Felicity
As the week progressed, Paul kept finding new ways to annoy me about working on Valentine's Day. He even tried to convince me to call in sick and take the day to myself. As if that was ever an appealing idea. So when the day rolled around, I hadn't budged even a little and went to work as planned.
I was only there for an hour when I started to regret not doing as Paul had urged.
Because Bella Swan walked in—with Jacob Black in tow.
Really, I shouldn't have been surprised. Lots of people were stopping in for last minute things for their Valentines. Whether it was flowers—which we were beginning to run low on and I was already dreading the moment when we ran out, for I would definitely have to deal with frustrated customers after that point—or chocolates—which we still had an abundance of, thank goodness—or whatever odds and ends people needed to make their plans go well, we were exceptionally busy. It only made sense that Bella Swan would stop by. She lived in Forks. There was only one grocery store in town.
And it only made sense that she would bring Jacob Black with her, too. Since he appeared to be her boyfriend...a fact that caused an emotion I refused to acknowledge to burn in my chest.
They walked in, arms brushing, and didn't even notice me. So I turned my focus back to the cash register and tried to act as normal as possible. I'd already acted like an idiot at dinner last week—and had been avoiding eye contact with Bella at school ever since. I didn't need to make things worse by embarrassing myself now, in front of an entire store of people.
About five minutes later, the second reason I regretted showing up to work walked in the door.
And marched straight up to me, slapping a small stack of papers down in front of me, ignoring the customer I was handing change to.
I gave the customer an apologetic smile and shoved the change into her hands before turning to face the newcomer—Leah Clearwater.
Now that was surprising. I'd never talked to Leah Clearwater before in my life. I knew who she was—most people who lived in Forks and La Push did, thanks to her big drama with Sam however long ago. And I'd seen her around even before that. But we'd never been introduced, never had a conversation. So I had no clue in the world as to why she was in front of me right now glaring.
"Sign them," she ordered, her voice full of anger. What had I done? My mind tried to figure out what was going on, and I just stood there gaping at Leah. This apparently pissed her off even more because she leaned closer and barked, "Sign them!"
That snapped me out of it and caused me to look down at what, exactly, she was so eager for me to sign. My eyes ran over the words once—twice. Nothing registered. I was in shock. What was even happening? I was at work...but Leah was here...and she wanted me to sign...
"Oh," I murmured, blinking in an attempt to clear my head. "Oh." I blinked some more, then started glancing around. Surely there was a pen somewhere...
Leah slammed one down on top of the sheaf of papers—the divorce papers that she wanted me to sign. To officially separate myself from Elijah. Because, if my reasoning skills were still up to par, Leah Clearwater is the woman he left me for. "Hurry on up, little girl, I've got plans tonight." The smirk on her lips was outright cruel.
But I was feeling nothing. My stomach had dropped when I realized what the papers were and what was seriously happening here—right now, on Valentine's Day, while I was at work—and my emotions had been stifled ever since. All I could do was blink and uncap the pen, signing my name at the places indicated. There were colorful sticky notes marking the places and everything. I guessed they were eager to get me out of the picture.
I'd just finished and set the pen back down when Jacob's voice broke through the fog smothering my brain. "Leah?" he asked. "What the hell is going on?"
Leah rolled her eyes, collecting the paperwork and sliding the pen back into her pocket. "I want to have a proper holiday with my significant other, Jacob. This was the only way to make that happen. Not that it's any of your business."
I chanced a glance in Jacob's direction and saw that he looked furious. Bella stood to his left, her gaze seemingly not knowing where to land—on me, Leah, or Jacob. Her jaw was practically hanging open. "Seriously?" Jacob said, sounding incredulous. "Here? Now? Seriously?"
Leah shrugged. "It's done now. And I've got somewhere else to be." She faced me. "It'd probably be best if you gave him some space, now. If he needs anything from that ratty apartment, we'll contact you, okay? Don't bother dropping off any boxes again." Her smile was smug. "Bye!" And then she turned on her heel and marched right back out the door, as if she hadn't just ruined my day and given me a metaphorical kick to the gut.
Jacob pushed the grocery basket he was carrying into Bella's hands and rushed after Leah, pausing only to tell me, "I'm sorry she's such a bitch." Oddly enough, he sounded sincere.
And that was that. I was divorced. My ex-husband had big plans with Leah Clearwater. And Jacob Black was...I had no idea. Why did I even include him in my mental checklist of today's mess? He'd only witnessed it all. An innocent bystander.
"Felicity?" someone said, tapping me on the shoulder.
Snapped out of my reverie, I turned to face the manager, Carl. Who'd apparently witnessed that trainwreck. Crap. "I am so sorry," I started.
Carl waved a hand nonchalantly. "That was the most drama this store has seen in years. So entertaining! But now it's over. Get back to work." He didn't even wait to see me follow his order before he turned and walked away.
