Stranger Love

1

Jacob looked out at the waves, hearing his brothers laughing as they kicked the soccer ball around. The waves crashed, ebbing and flowing along the store and leaving small pockets of marine life in the little caverns created by the rocks. Quil sat next to him, watching his imprint closely as she pointed and giggled at the pools of water.

"How do you do it?" Jacob asked. He glanced at the toddler, barely noticing the woman next to her.

"Do what?" Quil asked without looking away.

"Stand it," the first wolf muttered. "She's two... you're going to be waiting a long time for her. What if she decides she doesn't want you? Not in the way Sam has Emily and Jared has Kim."

Quil shrugged. "I'll still be there for her. Claire needs me, and she's my life. If she doesn't want me that way, I'll still be here. I'll be the brother and best friend she needs. I'm always going to protect her, no matter what happens."

Jacob could practically see what Quil was describing in his mind. He'd felt the imprint bond through the pack mind. He'd felt how it had been for each one of his brothers. He'd felt the bond they had, and he envied it more than he cared to admit. If he imprinted, at least he'd forget about Bella. He wouldn't have the constant worry in the back of his mind, the love he was trying to shove away and hide.

The young woman with Claire turned around, running her hand through her long dark hair to move it from her face. She was still half bent in Claire's direction, a blinding smile on her lips. The glare from the water made it difficult for even Jacob's sensitive eyes to see, but something about her was different. She seemed to be glowing. His voice was just about a whisper, almost strained, as he squinted in her direction. "Who's that with Claire?"

Quil smiled affectionately. "Eleanor. Claire's mom died shortly after she was born. Ella is the nanny, I guess. She's cool."

Quil bit into an apple and Jacob let out a huff- more of a snort- in response. "Makah tribe?"

Quil shook his head, his smile disappearing. "No..."

Jacob said nothing for a moment. He stretched his legs in front of him before speaking. "She the one that's always with Claire?"

"She's kind of raising Claire. Her dad works a lot and doesn't get much time off, other than holidays. He was thinking of moving his family down here since Emily is here and helps out a lot."

Jacob nodded and forced himself to look away from Eleanor and Claire, but not before noticing how the older of the two favored her left arm. He opened his soda and drank half of it before standing. "I'm gonna run. I'm going crazy sitting here."

"Sure, sure," Quil said. He stood and walked over to his imprint as Jacob kicked off his shoes. He tossed his shirt to the ground next to them before jogging off into the trees.

"Hey," Eleanor said with a smile. She crouched down next to Claire. "Sweetie, I'm going to sit down. Quil is right here."

Claire beamed up at the two before pointing at the small pool she was crouched next to. "Look! Fishies!"

"I got this," Quil told Eleanor before lowering himself into a crouch next to the small girl. "How many are there, Claire-bear?"

Eleanor couldn't help her small smile as she walked over to a beached tree and sat. Her smile dropped and she let out a sigh, feeling as if she'd been holding her breath for ages. Being strong for Claire and her sister Lily was hard. Neither really knew their mother, and their father was gone often. It wouldn't have bothered her so much if her arm would just heal already, but Eleanor knew it would take more time for that to happen. Especially with how recent her accident was. The healing of the body took just as much time as the healing of the mind, give or take.