Chapter 2 2:Jealousy

POV of Bella

I was finally dragged from the shower by Jacob. Once I had rinsed my hair, I had given up on taking a shower. Just by shampooing my hair, I had already worked myself to the point of fatigue. Because of the malnutrition my body was experiencing, I was feeble.

At that moment, I felt hands pulling me up. I thought it was Jacob, my mate's brother, when I looked up and saw him with a tangle of dark hair and pale blue eyes.

He is such a selfish mate to me that I can't even think of his name.

I was able to dress after I had dried off while Jacob was looking elsewhere, giving me some privacy despite the fact that he had seen me countless times. Wolf behaviour is not ashamed to it. In fact, we're used to it, but when there are only the two of us and no other wolves, it's different.

I let him to bring me outside into the late-autumn mist, the icy air encircling me and occasionally caressing my skin with a breeze.

Jacob made sure we avoided everyone by taking us through the woods next to the massive Pack House, which was still going strong in the backyard.

He was aware that I didn't want to be noticed.

With my small hand in his enormous one, I timidly followed him. He had always been there to keep me up when I felt like falling through my worst moments. I was struck by how tall he had grown as we were moving. Although I hadn't really noticed, Jacob had changed significantly during the previous two years. Although he wasn't quite his brother's height, he was near. Soon enough, he would be a fully developed adult boy.

"Bella." I was startled out of my thoughts by Jacob's voice, which was now deeper than ever. I became aware that I had been gazing out at the wide expanses of water while thinking. The way the lake's surface reflected the brilliant blue sky above us and the way its ripples gave the impression that it was a body of glass shimmering in the sun was fascinating. I hadn't even noticed that we had reached far away because I had been so high, like bird in the sky I fly the entire time. I was mentally disoriented.

No, I was going crazy.

We soon found ourselves in the boat, paddling across the lake's chilly water. We used to take the boats out frequently while laughing, joking, and enjoying ourselves. Although I have many great memories of it, I don't feel as joyful right now.

I've always had the closest friendships with Jacob. I didn't have many female friends simply because I didn't enjoy being around them. They were constantly preoccupied with males and how eager they were to find partners.

I was now wishing I hadn't discovered mine.

The only reason the girls who wanted to be my friends approached me with their phony smiles of kindness was because they knew I was friends with Jacob. Either that, or they desired my friendship in order to approach my family's male members. I simply retained Alice as a buddy among women. I wish she were here right now so badly. A couple women I spoke with were there, but I would never consider them friends.

We rowed leisurely while enjoying the sound of the river churning and our paddles dripping. I was reminded not to wiggle when the boat rocked slightly. A lovely, dark horizon could be seen off in the distance as the dreary sky had descended, gradually giving way to the deep darkness that hung overhead.

My mate with a female bearing his pup when I first met them.

I shook such ideas from my head. Not today, I wasn't going to allow him to have that kind of power over me.

"Stop. Let's unwind." I was once again jolted out of my reverie by Jacob's voice. I pondered whether my lack of focus was bothering him.

We ended ourselves hiding behind a row of trees that lined the shore and obscured the overcast, dark sky because we had come from the docks in the woods, farther away from the Pack House. As we continued, Jacob and I were hidden from the wolves' line of sight, just hanging out like we normally did.

Looking up at Jacob, whose eyes resembled those of his brother, I experienced an unexplainable anguish in my heart. I didn't want to discuss anything pertaining to the predicament of my acquaintance. But Jacob was eager to discuss it. He would, I knew.

"Say something, Bella." He gently prodded me in the ear.

I dipped my fingers into the water and said, "Something," dodging his sight.

He laughed as he splashed me with the water after dipping his own hand in it.

"Hey!" I cast a tight glare his way.

He played with a smirk before breaking into a broad grin that showed off his pearly white teeth.

Hay belongs to horses. He was still grinning.

I water-flashed him while sighing." I am aware of what you are doing."

He made a shrug. "Is it helpful ?"

I shook my head as I observed my reflection in the canoe's side. I would be the image next to the word "tragedy" in the dictionary.

"Bellaa...! Do you speak with him? "

"Has he told you whether or not he was going to mark her?"

I turned my attention to him. I grimaced. "No. Who cares if it matters? He will, I'm sure. His pup is with her. Unfortunately, your brother is a gentleman." The final complaint came from me, who was annoyed that my companion was preoccupied with doing the "right thing" rather than looking out for his true mate,me.

I fought the want to cry. It killed me that he had to go and make the proper decision for this she-wolf because he was such a nice wolf to stay by her side in light of his fault . He wouldn't permit her to lack honor.

