Thaw-Twilight fic, chapter 5
In the next days, Bella spent more and more time with Jake, and less with Edward.
It wasn’t really a conscious decision on her part - it just happened.
And, she reasoned, if there were still the fraction of a chance that she’d be changing, she’d better soak up as much human life as she could.
The awkwardness she felt with Edward reminded her of when they first had classes together, and he was odd, silent, and elusive. But there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
-/-/-/-
One day, in La Push, she and Jake went for a walk. They headed toward the beach, through the clearing and down a trail for about half a mile.
Bella was chasing Jake, who had snatched her hat off playfully, and being the klutz she was, fell sprawling on her front, cutting her arm on a rock.
That was a ploy to get me to take off my shirt, wasn’t it, Jake prodded as he inspected her arm, remembering the time she crashed her motorbike and he’d yanked off his shirt and mopped her bleeding head with it.
Bella stuck her tongue out at him, then bit her lip. How’d you know, Black?, she laughed.
She had teased him mercilessly about how he looked like some sort of romance novel cover when he’d done that. Not that she minded.
There was no denying that he looked incredible without clothes. Not that she couldn’t see him undressed anytime she wanted, now that they’d become so close.
Just as he was handing a bandanna he’d tucked in his waistband, a sharp cold breeze engulfed them.
Jake’s head snapped up, his nose working.
In a split second, he phased into a wolf, twisting in the air as he launched himself at something Bella couldn’t even see. As his sweatpants landed in shreds around her, she recognized his foe.
Jasper.
He never could resist Bella’s blood, and here he was, tempted once more, but now separated from her by a huge, snarling wolf.
Jake hissed and growled, teeth gnashing, hackles up.
Jake! Wait! It’s Jasper, Alice’s mate! Don’t!, she screamed, wrapping the bandanna around her cut arm, covering the blood.
Even though Jake couldn’t speak in his wolf form, she knew him well enough to read his eyes - he was ready to kill Jasper, but he knew he needed to listen to her, reluctantly.
He relaxed a little, still wary, teeth bared.
Jasper!, she cried. How could you do this, again? And where’d you come from?
Jasper eased out of his ready-to-attack stance, shaking his head like he’d just snapped out of a spell.
God, Bella, Jasper said. I am so sorry. I happened to be on a walkabout, feeding, about a mile away, and the scent… you know I’m a sucker for your aroma, no pun intended.
I need to go, he said, backing up and turning, but believe me when I say I am so sorry, and that I would never intentionally hurt you, dear. God, I hope Edward forgives me. He fled in a blur.
She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing.
Jake could only drop his furry head and nudge her, pawing the ground, licking her face.
With his body language, he implored her to look into his glowing eyes. They said, and you’d consider changing into one of them?
She wiped her tears with his scarf, smiling slightly, ignoring his ribbing. Guess you came prepared this time, huh, Jake. No t-shirt strip. Darn.
If a wolf could smile, Jake did. Definitely with his bright eyes, his perked-up, swivelling ears.
I’m here. And you’re mine, he conveyed.
She hugged him, rubbing her temple in his ruddy fur. Wow, you’re pretty soft. For some reason I thought your fur’d be really coarse. She stroked the even softer, shaggy fur on his chest.
He stood on his fours, flicking his head toward his back.
What? Get on you?, Bella asked.
He nodded, the huge hump on his back sticking proudly in the air.
He bent his legs so she could jump on, lacing her arms around his thick neck.
I’m hanging on, she said, reading his mind.
He began to walk, accelerating only to a trot. He didn’t want to hurt her or freak her out any more by going too fast.
She nuzzled the top of his head, between his tufted ears, holding as tight as she could. This is so weird, and yet it’s so right, she whispered.
They got to the beach and he sat down, easing her off his back gently.
He lay down in the sand and crossed his paws. She lay down beside him, resting her head on his side.
They remained like that for awhile before Jake freed himself and trotted behind a rock.
He emerged a moment later, in human form, naked. He made no effort to cover himself, looking completely at ease in the buff.
But Bella blushed. She drank in his muscles, his simple but overpowering beauty.
Hey Bells, could I borrow your jacket, just to get back to the house? He seemed to enjoy showing off to her.
She shook her head. Nope. Birthday suit for you, Jake, she giggled. I like you that way, she murmured.
He pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in his thick arms.
Alright. Birthday suit it is. Believe me, I’m not cold, he said, moving close to her.
He cradled her face with his hands. You could understand me when I was a wolf, huh?, he asked.
She nodded, and he smiled. Because we need to be able to understand one another no matter what, he sighed.
Then his eyes steeled. I hate those bloodsuckers, he spat. You say they’re your friends, and then one tries to make a meal of you-again!
He was right. It was no way to live. She was already pretty much committed to staying human, to be with Jake and carry out their destiny, having kids. But as long as the Cullens were around, she’d be in danger.
And where had Edward been when she needed him just now? He probably knew she was with Jake and so he was relieved of protecting her.
But it made her very sad, nonetheless.
Then Jake gathered her up again in his embrace, pulling her face in for a deep kiss. She smoothed her hands around his back, dropping them til they hit the curve of his butt, where they lingered before dipping another inch or two.
He kissed her tenderly and pulled away, removing her jacket from her shoulders, and wrapped it around his waist so the opening was on the side.
His face flushed. If we keep that up, I won’t be decent, he said under his breath. She grinned.
He picked her up to carry her back to the house, and she dropped her head against his shoulder. At peace, for the moment.
