Better Than Revenge

One week later...

Jacob's POV:

I set the kickstand to my bike and saw everyone standing around. I thought I was late.

"Where the hell is he?" Embry jumped at me.

I scanned the large group and found Paul pacing back and forth, ready to go. There was only one other 'he' that was missing, and I was responsible for him. "Seth's not here yet?"

"You told him three o'clock, right?" Quil asked.

"Yeah."

"In the afternoon?"

I turned to Jared sarcastically.. "No, I said be here 3am sharp, or else he loses by forfeit."

"Well, no wonder he isn't here!" Jared cannot detect sarsasm very well. It was ignored.

"Jake, you were supposed to get him here." Paul said.

"He said he would meet me here!" I insisted. "I just talked to him ten minutes ago!"

"What was he doing?"

I knew exactly what he was doing, and if I told them, they would yell at me for leaving him there. Turns out, I didn't need to say anything.

"You're going to get him!" Paul pointed at me.

"I always do it! He doesn't listen to me anymore. Why don't you go?"

"And waste my energy? It's the last fight, Jacob. No way am I letting him tie." 

I rolled my eyes. This stupid bet between the two was fun at first, but now it's just ridiculous. "Fine. This is the last time I'm doing it."

Nobody argued with me.

"Hurry up. I got things to do." Paul spat.

I kicked the stand on my bike and started the motor. I wonder if they rent out the Jaws of Life for breaking apart a pair of lovesick imprints.

. . . . . . . .

Val's POV: 

I imagined my lips would be swollen from kissing so much, but I didn't care. We haven't stopped kissing for almost a week now, probably to catch up with all that kissing we missed out on. Either way, we kissed alot. And I loved it.

Sometimes Seth would tickle me between my ribs in the middle of kissing, and I would laugh uncontrollably because that's my insanely ticklish spot. I thought it ruined everything, because I couldn't keep a straight face long enough to kiss him back, but Seth said he likes to hear me laugh.

Other times, the kissing would become a bit heated. This was usually after I'd make a comment about his cuteness. On accident, of course.

I knew a tickle kiss was coming, because Seth's lips pulled into a smile. I braced myself by guarding my ribcage, but he lifted my arms back over his shoulder and around his neck.

The front door almost ripped from the hinges as it flew open. I jumped, but Seth held me closer.

"Seth, you said you were coming now!" Jacob shouted. He seemed very angry, but Seth continued to kiss me. "Thanks to you, I'm public enemy number one."

"Right now?" He whined against my skin. 

"Yes, right now."

Finally, Seth groaned and dropped his lips from mine. "I gotta go." He mumbled. "I love you."

I brushed his hair behind his ear and kissed his cheek. "Love you, too."

He kissed me again, but Jacob yanked on his shirt. They were gone that fast.

I giggled to myself and spun in circles, like I always do after he tells me those wonderful three words.

My lips weren't swollen, now that I got the chance to feel them. I went to my room to find chapstick anyway. After that, I didn't know what to do with myself.

I tried calling Emily, but she didn't answer. I wondered where Seth and Jacob were going. Maybe it was a Sam thing.

Oh my god. It was the bet, wasn't it?

I stumbled over one of my shoes to get my jacket and raced out the door.

By the time I got to the cliffs the pair of wolves were stalking eachother in a circle. Seth was smaller than Paul, but he definitely got bigger since the last time I saw him as a wolf.

I saw Emily and all the wolf boys spectating the fight like it was a sporting event. Embry was even sharing a bag of chips with everyone.

I folded my arms across my chest and approached them. I'd never actually watched this bet take place, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was the final fight, and Paul was winning by one. If Seth won, who knows what the tie breaker would be.

Sam spotted me first, hooking his arm around my shoulder. "You got here just in time."

I huffed. They all know I don't approve of this.

"Come on, Val. It's the least you can do since you distracted half of the bet all afternoon." Jared winked at me. He's one to talk.

I blushed, even though I kept a straight face. "If either of them gets hurt-"

"He'll heal in 20 minutes." Embry finished for me.

Paul's massive silver shoulders rolled as he prepared to strike. Seth jumped back and forth, prepared to dodge him.

An unlucky glance in my direction caused him to become distracted. Again.

I winced as Paul leapt forward and head-butted Seth's chest, sending him back first into a pine tree.

"PAUL!" I shouted unintentionally.

Everyone smirked at me, except for Emily. But she didn't say much, just chewing on her lip nervously.

Paul barked a laugh.

Seth rose slowly to his feet, shaking out his sandy fur. He struck a bite across Paul's neck, causing him to growl. Paul rolled to his side to try and crush Seth underneath, but Seth skipped out of the way. 

"I can't watch this." I shook my head.

Just as I turned away, a series of cheers erupted. I jerked my head back to find Paul's back leg scrambling to find the edge of the cliff, after it managed to slip off.

Seth was lowered on all fours, a deep rumble in his throat as he watched his target. He couldn't see the teasing glimmer in Paul's eye.

I saw it coming. "Seth, wait!"

He was already barreling to the cliff. Paul waited until the last second to drift weightlessly in the air, and allowed that silly gold puppy to barrel right off the cliff.

Embry and Jared were the only ones betting on Paul. They pranced over to the cocky wolf and cheered. Jacob had his arms folded in disapproval, the same way I did. Quil only bet on Seth to cancel out Embry, and Sam and Emily were neutral. 

I tiptoed close to the edge and found my wolf boy sulking out of the water and onto the beach. I just sighed.

After a few minutes, Paul came down from his winning high and was able to phase back. The only mark was left around his neck where Seth nipped at him. 

"You know, Seth could have beat me if you didn't show up. He was thinking about you the whole time." Paul fake punched my shoulder.

Embry and Jared aww-ed at me. I resisted the urge to hit them.

"At least he has somebody to think about." I teased with a smirk.

That comment granted some oohs.

Jacob opened his palm. "Five bucks on Valerie."

"Sold." Embry and Jared both slapped cash in his hand. Then they proceeded to lift me onto their shoulders, one leg over each.

I yelped when I almost lost my balance, grabbing handfuls of their hair. Paul's victory was short lived. I grinned, proud of my work. Seth owed me.

He finally made it back up to the cliff, dragging his feet with his head down and his hands in his pockets. He heard them chanting my name and lifted his head.

I pat the top of their heads to let me down. They saw my reason and skipped away.

"Come get your imprint, Seth. She's worth a solid fifteen bucks."

Seth smiled, playing along. "Only fifteen?"

"Fifteen more than Paul." Sam chuckled.

Paul stayed silent. It was unheard of. It kind of made me feel bad.

"Did I hurt your feelings?" I asked him.

He grunted.

"I'm sorry." I stuck out my lip.

I watched Paul's frown flip. "I'm not!" He laughed with belly laughs.

Embry and Jared set me down, whining like babies. "What the hell, Val? You had it in the bag."

I shrugged, not really caring so much. I hurried over to Seth.

"You're okay?" I cupped his warm cheek in my hand.

"I'm fine." He blew it off.

I wanted to kiss him, but I knew if I did  it would turn into sonething of PDA, which we both weren't too comfortable with.

I knew my mom wouldn't be home until six. I drew my fingers down his arm, ending at his hand. "Do you wanna come back to my house?"

His eyes lit up and he nodded.

We waved goodbye to everyone and hurried out of there before we could be harrassed. I felt a tickle in my stomach that was from the anticipation of being alone with Seth in my empty house.

When we got to my car, my fingers shook as I tried to get the keys in the ignition. Seth chuckled, running his hand through his hair. The dampness caused it to stick up in some places. I didn't know if I could make it home in one piece.