Chapter 8

Jacob's fangs had pierced into the shoulder to the cold being. Gasps of both shock and pain escaped from his mouth as his cold flesh pressed onto and formed into shape around the wolf's fangs. Jacob yanked his fangs out of the vampire…who toppled onto the floor, clutching his shoulder, a hole impaled deep into his flesh and shirt.

Jacob phased back, falling onto his knees and gaping at the fallen vampire.

"E…Emmett…" His body began to shake. "Emmett…oh my God…"

Edward lay on his back across the room; Emmett had managed to shove his brother out of the way before Jacob had managed drive his teeth into him. Jacob ran over to Emmett, crouching over him, his arms winding around his neck.

"J…Jacob…" Emmett sighed up at him.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" Jacob whispered repeatedly, pulling Emmett's head into his arms. "I'm so, so sorry…please…"

"Shhh…Jake…" Emmett hushed against his bare chest, already feeling the wound close up and the pain beginning to fade away like snow melting in the sun. "It's okay…look, I'm healed. Everything's alright."

Jacob shook his head against the top of Emmett's dark curls. "No it's not…I hurt you…I hurt you…"

Edward could only tremble in rage…not because Jacob had nearly ripped him to pieces…but because he was crying over Emmett, and showing no concern whatsoever for his well-being. He was more concerned for Emmett than he was for Edward…and Edward could feel the green-eyed serpent hissing with envy in the pit of his heart. He could feel his hands grasping the carpet beneath him and viciously tearing out the material. His teeth ground together.

"What has happened?" Jasper gasped upon appearing in the room, Alice at his side.

Emmett glared at Edward. "He happened. That's what?"

Alice pouted at Edward. "Edward, what did you do this time?"

"It's what he's trying to do," Emmett said, standing up and ghosting over to his closet at his inhuman speed, returning and wrapping a blue blanket around Jacob's naked frame. "The selfish little punk, even though he's dumped Jacob like a sack of garbage, still wants to keep Jacob as a pet. He doesn't want him, yet at the same time he doesn't want anyone else to have him."

"Shut your mouth…" Edward spat.

"What?" Emmett asked. "Am I lying? Go ahead, tell me if I am. Say in front of all us, in front of Jacob, that you don't still want some kind of hold on him, even though you know you're hurting him. Say it! SAY IT!"

"Emmett!" Alice gasped.

Emmett paid no attention to her. "Go on! Say it! Spit out your lie!"

Edward's teeth continue to be ground together…but he spoke not a word. His eyes burned into Emmett's…and then they turned to Jacob's.

"Jacob…" Edward whimpered.

Jacob could only stare at Edward, completely at loss for words. "Edward…just tell me the truth. Just tell me why you're doing this…please. Just say something."

Edward's expression then became pleading…desperate. "Jacob…I…I just don't…Even though I've sworn myself to Bella…I…I still love you."

All three of the vampires gaped at Edward; Jacob looked at Edward in disbelief. He never thought that could have been the case. The fact that Edward was still in love with him hit him like a fist in the face. All this time Jacob thought that it was just Edward's possessive side taking control, Edward wanting to have Jacob under his influence…as a possession rather than a lover….

"I could never think of you like that, and you know it," Edward implored, reading Jacob's thoughts. "Still I love you Jacob. I still care so much for you…I just want you to be close to me…"

"Yet you still want Bella," Jacob said tonelessly.

"I…"

"You sick fuck!" Emmett spat. "You want to lead Jacob on with false hopes in order to―!"

"Emmett, be quiet," Jacob deadpanned. "I can speak for myself."

Emmett blinked. "Jake…"

"You can't have it both ways, Edward." Jacob looked into Edward's eyes. "I'm not going to run behind you like some lost puppy until you love me. This is the last time you are ever going to come after me and get in the way of me moving on. If you ever come near me again my pack will catch wind of the incidents in my mind. They will come for you and they will kill you…and more importantly…" Jacob stood up, the blanket still around him. "…I'll let them."

All four of the vampires looked at Jacob in awe. Never once had any of them seen Jacob's expression so blunt and demanding. The innocent shine of a child that was usually present in Jacob's brown eyes seemed to have faded away into nothing. Were these the eyes of the Alpha?

