Hey guys, I'm so sorry it took so long…but life happens and it has been hectic. Besides, I think I've been reading too much… Anyway, thank you for those who are still reading this story and for the recent reviews. Next chapter is ready, going through some editing. Is there anyone out there wanting to my beta for this story? Let me know!

Chapter 23 - Empty cavern where the heart is

BPOV

The cold wind that lifted my curtains awoke me along with the smell of coffee of downstairs. I got up to close the windows, pushing away my three layers of covers off of me. After getting used to have a warm body by my side during some cold nights, waking up without it made me freeze to my bones. I touched the little wolf on my wrist, missing the person who gave it to me. After the wedding, I felt like giving him a cold shoulder, but it was straining me.

Without notice, the morning passed by and I had to take off those pajamas and put something else. It was my day off and I had agreed with Joshua that we would pick rent a movie or something like that after lunch. I've felt guilty for not finding time to talk with him during the last couple of days. I knew it affected him, but Leah needed me more.

Before I could finish washing the dishes, I heard his car parking in front of my house. He pressed the soft plastic on his wheel twice, announcing his arrival. Ignoring the pile of dishes that was threatening to fall upon me, I took off the apron; got the sandwiches I had made for us and opened the door.

He greeted me with his usual smile, that usually started with the crinkle of his eyes, followed by a discreet raise of his cheeks, bringing with them the corner of his mouth, creating a smirk that soon turned into a bright smile. It may sound silly, but you feel sort of powerful when you can bring to someone's face a smile like that. Not that it was particularly difficult with Joshua. I bet he would smile the same if I wasn't bringing a Tupperware full of food. Or maybe not.

I had trouble keeping him away from the food, even though he had had lunch not even half an hour ago.

"So, what did you pick today?" He asked me after we passed La Push's sign.

"It's your turn. I picked the three last ones." I knew what he was trying to do. First, he wanted me to be happy with 'our' choice. And second, he used to say that it never tired him to know me better. But it was kind of tiring.

"Fine…how does Schindler's List sounds to yo…what the fuck?" I quickly looked to where his eyes were aimed.

"Mom…again? He asked exasperated. It seemed that Carol liked moving around her furniture at least once a month…more if possible. He took the disconnected DVD in his hands and raised it observing the hanging cable. She looked apologetically at us.

"Oh sweetie…just watch it somewhere else. To make up with you, I'll make you too some lemonade, popcorn or something else, okay? Now…shoo!" She said pushing us away from the living room.

"I hope you don't mind." He said, shrugging his shoulders. I was ready to say 'of course not when he picked my hand and stopped in front of his bedroom door, opening it. I stared at the huge television, placed directed across the also huge bed. Bed. Not sofa. Not chair. Bed.

Joshua's POV

I looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of discomfort. The other two options were Savannah's room…or the kitchen. Really, it wasn't a big deal. I wasn't preparing myself to jump on her. We typically watched movies on the sofa. She usually started sitting at the opposite corner of mine, almost as if she thought I was too big to fit on that five seat sofa. By the end, I would (stealthily) have pulled her legs to my lap to play with her tiny feet before she relaxed and let it be. I wasn't trying to take advantage of her. Never. I've said before I wasn't giving up on her. And it was true. But it would be ultimately her choice. My excuse was that her touch, her skin against mine made me feel comfortable, in peace. She already realized it once, when she let her fingers brush my hair not so long ago. I was left almost purring, if a wolf is allowed to do that. I don't know if it is only the connection or if there is something biological behind it, but her touch had a soothing effect I had never realized it could exist.

Back at my room, I hoped she was going to be okay with it because I had selected some particularly long movies that would keep her with me for at least three hours. Sneaky, I know. But I take whatever I can take without hurting her feelings or troubling her. When I heard about imprinting, I had no clue it would be like this. This pull towards her was irresistible and staying away literally made me physically sore. Honestly, I think someone up there fucked up bad when they decided that imprinting was a good idea. Yes, it may help to 'breed' the strongest wolves. But it made us useless if we were not with them. The need to be around her, to listen to her voice…to feel her presence was so intense it made my chest tighten uneasily.

