Gotta Love Those Animal Instincts (Jacob Black Fan Fiction)

Chapter 21 - Arguement

     Things were getting....wierd, strange, and every other word that means different then the normal. Jacob's distant behavior has turned into an overprotectiveness as well. Don't get me wrong, feeling protected is great but there is a line. Ever since that night, things hadn't been the same. I love Jacob so much and I want to know what's wrong. Jacob and I sat on his couch watching a movie when Paul, Embry, and Quil came bursting through the door. Let's just say it more than startled me. "Hey, what was that for?" I say turning to see them all smiling. "Come on you two. We are going to the beach and you are definitely coming," Quil exclaimed leaning against the wall. "Yea that sounds fun," I say going to stand up but am stopped by Jacob grabbing my arm and pulling me back down. "Nah you guys go ahead. We'll stay here," he answered looking over at Paul who had taken a seat in a chair. " But babe, I want to go," I state looking up at him. "I don't," he bluntly said.

     The guys stayed silent while I was staring at him, confused by his behavior but I was going. "Well then stay here but I'm going," I say getting my hand free and walking to his room to get my bathing suit and towel. I couldn't hear any conversation going on between the guys while I changed. "Let's go," I said walking past the living room and to the door. I was down the steps and walking down the street before anyone caught up with me. "Whoa Hayley, wait up," Embry yelled falling into step beside me. I kept my pace and kept looking straight ahead. "Whats up with you and Jake?" Embry finally asked. I knew this question was coming. I looked behind us to see if anyone else was near. I saw Paul with Quil and Jacob, but they were far behind us. Jacob had a blank face, like in deep thought.

      "I don't know Embry. It's like ever since that fight with Ian's coven, Jacob's been different. He's gone from distant to just plain possesive and overprotective," I sigh slowing as we came to the beach. "I'm sure he's just being that way becuase he loves you too much to lose you," Embry replied helping you spread out your towel a few feet from the ocean. "I hope your right," I say giving him a weak smile. The others plopped down beside us, Jacob of course sitting closest to me. He didn't say anything, just sat. It seemed he was bored or maybe frustrated. The sun was actually shing today, a rare occurence in La Push.

     After awhile we all started to relax. Playing tag, passing football, building the castles, all that fun stuff. Jacob even seemed to be like his old self....if only for a few minutes. The beach trip was great until it happened. Jacob, Embry, and Quil were passing a football back and forth a few feet away. Paul and I were standing at the edge of the ocean, letting the water wash over our feet. I was picking up pretty seashells and Paul was just standing there. All of a sudden, water was slung at my face. I let out a sharp gasp at the cold and looked over to see Paul smirk. "Paul, what is wrong with you? Don't splash me," I stated with a false sternness, going to pick up a shiny, colorful shell. "You mean like this," he replied, splashing me again. "Paul, quit it," I said pushing him. Obviously I had caught him off guard because he went plummeting into the water, soaking all of his clothes. "That's what you get," I exclaim laughing. "Oh yeah. You better run," he yelled springing up. I let out a yelp and ran up the beach. I could feel him right on my heels until hwe finally got me. Actually, he tackled me into the sand.

     While we tumbled to the ground, my knee hit something sharp and immediately began to sting. "Ow," I cried pushing Paul off me. I looked down at my knee. In it was a gash. It wasn't deep but it was bleeding pretty bad which made it look worse then it really was. "Sorry about that," Paul said after standing up and seeing my knee. Before I could reply, Jacob squatted down infront of me followed by Quil and Embry. "Whoa, are you ok Hayley?" Jacob said frantically. "I'm fine, it's just a cut," I replied. I looked up from my hurt knee to see Jacob clench his fists, eyes full of anger. "What's wrong with you man?" Jacob said getting in Paul's face. "Hey Jake, I said I was sorry," Paul said putting his hands up as if to surrender although we all know he had a quick temper. " You need to be more careful. You could've really hurt her," Jacob raised his voice, giving Paul a hard push. "Hey!" I yelled trying to stand up with help from Embry. "Relax dude, it was an accident," Paul said visibly getting angry now and giving Jacob a shove in return. "Will you guys cut it out?!" I scream trying to walk over to them but Embry and Quil held me back. "I'll show you an accident," Jacob said, his anger taking control. He burst into his giant russet wolf. He lunged after Paul who had turned into a wolf, ready for him. "Stop them!" I exclaim frantically as Paul and Jacob snarled and snapped at each other. "Just let them fight it out," Quil replied, keeping his distance as Jacob lunged at Paul again, this time tackling him. "Fine, then I'm not staying," I state turning and limping up the road after sliding on a shirt and shorts over my bathing suit. I wasn't watching this scene unfold.

     What the hell? I thought to myself as I made my way back to Jacob's house. Jacob had taken it to far. He was fighting Paul over a stupid, little accident. It's not like I've never bled before. I huffed as I made my way up the porch steps and into the house. Billy wasn't home I noticed as I sat on a kitchen chair to clean my wound. I was still fuming when Jacob finally made his way into the house, dropping my towel off on a vacant chair. He tried to touch my leg but I moved it abruptly. "I'm fine," I said with a bite in my tone. "Hayley, let me see it," he said almost in a fed-up kind of way. I stuck a bandaid over the cut and walked over to the trash can. "I said it's fine," I say throwing the papers away.

     "What's your problem?" Jacob asked leaning against the counter. That struck a chord and I had had enought. "My problem?! Don't say that to me Jacob. Do you see yourself? What's your problem?" I reply walking over to him. He started walking back to his room like he didn't hear me. "Don't you walk away from me Jacob Black," I say closing his bedroom door after I followed him in. "Hayley, I don't need you yelling at me," he replied turning to face me. "You were the one who flew off the handle because I fell and got a cut. You picked that fight with Paul," I said pointing a finger at him. I could feel my anger starting to boil but I could see Jacob's was too. "He hurt you and I'm not going to let him get away with that!" he yelled clenching his fists. "It was an accident. I've had scars before. You can't protect me from everything," I reasoned trying to breath. I didn't want to fight with him, but he kept pushing. "I can try. You're my imprint and the guys know now that they can't touch you," he states taking a step toward me. "Ahhh!" I yell, running my hands through my hair. "Jacob, look what you're doing! You've changed. You haven't been the same since that night we had the talk about the incident. Just stop being overbearing, overprotective, and everything else in between!" I say in a high voice stepping up to Jacob.

     His eyes flashed with rage. "I'm not overprotective," he huffed. "Whatever Jacob. I'm not fighting with you anymore," I say turning to walk out of his room. He grabbed me roughly by the arm and before I could stop it....whack. I slapped him. It wasn't planned, not something I wanted to do, it just happened. Jacob turned his head even though the slap wasn't strong enough to do it. He immediately dropped my arm and I gasped. Tears sprang to my eyes. What had I done? I rushed out of the room.

     "Hayley?" I hear Billy ask before I run past him out the door. I just ran. I ran into the woods until my legs gave out. I crumbled into a ball on the ground. I had hit him. What was I becoming? Like my father....the thought made me cringe. I layed there for what seemed like hours before pulling myself together enough to walk back to the house. I didn't stop to talk to Billy, who was watching tv. Food...I wasn't hungry. I walked past Jacob's room. It was empty, Jacob was nowhere in sight. I closed my door behind me and slumped to my bed, not even bothering to change clothes. The fight kept replaying in my head. The beach, the words, the hit, over and over. Would he forgive me? Would Jacob come in here? These questions plagued my mind. But he didn't come. That night, I was alone. It was the quietest night I would ever experience.