So I know this is rather short, but I thought it was needed after the last chapter. ALSO! I have recently realized how off track the timeline of my story is. I have included the month of December in here I believe three times and without realizing it have made a mess of seasons. But I'm not going to change it now after all my hard work, so just know that I am sorry! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Own nothing but my words.

"Hey Jacob?"

"Hmm?"

"I have a question to ask you."

"Can it wait till I get out of the shower?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't know if you would have time to talk so I thought here was as good a place as any."

"I'm all yours Bells, ask away."

Bella, perched on the counter in the bathroom while Jacob showered, scrunched up her face, unsure how to start without just blurting it out.

"Well I was talking to Emily today and she asked me something that I didn't have the answer to, so I thought…"

"Bella, just ask me."

"Why can't Sam be intimate with her because of "Pack business""?

Jacob froze, the shampoo in his hair stinging his eyes.

"Jake?"

Her voice threw him back and he realized that he had been frozen for several seconds.

He continued his ministrations on his hair and thought about how much he had been dreading this conversation and how he hadn't expected it. And how he had hoped to never have to have it.

"Bells, er.."

Deep breath.

"I'm not sure that Sam and Emily's love life is any of our business."

"It is if its 'Pack business'" She shot back immediately, sensing that he was going to try and avoid the subject.

"And pack business is just that. Pack business."

He realized his mistake too late. He had already spoken.

"Oh, that's rich Jacob. I thought we'd had our fight over secrets already. Or do you not remember? Do you even remember who I am Jake? Cause you're never home. I go to sleep alone and I wake up and I'm alone. I know you've been there, but you never stick around long enough to see me. I know you've been sleeping some at Embry's. Alice saw you there."

Jacob didn't speak.

Bella took a deep breath, her whole body rejecting her wanting to say the words, but her mind was stronger.

"If you dont want to be here anymore Jacob then just go. Alice and I don't need you here; we got along just fine on our own before you got here."

The water cut off and warm hands gripped her shoulders, making her gasp.

"Bella, you know that's not true." His voice was low.

"Do I Jake? Do I? You're never home! Is it me? Did I do something? Did you get tired of pitying the blind chick?"

"Bella!" His voice was angry, surprised.

"What Jake? Did you?"

Her voice was strained and he saw the tears that she tried to hide.

"Baby," his voice was soft.

"Bells, baby, you know that's not true. I love you. You're my Mate, my Imprint. You're my perfect match, you're more than everything I could have ever wanted. Bella, I love you." He tried to force her face up but she wouldn't budge, her chin tucked into her chest.

"If you love me then what happened? What did I do?"

Jacob groaned and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her up tightly. "Bella, I have something I to tell you, alright?"

She nodded, already dreading the worst.

"No, no," he forced her head up and kissed her lips lightly. "No, do not get that look on your face like I'm going to dump you. It's nothing like that, okay? Now come on, I'm gonna go throw on a pair of sweats. I don't want to have a serious discussion while I'm in a towel and you're in….that." He growled softly and Bella couldn't help but smile. She was in one of his tee shirts. And a pair of panties. And nothing else.

Jacob lifted her in his arms off the counter and carried her into the bedroom. Her bottom came into contact with the fabric of the bedspread and Jacob's arms moved away. She heard a towel hit the floor and rolled her eyes. He wasn't very good about picking up after himself. And he also was no longer modest, often walking around their room in the nude. It wasn't like Bella could see it, and Alice knew not to barge in.

Jacob grabbed a pair of sweatpants out of his drawer in Bella's dresser. Bella had even made a label on the drawer that labeled it as Jacob's in braille so that she knew where to put his clothes after washing them. There was also a plastic waterproof container on the front porch full of shorts for the guys when they forgot or ripped theirs.

Alice had seen too many naked boys to be 10 years old. And Bella was having none of that.

The bed gave way as Jacob sat down next to Bella, having also donned a tee shirt. A rare occurrence for him.

He turned to face Bella and she did the same, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Jacob took a deep breath and then released it on a sigh. "Bella, I'm sorry. I should have brought this up earlier, but there was never the chance and I-I don't know. I guess I never really made time."

Bella didn't correct him, as much as she wanted to comfort him. He was right. He hadn't made time for a discussion that obviously needed to happen.

"Okay, so you know that I'm the alpha. And you are my Mate, the alpha's Mate. And being the Mate of the alpha, there are some traditions that we have to uphold."

"Traditions?"

"Er…yeah. You know the legends are like law, and well, this is part of it."

"What is part of it? Jake just tell me, please." Bella was starting to get nervous.

"The other members of the pack cannot claim their Mate's until the alpha has claimed his."

Jacob blurted it out. Because that's what she had asked him to do. But she wasn't sure that was the best option now. Too late.

There was only one word that Bella could really focus on. "C-claim?"

Jacob sighed and bowed his head.

"You know what it means Bella." He said in a low voice.

"Well that's stupid!" She shouted, making Jacob flinch in surprise.

"Stupid?" he asked, dumfounded.

"Yes!"

Jacob hung his head. He knew she wasn't ready to hear this.

Bella sighed and released her knees from her chest, pushing them down onto the bed and sitting up on them. She moved up next to Jacob and leaned against him.

"Yes, Jacob. It's stupid," she said in a softer tone, "It's stupid that this is what you were afraid to tell me. I'm yours Jake. Always will be." She finished in a whisper, her hand on his shoulder.

Jacob noticed her sudden change and glanced up at her, finding a blush accenting her cheeks and her beautiful unseeing eyes trained toward him. Jake took her hand from his chest where it was lowering and brought it up to his face, running his cheek against it, watching her face all the while.

Bella's breathing caught and picked up, which was not something that missed Jacob's attention.

"Bells, we cant…"

"Why the hell not?" Jake flinched. He wasn't exactly used to her cursing.

"Bella you don't understand. It's not just sex. It's….it's the wolf claiming its mate. And I'm an alpha, it'll be ten times worse for you. I can't do that Bella, you know I can't."

Bella scoffed. "Like anything could be considered bad, let alone 'worse for me'".

Jacob sighed and let go of her hand, running his own over his face and through his hair, pulling.

"You don't understand Bella. Can we just go to bed? Please?"

Jacob got up and walked around the side of the bed, pulling down the covers so they could get in. Bella got up slowly and made her way to her side, slipping under the covers without a word.

She didn't immediately immerse herself in his arms and Jacob sighed, agitated and defeated at the same time. He grabbed her by her arms and gently pulled her across the bed and into his arms. She didn't protest.

Jacob fell asleep rather quickly after Bella was in his arms, but Bella did not. She lay awake trying futilely to gaze at the love of her young life. He was so stressed all the time, had so much to deal with. She could feel it, sense it if she could not visibly see it.

But she knew how to help. She knew something she could do to release a little of that stress. And as Jake slept, a plan began to form in her mind.

One she knew would work.

OOOOO Bella has a plan! Review! Comments, questions, criticism!