JPOV Chapter 9 Excerpt

Bella stayed with me as I continued to fall apart.

I don't know how long I spent bent over in the grass, holding two fistfuls in my hands as my body fought the tremble.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, placing a cold hand on my back. If it was any other vampire's hand it would have been ripped clean off immediately. But this was Bella, I couldn't hurt her.

"No." I snarled; head still pressed against the ground. "I'm not."

"What can I do? I don't- I'm not sure how to fix this."

"There's nothing you can do, Bella." I took a deep breath. "I fucked everything up."

"Jake…" She whispered. "What happened?"

I slowly sat up, finally raising my eyes to look at her. It was impossible to ignore the excruciating pain from being separated from my Nessie. There was still a continuous mantra in my head, booming: Nessie, Nessie, Nessie.

"It's nice to see you too, Bells." I spat, infuriated with this whole situation.

"I'm serious." She demanded, narrowing her eyes at me. "What did you do to my daughter?"

"I imprinted on her." I said, reading her reaction. I wasn't sure if she was going to hit me, yell at me, or worse. At this point I'd probably let her. I deserved it.

"I can't believe this!" Bella's temper flared up. Now I remember where Nessie got it from. "My daughter, of all people?"

"It's not my fault. I wasn't trying to fuck up her life, it just happened." I retorted. "She was the reason I was drawn to you in the first place. It was her all along." At the very least, all that pain wasn't for nothing, I got to meet my Nessie because of it.

Bella shook her head in disbelief. "And you never told her about us? What were you thinking?"

I clenched my teeth, my fists trembling again with anger, and sadness, and pain. "I don't know Bella, what was I supposed to say 'Hey, Ness, I love you. By the way, I was also in love with your mom back in high school. Sick, right?'"

"I don't know! But maybe you should have told me something! Maybe we could have figured something out!"

"Well, I didn't!" I bellowed, jumping away from her as I sprung up. Now my whole body was vibrating, my muscles trembling under the surface. I was surprised I was keeping it together. "I was going to tell her, but you and your bloodsucker husband had to come and ruin everything! And now I've hurt her and- Oh god." I fell to my knees again as the reminder of Nessie's heartbroken expression haunted me. I pressed my fists to my temple to try and alleviate the pain.

Nothing worked.

"Jacob." Bella said sympathetically. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault."

"Yeah, it is." Nessie was hurting and it was all my fault.

"No, it's mine." She declared, glancing down at her hands, before looking at me, her eyes softened. "I've missed you, Jake. After all this time, so much has changed and yet, I still consider you my best friend." She laughed softly, completely different from her human laugh. It sounded like ringing bells. "I love you. Although differently than how it used to be, I do still care about you. I always wanted what was best for you." She took a deep breath. "But she's our daughter. She will always be the most important person to us. Her happiness is my happiness. So, I can't stand by and watch as our past destroys her life. I hated myself for how much I hurt you and here I am doing it all over again, only now you're dragging her down with you. This is all my fault."

"Bella…" I tried to say this as nicely as possible. "Not everything is about you. This is not your fault. I'm the idiot who didn't tell her when I had the chance. I'm the one who imprinted on her, forcing myself into her life. I'm the one who refused to let you go all those years ago, fighting for something that was pointless from the start. If anyone's to blame, it's me."

I had to pause to press a fist to my chest. It felt like my heart was being ripped out of it. The longer I was away from Nessie, the worse it got. I could feel her pain and it was tearing me apart. If nothing else, I had to make this right for her. I couldn't stand the thought of her in pain for another second.

"Jake? What's wrong?"

"I need to find her." I growled, disregarding my conversation with Bella. "She needs me."

"Wait-"

I had already begun phasing, allowing the heat to flood through me. In half a second, I felt the fire tremble down my spine, and I was on four paws, sprinting through the trees. I followed Nessie's scent with ease, trailing through the thick forest at top speed.

The chant was growing louder, leading me to her. Nessie, Nessie, Nessie.

I could hear Bella following behind me, but I paid her no attention, I only had one thing on my mind: Find Nessie, go to her.

It didn't take long for the Cullen house to come into view, the unmistakable scents of four vampires inside. It made my nose cringe, the overly sweet stench of bloodsucker. But that didn't matter, I could smell My Nessie in there too. Her scent propelled me forward.

