Purple Sky by A. Teller (unputdownable books .TXT) 📕

"I had a dream of a wolf-"

"Me?" Jake asked excitedly. I gave him a look and shot him down.

"It was white. With red eyes...and so angry..."

"White wolves are omens," Jake mumbled to me. "Something about the future. But they're usually neutral symbols."

"This was wasn't. It was angry at me...and then you were there," I said, perking his ears up. He lost the smile as I finished my retelling, mentioning the pack and him disappearing.

"How about we get away from here?"

"Where to?"

"You'll see..." he said wisely.

...

We laid out on the grass near the beach; it was too windy to lay in the sand, regardless of the freezing cold. The sunrise was beautiful, eclipsed only by Jacob's calm and strong face and jaw as he stared out towards the ocean. Jacob kept me warm, but the sand was a nuisance. I was wrapped up in my jacket, playing with a flower.

"Being out of the house helps eh?" Jake said with a small smile.

As I ran the blue petals of a daisy threw my fingers, I heard a sudden twig snap. I frowned, but it subsided when fear overcame anger. A huge, light-grey wolf stood in the meadow, growling at me.

“Leah, don’t!” Jake ordered. But she ignored him, still snarling at me. She finally lunged, and before I could blink, Jake’s was in his wolf form, fighting her off. But a quick throw sent him flying into a tree, too far away to stop Leah as she ran after me. I thought I would outrun her, but I realized something. I didn't want to. I wanted to stand my ground and finally duke it out with this girl who'd had so much crap to give me all the time. I'd had it.

I turned on my heel and grapple with Leah's jaws, flipping her over my head and into a tree. She got up still snarling, and began to circle me. Jake finally caught up to us and stared Leah down. I knew they were talking to each other, but I couldn’t hear them. The occasional growl and ears flattening caught my attention. But I could only guess what they were saying. Jake’s eyes suddenly went sad.

Leah and Jake finally parted. We wandered back to my house, Jake on foot and me on his back. He went behind the house to change while I waited by the back door. Jake always had clothes around our house, in case he ever lost his cool. The black rope he wore around his leg had been forgotten so many times, I’d have to start leaving him little notes on his patrol days. He told me to call and remind him, but he’d never pick up.

When Jake returned he looked so…upset. Like he’d done something terrible.

“Jake, I…” I began.

He didn’t speak, but he stopped to look at my hand. I noticed my family, present the moment we arrived was frozen, staring at me. Leah's teeth had really gotten me, my hand was gashed across the palm like a zippered cut. Jake took me inside; Carlisle was preparing sutures in the kitchen. My family was quiet. I expected them to attack Jake for my "wellbeing" or something, but they were all silent. My father had his reading expression on; he knew what happened. Jake went out back, I assume to cool off.

“Dad, what was…”

“Leah’s furious. Seth was injured by passing nomads when Jacob should have been watching him,” my father said, shooting a glance at the back door Jake exited. Edward’s expression was a mixture of disappointment, and attempted comfort. He felt sorry for Jacob.

Once I was stitched up, Carlisle quickly went to his car to get over to the Clearwaters. Tending to Seth would be a big job; werewolf healing was a great and terrible foe. I went outside and set on the stairs with Jake; the sky had turned a hazy grey with the morning fog rolling across the trees in front of us.

He looked at the ground, still trying to forget. But Seth’s battered image from Leah’s head was trapped in Jake. He couldn’t shake the guilt. I rubbed my thumb over his cheek and the corner of his lip. I tried to get him to smile, but I knew my efforts would fall through the floor.

“I was supposed to take care of him. I let him go off on his own for patrol, and he…he got hurt. He’s never…” Jake tried to explain. But he couldn’t. He was too angry at himself and Leah.

“We need to see him,” I finished for him.

Jake nodded, holding my hand as we walked to his motorcycle he'd left in the Cullen's garage this morning. We road all the way to the Clearwater’s without saying a word. It worried me. I knew this kind of silence meant, eventually, it would have to release. The only way for Jake to calm down was the release of rage. And it wouldn’t be pretty.

When we arrived, everyone, Sam and Jake’s packs, stood outside, waiting. Their pained faces looked at Jake, apologetic instead of angry. I was about to speak, but I was cut off before I could. An ear-shriveling scream was heard. When it finally stopped, everyone’s faces were in distress, including mine. Carlisle stepped out of the house, and Jake held my hand tighter as we all waited for the verdict.

“He’ll be alright. A few broken ribs, bruises and cuts. But he’ll recover soon. I’ll be back to set up another drip later,” Carlisle said, shaking Sue Clearwater’s hand. She nodded through her silent tears, glaring at me and Jake. I wanted to growl, but I swallowed sharply instead. Me and Jake turned back to Carlisle, who was talking to us now.

