CHAPTER 26

*****BELLA POV*****

ANGELA AND EMILY WERE working on dinner when Jake and I got back to the house. It wasn't for the whole pack tonight, so it didn't require as much work as most of the time, but I still hated that I couldn't help. I was thankful that Angela was willing to help out, though, to take some of the load off of Emily. Jake and I sat at the kitchen table and chatted with them while they worked.

After dinner was cleaned up, Angela and I settled in at the table to get some schoolwork done while Emily, Sam, Jake, Billy, and Charlie all moved into the living room. I did pretty good while I was away from Jake, and the cushions Emily had picked up seemed to make a difference.

"Thanks so much for all of your help getting me my schoolwork Angela," I said to her as she was packing up her things. "I don't know what I would have done without you!"

"I'm glad I can do it Bella. I like it here… such a warm and cozy place, and I really like Emily. It's so kind of her to take care of you like she has."

"Yes, she is a very good friend to me, and to Jake… more like a sister really."

"It kinda feels like one big family. Everyone last night was very friendly and welcoming to me. And seeing how much they care for you was so sweet. All except that girl werewolf. She wasn't very nice. I was shocked at how she spoke to you."

"Yeah, Leah is going through a lot and in a lot of pain right now, and she's not handling it very well. I do wish she wasn't taking it out on me, but I'm trying not to hold it against her."

"You and Jake seem to be doing good," she smiled at me. "He's absolutely crazy about you. Are you sure he hasn't imprinted on you? Embry was telling me more about what was going on between the two of you."

"No, he definitely hasn't imprinted on me… at least not in the normal way that Sam, Jared, and Embry have imprinted on you, Emily, and Kim. It's true that there is something going on, but no one knows or understands what yet."

"Well, even so, the way he is with you is so sweet… taking care of you and making sure you're comfortable. It's like he knows what you're feeling as soon as you feel it."

"Super senses," I said in explanation, glancing over at Jake. He looked over at me and we smiled at each other before he returned his attention to the conversation in the living room. I knew he had heard everything Angela and I had just said.

Angela had watched our exchange. "No, I think it's something more. He's so in tuned with you. I know I'm new to all of this, but I haven't even noticed Sam be that aware of Emily's needs."

I shrugged. "Maybe you're right. Even before Jake had gone through his transformation, he seemed to be able to read my mind sometimes. Maybe we'll figure it out someday… or maybe it will always be a mystery. No matter what, I don't know what I'd do without him. So, are you going to stay until Embry gets off of patrol tonight?"

A dreamy smile crossed her face for a moment. "Yes, that's the plan." She paused for a moment, looking at me with a contemplative expression. "Can we go sit on the porch to talk for a little bit? Do you feel up for that?"

I analyzed my pain level for a moment. "Sure, I think I could handle that for a little while." The porch chairs were cushioned, so that would help.

I looked over to try to get Jake's attention and he was already looking at me expectantly. I motioned for him, and he came over.

"Watcha need baby?" he asked.

"You weren't listening to us?" I asked, surprised that he didn't already know what we were wanting to do.

He shook his head. "No, I heard you call my name. I try not to eavesdrop unless I'm concerned about something. Sometimes I tune in if I hear my name, like a little while ago and just now."

"But I didn't say your name out loud just now. You were already looking at me when I looked at you."

"I told you Bella," Angela said, poking my shoulder. "Embry said that Jake had heard you call for him before, right?"

"Yeah, but I was in danger then…" I said, my head spinning a little.

"And I heard your voice in my head then," Jake said thoughtfully. "This time I thought I actually heard you say my name out loud."

"Maybe it's because you're closer together now that it sounded different to you?" Angela suggested. "You guys should really test this out sometime."

I nodded slowly, a little in shock. I truly thought the only reason Jake had heard me before was because I was in danger. Angela may be right about needing to test it out. I shook my head to clear it a bit and looked up at Jake. "Well, for now, Angela and I want to go out to the porch to talk for a little while. I was just going to get you to take me out there."

"Sure," Jake said, still seeming distracted with the thoughts of hearing my voice again. "Let me grab you some blankets. It's probably pretty chilly… and you won't have your personal heaters with you." He gave me a teasing crooked smile and Angela and I both laughed.

A few minutes later we were settled in the chairs on the porch with our jackets and blankets. Jake kissed me on the forehead and went back inside.