But he'd given me something to do—something that could take my mind off the crapshow I'd just starred in, if only for a little while. So I got back to work, ringing up candy and flowers and other things for people to take and enjoy with their loved ones. I refused to let myself dwell on the fact that my former loved one was now enjoying time with his new loved one. Or that I was here, standing at a stupid cash register, instead of out with someone I cared about.
I should have taken up Paul on his offer.
When Bella got to the front of the line, she remained silent until I told her her total. Then she leveled her stare with mine. "Whatever you've got going on with him, stop," she said.
My brow furrowed. "What?"
She sighed. "With Jacob. He's the best person I have right now. He doesn't need you messing with his head and complicating things. Just leave him alone, okay?"
Where this was coming from, I could not fathom. I hadn't done a single thing to Jacob Black. Sure, he'd been on my mind quite a bit lately, but I hadn't shared that with anyone. Nor had I thrown it in his face or done anything to complicate his life. Was she blaming me for him running out after Leah today? I didn't tell him to do that. This whole thing was so perplexing. But I was at work and there was still a line behind Bella, so I said, "Whatever you say."
She smiled, and it was the most arrogant expression I'd ever seen on the girl's face. "Great." She handed me some money. "Keep the change."
She left right away and I continued working, but my mind kept spinning in circles. Today was very, very odd.
***
Jacob
When I arrived at Bella's house on Valentine's Day, I expected her to be ready to start baking and doing all the stuff she'd wanted to do. Instead, I showed up to her waiting on her porch. She popped right up to her feet when she saw me, gesturing for me to join her in her truck. "We need to go buy ingredients," she explained.
I held back a groan, wanting nothing more than to stay at her house, relaxing on the couch. I'd gotten less sleep than desired the night before. Sam had heard I planned to hang with Bella today and decided that since I wasn't giving time to my imprint, I could run a few extra hours on patrol. I'd added an extra hour and a half on myself to get a solid layout around the duplex where Felicity lived. Paul was there all night, so I didn't actually have to worry for her safety, but she was my imprint. It was only right that I checked out the area around her apartment.
But now I was seriously dragging and not in the mood for grocery shopping. I couldn't deny Bella, though. She was my friend. I couldn't let her down.
She explained what we were getting, but it all went in one ear and out the other. Baking wasn't my thing. I'd do what she told me to do when we got to it, but my skills were lacking otherwise.
At the grocery store, I didn't look around. The place was teeming with people scrambling for Valentine's Day supplies. I wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible. So I grabbed a basket and followed Bella, trusting her to know where to go. We went down a few aisles grabbing things. Flour, chocolate chips, eggs, frosting, the list went on. Soon the basket was full and we were on our way to the checkout lines.
And what I saw there made my blood boil.
"Hurry on up, little girl. I've got plans tonight," Leah purred in the most petty tone I had ever heard her use—which was really saying something, considering Leah excelled at being a petty bitch.
But I didn't care about that. Leah could be however she wanted to be and I'd pick at her for it like usual. No, it was who she was acting terrible to that made me want to claw her eyes out.
Felicity was standing at a register, her expression absolutely blank as she signed some papers in front of her. She kept blinking, but her eyes held nothing. Her face held nothing. All that gave away anything about her was her rapid heartbeat. This must have been where she worked. How had I not noticed her when we got here? I'd know that magnificent scent anywhere. Shit—she'd probably seen Bella and me and jumped to conclusions. Another thing I'd have to fix—later.
Right now, I needed to figure out what the hell was wrong with Leah. "Leah?" I asked in as normal a tone I could manage when I was so seriously fuming. "What the hell is going on?"
Leah the Bitch rolled her eyes, as if I was a mere insignificant disruption as she gathered the shit Felicity had signed. I had an inkling as to what they were, but I hoped I was wrong. Because if not...damn, I really hoped I was wrong. "I want to have a proper holiday with my significant other, Jacob. This was the only way to make that happen. Not that it's any of your business." Not my business? Not my business? Was she crazy?
I ground my teeth at the confirmation that I had been right—Leah had brought divorce papers to Felicity while she was trying to work so she could sign them. Because Leah wanted to finally get intimate with Elijah. Un-fucking-believable. "Seriously?" I said, unable to keep myself from sounding just as stunned as I felt. I knew Leah could go low, but to stoop this low? Wow. "Here? Now? Seriously?"
Leah shrugged, because apparently she didn't care who she hurt in her crusade to get what she wanted—even if it was one of her packmate's imprints. "It's done now. And I've got somewhere else to be." She turned to face Felicity and I barely held myself back from lunging at Leah then and there. "It'd probably be best if you gave him some space, now. If he needs anything from that ratty apartment, we'll contact you, okay? Don't bother dropping off any boxes again." She gave a smug smile. I breathed deep in an effort to control my trembling. "Bye!" Then Leah turned and strode out the door, as if she hadn't just fucking wrecked my imprint.
