Disclaimer: Twilight, Bella and Edward's dialogue in the first chapter, and the characters from the Twilight books used here are the property of Stephanie Meyers. I' just taking them for a test drive.

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"Wait until they're totally distracted, then run with her. Get as far from this place as you possibly can. When you've gone as far as you can on foot, she has what you need get you in the air."

I looked at Bella with what I knew had to be a look of utter horror and disbelief. She didn't know what she was asking. I couldn't abandon either her or the pack.

I couldn't leave her to die.

But I couldn't stay here and risk Nessie's life either. I felt an overwhelming need to protect her.

My loyalties were wagging a war both in my heart and mind. Which came first? My duty to the pack or my duty to my imprint? Could I possibly pick?

You had no trouble picking the Bride of Dracula over the pack last time. Why pick us now?

I could feel the hate dripping from Leah's thoughts. They cut me deep. I did abandon them then and I could never be forgiven for that. I was selfish then. I realize that. Things are different now. I'm an Alpha. I can't just think of myself anymore.

Maybe you weren't being selfish. It was Quil. Maybe you acted that way you did because of the imprint.

What? I imprinted on Nessie, not Bella.

Now Embry chimed in. Maybe the reason you were always so hot for Bella was because she was carrying the imprint somewhere inside her the whole time.

I snapped out of my "talk" as I noticed Edward lifted Nessie up to my shoulder. She quickly scrambled up my back and settled in-between my shoulder blades, holding tightly to my fur.

I turned towards Bella who was standing close to me. "You're the only one we could ever trust her with. If you didn't love her so much, I could never bear this. I know you can protect her, Jacob."

A whine escaped my throat and I nudged my head against her shoulder. I loved Bella and Nessie more than anything else. I would do anything for them. I knew what I had to do.

"I know, I love you, too, Jake. You'll always be my best man."

I felt the tear roll out of my eye. I knew I would lose Bella for good this time. My only consolation was the fact that I was going to protect a piece of her, a piece that was now the center of my universe.

Edward leaned his head against the same shoulder where he'd placed Nessie. "Goodbye, Jacob, my brother… my son."

As much as I had hated Edward for stealing Bella from me we had grown closer since Nessie's birth. We both loved and wanted to protect them both so bad it heart. My heart broke a little more with that small acknowledgement of accepting me into his family.

"Is there no hope then?"

There is always hope. Carlisle, I thought to myself. As the others started saying their goodbyes to each other, I started to work on a plan to help me get my Nessie away if hope failed.