Jacob and Bella Story

Chapter Thirteen

Bella's P.O.V

I arrived at First Beach, parking in a desolate, muddy lot. The dark, cloud-cloaked predawn wrapped around me like a heavy blanket. Switching off my headlights, I paused, eyes adjusting to the dimness. I spotted the hidden path, winding through towering weeds like a secret passage. A fierce wind whipped off the shadowy waves, chilling me. With a shiver, I buried my hands deep in my winter coat pockets. At last, the rain had finally bid farewell.

Strolling northward along the beach, I made my way to the seawall. An unclear shoreline met my gaze; St. James and its island companions shrouded themselves in mystery. Treading cautiously on the rocky path, I danced around hidden trip hazards like stray driftwood.

I found what I had been seeking—a long, bone-white driftwood tree. Stranded amid jagged rocks, it emerged a few feet from the shadows. Its roots, twisting like a hundred brittle tentacles, reached for the sea. I pondered if this was the same tree where Jacob and I first spoke. That conversation had woven my life into a complex tapestry, yet everything seemed the same outwardly. I settled back into my spot, staring across the unseen ocean, lost in thought.

Jacob's innocent and vulnerable sleeping face erased my revulsion and anger. Despite Billy's apathy, I couldn't ignore the situation, yet I couldn't judge Jacob. I decided that love doesn't operate in that manner. If you cared for someone, logic became impossible. Jacob was my friend, regardless of his involvement in the killings. I was unsure how to handle that situation.

His peaceful sleep triggered an overwhelming desire in me to protect him. Utterly irrational.

Despite the illogic, I dwelled on his serene expression, searching for a solution to protect him as the sky lightened.

"Hi, Bella." A voice shouted.

A voice, Jacob's, startled me from the darkness. The muted, unassuming sound surprised me, even though I had expected the noisy rocks to give some advance notice. His silhouette was enormous against the rising sun.

I glanced over at Jacob. "Jake?" I called softly, hoping for his attention.

Several paces away, Jacob fidgeted, shifting his weight nervously.

"Billy told me you came by," Jacob said.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk," I said.

A long, muted moment passed; despite the darkness, I felt his gaze on my face, a prickling sensation on my skin. He must have seen my expression in the light because his words were sharp and bitter.

"You could have called," Jacob said harshly.

I nodded in understanding. "I know," I assured.

Jacob walked back and forth along the rocks. Straining my ears, I could distinguish the soft sound of his feet on the rocks against the crashing waves. I heard the stones clattering like castanets.

"Why did you come?" Jacob asked.

"I thought it would be better to face-to-face." I responded.

Jacob snorted a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Oh, that's much better!"

"Jacob, I have to warn you----" I said.

"About the rangers and the hunters? Don't worry about it. We already know."

"Don't worry about it?" I exclaimed, incredulity washing over me. "Jake, they're armed! They're laying traps and dangling rewards like bait—"

"We can fend for ourselves," Jacob growled, a fierce edge to his tone. "They won't catch a thing. Their meddling makes things harder—they'll disappear soon enough."

"Jake!" I hissed.

"What? It's a fact."

My voice wobbled with disgust. "How could you... Say that? You know these folks. Charlie's out there!" I shouted, my stomach churning like a stormy sea.

Jacob skidded to a halt. "What else can we possibly do?" he snapped.

The sun brushed the clouds with a silvery pink hue. I glimpsed his expression, which was a storm of anger and frustration.

"Could you... well, try not to be a werewolf?" I whispered.

Jacob threw his hands up in the air. "Like I have a choice about it!" he shouted. "And how would that help anything if you're worried about people disappearing?"

"I don't understand you," I said.

Jacob shot me a venomous glare, eyes narrowing like a hawk's. His mouth curled into a snarl, a storm brewing beneath his skin. "Do you know what makes me so mad I could spit?" he demanded, his voice a thunderclap of frustration.

I flinched away from his hostile expression. He seemed to wait for an answer, so I shook my head.

"You're such a hypocrite, Bella---there you sit, terrified of me! How is that fair?" Jacob said as his hand shook with anger.

"Hypocrite? How does being afraid of a monster make me a hypocrite?"

