Jared wanted what he wanted and he was going to have her. They knew better. Keeping her away from him. Once the wolf is out...there's no going back.

Lupine eyes watched her closely, the faint color of yellow peeking out within the brown. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes followed her every move, every footstep. "Go Jared." The words were steady but he knew otherwise. He knew her inside and out. His didn't move not one muscle. His muscles flexed and unflexed, waiting.

Her long brown hair was blocking her face but he knew the blank expression would be there, but in her eyes he would see everything

No." His words were firm and he shook his head still staring. It would unnerve most except his girl. Not Bella though. She loved it when he was watching only her. He always was and he would never stop. She sighed dropping the metal spatula with a loud thud and slammed her hand on the stove, forgetting that it was even on. She yelped in pain, pulling her hand away sharply with a distraught look taking over her once blank features. Jared was swift in his movement reaching Bella in two long strides and taking her injured hand in his. He glanced at it, examining for severe burns but sure that blisters were to form. He quickly turned the stove off.

Without a word, he lifted Bella at the wait depositing her on the counter, away from the stove. "Be still." He muttered eyeing her as she wiggled making a move to get down. "I don't need you to do this J." His eyes closed momentarily savoring the nickname only she gave. "Yes I do. I take care of you. I don't take care of anyone else but you." He stating looking her in the eyes and Bella heart clenched painfully missing those eyes. She missed them so much. They told her to let it happen, that she'd be keeping him from a greater future if she didn't let him go and she tried. She really did.

He brushed his hand across her cheek and Bella's bottom lip wobbled. He wrapped her hand in burn cream and gauze tightly, watching her face. She took in a deep shaky breath and her eyes opened to reveal the start of tears. "I-" Bella didn't finish the start of her sentence as sobs tore through her small frame. Jared could feel the hurt pouring out of her. He felt it like his own. He gathered her in his arms and held her to him. "Shh. Im here. I will always be here. I'm yours." He whispered in her ear. Bella shook her head and gave a tiny cry of frustration. "No. You're hers. They said you will always be hers." She cried again and Jared had to strain to here her babbiling. Each word pissing his wolf off even more. "They told me you would never be happy if I stood in the way. I tried telling them that you had a choice too...we all did, and I just wanted you to be happy J." He remembered now. The way he came home pissed and hurt. How heartbroken he felt when Bella made him leave and it was their fault.

Flashback

"Where have you been?" Jared asked glancing at Bella who had a certain look on her face that he couldn't explain. "I came by earlier and you weren't here." He was worried of course, his mate wasn't home and it was 6 in the evening. Bella shrugged. "You need to leave J." His world crashed and he got a good look at her face, well only part of it. She was crying. "What? No. Why? Never." He stated, making his way toward her. She turned away stepping back a few step."You imprinted Jared. It's only best." Her words were short and it wasn't like her. She would never give up that easy. Unemotional.

"No. I don't care. I don't even know her." He glared at her stepping back as well. "Just go! I don't want to see you. Not ever." Her words were clipped and short and Jared growled. He never growled at Bella but he knew she knew better. Knew that he loved her to the death. "Go!" She yelled, finally turning and looking up, her face red from anger. He left...for a little while. He spent the next two weeks outside the house, and Bella never came out but once.

End of Flashback

That is what lead him up to this moment. He didn't go to Kim's not once because she didn't matter like Bella did. He felt nothing but friendship for her that Bella insisted would change now that she kept talking and hiccuping. Jared's mind spun trying to figure why it was so much stranger than normal. Why she didn't fight. Bella was emotionally cold that night and right now she was a sniveling mess, holding onto him tightly. He shook, vibrating in her arms. He growled pushing her away slowly, his wolf closer than ever. A hot searing kiss to the lips and a soft I'm sorry, had Bella gasping as she felt the sting of a bite. Jared's teeth tore through the flesh of her neck. He bit down hard, running a hand through her hair as she squeaked out a painful yelp. He growled, the rumbling meant to soothe Bella.

"It's okay." He mumbled, his voice deep and soothing. His wolf was out watching his mates reaction. He inspected her wound and pulled her closer. He nuzzled her hair and pushed her away. Without a word, he left, determined strides taking him where he needed to be. He was already outside and heading closer to the tree line when he heard the front door slam shut and heard a pair of feet following after him at a fast pace. He turned in time catching Bella before she could face plant into the ground. "Where are you going? Don't leave." Full yellow eyes watched her with calculation and adoration only meant for her eyes. "Inside." He ordered, motioning toward the house. Bella shook her head, challenging her wolf. "No. I don't know where you are going. I want to go too." She insisted and Jared was wary. He didn't want her to see a side of him that she could dislike. He turned walking away from her, heading toward the trees. He knew she'd come, she always would. "Jared!" He once again heard her feet coming in fast and without stopping his strides, her scooped her up continuing with his destination in mind.

She sighed and hid her face in his neck. Jared's chest rumbled, soothing Bella as she relaxed in his arms. His fingers flexed as he headed toward the town hall. He had business to attended to. A meeting to show up for. He made it within minutes, a little longer with Bella in his arms but he got to hold her. That's all he wanted. He saw some of the pack outside who gave him a smile and a nod. They hated to see their brother hurt and the woman he loved hurting too. "You want me to take her?" Jake asked as he glanced at his two friends. Jared shook his head no and gave him a tight lipped smile. He didn't want anyone touching his mate. His newly marked mate. Jacob gasped catching the scent and stepped back with caution, understanding what happened. It was like that for him when he imprinted and marked Angela, Bella's high school friend.

