"Kate says this one's on the house." 17 year old Erin announced with a smile as she placed the plate with the 'Leader of the Pack' hamburger on the table in front of Jacob.

"She doesn't have to do that. I can pay." Jake argued. He'd been making extra cash by fixing up peoples' cars, as well as the small pay the council had started giving the pack for their 'service to the Tribe'.

"She's says you're a favorite customer and give nice tips to everyone. Therefore, today, you're not allowed to pay." Erin retorted with a smile.

Jake rolled his eyes and returned the smile. "Well, tell her I said thanks, even though it's not necessary."

"I will." Erin answered as she took a seat in the booth across from him. It was a slow day, only a couple other customers in the restaurant. Kate didn't mind it when Erin sat for a few minutes if there wasn't anything else to do. As long as she didn't do it too often or for too long when she could be doing other things.

She sat and talked with her boyfriend for a couple minutes when a group of guys walked in and headed for a nearby booth. Erin sighed.

"I'd better get back to work. Do you need anything?" she asked as she stood up.

"Not right now. Thanks, though." Jake answered with a smile.

She grabbed some menus from behind the counter before approaching the group of teenage guys. None of them looked Native, most of them were palefaces with one of them being black.

"Hi. Can I get you guys anything to drink?" she asked politely as she handed them each a menu.

They all told her what they wanted, but she felt uncomfortable how the guy closest to her was looking her over with a smirk. She got them all their drinks a few moments later and then asked, "Do you guys know what you'd like or do you need a few more minutes with the menus?"

The guy who'd been eyeing her earlier asked, "Well, you look pretty tasty. You on the menu?"

Erin blinked, completely taken aback. "Um, no…sorry." she answered slowly, unsure of how to respond to a comment like that. She'd never been flirted with apart from Jake. The guys laughed to themselves before telling her their orders. She went back and left the order with the cook before heading back toward Jake's table. It would take at least ten minutes for the order to be done and she didn't want to go back to that table if she could help it.

"Hey, you want a refill?" she offered when she reached Jake's table, noticing his glass was empty.

Jake glanced at the glass as if he didn't realize it was empty. "Oh, um, yeah sure." he answered tensely, looking back down at his half-eaten plate.

Erin stared at him for a few moments, her head tilted a bit. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern. He glanced at her before shaking his head dismissively.

"Jake, what is it?" she repeated insistently, leaning her hand on the table to get a better look at his face.

Jake sighed, his eyes moving up to her face. He looked like he was at war with himself before shaking his head again. "Nothing important. I'll tell you later tonight."

Erin wanted to argue, but she figured she'd have a better chance getting the answer out of him in private. "Okay, I guess. But I will get the answer out of you." she warned him, earning a small smile.

"I know." he chuckled as she took his glass to get a refill. About five minutes later the cook rang the bell letting Erin know he had an order ready. She picked it up and balanced all the plates on a tray before delivering it to the teenage guys.

Through the next hour, she took care of three tables, one with an elderly couple, one with Jake, and the other with the group of teens. Every time she approached the table with the teenage boys, the same one continued to hit on her.

Erin sighed as she picked up Jake's empty plate, a quick glance at her boyfriend revealing a clenched jaw and a fisted hand.

"Jake?" she asked worriedly, gently placing her hand on his closed fist. He relaxed a bit at her touch, twisting his hand around to hold hers. "What's the matter?"

Jake gritted his teeth, but Erin noticed his eyes dart past her toward the table she'd just come from. The one with the group of guys. Erin glanced over her shoulder at the table before looking back down at her boyfriend, the pieces slowly falling into place.

"Jake…" he dropped his eyes to the tabletop at her tone, "…Are you jealous?" she whispered in surprise.

Jake glared into the table so fiercely she was surprised lasers didn't shoot out his eyes. "I'm not jealous…I just don't like the things that guy's been saying to you." he argued simply.

"You and me both." Erin muttered under her breath, earning a small grin from her boyfriend, his expression one of relief.

A few minutes later she went back to the guys' table to collect the empty plates. "Are any of you thinking about having some dessert?"

"Sure. I'd like to have you to go." the same guy who'd been flirting with her all day answered with a smirk.

