A/N: I'm back! :) Finally.

Special thanks to my guest reviewers Dramaqueen1917 and Fizii.

This chapter is 100% Jacob and Bella so have fun reading.

Rated M for adult themes and language.

Bella knew he was coming.

It was a feeling akin to intuition, only stronger.

She paced the length of her Parisian bedroom after calling his number for the umpteenth time.

His BlackBerry was switched off.

"Okay. Calm down. There is absolutely no need to panic." She chanted, opening the closet and fishing out a fluffy towel from the shelf. "Just…take a deep breath and feed him first. Food always mellows him out."

She opted for a shower to calm her nerves and wash away any traces of Eau de Vampire. The Coldbanes, namely Alexander and Gabriel were incredibly touchy-feely. The latter drove her home in his Mercedes and gave her a warm thank you hug for being an 'understanding and compassionate young lady.'

Gabriel's sincere words and his love for his adorable children were enough proof that she did the right thing. His family was the victim here, not Elissa freakin' Redhawk.

Jesus. That infuriatingly gorgeous Beta had an ego the size of Texas. Somebody needed to shrink said ego before it took over the entire state of California.

Bella moved swiftly inside the bathroom, tossing her clothes in the laundry hamper next to the shower stall. Inside the stall, a plastic shelf was stocked with organic soap, shampoo and a bottle of seaweed shower gel. She uncapped the bottle and sniffed the green-ish liquid before making a disgusted face and tossing it in the trash.

"No offense, but you smell like horse excrement." She wrinkled her nose and turned on the shower head.

The water was nice and warm, reminding her of a certain Alpha. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine their inevitable conversation. He certainly sounded angry on the phone so she pictured him in Alpha mode: eyes glowing, nostrils flaring and full lips curled into an evil sneer. He would flex his massive hands and fix her with a feral stare.

She bit her lip and rubbed her thighs together. The image projected inside her head succeeded in turning her on instead of off.

"Jeez. Even his imaginary twin wants to seduce me." She squeezed a dollop of organic peach shampoo into her palm and lathered up her hair thoroughly.

Meanwhile onboard Flight 212 headed to Phoenix, Arizona…

Jacob was lounging comfortably in his First Class seat, sipping on champagne and looking out the window with a smug grin on his face.

He had successfully managed to flirt his way out of Economy Class. It was as easy as taking candy from a baby really. All he had to do was flex his biceps for the young flight attendant, compliment her immaculate hairdo and voila! Instant upgrade to champagne flutes and plush leather seats.

He spent the four-hour flight to Phoenix being doted on by a stewardess called Zelda who offered him free love advice and an extra plate of cheesecake.

He devoured the raspberry cheesecake in two bites and left the plane with a full belly and a handful of wooing tips.

.

.

.

It was three o'clock in the morning when her phone vibrated on the nightstand.

She was lying in her comfy bed with her damp hair wrapped in a towel, her purple nails tapping nervously on the mattress.

"Oh my God. He's actually here." She stared at the digital screen in shock:

Knock. Knock. Better invite me in b4 I huff & puff & blow Ur house down.

She took a deep, calming breath and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Jacob was either here to help the Coldbanes or punish them.

She crossed her fingers and hoped for the former. He was probably going to help them if she played her cards right tonight.

"Meat." She whispered in the dark as she padded barefoot to the foyer. "I'll bribe him with steak and…sex."

She chanted the two words over and over, tugging nervously on her lavender Pj shorts.

She had no idea why she was so damn nervous.

Maybe because you were drinking tea with a bunch of vampire hybrids and you're about to tell your prospective boyfriend/ Alpha all about it?!

"Shit. What did I get myself into?" She slowly opened the door with a sheepish smile dancing on her lips.

'My thoughts exactly.'

Uh-oh.

Bella swallowed thickly and avoided looking directly into Jacob's intimidating irises.

He was standing there with a backpack hanging from his right shoulder and black t-shirt that mirrored his mood.

