Note: I don't own anything, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyers.

acob's POV

I had known. I had always known. But the weight of it didn't hit me until I saw her leave.

Renesmee was my imprint. It wasn't something I could ever change, no matter how hard I tried. There was no question in my mind about her place in my world. She was my everything. And I had spent all these years thinking that maybe—just maybe—I could wait. That if I waited long enough, she'd come around. But now I saw the truth in her eyes when she walked out of that door.

I had hurt her. We all had.

I had been selfish. I had been waiting in the shadows, hoping for some kind of sign that she'd turn to me. That this thing we had—this bond, this connection—was enough for her to understand. But I had been blind. She didn't see it that way.

And worse, she resented me for it. She resented all of us.

I couldn't blame her.

I didn't want her to feel trapped. I didn't want her to think she was forced into something, but I couldn't escape the bond. It was instinctive, like breathing. It was never something I chose, but it was mine.

It was hers.

I should have told her. The moment I realized, the moment I knew what it meant, I should have been honest. But fear stopped me. Fear of scaring her. Fear of ruining everything before it even had a chance to begin.

Now, it was all ruined.

I was pacing the forest line when I heard the sound of footsteps behind me, breaking the quiet. It was Edward. He hadn't spoken to me in hours, and I could feel the anger, the hurt in his presence. I wasn't sure if he was angry at me or if he just didn't know what to say. Either way, I deserved it.

"Jacob," Edward's voice came through the trees, sharper than I had expected. "She's gone."

I nodded, the tightness in my chest refusing to loosen. "I know."

"You shouldn't have waited so long."

I closed my eyes, knowing the weight of his words was true. "I never meant for her to feel trapped. I was just trying to give her space, let her figure it out in her own time. I didn't want to push her into something she wasn't ready for."

"You should've talked to her," he said, his voice a mixture of frustration and pain. "You can't just hide behind silence. She's ours, Jacob. And you can't pretend she doesn't deserve the truth."

I swallowed hard, clenching my fists at my sides. "I know, okay? I didn't want her to hate me. But I—" My throat tightened. "I should've told her sooner. I should've."

Edward didn't say anything for a long while, but I could feel the weight of his gaze on me. His disappointment was a quiet storm, something I couldn't shake off.

"I should've told her that I loved her," I said finally, my voice rough. "That she meant everything to me. But I thought… I thought she'd come around. I thought she'd understand. And now, she's gone."

"Yeah," Edward said, his voice softer now. "She's gone. But she won't stay gone forever. She'll come back. And when she does, you better be ready to tell her the truth, Jacob. All of it."

I nodded slowly. "I'll make it right. I promise."

Edward turned and walked back toward the house. I stood there, watching him disappear into the trees, the weight of my promise settling heavy on my chest.

I had broken something I couldn't fix alone. But I would do anything to put the pieces back together.

And I would wait. No matter how long it took.

Renesmee was my whole life, And I wasn't going to lose her again.