Angela waited for me to recover from the pain returning after Jake left (it always hit me hardest for the few moments after he moved away from me) before starting the conversation again.

"Okay, I hope you don't mind me being a little nosey, but Embry told me last night about the Cullens. I just need to hear the story from you. Did you know what they were? That Edward was… you know…" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "a vampire?"

"I knew you would be asking soon." I smiled meekly at her and answered a little reluctantly. "Yes, by the time Edward and I started dating I had figured out what they were."

She absorbed that for a moment. "Didn't that scare you, Bella?" she asked, still whispering and I could hear the fear seeping into her voice.

"No, I was never scared of Edward. Did Embry tell you that they don't kill humans? They feed on animals instead?"

"Yeah, but still… how could you risk being alone with him? What if it had become too tempting for him? Or for any of them?"

I spent the next while telling Angela about my time with Edward and his family. How I found out about them, how my blood was so potent to Edward, about James hunting me, how they had saved me from James and from his venom transforming me, showing her my scar. However, I didn't tell her about Victoria or about my birthday party when Jasper almost lost it.

Only two things seemed to really bother her. First was that I was hunted by a vampire and how close he had come to killing me (I was glad we hadn't told her about Victoria yet). The other was that I had, at that time, wanted to become one of them.

"Why would you want to do that Bella?"

I shrugged. "I loved Edward and thought he loved me. I thought I wanted to spend eternity with him and the only way to do that would have been to become one of them. I realize now just how much I would have been giving up and how foolish it would have been. I'm so thankful that Edward didn't give me what I wanted then, because it's definitely not what I want anymore."

"I guess love can make us do some pretty crazy things, but even so, that seems rather extreme! Wouldn't you have had to end all of your human relationships? Your family… your friends?"

I was filled with sorrow at the thought of what I'd come so close to throwing away, and it was reflected in my voice. "Yeah, that would have been part of the deal. That's why I realize now that it would have been too high a price to pay. I was blinded and very one minded… and very, very wrong.

"I thought that was the only path for me. I have always felt like I didn't fit in anywhere or with anyone. I thought I was destined for something different and becoming one of them seemed like the right path. I know now that I was destined for something different, but not that. This crazy life with Jake and a pack of shape-shifting wolves is what I was truly destined for. I feel it deep inside… a knowing like I never got when I was with Edward. What I have with Jake is just too special to not be the right path. And I don't have to change and leave everyone else who is important to me to be with Jake. In fact, with him, I get all these new and wonderful friendships. I never could have imagined my life like this before."

"Well, I'm certainly glad that you're still human you. I would have been heartbroken to lose you as a friend. It was hard for me while you were in such a bad place after Edward left. I didn't know how to help you and I missed you terribly during that time. Whatever happened to bring you back, I am very thankful for it."

"Jake happened. He was a great friend and loved me through all of that pain. He was so patient with me. He knew I loved him before I did. I was so focused on trying to forget the pain that I almost missed the answer… the cure."

I told her then about everything that Jake did for me and how our kiss woke me up and made me realize that I loved him and that is what finally healed my heart.

"It feels so good to be able to tell you about all of these things Angela. I hope that you don't think badly of me now, knowing I willingly dated a vampire… and then a werewolf!"

"No, I don't think badly of you Bella, even if I don't completely understand it… the vampire thing, not the wolf. However, I'm really glad I didn't know about the vampire thing until I knew about all of this other stuff first. What a crazy couple of days it's been!"

It was a relief to get to tell her everything and still have her as a friend. I was ready to stop talking about me though, so I decided to shift the focus of our conversation. "So, how's it going with Embry?"

Color rose in her cheeks and she gave me a small smile. "I sometimes don't know what to think. The way he looks at me, like I'm the most amazing thing he's ever laid eyes on, feels so strange. But at the same time, I have never before been drawn to anyone like I am to him. And even though we barely know each other, it's strange how comfortable I feel around him.

"I miss him when I am not with him, and I'm so excited to see him again. It also felt really nice to lean against him last night with his arm around me… and not just because I was cold.

"I think the weirdest part of it all is how completely he's committed to me, but he didn't choose to be. It makes me feel guilty, like I'm taking advantage of him."

I sighed, my frustration about imprinting rising up again. "I know what you're saying. I honestly hate that imprinting is a thing that these guys have to deal with. It's like their free will to choose for themselves who they want to spend their lives with is being taken away from them. They've already given up so much just by becoming wolves… it makes me mad for them."

