Tall as a stallion, he roamed around the sight, his muzzle nosing the moss earth. The smell of human decomposition was very pungent, even after two days.
A golden outline from the sun formed around the wolf's black coat, the fur becoming an almost sun-kissed brown. The russet-coated- wolf watched Sam Uley from afar. The alpha growled. There were numerous scents of vampires.
Was the entire Cullen-blood-sucking- clan on a murder spree?
These tracks and scents are strange, Jacob. I don't think it's the Cullens.
Jacob felt Sam move behind him. Stalking. Moving swiftly and silently as if he were a shadow. Sam was wrong. He felt it in his bones. That demon had hidden and sinister plans for Bella Swan. He noticed it in the way Cullen looked at her. As if she were a piece of meat. As if he wanted to suck her dry. A blood-sucker that didn't care that he would expose his kind. Too dangerous.
A monster like that should not exist.
Jacob would toss himself off the nearest cliff if anything happened to Bella. The thought formed a hot sear upon his heart, inducing a painful throb. How could he be a part of the Protectors if he failed to protect someone he gingerly cared for. It was alarming how Bella had wormed her way into his life. She was this plain, unusual, unkempt human when they had first met. Now, she had grown on him. Even though his lifestyle strictly forbade him from pursuing an intimate relationship with Bella, he would never lose hope.
Quivering in angst, he directed his attention elsewhere to abate his seething rage.
We'd better wrap it up. Vehicle approaching fast at 6' o'clock east.
Sam only hummed back in response.
The wolf cocked its large head slightly. He recognized the sound of the engine approaching. It was the rumbling of the engine; the driven over gravel resonating in his ear. Loathing stirred in his gut. He knew what was looming towards them.
Speak of the devil.
His claws dug themselves in the soil, joints bending, lower back raising despite warnings from the alpha. It couldn't be a coincidence that Edward Cullen was coming this way. Were these his killing grounds? Were there more bodies completely decomposed and waiting to be found? His heart quickened and he saw red as he prepared to pounce.
Jacob, change!
The resonating voices took hold of him in a vice grip. He felt himself shrinking at the alpha's riveting command. In his nakedness he let Sam's larger mass hide him away and nudge him into a covering.
A streak of silver flashed by them.
"You should have better control of yourself, Jacob!"
The sharp words made Jacob slightly bow his head. Inside, his blood raged and churned like lava.
Why was Cullen heading towards Port Angeles?
~^~
"Get in," the voice in the car commanded. It was dark and laced in venom. Bella gaped at the open passenger door. Instantaneously her fear vanished and security washed over her. Her heart hammered against her sternum. She launched herself into the seat, slamming the door shut behind her.
The darkness swallowed Edward's face. There were no lights and she could barely see. The tires squealed as they suddenly accelerated. Bella gripped the door handle fear blossoming as the car swerved towards the stunned men.
"Seatbelt." His voice was callous and short. She hit the window as he made a sharp left. In the deafening silence, the seatbelt's click painfully loud. Utter relief filled her. Trying to catch her breath-which seemed to be the only sound in the car- she studied Edward as she always did. How did he know where she was? They were miles from Forks. And she hadn't told him about the sudden change in plans to come to Port Angeles.
Something niggled at the back of her mind, but she drowned it out.
"Are you okay?" Her voice was strained and hoarse.
"No," he curtly responded, tone absolutely livid.
Blazing eyes stared dead ahead. Bella sat in silence watching him until the car came to a halt. Only the vague outline of trees could be seen.
White, thin fingers came up to pinch the bridge of Edward's nose. He sharply exhaled.
"Stay silent," he lashed out as Bella opened her mouth to speak. "One word and I will snap your neck and drop you off into the middle of this road."
Her jaw snapped shut, slinking away.
"How can you be so..." he growled.
Edward's head snapped towards Bella. He saw the muscles underneath her skin tense up and her eyes squint. She was holding back tears.
Rigid, he leaned back against his seat, hands tightly clutching the steering wheel. "Sometimes I have a problem with my temper, Bella. It's taking a lot for me not to go back and hunt those..."
