In the Heat of the Night

Chapter Three:

Paul stood outside on the steps with his arms crossed, scowl radiating off his face. "I don't have to tell you shit, Black. Move along." His face looked like thunder, and he wasn't in the mood. It was just like Jacob to show up and ruin the perfect mood he'd been in.

Even Jacob was surprised at the attitude that Paul was giving him, and snarled back. "I told you to watch Bella, not be her best fucking friend." His thick arms were crossed in front of his chest, his posture cocky, daring the other man to approach him.

Paul was still taller than Jake, but Jake was broader, and Paul didn't think twice about approaching the younger teen. He felt content in his ability to kick Jake's ass.

"Get out of my face, Black. She doesn't belong to you." Paul snapped, his anger barely contained, and his teeth snapping together. His teeth bared, and his expression was more animal than human.

"She doesn't fucking belong to you either-" Jake snarled, and reached out to push Paul in the middle of his chest. Paul stepped aside and easily dodged Jake's attempted shove, Jake's hands grazing his shoulder instead. "Get over it-" Paul snarled, "Don't make me beat this weird, faux protector thing out of you, it doesn't suit you, Black."His fists were tensed at his sides and while he wanted to kick the other's ass, he was trying to be contained.

Jacob bristled, and they both snarled at each other, tempers rising to a breaking point. However, a rusty red truck pulled up the driveway, with Sam behind the wheel. "Get in the truck." He demanded. "If you cause a scene here, I'll come out and take both of your heads." Sam had been tipped off by the others that Jake was in a jealous fit, and was going to confront Paul about it.

Unwillingly they both climbed in the truck, and Sam drove back off towards the reserve. "Don't say another word until we get back". He snapped, his fatherly commanding voice distracting them both from their boiling rage. Paul stared out the window, scowling the whole time. The one time something nice happened to him, Jake wanted to ruin it. He was too angry to even check his phone, even though he heard the notifications go off twice.

It wasn't long before they were back and Paul and Jake both piled out of the car, attempting to hit each other. Sam roared, and shoved them apart. "Break it up-" he snapped, "What the hell is this about?" Sam's broad arms pushed the two apart, and his commanding voice momentarily separated them.

With all the racket, the other members of the pack were piling out of the house, coming to watch the scuffle. They were prepared for something interesting to happen.

"He was in Bella's house, having dinner with her, and Charlie-" Jacob snapped, jealousy leaking through every word he spoke. His eyes were full of hurt, but Paul didn't care, and used it to hurt him more.

Paul sneered, "Doing a whole lot more than that too-" Jake lunged at Paul and Sam's thick arm shoved them apart.

"Stop tormenting him." Sam snapped at Paul, "Cut it out."

Paul sneered, but fell silent under the command of his Alpha. Jake was so angry his tendons on the side of his neck were straining, he looked like he was seconds away from transforming.

"Why were you there?" Sam asked him, dignified and contained as usual.

Paul looked Jacob straight in the eye. "Bella and I imprinted. I love her. There's nothing you can fucking do about it." His jaw was set, and his eyes dark and set as he stared at Jacob, daring him to do something.

With a half roar, half scream, Jake transformed, and Paul was quick to follow. T-shirts shredded and fell to the ground, as the two began to fight, biting and tearing at each other while dirt flew into the air.

Sam let the two fight. He wasn't going to step in and break it up while they were fighting like this, he'd let them wear each other out. He was right, and after a few minutes, they both turned back to human form. Quill and Embry tossed them both sweatpants to replace their shredded pants, and everyone stared in silence for a few moments as Jake and Paul stared each other down, dirty and panting.

"Come inside." Sam directed, and everyone stamped back inside.

After hours of talking, and shouting, and chairs being thrown over, from both Jake and Paul, it was finally decided there was nothing to be done. An imprint was an imprint, and as angry as Jake was, there was nothing he could do about it. Paul and Bella were mated for life.

Jake stormed out of the house, and stormed back in, numerous times before he finally accepted it as fact. He refused to say anything else to Paul, but Sam snapped at him.

"He's your pack mate. Whatever issue you have with him and Bella, you get over it fast, or you stay at home. I can't trust you to have his back if this is the way you're going to be acting, like a spoiled child."

Paul scowled at Jake, pissed off at the scene that had been made. He didn't know why they were pandering to Jake at all, he'd imprinted that was end of story. Jake had no chance with Bella now, and maybe that was what was so crushing for him .

Jake turned to Paul and through gritted teeth, snarled, "I'm happy for you-" and once again left the house.

"Let him be-" Sam grumbled, rubbing at his temples. This was just what the pack needed, he thought sarcastically. More irritating drama. He took a deep breath, thinking about all the ways he had the patience of a saint.