~A/N Love that people are enjoying this. I need a story to fall back on when I'm stressed. I played around with imprinting because I can. I hope you like my take on it in this chapter. Some days, I just feel like posting so here's something to get you more invested in the story.

Copyright disclaimer: Twilight and all recognizable characters are sole property of Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 3: Good with Weird

They'd enjoyed a good half hour of fireworks with lots of kissing in between. Jacob took her hand and helped her up. They started back inside. It was the time she needed to say 'goodnight' and allow him to drive her back home. When he locked the door behind them, she found herself being lifted by a pair of strong arms. Bella wrapped her legs around his waist without hesitation. They were kissing again with reckless abandon. She had a rule. She'd already bent it, but when he walked towards the hallway which she assumed led to his room, her hands grabbed tightly to the corner of the wall.

He halted and pulled back to receive instructions.

"No bedrooms, I won't be able to control myself."

He nodded, kissed her again, "Would that be such a bad thing?"

She wiggled and let him know she wanted down. She slid down his body. They ended up on the sofa.

He never stopped touching her. It was like Jacob couldn't break contact once they started it and she didn't want him too either. He apologized for moving too fast for her comfort level.

"We just met."

"I know."

"Jacob, I don't sleep around."

"I'm glad. I didn't expect that you did. I'm not a player, Bells, but I'm a man. Nothing that's happened today is typical for me either. Being here with you is better than I ever dreamed it would be."

"So, did you dream about me too?"

"All the time."

He was serious. She needed answers. "What was that... when you took Paul's arm off me? Something happened. I've been trying to figure it out all day."

Jacob asked for her to trust him. He had a lot to tell her and some things would be even more confusing, but he promised not to cross a line with her if she'd agree to stay a little longer. "Please, just a little more make out time and then I'll take you back to Charlie's."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and slid her fingers into his silky hair. "Okay, maybe a little bit longer. Your kisses are not of this world." She laughed at her own description, but it was the truth.

"Do you mean supernatural?"

"Uh huh."

He leaned in for another kiss, but whispered against her mouth. "Hold that thought. We'll talk about it more tomorrow when I take you on a real date."

Bella was running back and forth around her father's house. She was in the bathroom, running to the kitchen and then back to her room.

"Bells, what in the hell are you doing? You're making me dizzy?"

"I'm double checking my face in different lighting. Does this look okay?"

"I think you look real pretty, Kiddo. I didn't think you wore dresses too often."

"I don't. That's why I think I look stupid."

He assured her Jacob would think she was beautiful. "He was impressed yesterday when you wore faded blue jean shorts and a red t-shirt. He's already hooked, you don't have to put on the bait again."

Of course, her father would equate her relationship to fishing. He could find a correlation with his favorite hobby to just about any subject. Wait, was she in a relationship? It was just one date. Although, she did some pretty intense making out with him that last hour on his sofa. Damn her crazy standards, she wanted to scream out at least a half dozen times to forget what she said and race him to the bedroom.

They were going on their first official date, but she'd already done more than she normally would even before they had a real date. Would he think that she was ready to spend the night? Was she? She was so confused. Bella trudged back up the stairs and slammed her bedroom. Her father was right, she was making herself dizzy.

She had this crazy two year plan worked out on paper. She pulled out her notebook and reviewed her life schedule. She had each and every day accounted for. There wasn't one mention of meeting a great guy and completely losing her mind over him. She was supposed to go to the school, live with her father to save money and then travel around to great cities until she found her perfect spot to relocate and become an executive chef. Renee told her Washington was so boring, that she might hate it so bad, she'd change her mind and come back to the school in Florida, which was twice as expensive.

There was nothing boring about Jacob. When he showed up looking more glorious in denim than she thought was possible, she knew her mother could forget her ever returning to Florida.

He showed her such a great time. There was no awkwardness like she was used to for first dates. It had actually been awhile since she even went out with anyone but her friends. They had a nice dinner and he asked if she knew how to bowl. She didn't but it was great for a lot of laughs and she enjoyed feeling his arms around her every time he tried to give her some instruction.

They were driving back when Jacob asked if she minded swinging by his father's house. He was ready to have that talk with her. She thought it was strange that Billy wanted to share a story with her before she and Jacob had a long talk, but she agreed. She wasn't ready for the night to end.

Bella had been attentive for the whole conversation. She barely asked questions even though she had tons. First, Billy told her about the Quileute tribe in great historical detail. She found their legends fascinating, but then Jacob added they were actually real. Her mind was boggled from there on out.

"So you transform into a wolf? Like a furry, run around the forest creature on four legs?"

"Yes, Honey, only much larger with enhanced abilities."

"I... I don't know what to say, but show me."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

He told her to stay with his father, but to come out back in five minutes. The minutes seemed endless, but Billy nodded to her when the time had arrived.

