The Imperfect Imprint {Jakeward}

Chapter 39: Battlefield

"Edward will handle it," Jasper answered. "But if anyone has the opportunity to kill her- take it."

"What does she look like?" The redheaded banshee spoke up.

"Bright red hair, bright red eyes, slimy as a snake... you can't miss her," Alice sneered, showing her teeth unconsciously. She hated Victoria for threatening her best friend Bella, and now for threatening my reason for existence.

"Got it," Jackson smirked, cracking his knuckles. Malia mirrored his actions where she stood beside Lydia and Kira. I watched in fascination as the kitsune's sword assembled.

Jackson stood closely beside Stiles, who had Paul standing protectively on his other side. He was wound up with the anticipation of battle, but he was also focused on protecting their human alpha. He would die before he let anyone touch Stiles. I was shocked at how strongly he felt, seeing as Derek was the alpha who changed him. But it appears Stiles is the one that kept him in the pack, made him feel like he belonged to the family.

Liam stood on Jackson's other side, as close to Stiles as he could get- while still being near Scott. He also felt protective over the human, but not quite as strongly as Jackson. He saw Stiles as not only an alpha, but also a pack mom of sorts. He was nurturing, caring, and always seemed to know what everyone needed, and for that Liam admired and loved him like a parent of sorts.

"Are you ready for this?" Jackson asked Stiles quietly. Stiles grinned at him, and noticing Liam's eyes on him, grinned at him in turn.

"We've faced worse pups," Stiles reassured them. "I'll be fine."

Damn right you will, Paul thought determinedly. Stiles had no lack of protection.

"That's what you said when we took on that gryphon hybrid," Jackson snorted. Only his pack detected the note of worry hidden beneath his words.

"Pfft- I recovered," Stiles waved him off with his enchanted baseball bat (of all things) as he focused on the tree line again. Their pack knew a Druid, who knew a spell, who could enchant a weapon that was able to harm vampires. Something about channeling the powers of the wolves. I had never heard of it before; and I just hoped it worked for Stiles' sake. It had been Stiles who chose the bat- claiming it had saved his life on several accounts. The rest of his pack had rolled their eyes fondly at this.

"After 4 months," Liam grumbled under his breath.

"Hey- relax. We've got each others backs," Scott smiled small, clapping Liam on the shoulder from where he stood holding Isaac's hand. "Remember the ghost riders? Stiles is right- this will be child's play."

"Eyes on the prizes boys," Lydia ordered, her slim form standing in a ready stance and her bright red hair braided tightly against her skull.

Four months?! Paul exclaimed in his mind, growing queasy at the thought of his imprint being harmed so badly that his recovery lasted four whole months.

Paul... focus, Sam demanded in the pack mind. The silver wolf shook his fur out, clearing his mind as best he could.

We're close, I can smell the wolf, I heard faintly. My head snapped to the north west at sound of the new mind. Riley.

"Edward?" Rose murmured, noticing my body stiffen.

"They're coming," I answered ominously, unconsciously reaching for Jake's fur as reassurance.

Suddenly at least fifty new minds bombarded my own, but their thoughts were that of animals. One track now that they had caught the scent they were so attuned to. Prey, kill, hunt, kill. The effect was unsettling, hearing so many murderous vampires at once, all intent on ending my mates life.