Act II
Chapter 12 ━━ Wolf's Out Of The Bag

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The twins enter, dripping wet. The blonde's head is too listless to close the door. Charlie's face falls when he sees the pain and lifelessness returned to his younger daughter. He grabs two blankets, wraps the twins in them. "Billy called, said you two and Jacob had a fight. But, hey, you guys will work it out, I'm sure of it."

"I'm… going to change." Not wanting to talk about this any further, the blonde heads upstairs.

Once again, Shelley finds herself tearing through the forest again to end up in the familiar meadow. But instead of the wolf, she finds her least favourite person standing there with a grin. She looks around to find Alpha. No sight of it. "Okay. Now Where's that wolf?"

"Does it even matter?" Jacob asks with a smirk.

"Yes, it does. This is my dream and I don't want you here."

"And yet I'm here. Aren't I?" 

"Is Alpha dead?" Shelley questions, remembering the previous dream which ended up as a nightmare. She shivers at the thought.

"Very alive." He replies. "He found his soulmate."

"But I saw him dying." She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"This is a dream, Shells. Anything can happen." He reminds.

"You're right." She says and begins to slap herself repeatedly. "Wake up. Wake up. Wake up." 

Jacob stops her, grabbing her hands into his worry filled face. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to wake up from this dream. I'm done being in it." She tries to release her hands out of his.

"Stop. You're hurting yourself."

"Why do you mind?"

"Because I care about you." 

"Care my ass." She huffs dramatically. "Tell me a way to get out of this fucking dream." 

"Is that what you want now?" He questions with a serious face.

"Yes." She nods.

Shelley tosses herself awake, slowly realising it was just a dream. Damn her dreams. She grabs the glass of water and gulps into it. She gets up and walks into the bathroom and closes the door behind her. 

Looking at herself from the mirror, she splashes water into her face until she feels some kind of relief. Her hands go to her lips, trying to recapture the kiss on her head.

Why the hell did she just dream about Jacob out of all people? Is she that obsessed over him? Why did he kiss her if he loves Bella? What the hell's wrong with her?

After the blonde is utterly satisfied, she moves to her room and slides into her bed. Taking a breath and releasing, she closes her eyes, trying to sleep. But then the blonde hears a screeching noise, making her wide open her eyes.

Noticing fingernails on her window. Shelley bolts upright, looking around for a weapon.

A relief fills in her as she hears Jacob whisper shouting. "Shells! Ouch - damn it. Open the window."

Shelley cautiously moves to her window to find Jacob, shirtless, clings to the top of a tree which bends with his weight. She opens the window, whisper-yelling back. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Get out of the way." He begins to swing his legs, increasing momentum. 

She realises what he's about to attempt and shake her head in disbelief. "No!"

He launches himself through the window with great agility and lands on the balls of his feet and her jaw hangs open, stunned. He freezes, listening for Charlie. Nothing. A bitter, self-satisfied grin spreads on his face and it clearly pisses her off to the edge. He takes in her room. "I pictured your room more… cluttered."

"Why are you here?" The blonde asks him, her hands on her hips.

"I had to talk to you. Alone." He shrugs.

"To kick me in the gut again? Or kiss me without even asking my permission? It was bad before, but you made it so much worse." 

"Don't tell me that you didn't enjoy it. I know you did." He says hinting about the kiss with a smirk. But then his face turns serious. "I'm here to explain. But… I can't. At least not yet."

"Then leave." She says, pointing at the window. But he stays put. She tries to push him but he's immovable. Solid rock. What did he eat for dinner? Rocks? "You're done with me, remember? Get. Out!"

"Shells, I literally can't explain right now." He reasons.

Shelley becomes aware of her hands on his bare skin and muscular chest. The intimacy of the touch. She pulls away, keeping her fair distance with him.

"I hurt you. But I'm trying to keep it up now. I need you to understand… even if you don't want to see me when you find out."

She raises an eyebrow. "Find what out?" 

He starts to speak but stops as it brings him some kind of fear.

"What's wrong?" She asks him with concern this time.

He shakes his head, not confident with whatever he's hiding in his head. "I can't do it." 

"Yes, you can." She encourages him. But then something pops in her mind, worrying her about him. "Are they forcing you into something… bad? I'll tell Charlie to get them. I'll help you. We can… we can leave. Leave home, leave Sam."

"It's not something I can run away from." Jacob shakes his head, then looks at her. "I would run with you though. If I could." Suddenly, his face lifts up with realisation. "Wait. Wait, they already told you. Embry and Quil. You know this. You can guess."

She huffs. "I don't want to play games with you."