"Bella! What specifically did you and my brother discuss the evening he returned home? Who said what?" My hands were taken in by Jacob as he leaned forward and sincerely questioned me with those blue eyes.

I clearly recall that night, and it often appears in my dreams. It's supposed to be a magical day when a wolf finds their mate, but this particular night I just wanted it to be over.

My shift celebration was taking place that night. Last week was my seventeenth birthday, and I had successfully shifted, my wolf appearing after hours of bones snapping and realigning to fit my wolf. Like she does with all newly shifted wolves, Alpha Clevedon had thrown me a shift party. Everyone in the group received an invitation.

When Jacob's brother's car showed up, I was at the party having a blast with Jacob and my family. The entire pack had wandered to the front yard to welcome him after his autumn travels in Southern Allying area. He had just returned home. He is, after all, Crescent Moon's future Alpha and the son of the Alpha. Because Luna Criselda had informed me that he would be returning that evening, I was happy to know he was coming and eager to show him my wolf.

I'd had a thing for him ever since. Although I was attached at the hip to Jacob, it was his brother who had always captured my attention, even when I was much younger.

When Jacob and I finally arrived in the front yard, I observed his brother getting out of the truck with a larger-than-normal frame. He looked fantastic because he had put on muscle this autumn while training.

When it struck me, the entire world spun about.

His scent, made me crazy.

It was intoxicating and caused my inner wolf to go crazy, howling and pawing at my mind. My heart rate picked up and right away, I knew.

His head snapped up, eyes wide with knowing, taking the air into his lungs as he searched the crowd. His gaze was locked onto mine. His sky-blue eyes focused on my grass-green ones, and it was like fireworks going off on the eighth of July.

The first emotion evident on his face was shock, mirroring my own. How could it be that we grew up together, part of each other's family, never knowing we were mates? There were no clues, aside from the fact that I huge a crush on him.

Then, a smile began to creep onto his lips, and I found myself returning it. How could I be so lucky to find my mate so quickly and it be someone I already knew, someone in my own pack who I had memories with?

He was happy.

I was glad to see him.

Everything was silent, and all that could be seen was me and him gazing into one other's eyes and absorbing the feelings that had captured us. Warm tingling sensations buzzed through my fingertips and travelled from my legs to the top of my head. My mind was flying -in a nice way, though. He'd be a fantastic partner.

The sound of the truck's passenger door slamming shut jolted us out of our daydream. A tall, lanky girl with ginger hair round the corner, uncertain brown eyes glancing around the group as she passed. I glanced across at her before returning to him. His grin vanished, being replaced by a worried and fearful one.

At that point, I began to sense a problem with her, but I wasn't sure what it was.

A few wolves inquired as to my status as his mate, but no one spoke until I approached him and closed the distance between us, drawing me in with his scent.

"You're my mate," I said, claiming him with my words and wondering if he sensed my presence. He had to, since he had grinned at me and responded. He had to know what I represented to him.

Why did his frown instantly flip upside down? He'd grinned. He was content. He knew I was his, and I knew it. I had been certain of that. The atmosphere around us appeared to be static-like, and something inside of me told me to mark him as my mate. My wolf was there.

When I said that I was the future Alpha's mate, the odd female's eyes widened, and everyone behind us started cheering. They claimed that they would produce strong pups.

However, not today. That might have been true.

I was too engrossed in the emotions that finding your soul mate provides to pay attention to my surroundings. I had trouble paying attention to the woman who had exited the truck. I was too preoccupied with him, my partner, whose emotions had changed from one of joy to one of strain. His bright blue eyes were avoiding mine, if his clenched hands and tensed jaw didn't reveal it.

I was wounded. I didn't know why he was acting in that manner.

Back at the party, The Alpha dispersed the throng while glaring at his eldest son with steely eyes. When the pack left us alone and the gingered female started crying, I finally realized what was going on. Until then, I had no idea what was going on. After escorting the woman inside, Luna Criselda apologized and flashed me a tearful smile. Pity.

The reason at the moment eluded me.

Alpha Clevedon promised to wait for us. He was aware of it. Now that I knew for sure, they both did. I was simply pleased to share some time with my partner and inquire about his well-being and the cause of his melancholy demeanour. Together, we had grown up. He ought to be as content as I am. I was curious about the woman's identity and the cause of her sobs.

I recall turning to look up into my companion's eyes. There were only the two of us. I felt his gaze on every curve and dip as his lovely orbs travelled down my body. He was obsessed with my scent, and every instinct urged him to mark me as well. He desired to. A glint of gold was visible through the second-by-second darkening of his eyes. I experienced a mouthwatering shiver as his teeth slid out.

