Only in the Moonlight Does This Feel Right

“Jake could you pull the covers off?—I’m getting really hot.”

“Sure,” Jake nodded and then pulled the blankets off of my body. He folded them up and placed them at the foot of my bed. “Be right back, Emily said that dinner was ready.”

I watched him walk out of the room and brought my book back up to eyelevel with my left hand. I was bed ridden, and have been for the last two weeks or so. My only things that kept me sane were Jacob, Chris, and my book, "Maximum Ride" by James Patterson. After reading a few more pages, Jacob returned with a tray.

“Here you go,” He said and placed it in front of me. “Bon appetite,” He used a French accent and then wiggled his nose. I smiled and laughed as he did that and he kissed my cheek. “I’ll be downstairs. If you need anything, just call and I’ll be up here in a second.”

“Got it,” I gave him a thumbs up and then he walked back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Jacob had been very protective of me lately, and hasn’t left my side since we got back from the Cullen residence. He especially never left because I had a hard time doing much of anything now with my broken ribs and hand. My hand was better and I didn’t need to have anything on it now—it was just sore and very tender, but my ribs were taking long to heal.

I looked at my food, tonight was hamburgers and homemade fries. Emily was kind enough to cut my hamburger in half and I took it in my left hand. Emily had been cooking up a lot of finger foods just for me because I’m right handed and, with my right hand being temporarily out-of-service, I’m having to use my less dominate hand. Needless to say that it feels a bit awkward to use my left hand, but I’m making due…

After eating my hamburger I felt the urge to use the bathroom. 'Crap…' I thought.

This had been a frequent dilemma, for obvious reasons, because of my current state. I needed help to get down the stairs and back up them again.

I moved the tray to the side and sent my legs over the edge. I gently pushed off of them and supported myself by leaning on my nightstand. Once I got my balance I walked stiffly to the door and walked out. I used the wall as a railing, and began to slowly make my descent down the stairs. After accomplishing that, I walked like a penguin towards the bathroom and walked inside.

I used the facilities, washed my hands and then looked at my appearance. I looked half-dead, since my skin wasn’t getting much sun; it made me look paler than usual. My hair was sticking out to the sides and there were bags under my eyes.

'Jake calls me "beautiful" when I look like this…?' I questioned myself.

I walked out of the bathroom and arms immediately wrapped around my chest. “What did I tell you?” Jacob questioned.

“If I needed anything to just call you?”

“Mhm,” He nodded and kissed the back of my neck. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t need anything though, I just wanted to use the bathroom.” I shrugged. “Help me back up to my room if it makes you feel any better.”

“Of course,” He then guided me towards the staircase and then helped me up them, one arm wrapped around my waist and the other holding my hand.

He closed the door behind me and then helped me over the bed, helping me scoot in. I patted the bed next to me and motioned for him to get in as well. He smiled and then joined me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

“Sorry for not calling you up, I just don’t want to have you coming up and down for me.”

“I’d do anything for you,”

I kissed his cheek. “I know,”

He sighed and then grabbed a few of my fries and put them into his mouth. “Why didn’t you eat anything?”

“I ate my burger,”

“I meant your fries,” He laughed.

“I went to the bathroom,”

He grabbed some and then held it in front of my face. “Eat,” He urged with a smile.

“Really, you’re going to feed me?”

“Yes,” He nodded.

“No,” I shook my head in disagreement. “I—” While my mouth was open he put the food into my mouth. I gave him an annoyed look and then smiled as I swallowed the food. “You’re lucky.”

“I know,” He smiled and kissed my lips softly before pulling away.

-{}-

“Thank God!” I shouted as I flopped backwards onto the couch.

“You got lucky, Young!” Paul howled with laughter.

“Don’t care!” I laughed back.

I had just gotten back from school, yes school, and was incredibly stressed yet grateful. Since Chris and I had left school to visit our dad in the hospital, we had missed at least two and a half months of school. Thankfully our grades were good enough that we just got low C’s and maybe a D in one or two classes. Given the circumstances, our teachers are allowing us to make up the work for half credit, and are allowing us to finish some extra credit assignments that will hopefully boost our grades up to a high C or low B, which meant that Chris would still get to walk for graduation seeing as he was a senior.

I sighed tiredly, getting back up from the couch and headed upstairs and into my room. I sat on my bed, and got out my math homework first. If I was going to pass with decent grades, I would have to start working on the missing assignments and extra credit right away.

“Need help?” Jake asked as he walked inside.

“You don’t have Math Analysis,” I smiled. “But thanks for the concern.”

He rolled his eyes. “Okay, I—”

“Jake! Meeting!” Sam hollered from downstairs.

“I apparently have a meeting to attend.” He smiled and then walked over to my side, kissing me quickly. “See you later.”

