Solar Flare

Chapter Four

Jacob was on his motorcycle as soon as it was deemed a socially appropriate time and the air felt so good against his face as he made his way back to Forks. He couldn't help but feel anxious until he knew that he was going to be with Jo again. The pack was poking fun at him when he was on patrol last night since the werewolf mental link was opened. Clearly his train of thought kept derailing from the patrol and finding its way to his imprint. While his friends were giving him a hard time, it was all in good fun and they were excited to meet her the following day.

The route to Jo's house was already seared into his mind and he couldn't help but grin as he pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. The girl was already outside, boots laced up as she waited in one of the two rocking chairs on the porch. His heart fluttered when her green eyes lit up and she got to her feet, smiling brightly at him.

"Morning!" she chirped.

She was already making her way down the steps but Jacob couldn't wait another moment. It only took an extra step and a flex of strength and he had his arms wrapped around her, picking her up in a hug and lifting her completely from the porch.

"Jacob!" she couldn't help but squeak in her surprise. She quickly threw her arms around him in order to keep her own balance, burying her face in his neck with her eyes closed due to the sudden lift. Laughing aloud at her reaction, he gently returned her to the ground with ease. Though he did notice that her hand lingered on his bicep for a moment as she steadied herself and he couldn't help but give a small flex again. The muscle moved her hand and her cheeks turned bright pink instantly and she quickly looked up at him in her embarrassment. He found himself enjoying that she was so easily flustered by him. It was cute.

Catching on that he was only winding her up in good fun, she gave his arm a light playful swat, trying to suppress a smile which was a losing battle because soon she was laughing.

"Good morning to you," he said, easy smile still pulling at his mouth. "Are you ready to go? I rode my bike today, hope you don't mind."

"I prefer it, actually," she said with a small laugh. "And yeah, I'm all set to go. Ready when you are."

"Oh I'm always ready," he grinned.

She smiled back. "I had a feeling you'd say that."

Just like before, Jacob got on the bike first and held his hand out to her to help her balance as she swung her leg over and took her seat behind him. When the engine roared to life, she was surprised at herself to find that her hands were already resting on the boy's waist. She blushed at her own forward behavior. Normally, she would go out of her way to avoid any unnecessary physical contact but here she was, completely at ease with the boy she hardly knew. When they pulled out onto the road she held on a bit tighter since they began to pick up speed.

The ride was well under way when she rested her cheek against his back and closed her eyes. She tried to logic out her feelings as the wind rushed against her exposed skin. This person, Jacob Black, was essentially a stranger to her. They had one date that went well, which was more than she could ask for due to her own shyness, but that was it. They had seen each other a total of three times: the first time meeting him the day of the storm, the date at the theater, and the chance meeting at the restaurant when he gave her a ride home. The fact that she had agreed to get into a car with this "stranger" spoke volumes. She was very slow to trust in general, so what was it about him that let her feel so comfortable? Like she already knew him?

Although she was worried about trusting someone so much so quickly, she couldn't deny the warmth of happiness that came from being around Jacob.

The trip to La Push wasn't too long and soon enough, Jacob was bringing the bike to an easy stop. Opening her eyes, she was able to see the expanse of blue beyond his wide frame. Even if she couldn't see the stretch of the beach she could certainly smell the scent of water in the air. Holding his hand out again, she didn't think twice as she slipped her hand into his and dismounted, taking care to set her right foot down lightly.

"Wow, I haven't been to the beach in forever," she said, looking around. The beach was wide spread, the waves rocking against the shore. Instead of warm sand the shore was mostly made up with small round rocks and fallen tree logs from the surrounding wood. Large rocks even jutted up from water, waves crashing against them. Feeling the smaller rocks shift under her feet made her thankful that she wore her tall boots. They offered more stability and with the laces tied tight it acted as a type of makeshift brace. She would still need to be cautious with her footing.

"Yeah, it's usually pretty calm around here, even when tourists come by. I figured a little peace before you meet the rest of the pack would be a good idea," he explain, giving a breath of a laugh at his reasoning. "Didn't want to overwhelm you with everyone right away."