"I see you're wearing your Darth Vader tee." She remarked. "Are we going to settle this particular argument with a pair of lightsabers? Because I left mine at home."

'Who says I'm here to argue with you?' He coolly responded.

She fidgeted with the hem of her top and glanced down at the parquet floor beneath her bare feet. "I meant what I said on the phone so if you're here to change my mind..."

'On the contrary my dear.' He interjected in that same infuriatingly calm tone. 'I'm here because my imprint has this unexplainable Mother Teresa complex. See, she has this obsession with helping the hopeless or whatever.'

Bella scoffed at his choice of words and folded her arms across her chest. "The Coldbanes are not hopeless. They might be hybrids but they deserve to be treated like human beings."

Jacob stepped closer, blocking the doorway with his brawny frame. 'Look at you, defending them when you barely even know their family history.' He muttered. 'You should've consulted me before making a deal with the fucking devil, Bells.'

"I'm privy to that info, you judgmental idiot! Gabriel and his family are the innocent party here and you're supposed to be on their side." She hissed. "Leave the prejudice and hatred to Little Miss Beta-Bitch. I hope karma comes back and bites her in the ass."

Jacob narrowed his eyes and leaned forward until their faces were barely inches apart. 'Just so you know, I spoke to Elissa and she confirmed their sob story. Those clever leeches knew you had a soft spot for mistreated fuckers.' He growled low in his throat.

"Stop insulting them." She warned, breathing heavily through her nose. "You once told me that my instincts were sharp so trust me when I say that the Coldbanes are innocent."

He searched her face for a few seconds, inhaling her sweet, familiar scent. They were so close and she looked so small compared to his six-foot frame. Small and ridiculously stubborn.

'Two days ago, you told me you needed a break from the supernatural and from yours-fucking-truly.' He eyed her suspiciously.'So what changed, huh?'

"Everything." Bella confessed. "You think I asked for this?" She waved an angry hand in the air. "Vampires seem to follow me wherever I go. It's almost like I give off this weird vibe…"

'You do give off a vibe; a come-fuck-me vibe.' He smirked. 'So I came. No pun intended.'

"Ugh…" She rolled her eyes and motioned for him to step inside the foyer. "I see you've brought your juvenile bag of innuendoes to sunny Phoenix."

'Innuendo is my middle name, babe. It's part of the package, and by package I mean…'

Bella slapped a hand over his annoying mouth to shut him up. "Jesus. What did they feed you on the plane? Dinner with a side of ADHD?"

He licked her palm and kissed it, circling her delicate wrist with his caramel fingers. 'Cheesecake and champagne.' Came his muffled reply.

"You're still hungry, aren't you?" She chuckled, no longer feeling nervous. A hungry Alpha was a lot less intimidating than a pissed off Alpha.

'Famished actually.' He grinned while nibbling on her thumb.

She led him to the kitchen where they raided the fridge for something meaty, only there was no meat since Renee was vegan.

'I thought vegans were mythical creatures like Santa Claus…and unicorns.' He placed his backpack on the kitchen counter while his imprint searched the pantry for cookies. 'Speaking of mythical fuckers, did your precious hybrids give you their contact details, or better yet, their coffin-shaped business card?'

"Yep." She nodded, handing him a packet of peanut butter cookies. "Gabriel asked me to call him if and only if you decide to play nice."

Jacob inspected the packet carefully before tearing it open. 'I'll think about it.' He replied distractedly. 'Now where's my munchkin kiss?' He wrapped his free arm around Bella, the heat from his skin seeping through her flannel top. 'Or are you still mad at me for yelling at you over the phone?'

Bella cocked her head to the side and watched him take a big bite from the star-shaped cookie. "Jake, you flipped out and called me a liar. So no, I will not kiss you until you apologize."

The Alpha wolfed down the rest of his cookie under her determined gaze. She looked so cute, he wanted to put her in his lap and nuzzle her hair. 'Come on, Bells. You know I say the meanest shit when I'm angry.'

