All things Twilight are strictly Stephanie Meyers. I do not own it. I'm just giving my input to her wonderful brilliance. She hasn't created Jacob's side, and I just felt like there was so much missing. I thought perhaps others might want to see it too. Even if it is my version.

If you're reading, I hope you enjoy it. Any questions or comments are appreciated.

Meghan

I was wary as I stepped behind the store, into the woods, which should have been pitch black, but hid nothing from my new eyes. I felt the others there before I saw them. I saw Embry first.

I didn't know if Sam had strategically sent Embry into my line of vision first because he knew it wouldn't set me off, or if it just happened to be a coincidence.

"Hey Jake." Embry tried to sound casual, but I could hear something off about his voice. I nodded at him, but he only occupied half of my attention. My wolf side was telling me to worry about the other threat, the boys who were standing behind Embry. I counted three.

Sam, I recognized immediately. After another moment, I also realized I knew the other two, Paul and Jared. Paul had graduated last year, and Jared was a year ahead of me. I growled. They were part of Sam's cult.

I knew I was going to have to stop thinking of it that way, since I was part of it too now, but those feelings weren't just going to instantaneously disappear.

"Jacob. Thank you for meeting us here." Sam said, holding his hand out to me. I looked at it, but didn't shake it. No way was I going to willingly become all buddy-buddy with these guys.

"I didn't really have much of a choice." I snarled at him. The way my words came out astounded me. I'd never spoken that way to anyone before in my life.

"None of us had a choice." Sam said reasonably. The other two nodded, and Embry just looked at me sadly.

"Yeah, at least you had someone to help you." Paul sniffed angrily. I stiffened in response. I wasn't sure if it was me or the wolf reacting to Paul's unfriendliness.

"Help? That's what you call the crap that was going on in my head?" I wanted to punch him in the face. "You stupid son of a-"

Paul seemed more than willing to retaliate, and as his form seemed to shimmer and shake before my eyes, I wondered if it would always be this hard to control my anger, or if Paul was just an idiot. Before any damage could be done however, Sam put a hand on either of us.

"Calm down! Both of you." He turned to me. I remembered him doing something similar to Paul in the store a few months ago when Quil had popped off to him. I stayed silent and tried to work on holding my shape together while Sam calmed Paul down. Jared and Embry looked on, as if Paul losing his temper was nothing new. They did nothing to help Sam, but just stood, looking on. Once Paul had stopped shaking, Sam turned back to me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. The point of us meeting was not to show you the worst side of us, but tell you about what we do."

"Don't make this sound like it's some kind of job, or recruitment Sam." I told him threateningly. "I don't give a damn about what you do or don't do. I don't want to be a part of it."

"You really don't get it, do you?" It was Jared who spoke this time. He didn't seem angry, just like he was trying to explain. "This didn't just happen to us. We're made this way for a reason."

"Which is what exactly?" I said skeptically. "Are you going to tell me now that we change into big giant wolves to go…I don't know, kill vampires or something?" All of them were silent, but I could almost feel the hate burning from all of them.

"Are you out of your minds? Vampires? Shit." I shook my head. "The rest of you idiots may be dumb enough to fall for this, but I can't believe you would Embry."

I shot him a look. He didn't glance down, or even look guilty. He met my glare head on, and said quietly, "I believe it because it's true." Everyone else was silent. I looked around the circle, hoping desperately that this was either a dream or a practical joke.

"But…how?" I asked. Sam cleared his throat. It was clear that he was in charge of the group of boys.

"That's what I was talking about while you were in you wolf form, Jacob. I didn't want to risk telling you then, for fear that you might hurt Billy or even yourself accidentally." He paused, unsure if I really understood him.

"I'm listening." I told him irritably. "Just keep going."

"You know all of our legends, about the spirit warriors, the tales of the wolf as our brothers, and…the cold ones."

I nodded. "Vampires."

"I know you don't believe Jake, but you have to. Why else would this happen? The Cullens-"

"What about them?" I asked. I remembered Sam's reaction earlier when I had thought about the youngest one and what he had done to Bella.

"Surely you aren't that dumb." Paul huffed. I growled at him again, but this time, he seemed to just barely keep his cool. I glared at him. Sam didn't say anything, just waited and watched our reactions to each other. Paul ignored Sam and kept talking.

"The Cullens are the reason we are this way. Those freaking leeches...well why don't you just go ask your little girlfriend? She knows allll about them." Every syllable he spoke dripped with ferocious resentment.

"Shut. Up." I said quietly. I couldn't keep the vibrations from shooting up and down my back this time. "Don't you ever talk about her!" Paul sensed that I was changing, which only made him more mad.

"How can you defend that leech lover? They're the reason our whole tribe has to go through this, and she just loves them!" That did it. I felt my body rip apart. There was no pain this time. Just the easy, almost natural shifting from man to wolf. Nanoseconds later, Paul had phased too, and instead of a boy, there was an enormous silver wolf. I heard his thoughts as he shifted.

Stay the hell away from me. I growled. Don't you take a step closer, or I swear I'll rip your legs off. Paul smirked and took a step closer.

I'd love to see you try it Black. I'll have you on your back so fast you won't know what hit you. I tensed myself, ready for a good, knock-down-drag-out fight, but then there was another presence.

