"And if you turn here, we're right back where we started."

Brandi followed Jacob's directions, and once she turned left, her eyes instantly scanning the area, in the near distance she noticed the Bed, Bath and Beyond store with the cafe' directly across the street.

"Damn," she said. "So it's just a big circle then... kinda."

"Yup," Jacob answered as he nodded slightly. "Kinda easy to get lost, but also pretty easy to find your way back."

"That's good," Brandi said. "Especially for someone like me."

Jacob smiled slightly as he nodded again, and as they approached the end of the street, advancing toward Alpine park, Jacob glanced back at Brandi, an all knowing smirk on his face.

"Do you remember how to get back to your house from here?" He asked, Brandi easily detecting the smart, biting tone to his voice, and she couldn't help but to grin back.

"I think so," she answered honestly. "Why?" She asked suddenly as she glanced over to Jacob. "Are you hinting at something? Trying to get rid of me?" Jacob's smile fell slightly, but he continued to grin.

"Certainly not," he assured. "Turn left up here. I have another place to show you."

Jacob's directions led them straight to another park, and Brandi squinted her eyes as she peered through the dirty windshield to read the sign composed of three separate, polished boards of wood: "Riverside Park. No Pets. No Glass Containers." Brandi cocked an eyebrow at this, and she glanced over to Jacob just as he instructed her to park somewhere.

After stepping out of the car, Brandi stuck her small key ring into her pocket, and she followed Jacob past the odd sign and onto the main sidewalk, other concrete paths branching out from it to wind all around the large park. Her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes remaining squinted due to the shining sun up above, and a small breeze blew past as she continued to walk beside Jacob. She glanced to her right, observing the few children that played on the park's small playground and the few people that wandered about the other concrete paths surrounded by healthy, green grass. From the corner of her eye, as she continued to take in the surroundings of Riverside park, she noticed Jacob had glanced down to her, and when she looked up to him she quickly detected the all-knowing grin on his face.

"I know you said you're not much of a mountain person," he began, turning his head away from her to look forward again as they began to advance toward a cluster of trees. "But I think you'll like where we're going."

Confusion and slight anticipation overcame Brandi, two senses Jacob easily picked up on, and all he could do was grin further just as they approached the tree cluster.

The sidewalk wound all through the trees, the forest growing thicker and darker with green and shadows the further they went. Her heart raced, but Brandi willed herself to remain calm as she continued her stroll, having to admit that their surroundings were rather breath-taking. She stared ahead at the concrete path before her, her eyes flickering all over the spots of orange where the sun shone through the thick canopy of trees, and suddenly she heard what could only be described as running water somewhere close by. A stream, perhaps?

They rounded another smooth corner, and Brandi's lips parted slightly once she noticed they were headed directly toward a small, old-fashioned style, wooden bridge that stood over a deep stream of water, the current rushing calmly over the bed of rocks to create a low, natural and peaceful sound. Jacob glanced down to her again, and he smiled slightly, following her gaze toward the water, and they silently stepped onto the small bridge. Brandi placed her hands on the wooden railing of the bridge as she leaned over slightly to peer down at the water a good five to seven feet below her. Next to her, Jacob folded his arms and placed them on the railing to lean over as well, though instead of peering down into the water, his eyes remained focused ahead of him where the stream disappeared around the corner through the trees. Since arriving in Salida, this had proven to be his favorite spot to come to, in both forms. Dare he admit that it sort of reminded him of home, with the tall, thick green trees twisting upward to shield the majority of the Colorado sky, but he enjoyed the noise of the stream, and coolness of the shade. He thought back to one of his first nights in town, remembering on the first night he decided to explore the land in his wolf form. The sun had just started to set when he came across this place, and he recalled the how the cool, rushing water had felt on his giant paws, and how the breeze felt through his fur. He had felt so calm, so at ease, and so carefree. He got the same feelings in his human shape, and as often as he could he visited the spot, human by day, and wolf by night, when the park was closed.

Brandi was still staring down at the stream, finding herself actually enjoying the slight breeze as it brushed smoothly through her hair, and just faintly she could see the dark, far and distorted reflections of her and Jacob in the water. She met Jacob's eyes in the reflection, or, at least she thought she did, for suddenly Jacob leaned away from the bridge to glance over at her.

"So, whattya think?" He asked.

"I actually like it," Brandi said quietly, feeling the need to keep her voice low as to not disturb the gentle flow of nature around her. The odd, respectful feeling made her think twice about lighting up a cigarette. Weird, she thought.

Jacob nodded as he looked back out to where the stream met the corner of trees. "Not exactly your beach with palm trees, but it works all the same. I come here a lot, actually," he confessed. "It's just... calm here, you know?"

