-1Well, here we are again. Sorry this took me a while to get going, school's been a bear. Well we left the boys right after the proposal so now let's see what's going on the night before the big day.

Chapter Two: Night Out

Tomorrow I would be getting married. Did you hear that world? tomorrow I was getting married! I was marrying the greatest man in the world, and we were going to finally get our happy ending: Jacob and Jasper, the ultimate odd couple. It was going to be perfect.

That's really very sweet Jacob, Seth's mind-voice says softly, but we're in the middle of something here. Wanna try and focus a little? I catch an image from the younger man; my old pack is gathering on a rise in a clearing a mile of two to the east.

Hold your horses kid, I think back with mock severity. I'm on my way. I feel a wordless mirth from the others; they have all made it here: Seth and Leah, Embry and Quil, to be with me for this.

My paws tear the turf below me as I fall into the distance eating lope of the wolf. I am again one of the lords of creation, and all give way before me as I weave between the trees. Even at this pace, though, I am still able to appreciate the splendor of the nighttime forest. It is August and the air is heavy with humidity and a clinging fog that diffuses the silver moonlight, painting the tree trunks with pearl light.

The smells! A lupine sees with his nose, and tonight mine is alive with all of nature's scents. The dirt, I think it's actually called loam, is a deep brown with streaks of the black of good fertile soil. Leaves smell vibrant and green; like life itself. Water; two types of water, the cloying white smell of fog and the cold blue of a nearby stream. Behind me, faint but still present, is the scent of the Cullen mansion.

Vampire scent, I will not say stink!, is hard to define. Despite the cold form they take there is a "hotness" to their smell; near as I am able to figure it has to do with their venom. Below the heat there is a kind of sickeningly sweetness; like fruit that's just gone bad. The overall image is soft of a nasal equivalent to a rotting melon on a hot day... not particularly pleasant.

Okay, okay, Embry's voice back by Quil, just get on with it man! enough with the sightseeing!

Yeah, now Quil spoke up with Embry behind him. No wonder everyone in this pack can out race you!

I laugh mentally as I break into the clearing they've chosen. They're arranged in a loose semicircle, leaving a space open for me on a slight elevation between Leah and Seth. It is impossible to describe how good it is to see them again. The pack brain is at its strongest now, and feelings and images of welcome flow between us. the dynamic still amazes me; even though I've never asserted my authority, the thought stream still establishes my dominance and underlines the status of each of the others in our power structure.

So, I begin now that the hellos are out of the way, are we ready to do this? Feelings of

anticipation, the predator's joy in remembered kills, memories of past hunts. Huh, guess so. Alright then, let's go.

I am not going to try to explain pack hunting; I don't think anyone can, save to say that it is one of the most unifying things activities we wolves, and I guess other group hunters, can participate in. When it is over, there is a feeling of total completion, almost unlike anything I've ever felt.

Well done guys, I compliment them all. that was the best we've ever done. That makes this as good a time as any... I have hidden myself from the group mind pretty well until this moment; by not thinking about something it is possible to keep an idea from the others. Of course, now that I have turned my mind towards it, they all see what I have intended.

Jake! You can't resign as Alpha, it's just not supposed to work that way! Seth's mind voice is shrill with surprise.

Why not? I fire back. I wasn't supposed to be able to break from Sam, but I did. Face it, we're a pack of originals; in the old days none of this would have been possible. There's a feeling of good humored acceptance of that observation. Besides, I'm giving you the promotion little brother. I could almost laugh as that secret is drawn into the group mind.

Embry and Quil evince only surprise and acceptance; they're what you could call 'company men.' Leah, however, is all spiky jealousy. Why did you pick him? I can almost taste her resentment; she has been my 'Beta' for years now, after all.

Several reasons, I try to keep my mind voice calm and reasoned. First Leah, you still intend to lose the wolf as soon as you can; Seth's never shown the slightest inclination to do so. Secondly, he is much easier to get along with; you're very competent Leah,. but you're just too damn abrasive. Finally there's the fact that Seth honestly likes the Cullens, where you do not; if and or when they return to Washington the pack needs to be taught and led by a person that can work the best with them. I will hardly be able to be completely impartial where they are concerned anymore, wouldn't you say?

The two guys laugh and Leah begins radiating thoughtfulness, but not disapproval. Seth, however, is still a storm of nerves and doubt. Jacob, be serious, I can't do this! I can't lead! Man his voice gets high when he gets nervous!

Not like that you can't!, I admonish him. His head hangs and I shake mine. C'mon Seth, let's go for a bit of a run, yeah? The rest of you stay back here, we won't be long.

At his nod I pad away from the group. Once we're out of earshot we make the change to human form. We're both nude, of course, but it really doesn't get in the way, we have important things to discuss after all and we don't need the other three eavesdropping.

"Really Jacob," he begins again, "you should rethink this."

"Seth," I cut him off and place a hand on his shoulder. "You're the only one I can trust with this."

"Why Jake," his voice is small, barely escaping his throat.

"Even if all those things I told the others weren't true, which they are, there are two other reasons."

"Oh?"

"First, because of something Edward once said to me," I smile softly as he looks up in mild surprise. "He told me that you have one of the gentlest minds he's ever listened to; so I know that you'll never force someone against there will."

He nods dismissing. "Of course I wouldn't, it's not right to make someone....." he stops as I realizes I'm chuckling. "Ok, I see your point, and what's the other reason?"

"Two, you were the first of us all to bury the feud with the vampires," I lift my free hand to stall the interruption I see growing on his lips. "we may all have followed the letter of the treaty, but you were the only one to live up to it's spirit, to truly want peace with them You're wiser than any of us Seth, even if a little immature," I slyly add as I wink at him.

Seth's smile lights up the night. "Alright, I guess when you put it that way, how can I say no?"

I clap him on the shoulder. "You can't; besides I owe you for forcing me into a similar decision not too long ago."

He pulls me into a hug with a happy laugh. "C'mon then," he steps away and nods firmly. "Let's head back to the others. there's still enough time to have a semi-decent bachelor party and hugging naked guys in the middle of the woods is not how I generally like to spend an evening."

I smirk back as we begin the change. "Oh? I find it rather nice myself.."

As I follow Seth back to the others it feels odd not being in charge; but I can also feel Seth's strength, he'll be a good leader. This is a good beginning to his tenure as Alpha, a beginning just as profound as the one that I'll be undertaking tomorrow.