The Only Exception

“No, that is my bacon!” Was the first thing I heard when I woke up. Luckily, I wasn’t in the same room as the boys, or I’d probably had jumped five feet high from how loud they yelled. But luckily, I was held down by a firm, yet soft warm arm.

I smiled to myself as I looked down to see Jacob’s arm wrapped around my waist. At least he’d carried be to the guestroom bed and slept with me.

But then instantly I remembered what happened the past night, and my heart began to accelerate. It wasn’t just a rapid speed that my heart had, it was much more than that. Like my heart knew what I was about to re-discover.

It was now two in the morning and the guys still weren’t back from patrolling. I’d been keeping myself up with Sam’s energy drinks, and right now I was at number four. I tended to get a little jumpy when I heard a noise – but most of the noises were Seth snoring on the couch, Leah turning pages in something I couldn’t recognize, and Emily, still cooking.

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair, I couldn’t just sit here and wait any longer. I just wanted to get up and go find Jacob. And that would have worked if I hadn’t gotten up so fast and fell back down – the energy drinks were getting to me.

Emily had come to ask if I was alright, I nodded and gave her a smile. It wasn’t too long after when I was knocked out, strongly from the force of energy.

I knew I was dreaming. I just knew it. Nothing like this could happen, could it? I shook my head, of course not.

My eyes wandered around the room I was in, it was Emily’s living room. I heard the clatters of dishes and again, a snoring Seth. This wasn’t a dream, I’d concluded. This was just happening, again. I released a small sigh and sat myself up on to the couch.

I looked over at Leah, who was asleep on the other couch. I grumbled lowly, she was lucky to get sleep – I couldn’t, at all.

I would shut my eyes and wait for myself to fall into the black hole. But it never came; nothing ever happened. I was still awake. My nerves had gotten to me, taken control and now I had to just sit here and wait.

But then out of nowhere, a loud, piercing, painful howl was cast from outside, and not even two seconds into the reaction, I was up and running out the door. I ran into the woods, yelling Jacob’s name. I needed to find him, that howl could have been his. And even if it wasn’t, I had a perfect excuse to go and find him.

I could have smiled, even laughed when I saw Jacob’s russet fur reflect off of the light of the moon. The irony in that had me in a humorous thought. But what took me out of it, literally knocked the wind out of my chest.

I groaned and I grasped at the ground. It was all so sudden, I didn’t even know how I’d ended up on the ground. Leaning up against a tree I looked around for Jacob – and I couldn’t find him.

My heart began to race as the darkness blinded me fully – except for the little light I was getting from the moon.

After getting up – wincing in the progress, I heard a small hiss, and then a snarl. And right in front of my eyes were two beautiful, yet hideous people, snarling away at me. I flinched as the one came closer to me. I turned my head to the side, thinking that this could help in some way.

“You smell nice, yes?” The one with dark wavy asked. I looked into his eyes and gasped, his eyes were crimson red.

He cocked his head to the side and smirked at my expression. The other, who was currently behind the other, looked at me and licked his lips.

“I can’t stand not feeding into this human,” the blonde one said. With their insane speed, they were both on me, smelling me hair, my skin, my neck. They were vampires, and I suddenly realized I was done for.

The dark – haired vampire was hasty, and didn’t waste his time when his sunk his teeth into my neck. They were razor sharp, even sharper if that was the case. I screamed, a loud piercing shriek escaping my mouth.

I could feel the blood deserting my body, and I began to shutter. No one was coming for me, but as long as they had their way with me, would the ones who I loved be alright?

Again, I screamed, tears rolling down my face and they yanked on me, they wanted it all. And as if this would be the last scream that I could produce, it was. My voice yelled out the loudest, most painful sound I had ever heard escape my mouth.

I shuttered once more.

“Braylin, Braylin wake up! It’s just a dream, wake up Bray!” I was shaking, I could feel it. I was covered in a cold sweat, and I couldn’t breathe. I felt my chest heave in and out, I gasped for air, my eyes still closed. The instant a warm hand was placed on my cheek, I began to settle down, and my breathing became normal again.

“Bray, open your eyes for me, please?” He whispered. His voice sounded frantic, vulnerable. I could disobey his request.

He sighed in relief once my eyes had slowly opened. I was still shaking from the nightmare, and now with the coldness, I was shivering.

“J-Jake.” I whispered. Grabbing onto him he lifted me up and carried me into the guest room. I didn’t even think of the others at this time. I just needed Jacob.

“Shh,” He calmed me after setting me down in the bed. Even with covers I was still cold, shivering in fear and temperature.