Jacob let out a deep groan, his fist trembling against his temples. He squeezed his eyes shut, a desperate plea for silence. "Ugh! Will you listen to the words tumbling out?" he implored.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Jacob advanced with purpose, looming over me like a storm cloud. His glare was a flash of lightning, sharp and filled with fury. "I'm sorry I don't fit your ideal guy, Bella. I suppose I'm not the fabulous creature a bloodsucker is, right?" he snapped.

I jumped to my feet and glared back. "No, you're not!" I shouted. "It's not what you are, stupid, it's what you do!"

"What on earth does that even mean?" Jacob thundered, his whole body shaking with fury.

Edward's voice cautioned me, catching me completely off guard. "Be very careful, Bella. Don't push him too far. You need to calm him down."

Even the voice in my head was making no sense today.

I saw Jacob shaking uncontrollably, and I was unsure how to react. I took a risk and did the one thing that could have had negative consequences, given his condition. I approached him and touched him. When my fingers brushed his arm, he stiffened. Reaching down, I take his hand in mine, feeling sparks flow. Jacob's anger and heavy breathing gradually calmed. My eyes grew wide. Did it work as planned? Did I calm him down? I'm curious about how I achieved that. He seemed ready to attack moments ago, yet now he's completely calm.

Jacob stood frozen, disbelief flickering in his eyes as I brushed my thumb over his warm hand.

A triumphant smile tugged at my lips, my heart swelling with courage. "Jacob," I began, my voice gentle, like a soft breeze. "Is it necessary to kill?" I paused, letting my words sink in. "Isn't there another way? If vampires can survive without slaying, couldn't you explore that path as well?"

Jacob sprang upright, eyebrows arching like high-flying kites, eyes wide as saucers. "Killing people?" he exclaimed, disbelief dancing in his voice.

I shot Jacob a quizzical look, my brow raised in question. "What did you think we were chatting about?" I asked, intrigued by his response.

Jacob looked down at me with a half-hopeful disbelief. "I thought were talking about your disgust for werewolves," he said.

"No, Jake, no. It's not that you're a...wolf. That's fine," I promised him, and I knew the words and meant it.

I didn't care if he turned into an enormous wolf; he was still Jacob.

"If you could find a way to not hurt people... that's all that upsets me. These are innocent people, Jacob people like Charlie, and I can't look the other way while you---" I said, but Jacob interrupted.

"Is that all? Really?" Jacob said with a smile breaking across his face. "You're scared because I'm a murderer? That's the only reason?"

Jacob erupted in laughter, and I shot him a scorching glare. "Jacob Black, this is far from amusing!" I protested as I nudged him, barely budging his sturdy frame.

"Sure, sure," Jacob agreed, still chortling.

Jacob surprised me with a sudden, powerful hug, widening my eyes. My arms were down as I stood there.

"You, honestly, don't mind that I morph into a giant dog?" Jacob asked, his voice joyful in my ear.

"No," I gasped. "Can't---breathe---Jake!"

God, he was strong. Jacob let me go, but took both of my hands in his. "I'm not a killer, Bella," he said.

I studied his face, and it spoke volumes of honesty. Relief washed over me like a warm tide. "Really?" I asked, curiosity sparking in my voice.

"Really," Jacob promised.

I instantly threw my arms around Jacob's neck and hugged him tightly. Jacob stared at my actions in stunned silence and then wrapped his big, muscular arms around me.

I won't sugarcoat it—Jacob's hugs have been sorely missed. His warm embrace felt like home, reminding me of that thrilling first day with the motorcycle. Time has broadened his frame, and now I'm even smaller, like a child again. I still remember that gentle moment when he stroked my hair.

"Sorry I called you a hypocrite." Jacob whispered in my neck as he breathed in my scent.

"Sorry I called you a murderer." I said.

Jacob laughed.

A thought flickered through my mind, prompting me to inch away. I sought Jacob's gaze, a mix of concern and curiosity across my face. My eyebrows knitted together in a tapestry of anxiety. "What about Sam? And the rest?" I pressed, the questions tumbling forth.

Jacob shook his head, smiling as if a tremendous burden had lifted from his shoulders. "Of course not. Don't you remember where I had to be?" I asked.

I regarded him with curiosity, my brow raised in question. Jacob met my gaze and stated, "I was on patrol. My role is to protect."

"But I don't understand. What's happening in the woods? The missing hikers, the blood?" I asked.

