Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight

A/N: Technically a sequel to the JacobxEdward stories Claiming the Wolf and Of Imprinting & Such (in that order), but can be read as a standalone as long as you know that - SPOILERS:

- Jacob and Edward are together

- Victoria and James are brother and sister, and are part of Jacob's pack (and James has feelings for Jacob, who saved his life)

- Bella (also a part of Jacob's pack despite being human), Alice and Jasper are in the beginnings of a threesome relationship

- Seth and Leah have left Sam's pack and joined Jacob's

- Seth is on the road with James to find Laurent and the rest of James' old coven who tried to kill him, have hunted him, and have somehow

brought the Volturi into the mix

- Phoneix Jordan is a human who used to be in love with Jacob and has been turned by Laurent's nomads

…

Not for the first time since they'd started off on what could most definitely be a suicidal mission, James glanced over at his young werewolf companion and wondered just what the hell Seth Clearwater was doing there. Also, why the hell had Jacob thought this a safer option for Seth instead of staying close to his old pack, and why had James agreed to let Seth come along? Sure, the rez pack had beaten Seth viciously after realizing that his loyalty actually belonged to the Black Pack, but Seth really wasn't any safer on the road with James. Not when James was going to end things with Laurent once and for all, as well as figure out how the Volturi were involved in all of this.

Twice now James had tried to leave Seth behind with more than enough money to catch a bus back to Forks, but Seth was a stubborn puppy and had not only seen through James' every attempt and foiled them, but on the third try he'd called Jacob to complain. James had then had the Alpha card pulled on him and he'd finally agreed to stop trying to send Seth back to his sister. He was fighting that command though.

Used to being the leader of his own nomadic coven of vampires, James was still getting used to being the Beta in a wolf pack, to not being the Alpha. If someone had told him a year ago that his coven would turn on him and nearly kill him, or that his sister Victoria and he would become members of a wolf pack (which also had a human in it) he'd have laughed. Now though?

He probably should hate or resent his fall from power, but James found himself enjoying everything, especially since it'd meant that he'd met (and befriended) Jacob Black.

His Alpha was important to James. He'd been drawn to him from the first moment he'd seen Jacob, hadn't been able to understand his attraction to the werewolf, or his annoyance with Jake's boyfriend - Edward Cullen. James hadn't understood why he'd stolen Jake's totem necklace, the one Jake knew he'd stolen and constantly wore, yet the wolf never asked for it back.

And then Laurent and the others had nearly killed James (Victoria was the only reason he'd been able to escape, he'd been at the brink of death at that point) and Jacob had surprised them all by protecting them, by being there for James as his body tried to heal from its horrifying injuries. Jacob had, very much accidentally, started a pack with the two vampires, as well as with his human friend Bella, who would not be left behind despite the fact that she could easily be considered a choice meal for a near feral James, and his sister.

Even before he'd fully learnt to re-use his healing vocal cords, James realized he had feelings for his Alpha, and things had been great until Edward Cullen had returned from his self-imposed exile.

At first James had fooled himself into believing that he had a chance in hell at getting between them, but the day he'd left to finish this once and for all he'd realized and had to accept the truth. Jacob loved James, but was in love with Edward freaking Cullen. It was a hard pill to swallow, and James had been glad for an excuse to be away while those two made up for lost time.

"Leah, I'm fine!" Seth exclaimed for what must've been the hundredth time as they sat around the campsite they'd decided to spend the night in. Every single night Leah called her brother and exasperated him. It was hysterical to watch, and was James' favorite part of each and every day.

"No!" Seth squeaked, looking utterly horrified. "We don't need you! You two stay away!"

Laying on his side, James smirked and texted Jacob a picture of Seth's face as he argued with his overly protective older sister.

Considering James had sent it to a group chat which also included Victoria and Bella, he wasn't surprised when they answered as well.

Hells Bells - Aw! He's so cute!

Tor - For a dog.

Jake - I take offense at that.

Tor - I can live with that.