She must have gotten to the same conclusion (it's only a room…and the bed wouldn't eat her) because she nodded, taking her black backpack of her shoulders, placing at the floor. I connected the DVD and put the disk in. By the corner of my eyes, I was watching her as she arranged the pillows and sat at the edge of the bed, trying to figure out where would be less compromising to sit. I observed that she was considering to the floor as I sat on the other side, my head against the headboard and my legs stretched, almost too long for this mattress.

I was tempted to say that I wouldn't bite her, but I wanted to know how comfortable she felt with me. Our relationship so far had been a collection of moments where I tested our boundaries and she acquiesced or not, constantly worrying about her loyalty to Jacob and the concern I knew she had for me. She stood there for a while and that made me wonder (again) if there was in imprinting history (not that it was highly documented), someone who was so resistant. From what we've always heard, it was almost like instantaneous love. It made it sound like ramen. But still. I also knew it was impossible for two wolves to imprint on the same girl. Nevertheless, she was tied to Jacob (and he to her) in a way that made me doubt that certitude. I couldn't be inside of his head anymore, but Sam said that despite the intensity of their feelings, it wasn't imprinting. 'Jacob would live if she denied him', he used to say. To be honest, that prospect sounded kind of depressing for me.

I was brought back from my reverie when I felt her weight against the pile of pillows behind us. Good. At least, they would smell like her. 'God, I'm feeling so much like a creep.' I berated myself again. The movie started and after fifteen minutes, I could not say I was focused on it. Every two minutes, she would rearrange the pillows and pull the spare blanket closer to her body, clutching one of the pillows against her lap.

She caught me looking at her and blushed a little. She tried to disguise that tucking her hair behind her ears. I stopped her hand and did it for her. She stiffened at my touch, her eyes warning me I was probably going too far. Her fingers were plain cold. I had forgotten my windows open. It was no wonder she kept tucking the blanket beneath her body. By the way she looked back at me, I knew it was my chance of making her more relaxed.

I circled my left arm around her waist and pulled her closer, immediately retreating my arms back, so only our sides were touching. The way her mouth formed an 'oh' made me chuckle.

"Better?" I asked her when I felt her hands close of me, trying to get some heat. She was still tense, her eyes looking everywhere but me. Then she finally nodded, not giving me a vocal answer. However, by the way her shoulders relaxed, I knew she was okay with it. Or something close to it. I wish I could have taken a picture of us. Maybe, I would never get that close of holding her like that ever again. I was still waiting for the time when she would finally see she didn't have any obligations with me, not really. It wasn't her fault I had permanently dragged her to this world. Even though it had been her choice in the first place.

The movie was on its half, and if I want to be honest, I admit that I wasn't paying attention to it. How could I? Bella or a movie that I had watched at least four times? There was no doubt for me (even if the film was new). It was far more interesting the way her head rested so close to my shoulder… or how her hair shined a little red… or how her hands clutched my pillows and her breath feathered it. Much more interesting.

When she unconsciously touched her leg on mine and her breath warmed my shoulder when she turned to say something, I thought it was heaven for me. It was only a reminding of how pathetic my situation was. But it only lasted one and a half seconds, enough time for her to get the remote control to turn the sound up.

Twenty minutes later, when I heard my mom climbing the stairs, probably with a huge bowl of cheese popcorn. I feared Bella would immediately retract. As I foresaw, she instantly tensed when the handle turned. But my arm was strategically positioned, so she couldn't go further away. Bella blushed the deepest shade of red I've ever seen on a person when my mother stopped in her track with the green recipient on her hands. 'Smooth, mom', I thought. Thank God, Carol recovered quickly and wore her usual smile that told I-want-to-know-all-the-details (that never worked on me) and let us enough popcorn to feed the entire pack. After a while, Bella relaxed again.

My arm was numb, but I wasn't going to complain. It could fall of, as long as she stayed right there. On the last five minutes of the movie, her breathing started to slow. I moved my head just enough to see her eyes. She was fighting to maintain them open.

"Bella." I called her softly. I knew she would be mad at me if I let her sleep, although it was tempting.