She gave a small smile, glancing up shyly at him. "Thanks. I, um, really appreciate it."

Her heart begin to pound when he grinned brightly in return and she had to look away since she couldn't fight the blush that was currently taking over. Gosh, he was so cute. How could one person be so cute?

"Here."

Blinking, she looked back to see Jacob holding his hand out to her. Shoving her timid disposition to the side for just long enough, she smiled back and allowed her hand to slip into his, very aware of how small hers was in comparison and how warm he was, sending pleasant shivers up her spine. Doing her best to ignore her racing pulse and burning cheeks, she smiled in return as they started to walk along the shoreline.

Somehow her nerves didn't get in the way for too long because they were soon talking about everything under the sun. She found herself speaking freely with every question he asked. Normally, she was very reserved with what information she shared with others, but with Jacob…she wanted to tell him. In return, he was just as eager to talk to her, which was equally new for her and she felt her heart swell with joy, unable to keep from smiling freely.

Jacob couldn't remember the last time he felt so happy and genuinely carefree. All the weight he had been carrying on his shoulders had lifted, the twisted coils of stress and anxiety had loosened, and Bella was the farthest thing from his mind. It was like he was fifty pounds lighter. His cheeks were even starting to hurt from smiling so much but he didn't care. He couldn't remember the last time he felt that way.

This girl and the whole imprinting experience was nothing like he expected. He thought it was what he had with Bella, that friendship with the romance he wanted just out of his reach. He was actually convinced that he was destined for her ever since learning about werewolves and imprinting. His wishful thinking was darkened by the thought that an imprint would force him to love anyone other than Bella Swan. Now that he found his imprint it didn't feel like his mind was being manipulated, chaining him to a person he didn't care for, controlling his movements. It was more like…when he saw her there was a sudden burst of clarity, like glass shattering.

On the other hand, it was frightening how quickly his own emotions and attitude changed, but he didn't feel like it was some mystical werewolf power forcing him against his will. It honestly felt like the best kind of release. The one where everything just fell perfectly into place and he was finally allowed to breathe.

A nagging thought made its way back to the surface and he gave a small sigh.

Well, he couldn't completely relax. There was still the matter of informing her of his status as a werewolf. The one barrier keeping them from fully being honest with each other. He hated that she didn't know and he couldn't tell her everything with absolute clarity. Understandably, he couldn't simply spring that kind of information on a person he had basically just met. As much as he wanted to tell her, he also wanted to postpone that particular conversation.

What if she was scared of him? Wanted nothing to do with him and ran away? He didn't know if he could physically handle such a negative reaction from her. What if she didn't believe him? Thought he was crazy? What would be worse, her leaving out of fear or out of disbelief?

Both options made his stomach churn uneasily.

"Jacob?"

His ears perked at the sound of his name and he looked down at the girl by his side. Those green eyes were looking up at him and he wondered for a split second if she could hear his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"You all right?" she asked. His heart skipped a beat when she gave his hand a small reflexive squeeze.

"Yeah. Never better," he assured her. He even dared to lean in, pressing his arm against hers for a brief moment. "I'm excited for you to meet everyone though."

"Really?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise. A worried smile pulled at her lips. "I-I'm a little nervous, to be honest…"

"Don't be, they'll love you," he promised with a bark of a laugh.

He stepped over a fallen tree with ease, turning around to offer his hand. She gave an appreciative smile and nod, her hand slipping back into his as she prepped one foot on the trunk, unable to clear it as easily as him. He noticed that she took a little breath, her right leg slightly trembling as she pushed herself up. Was she hurt—?

"Yo!"

"Jacob!"

A loud pair of voices shouted and whistled for his attention, cutting sharply through the previous calm air and making him turn his head. He recognized Quinn and Embry's voice right off the bat. Of course, they had been friends since childhood—

There was motion at the edge of his peripheral that made everything else fall away and his senses sharpened to a razor's edge. His enhanced speed and strength seemed to almost seize as he moved with an unprecedented urgency. The distance was minimal and he could've made the move easily without straining himself, but the simple fact didn't cross his mind.

