Bonded

Chapter 17

Jacob was right: Edward did look like shit. As he stumbled outside the house, I took in his disheveled hair, his wrinkled half-untucked button down, and black eyes and knew that this was taking a greater toll on him than Jacob and Seth let on. He tugged on his copper hair as he walked toward us. He was just a couple feet from us before he spoke with a concerned look on his face, "Jacob, Leah, what are you doing here?"

I closed the distance and swung my fist until it connected to his marble face. Edward dropped to the ground with a thud. He held the side of his face and groaned before looking up at me. I raised an eyebrow and clenched my jaw. "Get up," I ordered.

"Oh shit," Jacob mumbled under his breath. Edward staggered to his feet still holding his face. When he lowered his hand, there was a crack in his cheek. Good. I shook my hand out, feeling the tingle of pain from literally punching a fucking rock.

"Leah, I don't—" Edward started.

"Fuck you, Edward. You know exactly why I'm here." I spat. I flicked my hair out of my face as I started to pace. "Did you ask Jacob to impregnate your wife as just cause for you to end her pregnancy?"

Edward's eyes darted between me and Jacob. "Leah—"

"It's a yes or no question," I snarled. "And you better answer right because I've got all night and a lot of pent up frustration, motherfucker."

He sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Yes, it's true."

Growling, I punched him again, aiming for his nose. Edward roared in pain as he doubled over, clutching his face. "I don't know what I did to you. I have given you the permission to change Bella. I have defended you. I have protected your wife and child from being killed by my pack, and this is the shit that you decide to pull?" I used all of my strength to shove him onto the ground.

"The baby's killing her," he grunted. "She won't let us turn her and Jacob is the only person she'd want a child with. I don't know what else to do!"

I lunged at him, fully ready to tear him to shreds when Jacob wrapped an arm around my waist, holding me back. I fought against him, reaching for Edward's throat. "Leah, baby, chill!" Jacob tightened his grip around my waist as I thrashed against him. Edward righted himself, watching me. He looked desperate, wild.

"I can explain myself. Please let me just explain." Edward begged, holding up a hand to stop me.

"Leah, come on. Calm down for a second." Jacob grunted, walking backward so Edward's breakable face wasn't within my reach. Once I wasn't fighting him so hard, he started to stroke my hair and whisper in my ear, "It's ok, baby. I promise. I need you to calm down for me, ok? Can you do that?"

"I'm pissed off," I stated loudly, glaring at Edward.

"I know you are, baby, but nothing is going to get resolved this way," Jacob reasoned.

I turned my head to see him as best as I could. "If you let me kill him, I can guarantee everything will wrap itself up in a nice little bow."

"I understand why you're lashing out," Edward said, cautiously. I whipped around to him, eyes blazing. He held up his hand again. "I want to explain."

"You have 30 seconds to explain yourself," I snarled. My wolf was fighting me hard. I had learned to suppress her around the Cullens a long time ago, but she was very possessive about Jacob. And the fact that a vampire had messed with Jacob in any way was enough to send her into fury and me into a rage. "And you better make this make some fucking sense."

Edward looked back at the manor before facing us again. "I've been running myself ragged trying to figure out how to fix this. The baby...it's too strong for her and I don't know why she won't let me turn her. She barely sleeps, she can't move or walk, she can't eat anything—except human blood. And when she does sleep...she's been talking."