“St – stay with me, Jake.” I begged quietly. He nodded without hesitation and crawled into the bed. He laid beside me, us pulling each other together. I couldn’t have him even a millimeter apart, I’d go crazy.

Still shaking and sucking in breaths of air, Jacob began to whisper sweet words into my ear as his left hand traced circles and all different shapes on the bare skin of my back. Being in his presence did so much for me. And I’d finally been able to sleep.

I chewed on my bottom lip, wincing from the nightmare last night, and then the reality of Jacob saving me at such a weak point in.

I began to move around, shifting my body so I was facing Jacob’s sleeping form. The way he looked when he slept – it broke my heart. He looked so weak, so vulnerable. The way his eyes closed tightly, and then loosened up after his reaction in a dream.

I loved the way his lips hung, pursed when caught in his dreams, and then back to the way it was before. He had such a child’s face, that just by the look at that, my heart was crumbling into tiny, invisible pieces.

It made me feel like the weak one in this situation. He looked the part while I was the one feeling it, witnessing it, enduring it. My mind began to go full throttle over this thought, the small, pointless worries trembling into one whole.

I snapped my eyes shut, figuring that this would make those thoughts disappear. I didn’t help in the least, but thankfully, it was Jacob’s warm hand that caught my face, that omitted the overpowering reflections.

I slowly opened my eyes, my light brown orbs instantly faltering into his dark, chocolate brown ones. A smell began to make its way to his face at the same mine had. It was like a mirror, almost.

Jacob sighed, his thumb making circles on my cheek. I could have stayed like this forever with him – truly I could; if things weren’t so convoluted.

“Good morning,” I whispered, immediately regretting speaking from hearing the sound of my strained voice.

Jacob chuckled and reached over to my face, kissing my nose before pulling back to gaze. “Good morning to you, Bray.”

I grimaced at his greeting; something seemed wrong, felt off. “Are you alright, Jake?” I asked, hiding my small smile from the use of his preferred name. Of course, I’d only call him that to him, his face.

Jacob’s long, tan arms reached over for me and pulled me into his heated chest. My ear lay against his torso, and I listened to the sound of his heart beating.

I felt his lips kiss the top of my head, “What exactly happened last night, Braylin?” I sighed; I didn’t have an answer for him. At least, not a logical one. I couldn’t just say, ’Oh, well last night I had a nightmare that included me and vampires feasting on my human flesh and blood.’ No, that’s not how things worked.

I shrugged, and right after that Jacob sighed – he knew I wouldn’t explain everything. He’d asked me again after a minute or two of silence – except the noises coming from the living room; thanks to Embry and Quil for making a show.

“Braylin, please –“

“It’s nothing, Jake; you don’t have to worry about anything. It was just a dream.” I peered up at Jacob’s face and gave him my best fake smile.

“You know you can tell me anything, Braylin.” He whispered closely to my ear. My spine was attacked by shivers and my arms were filled with goose bumps.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, I had alternatives; I could tell him what the hell happened last night, and risk looking insane, or I could just lie and say it was nothing. The second choice sounded a lot reasonable.

Grabbing Jacob’s hand I began to play with it, trying to get my mind and hopefully his, off of this topic. But it didn’t work; Jacob had pulled his hand away and placed it under my chin – I was now forced to look at him, straight in the eye.

“It was just a bad dream, Jake.” I sighed. “About my father.” I choked out the last bit, my heart dropped into my stomach, it just had to. I didn’t like this lie, especially a lie about something that was already covered and something that I’d been approving to get over.

Jacob tensed at my answer, his teeth dug into his bottom lip and soon he would be shaking, I knew him too well. But when I placed my hand on his cheek and looked deeply into his eyes, he’d calmed down, he was okay, relaxed.

“He’s gone now, Bray; don’t think about it.” Was all he said before he pulled me into an infamous kiss of his. It was breathtaking, I could definitely say.

His warm lips left tingles on mine as his lips moved to my jaw, and down to my collar bone. He’d almost made it to my sweet spot when I stopped him, pushing him away slowly with my hands on his chest.

“I can’t, Jake.” I exhaled. He smiled, which surprised me greatly; kissed my forehead and crawled out of bed.

“I’m going to get something to eat, you hungry?” He turned as he opened the door. I shook my head, and looked over at him. “Alright, I’ll be back after I’m done.” He turned back once again and looked at me with adoration in his eyes, “Hey Bray – I love you.” His smile and those three words stayed in the room after he left.

Now realizing it, I’d never gotten a chance to tell him that I loved him, too.

But maybe I’m not supposed to say it. Maybe this whole destiny thing isn’t lasting. Maybe there isn’t an exception for the two of us, and maybe I’d have to re-think this whole thing.