Hey guys! I know it's been forever since I've posted, but I stick by my word, I will finish all of my stories! Thank you for reading!

Chapter Twelve: Mine

Jacob POV

I was terrified.

I looked down to my phone and ended the call as it went straight to voicemail. I looked up to the guys and I shook my head.

"Something is wrong." I told them.

It has been one week since Bella read that article in my shed. One long week since she started ignoring my calls.

Seven long days without my Bella.

Mine.

I looked to Sam to see contemplation on his face. He scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"Get out of here." He told me and I was up in an instant. I was supposed to be with the pack today helping around the res but Sam knew where I needed to be. I hadn't seen Bella in a week and I needed to go and make sure she was alright.

I jogged into the woods, phasing into my wolf. I knew it would be a lot faster if I ran.

The last time I saw her she was staring into thin air, all cried out after reading that piece of garbage. I tried to console her but she didn't want me to touch her…she just said she wanted to go home. She said her quiet goodbye and got into her truck. She drove off and I haven't heard from her since. Remembering her emotionless face pushed me to run faster.

I needed to be near her.

Hold her.

Let her know it would all be ok.

Mine.

I came up to the clearing behind her house and phased back, tossing on clothing I had tied around my ankle. I jogged around to the front of the house, seeing the cruiser and Bella's Jeep both in the drive. I knocked on the door and waited, not so patiently, for Charlie to answer the door. He looked awful.

"Thank. God." He told me, inviting me in. I looked at him concerned, scanning the room for Bella.

"She's not down here. She's up in her room…she's been up there all week. Won't come down." Charlie told me and I nodded, not saying a word. I just went up to her room, taking the stairs two at a time. I saw her closed door and took a deep breath. I knocked on the door as a courtesy…knowing full well she couldn't keep me out at this point. I didn't get a reply.

I opened the door and saw her, laying on her bed, facing the window.

"Bella?" I asked softly. Nothing.

I went around to the other side of the bed to see her staring at the wall, tears in her eyes.

"Bella…" I sighed and crouched down beside the bed. I wiped a tear coming off her nose and she looked at me.

"I can't do this." She whispered. I shook my head grabbing her hand.

"That. Is not true." I told her and she closed her eyes. More tears fell down her face and I caught every one of them.

"You don't understand." She whispered and I shook my head.

"Then explain it to me." I begged. She stayed silent and I brought her hand to my lips. "Just please don't shut me out." I whispered and she opened her eyes to look at me.

"He…he was…he was so amazing." She began and I let her talk. She needed to get this out.

"He was so kind…he was everything I dreamed of having in a guy. He was supportive and funny…generous…smart…strong…" as she spoke more tears trailed down her blankly staring face.

"Even after the change…he was still so incredible. He was just…" she drifted off and I could feel a stabbing in my heart. Though I wasn't sure it was from seeing her in pain…or hearing about how great this guy was.

"And now…it's like he's gone. The guy I fell in love with is just gone…and he's been replace by this monster…" she was silent for a few moments before she looked up to me.

"I just thought…I knew him. I thought I knew his heart….and I knew…what he wouldn't do to hurt me." I felt tears in my own eyes and I watched her close her eyes…her face twisting into pain.

"And to have it all be completely shattered...by something so stupid…and it completely changed him." She opened her eyes again and sniffled.

"You know…he did this…because I wouldn't marry him?" She said and I felt my face twist into shock.

"He…he proposed?" I asked and she nodded.

"I guess…when he didn't imprint on me…he got scared that he'd lose me to another wolf…and so he wanted to solidify our relationship with marriage…and I just wasn't ready. I mean…we'd only been dating a year…and I'm 18." I looked at her surprised.

"He…he just got angry after that…jealous…demanding…" She paused and I saw her eyes cloud over with tragic memories. It made my heart ache painfully.

"So…this was his solution." She cried. "Get me pregnant so I'd have a connection to him forever."

I wanted to be sick. I mean…someone of my size and strength forcing themselves onto anyone…is disgusting…but with the urge to force them into having a baby…is demonic. I looked at the broken girl in front of me and I nudged her over, climbing onto the bed beside her.

"I just…I feel like I'm trying so hard to just act like this is all normal…that I'm ok…that it's not always smothering me…" I held her a bit tighter.

"But I don't know…who I'm trying to fool. Everyone else or myself." She whispered and I kissed her head. It was good for her to get this out…I'd never really heard the full story of what happened…I know Charlie didn't know. I mean…did anyone really know the actual full story? Living with that secret…it would tear anyone apart.

"I just want to really feel…like it isn't haunting me. Constantly. I want to just feel like…I can get to a place where I can put it behind me. And not hear his voice in my head….just repeating that word." I rubbed my hand along her belly and it warmed to my touch.