Before I could even consider the consequences, I was handing the grocery basket to Bella and following Leah out the door. I paused for the barest second to say to Felicity, "I'm sorry she's such a bitch," and then I was back to chasing after Leah. I truly was sorry. Felicity didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of Leah's bad moods. It wasn't her fault she'd married the guy Leah was bound to imprint on. And it wasn't her fault I'd imprinted on her. She was in a constant state of havoc thanks to this damn wolf business.
And she didn't even know about the wolf thing yet.
This imprinting thing was more complicated than I ever imagined.
But I'd figure it out along the way. Somehow. First step—getting Leah to leave my imprint alone.
Since I'd arrived at the store with Bella, I had to follow Leah's car in wolf form. The jog was welcome after the situation with Felicity.
What situation with Felicity? Paul demanded, sounding worried. I never thought I'd see the day where he was actually good friends with the opposite sex, but he was seriously devoted to his friendship with Felicity. Focus, asshole—what happened to Felicity? Is she hurt?
She's fine physically, I told him, refraining from rolling my eyes or giving him more of a hard time. I could relate to being worried about Felicity's wellbeing. Who would have ever thought that I'd have something so important in common with Paul? Leah just...well, she showed up at the grocery store today—that's where Felicity works—
I know, douchebag. I actually talk to her. Unlike you. You went there with the leechlover, didn't you? Fucking asshole.
Now I did allow myself to roll my eyes. He was right that I could have known where she worked if I'd wanted to. But he was being dramatic. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not the point, though. Leah showed up at the Forks grocery store and made Felicity sign divorce papers from Elijah.
For a moment, the mindlink went completely silent. Even Quil's rambunctious thoughts, that he'd already been trying to tone down, went quiet. There was nothing.
And then Paul roared a string of profanities so impressive it'd have made a sailor shed tears of pride.
Is she still at work? he asked, near frantic now. Alone? Shit.
I cringed. I hadn't given much thought to anything other than dealing with Leah. Yes.
He changed course immediately, running faster. I'm going there. I'll hang out at the goddamn store if I have to.
Good, I said. That's good.
You should talk to her sometime. She's actually pretty awesome. He sounded begrudging, as if he wanted to keep her to himself. Of course I do. You're hung up on Bella Swan. Felicity doesn't need you messing with her.
I knew he was right and that his words were coming from a nice place, but my wolf wasn't too fond of another man telling me what to do with my imprint—of another man having any claim over her at all when I barely knew her name. So I growled.
Luckily, instead of starting an argument, Paul just laughed. You'll get over it.
I hoped he was right.
He reached the grocery store and shifted into human form only a minute sooner than Leah pulled up to Sam's house. I shifted back, got dressed, and then followed her inside.
Sam and Emily were still home, and Elijah was in the kitchen with them. They were all laughing as we entered, but they stopped when they saw my face. Leah looked normal—a bit brighter than normal, actually. I, however, probably looked like I was about to punch someone in the fucking face.
"What's going on?" Emily asked, her tone diplomatic as she glanced between Leah and me.
Leah waved her hand casually. "Jacob's being an ass. Nothing new there. But I have something for you." She smiled at Elijah.
Eli grinned back. "I'm sure I'll love it."
"Oh, you will." Leah winked, then handed him the papers she'd carted inside. The same ones she'd forced Felicity to sign in a busy grocery store only half an hour earlier. My hands clenched into fists.
Elijah studied the papers, the smile on his face slowly drooping when he saw what they were. He gave an audible gasp when he got to Felicity's signature on the dotted line. His jaw clenched. "Leah..."
Leah was practically bouncing on her toes—was she delusional? Because he did not appear to be nearly as pleased with her gift as she seemed to think he was. "Isn't it great? Now you're free! We can finally be together."
He said nothing for nearly a whole minute. Just sat there, staring at those papers. Then he slammed them down on the table and looked up at Leah in fury. "What have you done?"
Blinking in confusion, Leah frowned. "What?" she whispered.
Running a hand through his hair, Elijah shook his head. "I can't believe...what the fuck, Leah." He stood abruptly, still shaking his head. "I can't talk to you right now. I seriously can't." And then he left the room.
Leah stared after him. "I'm confused."
Sam and Emily were huddled over the papers on the table, their mouths set into lines. "You got Felicity to sign divorce papers?" Emily asked. "When did they even arrive?"
"Today," Leah answered, her voice quiet, uncertain. "I thought he'd like to be able to spend a proper Valentine's Day with me."
Sam narrowed his eyes at her. "So you took these to her without Elijah knowing and convinced her to sign them? That's messed up, Leah."
Sam's words snapped her out of her state of confusion. She stood up taller, a sneer taking over her face. "You don't get to judge me. And neither do you, Jacob Black."
I tilted my head. "I didn't even say anything."
"But you're here to tell me off. I'm not stupid."
"Well, you are being a raging bitch..." I shrugged.
Leah shook her head. "Just don't talk to me." And thenshe left the room, too, heading out the door. A minute later, a howl rippedthrough the night.