Torn: Chapter 18

When Jacob ignores Bella in New Moon she develops a friendship with Quil. They become close and then he too makes the change into a werewolf. What will happen in this Quil/Bella/Jacob triangle?

Title: Torn

Rating: T

Penname: Katbug86

Characters: Bella & Quil Jr.

Disclaimer: No ownership here.

Chapter 18: Victoria

QPOV

I was supposed to be patrolling around La Push today with Jared but my mind couldn't stay focused on the task at hand. All I could think about was Bella. It was rare that I could think of Bella openly while in wolf form. I tried to keep my thoughts to myself so as not to flaunt our relationship to Jake.

But if I thought I was in love with Bella before I was far more in love with her now. She not only accepted me as a wolf, she acted like she didn't even care at all. Like me being the 'big bad wolf' was just a normal, everyday occurrence.

And to top it all off she let me kiss her again. Kissing Bella is one of the greatest things in the world and I would love nothing more than to do it every second of every day.

However, when my mind wasn't wandering through images of Bella and me together, it was wondering what Jake and Bella were doing. It wasn't that I was necessarily jealous of them being together; I was just jealous that he got to spend time with her while I couldn't.

Jake told me that they planned on taking the motorcycles out and I hoped she would be careful while riding. At least I could trust him to take good care of her.

Unfortunately when it came to Jacob I have had some insight into his mind and how he feels about Bella, so yea, I was a little concerned. He loves her. He has loved her since they were kids and believes Bella loves him back even though she hasn't said as much.

Thinking about how Jake felt for Bella sent a surge of guilt through my body just for loving her too. It felt like a betrayal, but I couldn't help it. It is what it is. The balancing act between my friendship with Jake and my love Bella was becoming an issue. And Bella was winning. A large part of me wanted her to truly love me and to just keep Jake as a friend. It was selfish, but it was the truth.

I'd seen in his thoughts where Bella has told him that she can only love him as a friend because of her love for the leech. But, I also know she has accepted the loss of Edward and has moved on from the hurt he caused her.

With her heartbreak no longer being an issue, Bella could very well start thinking of Jake as more than just her best friend. The very idea of that possibility hurt but I knew I would let her go if it were to happen. Until that time came though, I would spend every moment I could with her, trying to win her heart.

"Quil man, you need to stop thinking about it so much. You're making my head hurt," Jared whined.

"I'm sorry. I just love her and it's complicated, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," he agreed.

"Sometimes I wish I had imprinted on her so it would be easier. There would be no questions about whether or not we belonged together." It was another thing that had been on my mind lately… imprinting. I could imprint at any time and I would have no control over it.

Bella doesn't deserve to have me leave her for some random girl just because my inner wolf believes it found its soul mate. The possibility of the whole thing scares the crap out of me and is the main reason I haven't even told Bella about imprinting.

"If you had, Jake probably would have kicked your ass several times over. Quite frankly I'm surprised he hasn't yet," he joked.

"Me too, but in all fairness Bella and I thought Jake had just left us behind along with Embry. He broke his promise and I was there for her, just like she was there for me. Our relationship just fell into place."

"Ok, I'm gonna lay it out for you. Jake may be upset with me for telling you this but oh well."

I waited, continuing my patrol until Jared spoke again. I was overly curious about what he had to say. Jake had once slipped up while phased and given away just how strongly his feelings for Bella really were, but he had been careful to hide most of his thoughts. He'd never shown me what it was like for him after he phased into a werewolf for the first time and had to leave Bella behind.

"It was hard for Jake to leave Bella. Sam had to order him not to see or speak to her after Jake started plotting way to try and tell her our secret. Then when he saw you two together it upset him because he couldn't be the one that was there for Bella. He hated himself for breaking his promise and hated himself even more when he had to send her away the day she came to La Push. But, I think the final straw that broke him was when he saw you kiss her in the backyard," Jared confessed.

If I thought my mind was jumbled with thoughts before, it was nothing compared to what I was thinking now.

"He saw that?" I questioned.

"It was getting harder for him to stay away so he'd check up on her, watch from a distance. Sam was pretty pissed about it. Honestly, if I didn't know any better it's almost as if he had imprinted. He loves Bella that much. As much as I love Kim."

"I've noticed," my mental voice grumbled. I was trying really hard not to feel jealous over Jared's statement. I already knew Jake loved Bella but hearing others say it made it seem more real somehow. Like maybe before I was just imagining it or I could pretend he only loved her as his friend. But Jared just confirmed for me the hard truth: my best friend and I were in love with the same girl.

Jared and I were still running circles around the border, crossing paths every now and then.

"We all know you love her too," he told me quietly, almost apologetically.

"I do," I confirmed. In a way I felt bad for all that Jake had to go through. I was only without her for four days. Jake went without Bella for a month.

A sickly sweet scent invaded my senses, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Vampire!" I shouted at Jared, immediately turning to follow the trail.

"Headed your way, don't attack before I get there."

I mentally agreed and continued the chase, listening as Jared let out a warning howl to our fellow pack members. It was the red headed leech again. Her smell was especially disgusting and I cringed with every breath I took.

Pushing myself to go faster I caught a glimpse of her pale skin and her fiery hair flowing behind her as she ran. She was weaving through the trees at a quickened pace, remaining just out of my reach. I growled in frustration but continued on, determined to finally destroy her.

I felt Sam phase just as Jared caught up with me. We were running side by side towards our goal with Sam; Embry and Paul following behind as they arrived. Jake joined us last and we all got a glimpse of Bella and him sitting at the dinner table with their dads. She looked happy with her beautiful smile, laughing and joking with Jake.

