"Won't you pass me the honey, dear?" Esme wiped her hands on her apron and smiled at Emmett.

"Sure thing, Esme." He handed her the honey jar and cocked his chin at the delicacies arranged on the table. "Aren't you going a little overboard?"

"No, I am well acquainted with Jacob's appetite." Esme shook her head as she upended the jar, a thick stream of amber honey falling over the waffles she had just cooked. "It's a pleasure watching that boy eat. He's so greedy, he just inhales his food."

"I know." Emmet smirked, recalling when he had watched Jacob devour a burger or six, the other times he had come over to work on the Mercedes and Esme 'accidentally' left all that food on the kitchen table.

"Emmett, you haven't been your usual buoyant self these past few days." Esme nudged the pile of waffles and turned to gaze at him. "I trust you are not thinking too much about Rosalie."

"No, it isn't that." Emmett sighed and crossed his arms. "It's Jacob."

"Oh, what has that boy done now?" Esme shook her head and carried the plate to the table with ethereal grace. "Just say the word and I'll spank him for you."

Emmett feigned a cough to cover his embarrassment at Esme's suggestion, which matched perfectly well one of his enduring fantasies concerning Jacob.

"That won't be necessary; it's just that I thought the imprint lasted forever."

"I see he's confided in you. Did he tell you the reason?" Esme made her way to the refrigerator to take out the butter and make French toast.

"Not really. He had to go on patrol that day, and we haven't had time to discuss it again." Emmett frowned at the door, wondering why Jacob was late this time; on the other hand, it gave him the opportunity to pump Esme for information.

"He's been coming around a lot," Esme said noncommittally and then she turned up the heat on the skillet with the butter, picked up a bowl and headed for the cupboard to grab cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.

"Sure, but we end up talking about sports, or movies, or cars." Emmett growled as he ruffled his hair, his shoes tapping impatiently against the floor. "And the few times we started talking about it, Sam ended up calling him for a meeting!"

"Do you mind if I ask you why you are so concerned?" Esme poured the mixture with the cinnamon over the melted butter, expertly cracking six eggs and adding them to the skillet.

"It's just that after what happened with Rosalie, I don't want to…" Emmett trailed off.

"You're scared Jacob will treat you the same way?" Esme scowled at the mixture on the skillet and tried to gauge by the golden color of the slices if they were perfectly cooked.

"Esme!" He shook his head, wondering if he was that transparent.

"It is obvious that you two care a lot about each other, dear." Esme flipped the French toast, her hand snaking up to brush a lock of her dark hair off her forehead.

"I just don't want to go through that again," he said simply.

"I don't know much about the imprint, Emmett, but I know something about love." Esme put the French toast on a plate and covered it with a bowl. "I saw how Jacob treated Bella the few times I invited them over for dinner, and I noticed the way she reacted."

"I bet he was all over her." Emmett leered, picturing Jacob's hands grabbing at the pale girl.

"On the contrary, dear. Jacob was always perfectly polite, treated her with gentleness and decorum, a true gentleman." Esme sighed heartily as she carried the plate with the French toast to the table. "Bella, on the other hand…"

"What, she stumbled or something?" Emmett sneered.

"It wasn't Bella's lack of physical grace that was troubling, but her coldness towards him."

"Yeah, she's not exactly the epitome of warmth." Emmett shook his head, wondering how long Jacob had put up with that.

"I've had the chance to talk with Leah, you know." Esme gingerly touched the strings of her apron before taking it off. "She's told me a bit about Jacob's childhood, and the way those sisters of his abandoned him and his father."

Emmett nodded and walked to the counter, absently toying with a spice jar. If it was up to him he would go and visit those damnable women to let them know what he thought of them.

"That must have affected him deeply. Maybe that's the reason he was so intrigued by Bella – she reminded him of her sisters and the warmth and love they withdrew from him when he was a child."

"But Billy loves him," Emmett said. "That's what I gather from the way Jake talks about his father."