Chapter 6
It wasn’t really a conscious decision on her part - it just happened.
And, she reasoned, if there were still the fraction of a chance that she’d be changing, she’d better soak up as much human life as she could.
The awkwardness she felt with Edward reminded her of when they first had classes together, and he was odd, silent, and elusive. But there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
-/-/-/-
One day, in La Push, she and Jake went for a walk. They headed toward the beach, through the clearing and down a trail for about half a mile.
Bella was chasing Jake, who had snatched her hat off playfully, and being the klutz she was, fell sprawling on her front, cutting her arm on a rock.
That was a ploy to get me to take off my shirt, wasn’t it, Jake prodded as he inspected her arm, remembering the time she crashed her motorbike and he’d yanked off his shirt and mopped her bleeding head with it.
Bella stuck her tongue out at him, then bit her lip. How’d you know, Black?, she laughed.
She had teased him mercilessly about how he looked like some sort of romance novel cover when he’d done that. Not that she minded.
There was no denying that he looked incredible without clothes. Not that she couldn’t see him undressed anytime she wanted, now that they’d become so close.
Just as he was handing a bandanna he’d tucked in his waistband, a sharp cold breeze engulfed them.
Jake’s head snapped up, his nose working.
In a split second, he phased into a wolf, twisting in the air as he launched himself at something Bella couldn’t even see. As his sweatpants landed in shreds around her, she recognized his foe.
Jasper.
He never could resist Bella’s blood, and here he was, tempted once more, but now separated from her by a huge, snarling wolf.
Jake hissed and growled, teeth gnashing, hackles up.
Jake! Wait! It’s Jasper, Alice’s mate! Don’t!, she screamed, wrapping the bandanna around her cut arm, covering the blood.
Even though Jake couldn’t speak in his wolf form, she knew him well enough to read his eyes - he was ready to kill Jasper, but he knew he needed to listen to her, reluctantly.
He relaxed a little, still wary, teeth bared.
Jasper!, she cried. How could you do this, again? And where’d you come from?
Jasper eased out of his ready-to-attack stance, shaking his head like he’d just snapped out of a spell.
God, Bella, Jasper said. I am so sorry. I happened to be on a walkabout, feeding, about a mile away, and the scent… you know I’m a sucker for your aroma, no pun intended.
I need to go, he said, backing up and turning, but believe me when I say I am so sorry, and that I would never intentionally hurt you, dear. God, I hope Edward forgives me. He fled in a blur.
She dropped her head into her hands, sobbing.
Jake could only drop his furry head and nudge her, pawing the ground, licking her face.
With his body language, he implored her to look into his glowing eyes. They said, and you’d consider changing into one of them?
She wiped her tears with his scarf, smiling slightly, ignoring his ribbing. Guess you came prepared this time, huh, Jake. No t-shirt strip. Darn.
If a wolf could smile, Jake did. Definitely with his bright eyes, his perked-up, swivelling ears.
I’m here. And you’re mine, he conveyed.
She hugged him, rubbing her temple in his ruddy fur. Wow, you’re pretty soft. For some reason I thought your fur’d be really coarse. She stroked the even softer, shaggy fur on his chest.
He stood on his fours, flicking his head toward his back.
What? Get on you?, Bella asked.
He nodded, the huge hump on his back sticking proudly in the air.
He bent his legs so she could jump on, lacing her arms around his thick neck.
I’m hanging on, she said, reading his mind.
He began to walk, accelerating only to a trot. He didn’t want to hurt her or freak her out any more by going too fast.
She nuzzled the top of his head, between his tufted ears, holding as tight as she could. This is so weird, and yet it’s so right, she whispered.
They got to the beach and he sat down, easing her off his back gently.
He lay down in the sand and crossed his paws. She lay down beside him, resting her head on his side.
They remained like that for awhile before Jake freed himself and trotted behind a rock.
He emerged a moment later, in human form, naked. He made no effort to cover himself, looking completely at ease in the buff.
But Bella blushed. She drank in his muscles, his simple but overpowering beauty.
Hey Bells, could I borrow your jacket, just to get back to the house? He seemed to enjoy showing off to her.
She shook her head. Nope. Birthday suit for you, Jake, she giggled. I like you that way, she murmured.
He pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in his thick arms.
Alright. Birthday suit it is. Believe me, I’m not cold, he said, moving close to her.
He cradled her face with his hands. You could understand me when I was a wolf, huh?, he asked.
She nodded, and he smiled. Because we need to be able to understand one another no matter what, he sighed.
Then his eyes steeled. I hate those bloodsuckers, he spat. You say they’re your friends, and then one tries to make a meal of you-again!
He was right. It was no way to live. She was already pretty much committed to staying human, to be with Jake and carry out their destiny, having kids. But as long as the Cullens were around, she’d be in danger.
And where had Edward been when she needed him just now? He probably knew she was with Jake and so he was relieved of protecting her.
But it made her very sad, nonetheless.
Then Jake gathered her up again in his embrace, pulling her face in for a deep kiss. She smoothed her hands around his back, dropping them til they hit the curve of his butt, where they lingered before dipping another inch or two.
He kissed her tenderly and pulled away, removing her jacket from her shoulders, and wrapped it around his waist so the opening was on the side.
His face flushed. If we keep that up, I won’t be decent, he said under his breath. She grinned.
He picked her up to carry her back to the house, and she dropped her head against his shoulder. At peace, for the moment.
Chapter 6