Chapter 4:
Never Let Me Go

It's been half an hour since Hunter fled the reception to sit in her car in silence while draining yet another blood bag. This time she made sure to savor it. She didn't want to spill a drop on her out of fear of exposing herself. She stared at her phone for quite some time, contemplating if she should call Mason or not. She missed him a lot, his company would be perfect right now. But she was sure he was busy in his home with piles of paperwork to go through.

A part of her wanted to start the car and drive back to Ocean Shores. There was nothing left here for her. Bella and Edward will be leaving on their honeymoon soon and Charlie didn't need her. She was useless. They probably didn't even notice she was gone.

A knock on the window beside her made her jump. She quickly hid the blood bag and twisted her body. Though it wasn't a stranger, it was Jacob Black. A smile spread on her lips and she pushed open the car door, "Jacob." She beamed before crashing into his arms.

   "I thought I'd never see you again." He mumbled into her hair. His embrace was warm, as was her's, and they relished in the moment. "You seem to be... in trouble." He said louder, referring to the blood bag he saw her sipping on moments ago.

She slowly pulled away from him and ran her hands through her hair. "I have it under control, trust me." He stared at her for a moment. There was conflict in her eyes but he let it slide. He knew she was still mourning.

   "I just spoke to Bella." He told her, his jaw clenching a bit. "She's staying human for her honeymoon." Hunter raised her eyebrows and snickered. She knew Bella loved Edward, but this was just plain stupid. However, it was her choice and she'll support it. She was more than sure that Edward would control himself. "She'll be alright Jake. Otherwise, we can kill Edward together."

Jacob laughed at that and relaxed. Her eyes fall down to the ground and he took that as a chance to stare. She looked better, emotionally. When he last saw her, she was torn apart but now she looked a lot brighter. But looks can be deceiving.

The entire time she was gone, all he did was stick around his house, healing and brooding. He missed her more than anything. "How are you?" She decided to ask. Her voice was soft but he could smell the liquor in her breath.

"Uh, I've been better." He told her honestly. His hands went into his pockets and he shifted around. He didn't know what to say to her. What could he say? He didn't want to bring something up and make her upset. He just got her back. "How long are you staying?"

Hunter sucked in a breath. She didn't know how to respond to that question. She wasn't planning on staying more than two days, she would have to see what Bella's plan was. The two still had some time to make up for. So she shrugged, "I honestly don't know. Not long."

He pursed his lips and hung his head low. "Don't go." His voice dropped to a whisper and she could hear his heart beat pick up. "Please, don't go again." Hunter moved closer to him and pulled him back into a hug, her eyes closing at the contact. Hearing those words broke her, and it nearly changed her mind, but she just couldn't stay anymore.

Times have changed, she needed to move on. She liked Ocean Shores, a lot more than she thought. Forks was a great temporary home. It healed up a lot of wounds for her. But now, she needed to go on her own. There was nothing here for her. She has no family to look after. Everyone would do fine without her.

"I'm sorry Jake. I really am. But you have to understand that I need to move on." She told him. His breathing became heavy and she knew she had upset him. He slowly pulled away from her and she watched tears pool in his eyes. It was a heavy sight.

"What I understand that you're trying to run away from everything because you can't handle living without him." He told her firmly. Hunter's jaw clenched angrily. Of course they couldn't have a normal and heart felt reunion, Jacob always let his emotions get the best of him. "Are you seriously doing this right now?" She asked him, desperately wanting to walk away from him.

Jacob huffed and looked away from her. He knew what he said was extremely out of line, but he couldn't help it. He was right and she knew that.
"You're leaving forever, so what does it matter?"

"Jacob, stop being so dramatic. I'm not gonna be gone forever. I'll stop by sometimes." She told him, amusement filling her features. He didn't seem to find the situation funny.

"I'm not being dramatic. I want you to stay here. With me. I want you to be with me." He told her, walking closer to her and softly grabbing her hand. He glanced down at it and smiled, finding the wooden wolf charm he gave her dangling on her wrist.

Hunter sighed and stared up at him. She still didn't feel anything for him in that way and it hurt her to hurt him. "Jacob..." she trailed. His eyes never left her's but the disappointment stretched onto his face quickly. "I can't."

"What's that supposed to mean? What do you mean you can't?" He questioned her. By now, the party was over and everyone was piling up at the front of the Cullen home, waiting to go home.

Hunter didn't fight the frown that made it's way onto her face. She didn't say anything. She couldn't find anything to say. Jacob was nothing but her best friend, an old childhood crush. He was handsome and his personality was filled with fun, but anything she ever felt for him was small and gone.

"There's someone else isn't there?" He assumed, his tone darkening along with his eyes. Hunter's mouth opened and closed. She didn't understand why it was so hard for her to tell him the truth, he was slipping away from her and she couldn't find it in her to hold onto him. She was frozen.

"Jake-"

"No it's alright. I understand perfectly." He cut her off, his hands slipping away from her's. Her mouth clamped shut and her nostrils flared angrily. "No, you don't. If you would just shut up for five seconds-"

"Hunter."

She twisted around to see Edward standing in the middle of the street, his eyes glaring into Jacob's. When she turned her head back around, Jacob was gone. Her eyes shut again and she let out a heavy sigh. She forgot how annoying boys could be.

"He'll be back. After I've gone." Edward told her, walking closer to her. Hunter rubbed her temples and turned to face the vampire. "He wouldn't have left if you would've just stayed away-"

"Hey hey, no fighting on my wedding day." Bella spoke, lightly grabbing onto Hunter's arm. The hybrid pulled her best friend into a much needed hug, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Bella rubbed her back soothingly before she pulled away, "Don't be. I know how hard it was for you to come back but I'm glad you did. Even if it was for a couple of hours." Hunter squeezed their hands together happily.