"What word, Bella?" I asked and she sighed.

"Mine."

It still haunted me. I felt disgusting inside…I sat on the stool in my little garage, staring at the open hood on my Rabbit. The guys and Bella were all coming over in a bit but I'd asked Sam to come over earlier…I needed to talk to him.

He…he'd said the same thing to her that my wolf repeats daily…that declaration of ownership.

Mine.

It scared me. Was I actually capable of what he did? Did we actually approach Bella with the same disgusting demand?

We just couldn't.

I heard Sam phase in the yard and could hear him jogging up to the garage.

"Hey Jacob." I nodded and kind of half waved.

"How did everything go with Bella yesterday? Is she ok?" He asked and I looked at him for a second before responding.

"I think so." He gave me a look and sat down on another stool.

"So what's up?" He asked and I took a few moments to collect my thoughts.

"She…she told me what happened…between her and Tye. Like…the full story." I told him and he seemed to perk up in interest.

"Is she ok?" He asked and I nodded.

"She's feeling a lot better now actually…feels lighter now I suppose." He nodded.

"I can imagine." He waited for me to continue…which took a few minutes.

"He…when he…changed…he panicked because he didn't imprint on her. So he asked her to marry him." His face changed into the same shock mine had.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Bella didn't go for it…wasn't ready. So…he got angry." I finished, not knowing if I could complete the story. He shook his head.

"So his solution was to rape her." He spat in disgust. I nodded.

"With the intention of her getting pregnant." I supplied and he stood up fast and knocked his stool across the room. I looked to him in shock.

"If I ever see that little fuck I'll…" He looked to me and paused at the expression on my face. I'd never seen Sam lose his cool like that. He could tell too…that I was confused.

"Look. I'm going to tell you something that no one knows. But it stays between us, got it?" He said and I nodded. He paced around the garage for a minute and sighed.

"My mom…she…well…that's how she ended up with me." I looked at him for a moment confused…until I realized what he was saying.

"What?!" I felt my eyes go wide. He nodded.

"That's why I feel such a soft spot for Bella. I look at her…and I see my mom. And the hatred I have for that man…it just…God I'd love to take it out on that fucker down in Phoenix."

"Sam…could I ask you something?" He stopped pacing and looked to me, nodding.

"Well…we ran into one of his pack mates when we were down there. He was talking to Bella about how…he knew what happened and that the pack made sure he was punished. What…what would his punishment have been?" He took a deep breath and began pacing again in thought.

"Well…there are certain punishments laid out for pack members…based on their offense. I mean…they are ancient and brutal…but most packs do stick to tradition. For rape? Probably…chained to a tree in the middle of the woods…and each pack member gets a minute to brawl with them…wolf on wolf. Supposed to simulate the victim left impaired by the strength of the aggressor…with nowhere to run. Then the pack leaves them there until they have the strength to break off the chain…takes a day or two I'd imagine…and they rejoin the pack." I looked at him surprised.

"There is a punishment in our laws for rape? How often is that an issue?!"

"You'd be surprised, Jake. Some of the guys that join the pack…they become fixated on a person. Imprinting is an incredible and scary thing…when they realize they can't have that person…they lose their minds with jealousy." I stared at him in shock. Until that word pressed into my mind again.

Mine.

"Sam…I…I'm worried." He gave me a curious look.

"I…well I mean Bella…she said that while…he did it…he kept repeating the word…mine." He nodded.

"It would make sense…as disgusting as it is." I hung my head.

"Sam…my wolf…he…I mean I…" I looked to him nervously.

"That word is always in my head…in regards to Bella. I can't help it…I see her in danger…or upset…or just…" I paused.

"It's always there." He nodded and picked up his stool and sat beside me.

"What are you afraid of Jake?" He asked and I could feel tears pricking at my eyes.

"What if…what if I'm…" but I couldn't finish. It was too horrible.

"Jacob Black. You are nothing like that piece of shit." He told me seriously and I looked to him, tears running down my face.

"What if I am." I said quietly. It killed me to ever think I could hurt her…

"Jake…what if your wolf gets territorial because you're meant to imprint?" I looked to him and thought about it.

"But I still don't want to be so cave man about it." He chuckled and I waited to find his humour.

"Jake you're not a cave man. Look at Emily and I. I have the same mentality towards her…she's mine. And no one gets to fuck with her without serious penalty…my wolf is very territorial about her. And the imprint does the same thing to her." I gave him a confused look and he shrugged.

"She finds herself thinking the same thing. Mine. He's mine. We are meant for each other…I'm hers…and she's mine. Some wolves become so obsessed with the person they ultimately can never have and they become delusional with jealousy. Others…find that territorial nature within their imprint. That's what the imprint does to you…your world revolves around that person."

