Bonded

Chapter 18

And well...it happened, you guys. She turned. Jacob and I had been on our way back to La Push when we got the news and turned right back around to spend a little more time in Canada. It was better that way for Jacob's sake. According to Sam, Mrs. Cullen had been frequently asking and looking for Jacob since she woke up. Now that she was a vampire, Sam had to school her again on the treaty line and remind her that her kind weren't welcome on our land. Apparently, she didn't take that too well.

I wondered if I should go back and let him take some time to himself. He was very adamant that he was worried that if I left, he'd be a wreck. Instead of going straight back to La Push, we wandered a bit. We stopped in Calgary and Vancouver before finally crossing back into the States. Then we hung out in Seattle for a day until he was certain that he was ready to go back. I worried for a while that he was going to ask me if we could just leave. I could tell every time we stopped, he was wondering what it was like. What was it like to be away from La Push? What was it like to be away from the drama of the supernatural? It was written all over his face like a tattoo. But he never asked. And I never prompted him.

5 days. We were gone for 5 days. One night, I couldn't sleep again, and I asked Kaya if we were being irresponsible for being away for so long. She told me that, in order for us to take care of everyone else, we needed to take care of ourselves. I didn't really know how I felt about that. She tried to reassure me that everything was taken care of there. Except it wasn't. Because Edward and Bella were still in Forks and I wanted them gone. I wanted them to take themselves and their baby and start a life somewhere else. I don't know what she wants with Jacob, but the best thing for him would be for Bella to leave.

"It's about time," Sam huffed as we phased back human in Kaya's backyard. He was peeking out of the backdoor as we approached. I could hear all of the guys inside laughing and talking.

Jacob handed me his t-shirt before pulling on his gym shorts. Walking through the door, I slipped it over my head. He had been pretty quiet the whole time we were running back to La Push from Seattle. But I could tell he was still handling it as best he could. Every 25 miles or so, he'd stop to phase and just hug me to settle his agitation. Jacob has always been one that needs physical touch, but I could tell he needed it more now than ever.

I pulled down Jacob's shirt as everyone bustled around me. Jacob kissed me on the cheek before going to sit on the couch. Seth, Colin, and Quil were playing video games in the living room. Grand Theft Auto. Embry, Brady, and Jared were watching them play, not even noticing Jacob and me walking in. Sam ruffled my hair before brushing past me. "Good to have you back," he shot me a friendly wink. I gave him a tight smile, feeling a little out of place.

Paul strolled up to me, shoveling a spoonful of Lucky Charms into his mouth. "Well, look who decided to show up," he smirked. Then he sniffed the air. His face contorted as he sniffed again, closer to me. I looked at him funny and took a step backward. "Whoa. You smell different," Paul looked at me suspiciously as he circled me. He leaned in and sniffed me again.

I swatted at him, pushing him away from me. "Rude," I scolded. Pushing past him, I took a seat on Kaya's sofa between Jacob and Seth. Seth's smiling face contorted as he faced me. His eyes kept darting between me and the tv. "What?" I asked, incredulously.

"Why do you smell different?" Seth asked, shifting his focus back to the screen.

I rolled my eyes, "I do not smell different!" I lifted my arm to sniff under my pit. It wasn't the freshest; I hadn't had a nice proper shower in a few days, but damn!

"It's probably just those seedy motels we were staying in. We both need a shower," Jacob interjected, kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

"Nah, I don't think that's it..." Seth mumbled, looking at me closely. He eventually shrugged and turned his full focus back to the game.