Enough
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.
Jacob's Gang
Bella cowered into Jacob's side, squinting into the gloom, straining her eyes to breaking point as she looked toward the encroaching forest. She didn't know what to think or feel. It was lucky that Jacob was so warm, otherwise she would have developed hypothermia by now in the ridiculously thin dress that Alice had insisted she wear for prom. Without Jacob's support she wouldn't have been able to move at all, what with the heavy walking cast on one foot, and the stupid stiletto heel on the other.
As they drew nearer the shadowy trees, Bella was finally able to make out four human-like shapes emerging from under the low branches. She swallowed nervously, glancing up at Jacob, noting that his gaze was still trained straight ahead.
"What's going on, Jake?" Bella whispered.
"Hush, Bells, you'll soon see." Jacob's arm tightened around her waist as he half carried her along with him close to the approaching figures.
Slowly the human-like shapes became clearer as her vision continued to adjust to the dark. Bella could now see what appeared to be four boys striding out from between the trees. They weren't what she was expecting. These were just four really big half-naked boys. Bella felt a slow blush warming her cheeks as she tried not to stare. Like Jacob, the boys were heavily muscle bound, with their impressive chests and abs clearly on display. She didn't know where to rest her eyes.
The boys reminded Bella of brothers, quadruplets. Something about the way they moved almost in synchronization to stand across from her and Jacob, the way they all had the same long, round muscles under the same red-brown skin, the same cropped black hair, and the way their expressions altered at exactly the same moment.
Their gazes started out curious and cautious. When they saw Bella there, half hidden beside Jacob, they all started to laugh at the same time.
Bella went into a state of shock at the loud sound, wondering what was so funny. She saw Jacob frown, heard his heavy sigh of annoyance, then his sharp reprimand as he told the boys to shut up. Immediately silenced reigned. Bella was taken aback that the overgrown boys had instantly obeyed Jacob without so much as a single protest. They were behaving as if he was a mafia boss or something, which left her pondering whether Jacob was some kind of gang leader, and these boys were his followers. It made Bella feel very uneasy. Had Jacob changed that much?
Focusing on the boys again, Bella tried to see if she recognized any of them. She wasn't overfamiliar with everyone on the res, but she was certain that the eldest of the group, who matched Jacob in height, if not musculature, was Sam Uley. He had been at the beach in La Push the same day she had met Jacob. His face was older-not in the sense of lines or signs of aging, but in maturity, in the patience of his expression.
"So, you went ahead and did it, Jacob." He said in amusement. "You rescued the damsel in distress."
Jacob rolled his eyes at that statement. "I suppose you could say that." He muttered. "Guys, say hi to Bella."
"Hi, Bella." Came back a chorus of deep voices.
Bella raised her hand slightly and waved at the boys half-heartedly. "Hi."
One of the other boys, one she didn't recognize, thrust past Sam and spoke before Jacob could say anything else. "So, what now, Jake? You've kidnapped the wench. Great! Do you really want to start a turf war? Vamps against werewolves? Is she more important than everything-than the whole tribe? Why can't you just follow the rules that the elders set out for us?"
"Take a breath, Paul." Jacob warned in an exasperated tone, his annoyed expression showing that he had been expecting just such a reaction from this member of his 'gang.'
"I won't take a breath." The angry boy – Paul – shouted. He began to quiver. "You're willing to risk our secret just because of your obsession with the leech lover. I'm sure she's dying to get back to her bloodsucking boyfriend."
"Don't make me have to remind you of your place in the pack, Paul." Jacob's tone had turned menacing.
The change in Jacob's demeanor alarmed Bella. He looked dangerous, his dark eyes glinting with repressed anger. She wanted to take a step back, but she was still firmly anchored into his side by one heavily muscled arm. Anyway, it wasn't like she could make a run for it. She couldn't even walk.
A shudder rippled through Paul, along his shoulders and down his spine.
"Paul! Relax!" Jacob commanded.
But it looked like Paul was too far gone to obey Jacob this time. He shook his head back and forth, not in defiance, but as if he was trying to concentrate.
"Jeez, Paul." Another one of the boys muttered. "Get a grip!"
"Shut up, Jared!" Paul snarled, twisting his head in his companion's direction, his top lip curling back in irritation. Then he shifted his glare back to Bella. Jacob took a step to put himself in front of her, his stance rigid and full of tension.
That did it.
