Hey. Author here. I'm pretty tired. I have a lot of stuff on my plate, but I hope to have a chapter out within a week. Also, for those wondering, I lack a FB, but I would otherwise love to interact with you all. Also, there are going to be other minor changes to the lore, down the line. Be prepared for changes to how imprinting works, and why shifting is. I refuse to mangle the legends and histories of a real group of people, so I have another explanation that might work a tiny bit better. I'm not sure. you'll see down the line.

Let me know what you think if you would like.

i

JACOB WENT ALMOST A FULL WEEK without a single word from Bella. He'd called once, but Charlie had told him that Bella had gone out with a friend of hers. Jacob was stuck with no word on how she was doing, other than the, "She's doing ok pain wise. She's got an appointment comin' up," from Charlie. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't afraid at school, and that she was getting enough sleep. He wanted to give her a hug so that he could assure himself that she was okay. (He'd been getting more and more urges to use touch as an assurance lately. It was worse now that he couldn't even talk to her). He needed to see her.

Jacob let the week pass, deciding not to constantly call the Swan household. She would call him when she was able. The week passed, however, and he realized he wasn't going to be able to hold out. Jacob elected, then, to just drive up to her house. (Luckily for him, Harry was over visiting Billy, and he had let Jacob take his car). So Jacob made the long-ish trip up to Forks to see Bella.

He had expected the rain, but he had not expected the silver car pulling into the driveway of the Swan house. He could make out two figures sitting in the car through the rain. When he hopped out, ready to go knock on the window of the little vehicle the passenger of the car also got out.

It was Bella. A very clearly exhausted and pale Bell Swan. She called out his name.

"Jake!" She sounded so excited, but there was an edge to her voice that concerned him.

He ignored the rain pelting down on him, and picked her up into a warm embrace. Bella didn't care about the rain either if the way she wrapped herself around him was anything to go by. (Something deep inside Jacob was completely content now. It was something sliding into place as if the two of them were lock and key). However, he didn't get to enjoy the hug for long, as the driver of the car got out of the vehicle.

Jacob let Bella down gently, pushing her- now wet- hair out of her face. He only got to take a look at her face for a moment. She turned to face the person who had gotten out. Jacob could see her go rigid, and it finally made him take in the third party.

It was Edward Cullen. Red hair, pale skin, and a deep glare that sent chills crawling down Jacob's back. Bella had nestled herself against Jacob, and it was clear that she was uncomfortable with Cullen. (Jacob couldn't understand what had led to her being in his car-).

"I'd appreciate it if you let go of my girlfriend," Cullen said, his voice like ice. Jacob was startled, and his body twitched as he registered what he had said.

Jacob took a step back from Bella and looked down at her, more closely than he had before. Her eyes were wide and imploring. She was quivering, and it looked like she could keel over at any moment. Something was wrong with this, he was sure of it. Bella had been deeply afraid of him, and it was obvious that that hadn't changed.

Jacob decided he would say something. Perhaps he could save this situation now, rather than later. (He was acutely aware that a 'later' situation could be violent for Bella. He needed to prevent that possibility).

"I don't think she's your girlfriend, bud," Jacob's voice was a lot deeper than Edward's, and it carried far better. He knew that Cullen wasn't likely to be intimidated, but Jacob was bigger, surely he'd be stronger. (Jacob was also aware that if Cold Ones were real, he was outmatched by the creature in front of him). "Bella," he said, turning to her. "You should head inside, honey. You're gonna get sick stayin' out in this rain."

He let his hand reach up, watching her eyes for any sign that she didn't want him to touch her, and cupped her cheek gently. She nuzzled into it for a moment, her eyes briefly closing. She hummed an affirmative and took to the stairs. Her eyes briefly flitted back to the two young men on her lawn, before she hid away inside.

Jacob was glad she had gone straight inside- he was right that she wanted an escape. He was, however, a little bit more worried about the situation now at hand. He would have to do something now and hopefully avoid a physical confrontation.

"You ought to leave her alone," Jacob started, shifting himself and folding his thick arms over his chest. "She ain't your girlfriend, especially not with how scared she is. I think you should back off, buddy."

Edward Cullen, who had already been glaring, intensified his expression into pure, unadulterated loathing. Jacob had never felt so much hate come from someone before, and now this boy- or whatever he was- was directing all of his anger at him. What truly shocked Jacob, though, was the way the look melted off of Edward's face, and he went stony again.

"She's mine, Jacob Black." His voice was cold and slimy. The black eyes and the lack of hot breath lingering in the air, (like the kind that came out of Jacob in huffs that curled into the air in clouds), further unnerved the Quileute man.

"How the hell does he know my full name? Did Bella mention me?" Jake thought to himself as he did a full review of Edward. "What's the best way to handle this? Should I wait for Charlie? Call him myself? Go inside and ignore this jerk-"

Edward cocked his and smirked, halting the thoughts in Jacob's head. Jacob was dreadfully aware of his eyes and it only made him angrier.

