Act II
Chapter 22 ━━ Bubble Bath

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The sun is just beginning to rise, reddening the clouds overhead. Jacob and Shelley are sitting on a cliff edge close to each other, watching the beautiful side in front of them.

"So… you're Alpha. You were in my dreams."

"More like you were in my dreams." He corrects her.

Raising an eyebrow, she looks at him. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I can show you what I want you to see in my dreams. And even let you live in it." He shrugs.

"That is weird." She remarks.

"I had it even before I shifted the first time. It's like the wolf inside me knows what's going on. I saw everything in the view of the wolf. I freaked out the first time."

"What was that place? The meadow?" She asks, leaning into his shoulder.

"I'll take you there. Soon." He smiles promisingly. "Anyway, you loved my wolf. Didn't you?"

"I did. And still do." She states honestly. "I could have guessed that before. I even felt some kind of familiar feeling. But I didn't go to the theories of you turning into a big wolf."

After a pause, he sighs. "There's something you need to know."

She looks up at him with interest. "Something more than you being a big bad wolf?" 

He chuckles. "Yeah. But not yet. I want you to be more comfortable with everything. I know that it is a lot for you to handle." 

"It is quite a lot." She nods, turning her gaze at the sunrise. "And you need to know that I'm still mad at you." 

He chuckles again. "I know you do."

"Don't you think fighting vampires is too dangerous?"

"Please. We took out that wanted redheaded friend with the dreads easily enough. The red-head will be fun, too."

She shivers to the bone at the mention of the redhead. "Victoria? She's here?"

"We chased her all the way to the border the other night. But she won't stay gone. Keep coming back. If we knew what she was after…" He trails off.

"She's after Bella." She cuts him off. "Her mate did good damage to Bella last time and Edward killed him. I think she's after revenge."

He notes her uneasy expression. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Shelley sighs. "It's not me that I'm worried. Dad and Bella." 

"Keep faith in us. The pack and me." 

"How did this all happen? The shape-shifting thing and killing bad vampires?"

"It's what we do, why we exist. A few lucky guys in the tribe have the gene. If a bloodsucker moves to town, our DNA kicks in, we reach the right age and the fever hits."

Realising, she says. "Mono." 

"I wish. Next thing I know, they're telling me, this is your life now. That future you saw for yourself? Gone." Desolation fills him as he speaks.

Seeing this, she asks. "It's bad, huh?"

He shakes his head. "I just hate feeling… out of control."

"What happened to Emily? That's not just a random scar. Isn't it?"

"Sam lost it for a split second. Em was standing too close. He's still messed up about it. I don't want to be that kind of nightmare."

"You won't."

"I hope so."

It's night time when Shelley knocks on the door, rain falling around her, the wind blowing strong. 

Emily opens the door and greets with a smile. "Shelley. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just… is Jake here? He wasn't at home…" She questions.

Sam appears behind Emily and as he wraps an arm around Emily. "He's with Jared and Embry, keeping an eye on things. I'm heading out soon. Should I tell him something?" 

"Nah. It's just I-I-um…" The blonde trails off, trying to find words to fill up.

Emily and Sam share a look before Emily speaks with a smile. "You need to see him."

Stunned by her words, Shelley replies. "Yeah. Something like that."

"You want to come in? I'm making dinner." Emily invites.

"Sure." The blonde nods with a smile.

Shelley is currently pacing around Emily's kitchen as Emily serves dinner to the table. It's just the two of them. But her company is very interesting. "Is it too normal to want to see someone too much? Even when you're mad at him?"

"No, it's not." Emily says and arranges the plates on the table. "I feel some feelings hidden under your words for him, cute one."

"I know. I had a crush on him. And I still have that attraction to him. But I can't forgive him for what he did for me." Shelley explains, helping her with the cutlery. "I want to be angry. But I can't and that's a problem."

"Then don't. Don't be angry. Give up." She replies.

"I can't give up that easily. He said that I'm an obstacle to his love for Bella." The blonde shrugs.

"He might have said things before. But I can guarantee you that he loves you." Emily says, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"He does care for me as a friend. But that definitely is not love." The blonde points out. "At least not as in love."

"Sam told me that Jacob thinks a lot about you." Emily says and sits on her chair.

"Sam must mistake me for Bella. Last time, Jake made it clear for me. Very clear that he doesn't like me in that way. You and Sam seem to be very happy and in love. I can't help but feel jealous when I see you two together so happy. That's something I'll never have."

"Every relationship has its ups and downs. You're going to have a life better than what I have. Trust me on that." Emily winks at her. "I'm a futurist."

The blonde laughs at that. "I wish it would come true."

"It is." Emily confirms.

"Maybe. But I'm just tired of everything now. I need some rest."

"How about a homemade bubble bath? It'll relax your mind." Emily suggests.

Soon, Shelley finds herself in the bathroom while Emily pours the herbal liquids into the bathtub. 

"I'm bothering you too much."

"Nonsense. You're my guest." 

"Besides, it's good to have the company of a girl around. Better than those animals."

"You can have some sleep in the guest room after the bath. I'll call Charlie to pick you up." Emily informs. "It's not good for a girl to travel alone at this time."