"There you go again, using your anger as an excuse." She huffed. "You swore like a freakin sailor and embarrassed me in front of Gabriel. He probably thinks we have trust issues and that I lie to my mate." She hissed, jabbing a finger into his chest. "So you technically owe me two things: an apology and a plan to restore the treaty that Elissa destroyed."

His arm tightened around her waist and pulled her closer to his menacing frame. She craned her neck to look up at him, his glowing eyes burning bright like orange flames. 'I owe you nothing.' He growled. 'And I'm definitely not sorry for yelling at you because you fucking deserved it. Yeah your instincts are sharp but those hybrids can snap your neck in a heartbeat!' He suddenly spun her around until her back was pressed up against the counter. 'If I had known that those bastards were in Phoenix, I wouldn't have let you board that fucking plane in the first place.'

"Let me?" Bella gaped at him in utter disbelief. "Since when do I need your permission to visit my own mother?" She tried to pry his fingers from her waist in an effort to get away from him. "Next thing I know you'll be dictating my every move, toilet breaks included."

'Keep this up and I will, babe.' He threatened.

Bella yanked him down by the collar of his shirt until they were nose to nose. She wanted to strangle him for saying those possessive words. Strangle him then kiss him back to life. That was a good plan; flawed but good.

"Domineering and unapologetic. I'm such a lucky girl." She muttered sarcastically.

He chuckled humorlessly, the fire in his eyes dying out slowly. 'Silly girl. You have no idea how lucky you are. Elissa wanted you punished but Embry defended you by the way. He said and I quote: 'I know Bells and I trust her judgment' so I offered Elissa the chance to change her mind about the treaty but she refused. Embry ditched her ass and I threatened to kill our sponsorship deal for you. So guess what, babe? We are on your fucking side. '

"Embry defended me?" She blinked up at him in shock, loosening her grip on his shirt.

'Yeah.' He nodded. 'I was gonna tell you all about it, but as usual, you insulted my ego the moment I walked through the door.'

Bella sighed in exasperation and buried her face in his toasty tee. "You and your freakin ego." She moved her head from side to side, spreading her scent all over the cottony fabric. "The two of you are going to be the death of me." She groaned.

'Yeah well, the next time you decide to call me a judgmental idiot, a cocky bastard, an arrogant mutt or your trademark insult: big oaf, please remember this conversation and how it made you feel.'

Bella peered up at him sheepishly and smoothed down the wrinkles on his Darth Vader shirt. "I guess I owe you a mini apology too."

'Nah. I'm good.' He said. 'Just promise me you'll stick to swimming, reading and vamp-free activities once we resolve the Elissa/Coldbane situation.'

"Wow. You really are here to save the day." She sighed in relief. "Fine. I promise to stay out of trouble. God knows I need a normal summer after all the weird stuff I've been through this year."

'That makes two of us, Swan.' Jacob yawned, looping both arms around her waist.

"Yikes. It's almost four in the morning!" Bella yawned as well. "We'd better catch some sleep. Renee's an early bird who likes to wake me up by flinging the curtains open and singing Disney tunes Cinderella-style."

The tired brunette led Jacob past the living room and asked him to choose one of the guest rooms to crash in. "You have a choice between Spanish and Italian, so take your pick 'cause you're not staying in my room tonight."

'Why not?' He pouted, his right arm still wrapped possessively around her petite frame.

"Because my mother's right down the hall." She whispered matter-of-factly.

'Is this why you were so damn nervous when you answered the door?' He arched an eyebrow and stroked the side of her neck with his long fingers. 'You're nineteen, Bells. Renee's not going to ground you for sneaking me in.' He chuckled. 'She's a lot cooler than Charlie.'

"Oh she is way cooler than I expected. She also calls you a dreamboat." Bella remarked with an amused smile. "But you're more of a dream-ship really." She giggled.