Jacob's expression blended with gravity and concern as he held me tighter. "We're doing our best to protect them," he said, "but it often feels like we're a step behind."

"Protect them from what? Is there a bear out there, too?" I asked.

Jacob looked at me, amused, and moved a strand of hair from my face. "Bella, honey, did you forget everything I told you last night? Like I said, we only protect people from one thing. Our one enemy—vampires. It's the reason we exist—because they do," he said.

I nodded, and Jacob's voice cut through the air. "Bells, this is our calling. We're crafted for strength," he declared.

"Wait, Jake—I thought you knew, though. Last night, you said it wasn't safe for you to be in my room. What did you mean by that? Did you know a vampire might come? Isn't that what you were talking about?"

For a moment, Jacob wore a mask of confusion; then, like a turtle, he ducked his head. "No, that's not what I meant," he responded, shaking off the misunderstanding.

"Then why didn't you think it was safe for you there?" I asked.

Jacob's eyes glimmered with the weight of unspoken guilt. "I never said it wasn't safe for me," he confessed. "I was thinking of you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Jacob looked down and kicked a rock. "There's more than one reason I'm not supposed to be around you, Bella. I wasn't supposed to tell you our secret, for one thing, but the other part is that it's not safe for you. If I get too mad... too upset..you might get hurt," he responded.

I thought about that carefully. "When you were mad before...when I was yelling at you...and you were shaking...?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jacob responded, as his face dropped even lower. "That was pretty stupid of me. I have to keep a better hold on myself. I swore I would not get mad, no matter what you said to me.. But...I got so frustrated and angry that I was going to lose you...that you couldn't deal with what I am.."

"What would happen...If you got too mad?"

"I'd turn into a wolf,"

"You don't need a full moon."

Jacob let out a sigh, rolling his eyes with exasperation. "Hollywood's portrayal misses the mark, time and time again," he declared.

Jacob exhaled deeply, his demeanor shifting to severe. "Listen, Bells, stress doesn't suit you. We've got this under control. We're watching over Charlie and the others like hawks. Nothing will happen to him. Trust me on this one," he reassured her.

I realized something obvious, something I should have noticed sooner. I had been so caught up in thoughts of Jacob and his friends fighting Laurent that I missed it. But then, when Jacob used the present tense again, it finally clicked.

We're going to take care of this.

It wasn't over.

I gasped. I looked at Jacob's face as I spoke. "If Laurent died..a week ago... then someone else is killing people now."

Jacob nodded, his jaw clenched tight as he spoke. "There were two of them. We guessed his mate would rush into battle, like in our tales. Typically, they explode with rage if you take out their partner. Yet, she keeps dashing away, only to reappear again. If we could decode her motives, taking her down would be a breeze. But she's a riddle, dancing around our defenses like a shadow. What's her game? Where does she want to go? Sam suspects she's plotting to split us up for a better shot..." he remarked, frustration weaving through his words.

Jacob's voice seemed to come to me from a long tunnel. My red forehead and queasy stomach felt precisely like a stomach flu relapse.

I swiftly averted my gaze from him and bent over the tree trunk. My body shook violently, my empty stomach churning with nauseating horror despite its emptiness.

Victoria was here. Looking for me. Killing strangers in the woods. The woods where Charlie was searching...

Dizziness swirled like a tempest in my mind, threatening to pull me under. Jacob's strong hands gripped my shoulders, anchoring me from tumbling onto the jagged rocks below. His warm breath brushed against my cheek, starkly contrasting my unease. "Bella! What's the matter?" he asked, concern across his face.

I gasped as soon as I could catch my breath around the nauseous spasms. "Victoria," I responded.

In my head, Edward snarled in fury at the name.

Jacob pulled me from my despair. I settled into his lap, my tired head resting on his shoulder. He struggled to keep me upright as my weight shifted. He brushed the damp hair from my face, causing a delightful shiver.

"Who?" Jacob asked. "Can you hear me, Bella? Bella?"

I moaned into his shoulder. "She wasn't Laurent's mate. There were just old friends..." I responded.

Jacob's gaze was a tempest of worry as he leaned closer. "Do you need water? Maybe a doctor? Tell me what to do!" he urged, his voice tinged with desperation.

"I'm not sick—I'm scared." I explained.

The word scared didn't cover it.

