Disclaimer: This story is rated T+/ M (Mature) Content may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Will most likely contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and strong language.
Layla's Pov
I somehow survived the drive. from Seattle to Port Angeles. I almost wished a state trooper would have pulled me over.
Luckily, there were few to no cars on the road.
My eyelids were heavy, and my body felt numb. Low on gas, I had no choice but to pull over to the only gas station between Port Angeles and Forks.
The dash read 3 a.m. I pulled into the unpaved lot and up to a self-service pump. I leaned against my car, watching the numbers on the pump climb.
The rain clapped on the overhang. I took the jacket off and tossed it in the back of the car, letting the cold grip me.
My reflection in the car window was horrible. Smeared mascara from all my crying tonight. I used the back of my hand to wipe my cheeks.
It didn't do much. It had dried on.
I was vaguely aware of another vehicle roll-up on the other side of my pump. Of all places to park I thought.
I leaned back onto my car and looked towards the shoppette. It was closed. Huh, I thought most gas stations were twenty-four hours.
I could've really gone for some bottled water.
The music from the van was loud, and the bass thumped, adding to my headache.
I wasn't alarmed until a male voice called out to me. "Where you headed, sugar?" A burly man in his mid-forties rounded the pump near the front of my car. His dark facial hair lifted when he shot me a coy smile, exposing crooked teeth and smile lines on his face.
I didn't respond and backed toward the end of my car to remove the pump handle. I had enough gas to get back home.
"Go away," I spoke with as much animosity as I could. But my throat was dry. It came out sounding like a pathetic yelp of a warning.
"Awe, don't be scared. We're just trying to help." Another man, short and stout, asked, circling the other end of the pump.
They were trapping me in the middle.
My hand froze on the handle, and I looked in between them. I could probably outrun the short one.
"Are you lost? We give good directions." The first one asked. "Or we can get lost together." The stocky brown-haired man approached me, so I sprayed gasoline loose from the hose on him.
"God damn it! Get her!" He yelled, sputtering; the gasoline was caked from his face to his chest.
I ran around my vehicle, hoping to climb through the opposite side and drive off. The taller man was faster.
He grinned again, realizing what I was trying to do. So he waved for the van.
The short man was still cursing and wiping his face with the end of his shirt.
My heart dropped. I thought about sprinting into the woods surrounding the station. I'd have to kick off my heels first.
I staggered. My vision doubled and waved.
"Easy hot stuff. It looks like you've had a long night." The tall one stepped forward.
I stepped sideways into the rain and out in front of the van's headlights, inching towards the woods away from them.
"Don't make this hard on yourself." The short one grumbled, marching towards me first while the tall one adjusted his approach to grab me.
A third man I didn't see grabbed me from behind. "Gotcha!"
"Don't touch me!" I shrieked and thrashed my legs in the air.
An intense growl, loud like an engine revving, snarled from behind us.
The two men who were herding me paled and backed away slowly. "Joey." The short one gasped a cough.
I was tired, and my thrashing was growing weak. "We like a girl with energy." He laughed in my ear.
As he turned me toward the van. The driver yelled at them to get in.
Then I saw what the other two did. Two wolves. Brown and grey snarling and exposing their teeth at us.
"Let her go!" "Let them eat her instead!" The men behind us sprinted towards the opened van.
The sheer mass of the wolves reminded me of horses...just as tall and wide with pounds of muscle.
Ears tucked back and ready to pounce, their razor-blade teeth were exposed, and claws dug into the earth.
I watched them wide-eyed, mouth open.
"What?" The Joey one screamed as the wolves launched for them.
A crunching noise of metal echoed in the air. Then, a skidding sound as if the men were being dragged across the gravel.
"Let. Her. Go." The Imminent danger dripping in those words could make anyone's hair stand on end. My heart raced and ached painfully.
He turned us toward the challenger. It was Jacob.
"Listen, man, I don't know what-" I bit his forearm as hard as I could. "Ah! You bitch!" He dropped me.
I fell to the ground. Gravel-embedded my hands and knees as a fight broke out next to me.
I spit out the nasty taste of flesh and blood. When I looked up after several blows, Jacob kicked the man called Joey into the front of the van.
