Jacob Pov
Carlisle's voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it that made me listen.
"How about you both take a break in the guest room for now," he said, gesturing down the hall. "It's quiet. Private. I think you both need that."
"Alice-" Carlies began before he could start. Alice jumped into action. "Hi again," she said brightly. "We'll take you to your room first. Carlisle wants a word with Jacob, and honestly? I can't bear to see someone so adorable dressed in rags." She waited a moment, watching him carefully.
He took a deep breath we all held our breath waiting to see what he would do. He finally lifted his head to look at her.
"That would be nice, thank you. And umm, sorry about before," he said. I sighed in relief. Alice, on the other hand, burst into a smile. "Great," she giggled happily, even though her mate was still quick stiff, but he did flash a smile.
I squeezed him one last time before letting go. "I'll be up in a few minutes," he said, staring at me for a second before squeezing me back. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit," he replied before following the other up the stairs.
I nodded, grateful. My body was heavy from the sheer emotion of the day. The imprint. The confrontation with the pack. The panic attack. We have been clinging to each other ever since then. I need a moment to myself to think.
Carlisle walks forward, his gaze thoughtful. "Jacob," he said gently, "a word of caution."
I turned toward him, brows furrowed.
"The mate bond for vampires… It can be fragile when first formed. Especially with newborns. Their emotions are volatile, unpredictable. Even joy can overwhelm them. You need to be careful with how you express things. Too much intensity can trigger a reaction they can't control."
I swallowed hard, glancing toward the stairs where he was waiting. "I understand."
Carlisle gave a small nod. "He's bonded to you. That connection is powerful. But right now, it's also delicate. Be his anchor, not his storm."
"Also, feel free to stay here as long as you need. We are also partially responsible for his situation, so we will do every we can to help both of you," he said, patting my shoulder.
"You should also call your pack. Although we are willing to house you both, we can't risk war with the pack. If you would, it would be great if you could organize a meeting with you pack not only so we can talk about the situation going forward with your imprint, but also Victoria and her growing numbers." He handed me a phone as he talked.
With that, he left. I agreed to his request and thanked him for his support. When I first decided to come here for help, I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision. But it seems my risk paid off.
Pov ??
Each step was hard, but somehow I made it up the stairs. Once there, both Jasper and Alice escorted me to the bathroom.
"Why don't you go wash up? We'll leave some clothes for you on the bed when you're done." She said kindly. I thank them both for their kindness. Then made my way into the bathroom, but before I closed the door, I was interrupted.
"Ohh, and one more thing. You should know, although it's rare, it's not unheard of to not remember your human life after the change. I don't remember anything either," she said with a sad smile on her face. Jasper wrapped her in a hug. Yet still keep a thoughtful eye on me.
"Thanks, that's reassuring," I said, smiling at her, before I closed the door.
Inside, the silence pressed in. I turned toward the mirror, expecting a stranger—and found one.
The face staring back was mine, yet unfamiliar. Pale skin stretched over sharp cheekbones and a jawline carved like stone. My hair, tousled and dark, framed eyes that burned crimson. Hunger simmered behind them, wild and aching.
My throat burned at the reminder. I would need to feed soon. I sigh, mentally tired from the day's events. I'll have to ask Carlisle for a good spot hunt. I didn't want to cause an issue by killing the wrong people in his territory, or worse, ending up in the wolves' territory again.
Jacob's face flashed in my mind.
I got into the shower as I mulled this newfound problem.
It's kind of doubtful that he would be okay with killing people. But I also hated the idea of leaving him. Just to go miles away to kill to keep the police and the Cullen happy. My stomach twisted with anxiety.
The hot water did nothing to relax my muscles as I studied this new problem. I should probably just ask the others for help. Annoyed at my own helplessness, I got out of the shower.
As I was dying my hair, I heard his voice from downstairs. He was whispering; he must not have known how good a vampire's hearing was. He might as well have been talking at a normal volume.
He was arguing with a man over the phone, demanding that he come home now so they could discuss what to do with this additional problem. Otherwise known as me. He warned Jacob that I was more dangerous than most vampires because I am gifted.
Annoyances bubble within me. This was the second time I've been outed for having a special power. Damm, I wanted to keep it a secret this time.
I wanted to run down the stairs and crush the phone. But most likely, the one on the phone was one of the wolves. Probably the one who bit me, too, from what it sounds like.
Rage boiled in me. But I stuffed it down. If I wanted to make things work with Jacob, giving the wolves one more reason to hate me was not a good move.
I took a deep breath. Let it go. You are not some child, and Jacob is here for you; trust him. I repeated to myself. Hoping they would sink in and I would believe them.
You also have bigger fish to fry right now.
I thought as I opened the door and got dressed.
I was still listening in on their conversation, and it warmed my heart to hear him defend me and refuse to leave.
Knock knock.
"Can we come in?" I hear someone calling from the door. I agree, and the door opens to the couple who had chased me before.
"Hi there, I'm Emmet, and this is my mate Rosalie," he said sheepishly before continuing, "Sorry about scaring you before, but we brought a gift." He said, gesturing to the two large thermoses in his hands. It didn't take long for the smell to hit me.
My hands moved, and Emmett was quick to hand them over to me. I quickly opened it and brought it to my lips.
They gave me some space as I drank, the fire that bloomed before my shower, slow as the blood ran down my throat. I was so caught up with the relief that I almost missed the fact that the blood tasted a little off. Almost stale. They gave me a few minutes to compose myself before they spoke again.
"Carlisle told us to bring them to you. He also reminded us to remind you to take it easy for the rest of the night at least. No funny business, got it," he joked. Rosalie snorted, covering her face.
"Got it, no funny business. But seriously, thank you. I was just wondering what I should do." I replied. Slightly embarrassed.
"We should probably go, it seems Jacob is done with his call. Oh, by the way, our brother is coming home tomorrow morning, so if you hear an unfamiliar voice, don't be alarmed," she said smoothly.
"Got it, thank you," I said, not being able to hide my excitement at being able to see Jacob.
As they were leaving, Emmett exclaimed, laughing, "You might want to brush your teeth, though, just in case." He said, leaving with his mate, she was giggling too.
***
Jacob Pov
The guest room was dimly lit, soft shadows dancing across the walls. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs curled beneath him, eyes wide and searching. When he saw me, his shoulders relaxed.
I crossed the room slowly, sitting beside him. For a moment, we just sat together. The silence wasn't empty, though—it was full of everything we couldn't say yet.
"I'm sorry I panicked again," he murmured, voice barely audible.
I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "Don't be. You've been through hell. You're allowed to feel everything."
"I know it just sucks, I hate that I'm so helpless, always have to rely on some good graces." He said, frustrated.
My heart clenched. I gently pulled him into a hug. He replicated. " I get it. When I first became a shifter, I went from being able to handle everything to having to rely on my pack to help cope with the change. I can't imagine what it's like, but just as my pack was there for me. I'm gonna be there for you. You're not alone anymore."
I couldn't help but smile back at him when I saw his cute little smile.
We stay like that for a while, just holding one another. When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine.
"You're exhausted," he said gently.
I chuckled, the sound low. "Ya, sorry."
"Lie down," he whispered, guiding me back onto the bed. "I'll stay with you."
I didn't argue. The mattress was cool, the sheets soft. He curled beside me, his head resting on my shoulder, one hand pressed lightly against my chest. As I close my eyes and let sleep take me.