Chapter One:

Jacob's POV

"Jake?" Billy called to me from the kitchen. I grunted into the arm of the couch that I was sprawled upon. There was nothing on the TV so I was just staring at it unseeingly. It was only an attempt to distract me. It was sometimes a blessing to finally get her off of my mind. Woops…There I go again. I really needed to get a life. I heard the squeaking of Billy's wheelchair in the kitchen as he came around the corner.

"Hungry?" He tried to hide his worry. I hadn't eaten much lately. Once again, I grunted, not looking up from the TV. "Ah, come on, Jacob. I worked hard at this one. Come and try it."

Reluctantly, I got up from the couch. The wooden frame beneath the cushions sighed in relief once my weight was lifted off of it. Did Billy have to keep bothering me? Couldn't he just let me wallow in my own self pity? I moved into the kitchen silently as Billy dropped a plate of pasta in front of an empty seat. Plopping down in the wobbly chair, I gripped a fork and picked through the meal. My father watched me from his spot at the table.

"You know, Quil and Embry came by again this morning. You can't keep avoiding them," he said. I didn't reply. My mouth was dry. I doubt a sound would even escape it if I had tried. Billy slurped up some noodles noisily.

"And Seth and Leah were asking about you when I was over to Sue's last night. You're friends are really worried about you," he said in between mouthfuls. I grimaced, trying to drown out his words.

"Jake? I know you liked her, son, but you can't get so--"

"Thanks, Dad, but I've heard enough," I remarked roughly. My voice was hoarse and my hands were shaking. Didn't he give a damn that this was bothering me? Why couldn't he just drop it? I avoided his gaze and looked around the room at the old refrigerator, the cupboards, the calendar….The Calendar. As I looked at it, I wondered the date.

"What day is it?"

"Saturday," Billy replied, sounding surprised in my sudden question.

"I mean what date? What is the date?"

"August 13th." Really? Weeks had gone by without my noticing. That was strange. It also surprised me that today was the day that she was marrying him. A deep groan made it's way from somewhere within me. My hands were shaking beyond control now. I pushed myself away from the table, or the table away from me. Billy's plate fell to the floor with a clatter. His eyes swiveled to meet mine but, mentally, I wasn't there. I could only think of her, Bella. A cry of agony escaped my clenched mouth. The room was spinning and I was getting bigger. I knew what was happening for I had gone through this transformation countless times. My angry cries morphed into deep growls, vicious growls. Billy watched me, still shocked.

"Easy, son. Jacob, what's the matter?" I reached out with my clawed fist and lifted my chair, throwing it at the wall where it blew apart. Before Billy could recover from his shock, I was out the door running through the woods. My brothers voices rang in my head.

Jacob, is that you? I heard Sam ask. I tried to block him out.

Someone has gotten over his little lassie? It was Paul. They were approaching me.

Can we meet you, Jake? Sam asked. It didn't matter. They were coming anyway. I could hear them from miles away, running together.

I see you, Paul pointed out. I noticed two large beasts bounding toward me; one massive black and the other a silver streak. They came around to block my path. I skidded to a stop.

What do you want? I snarled, a rumble reverberating though my body. Sam stepped closer to me, eyeing me closely.

Are you well?

As well as I'm going to get, I remarked. Paul barked a laugh.

Nice. So you've decided to join us again? He was still chuckling, gleeful of what he thought was my decision. I didn't respond.

Quil and Embry are coming, Sam noticed, gazing off somewhere to my left. I shuttered. I hadn't planned on spending the afternoon with the entire pack. I groaned in my mind before morphing back into my human form. Sam and Paul mimicked my action just as Quil and Embry reached me side. They changed too, both staring at me.

Everyone was silent for a minute. I avoided everyone's eyes, wishing for more alone time. To be honest, more alone time was the complete opposite of what I needed. I'd spent weeks locked up in my room alone apart from Billy constantly trying to get me to talk or eat. My pack brothers exchanged glances before eyeing me closely.

"Jacob?" Embry asked quietly. My head remained low, avoiding their gazes. "Is everything alright?"

No, nothing was alright. Bella had chosen that filthy, disgusting bloodsucker over me and they were marrying today. Nothing was alright! Sam seemed to notice my expression.

"Is there anything we can help you with?" he asked. I was suddenly angry.

"No, Sam, there isn't anything you can help me with! None of you can. It's done," I growled, my hands shaking. I crossed my arms tightly in an effort to calm the spasms. They were all silent for a few seconds. The silence made me feel strange.

"Where are you running to?" Paul muttered, his eyes full of curiosity.

"I was…Nowhere. I don't know where I was running to." The five of us were standing in a small clearing, stark naked. If someone were to see us, what would they think? We would hear someone approaching anyway. Besides, this was normal for us. We hardly ever noticed the difference. Sam raised his brow.

"Jacob?"

"What? I don't know where I was running to. I was running from Billy, alright? I'm tired of being cooped up alone with him all day," I said. They all stared at me, incredulous.

"That was your doing, mate," Quil pointed out. I glared at him for a second or two. No, it was the bloodsucker's doing. My slit-like gaze shifted from him to Embry, to Sam, to Paul. None of them were there to hurt me. It was obvious that they wanted their brother back. It made me feel guilty for acting so angry towards them. Another pair of wolves were approaching.

"Seth…Leah…" Sam said as they morphed into their human forms. Leah, still shy about her nudity, had a clothe wrapped around her. Quil and Embry exchanged glances before rolling their eyes.

"Listen, guys," I started as the Clearwater siblings closed the circle, staring at me like everyone else. I shook my head. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have avoided everyone like that. It's just…Ah…" I searched for words. Quil slapped a hand on my shoulder.

"We got the message, bro," he said and for the first time in I don't know how long, I smiled. Six faces grinned back at me. I was home.

"Welcome back, Jake," Sam laughed, rustling my hair. I dodged him.

"Now, can we go running?" Leah asked, her eyes pleading. Ever since the fight with the newborns, Leah felt the need to show what she was capable of. She still felt guilty for my injuries, despite the fact that I was perfectly healed. I had heard it in her head a couple times when she wasn't preoccupied with Sam.

Our bodies shifted into our wolf forms simultaneously. I noticed Leah tie the towel around her waist, careful not to shred it to pieces with her razor sharp claws. She was always the one to hold us up but always the one most eager to hunt. Sam bounded into the trees, with the others close on his tail. I hesitated for a split second. Thoughts of Bella and her wedding ran through my mind. She was probably walking up the isle right now. I wondered what she would do if I took the bloodsucker up on his offer and showed up. Would it crash the wedding? I shrugged, letting the idea slip from my mind and dived into the thick forest behind my brothers. Where we were headed, I wasn't sure.

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