Sun poured through the window in my little bedroom to wake me up, the fight was coming soon. It was so close I could literally taste it. Within record time I hopped out of bed, heading to the backdoor. My dad sat in his wheelchair staring out the front window, waiting for the perfect time to call Charlie and finalize their plans. The plans that would keep Charlie safe while about 40 different monsters were battling only several miles away. Not to mention fighting over his daughter. There were three doors in the tiny hallway, I opened the coat closet and took out a parka, not for me but for Bella. I wasn't sure if she could feel the snow storm coming, but I could. Then again she did have the psychic, that irritated me, well all bloodsuckers irritated me, but it made me slightly smug that she couldn't see me.

"Jake, be careful…" Billy's voice trailed off, he was oddly uncomfortable with this warning, although I knew that it wouldn't be needed and I was sure that he knew that too. As a pack, we could hold our own in a battle, while we had never actually tried, I was becoming more confident in that fact by the second.

"Sure, sure," I mumbled back at him as I slammed the door a little too hard. As I walked to the forest, I began to shudder as I sent controlled spasms down my spine. It only took seconds for me to fold my pants and attach them to my legs as I landed on the ground on all fours. Momentarily my bare skin had transformed into the thick pelt of a russet colored wolf. With Bella currently intoxicating every crevice of my mind, I didn't really want everyone being able to hear what I was thinking, but running to the clearing was much faster than any other means of transportation. To my luck, only a few others were running, to my dismay one of those was Leah.

Leah Clearwater was the only female member of the La Push pack; she was also the most annoying. Honestly she ranked up there with about how irritating a leech could be. Probably I shouldn't have thought that, because Leah had a rebuttal headed my way. Before she could finish thinking it though, Embry stepped in and took playful jabs at her.

Thanks. I thought.

Anytime…Embry's husky laughter filled his thoughts.

I was glad that it was a relatively short run to the meadow, the sooner I could get away from everyone hearing my thoughts the better. No signs of Bella or the bloodsucker, I couldn't even smell him, but I knew he would show up soon. In the woods it was dark, so it made it unseasonably cold, though I guessed that if I had stepped out from the shadows it wouldn't make it too much warmer. My body wasn't cold, but I did worry for Bella, there was obviously going to be a storm in June, a snow storm nonetheless.

After sitting and waiting for about twenty minutes something seriously began to reek, a sickly sweetness that began to saturate the air. Bloodsucker.

"Right here," I heard him say and he pointed to the vicinity of where I was standing. Bella looked fragile as she huddled closer to him, he must not have been any warmer than the wind that whipped her hair around her face. The hand gesture cued me to step out from the shadows; I held my face like stone in a way that showed as much control as possible. This was a mannerism that I had picked up from Sam and it came in extra handy when I was trying to not kill the leech. How she stood so easily next to him bugged me, and I crossed my arms, the jacket probably starting to tear in my clutch. As soon I knew I was in her vision range, I tried to make the tense stance seem more natural.

"There had to have been a better way to do this," he eyed me and I knew he could tell what I was thinking and how I was no happier he was here than he was that I was here.

"To late now," Bella said barely audible, as she clearly tried to be. She turned once more to look at his face, and then turned back towards me as I was approaching slowly,

"Hey, Jake," there was no enthusiasm in her voice, just a generic greeting.

"Hi, Bella," a small smile tried to push its way through my controlled expression, but I repressed it.

"Hello, Jacob." Why did he have to try to be the bigger person? This got on my nerves so much, it made me feel like a bad guy, even though in all honesty I wasn't making too much an effort.

"Where do I take her?" Instead of answering him, I got straight to the point, the sooner I could be alone with Bella the better. No leech reading my mind, no smell either. His hands moved to his pockets and I was suddenly more alert, but then I realized he was just getting a map. He offered it over to me and I took it trying not to snatch it like a bratty child and I unfolded it.

"We're here now," I knew that, but I went along with what he was saying. He leaned over to point at our location and my hand instinctively jumped back. Continuing, but with a slightly annoyed tone, probably offended by my recoiling – like a give a damn – he directed me,

"And you're taking her up here," I followed with my eyes the swerving line he drew with his fingers up to a mountain side. It seemed about ten miles away, my thoughts were corrected, "roughly nine miles."

All I did in reply was nod, still business.

