Chapter 5- Take A Number?
Disclaimer: As awesome as it would be, I don't own any of these characters. They all come from the brilliant mind of Stephanie Meyer.
Summary: What happens when a wolf sees a certain girl in one's mind? Is it an imprint, or not? Will Jealously rear it's ugly head and blur the lines of friendship. Or will Understanding reign? ...And will Bella find her heart with a wolf that she never saw coming, or hush the call of Want, Love, and Trust? Rated M for violence, swearing, and future lemons.
Thanks to Preetoaka Raven Potter Weasley, trockodile, Dizzy4u, and RubyDragonJewel for the awesome reviews! Also thanks to Vampire3.S3duction for sharing her wolfy opinions, and thanks to everyone else who reviewed! I'm so glad that you're liking the story. You're feedback means a lot!
Bella POV:
The moment that Jared vanishes from my room, I immediately want to call him back. I almost do, but try to reign in my soul-rendering covet. C'mon, Bella. This is silly. You just met the guy. But- Jared… I flip over onto my other side and let the cushy down of my pillow engulf my face; trying to assuage my mind of the thoughts of him. In no time at all, however, I find myself mentally assessing every little detail of that wolf. Those molten black eyes…His ebony hair. Smooth russet skin. The way his strong embrace made me feel so safe, so wanted, so…At home. I gasp, stunned at my own thoughts. But I won't hush what I know is true. How do you 'know' that, Bella? I groan at myself, burying myself farther into the comforter. Suddenly, my nostrils are assaulted by the most aromatic, heavenly scent. Freshly cut grass, musk, and- and…Mint? A direct calm descends upon me. Soon, I begin floating amidst the sleepy world of fancy and face to face with a beautiful medium-brown wolf. Somehow I know, even in Dreamville…Jared.
I awake after what feels like an eternity, only to see the clock read 4:15. Great job..I can't even sleep for four hours, now? I don't know why, but my arm seems to outstretch itself out of its own accord, hand searching for something- or someone. Oh, Jared! I bolt up, back against my headboard. Where is h- Oh my geezus on a cracker, this is crazy! For some reason, the thought of Jared not being here with me scares the living hell out of me. My heart's beating wildly, trying to force itself out of my chest. Why? Why, why, why, why, why? I'm losing my mind. Trying to find slumber once more, I return my head to the pillow. It's to no avail, because all that I can do is stair at the bedside alarm clock-radio. Forty-five minutes later, I've subsided to my anxiety, tumbling out of bed and down the stairs, in a quest to find Embry. Jared said that he'd have Sam's number. Maybe he ca- No. Bella, no. You're not going to call him off of patrol simply because you're off of your knocker. My feet carry me to Embry's snoozing spot on the couch anyways. Unsurprisingly, he's already slowly rousing from his sleep, drool trickling down the side of his lower lip as he groggily sits up.
"Bella..Are," he lets out a yawn, "Are you okay?"
"Uhh, yeah. No..I don't know. I think that I'm officially going insane."
He lifts a knowing eyebrow, lightly chuckling. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, I.." He pats the empty space next to him. I take his invitation, joining him on the couch.
"C'mon, shoot."
"This is going to sound totally bonkers…But I- I couldn't sleep much. I woke up looking, for God-knows-what-reason, for Jared. It was like I couldn't breathe because he wasn't there. It hurts. It still feels like that, Embry. And I don't know why. I just feel like I..like I…"
"Like you?" He teases me, letting a loose smile spread across his face.
"Like I…Need him."
Embry's lungs release a hearty sigh. "Look. I can't explain it all to you, it's not my place. But it has to do with Jared, and his wolf…and you. He'll have to talk to you about it. But go easy on him, he didn't know for sure until today."
"Wait. What? What do y-" He hold up a hand, halting my questions.
"It's not my place, Bells. Jared and you can talk about this."
"Okay," I relinquish my verbal onslaught, "But, Embry- I need him. I hate to try and pull him out of patrol, but I feel like I'm..I don't know…suffocating without him right now. Bet I sound like a crazy, obsessed chick, huh?" I try to muster a joke.
Cackling, he just gives me a soft pat on the shoulder. "No, Bella. Trust me, you're not going insane."
My hesitation's still prominent in my senses, but not as prominent as the need for Jared. "Can you call Sam?"
"Yeah. Wait! It's almost 5:30..He should be getting off of patrol right about now. Take a number?"
"What?"
"Take a number?" I swear, will he ever run out of laughing gas at my expense. "You want his cell number?"
"Oh," now it my turn to chortle, "Sure..Yeah, I do."
