His wolf ripped through the woods all around the logging camp, tearing through the underbrush. It yelped in pain when Jacob wrestled it to the ground, fighting for control.
let. go.
The wolf sprang up again. mine. mine. mine.
let go, you furry bastard.
His wolf fought harder, a gut wrenching howl spilling into the night quiet. Sam had tried the same thing almost a year ago, after Jacob had made Bella his mate.
jacob, let go!
It was the last Alpha command Sam had ever given him.
no! Jacob's wolf had snarled at his Alpha, ears flat. mine. mine. mine. He'd given everything to keep her alive, but he couldn't be forced to give her up.
Sam's wolf had lunged at him. you will, jacob.
she's mine. His wolf would not give her up. mine. mine. mine!
stop. They wrestled on the forest floor, Sam's teeth sinking into his shoulder. forget her.
she's mine, sam. He was almost sobbing. He could feel the other members of the pack in the back of his mind, watching, silent. and i'm hers. i can't let her do this. i can't let her die like this!
she made her choice. let go.
i can't. god, i can't. He leapt at Sam again, growling. His wolf fought with a new ferocity that scared him. mine. mine. mine!
she chose the leech.
she chose me. you saw it. you all saw it.
you will stay.
Jacob had felt Sam's command in his bones. He felt the pain as his wolf fought against it. He could do almost anything for Bella Swan. He could love her even as she choose someone else. He could make love to her knowing she would never be his again. He could mate her and let her marry a monster.
you will break your bond. you will let her go.
no! He'd felt something inside him break, the pain fading, and a rush of red and anger and defiance. No one could force him to stop loving her. Not Bella, not Sam, not the spirits, no one. He was Jake and she was Bells. She was his and he was hers. His love for her was all he had left. i. will. not!
His wolf sprang at Sam again, tearing at his neck, tasting fur and sweat and blood. And then he'd ran.
Now Jacob's wolf fought against him with a new force, like the Alpha he'd become when he'd defied Sam all those months ago. But Jacob was losing. bella. mine. run. He threw his wolf against a tree, and they both yelled at the pain of cracked ribs. The wolf jumped up, growling. mine. run. la push. home. The wolf tried to run, but Jacob pulled it to the ground, where the beast rolled and scrambled and scratched, trying to break free.
i said no!
The wolf howled it's defiance, and Jacob tightened his grip. Sam couldn't control him, no one could; but Jacob would not lose himself. Not again. Not even for her. Sam had been right. She made her choice, and it wasn't him and—
Jake!
bells? His control slipped for a fraction of a second as her frantic voice slipped into his mind. mine! His wolf found her across their bond, like a compass needle finds north. And then he ran, nose to the ground, feet tearing through the forest, eating at the miles that separated them. la push. home. bella. mine. protect. run. faster.
Jake!
bells!
He couldn't have stopped now, even if he'd had perfect control over his wolf. Her voice was echoing in his head again and again. Oh God. pain. afraid. run. faster. He couldn't think, couldn't stop, and he stopped fighting as his wolf took complete control. run! run! run! Trees passed in a blur, but he barely saw them.
I can't do this. I just can't. No, I can't. Not without Jake. I need him.
bella. afraid. Why had he left her? run. faster.
Sue, I can't. I can't do this! I can't, I can't.
pain. Why had he stayed away? run. home. faster. faster!
I CAN'T! JACOB!
BELLA!