Summary: What if the Twilight Saga was re-written with Jacob as the Protagonist? What if instead of Bella being the new girl in Forks High it was Jacob? What would happen when the wolf warrior and the cold one parts crossed and their destiny was already written? Would the two of them be able to co-exist in peace? Or will they be torn apart.
Pairings: Jacob/Edward
Disclaimer: So I just got to thinking what if instead of the whole Twilight Saga being surrounded around Bella and Edward it was Jacob and Edward. To me it would be so much more drama. Vampire/Werewolf much more interesting that Vampire/Human. I take no credit for this work. It's all Stephenie Meyer ... I just decided to twist it. I own nothing.
Notes: This story is a sequel to From Dusk. The series was started because of a friend who requested the Twilight stories but with Jacob as the protagonist. I am respecting his wishes to keep the plot as close to the book as possible. If it was me I would change it but a friend's a friend. So, there will be a lot of differences but as requested it will stick as close to the original New Moon plot as possible.
If I had to wait on my Beta this story would never get published so all errors are mine.
I hope it doesn't suck.
Thank you to all those who read my last story. It inspired me to actually find time to write this new one. I will try my best not to take as long with this one as I did with the other one.
Chapter I
Today was my birthday. I was officially seventeen years old.
I'd been dreading this day for months.
All through what had to be the most perfect months of my life - where my relationship with Edward was better and stronger than ever, I got along with every single one of the Cullens, even Billy and I found a happy medium for us to get along, Angela and Mike were the best friends anyone could ask for, I was acing all my classes and everything was all around great - this bleak date had lurked in ambush, waiting to spring.
And now that it had hit I didn't know what to expect. The tribe was still anti-Edward - of course but they had given me what they called a compromise and what I saw as an ultimatum. I had until my seventeenth birthday to accept my birth right and pick up the mantle of Alpha or else the entire Black line would be banished from La Push. Which if the meant just me I could care less but it would mean Billy. It would mean Sue, Leah, Seth who apparently their great-grandmother's mother was a Black. It would mean the Littlesea family who was related somehow and so on and so forth. Practically a quarter of the reservation would be gone if they banished everyone who was related to a Black.
But accepting 'my birthright' would mean abandoning Edward which was not on my list of things to do.
Plus it had been months since 'the incident' and I had not officially shifted yet. Not that the tribe wasn't trying. They were constantly trying to piss me off and force me into a shift but these days I was pretty zen. It helped that Jasper made sure that he was always attuned to my emotions even if he wasn't with me and helped me stay calm.
When I went to brush my teeth, I was almost surprised that I was no longer surprised at the face in the mirror. I was now starting to get used to the height - having to bend my head to enter doors and muscles - having to buy a whole new wardrobe courtesy Alice since my clothes no longer fit and increased appetite - it was ridiculous the amount of food I ate daily.
I skipped breakfast - a thing I would regret later -, in a hurry to get out of the house as quickly as possible. I was successful in avoiding my dad but I saw that he had left out presents for me - even though I requested that I not get any.
I drove to school and pulled into the familiar parking lot behind Forks High School and spotted Edward leaning motionlessly against his polished silver Volvo, like a marble tribute to some forgotten pagan god of beauty. He was waiting there for me, just the same as every other day.
Except today Alice, Mike and Angela was standing by his side, waiting for me, too. Mike and Angela made an effort to talk to the Cullens now since I tended to spend a lot of time with them but it was always funny to see how awkward they would act around each other.
The sight of Alice waiting there - her tawny eyes brilliant with excitement, and a small silver-wrapped square in her hands - made me frown. I'd told Alice - I told everyone - I didn't want anything, anything, not gifts or even attention, for my birthday. Obviously, my wishes were being ignored.
I slammed the door of my 1996 Chevy K150- which Billy gave to me cause he had no use for it - and walked slowly toward where they waited.
Mike ran forward to meet me - jumping up towards me when he was close enough expecting me to catch him, which I did. Ever since I got taller, Mike had a habit of jumping all over me - 'the weather is different up here Jake' - and I'd just gotten use to it.
