The house was quiet once her laughter calmed. She looked up at me. I could see the pain in her eyes that was her dominant feature when I came back and she ran to me in front of Newton's. I don't think that pain would ever completely disappear, but now it let a little peace and happiness make room in there. It was a perfect enough little moment.
The peace was broken by my salsa-music ringtone. I grumbled incoherently and took my arm from where it was wrapped around Bella. The Caller ID said it was Sam's house.
"Sam?" I asked, sounding a little miffed.
"No, it's Emily. You need to come. A new wolf phased."
I huffed out a breath and looked at Bella. "Do I have to?"
"Yes, trust me, I know how you feel. Sam and I were also in the middle of something..."
"Okay, okay, I see enough of that in his head. I'll be there. Where are they?"
"Not far from the trees by the house. You can follow their trail."
"Thanks, Emily," I said. I hung up the phone.
"Bells..."
"Wolf problem?" she asked. I nodded.
"New wolf," I said. Bella's eyes widened.
"Really? You better get out there. I'll give you a ride to La Push."
"Thanks, Bella," I said.
"That's what friends are for," she said with special emphasis on the friends.
I sighed. At the same time, I was thrilled and disappointed by what had just occurred.
I found the wolves easy enough. They were showing the ropes to the new kid, Embry Call.
Hey guys, I thought. My thoughts joined the mix, and my brothers experienced an onslaught of Bella visuals.
Paul found it extremely humorous how Emily's phone call perfectly ruined the moment.
Paul, what happened to your night out? I hope you didn't send the female population of Port Angeles into a panic.
I was getting on pretty well with a girl until I too got interrupted. Being a wolf can be such a cockblock. I could have used my wingman though.
Even so, there's only so much I would be able to do for you, pal. I'm a good liar, but I'm not that good.
Alright, guys, we were kind of in the middle of something, Sam said.
Oh, hey, I thought towards the new wolf in the circle. He had been listening to me and Paul go back and forth.
Hey, he said. He sounded just like I did the first time I phased- completely freaked out of mymind.
I'm Embry, he said, Embry Call.
Jacob Cullen, I said. He wasn't shocked by the surname so I guess Sam already filled him in on my adoptive family.
You really live with vampires? he asked.
Yeah, I said.
That's kind of cool, he thought, like the Munsters.
I barked a laugh. Just call me Eddie. I think my mom was more Marilyn than Lily though.
Can you guys take it from here? Please? Sam asked. I saw several images of his fiancée that would make me avoid eye contact with her for a week.
Just go! Jared said, We can handle a new wolf.
Thanks, guys, Sam said graciously. He swiftly left the pack mind.
Well I guess I'm not getting any room and board tonight, Paul grumbled. His dad knew about wolves and how hotheaded their son was. Paul didn't stay at home much because he didn't want to lose control there.
Let's show Embry how to run the perimeter, Jared said authoritatively. It wasn't an Alpha tone like Sam's though.
Yes, sir, Captian, Paul mocked. I laughed internally.
Just run, Jared grumbled.
So we did the night shift with Embry. He didn't want to go home, knowing his mom would be furious with him. Also, he got hooked on the running. Paul got tired and his jokes got weird from exhaustion so he left at around one AM. I think he planned to crash my place. Brilliant.
Jared left at four in the morning so he could crash a little before school. Embry didn't have to go today. Sam usually suggests the wolves have a few days off to practice not exploding out of their clothes in front of the whole school.
Does you mom know about the legends? I asked.
No, he said, I don't know how to keep this from her. Feels like she has super-senses sometimes.
My mom does have super-senses, and I've managed well so far, I said. Sympathy was never my strong suit though.
That's true, Embry said.
It's not forever though. Emily says that, according to the legends, once the vampire threat is gone, we'll all be able to live in peace.
Yeah, Embry said. He had a sudden bloodlust for Victoria but reined it in. What about you though? What if we do kill the leech?
I haven't thought about it, I admitted. What if we were to kill Victoria today? The pack loses its mission, and the guys will try to become human again. It will take a while, but I'm sure it will happen. Sam and Jared would barely have to work on it.
With no pack, I couldn't keep eating off the Uleys' plates. I'd need to go back to my own kind. I could stop phasing too and live with them. Go back to public school. Play football. Have snowball wars with Dad. Be spoiled by my aunt and Grandma. Play piano with Mom. It all sounded very nice, to go back to normal.
But going back would mean leaving Bella. Her heart and all the promises she depended on would be broken by another Cullen boy. Edward's deluded so he could break her, but not me. I knew how bad it was better than anyone, and I had told us both that I wouldn't make the same mistakes.
That's a really complicated inner monologue, Embry said.
Oh, sorry, mate. I'm not used to having an audience which is pretty dumb seeing how my uncle's always been able to read my mind.
That's gotta suck.
Like you wouldn't believe. He's such a tattletale.
I think I'd believe anything anyone would tell me after tonight.
I barked a laugh. Too true. I yawned. I noticed how tired my legs were after running all night. Embry picked up on my exhaustion and noticed his own.
I guess I need to go home, he said. He felt guilty about leaving his Mom alone.
I think Sam told her a story about how he found you and you need to "get away from it all." I said. That's what he did for Paul.
So you're Paul's friend? Embry asked. I guess the exchange between us before could have been perceived as that.
I wouldn't go that far, I said, Just two pack members.
Oh, Embry said, and I think he liked me better after that. Apparently Embry and his friend Quil and some younger guy named Seth had been affected the "cult." I remembered a confrontation that involved Paul and them.