Before I could get any closer, Edward appeared from nowhere, blocking my path. I skidded to a halt, growling menacingly at him.

Move.

"You're going to stay away from her."

I'd like to see you try and keep me away.

Edward snarled at me; his lips pulled back over his teeth as he crouched low. In the back of my mind, I knew I shouldn't fight him, but right now I didn't care. I needed to take all my frustrations out on something, and who better than him?

Before we could spring at each other's throats, Bella jumped in the space between us. Her eyes fiercely angry, "Stop it both of you!"

Edward immediately stood up straight, his face remorseful. "Bella, love. Renesmee is inside, she needs you."

My heart stuttered thinking of My Nessie. I needed to see her.

"She isn't yours!" Edward shouted, moving to stand in front of Bella. Now this seemed familiar. "You won't be going anywhere near her you mutt!"

This time I could only whine in agony, all the fight leaving me as I thought of my Nessie, hurt. The memory of her beautiful, broken face crumpled as she cried twisted my insides, making me sick. If her pain was even a fraction of mine then I had to put a stop to it, I had to help her.

"Edward," Bella put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Go easy on him, he's hurting just as much as she is."

"I don't care." He sneered. "He hurt our baby."

I never meant to! I love her more than anything. Please, I need her.

Edward narrowed his eyes at me, a low, continuous hiss in the back of his throat.

"I'm going to check on Renesmee." Bella announced. "Don't rip each other apart while I'm away." And she disappeared into the house.

Edward and I stood facing each other, silence hanging in the air.

You don't understand the imprint, Edward. I need to be with her. She needs me too.

"We'll see about that." He replied coolly. "I know what my daughter needs."

You'll only end up hurting her if you separate us! I barked out in retaliation. If you care about her at all, you'll let me see her.

"How dare you lecture me! You're the one that broke her heart! You lied to her! You took advantage of her! I should rip your head off right now!"

I would never take advantage of her!

"She's just a child!"

And you're a fucking hypocrite!

"She's my child. You have no idea what Bella went through to have her. What sacrifices she made to bring her into this world. Renesmee is our only daughter, and I will protect her with my life. If you think I'll let you continue to manipulate her, you're sorely mistaken. I'm taking her far away from you."

Hell, fuck no. Edward. I pleaded. Listen, forget about me, think about her. Once her head clears, she's going to want to be with me. You can't take her away; it would kill her.

He stood still for a moment, his mind processing.

You'll hurt her too. I continued. At least let her make her own decisions before you jump to drastic measures. I wasn't sure if he would listen to me, but I had to try. I couldn't let this bloodsucker take her away from me. I wouldn't allow it.

"I'll wait until she wakes up. If she doesn't want to see you, we're gone."

Promise me, Edward.

"I'm not promising anything. Now leave, mongrel." He turned and ran back to the house, quicker than lightning.

My heart was beating extremely fast. I couldn't catch my breath, it felt like my chest was constricting. Is this what a panic attack felt like? I tried to remain calm, think of my options, but the only thing running through my mind was Nessie, Nessie, Nessie.

What if Edward doesn't listen and decides to take Nessie away? I can't fight off five vamps and protect Ness. What if she doesn't want to see me after all and she leaves me willingly?

I tried to block out those dark thoughts as I sat back on my haunches and let a piercing howl rip from my throat.

I needed backup.

Chapter 9

I knew it was too good to be true.

My Jacob. The Imprint. His love. All of it.

How could I be so stupid? How could I left myself fall so easily? I should have known that something would go wrong eventually. It always does.

Running away from Jacob as he begged me to stay was the hardest thing I've ever done. Keeping my legs moving while my heart was screaming at me to turn back was even harder. I could feel the strain on my connection with him and it was heart wrenching. His pain was my pain. I would have easily turned back if I hadn't already come to the conclusion that Jacob was never mine to begin with. Take away all the werewolf magic and the imprint and I realized that Jacob, the real Jacob, was in love with my mother.

My mother. Isabella Cullen. The woman who I loved so much. Who gave her life for mine. Who protected and loved me with every fiber of her being. My mother who was perfect in every possible way.

I never could compare to her, and I knew I never would.

And my perfect, lovely mother was the one he wanted. Or at least chose at one point. I was just someone he was forced to love. The consolation prize. The leftovers. I wasn't who he really wanted. His feelings for me weren't even real. Because who in their right mind would fall in love with me after her? That's right, no one.