"When you're about a mile away, you should cross my path. That will lead you in. Do you need the map?"

"No thanks," I snapped slightly, but I was offended. Fixing my tone I kept going, "I know this area pretty well. I think I know where I'm going."

"I'll take the longer route and I'll see you in a few hours."

No need to rush. He could hear my thoughts, I knew that very well. There was something bothering him about leaving her alone with me, or being apart from her period, I couldn't tell. It bothered me though – a lot.

Finally, Edward was gone. I couldn't hide my pleasure that he had disappeared into the woods, my face lit up. As soon as the bloodsucker was gone I couldn't hide the enthusiasm that Bella and I would be alone together, it seemed like forever since we had been together alone. Forever, something tugged at my heart, probably the wrong word to use because one day I may have literally not seen her in forever. And forever was a very long time to be apart from someone, especially Bella. I shook my head to clear the thoughts and started,

"What's up, Bella?" Harmless enough a question,

"Same old, same old," she took on a slightly sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes at my question. Instead of being offended by her harshness I continued and I could literally feel her tension begin to let go a bit.

"Yeah, bunch of vampires trying to kill you. The usual," unfortunately for Bella this sort of was becoming a usual.

"The usual," Bella agreed.

"Well," I put on the jacket to open my arms to carry her and finally got to the point, "Let's get going."

She hesitantly stepped towards me, contorting her face into hesitance mixed with an awkward version of the crooked smile that he would always dazzle her with. Before I could further analyze her face, I bent down and took her up into my arms in a rather hero saving the damsel in distress way.

"Jerk," she muttered at me, not in a angry way but in a momentarily irritated way, so I laughed at it.

Soon my walk turned into a jog and I felt the rhythmic noise that my feet made on the forest floor, bare feet smashing all kinds of leaves and twigs. After a couple of minutes I could barely even feel Bella's weight in my arms. Her presence intoxicated me, making it hard to focus on the running, but I knew that where I was running to would be the safest place for her tomorrow during the fight.

"You don't have to run. You'll get tired," Bella's small voice spoke up from my arms,

"Running doesn't make me tired," my eyes stayed fixed forward as I answered, "Besides, it will be colder soon. I hope he gets the camp set up before we get there," bitterness crept into my voice as I spoke of Edward, but I doubt that she even noticed. Bella traced her finger along my parka, before poking it,

"I thought you didn't get cold now," there was some confusion in her voice, but mostly just skeptical curiosity and an attempt at small talk.

"I don't," I answered her statement first and then went on to clarify the purpose of the coat, "I brought this for you, just in case you weren't prepared." But of course she was, she had the psychic leech, "I don't like the way the weather feels. It's making me edgy. Notice how we haven't seen any animals?

"Um, not really," she spoke like it was obvious that she didn't notice, of course it was sort of obvious that she didn't notice.

"I guess you wouldn't. Your senses are too dull," my sense had been too dull as a human, even though I was ridiculously perceptive.

"Alice was worried about the storm, too."

"It takes a lot to silence the forest this way. You picked a hell of night for a camping trip." Sarcasm filled the last line.

"It wasn't entirely my idea," that was true, many people worked out this idea, many people I didn't want to think about during my alone time with Bella. This was the only true alone time we would have, and even it would not be perfect, as soon as I would arrive at camp I was sure that Edward would scan my mind for visions of our journey.

The climb was getting slightly more difficult, definitely steeper, and rockier, but not enough to slow me down as I jumped from rock to rock. Then I noticed the diamond heart hanging from her bracelet, which I had given to her. It admittedly hurt a little, because I knew where the stone came from, but out of politeness I felt inclined to ask anyways,

"What's with the addition to your bracelet?" Control conquered the emotion in my voice. Her body shrugged in nonchalance, though I could see some amount of guilt behind her eyes,

"Another graduation present," she answered

"A rock. Figures." She stared at it quizzically for a number of moments until I interrupted her thoughts with another question, well statement, "So it's been a while since you came down to La Push." The statement carried with it an implied Where have you been? Though I knew. Stupid Jacob, why did you kiss her, I was internally beating myself up over that; it scared her off.

"I've been busy," with her vampire, "And I probably wouldn't have visited, anyway."