“He’s asking for both of you,” Carlisle directed to me and Jake. We both nodded as Carlisle left. Jake led me inside the house, where we saw Seth. He looked…horrible. Covered in sweat, hooked up to and IV, Seth lay there with a black eye. He was wrapped so tight, my stomach hurt just looking at the bruises and cuts. His cheek adorned a regular Band-Aid, and his breathing was raspy. Jake gulped, I gasped, and Seth smirked.

“Oh, Seth,” I whispered. Tears slipped through security, but I held them in my eyes as long as I could. I couldn’t see Seth completely, but I didn’t care. I kneeled next to him, Jake sat at the foot of his bed. A small tear escaped my eye, but Seth grabbed my hand.

“Don’t make me cry too,” he said sarcastically. I sniffled, wiping the tear away quickly.

“Seth, man, I…” Jake began. He struggled, at first, but he knew he had to be strong in front of a pack member, him being the Alpha and all. “I didn’t... What happened?” he asked.

Seth looked sad for a minute, but wanted to look like the tough cookie he was. He breathed in deeply, then began. “I was going to Sam and Emily’s. I wanted to show them that you trusted me to let me…” he paused, but Jake let it go. He knew this was about Bellingham; the wolves read each other's minds always. Seth knew he was going to lead soon.

Seth continued. “There were only two of them. It looked so easy, but they got me good. I couldn’t even hit them once. Next thing I know, Carlisle’s here sticking needles in me,” he said, trying to be lighthearted. But it seemed like Seth blamed himself. Like he thought it was his fault. I put my hand on his shoulder, and he smiled weakly. Jake stood up, and I copied him. I kissed Seth’s cheek, and left with Jake.

We got outside, and Jacob exploded. He shoved his bike yards away from us with his foot. He breathed heavily with rage. His hands quivered and his spine trembled. He held his hands around the top of his head, holding them there as he breathed violently through his teeth. It was like there was the fire inside him that held his temper, and someone just poured gasoline on it. Quil grabbed my shoulder when I tried to talk to him, but I shook free. I put my hand on Jake’s tense shoulder, calming him momentarily. His skin was noticeably hotter when he was angry. The pack was ready to stop Jake, but I knew they wouldn’t need to.

“Jacob…” I whispered. He turned around, hugging me fast. At first, I flinched, but I was calm, hugging him back. He hugged me tighter, and tighter. But I didn’t care. I kissed his shoulder, and his breathe, though still heavy, flared against my neck. Mint set on fire. He let go of me, and I suddenly realized how cold it truly was. Jake turned so I couldn’t see his face, and I swore he’d said something. “…love you,” was all I heard, before he started running. After he was far enough away, he phased and continued running. He just…kept running.

And I was left alone, by myself, without Jacob.

It had been four days since Jake left. He’d only called once, and that was for Sam, who told everyone that Jake would be gone for a week. I didn't know what to do. He’d always been there, and now he’d suddenly run off. I was so scared. I didn't eat, I could barely sleep. Being without him felt wrong. Like a part of your life was taken away somewhere else.

It was torture. I’d close my eyes to sleep, and I’d find painful, stinging memories haunt my mind. I’d wake up, screaming and sweating. Rosalie or Alice would wake me up, and hold me until I fell asleep. Their stone figures were cold, but still surprisingly comforting. I couldn’t fight for sleep. I couldn’t see Jake and hear his voice. I couldn’t say his name without bursting into tears. There was a knock at the door after Rose’s seventh attempt to make me get up and hunt. My eyes were liquid onyx, but I couldn’t move.

Her back stiffened, but allowed the visitors. My room flooded with werewolves. Seth, Embry, Paul, Jarrod, Nate, Quil. Collin and Brady were absent. Seth came forward after they’d all soaked up the scene of a lifeless me. I probably looked like crap, but I couldn’t care anymore. Not that I didn’t. I couldn’t.

“Ness, come with us. Please?” Seth begged. His voice seemed off. Distant. But I agreed thoughtlessly.

“Sure, where?” I muttered. The first few words I'd spoken in days.

“Somewhere that’ll make you feel better,” he said. His breath was cold.

I got up after the werewolves shuffled out to give me privacy. Rose left too. I dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt and blue jeans. A silver butterfly necklace, which I don’t remember having, adored my neck. I walked outside, ignoring my family. I felt guilty for a moment, but overwhelming grief helped it pass. The wolves greeted me outside, all of them in there wolf forms. Only Seth waiting to greet me as a human.

“Ready?”

I nodded reluctantly. He phased was he stepped away from me, and we started running. I didn’t know where. It was a moment of thoughtless, directionless running. The wind blew through my hair, icy and harsh. It felt like claws