Jared walked in, the door slamming behind him. 4 pair of eyes met him and he saw the back of his alpha tense before relaxing. Sams eyes took in immediate concern seeing Bella wrapped in his arms the way she was. He gave Jared a greatful smile and a concerned glance at the woman he saw as family. "As I was saying, I might think imprinting is good but not in all cases. Look what it did to Emily, Leah and I. Look what it has done to them." He motioned toward Jared.

"What is she doing here?" A small voice asked and Bella lifted her head to see the woman that destroyed everything. Her heart swelled up as Bella noticed how much prettier she was, how her tan skin seemed to glow. Jared whined feeling her emotions. "No." He muttered setting her down on her feet. "It's you. Always you." He whispered looking Bella in the eyes. "What the hell is going on here?" A voice boomed and Jared set his eyes on the man in question. "Old man Q. You tell me what is going on here. You threatened my mate." He growled. Old man Quil glances at Kim confused. "Not her. Bella." Jared growled.

"Ah..I simply told her that you wouldn't be happy if she was in the way of you and Kim's love. I may have told her she can get hurt if she try's to stand in the way. Emotionally of course." Jared growled tensing and he shook violently. "Bullshit. What love? There is no love between Kim and I." He turned towards the woman in question. "Sorry to break your heart or whatever, but what they told you is bullshit. I honestly don't give a rats ass about you. We can be friends but you will never be my mate. My lover. I have never ever spoken a word to you in my life, until 2 weeks ago to ask for a pencil. Bella is who I want." Kim gasped looking to the elders in wonder what was going on. Wasn't a wolf supposed to love and cherish his imprint? "Jared. You deny your imprint? That is a disgrace!" Jared glared. "Fuck you." He spat, his eyes flashing in warning.

Surprising everyone in the room, Old Quil stood fast and headed for Jared with fire in his eyes. Bella's eyes widened and went to stand in front of Jared. She would defend him and his rights. Old Quil raised his hand and glared at Bella. "Move you white faced pale bitch." AN: I do not condone racism or abuse in any form as I am a woman of color and I treat everyone just the same. If this offends you, I apologize. "Oh...my...god.." Sue Clearwater gasped out in shock and Billy Black along with Harry were staring at the scene with wide eyes. "Bella move." Sam warned, inching toward the human that was always brave to stand up for them. Jared's vision became fuzzy as he saw nothing but red. "Move!" Old Quil snarled and his hand was quick, eliciting a smack! Sam nor Jared saw it coming and there was no turning back for Jared as he watched Bella's head snap to the side. He grabbed Bella by the waist spinning her around into Sam's arms. "Do you have any idea what you did?" Sam asked finally noticing the mark on Bella's neck. Old Quil ignored him staring Jared down. "I don't care." He muttered as the two had a stare down. The law of the pack was to never hurt an imprint. If you did, the consequence was submission to the wolf until it felt like you earned respect, but to hit a marked mate, was death. It was law, written in the records.

A marked mate was more final than an imprint, if she died, then the wolf barley lasted a day. An imprinted wolf could always find another but never fully recovering from a lost imprint. "Bella is marked." Sam announced standing his full height as the rest of the pack rolled in. He checked Bella's face over frowning as the red mark that was already forming. He grunted out a low growl of his own and Jared pulled Bella close forgetting about the old man. He nuzzled her hair and shook as his eyes took in her face already. His yellow eyes turned on Old Quil who was standing wide eyed. "You tricked me! I didn't know!" He howled our as he looked at the rest of the council asking for backup. "You didn't try to listen." Billy stated glancing sadly at his friend, but it was law.

Jared took in the scene and he shook his head. "I have something worse than death for you." He stated. Old Quil gulped and waited. "You have ten seconds to run. I will follow you. On all fours. If I catch you..I will tear you apart with my claws. You make it to your house before I catch you...you live but not without punishment." Old Quil glanced at Sam pleading with his eyes. "I would start running..." Sam stated smirking. The pack counted down from 10 and Jared rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. He noticed Kim's shudder of fear. He then saw Bella's smile that still shined bright. He looked back at Kim and motioned towards Bella. "That is why you could never be with me. You can't handle my dark side..." He have Bella a deep kiss, licking her mark and shifted, clothes and all and ran out after Old Quil who stupidly didn't grab his keys. He followed quickly taking his promise seriously but decided that death wasn't the way to go. He caught up to the man who made it to his house...only because Jared let him.

He unphased in front of Old Quil, naked and glared. "You do know I let you make it his far right? I won't kill you for the sake of Quil. But...I require you to do something for me..." He gulped and sank to his knees. "What is it?" He asked. Jared smirked.

A Year Later

"Old Q! Can you grab the remote for me?" Bella asked sweetly. He grumbled quietly and Jared growled. "Yes?"

"I can't reach the remote. The twins take up all this space and I can't even bend over to get it. I'm sorry." Bella genuinely was but she was enjoying it too. Bella was 6 months pregnant, and her stomach was too big to do anything simple. What was better than the man waiting hand and foot on the woman he hit a year ago? Nothing. Jared kissed Bella's forehead and then her stomach smiling. "Let's get married...right now. Why not?" Bella laughed and shook her head but nodded. "Why not?" She laughed as the remote was handed to her. "That's my girl.." Jared smiled and he winked at Old Quil. His eyes flashed yellow briefly in warning. He glanced down at Bella agin, engaging in her excited babiling.