"Jake got to choose though."

"Yeah, but if he has an imprint out there, one look at her and it's all over for me. His choice will be void, no matter how much he doesn't want it to."

Angela's eyes filled with alarm and sadness. "Really Bella? That's just awful. But what about all of these other things that are happening between you?"

I shrugged. "We don't know. I'd like to think it means he'll never imprint on someone else, but… we just don't know. I try not to think about it. I made the choice to stay with Jake, knowing the risk, but I can't let myself worry about the 'what if' or I'll go insane. We love each other, and that's what matters."

I waved my hand in the air, like trying to shoo all the negative and sad feelings away. "Regardless of all that, I don't think you should feel guilty, though I'm sure that's easier said than done. You didn't cause the imprinting to happen to Embry, the magic inside of him did. And, from my understanding, when they imprint something inside of them is fundamentally changed. So, no matter what, you're what he chooses now. He will only be happy if he can have a relationship with you… and it would be devastating for him, and the whole pack, if you were to deny that. So, hopefully you're at least willing to have him as a friend, which it seems like you are."

"I'm definitely willing for that. It's still early, but I feel like it could eventually turn into more. But I can't make myself magically like him the same way."

"Oh, I know that… and Embry knows that too. He'll be patient with you." A shiver ran through me… the night air had chilled a lot since we had come outside. "I'm getting pretty cold. You about ready to head inside?"

"Yeah, I think my nose is an icicle."

"Would you mind getting Jake for me?" I was trying to be good after he got so upset with me earlier… plus the severity of my bruising was still burned into my memory.

Angela stood to go inside, but then sat back down and looked at me. "This would be a good time to test out your telepathic connection with Jake. You should try to call for him."

"Oh, that feels weird," I said.

"Weird or not, there is definitely something there. It would be good if you guys understood how it works."

"I don't know," I said skeptically. "I'm not even sure what to do."

"I don't know either. Just try to think his name… like you're calling for him, but only in your thoughts. Like you did earlier… you thought about wanting him to help you and he heard you."

"Okay." I said with a sigh. Feeling very self-conscious I closed my eyes and thought about calling for Jake, saying his name in my head. Then looked at Angela and waited.

The front door opened, and Jake came out with an amazed look on his face. My mouth fell open.

"Did you hear me again?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, it was in my head, but it was so clear it was almost like you were right next to me. I think that's what happened earlier too, I just assumed it was out loud since you were just in the other room."

"What did you hear?"

"I only heard you say my name."

Angela clapped her hands excitedly then. "I knew it. I wonder if he can hear it if you think something specific besides his name."

I laughed at Angela's enthusiasm. "I can't believe this isn't freaking you out."

She gave me an incredulous look. "I now live a world where vampires and werewolves exist… this is nothing compared to that. And it's fun and really cool. You should just try it, Bella. Think of something like you're saying it out loud, but only in your thoughts."

I turned back to Jake. "Do you want to test it?"

"Yes, I'm curious too," he answered.

"Okay." I closed my eyes again and thought I'm getting really cold, then looked back at Jake. "Did you hear anything?"

He shook his head, "Nope, nothing that time."

"What did you say?" Angela asked.

"I just thought 'I'm getting really cold.'"

None of us said anything for a minute then Angela encouraged me to try a few more times, but Jake still didn't hear anything.

"Are you directing your thoughts toward me? Like you're trying to talk to me specifically? Every time I have heard you, you said my name, so you were specifically thinking of me."

"No, I guess I wasn't… they were all just general thoughts. I'll try saying something with your name I guess, but I'm getting tired, so this is the last one for tonight."

He nodded and I closed my eyes again and focused. Jake, did you know you're sort of beautiful?

When I opened my eyes again, Jake's loving smile was waiting for me. "Yes, you've told me that a time or two." He plucked me out of the chair and kissed me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, warmth enveloping me, inside and out. I hadn't realized how much I had begun to ache until the pain vanished and I sighed against his lips.

Once we were sitting back in the living room with everyone else, I directed a few more thoughts to Jake, and he heard them all. It seemed that I could telepathically communicate anything I wanted to him. We were both excited about figuring a little more of this strange thing between us. I wondered if there were a distance limit to this link between us. That test was going to have to wait though, since Jake couldn't get very far away from me without the pull making him very uncomfortable.

An hour later, Embry had returned from patrol, Billy and Charlie had left, and I was lying in Jake's arms, drifting off to sleep.