I simply dismissed the woman at the time as a female in need of assistance or a relative I had never met. I came to the conclusion that the reason for her emotional outburst was that she was having period issues and had come here for a respite. Maybe she's been troubled by witnessing us find each other.

I was gullible.

Being your best friend's mate must be strange, huh? I held my hands behind my back, balancing on the heels of my shoes , a slight smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. I felt anxious.

I was unsure about his current state of happiness. As he inhaled, he simply remained still, his face dripping with despondency.

I extended my hand and rubbed against his to see how things went.

A strong thrill spread through my skin as our hands made contact. I let out a gasp at the thrilling sensation. He caught me with his strong, rough hands, steadying me as he looked down at me with sad eyes, though his lust for me was evident in the air. My knees buckled, unable to withstand his touch and the effect it had on me.

My partner offered me a loving hug while holding my hand. Behind my back, I could see the darkness and smell his thick, fragrant breath. For a brief period, my worries disappeared, and I felt at ease.

My partner yanked his hands away from me, acting as though I was scorching to the touch. I was perplexed and isolated. Why wasn't he responding the way he did before?

As he talked, he lowered his head and gently shook it.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I had no idea... "He muttered as he moved away from me, his gaze looking up at me through long ebony lashes. His olive skin and dark features stood out sharply against the thick brown hair that had fallen over those incredibly bright eyes. I had never seen a man as attractive as him.

As I watched him back away, my smile vanished, and I started to feel self-conscious. The wolf inside of me began to whimper in defeat as my lips quiver. I thought I would start crying.

"You do not like being my mate? "My voice was trembling and quiet, and my tone was doubtful.

My spirit was reaching out to his, and I could feel the suffering he was going through. It wasn't like when you were marked and mated, when you could sense the emotions of your partner. It seemed strange, like though our wolves were attempting to synchronize.

He quickly shook his head as his lips pursed. "Goodness, Bella, I do. We've grown up together, if only I had known. Of course I'd want you to be my partner." As we both stood two feet apart, it was a heart-breaking whisper. He struggled to keep his hands from encircling me like they wanted to, so I had to glance up to see his face.

We remained motionless for a brief period of time while we observed one another. I felt depressed because I was aware that something was seriously wrong at the time. He didn't say he did want me; he just said he "would" want me to be his mate. He finally made a statement to break the tension.

I can sense her sobbing, staring at us, while I'm with my mate.

"I was instructed by the alpha to discuss this in private with my mate, away from the pregnant she-wolf."

"But now that I realize you are my gift, something has happened and it's ripping me apart. Your heart will be broken, and mine will be broken too." His eyes were tightly shut. I apologize.

" Bella, I'm so, so sorry. "He could not meet my sight, so he pursed his lips and turned his head away. As my heart plummeted and my anxiety increased, a lone tear trickled down his chiselled cheekbone.

"What is it, exactly? "

At that point, I realized it had something to do with the she-wolf with the gingered hair.

He gave me a dejected look as he looked back. "Bella, I made a mistake. I was unable to restrain myself. "

He let out a sob, then turned his head once again. Men don't cry, especially when there is no alpha blood present. This was imparted to them from birth. For him to do this in front of me, I knew it had to be really terrible.

His aroma was enticing me to approach him and pulling at my legs, but I was waiting for him to speak.

"The wolf with ginger-hair shee.. She is carrying my puppy. Victoria is who she is, and... "He was unable to look me in the eyes, therefore he never did.

I let out a loud moan as anguish wrapped its obscene hand around my heart and squeezed with all its power. I had collapsed to my knees, gasping for air and unable to support myself, clinging to my shirt, where my heart was still pounding. As I repeated "No... No... No," my lips quiver.

I started crying uncontrollably and broke. I fell to the ground, rocking back and forth on my knees, sobbing to the moon till my forehead touched the earth while he stood, staring with a torn expression.

He promptly fell on his knees and reached out to touch me. His eyes were streaming with saline solution as he held me firmly against his chest, feeling the emptiness. It did not help to have him touch me. It was like waving something I'd never have at me. My wolf wanted to leave because the electric tension between us was so palpable. She wished to mark him and claim him as her own.

"I was unaware, Bella. "He moaned and sniveled equally to me. We were both sobbing uncontrollably.

" I had no idea you would be the one or that I would meet my luna mate so quickly. She was having her heat. I was feeble, she didn't sense her heat. My wolf overcame me. I apologize. So sorry again. "As he sobbed along with me and tightened his arms around my body as we rocked together, his voice grew croaky with emotion. His tears also fell onto my shirt. I struggled against my wolf as she threatened to emerge, screaming out my suffering for him to see.

