The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter LXXXVIII

I looked into the ruby red eyes of the man in front of me and swallowed hard.

"Annie!" I was close enough for him to yell for me, but I couldn't get to him.

"My, my," he said in a thick southern accent. "Don't you smell delicious."

Jake appeared behind me, just in my line of vision. He was snapping and snarling in human form, sending jolts of fear through my body. I hated vampires. I fucking hated them. All I was trying to do was get to my boyfriend, my wolf. The leech in front of me took in a sharp breath and turned to look at Jake.

"A dog?" He laughed. "What is a dog doing here?"

I tried to quietly sneak my way to the left, hoping that I could get to wear Jake was standing. I just had to get to where I could reach him; to where he could grab my hand and get me away from this thing. Like he knew what I was thinking about, Jake began edging towards me. Or maybe he just wanted me out of there just as desperately as I wanted out. The line that marked the border between danger and safety was a small creak that surrounded the Cullen land. Jake was just on the other side of the water, which was technically no man's land. I could jump. Jake would catch me. I could make it mostly across the creak. I was high enough in the air already. Yeah, I could make it most of the way.

The problem would be that I couldn't make it before one of the leeches got to me. I could hope that Jake would get to me first.

"Jonas." The leech turned back in my direction at the sound of Carlisle's voice. "I don't recall the Denali sisters telling me that you were coming." I was shaking with fear. Jake was just snapping behind us. Carlisle smiled at me reassuringly, but I was looking back at Jake. "Leave the girl alone."

Carlisle's voice was solicitous, but it left little room for arguing. As far as vampires went, he really wasn't all that bad. If I showed up at the wedding with any sort of scratch, Alice was sure to rip my head off. Better not let Jake hear that one.

"Are you still insisting on your vegetarian diet?" the guy named Jonas sneered. "She smells mouthwatering," he added. Jake snarled as the leech took a step towards me.

"It was such a disappointment to the sisters, when you were unable to control yourself." I took a step back, trying to get closer to where Jake could grab me. "She's the mate of a wolf, Jonas. You don't want to her wolf to get upset." Carlisle gestured to Jake who was pacing the line like a nervous dog. I guess that's exactly what he was. I took another step back. "If you touch her, he might not be able to control himself."

I took another step, slipping down the bank with a squeal. The sound of stone hitting stone while I was slowed and ultimately tossed into the water. I sat up and scrambled to where Jake had been. It was like my heart new that I was safe, that I was on wolf territory. Jake was still human, which surprised me. But his arms were wrapped tight around the vamps neck, his hands on the undead man's neck, ready to pry it from his neck. "You touch her again and I'll kill you," Jake snarled loud enough that even I heard him.

He shoved the leech back over the line. I was upset that he didn't kill him, which sounded ridiculous to say. I had never wished that Jake would kill someone in the entirety of my life. But I wanted him to kill the damn thing. I was just trying to get home. Was that too much to ask? Why couldn't anything work out in my favor? He turned back and lifted me from the ground and wrapped his arms around me. He was growling and snarling, walking backwards so that he could watch the leech that had come after me. I wasn't sure what he was expecting the leech to do, but it wasn't until I saw Carlisle and the other one walk away that Jake turned around and set me on the ground.

His hands were running over my face, my arms, my waist, my hips.

"Okay, I think you've been plenty thorough," I said, wiggling out of his arms. He quickly grabbed me back and continued his gentle check of my body.

"Why did you let him live?" I asked.

"I could't kill him while he was still on Cullen land. And I couldn't risk killing him in no man's land," he replied swiftly. "Now stop moving and let me check on you." I rolled my eyes and stared at a tree, all the while wishing Jake would stop acting so serious and just hold me. I just needed him to comfort me. Was that too much to ask? I was shuddering, even though I was telling myself that I needed to stay still. He pulled me close then and pressed his lips against my forehead. Normally it was quick. He would kiss my forehead and pull back quickly. But he didn't this time. His lips were lingering against my skin, his hands were fanned across my back.

"Why does this keep happening to you?" he breathed against me. His lips moved to my temple, his breath whispering against the sensitive nerve endings.

I didn't say anything, just let his warmth seep through my clothing and into my skin. Holding onto Jake was like holding a cup of hot chocolate. Bella had called him her own sun once, but she was wrong. No one could get close to the sun; they would burn to death. From a distance, it provided warmth; but it was a far distance. But hot chocolate was warm and comforting and delicious. It made cold winter nights a little cozier, time around the campfire a little more fun, childhood a little more memorable. Jake was that cup that you let rest in your hands so that you could just enjoy its heat. His arms tightened around me again.

"God, Annie, you are never going to the Cullens' again," he murmured.

He didn't kiss me, which was strange. Instead, he held me against his chest in the most comforting manner, his hands splayed out over my back and head. I rested my cheek against his chest. Jake rested his against the top of my head and breathed deeply, his chest rising and falling between us.

"I love you, Ryanne," he whispered. Somehow there was something about this moment that made it feel so much more intimate than if he had kissed me. I felt so cherished, so safe here in his arms.

His hands slid down and lifted me up, one hand wound under my ass while he gently pressed my head down onto his shoulder. I kissed the smooth skin on the inside of his neck, locking my ankles around his waist. His hand slid over my hair soothingly.

"Baby girl, I don't think that you should go to the wedding tomorrow," he said. I shook my head, suddenly exhausted. I guess that's what happens when the adrenaline that's been fueling you suddenly drains away, when you feel safe again.

"I have to go, Jake. My parents are expecting me to go," I murmured. I could feel him shudder as the warm air smacked his neck.

"When did we start caring about what other people expected?" he asked, tilting his head so that his ear was pressed against my hair.

"I care about what my dad thinks, Jake. He's my dad." He sighed. "My mom, on the other hand," I began.

Jake growled under his breath. "I guess we've figured out where your sister got her habits from, huh?" he chuckled.

"It's not funny; that could've been me," I said. It was the truth. I could've been the one that my mother chose. And if she had, I would've become Bella. That was the way that the world worked.

"We learn behaviors from the people around us." Jake had no idea how much I had learned from him, his mom, his dad, even his sisters.

"And some of it is ingrained in us," he countered. "You're my soulmate, Annie." He plopped me down on the ground, his large hands wrapping around my shoulders so that I couldn't move.

"The spirits would've chosen Bella or someone like her if she was the right person for me. But she wasn't. You are. And you would've been my soulmate no matter what because that goodness that you think you learned from living here is in here," he pressed his hand against my heart. "You would've been this way no matter what. Bella had the chance to change when she moved here, but she chose not to." His lips sought mine in a brief kiss that was so much warmer than the other ones that we had shared.

"You are nothing like your sister." He kissed me again, pushing the front door of the house open as he leaned forward. "And we'll talk about you going to the wedding tomorrow."

Maybe he was right; maybe I shouldn't go.