Confused Replacement (Twilight FANFIC)

Chapter 15: Rejection Is A Bitter Pill To Swallow

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The engine came to a rumbling halt as the car parked about twenty feet from Jake's jeep. I held onto Edward's arm, stopping him from exiting the car. The look I gave him all he needed to release an uncomfortable exhale but remain seated--"Doesn't he own a shirt(?)" His grumble of disapproval flicked a small smile onto my lips.

"Although adorable," I gently gripped his chin and moved it to face me--"Your jealousy is pointless..." I pulled him closer for a kiss, the vampire's hand reaching to cup my cheek and deepen the goodbye.

Pulling back, our foreheads rested together as we enjoyed a few moments of peace..."I'm not gonna be gone long."

"Don't rush," I reassured, "You need to hunt. I'm good--I'm safe...You have nothing to worry about..." I leaned in for one final kiss, my breath shaky on the retreat--"Well, maybe rush a little bit..." I slipped out of the passengers' seat, patting the closed door in a salute of goodbye. Refusing to approach Jake until his care accelerated past.

"Hey beautiful," he grinned at my approach.

"Sup bro," I winced while being crushed in a hug, my arms awkwardly wrapping around his torso before he finally allowed me to near his car.

"So, whatcha wanna do today?" I stopped at the passenger side, "Bike, hike, just hang? Your call." I opened my mouth to respond, his next words cutting through before I even had a chance to process--"But we're going to a party tonight," and with that he ducked out of sight, a confused frown crossing my face over the suddenness of his announcement.

-----

"Are you sure this is okay? I hate being a party crasher," the warmth of the firepit ensnared me to grow closer.

"Technically, you're a council meeting crasher," my eyes widened with his reveal. "See? The council leaders; Dad, Quill's grandpa, and Sue Clearwater. She took over for Harry when he died," he clarified.

"Okay, I should not be here," I stopped dead in my tracks--the feeling of being intrusive sending an uncomfortable twinge up my spine.

"You're okay. I thought it--...I mean, they thought it would be good for you to hear the histories."

"The histories--as in the tribe's histories? Aren't they secret?--I'm not one of you Jake--"

"We all got a role to play...and you're part of this," he defended, "I mean, it's the first time Seth, Leah, and Quil'll hear 'em, too. But you are the first outsider, ever."

He took a few steps forward, stopping and looking back when he noticed I hadn't budged--"You should have told me what this was, Jake. If I had known that this was gonna--"

My attempt to refuse the invitation was interrupted by the excited and boyish shout of Seth--"Jake!"

"Hey," my friend nodded at the younger boy in greeting.

"It's about time you got here. Paul's been hoovering the grub, but I saved you some burgers."

"Good lookin' out, bro. Bella, this is Seth Clearwater, Leah's brother," I was introduced, "Newest member of the pack."

"Hi," I accepted his handshake.

"Newest. Bestest. Brightest--"

"And slowest--" Jake pulled him down for a noogie, the whistle of an elder breaking the playful scrap up.

"Come on, your Dad's about to start." Seth ran ahead, my smile remaining intact until I was seated across from Billy Black himself.

"The Quileutes has been a small tribe from the beginning...But we have always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors--shapeshifters, that transformed into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies. And protect our tribe," Billy prefaced..."One day, our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man...But it was hard like stone...And cold as ice.....Our warriors' sharp teeth finally tore it apart. But only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone...and they were right."