"Angry? Why am I so angry? I mean- other than Bella's situation- I shouldn't be this angry!" Jacob was shaking and he was gripping his forearms tightly. His skin was beginning to turn red where his fingers gripped from the effort he was putting in.

Edward was openly smug, and if it weren't for the sudden flare of headlights turning around the corner of the street, half-blinding Jacob, he would have pounced.

Jacob turned his eyes toward the car rumbling down the street, and his eyebrows shot up when he realized who it was. He sniffed and looked back at Edward, a smirk rising on his face.

"Charlie is here. Don't think the Chief would take too kindly to you." Jacob rocked back on his heels, letting his hands pop into his pockets. The anger that had flooded over him earlier was flushed out. He felt calm and watched on in interest as Charlie turned his cruiser into the driveway.

The car hopped over the curb and stopped abruptly. Charlie had barely stopped the car when he jumped out and started yelling.

"Jacob Black!" His voice was gruff, and the anger he was feeling was clear in his tone alone. "Did you pick Bella up from school?"

The chief of police was fast walking towards him, a deadly glare in his eyes. His mustache covered the flat line of his lips, and his hair was already slick against his forehead. Charlie was still in his full uniform, and it only added to the intimidating persona that Chief Charlie had.

Jacob looked over at Edward as he shook his head. "Nah, but Bella got outta his car when I got here." Jacob would gladly lose the heat, and it was only more amusing because now it was going to be directed at the jerk redhead staring him down.

Charlie took the interrogation off of Jacob and stared at Edward instead. If Edward were normal, he would have shrunk back at the look Charlie had; Edward merely blinked back at Bella's father.

"Is that right," Charlie started, his hand on his hip and his stance wide. "What were you doing, taking Bella home? She was supposed to wait for me."

Charlie was clearly irritated. It showed in the twitching of his fingers that were propped up on his belt by his thumbs. His thick eyebrows were nearly touching with how deeply furrowed they were. His eyes were narrowed- the same eyes that Bella looked at him with- and they lacked the warmth they usually had. Jacob rarely saw Charlie like this, but when he did, it was always weird. No weirder than dealing with a stuck-up rich kid that frightens Bella though.

Edward seemed to flip a switch, an odd smile taking up the lower half of his face, never reaching farther up. "Of course sir, Bella was told that you were unable to drive her home by the office secretary. I offered her a ride."

The way he said it made Charlie flinch. Jacob watched on curiously, unsure of the cause. Charlie looked over at Jacob, jutting his chin towards the house. The message was clear, "Go inside. I'll take care of this," and Jacob listened.

ii

Bella was curled against Jacob's side, her body shaking and eyes staring off into space. She hadn't said a word since he had come inside; merely offered the other end of the giant towel and let him sit next to her on the couch. Since then, her hands had gone from tightly gripping the pillow in her lap to tapping to some unheard music. She was clearly frazzled, but Jacob wasn't sure what to do. Her fear hadn't settled at all, and Jacob could do little but sit with her. Bella had always preferred Jacob just sitting with her over him trying to come up with something to say, anyway. He wasn't amazing with words, but he was always a comfortable shoulder to rest on. She knew what to say, and when to say it. They balanced each other out well. It was moments like these, though, that Jacob wished he could say something. He needed to know why she could hardly breathe without her body shaking with effort.

It was a good ten minutes- an extremely tense ten minutes- before Charlie finally walked through the door. He dripped all over the entryway, adding to the puddles Jacob and Bella had made. The man shut the door with a heavy thud and stomped further into the hall so he could look at Bella full-on.

"Is it true that you were told that I couldn't come an' pick you up?" Charlie didn't look accusing, just confused. It was carved deep into his face and swirled in his eyes. Jacob hated that look on his face. Charlie was extremely observant, it's where Bella had gotten it from. He hadn't had a single problem in Forks that went unsolved. He did his job meticulously, so to see him confused was unsettling. Jacob felt a rock form in his stomach that wouldn't dissolve.

Bella only nodded solemnly. It was clear that she was confused too, her eyes staring off at something Jacob couldn't see. She was twitching again, too, her fingers dragging themselves across the surface of the pillow, her smooth nails nearly catching the threads. Jacob frowned, and cupped her hand in his, lacing them together.

"Oh," Charlie started, turning back towards the doorway, looking at it as if he could see through it. "I didn't call, but I'll make sure to find out who did. Don't trust anyone who tells you that, from now on. I don't want you riding home with that…" Charlie's voice trailed off, and he shook his head.

Dread crept up on Jacob, along with the white-hot, flickering flames of anger. Something was wrong with this, and he'd get to the bottom of it- one way or another.