Jacob POV
Quil and Embry circled around me as soon as I made it back to them.
"Sheesh, guys, come on," I groaned. "I'm perfectly fine, okay?"
Embry cocked his head and gave me a look of "you expect us to believe that?"
I rolled my eyes at them, and moved away to strip and phase back. Then the three of us headed for home.
You know, that pixie never did explain what she meant, Quil reminded us.
About what? Embry asked.
Oh yeah, I remembered. Why the number in this vampire army keeps changing. Wonder if we should—
We're not going back! Embry insisted.
Fine. Edward's taking Bella back home. We'll just swing that way instead and ask him. And I put words into action and led them through the woods toward Bella's house. We'd only just settled in to wait when we heard the faintest sound of his movement through the forest.
It's just us, I thought, deciding it was best to announce our presence.
"Jacob," he spoke very softly, obviously in deference to the sleeping Bella he carried in his arms. "Is something wrong?"
Nothing new. Just had a question your sister forgot to answer tonight. I thought back to the exchange we'd had with Alice during the party to catch him up to speed.
"Oh." He considered for a moment before answering. "Newborn vampires are very hard to control. They're also easily distracted, as Jasper mentioned. Whoever's been creating them has probably been putting off moving this way in order to build up their numbers, but that's a double-edged sword. Without something to focus on, the newborns will seek any distraction they can find, which usually means fighting among themselves. That's how the one today died. If we're lucky, their numbers might drop more in the next few days."
Okay, guess that makes some sense. Your psychic still going to be able to keep tabs on things?
"Yes. So long as your pack doesn't make any decisions on where to go, she'll be able to see when this army makes its decisions."
Can do.
"If that's all, Jacob, then I ought to get Bella back into her room—she's almost as short on sleep as you are. Oh, we'll be returning to the clearing at about 11 tonight—there's no need to have it be as late as the last session."
I nodded, and my friends and I headed for home as Edward approached Bella's house.
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Per instructions Sam had delivered while I was talking to Edward and Bella in the clearing, I headed home to get some sleep, and would relieve Paul and Jared on patrol at noon.
I made a plateful of sandwiches for lunch, and took them, a bag of chips, and a two-liter of pop outside for a solo picnic. The last traces of vampire-stench were gone from my nose, but I still wanted to breathe the fresh air. What a difference a day makes, I mused as I munched my way through the food. A day ago, my biggest worry was when one of my best friends was planning to transform herself into something that was my worst enemy. Now...
Now, I was working with my enemies. Although, perhaps 'rivals' was a better term now; 'enemies' seemed to more apply to these newborns instead of the Cullens. But my new enlightened attitude probably wouldn't last. Our alliance of convenience was a short-term proposition; it wasn't going to change anything, not really. We were still going to have to face what Bella's determination to become one of them might mean. It wasn't something that the pack had exactly sat down and hashed out.
I knew I couldn't solve it all today, however much I wanted to. I tossed my trash in the bin and headed for the woods.
Hey, Jake, Embry greeted me when I phased.
Embry. Anything new?
Nope. Oh, Sam's rethinking that meeting tonight.
How come? Does he think we don't need it? I wasn't exactly sure what Jasper had in mind for this session, but if the Cullens felt that they needed the practice, then it only made sense to me that we be there, too.
He's just not sure about taking everyone.
Yeah. Good point. The session last night (or rather, early this morning) might have gone well, but for some members of the pack, staying too long in close proximity to our natural adversaries wouldn't be a good thing. It's no problem; I'll go.
Hold on there. Sam's not a big fan of that. Doesn't want anyone going off alone with them.
Jacob? It was Sam.
I'll be fine, Sam, really. Personally, I thought he was being way too protective.
Jacob, I have to look out for everyone, and that includes you. Yes, things went fine earlier, but I still don't trust them.
They aren't going to hurt me—I stink to them, remember? Plus, they know Bella likes me, and they like her…
I just don't want you going out there alone.
What are Quil and I? Chopped liver? Embry snorted.
You sure? Sam asked him
We'll roll. It's no problem. Embry took his and Quil's inclusion in my trip as a matter of fact, and I was grateful. If there was one good thing to have come out of this whole wolf-thing, it was being even closer to my two best friends, and knowing that they would always have my back.
Patrol till dinnertime, then, and Leah and the new kids will take over. When's the meeting?
Cullens'll be back there at 11 tonight. I repeated Edward's information.
Get some sleep if you can.
Sounds like a plan. Let's run. I stretched out into a full run, but didn't use all my speed. I felt Sam fade out, but Embry was right there at my side.
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As we broke into the clearing again, three pairs of vampires looked over at us. Carlisle and Esme were standing next to one another in the center, the two girls were off to one side, sitting on an outcropping of rock, and the two guys, Emmett and Jasper—well, I wasn't sure I wanted to know what they'd been doing—were between us and their mates, obviously protecting them from the big bad wolves.
