Chapter 11

She felt herself be lifted from the floor as two arms were wrapped around her waist. Closing her eyes, her lashes brushed again the sun kissed shoulder and the woodsy familiar scent took her home.

"Missed you too"

Jake laughed and she was able to breathe again. Her sun had come to her.

"I missed you Jakey"

She said as she let go of the muscular twenty one year old guy. Scanning his skin she noted the absence of a mic and against her better judgment she took one from a cupboard and glued it on his torso.

"Jake snux"

Jake laughed as he saw the pile of the fried dumplings. It was the one thing everyone in the pack loved eating and the women had gotten to calling them 'wolf snacks' since they were used to get them to do anything. Bella laughed and slapped his hand as it shot to grab one. She pushed him on a chair at the table

"Sit"

She ordered. Jake complied and brought his hands close to his chest letting a fake puppy bark. Bella laughed again and pushed the dumpling against his lips, barely having time to pull her fingers away before they were bitten

"Good boy!"

She patted the top of his head. Jake laughed harder and pulled her in his lap.

"I can't believe you're here? Why?"

She asked as she made herself comfortable. Jake raised an eyebrow and she blushed a little knowing the answer to that. Sam was right, the pack was always watching

"How did you get here so fast?"

She asked then.

"I ran"

Jake shrugged one shoulder. Bella's eyes widened in amazement. She knew the boys were fast when in wolf form but running from Forks to Virginia in under 4 hours? That's faster than flash Gordon!

"Looks like I came in time for dinner, too"

"You do have a great timing for that"

Bella smiled at her best guy friend.

"That looks yummy and I'm starving. When do we eat?"

Jake gave her another sunny smile. Bella tickled his bare and flat stomach as she stood.

"Sometimes you act like a starved person babe"

"I haven't had a decent meal since you've been gone, Bells. I've been surviving on fast food and sandwiches. I'm a growing boy!"

Jake teased her. Bella laughed at the old playful banter as her spirits lifted.

"You've been a growing boy since high school. Doesn't Emily or Rachel feed you guys?"

"Yours is better"

The native man replied cheekily. Bella pulled a salad from the fridge and sent him a mocking glare over her shoulder

"I hope she heard that"

Jake's eyes widened comically

"I didn't mean it"

He apologized quickly. Bella laughed harder as she served the sweet and sour chicken legs with the jasmine rice and the four season salad. Grabbing two beers from the fridge she handed one to Jake and sat back down. Jake served himself with a large chick leg and took a bite of his rice

"Shouldn't we wait for Damon and Andie?"

Bella asked biting her bottom lip. Jake looked pointently at her knowing he couldn't reply properly on air

"They'll come in when they get hungry. Right now I want to spend time with you"

Bella smiled him a bright smile and hugged him before sitting on the chair next to his and fixed a plate for herself. Once he had gotten over his crush on her, the two had been best friends to the point she had sang and danced 'Does your mother know' to him when they had hit a karaoke bar for his 17th birthday.

After several minutes of listening to Jake moan in appreciation for the home cooked meal and sharing stories of the pack and their lives, Bella started to feel more comfortable and laugh along at the growing pains of Quill and all the troubles he got with Claire who was now 6 and thought boys had cooties.

Life in La Push had been quiet despite the group membership to the pack to the point Sam had created the La Push Pack, the one and only security firm to work with the police. Even though there was zero crime activity in the small town, a random nomad would show up and would have zero time to snack before they were either tossed out the town limits or became fireworks.

Looking at Jake shovel his food Bella wondered what Damon would think of him. Jake was overprotective, fierce loyal and strong. He had refused to take the leadership of the pack opting instead of travel and see the world. He was the only one from the pack to go to college for a mechanical degree.

Jake sensed her gaze and turned to look at her.

"Want to talk about it?"

Bella shook her head with a gentle and relaxed smile.

"I don't need to"

Jake smiled knowingly and pulled her in his lap as he grabbed one of the tall martini glasses filled with strawberries Romanoff and fed her one. She sighed happily and put her head on his shoulder.

Just when she relaxed enough to feel like she was home, the back door slid open and slammed when it reached the end.

This is going to be interesting.