"Bells…I can take you home if you want me to." I said, against my will.

"Just …five minutes, okay?" She said with a sleepy voice. I knew I shouldn't consider that as a truthful answer, even though she had looked at me with those big eyes when she said it. But as I've said before, it was too tempting not to. And she said she wanted to stay a little more. I knew it was a bad pattern, but so hard to resist.

I pulled her closer and lowered our bodies so her neck stood in a comfortable position. She sighed, already sleepy, snuggling against my side, pressing her body closer, unconsciously using one of my legs as a pillow, between hers. A million of thoughts ran through my mind.

About how it felt undeniably right to have her in my arms, on my bed.

About how much I wished she would wake up and realize that too.

About how much Jacob-fucking-Black was a goddamned lucky bastard.

About how probably she didn't realize in her dreams, that it was me with her, not him.

Jacbo's POV

I knew I had fucked up that night. The cold stare she gave me before she entered at the reception room just confirmed that. Not that it was necessary. No, not really. Jealousy was eating me up. I was man enough to admit that. To myself, at least. Maybe to her. Never to him.

I had called her during the last night and it hurt me when she didn't pick it up. Specially because I was outside of her house and saw that she had her phone on her hand and intentionally ignored the ringing sound. I had even heard Charlie asking her if she wasn't going to answer it. She denied, saying that I needed a lesson. Ok, maybe I did. But he was pushing it.

I hoped the lesson would end in seven or eight hours, so I came back after my patrol. I knocked the door, after deciding I wouldn't risk the phone again.

"Hey, kid. Wanna watch a game with your old man and me?" He invited. Seriously, those guys needed treatment. They were beyond addicted.

"Actually, I came here to see Bella." I explained.

"Of course you did. You too are like sticky gum and school desk, always together. We – he said pointing to my father – are lucky that we have each other. Poor old men." He said dramatically, standing there, blocking my passage.

"So…may I come in?" I asked, a little impatient.

"You should try on Carol's house. Bella left with her son earlier." Charlie suggested.

"Ow. Okay. Right. I had forgotten." I said, trying to contain the venom in my voice. But by the way Charlie raised his right eyebrow; I knew I was probably spitting fire. I left as quickly as I could to hide my car. After parking it anywhere away from Charlie's view, I undressed as fast as I could and phased. It was my fastest mean of transportation.

I knocked on the blue door and Carol answered it right away.

"Hi, is Bella here?" I asked, not bothering to give her time to answer. I didn't need her reply because I could smell her sweet strawberry and vanilla scent.

I didn't like the way she nervously look from me to upstairs. She noticed that I was observing her and smiled to cover her agitation. Her eyes, thought, kept glancing upstairs.

"Yes, she is. Joshua. Bella. Jacob is here." She yelled. Scratch that. Screeched, almost making me deaf.

"Upstairs, darling. That door." She said, pointing to a door almost hidden by the walls, not before called them out again. She started to climb ahead of me, but in my anxiety, I passed by her.

I tried to ignore they were behind that locked door. I tried to ignore that it was probably his bedroom. By the way the living room was a mess and by the noise Caroline was making, it sounded reasonable. Although I think the porch would be a much more preferable place. With all that fresh air. Had I been more sane, I would have laughed out of apprehension.

I climbed the stairs as quickly as I could, considering that Carol was halfway through, those eyes glaring and burning a big hole on my back. I turned the handle. It wasn't locked. I opened the door. Soon, I wished I hadn't. On the TV, the soundtrack of movie was playing while the credits passed by. But of course, it didn't affect me that much. What made the air get stuck in my throat, my muscles dead cold and my saliva thicker was the sight of my Bella on his bed, in his embrace. His head was above hers, covered by a thin strand of her hair. His arms were holding her tight…and she…she…she looked in peace…comfortable…when she obviously shouldn't.

I stood still, barely breathing, afraid that even the tiniest sound would awake them. And I wasn't in conditions to face them. I could feel my eyes watering. I needed to control myself or I would phase inside of the house. I was torn between throwing him away from her, calling her on all the bullshit she told about not letting Joshua come to close or running away. I cowardly chose the second option, because taking a chance at the first two meant I would have to face her and whatever she had to say to me. And my guts told me it wasn't a good thing, taking in consideration the scene I was witnessing.

