Chapter One: Anticipating Battle

...

Jacob Black had always welcomed war but in battle, his passion rose unbidden. The vampires snarl trickled through his line of focus. It's sickeningly sweet scent assaulted his nostrils, fueling his already flaming desire to spill blood. Behind him, he could hear her ragged gasp, it was a desperate sound. One that made his nails reflexively dig into the dried earth beneath his paws in anger and fury. Jacob snarled hoarsely at the vampire again, mocking it and daring it to pass him. It was fast, a flurry of auburn hair that flickered like fire in waves of motion about its pale face but he could outrun it, he was faster.

For a moment Jacob second guessed himself, this was the Swan girl. She had big bad vampires of her own to protect her. His eyes strayed over to where she lay panting, her right hand pressed against the gashes in her thigh. Blood surged between her fingers, darkening her jeans until they appeared as if they had been streaked over with black paint. The vampire roared and Jacob returned the growl with one of his own. If it got close to the Swan girl, it would surely kill her. He crouched lower onto his haunches, holding his ground as he stared into those flickering crimson eyes.

Jacob!

Leah's cry sounded in his mind and he caught the large sandy figure of her wolf darting after him followed by several others.

Jacob's pack.

He watched as Leah pounced, long muscular limbs reaching and clawing as she tore curly strands of hair from the vampires' neck, throwing the chunk of flesh far out into the forest for it to be burned later. It was the only way to kill these bloodsuckers and not have them come back to life. More often than not, it was frustrating to have to go through the process of killing these blood suckers. Venom flew from the bloodsuckers' mouth and she swiped. But Leah was quick on her paws, avoiding each carefully placed swipe, always moving just a split faster than the vampire. She barked loudly, tearing another piece away and chucking it over her shoulder as Seth and Embry dove in for their own targets.

He took notice that many of the pack members weren't in attendance. Sam had probably sent these select few on patrol after him when he hadn't come back on time. He was always doing that, looking out for Jacob when he could very well handle his own. Jacob hissed, at the thought before making note to would speak with him later. Angrily, he leapt forward and took a chunk of the leeches leg, tossing it aside and digging in again, using his weight to push it down although it could send him flying if it wanted. The vampire showed no struggle which given the predicament was odd. But Jacob took advantage only moving aside when the rest of his brethren tore it to pieces, snarling and hissing as its marbled flesh was torn apart.

He raised his muzzle and howled in momentary triumph at the slight before him, reveling in their victory no matter how short lived it was. Leah nodded toward him with her large head, licking at her muzzle as the others gathered up small mounds of body parts, gagging around the rancid taste that surely filled their mouths.

The body was to be burned.

Jacob's head dropped low and he tested the air. A moan brought him back to earth, the Swan girl stared at him, her doe brown eyes wide. Curiosity pulled him by the ankles toward her, she didn't move away as he approached. Her breathing hitched but she remained still, blood streaming over her hand and into the ground, the sharp, coppery odor creating an intoxicating haze on his blood driven conscience.

Jake?

Seth's alarm pulled his gaze from the fallen Swan girl. Jacob bared his teeth at the smaller wolf and watched as he dropped onto his belly and inched closer, ears tucked submissively. Seth raised his muzzle and licked the underside of his jaw, eyes wide and questioning.

Help the others, Black ordered tersely gesturing with his nose to where the pack stood waiting, preparing to take the leeches body deep into the heart of our forest for burning. Seth looked shaken, dirt stained his muzzle and he inwardly questioned whether or not Jacob would harm the Swan girl. Jacob simply swatted at him with his tail in response, he would never kill a human for his own pleasure. Guilt and shame trickled through Seth's veins.

It's alright Seth; I'll catch up with you later.

Seth whined at him but slunk away with the others, slipping beneath the cover of blackened pine trees.

Jacob waited until he could no longer hear the loud minds of his pack before taking a deep settling breath. Carefully, he stalked closer to the girl, ears dancing back and forth upon his head as he watched her struggle for breath, a mix of pain and terror fighting for its place upon high pale cheekbones. Deep gashes remained from where the vampire had struck her when Jacob had first found her; flurries of pale broken skin covered in blood oozed a dark unsettling red. It was drying but she would need stitches. He growled; frustrated at just how petty and fragile the human body was.

