I returned to my house around dinnertime. I didn't feel like eating as a wolf tonight. I often hunted with Nessie but only ate with her because it made her happy. It also felt like less of a waste if the animal served as sustenance for two instead of just being drained of blood and tossed aside. Still, I much preferred my meat cooked and on a plate than covered in fur. I doubted my father had been wondering where I was. He had Rachel home now and the place felt a little crowded. Ever since Paul imprinted on my sister she hadn't so much as stepped foot off the res. That aggravated me to no end. She dropped out of school to be closer to him. She tried to play it off that Billy and I needed her but honestly we'd been just fine since she left for school. She and Paul were only a couple weeks away from their wedding so I wasn't complaining anymore. No one listened to me anyway. I'd miss her when they moved in together. It was nice having her back after all the time she'd been away.
I could smell meatloaf and corn on the cob. Talk about perfect timing. I trotted up to my bedroom window and phased back before jumping through. I threw on some clothes and headed straight for the kitchen. I ate with Rachel and Billy and was just finishing up the dishes when the phone rang.
"Hello."
"Jacob, where have you been?" Nessie asked with a hint of anxiety in her voice.
"I had to check in with Sam is all. Didn't Edward tell you I'd be back to pick you up later?"
"Yes. I was worried you didn't want to see me though, after talking to daddy about Alice's vision."
"I always want to see you, honey. I'm on my way now, okay?"
"Okay. Bye."
I grabbed my keys to the Rabbit and headed back to the Cullen's house. Nessie was waiting for me on the front porch wearing capri shorts and an olive green long sleeved tee. I always told her how good she looked in green. She bounded to my car with a big grin on her face before I even shut off the engine. She didn't look nervous at all now. Maybe Edward hadn't told her I that I planned on having a talk with her tonight? Edward walked by the living room window then and shook his head answering my question. God, he was annoying. He smirked at me and kept on walking. We pulled out of the drive and headed back to La Push.
Once we reached the beach I took Nessie's hand and we started to walk down to the water. The sun had set and we could see the moonlight dancing off the water. I started wondering if I was setting her up for disappointment with this romantic stroll on the beach under millions of stars… God, I was going to royally screw this up. We sat down in the sand and watched the gentle waves wash up on the sand. I took a deep breath and turned to face her.
"Ness, I want to apologize for running out this afternoon. Your dad and I had a discussion after that awkward moment in the house and I just needed some time to think." I paused to gauge her reaction. She looked nervous now. She pulled her hand back from mine and wrapped both arms around her knees just like Bella used to do when she was human. The resemblance made me smile.
"I'm sorry about making you uncomfortable, Jacob. It was just something I was considering and Aunt Alice overreacted. She relies far too much on her gift. Her and daddy, both. You're my best friend and I didn't mean to make things weird between us." She pouted her lips and looked down at her feet. I took her chin in my hand and lifted it up so our eyes met again.
"Honey, I'm glad it happened because Edward finally agreed to let me explain imprinting to you. We both think it's time to be completely honest with you." Her eyes expressed her shock and her cheeks flushed a little but she didn't say anything. She waited for me to continue.