"Happy birthday, Dude!" he screamed
"Thank you Mike" I laughed "Get down!"
When Mike finally jumped down Angela came forward and gave me a hug "Happy Birthday Jake." she said softly
She was always so soft spoken but a great friend "Thanks Angie"
Mike turned around and looked at where ALice and Edward were still hanging back and then looked at me. I laughed at the look on his face. The Cullens still made everyone nervous.
"Um .. we'll see you in class right Jake." he said and then Angela hugged me again and the were off.
"Later guys!" I said to their retreating backs.
Then Alice stepped forward holding the box not looking the least bit sorry. "Do you want to open your present now or later?" she asked eagerly as we made our way to where Edward still waited.
"No presents," I protested in a mumble.
"Okay... later, then. Did you like the scrapbook you got? And the camera from Billy?"
I sighed. Of course she would know what my birthday presents were. Edward wasn't the only member of his family with unusual skills. Alice would have "seen" what I got. Although these days Alice was having trouble 'seeing' me. She would get flashes flickering in and out.
Carlisle had a theory that Alice couldn't see the wolves but since I was in the middle of shifted/yet not shifted she could still see me. Just not clearly. It was very frustrating for her at times.
"Well I didn't open it yet but yeah those sound like cool gifts."
"I think it's a nice idea. You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience."
"How many times have you been a senior?" I smirked
"That's different." she said sticking her tongue out.
We reached Edward then, and he held out his hand for mine. I took it eagerly, pulling him to me and touching his lips to mine. It was a tame kiss - we were in school after all - but it still made my heart skip a beat. Hearing the stutter in my heartbeats, he smiled again.
We pulled apart and lifted his free hand and traced one cool fingertip around the outside of my lips as he spoke. "So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"Just checking." He ran his hand through his tousled bronze hair. "You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts."
Alice laughed, and the sound was all silver, a wind chime. "Of course you'll enjoy it. Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Jake. What's the worst that could happen?"
She meant it as a rhetorical question but both Edward and I had an answer. The other Cullens did not know of the threat of banishment that loomed over my head. Edward and I made a conscious decision not to tell them.
The Cullens had become fiercely protective towards me and I didn't know what they would do when they found out what the tribe was threatening.
"What time will you be at the house?" Alice continued, oblivious to the change in our moods. From her expression, she was up to exactly the kind of thing I'd been hoping to avoid.
"I didn't know I had plans to be there."
"Oh, be fair, Jacob!" she complained. "You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?"
"I thought my birthday was about what I want."
"I'll get him from the border right after school," Edward told her, ignoring me altogether.
"I have to work," I protested.
"You don't, actually," Alice told me smugly. "Mike already spoke to Mr. Newton about it. He said he could do without his best mechanic for one evening. He said to tell you 'Happy Birthday.'"
"I - I still can't come over," I stammered, scrambling for an excuse even though I knew it's pointless. "I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English."
Alice snorted. "You have Romeo and Juliet memorized."
"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate it - that's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented."
Edward rolled his eyes. He knew I was fighting a losing battle.
"You've already seen the movie," Alice accused.
"But not the nineteen-sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best."
Finally, Alice lost the smug smile and glared at me. "This can be easy, or this can be hard, Jacob, but one way or the other - "
Edward interrupted her threat. "Relax, Alice. If Jake wants to watch a movie, then he can. It's his birthday."
"So there," I added suspiciously. Edward wasn't one to bet against Alice
"I'll bring him over around seven," he continued. "That will give you more time to set up."
Traitor.
Alice's laughter chimed again. "Sounds good. See you tonight, Jake! It'll be fun, you'll see." She grinned - the wide smile exposed all her perfect, glistening teeth - then pulled me down and pecked me on the cheek and danced off toward her first class before I could respond.
"Edward, please - " I started to beg, but he pressed one cool finger to my lips.
"Let's discuss it later. We're going to be late for class."