How she has gotten down here to begin with was beyond him. This part of their territory was only accessible through a steep, unwelcoming trail. Why she had decided to come here was questionable. She was protected by the Cullen clan, Quileute's mortal er immortal enemies.

They were leeches and quite obviously they had taken quite the shine to the human girl. Apparently their leash on their new pet had been loosened too much. She tried to move but gasped as her elbows have out, collapsing even further onto the forest floor on her back as dirt puffed up into the air. His eyes moved toward her face, watching as her eyes shimmered with flecks of gold a color that appeared to fight with the predominant dark brown. Even writhing, Jacob couldn't help but grudgingly realize that this pathetic little thing was beautiful, delicate muscles clenching and unclenching against her feeble effort to sit back up and scamper away, high cheekbones that looked as if they'd break if stroked the wrong way. Sweat dewed her forehead and shone like silver water against her skin.

It was his duty as beta of his pack to see her off to safety. He couldn't let this delicate thing die here especially after fighting to save her in the first place.

He switched forms, quickly pulling on the pants tied around his ankle. She squeaked either at the sight of his naked body or at the sight of him changing forms and he glanced over. Her eyes widened when she took notice that the hefty wolf that had just been eyeing her was no longer. Jacob dropped beside her onto his knees, hesitating when he wished to reach for her, surprised to feel his own arms trembling.

Her rasping breath pulled me away from his thoughts and Jacob tilted his head as her high yet gentle voice filled his ears.

"What are you?" She stared at me with a look of disbelief. Jacob shook his head and held a finger to his mouth, scooping her up into his arms to trudge back up the path she had surely taken to wandering down from. He would take her to the Cullen's, even with all this blood they were the only option without exposing our kind. Word around our land was that their clan leader was a doctor, a damned good one at that. He would know what to do.

...

The journey to the Cullen estate wasn't a long one. Five minutes at most seeing as though he was able to jog through the forest undisturbed by the comfortable traffic of our small town, Forks. The girl in his arms groaned in pain, clutching into his chest as he skidded to a halt. She was probably nauseous from moving so fast, judging by her shallow breathing and unfocused brown orbs. Jacob knocked politely on the glass door just on the porch, fighting the urge to just leave her here for them to find on their own.

The air was sticky sweet with her scent, they would find her if he did choose to simple leave.

He had only dared to venture onto the Cullen land once before, it was for a meeting between our tribe and their clan. They had never been close enough to the Cullen manor to see what it looked like.

Jacob supposed his imagination didn't do the place much justice. Where he had expected to see cobwebs and darkened Victorian windows covered by heavy red drapes there were high arched pieces of glass fused together to give a view of the outside world. The lawn was well groomed, sprinkled over with beds of roses and jasmines that grew against the flow of moonlight.

The door was pulled open and he stiffened, coming face to face with an auburn haired leech whose eyes ventured toward the Swan girl before they flew up to his. They were a bright colored topaz, shaded over by furrowing eyebrows that only deepened the intensity of his face when they swept over his skin. His skin was incredibly pallid in color, even more so than the Swan girl. Jacob blinked at him, not instantly recognizing him from any exchange between his people and his own. He mentally urged the leech to speak or better yet just take the girl from his arms and slam the door in his face.

But he didn't.

So Jacob stood there before him, immersed in awkward silence. He shifted the girls' weight into his arms, holding her out to the man before him. He took her into his arms without a word to Jacob, cradling her gently but his eyes never left Jacob's. Jacob took in his chiseled jaw and slender nose before letting his eyes meet the leeches again. There was something hidden behind them that he couldn't detect, he had seen that look before. But only bet-"She's wounded" Jacob stuttered out, managing to find his voice. The vampire nodded at him, still not moving. Jacob dusted his bloody hands onto his jeans, feeling as if the vamp were probing him for something more. What it was Jacob wasn't sure, why he even questioned this leeches motives was beyond him.

Jacob was here on the enemies' territory standing before Dracula himself, exposed and without any protection. Surprisingly enough, the leech made no move to harm him, probably because his arms were currently occupied. So, Jacob made no move to leave either, although his desire to do so was overwhelming.