As it accelerated, he yelled at whoever was inside, gripping both sides of the hood in an attempt not to fall as they sped off.
The two wolves chased after the van. The brown one coughed a snicker while the grey one snapped at the bumper.
"Whatever you do, don't stop!" Joey screamed out in panic.
"Jake?!" I crawled up the side of my car to steady myself.
"Layla! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Jacob jogged up to me, and I gripped his core, crying into his bare chest.
I blubbered something of a response when I heard more voices. My coherency of the situation wasn't good.
Maybe it was the worn-off scotch or all the crying that gave me the consuming migraine.
"What happened?" Jacob's giant hands, like bear paws, rested on my shoulders. I forced my breathing to slow, and I looked up at him.
His nose twisted in disgust. "Hey, Jake," Quil called for his attention. Jake looked over my head at him.
What were they doing here? I swayed, confused.
The hair on his forearm stood on end when he sniffed my hair.
"Check the car. I smell something." Embry flung open my vehicle and searched the back.
"What the hell happened, Layla?!" I winced at Jacob's tone and began trembling again.
"I don't know Jake. I'm sorry... I-I" The white fog in my mind came rushing at me.
I couldn't remember a thing. Even moments ago, were being swallowed up by the mist.
Jacob's nose twisted again. "Have you been drinking?"
I nodded yes, like a kid in trouble. I dropped my gaze to the ground as he moved me into the passenger seat.
"And driving?" He asked, just as furious. "Yes." I croaked.
"Jake." Embry held up a black leather jacket for him to see. The look on his face was malefic.
"I know it was stupid and reckless, but something scared me. I have to get home. Jake, Please. I didn't mean it." My words slurred.
Jacob's arms wrapped around me, holding me close. "Sh, It's okay. You're safe now."
I hugged him for a moment of comfort, and then something like a cold chain tugged at me.
"No, Jake, I have to get home!" I weakly pushed him off me. The seatbelt clicked tight, rubbing raw against the bare skin between my breasts—stupid impractical dress.
"She's still drunk. Calm her down so we can head back." Quil spoke up, climbing in the driver's side.
"I'm taking this to Sam." Embry took the jacket, sprinting for the woods.
"Where to?" Quil looked from me to Jacob, who climbed in the back, stomping on shopping bags in the process.
"We can't take her to Syd like this," Jake mumbled. "Maybe the hospital? If she's hurt-"
"Jacob, she reeks of-" Quil started out. "...Pine Crest Hill in Forks." I poked the dangling keys as Quil backed up onto the road.
"That one. I have to get home," I murmured again in a trance-like state.
"You are home, Layla," One of Jacob's arms wrapped around the seat to grip me. I clung to his arm.
"Really?" I rasped. "You're with me. So, of course, you are." His words called me down.
"That's good." The cold chains lifted, and the panic-filled urgency left. "Thanks, Jake." My head fell forward, and my body went limp.
Jacob's Pov
Layla passed out. Her chin fell into the top of my hand, holding her upright in the seat before me.
She reeked of more than one vampire and strong booze, muddling it into a fowl concoction. It was difficult to categorize each one.
"Jacob." My cousin called for my attention. His eyes were still glued to the road. "Where are we taking her?"
"Sam's," I spoke decidedly. He was quiet for a long moment before his brown eyes flashed to me in the rearview mirror.
"I know you may not want to hear this, but hear me out." I leaned forward to listen.
"I think we should try the address she gave us." My brows furrowed at this.
"Jacob, what if she was bit?" Quil spoke hesitantly. The hairs on the back of my neck and arms raised.
"Well?" His eyes locked with mine. I turned to Layla, moving my fingers up to check her pulse. Her heartbeat was weak, and she was abnormally cool.
"She's not. She couldn't be." My throat grew tight with emotion.
Quil sped up, heading into Forks.
"If there are blood suckers following her..." Quil spoke, thinking aloud. "They're dead," I growled.
"We'll take care of it. You'll take care of Layla." Quil corrected me. I nodded once.
Quil ran most of the red lights. With the late hour, not many cops should be out in this sleepy town.