Erin wanted to blush and stutter out a response before escaping, but she could feel Jake's anger and jealousy bubbling up in her stomach, and she could feel that he needed some reassurance. If she didn't do something to shut this guy down she'd have some damage control later in the evening.

"Sorry, but I'm happily spoken for. If you're not interested in anything on the menu, I'll go get your bill." she answered simply before turning away. She thought she handled it pretty well,…until a hand grabbed her butt and squeezed.

She jumped and lurched away from the guy. Before she had time to figure out how to react, Jake flashed past her and had the guy by the collar of his shirt.

"If you ever touch her again, I'll rip your arm out of its socket, you sick bastard." he growled, his body trembling with rage as he lifted the guy a few inches off the ground so they were at eyelevel.

Erin's brain snapped out of its shock when she realized what was happening. She hurried forward and rested her hand on Jake's arm, which was holding the guy in the air. "Jake, calm down. Kate will have to throw you out if you start something." she hurriedly warned him.

"What is going on here?" Kate demanded as she approached from the kitchen.

"This guy just attacked him out of nowhere!" one of the guys announced frantically.

Kate eyed Jake and the other guy doubtfully before stating calmly, "You may want to put him down, Jacob. I don't want to have to throw you out. Put him down, and then I want Erin to tell me what happened."

Erin squeezed Jake's arm in added support, which made the scale of his resolve tip more in her favor. He slowly lowered the guy to the ground and released his shirt from his fist before he took a small step back.

"Now, Erin, what happened?" Kate asked calmly.

Erin swallowed past the uncomfortable lump in her throat, letting Jake wrap his arm around her waist and pull her close. "Well,… I told them I was going to go get their bills and then I turned away when…he grabbed my butt." she answered, nodding at the guy Jake had 'attacked' when she said 'he'. A very quiet growl rumbled deep in Jake's chest, only Erin could hear it with her head right next to his chest.

Kate nodded, not having a single ounce of doubt in her mind on Erin's honesty. "I figured it'd be something along those lines. Well, I'm going to get your bills, and then I ask you leave after you've paid. If we have any other problems with you boys in the future I'll be more than happy to call the police and turn you in for sexual assault on my employees. Am I clear?" she eyed them all sternly, and they quickly nodded.

While Kate went to retrieve their bills Jake lead Erin toward his own table before turning her toward him to look her over. His eyes followed his hands as he ran them down her arms. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Jake, I'm fine. It's not like he hurt me it just…felt weird." she answered quietly.

Jake growled quietly, closing his eyes to try and calm himself down. Erin bit her lip for a moment before lifting her hand and resting it on his cheek. The growling stopped instantly and Jake's eyes popped open to stare intently down into hers.

"Jake, I swear I'm fine." she insisted slowly, emphasizing each word.

"I know I just…" he growled in frustration, lowering his forehead to hers. "I'm the only one allowed to say those things to you. I'm the only one allowed to touch you." he grumbled.

Erin couldn't fight the amused smile that pulled at her lips. "Yes, you are."

Jake's eyes snapped to hers, wide in shock that she agreed instead of getting angry or defensive. His shock quickly faded away into a smug smirk before he pressed his lips firmly to hers, pulling her bottom lip between his teeth after a few moments. His hands gently squeezed her ribs before one hand slid around to press against her back. The other hand, however, slid around and down her back until it rested on her jean-clad butt. Jake smirked against Erin's lips as he gave her butt a firm squeeze. Erin barely swallowed back a moan, a shiver running down her back.

"Ahem." The couple jumped and pulled back, giving Erin's boss sheepish smiles.

"Sorry Kate." Jake shrugged, moving his hands somewhere safe on Erin's body so he wouldn't get in more trouble.

"No you're not, Jacob Black." Kate smirked, shaking her head at him, "But keep in mind this is a family restaurant."

Erin looked down in embarrassment. "Sorry, Kate. He was just leaving." She turned and gave Jake a pointed look. The group of guys had already left, so Jake grinned and pecked her cheek before paying for his lunch and leaving the building.

Erin sighed as she started clearing away the table the boys had been sitting at. She never thought she'd actually enjoy Jake being so…territorial with her. She just might have to do something to get that reaction out of him again, she thought with a devious chuckle.

XXX

This was both awkward and fun to write. I hope you guys all liked it, and seeing a little bit of a territorial Jake. Let me know! : )