"You have to! I can't tell you, but if you remember it was that day I ran into you and Bella at the beach. Embry and Quil told you a story-come on! They told you a story."

"How the hell do you know what I talked about with them?" She glares at him.

"I asked them. Now focus on the point here." He says. "The story they told you… about?"

"…about… The Cold Ones? They said it was a stupid tribal myth."

"Was it? Are the Cold Ones a myth?" He asks pointedly and she decides to stay quiet without answering. "What else did they say?"

"That… the tribe made a treaty with them. They can't come onto your land and… I don't know, I don't remember." She states.

"Try, Shelley." He whines at how clueless she is.

"You have to give me more. Tell me where to look. Is there something I should see?"

"No, that's too dangerous. I can't risk you getting into danger." 

"I'll take the risk. Jacob, show me."

He looks at her, doesn't want to but knows it's the only way. "Where was the last place you saw me… the way I used to be?"

"That clearing in the woods. The motorcycles." She says and he nods. But then again realisation hits her. "Wait. I am supposed to be mad at you right now."

Jacob chuckles then turns to go and she stops him. 

"Don't go. There are dangerous things out there. More than you know."

He looks at her with a wry smile. Then pulls her into a hug and kisses her forehead. Her cheek against his bare chest. She takes in the closeness and then… All she knows is him soundlessly heading out her window. 

Next day, Bella parks and climbs out of her truck. The blonde follows her sister. Jacob has to reach Bella after their little rendezvous. Of course. He had to go for her. The moon eerily illuminates the clearing. Forest noises encroach. 

The twins hear a rustle amid the trees. Spooked, the blonde freezes then sees Jacob emerge from the trees. A moment as they meet, she wants for him to go for Bella and show his love to her. But he just looks at the elder twin and walks to the blonde, wrapping his arms around her with an affectionate embrace. She shivers, still not used to this affection.

Then Sam Uley, Paul, Embry and Jared step into the clearing, as well, half-clothed, movements almost synchronised. Their expressions simultaneously alter into fury when they see Bella. 

Paul spins on Jacob. "What the hell have you done?!"

"I didn't tell her. You'd know if I did." Jacob shrugs.

"She's here, isn't she?" Paul barks at Jacob.

"She's with me." I stand before Bella.

"I'm here to see what's going on." Bella says.

"Bella, there's nothing to see here. You should go home." Sam tells.

"Neither of us is leaving. Not until I know what you did to Jacob." Shelley says confidently.

Paul speaks advancing on the blonde. "What we did?!"

Jacob moves in front of Shelley protectively, facing Paul. 

"Both of you, calm down." Sam demands.

"Why did you bring her into this?" Paul asks, pointing at Bella.

"Sam, Bella knows things about the bloodsuckers. She's been on the inside. She can help." Jacob states.

"Like a leech lover's gonna help us." Paul chuckles.

"Watch what you call her." The blonde glares at him.

"Or what?" Paul challenges her.

"Stay back or I'll kill you." Jacob threatens Paul with his eyes burning into Paul.

"Get a grip, guys." Embry says. But Paul and Jacob are so angry, their bodies begin to shake, nearly convulse. 

It unnerves Bella. "It's alright, Jacob, we'll go."

Paul and Jacob are beyond hearing. 

"You think she'll take you back because of the bond?"

"Paul, back off." Sam commands.

"I don't think any girl could be that blind." Paul adds.

Jacob flashes anger, pushes Paul, hard. Paul flies backwards. 

"Jacob." Sam calls out.

Paul rises, outraged, throws his head back in a growl, vibrating violently.

"Too late." Jared comments.

"Shelley, get back!" Sam yells and the blonde looks back at Bella, who is watching everything and has a fair distance away from them. Paul falls forward but halfway to the ground there's a loud ripping noise and Paul explodes in silver-grey fur, becoming a massive wolf crouched and ready to spring! 

Horrified, Shelley grabs Jacob's arm, pulling him. "Run, Jacob!"

But he yanks away from her and runs directly at the Paul-wolf.

"Jake, no! Stop!"

Jacob dives headfirst into the air with another sharp tearing sound, shreds of cloth blast into the air, fur bursts from Jacob's skin and he lands on the ground the familiar gigantic russet-brown wolf, charging the Paul-wolf. 

Shelley reels as the two wolves crash into each other, snarling and ramming one another. The sound is deafening. Their teeth flash at each other's throats. She stumbles backwards as the fight carries the two wolves beyond the clearing and into the woods as they fight deeper and deeper into the darkness… until they disappear. With her hand covering her mouth, Shelley still watches the woods as they disappear, trying to process what's going on.

Sam starts after them, kicking off his shoes. "Take the twins to Emily's place." Sam disappears leaving an eerie quiet. 