Jacob patted my back. "Scare of this Victoria?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Victoria is the red-haired female." Jacob asked.

I trembled and whimpered. "Yes." I responded.

"How do you know she wasn't his mate?" Jacob asked.

"Laurent told me James was her mate," I explained.

Jacob cupped my face, his gaze piercing into my soul. "Did he share anything more, Bella? This is crucial. Do you know her desires?" he pressed, the urgency clear.

"Of course." I responded. "She wants me."

Jacob's eyes widen, then narrowed into slits. He did not look thrilled. "Why?" he asked.

"Edward killed James," I responded.

Jacob held me closer to him, and I continued to speak. "She got..pissed off. But Laurent said she thought it was fairer to kill me than Edward. Mate for mate. She didn't know---still doesn't know. I guess things aren't like that with us anymore. Not for Edward, anyway."

That distracted Jacob and his face tore between several expressions. "Is that what happened? Why did the Cullens leave?" he asked.

"No, not exactly." I responded.

Something rumbled in Jacob's chest under my ear. "If that i***t bloodsucker is honestly stupid enough---" he said.

I moaned. "Please." I begged. "Please don't."

Jacob hesitated, then nodded once. "This is important," he said, his face all business now. "This is exactly what we needed to know. We've got to tell the others right away."

Jacob stood, pulling me to his feet. He kept two hands on my waist until he was sure I would not fall.

"I'm okay." I lied.

Jacob traded his hold on my waist for one of my hands. "Let's go," he said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Jacob responded. "I'll call a meeting. Hey, wait here for a minute, okay?"

Jacob led me over to my truck and released my hand. I looked at Jacob with a curious expression. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'll be right back," Jacob responded.

Jacob turned and sprinted across the parking lot, road, and into the nearby forest. Swift and sleek as a deer, he darted into the trees.

"Jacob!" I yelled after them, but they were already gone.

It was not a good time to be alone because I was hyperventilating seconds after Jacob was out of sight. I hauled myself into the truck and immediately locked the doors.

Victoria was already hunting me. I was lucky she hadn't found me yet. I let out a sharp breath. Jacob getting near Victoria terrified me, regardless of what he said. I didn't care that he could become a werewolf when he got mad. In my mind's eye, she was a vision of untamed beauty, deadly and indestructible.

I felt like I was about to throw up again.

A sharp tap on the truck's window made me yelp in terror—but only Jacob was back. With trembling, grateful fingers, I unlocked the door.

"Fear gripping you, is it?" Jacob quipped as he slipped inside.

I nodded.

"Don't be. We'll take care of you---and Charlie, too. I promise." Jacob said.

"The idea of you finding Victoria is scarier than the idea of her finding me." I said.

Jacob laughed. "You know your lack of confidence in us is a little insulting," he said.

I shook my head.

"Where did you go now?" I asked.

Jacob said nothing.

"What? Is it a secret?" I asked.

Jacob furrowed his brow. "Not really," he responded, hesitation in his voice. "It's odd, though. I wouldn't want to rattle your cage," he added.

"I'm sort of used to weird by this point you know." I said.

Jacob grinned. "Guess you have to be. Okay. See when we're wolves, we can..hear each other," he responded.

My eyebrows pulled down in confusion.

"Not sounds we can hear," Jacob continued, "but we can hear...thoughts...each other's, anyway. No matter how far away from each other we are. It helps when we hunt, but it's a big pain otherwise. It's embarrassing---having no secrets like that. Freaky, eh?"

"Is that what you meant last night, when you said you would tell them you'd seen me, even though you didn't want to?" I asked.

"You're quick."

"Thanks."

"You are good with weird. I thought that would bother you."

"It's not.. well, you not the first person I've known who could do that. So it doesn't seem so weird to me."

"Really?... Wait---are you talking about your bloodsuckers?"

"I wish you wouldn't call them that."

Jacob laughed. "Whatever. The Cullens, then." he said.

"Just...just Edward." I said.

Jacob looked surprised, his expression revealing discomfort. "I thought those were stories. I've heard legends about vampires who could do...extra stuff, but I thought that was a myth," he said.

"Is anything a myth anymore?" I asked.

Jacob scowled. "Guess not. Okay, we going to meet Sam and the others at the place we go to ride our bikes," he said.

I nodded, started the truck, and headed back up the road.

