Jacob Pov
It was one of the few sunny days in Forks, casting long shadows across the Cullens' backyard. I stood just inside the doorway, watching him.
He was pacing near the edge of the porch, arms folded tight across his chest like he was holding himself together. His shoulder-length brown hair was a mess—half windblown, half slept-on—and his red eyes caught the fading light like embers. Dangerous and beautiful.
I couldn't stop myself from looking at him.
He was shorter than me by a good few inches, but there was nothing small about the way he carried himself. Even now, with the burn in his throat clearly eating at him, he stood like someone trying to put up a good face.
If I didn't know better, I might have believed it.
I stepped outside.
"You sure you're up for this?" I asked, keeping my voice low. I didn't want the others to hear. This was between us.
He nodded, then hesitated. "No. But I don't think waiting's gonna help."
I moved closer, just enough that I could feel the tension rolling off him. "You don't have to prove anything," I said. "Not to them… Not to me."
"I'm not trying to prove anything," he said, but I could hear the doubt in his voice. "I just… I need to know what I'm capable of. Before I lose control."
I hated that word. Control. As if he were a ticking bomb waiting to go off. He wasn't. He was just… new. Still figuring out what this new body meant. Even though I will always be against him drinking human blood, I want to have some faith that he will make the right decision.
"You're not gonna lose control," I said.
He looked at me. "You don't know that."
"I know you," I said. "Even if it's not for long, I believe in you … You can do this."
That made him pause. His eyes softened, just a little. But then he looked away, jaw tight. "It's not just the blood. It's leaving you. Even for a few hours. It feels wrong."
That hit me harder than I expected. I hadn't said it out loud, but I was also nervous to be apart. My wolf lingered in the back of my mind, urged me to keep him close, where I knew he was safe. Even if it was irrational.
I thought I had been the only one.
"Because of the bond?" I asked.
"Yeah. And because I don't know what'll happen when I'm gone. What if you decide this is too much? That I'm too much?" he said, gesturing at himself.
I stepped in front of him, resting my hands gently on his arms. His skin was cool, but it didn't bother me. It felt nice and refreshing.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said. "You're not too much. You're just… new. And yeah, it's intense. But I'm not scared of you."
He let out a shaky breath. "I am. I-I don't want… I don't want to ruin this." He looks down, and I bring his head up to look at me.
I smiled, crooked and soft. "Hey, whatever happens, we will figure it out, we're in this together."
Loud footsteps were heard behind us. I could hear Emmett calling his name, impatient but not unkind.
He turned, giving me a small smile before he left, but I caught his wrist.
"Wait."
He looked back, and before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and kissed him—just a quick press to the corner of his mouth. He stared at me with wide eyes.
When I pulled back, I met his eyes. "Come back to me."
He nodded, and this time, there was no hesitation. "I will."
And then he was gone, stepping into the trees with the Cullens at his side.
"You shouldn't test his control like that; he may be able to resist your blood, but you shouldn't risk it." Say, the man who has the least room to lecture about safety.
I scoff. The stupid leech was always butting into my business. " You should take your own advice," I said.
Edward stopped a few feet away, hands in his pockets. "I owe you another apology." Jacob's jaw tightened. "For what? The chaos last night or the last two years?"
Edward gave a faint, rueful smile. "Both."
I didn't respond, but the silence was permission enough.
"I didn't come out here to justify anything," Edward said. "Just to offer something, I think you deserve to know."
Jacob glanced at him, wary.
"Give him time. He's scared," Edward said softly. "Not of you. But of himself. Of what your relationship might become. Of what he might do." Jacob's brow furrowed.
"He's terrified of hurting you," Edward continued. "Every decision he makes, He takes you into account. You're always the first thing he thinks about. Even when he doesn't like it."
Jacob looked away, throat tight. "You read that in his thoughts?"
Edward nodded. "I didn't mean to pry. He's trying harder than you realize."
Jacob exhaled slowly, taking in the new information. "You think he'll stick with animal blood?"
Edward hesitated. "I think he wants to. Desperately. But want and will aren't always the same. He has a taste for human blood. It will be tough for him to make the switch; he will have to want it."
The words hung heavy between them. For a while we said nothing.
"What do you plan to do if he refuses?" My mind went blank at his question. I truly didn't know. Part of me wanted to just hide from it. But another part of me. A deeper part of me knew I couldn't allow my Imprint to go around killing people.
My thoughts grew darker even as I tried not to think about it. Not ready to face that kind of future.
After a moment, Edward shifted his questions. "Bella asked about you. About what's going on."
Jacob stiffened. "Don't tell her. Not yet."
"She's worried."
"I know. But I'm still figuring this out. I don't need her stressing about me; she has other things to worry about." I said slowly.
Edward nodded. "Alright. I'll keep her out of it."
"And keep her away from the house," Jacob added. "He's not ready for that kind of pressure."
Edward's expression softened. "Agreed."
They stood in silence, the tension between them no longer sharp, more like old scars now.
Edward turned to leave, then paused. "He's not just trying to survive, Jacob. He's trying to be worthy of you."
Jacob watched him go, the words echoing in his chest like a heartbeat.