No one bothered to stare at us as we took our usual seats in the back of the classroom (we had almost every class together now - it was amazing the favours Edward could get the female administrators to do for him). Edward and I had been together too long now to be an object of gossip anymore.
As the day progressed, I considered ways to get out of whatever was going down at the Cullen house tonight. It would be bad enough to have to celebrate when I was in the mood to mourn. But, worse than that, this was sure to involve attention and gifts. I had this big decision to make and no more time to make it. It was just frustrating.
Because of all of this unneeded stress I'd very pointedly asked - well, ordered really - that no one give me any presents this year. It looked like Billy and whoever gave me the scrap book - probably Seth - weren't the only ones who had decided to overlook that.
I'd never had much money, and that had never bothered me. Sarah had raised me on a painter's salary - and anyone who was into art would know it's not much. Billy wasn't getting rich from his disability cheques either. My only personal income came from the days I worked the garage. In a town this small, I was lucky to have a job. Every penny I made went into my microscopic college fund.
Edward had a lot of money - I didn't even want to think about how much. Money meant next to nothing to Edward or the rest of the Cullens. It was just something that accumulated when you had unlimited time on your hands and a sister who had an uncanny ability to predict trends in the stock market. Edward didn't seem to understand why I objected to him spending money on me - why it made me uncomfortable if he took me to an expensive restaurant in Seattle, why he wasn't allowed to buy me a car that could reach speeds over fifty-five miles an hour, or why I wouldn't let him pay my college tuition. Edward thought I was being unnecessarily difficult.
As the day went on, neither Edward nor Alice brought my birthday up again, and I began to relax a little.
We sat at our usual table for lunch.
A strange kind of truce existed at that table. Six of us - Edward, Alice, and I sat on the extreme southern end of the table. Now that the "older" and somewhat scarier (in Emmett's case, certainly) Cullen siblings had graduated, Alice and Edward did not seem quite so intimidating, and we did not sit here alone. Angela and Ben (whose relationship was going strong) and Mike sat with us, while Jessica (who was in the awkward post-breakup friendship phase with Mike), Eric, Conner, Tyler, and Lauren (though the last few didn't really count in the friend category) all sat at the same table, on the other side of an invisible line. That line dissolved on sunny days when Edward and Alice always skipped school, and then the conversation would swell out effortlessly to include all of us.
Edward and Alice didn't find this minor ostracism odd or hurtful the way I would have. They barely noticed it. People always felt strangely ill at ease with the Cullens, almost afraid for some reason they couldn't explain to themselves. I was a rare exception to that rule. Sometimes it bothered Edward how very comfortable I was with being close to him. The whole shifter vampire are enemies thing meant more to him than it did to me.
The afternoon passed quickly. School ended, and Edward walked me to my truck as he usually did. But this time, he held the passenger door open for me. Alice must have been taking his car home so that he could keep me from making a run for it.
I folded my arms and made no move to get out of the rain. "It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?"
"I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished."
"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight..."
"All right." He shut the passenger door and walked past me to open the driver's side. "Happy birthday."
Edward played with the radio while I drove, shaking his head in disapproval.
"Your radio has horrible reception. Your truck on the whole is horrible"
"First off you want a nice stereo? Drive your own car." My tone made him press his lips together to keep from smiling "Secondly you know that I'm fixing the Rabbit. It'll have all the upgrades. Radio included. I just need the master cylinder which I almost have enough saved up for.
When I parked in front of border to let Edward out the mood shifted. He reached over to take my face in his hands.
"Have you come to a decision," he whispered.
"You know I haven't."
"You should choose the reservation." he said seriously
"Edward shut up."
It was a argument we had many times since the ultimatum was given. That although the rez wasn't my way of life all those people it was all they knew. And I agreed with him but it wasn't that easy.
"You know it's the logical choice." he added
"It isn't. You know it isn't. They can't force me to be a wolf. They don't even know if I am one yet. There's a lot of grey area that no one seems to been considering. It's not that bad. You said we were soulmates. You're okay with just given up on that?"