"I though you were supposed to be the forgiving one, and I was the grudge-holder," the last words cracked. This was the truth though, compared to her I was immature and stupid and not at all worthy, but still I was drawn to her. Not in an imprinting way, I knew that would be much stronger, but in a different way. Sometimes I wished it was imprinting, no matter how much I hated it, if I imprinted on her then she would no question be mine. "Been thinking about the last time a lot, have you?"

"Nope," a small blush accumulated, although that could have been from the wind that had just picked up some, I preferred to think that it was because she was bluffing,

"Either you're lying, or you are the stubbornest person alive."

"I don't know about the second part, but I'm not lying," it seemed sincere enough that it hurt a little. My ego took over; I was going to convince her that she could find in her heart to love me instead of that rock.

"A smart person looks at all sides of a decision," I calmly rebutted her last statement.

"I have."

"If you haven't thought at all about our…" what would I call it, I didn't think that I wouldn't be able to say it out loud, "Er, conversation the last time you came over, then that's not true." Personally, this seemed like a good point to me.

"That conversation isn't relevant to my decision," the banter was becoming game like, yet the meaning still was important and serious.

"Some people will got to any lengths to delude themselves," I sighed closing my eyes slowly then opening them up to the sky. This was more of a side note that she picked up on and answered like it was still part of the banter.

"I've noticed that werewolves in particular are prone to that mistake – do you think it's a genetic thing?"

"Does that mean that he's a better kisser than I am." It was a depressing thought, I mean kissing him must have been comparable to kissing marble.

"I really couldn't say, Jake. Edward it the only person I've ever kissed."

"Besides me," I pointed that out in a smug way,

"But I don't count that as a kiss, Jacob. I think of it more as an assault."

"Ouch! That's cold." I pretended to joke it off, but honestly that was a below the belt blow. But could I really disagree? My kiss the last time I had seen her had been somewhat off, well way off. Wait hadn't I already apologized for my "assault."

"I did apologize about that," I reminded her of my apology.

"And I forgave you . . . mostly," she hesitated then it changed to complete confidence, "it doesn't change the way I remember it."

"You forgave him so easily," this was completely inaudible to her, but it was so true. After that, we just kept running, well I kept running. Bella sat there in my arms curled to my warmth the wind blew her dark curls around her delicate face. A cliff that marked the swerved path rose in front of us, so I followed it, still hopping in a thick and choppy, yet seemingly graceful manner. Soon the silence became frustrating so I started off where our last conversation had left off.

"I still think it's pretty irresponsible."

"Whatever you're talking about, you're wrong."

"Think about it, Bella," I went on despite her warning, "According to you, you've kissed just one person – who isn't even really a person – in your whole life, and you're calling it quits? How do you know that's what you want? Shouldn't you play the field a little?"

"I know exactly what I want," her fake calm almost broke into what I assumed would be rage, but I knew she thought I didn't pick up on that. Wouldn't she ever learn just how perceptive I was?

"Then it couldn't hurt to double check," my voice was confident and bold, but surely becoming angry, "Maybe you should try kissing someone else – just for comparison's sake…since what happened the other day doesn't count. You could kiss me, for example. I don't mind if you want to use me to experiment." The end was taunting and I pulled her closer to my face, but she couldn't pull herself back because she in no way compared to my strength. Her face turned bitter.

"Don't mess with me, Jake. I swear I won't stop him if he wants to break your jaw." That gave me my opportunity and I smiled,

"If you ask me to kiss you," I was near whispering, but I couldn't get too quiet because the wind whipped loudly above me, "he won't have any reason to get upset. He said that was fine."

"Don't hold your breath, Jake – no, wait, I changed my mind. Go right ahead. Just hold your breath until I ask you to kiss me." Every word she said, even though they had a joking still serious tone, hurt me a little more; I would never let that show.

"You're in a bad mood today," I muttered back at her, slightly irritated with the direction that my second attempt at this conversation had taken.

"I wonder why?"

"Sometimes I think you like me better as a wolf," I definitely didn't like me better as a wolf.

"Sometimes I do," she said mostly annoyed, yet slightly apologetic – not enough that I should notice, "It probably has something to do with the way you can't talk."

"No," I teased, "I don't think that's it. I think it's easier for you to be near me when I'm not human, because you don't have to pretend that you're not attracted to me." The latter part made her mouth form a perfect little o, but she couldn't tell that I could see her because I was still looking forward. To cover this, she not-so-subtly pulled her mouth shut and there was a sudden burst of pride inside of me that temporarily healed all the bruises she has made before with her words. It was as good as surrender to me.