I left the room faster than I should and jumped the last four steps.

"They were sleeping." I said to Carol, almost hissing between my teeth. I didn't bother to stop to look at her, already knowing her eyes would be half apologetic, half with pity. I saw Savannah mouthing to me I'm sorry, like if it was what she tried to warn me about.

"Do you want me to tell them you…" Carol tried to ask politely.

"Don't bother." I answered, banging the door behind me, hoping she would be so astonished with my lack of manners that she wouldn't see the wolf outside. Although, I'm sure she could listen to it.

BPOV

"Bella, Bells…wake up." I heard a husky voice calling. I felt my body curling into the heat. He groaned.

"Please, Bella. It's enough…it's…Bells, it's late. I have to take you home." That made me open my eyes. The first thing I saw was a pair of dark gray eyes, not five inches away from mine. Suddenly, I realized it wasn't only his eyes that were too close. I could feel his knee between mine, my stomach against his, his arms around me and my hand on his back. I closed my eyes again, trying to avoid the panic attack.

"Come on, Bells, time to go home." He said, giving me a kiss on the forehead before releasing me, in a way that seemed that what we did, not even a second ago, was the most natural thing in the world to happen between us.

I agreed, afraid of stuttering if I opened my mouth to voice anything. I was trapped in a cycle, wasn't I? I put my shoes on and I was fast out of his bed, beside the door. One doesn't need to have a deep bond as we did to know how I felt back them. Confused. Guilty. Completely in panic.

"Calm down Bells, we did nothing wrong, did we?" He said, trying to put a hand on my shoulder. "Friends can hug, right?" He asked.

'Sure friends can hug. But not like this. Not when there are feelings like yours involved. Not when one of them has a boyfriend she loves so much. Not like this.' I thought, but didn't speak out loud. I tried to control myself. We did nothing wrong, right? We just slept. That was it. Breath in. Breath out. It was not working. I felt dirty, completely conscious this intimacy, this closeness was something prohibited between us.

"Ok, nothing wrong." I agreed out loud, my voice shaking, not believing myself. I knew I was just in denial. It meant something to him, more than he wanted to let it show….and it told him I wasn't so unaffected by imprinting if I felt so at easy, even if involuntarily. Damn. I could feel my hands shaking.

He pulled me by the hand. Downstairs, there was Carol and Savannah. They were probably doing the last touches. Carol was dusting off some of the Portuguese decorative dishes when she saw us.

"Hey…sweeties…do you want something to eat?" She asked, her voice a little off. She looked at our hands and smiled at little. But the crease on her forehead that followed didn't match. I searched on Joshua's face to see if he had noticed anything off. He did. However we didn't have to ask to know.

"Jacob passed by looking for you, Bella." She told us barely hiding her discomfort.

"Did he?" I asked already reaching for my cell phone. I hadn't talked with him for three days. When I was about to dial, it made sense to me. I closed the phone.

"Did he?" The uneasiness now transpiring on my words.

"Look, I don't want to meddle. I don't know what he saw. But he left pretty…upset." She was trying to make it look better, I knew. Shit.

"But we were only sleeping." Joshua said, trying to make it sound less important than it was, when it was obvious he had all the reasons to be furious. Utterly enraged. Savannah's snort took me out of that paralysis state.

"Joshua, can you please take me to somewhere near his house?" We did nothing wrong, I told myself, already knowing it wasn't entirely true.

On our way, he squeezed my hand and smiled at me, assuring he would be by my side. I questioned myself if I wasn't asking too much of him. I felt like I could throw up at any second.

When we arrived at the Black's residence, it was painfully obvious that something was wrong. Almost the entire pack was there, some of them in wolf form and more of them inside of the woods. Jacob was one of them.

Before I could open the door, Embry was by my window. He bent his body tall body, glared at Joshua and then, turned to me. He was judging me, the weight of his stare almost unsustainable.