"You don't believe in soulmates. Plus the tribal leaders said you shifting proves that I'm not your soulmate even if you are mine."
"Yeah and then those same tribal leaders refuse to explain exactly how does shifting prove you're not my soulmate. I'm 'one of them' but they still keep secrets from me."
"They keep secrets from you because you're with me. You could be so much more."
"Bullshit."
"You could. You could be Alpha. You are Alpha."
"I don't want to be Alpha and you know that."
"But ..."
"No but" I silenced him with a kiss "Enough. I don't want to talk about this with you. When I figure out what I'm doing I'll let you know."
"Okay. Whatever you say."
"Good. Now get out of my truck. I have to go watch Romeo and Juliet."
"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo," he commented making no move to leave the truck.
"What's wrong with Romeo?" I asked, a little offended. Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters.
"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosaline - don't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?"
I sighed. "Well it's a good thing I'm not watching the movie with you."
"I'll see you later." and he was gone.
I drove over the border half expecting to be stopped by the elders demanding my decision. Shockingly enough there was no obstacles between me and my house.
When I arrived Billy was nowhere to be seen. I dropped my bag by the door where I always leave it and plopped myself down to watch the movie. Romeo and Juliet was truly one of my favourites and I could watch it over and over again.
I cried at the end - though I would admit that to no one - and considered putting it on again but I did promise I'd meet Edward at the border at 6:45. I shut off the TV and moved to take a shower. It was an effort because the shower was way too small for me but I had mastered it by now.
Pulling out a black button down that was much more expensive than a black shirt should be and a pair of my fanciest jeans along with my black dress shoes I was ready to go.
I was almost home free - practically out the door - when I was stopped by the masses.
"Jacob we need your answer." Quil Atera III, one of the Elders of the tribe and Quil's grandfather demanded.
"Hey dad," I said cheerily instead, seeing him among the other. It was the Elders - Quil Atera III, Harry Clearwater, Billy - and the pack - Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil and Seth.
Billy was not amused. I did not call him dad unless I was using extreme sarcasm.
"We gave you until today." Quil III continued "What is your decision?"
"The day isn't done yet. I have until midnight." I said walking forward "So if you could just all be on your way."
I didn't make it far. Sam stood in front of my blocking my path - Jared and Paul on his flank.
"This is serious Jacob."
"I understand that. Which is why I need the full time to consider all options."
"Options?" Paul spat "You are actually considering allowing people to be forced out of their homes. And for what? A leech!?"
I hated Paul. He was such an ass. Always picking fights "I was not the one who came up with the ultimatum!" I yelled. I was starting to get pissed.
"But you are the one who can make the decision" Jared said. I had not decided how I felt about Jared. He was soft spoke like Angela but he hung around Sam which made him a dick. "I understand it hard but you must understand too. They are the enemy. It should be an easy decision"
"The Cullens did nothing, NOTHING, to deserve the title of enemy." I yelled
"Their kind ..." Quil started but I cut him off
"Their kind does not define them. Just like my kind doesn't define me. And what would you know about the Cullens anyway Quil. Have you met any of them?"
"They're leeches." he countered "That's all I need to know."
"Have a lot of experience with vampires do you?" I asked and he was quiet.
"Do any of you?" I demanded looking around the group. "No you don't. All you have is your stories. Your legends. Me, I know the Cullens and I've fought other Vampires. I know the difference. I know that Edward and his family does not fall into the category you try to place them in. So no. It isn't an easy decision. And no, I haven't decided yet. But you gave me until the end of today and I plan to use the entire day. So if you would excuse me, my boyfriend's sister is throwing me a party and she will murder us all if I'm late."
I pushed pass Sam and the others and walked towards the border half expecting them to follow.
They didn't.
"What's wrong?"
Edward was out of the car and walking towards me as soon as I was close to the border.
"I don't want to talk about it." Edward looked like he was going to protest "I mean it Edward. I don't want to talk about it. But I do need to be home by 11 so I can tell everyone by big decision."
