What Hurts the Most

I paced my room in my sparkling, red gown, thinking, more like worrying, about whether he was coming or not. Jacob hadn't come back to my room that night. He hadn't come back to my room ANY night. I was really worried. It had been about a month since that memorable motorcycle ride and Jake hadn't come back to school. It was Friday night: the Valentine's Day dance and as far as I knew, Jacob was still my date. I nervously glanced at my alarm clock and swallowed as it read 5:50. The dance started in ten minutes. Where was Jacob? I eventually sighed and trudged down my stairs to where my parents were playing Trouble.

"Ha!" My mother exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "King me!"

"Honey, wrong game," My dad informed her with a smile. His smiled disappeared when he saw the frown on my face. "He didn't show, huh?"

"No," I answered, dejected.

"Want me to drive you?" He offered, beginning to stand up. I shook my head, my curls bouncing around.

"Save me the embarrass-" I was cut off when there was a sudden knock on the door. I opened the door with my eyebrows furrowed. Jacob was standing there in a dark red, almost maroon, dress shirt tucked into black dress pants. He wasn't wearing a tie, so his collar was hanging loosely. He sleeked his hair back into a short, tight ponytail. I stared at him for a minute, dumbfounded, as he stared back with a smile.

"Um, you ready to go?" He asked uncertainly. I noticed he had a small, clear box in his hands with a white rose lying gently against some red ribbon. A smile suddenly jumped onto my face as I jumped up and hugged him. His musky smell wafted into my nose. I felt so relieved to see him here.

"Come on!" I shouted a little too loudly. "Let's go! We don't want to be late." I skipped over to Jake's bike and almost tripped in my heels. Jacob grabbed me in the nick of time.

"Whoa there!" he chuckled. "Be careful! What's got you all excited?"

"I was afraid you weren't going to come!" I said with a smile still plastered onto my face. "I was so relieved to see you standing there my doorway! I mean, I was so worried when you dropped me off-" I stopped blabbering because I remembered that I was mad at him. I shut my mouth and the smile was gone.

"What?" Jake asked worriedly.

"Where did you go?" I questioned him angrily. "That was the second time you left me without a clue! You made me so worried! And look, you've got some more scratches and bruises on your arms! Can you for once tell me what's going on with you?" He sighed and rubbed his face in his hands.

"Hop on," He commanded, pointing at his bike, and I obeyed. "I'll explain when we get to the school."

"Promise?"

"Yes," He said, rolling his eyes. And with that, he revved up the engine and we tore down the road. It took us a few minutes to get to my high school, and everyone was already inside. We gave the teachers our tickets and headed towards the gym. Jacob wound his arm around me, and I pulled it off. He looked at me.

"Hey, my guilt trip is done now," I told him, cocking my eyebrow. "And you've got some questions you have yet to answer."

"I guess it is time, then," He said with a sigh. Jake pursed his lips and was thoughtful for a few seconds. He then grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor.

"What has been after you?" I whispered to him, hoping no one was listening. A slow song came on and Jacob pulled my arms around his neck and wrapped his around my waist.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," He said sourly.

"Try me," I said and he sighed.

"It was a-" he started, but couldn't finish his sentence. The gym doors burst open and a very handsome man walked into the room. He was tall, with short, golden-brown hair that was spiked up at the top. He had amazing golden eyes. The man began gazing around the room until he spotted us. His nose scrunched up as he saw Jake. Jake had stiffened as soon as the doors burst open. The whole gym was silent, except for the soft music playing in the background. Jake pushed me behind him, but I didn't want to move. His eyes had me entranced. He was so...handsome. Suddenly, in a flash, he was at the microphone by the DJ.

"I want the wolf outside," his velvet voice spoke, and all the girls sighed. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought he was handsome, and then I gasped. Was he talking about Jacob? How did he know? I could hear a small growling coming from inside of Jake's throat. As suddenly as he had come, the man was gone. All of the students had returned to their inappropriate dancing. Jake looked at me worriedly.

"I-I've gotta go, Nat," He said shakily. I could tell he was really scared.

"Where? And who was that?" I demanded to know. If he was scared, that wasn't a good sign.

"I'll explain-"

"No you will NOT explain later!" I shouted at him. "You will explain NOW!" He growled at me and rolled his eyes.

"You're so stubborn!" he yelled at me. "I need to go outside and take care of this guy. Then I will come back and explain things to you."

"Then I'm coming with you!"

"No you're not!"

"Yes I am! How do I know you're going to come back?" I asked angrily. He put his hands on my shoulders.

"I always do."

"You can't dissuade me! I'm coming no matter what you say to me!" I told him. "Even if you leave without me, I will follow you."

"Fine!" He shouted, exasperated. "But if you get killed, you can blame yourself."

"Why would I get killed?"

"This guy is dangerous." He murmured under his breath. Then he took my hand and took me outside. Jake sniffed the air.

"He's farther out. In that field over there," he said, pointing to it.

"Who is he?" I asked again, pulling my dress up as we walked along.

"His name is Tristan Batten," He informed me. "He's the one that's been after me. He knows I'm a werewolf and wants to kill me."

"But, why?" I urged. "What have you ever done to him?"

"We're enemies."

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"I can't tell you," he growled. "But I have a feeling you're about to find out." Jake stopped and sniffed the air once again, but this time an alarmed look came onto his face. "Dammit!" he cursed. "I should've never have brought you!"

"Why?"