“Bye,”

I sighed as I continued my homework. 'Okay, lets get started.' As I stared at the first equation… I could feel the room beginning to spin. 'I am so screwed.'

-{}-

“Christian Jerry Young,” The principal said into the microphone as he handed my brother the diploma on the stand.

“Yea!” I shouted and stood up as I began to clap for him wildly. I grabbed the fog horn from Emily and began to press down on it. People looked at me strangely and I just laughed as I continued to create a ruckus. The pack laughed alongside me, as we watched Paul and Jared collect their diplomas as well.

Kim grabbed the horn from me when Jared went up. “Go Jared! I love you!” She screamed. Jared turned and winked at her playfully.

When it was Paul’s turn, Rachel went nuts; she had come here just for Paul today. “I love you, Paul Reece!” She hollered, jumping up and down excitedly. He smirked at her outburst, of course, and winked at her before walking down from the stage.

“Congratulations Seniors, you did it!” The principal smiled and everyone stood up and threw their caps into the air.

We met them right after and I hugged Chris. “I’m so proud of you!” I said.

“You sound like a mom,” He laughed.

I gave a small frown and chuckled. “Mom and dad would be real proud of you, too, you know that, right?”

He nodded back and then hugged me. “I know, just wish they could’ve been here. I’m glad I still have you though.”

“I’m glad, too,” I replied.

“Hey Jerry!” Paul snickered.

“Shut it, Reece!” Chris barked and then put him into a headlock.

“Okay, okay, time to get out of here.” Sam said, putting an arm around Emily’s shoulders.

“Amen to that!” Jared yelled, and put his arms around Kim’s waist comfortably.

I felt arms wrap around me as well and I looked at Jacob through the corner of my eye. “Hey,”

“Hey,” He kissed the back of my neck and smiled into my hair. “Come on, lets go celebrate.”

“I like the sound of that,” I smiled.

We all walked to the parking lot and Jacob guided me to his Rabbit. I got into the passenger seat while Jacob got into the driver’s. He started it up and began to drive to the restaurant we all had agreed to go to.

We were the first people there and went in to get a table.

“Hello, two people?”

“Oh no, um, eleven,” I corrected.

“Alright then,” She said, looking a bit stunned by the number. “I’ll go check what we have available. Please take a seat.”

Jake and I sat down in the waiting room and he held me close, with his arms around my shoulders. “So next year we’re going to be seniors, and then we’re done.”

“Ah, I have to correct you there—it’s off to college, or worse, a university.” I groaned.

“You’re… you’re going to college… where?” He looked hurt as he stared at me with gloomy chocolate eyes.

“I don’t know actually, I just know I have to go. College was a big hope my mom had for me so I want to go to make her proud, you know?”

He nodded. “Okay, but… you’re not going far are you?—I mean I want you to get a good education and all, but I just don’t want to be separated from you…”

I laughed. “I don’t either, that’s the last thing I want.” I looked at him, making sure he knew I was telling the truth. He buried his head into my hair.

“Excuse me, your table is ready.” The waitress said, and grabbed the right number of menus. “This way please.”

Jake and I stood up and followed her to the table. We sat down next to each other and began to look at the menu as we waited for the others. There was a ruckus and Jacob and I looked at each other, they had finally arrived.

Everyone sat down and we soon took our orders.

“So Chris, what are you going to do now?” Emily asked. “College?”

“Eh, no I don’t think so. I’ve had enough of school.” He smiled. “I was actually thinking of starting my own business with the money that we were getting from the house back in New York.”

“Really, that’s great. What kind of business?”

“Maybe a repair shop, the only repair shop near this place is in Forks.” He shrugged. “Jacob’s been teaching me all about cars lately and I was thinking he could work for me.”

“Really?” Jake smiled.

“Hell yea, you know more about fixing cars than I do.”

“Thanks man,”

Chris shrugged. “I kind of owe it to you, you’re taking good care of my sister, and that means the world to me.”

After that heartfelt moment, the waitress brought our food and—needless to say—there was no more conversation.

-{}-

“I’m so bored!” I yelled.

“What do you want to do?” Jake asked.

“Something!”

“Care to be more specific?”

“Not really,” I smiled.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless at my weird antics. “Let me gues… you want to go out?”

“Now there’s an idea,” I nodded.

He rolled his eyes. “I already told you, Jade, it’s still too dangerous to go out.”

“Jake, come on please?” I pouted. “I really want to get out of here! I’ve been cooped up here since graduation and that was two weeks ago!”

He stared at me and then sighed in defeat. “Fine, but when I say we’re heading back, we’re heading back.”

“Deal!” I yanked him off my bed and down the stairs and ran out the door with him in tow. “Going out for a walk, Emily!”