"Jacob…" Edward gasped, feeling the need for tears to escape his eyes, but none coming. "You…you don't mean that…"

"Oh believe me, I do," he assured. "I will not be toyed with, Edward. Everything that I am saying to you I mean with every fiber of my being."

Who was this person? Alice wondered. It's as though Jacob's body had been taken over by an entirely different being. His voice was deep with command…it held the sound of fifty years wisdom rather than a seventeen-year-old child.

"You will stay away from me…and the reservation," Jacob ordered. "The pack members will be ordered to kill you upon sight if you even come within feet of the Reservation. My word is law, Edward. You are not to have any contact with me or anyone else close to me. Bella is your mate, you will tend to her."

Edward gaped at Jacob.

"Jacob…that's…how could you say that?" he whispered.

"You have toyed with me long enough; that's how I can say that." Jacob turned away from him, inching towards the safety of Emmett's frame. "That's all I have left to say to you…"

Emmett sneered at Edward. "Get the hell out of my room."

For the first time in a long century…Edward felt helpless.

"If you ever come near Jake again," Emmett began. "If the pack doesn't get you, I'll personally tear your head off and have it delivered to Bella's doorstep in gift-wrap. Now beat it."

Edward trembled and shook.

"Edward…" Alice spoke. Edward turned to his sister, hoping to have some sort of support. Any kind of support.

"You heard them," Alice said, crushing Edward's hope. "Leave."

Jasper gave a silent nod in agreement towards Edward. Edward closed his eyes…completely swept up in pain and betrayal.

In half a second…he was gone.

Jacob pressed his head into Emmett's shoulders, kissing it just where he had bitten. "Em…could you please take me home?"

"I think we might need to get you your own closet for clothes in our house, just to be on the safe side," Emmett joked, pulling up in front of Jacob's house.

Jacob forced a smile, having been re-dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans.

"Em…are you really okay?" Jacob asked, eying his tear in his shirt.

"Will you come off that?" Emmett smirked. "I'm fine. Remember me? Bear-boy? I've had worse injuries, man."

Jacob closed his eyes and stared into his lap. "Still…I hurt you, Em. I don't what would have happened if you hadn't jumped in the way to save Edward…"

Emmett's expression darkened at that statement. "Yeah…well…he probably would have had it coming…"

"Emmett!" Jacob scolded. "Come on, even I don't hate him that much, and you shouldn't either! What happened was just a little slip up, that's all."

"I know, I know; you're right," Emmett admitted. "But…he's toyed with you, Jake. He deserves some kind of punishment. It would be only fair."

Emmett glared at the dashboard; Jacob scooted closer to him, leaning over to the driver's seat.

"Don't think like that," Jacob whispered. "There's no need to feel that I should get even. The only way I could ever get even would be by moving on."

Emmett continued to glare at nothing. Jacob smiled and placed his hand against Emmett's cheek, turning his face so that their eyes were looking at each other.

"Don't let revenge consume you, Em," Jacob said gently. "All anger can do is distract you…"

As Emmett gazed into Jacob's eyes, he noticed that the innocent shimmer in his eyes had returned. He was no longer the cold Alpha at the moment, but the loving child that everyone had grown to care for.

"Distract me from what?" Emmett questioned, placing his on Jacob's, pressing his warm skin closer to his cold cheek.

Jacob leaned closer to Emmett, their lips nearly brushing.

"Distract you," Jacob whispered, "from the things that matter the most…"

And Jacob pressed his lips against Emmett's in a tender kiss. Emmett closed his eyes and moved his lips in motion with Jacob's. Wanting to feel the warmth of Jacob's body again, Emmett wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close. Jacob's arms went around Emmett's neck, his right hand tangling its fingers into Emmett's curls. The two boys continued to kiss each other without any intention of stopping…until a loud howl sounded.

Jacob pulled away gently, putting his forehead to Emmett's, staring into his eyes. Emmett looked down at Jacob, nearly hypnotized by the shine of his brown orbs.

"I have to go," Jacob whispered against Emmett's lips.

Emmett nodded in understanding. Jacob pulled away from Emmett and hopped out of the Jeep. He turned and stared back into the window at Emmett…his vampire…before running into the woods and phasing.

Emmett, the taste of Jacob still lingering on his lips, sighed at his wolf taking off before starting the jeep.