"Edward and Bella aren't here yet," Carlisle offered, stepping forward a pace or two in greeting. "You are Jacob?" he questioned, as if not completely certain. I nodded. I probably could have phased and had an actual conversation with him, but I wasn't sure I really wanted to.
"We'll be working on how to fight more than one at a time," Jasper interjected from where he stood beside Emmett. "Facing a single newborn is one thing; multiples present different challenges. They won't exactly be working cooperatively, but they will divide your attention very effectively regardless."
I grimaced internally, actually wishing for once that the mind-reader was around. Abruptly, I spun around, making for the trees where I could phase back human.
"Worried?" I jibed as I rejoined the others.
"No," he was clearly amused rather than insulted. "But only a fool isn't cautious when dealing with nearly two dozen newborns." Good point.
"They'll be somewhat prepared to face us," he continued, "but you wolves should be a total surprise to them. They won't have the faintest idea what do to against you."
"Perfect," I grinned fiercely. Then, I realized that I had the perfect opportunity now to try and get the doc to answer the question he hadn't answered last time.
"Hey, Doc?"
"Yes, Jacob?"
"We've been wondering about that question you didn't answer last night. How exactly are these newborns different from you?"
He sighed, and interlaced his fingers in front of his body. "Newborn refers to any vampire during their first year of this life; obviously, all of us are well past that stage. During that time, a new vampire is the strongest that they will ever be—their bodies are still absorbing their human blood."
"Does it make a difference? Human blood or animal?"
Carlisle looked at me gravely. "Yes, it does make a difference; not a large one, but still, a small difference. We have made our choice of lifestyle, and won't change that." I didn't trust his kind farther than I could throw them, but I did trust that they weren't going to kill me, and I guessed I'd have to trust him here. After all, it wasn't like we wouldn't be able to tell if they'd fallen off the wagon, so to speak. The eyes would be a dead give-away.
"Anything else?" I pressed.
"As Jasper said before, they're more emotionally volatile, easily distracted. We have long since mastered keeping ourselves under control." I nodded again.
"Will the rest of your pack be coming, Jacob?" Carlisle asked the question of me this time.
"Nah. Sam didn't figure we all needed to come. I'd've come by myself, but he wasn't a big fan of that idea either. So it's me, Quil, and Embry tonight."
"You're all welcome, of course." Everyone went back to what they'd been doing before our arrival. The girls were talking something about clothes—instant zone-out. Carlisle was going over strategy with Esme, and the guys started wrestling. The way they'd crash into each other sounded like a small thunderstorm. They weren't really going at it, not like they had last time—it was more like they were horsing around. Just like the pack does, playing around at Sam's, I thought. Odd, that we'd have this in common. I decided I'd gotten the answers I needed for now, and went to phase again.
Let's spread out around the clearing, I suggested to Quil and Embry.
See more that way, Quil agreed.
We ended up roughly in a semicircle, where someone should get a good view of practically everything. It wasn't long before the heightened senses I'd gotten from becoming a wolf picked up new movement in the trees. They're here, I thought. Sure enough, Bella and Edward appeared soon after. She looked more rested, so it seemed that she'd caught up on sleep today. Clear moonlight made seeing easier tonight and Bella quickly caught sight of the wolves lounging around the rim of the clearing. Her gaze traveled around until she saw me looking her way. Edward took a minute to explain why there were only three of us here tonight.
While I'd been distracted by their arrival, Embry and Quil had been focused on the mock fight between Emmett and Jasper. Man, why do they get to have all the fun? Quil complained, as we watched the two vampires circle around each other. When I glanced back, it didn't seem like Bella was enjoying the show quite as much as we were. Her face was creased with worry. Is she still worried about all of us? We're the indestructible ones here?
I sprang to my feet and trotted across the clearing, closing the distance between us in seconds.
"Jacob," Edward greeted me rather politely, but I ignored him in favor of stopping in front of Bella. I dropped my head down to her level and tilted it to one side. A little whine escaped me as I thought, Are you okay, Bella?
Bella must have known what I meant, because she didn't give Edward a chance to translate before she answered me. "I'm fine, just worried, you know?" Like I was buying that. That's really stupid. What is there to be worried about?
"He wants to know why?" Edward told her. I growled low in annoyance.
How pathetic. Can't tell her exactly what I'm thinking, huh? I saw his lips twitch just slightly. Glad you find this funny. Bet you she won't, though.
And I was right; Bella had caught both the growl and the twitch. In a moment, she had the explanation and a better translation out of him.
"There's plenty to be worried about," she scolded, "like a bunch of really stupid wolves getting themselves hurt."