"Bella, I don't think it is a good time right now." He said his voice more serious than I had ever heard.

"I have to talk to him, Embry. It was a misunderstanding!" I said, trying to open the door as he blocked from the outside.

"And if you value your life, Joshua, I would stay at home, muzzle between your paws, tail between your legs…" Embry spat, not even listening to me.

"I own no explication to you. Not even to him. Only if she asks. We…she did nothing wrong." Joshua retorted.

"It certainly didn't look that innocent." Embry answered back with a cold demeanor very foreign for a light-hearted boy like him. I really felt like the most despicable being. Selfish. He was acting liked I had stomped on his best friend's heart, which I did.

"Knock it off, watchdog." Leah intervened. Sam looked back at her in his wolf form, obviously approving the intervention.

"Bella, maybe tomorrow. Right now…it's a little unsafe." She phrased with delicacy.

"What's wrong? He would never hurt me. You all know this." I remembered her, finally being able of stepping out of the car.

"Of course he wouldn't. I don't know about Joshua, though. Jacob is a little unstable right now. " Leah said.

"What's wrong with him, Leah?" I demanded her.

"He can't phase back." Embry answered me.

Jacob's POV

When I heard her voice, I felt instantly calmer. But it didn't last long. When his image, right next to her, reached my eyes, I saw red again. Sam, Paul and Quil stood between me and them in that same instant. They were right to do so, because, on my point of view, Joshua was my prey as much as any vampire was. Fuck imprinting. Who the hell did he think he was? He was no better than the bloodsucker. She would never let him get that close, would she? My mind had been running over and over around this doubt and having inside my mind two imprinted wolves, really didn't help at all. Sam kept trying to say it was unavoidable and even though Quil was my friend, he understood the other side. To make things worse, he thought it was only obvious she would feel the pull.

'Let she come, dammit'. I tried to say to Embry, but a pitiful whine came out of my mouth. The reason I couldn't phase back was plain obvious: that scene carved in my memory, playing repeatedly without my permission, kept me so furious I simply couldn't calm down enough for it. Something so natural as phasing for me, simply was blocked as if I didn't know how.

"It's not safe, Jacob." Sam said, showing me Emily's image.

"I'm already phased, Sam. And it's not her that I want to … let her come…but send him away!" I howled.

I was pacing around like a leashed dog. I wanted her touch to reassure me. I wanted to hear soothing words in her voice. Her sweet smile. I wanted her to tell me it would be all right. They were just sleeping, as I heard. I wanted…to disappear. Because, wouldn't she say it just to calm me down?

The last thought struck me when I saw Joshua holding her face between his hands in a desperate act, her face too close of his, trying to convince her that it was too dangerous right now. Her small, delicate hand was on his chest trying to convince him otherwise. If it weren't for the tears, the strained voice and the almost imperceptible way that she tried to push him away with gentleness, you would say they were a loving couple. Even with that, they looked like one. All my hope that she hadn't let him in, that she hadn´t let him hold her that way was gone when I looked at them again. She may know or not, but we , Jacob and Bella, were already doomed.

All the rage that was preventing me from phasing back went away when I realized there was nothing left to be done. I was fighting a lost battle. Imprinting won again.

And if I wanted her to be happy, I would let her go. Because those tears were caused by me. Sam, Paul and Quil instantly relaxed and the others realized that something had changed. Sam knew better than saying 'you'll find your imprinting too', but the thought was there. Embry let Bella pass and Joshua released her, not coming any closer as he thought it would endanger his imprintee, I'm sure. Or it was because Leah and Seth were holding him back.

"Jake…. I'm sorry…nothing happened. I swear…I swear!…" She promised me, holding my thick neck, sinking her face in my fur. I could phase back and talk to her, but I didn't trust myself not to beg her to stay with me. So I stayed in my wolf form and caged that beg in my mind, trying to contain my own whimpers.

After a while, it was too much for me to be in her presence and not being able to be with her. I saw her relief when I took a step back as I usually do when I need to phase to human. But I didn't look back to see what she looked like when in a slow, almost defeated way, I walked away from them.

