Broken ➳Jacob Black [Book 2]

11.0

Kate was inspecting her wounds from fighting Laurent. She cried out when she cleaned the dirt from the cut on her cheek. It was already closing but it didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Her ribs were another story. Blue and yellow bruising could be seen around her rib cage when she took off her shirt. The blue was slowly fading before her eyes but she still winced slightly when she moved her arms.

By nightfall, her's ribs had healed completely but the cut on her cheek was still a thin fine line. It looked almost like a scar. She stared at it in the mirror as she absentmindedly picked at the dirt and rocks still lodged in her hair from the fight. The energy that had been coursing through her veins finally subsided and Kate was left drained.

She stared at herself in the mirror and noticed the circles under her eyes. She tried to wipe them away but realized how stupid she was being so she crawled into bed. Her phone lay on the nightstand just taunting her. It practically begged her to reach out and call him. She moved her hand an inch but then quickly brought it back to her side.

Kate sighed and threw on old worn out clothes before sitting on her window seat to draw. She knew exactly what she wanted to draw. She started with the ears She tilted her head to the side as she tried to get the fur just right. Movement caught her eye and she looked out her window but saw nothing there. She looked back at her notebook before groaning in frustration and throwing it across the room. She got up from her seat at the window and threw herself down onto her bed cursing as her ribs protested.

Kate heard a "thump" come from Bella's room next door but was too tired to really care. She simply rolled over to face her window and hugged one of her pillows into her chest.

She wanted to call Jacob. Hell, she wanted to see him. She wanted to make sure that she was okay after the attack today but for some stubborn reason she refused to call him. If he didn't want to see her, fine. Two could play at that game. Throughout the day the pack continued to call her but she never answered. She just let the phone ring and ring.

There was something that was bothering her but it was something that she would never admit to anyone else. When she was lying there, on the ground in the meadow, and Jacob was near her in his wolf form, she felt this surge of power. It was as if she could do anything.

Kate smiled and shoved her face into her pillow to hide it from herself. She didn't want to believe it but it was there.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door. Kate refused to answer it but the door opened any way. A warmth spread over her and she immediately knew who it was. She would deny it, but it seemed that a hole that was left in her was suddenly filled. Neither of them moved but she didn't want to make the first step.

Jacob sighed and walked over to Kate sitting down at the edge of her bed.

"Kate?"

She shut her eyes tighter as his voice washed over her. She wanted to push him out. Her brain and her heart were fighting. On one hand she was still mad at him at the way that he treated her and her sister but her heart was screaming at her to hold onto him and never let him go.

"Kate, please talk to me. You're killing me here." Jacob's voice was barely over a whisper.

Kate took a deep breath and sat up scooting to the opposite edge of the bed with her legs curled under her. For the first time since that day in the rain, she looked at Jacob. There were circles under his eyes and his eyes seemed darker than usual. As they stared at each other she could see the darkness recede and tension roll off of his shoulders.

They sat there not saying anything for a long time just drinking in the appearance of each other.

Kate broke the silence first, "Are you okay?"

Her voice was soft and low not wanting to release the anger that she had been holding in.

Jacob's lips quirked into a small, tight smile, "You're asking me that? I'm not the one who took a beating from a vampire."

This is what finally broke open the damn of her emotions and pissed Kate off. She leapt off of the bed and started pacing around the room.

"Me?" she practically yelled at him, "Me. Well that's just great. I don't know if you noticed, I had him before you and your mongrels came busting it up. And unlike you, I might add who just tore him apart, I was going to kill him slowly. He had information, information that I need and now I'm still in the dark. I'm always the one in the dark!"

Jacob now stood. It was evident that he was getting angry too. If he phased in the middle of her bedroom, she would have a lot of explaining and lying to do to Charlie.

"You're in the dark? You lied to me for over a year! I thought we wouldn't do that to each other?"

Kate threw her hands in the air, "You know what I can do, Jacob. If I can kill a vampire, hurt a werewolf, what do you think I can do to a human? I didn't want to hurt you! I meant what I said the other night. It would kill me if I hurt you. That's why I wanted to stop whatever was happening."

Jacob took a few steps closer to her. He lowered his voice somewhat, "You're think you can hurt me? Dammit Kate you're not invincible and I'm stronger than you think. I know you can't hurt me, you want to know why?"

Kate kept her mouth shut.

"It's because you just can't! The only thing you could do to hurt me is shut me out like you have been doing. I don't know why but that hurts worse than anything you could possibly throw at me!"

Jacob sat back down on the edge of the bed.

He continued, "I don't know why but it's like a drug. I can't get enough of you. I don't know what it is but I like that that it drives me crazy. This feels like something else. It feels different. I think I'm addicted to you. When I saw you out there I wanted to rip the bloodsuckers head off. And when I did, it felt so good. I wanted to rush back to and make sure you were okay. I knew you would be but I just had to make sure."

His voice at the end had died down to a low murmur almost as if he was talking to himself. Kate stood there in shock not knowing how to respond to him. The boy before her looked defeated and tired and all she wanted to do was run her fingers through his hair and comfort him. She didn't realize that she had been crying until a tear slipped out of her eye and fell down her pale cheek.

"Jacob," she whispered.

Jacob looked up from his shoes and saw her tears. He immediately stood up and took her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his torso and held onto him tightly. Jacob's arms cradled her softly like she would break any second. Kate felt so comfortable in his embrace that she sagged against him. He kissed the side of her head and held her to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

Kate pulled back from his shoulder and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry too," she whispered back.

They stared into each others eyes until Jacob's gaze dropped to her lips. She involuntarily did the same thing. The force in her chest was back and it felt like it was pushing her towards him. She stood on her toes to get closer to him.

But before their lips could touch, a howl broke through the night. Jacob leaned his forehead against hers and sighed.

"I've got to go," he told her.

Kate pulled back from him with a small smile, "Go be a hero."

Jacob let out a bark of a laugh before crossing over to her window and throwing it open. He gave her one last smile before jumping out and disappearing into the night. Kate watched him go until she couldn't see him any more. She went back over to her bed and flopped down on her back with a wide grin on her face. She rolled over and fell asleep with a smile on her face noticing that her bed still had the soft sent of Jacob still on the pillows.