dear june, jacob black.

1:4

June woke up with all her senses on fire, her wolf crying out for her imprint.

What’s going on? she thought to herself in agony.

She grabbed the edge of her blanket and tore it off, desperate to free herself from the pain, but it wouldn't stop.

Grunting with each painful step, she made her way to the backyard and howled in pain as she shifted. Running through the forest, she heard Paul through the mindlink.

"June? Where are you, and why are you in pain?"

She threw her head back and howled in response.

"Paul, I’m in pain because Jacob hasn’t spent any time talking to me, and I can feel the imprinting bond fading. It hurts like...a bitch." She was loud through the mindlink, something she isn't usually.

Jared’s voice joined the conversation.

"Trouble in paradise already? Wow, that’s surprising. He hasn’t talked to you because Bella was just at Sam and Emily's and managed to piss off Jacob."

At the thought, June sprinted toward Sam and Emily's house, shifting back before arriving. She quickly changed behind a carved-out log.

As she finished putting on her top, she glanced around and noticed Jacob's Rabbit outside.

She climbed the steps and opened the sliding door, hissing in pain as she was suddenly engulfed in a warm, tight hug.

When she went to hug him back, she realized it was Jacob. Her face flushed.

Pulling away from her, Jacob looked at her with guilt in his eyes. "Paul messaged me an entire paragraph about how I was being a shitty imprint. I’m really sorry."

June met his gaze, and for a moment, she was lost in his eyes. He was so incredibly attractive—physically hot, or maybe it was just because he was a shifter.

"It’s fine, Jacob. Just... please don’t do it again," she said, without thinking, cupping his face in her hands.

Then she realized they were still standing in the entrance of Sam and Emily’s house.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, where half the pack was already sitting.

"What are you guys gawking at? Go back to stuffing your faces," June said, flustered.

It was a long, sunny day, and Jacob and Bella sat outside. Bella had her head on Jacob’s shoulder, and Jacob awkwardly had his arm around her. June gazed at him longingly through the glass doors.

"June?" Paul’s voice startled her. "Are you okay?"

She spun around to see her brother standing behind her. "I—uh, yeah," she stammered.

He squinted at her. "No, you're not. Did Jacob do something? Because I swear to God—"

June cut him off. "Paul!" she whispered-yelled, "Cut it out, please."

Paul sighed as he looked down at her. "I won’t hurt him, but if he hurts you, I’ll have his head on a pike."

"Thanks, big bro," June said as she hugged him.

Paul hugged her back, but his gaze shifted to what June had been watching. He saw Jacob’s arm wrapped tightly around Bella, and his face twisted into a sneer.

How dare he? he thought, shaking with anger. He's lucky his little sister imprinted on him.

Violently, Paul shook, and June unwrapped herself from the hug, stepping back in concern. She watched as he shifted.

Worried, she turned her attention back to Jacob, still sitting with Bella outside on the bench.

Without thinking, June rushed to Jacob and Bella. "Jacob, get Bella out of here. Now!"

Bella opened her mouth to protest, but Jacob cut her off. "What? Ju—"

He was interrupted by the sound of huge paws thudding toward them. Realization washed over him as he grabbed Bella.

"Bella, hurry. Run to the field."

The field? June thought, her heart sinking. He took Bella to a field but hadn’t even glanced at her since their last conversation.

Everything moved so quickly—the wind lashed violently against her face, the trees whistling and brushing against each other, finding comfort in the wind.

Everything blurred.

And then, it all stopped, leaving her with an aching absence. A loss of a heartbeat.

.