I shivered watching the leeches approach the border. They were much too close for my liking. Jake squeezed my hand and whispered assurance in my ear. I didn't hear it though because I wouldn't remove my gaze from the Cullens. Jake sighed and slowed down so we fell behind the group. "Are you sure you don't want to hang back?"

I shook my head. "Absolutely not. I don't want them thinking I'm afraid. I'll stand up to them." Jake didn't argue and we hurried to catch up. We stop just at the edge of the border. Somehow, each of us had lined up to face a Cullen. Jake and I stood facing Edward and Bella. She looked different. Her eyes were big and she was smiling despite the obvious threat of the redheaded leech. What could make her so happy?

The pack and I were all sullen and tense. I saw a couple of the guys, including Jake, clench and unclench their fists. Being so close to the leeches had shot their nerves and it wouldn't take much to set them off.

Sam was the first to speak. "Carlisle. I assume that you've seen the redheaded one running around here."

Carlisle nodded slowly with a sickly calm expression. "Yes, we have. And we realize the threat she embodies for you and us."

"So you agree that something needs to be done?"

Again he nodded and Esme squeezed his ice hand. What comfort can ice give ice? I stared skeptically at them. No one seemed to take notice of me, although I knew they could smell my blood, except for Edward. He nodded at me but I only stared with a cold expression. It's his fault that Jake phased. It's his fault that we can't live a normal life. It's his fault that my Jake has to fight lifeless leeches like him.

"Yes, I think she's too dangerous to be allowed to roam around here" Carlisle said.

"We want to kill her" Paul suddenly said. I was glad he did because this conversation was moving much too slow and was much too formal for me. "Are you in or not?"

This seemed to take the Cullens off guard. Had they really never thought of killing another leech that gets out of hand? The pack does it all the time. Eventually, Carlisle responded. "Of course we are. She is too much of a threat and we feel she may be after Bella as well."

Why am I not surprised? How is it that every time there's trouble with the leeches, it ties back to Bella? Maybe we should just lock her up somewhere. Or send her back to Arizona. Jacob clenched his fists beside me. I could feel everything in my face drop. I get that he'll always care for her, but does he have to make it so obvious?

"It's not only the redhead that we have to worry about. We've found trails of a few others and we think that the killings in Seattle may be related."

"So what do you suggest?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Alice jumped and reached out. Jasper and Emmett grabbed each of her hands. It was actually really frightening. Her eyes opened wide and she stared up into space. The pack remained rather calm though. She took one quick inhalation and her head snapped forward.

"What did you see?" Japer asked.

Edward answered for her: creepy mind reader. "Victoria slipped up. Alice saw her. Victoria is with some guy. He's a newborn and they're creating an army of newborns. They're coming to Forks."

"What's a newborn?" Quill asked.

"It's a vampire recently created. They are very strong and very thirsty. They're only driven by thirst" Carlisle answered.

"And the difference between them and you is…?"

I couldn't help the smile that broke out on my lips. Jake didn't hold back and snickered. We all knew it was true. Even the Cullens, for all their preaching of being able to withstand the temptation, are driven by their thirst for blood. That's their only purpose, and it's a lousy one at that.

Sam ignored us snickering and turned back to the Cullens. "If they're building an army, then we'll need one as well."

"So we're in agreement. We will form an alliance."

Jake and I spun on our heals so fast that there were almost sparks erupting from our shoes. An alliance with the Cullens? What good will that get us?

Sam only nodded. He stepped into his Alpha role and seemed to command the Cullens as well. "We'll meet in the clearing on the border. You'll all be there and a majority of us will be there."

"Why do we all need to be present? Don't you trust us?" Emmett laughed.

Sam was very confident and cold when he responded. "No. We don't."

The meeting sort of broke up after those words had been spoken. Jake and I were the last to leave. The others had phased and ran back to patrol or to Sam and Emily's. But Jake and I hung back. I didn't know why, but he wasn't moving so I didn't either.

"Bella" he said and reached out for her. It was as if the border was now a tangible thing that had sprung out of the ground like a fence. His hand met the border and pressed against it. She didn't return the favor.

"I'll be fine Jake" she promised with a smile.

And how conceited. Had it not crossed her mind that he might not be worried about her? He had Billy and La Push to protect. Not her. She made her decision. We're not fighting this to protect her. Who cares if the redhead eats her instead of her boyfriend? We're only fighting to make sure when they do come, La Push isn't the next target.

Edward pulled Bella away with a nod to Jake. And how dare he pull her away? She's her own person. She can decide when she leaves on her own. Or maybe she can't.

Jake and I stood there a few seconds longer before he turned and kissed me. I smiled into the kiss, glad to have my Jake back. "Come on, let's get you home" he said with a hint of a smile.

He disappeared into the trees for a moment as I waited. Then he emerged as my russet wolf. I smiled wider and petted behind his ear. "I love you Jake" I said and he nuzzled me. He licked my hand and crouched down so I could climb onto his back.

"Go slow" I pleaded and grabbed two fistfuls of his fur. He snickered and took off at a sprint. I suppressed a scream as trees blurred by and I was sure we would crash into one of them. I buried my head in his fur and breathed in his comforting scent.

When Jake finally stopped running, I was at ease. Isn't that how it always goes. You adjust as soon as it's over. I waited in front of Sam and Emily's while Jake phased back.

"Em!" Jake called. "Come on over here!"

"Are you dressed?" I called back while walking over. Jake didn't answer, because the second I stepped into the forest, Jake snatched me up and planted sweet, wet kisses all along my neck.

"Jake" I gasped out.

He smiled and kissed his way up to my lips. But, being the tease he is, he wouldn't place his lips on mine. He would get close, touch them, and then pull back.

"Jake" I whined.

He laughed and finally kissed me. The kiss was full of a heat and passion I could only imagine from Jake and made me wonder what had brought it on. "God I love you so much" he sighed.

"I love you more" I whispered.

"I highly doubt there is a level of love higher than mine for you" he teased.

"Jake! Emma! What the heck are you two doing?"

We both shot up and bolted out of the trees. Quill and Embry were snickering on the porch. "Having an intimate moment there?" Embry teased.

I took of my shoe and tossed it at him. It missed by a couple of inches and Quill claimed it as his own. "Give it back Quill!" I whined.

"Nu uh" he said with a playful shake of his head. "This is my shoe now."

I turned to Jake and didn't even have to say a word. He charged up the steps and tackled Quill. The two of them rolled around in the grass and took light punches back and forth. Embry and I escaped to the porch to stay out of the way. "Bet Jake wins" he leaned over and said.

"I can't bet against him."

Embry shrugged. "Well I'm not betting on Quill. He hasn't won a fight against Jake since third grade." I laughed at this and smiled seeing Jake get to have somewhat of a normal life, even if only for a moment.

True to Embry's word, Quill wasn't even close to winning. Jake emerged with my shoe and kneeled down the way I could only imagine a prince would and slipped it onto my sock clad foot. I smiled and even squealed when Jake lifted me up and spun me around.

"You seem to love lifting and carrying me" I noticed when he put me down.

Jake shrugged. "I like the way you laugh when I do it. Makes me wish I would have met you sooner."

"Well don't worry too much. We've got plenty of years to spend together."

At least, I hope so.