Hells Angel

“You're going to be just fine,” Linley said, glancing over at Avery. It was the first day of their senior year and both of them were consumed with anxiety and excitement.

Avery sucked in a deep breath, hoisting the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder. She wanted to dress to impress, initially, but the confidence she normally had seemed to have dissipated into uncertainty. She settled on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a plain white v-neck shirt, and a black cropped blazer. She was going to wear her Hell's Angel jacket but decided against it.

“You okay?”

Avery nodded. “I'm good. Just a new school. What can it hurt, right?” she asked.

Linley smiled. “Come on. Let's go. The guys are waiting for us outside the front door.”

“Okay.” Avery got out of Linley's car slowly, following her friend through the parking lot and to the front of the school. She knew she stood out like a sore thumb—everyone else on the reservation had dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes. It was hard to miss her with her pale complexion, red-toned hair, and green eyes. “I'm nervous.”

“I can tell,” Linley joked, adjusting the strap of her back pack. “Hey guys.”

Jacob smiled the second he saw Avery and walked over to her, kissing her softly. “Good morning, beautiful.”

Avery blushed slightly—frowning when Jacob laughed, thumb brushing over her cheek. “Good morning.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into the school, leaving his pack behind. “Don't be nervous.”

“I'm not nervous,” she lied.

“You're lying,” Jacob said. “Everyone here...they are going to judge you. But they're not mean. They're just not used to seeing outsiders.”

“Or the girls are going to tear my eyes out because I'm with you,” she suggested.

Jacob laughed. “This is the real world. Things like that don't happen here,” he told her.

She stopped walking and looked up at him. “The real world? Do you really want to go into the multitude of things that shouldn't happen in the real world but you told me do?”

Jacob paused. “You do make a very compelling point. That's a fair argument.” He continued to lead her down the hallway and to the main office where she could pick up her schedule. “Don't be too nervous, okay? You're around good people and remember that I'm two steps away. I'll know the second you're in danger should anything happen,” he told her, tapping two fingers against his heart.

“Okay,” Avery whispered, nodding slightly. “I'm still getting used to how this whole imprint thing affects our relationship, you know?”

“It doesn't,” he replied, shaking his head. “I told you that everything for you has developed on its own. That's the whole reason I didn't tell you. I never wanted to put you in a compromising position. I just want you to know that my feelings for you run deeper than you could ever imagine. Our bond is unreachable. I'll always be here to protect you, no matter what. I know that finding out probably scared you but I didn't want to tell you because I wanted you to have a choice. You're with me because you want to be, not because of this. If you ever doubt that, tell me, Aves, please. I don't want you to feel like you're stuck with me."

Avery looked up at him and smiled. "Trust me, I don't. Besides, you're stuck with me, Jacob."

Jacob laughed. "I'll never be stuck with you, Aves. You're all I want."

She sighed, leaning into him and resting her head against his chest. “You're incredible.”

Jacob smiled. “Yes, well,” he shrugged.

She laughed. “Humble.”

“Go get your schedule. We probably won't have many classes together but since this school is so small, we all have the same lunch time.”

“How many students?”

“Maybe four hundred total.”

Her eyes widened. “I had four hundred in my junior class last year. Why won't we have many classes together?”

He smiled. “Just preparing for the worst so I'm more surprised when we do have some together.”

Avery rolled her eyes and looked at the office door. “Okay. I'm going to go get my schedule now.'

“Have fun.”

“Always do,” she said, sending him a small wave before opening the door to and walking into the office.

+

“How have your first classes been?” Jacob asked, catching up with Avery in the hallway. It wasn't difficult seeing as how she was the only one with light hair.

Avery shrugged. “It's been okay as far as classes go. Yours?”

He smiled, reaching for her hand. “Better now.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sweet talker.”

“Yes, well,” he shrugged, “it's just how I do.”

“I believe it,” she muttered as they walked down the hallway and to the lunch room. She held her books to her chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious as everyone's eyes fell on her just as they had been doing all day. A couple of girls whispered to their friends, laughing and rolling their eyes as she walked by hand in hand with Jacob. “Am I imagining how awkward this situation is or...?”

“No, it's awkward,” Jacob said, bringing her knuckles up to his face and he brushed his lips across them. “They're just getting used to it. We've never had an outsider here.”

“Does everyone here know about the legends becoming reality?” she asked.

“Not all of them,” he told her. “I guess a lot of them assume it's true. But I couldn't tell you for sure. Why do you ask?”

“Because all the girls look like they want to rip my head off or something.”

“Then you neglect to notice the boys looking at me in awe and jealousy.”

She rolled her eyes. “Subject change, please? Do you wanna do anything tonight?”

He shook his head slowly. “I'm sorry. I have to patrol.”

She sent him a look. “Patrol?”

“Yeah, we all take turns patrolling the reservation at night, just to ensure nothing is amiss. It's my turn,” Jacob told her.

“Amiss?”

He laughed. “You know what I mean.”

“I understand,” she said. “I guess I'll just have to make do with any of the fine bachelors around me.”

“I hope you're joking,” he said, frowning.

Avery leaned up and kissed his jaw. “I'm joking.”

+

“A lot of girls on the rez are trying to figure you out, Aves,” Linley told her as the two of them walked down the beach to find a place to study.

“We've been in class for a week and they have nothing better to worry about?” Avery rolled her eyes, setting her bag down on a rock and sitting down, leaning against it.

“You're the shiny new toy. The girls are wondering what out-of-towner's have that they don't. First Bella, now you. They think he's defective or you have a spell on him,” Linley said, shrugging

Avery sighed. “Don't mention this Bella girl, please. I find myself overwhelmed with hatred when thinking about her.”

“That's right, you did meet her at the bonfire,” Linley mused.

“What's this obsession all the girls have with Jacob anyway?”

“He's supposed to be, like, the leader of everyone here. It's part of the old legends. He doesn't like to talk about it because Sam likes to think of himself as the leader. But everyone knows that's Jacob's position because of his father. A Black will always be destined to lead the pack,” she said slowly.

Avery nodded. “So girls want to be with him because he's the leader?”

“Yeah, I guess. Though he'll never own up to it because he respects Sam too much. But as for the rest of them, I don't know what they're thinking for sure,” Linley told her. “I just want you to know I got your back. It's not as if they're going to do anything, though.”

“None of these girls are going to jump me, are they?”

Linley laughed. “Hell no.”

Avery nodded. “Good,” she muttered, flipping through a couple pages of her history text book before sighing and slamming the pages shut. “I think something big is about to go down.”

“How do you mean?”

“Jacob's been acting weird all week and patrolling more than normal. I just have a really bad feeling about this...” Avery said, trailing off, shaking her head. “I know it doesn't make sense. But it's just a feeling I have.”