"Sorry to interrupt but we have a honeymoon to get to." Edward butt in. Hunter inhaled sharply and let go of Bella's hands. This was yet another goodbye. She had no idea where the couple was going and neither did Bella.

Hunter looked back at Bella and there were tears already streaming down her cheeks. "Oh Bella." She whimpered, pulling her back into a hug. This was different than the first goodbye, it was harder. Mostly because Bella had no idea if she'd ever see Hunter again.

"Please be careful." Hunter mumbled to her, her own tears slipping out. Bella nodded vigorously and pulled away, "You too."

Hunter wiped the tears off her face and chuckled, "Look at us, such crybabies." Bella laughed and fought back more tears. She wished Hunter could come with her, the two month vacation was too long to be without her. "Sleepover next time we see each other. Girl's only."

Bella linked their pinkie fingers together and pressed a kiss to them, "Hell yeah." Hunter smirked and lightly shoved the human girl. "I'll see you around Bells."

"Definitely." Bella told her before she slipped away from her and over to her dad. Edward stayed by Hunter. He wanted to give her a proper goodbye this time around.

Hunter kicked at the street beneath her and stared up at him, waiting for him to say anything. A grin appeared on his cheeks and she bit her lip, fighting back her own. "What?" She asked him, amusement in her eyes.

"I'm glad I got to see you again is all." He told her, ignoring his families prying eyes. He had to tread carefully, though he had a feeling they already knew what was going on.

She nodded sheepishly and leaned against her car, "I'm really happy for you guys." Her heart skipped a beat when the words slipped out of her teeth and it made her feel wrong. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either.

Edward's grin slowly slipped away, "Thank you. It means a lot coming from you." She breathed out a laugh and shook her head. They were both liars. "Does it? Or are you just saying that?"

"I don't know what you mean-"

"When I left and you stopped my car, did you question if this was the right decision? If you should tell her everything?" She asked him, her voice cracking at the end of her sentence.

Edward clenched his jaw and stared directly into her eyes. Now he felt wrong. "Because this isn't right. Not if whatever you feel for me still stands." She finished, ignoring the tear that slid down her cheek.

"Hunter," he trailed, raising his hand but quickly dropping it. He wanted to touch her, to hold her but he couldn't. It was too late. "I'm sorry."

She scoffed and nodded slowly. She didn't even know why she was so upset, he was married, she didn't have to worry about him secretly pining after her. There was a slimmer of hope though, a slimmer of hope that maybe he'd make the right decision and tell Bella. "You still don't care about me." She muttered.

Edward stiffened, a chuckle leaving his lips seconds later. "I'm sick of you saying that." Hunter turned to him, her arms still crossed. She was angry. "Well maybe I wouldn't have to say it if you would be honest with your wife."

"Why are you acting like this? Everything will solve itself when we leave. Why not save your breath?" He told her, his face hard and unreadable.

It took everything in her to not punch him in the face. This conversation was a reminder that she still hated him. He didn't understand the importance of the secret that they both carry. He didn't seem to care if he lost her if it meant keeping Bella and it hurt.

The issue would not solve itself because he would go on, forcing himself to subside his feelings for her, only to have them come flying back next time he sees her. He's only trying to prove to himself and her that he was over her. But he wasn't. He was still lying to Bella.

"I'm acting like this because it's not fair to Bella. She paints you as this gift from heaven, her knight in shining armor. She loves you and I know you love her. But do you really if you love me too?" Hunter told him, hearing Bella say her goodbyes to her father.

Edward stared at her longingly. His face softened and he couldn't find anymore words to respond with. She was completely right and he's known that for months. It was impossible for him to get over her and he didn't want to let Bella go, especially after all this.

Once again, she slipped from his grasp.

Hunter opened her car door and she spared him one last glance. Just like before, their eyes danced a simple dance. One that begged for more and left them speechless. "You better figure it out." She told him before looking back to see Bella approaching them, "Because the longer you wait, the bigger your chances are of losing her too."

Bella practically skipped over to them with a bright smile and she joined Edward's side. "You guys said your goodbyes?"

Hunter scanned his face, ignoring the way he stared at her desperately. She nodded, "Yeah. We said our goodbyes."

"Great. Uh, Alice said you're welcome to stay here for as long as you want but I figured you'd go back to Charlie's." Bella said, intertwining her fingers with her husband's. Hunter grimaced and tightened her grip around her car door. Staying at the Cullen home meant little to no privacy and staying at Charlie's would be suffocating, too many memories to feel at once.

"Oh uh, I might go visit Jacob again. Then go back home, I haven't really decided." She mumbled, watching Bella's smile slip away.

The human's hand tightened on Edward's and she fought back more tears. This was their life now, no more housemates, just separate lives. "Oh." Bella whispered, "Okay. Well, let me know what you decide."

Hunter nodded, "Of course."

The trio stared at each other, each of them feeling a flux of emotions. It weighed down on them and it would only be a matter of time before one of them couldn't handle the pressure. "Be careful." Edward choked out.

"You too." Hunter told them both, her lips pursing awkwardly. "Enjoy your honeymoon." She sent Bella one last smile before she hoped into her car and shut the door. Once it did, she could feel the waterworks on it's way. She started her car and moved down the street, sending waves to Charlie and everyone else.

The hum of her car filled the silence and she couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Driving down the empty road, watching the light posts pass by, and feeling incomplete.

All she could think about was how messed up everything became. Ever since the Cullen's up and left, everything came crashing down. But there was a small thought in the back of her mind, that she missed those times. The times when she had Edward as a friend, all to herself.