"Indeed, but there's something very comforting about a woman's love, especially when a young boy is growing up." Esme glanced at Emmett while she nudged the plates on the table. "Finally having Bella at his side, Jacob expected and demanded to find the warmth he had been seeking all his life, and the disappointment that set in when that didn't occur must have been so great he eventually fell out of love."

"But that doesn't explain Jacob's imprint fading away." Emmett growled softly. "I thought the imprint was all about loving his soulmate, and unbreakable!"

Esme sighed as she glanced at the woods outside the windows. She had to soothe Emmett's fears if she wanted him to recover from Rosalie leaving him, just the way Edward had finally put his infatuation with Bella behind. Squaring her shoulders, Esme turned towards him and smiled lovingly.

"You'll have to talk with Leah, she knows all about the imprint. She told me it was about procreation and love."

"And the soulmate thing," Emmett said with a sour mien.

"It seems to me that Jacob's heart is full of love." Esme continued, noticing the way Emmett's lips curled up in a wistful smile at the mention of Jacob. "The way he cares about other people, their welfare and feelings – it certainly reminds me of Carlisle."

"You may have a point," Emmett said slowly, recalling the many times he witnessed first-hand Jacob protecting Bella, and how he threw himself in the newborn's path the day of the battle in order to save Leah.

"I've often wondered how Carlisle made his lonely way through the centuries." Esme wrapped her arms around herself as Emmett walked slowly towards her. "In the midst of all the savagery of our kind, Carlisle held on to his kindness and love for humanity and came through, unscathed."

"That he did." Emmett nodded and crossed his arms, staring at the copse of trees outside.

"And then Carlisle found Edward, and me." Esme turned towards Emmett, tilting up her chin to gaze at his perfect features. "Tell me, dear, what do you think Carlisle would have done if we had turned out to be monsters?"

"That's a tough question." He shrugged, his brows furrowing in concentration. "I'm sure he would have gone on, though. Carlisle would keep looking for his perfect family until he found them."

"But what could sustain him so, after the long centuries in the wilderness?"

"Carlisle's idea of love." He grinned, recalling Carlisle's enthusiasm for helping people. "He's a tough guy, and that ideal would sustain him until he found the right mate."

"That is true," Esme said simply.

"And Jacob is just like Carlisle." Emmett's face broke in a wide smile when he recognized the similarities between Jacob and Carlisle.

Suddenly a big weight lifted off his shoulders as he realized he need not be afraid of his heart getting hurt again if he gave it to his stubborn wolf.

"Jacob's in love with the idea of being in love." Esme nodded firmly. "How do you think he could withstand Bella's rejections time and again? Because he believed passionately in love."

"But he's not completely mushy," Emmett said. "He's tough as nails when he wants."

"Jacob's love was strong enough to reject the flawed imprint he was trapped in." Esme smiled at the scent coming from the door, which meant Jacob was home at last. "He will keep looking for companionship until he finds it, just the way Carlisle held on to hope through his long years alone."

oOoOo

"Sam's full of shit," Jacob growled as he grabbed his cell, his knuckles white around the plastic case. "Still insists on the damned patrols!"

"Calm down, wolf," Emmett said soothingly, trying to school his features into a calm expression which would not betray his disappointment at Jacob leaving him again.

"Why does he insist on patrolling so much?" Jacob walked to and fro in the garage, gesticulating wildly as the overhead lights shined on the oil smears marring his tanned chest. "That's why I challenged him for the Alpha position; he just wanted the damned patrols to go on and on even when bloodsuckers left us pretty much alone after Bella left!"

"Now that you mention Bella…" Emmett cocked his eyebrows at Jake.

"I know, man, I know." Jacob shrugged guilelessly. "It's just that you and I talk so easily, and time flies so fast, especially after Esme's delicious cooking. And besides…" he nibbled on his bottom lip, a sight Emmett found particularly endearing.

"Yeah?"

"I don't want you to think less of me," Jacob said tentatively.

"C'mon, Jake," Emmett growled. "It should be obvious by now I'm very interested in you, so whatever you have to say, just spit it out."

"Ok, ok." Jacob lifted his hands. "Calm down, man."

