The Only Exception

Jacob’s POV.

I didn’t want to leave her there. I knew she wouldn’t be alone, but the vulnerable look on her face and the way she grasped onto her arms and legs for dear life, my heart itself was beginning to tear into pieces. When she grabbed onto me like it was the last time she’d see me, I could do nothing but hold her and reassure her in whispers, that everything was going to be okay. I could tell that Braylin was trying to hold herself together. She was stiff and I could hear it in her chest and in her throb, the sounds of sobs wanting to be released. But she wouldn’t crack when I was around.

That kiss between us, that last kiss, it was perfect in so many ways. I could kiss her for hours; even days and nothing would change in the worst of ways. Her pale pink lips – which were the most soft and soothing I’d ever felt, left tingles and such other feelings dance on my lips.

Braylin’s small fragile body fit perfect in my arms, and didn’t want to leave and go fight even if it meant risking everyone’s life. I was selfish when it came to Braylin. She was the only thing that mattered most to me now. I sorrowed having to let go of her and leave her essentially alone. It killed me inside to know that I was walking away, all just to fight off these filthy bloodsuckers. And when I finally left, that tingly feeling still on my lips, and her soft touch still dancing on my skin, I could feel it, the pain within each step that I took, slicing me in ways that I could hardly handle.

I hated having to be capable of hearing things within the farthest range. So only walking into the forest and hearing her sobs and cries, only made it harder for me. I could feel the tears slide down my cheeks; I slapped them away before anyone could see it.

The other guys and their imprints – the ones that had imprinted, at least, understood what I was going through, though. When we all had our first fight with a small clan just around the first time that we’d all phased and some had imprinted, it was all the same. But in this case, there was an exception for Braylin to cry and feel this pain. She’d endured so much throughout her life, and no one else could say they know how she felt because no one else had a sickly twisted father who beat her to a pulp and blamed her for her mother’s death.

I took another look behind me, I could still hear Braylin’s cries, but now Emily was soothing her, I was thankful for that, at the very least. I sighed and pulled off my shorts before tying them around my ankle. Then I began in a jog and before I could counter, I was on for legs, I was able to sense things more effortlessly.

Sighing, I followed behind Sam while Paul was on my right and Embry and Quil followed on my left. ”Come on Jake, it’s going to be okay,” Embry whined and pushed me with his shoulder.

Letting out a snort of uncertainty I growled, ”You don’t know that, Embry. She’s in there crying over me and over this shitty world I’ve brought her into.” Embry sighed and said nothing further, ne knew I was right.

We’d arrived at the clearing just in time, and with instructions and my laziness to phase back, I let Bella climb onto my back and while she held on, I took the same route we’d taken before, all too trick the newborns. After coming back and letting Bella slide off of my back, Carlisle and Jasper began to explain about the newborns and how Alice was seeing everything so far. We agreed to keep a look out for each other all before we stared out into the opposite side of the clearing and waited.

~

A growl ripped deep within my throat as I dug my paws into the dirt and took a stance as a leech rammed into my side. Knocking him to the ground I growled again before grabbing his head in my mouth and biting down menacingly and ripping his head from his cold heartless body. Then I heard another growl, only it was different from a wolves’, so I snapped my head around and bared my teeth and growled before I surged forward and snatched the leech with my jaws and snapped his body in half.

I barely felt the icy blood on my teeth, nor did I have time to acknowledge it before I felt something hard slam onto my back, nails digging through my thick fur and into my skin. I tried to turn my head around, snapping my teeth furiously at the leech who held on for dear life, a threat in his eyes, but he stayed out of reach.

Weighing the pros and cons in my head of rolling around and crush the bastard to death, while still keeping him away from my throat, I suddenly felt his nails being dragged down my skin in a quick, harsh manor - a hurtful scream filled the air and drowned in the sound on others, but it wasn't mine. I turned to see a dark gray wolf snapping the leech - who had previously been on my back - to pieces with sickening cracks between his magnificent jaws.

Paul's sadistic laugh filled my head, and he flung the now dead leech into the nearest tree with a final crack of his bones. I couldn't help but smirk as I trotted over to Paul’s side. My eyes along with eyes searched for any other signs of leeches. The fight had been going on for a half an hour and the pack along with the Cullen’s had easily torn apart and burned the remains of the newborns. Their sickly sweet scent had been long gone when the fire burned and turned their bodies to ash.

The fight was over and I felt relieved, now I was able to get back home to Braylin, and things would be alright. But being as this is not the most perfect event to ever happen, things changed dramatically and everything took a turn for the worst.

”Leah, no – don’t!” I growled before charging over to where a hidden newborn had jumped out and began to fight with Leah. She snapped at him before he got his arms wrapped around her and within a second, a howl was pierced through the sky and it was easily heard when Leah’s bones cracked and popped. She fell down almost lifeless as the rest of the pack charged at the newborn and thankfully tore him apart.

After shifting back and pulling clothes back on, everyone ran over to Leah, who was lying naked in the grass, yelping and crying in pain. Carlisle ran over quickly and began to search for the worst of spots.

Carlisle sighed, “Her whole right side has been injured in some way or another. Take her to Emily’s and I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Sam nodded and with only himself, he lifted Leah off of the ground and began to run back to Emily’s.

Arriving shortly, I helped to check if Leah was okay. And when Emily came outside, running with blankets and towels, something didn’t feel right. Running past the others as they got Leah into the house, Seth stopped in front of me and panted for air before saying something I wish that he would have never said.

“She’s gone, Jacob. Braylin is gone!”