The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter CXLVIII

Dad insisted on having Christmas in his house, like we had ever year since I was an infant. The week before the day, he'd begun talking about inviting Bella and Edward to the holiday festivities. Let's just say that Jake nixed that idea before it could leave the dinner table. But Jake did insist that Nessie stay with us for Christmas. The Cullens would have her from the twenty-second to Christmas Eve, but it was most important to Jake that her first Christmas be with her living family. At least, that's how he said it.

And while Jake was concerned with Christmas and what he should get me, I was concerned about what to do with my family and my friends. The snow would start to stick any day now and I needed to make sure that I had plans for everyone. The wolves, the ones that were going to fight that is, would be fine on the Cullen land to stand as witnesses. But the imprints, my father, Sue, Billy, Embry's mom, our families... I had to find a way to make sure that they would safe too. God forbid that these monsters fed on someone that I was responsible for. Well, technically Jake was the one responsible for them, but that didn't really matter in my mind.

I had gotten my dad, Billy, and Sue taken care of by sending them to a little town south of San Francisco, California where they would be able to fish and lounge on the beach outside of the Volturi's immediate reach. The imprints...they were still to be determined. No one liked the idea of sending their imprints away. All of the guys, and Leah of course, agreed that they wanted to come back to their mates as soon as the battle was over. And everyone agreed that they didn't want Collin and Brady to be the only ones responsible for all the imprints. "You're worrying again," Jake said. He leaned down, resting his chin on my head and bracing his weight on either side of me. He tucked his chin and pressed a kiss to my temple.

"What's going to happen to them?" I asked. "You're Alpha. Could you be the one to make the decision?" I begged. He chuckled and pressed another kiss to my cheek.

"I told you that I would handle it, but you didn't listen."

"No, I did listen. But you're not planning anything!"

"You don't know that," he laughed. "Babe, just because I'm not doing it on your time doesn't mean that it's not getting done." I groaned and relaxed in my seat, trying to see something other than the death and destruction of my family and friends. "What do you want to get for Rebecca and Rachel again?"

"You just have to sign the card," I promised him. "And you can take credit for it and everything."

"The last year that they were actually here and a part of Christmas, I got them Starbucks and Bath and Bodyworks stuff," he replied. "So pretty much no matter what you buy, they're going to know that it wasn't me." I just shrugged and continued searching the web. "But you're overnighting everything anyways. So why don't we just order it tomorrow?" he suggested. "Or, I guess the better thing to say would be in the morning."I blinked at the clock that was glowing on his tiny desk. 3:48 shined at me. "I shopped through your entire patrol shift?" I groaned. He nodded, but I could hear his chuckle rumbling. "Well, at least I got our parents' stuff done."

"Very good, babe. Now come to bed," he said, wrapping his arms around my upper arms and pulling me to my feet. Of course, when I was standing up again, he just continued to drag me towards the bed until he finally tossed me onto the bed. "I love you," he whispered. I tried to mumble the same, but it didn't get me anywhere. Jake just laughed and crawled in behind me, pulling me tight to his chest. Tomorrow was Friday. And who knew if the website would be willing to ship things out over the weekend. It was four days to Christmas. If they didn't ship this weekend, who knows if I would get them before — "Go to sleep Annie," he commanded. I've decided that the imprint was the reason that my body listened to him as well as it did. Because while my mind was still trying to figure out how to get everyone their presents on time, my body was shutting down and cuddling into my wall of a man.

"Wake up!" a girlish voice shouted at me. "Wake up! Wake up!" Bouncing began on Jake's bed. He groaned and grumbled and complained under his breath, his arms tightening around me. "Oh my God you two, stop spooning and wake up!"

"Rachel, go away," Jake snarled tiredly.

"It's Christmas morning, will you two please wake up!" Rachel tried again. The bed bounced again and I groaned.

"It's too early to wake up," Jake determined. He rolled me over so that I was pinned underneath me, his head resting in my neck. I knew that I should be complaining about him crushing me and telling him that he needed to wake up and join our family for their Christmas celebration. But I was just so happy at the moment that I couldn't bring myself to be angry or to tell him what he needed to do. "We'll be up in an hour or two," Jake informed her.

"You two will get out of that bed now," Billy's voice sounded from the doorway. It was Jake's turn to groan now. He shoved up off of me and grabbed the blanket that his mother made him all those years ago. He wrapped it around my shoulders and pulled me up in his arms like I was a bride. "Coffee's on." Well, I suppose that would make everything a little better.

Jake stumbled out to the living room where we had set the Christmas tree. Neither one of us were really awake yet. He sank back in the arm chair that he liked to use whenever we were supposed to sit in the living room with our family. I rested my knees over the arms of the chair and rested my head against Jake's chest. Rebecca stepped forward with two cups of coffee in her hands. Jake took one and I took the other, but neither of us made a move to take drinks or anything. "Oh my God, just drink it!" Rachel exclaimed. I laughed at her. "I'm tired of waiting for this."

The Alpha had been terrorizing his sisters with remarks about their Christmas presents for the last few days. I don't even think he knew what they were. Or how much time I'd put into them. But I was really excited for the girls to see them which was the only reason why I tipped my ceramic mug back and drained the contents. Rebecca smiled at me with glee. "Bec, shouldn't we have Annie open her present first?" I looked up, startled by the sound of the nickname. I didn't think that either of the Black sisters would ever call me that.

"No," Jake's voice rumbled out from underneath. "We're both really excited to see what you two think of your presents." His hand chaffed my ar

"Open up, guys."

"I'm sorry, but am I not the parent in this situation?" We all laughed a little at that. "Besides, we're going over to Charlie's for the presents. Now, get ready to go." We rose to do what Billy had said, but it was little more than grabbing sweaters and slippers and marching out to the front yard...Where a Ford Bronco was sitting with a bow on the top. "What's this?" I asked, wondering what Rebecca or Rachel needed a truck for?

Billy's deep laugh brought my head down to his gaze. "We decided that it was time you had your own car," he explained. Dad and Nessie stepped forward from his spot behind it. "You know, instead of borrowing the other truck all the time." It clearly wasn't me that they were talking to. "Jake didn't think the truck was safe enough. And with it's history, I couldn't say that I disagreed

"Which brought us here," Dad filled in. "Now, there's more than enough room for everyone. Load on up." Jake helped his dad into the car after everyone was all piled in. And then he walked me around to the driver's side.

"Your chariot, milady," he said with a bow. I moved to step up into the car, but Jake caught my chin in his grasp.

"My dad's here," I whispered with a forced smile on my face.

"Annie-girl, your dad already knows what we do. He may not want to know it, but he does." I opened my mouth to protest but he quickly shut me up. After a few intense seconds, he pulled away. "Merry Christmas, Annie." With another quick kiss and a slap on the ass, we were on our way.