Jake sat down on the floor, his back against the tire of the Mercedes. "Where to start?"

"How about after Bella and you got together?" Emmett crouched on the floor, his gaze directed at him.

"It was great, Emm. At first it was everything I ever wanted, Bella was perfection to me. The way she smiled shyly at me when I cracked a joke, her soft skin under my body when we…" Jacob blushed and turned to look at the door of the garage.

"When you made love," Emmett said firmly.

"Yeah." Jacob nodded. "It was good, but not that good, if you catch my drift."

"I take it Bella wasn't into it that much."

"Exactly." Jacob sighed. "I thought it was my technique, but since all the guys in the pack share thoughts, I compared my experience with theirs. I was doing all the right moves, it was Bella. She was… unresponsive."

"I see," Emmett said noncommittally.

"She just wasn't into me at all. Later, I had the chance to experience passionate lovemaking and was able to realize it wasn't my fault at all." Jacob picked up a screwdriver and twirled it between his fingers. "At the time, though, I thought it was all those bad experiences she had, that she needed time to heal and recover from all her sadness, but…"

Emmett arched an eyebrow, silently egging him on.

"Anyway, one day Leah gave me a dressing down, made me realize I had been treating Bella like she was made of glass." Jacob smiled fondly at the memory of his pack mate caring enough for him to shout in his face. "She said real women grow up and demand to be treated like adults, not bratty children."

"How did you react to that?" Emmet said.

"Was mad as hell at Leah. Told her to get out and leave me alone, but her words sank in and, as I watched Bella, I realized I was treating her with kid gloves, always bowing to her demands and little pouts."

Emmett was lost in thought, because Jacob's words reminded him eerily of his own relationship with Rosalie. He was always cheering Rose up, despite her obnoxious remarks and rude ways. Was their relationship doomed from the start, as Jacob and Bella had been?

"Earth to Emmett, Earth to Emmett, wake up!" Jacob nudged Emmett with his shoulder.

"Sorry, man. Go on." He shot Jake a sheepish grin.

"Anyway, as I was telling you, that was when I started falling out of love. Suddenly her every move made me irritable." Jacob shrugged and leaned on the door of the Mercedes, twisting his arm to throw the screwdriver onto the leather seat. "All her nagging and selfishness became evident, and we started fighting."

"But the imprint?" Emmett said doubtfully.

"It just ceased to pull me to her. I didn't notice anything jarring, like when I imprinted, but she ceased to be the center of my world." Jacob ruffled his short hair. "Hell, she wasn't part of my world any longer."

Jacob´s palm hit softly the door as he sought to find the words to explain himself. "I don't know; it feels like there's always been this thread of fate connecting Bella to me. When she came back after the miscarriage, it yanked at me and tried to join us."

"Obviously, it failed."

"Yep, it did."

Emmett waited for a few seconds, and when Jacob remained silent, he said, "You wanted to know about Rosalie and me, but the story is very similar to yours. Seems like seeing Bella lose her child really jolted Rosalie. She became agitated and even snappier than usual. The more I tried to calm her down, the angrier she became."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Emm. Managed to strike a friendship with Rose, though I sensed she was more withdrawn lately. Even offered to fix her car to cheer her up." Jacob patted the door of the Mercedes.

"I thought we would be together forever." Emmett shrugged. "That she was my angel, but it turned out to be wrong."

"You seem to have taken it well." Jacob crossed his arms.

"What can I say? I've always looked to the future, never to the past." Emmett smirked.

"And what does the future tell you?" Jacob walked up to him, lifting his arm to brush his fingers through Emmett's hair.

"I see a sexy wolf in it." Emmett leered, his strong arms wrapping around Jacob's back to pull him forward.

Their kiss was soft, a mere brush of lips until Emmett's tongue laved those pouty lips which opened instantly. He grabbed Jacob's hips and yanked him towards him, their clothed arousals rubbing against each other.

Emmett's lips twisted in a smirk as he drank in Jacob's moans, his hands kneading the ass which he had yearned to touch for so long.