"Also, you need to think of the worst-case scenario." My cousin spoke lowly. "Meaning?" I asked heatedly.
Quil didn't answer me, but I knew what he meant. What would I do if she was turning into a vampire?
My heart dropped deep inside my chest.
What would I do? If Killing her meant killing me... The pack would have to take us both out together.
Unless we were both turned- No, what a terrible idea, that would be the greatest betrayal amongst our kind.
I pushed that option out of my mind and focused on Layla's breathing.
Besides, no one knew what a vampire bite would do to a shapeshifting wolf.
We found the address, an old farmhouse tucked away deep in a forest of pine.
Quil went ahead to try the keys on the front door.
I cradled Layla in my arms and kept my head on a swivel, looking for anything that may have followed.
The neighbors were far and few between here, giving us some privacy to figure out what was happening.
Once inside, I laid her on the small, pleated patterned couch. "You know we are across the border of the treaty line," Quil informed me.
He knew that didn't apply to me. Because my imprint was here, I'd be where she was.
Quil must have spoken it for his sake. Meaning he wouldn't stay, and whatever I said now, he would relay to Sam.
"You know where we are if things go wrong..." If things did go wrong, they had my permission to finish things.
"One of us will come by in a couple of hours." Quil gave me a brief hug before heading toward the door.
He stopped with his hand on the knob. "You might want to check her for any marks. If she's clean, I'm sure Emily will take her in."
"Yeah." I knelt before Layla on the couch with a lump in my throat. "Bye, Jake," Quil whispered, closing the door behind him.
I brushed Layla's tangled hair out of her face. Her usual caramel complexion was unnaturally pale, and her lips drained of color.
She flinched and sighed when I rested my hot hand against her face. That was a good sign.
"I'm sorry, Layla. I should have protected you more." I leaned in, planting a kiss on her full lips. She tasted of strong liquor and fruit.
Layla didn't respond. She lay before me in a coma-like state.
I kissed her once more. That's what they did in fairytales to wake up the princess, right? Although I wasn't sure if werewolf magic applied here.
"Hm." She sighed softly again, pursing her lips this time, but other than that, she didn't move.
I tried to reflect on what Bella said about newborn vampires and turning. All it took was one bite from their venom-coded teeth into the bloodstream.
I frowned, thinking harder. I think she also said something about three days of writhing pain, and from what I could tell, that wasn't happening.
Who knows. I didn't stick around after the wedding to find out firsthand.
"I guess you can be mad at me later, Layla."
I needed to check her for bitemarks to set my mind at ease and before someone from the pack returned.
I started with the parts of her that were visible, and thanks to this skimpy black dress, it made my job easier...and harder.
Her head and neck were fine, collarbone untouched. I grew irate again when I saw finger-shaped bruises on her upper arms, as if someone grabbed her forcefully.
Moving down to her legs, it looked like the gravel scraped up one of her knees. I brushed the pebbles from the wound, and she didn't flinch.
Now, it was the hard part. I turned her over gently to assess her open back and to find the zipper.
A knock on the door made me jump when I gripped the tiny zipper. "Jake? It's me." Seth spoke on the other side.
"Can you wait a minute?" I grumbled. Now was not the best time for him to walk in.
"I just need to know if... Well, you know."
"I'm checking now, kid. Give me a minute or two."
"Oops, sorry." Seth apologized, embarrassed. I shook my head and went back to work.
I never imagined my first time undressing Layla would be like this. My heart leaped into my throat as I unzipped the side of the dress.
Keeping her clothed and dignified, I lifted the edges where I needed to see and used my hands to feel the places that I should probably wait on.
So far, nothing out of the ordinary. That encouraged me.
I swallowed as my fingers grazed the soft skin of her bare chest. I looked away, unintentionally watching her unconscious face flush a peachy-rose color.
Damn it, Layla. It felt wrong doing this when she wasn't awake, but it felt so... I dropped my palm to the other side of her weighty breast.
Almost forgot what to feel for when she made a noise I couldn't place. It unnerved me, so I worked quicker, clearing my throat.
I removed myself and zipped her up before moving south.
"How much longer?" Seth called anxiously. "Shut up." My face heated as I lifted the hem of her dress.