BPOV

It had been two weeks since it all happened. Every day, I called Jacob. Every day, I've got the same answer from Billy. He's out with the pack. It didn't matter if it was six in the morning or midnight. I knocked on their door, to get some answers. I asked Leah to tell me where he was, or take me there, but she said she couldn't. His orders. I tried every single wolf. They were all tied, or by Sam's or by Jacob's orders. Joshua, the only one who could disobey them for me, was the only one I hadn't searched. I knew it would be abusing of my power over him and it would hurt him too much. I went to Emily, Kim, but they said they didn't know, but would tell me if they did.

"What they are doing is stupid." Kim complained.

After insisting so much, I decided I would wait for him. I knocked again on his door, but nobody answered this time. I took the spare key and let myself in. I opened his bedroom's door and found his bed untouched. Everything looked the same. I tried to call him once more, but my attempt was frustrated by his cell phone ringing on the side table. I took it into my hands. Eighty-nine missed calls. Ten messages. I opened the inbox to read my messages (again), but I found one that left me a little disconcerted.

"If you need to talk again, just give me a call. S."

I could waste some time trying to imagine who "S." was, but I already knew. I didn't know they were that close. Curiosity took over and I read some of the older messages. Pretty much the same. I put the cell phone away and rested my head on his pillow. I was unsuccessfully trying to sleep when something caught my eye. A long thin silver chain with a small silver pepper on the corner of the drawer I had opened to put the cell phone in. I pushed aside the mess and took the cold metal in my hand. It was Savannah's, I had no doubt. But what was it doing in his bedroom?

Jacob's POV

The last thing I needed was her nearby my house. It was already taking all of my willpower to stop me from running to hers. Some of the guys approved, others didn't. While Quil said it was probably for the best, Leah thought it was plain stupidity to give her up like this. I was inclined to agree with her when I knew she called incessantly and came to La Push almost as much. But at the same time, the idea of hurting her because I didn't know how to let her go was haunting me too.

I wasn't planning to make a choice for her, but I also couldn't stand watching them together anymore and try to pretend it was okay, when it was actually eating me.

Two steps further, I realized she wasn't just nearby. She was inside my house, her breathing telling me she was deep in her sleep. I could turn my back and go. But Leah and Seth didn't let me.

"At least be a man and tell her face to face." Leah spat, pushing me forward.

"I can't." I said to her, desperate.

"Of course you can't! Because it's a bad idea!" She retorted emphatically. "She picked you….you! Why are you throwing it away? I'd give anything…"

I phased back before I could listen the rest of her ranting. I heard my heavy steps making the wood beneath it creak. Each step closer meant it was harder to turn away. She was in my room…my… our bed. The same bed we slept over and over. The same bed she called my name and I called hers. I was tempted not to change the sheets. Ever.

And there I found her, all curled up. It was hard not step behind her, bring her closer and wake her up with soft kisses on her neck, as she loved so much. She smiled in the sweetest way when I did that, and the way she looked me back always sent shivers down my spine.

Instead, I sat at the end of the bed, hoping it would be enough to bring her out of her dream. Touching her would be too much and I wouldn't have the strength. Thankfully, she opened her eyes.

We stood there for a long time staring at each other. I tried to find anything in her eyes, but they're unusually blank, void. That made me tremble. I tried to start, but nothing came from my mouth. I saw her looking at her closed hand and closing her eyes.

"How are you?" I knew it was the coldest, dumbest thing, most impersonal thing I could say. It almost sounded formal. But it was safe.

"How do you think I am?" She answered, her voice showing a mixture of anger, frustration and sadness.

"I don't know… you tell me." It came out wrong, but when she was upset, it was impossible not feel the same.

"Well, how do you think I'd feel after more than a week of you avoiding me like plague? Do you know how many times I called you? Well, for your information, just to your cell phone, eighty-nine times!" She told me in a tone that made me flinch.

"I wasn't…"

"Oh, don't dare lie to me. " She said, tears starting to accumulate on her eyelashes.

"It's for the best…" I repeated Quil's words, doing my best to control my voice and look into her eyes. I could feel my throat closing and my eyes burning.