After finding a random patch of paper, and scrolling down the number, I march back up to my room. Picking up my cell in one hand, Jared's number in the other, my vacillation almost gets the better of me. What if he doesn't want to see me? Don't be stupid, Bella. He TOLD you to call. I extend a finger towards the little green button, before slightly retracting my hand; wincing as if I've just been pricked with a needle. Maybe he was just trying to be nice.. No, Bella. He was there for you. You feel something. You know it. Call him.
I don't know what possesses me, but for whatever rhyme or reason, even the thought of calling him calms some deep restlessness within me. I muster up all of the courage that I can and reach for the dial again. Send.
Jared POV:
Tonight has been hell. Fuck Sam and him making me patrol tonight! I mean, I know that the man didn't know for sure that what he thought would happen, would definitely happen. But- fucking shitaki on a pogo stick!- he knew that he would probably be right. Forcing myself to try to not think of my Bella, my imprint, my mate…Mine- without me, at home, with another male- a wolf, is eating at me. Fuck if Embry's not a threat. I'm going nuts! Is she safe? Yes, ding-dong, she's with your Brother. You know that she is, Jared. The longer and farther away that I patrol, the bigger the gaping whole in my chest, my whole being, gets. I just want to get this over with and get back to Bella…Mon petit amour. There I go with that French again. What the hell is that?…My Bella. Sam, taking a small break to Phase, leaving Quil, Leah, and Seth with Paul and Jacob for a few minutes, and check up on the situation with me was great too. He didn't even have to ask me anything. No inquiries, no anecdotes. Just one peer into my thoughts, and he knew. All he did was tell me that he understood and that we'd work something out as to who gets to stay with her a majority of the time, while Charlie's at Sue Clearwater's. Still patrolling. I'm not mad Sam, but, fuck, he's keeping me from her tonight.
Finally, it's about time for my hour break, before breakfast and more patrol time. Paul, phased, walks through the tree line, just at the border of Sam and Emily's property.
(Paul) Hey man, you holdin' up okay out here?
If by okay, you mean, "am I about to gnaw my own legs off, and claw myself out of my own pelt," then yes.
(Paul) Woah, fuck, Cameron! Cool those jets. Are you okay? Guess you did imprint on the lee-
I growl at my Brother in warning.
..on Bella, after all, huh? Congrats, dude?
Yeah, she's amazing Paul. I just don't know how much it's gonna suck when we break the news to Jacob..Or when I tell her. If she rejects the imprint..I don't think that I can take it.
(Paul) She won't, man. She won't.
Shit! I can feel her wanting me. I have to phase, before I really claw myself to shreds.
(Paul) Okay…Take it easy. She won't reject it. And we'll figure all of this shit out. Yes?
Yeah.
I phase back, collecting my cutoffs and my cell phone (in my back pocket) from where they're hanging from a branch, tugging them on. Damn. Why didn't I think to give her my number? Mine.
Just as I'm about to smack myself upside the head, my phone vibrates in my hand, signaling an incoming call. Unknown number, but I just know..I just know…
Reaching out with a trembling finger, I answer the call.
"He-hello? Jared, here."
"Hey..umm..Jared?" Oh, Taha Aki…The sweetest voice on earth. Serenity.
"Bella! Are you okay?" Way not to sound eager. Surrre…She has no idea that you're irrevocably in love with her. Damn.
"Yeah..I'm okay. Well, I don't know. I feel weird, and I just miss you I guess."
Holyyy fucking monkey balls! My wolf howls inside. Oh, my Bella, you have no idea. "Yeah? I miss you too."
"Can you- can you…Uhh…" even through the phone I know that she's got that gorgeous, plump lip between her teeth.
"Do you want me to come over? I can be there in five minutes!"
"Oh, well, yeah. I mean, if that's okay? You don't have to if it's a problem."
"No problem. Sam can give my next shift to Embry again. I've just gotta talk to talk to the Head Honcho real quick, then I'll be right there before you know it."
"Yeah? Okay." I can hear the smile on her face. I could sing on a rainbow right now and wouldn't care how it looks.
"Okay, I'll be right there sweetie." I palm myself in the forehead. Good job with the slip of the tongue again there, Romeo.
Calling Sam from my cell, I explain the situation to him, including Embry's offer to take my second shift of patrol. Thank you, Great Spirit, he agreed. Stripping once again, I secure my phone in fastened pocket of my cutoffs and tie them to my ankle before phasing once again.
(Paul) Go get 'er, lover boy!
Haha…Can it, man.
He laughs inside my head.
(Paul) Alright, alright.
As promised, in about five minutes flat, I'm standing in the brush behind her house once more. Within moments, I'm back in my human form, breath caustically heaving out as I sprint up to the front door. Bella, Bella, Bella…Ginger and jasmine. So spicey, so sweet. Embry must have heard me long before I arrived, because he's standing there- door wide open.