Sam's. I hadn't noticed he'd phased, because I'd been concentrating on Paul.

You WILL both calm down. Now. Sam's voice said. I felt the power in his order, and knew it could not be refused. I sat down on my haunches, still mentally grumbling, but unwilling…or unable, I wasn't sure, to fight Paul anymore. Paul didn't sit, but didn't move towards me or act threatening in any way.

Good. Now both of you, please phase back so we can actually talk. The sun will be coming up soon. We can't have any one see us. And we have to get Embry back before his mom notices he's gone. Paul was human again quicker than I was. I didn't want to phase back.

Sam was still in my mind.

Why not? He asked. Moments ago, you wanted nothing to do with us.

I feel…different. I want to know. I don't want to go back home yet though…I don't want to have to face my dad. Sam was silent for a moment.

All right. He consented. We'll go for a run. Just let me send the others back…I'll explain everything to you. I waited while Sam phased back for a moment, so he could give instructions to the others. I waited while he told them to go, and that he was going to run with me, as a wolf. I felt his mind join mine moments later, after the others had left. He took off at a medium paced run through the forest. I followed him reluctantly.

What do you want to know first? Sam asked. I thought about it.

How come, if we turn into wolves to fight the vampires, I've never seen my dad or any of the others on the council do it?

Our change seems to need some sort of…catalyst to set it off. It was absent in our father's generation. But now that the Cullens have returned, we who are on the brink of manhood, and who have Taha Aki's blood running through our veins, will all join the pack.

But…I stammered mentally, The Cullens are gone! We all know that, so why is this still happening? Sam sighed again. It was a mournful sound.

Because sometimes, Jacob, once things are set in motion, it is too late for them to be stopped.

Will we ever be able to stop doing this? Will it always be so…involuntary? I shuddered at the thought.

No. In time, you will gain enough control over your emotions to stop phasing completely. He paused, and we ran silently for a moment or two.

Why aren't we tired? I asked him. Honestly curious. I felt as if I could keep up this pace for days, although we had to be moving pretty fast.

Wolf thing. He said, and then he grinned a wolfish smile. The speed is one of the best things about it. You could probably maintain this pace for days if you wanted to.

And so, as the sun continued to rise, we kept running. I asked him question after question, and he answered me as best he could. I didn't want to go home yet, but I knew that I had to. Not only did I have to face my Dad, but I needed to call Bella and tell her that I was okay.

No. Sam said, suddenly halting. I stopped running too and turned back around to face him.

No what? I asked, confused. I ran back over my thoughts, trying to find something that would have made Sam react that way.

You can't tell her, Jacob. No one knows about us. I snorted and then laughed.

You make it sound like its some super secret society, Sam. A society that no one had a choice of saying no to. I didn't mean for him to hear the latter part of the thought, but he did anyway. We started walking together again, through the mountains and the brush that grew there.

I don't mean to sound that way. But no one outside of the council even knows that our species still exists. Would you want that kind of information getting back to the vampires? Instantly I felt my blood run cold. With everything that Sam had told me about them…plus what Cullen had done to Bella…I hated them. More than I had ever disliked Sam. And of course they couldn't have that kind of information. It didn't matter if we weren't allowed to kill them because of the stupid treaty…we had the one up on them in case we ever needed it.

They aren't coming back Sam. As I thought it I prayed the words were true. But even if they were, Bella wouldn't tell them about us. Sam shook his big, black head.

I'm sorry Jacob, but I can't take that chance. You will not tell her. Although he said it gently, I could hear the Alpha's command in his voice. I couldn't tell the girl that I loved what I was…and it was going to be hell. I'd never had to keep a secret from Bella before.

She's going to know I'm not telling her something the next time we hang out. I said sadly.

Jacob…Sam started to say, and then hesitated.

What?

I don't…I don't think it's a good idea for you to see her anymore. This time it was me who stopped suddenly.

I can't do that Sam…it would kill me. I can't imagine what it would do to her. You have no idea how bad she needs me. I ran over images and conversations in my mind. Bella, the night Sam had found her in the woods where Cullen left her; Bella, the first time she'd come to my house with the motorcycles looking like the living dead; and finally, the more recent version of her face, the one that looked like it had life in it, the one where she looked happier…the face that was there because of me. Sam overlooked what was going on in my mind.

Jacob, I'm not telling you this for the good of the pack. You could hurt her.

I would NEVER!

Sam winced at my internal yell.

I know you would never hurt her on purpose, but think of what I did to Emily, and I've imprinted on her. Would you really want to look at Bella every day for the rest of your life and know that you hurt her?

This time, I saw his images…the day the he had nearly killed Emily. He still felt awful remorse for what he had accidentally done that day. Or even if you don't physically harm her, imagine if you can make her happy, and can be everything she wants, but then YOU imprint, and find your true other half. Where would that leave her?

More images, this time of a heartbroken Leah. I understood what he was saying, that it could be even worse than what I'm doing right now.

I don't think I would do that to her Sam…

But do you really want to take the chance, brother?

It was the first time he had called me that. In that moment I knew he was really trying to look out for me. And I also knew he was right. I couldn't do that to Bella. I loved her too much. Now I had to love her enough to let her go.