Edward still looked like he would rather say something by instead turned and got in his car and i followed.
"How was Romeo and Juliet? Did you cry at the end?" he smirked as though he already knew the answer.
"Shut up" I laughed "It's sad they killed themselves."
"I agree," Edward said. "I must admit though I do envy them."
"Why is there in Romeo and Juliet to envy?" I asked curiously.
"The ease of the suicide," he clarified. "You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts..."
"What?" I gasped.
"It's something I had to think about once, and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning... after he realized what he'd become..." His voice, which had grown serious, turned light again. "And he's clearly still in excellent health."
I twisted around so that I could read his face. "What are you talking about?" I demanded. "What do you mean, this something you had to think about once?"
"Last spring, when you were... nearly killed..." He paused to take a deep breath, struggling to return to his teasing tone. "Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human."
For one second, the memory the iccident washed through my head and made me feel dizzy. I could see it all so clearly - the blinding sun, the heat waves coming off the concrete as I ran with desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to death. James, waiting in the mirrored room with my Leah and Seth as his hostages. I shook my head - as if I could shake away the bad memories - and tried to grasp what Edward meant. My stomach plunged uncomfortably. "Contingency plans?" I repeated.
"Well, I wasn't going to live without you." He rolled his eyes as if that fact were childishly obvious. "But I wasn't sure how to do it - I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help... so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi."
I didn't want to believe he was serious, but his golden eyes were brooding, focused on something far away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life. Abruptly, I was furious.
"What is a Volturi?" I demanded.
"The Volturi are a family," he explained, his eyes still remote. "A very old, very powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Carlisle lived with them briefly in his early years, in Italy, before he settled in America - do you remember the story?"
"Of course I remember."
I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home, the huge white mansion buried deep in the forest beside the river, or the room where Carlisle - Edward's father in so many real ways - kept a wall of paintings that illustrated his personal history. The most vivid, most wildly colorful canvas there, the largest, was from Carlisle's time in Italy. Of course I remembered the calm quartet of men, each with the exquisite face of a seraph, painted into the highest balcony overlooking the swirling mayhem of color. Though the painting was centuries old, Carlisle - the blond angel - remained unchanged. And I remembered the three others, Carlisle's early acquaintances. Edward had never used the name Volturi for the beautiful trio, two black-haired, one snow white. He'd called them Aro, Caius, and Marcus, nighttime patrons of the arts.
"Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi," Edward went on, interrupting my reverie. "Not unless you want to die - or whatever it is we do." His voice was so calm, it made him sound almost bored by the prospect.
My anger turned to horror. I took his marble face between my hands and held it very tightly.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? You must never, never, never think of anything like that again!" I said. "No matter what might ever happen to me, you are not allowed to hurt yourself!"
"I'll never put you in danger again and you're strong enough to take care of yourself so it's a moot point "
"Suicide is not moot point" I was getting angrier. "How dare you even think like that?" The idea of Edward ceasing to exist, even if I were dead, was impossibly painful.
"What would you do, if the situation were reversed?" he asked.
"That's not the same thing."
He didn't seem to understand the difference. He chuckled.
"What if something did happen to you asshole?" I blanched at the thought. "Would you want me to go off myself?"
A trace of pain touched his perfect features.
"I guess I see your point... a little," he admitted. "But what would I do without you?"
"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence."
He sighed. "You make that sound so easy."
"It should be. You seem to think it'd be easy for me."
He was about to argue, but then he let it go. "Moot point," he reminded me. Then we were in front the Cullen mansion.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"That depends on what it is."
He sighed, his lovely face serious. "Jacob, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. I get it that you're a bit stressed but they're all very excited."
It always startled me a little when he brought up things like that. "Fine, I'll behave."
"I probably should warn you..."
"Please do."
"When I say they're all excited... I do mean all of them."
"Everyone?" I choked. "I thought Emmett and Rosalie were in Africa." The rest of Forks was under the impression that the older Cullens had gone off to college this year, to Dartmouth, but I knew better.