"Right, I see. I get it!" Paul roared in outrage. Another shudder, another convulsion, heaved through his body. He threw his head back, a growl tearing from between his teeth.
Bella screamed at the animalistic sound, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
"Paul!" Jacob and Sam shouted together.
Bella watched in fright as Paul seemed to fall forward, vibrating violently. Halfway to the ground, there was a loud ripping noise, and he exploded.
Dark silver fur blew out from his body, coalescing into a shape more than five times his size- a massive, crouched shape, ready to spring.
Bella stared and stared with disbelieving eyes, trembling from head to toe, as she saw the enormous creature's muzzle wrinkle back over his sharp teeth, and another growl rolled through his colossal chest. His dark, enraged eyes focused on her.
"Shit!" Jacob muttered. "I'm sorry, Bella, it wasn't supposed to go down like this." He suddenly released her, gently pushing her in Sam's direction, then to her astonishment he ran straight toward the vibrating monster.
"Jake! No!" Bella shrieked.
Then to her horror, mid-stride, a long tremor rocked down Jacob's spine. He leaped forward, diving headfirst into the empty air. With another sharp tearing sound, he exploded, too.
Jacob burst out of his skin-shreds of black and white cloth blasted up in the air. It happened so quickly that if Bella had blinked, she would have missed the entire transformation. One second it was Jacob diving into the air, and then it was a gigantic, russet brown monster-which Bella could only compare to a wolf-so enormous that she couldn't make sense of its mass somehow fitting inside Jacob. The massive wolf-like monster then charged the crouching silver beast.
Jacob met the other wolf's attack head-on. Their angry snarls echoed like thunder off the trees. The black and white scraps-the remains of Jacob's clothes-fluttered to the ground.
"Jacob!" Bella screamed again, staggering forward, nearly falling headfirst to the ground, impeded by the walking cast as she was. Her stiletto dug into the ground, snapping at the heel. It was only Sam's quick reaction which saved her from toppling completely.
"Stay where you are, Bella." He said, not unkindly.
It was hard to hear him over the roar of the fighting wolves. They were snapping and tearing at each other, their sharp teeth flashing toward each other's throats. The Jacob wolf seemed to have the upper hand-he was visibly bigger and stronger than the other wolf. He rammed his shoulder against the grey wolf again and again, knocking him back toward the trees.
Eventually they disappeared into the forest, though the sounds of their snarls were still loud. Sam passed Bella over to the boy called Jared. "Take her." He said, kicking off his shoes. "I'll help Jake get Paul under control." Then he darted into the forest, quivering from head to toe.
Bella felt her blood sugar dip, her face went as white as that of a China doll and a body of rags. Jared could tell by her eyes she was clocking out. He muttered an expletive under his breath as she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released from its strings right into his arms.
Though Bella's eyes were open, she couldn't think of why; her heart was pounding, mind empty. It was as if a hypodermic of adrenaline had been emptied into her carotid. She strained into the utter darkness, breathing rate beginning to steady.
"She's awake, Emily."
Bella recognized Jared speaking. He sounded subdued.
"At last." A melodic voice answered him. "Took her long enough!"
Bella's eyes turned, like two flashlight beams, the new temporal inserts providing enough light to illuminate wherever she looked. A young woman hove into view. Her satiny copper skin glowed beneath her long, straight crow-black hair. She bent down, examining Bella more closely in disapproval. It was only then that Bella got a really good look at her.
She couldn't help it, she gasped, flinching back as she took in the right side of the young woman's face. It was scarred from hairline to chin in three thick, red lines, livid in color though they were long healed. One line pulled down the corner of her dark, almond shaped right eye, another twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace.
"Yes, take a good look, vampire girl." Emily sneered, put out by Bella's reaction to the sight of her injured face. "This is what happens when you mess with vampires."
"What?" Bella rasped, still reeling from all that had happened. "I don't understand."
Jared appeared in her line of sight. "Emily was attacked last year by a cold one. She was lucky to survive with her life intact." He said severely.
"Only because of you guys." Emily's voice softened, a smile on half her face. "You got there just in time."
"Not quick enough, though." Jared's tone was full of regret.
"I'm still alive." Emily pointed out.
"And you've been trying to make it up to us ever since." Jared smiled ruefully.
"Hey, I like looking after you guys." Emily patted Jared on the shoulder, disappearing from Bella's view as she headed out of the room.