He'd never been so fearful, it was stupid if him to venture all this way without his pack.

"You're a Quileute" the man said in a terse manor, one that left no room for argument. Jacob let his eyes leave the vamps, twisting his nose against the disgusting smell that wafted from the house. Topaz eyes were questioning, eyebrows arching marginally. If Jacob hadn't been paying such close attention he wouldn't have noticed the change. "Thank you" the vamp whispered, almost too low for Jacob to hear. Cullen hesitated in the doors threshold, opening his mouth to speak but closing it before the words could form on his tongue. Jacob waited politely for a moment, his mother would have been proud at how patiently he remained. The leech decided against himself and without another word, Cullen shut the door in his face.

Jacob simply rolled his eyes and sprinted off into the forest, pants ripping as he phased.

…

When Jacob opened the front door to his house, his body went rigid. The scent of visitors was heavy in the air. Fine wine, aged books: William Black had a scent that exuded luxury. His pets however filled the house with an unbearable odor that smelled vaguely of burning hair.

"Jacob?" his father's voice dripped with faux sweetness and he ground his teeth together. He could taste the scent of his fathers beloved body guards as well as smell them. It was pungent, acidic and vile. But Jacob kept his poise, maneuvering into the kitchen where he would certainly find his father folded neatly onto a barstool with a tumbler of vodka clenched into his meaty fist. When he walked through the threshold, Jacob was surprised to find him at the kitchen table, he hadn't sat there since his mother's death when Jacob was six.

His hands were steepled just under his leathery chin, black tailored suit upon his shoulders although he tie was loosened about his neck. Jacob found it strange to see even just that piece of fabric out of place as his father was rarely unkempt.

His father remained impossibly still; posture perfect with his unruly curls fastened into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck. Beneath his suit he wore his crisp white oxford dress shirt; it was high collared and covered the scar he had received long ago. He always dressed nice, today was no different.

"Sit son" he gestured to the chair opposite of him. Jacob sucked in his cheeks, biting at the insides until he tasted copper. He pulled out the chair, crouching rather than sitting in it. Jacob couldn't feel at ease when his father's bodyguards hovered just over his shoulder. He secretly wondered if his father knew about him crossing the border line onto the Cullen estate.

"Sam told me about your little run in with a leech on our land" he smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "While I'm proud that you managed to take care of the problem on your own, I cannot have his son harmed weeks before the union".

Jacob repressed the urge to roll his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. Silently he ran his tongue against his teeth, feeling his canines sharpen as the tickling rumble of a growl rose in his chest. He was to be mated by the end of April by the Alpha of his pack. He had no say in the matter but made his distaste toward old Quileute custom well known. His father truly didn't care either way, Sam would become his mate whether he wanted it or not.

"I thought you might be pleased with the match his dear son" he had said. "You are far more powerful than Sam. Even he can admit that. Together you can make children who can carry on our legacy."

Jacob's jaw clenched, but he met his father's eyes without blinking. "I respect Sam. He is a friend, an ally. We will be fine." Well he was as close to a friend as one could get with a guy like himself Jacob supposed. When Sam watches him, he felt like the prey, he whispers dirty things in Jacob's ear after phasing and stands too close before they jump off the bluffs of the cliffs on hot days. Jacob had originally thought that being the rational one in their relationship wouldn't be a difficult task. But Sam doesn't like playing by any rules.

"Just fine?" his father echoes. "You don't desire him even in the slightest? I find that hard to believe. Joshua would be rather unpleased to hear that you scoff at his heir". Well groomed fingers drum out a beat on the wooden table top. Jacob stares at the floor, licking at the blood still pooling onto his tongue. He has already made his distaste for Sam well known and didn't wish to voice his opinion upon deaf ears. It didn't matter what he thought anyway, did it?

"If you will excuse me father" Jacob got up from his seat, ignoring the warning hisses immerging from the bodyguards throats. They would pick up this discussion later, as they always did. His father wouldn't let it go until Jacob was thoroughly fucked to kingdom come by Sam come spring. He wouldn't let it go until Jacob, the true Alpha of Quileute legacy was barring a child.

Swell.

...