"...oh..." Bella's tiny, croaked response floated in the air, inadequate.
It took a while before Bella could formulate words and gain the courage to speak. "Jessica...Angela...they'll be wondering where I am."
Without another word, Edward smoothly turned around and was speeding back towards the town. In no time they were under streetlights and weaving through cars. He parallel-parked in a space Bella thought was too small for the Volvo.
Angela and Jessia paced anxiously outside La Bella Italia.
"How did you know where-" the words fell from her tongue.
The door slammed shut behind Edward. Bella let out an exasperated sigh.
Relief washed on their faces simultaneously and they bound towards them.
"Where have you been," asked Jessica. Suspicion laced her voice. Her eyes darted to Edward and back to Bella.
"I got lost," Bella admitted sheepishly. "Happened to run into Edward..." she gestured toward him.
"Would it be all right if I joined you?" he asked in his silken, irresistible voice. Jealousy flared in her chest.
"Er...sure."
Something had followed Bella here. At least he tried to convince himself that that was the reason he had offered to join them. Whatever it was, he could feel blood-lust radiating off of it in tsunami waves. That's right...I'm here to keep an eye on Bella, and not because this is a convenient opportunity to feast on her.
"Do you mind if I drive Bella home? You won't have to wait while she eats."
"Uh, no problem, I guess..."
Angela analyzed Bella's expression and shrugged. "See you tomorrow?"
Bella Swan only nodded and watched as she dragged Jessica across the street towards their car.
Edward's eyes took her in. She suddenly became self-conscious.
"You should eat something. I could hear your stomach from miles away." Obstinate eyes locked onto Bella's. He would not take no for an answer.
The smell of Italian food would distract him from Bella's rushing blood.
He pushed the breadbasket towards her.
"I'm not going into shock. Really."
"Any normal human being would. You don't even appear shaken." Edward crossed his arms. He supposed the proper thing to do was to lend her his jacket as he watched the fine hairs raise on her hands and neck, chill bumps littering her skin.
She inhaled his scent. He heard her heart quicken and internally rolled his eyes. "Thanks....it's just that I feel very safe with you," she confessed.
"This is more complicated than I'd planned," he muttered to himself.
Bella's skin suddenly began to flush. She picked up a breadstick and began nibbling on the end of it. "Are you in a better mood? Your eyes are lighter. I mean you're usually not as crabby when your eyes are lighter."
Edward scoffed. "More comic book conjecture?" He gave her a faint, mocking smile with tight eyes.
"No-"
The waitress from before approached their table. Bella realized she had been leaning toward Edward and straightened. He asked for more coke glancing at her empty cut.
"Well, go ahead..." he prompted.
"It's just...I have my theories but I'll tell you in the car. But I do have questions."
"Like what?"
"Why are you here in Port-"
He cut her off.
"Next."
She looked down at the remnants of her fizzing coke and speared a ravioli into her mouth. The mushrooms were good. Bella glared at him. "Hypothetically let's say...one had the ability to know what people are thinking. A telepathic ability or something with some exceptions.
"Just one exception." Suddenly Jacob appeared front and center in his mind. Weird things occurred when he thought of Jacob Black. Shameful things. At first, it had been only Bella who seemed to be shielded from his mental probing, but now the same happened with Jacob. It was disconcerting. Two exceptions.
He knew where this conversation was going and he didn't wish to go in circles with her. It was very obvious at this point that he had some variation of telepathic ability. Avoiding the subject would only make her delve deeper into things she shouldn't be involved in.
"I heard what they were thinking." An elbow appeared on the table. Bella leaned closer. "I could read their thoughts."
The cold breeze nipped at her skin as Edward pushed open the door. Awkwardly she walked beside him on the sidewalk. "How does the mind-reading thing work?" Edward Cullen looked away, deliberating.
"I thought we were past the evasiveness..."
He almost smiled.
"Fine, then-"
"Bel?"
It was an ungainly sight as Bella Swan swiveled on her toes.
"J-Jacob?!"
Jacob Black towered over Bella staring straight into the dead carcass of Edward.
