Chapter Text
The sun shone in the early afternoon over La Push which was unusual in and of itself. Jacob was also free -- free from wolf duty, homework, or house work -- and spending time with Bella. She thrived in the sunlight and grinned every time he touched her. Jake imagined she liked the way his warmth spread through her skin, a feeling she couldn't find elsewhere. But they only had so much time together before responsibilities took him away. She was welcome to stay on the rez while he was busy but of course she chose to head home.
Bella held him tightly and Jake savored the way her cool, small body felt in his arms. In moments like this he let his imagination run wild, not caring that later it would hurt all over. She extricated herself from him and got into her pickup truck to drive back over the treaty line, back to Forks, back to him and the protection he offered while Jake was out patrolling.
"Bye Bells," he said with a smile and a wave, even though he felt empty now without her pressed against him. She smiled back, enthusiastic and beautiful and so in love with him if she would just fucking open her eyes. Once she turned to face the road, his face fell, reflecting his real emotions for once. He stood watching until her car disappeared around the turn -- then watched a little longer before loping off to the beach to be alone.
Of course, his life sucked so Leah was at the beach.
"Why do you let her do that to you?"
Jake easily slid into his cheerful façade as he sat his butt on the damp sand next to her. "Do what?" Leah just gave him a look, like she didn't need to further explain himself but her eyes flitted to the road he walked down from. Let her hurt you, he figured she meant. Let her rip your heart out like that. Let her abuse you and take it with a smile. Maybe he was just projecting. Jake simply shrugged and looked out to the ocean. "You're one to talk." He said it softly, the cheerfulness gone from his face and voice. He felt like Leah said shit like that to hurt him so sometimes he said shit back. It was their way, he supposed. They couldn't take their feelings out on the people that really deserved it. And no one else was willing to challenge them about it.
"If I could stop, I would," Leah finally continued. Her words were just sad, missing all the bitterness her tone usually carried. He understood that more than anyone else, too. While Leah laced her life with righteous anger to cover her pain, Jacob used his easy-going attitude. They were opposite sides of the same coin, perhaps. They both stared out at the water for a while and said nothing. It was peaceful, almost, to be alone with their thoughts considering they both spent so much time with other thoughts in their head. The waves crashed gently on the sand and the breeze carried voices from down the beach. With his wolf hearing, Jacob could also pick out each of Leah's breaths and the sound of a car door slamming behind them somewhere on the road.
"Me too."
xxxx
How come I always get stuck patrolling with you? Leah was about a mile down the tree line, in wolf form, but Jacob could still picture the exact look she'd be making with her human face.
Because I'm second in charge and Sam patrols during the day, he responded easily even as he sniffed the ground for any vampire scents.
I thought Jared was second in command.
Jake didn't even get to verbalize his thoughts in response to that before he heard laughter. He didn't want to be the Alpha but it was obvious that Jared saw himself as second due to his experience. He was the second wolf to phase and it was months before Jake so it didn't seem fair that bloodlines seemed to let Jake leap over him. That was Jared's issue, though, not his.
If you guys could stop bickering… Embry was a further down the treaty line, looking up at the trees for any sign of the redhead, and extremely exhausted. Jacob could feel the exhaustion in his own bones, the slog of brain fog sweeping through his own head. Being a werewolf was downright weird sometimes. He could feel the agreement to that thought from the others.
Patrolling at night was no pleasure for anyone but Jake preferred it. Sure it was exhausting and meant he ran on little to no sleep most days, but it kept his mind occupied. On nights where he was forbidden from phasing, he would get too caught up in his own thoughts and feelings. At night, his small bedroom felt huge in its emptiness. If he closed his eyes, all he saw was Bella and … and it hurt to think about her like that. He knew it was futile because she was in love with someone else but he couldn't help that his mind wandered. At least when he was a wolf -- sniffing the ground for intruders, living in the packmind, running through the trees -- he didn't feel so alone. It was even better when none of the imprinted wolves were running with them.
Got something! It was Embry and the mental shout was accompanied by a wolf howl down the line. Something in the trees, what a surprise. This bloodsucker loved the fucking trees -- probably because she figured out the wolves can't climb. They can jump pretty high but had yet to figure out how to get her when she flew through the top branches of the forest. Too bad his ancestors weren't descended from monkeys.
The ice cold stench of vampire would have led them all to the spot without Embry's call. They raced to the trees at the border line, trying to catch up. All they were doing was chasing her anyway. Jake knew she wasn't going to set foot on the ground and she'd just dance back and forth into Cullen territory, knowing the wolves couldn't follow. Tonight, he didn't smell any other vampires, meaning the Cullens were not out patrolling their side. They were probably surrounding Bella's house, just in case the redhead decided to take a shot.
More for us, he heard Leah growl as she skirted through the trees.
Jake's jaw snapped at the air in anger and frustration as he caught up and passed Embry. He could see flashes of red hair between the thick leaves. He felt Leah and Embry behind them and their own anger and frustration. But he also felt exhilaration at the way they sliced through the air, the way their paws dug into the fresh dirt, at the way they were connected to their ancestors and each other. That kind of shit could mess with your mind but it helped make a stronger, smarter, better wolf.
Shit she's too fast, Embry snorted, skidding to a stop so he didn't accidentally step over the line. While Jake thought the Cullens wouldn't begrudge them a paw over the line, the Quileutes felt much differently about it.
Panting, Jake ordered Leah and Embry back down the other way, towards the reservation. He would stay here in case she came back across here while they waited for her at their designated posts. This went on all night until the three of them dropped almost dead in their respective beds.