Author's Note: Hey chicas! I've got a new idea for a story line that I've been working on. Mainly wolf pack and only a little of the Cullens so far. If you're tired of reading about Jacob with a broken heart being trapped in a pit of angst this might just be the story for you! There will also be some adventure in this one I think and one very hot Jacob Black finding his way to his own way to a happy ending, but nothing like what I've read anywhere else. I hope a lot of you will enjoy reading something a little different. Reviews are like fuel for my pen and my muse, so make sure and make your voices heard!

P.S. Paul hasn't imprinted on Rachel (don't know if he will or not) and our sweetie Jacob won't be imprinting on Bella and Edward's offspring. Just fyi, so you know. Btw, I would love to hear your ideas on who else I can match Paul with and if you'd like to see him written with a bigger role to play in the pack. I really like toying with his character, but I'd like to know what my lovely readers think. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to leave comments in the review section. Now, enough of my rambling. I'll shut up so you can read. Hope you enjoy it!

~Memories Grow Distant~

As Jacob's paws hit the edge of the clearing around his house, he went behind an evergreen tree and phased back into his human form. As he pulled on his denim cutoff shorts, he smiled to himself feeling his tight, hot muscles begin to cool down. Cool down wasn't the best way to describe it, after all he was a wolf and his body temperature never dipped anywhere that of a human's.

Today's patrol hadn't turned up any trouble so Jacob and Paul had spent most of the day challenging each other to stave off the unrelenting boredom. Thinking about Paul, Jacob came to the conclusion that he would probably have been a worthy opponent if he would've just been able to garner some self control. Jacob shook his head at the thought. He didn't see Paul being capable of that anytime soon. Jacob and Paul knew that the shouldn't have been messing around playing games against each other. When Sam found out the next time either one of them phased, they would be in for a strong scolding from the Alpha leader. He snorted at the idea when it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

When Bella was around, around meaning not in love with that prissy leech, Edward, Jacob had the option of taking his rightful place as the Alpha wolf of the Quileute wolf pack, but had rejected the idea. He had been in love with Bella and thought that the deep love he had took priority over becoming a monster, so when he had eventually phased after he found out about Bella and her involvement with Edward, he made every effort to keep as many human traits as he could. That meant not really getting involved in wolf pack life. Only phasing when he absolutely had to. Letting Sam keep on being the Alpha. He hadn't cared at the time because he thought it would only increase his chances of winning over Bella's affections.

Jacob turned the knob and opened the front door, walking into the kitchen. His father, Billy, wasn't home. In a way, Jacob was thankful because he would have the opportunity to be left alone with just his thoughts without being interrupted or questioned. He bent down as he opened the cold refrigerator door and reached in to pull out a carton of orange juice grimacing as his thoughts centered in on Bella. The wedding between her and that pathetic excuse for a lover had been months ago. Each day it got easier to breath again, but the ache Jacob felt still wasn't completely gone.

He remembered his plea right before she hit him for kissing her. He remembered looking deep into her eyes, stating his case. "You wouldn't have to change for me, Bella, or say goodbye to anybody. I can give you more than him." He remembered growing frustrated at not getting through to her and spatting out, "I mean, he probably can't even kiss you without hurting you." Then, reining himself in, he remembered bringing Bella's small hand into his larger, warm hand and holding it to rest over his heart, he continued his plea, "Feel that? Flesh and blood and warmth." Emotion raw in his voice. It hadn't been enough to convince her. He put the carton up to his mouth and took a long drink almost drinking half the carton at once.

Setting it down on the small breakfast table in the kitchen, he turned to walk down the short hallway into the bathroom. The anger and hurt was welling up inside of him as he thought more of how much he missed her. He turned on the water and took off his shorts, he hit the wall weakly, feeling frustrated with his emotions. During the weeks that followed after he first phased into a wolf, his reactions to any emotion he was feeling had been difficult to control even when he was human. He had damaged stuff around his family's home and was just grateful that his father was understanding through it all. Now that he was capable of controlling himself, it just changed how he let his feelings out, not how strong and powerful they were to him. And even though he had just punched the wall with strength that was more comparable to a human's strength, it felt good to turn his feelings into something physical. It made them more real.

Jacob stepped into the shower that now seemed to small to accommodate his broad, tall frame. His muscles melted into mush as he moved his head to let the water run down his face and make it's way to the drain, running in little trails down every inch of his body. His eyes squeezed shut in a vain attempt to banish the thoughts he had thought he wanted to go through. He had been feeling more and more better since Edward and Bella left for their honeymoon. He occasionally got a chance to see his situation from the perspectives of his wolf brothers and that had helped him to start the process of moving on. He thought about losing her a lot at first. It had bugged him that he wasn't just losing his best friend, but he was losing Bella in a romantic sense and a mortal one. He started to shake just thinking about it. He took in a deep breath as he worked the shampoo through his short, black hair trying to stay calm.

Even though he was relieved to finally feel somewhat alive again, he was afraid in a way...afraid of losing her permanently. His mind quickly rushed in and told his heart he had lost Bella a long time ago. Hell, maybe he even lost her before the wedding. He shook the thoughts any splashing droplets of water on the shower walls and focused on pushing the offending thoughts out of his mind until all he felt was blank. Exhaustion crept in and Jacob quickly stepped out of the shower, using a towel to pat his body dry as he walked across the hall to his small room. It was already close to spring and his wolf sensed the slight change in temperature. Opening the top drawer of his dresser, he pulled out some boxer briefs and pulled them up over his strong legs to rest at his waist. Yanking back just a sheet, he laid down on the bed, covering himself with the sheet and letting sleep overtake him.