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When it had happened, that very first change, that very first shift, it had been unexpected. He had been curled up into a tight ball, his body heaving and boiling. His skin had been slick with sweat, and yet he had shivered. The air felt like a cold winter morning, and he struggled to breathe in the air that felt too chilled. Then the urge to run had overcome him, and despite the pain, he had hauled himself onto wavering legs, and pushed himself through the door. Just as he had cleared the entrance, his body tore itself into pieces.
Each of the young men would deny it, Leah being the only one to say it out loud, but they each knew it to be true. The first change was the single most painful thing any of them had ever experienced. Jacob Black, only son of Billy Black, could feel his bones break, and his skin rupture, and he had wanted to scream, and he had wanted to beg. Jacob did not get the opportunity, because his vocal cords had been taken from him.
The gift, as the Council had all dared to call it, was a curse, a blight upon the youth with the shift in their blood. It was horror, and violence, and fear. There was more the young men, and Leah, could not dare to tell the Council. They already felt so much like freaks, like animals to tame. If the Council knew, the shame would cow them, or drive them to violence. The Wolf came with something darker, something violent and possessive that dared to rear its ugly head. Oh, but when it did, it struck with a fury hard to fathom. Emily had seen it first hand.
When Sam’s Wolf chose Emily, (a process with as weak a name as imprinting, could change their lives so much), he had been unable to shift back, and his head became nearly wordless. The pack had watched on in horror, only able to hear snippets of consciousness, of true thought , before he would return to muttering. He had stalked her across the reservation for days, ignoring his hunger, and he had watched. When the opportunity rose, Sam had followed close behind, and snatched her by her long hair, dragging her into the woods. His form was one of the largest of the group, and Emily had been sure she would die. (The only time Jacob had seen her recount the story, she had stared off into the distance the whole time, afraid to make eye contact. Shame had welled in Jacob. It hadn’t happened to him, yet, but he was already afraid. Afraid of what he could become with that strange pull) . Sam had curled around her, and pulled her back down to the dirt when she tried to leave. She had been mostly unscathed, but she had cut her hair short as son as the matter had been handled, and it had remained that way since.
Leah had been angry the entire time, dancing between horror at the knowledge she had about the why, and anger at Sam for this happening to her beloved cousin. She had protected Emily for so long, and now it would amount to nothing. Sam had put a claim on her, one even he couldn’t ignore.
When all was said and done, and Emily was safe again, Sam had cried in the presence of Paul and Jacob. Paul was a silent specter, he watched, and he listened, but his stony face revealed little of his thoughts. Jacob, however, wanted to understand, and so he asked questions. Sam could only recount in open terror at how little control he had. How he could smell Emily, how sweet and alluring she was. How chains had bound themselves tightly around his chest when he finally saw her. How he couldn’t pull himself away, how strange and violent, and needy his thoughts became. His mind had become that of an animal, for the very first time, and he had looked Jacob in the eye, something young and frightened passing over his face. (That alone shook Jacob. Sam was grizzled, and mature, and he was a leader. To be reminded of how young he was, how young they all were, it seeped down to his bones, and left him cold for the first time in a long time).
“Jacob,” he whispered, “It was worse than the first shift. I would do that over and over again, rather than drag myself and Emily through imprinting even one more time.”
So Jacob listened, and he feared imprinting; the whole Pack did. It hung over each of their heads, and one by one, it took its victims in the shape of young men in the Pack.
Jared imprinted on a girl named Kim, and her reaction had been more expected. She had run, and he had chased. The Pack was lucky that no one had seen her, despite her screaming. (Leah had huffed, an angry look on her face, and when asked, she would only say that it’s expected, for those kinds of screams to go unheard). Eventually, his wolf had settled, and guided her home with a wet nose at her back, and a growl when she strayed. Jared eventually was able to shift back, shivering in his naked skin, on the verge of tears.
It was days before Jared could approach her, and yet when he did, her face was awash with fear. Even though he had yet to confirm it, the binding of the imprint made her aware, and so she knew that it was his wolf that roiled beneath his human form. When his suffering at their distance became too great, she had tentatively approached, and he had welcomed anything she would give. Leah and Emily had taken her in, and Jared knew that should the need arise, his brothers would prevent any further violence.