But it was too late, I had given my heart to him, and I could never take it back. It belonged to him now. I belonged to him, forever.

How fucked up was that?

I feel like someone had wrung me out. Squeezed all the life out of me and then tossed me away like an old, used rag. I ran as fast as I could manage as the tears blurred my vision. I didn't know where I was going, I didn't know where I belonged, I just knew it wasn't with Jacob anymore.

I could hear my dad following behind me. He's faster than anyone I've ever met before, easily able to catch up to me. He was trailing after me, always making sure I was alright. I tried to say something to him, but even my brain couldn't create a coherent thought, my mind was a jumbled mess. Suddenly my foot caught on something on the forest floor, and I went tumbling down, moving too fast to stop myself. Before I could hit the ground, my dad easily caught me, pulling me into his embrace.

"Shh. It's alright Renesmee." He cooed, cradling me like a baby as I curled into myself. I still couldn't think straight, my mind only focused on the pain.

It hurts.

"I know, Sweetheart. I'm so sorry." He sounded in pain as well, his voice strained with agony. "I never imagined something like this would happen. I never should have let you out of my sight."

I was crying so hard I could feel my heart actually breaking. The pain was literally crippling. The further my dad carried me away from him, the more my heart cried out. I felt like I had gouged my entire soul out and left it with him. And it was begging me to return. I could hear it calling out to me.

Come back. Come back. Come back.

I want a life with him so badly. I need him. I love him. But I could never truly have him. I thought we belonged to each other, but I was wrong.

As my dad slowed down, I could hear my family immediately surround us. Aunt Rosalie demanded to know what happened as she stroked my face, softly pushing my hair out of the way. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the pain lacing through me, whimpering into my dad's shirt.

Suddenly a wave of calming sensation passed over the room, soothing me. My Uncle Jasper's power helped me catch my breath, my sobs turning into silent tears streaming down my face. Soon I was placed in a warm bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of my father's voice, singing me a lullaby. He pressed a kiss onto my forehead as a pair of cold hands caressed my hair. "Sleep, my love."

I woke to the sound of talking downstairs. I couldn't focus on the voices as I immediately noticed another presence in the bed.

My mom was lying next to me, watching me with opaque golden irises, almost black with hunger. The bruises under her eyes were a deep purple, appearing darker than usual. She looked so tired despite being unable to sleep. I felt awful, I caused this.

"Hi, Baby." She whispered, a tiny smile appearing on her face. "How are you feeling?"

Unable to speak yet, I slowly lifted my hand to press against her cheek, conveying all the emotions churning through me. Her face grimaced in pain at the message I sent across.

"Oh Renesmee, I'm so sorry."

Why? You didn't do anything, Momma. I'm the one that lied and kept everything from you and Dad. I could have prevented all of this from happening.

She sighed closing her eyes. "This is not your fault. There's so much I have to tell you. I can't stand seeing you like this, Renesmee. It kills me to know you're in any kind of pain." She caressed my cheek. "I wish I could take it all away."

There's nothing you can change. What's done is done.

She sighed closing her eyes. I waited patiently for her to speak, not that I had much of a choice. I don't think I could talk right now even if I tried, my throat raw from screaming and crying last night.

"Renesmee, what happened between you and Jacob, no one ever would have expected that. I never expected you two to meet, let alone that he would imprint on you." She shook her head in disbelief. "Never in a million years."

I wanted to laugh but all humor had left me, I could barely crack a smile at this point.

"If I had known, I would have told you about Jacob a long time ago."

Why didn't you?

"Because it was hard for me, Renesmee." My heart twisted with jealously at the thought of my mother having feelings for My Jacob. She quickly shook her head as she felt my emotions. "No, it's not like that, Sweetheart. He was my best friend, and I did him wrong. I felt like I had basically ruined his life and then left without a trace or an explanation. I didn't feel like I deserved to talk about him like we were still friends." She took an unnecessary deep breath. "After everything I put him through, I just wanted him to be happy, find someone good enough to deserve him. I should have been careful what I wished for." Momma's eyebrows scrunched together as she stroked my cheek.

