Defective - Jacob Black {1}

Chapter 31: Legends

With the bonfire already ablaze and the smell of roasting hot dogs filling the air, the only thing that was missing was Jake... and Bella.

My first ever official council meeting that included the storytelling of our ancestors was being disrupted by an outsider. Dad and the other leaders had thought it would be best for her to hear the tribes histories — or in other words — for her to change her mind about becoming a vampire.

So far everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves but Seth, he looked pretty upset tonight. Even though they were only sixteen, two years younger than the rest of us, Catori and Seth seem to be really in love and were both handling the separation badly. I was going to try and help her no matter what, I didn't care if I was going to get myself in trouble.

A car door slammed and I looked up to see Jake arriving with Bella. "I don't get why she has so be here." Paul muttered under his breath.

"Be careful with what you say, she's family." Jesse warned.  "But I don't get it either." He added quickly which I kind of agreed with.

"Jake!" Seth seemed to lighten up and jumped up from his seat to greet Jake. He saw Jake as a role model and I guess they bonded over both having restrictions over who they could see.

They spoke for a bit as we all watched. Bella was the first outsider to ever attended a council meeting but Bella and I weren't the only newbies here tonight. This would be Seth and Leah's first time hearing these versions of the stories as well considering they were new wolves. Emily was joining us too, as well as Jared's girlfriend Kim, it amazed me Jared had even found someone to even like him in that way.

Seeing Emily and Leah here also made me slightly angry. Sam and Jared's girlfriends were allowed in on the secret so why couldn't Seth's?

"Hey, vampire girl!" Embry greeted loudly as she approached with Jake and Seth. Quil suddenly jumped up from beside me and gave Bella a high five and a kiss on the cheek. Emily waved her over, gave Bella's hand a squeeze before telling her to sit with her and Sam.

Other than a few teasing complaints - mostly by Paul and Jared - about keeping the bloodsucker stench downwind, Bella was treated like someone that belonged... and it bugged me.

I looked up at Jake to see him already looking down at me with a glowing smile on his face. "Hey." He took a seat beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple.

"Hi." I leaned into him slightly, putting my head in his neck and kissing the skin there softly. As I pulled away the guilt set in again, I still hadn't told Ryan. I'd had many opportunities at school but I was still confused as to what or who I wanted myself. If I told him about Jake now he could jeopardise any future we could have. 

Our interaction earned looks from everyone else, especially Bella, she almost looked jealous. The council leaders were watching as well, and Dad and Billy had small smiles on their faces, it was actually kind of creepy.

The night continued happily, the boys joked about together as they vacuumed down the hot dogs. Leah didn't really get involved in the group conversations as she sat just outside the circle.

"Are you going to eat that hot dog?" Paul asked Jake, his eyes locked on the last sausage of the night.

Jake was now sat between my legs, leaning back against the log that I was perched upon. He toyed with the last hot dog he had spitted on a straightened wire hanger and heaved a sigh as he patted his stomach. It was somehow still flat, though I'd lost count of how many hot dogs he had consumed after his tenth. Not to mention the super-sized bag of chips and the two litre bottle of root beer.

"I guess," Jake said slowly. "I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though." He sighed again sadly and I held back from gagging. If he ate another I think I was going to puke.