"What are you talking about?" She asked me, visibly shaking.

"Bella…" I tried to reach her hand.

"I said it was nothing. You can ask him. Ask Sam to see his memories. Jake…I swear…" She wasn't holding back any longer, her speech was interrupted by a sob.

"Honey, …maybe not now… but on the next…or the following." I couldn't avoid the gentle words even though I knew it would be more believable if I was harsh. But seeing her like this was destroying me. Her eyes filled with tears. She looked at her hands again and I heard a low whimper. I wanted to beat myself up. I had to go against all of my instincts that were telling me to hold her, protect her and kill whoever was the bastard that was causing her that pain. That was me.

"You just wanted… you just needed a reason, isn't it?" She asked. I had no idea of what she was talking about, but it was my cue.

"I'm sorry…I…" I didn't know what else to say.

"I've always believed in us … so much…I…" Bella stated, clearly having troubles to express herself.

"So did I…" I do. I wanted to say. I still do.

"Clearly, not enough. God, how deluded a person can be? I must be blind. About you. About everything." She said, snorting between her tears. The knot on my throat was begging to be released, but I held back. If I break down in front of her , it would be my end. I would beg her to forget everything I've said so far. And then I wouldn't be able to repeat those words. I would make her miserable because I wouldn't let her go, not until she gave me her final words.

By the way her chest's movements speed up, I knew she was hyperventilating…her hands clutching her chest…just, just as she used to do…because of him. What was I doing to her? All my resolve was gone at that instant… I'm going to take it all back, I thought. I stretched my arm and moved closer to hold her and kiss her until she forgave my stupidity.

"Don't…don't touch me." She half begged, half ordered, curling herself closer to the head-board. Was she disgusted…of me?

"Bells…" I tried again.

"No Jacob, it's enough." She said collecting her bag. I enveloped my fingers around her thin wrist. Her eyes found mine and I was scared when I didn't see the usual light in those chocolate orbs. She looked so frail.

"I've said don't." She barked, not looking at me.

Bella ran outside, towards her car and entered, locking the door after her. If I was in my normal mental state, I' be there before she even think to run, but I wasn't. I tried to open the door while her hands fumbled to put the keys on the right place.

"Bella, open up… we need to talk." I pleaded, my voice cracking along with my heart. Tears run down my face. But she wouldn't look at me.

"Bella…" I begged.

She engaged the car and took off. I run after her. Through the side window, I saw her sobbing, having trouble to keep her eyes on the road. She couldn't drive in that condition. I needed to phase to keep up with the truck, but for that, I needed to get into the woods. But a few miles ahead, I found myself in a position I couldn't follow her further. The treaty line. The last thing I heard between her sobs was " You've already said everything."

BPOV

I knew I should have stopped as soon I crossed the line. But the recent memories just blocked any self-preservation thoughts. Not that I had them naturally. I remembered how deliberately away from me he was when I woke up, when usually, he would snake his arms around me and leave a trail of deliciously warm kisses on my neck and shoulders. His eyes, usually so alive, were opaque and distant. His glare was freezing me inside out.

"How are you?" This first question put me off. No Bells, no honey. It lacked the concerned tone of voice. It was just small talk. And that was nonexistent between the two of us.

"I don't know, you tell me." He was angry at me. And I couldn't understand why because I told him a truth that could be easily checked by him. I heard a warning inside my head when I felt the burning necklace hidden in my hand. I glanced at it, afraid of what secrets it hid with it. What would I find out if Jake saw it. Flashes ran in front of my eyes. I knew I should have stopped.

"… maybe not now…" I still couldn't believe his words. Did he think I would be able to…I'd never…Then it hit me like a train. The small pepper against my palm. He just needed a reason… I gave him the perfect one….but I still couldn't believe he would… And so I asked to confirm.

"I'm sorry…" My heart broke all over again. And this time, I knew it was truly beyond repair, because it turned into dust, impossible to glue back. Everything I believed was lie. The Jacob I thought I knew simply wasn't there… how could I have been so wrong? I tried to hide my tears from, to show I was stronger than the destroyed girl he put together once. But in the end, I wasn't. I felt again that old pain in my chest. That one that told me there was an empty cavern on the place that used to have a beating organ. The lack of air came right after. It felt like pure, terrifying agony.