Snickering, James put his phone away to conserve the already dwindling battery life. He lay on his back and stared up at the stars lighting the night sky above as he let his mind wander. James had put his tracking abilities to the test and begun to follow the old scent left behind by Laurent when he'd been chased out of Forks by the werewolves. They followed that scent throughout the country, but by the time they arrived in each town (while there was more than enough proof that the killings had been done by vampires… and Laurent's signature killing style definitely there) the vampires had already moved on.

"Finally!" Seth declared in relief as he threw himself down on his back and stared up at the starry sky as well. "I thought that the battery would never die!"

Unable to keep the chuckle from his lips, James pillowed his hands under his head.

Seth sighed and turned on his side to face James. "What are you thinking?"

"That you're an adorable puppy," James teased, as per usual. He didn't know what it was about Seth Clearwater, but something about him made James want to tease.

Immediately Seth frowned. "When are you going to stop calling me that?"

"When you grow up?" James teased. He knew Seth wasn't really a puppy, no one was a kid or innocent if they'd already killed, but there was still something almost pure about Seth. It was something James didn't think he'd ever had, and his gut reaction was always to tease the younger male for it.

"You know, I'm considered a man in my tribe," Seth informed him. "Kids do not have the ability to shift."

"You don't say," James responded conversationally.

Seth frowned deeper. "I'm walking into a potentially dangerous situation here, how about not treating me like I'm some sort of burdensome idiot?"

Immediately James' playfulness evaporated. A sigh escaped his lips as he stared up at the stars once more. "I never asked you to come. You should just go back. The rez must've cooled down enough by now, and I doubt Jacob or your sister will allow anything to happen to you even if they're still pissed you switched teams and snitched on them for us."

There was silence, and then Seth sat up. "You think I'm here just because I'm scared of being around my old pack?"

Hearing the hint of a growl in Seth's tone, James sat up as well. "You have no reason to be here with me."

"Jacob—."

"Had no business getting you mixed up in a problem that doesn't concern you." He made a face. "Those ungrateful bastards turned on me, nearly killed me, and are still after me. This has nothing to do with you or anyone else. Just me. I'm the only one who should be dealing with this."

Seth sat motionless, just eyeing James in silence before he finally exhaled loudly. "Get over yourself."

Shocked, James finally turned to face Seth. "Excuse me?"

"All I heard was me me me," Seth informed him as he pulled a strand of long black hair out of his face and secured it behind his ear. "I don't know what vampire covens are like, but there's no me in a wolf pack. Only us - we - ours. You mess with a pack member you mess with the pack and can expect retribution from the pack. So get over yourself, over your bruised ego, already. This is my problem because it is your problem." Seth licked his lips. "I still might be a new member of Jacob's pack, but I am a member, and that means I'm willing to risk whatever, even my life, to help you and make sure you return… in one piece this time." His face was stone. "So I'd appreciate it if you stopped treating me like some bothersome kid and give me some modicum of respect. You don't have to like me… but stop acting like I'm a burden, because believe me, having a wolf by your side when you go up against those leeches will work in your favor." He hesitated, almost as if not sure whether to add this next part or not. "I was born to kill your kind, I have killed them before and will kill more in the future, that's just how it is."

James just stared at the young werewolf in silence as he mulled over Seth's words. He'd never actually seen things that way, but now he understood pack mentality a little better, and it made him feel like an asshole for how ungrateful he must've seemed to the other guy. "I apologize."

Seth's eyes widened in shock as he dropped all annoyance. "Really?"

Chuckling, James nodded. "You mightn't believe me, but I never intended to demean you or make you think I believed you a burden. I just know what we're walking into, I nearly didn't make it out alive the first time I went up against Laurent. That's why I wouldn't let Jacob come - but I knew that if I didn't allow you to join me on this Jacob would've." James sighed, shoulders sagging. "I guess I'm feeling guilty because I treated your life as if it mattered less than Jacob's."

Seth just stared at James for a moment before he uttered out: "But it is worth less than Jacob's. He's the Alpha."

"Jake would've hit you if he'd heard that." It hit James at that moment just how much he'd changed since meeting Jacob Black. Before, the thrill of the hunt had been his life, had been all that'd mattered. He really hadn't cared about those underneath his control in the coven so long as they didn't cross him. Other than Victoria there wasn't one he'd had any sort of feelings or loyalty to.