She had explained everything that transpired between her and Jacob. How she and him came to know each other in her darkest hour and he helped save her from herself. She explained that her feelings weren't inherently romantic, but due to Jacob's determination, she had realized that they ran deeper than simple friendship. Momma made it abundantly clear that there was never much of a choice between Jacob and my dad. She always knew that it was Daddy, she just never meant to hurt Jacob.

"I'm so sorry. It isn't fair that my mistakes have now come back to hurt you too."

Of course, I didn't blame my mom for something that happened before I was even born, but she was right; it wasn't fair. Not to me, to her, to my dad, and especially not to Jacob. None of this was fair to him. It pained me to know that he was probably in pain right now, suffering. First because of my mom, and now because of me. Because his stupid werewolf genes eternally tied him to me. I wondered if there was some way to break the imprint, that way he would be free of all the pain. And me, he would be free of me too.

"I spoke to him last night." She murmured, continuing to stroke my face and hair. "He was in pretty bad shape."

The dull ache in my chest roared back to life. I pulled my hand away from my mom's cheek to keep her from feeling the pain lacing through me. I could feel the pull towards him. My heart called out to him, even louder than before.

Come back. Come back. Come back.

"Oh Renesmee." My mom's voice was thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could take this pain away from you."

As the tears streamed down my cheeks, my mother quickly wiped them away. From the look on her face, I was sure that she would be crying too if she could.

"What am I supposed to do, Momma?" I croaked out; my voice raspy from unuse. "I love him so much."

"I don't know, Baby. There's nothing more I would love to do than take you as far away from here and hide you from all this hurt. But I've seen inside your heart, Renesmee." She pulled my hand up to cup her cheek again. "I've seen how much pain being away from him has caused you and I would never, ever willingly put you through that kind of misery."

She smiled then, her beautiful features softly curving upwards. "And I've also seen how much joy he has brought you. I've never seen you so happy, my love. And trust me, no matter how much I had wished and hoped for his happiness, your happiness is infinitely more important. You are the most precious person in the world, and I would never do anything to take that away from you."

I couldn't keep the tears from running, my eyes felt like faucets. "I love you, Momma." I reached forward to hug her. She held me tightly in her strong arms, her sweet scent comforting to me.

"I love you so much Renesmee, more than you'll ever know." She whispered into my hair.

I knew she was right; I couldn't live without Jacob. Things between us weren't easy, but I knew it would all be worth it if I could be with him in end. If only it were that simple. Even if I could get passed the relationship he and my mother used to have, I couldn't get over the fact that Jacob had no choice in loving me. It wasn't him that wanted me around, it was the imprint.

As much as I loved him, I couldn't take advantage of him like that. I couldn't let him spend the rest of his life with someone he never chose. The revelation was unbearable to take. The idea that I had to once again, leave Jacob hung heavy on me. But even then, the thought of seeing him again was comforting. I would try to make the best of our last time together.

"Where is he?"

"He's somewhere close by. Your dad thought it be best if he kept his distance, but you know how stubborn Jake can be. He hasn't left not once." My pain was somewhat placated by the fact that he was close by. I wondered how far he was. Could he hear our conversation?

I could still hear the muffled voices of my family and a couple other familiar one's downstairs. "Who's here?"

"Rose, Alice, and Jasper came to Forks when we found out you were here. They were all very worried about you. Seth and the other members of the pack are also here." She laughed. "I think Jacob called them to make sure we don't run off with you."

I laughed humorlessly, slowly sitting up in bed as I blocked the thought of what I was about to do. I looked around the room, it was dark, but I could make out the large bookcases of music. I was in a gigantic bed in the middle of the room, taking up most of the space. The wall-to-wall windows were dark, reflecting everything back to me. I could see my reflection and it was horrid. My hair was a nest of unruly curls, my eyes puffy, and my face red and blotchy.

"Oh my god." I tried undoing a knot in my hair. "I look like crap."

"You are beautiful, Renesmee." My mom reassured me. In less than a second, she disappeared and returned with a brush, helping me untangle my hair. "See, perfect. I'll give you a human moment to yourself." She pressed a soft kiss to my brow before giving me my privacy.

I quietly went to the bathroom to freshen up. I briefly considered taking a much-needed shower but decided against it. If I was going to break Jacob's heart, I might as well look as unappealing as possible, that might make it easier for him to let me go.