The flashes mixed the last events, but every part of it burned me. At the same time I yearned his soothing touch, or the way he said my name, it felt like acid, painfully melting every good memory I had of him, of us, until they formed a painful mass of images, of feelings I would never have again. How could he do that? The only sound I could listen was of my accelerated heart.

It was over…over…I couldn't believe in it. I heard his plead outside the window, but what more could he say? He would only push the knife deeper.

He broke his promise…not like Edward did before him…but in such a cruel way it only told me I was meant to be left. So I run away. I had to go anywhere where he couldn't follow me. I went to the only safe place. The Cullen's house.

When I've got there, Alice was already at the door. She gracefully descended the stairs, fast enough to preventing me from falling. My entire body was quivering and my knees couldn't hold up my weight. Slowly, my legs were giving away.

"What happened, Bella?" I heard her crystalline voice asking me. But as much as I tried, I couldn't focus enough to put a phrase together. Her silk blouse was soaked after a few moments. I couldn't control my breathing, neither my pained sobs. I knew the rest of the Cullens were around us, but I had no willpower to look at them.

"He…" I tried to say, but my ragged breathing prevented me. My shoulders began to shake violently. The fistfuls of her blouse that I held tightly in my grasp were being pierced by my nails, that on the other hand dug into the flesh of my palms and made crescent moon wounds. The sounds that came out of my chest just became louder, but each one of them were muffled from their true volume by the tight embrace Alice was giving me.

"He…it's…over…it's all over, Alice…he… I …she…"

It was too fast for me to follow their movements. I only felt Alice putting in somebody else's arms.

"Edward, no!"

"I'm going to kill that mutt." was the last thing I heard before finally collapsing

Jacob's POV

I stood there, pacing along the line, torn between crossing it or not. I could hear Seth panicking somewhere deep in our collective mind…and I'm sure he howled, calling for Sam. Fuck it. Fuck the treaty.

Before I could raise my paw, a blur appeared in front of me.

"Filthy dog…She has always been too good for you! " He hissed. His eyes were pity black and I could feel waves of killing intent coming from him.

"How dare you do something so low to her? If I knew…I'd…I…" For the first time, I saw Edward Cullen losing his eloquence. He crouched and then I knew he would really attack me. Instincts took over and a low growl escaped between my clenched teeth. He hissed in return, walking slowly along the line. Who the hell did he think he was to judge me or my reasoning?

The muscles on my paws were all contracted, ready to release its speed against him when suddenly I felt a weight falling on my back. At the same time, Emmet, Jasper and Alice were holding Edward back, while Carlisle tried to calm him down.

I knew Embry was trying to diverge my attention from him by talking to me, but I barely could listen to him. All I could see was a pair of soulless black eyes in the way of chocolate ones. I felt someone biting my back and another one pushing me towards a larger tree.

Carlisle stepped forward and Sam phased back, quickly covering himself with the short tied to his leg.

"I'm sorry about the incident. Jacob is out of his mind right now." Sam's deep voice echoed through the forest. Between every word I could listen to his hisses, his words full of venom.

"We understand. Edward isn't in his right mind right now…Anything that involves Bella, affects him as well." Carlisle replied. Sam nodded and phased back , but didn't direct me a single word. Not that he needed to. If such thing as an 'aura' existed, I could almost feel a black cloud around him. I observed the leeches going away. I had to control every fiber of my body not to go after them.

"Jacob, we have much more in game here… You're a leader…what is done is done." Sam said, not bothering to look back at me.

I wish I could control my thoughts like he did, because I'm sure everyone from my pack and Sam included could hear me cursing him until hell froze. Through Seth's eyes, I saw Joshua observing me. And for the first time, I was relieved that I couldn't listen to his thoughts. I barely could deal with my own.

Hey guys, I did you think about it? Let me know! Writing this chapter was a bit heart wrenching for me. Thank you for reading it!