Now though? He considered Bella Swan to be one of his best friends, when only a short while ago she would've been considered nothing more than a snack. Jacob Black, a werewolf, was the person he cared about the most other than his sister. And on top of that, here James was feeling guilty over his treatment of Seth, a werewolf he really didn't know that well and really shouldn't care about, but did for some odd reason.

"I'm basically the omega of the group," Seth informed him. "Jacob showed a lot of faith in me when he asked me to come with you." He took in a deep breath, eyes on his own hands as he drew symbols in the dirt. "I know you have no reason to do so now, but by the time this is over and we're home, I hope I will have earned your trust and respect."

James eyed Seth and couldn't keep his lips from turning in a lopsided grin as he reached over and messed the boy's perfect hair. "Don't say such adorable things and then expect me not to think you cute, puppy."

Seth pouted visibly, shoulders sagged as he sighed loudly. He didn't make a move to push James' hand away though. "I'm not a kid. I'm a man. Stop calling me puppy."

"But you're cute like a puppy," James reasoned, unable to stop the teasing from returning despite it all.

Seth glared at him hotly.

James grinned and removed his hands, holding them up in the air. "How about a compromise?"

Seth's glare deepened suspiciously. "I'm listening."

"I will stop trying to lose you, or convince you to return to Forks, I'll treat you like my partner in this suicidal mission I apparently can't convince you to get out of… and in return you let me keep calling you puppy." James grinned his most innocent grin. "It's a win-win for the both of us."

Head tilted slightly to the side, Seth's glare lessened in intensity as he eyed James in open curiosity. "You want to call me puppy that badly?"

"Yeah." James leaned forwards, holding his hand out towards the werewolf. "Is it a deal?"

Seth eyed the hand thoughtfully before his brown gaze rose to James' curiously. "Puppy?"

James' grin grew. "Puppy."

Seth made a face, clearly not happy with this, and yet he was losing his determination since he'd be getting his way as well. "If anyone else starts calling me that…"

"I'll punch him or her myself," James promised with a chuckle. "That'll be my personal little pet name for you, no one else's."

Seth's eyes widened and he pulled back a second, his mouth opening and closing before he finally cleared his throat. "Well, if there's no getting around it I guess I have no choice." He wouldn't meet James' gaze as he reached out and gripped his hand tightly. "Just you. No one else."

"Just me," James promised as he and Seth shook hands, cementing their first deal as partners in crime. "Welcome to Team Death Wish, puppy."

Despite it all, a pleased smile tugged at Seth's lips.

…

Seth Clearwater couldn't sleep, not with the way his heart was racing painfully against his chest. He tried to concentrate on the stars above him, on the fact that there was scent of game in the air, or on the fact that James' attention was on the moon. Anything to keep from blushing in remembrance of what had occurred a little while ago. James had finally accepted him as a part of this endeavor, and not only that, but the name Seth had detested since it seemed so demeaning only half an hour ago was now a pet name. And Seth mightn't completely hate it.

He grinned and then bit down on his bottom lip to keep from grinning too widely. It wouldn't do for the vampire to realize just how happy the werewolf was at this moment. This was it, he was sure of it. This was the moment that James slowly started to accept him. First as pack mate, and then…

One step at a time, Clearwater. Don't get too hasty. Let him get used to you. Plus, he still has a thing for Jake.

Grin fading somewhat, Seth's gaze shifted onto the moon. While it hadn't taken him long to realize that Sam was not the Alpha for him, that Jacob was the one who had the pack Seth would fit into, the young werewolf knew that going into a pack while resenting your Alpha wasn't the best course of action. It really wasn't anything Jacob had done though, it wasn't as if he knew that Seth had gone and Imprinted on James the first time he'd seen him, no one knew, not even Seth's old pack due to his and Leah's ability to shield their thoughts somewhat from the others… a gift which had only started to manifest once Jacob had come into his own as Alpha and they found themselves in the wrong pack. Maybe it was possible because they'd lost respect for Sam as an Alpha, maybe it was because they'd already begun to consider Jacob as Alpha instead, Seth wasn't sure what, but it had made his acting as double-agent possible until it'd been discovered.

