Ebb and Flow (Twilight x Reader)

Chapter 27

Bella and I spent the day in La Push, the majority of it in Billy's house. He left a message on Dad's phone and at the station, and Dad showed up around dinnertime with two pizzas. It was good he brought two larges; Jacob ate one all by himself. I saw Dad eyeing Bella and Jacob suspiciously all night, especially the much-changed Jacob. He asked about the newly-cut hair; Jacob shrugged and told him it was just more convenient.

I knew that as soon as Dad, Bella, and I were headed home, Jacob would take off—off to run around as a wolf, as he had done intermittently through the entire day. He and his brothers of sorts kept up a constant watch, looking for some sign of Victoria's return. But since they'd chased her away from the hot springs last night—chased her halfway to Canada, according to Jacob—she'd yet to make another foray. I had no hope at all that she might just give up. She wouldn't do that, not when she already knew where Bella was.

Jacob walked us to the truck after dinner and lingered by the driver's seat window, where Bella was. He was waiting for Dad to drive away first.

"Don't be afraid tonight," Jacob said, while Dad pretended to be having trouble with his seat belt. I hid a snicker. "We'll be out there, watching."

"I won't worry about myself," Bella promised. I stayed silent, letting them have their moment. Really, anything to encourage them getting together, I'd do.

"Hunting vampires is fun. It's the best part of this whole mess."

Bella shook her head. "You're dangerously unbalanced."

He chuckled. "Get some rest. You look exhausted."

"I'll try."

Dad honked his horn impatiently.

"See you tomorrow," Jacob said. "Come down first thing."

"We will."

Dad followed us home. As Bella drove, I wondered where Sam and Jared and Embry and Paul were, out running in the night. I wondered if Jacob had joined them yet.

When we got home, Bella and I hurried for the stairs, but Dad was right behind us.

"What's going on, you guys?" he demanded before we could escape. "I thought Jacob was part of a gang and, Bella, he and you were fighting."

"We made up," she said.

"And the gang?"

"I don't know—who can understand teenage boys? They're a mystery. But I met Sam Uley and his fiancée, Emily. They seemed pretty nice to me." Bella shrugged. "Must have all been a misunderstanding."

I nearly rolled my eyes at how unconvincing Bella was, but Dad's face changed. "I hadn't heard that he and Emily had made it official. That's nice. Poor girl."

"Do you know what happened to her?" I asked. I already knew, but I was curious as to what excuse the pack had given other people.

"Mauled by a bear, up north, during salmon spawning season—horrible accident. It was more than a year ago now. I heard Sam was really messed up over it."

"That's horrible," Bella echoed.

I agreed. More than a year ago. I'd bet that meant it had happened when there was just one werewolf in La Push. I shuddered at the thought of how Sam must have felt every time he looked at Emily's face.

That night, I lay awake for a long time trying to sort through the day. I worked my way backward through dinner with Billy, Jacob, and Dad, to the long afternoon in the Blacks' house, to Emily's kitchen, to the werewolf fight, to talking with Jacob on the beach.