Title: Claim
Genre: Drama?
Rating: M kinda, not really
Pairing: Bella/Jared… and Sam and Paul…
Words: 554, I went over just a bit
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AN: The last sentence of this story was the prompt for this, and I will be extending this on Tricky Raven. It will be a series of short chapters (500-1000 words), but I won't post it here until it's complete, probably as a longer one-shot.

This is set in Twilight after the beach trip/scary stories.

~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~oOo~

Claim

After tossing and turning all night, she spent the day trying to get her mind off the stories Jake had told her at the beach. She couldn't make sense of it—there was no way vampires could possibly be real.

As the hours passed, she felt more and more claustrophobic—as if something was drawing her away from the house. She gave in and traipsed outside, angling across the yard to the dim forest beyond. There was a faint trail for her to follow, and she walked the path until she found a fallen tree to sit upon.

Surrounded by nature, it was easier to believe the tales that Jacob wove. Monsters and heroes, vampires and wolf-men. Anything seemed possible in this unchanging landscape.

The faint snap of a twig had her jerking her head to the right. A dark, hazy shape darted in and out of the trees, never staying in one place long enough for her to see what it was.

A soft growl answered to her left and her heart sped in response to the menacing sound. This time it was easier to see the huge animal approaching. His grey fur rippled and his lips pulled back over razor-sharp teeth. A wolf.

"Shh, it's okay." The soft voice behind her had her scrambling to her feet even as the warm hand closed over her arm to steady her. A feeling of safety overwhelmed her rising panic as she stared into the faintly familiar brown eyes she'd seen briefly the day before.

"I'm Jared," he reminded her helpfully, not attempting to remove his hand from her skin.

A firmer hand grasped her shoulder, and she looked back to see a very stern Sam Uley staring down at her. As she'd thought at the beach, he seemed to be disapproving—as if she'd done something to personally offend him. His proud bearing exuded authority. "What are you doing out here?"

She had no idea how to respond. Her mouth gaped as she searched for words. "I– how– but you–"

Heat covered her back as a deliciously decadent scent washed over her. Sensuously soft lips were pressed lightly to her neck, and a deep voice whispered in her ear. "He can't have you. We won't let him."

"Paul," Sam's voice carried a warning, but he made no move to extricate her from the volatile wolf's grasp. Her body trembled with both fear and desire. If Sam was Authority and Jared was Safety, then Paul was undeniably Danger.

At an uncharacteristic glare from Jared, Paul stepped back enough that she could turn and meet his cruel smirk. "This is much better than that uptight popsicle you've been panting after, right?"

Sensing her distress, Jared pulled her back to the safety of her log, settling close beside her with his arm around her shoulder. "Bella, we know what Jacob told you. We can't let you around the Cullen again."

His eyes were serious as he silently begged for her cooperation, and the other two were just as firm when she glanced their way. Paul and Sam took a step closer, boxing her in on all sides, surrounding her with heat and security.

The unprecedented hunger she felt at their proximity both terrified and aroused her. She had a feeling they weren't finished with her yet.