"There's more than one." He whispered it, so I almost didn't catch what he said. I was about to ask him another question when it was answered for me. In a flash, we were circled by about 10 people. They all looked wild, and untamed, and ready to pounce on us at any second. Jacob wrapped his arm around my waist and held me in an iron-tight grip. One of them lashed out and Jake exploded into rust-colored fur, tearing his dress clothes to shreds. I blinked, and suddenly I wasn't near Jacob anymore. The man from before, Tristan, had his arms on my shoulders and was starring intently at me. My heart pounded and my eyes grew wide. What was he going to do to me? From behind me in the circle, there was a mighty growl. Tristan laughed at Jake.

"Attack," He commanded to the others. What did he mean by attack? I turned around and, faster than lightning, they were all pouncing and scratching at Jake. I screamed in terror, but was soon gagged by Tristan's hand.

"You smell amazing," His velvet voice said dreamily. "I want so badly to drink you right now. It is very hard to resist." What did he mean by bite me? I ripped and tore at his hands, but he wouldn't budge. He was just as strong as Jacob was. Tears began leaking down my face and onto his hand.

"Why are you crying?" Tristan asked lazily. He leaned in close to my ear. "Do you love this mongrel?" He let go of my mouth and I turned and begged him to stop.

"Please!" I screamed at him. "Let him go! I'll do anything!" My begging seemed to amuse him. His eyes began to laugh at me.

"Anything, eh?" he repeated with a devious smile. It made my skin crawl.

"I could use you in the future, you are quite lovely," He mused. "If I ever get hungry...or lonely." Jake began snarling at the vampires. Even he was not strong enough to hold them back. I started to pound on Tristan's stomach, but it was like hitting iron.

"P-please!" I stuttered, starting to slide to the cold ground. "Let him go!" This time he didn't look amused, but pained. Tristan swallowed and snapped his fingers. The beasts immediately stopped attacking Jacob. Jake was panting, and I could tell he wouldn't be able to stay standing for very long.

"Listen here, mongrel," Tristan began, stepping around me and towards Jake. "I will leave her in your care. But when I return for her company, you will give her to me." Jake's answer was an ear-splitting roar. I covered my ears to muffle the sound. Tristan only laughed.

"Very well then," He continued. "I'll take her by force, then. See you soon, lovely." Tristan turned and smiled innocently at me. I was tempted to spit at him. Tristan snapped his fingers again, and in a second they were all gone. I slowly stood up, making sure he was really gone. Jake collapsed to the ground and I ran to his aid.

"Jake!" I yelled, trying to lift him from the ground. "Jake! Who were they? What were they?" Jake continued to pant at an alarming rate. I held up what was left of his pants; about half of the upper area, so they were still usable.

"I'll turn around so you could transform," I told him quietly, tears threatening to burst again. I didn't face him again until I heard his normal, human breathing. I wanted to badly to fall into his arms, for him to hold me and comfort me, but I could see he was in too much pain. The tears burst from me, and I began to sob into my hands.

"Don't, don't c-cry!" He managed to say threw his mighty pants. "I'll be o-o-ok. Trust me! As I've told you before, it was a werewolf thing."

"J-Jake? Who were they?" I asked through my hands, not wanting to look at the bad condition he was in.

"They w-were vamp-pa-pires."

"Vampires? Don't be ridiculous!" I scoffed at the thought. But it would explain why he wanted to bite me.

"Hey, I am a werewolf! I'm su-sure it's p-possible for vampires to exist," Jake panted. "For a long time, vampires and werewolves have been sworn enemies." He began to lie up, but I pushed him back down. "Oh, I'm fine!" he reassured me. I was a little reluctant, but his breathing was normal again. "That Tristan guy's been trying to kill me for weeks. I couldn't very well be around you when he was hunting me down. He was never successful." He seemed very smug about telling me this information. "But I couldn't stand being away from you," Jacob continued. "I had to come to the dance with you. I knew you would be mad at me if I didn't show. Anyways, Tristan came back with reinforcements, apparently. And now he's got his sights set on you. I could see it in his eyes. I should have never brought you out here..." Jake trailed off.

"Now what're we going to do? Wait till he attacks you again?"

"More like when he attacks US." He corrected me. "Like I said, he wants you now. Damn it all!"

"But, why me?" I asked nervously. What was so special about me?

"I'm guessing he likes the smell of your blood," Jake grumbled.

"But I'm not-"

"You don't have to be," He cut mr off. "Like werewolves, leeches have super noses, too."

"Leeches?" I questioned, not understanding.
"The vampires," he clarified. Jake stood up and stretched, as if he had never been touched.

"You're, you're all right?" I asked, amazed. He rolled his eyes and laughed at me.

"I told you!" he yelled. "It will take more than a dozen vampires to take me down." I grabbed hold of him around his stomach, never wanting to let go.

"You had me so scared!" I chastised him. He chuckled.

"It's ok. I'll be ok."

"But what if they come back? What if they hurt my family?" I questioned worriedly. Jake was thoughtful for a second, and then looked down at me confidently.

"I need to get you out of here." He informed.

"I agree," I said, with a sigh of relief. "Let's go to my house where we can get cleaned up." I turned to leave but he grabbed my wrists.

"No, I mean out of Illinois," he said, very seriously. I laughed, thinking he was joking, but judging by the look in his eyes, he wasn't.

"I can't just...leave!" I shouted. "I have a family! School! Friends!"

"But you need protection," he pointed out. "And I know just the place to take you, where you will be more than just protected."

"Where?" I asked, and he smiled at me.

"La Push, Washington."