I couldn't help the coughing bark that was our wolf-version of a laugh. It was touching, if somewhat insulting, that she was so concerned about us.
"Jasper wants help," Edward told us. "You'll be okay without a translator?" He didn't seem too happy when she told that she'd be fine. Not like I'm going to run off with her or anything. Sheesh. He hesitated a moment before turning and heading toward the rest of his family. His 'brothers' had ended their match, and it looked like they were about to get started.
"Go ahead without me," Bella told me when we were alone. "I don't want to watch." Then why did you come? I wondered. I heaved a sigh and dropped to the ground beside her.
"Really, you can go ahead," she kept pushing. I ignored her and scooted a little closer to her, blocking the wind with my body in the process. "Er, thanks," she managed. It took a few minutes, but she gradually relaxed until she was leaning back against my shoulder; she was still ignoring the fights in progress, though.
I kept part of my attention—okay, most of it—on the way Bella absentmindedly began to run her fingers through my fur, evoking a wolf-version of a cat's purr. Part of my attention, though, was still focused on the activities in the middle of the clearing.
"The same basic principles apply to fighting multiple newborns as apply to fighting just one," Jasper was explaining. "Never let them get their arms around you, and never go for the obvious attack. The problem with facing more than one is that you have to divide your attention to keep track of them both, while they only have to focus on you."
We all watched as he demonstrated a few moves that he said were effective, then he started dividing his family into groups to start practicing. I saw that Quil and Embry were paying close attention, so I returned my focus to Bella.
"You know, I never had a dog," she confessed, still stroking my fur. "I always wanted one, but Renee's allergic." I couldn't help laughing at that, sending vibrations through my body. Of all the things she had to be regretful over, it was not having had a dog?
"Aren't you worried about Saturday at all?" she asked me. I turned my head so that she could see me roll my eyes at that. No, I'm not worried. Like I said before, what is there to be worried about?
"I wish I could be that confident," she kept going, both with our one-sided conversation and her stroking of my fur. "So we've got some hiking to do tomorrow, I suppose," her tone made it clear she wasn't looking forward to it. It wasn't like I couldn't understand that—she had a hard enough time staying on her feet when the ground was level and smooth; now we were expecting her to navigate uneven ground with all kinds of obstacles. I couldn't help an enthusiastic rumble; a whole day spent with Bella was definitely something to look forward to, in my book.
"It might be a long hike," she warned me. "Edward doesn't judge distances the way a normal person does." I barked another laugh; I could handle any distance just fine, and if she couldn't I'd be there to help.
She settled back against me, and I thought that life was just about perfect. Right now, it really seemed like all of the recent tensions between us were nothing. It was like things were back to normal, back to the way they'd been before I'd changed, before he had come back. I felt like I had my friend back, all the way back. We didn't say anything, yet the silence wasn't awkward. She just stayed in her reclined position, still ignoring the fights in progress only a short distance away.
Long before Jasper declared himself satisfied with the progress being made, Bella's even breathing told of her slip into sleep. I made sure to stay completely still, not wanting to chance jostling her and waking her up.
She nodded off a little while ago, I told Edward, when he'd returned to our spot in the clearing.
"She needs sleep as much as you do," he observed. "I tried to get her to stay home and sleep tonight, but she wasn't having it."
She hates to be left out of things. But other than that, I have no idea why she wanted to be here, either, I admitted. Not like she was paying any attention, anyway.
"I should get her home. She'll sleep more comfortably in her own bed." He crouched down beside us and gently slid his hands underneath her knees and back and carefully lifted her away from me. It was only fear of waking her up that kept me from shivering at the icy touch of his hands. How does she stand it? I wondered, not caring at that moment that he would hear my thought; he ignored me regardless.
"We'll meet up with you sometime tomorrow afternoon, probably earlier rather than later. We'll need to allow plenty of time to lay the false trail and then for you and Bella to arrive at the campsite." He spent a few minutes visualizing the location, and thinking of several possible routes to getting there from the clearing."
Got it. Just let me know when, and I'll be there.
He stood and headed off in the direction of town without a backward glance. I likewise got to my feet and shook out the stiffness from having stayed in one position for so long.
We done here? I asked of my brothers.
Yep, Embry confirmed. Jasper thinks everyone's got a good grasp of things to do, or not do, as the case might be.
Let's head for home then. Will you two be able to fill the pack in tomorrow? I've got to do my scent-blocking magic.
We've got it, Quil gave an eye-roll of his own. Not like you were paying all that much attention, anyway.
Ha ha, I grumbled, turning for home as I did so. Like usual these days, they fell in at my flanks, and we started to run.
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AN: Sorry for being so long (more than 2 months) in getting another chapter of this story up. Got busy, for one thing, plus it can be hard to get motivated to update a story that doesn't seem to be gripping the readers. If you have been reading, though, thank you.