"So did you turn into a wolf now, to talk to Sam?" I asked.

Jacob nodded. "I kept it short--- I tried not to think about you so they wouldn't know what was happening. I was afraid Sam would tell me I couldn't bring you," he responded.

"That wouldn't have stopped me." I said.

I couldn't cut my perception of Sam as the bad guy. My teeth clenched together whenever I heard his name.

"Well, it would have stopped me," Jacob said. "Sam told me I couldn't tell you. He's...the head of the pack, you know. He's the alpha. When he tells us to do something, or not to do something----when he means it, we can't ignore it,"

I glance at Jacob, curiosity dancing in my eyes. "But you told me anyway," I remarked.

"I know, but I had reasons for how I could tell you." Jacob said.

"And that is?"

"That would be something I would like to share with you at the right moment, not now."

I nodded, my expression laden with sympathy. "That sounds like a heavy burden," I responded. "Following his every word must feel like walking a tightrope, no?"

"Yeah, it's a wolf thing," Jacob said.

"What was it like when you know, turned..."

"It was horrible. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever been through---worse than anything I could have imagined. But I wasn't alone- the voices in my head told me what had happened and what I had to do. That kept me from losing my mind. But Sam..." Jacob said, shaking his head. "Sam had no help."

"He was alone?" I asked.

Adjustments are necessary for this. It was hard not to feel compassion for Sam when Jacob explained it like that. I had to keep reminding myself that there was no reason to hate him anymore.

"Will they be angry that I'm with you?" I asked.

Jacob scrunched up his face, a grimace painting his features. "Probably," he responded with a hint of uncertainty.

"Maybe I shouldn't---"

"No, it's okay. You know a ton of things that can help us. It's not like you're some ignorant human. You're like a..I don't know, spy or something. You've been behind enemy lines."

I frowned to myself. Was that what Jacob wanted from me? Insider information to help them destroy their enemies? I wasn't a spy, though. I hadn't been collecting that kind of information. Already, his words made me feel like a traitor.

But I wanted him to stop Victoria, didn't I? No. I wanted someone to stop Victoria, preferably before she tortured me to death, ran into Charlie, or killed another stranger. I didn't want Jacob to be the one to stop her, or rather to try. I didn't want Jacob within a hundred miles of her.

"Like the stuff about the mind-reading bloodsucker." Jacob continued. "That's the thing we need to know about. That sucks that those stories are true. It makes everything more complicated. Hey, do you think this Victoria can do anything special?"

"I don't think so. He would have mentioned it." I said.

"He? Oh, you mean Edward---oops, sorry. I forgot. You don't like to say his name."

I squeezed my midsection, trying to ignore the throbbing around the edges of my chest. "Not really, no," I said.

"Sorry." Jacob apologized.

"How do you know me so well, Jacob? Sometimes, it's like you can read my mind."

"Naw. I pay attention."

We were on the dirt road where Jacob first taught me to ride the motorcycle.

"This is good." I said.

"Sure, sure," Jacob responded.

I pulled over and cut the engine.

"You're still pretty unhappy, aren't you?" Jacob asked.

I nodded, staring unseeingly into the gloomy forest.

"Did you ever think...that maybe... you're better off?" Jacob asked.

I took a deep breath, letting time hang in the air. "No," I responded.

"Cause he wasn't the best---" Jacob said.

"Please, Jacob." I interrupted, begging. "Can we please not talk about this? I can't stand it."

"Okay," Jacob said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry I said anything.

"Don't feel bad. If things were different, it would be nice to talk to someone about it.

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I had a hard time keeping a secret from you for two weeks. It must be hell to not be able to talk to anyone," he said.

"Yeah, hell," I said, agreeing.

Jacob inhaled sharply, the air crackling with urgency. "They're here; it's time," he declared.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked while Jacob popped his door open. "Maybe I shouldn't be here."

"They'll deal with it." Jacob said with a grin. "Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?"

"Ha, ha," I said as I exited the truck.

I quickly went to the front and stood next to Jacob. The enormous monsters in the meadow were vivid in my memory. Like Jacob's, my hands trembled, but fear, not anger, caused it.

My trembling hands caught Jacob's attention; his touch sent jolts through my body. I felt calmer.

Jacob tightened his grip, his eyes sparkling doggedly. "Here we go," he declared.