"No," it took her a second to collect her thoughts, "I'm pretty sure it's because you can't talk."

"Do you ever get tired of lying to yourself," my voice carried with it nonchalance and the joking manner it always had, "You have to know how aware you are of me. Physically, I mean.

"How could anyone not be aware of you physically, Jacob? You're an enormous monster who refuses to respect anyone else's personal space." And her bloodsucker respected people's personal space, what with his mind reading and all?

"I make you nervous," my eyes narrowed as if I was staring directly into hers, although I had kept them focused straight ahead the entire time, "but only when I'm human. When I'm a wolf, you're more comfortable around me."

"Nervousness and irritation are not the same thing."

Then the smell began to slip into wind, we were coming close. Every sense in my body sped up and it was hard not to follow my instincts, attack the damned leech. A glare overcame my face and I slowed to a walk, leaning in closer to Bella. This was the last chance possibly that I would have to kiss her.

"It's your face."

All I could do was laugh and I started up my pace again, "I don't really want to fight with your vampire tonight – I mean, any other night, sure. But we bother have a job to do tomorrow, and I wouldn't want to leave the Cullens one short."

Something changed her expression, it was hard to decipher, usually her eyes told her bluff, but I couldn't figure this one out.

"I know, I know," I had assumed what she was thinking; "You think he could take me."

Bella's expression didn't change, and she didn't answer my question, something was truly bothering her. My control dropped, I couldn't stand seeing her hurt.

"What's the matter with you, Bella? If something I said upset you, you know I was only kidding. I didn't mean anything – hey are you okay? Don't cry, Bella," my voice was on the verge of hysteria, I truly hated seeing her like this.

"I'm not going to cry." That was a lie; phony bravado oozed from her every word.

"What did I say?"

"It's nothing you said. It's just, well, it's me," I was confused. She saw this and clarified, "I did something…bad." What could Bella have possibly done that made her disintegrate before me?

"Edward isn't going to fight tomorrow. I'm making him stay with me. I am a huge coward."

"You think this isn't going to work?" It hurt that Bella did not have more confidence in the pack, or as much as I hated to admit it, more confidence in the Cullens. "That they'll find you," I continued, "Do you know something I don't know?" The question was out of the minute amount of fear in me for my pack, and the larger bit of fear for Bella's safety.

"No, no. I'm not afraid of that. I just… I can't let him go. If he didn't come back…" Her voice trailed off. My eyes automatically closed to repress my emotions, a pit in my stomach grew knowing that she cared so much for him, and the thought that she hadn't asked me to stay. Was I disposable or something? I didn't say anything, and Bella felt prompted to continue, "If anyone gets hurt, it will be my fault. And even if no one does… I was horrible. I had to be, to convince him to stay with me. He won't hold it against me, but I'll always know what I'm capable of," Bella was relieved to tell someone this, because she relaxed a bit in my arms. In order to block my true feelings, I held my face again in a way to control it.

"I can't believe he let you talk him out of going. I wouldn't miss this for anything," something was pulling me to this fight. Whether it was the chance to kill bloodsuckers, or save Bella, or for the adrenaline of the fight, but probably the orders from Sam, something attached me with a need to fight this fight.

"I know," for some reason her reaction surprised me, it was calm, defeated even.

"That doesn't mean anything though," I felt the urge to show how that I could provide anything for that Edward could, more even, "That doesn't mean that he loves you more than I do."

"But you wouldn't stay with me, even if I begged."

I thought about this, instead of denying it I went for the not so direct answer.

"That's only because I know you better," this was the best way to phrase what I was trying to say, because I didn't know if I would stay with her, probably not, but then again I was not exactly given the option, "Everything's going to go without a hitch. Even if you'd asked and I'd said no, you wouldn't be mad at me afterwards."

"If everything does go without a hitch, you're probably right. I wouldn't be mad. But the whole time you're gone, I'll be sick with worry, Jake. Crazy with it."

This made me feel better, and it made me feel like she cared, so I decided to ask her more about it. A few minutes ago she didn't seem to care what would happen to me, or at least she didn't admit it.

"Why? Why does it matter to you if something happens to me?"

