Aren't exams fun? Well, anywho, here is the next chapter!

Lupine is mine, everything else, not so much. :C


For three hours the trio ran without so much as a whiff of vampire. Each of the wolves ran a stretch about three miles long along the boarder surrounding the reserve. Lupine ran at an energy saving trot, allowing her feet to lead her along her path and leave her other senses free. The rain had relented earlier, leaving behind a muggy heat and treacherous puddles. She paused to lap up some muddy water, sneezing when she brought her head up. The smell of stale candy and fresh blood was faint, tickling her nose like a feather.

"I've got something here. I'll give you more if I find something." Lupine's thought came to the boys in a cloud of pink tinged with the flavour of light grey. Hearing her thoughts was like being betrayed by your senses. Each one received something it shouldn't. Seth and Jake had yet to see any of the colours her transmitions came with.

The static that was Lupine's mind cleared once more.

"Definitely something. Smells slightly human too. Is that normal?"

"Sounds like a newborn to me. Where is it?" Jake's answering thought had to fight upstream against the interspecies static to Lupine's mind. It was odd, not having every pack member in your head at the same time.

"Along the coastline. Will it jump for the wa- Oh shit!" Lupine's thoughts were clipped with green fading to orange. For a moment there was nothing, and the static resumed. Jake could feel Seth behind him.

"Think she's okay?"

"I don't know, Seth."

For a while more there was only the soft static from her mind when suddenly her words came to the pair of wolves to strongly that it made their teeth rattle and left searing white streaks behind their eyes.

"ASSIST ME!" Her mind was crystal clear with excitement and Jake heard, even it if it was suppressed, the double tone of an Alpha. By the time the words had stopped ringing in their ears they had found her, holding on to a struggling vampire's leg. Her one front leg was mangled and deep cut ran down her side. Pristine white fur was insulted by the presence of crimson.

When Jake and Seth ripped off the creature's arms she held on. When the vampire lost it's other leg to Jake, she held on. Only when the leech fell flat on its face did she let go, but only for a moment. She limped over the newborn's back and closed her maw around the vampire's neck and shook her head as hard as she could. Tears appeared in the marble skin, followed by the snapping of muscles. With a final tear the vampire's head was off.

"Bastard messed up my leg. Would you look at it? It'll take ages to heal! Two weeks, at least." Jake and Seth found out what puce tasted like.

"Seth, take her back to Emily's, and ask Sam to call the leech doctor."

"Wait, what?"

"Look, I'll explain on the way, okay?" Jake had to hand it to the kid, he was patient with this girl.

"Come on, I'll show you the way back. I'll see you when I can, Jacob." Seth turned away and walked in the direction of Emily's house. Lupine hobbled after him and Seth filled her in about the Cullens and the treaty with them.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you," Seth asked when she had to stop a second time. Again she refused his assistance, simply shaking her head and leaning against a tree for a moment.

"My first patrol and I have to be carried back? That wouldn't look very good, would it?" She chuckled halfheartedly at her own joke. Ten unsteady steps later she stumbled, landing on her chin in a puddle. "Balls!"

"That's it. From here I carry you." Seth the wolf stepped modestly behind a tree and stepped out as Seth the human. He picked Lupine up and strode purposely onward. "Isn't this easier?" The only response he got from the bundle of fur in his arms was a very pointed 'humph!'.

The light on the small house's porch illuminated little of the surrounding area. Seth put Lupine down very gently and tapped on the front door with his knuckle. A window opened on the second story and Sam poked his head out.

"What's wrong?"

"We got a leech but it got Lupine. You might have to call Carlisle."

A moment later the door opened and Sam stood in the doorway rubbing his eye. "Come on in then. I'll ring the doctor. Might as well get her comfortable, Seth."

The conversation was short and mumbled over the receiver.

"He will be waiting for you at the boundary line. I'll finish patrol with Jacob."

The moment after Sam had changed forms Jacob's mind said "Something is very off about Lupine. She can do the Alpha voice. You can't even think about not obeying." Sam heard the memory of her voice in the other man's head.

"When she comes back we will ask her about it. Until then, what can we do about it?"