I was afraid that if I went downstairs, everyone would bombard me with questions, and I would lose my nerve. So, I opened the window and jumped off the third story ledge, quietly landing on my feet. I may not be as graceful as the rest of my family, but I was still half vampire for something.

I peered into the forest, searching and listening for my Jacob. It didn't take long for him to appear from of the darkness, looking worn-down. He was only wearing a pair of cutoffs, bare-chested and barefoot. He slowly approached until he stood a couple steps ahead of me, his stance uncertain. The sight of his beautiful face got my heart racing even faster. God, I missed him so much.

"Hey." His face was broken as he stared down at me, his eyes pools of pain.

"Hi." I replied, my chin quivering from holding back my tears.

"Are you ok?" He asked softly, his deep eyes searching mine for an answer. The concern on his face was discernible.

I couldn't help myself, I sprung forward, throwing myself at him. His arms immediately caught me, crushing me to him. I pressed my face against his neck as tears cascaded down my face, smearing across his hot skin as I blubbered.

"Oh Jacob, I'm- I'm-"

"I'm so sorry, Nessie!" He pressed kisses against my face and hair, anywhere he could reach. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated.

The instant I was in his arms, the world felt right. Once again everything made sense. It's like my body instinctively knew where I truly belonged.

Unable to form words, I used my gift to show him how much pain I had been in without him and how good it felt to be back in his arms. Jacob shuddered under my hands, his warm skin quivering. "Me too, Ness. It was unbearable without you." He murmured into my neck.

We hugged each other tightly, Jacob holding me close as our hearts beat next to each other. Neither of us moved as I continued to communicate through my touch. I explained how I had felt when I found out about him and my mom and why I reacted so severely.

"Nessie…" Jacob's voice trembled as he pulled back to look me in the eyes. "I need you to understand, what happened between me and Bella, it means nothing. I was young, and stupid and I'm sorry it ever happened. I will do anything to prove that you're who I want. I swear I'll spend the rest of my life-"

"Shhh, Jacob." I gently caressed his face. "I know." I reassured him. I understood that whatever feelings Jacob had for my mother, they were completely gone now.

"You do?" His eyes were shimmering with hope.

"Yeah, I think so. The imprint erased all your feelings for her, and anyone else, right?"

He closed his eyes, softly shaking his head, before opening them again. "Ness… the imprint has nothing to do with it. Well, maybe it does, but not how you think. I stopped having feelings for Bella a long time ago, long before I met you." He dark eyes bored into mine. "I didn't tell you because I was so afraid of how you'd see me, that you'd hate me because of it."

"Jake." My heart broke. I cradled his face, as I sent him all my love. "I could never hate you. I know you're a good man, and that you never meant to hurt me, you thought you were protecting me. But things are just… a lot clearer to me now." I took a deep breath. "None of this would have happened without the imprint."

"Ness-"

"If you had a choice, then you would have happily lived your life without me. I know that you didn't choose to-"

"What are you saying Nessie?" Jacob growled, his chest rumbling. I don't think he's ever been angry with me before. "You think I regret meeting you? You think I would choose someone else if I hadn't imprinted on you?"

"I know you would Jacob!" I pushed away from him, and he let me go easily, his body shuddering with anger. "You think I don't know you wouldn't willingly choose me? Considering your past with my parents, how much you hate vampires, how complicated I've made your life lately? No one in their right mind would want this!"

Jacob stood silently in front of me, breathing hard through his nose. His clenched fists were trembling. "Renesmee." He said calmly, quietly. "Do you regret me imprinting on you?"

"No!" I cried, furiously shaking my head. "I love you! But I know that's not enough."

His face broke, eyebrows pulling together as he asked softly, "How on earth would you think that I would ever regret imprinting on you?" The way he was looking at me melted my insides, turning my knees to jelly. "Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I never realized how lonely I was until I saw your face, and I knew I found my soulmate. I can't ever imagine going back to how it was before. I love you."

"But don't you see?" I sobbed, "That isn't you talking, you didn't choose me."

Jacob took two steps forward and cupped my face in his big hands. The heat of his skin contrasted against the frigid night air, giving me goosebumps. "Sweetheart, is that what's bothering you? You think I didn't choose you?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, tears spilling down my cheeks. I slowly nodded my head, confirming my biggest fear.