Jacob broke the kiss, raising his fingers to touch Emmett's cheek. "Emm, there's more I have to tell you. You might not like it."

Emmett rubbed his forehead against Jacob's. "Unless you're colluding with the Volturi, I doubt you could do something to displease me."

"It's about… Edward."

Emmett nodded, closing his eyes to savor the exquisite feeling of Jacob's smooth cheeks rubbing against his own. "You don't have to, you know. Alice told us."

"She did?" Jacob stepped back, his brown eyes widening in surprise.

"After he left Forks, Alice tracked Edward In her visions; then one day she said she couldn't see him anymore." Emmett shrugged. "Edward still called us on the phone, so we assumed that meant he had hooked up with one of your pack."

"It is true." Jacob broke their embrace, to Emmett's chagrin, and started pacing back and forth. "It might seem that falling out of love with Bella was easy but it tore me apart. I was full of doubts and wondered what it all meant; if I was simply unable to love like a normal guy."

"And I was too busy on my honeymoon, wrestling with my relationship with Rose." Emmett sighed.

"Anyway, one Monday Bella and I had a vicious fight and I told her to get out of my sight, that I didn't want to see her anymore. The next day, she hopped on a flight to Florida and I was left alone." Jacob wrapped his arms around himself. "Couldn't talk to the pack because they had grown to despise her. I felt that the only one who could understand me was Edward, so I searched for him in Alaska."

"Go on," Emmett said, flashing Jacob a reassuring smile.

"I phased into my wolf and tracked him down. Had a tough time of it, what with him being so far away and all the different scents clogging up my senses, but I finally did." Jacob shot Emmett a wry smirk. "Thought he was going to fight me, but of course Edward had read my mind, and then I guess in all the excitement, I forgot to pack clothes."

"I take it Edward was treated to the exquisite sight of your nude body." Emmett smirked, which caused Jacob to blush and turn his head.

"Yeah, we spoke for a while under the full moon." Jacob sighed. "I cried, Edward held me tight, and one thing led to another. That was the moment I learned what truly passionate love was all about."

"Obviously, things didn't work out," Emmett pointed out.

"Our lovemaking was great and I forgot Bella existed." Jacob tilted down his chin to stare at the floor and let out a mournful sigh. "Trouble is, Edward didn't."

"Edward is too intense for his own good." Emmett walked up to him and wrapped him in his arms, soothing Jacob in his cold embrace.

"We both knew Bella would always stand between us, so we parted ways a few days later," Jacob whispered against Emmett's neck. "That's all. There haven't been any others, just this crazy triangle of mine."

"And now you're mine, if you will have me," Emmett said fiercely, holding Jacob tight against him.

"Only if I have you back, body and soul." Jacob raised his arms, looped his hands around Emmett's neck and pulled him down until their lips met.

At that moment Jacob's cell vibrated against Emmett's hip. He cursed softly under his breath as Jacob broke the kiss to fish it out of his pocket, grimacing at the icon displayed.

"Sam, what the hell do you want now? Are you trying to lose the Beta position?" Jacob growled into the screen, his hand gripping it so tight Emmett was sure it would break. "You're this close to it, man."

"The hell, Jake! This is serious. Seth just told me Jared's smelled two leeches, we're going after them. You had better come back."

"On my way, thanks." Jacob sighed as he pocketed the phone. "Gotta go, Emm. See you tomorrow."

Emmett grimaced as Jacob gripped his elbow before running out of the garage and the house. Then he consoled himself with the thought that envisioning Jacob and Edward together would provide him with plenty of wanking material.

oOoOo

Emmett crouched on the limb of an old oak, high above the earth and just outside the boundaries of the Treaty lands. When he saw a Quileute he knew well, he jumped down from the tree and landed on the earth with a loud thumping sound as clods of earth flew through the air.

"The hell do you want, leech?" Leah growled at him.

"Don't want to ruffle your feathers; I just want to talk." Emmett kept his distance, ignoring the way Leah glared at him. "Jacob and I… I'm sure you noticed we've grown closer."