“Be careful, Jade,” She warned.

Jake and I walked out and headed into the trees while holding hands. His hand was burning mine, but I loved the warmth it emitted.

“Why do you like it out here so much?” Jake questioned curiously.

“I don’t know, I guess it’s cause it’s just really peaceful out here. I don’t get to see that a lot anymore.” I stopped walking and then hopped on his back, he quickly reached for my bottom and pushed me up a bit before grabbing my thighs for support. I wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled as I let my chin rest upon his shoulder. “Thank you for the ride.”

“Anytime,” He grinned.

“You know, we should actually do this more often.”

“We should, we don’t get out anymore,” He chuckled. “But I’d rather we do this when this whole thing blows over and I don’t have to worry as much.”

“Yea, but knowing me I’ll drag you out here on numerous occasions.”

He laughed. “Yea, I know you will.” I sighed contently as I relaxed into Jake’s shoulder. “Are you getting tired?”

“Just a bit,” I said softly.

“How are you getting tired, I’m the one doing the walking?” He inquired, a bit of an amused tone in there somewhere.

“Well, it’s more of a relaxed state than a tired one.” I explained.

“Okay, well, do you want to head back?”

“Just a bit longer out here,” He nodded and continued to walk in our random direction. Not even ten seconds later I stopped him. “Alright, I’m good, let’s go back.”

“You’re seriously weird,”

“Taking that as a compliment,”

“Fine with me,”

“Good,”

“Good.”

“Glad we’re in agreement,”

“So am I,”

“Well I guess there’s no more to discuss, is there,”

“Guess not,”

“Then why are we continuing to talk like this?”

“I don’t know,” He laughed and then dropped me on the floor.

“Ow, you suck,”

“You don’t want to say that,”

I stuck out my tongue. “Too late, already did. Now help me up.”

“Nope,” With that he began to walk back home.

“C’mon Jake, you know I didn’t mean it!”

“How do I know that?” He shouted back.

I stayed silent and chuckled. “I love you!”

“Not getting to me by that,” I could tell that he was now a good few yards away from the way his voice sounded faint.

I looked around and smiled before I screamed loudly. Not even five seconds passed before he was panting by my side.

“What… happened?”

“Spider?” I then extended my arms out for him to take with a smile.

He gave me a small glare before rolling his eyes and then walking back… leaving me still on the ground.

I sighed—that was a really stupid move on my part… very, very, very stupid.

I heard a twig snap and I smiled. He was trying to scare me back…!

“I know that you’re there Jacob, don’t try to scare me.” I laughed.

“Sorry to disappoint,” A melodic and unfamiliar voice called. “But I’m not your Jacob.”

My head snapped up to see a woman on a tree branch that was at least 20 feet in the air. She jumped down and I got a better view of her. She had curly, fiery red hair, along with plump and full red lips and vibrant, crimson eyes, which contrasted greatly with her porcelain-like skin. She wore regular, dark denim jeans and a tight, light blue shirt, with a green coat draped over her. She took a step forward and her flesh glittered wildly as a stream of rare sunlight met her.

My heart thumped quickly in my chest and it felt like it would just stop at any given moment. She noticed my new tense emotions and smirked contently.

“So you know what I am, well, we can’t have that.” She spoke, her voice sounded like chimes that continued to draw me in. “My name’s Victoria, and yours?”

“Sorry, not supposed to talk to strangers,” I replied and quickly got up from the floor and began to back away.

“Everyone’s strangers at first, besides, you know my name, so technically we’re not strangers anymore.” She smiled.

“Don’t count on it,” I turned around and began to race in the direction that Jacob went. “Jacob!” I yelled.

Victoria landed in front of me and shook her head in disapproval of my actions. “Don’t ruin the fun. The mutts already patrol this area, don’t be a fun sucker.” She chuckled.

“Jaco—!”

She covered my mouth with her hand forcefully, the impact sending me onto my back, and frowned. “How sad…” She began, and her fingers clamped down harder, her nails slowly digging into my cheeks, she brought a finger to her mouth and licked the small bit of blood off it. “Oh well, at least you taste great.”

Jake’s familiar coat of fur burst out of the brush and tackled Victoria off of me. It sent her flying into the trunk of a tree.

She hissed angrily and flew at him, clawing at him at him violently. I got up from the ground and began to slowly walk away from the fight.

Jake sent her into another tree and looked at me, hurt in his eyes. He barked and I knew he wanted me to start running back to Emily’s and with a quick nod I turned around and began to dart home.

After running non-stop for at least five minutes, I burst into the house and attracted everyone’s eyes immediately. They scrunched up their noses and I knew that they could smell the vampire’s stench on me. “Jake’s fighting a vampire, he needs help.” I panted.