"We gotta talk for a minute, quick, Jared. Before you go up there." He nods in the direction of the staircase, closing the door behind us.
"Oh, no. What's wrong? Is she okay?"
"Sheesh, man. She's fine. Just kinda frazzled. She came down here earlier, saying that she couldn't sleep a lot. She woke up looking for you, and it felt like she couldn't breathe…She said that it hurt without you here, and that she didn't know why but she needed you. I gave her your number since I figured you'd be done with patrol and I.."
"You, what, Em?" I quirk an eyebrow up at his unfinished monologue.
"I told her that I couldn't give her all of the answers, because it's not my place. But I did tell her that it had to do with you, your wolf, and her. That she'd have to talk to you about it."
"Oh, God." I put my face in my hands. "What do I say, Em? I wasn't planning on having this conversation for at least a few more days- 'til she got used to me being around."
"Man, it's pretty clear. She's already used to you. Herself, and her senses are going haywire right now when you're not around, obviously. I may not have imprinted, but your bond's too strong. I don't know if it's because it's the beginning..or if it's just because it's you two. But you've gotta do it. She was pretty uneasy without you here."
"Shiiiit…" I rock on the balls of my feet, thinking for a moment. "Here goes nothin'." Oh, mon petit amour- Please don't reject us. I couldn't take it. My wolf couldn't. Fuck! My heart's pounding through it's space in my chest as I ascend the steps and near her doorway. The second that I'm on the other side of her door, she flings herself at me. Wrapping her arms tightly around my waist and burying her face in the side of my neck. My wolf howls in delight again, even in the midst of the startle and almost falling backwards. I hug her back, taking yet another opportunity to snuffle her chocolate locks. My mate… Just as soon as she embraces me, she pulls away. My heart now threatens explosion.
"Oh, Jesus! I'm sorry! I don't know why I did that…I was just so happy to see you, and I- I" she frantically rambles, staring at the floor.
Grabbing her by the hand as to gently pull her back to me, I reassure her. "Shh. Shh…It's okay." I stoke the back of her head, nuzzling the side of her face. Embry was right. I can't hide this, and clearly neither can she. And she doesn't even know about the imprinting-magic-woozlewazzle. "I know. Come on." I walk towards the bed, sitting down, and pulling her into my lap. Cradling her in my arms, just as the day before, she settles down.
"I don't know why. I just..I felt like I needed you. I'm sorry that I pulled you away from the Pack."
"Hey, you didn't. But we need to talk." A saddened frown makes her visage turn sour. "Oh, no, no ,no! It's nothing like that, Bella. You did nothing wrong. I'm glad that you called. Nothing bad. Well, not bad..just serious." She turns her gaze upward to meet mine quizzically.
"Embry told you that the way that your feeling has to do with me and my wolf, right?" She nods lightly. "Well, I can feel it too, Bella. Everything that you're feeling. Maybe even more so." I pause, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "Wolves have this thing called imprinting…Imprinting helps us find our..our mate, our soul-mate. Sort of like a bright neon beacon over that girl's head the first time that you see her after phasing. Once we see that person, nothing else matters. She's your universe. You'll do anything for her, be anything she needs. A friend, a brother, usually…a lover, a mate for life. Our imprints are our everything. Sam imprinted on Emily. And so far, no one else has imprinted yet..Except one."
Her grip on me has tightened even more and she's snuggled into my chest. Head turned upward though, her eyes are still locked on my face in silent contemplation.
"Wow…But what do that have to do with me?"
"Bella…"
"What is it, Jared?"
"Bella, I imprinted on you."
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Playlist- Chapter 5:
1. "The Third Temptation Of Paris" -Alesana
2. "Helpless" -Buckcherry
3. "Half Life" -Duncan Sheik
4. "Delicate" -Damien Rice
5. "Through The Desert Alone" -Circa Survive
6. "Never Let Go" -Josh Groban
7. "Every Way" -Circa Survive
8. "Wherever You Go" -Ida Maria
9. "Sweeter Than You" -Ricky Nelson
10. "Hummingbird" -NeverShoutNever!
11. "Open My Eyes" -Buckcherry
12. "The Great Golden Baby" -Circa Survive
13. "A Second Glance" -A Day To Remember
14. "Jejune Stars" -Bright Eyes
15. "Awake" -Secondhand Serenade
16. "Zephyr Song" -Red Hot Chili Peppers
17. "With You In My Head" (Feat. The Black Angels)- UNKLE
18. "You Really Got Me" -Van Halen
19. "Entre Nous" -Rush
20. "Whisper" -Evanescence