The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter LXXXV

"When do you suppose that I should tell her that you're not coming? You know, since Alice can't see it and all that jazz," I asked as we were sitting on the couch a few days before Bella's wedding. Well, two days to be exact.

Jake had insisted that I refrain from telling her. And I think Bella thought that her genius plan was working because she had yet to ask me about Jake's dinner or any of that. Knowing Bella, she probably thought that she knew exactly what Jake would like for dinner. Still, she hadn't said anything and I didn't feel the need to bring it up.

"Don't tell her," he said simply. I laughed harshly at the one.

"I can't just not tell her, Jake."

"And why the hell not? There are plenty of things that Bella doesn't tell you. Example number one: she didn't tell you that the leech with dreads was going to try and suck you dry, did she? Example number two: she never said that she was going pull you off a cliff. Example number three -"

I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. "I get the point. I won't tell my sister."

"You used to be meaner," he said, kissing my lips.

"I save that for you nowadays," I said with a smirk.

"You should give more of it to your sister. She's a bitch."

"Hey!"

"Why do you care what I call your sister?"

"You are not allowed to call her the name that you used to call me when you were talking about me," I snapped. "That's just rude."

He smiled and guffawed. "I'm sorry, my bitch," he said, still laughing. "Although I can think of several other names to call you," he whispered, his lips whispering against my cheeks. "We should get ready to head to the bonfire," he said, his lips still down on my neck.

"If you want us to go anywhere, you should definitely stop that," I managed to say, using the last of my air to get the words out. Jake chuckled, the sound vibrating through my arteries and down into my stomach. He lifted his head.

"Let's get going." We twined our fingers together as we made our way to the beach. "You're going out tomorrow night, right?" I nodded, although I was dreading going out with a whole bunch of vampires all night. What was a bachelorette's party for a vampire wedding supposed to consist of anyways?

"Is Leah going with you?"

"She and Nate have that big dinner date tomorrow night," I replied. I was barely able to hold my excitement about the upcoming night for them. Nate was definitely taking the time to plan everything out. It was hard to believe that it was almost five months since Leah had imprinted on him. And they'd had so many ups and downs in those five months than most couples did in five years.

"So you're going by yourself?"

"Yes, Jake," I said exasperated.

"No."

"No?"

"You heard me, Annie. You going out for a bachelorette party alone with three vampires is not something that I can just sit by a watch." I sighed.

"I don't know what you expect me to do about this, Jake."

"You could not go."

"That's not an option, Jake. I told Dad that I would be a part of the wedding and this is something that is part of the wedding."

"Your dad gave you the option to stay with me and you chose to go," he said. "I will never understand."

"You didn't see the look on his face, Jake. I'm glad that he knows now, I really am. And I guess that I have you to thank for that. But he looked so upset, Jake. I couldn't let him think that I was going to be so selfish. So, yes, I'm going. And I'm being a part of the wedding, I'm not in the wedding. I have to go to the stupid party because I'm the sister of the bride." He pulled us to a stop and dropped his chin down onto my head.

"You are the most selfless person that I have ever met. I wish that I could go with you," he whispered. I opened my mouth to tell him that he could, in fact, go with me if he really wanted.

"It's time that your sister understood that she doesn't control everything in Forks, Annie. And of everything that she does control, you are not one of them."

That was true. And that was exactly what I had been letting Bella do for almost two years now, especially since her life had come be in danger more frequently. Jake lifted his head from mine and walked us forward. Or little family was gathered around the bonfire, Emily sitting on Sam's lap, Kim sitting between Jared's knees, Charlotte scratching lightly at Paul's head, Quil with Claire on his shoulder. Brady, Collin, Seth, and Embry were sitting more off to the side, but still in the group. It was nice to see them all. Leah and Nate were the last to appear. Sam growled loudly when he saw them. Leah shot him a look, but Emily didn't say anything. God, their lives were so fucked up.

Everyone smiled and waved as we made our way to the fire, grabbing the empty spot on the log. Jake sat on the log, me between his knees. Quil quickly left his place next to Sam and Emily to play with Claire. Despite the deathly look he received from Leah, Nate pulled her down next to the other couple. Leah sat on the sand, her knees up around her chest and her hands holding the wrists that Nate was hanging over her shoulders. I was so glad that Leah had finally opened herself up to be an actual person. It made me smile every time that I saw them together. They were far from the most affectionate couple one had ever laid eyes on. In fact, they were usually seen beating each other up. But they had their own charm nonetheless.

Billy arrived moments later to tell the legends. He spoke in his deep voice that reminded me of my childhood and all the stories that he used to tell when I was just a kid. I suppose they were still these same stories, just watered down and less important. I remember thinking about how amazing it would be for these tales to be true when I was a child. To find out that they were true, to live them, was beyond description. I loved it all, every dangerous, life threatening moment of it. Mostly because I loved the man that was sitting behind.

My eyelids grew heavy as the heat from the fire was replaced by the delicious heat that was Jake. I could see most of the imprints, with the exception of Nate, falling asleep. I wanted to laugh when I saw Leah with her head back against Nate's shoulder, her eyes drifting closed.

"Seth, we promised your mom we'd be home in time to help her finish the laundry," he said then. Seth groaned. "Don't start Seth." I wanted to smile when Seth perked up a little and nodded. It was good to see him being reprimanded again.

Nate lifted Leah to her feet and pulled her up in his arms. Leah let him, smiling even in her sleep. Jared, Paul, and Quil all took their own respective mates and began trekking away from the fire. I knew from experience that they would never feel the heat of the fire leave them while they were surrounded in the heat the wolves gave off. Jake lifted me to my feet and up onto the log. He turned then, stooping so that I could get my whole body onto his back. I clambered up onto his back, choking him with my arms and squeezing him with my legs. I rested my head against his shoulder.

"I have to go to Forks," I murmured, although it didn't really sound like English. "My mom comes in tonight."

"You're falling asleep, Annie. I don't think you're getting to your dad's tonight," he chuckled.

"You're only saying that because you don't want me to leave."

"I'll respond to that when I can understand," he said, swinging me around and holding me against his chest. How in the name of God did he manage to do that? Whatever. "Nothing is going to happen because you don't want to go tonight."

"I have to be there when my mom gets home." Mom didn't know thatI had been living at Jake's for months now. With my luck, Bella would probably tell her so that she had a reason to freak out on me. Actually, Mom didn't need help finding reasons to yell at me. She did that just fine on her own.

Jake sighed and moved away from the house and towards the truck. "I'll see you in the morning, right?" I just nodded. He placed me in the car and drove in silence. Well, he could've been talking, but I didn't hear him. I was dozing. He pulled me out of the car and somewhere behind me I could her my dad and mom greeting him. He helped me stagger up the stairs more like a drunken idiot than a tired teen.

"Goodnight, Annie. I'll be just at the treaty line. You call my name, I'm here." I nodded. He kissed my forehead and walked out.

I tossed and turned for about an hour before I got up and sat on the edge of the bed. All my exhaustion had faded when Jake had walked out the front door. Now I couldn't sleep to save my life. This was going to be a long night.