I nodded.

"But…Sam what if I don't imprint…" He looked at me and shook his head.

"Then you'll be man enough to know that someday she might not be meant for you." I looked down to my hands.

"Jacob look at me." He ordered. I looked up to see his face display nothing but pure trust.

"You are not like him. And you know why?" I shook my head, another tear rolling down my face.

"You love her too much."

I looked at Bella as everyone chatted. Everyone seemed happy to have Bella back in our little hangouts. Talking with Sam earlier helped a lot…if he believes in me…I know I have reason to believe in myself.

The guys had been pretty worried…they all gave her an extra-long hug when she pulled up. They were all talking when Bella suddenly grabbed her side.

"What's wrong?" I asked quickly, stepping to her. She smiled and shook her head.

"No it's nothing…I'm almost at 18 weeks and the baby started moving around a few days ago. He's a powerful little thing." She told us, grimacing slightly as she grabbed her other side.

"Bella…may I?" Sam asked, walking over and grabbing the hem of her shirt. I immediately pushed his hand away without thinking and gave him a look. He held his hand up to make me stop.

"Jacob." He said…it was an order.

Bella nodded and he pulled the hem of her shirt up over her bump and I looked to her stomach horrified.

There…trailing across her stomach was little black bruises.

"It's normal…Carlisle warned me that when the baby started to move he'd have more strength than a normal baby." Sam nodded.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, concerned. The other guys were looking at her stomach in disbelief.

"I'm alright…it's sore…but it's nice to feel him start to move around." She told him, eyeing me. She could tell I was upset by the bruising.

I never wanted to see her hurting.

Mine.

I flinched at the echo coming from my wolf.

"Hey…it's ok." She told me, putting her hand on my arm. Sam glanced to me and looked back to her stomach, inspecting the bruises.

"Did…did our moms go through that too?" Embry asked, clearly bothered. Sam nodded.

"They sure did." He said in a clipped tone. He let Bella's shirt fall and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I promised Dr. Cullen I'd keep track of how you're doing. Things can change very quickly." He told her and she nodded.

"Thanks…I appreciate it." She told him and rubbed her bump. Sam gave me a nod and I relaxed a bit…I felt a bit guilty having been so aggressive with Sam…but I couldn't help it. I saw someone going to pull at her clothing and it was like something snapped.

"Embry…are you ok?" Bella asked and we all turned to Embry who was still staring at Bella's now covered bump.

"I think I need to go give my mom a hug." He said, causing Bella to laugh. He was serious though…he waved goodbye to us and ran off in the direction of his mom's work. I shook my head with a smile.

"Yea…I second that." Jared said with a nod to us and took off running as well.

"What about you guys. Going to go thank your moms?" Bella said, laughing.

"I'll catch her when she gets home…" Paul said…though he was clearly shaken by the sight of the bruising.

"It's weird to think a baby can do that…" Quil said and I shrugged.

"Well…think about the strength we have." I told him and he shook his head.

"Yea but that goes without notice for years until we phase…" he said and Sam nodded.

"At birth…our wolf is hidden in us. But while growing inside Bella…the wolf blood is helping to form this being that will one day make an incredible transformation. While in its mother it has a protected space to grow and transform into a future werewolf. The chaos of a baby being created is enough to put any mother into a crazy hormonal shift...let alone that baby inside you having wolf blood coursing their veins. She's creating an almost magical being inside of her…it's going to have its price." Sam explained and I looked to Bella, running my hand over her bump. The baby warmed and I felt nothing but admiration for what Bella goes through daily…it's true. A future werewolf just isn't created the same as any other person.

Made me wish I could hug my mom.

"She knows…" I looked up suddenly to see Bella staring at me and the guys looking at us curiously.

"Excuse me?" I asked…I hadn't said anything out loud.

"Your mom…she knows you are thankful for everything she did." Sam gave me a curious look.

"How did you know…" I began but she just shrugged.

"I don't know…just did." She told me and sat down on a chair I'd recently put into the garage for her. She crossed her legs up onto the chair and smiled to me…and I couldn't help smile back.

It still amazes me how connected we are…it was scary really.

Sam gave me a half smile and sat beside Bella, talking to her about the baby and the movement…but I could only stare.

My whole body warmed…and I just wished I could wrap my arms around her and never let her go.

I wished she was mine.

Mine.

There you have it folks! I hope that was a good chapter…I know it's been so long.

I WILL finish this story.

I love you all! Thanks for sticking around.

***Part of Bella's conversation was inspired by the music video The Heart Wants What It Wants by Selena Gomez.***