Sighing, Seth glanced towards James to find the vampire continuing to stare up at the moon, not noticing the attention on him. Seth had always thought that, when he Imprinted, it would be on a cute human girl. He'd never expected it would be on a male, much less on a leech! Sure, there was that whole Jacob-wasn't-actually-Imprinted-on-Edward-even-though-he-sorta-had thing, but Seth knew for a fact that he was Imprinted on James, he definitely hadn't wanted to be at first, he'd been horrified, but when Sam had put the Clearwater siblings in charge of spying on Jacob's new "leech pack" Seth had found himself watching James more than anyone else… and damn it… he'd started to forget the fact that he was supposed to resent the Imprint.

James wasn't a cute girl. He was older and, unlike Edward (who had a more feylike appearance), was most definitely masculine. He was taller than Seth too, and Seth hadn't quite forgiven the vampire for that. He'd also been in charge of the coven who'd massacred humans earlier on in the year, Seth knew for sure because he'd smelt James everywhere during that time and the scent had nearly driven him insane, although at the time he hadn't understood why. It was only as he watched the shell of a vampire, one who was so injured his mind had retreated deep within in him, or maybe was too injured to properly function… leaving James a feral-like creature who couldn't even speak…

Seth hated remembering that. Hated remembering just how vulnerable James had been, unable to even hunt an animal, relying on kills Victoria brought him. Leah had found it amusing to see a leech brought so low, but Seth had felt pity for a leech for the first time in his life, and the feeling had horrified him. And yet he hadn't been able to stop feeling that way, or from silently rejoicing every time James visibly improved. It was only when Sam had pulled Seth and Leah off of the spying duty and put some other wolves on it, that Seth realized just how much he missed having an excuse to see James daily, and how depressed he was getting because of the distance.

It was only then that he begun to suspect what he should've all along.

"Go to sleep, puppy," James whispered as he continued to stare up at the sky. "We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow, and unlike me you need your rest."

Unnerved at how the tracker could sense his gaze, Seth closed his eyes but didn't sleep a wink that night.

…

Leah Clearwater stalked into Victoria's room without knocking. She hadn't even stopped to think about it, since it was just her and Victoria living in the house the girls had gotten comfortable around each other, and it wasn't as if Victoria had any parts Leah didn't so the risk of seeing each other naked wasn't really that horrifying. This was horrifying though, and the second Leah walked in on it she wished she'd knocked.

Victoria Hunter sat on her bed, staring at one of Rosalie's romance novels (which she'd stolen), tears in her eyes.

Gulping, Leah reached behind her and knocked on the door, feeling really stupid about it but unable to stop herself.

Having obviously known Leah was in the room (she'd burst into the room for crying out loud!) Victoria wiped at her eyes and gave a huge sigh before she glanced up at her. "Did you know?"

"Did I know what?" Leah wanted to know, not sure if she should even be in the room anymore. She'd come to rant to Victoria about bratty, stupid brothers (something which had helped bond the vampire and werewolf while their brothers were gone together), all she knew was that Seth was being bitchier than usual and that Leah wanted to vent.

"Did you know that Charlie is dating?" Victoria waited a best before adding: "Your mother."

Leah's eyes widened in horror. Her mother and Charlie? Really? But her father hadn't been dead all that long! And… and Victoria was ridiculously, obviously in love with Charlie.

Victoria's gazed lowered and she nodded her head, her red curls springing with the movement. "I didn't think you did."

Closing the door behind her, Leah hesitated a second before sitting down on the edge of the bed together. "Bella found out?"

"Yeah." Victoria wiped at her eyes once more. "She said she didn't want me to walk in on them and then… yeah…" She tried for a smile but it was pathetic. "I should be used to this, you know. I always fall in love with men who don't love me back. He was attracted - boy was he attracted - but in the end he didn't do anything and tried to be like a father to me. A father!" Victoria's golden eyes nearly glowed with her suppressed tears.

Leah gulped and then moved closer, sitting on the bed next to her. She placed her hand on the redhead's shoulder.

Victoria snapped and threw herself at Leah, sobbing.

Eyes wide in shock, Leah rubbed Victoria's back as the vampire sobbed into her chest.

…

TBC