Without another second they all went hurtling out the door and into the woods, shifting almost immediately as they reached the tree line.

Emily sat me down on the couch and noticed my scratch. She got up and got the first aid kit and sat down next to me. She applied some disinfectant and put on a bandage on it.

“What happened?”

I sighed and shook my head as I stared at the floor. “I was stupid… utterly stupid and childish. I was getting a piggyback from Jake and he dropped me on purpose and acted like he was mad at me. I screamed trying to get him come back for me once and he thought that I was in trouble so he was all angry when he found out I wasn’t. Then a vampire named Victoria came along and she attacked me. I screamed for real this time and he didn’t come the first time, but then I screamed again and she had already given me this when he got there. I stood there like an idiot and waited for him to tell me to come back here.” I breathed in shakily. “I’m such an idiot it’s incredible. I shouldn’t be joking around like that, especially when all of this… this crap is going on.”

She rubbed my back. “I have to agree with you—not on the idiot part—but I don’t think you should be joking around like that. It’s not safe right now.” She said.

“I just wish that all this didn’t have to happen. If it wasn’t for me none of this would be happening, everyone would be fine, and no one would be hurting.” I put my head in my hands and could feel a lump in the back of my throat. “It’s my fault that this is happening and I’m absolutely powerless to do anything about it.”

“Jade, you’re not at fault for this—any of it, and don’t even start with the whole ‘self-pity’ thing because frankly, it just doesn’t work for you.” She laughed. “Listen, the pack does this anyways, whether you’re involved or not. The fact that you are makes them want to take this more seriously. They care for you Jade; they don’t care what happens, they just want you to be safe.”

“I get that Emily, I just feel like I should be doing something for them!” I shouted and stood up quickly.

She chuckled to herself. “You want to do something for them?”

“Yes!”

“Help me make dinner, come on,” she then ushered me into the kitchen and I went along with her, not wanting to create an even bigger problem than I already had.

-{}-

The guys hadn’t come home yet, it was already five in the afternoon, and the whole incident happened at 12 o’clock. Surely Victoria wasn’t this good a fighter, besides, a pack of werewolves against one vampire—numbers were definitely not on her side.

The door opened and then they all walked in. I was in Jacob’s arms almost immediately as he hugged me tightly.

“She got away,” He muttered, very annoyed at the fact. “I’m sorry, I should’ve gotten to you earlier.”

“It’s my fault; I shouldn’t have been so stupid as to scream the first time. I’m sorry, and don’t even think of telling me it’s not my fault.” I replied.

“Maybe, but I shouldn’t have left you in the first place.”

“I shouldn’t have suggested going out in the first place. You said it was dangerous.”

“I shouldn’t have—”

“Okay, okay! We get it!” Paul yelled in annoyance. “Why don’t you just agree that it was equally your guys’ faults?!”

Jacob shot Paul a glare and rolled his eyes. He kissed my temple and hugged me tightly. “I’m just glad you’re alright.”

“Me too,” I agreed. “Who was she though?”

“Her name’s Victoria, she’s been after Bella Swan, Edward’s girl, for a while now. Ever since Edward and his leech family killed her mate a few years ago.” Paul explained.

“She wandered onto our lands for someone to eat, saw you, and tried for it.” Sam added, I felt Jacob tremble with anger and I kissed his hand soothingly, trying to calm him back down, which helped just a bit. “Once she saw that Jacob was with you, I doubt she’ll be back here. She’s too much of a coward.”

“It turns out that she’s been creating an army of newborns and is going to go head on with the Cullens to kill Bella.” Jared explained.

“So what’s going to happen with the Cullens?” I questioned.

Jacob sighed. “We’ve decided to make a temporary truce with them for now. They’re going to… teach us how to kill newborns and we’ll help them fight against the army when the day comes.” I could tell by his tone he was more than reluctant to do what vampires suggested, but he had to I guess.

“If you’re so reluctant to do this… then why are you?” I asked him.

“Bella’s an old flame of his,” Paul laughed. Jacob glared maliciously at him and growled lowly.

“Shut your damn mouth, Paul,” He seethed, and then turned to me. “She’s a friend and I don’t want her to be a snack for a bunch of leeches.”

I nodded my head in understanding, but couldn’t help myself become a bit concerned about Bella. I had never met her during my trips over to the Cullens’ home when I was hurt, and this caused me to become more intrigued by this girl.

Jealous… that’s what I was—jealous. Jealous when I know that I have absolutely nothing to worry about, when I know that Jacob completely loves me and would risk his life for me.

But I couldn’t help it…

How in love was Jacob with Bella Swan?

How much love does Jacob still have for his old flame…?