Pov Jacob Black
The day was not turning out to be a good one. I was hoping I could relax. Amidst all the chaos that has recently characterized my life. I was looking forward to a break. From becoming a shifter to trying to land the girl of my dreams, to also trying to keep her alive. It's been a lot.
Even after all we have been through and all the pain and suffering he has put her through, she still loves him! Ugh. It's so annoying. I throw my pillow at the wall in annoyance.
Stupid Blood sucking leech!! I would have gone on with more insults, but my phone rang. I thought about pretending I hadn't seen it. But it was Emily. So I had to answer.
"Hey–" I began. But a panicked Emily interrupted me. She explained that Sam and the other found a lone vampire wandering near their home and chased after him. I could almost hear her heart pounding over the phone.
"He told me to call you and ask you to join him and the others and make sure no other vampire made it in." She blurted. I agreed quickly, saying my goodbyes before making my way out of the house. I waved goodbye to my father as I did. Who didn't even look up from his newspaper as I left.
I sigh at the loss of my few hours of freedom. The pack has been on high alert since the redheaded vampire has been hunting Bella. I was supposed to be on the night shift today, but with a vampire in our territory, it was all hands on deck.
I shift, and immediately, my head is filled with the other voice of my pack.
They caught me up quickly with what's going on. There are two vampires spotted: one is the lone vampire that Sam, Jared, Paul, and Embry are after, and the other is Victoria, the redhead, who was seen running back and forth between the boundary maker of the Cullen's territory and our own.
From the passing thoughts of Sam and the other. I could see they had their prey mostly under control. They had the injured leech trapped up in a tree. It was only a matter of time before they got him.
"Jacob, go to the border and help Leah and Seth. We'll come to meet you once we're done here." He said angrily, but I could also hear the nervousness in his voice. The vampire, though trapped, was the first vampire we've met with a powerful combat ability.
One touch and he had Sam knocked out cold. The other were only able to wake him up through the connection of the pack link. I could feel their tension as they knocked down tree after tree, only for the vampire to flee for another.
However, I couldn't dwell on my worry for them now; I needed to focus on my own battle. As I broke out of the forest, I saw both Seth and Leah chasing the redhead from this side of the boundary.
The red-haired vampire was still on the Cullens' side of the river with the Cullens on hot pursuit. Somehow, even with her being outnumbered, she nimbly dodged all their efforts. I pushed myself harder to catch up with Leah and Seth.
I could feel Leah anxious as she tried to keep her brother away from the fighting, much to Seth's displeasure. I pushed myself so I was standing next to Leah with Seth flanking us.
I snapped my jaws, angry at the vampire when she tried to make it through our defenses. She retreated back to the other side. I wanted to chase her, but I could risk breaking the treaty.
As we continued running, I could see the rest of the pack surrounding a tree in the distance. "Sam, how's your situation going?" I ask through the link as we run.
He didn't respond, but I could feel their annoyance. "The little shit won't come down. It's starting to get kind of sad," said Embry. I could feel his pity for the leech; we all could hear him crying, holding on to the tree for dear life. I growled, "Remember, he is still a monster who would kill you without a second thought."
Embry agrees, yet the feeling of pity still lingers in the hearts of a few wolves.
"Alright, here's what we're going to do. Jared, Paul, and I will continue the chase after Victoria. The rest of you will stay on this vampire. Hopefully, the switch will make him come down." Sam ordered.
Voice arose in protest to the plan, but Sam quickly put a stop to it, and soon everyone was on board. I could still hear Leah and Seth grumbling. But not for long, as the vampire jumped back to our side.
Taking advantage of a distracted Seth, she slammed into him, sending him into a tree before taking off.
Leah snaps at her, but misses, and I growl at her to stop and leave the redhead to the others, and glance over at Seth, who had recovered from the blow and was back on his feet. Granted, he was still visibly shaken from the blow.
"Guy, hurry up, he seems to be ready to make a move!" Embry, call through the link. We all collectively start running over. We were only a few feet out when it happened.
I stare up into the tree and meet his eyes. In that instant, the world stilled. Time fractured. Gravity abandoned me, as if my soul had unspooled and tethered itself to the terrified vampire staring back. Everything I had ever thought, every instinct, shifted. The path I'd been following vanished, eclipsed by a future I hadn't thought possible until now. A future with him.
We were in a field somewhere I did not know. But it didn't matter; there he was, his hand brushing mine beneath the moonlit sky.
I used to think the cold of a vampire's skin would always feel wrong. But his touch wasn't wrong; it was grounding. Like the chill of mountain air that wakes you up and reminds you you're alive. My laughter followed, low and rich, curling around us like smoke. Familiar and relaxed.
I looked at him, really looked at him. The way the moonlight caught in his wavy brown hair, the way his black turtleneck clung to him like shadows. He was still everything I was supposed to hate. But he looked at me like I was something treasured. Not a wolf. Not a threat. Just me.
He turned toward me, eyes catching the silver light. "You've gone quiet," he said, voice velvet and amused.
"I'm thinking," I replied.
"Dangerous," he teased.
He stepped closer, and I let him. Let the silence stretch between us like a promise. His hand found mine again, this time holding it with intention. And I didn't pull away.
Because this was my future. Not the one I expected. Not the one anyone else would have chosen for me. But the one that felt right.
And for the first time, I didn't feel torn between worlds.
I felt whole.
I'd never considered the possibility that my heart might beat differently. But when I looked at those eyes, dark red and burning with fear and confusion, framed by his chestnut hair that fell in soft waves past his shoulders.
It felt right.
My gaze drifted down the length of his slender frame, and the wreckage of his battle with Sam came into sharp focus. His shirt hung in tatters, barely concealing the brutal aftermath of cracked ribs, torn muscle, and skin streaked with cracks.
The sight ignited something primal in me. Rage surged over the confused and panicked voices in my head. The bond that held me snapped like a thread pulled too tight.
And then, clarity struck like lightning. The truth of what I had to do next wasn't a question; it was instinct. I moved without thought, without hesitation, rushing forward to protect my falling imprint before the other wolves could touch him.