I trusted him. This was not where he wanted to be. He would've preferred me. He did desire me.

The tingles from his touch were unlike anything I had ever experienced, but my focus was diverted by the ache in my chest.

"What's your plan, how about me?" When I looked up at him through wet eyes with his face so close to mine, my voice broke.

"I have to act the right thing, Bella." He looked down at me with a brokenness about him and eyes of desperation, and that was all he said.

My mouth was covered by a hand, and I tensed up my face. Despite my efforts, a muffled sob managed to escape, and I jerked away from his grip before sliding back onto the gravel driveway on my ass.

My chest was shaking with intense, strong sobs as I crumpled, rolling over and collapsing flat to the ground with my forehead contacting the gravel. With just one sentence, my heart burst into a million little pieces, and I lay there broken.

His touch on my back caused those currents to go through me. "I apologize. I wish I could go back, I really do. Bella, I don't want this, but I have no control over it. So sorry again." With each stroke he gave me, he cried out to me without any shame.

"But it was already too late."

"Just be with hher" I uttered it as my final statement. He stopped touching my back, as if my comments had completely stunned him. He gently backed away, observing me as I turned to look at his anguished face.

"Bellaa, I-"

I closed my eyes and mumbled, "Just go," as the anguish swept over me. I was in far too much pain at the time.

"I apologize." As I lay there bleeding internally from the broken heart I had just suffered, he murmured one last time before leaving me. There and then, my wolf was prepared to pursue him and claim him, whereas I just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out again. A mate bond is fragile when it hasn't been fully formed.

My mate.

His future with another woman is the dream of my entire universe.

The pup, the family, the happiness.

In response to Jacob snapping his fingers in my face, I snapped out of my memory of that fateful night. "Bella, will you respond to my question?"

I made an effort to ignore the agonizing sensation that was pounding inside of me as my stomach tightened.

"I'm sorry. I was attempting to recall. The only thing he said to me was that he was sorry but had to make the right decision. Nothing farther," was the whispered conclusion.

I couldn't keep the emotions within for very long because I felt like I was being torn apart from the inside out.

Jacob's anger and rage took over as he turned his head toward the ocean.

"He will be killed by me. He is excessive."

Except for the fact that he ought to have held out for me, I couldn't entirely hold my mate responsible. No man can stand a woman's heat, and in the space of a few minutes that evening, I found my mate and had my heart broken. He had told me that the she-wolf with ginger hair had been inside her skull. He was unable to restrain himself.

Jacob's perceptive eyes returned to me and fixed their jaded attention on my feeble frame. "You must speak with him. Alone. What is his plan? You have to do it, Belllaa."

My face twisted in sorrow, and I felt the pain radiate from within. I shook my head back and forth and let out a small cry. "I can't. Jacob, I can't face him.

My hand was seized by his. "Then, jointly, we shall."

I looked up to saw the resolve in his eyes. For his best friend, he would go through anything. Although we are unable to do this jointly, I would still do the same for him.

That wasn't what I had in mind. I didn't want to know my mate's plans, and Jacob shouldn't hate his sibling for something that he had no control over. He would simply make me feel even more heartbroken. A wolf that had recently changed forms couldn't take this. Even trying to restrain myself and refrain from gorging on food when I experienced strong emotions was difficult.

I fought back tears as Jacob squeezed my hand firmly in his. Our heads jerked in the direction of the loud voices as they reverberated off the water.

When I realized that we had strayed too far from the pack barbecuing up on the shore, my mouth dropped agape. We were now staring directly into hundreds of wolf eyes.

The whole pack was staring out at the lake, at us, as we were seated in the canoe in full view.

However, the only eyes I could feel were the ones in my head.

He was nearby, looking at me.

My mate,is looking ate me.

Jacob was holding my hand when his piercing look moved down my body, and I let go of it. My mate was seated there with his pregnant female, his jaw clenched tight, and his eyes focused as I peered through the barrier my hair had created.

Although everyone was aware of our close friendship, I felt a little too close to Jacob in this situation. They were all thinking things I knew.

"We must leave immediately." Just as whispers and gasps moved out onto the sea, where we could hear the rumors already circulating, Jacob maintained my gaze.

"Let's leave. "Jacob, haste. I beg, covering my face to avoid their prying eyes.

I could only speculate on the rumours that would surface the following day. I didn't bother giving my companion another glance. It was pointless in any case, and seeing him with female gingered hair would only make me feel worse.

His expression indicated that he was upset, so I knew that. He has no right, so. Absolutely none