The Unwanted Imprint

Chapter 56

Another two or three months went by, and still, there was nothing that showed Carlisle or any of the others were trying to make an attempt to get Nichole out.

Aro's words had stuck with Nichole, that, plus how long she had been with Aro and there hadn't been an attempted rescue, made her think that what Aro had said was true, which was exactly what the vampire was going for.

But that couldn't have been further from the truth. Everyone had been searching constantly for Nichole, but every time that they even got close, Aro would take Nichole and move locations again.

The one that was taking things the worst was Jacob. He was constantly snapping at everyone, and there had been one occasion where he had almost killed Emmett.

Jared did his best to keep Jacob under control, but there was only so much that he could do. Jacob was a wolf without his imprint, and that would eventually spell disaster for everyone around Jacob.

"How is it that every time we get close, that bastard always knows that we're coming?!" Jacob was pacing back and forth in his bedroom in the cabin, with Jared sitting on the bed. The cabin had become a headquarters of sorts, where they would regroup after every failed attempt to rescue Nichole.

"Jacob, they can probably smell you and I coming from a mile away." Jared pointed out to him. "The Cullens might be able to get away with it if you didn't insist on coming with them and playing hero."

"I'm not trying to play hero! I'm trying to get my imprint back!"

"And because you're so stubborn, you're keeping them from actually getting to her. I know that you want to get Nichole back Jacob, but you need to think here. The Cullens smell the same as the other vampires. We don't. You and I, we're the reason why Carlisle and the others haven't been able to save Nichole."

"What the hell am I supposed to do then? Just sit around on my ass and twiddle with my thumbs?!"

"As much as I hate to say this Jacob, that's about the only thing that you can do. Your trying to help is hindering them, especially with how you've been acting lately. It's lucky that you haven't killed anyone, or that you haven't been killed in the process." He sighed. "You just...you need to trust Carlisle, and trust that he knows what he's doing. This is his kid after all, and you know that he would do anything to get her back."

Jacob let out a deep sigh. He knew that Jared was right, but it was hard to accept it. He sank down onto the bed beside Jared, running a hand through his hair. "I can't just sit here while they go to her, Jared. I mean, she's my imprint, and she's carrying my child....do you think that it's been born yet?"

"Not yet, but it's probably getting close." Jared knew that once Nichole gave birth, they would have an even harder time trying to get her out, because knowing Aro, he would use the child against Nichole in order to keep her there with him.

"Look, let me go and talk to Carlisle, see what he has planned," Jared suggested. "I'll stay here with you on the next mission, that way they at least have a fighting chance of getting her back."

"That, and so that you can make sure that I don't follow them." Jacob commented dryly.

"You said it, not me."

When Jared left the bedroom, he found that, thanks to a vision from Alice, they knew where Aro had taken Nichole.

"This time around, I'm getting Jacob to stay behind." Jared told the group. "I'm staying behind with him. The way that I see it, you guys will have a better chance of getting her out because then Aro's people won't be able to smell wolf."

"Good idea." Carlisle said, nodding his head. "I want to take the time to properly plan this out so that nothing gets messed up this time around, but I fear that time is not on our side. Nichole is going to be giving birth at any time now, if she hasn't already, and we need to get her out before then. Now, as we all know, Aro is going to have the place heavily guarded, plus we have Jane to worry about."

"Jane won't be a problem." Nichole's mother spoke up. "I found a spell in an old witch's book that I have in my collection. Done right, it will temporarily paralyze Jane's powers."

"Would you even be able to do that?" Rosalie asked dubiously. "You aren't even a witch."

"Anyone can be a witch if they have the drive to. My daughter and my grandchild's life is at stake, so that means that if I have to become the most powerful witch the world has ever seen in order to save her, then that's what I'm going to do."

"Those of you that need to, get some rest." Carlisle said to the group. "We're leaving at dawn tomorrow, and this time, we're either going to make it back here with Nichole safe and sound, or we're going to die trying."