Her black-laced panties made this part easy. I let out a shaky breath I was holding. My hot breath made her flinch and push down her dress.
"Almost done, Sweetheart." My fingers froze inward on her upper thigh.
Heat threatened to shiver down my spine and flooded my face when I looked down.
I held my breath again when I propped open her legs with one knee. Removing my hand from the place in question, I saw a raised scar.
A pinkish, long, thin line. It wasn't recent. I let out a sigh of relief, but then my brows furrowed once more.
Why would a cut like this be here? I glanced up at her still-flushed face.
She crossed her legs, unintentionally keeping my hand there...feeling the wet warmth of...
"Layla, you're not being fair." I groaned under my breath, drawing back my hand carefully.
I tugged her dress back down into place. "Seth," I called him in once I got a grip on myself.
I didn't see everything, but I saw enough. Layla was unbitten. I leaned down to hug her small frame.
She leaned into my warmth instinctively as shivers rocked her body. Layla was freezing.
"I'm so sorry, it's over now." I tucked her limbs into me to sit upright with her in my lap.
"So what's the verdict? Good news, bad news?" Seth asked, standing across the room.
"Good." "Great. You can bring her over to Emily's then." Seth cheered up and came over to assess the damage.
He reached out a hand. My sharp glance stopped him. "Easy, Jake."
I loosened my grip so he could see. "She looks terrible."
"I need to warm her up before we go anywhere." I rocked us back and forth.
"Emily always has food and blankets. I'm sure Sam can build a fire..." He watched me for a reaction. "Or we can wake up Billie and-"
I shook my head. I didn't want to explain things to my dad right now. All that mattered was taking care of Layla.
"We'll stay here until she wakes up." I didn't want her to be overwhelmed or scared when she did.
I didn't sleep all morning. The sun rose gradually, peeking its warm rays through the windows.
It was around 9 a.m., judging by the height of the light. Layla's color slowly returned to her cheeks, and warmth came to her fingertips.
I was satisfied with her progress enough to take a quick stretch and pace around the first floor.
Judging by the pictures on the wall, this was Layla's childhood home. Thirsty, I stopped in the kitchen for a glass of water when I heard Layla groan in the other room.
"Layla." I brought over the glass of water instead. "Jacob?" She squinted at first, then blinked to take in her surroundings.
"Jake. How did I get here? I was in Seattle..." Her wide, dark chocolate-brown eyes studied my face for answers. She sat up quickly, too quickly.
"How are you feeling?" I knelt next to her. "My head. I think I drank too much." She mumbled.
"That part was clear. You scared me to death last night, er, earlier this morning."
Layla's brows twisted in confusion. "This morning? What happened?" She asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me," I stated, observing her.
She bent over, rubbing her temples. "I can't recall. Can you tell me what you know? Maybe it will come to me."
I handed her the glass of water while I told my end. "First, I get texted a picture of you dressed like that..."
Layla nearly choked. "That doesn't sound like me." She defended.
"Can I finish?" I asked. "Sure."
"Then you turn your phone off or something so that I couldn't reach you." Layla listened intently, focusing hard again.
"When I finally get a call from you on your drive back, the line goes out." I watched to see if any of this was clicking. "What'd I say?" She asked.
"You told me you didn't feel safe and that you were coming home immediately. You wanted me to meet you." I continued.
"Does any of that make sense?" I sat down next to her. "I can't believe I called you. It must have been bad if..." She trailed off.
"I'm glad you did. Those men at the gas station would've taken you too, and I wouldn't have seen you again." My voice escalated in anger, raising in pitch.
Tears sprang to Layla's eyes, and her mouth jarred open. "What?" She rasped.
The fear that flashed across Layla's face now made me wince, reminding me of the fragile state she was in last night.
"Look, Layla, I'm not mad at you..." She turned away, letting her messy hair fall between us. "It's okay if you are."
"Okay, I am kinda mad. You should have picked up your phone, and more importantly, you shouldn't have been driving drunk! I would have come to get you if you had just asked." I vented my frustration.
Then I smelt salt water. Layla nodded and sniffed. "Are you crying?" I asked, bewildered.