"I know, you're going to steal another one of the pack," Leah scoffed.

"Another one?" Emmett cocked his eyebrows at her.

"Don't feign ignorance! We lost Paul to your brother, and now we're going to lose Jacob." Leah brushed her hair off her forehead and then crossed her arms.

"Paul and Edward got together?" Emmett said, a smile tugging up the corner of his lips. "No wonder Alice couldn't see Edward."

"As if you didn't know!"

"Edward has drifted away from us, believe it or not. Anyway, I'm glad he found someone. Does Jacob know?"

"Jacob doesn't care anymore about either side of his unholy triangle. Good riddance, I say." Leah fixed him with a deathly glare. "Trouble is, he set his sights on you. Just try to hurt our Alpha, leech, and you will face a pack of angry wolves."

"Hey, it's not my intention at all." Emmett lifted his arms. "In fact, that's what I wanted to talk about. What can you tell me about the imprint?"

"I see now." Leah smirked at him. "You heard about Bella and the big vamp is afraid the imprint will return."

"Something like that." Emmett shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just curious if it's tied with Jake falling out of love with Bella."

"I guess I owe it to you," Leah said. "Since you have treated Jacob fairly, unlike the clueless leech lover."

"So?" Emmett prodded her.

"You want to hear the romantic version, I guess." Leah sighed, her gaze lost in the thick copse of trees in front of them. "Jacob was in love with the version of Bella he held in his head, and when he saw how selfish and brattish she behaved in real life, even when she had her greedy paws all over him, he fell out of his cloud and returned to earth."

"I see." Emmett tilted his neck as he stared intently at Leah. "What about the nuts and bolts version?"

"The elders say the imprint is about procreation and transmitting our shifter genes to the next generation," Leah said calmly. "Bella came back from her honeymoon damaged, unable to bear Jacob's children. Naturally Jacob's imprint was flawed and that is why it broke."

"Carlisle told me the wolves imprint on a person after the first time they phase, so why didn't Jacob imprint on Bella then?"

Leah leaned against a tree, her brow furrowing as she tugged the hem of her plaid shirt. "I've been thinking about it, and I really don't have any clear answers. It's as if Jacob's senses were dulled by some cloud that hid Bella from the imprint, and that camouflage vanished after she miscarried. The first time he saw her afterwards, with the cloud gone, he was free to imprint." She smirked triumphantly. "Fat lot of good it did her!"

Emmett nodded slowly, all the pieces of this gigantic puzzle coming together at last. "Thanks a lot. So, are you hoping Sam will fall out of love?"

"It's not your business!" Leah snorted angrily. "And for your information, I wouldn't take that cheater back in a million years! I'm seeing Adam Ahiga from the Makahs."

"Great, then. Do you know when Jacob's going to show up?"

"Not until tonight, that's when his patrol starts," Leah said. "You can go visit him, you know."

"You're forgetting the Treaty," Emmett said wryly.

"Nope, I'm not." Leah pointed at the rock that outlined the boundaries of the Treaty. "Jacob talked to the tribe Elders and convinced them to relax the rules. There are hardly any attacks since that silly brat left us."

oOoOo

Emmett followed Jacob's scent into the Reservation, taking care not to be seen. He walked up to the door of his shed and knocked, his senses having already told him only Jacob was home.

"Come on in, Emm."

Emmett walked inside, his breath catching at the sight of Jacob clad in cargo pants. His toned chest was uncovered to his hungry gaze, and it was all Emmett could do not to pounce on Jacob to lick the oil smears off his smooth body.

Jacob pointed at the vehicle outside the door, a car with camouflage paint. "That's Jacy's car. I'm almost ready here; I'm taking it out for a spin to see how it works." He bent down to pick up his shades and put them on. Then he sauntered outside, the sun limning his bare shoulders causing a hitch in Emmett's trousers.

"You like to tease me, don't you?" Emmett growled.

"Not at all." Jacob shot him a knowing smirk.

"That's enough, wolf!" Emmett stalked towards him and raised his hand to push Jake towards the fender.