"Don't say that. You know how much you mean to me. I'm sorry it's not in the way you want, but that's just how it is. You're my best friend. At least, you used to be. And still sometimes are…when you let your guard down."

Because of what she said, I attempted to "let my guard down" allowing a smile to form on my formerly harsh expression.

"I'm always that," I felt that I needed to tell her that I have never really gone anywhere and under all the werewolf stuff I was still the Jake she loved, "Even when I don't… behave as well as I should. Underneath, I'm always in here."

"I know. Why else would I put up with all of your crap?" Finally the mood around us had sincerely lightened.

"When are you finally going to figure out that you're in love with me, too?" I forced the pain behind my eyes, but she noticed my sadness.

"Leave it to you to ruin the moment." It was true; I sort of had ruined it.

"I'm not saying you don't love him. I'm not stupid. But it's possible to love more than one person at a time, Bell. I've seen it in action."

"I'm not some freaky werewolf, Jacob," the words were meant playfully but struck a certain chord with me that didn't sit so well, my nose crinkled in a subconscious response. I changed the subject.

"We're not far now, I can smell him," well I could smell him in the wind from miles away but now the scent overtook me and there was no doubt how close he was, at least within spitting distance. When Bella sighed, I thought that she must have been just as sad that our alone time was wrapping up. "I'd happily slow down, Bella, but you're going to want to be under shelter before that hits."

I made a head gesture to the sky and her eyes followed mine as we stared into the deep colored clouds advancing quickly upon us and all around the gray glum of the Olympic Peninsula was turning a darker shade.

"Wow. You'd better hurry, Jake. You'll want to get home before it gets here."

"I'm not going home," I said very matter-of-factly, like it was obvious

"You're not camping with us," this could have been a question, but the way that Bella said it, it was clear that I was not welcome to share their tent. I was sure she would change her mind later when it was below zero and she was cold, but I didn't want to be in such close proximity to Edward.

"Not technically – as in, sharing your tent or anything. I prefer the storm to the smell. But I'm sure your bloodsucker will want to keep in touch with the pack for coordinate purposes, and so I will graciously provide that service."

"I thought that was Seth's job," agitation began coming back into her voice.

"He'll take over tomorrow, during the fight," I clarified for Bella.

She was now staring at me and then she began to plead, compromise with me.

"I don't suppose there's any way you'd just stay since you're already here? If I did beg? Or trade back the lifetime of servitude or something?" There was the request that my heart had been waiting for, but my head denied. I hated how torn the feeling made me.

"Tempting, but no. Then again, the begging might be interesting to see. You can give it a go if you like," I always seemed to be in a joking, bantering, confident mode, but that was because I didn't want Bella to see how I really felt, because then I would lose control. I had to remain in control, it was the only way to keep from being the monster I hated.

"There's really nothing, nothing at all I can say?"

"Nope. Not unless you can promise me a better fight. Anyway, Sam's calling the shots, not me," I felt that I had to justify leaving her somehow, and the Alpha's commands always seemed like great justification.

"Edward told me something the other day," Bella was hesitant to get this out, "about you."

"It's probably a lie," I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was going.

"Oh, really? You aren't second in command of the pack, then?" So maybe this wasn't where I thought it was going, I thought for sure that somehow I would be carried in a poor light. In some ways though, my tie to the pack was a poor light.

"Oh, that," I was always reluctant to talk about the pack.

"How come you never told me that?" Because I hate it, I thought.

"Why would I? It's not big thing,"

"I don't know. Why not? It's interesting. So how does that work? How did Sam end up as the Alpha, and you as," she searched for a term, "the Beta?" That was not a term, but it made me laugh.

"Same was the first, the oldest," I explained, "It made sense for him to take charge."

"But shouldn't Jared of Paul be second, then? They were the next to change."

"Well… it's hard to explain," my voice slowed, not wanting to reveal too much in my answer. Of course, Bella still pried with a bewildered look plastered on her pale face.

"Try."

"Mm," I sighed, "It's more about the lineage, you know? Sort of old-fashioned. Why should it matter who your grandpa was, right?"

"Didn't you say that Ephriam Black was the last chief the Quileutes had?" Maybe I didn't give Bella's perceptiveness enough credit.