"You're right. I could have killed someone last night with my stupidity. It was so selfish." She confessed, wiping tears as they came.
I wrapped an arm around her for comfort. "I'd rather not fish you out from under a car pile or unwrap you from a tree," I murmured softly.
I thought about how my mom lost her life in a car accident. It was just a normal day just after a mild rain. She turned around a blind turnpike where a logger truck hydroplaned into her. The logger's brakes were outdated. He couldn't stop. My mom's tires were balding. My dad was about to replace them that weekend. Billie still beats himself up. Not like that would've helped much.
Layla turned to bury her face in my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I won't do it again." I wrapped both arms around her.
"Good, but can you do me a favor?" I asked. "Anything you want."
I smirked at those words. They were nice to hear. "I need you to call me whenever you need help. Deal?"
"I can do that." She sniffed, wiping her makeup-smeared face.
Layla's Pov
I was listening to Jacob's heartbeat, calming myself down, when I heard his stomach growl.
"Let's go get some breakfast. On me." I stood up, and lightheadedness whooshed back to my head.
He steadied me. "How about I grab your bag? If you head into town like that, the old regulars will have a heart attack."
"Right." I flushed, heading upstairs to get cleaned up.
In the mirror, I looked like a wreck. Mortified Jacob saw me like this, I washed my full face of makeup off and jumped in the shower to quick rinse off all the dirt, sweat, and grime.
"I'll wait in the hall." I heard him drop the bag off. "I'm almost done." I picked out a quarter-sleeve maroon top to hide the odd bruises on my upper arms, and then I threw on some dark wash jeans and black Converse. My ankle was too swollen to put the brace back on or tie that shoe completely, which worried me.
What had happened? Where I would've had to run on an injury... I swept a wet brush through my hair—no time to wash it.
That was as good as it was going to get. With the quick upkeep, I felt a lot better.
I still looked shades paler than I should, and my under eyes held dim circles. I reached for my makeup bag, realizing it was in the car.
"Damn." "Everything okay?" Jacob asked from the hall. "Yeah, let's get going."
Jacob drove us back to the outskirts of Forks where the bend touched the highway.
Thinking about it now. It must have been the first place we met.
Jacob took my hand as we walked towards the diner. I wouldn't trust myself to walk on my own, either.
It was evident how lightheaded I was since I woke up.
The oldy, sunny, cloudless day left no aftermath besides the random large puddles in the gravel lot.
The sudden brightness of it all hurt my eyes. Or it could be the contact I keep forgetting to take out.
I'd have to go sometime without it soon. I bit my lip, wondering if I had time to do that.
"What's up?" He asked me across the table we were claiming.
"Good to see you kids again." Cheryl winked, pouring us some house coffee.
I ducked my head down into the menu, embarrassed.
"Get whatever and as much as you like, Jake. Seriously, I owe you one." "I still don't think you should be paying," Jacob grumbled.
Cheryl took his order and mine before taking the menus and leaving us to ourselves.
"Don't worry about it. It's not like a date or anything." I tried to console him. But my words felt wrong on my lips, and he frowned displeased.
I took a sip of the cheap black coffee provided. I winced at the bitterness and puckered up.
I waited for him to speak, but Jacob still seemed deep in thought.
"How did I find you last night? Or you me if my phone died?" My fingers trembled around the mug. The caffeine was hitting me pretty hard.
"Looks like you need the sun, hun," Cheryl told me, laying out our food.
Jacob ordered two continental breakfasts, a stack of flap jacks, and two sides of bacon. I stuck to a veggie omelet, toast, and a side of seasoned potatoes.
I smiled up politely in thanks as Cheryl moved on.
"I found you at the gas station just outside of town..." Jacob started.
My breath grew quick and short, and my heartbeat faltered. "Layla?" Jacob reached for my hand, but I pulled back, placing it on my chest.
"I'm fine. As you were saying." He eyed me carefully.
"Quil, Embry, and I were already up...making our way downtown when we found you." He frowned again, too light on the details.
"That's not all. Is there?" I asked. "We can talk later." Jacob started eating.
How rude of me. I've kept him from his food, and he's been up all night because of me.
I ate almost as fast and furiously as Jacob. My energy gaining with every bite.