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Jacob said, flashing him a come-hither look.

"Strip."

"What? In broad daylight?" Jacob glanced at the empty road.

"No one here, I assure you. Now, off with the pants!"

"Fine, fine," Jacob grumbled. He undid the buttons of his cargo pants and slid them off strong thighs, revealing a tantalizing sight.

"Didn't know you liked jockstraps." Emmett pointed at the obscene bulge tenting the pouch. His mouth watering, he was tempted to sink to his knees and just have at Jake.

"Gonna play basketball with Quil and Embry later on." Jacob shrugged. "Don't want my junk just flopping around."

"Good thinking." Emmett stalked forward, rubbing his palm flat against Jacob's throbbing arousal. "This is only for me, got that?"

"Sure, sure." Jacob's heart beat fast against his ribs, his dick slipping free of the constraining pouch and revealing a thick shaft that just begged to be sucked or fucked. "Though when we phase, the other guys get a glimpse…"

Emmett had had enough of Jacob' attitude. He sank to his knees, fingers closing around the warm dick. He leaned forward, his tongue swiping the broad head, savoring Jacob's taste.

"God, you kill me…"

Emmett decided that if Jacob was still talking, he wasn't doing such a good job so he sucked down the long dick, taking Jake inside his wet mouth until he felt the crown nudging at his throat, his lips flush against Jake's groin.

Emmett lowered his hand, palming his own arousal. The scent of Jake heavy on his tongue was driving him mad. Jacob was like warm blood, a taste he would never get enough of, an addiction he couldn't deny.

Jacob groaned, his fingers caressing Emmett's shoulders and tracing a path up to his thick neck and ending on those cold cheeks, hollowed as Emmett's tongue did wicked things to the underside of his cock.

Jacob ruffled his finger through Emmett's hair and then cradled the back of his skull as he shoved him onto his cock, his legs trembling at the vibrations when Emmett moaned around his length. He rolled his hips before withdrawing, the long slide of Emmett's cold tongue on his dick punching a groan out of him.

Jacob moaned when he felt the sweet, cold pressure around his cock disappearing with a popping sound. In a flurry of motion, he felt Emmett's cold hands around his hips as he carried him inside the shed, manhandling him into place on the top of his car. The cold metal against his feverish skin provided some relief to his hot skin.

"There's lube on the shelf." Jake cocked his chin at the row of gleaming tools on the wall.

"Good, can't wait to be inside you." Emmett moved so fast, it was just a blur to Jacob. His keen senses heard the soft thud as Emmett's clothes fell to the floor. Cold hands took off his boots; eager fingers slipped his denims off him, the soft caress of Emmett's lips on his inner thigh making Jake shudder.

"I'm gonna fuck you now." Emmett's hoarse voice coaxed a groan out of him.

Strong fingers kneaded his cheeks, spreading him open to Emmett's hungry gaze. Jacob licked his lips, feeling exposed and raw while Emmett upended the bottle of lube. He squirmed as cold liquid fell on the soft skin between his buttocks, his hole clenching in anticipation.

Emmett's finger teased the rim as he watched Jacob's face for any sign of pain. Jacob nodded, realizing he had lost his dark glasses when Emmett manhandled him. He groaned as Emmett's thick fingers speared him, snagging against his slick rim, and then pushing inside to rub his walls.

"C'mon, Emm, don't dally," he said in a guttural voice he barely recognized as his own, wiggling his hips at the pressure when Emmett added another finger.

"You're so tight, Jake. Gonna love you squeezing me, spread on my cock."

Emmett's fingers caressed his flanks, his thumbs dipping on the shallow cut of his hips before he grabbed them and pulled Jacob down into his lap, sweaty russet skin sliding against the car hood as the broad cock head eased slowly into his prepared hole.

Jacob raised his chin, staring at Emmett's powerful torso, his muscles flexing as he sheathed himself in the tight heat. He pulled up his knees, hooking his ankles around Emmett's waist, moaning when his neglected cock rubbed against pale abs.