"Now you see why Jake was so determined to rescue you." Jared pointed out meaningfully. "He didn't want you becoming another Emily." He, too, then left the room, leaving Bella staring after him in stunned silence.
It took Bella longer than it should have to gather her whirling thoughts. So much had happened in such a short space of time, it made it difficult for her to think clearly. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and looked around the room. She appeared to be propped up on a massive queen size bed, which took up most of the space in the tiny bedroom. The only other furniture was a walnut cabinet, a dressing table mirror, and a lone chair shoved under the small square window.
Peering out of the partially opened bedroom door, Bella could just make out the front room. It was of a similar shape and size to the one in the Black's house. Bella had spent many childhood summers there when she used to visit Charlie for a two week vacation every year. She glimpsed Jared and Emily talking in low voices together. The other boys hovered in the background. The smell of baking was strong.
Bella tried to move from her position on the bed. It was difficult, hampered as she was by the bulky walking cast. Someone had removed the stiletto shoe from her other foot, leaving it bare. Wiggling her toes, Bella pushed with her arms, rising, and balancing carefully with her walking cast as she leaned against the brightly painted bedroom wall to steady herself.
Slowly, in a jerking movement, she shifted along the floor, pressing the palms of her hands on the wall to maintain her balance. It took an age but she finally reached the bedroom door. Reaching for the handle, she edged her way outside.
Bella found herself the subject of everyone's scrutiny as soon as she emerged. Champagne pink kissed her cheeks as her traitorous skin erupted in a furious blush. She grimaced, wishing she had some ability to keep her emotions to herself, instead of her rosy cheeks broadcasting them to everyone in the room.
Emily was the first to speak. "Are you hungry, Bella?" She asked casually, her former animosity gone. "Go ahead and help yourself to a muffin. They're fresh from the oven. Embry, get her a chair."
A boy with twinkling dark eyes, and the same short, black, cropped hair as the others, stood up. He lifted one of the chairs easily in his strong arms and carried it over to Bella. "There you go, princess." He teased.
Bella felt mortified. "Thanks." She mumbled, sinking into the chair gratefully.
Embry chuckled in amusement at her discomfiture. He ambled over to the tray of muffins, plucked one for himself, then turned to hand Bella another. "They're Emily's specialty." He declared.
"Thanks." Bella murmured as she started to nibble around the edges. It was delicious and felt good in her tender stomach. Embry picked up a second and shoved it whole in his mouth.
"Save some for your brothers." Emily chastised him, hitting him on the head with a wooden spoon. The word surprised Bella, but the others seemed to think nothing of it.
"Pig." Jared commented.
Bella sat in her chair and watched the three of them banter like a family. Emily's kitchen seemed a friendly place, bright with white cupboards and pale wooden floorboards. On the little round table, which appeared to be the centerpiece of the room, a cracked blue and white vase took pride of place, filled with wildflowers.
Emily had picked up a big yellow bowl and was mixing up a humungous batch of eggs, several dozen. She had the sleeves of her lavender shirt pushed up, and Bella could see that the scars extended all the way down her arm to the back of her right hand. She winced, remembering what Jared had said about the vampire attack. She could only imagine in her darkest nightmares the trauma Emily had suffered because of it, although she seemed to wear her scars with pride, she showed no shame or embarrassment about them. It seemed she had settled into her role as the boys' caretaker, looking after them much like a mother would.
The front door opened then and Sam walked in. Directly after him came Jacob and Paul. Bella was shocked when she saw Jacob and Paul laughing together as if nothing was amiss. While she watched, Paul punched Jacob on the shoulder and Jacob went for a kidney jab in return. They laughed again. They both appeared to be in one piece.
Jacob scanned the room, his eyes stopping when he found Bella sitting all alone in her chair in the corner of the kitchen.
"Hey, Bells." He greeted her cheerfully. He grabbed two muffins as he passed the table and came to stand beside her. "I see you've met Emily."
"Yes." Bella said faintly, still feeling bewildered by the strangeness of it all.
"How are you holding up?" Jacob asked, smiling as if this was business as usual.
"I'm okay. I think. Good muffins." Bella didn't know what else to say as she started nibbling at her own muffin again. Even though she felt completely overwhelmed and out of her depth, she had to admit that her chest felt better now that Jacob was beside her again.
A/N-thanks for reading! Let me know what you think?