Imprinted to be Yours

Past Feelings

I felt a shift in the wind and sensed Seth silently running up from behind me, keeping low as he went. I didn't take my eyes off of the leeches below. I wondered what he was doing here. This wasn't part of the plan. On his elbows and knees he crawled up to my side and peered over the bank too, seeing the Volturi now just metres away from the Cullens. Carlisle was talking softly and calmly to them, though I couldn't hear their replies. Their voices were too low to hear from this distance. 

"Shouldn't you be down there Jake?" Seth whispered, glancing at my face. 

"Not yet," I answered lowly. "Get back with your sister. You know safety is within numbers." 

"She's with Embry. She can look after herself anyway. Plus the Volturi are here in front of us. There's no danger anywhere else other than down below." 

"Well, if you haven't noticed, their wives aren't with them like last time." Turned my gaze away from the field and stared Seth in the eye. He immediately understood and nodded before running back to where Leah and Emb were. I thought out of all the times they would bring their wives with them, back when Ness was born would be one of them and then again now when there were more of the Cullens' than the Volturi, plus knowing we were on the Cullen's side too. Between us and the Cullens' there was a small possibility of being able to over through them like they had with the Romanian coven before them. 

Bella and I had been thinking we would be outnumbered with their wives coming too, though this seemed as though it would be a piece of cake if any trouble broke out. There was no way they could win against us working together. I shook my head, trying not to get too over confident and forget the plan. I needed to stay confused on what was happening before my eyes and not skip to the future. 

I looked upon how Ness was leaning into Nahuel's arms as Aro stared at her. I growled quietly. I didn't like the look of how he was staring at her so . . . hungrily. I could sense she was scared and wanted me there instead of Nahuel. I bit my lip, just wishing I could do just that. I shook my head again in frustration. Stick with the plan Jacob! I growled to myself a reminder. 

Aro's gaze turned to Bella still standing away from Edward. She gazed over her shoulder at him for a moment before turning back to Aro. I could barely hear the words he spoke but I had heard them clearly.  

"Now what happened between you and Edward, my dear, sweet, Isabella?" Aro asked softly and slowly, holding Bella's gaze and then looking over to one of the other leeches. 

She tilted her head to the side and bit her lip. She was nervous, I could tell by the look upon her face and her body language. Something wasn't quite right. I thought she had been standing away from Edward so it looked like they were part - all apart for Nahuel's plan - but with the way Edward wasn't saying anything, nor her, it was like was real - like they really were apart. Please don't tell me Nahuel didn't tell her the plan?! 

I stood up and ran down the bank towards where Bella was standing. "I happened, that's what," I answered in a deep tone, answering Aro's question to Bells and making all the Volturi leeches turn their heads in my direction. I watched Bella's face as she heard me. She was in slight shock. Obviously he didn't tell her the plan, I thought, rolling my eyes and trying to act calm. I felt Ness's eyes on me as I walked passed her, ignoring her completely. 

My arms wrapped around Bella's waist in front of Aro and the others. From the corner of my eye I could see Ness's face. She was confused. She glanced up at Nahuel still holding her in question and in return he just kissed her cheek and mouthed 'it's okay.' It took everything inside of me not to growl at his actions. Ness and I may have been not so close now, but that didn't stop me from being protective of her and not liking what he had done. He was taking full advantage of this situation, it was obvious. 

My hand found Bella's and entwined our fingers together tightly while watching Aro's eyes dart from Bells and I to Nahuel and Ness. I couldn't sense what he was thinking or feeling. It was like he was covering his emotions. All I got was blankness when I tried to find anything beyond what was showing on his face. 

"Something is not right here, Aro," one of the Volturi leeches said in a deep tone. His hair was a deep chocolate brown, wavy and went down past his shoulders. He was staring between Ness and I every few minutes. 

"Yes, I can very well see that Marcus," Aro answered lightly. I tried to keep my heart rate normal so they didn't sense that I was worried about what they knew. "Though, what I have not seen before is a mutt holding a vampire willingly within it's own arms. Tell me, why do you do it?" 

I held Aro's gaze and then glanced at Ness for a second before answering. I wanted him to know I was dead serious and meant every word of it. "I love Bella. I always have. Nothing will ever change that," I murmured honestly. 

"Jacob! No!" Ness cried, though I ignored her as Bella met my gaze. 

"Kiss me Bella," I whispered, staring down into her golden eyes, willing her to maybe understand what I was trying to make things look like. 

"Jacob," she murmured and wrapped her arm around my neck, moulding her lips to my own. The very second she kissed me, old flames I used to feel for her ignited deep within me. My heartbeat rose with my pulse and breath. My thoughts from earlier today were true. I had just given up my love and the fight for Bella, because it was easier than to keep on fighting for her after Ness had been born and turned out to be my imprint. Every thought and feeling from the past came back.  

So many thoughts went through my head at that moment and yet it felt like my mind was blank. I couldn't recall even one thought after just a second of thinking it. I couldn't believe the past's feelings and thoughts which came back to me. It was like Ness never happened. It confused me to no end. I didn't know how this was even happening. The imprint should have stopped these feelings. But then . . . what Ness had done, maybe it had weakened it or our bond. I knew I didn't feel the same about her, but we were still close. 

The thing which confused and shocked me most though, was how Bella kissed me back. It was so heated and passionate - just like she still had feelings for me. It was beyond how Bella had kissed me that day on top of the mountain years ago. Did she still love me? 

Pulling back, I stared Bella in the eye, still in shock by the two of us. Now, everything I felt while kissing her was subsiding somewhat, though some still remained. I didn't know what to think. It was like . . . I had gotten caught in the heat of the moment.  

My eyes closed with realisation as I turned away from Bella, forgetting everyone around us including the Volturi. I bit my lip. I knew just how Ness felt now, just after a kiss for show for the Volturi . . . that was it. It hadn't meant anything until I felt all those things. Now, I didn't know what to think or believe. Why did this have to happen? I didn't think things could get anymore so complicated . . . and yet they had.