I forgot there were other members of the tribe. Ones that didn't know the secret but the wolves were still trying to protect. I also didn't realize that kids on the rez would hate me more for being a wolf than for being a vampire's kid.
Emily was out of sugar, and as a new addict to her desserts, I was willing to make the run. Paul wanted to too. He liked Emily's food even more than I did and wanted to supervise the purchase. And if Paul was going, Sam wanted to go and make sure no buildings were destroyed if someone accidentally ran into Paul.
There was a small general store not far from Sam's house so we walked. Paul and I were kidding around. He found my entire bringing-up strange and wrong but he wasn't avoidant. Honestly, I think the guy's lonely. Sam and Jared buddied up before he joined the crew, and everyone knows about his temper. I didn't mind the company. Paul was better than no one.
As we were walking to the store, we all heard Sam's name be spoken inside. Paul and I stopped and smirked at our leader. He grimaced.
"They're no good," a boy who obviously hadn't gone through puberty yet said, "Have you seen my sister lately? I wouldn't be surprised if she's on some type of hit list after what they put her through." Sam frowned, clearly upset.
"Who's their new kid?" another guy said, "Quil?"
"I don't know him, but I've seen him at all the tribal meetings since he got here," the third, Quil, said. Paul punched me and smirked.
"Lee says he's friends with Bella Swan, but he isn't from around here," the squeaky-voiced kid said.
"Are they recruiting other schools or something?"
"I thought Bella Swan didn't have any friends," Quil said. I growled softly and took a step forward, but Sam grabbed my shoulder and shook his head. I took a deep breath and calmed.
"They're just kids," Sam said, "I know them. He's got a big mouth, that's all."
I nodded. "Let's just get some sugar and get out of here."
Paul walked in with a cocky manner. Great, here we go. He's probably mad he didn't get any recognition.
"Morning chaps," he said to three boys huddled together in the corner of the store. Was Sam serious? Two were only a couple inches shorter than me. One of them had long hair to his chin as a lot of rez kids did. Jared told me he used to sport it. I recalled Mom's distaste for the boys at Ford Middle School back in New York who wore it that way. They didn't look too lanky either. The two were soon-to-be-wolves if I ever saw them. They had a kid with them too who looked like a little brother or a sidekick standing next to the other two.
As Paul walked to the back of the store, which had quickly developed a lack of open space, a kid with short hair went, "Stomp, stomp, stomp."
"Quil," the kid with long hair hissed. He looked from his friend to Paul, staring at the wolf with fear. The kid's eyes were even more scared and the size of bowling balls. The kid called Quil snickered.
Paul turned around and sent them and a dirty glare. There were no shaking hands though.
"Paul, not here," I mumbled. He looked at me and kept walking.
Long-hair mumbled near Quil's ear, and the loudmouth scoffed. "Not when I got my pals Thunder and Lightning," he boasted, flexing his biceps. I noticed he was wearing a tight white t-shirt to show off his muscles. Bigmouth had a big head too. He stuck his chin out, "Come at me, Meatball!"
Paul's hands began to shake. "Paul," Sam barked. He took one long stride over and put a hand on his shoulder. He shook his head.
"Come on," I said. Paul followed me out of the store, flaring his nostrils.
"Just calm down, Paul," I said, "Do you want to take a run?"
He shook his head and takes a few deep breaths. Eventually he's still again.
"That kid just bugs me," he says.
"Too bad. He looks like he's gonna phase any day now."
Paul nods. "He's directly descended from one of the last wolves. We never had a chance of avoiding him."
"And the other?" I ask, "He looks like he's nearly there too."
Paul shook his head. "He can't be. He doesn't have a dad."
"Someone's gotta be his dad," I said. Sam came out of the store, looking very unhappy.
"Sorry, man," Paul mumbles. Sam shakes his head. We found out later he was on another guilt trip after seeing Leah Clearwater's brother.
That makes a lot more sense now, Embry said. He had identified himself as Long Hair, A lot of things do. I kinda feel bad for what I said about them before.
You'll have less to regret than your buddy Quil, I pointed out.
Embry didn't want his friend to join the pack. He wanted to stay friends with him, but the werewolf lifestyle was a burden. He didn't want his friend to bear it as well.
He's gonna be so pissed when he sees me in the cult, Embry said.
Maybe he can join the Clearwater's club, I said, remembering the death glare Bella was receiving yesterday from Leah.
Probably will, Embry said, So how do I go back to human?
I tried to put the sensation into words. Stop running, clear your mind, and just...do it.
Wow, I really should consider becoming a teacher.
He got it though, and Embry's thoughts disappeared. It was just me again.
I debated over going back to my house, but I think two days in a row would be creepy. I was also exhausted. By the time I made the decision to find a crashing place, I felt too tired to go anywhere. But I did, and I did a sluggish run to the edge of the woods. After phasing back and dressing, I dragged my feet to the Uleys as it was the closet place with somewhere to sleep.
I just walked in. None of the wolves knocked.
"Hello?" Emily called.
"It's Jake," I said, "My house is too far. Can I sleep here?"
"Of course," she said. I dropped on the couch and instantly went out like a light. It's a God-given gift.
A/N
Did you like it? Could you tell it got cut off?
I am really loving writing Paul and making him a really colorful character. All we get in the books is angry and dangerous. He can't be like that all the time. If you too like to see more of Paul, check out The Puppet Master. It's under my favorite stories on my profile. Warning: It is addictive.
Can you guess the song Bella hummed? Here's a hint: Jacob has been everywhere. Good luck!
I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Please remember to review and thank you to everyone who does.