Quil had been next, and this time they caught the strange warning signs. It was not an instant thing. The Wolf chose after several meetings, and the boy would become twitchy, and his thoughts disorderly and distracted when shifted. The Pack stayed at his side for three days, when they finally confirmed who it was; a young girl, just fifteen. Emily had cried at the news. It was her niece, Claire. With the warning, the group explained to her what they were, and that Quil’s wolf had selected her. The young girl put on a brave face, and she sat with Quil for three days, his wolf going back and forth between pacing and curling tightly around her. The pack had just barely been able to get her food by leaving it a small distance away, close enough for Quil’s wolf to let her walk and grab it.
The Pack felt more confident, moving forward, that they could handle imprinting, as long as they paid attention. They were wrong, as no one could have expected Bella Swan, ex-lover of a leech, to turn up on Jacob Black’s doorstep.
When Jacob first saw her, after months of no contact, he hadn’t expected much more than for his old crush to bubble to the surface. She was cute, and an old friend, so it was only expected. And yet, when he opened the door and her smell filled his nose, he felt like it was more than that. (She had a sweet, deep scent. Vanilla mixed with amber, and hints of artificial strawberries). While she talked, and he answered only half-minded, his eyes kept straying to the milky expanse of her thin neck.
Jacob managed to shake himself out of it, and the two sat in the garage, talking about many things. She laughed, and it sent him into a small spiral, that a touch on the shoulder pulled him out of. All he could think about, as they discussed their respective senior years, was how cutely her nose scrunched, and just how small she was in comparison. He watched light strike her eyes, and he loved the way the brown was full of a hidden depth of color. Her plush lips and doe-eyes set something in his spine tingling. Every time he caught himself straying in thought, however, he picked up a tool, and forced himself to wipe it down with a rag. Bella barely seemed to notice the action, caught up in conversation with him. (He felt kind of bad. Here was his childhood crush, and he wasn’t even listening to her. She had been half-dead only a few months ago, hadn’t she? He remembers the way Sam had lifted her from the mud. The fear and exhaustion, and deep, deep sorrow that had painted her face. How desperate her muttering was. Here she was, doing better, and telling him about therapy and her dad, and he was barely listening!)
She left later that day, citing an assignment that she needed to do before spring break. With a promise to return, and the sway of supple hips, she left him at his door, and he could barely think. By the time Jacob returned to his pack, though, his mind was fine, and he barely thought about the encounter. When Jacob was asked about his distraction, he explained the crush he had had on Bella, and the Pack had foolishly dismissed it. Bella was a leech lover, it couldn’t be her.
“Bella!” Jacob exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. He always loved hugging her. She was small, and the perfect temperature. She was just so nice to hold. “Come on, Dad’s out fishing today, so we can sit in the living room, if you want.”
A soft pink flush covered her cheeks as he set her down. (Gods, he loved the way she blushed. He loved the way it spread over her face and down her neck when she was really embarrassed. He let a thought about how far down it spread linger for only a second). She curled some hair behind her ear, and looked up at him through her lashes.
“Of course, Jake. I’ve got some bags in my truck though, would you mind grabbing them? I figured I could make us dinner tonight. You can’t survive on just Fish Fry!” She was already walking towards the door, and shot him a smile over her shoulder.
Jacob lovingly rolled his eyes and huffed, “Sure, sure, Bells. I see how it is.” He popped open the passenger door to her truck, and grabbed all the bags with a single hand, and slammed the door closed, it would get stuck otherwise.
She helped him unpack the bags, and detailed her dinner plans. “I’m going to make lasagna, and garlic bread, and a salad for me. I know you’ll eat most of the lasagna, so I needed something else too.” She shot him a smile, and he could only wryly return it. She was not wrong. The last three times she had come over, she had cooked for him, and he had scarfed most of it down, sheepishly forgetting about her portion. “It’s alright, Jake. You’re a big guy, and I think you’re still growing.” She squeezes his arm, gives it a pat, and then heads to the living room to plop on the couch. “I need to start the noodles kinda soon, but I am just gonna sit here for now. Blegh. Driving forty minutes always sucks.”