"They wanted to be here."
Bright light shined from every window of the house on the first two floors. A long line of glowing Japanese lanterns hung from the porch eaves, reflecting a soft radiance on the huge cedars that surrounded the house. Big bowls of flowers - pink roses - lined the wide stairs up to the front doors.
I moaned.
Edward took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "This is a party," he reminded me. "Try to be a good sport."
"Sure," I muttered.
He came around to get my door, and offered me his hand.
They were all waiting in the huge white living room; when I walked through the door, they greeted me with a loud chorus of "Happy birthday, Jacob!" while I blushed and looked down. Alice, I assumed, had covered every flat surface with candles and dozens of crystal bowls filled with hundreds of roses. There was a table with a white cloth draped over it next to Edward's grand piano, holding a birthday cake, more roses, a stack of glass plates, and a small pile of silver-wrapped presents.
It was a hundred times worse than I'd imagined.
Edward, sensing my distress, wrapped an encouraging arm around my waist and pulled me down for a kiss.
Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esme - impossibly youthful and lovely as ever - were the closest to the door. Esme hugged me carefully and then Carlisle shook my hand in a firm grip.
"Sorry about this, Jake," he stage-whispered. "We couldn't rein Alice in."
Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them. Rosalie smiled and Emmett's face was stretched into a huge grin. It had been months since I'd seen them; I'd forgotten how gloriously beautiful Rosalie was - it almost hurt to look at her. And had Emmett always been so... big?
"You haven't changed at all," Emmett said with mock disappointment. "I expected you to be at least 8 feet or something by now. But here you are as small as ever."
"Oh bite me Emmett," I said, with a laugh stepping forward to hug him.
He laughed, "I have to step out for a second" - he paused to wink conspicuously at Alice - "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone."
"I'll try my best."
Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward, all her teeth sparkling in the bright light. Jasper smiled, too, but was smart enough to let Alice hug me first. Then he stepped forward and hugged me.
"Jasper buddy" I said with a laugh "How things?"
He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes "Been better."
Jasper had more trouble sticking to the Cullens' diet than the rest of them; the scent of human blood was much harder for him to resist than the others - he hadn't been trying as long and recently he came close to attacking a human girl out of pure instinct. It hit him hard cause he had been doing so well.
"Time to open presents," Alice declared. She put her cool hand under my elbow and towed me to the table with the cake and the shiny packages.
I put on my best martyr face. "Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything - "
"But I didn't listen," she interrupted, smug. "Open it." She placed a big, square silver box.
The box was slightly heavy. The tag on top said that it was from Edward, Rosalie, and Jasper. I tore the paper off and then stared at the box it concealed.
"Is this why you were dissing my radio?" I asked Edward laughing and he smiled.
It was a new stereo. Perfect for the rabbit.
"We figured you'd have as much fun installing it as getting it." Jasper said
"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie, Edward," I told them, grinning.
"Open mine next," Emmett said as he bounded through the door.
I inhaled deeply and turned to Emmett. "Give it to me," I sighed.
Emmett chuckled with delight.
I took the little package, rolling my eyes at Edward but before I could open it –
"Fuck!" Edward yelled
"What fuck?" I asked alarmed at the panic in his voice.
"The wolves. They're attacking."
"What!" I asked at the same time Carlisle demanded "Why? We haven't broken the treaty."
"They don't want to wait any longer for your answer." Edward said to me.
"Answer for what?" Emmett asked
"Nothing. Don't worry about it." I replied.
"If it's nothing why are they attacking?" Rose countered
"We need to strategize" Emmett said
"Plan a counter attack" Jasper added
"How far out are they?" Carlisle asked
"ENOUGH!" I yelled "No one's countering anything. No one's attacking. No body's being ambushed."
"Jacob they're almost here." Edward said with urgency "They're not coming to talk. They're here to kill us. We need to defend ourselves."
I shook my head. "No one dies tonight. Let me talk to them."
"JACOB!"