"Don't be afraid. Jacob's wolf would never harm you. It's just the opposite, protecting you is his highest purpose in life."

Bella walked out half expecting Quil to have a camera ready to yell out to everyone she'd been punk'd. It had to be a joke, right? She stepped down the wooden steps onto the ground before she heard a rustling in the bushes. A huge animal moved slowly past the leaves until she saw him completely. 'Only bigger' was an understatement. Jacob's wolf was enormous. He towered over her, but she didn't have one ounce of fear. He came closer.

She spoke to him, "Jacob, you're magnificent. Can I touch you?"

He tilted his head down so she could reach. She scratched between his ears. "I hope this isn't offending you since I'm petting you like a dog. You're so pretty." He lifted up and swiped his tongue over her hand. "Eww. Hey, what'd you do that for?"

The wolf bent over and grabbed some discarded clothing she hadn't noticed in the grass before walking back to the forest. Bella had a seat on the steps and waited.

He came back to her dressed but hadn't bothered putting his boots back on. She could see the apprehension on his face. "Well?"

"Well, couldn't you understand me?"

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Okay, then it's settled. I thought you were more than amazing. I loved it. This is unbelievable but it's still you. I might keep pinching myself for the next few days to make sure I'm not dreaming."

She remembered something Billy said just before going out there. "Okay, I get it. Vampires actually exist so you have to protect your people, but why did Billy say 'protecting me is your highest priority?' I've never met a vampire. I'm pretty sure of that fact or I wouldn't be here. Is there still something I'm missing?"

Jacob told her he had cupcakes at his place and if she wanted to share dessert with him, he'd answer any other questions she had. She kissed Billy on the cheek on the way out. He shocked her once again. "I'll be sure to rub it in you took it way better than your old man. He went face down when he first saw the Clearwater kids phase."

"What? My dad knows all this stuff?"

"Come on, Bells. Yeah, I told you I'd tell you everything. Let's go."

Jacob said their dear friend, Harry Clearwater had passed away suddenly. Leah and Seth phased and all hell was breaking lose because Quil also had the fever. Charlie had just arrived because of the call over the scanner. Normally, the wolves were a heavily guarded secret but he found out by accident and Billy trusted him like a brother, so instead of insisting he was having hallucinations, he told him everything.

"My father trusts you and he knows the truth. I guess that's a good thing."

Jacob pulled out the red velvet cupcakes as soon as they got back to his apartment. She wasn't sure she could eat it all so she offered to share. He laughed and told her he'd eat his and half of hers. He patted his flat stomach and told her a little bit about his extreme metabolism.

"So what else do I need to know about your pack?"

"Listen to you, Ms. Know-it-all. I never said I was alpha. "

"Please, that was obvious from the start before I even knew what was going on. You exude leadership."

Jacob asked if she paid too much attention to the lovebirds.

"Sure, Leah and Sam... Kim and Jared. They didn't look my way too often or say much, but they seemed polite... also very in love."

He told her about imprinting. She knew a little something about that, she'd heard the term, "Like baby ducks?"

"Umm, sorta, but not really." He explained it in vivid detail. She thought it sounded super intense... all consuming and powerful, but maybe scary.

She thought back to when he looked at her and how it felt and how she'd barely thought of anything other than Jacob for over 24 hours, but also how she ran off and hid in a bathroom, "Oh."

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"What? Why?"

"Because when you were explaining it some, I got the impression it annoys you."

He said he needed to finish the story. It turned out Sam was the first to phase. He was with Leah but he didn't imprint on her. Instead he imprinted on her cousin, Emily who was also Leah's best friend.

"That's terrible."

"Exactly. Sam hated it, Leah was devastated, and Emily wanted nothing to do with it either."

"But I saw Leah and Sam and they're so happy. How did they work it out?"

"They broke it."

"You can do that?"

"We didn't realize, but after going to the elders, Quil's grandfather figured it out after a few weeks of intense studying." Jacob went on to say as long as both parties were in agreement it was not in the best interest of the wolf, that it was a fairly easy process. Emily is still close to the couple and there's no weirdness. She and Sam never acted on the imprint pull.

Next came Jared and Kim and it turned out they were quiet happy with each other, so they left the imprint intact. "We thought 50/50 weren't that bad of odds but none of us were sure if there'd be more imprinting."

"Was there?" she meant before their obvious connection occurred.

"Yep, and it wasn't good."

"Worse than breaking up family and friends?"

"Yeah, Emily was training to be a Nurse Practitioner. She was visiting Sue frequently for study sessions. One day she brought her little niece, Claire along and lo and behold Quil was over there begging Sue for food and well..."

"Oh no, how old?"

"She was only two."

"That's weird... maybe even creepy."

"Exactly. Quil broke it on his own because Claire didn't even understand. I mean, he's fond of her and thinks nicely about the kid, but she not his world or anything. He's having fun being Quil and very much single. It was not meant to be."