I whimpered slightly but reigned in my emotions and thoughts, focusing my energy into my running before the guys could take notice. Their focus was on the leech. The others were catching up and I caught one more glimpse of white before the bloodsucker vanished from my sight.

We all came to a halt as her scent faded before disappearing all together. Each of us stood among the trees, angry that she had got away yet again.

Sam spoke first, "She has escaped us too many times. We need to figure out what she is after and finish this."

"I agree. I want to get rid of this leech once and for all," Jake said, his thoughts flickering to Bella and how he wanted to keep her safe from any potential vampires in the area.

"I get the first bite," Paul growled. He was always up for a good fight. We all were.

Sam spent the next two hours discussing strategy and action plans with us for taking down the leech. She was cunning and had been skirting the edge of the border on a regular basis. With the Cullen's gone we could patrol further out from La Push but somehow she always managed to stay just out of reach.

We decided to double our patrols and expand out towards Forks on a regular basis. It worked well for Jake and me 'cause it meant we could both be closer to Bella, watching out for her as she slept. Sam even suggested asking her about the bloodsucker, to see if she knew her from the Cullen's.

Jake was pretty adamant about not involving Bella, but I slightly agreed with Sam. If she knew what the leech was after it was worth a shot to ask so that we could gain the upper hand on the situation.

As soon as I phased back, pulling on my cut off shorts, I headed home. I needed to get some food since I hadn't eaten in several hours and I was starving. My parents were already in their room for the night, so I snuck into the kitchen and fixed myself some dinner.

My mind continued to wander, thinking about Bella and everything Jared had told me earlier. By the the time I was finished eating I made the decision to go see her. She would probably already be asleep but I just had to see her. I needed to.

I didn't phase so the guys wouldn't know what I was up to. Instead I ran all the way to Forks, to Bella's house. The tree that stood just outside her bedroom window was easy to climb and I had done it once before. Hopefully this time she didn't shut the window on me though.

Once I was seated on the branch closest to her window I smiled, she had left in partially open. I could see her lying in her bed under the covers, sleeping already. It was only ten o'clock, but she was probably tired after her long day with Jake.

The window slid up with ease and I slipped inside, standing up on her bedroom floor without a sound. I quietly made my way towards her bed, kneeling down just beside it. She looked peaceful as she slept. I softly brushed the hair from her face, placing a small kiss on her forehead.

She smiled and mumbled something unintelligible before her eyes started to flutter open. Her smile widened as she saw me sitting there.

"Come by for a late night visit?" she asked, her voice slightly groggy with sleep.

"I had to see you. I missed you," I whispered. Charlie was already snoring away in his own room, but I didn't want to chance waking him up.

"I missed you today too."

She reached out and took my hand that was resting on the edge of her bed. I watched as she scooted her body over and patted the empty space next to her.

I leaned back against the headboard, my legs stretched out in front of me. I barely fit on her tiny bed but it didn't matter as long as I was laying here with Bella. She rested her head on my chest, still holding onto my hand.

"What happened tonight?" she asked softly.

"What do you mean?" I hadn't seen her all day, I wasn't sure how was supposed to know what happened to her.

"The howling. Jake left in the middle of dinner," she explained.

I was hesitant to answer. I still wasn't sure if I wanted her to know about the leech in town. But Sam had said we should ask Bella about her so now was as good a time as any.

"We found a trail," Bella stiffened in my arms, "There's this red headed leech that's been trying to cross the border and keeps getting away. We just wish we knew what she wanted."

Bella's body started shaking. "Victoria."

She whispered the name so quietly that I almost didn't hear her.

"Who's Victoria? Is she a friend of the Cullen's?"

"No. She's James's mate," she told me, her voice trembling as much as her body. I wrapped my arms tighter around her in attempt to soothe her.

"Who's James?" I didn't want to ask her anymore upsetting questions but I needed answers and Bella was beginning to confuse me.

"Remember when I was hurt last spring?" she asked me. I nodded.

She took a moment to continue so I just rubbed my hand up and down her back to calm her further. "I didn't fall down the stairs."

Realization hit me, "You were attacked by this James?"

"Yes," she whispered in a strangled voice.

"Tell me what happened," I pleaded.

"James was tracking me, I left for Phoenix to get away but he followed me. He even bit me," she released me hand, reaching over to rub her other wrist, "Edward killed him," she finished.

"If he bit you, how come you didn't change?"

"Edward sucked the venom out."

I shuddered at the thought of how close Bella had been to becoming a vampire. "So how does Victoria work into all this?"

"She was James's mate."

"Yes, but do you know what she wants?"

Bella was silent for nearly an entire minute before she answered, "Me."

I froze. This vampire is after Bella? The revelation terrified me. I had to tell Sam immediately and Bella was definitely never going to be left unprotected. I could feel Bella's tears falling down on my chest as I held her.

I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry. She's never going to touch you," I promised.

"Quil?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you stay? Just until I fall asleep?"

I smiled. "Sure."

I shifted my body until I was lying flat on the bed next to her with my arms still wrapped around her body. She curled into my side, closing her eyes as the tears stopped. We lay together until I heard her breathing even out as she fell asleep once again.

As much as I didn't want to leave her I had to tell the pack this new information so I snuck out from her grip on me and padded over to the window. Climbing back out and down the tree, I hit the ground and heard the most beautiful voice sound into the night.

"Quil…"