"Jake, what are you doing here?" she sputtered in disbelief. This was too much of a coincidence.
"I should be asking him the same thing" he spat out, mouth tight. He watched as Cullen's light eyes darkened in his presence. There were moon crescent nail idents in his palms from how tightly he was holding his fists. He needed to keep his composure. He couldn't turn into a werewolf in front of Bel.
"Jake?"
He lets his eyes drop from Cullen and focused on Bella. He quickly conjured a lie. "I came here to meet some buddies of mine."
"Oh. Did someone drop you off? I don't recall you having a car?"
"I walked-" He caught himself. Too late.
Bella was taken aback. Surely he wasn't serious. Maybe he was being sarcastic? "Where's your ride?"
Jacob was silent.
Suspicion transformed into confusion on her face. "Um, well. Then you're probably exhausted from all that walking...you've probably been walking since yesterday," she joked. "Anyway, you can ride with us? Right, Edward?"
An inscrutable look etched onto Edward's features. He looked to be in pain.
"Sure..." Edward hissed in a low voice.
Jacob ducked into the passenger seat without uttering a word. Bella awkwardly got in the back, not intending to put up a fight. Moments passed before Edward slid into the driver's seat. Very uptight.
"Edward? Are you alright?" He reminded her of Jasper Cullen.
They lurched backward as he accelerated on the gas.
Bella wanted to strike up a conversation but didn't really know what to say. She had planned to continue her questionnaire with him before Jacob had come along. She intertwined her fingers studying both of them. What was the likelihood that all three of them would be in the same area at the same time?
Surprisingly, Edward seemed to be invested in random topics she brought up. From food and cars to comics and theories.
Every now and then Jacob would jerk and move towards the door as if he wanted to be one with it. He was madly uncomfortable but never spoke a word.
With Edward's reckless driving they were in Forks in record time.
Disappointment washed over her as her house became visible in the distance. She had hoped she and Edward would be alone a bit longer.
Jacob had only come along because he didn't want Cullen near Bella any longer than needed. Suppressing his anger had been almost impossible. Coupled with Edward's faster-than-average driving he was about to explode and blow his top off. He scrubbed at the skin on his arm where Edward Cullen had kept brushing up against over and over. Almost as if on purpose. He had never wanted more than anything to launch himself out of the car onto the pavement, letting it burn away Edward's seemingly deliberate touches.
He kicked open the passenger door, planning to stay with Bella until Edward drove off, but he was suddenly yanked back into the car, Edward reaching over him to slam the door shut in a tenth of a second. Before he could protest, the car shot off until they reached an area littered with trees. He suddenly veered off and parked adjacent to a massive willow.
Jacob black did not dare to look at the vampire. It would only make him angrier.
"You've been awfully quiet."
The joints in Jacob's right hand tightened and crackled. His body was shaking.
"Look. The reason I followed Bella Swan was because someone or something else was following her. I can sense its thirst."
Jacob remained silent. Are sure that 'something else' isn't you!? He felt eyes bore into the sides of his face.
"Jacob?"
More silence.
"Jacob?" There was a warning note in his voice. The atmosphere was tense.
A cold hand permeated through the fabric of his dark jeans. Jacob jumped, startled.
"I told you," Edward hissed. "Don't. Ignore. Me."
"And I told you," vitriol laced Jacob Black's voice. "-not to touch me." He ripped the vampire's hand from his thigh. He pushed open the door with unnecessary strength. His resolve was slipping.
Instead of the door opening completely, it lodged into the bark of the tree.
He was trapped.
"Let. Me. Out."
Icy fingers, slow and tantalizing, found their way up the back of his nape. A cold finger hooked under his jaw coaxing him until he met that monster's eyes. Disgust crept into him.
The intensity of Edward's eyes made him avert his own. He couldn't stand the way he looked at him. Like prey...or was it the same way pack members looked at the people they imprinted on? Jacob banished the thought.
Long fingers pushed back his long hair. A moment later Edward's icy breath fanned over his face.
"No."
The distance between them grew shorter and shorter.
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