'Uh-oh. I know that giggle.' The Alpha steered his imprint towards her bedroom. 'You're going to crash in less than five minutes.'

He switched on the lights and dropped his backpack on the carpet.

"It's been one heck of a day." She yawned into her palm and padded barefoot to the bed.

'How about we seal it with a goodnight kiss?' Jacob suggested, following her like a lovesick puppy and placing a lingering kiss on her neck.

"Okay." She turned around and looked up at him shyly from beneath her lashes.

'Mmmm…you've got sex on your mind, Bells. I can tell.' He smirked.

Her blush deepened at his words.

'Holy shit! You do have sex on your mind.' He whispered gleefully. 'Naughty girl. I bet you were secretly hoping I'd show up tonight.'

"Maybe." She coyly replied.

He cupped her face in his large hands and stroked her cherry cheeks with his thumb. 'Sorry I called you a liar.' He finally apologized. 'Yes. I said it. Stop looking at me like I'm batshit crazy.'

Bella's eyes widened at his unexpected apology and the only response she could muster was a quick: "Apology accepted" followed by a warm, affectionate hug.

Jacob buried his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled her comforting scent. He secretly thanked the Coldbanes for giving him a reason to come to Phoenix earlier than intended. The mere of thought of living without Bella for three whole weeks made his heart clench violently.

'You drive me loco, Bells.' He ghosted his lips over her collarbone, his hands gliding down her spine.

"Ditto." She threaded her fingers through his raven hair and closed her eyes the moment their lips touched.

He nibbled on her lower lip, teasing her with soft butterfly kisses until she parted her lips and silently begged for more. He hoisted her up in his arms and deepened their kiss, his tongue tasting the mint from her toothpaste. She moaned and wrapped her legs around his jean-clad waist. His muscles flexed and shuddered beneath her wandering fingers.

She tugged on his soft hair, eliciting a deep growl from his throat.

He had her pinned to the mattress in less than three seconds, lust coursing through his veins. He channeled his fear of losing her into that one kiss. It was so intense; she lost sense of time and place. Nothing mattered, not even her mother who was sleeping down the hall.

Things were becoming heated as Bella blindly reached for the hem of Jacob's shirt, wanting to feel the contours of his bare chest. The imprinting bond was wreaking its havoc on her brain, robbing it of its inhibitions.

Jacob sensed her urgency and pressed one firm kiss to her swollen lips before coming up for air. He sat up on his knees and pulled the black tee over his head, panting like he'd just run a marathon.

'Take off your top.'

His sultry voice sent shivers down her spine, turning her shaky exhales into needy moans.

She grabbed the hem of her shirt then tugged it upwards and over her head.

'Give it to me.'

She handed him the shirt, her half-lidded gaze hooked on his glowing irises. They were the color of amber. She slowly dragged her eyes away from them to drink in his naked torso. His muscles rippled as he crawled on top of her once more, tracing the pastel blue cups of her bra with surprising gentleness.

He tossed both their shirts on the carpet and peppered her cleavage with tender kisses. 'When will I finally get to sex you up, down and all around? Hmm?'

Bella combed her fingers through his kitten-soft hair, the desire she felt for him blossoming inside her like a delicate rose. "Soon." She found herself saying.

Dear God. One kiss from his sinful lips and she was putty in his hands.

He suddenly froze mid-kiss, his eyes returning to their original onyx color. 'Huh.' He rested his chin on the valley between her breasts and regarded her thoughtfully. 'Whatever happened to that speech you gave me about taking you for granted and shit? Because said speech was the reason you left Washington in the first place.' He asked, feeling puzzled yet incredibly turned on.

His imprint was flushed and aroused, just the way he liked it.

Too bad Renee was in the house. Otherwise, he would've been on Bella like white on rice.

"Umm…" She scratched the top of his head with her purple fingernails and he purred in response. Her very own vibrating space heater. "What happens in Washington stays in Washington and vice versa. So forget about that speech for now and kiss me."

'Yes, Mistress.'