Chapter XXIV: Jacob's Point of View

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I guess I had no one to blame but myself. I had pined after Bella for so long that I had taken Annie for granted.

"Why me?" She had to be joking. Anyone who had her in their life was blessed beyond all belief. I stood there, trying to convince her that she was wrong but unable to say a word. I loved Bella, not Annie. Right? And then she asked the one question that I thought I knew the answer to, until tonight.

"Jake, do you love Bella?"

My head screamed yes, but every breath I took only wanted me closer to Ryanne.

"I thought so," I murmured. "But I-I'm not sure anymore, Annie." I tried to take a step closer, but she stopped me. I just wanted to explain. I thought I loved Bella but the imprint was never wrong. Maybe I had been wrong in assuming that we could just stay friends. And in my musings, I had been ignoring her.

"I know that I have to agree to this."

Oh, God; she didn't want the imprint. She didn't want me, but she knew what would happen if she said no. I was forcing her into something she wanted no part of. I felt like my heart was being torn out of my chest, used as a chew toy, and stomped on. I felt like nothing would ever be okay in my life again. And as she walked away from me, promising that we would still be best friends, it hit me.

I had been fighting this for so long, I almost couldn't believe it. Somewhere in the midst of wolves and vampires and imprints and stuff that shouldn't exist, I had fallen in love with my best friend.

Here's the problem with falling in love with the one person who knows you the best: you can't lie to them. So while my head was wrapped up with thoughts of Annie and how to make her understand that I had been a blind, selfish asshole, I had to keep from telling her that I actually loved her.

We were hunting that annoying little vampire, but getting virtually no where with her. She's over the border, Sam called us off. I'll stay on patrol a little longer. Everyone head home.

Thank God; I have to go check on Kim, Jared thought.

Yeah, not so funny when you're the one who's imprinted, is it? At least you finally understand how I feel, I replied.

You guys are just wimps, Embry said.

One day it'll happen to you and I just hope I'm there to see it, Jared retorted.

You'll have to thank Ryanne one day. She went through a lot of effort to get you two together. Jared just nodded, phasing out as he neared Kim's house. I phased out as well, pulling on my shorts and grateful to be alone in my own head. I had been trying so hard not to think about Annie and how much I loved her. How had I not realized that I loved her? Why did it take me so long?

I ran to the beach, following her scent but she wasn't there. She must've gone to Emily's. I was happy that she was getting along so well with Emily. She had even gotten to the point of allowing Emily to call her Annie. It really was a heartwarming sight to come home and see them laughing in the kitchen together.

"Hey Em, is Annie here?" I asked. Emily was focused on what she was doing, but she still managed to shake her head.

Bella grinned at me, but for the first time in months it held no appeal.

"Ryanne said something about going home," she said. She started towards me, probably to give me a hug. I had told Annie to stay on the Rez and she promised she would. Why would she go all the way back to Forks? And if she did have to go home, why didn't she take one of the guys with her? I stripped, tying my shorts to my ankle and phased, feeling the elastic cord stretch to the max. I ran with lightening speed, thinking about how close that leech had been to the La Push line.

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