"Okay."

"I'll bring you new clothes." Emily announces and leaves before speaking again. "Enjoy then!"

Shelley closes the door, pulling her hair into a bun and stripping her clothes before sliding down into the water, letting it block out the sounds around her. The water is warm and calm. Just like she needs it to be. She relaxes within the perfect fragile and yet completely beautiful spheres with rainbow colours swirling, dancing and floating gently. A giggle escaped her lips as her slightest touch exploded them into countless tiny droplets. Leaning her head against the tub edge, she closes her eyes as her eyelids begin to feel heavy.

Shelley starts to hear voices, mostly like Jacob's. Her visions blurry and she feels someone hitting her on the back.

"Breathe, Shelley! C'mon!" 

She spits up water, half-conscious. 

"Shell? Can you hear me?"

"…Jake?" She focuses, finally seeing Jacob hovering over her, relieved at her response. Behind him stands Sam and Emily.

"Are you okay?" Emily asks worriedly.

The blonde nods slightly as Jacob helps her to sit on the floor. 

"She'll be alright." Sam states.

Shelley looks down to see her naked body now wrapped around a towel. She blinks a few times, leaning into Jacob, who is holding her. 

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jacob asks her, annoyance dancing in his words.

"I fell asleep."

"What? If Emily didn't come here with the clothes, you could've drowned to death!" 

"I am tired." She mumbles, exhausted.

He sighs, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why are you so careless?"

"Get her home. I'm heading to the hospital. I'll meet you there."

Jacob nods and Sam walks out and Emily follows him, giving a final glance at the girl. She reminds the blonde of Bella sometimes.

"I know. It was stupid." Shelley states and then realises Sam's words. "Sam said hospital. Someone's hurt?"

"Harry Clearwater had a heart attack." 

"Oh my God. Does my Dad know?"

"He and my dad are both over there."

"Will Harry be okay?" 

"I don't know. Come on. Let's get you clean and get into dry clothes before you catch a cold. I'll drive you home after." He opens the drain and the bubble water slowly flows away. Then he fills it with fresh water.

"Get in." He says, gesturing at the tub with now clear water.

"I'm not a kid." She glares at him.

"Oh, Yeah. I'm the kid here." He scoffs and repeats. "Get in."

"I'm not letting you see me naked just because you saved my life from drowning." Shelley points at his chest.

"Too late for that." He smirks and she raises an eyebrow. "You could have thought about that before falling asleep in a bathtub, naked."

She feels herself tinting with red as she looks at her feet, embarrassed.

"The water will get cold. We don't want that now, do we?" Jacob reminds and she rolls her eyes at him in response. He tries to guide her to the bathtub when she scoffs. 

"You don't need to baby me. I can walk."

Letting go of her, he says. "Please."

It goes all well until the blonde stumbles when her foot decides to slip on the tile with the soap and next thing she knows is her heading towards the floor. 

Jacob's hands wrap around her arm and pull her back up into his chest. Her cheeks warm up as she feels his muscles tighten against her.

"Careful there, Clumsy." Jacob shoots her another smirk. She can feel herself soaking. Shelley has never been so attracted to someone. Not even Riley. At least not this way. He helps her to step into the bathtub and she lets him, not fighting this time. 

"I'm not taking it off." Shelley insists as he eyes the towel.

"Your wish." He shrugs.

She settles herself in the bathtub, one hand on her towel and the other holding an edge of the bathtub to make sure she won't fall asleep again.

He washes the soap in her hair and massages the scalp gently. 

Shelley closes her eyes, enjoying the time when her mind decides to pop a question. "Why are you so nice to me?"

Without responding, he washes the rest of exposed skin and speaks. "I'll turn around. Feel free to clean yourself."

She nods and goes on with it as he waits. He then helps her out of the tub to make sure she won't slip again and hands her a warm towel, turning around once again to give her space to wipe the water. Then hands her fresh clothes.

"You can turn around now." Shelley says as she looks at him, fully clothed.

He turns and smiles at her before he throws the dirty towel into the bucket with dirty clothes. Piling up the blonde's clothes into one hand and grabbing her hand from the other, he leads her outside. They bid their goodbyes to Emily before the couple got into Sam's truck. He ignites the engine when Shelley shoots him a glance. 

"I think you owe me an answer."

"Because I am a nice boy, I guess." He smugly shrugs and begins diving. The cold breeze coming through the truck window causes the blonde to shiver as it hits hers. Jacob notes this and pulls her close, wrapping an arm around her. "Hundred and eight degrees over here."

She tucks herself into him, craving for warmth. "Must be nice, never getting cold."

"It's a wolf thing." He smirks.

"It's a Jacob thing." She corrects him. "You're just… warm." 

"Like the sun." He grins.

"Like the sun." She repeats his words, meaning it.

"Which always comes back. You can count on me." He reminds. She nods and silence fills in the air for a few minutes until Jacob fills it again. "There are other cool things about all this like I heal fast. Wanna see me stab my hand?"

Shelley looks at him horrified for a second, then decides to play it off. "Yeah, 'cause that would be fun."