"Nessie, there's nothing in this world I would ever choose over you. You think I wouldn't want you without the imprint? You're wrong. I would have fallen in love with you one way or another. The imprint was just the universes way of pointing me in the right direction." He smiled. "I've never been more complete since I've met you."

"B-but you hated me before you even knew me, Jake. How am I supposed to believe that you would have befriended me, let alone even love me?"

"I have never, and will never hate you, Renesmee Cullen." He stated fiercely. "And I could never hurt you. One look at your face and I'd have known that you were just a harmless little pussycat." He snickered at his attempt to lighten the conversation.

"Jake…" I was running out of steam. "Doesn't it bother you that if my mom had chosen you, or if my dad had never come back, that you would probably be with her right now?" I couldn't even fathom the thought of my mother with anyone besides my dad. Even worse, I couldn't fathom the thought of me without Jake.

"I don't like to pretend in hypotheticals, but honestly, I'm so thankful that didn't happen. That's not a world I ever want to imagine. I'd take being rejected by Bella Swan a million times if it means I get to meet you. A world where you do not exist is not a world I'd want to live in."

"But-"

"Why are you so hellbent on proving me wrong?" He yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Then he leaned in, his face getting very close to mine. "You're so convinced that I regret imprinting on you. You think I would be here if I didn't want to be? You think I like arguing with you in the middle of the fucking night? Well, guess what. I do. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. You think I'm sad that I imprinted on you? I'm not. I'm the happiest man in the world." He smiled then, his beautiful, handsome face glowing with happiness. It amazed me, how easily he could dazzle me in the middle of an argument. "Even if you turn me away, reject me, hate me, I'd still be blessed because I got to know you, Nessie. And I'd spend the rest of my life making sure you were safe and happy, even if it's from the sidelines, even from the shadows. You can't get rid of me, Ness. I promised you, I'm yours, for life." Jacob's fingers closed around my wrist, touching the promise bracelet he made me. His head dipped even closer as he spoke again, his voice deep and husky. "Now will you please hold still so I can do this right?"

Before I knew it Jacob swoops forward and his mouth is on mine. He is not gentle. His hands cradle my head as he kisses me roughly, completely relentless. For a long moment I am frozen in shock, my mind unsure if I wanted to resist. All too quickly, though, heat floods through my body and I kiss him back with as much enthusiasm. It was the kind of kiss that evoked sensations I didn't even know I could feel. I grabbed a fistful of his soft hair, holding on for leverage as my mouth moved against his. His coarse stubble scratched against my chin in the most delicious way.

It was perfect.

Jacob made a sound low in his throat and his lips parted beneath mine. His mouth softened as the kiss deepened, tracing his tongue against my bottom lip. I knew he could taste the salt of my tears, streaming down my face even faster than before. The impossibly warm kiss grew even hotter as his insistent mouth parted mine. His tongue dipped inside, gentle but demanding.

The feeling of him- all of him, against me is intoxicating. I inhale his scent, the smell of forest pine, campfire, and that musk that was distinctly Jacob. It was delicious. I want to breathe him in, taste him, devour him.

We broke away for a second, gazing at each other. His eyes were shining with pure joy, shimmering in the dark night. Jacob nudged his nose against mine before he kissed me again, our mouths soft and open. We leisurely moved against each other this kiss, taking our time. My hands came down and rested on his chest, palms pressed over his beating heart. He tenderly kissed me over and over and over again until I lost all intelligible thought.

I slowly opened my eyes as he pulled away for a final time, my lip swollen and tingling from his warmth.

"Thank you." I whispered, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Jake chuckled, his throaty laugh warm and sweet and perfect. "You're welcome."

A cold breeze blew by, and I shifted closer to him, basking in his heat. He scooped me up and held me against his chest, hiding my face in his neck.

After a long moment, I asked, "Are you sure you'll want me forever?" My voice muffled by his skin.

The thought of spending the rest of my life with Jacob made my soul sing. I was complete with him. He was the center of my universe. I knew that even if all the odds were stacked against us, Jacob would always fight to defend our love. And I would too.

"Yes, Nessie." He said definitively. "Forever."

Here's chapter 9! Sorry for taking so long to update, but I was busy with school and work and I kind of lost motivation to write until I got a couple new comments this week. Please let me know what you think! I'm not sure if I will write another chapter after this or just an epilogue with a spicy ending. Let me know which you prefer!