"Will you promise me something?" I asked, breaking our silent eating contest.
"Can you please not say anything about last night to anyone, especially Syd?" I cupped my mug, allowing it to warm my cold fingers instead of drinking it.
"I can promise Syd." Jacob slowed his chewing. "Why just Syd?" I questioned.
"Well, aside from Quil and Embry last night. Seth stopped by to check on you, too."
"Great." I moaned, mortified. First the cliff, now this stupid stunt of mine. Could I catch a break? This all seemed like far too much.
"Maybe you should get to the beach sometime today," Jacob spoke through a pancaked maple bite.
My ankle throbbed, making the answer for me. "I would, but..." I think I overdid it. "Syd is expecting me."
I pushed my cleared plate to the side. My eyes also felt so dry that I knew I'd have trouble with my contact later.
Jacob pushed a plate of his bacon toward me. "Please?" He wanted me to eat some meat. "It's a texture thing." I slid it back.
"I should probably call Syd to let him know I'm in town." I reached into my purse to find that the battery was dead.
"Dang. I have to check on Brianna, too. I hope she made it back to the apartment safely."
Jacob averted his gaze back to the table. His face was unreadable.
"If I can contact her, she might have more pictures! Then I might be able to piece together what I don't remember." I thought Jacob would be more interested in that news, but he wasn't.
"Sure," Jacob mumbled, finishing his plate too. I left the cash my dad gave me on the counter.
"I'll get it next time," Jacob assured me. "Next time?" I looked up at him.
"I don't feel comfortable mooching off a girl." "It's not mooching." I rolled my eyes.
"It's a payoff for picking me up so damn early. I mean, did you even get a chance to sleep?"
Jacob shook his head. "Doesn't matter." He held the door open for me, then grabbed my hand again.
His reassuring hand over mine was becoming a familiar action. I wonder if that was okay. Was Jacob still being helpful, or was I reading into things more than I should?
"I say it does. I still owe you big time." I countered, climbing in the car.
"Okay, If that's the case, answer some questions for me." I nodded, indicating my utter compliance.
"Why didn't you tell anyone you were going out?" Jacob questioned. "You know why," I mumbled.
"Because of the drinking? Where was your dad in all this? Was he seriously okay with-"
"He left early for a business trip, and I don't normally drink...as for not letting you know, I didn't want you to think I was a party girl." I gave him my honest confession.
"Why do you care what I think?" Jacob asked. "I don't know," I deviated from the conversation.
"I'm usually the sober one taking care of everyone else. Brianna persuaded me to really give it a go last night." I rambled, not answering the question.
"How'd you even get into the club or get drunk? The age limit is twenty-one." Jacob probed.
"It's not that hard to get in, but if we do have a hard time or want a drink, that's what the fake IDs are for." I bit my tongue after revealing the last part.
He, for sure, would think the worst of me now. But that was totally normal in LA, and most times, we didn't need one.
"How'd you get a fake ID?" Jacob snorted. "I have my sources," I spoke, looking away.
"Can I see it?" Jake pulled up to the red light just before the reservation. "Yeah, why?" I got it out to show him.
"This isn't your real name, and you're not from Florida." He observed. "The point isn't to get caught," I stated matter-of-factly.
When I reached for it Jacob smirked at me. He shredded it with his bare hands.
"Jake! What the hell?" I screeched. "What? You won't be needing it."
"I promised not to drink and drive, not to give up a good time at concerts." I glared at him.
"Oh well, too late." Jacob chuckled, tossing the pieces out the window as he drove.
"And if I have another one?" I grumbled. "I can still tell Syd." He warned.
I let out a deep sigh. We were matched, and I deserved that.
"Thanks, Jake." I didn't mean it sarcastically. He looked over questioningly.
"For going easy on me," I admitted. I mean, it could have been a thousand times worse.
"Sure, sure." His white toothy smile set me at ease.
Author's Note:
Thanks for Reading. I hope you guys are enjoying the story thus far. Please, if you choose to write a review, make it relevant to the story and try not to give away spoilers. I wouldn't want to deter readers who may enjoy this story. Have a good day/night wherever you are. :)