Jo squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to crash face first into the ground. The voices had come out of nowhere and startled her, making her mistime her step, clipping the edge of the log with her toe. She felt herself falling forward, unable to recover her footing in time, but then there was an abrupt shift of motion and she was suddenly suspended. Confused, she waited a beat, still expecting to crash, and only opened her eyes when she felt warm breath brush against her cheek.

"Are you okay?"

Jacob was somehow incredibly close and it took her a fair moment to realize their position. His arms were securely around her legs as well as supporting her back, keeping her from connecting with the gritty shoreline. She couldn't breathe as she openly stared up at the boy. How did he move so fast? He wasn't even struggling as he held her perfectly still. It was as if she weighed nothing to him, which she knew wasn't right. Another beat passed before she realized just how compromised they were, their bodies close, torsos pressing together, and with the odd angle of his arm reaching over and then under her legs, his hand was firmly grasping the back of her thigh. She was even holding onto his jacket, unable to recall when she had grabbed it in the first place. She could feel her blush burning its way up from the back of her neck to the tops of her cheeks with an unprecedented vigor.

"Huh?" she heard herself gasp less than eloquently. Her brain was too busy trying to understand how one person could move so quickly, be so strong and handsome all at once, which only fueled her blush further.

He let out a breath of a laugh, an easy smile pulling at his mouth. Very carefully, he moved her so that she was on her own two feet once more. Their contact lingered as they both returned to their full height, his hand resting lightly against her lower back and she was still holding onto his jacket, though now unnecessarily.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and she quickly dropped her hands, flustered. She did notice that Jacob's hand only left her back after a significant moment but she blamed her imagination. She was just being too sensitive, that was all.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you, Jo," said one of the two newcomers. They were both graciously taller than her but the taller of the two cracked a grin and stepped forward, holding out his hand.

"Quil Ateara, resident heartthrob," he informed her with a wink. She thought she heard a low rumble from Jacob, but ignored the silly thought as she accepted the handshake.

"Jo Thorne. It's nice to meet you," she returned with a smile of her own. She even moved first to extend the same courtesy to the second person.

"Embry Call," he introduced more simply, shaking her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you. You're all Jake talks about these days."

Her eyes widened slightly while Jacob gave his friend's shoulder a firm push. "Dude. Shut. Up."

This only led to his friends laughing at his expense and Jo felt her face warm again as she looked up at Jacob. The tops of his cheeks were flushed and she couldn't keep from smiling, butterflies fluttering.

"C'mon, the others will be by later but Emily's working on lunch now, so hopefully we get first dibs," said Quil, turning back the way they came.

The girl's smile dared to falter when she saw the trail they would be taking further into the surrounding woods. It wasn't steep in any drastic sense, but her leg gave a painful twang at the sight, resonating from her foot all the way up to her hip. Her lips formed a firm line as she pushed the ache away from the forefront of her mind. She had jostled it when she tripped over the fallen tree, but all she needed to do was walk it off. She just didn't expect an uneven nature trail to be next on their to-do list.

"Ready?" asked Jacob, looking down at her with a grin.

She smiled tightly in return. "Ready."

Fortunately, the hike wasn't too long, but Jo was worn out by the time they reached the secluded home. Doing her best to keep her breathing even and resisting the urge to sit down, and only then it was due to the predicted pain it would be to get back up on her feet.

Jacob never strayed from her side but he did bring them to an easy stop while Quil and Embry raced ahead and disappeared inside.

"Are you all right?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Her heart nearly skipped at the thought of being found out.

"Yeah, I'm good. Why?" she asked, keeping her tone light. Her nerves fluttered worriedly at the thought of him noticing her slow pace.

"Just checking," he said, "because if you don't want to do this than we don't have to. We can meet them all later today. I didn't think they'd crash our date so soon."

"No, no, I'm good. Really," she immediately assured. Her stomach gave a happy little flip when he addressed it as their date. "I'm excited to meet them. If Quil and Embry are anything to go by, it should be fun."

"I'm glad," he said, the bright grin pulling at his mouth again. His enthusiasm made her smile in return and she was surprised when he carefully pulled her into his side to give a quick sort of half-hug. With her face becoming once again warm from a blush, she was also struck with the realization of how strong he was for the second time in such a short window. Before she could over-analyze the gesture too much, he gently let go, leaving their contact brief.

