✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter one

CHAPTER ONE

The jarring sound of a pencil breaking echoed through the classroom, causing the shapeshifters present to wince in response. Quil and Embry turned their gaze to their best friend, letting out a collective sigh as they watched remnants of the fractured pencil drop onto the shared desk in front of them.

Jacob's gaze, seething with irritation, remained fixed on the back of Aniya's head as she conversed with Juliet Michael. It was evident to them that Juliet was Embry's imprint; this knowledge was something they were all privy to. When they looked to their friend, who appeared to have slipped into a state of fixation, Quil recognized it from his own experience as an imprinter, a sensation he had already gone through unlike his friends.

As Jacob stewed in his thoughts, he couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment at being the sole member of the pack who hadn't found his soulmate. However, there was one silver lining to this situation: it wasn't the girl sitting in front of him—the girl he'd rather keep his distance from at all costs.

The enigma still remained: why did Jacob harbor such intense dislike for Aniya? The answer, in an unexpected twist, was rooted in misunderstanding. As absurd as it may sound, both Jacob and Aniya had misunderstood an event that had occurred several years ago, leaving them both unaware of the full truth.

To the surprise of those unfamiliar with their history, Aniya Majorie and Jacob Black were once close friends. Their bond appeared so strong that many expected their friendship to last forever. Nevertheless, as fate would have it, their friendship had not withstood the test of time.

Aniya had been led to believe that Jacob was using her as a means to get over his unrequited feelings for Bella Swan.

On Jacob's end, he had been under the impression that Aniya had never genuinely wanted to be his friend and had merely pitied him.

The irony of their conflict lay in the fact that both parties held misperceptions about the other's intentions. Jacob had indeed harbored feelings for Bella Swan, but he would never have manipulated Aniya in that manner. Meanwhile, Aniya had sincerely hoped to be Jacob's friend, as they shared so many common interests.

Jacob would provide an escape for Aniya from the home she loathed returning to, where personal space was sorely lacking. She cherished the moments spent in his garage, watching as he toiled on his Volkswagen Rabbit—a gift he'd received from his father for his birthday. Surprisingly enough, she herself had even assisted in the project, their shared enthusiasm fueling a list of prospects for the car once it was fully operational.

The hopes and dreams associated with the car stayed unfulfilled, as Jacob neglected to touch it again after that day. Rather, he turned his focus solely onto his motorcycle. It became torturous for him to look upon the car, as the absence of the person who had once worked on it by his side left a profound emptiness. Consequently, he concealed the car with a tarp, refusing to remove it, leaving the project incomplete and slowly gathering dust.

Despite their intense hate for each other, there was a profound inner pull that both Aniya and Jacob struggled to ignore. They attempted to disregard this primal pull, but it was undeniable. Deep down, they knew that the need to be with each other would only intensify over time, eventually becoming undeniable.

The hatred that fueled the distance between them was only a flimsy veil, hiding the intense emotions lying beneath the surface. Jacob and Aniya may have believed that their dislike for each other was absolute, but there was a deeper truth that neither of them could ignore, no matter how hard they tried.

This hunger, a primal force within them, was impossible to resist. No matter how hard they attempted to suppress it, the yearning would resurface with even greater intensity, making them long for what they were denying themselves. It was a silent torment, a battle they fought against their own desires.

Embry and Quil continued to watch as the tension between Jacob and Aniya remained palpable. Even though Jacob had settled down some, the underlying anger was still evident in the way he stared at Aniya, his eyes refusing to relent. Embry and Quil exchanged another glance, silently communicating their concern about the strained atmosphere. However, they also appreciated the fact that the immediate threat of Jacob phasing was diminished, for now at least.

As the class drew to a conclusion, Jacob was noticed to have disappeared, likely in search of an activity to completely calm his frayed nerves.

Quil was the first to break the silence, looking at Embry and commenting, "It looks like Jake might be caught up in a strange mixture of hate and love, or he's too blinded to realize it."

Embry chimed in, sighing in agreement, "Yeah, and the worst part is, we can't even approach him about it without the risk of having our heads bitten off."

The two exchanged another glance, their concern for their friend's well-being evident in their expressions.

"It's frustrating," Embry said with a hint of resignation. "We want to help him see what's really going on, but he's so focused on suppressing those feelings that he won't listen to us."

Quil nodded in agreement. "And it's not just frustrating for us, it's also tough on him. It seems like he's stuck in a constant internal battle between hating her and wanting her."

Embry sighed again, sharing Quill's sentiment. "But what can we do? He's so convinced that he hates her that he won't even consider the possibility that there's something deeper there."

Quil leaned back in his chair, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Yeah, and the more he tries to deny it, the more intense those feelings are likely to become. It's like a volcano waiting to erupt."