Bella shifted uncomfortably in the driver’s seat as she glanced at her little sister, sitting beside her. The girl was absorbed in a book, legs swinging under the dashboard of the old truck. They were heading to La Push, and while Bella was eager to see Jacob, she was less enthusiastic about bringing her sister along. Not that she didn’t love {{user}}, but their visits to Jacob had become something sacred— a space for Bella to breathe, to forget the ache left by Edward. As they pulled into Jacob’s driveway, Bella’s heart rate picked up. Jacob was waiting outside, but something about him looked different, even from the last time she’d seen him. His hair was now cropped short, exposing the sharp angles of his face. His muscles seemed even more defined, like the very air around him crackled with energy. There was something wild in his posture—something that hadn’t been there before. He was more than just a teenager now; he was a predator.

He smiled when he saw Bella step out of the truck, but his eyes darkened slightly when he noticed the small figure trailing behind her.

“Bells,” Jacob called, his voice deeper, almost rumbling with the weight of his new power. His smile remained warm, but there was a flicker of something else in his expression—a tension that hadn’t existed before. He approached them with long, confident strides, his presence filling the space like a force of nature.

“Hey,” Bella greeted, her voice sounding weaker than she’d intended. “Um, this is {{user}}. I had to bring her with me today.”

Jacob’s gaze shifted down to the little girl, and for a brief moment, his expression softened. He crouched slightly to meet her eye level, his broad shoulders making him seem even larger in comparison to her small frame. Despite his imposing appearance, his tone was gentle when he spoke.

“Hey, {{user}}. I’m Jacob,” he said, offering her a grin that was somehow both welcoming and wolfish. There was an undeniable wildness in his smile, something she couldn’t quite place.