"There's one more thing I've got to give you a head's up about before we go inside," he told her, lowering his voice again. She nodded in understanding, rapt with attention.

"When you meet Emily, Sam's fiancée, try not to stare…"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would I stare?"

She noticed that he slightly bit his bottom lip with one of his incisors before answering her. "She has scars on the right side of her face from a bear attack a while ago…"

"Oh my god!" Jo exclaimed in a forced whisper. "That's awful!"

"Yeah, it was really terrible," Jacob agreed somberly. "Obviously she's a lot better now but the scars are pretty bad. Plus, Sam really hates it when people stare."

"I can imagine," she agreed softly. "Poor thing…"

Her knees nearly buckled when Jacob tossed his arm over her shoulder, bringing her close to his side again. "On that note, let's go meet everyone!"

With just a few strides, they were on the porch and then inside the house.

They were immediately in the kitchen and main dining area. There were almost too many chairs around the slightly too small table, two of which were occupied by Quil and Embry, both snacking on the plate of muffins. There was movement on the other side of the counter and a woman came into view. She was tall with jet black hair she wore loose down her back and fringe that nicely framed her face. Jo immediately could see the scars from their distance and quickly forced her gaze back to the woman's eyes, which were watching her carefully.

"So this is Jo," she guessed with an easy smile. Wiping her hands on a towel, she moved forward and held out her hand. Her smile made some of the tension leave the newcomer's shoulders and she quickly accepted the welcoming gesture.

"It's nice to meet you," she said. "And—thank you, for having me over. I-I hope I'm not imposing or anything."

"Oh no, not at all. We're happy to have you. It's nice to have another girl around to help balance all the testosterone," Emily joked with a wink. "So, Jacob tells us your family runs a restaurant?"

"Yes, the Lodge in Forks," she smiled. "It's been in the family forever."

"That's really cool! I'll have to pick your brain for some meal ideas. These guys eat like a pack of starving wolves. I swear, they're never full," Emily laughed.

"'Ey! We're growing boys!" defended Quil through a mouthful of muffin. "We need the nutrients!"

Emily gave an amused smirk, tousling his hair as she passed by. "You're eating a chocolate chip muffin, Quil."

"Packed with deliciousness, Em," he quipped.

There was the sound of more people arriving and Jo did her best not to laugh as Quil hid two more muffins in the pockets of his cargo shorts for later.

"That'll be Sam and Paul, finishing their shift," Emily smiled.

As if on cue, two more men entered the cozy kitchen. The taller one, who Jo immediately assumed was Sam due to the way his eyes locked onto Emily. He wasted no time in approaching Emily and kissing her cheek in greeting. The other one, Paul, his gaze fell to Jo instead and she stood up a little straighter. He gave an amused smirk.

"So you're the reason we all have to keep our shirts on today."

Jo quirked a confused brow at the odd comment and couldn't help but ask, "Are…you normally running around without shirts?"

"Just too hot," he shrugged. He held out his hand and she shook it, a smile forming at his nonchalance as he continued. "Besides, Jake couldn't handle the competition."

"Ah ha, ah ha," Jacob fake laughed in return, tossing his arm over Jo's shoulder, tugging her closer to his side and away from Paul. Her nearly ever-present blush flared to life at the sudden warm contact as the boy dryly warned his friend.

"Paws off, Lahote."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Black," Paul shrugged, giving her a knowing look. "Welcome to the pack, Jo."

Jo was unsure of what exactly he knew that she didn't, but decided to push the confusion aside to give a smile instead.

"Thanks!"

REVIEW! I would love to hear your thoughts!

I wish I had a good reason for ditching this story so long but unfortunately, I don't, just life and writer's block kept getting in the way. So I'm sorry for the long wait but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had too many other things lined up for this night in the story and decided to split it (otherwise I think it'd be too cluttered), I hope you guys don't mind. Starting the next chapter tomorrow after work, promise!

Next time: council meeting, secrets, and more secrets!

I hope you enjoyed!