Jacob said after that, they were all weirded out by imprinting. None of the guys wanted the hassle to even have to appear before the council, and go through the cleansing ritual. They didn't want their choices taken away from them or added complications. She was shocked to hear it had also happened to Paul with Jacob's sister as well.

"Rachel is working on her Master's, she doesn't want to come back here, at least not yet. She might in the future, who knows. The truth is, she and Paul really kind of like each other, and they still communicate, but they both agreed to break it. They are content to wait and see. Neither was ready to settle down."

She knew what was next. Jacob would ask her to go to the elders and say she didn't accept the imprint. He was the fifth one and only Jared's survived. A man like Jacob shouldn't be trapped.

He was great. She really liked him. He made her red velvet cupcakes. She thought he bought them at first, but that wasn't the case. He was too perfect. She waited for the ball to drop. She would be strong as soon as he said the words.

"I want it... with you and only you. I've been having dreams or visions since Charlie showed me how much you'd grown into a beautiful young woman. My wolf had a strong reaction. It was strange, no one could explain it, but I already knew you'd be my imprint before it happened. When we saw each other... we both felt it. I've been preparing for this for almost two years, but I realize it's all brand new to you. I want you to know, you have a choice, but I had to be honest."

She finally figured out she was completely dumbfounded and was just staring at him. He didn't say any of the things she had psyched herself up to hear.

"Well, say something Bells. I dying over here."

She practically attacked him. Bella had never been an aggressor, but she had to get her point across. She was crazy about him. Of course, she didn't fully understand all that it entailed, but she didn't care. She wanted Jacob, but only if he truly wanted her.

He broke away from her kisses for a brief intermission to ask, "So you're okay with it?"

"Yes, I don't want to be separated from you. It's crazy and impulsive and I've never said or done things like this, but Jacob, I wholeheartedly accept your imprint with me."

He smiled against her lips and they got back to where they were the night before. He settled in between her open thighs as soon as they fell back on the sofa. She was ready to prove to him how much she meant what she said. If they were destined, lifelong soulmates, then she wouldn't seem too easy agreeing to go to his room after only one date.

Things were heating up quickly, Jacob's shirt came off and Bella thoroughly enjoyed the view that was to be all hers for a lifetime. She was ready to match his state of undress. When her fingers pulled at her dress to lift it off her body, he stopped her.

They sat up and both tried to catch their breaths. Had she done something wrong? She was totally misreading the situation.

"Wait, Bella. I feel like you might have more questions. These feeling are so intense but I still don't want to rush you." He traced his knuckles down her moist cheek.

She felt her lip trembling.

"Don't look so sad. I'm not turning you down. Hell no. Just a pause, to make sure we've cleared the air completely. I want us to start out on the right foot. You're pretty damn laid back considering how freaky all this is. Fire away, is there anything else you want to know?"

"Can we ever break up?"

"No, we won't."

"Will we fight?"

"Probably, I'm hard-headed and you seem fiesty."

"Is it possible to fall in love this fast?"

"Yes."

"So you do?"

"Do you?" he asked back.

"I think so."

"I know so, next."

"Will our children be wolves?" Talk about fast, she hadn't slept with him but she was asking about their kids.

"Depends."

"On?"

"If those damn Cullens leave once and for all and we stop having so many nomads wander around the area."

He saw the alarm she felt, so he pulled her close against him again. "Don't worry, Honey. I'll always make sure you're protected. No vamp has escaped our pack in years."

"No, that's not what shocked me. I remember you said there was a weird family that lived close by. It's just did you say 'Cullen?'"

"Yes, why?"

Bella had bragged earlier she'd never met a vampire. Maybe it was a common name in those parts, but earlier in the week, a young man introduced himself to her when she was registering and paying her fees for school. She had to tell Jacob the story to see if the man was affiliated with the Cullen family he disliked so much.

"He said his name was Edward and that he would be attending culinary school with me. He asked me out for coffee but I was busy. Registration took way longer than I imagined and I was already meeting Dad for dinner. Is this a coincidence?"

How could it be that Bella hadn't even been in the area a full week and she'd already met a vampire and imprinted with the alpha shape-shifter from the reservation? She was boring. Nothing exciting ever happened in Florida. Her wildest adventure had been her mother tricking her into going for a Brazilian wax earlier in the summer.

"Say something Jake. You don't look so great." Jacob was shivering, but his skin felt like fire. He stood up and backed away from her.

Bella didn't know what to do next. Was she right? Edward Cullen was a vampire. The news took Jacob by complete surprise and he was not handling it so well. It was essentially a huge complication that neither of them were prepared for in their newly formed relationship.

~Thanks for reading.

I promised fluff but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little drama here and there. Hit me back with your thoughts.