The Bonds Between Us • E.Cullen x Fem oc x B. Swan

Chapter 81

Bella sat in the passenger seat of her truck, trying to soak in the warmth that expelled from the vents. She had a combination of her spare coat and one of Jacob's wrapped around her, yet she was still shivering.

It had been quiet between them, Bella only asking about Cori once, but for once Jacob was quiet about the banshee. He even avoided the girls eyes.

Seeing her still shivering, Jacob commented. "It's 108° over here." Bella took the hint, sliding across the old bench seat, tucking into his side. "God. My hands are freezing." She said as wrapped her arms around his free one, causing the wolf to flinch slightly at the coolness. "It must be nice, never getting cold." Bella said, laying her head against Jake's shoulder.

"It's a wolf thing." He told her. "It's not. It's a Jacob thing. You're just warm. Your like your own sun." She told him. His eyes glanced at her, wondering if her words weren't completely honest at the beach a few days ago.

Parking along the side of road, the wolf seemed to deflate, that was until he focused on the house they were parked in front of. "What the hell?" He whispered as he noticed that a few of the windows were cracked, the house next to it had a few blown out.

Feeling unnerved, he seemed to not want Bella to leave his side. "This is better, now that you know about me." Jacob stated, then looked at Bella, the love still in his eyes that he has tried to suppress. "But, You saw what happened to Emily. Sam got angry. Lost if for a spilt second. Em was standing too close. He'll never be able to take that back." Jacob told her.

"Emily's not the only ones with scars now." Bella stated, sitting up , away from the warmth that Jacob provided. The wolf looked down, ashamed of his actions, and how they affected the people around him.

"What if I got mad at you?" Jacob asked as he looked to the girl, their faces close. Taking in the closeness, Jacob sighed. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm gonna disappear." He told her. Bella looked down, thinking her next words carefully. "Okay, not that you need me to tell you something like this, but I will always be here. You're not going to lose yourself. I won't let that happen." Bella told him, their faces getting closer as they spoke in whispers. "How?" "I'll tell you all the time how special you are." Bella told him, honestly.

As Jacob leaned in slowly, Bella leaned away slightly, stoping the boy in his tracks. "Jacob, I can't." She told him. "With me and Lia, I'm not sure where we stand. Oh, Lia!" Bella said as her head turned to took down the street and for the first time the cracked windows of her neighbor, and the glass that glimmered in the light of the streetlights.

Pulling completely away from the wolf, Bella's panic seemed to make its self evident. "What happened?" Bella asked as she went to reach for the door handle, opening it, only for Jacob to snatch the door closed. "Wait!" He said as Bella's head snapped to him. "There's a vampire." He told her as he started the truck back up, ready to get Bella to safety.

"How do you know?" She asked. "I can smell it. I'm getting you out of here." He told her, until she looked out the back window. "Wait, that's Carlisle's car. They're here." Bella said as she bolted from the truck, Jacob following her out. "Bella, it's a trick! Stop! You gotta come with me!" Jacob told her, grabbing ahold of her hand, Bella grunting at the force. Turning back towards him, she recalled the last thing she said to Cori. "They won't hurt me."

Jacob fought the urge to roll his eyes, thinking they already hurt the girl enough as he spoke. "If a Cullen is back here, this is their territory. The treaty says we can only defend on our own lands. I can't protect you here." Jacob told her. "Okay. That's okay. You don't have to." She fought back urgently. Looking at the front steps, Jacob sighed. "You're about to cross a line." "Then don't draw one. Please." Bella told him, drawing her hand from him as she walked up the front steps.