And we're--we're boys. So we're idiots, and next thing you know I've--" his hand dropped and he shook his head, lips pursing in what seemed to be disgust, "--you know what, I can't talk about this. She's--She's my past. I don't even remember her that well."

He loathed the way his words seemed to inflict hurt over his imprint's face like he'd visibly slapped her. She looked down at her sleeping bag wordlessly, plucking at the few stray strings as though that helped her deal with whatever answer she hadn't been expecting from him.

His chest constricted with anxious knots and he let out a breath, "Talia."

"Hm?" the girl didn't bother looking up, and Jacob had to resort to shifting closer so that his hand could reach for her chin and draw her face up to his.

"What is it?" he murmured out huskily.

"I--" she opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it once more. And then, as if the words didn't seem to fit, shook her head and looked away, pulling out of his grasp in the process, "I don't know. Sorry. Just--yeah."

"You're jealous."

He said it like a statement. But the flash of anger in her eyes was more than enough proof.

Natalia's lips tightened into a firm line, "I'm not."

"Then why can't you look at me?"

"It's just--It feels uncomfortable, talking about this, knowing you've--" she gestured towards him, "you've done it with someone else and I--I'm just....yeah."

"Hey," Jacob reached over once more, glad that she wasn't pushing him away as he wound his arm around her waist to pull her closer so that they were mere inches. Her cross-legged knees brushed against his chest and he rubbed soft circles into her spine.

When he spoke next, his voice had dropped to a husky murmur, "I don't know what it feels like to be in your shoes, but what I do know is that--just hearing about you and another guy makes my blood boil," his jaw clenched, "--so I can't imagine what it must be like, for you."

Natalia's gaze merely dropped to a corner of the tent, adamant on avoiding his gaze.

"And I'm--" Jacob's words felt heavy in his mouth, his chest tightening at the hurt wafting off her in waves, "I'm sorry, for what it's worth. I--I don't want to hurt you, Talia."

"I know," she whispered back, "I know you wouldn't hurt me."

The silence that followed was heavy, laden with all the unspoken thoughts and feelings that the girl had been holding in since the start of their relationship. It was a complicated thing, being mated to someone whom your heart seemed tied to no matter how much your mind burned and hated and loathed. Their fates were forever entwined and somewhere along the way, Jacob felt the guilt gnaw at him, for it was Natalia that had to suffer. It was here that had to accept that she was forever going to be part of Jacob's heart no matter how much she tried not to be.

"Hey," he whispered, prodding her spine as he did, "truth or dare?"

The girl looked lost, almost helpless. Jacob's wolf whined at the back of his mind, almost like a wound that had festered beneath his skin.

She finally replied, "Truth."

The wolf licked his lips, shifted so that he was face to face with her, "do you--" he tried to search her face for any indication of what she must be feeling, "how much do you hate me right now, on a scale of one to ten?"

Silence.

Crickets chirped outside.

The ocean roared in the distance.

The wind howled. A wolf let out a cry in the distance.

It was only then that Natalia's eyes lifted up to his, and with a watery smile, she shook her head and whispered:

"I don't hate you, Jake."

Jacob felt the knots in his chest break free. He almost sighed in relief when Natalia's next words struck him like fire:

"I think I'm falling in love with you, Jacob."

Jacob blinked.

His mind froze.

His entire body stood still.

And then, his heart exploded.

Fireworks.

Natalia barely had time to react when the wolf grasped her hips and pulled her to him, her yelp covered by his mouth as he kissed her next breath away. The girl let out a breathy moan, one that sent chills ringing right down to Jacob's very core as he grunted in response and pressed her even closer, so close that he felt her entire silhouette against his hard frame.

And by god, she was as perfect as he imagined her to be.

Fireworks. That was the only thing he felt inside his heart, heat flushing him from the back of his neck right down to his toes as he kept staining his mouth against his mate's like this was the last time they would ever see each other. He leaned forward, forcing her to tilt back as her hands found purchase along his neck. Her fingers carded hesitantly through his locks and when Jacob's chest rumbled with a satisfied growl, Natalia's entire body shook with emotion.

Pushing her down onto her sleeping bag, Jacob took this time to admire her. Really admire her; taking in her features and those kissable lips that seem to call out to him every second he wasted away, those doe eyes that would look up at him with such innocence it made his heart hurt, and that beautiful hair that floated around her like a brown halo, a midnight waterfall that he swore made his heart stutter.

He probably looked like he was gazing at her like a dazed lunatic, for he heard her call out his name softly. Hesitantly, as though she was unsure of herself, "Jacob?"

His eyes snapped down to her face.

Natalia bit onto her lower lip, eyes sliding away with growing embarrassment. He heard her heart skid a few beats.

"I--uhm, why are you looking at me--like that?" she whispered.

Damn it. That mouth.

Jacob groaned to himself, though he heard the sound erupt from his chest as he leaned down with his hands caging hers at her sides, nose drifting along her collarbone as he felt her take a breath. He pressed his body against hers and she gasped upon feeling his firm ridges along her soft curves, but when her eyes flew up to his in question, the words died along her tongue upon taking note of the golden orbs gazing back down at her.

"Jake?" Natalia all but whimpered when his nose brushed hers intimately.

She didn't know what she wanted exactly. He felt amazing against her. This was so bad. This was incredible. This was the worst idea to have come here.

Jacob was going to be the death of her.

Jacob was everything she ever wanted.

"What is it, baby?" his rough alto caused heat to pool between her legs.

Jacob let out a snarl, as though he could sense her arousal, and Natalia pressed her thighs together in growing embarrassment.

"I--uhm--your--your eyes," she murmured, "they're gold."

Shit.

Fuck.

It took every single bit of Jacob's restraint to pull back.

His wolf snarled. Snapped its jaws. No fucking way, it said.

Shut up, Jacob snarled back.

It took some time, for him to cut off the connection between his primal instincts long enough that he managed to peel himself away from his mate. He made sure to press against the corner of the tent, chest heaving as he squeezed his eyes shut and thought of things, things other than Natalia sprawled out beneath him, things over than his body sliding against hers--

No. Shut up. Sushi. Forest. The smell of sweat after patrol. Paul. Embry. Quil--

That seemed to do the trick. He took a slow breath in. Exhaled it out through his mouth. Did it once more. His knuckles tight at his sides.

"You okay?"

It was her voice that made his eyes flutter open, only to see the girl sitting up and dishevelled, looking at him with fear-stricken eyes lined with worry.

"Yeah," he gritted his teeth as his wolf pawed at his self-restraint, "yeah—sorry. It's—he—my wolf," he rumbles, eyes darkening as he fought against the latter, "—my wolf likes you. A little too much."

It was impossible to stop the small smile from curving along her lips. Natalia let out a small giggle and Jacob followed, chuckling as he beckoned her over.

"Come here," he pulled her back into his lap, relishing in the way her tiny body fit against his before thrusting his nose into her neck and pressing the softest of kisses along her jawline, "I love you too."

Natalia hid her grin into his shoulder, though her heart said otherwise. Jacob chuckled some more, his chest rumbling in satisfaction as her arms laced around his neck and she hugged him close.

This would forever be his place to be. That was a promise he made to himself. And as he nuzzled into the underside of her neck, mouth grazing over the soft patch of skin there, he couldn't stop thinking — selfishly— of the day she might bear his mark.

All mine.

——-