Jacob settles in beside her, wrapping a large arm around her shoulders, and she settles against him. (He sighs, right then, with relief. When she touched him, it softened the itch growing in him, and it was such a reprieve. There was a growing part of him, however, whispering that it wasn’t enough. He worked hard each day to smother it).
Some time later, when she decided it was time to start the food, she had stood from the couch. He had nearly snatched her hand to force her back down next to him, and his surprise had been immeasurable. Bella had only given him a confused look, before going about his kitchen with an ease even he didn’t possess, and it was his own home.
He ate her food with fervor, and she had laughed along with his dad, back from fishing, the whole time. She cleaned the kitchen with him, hips swaying to the music playing on the radio, and laughing at his jokes. When she left that night, he was floating on air. Billy had laughed, and Jacob merely shook his head, and left, ready to catch up with the Pack. Stripping at the edge of the woods, he shifted, and loped back across, heading towards Sam.
All thought stopped. Bella’s scent was still on the air, and it caught him off guard. His chest suddenly ached, and the itch that had been growing, became unignorable.
Bella. Bella. Bella. Bella.
His thoughts converged and twined around the syllables of her name, and the sweet, alluring scent on the breeze.
Oh. Oh, how good it felt. He wanted her, so bad. He wanted their skin together, panting mouths melding together.
Jacob panted, breath coming in harshly. He needed to shift back. He shook his large head roughly, trying to keep his train of thought, but it was only getting harder. With another several attempts, the shifter realized he was stuck. A whine built in his throat, and he decided he needed to call on his pack. Something was wrong.
The wolf tilted his head back, and let out a rumbling howl. It was only a moment later when several replied, and he felt them in his mind. It was the only useful thing about their shift, the pack was attuned enough to communicate when shifted through only their thoughts. Jacob was thankful for that bit, even if it always leaked too much personal information at any other time.
“Jacob!”
“Black! Oh, god!”
“Jacob? Jacob!”
He could hear their shock, and he could barely form a coherent response. He let images push through. Bella. His paws. Some flashes of his fear, and the inability to change back.
“Jacob,” It was Sam. “Try and stay there. We can come with you. We can keep her safe. Don’t you want her safe?”
The thought of Bella hurt made a whine escape him. Bella. Bella. His thoughts trailed off. Her scent, the rare flashes of soft, creamy skin. Her flushed skin. Sweaty hands clasping, together. Rough grasping at svelte hips.
“Jacob. Please. Focus. Stay there.” Sam tried ordering him, but Jacob couldn’t feel the normal heavy press of the order on his back. He did his best to listen anyway.
The worry and stress of the rest of the pack set his nerves on fire. Something as wrong. Was Bella hurt? What was wrong? Where was she.
His large, russet head lifted in the direction he instinctively knew her house was. She would be home by now. He could just check on her. It would only take him about ten minutes. He could even push it, maybe even faster? Oh, he could have her in only a few minutes. He would keep her safe. His chest rumbled at the thought. Oh, how nice it would be.
“Jacob! No!” Sam was yelling. He was telling him no. No? No. Bella was his. How dare Sam tell him no?
Jacob snapped at the air, his sharp teeth grinding together in anger. He wanted to tear something apart. He wanted Bella. He wanted to taste her. He could imagine it, already. Oh, she would taste sweet, and heady.
Large furred bodies bowled him over, and he snapped in surprise. Black fur pressed down on him, trying to pin him, along with a gray wolf. Sam and Leah. The two growled and huffed at him. He whined, trying to feign pain. He needed out. He needed to get to Bella.
Sam let up, just enough, and Jacob jumped up on his hind legs, biting down on the closest limb. Leah let out a surprised yip, and he let go. He did not want to hurt his pack, but he needed to get to Bella. He growled and snarled as more bodies closed in.
Snarls and huffs and barks surrounded him, and he couldn’t see a way out. The pain in his chest was growing. He needed Bella. He barked, and jumped above the thinnest part of the circle of wolves around him. Without taking even a moment to breathe, he darted towards Bella, pressing himself as fast as he could go. He needed her.