"Edward!" I said grabbing his face "Do you trust me?" he nodded "Let me talk to them. How far?"
"They're coming through the trees."
I nodded and stepped outside. The sight before me was one I would not believe if I had not seen it. Six monstrous wolves were running towards us. Each similar yet different. Somehow just by looking at them I could tell who was who.
The largest wolf in the centre of it all was most definitely Sam. He was tall like a horse but more muscular with dagger like incisors and golden eyes and black fur – black like his heart.
A dark silver wolf to the left of Sam was most likely Paul if the look in his dark eyes and his attack stance was anything to go by.
To the right of Sam had to be Jared. He was not as tall as Sam. His fur was short but thick and brown and he had dark grey circles around his eyes.
Next to Jared was Quil with his chocolate brown fur the got lighter as it moved to his face and next to Paul had to be Embry with his grey fur with black spots. He was the only one with a grey nose.
And lagging behind had to be none other than Seth. He was the smallest of them all and had sandy coloured fur and oversized paws.
These things were huge. That's what people expected me to shift into.
"Guys," I said to the wolves who were stalking forward "Let's talk this out."
"Jacob," Edward tried again – the entire Cullen family stood behind me alret and ready "They don't want to talk."
"Too bad because I do" I spat turning to Edward them to the black wolf "It would be nice if I could hear you too Sam. I don't speak growl."
For I moment I wasn't sure if he would listen. Then he barked - which I figured was a command because the others stopped – and turned back to the trees. When he came back out he was on two legs wearing only a pair of cut-off jeans and was walking towards me.
I took a step towards him to meet him half way.
"What are you doing Sam?" I demanded "My times not up yet."
"We're doing what we have to do. You refuse to choose. We're making the choice for you."
"This is bullshit Sam. The choices are dumb. I'm not one of you."
"Because you aren't letting you true self free."
"What is this? The 'born this way' speech"
"This is serious Jacob. You need to not treat it like a joke. They're not who you think they are"
"The Cullens are different."
"No they are not." He insisted "And I'll prove it." He took a step back.
Things happened very quickly then.
Sam shifted back, Leah stepped out of the trees holding a knife and in one swift motion cut the palm of her hand and a single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut.
"No!" Edward roared.
He threw himself at Leah, flinging her back into a tree. Jasper slammed into Edward, and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a rock slide. The same time Sam attacked Edward biting at his arm.
There was another noise, a grisly snarling that seemed to be coming from deep in Jasper's chest. Jasper tried to shove past Edward, snapping his teeth just inches from Edward's face as Jared came up behind him – jaws on his neck.
Emmett grabbed Paul and yanked him back from Jasper and Rosalie moved to grab Jasper from behind in the next second, locking him into his massive steel grip, but Jasper struggled on, his wild, empty eyes focused only on Leah.
Then Paul was opposite Sam biting the other arm and they both pulled in opposite directions. The scream that Edward gave was one I never wanted to hear again.
At one moment I was watching the scene unfold in horror on two legs, the next I was crashing into Sam on four legs.
"LET HIM GO!" I screamed not knowing if they would even hear me but apparently they did because all the wolves froze.
"Leave this place!" I demanded and they did.
I had no time to question why they listened. Edward was on the floor and he wasn't moving. Emmett and Rosalie were holding Jasper who was still trying to get at Leah while Alice tried to calm him down. Leah sat on the floor shocked and bleeding.
"Jacob?" Carlise said approaching me slowly. He was scared of me I realized.
I tried to make myself look less intimidating.
"Can you change back?" Esme asked.
I shook my head no. I didn't know how. I turned back to Edward in question hoping they would understand. Thankfully Carlisle did.
"Edward is fine. He's just unconscious." He paused "You should take Leah and go back to the rez. Find out how to change back."
I nodded and walked over to Leah. I had to nudge her to get her to climb on my back. I speared one last look at the Cullens then moved to run toward the rez.
For some reason leaving felt final.
That be Chapter 1. I'll try to be better with updating with this one than I was with my last story but I make no promises.