"Guess the wolf's out of the bag." Embry remarks and a stunned Bella helps her sister up and looks out for injuries which the blonde had none.

Soon, Bella's truck, driven by Embry, pulls up to a tiny, weathered house with a window box full of marigolds. Jared, in the back, jumps out, opens Bella's door and Embry opens Shelley's door. Then Jared and Embry head toward the house while Bella stays still on the truck, not moving.

"Pay up. She didn't puke." Embry says to Jared. "Neither of them did."

Jared, annoyed, hands Embry five bucks. 

"Told you they were tough. They do run with bloodsuckers." 

"Wait. We should go back, make sure Jacob's okay." Shelley says, worried.

"I hope Paul gets some teeth in him. Serve him right." 

"No way. Jake's a natural. You see him phase on the fly? I gotta fiver say Paul doesn't touch him." Embry tells.

"Easy money. Paul's been at it longer." Jared says.

Shelley looks at them, appalled. "We should go back to see if he's fine."

"He's fine." 

"No, he's not. It is killing me already. I need to see him." The blonde pauses at her words. "What the hell am I talking about?"

"Oh, that's totally normal for the imprin-" 

Embry is cut off by Jared.

"Shush! Jacob will tell her everything." 

"Tell me what?" The blonde asks curiously.

"You'll see." Jared turns with a smirk to realise they're not following them. 

Embry notices this too. "Come on in. We won't bite."

"Speak for yourself." Jared rolls his eyes and the twins warily climb out of the car, joining them. 

Embry pauses at the door. "Oh, hey, about Emily, Sam's fiance. Just try not to stare. It bugs Sam."

"Why would we stare?" Bella asks. But the guys are already entering the house. The brunette looks at her sister for an answer which the blonde just shrugs at. The twins hesitantly enter behind Jared and Embry. They see a girl in her early twenties, at a counter, popping fresh muffins out of a tin. They only see one side of her beautiful face, draped by long black hair. 

"You guys hungry? Like I have to ask…" Emily looks toward the twins now revealing the other side of her face. A scar runs from the hairline to chin, three red lines that pull down her eye and twist her mouth. "Who's this?"

As Jared and Embry beeline for the muffins, Jared talks. "The Swan twins. Who else?"

"So you're the vampire girl." She points at Bella with a smile which Bella nods in response. Emily then turns to the blonde with a warmer smile. "That makes you Jake's girl." 

"I-I'm not Jake's girl. He loves her." Shelley gestures at Bella. "Not me." 

Emily throws her a knowing smile when Bella speaks.

"And you're a… you're all…"

"Werewolves? I'm just engaged to one. But these animals." Emily slaps Embry's hand. "Save some for your brothers."

Bella cautiously approaches the counter as the blonde follows her, keeping an eye on the door for Jacob. 

"Leave it to Jacob to get around Sam's gag order." Emily says.

"He didn't say anything, or… couldn't." Bella says. 

"That's a wolf thing. Alpha's orders get obeyed whether we want to or not." Embry says to Bella and turns to the blonde. "And your situation, he was scared that you'll leave him."

"Leave him?" Shelley asks him.

"How 'bout you shut up now, Embry?" Jared says, a mouthful of muffins.

"You know Jacob's gonna fill her in any way." Embry says to Jared.

"Yeah, I know every stupid thought he has." Jared looks at the blonde. "Wanna know what he thinks of you?"

"Like you need special powers to know that." Emily smiles.

"It's another wolf thing. We hear each other's thoughts. Good for hunting. Embarrassing for everything else." Embry explains.

Jared leans to Bella, challenging. "Freaking out yet?"

Bella meets his look. "You're not the first mind reader I've met."

Embry grins. "Jake's right. You are good with the weird." 

"But I don't get it. How? Why?" Bella questions.

"Because there are bad things here." Sam's voice echoes in the room and they spin to see Sam is now standing behind her, the front door open behind him. 

"And they're getting worse."

Bella is chilled and the blonde's curious, craving for more details. 

Sam moves past the twins to Emily. The sight of her instantly warms his face. "Hey, Em." He kisses Emily's scarred face adoringly. Emily is a kind and a nice girl and it's very positive to say that the blonde kind of begins to hold interest in her. They can be good friends. 

Fortunately, Shelley finds herself distracted by Jacob and Paul's arrival. They laugh and jab one another. It is relieving to find Jacob unscathed. 

Jared and Embry crowd them, finding a scar on Paul's arm. 

"Ha! Pay up." Embry squeaks in victory.

As Jared reluctantly hands Embry five bucks, Jacob's eyes find the blonde. He nods solemnly to the door with a look that tells 'we should talk.'