Emmett leaned down, his thumb swirling around Jacob's nipple as he bottomed out, luxuriating in the tight heat that encased his length. He framed Jacob's head with his hands as he lowered his neck to kiss the tanned brow.

The movement raised Jacob's ass, the sharpened angle causing Emmett's cock to jab his prostate.

"Fuck, fuck, hold it, hold it – right there!" Jacob babbled, overwhelmed by Emmett's weight inside and out, his coldness seeping from above and below. He felt so full, stretched to burst, the pleasurable heft of the dick against his walls causing him to spread his thighs even more, his muscles clenching hungrily around the invading length.

The squeaking sounds of the Rabbit's suspension, the acrid scent of the oil around him, and the glare of the single light bulb overhead – Jacob was hardly aware of it all. All he felt was the overwhelming fullness invading him, but it wasn't enough.

"Harder, dammit!"

"As you wish." Emmett chuckled darkly as his hands reached for the other side of the hood, easily tilting up the car on its side so that gravity yanked Jacob down into his lap.

Metal groaned all around them as Emmett took his fill of Jake's heat, so tight around his coldness.

Thrusting his hips in and out, Emmett fucked Jake leisurely, groaning as Jacob clenched around him reflexively.

"Fuck, I'm so close! Gonna come."

"Do it, Jake." Emmett leaned down and let go of the chassis, the car settling on the ground with a crashing sound. "Touch yourself; I want to see you come on my cock."

Jacob wrapped his finger around his slick cock, his thumb swirling around the crown, hips slamming into the sleeve of his fist and down onto Emmett's cock.

"Go on, Jake, come," Emmett whispered against the tanned shoulder, his thumb and forefinger tweaking Jacob's nipple.

Jacob shuddered and blew his load, his come spreading over their chests as he clenched hard around Emmett.

The exquisite friction gripping his length was more than Emmett could stand. He pumped into the willing body beneath him once, twice and yelled, his seed coating Jake's insides.

Pale fingers wiped Jake's sweaty brow and then framed his hauntingly beautiful face. "You ok, Jacob?"

"That was incredible," Jake sighed contentedly.

"The best." Emmett nodded.

"Do you mind?" Jacob said with a dazed smile.

"Of course." Emmett said, carefully easing out.

Jacob yawned, the post-orgasm euphoria giving way to sleepiness. He nuzzled into Emmett's chest as the vampire cradled him, lowering him onto the ground.

Seconds later, Jacob felt a soft weight fall on his shoulders, and realized Emmett had covered him with the blanket he had on his car.

Emmett lay himself down on the ground, spooning next to his wolf. His thick arms contrasted sharply with Jake's russet chest as Emmett whispered in his ear.

"Sleep tight, wolf."

"Sure, sure."

Cradling Jacob in his arms, Emmett felt ready to face the future. The bonds that pulled him towards Jake surely were strong enough to withstand the ravages of time.

He kept still, the warmth seeping from Jacob evoking fond memories of a past that no longer mattered. Emmett was barely aware of the passage of time until Jake stirred in his arms and woke up.

"Whaa…?" He yawned and reached for Emmet's hand, their fingers entwining as he glanced down at his watch. "It's time to fix dinner."

"Can't help you there, man." Emmett shot him a playful smile. "I'm not endowed with Esme's powers."

Jake burrowed into Emmett's chest and tilted up his chin to glance at him. "You're endowed alright. Anyway, thanks for staying with me, man; the others didn't."

Emmett nodded solemnly, understanding the implicit meaning behind Jacob's words. Not only Bella and Edward, but the sisters who carelessly abandoned the little cub that would become his strong wolf.

"I'll always stay by you, Jacob." Emmett felt the warm touch of russet fingers caressing his chin. "I have some theories about your flawed imprint."

"Hush, Emm. Who cares about the damned imprint?" Jacob sighed at the cool brush of Emmett's lips against his brow. "My heart won't be dictated to."

Emmett gazed down into Jacob's eyes, which held enticement and wildness, and he was ready to follow that promise wherever it led.

The end