Jacob had been right. With the pressing issue of the other wolves only a short distance behind him, their voices screaming nonsense he couldn’t decipher in his head, he got there in less than nine minutes.
He paced and kept his eyes on her window. He could see her shape, a dark silhouette against the yellow light of her room. He wanted that shape pressed against him, protected among his teeth and claws and fur. He could keep her warm, too. Would she even need clothing? That scrap that kept her skin parted from his?
The other wolves were nearby, he could feel them, hear their breathing. A low growl rumbled through his body, and he could feel them back off, if only a bit. It didn’t matter. He needed Bella.
The binding. The chains wrapping tighter at her name. Something sharp at the base of his skull. The way it hurt. He wanted to crawl out of his skin. Something was screaming for relief, but he couldn’t make out the words. Something was wrong. What was it?
His body shook. He couldn’t remember what he was thinking about. He barked roughly, and watched as Bella’s form stilled, and then neared the windows. She pulled apart the curtains, then opened the window, and poked her head outside. Light bloomed around her figure so he couldn’t make out the detail of her face. He barked again, and made himself just barely visible in through the trees. He watched her cock her head, and then close the window.
A whine escaped him, and his tail lowered. Why did she have to go? He just wanted to look at her. But then she was coming outside. He could hear her open the door, and make the trek around the house. Oh! Perfect. He could protect her better this way. Make his claim, and keep her safe.
And there she was, in all her perfect glory. He could practically taste her. But no. He needed to wait. He needed her closer. No distance would keep her from being loud. Yes. He needed her quiet.
He yipped, hoping to draw her closer. She followed his silent commands, and made her way to the tree-line. Yes. Yes! He backed up, and he could feel the screaming in his head grow louder. They were unhappy, but it did not matter. He yipped again, and she stepped through that invisible line, and it set him off.
He lunged forward before she could blink, and his teeth latched onto her coat, dragging her into the trees. She let out a scream, and he shook her roughly, trying to get her quiet. Her scream cut off into sobs, and she began flailing. The wolf did his best to sprint a distance from her house, trying not to damage her too much. He eventually settled on a spot, dropping her. He lowers himself to his haunches, pressing his ears flat, and whining as she scrambles backwards, her clumsiness preventing her from finding purchase in the damp earth.
Her soft, heart-shaped face is covered in tears, and flushed. He crawls forward, his belly scraping the ground. He doesn’t want her to cry, not like this. Her tears salt the air, and it makes him whine.
Bella eventually stops trying to back up, and collapses, gasping for air, and sobs making her throat hitch. He whines further, and presses against her. He is so much larger than her. She is so incredibly small. He needs to keep her safe, but first, he needs to calm her.
He licks her from her chest up the curved expanse of her throat. The taste is heavy on his tongue, and he keeps licking her, not wanting the taste to leave. Her sobs slow, but her eyes are scrunched closed. No, no. That won’t do.
He presses his wet nose against her cheek, and whines. Her eyes open, and her breath hitches.
“Please,” she whispers, voice hoarse. “Please. If you’re going to do it, just do it now.”
He doesn’t understand, so he just curls beside her, pressing his nose against her again, nudging her. Her eyes flood with confusion, and one of her hands reaches up and settles on the red fur of his cheek. A gentle rolling sound builds up in his chest, and she flinches back. He whines again, and she blinks in surprise. She threads her fingers through his fur again, and he settles, a strange purring sound returning.
Yes. This was right. What else could he need?
Bella’s breath still hitches, and small tears escape her, but he takes it as a win. This is enough. He can protect her perfectly, now!
A snap of a twig grabs his attention, and he perks up. He had nearly forgotten about the others. One of them steps forward in their human skin. Alpha.
Alpha vocalizes, grabbing Bella’s attention. She starts crying again, and it makes him growl. No. No. Alpha cannot make his mate cry. His bond. His imprint. He won’t let him. Alpha freezes, and steps back. Bella sobs again, but he ignores is, letting his head return to resting on her chest. She wouldn’t be able to leave, now.
The Pack could meet her later.