"Yeah, that's right. Because he was the Alpha," trying to turn the direction of the conversation before it came back to me - the rightful Alpha. No, the rightful Alpha was Sam, he deserved to pack, I didn't even want to be part of it, how could they have a leader that hates being a werewolf so much? Who is torn so much between himself? "Did you know that, technically, Sam's the chief of the whole tribe now?" A laugh choked out, "Crazy traditions."

"But you also said that people listened to your dad more than anyone else on the council, because he was Ephriam's grandson?"

"What about it?" There was a harsh irritation my tone, because I knew my attempt at turning the conversation hadn't exactly worked.

"Well, if it's about the lineage…shouldn't you be the chief, then?"

I did not want to be chief, I didn't want this burden. I didn't want to be a freaky werewolf.

"Jake?" She reacted to my staring straight ahead trying to control myself.

"No. That's Sam's job," I didn't even turn down to look at her, it would be too hard, there were already so many emotions building up inside me, I didn't want to break.

"Why? His great-granddad was Levi Uley, right? Was Levi an Alpha, too?"

"There's only one Alpha," my mind was in hysteria.

"So what was Levi?"

"Sort of a Beta, I guess." My tone was starting to get more controlled, "Like me."

"That doesn't make sense," she was being stubborn about this.

"It doesn't matter!" To me my voice seemed to be filled with a craze, not a yelling – I was still talking very quietly – that was hard to explain, I didn't like talking about this.

"I just want to understand," she was timid and I gave in, looking down.

"Yeah. I was supposed to be the Alpha."

"Sam didn't want to step down?"

"Hardly," I couldn't even see Bella anymore, red glassed over my vision and it felt good telling someone all this. But it still made me angry to think about it all, "I didn't want to step up."

"Why now?"

It took all I had to control the craze of confusion that was burning inside me, and then I let my guard down, but it didn't come out as anger as I had expected. Rather it was a sense of sadness, and I continued, uncomfortable talking about this while I was being torn apart inside.

"I didn't want any of it, Bella. I didn't want anything to change. I didn't want to be some legendary chief. I didn't want to be part of pack of werewolves, let alone their leader. I wouldn't take it when Sam offered."

"But I though you were happier. That you were okay with this." I was happier? What? Happier than when?

"Yeah. It's really not so bad," I had visibly upset her, so I felt that I needed to comfort her some, "Exciting sometimes, like with this thing tomorrow. But at first it sort of felt like being drafted into a war you didn't know existed. There was no choice, you know? And it was so final," all I could do was shrug, and with the shrug all the emotion shrugged off too, repressed back inside me. "Anyway, I guess I'm glad now. It has to be done, and could I trust someone else to get it right? It's better to make sure myself." I think I may have been developing some sort of bipolar disorder.

"Chief Jacob," she smiled, and I rolled my eyes. The emotion had drained and the control began to come back. All of that had happened so quickly. Inside I was relieved I could let this go to someone besides the pack, but it reminded me that I was not the same Jacob I used to be. Not the same, not even close.

Wind whipped around us, and she coiled closer to my chest and then it began to snow. It felt good that I could be her protector, even if for only minutes. Maybe that really was what was driving me to the fight tomorrow, I wanted to protect Bella, I loved her. My pace accelerated as we got closer and closer to the campsite, I could see it, all set up. Snow whirled in the air, and I knew that she could finally see the tent, because her face lit up a little bit.

"Bella!"

Momentarily, the bloodsucker was standing next to us, to welcome Bella to her temporary home.

"Thank you," Edward to turned to me and my control had taken back over my face in an attempt not to be furious. "That was quicker than I expected, and I truly appreciate it." It was hard to determine the sincerity in his voice. When I remembered that he could read my thoughts, even though most of my conversation with Bella was suppressed somewhere, it bothered me and I got to what I needed to say.

"Get her inside," I gestured to the tent, "This is going to be bad – my hair's standing up on my scalp. Is that tent secure?"

"I all but welded it to the rock."

"Good," my eyes traced the outline of the clouds, I felt the need to escape suddenly.

"I'm going to change. I want to know what's going on back home." Probably not the best escape, but I could keep my emotions to myself. A branch seemed like the perfect place for the parka, and I shrugged it off, hanging it up. To Bella, I was sure I still looked somewhat ridiculous in nothing but cut off pants. The forest was quiet and I began to transform. Shivers ran done my spin and I felt myself turn inside out.

Sam? I thought the question.

Jacob. He replied to my thought.

Good.