"Yeah," Brandi agreed. "You get that real peaceful, easy feeling."

Jacob laughed next to her, and she glanced over to him, wondering if he had understood her song reference. He had.

"I like that song," he said. "You like the Eagles?"

Brandi shrugged as she glanced away from him. "I used to, I guess," she said. "I stopped listening to a lot of music when my parents died," she admitted easily, pausing in slight confusion. That statement flew past her lips so freely and easily, and as she took a moment to wonder why, Jacob nodded in understanding.

"I got a lot of shit for liking them back at the 'res," Jacob explained with a small laugh, recalling how often Quil would get at him for his music preferences. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Brandi narrow her eyes on him, and suddenly he wished he hadn't mentioned La Push...

"So, you and Paul," she instantly began, unable to hear Jacob's nearly silent sigh. "I just... I have a hard time believing the only people I've met here so far are from the same, exact place."

"Believe it," Jacob answered with a louder sigh now. "Paul was nearly unbearable back home. And obviously he still is."

"Is he really that bad?" Brandi wondered.

Jacob frowned at the turn their conversation had gone in to. "He really is, Brandi," he said as he shook his head. "The most obnoxious one in the pac- er... on the reservation. Him and Leah," he added under his breath. Brandi straightened up, millions of questions surfacing in her mind that she found herself desperate to ask. But why? She had only met Jacob yesterday. But, for some reason or another, she couldn't help but to feel somewhat comfortable around him. Actually, she realized, the feelings went beyond comfort; she found herself to be truly curious of him. Not only of his opinions on Paul, but also his home life in La Push. She couldn't place why. Maybe it was because of how strong his eagerness to meet her had been, his curiosity on her. Maybe it was because of how he treated her, constantly acting nice and above all, helpful. Perhaps it had something to do with his personality as a whole, the "aura" that surrounded him that eased Brandi into a state of feeling comfortable and truthful. Whatever it was, it seemed to work every time.

"Leah?" She asked now. "And obnoxious how?"

Jacob chuckled slightly. "Honestly I'd rather tell you about Leah," he said. "She was more bearable in ways than Paul was. Or is," he corrected.

Brandi continued to stare at the profile of his face. It was Paul that she had met, Paul that she had to admit she was interested in, and Paul that she wanted to know more about. She hadn't met Leah. She didn't care about her. Brandi's eyebrows met in the middle.

"If you're referring to his..." she paused, searching for the right word, "confidence, then-"

Jacob laughed one, the sound more like a bark. "Confidence," he laughed. "Yeah, right. That's putting it lightly."

Brandi frowned. "Stop," she said. "I'm being serious."

Jacob sighed loudly, and Brandi watched as his features relaxed. He glanced down before he looked back to her, and he raised his dark eyes to stare into hers. "I know," he said, easily detecting that she was being truly serious about her questions, and more than anything he wished that she wasn't. It was an odd feeling though, to want to answer her questions on his former pack brother, just to please her. The desire to do so was strong, and he knew either way he would answer her questions, but he wasn't so sure that he enjoyed feeling this way, like a servant on steroids. Was it pushing the truth to say that he hated Paul? Maybe not hate, he thought. But a strong dislike? Definitely. He wished Brandi would have asked him to jump off the bridge instead and see how long he could hold his face underwater.

"He's just-" he began, his eyes roaming to the right as he tried to think of how to word it. There was no law saying he couldn't give her the truth, regardless of how harsh, and his feeling of wanting to answer her questions would be subdued. But what an odd feeling it was, his intensity to keep her away from hot-tempered Paul. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't romantically attracted to Brandi, those had been his initial feelings, but upon calming down some, and trying to accept the oddity of his imprint, Jacob realized that, no matter what, he would easily be there for her in any way Brandi needed. A lover, more preferably; a brother, a best friend... anything. And either way, no matter what he was meant to be toward her, he wanted her to stay away from Paul.

"He's really hot-tempered, and that's an understatement," he finally replied as he looked back to her. Her gray eyes were wide with wonder and expectation, her plump lips parted slightly, exposing her two, white front teeth beneath them, and as her hair blew gently in the breeze, the smell of artificial cherry and vanilla surrounded him, the smell nearly intoxicating. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself," he finally went on. "He's piratically bi-polar."

Brandi rolled her eyes just as Jacob did, though her action was for a completely different reason. Jacob realized this, and he sighed.

"Brandi, look," he began in a more even tone of voice. "I've lived with him for practically my whole life. Maybe among my brothers he wasn't too bad, but with everyone else, he-"

"Brothers?" Brandi asked. "I thought you only had sisters."

Jacob's lips parted as he instantly started to back track, his scrambled-minded brain making him feel as though she already knew the entire truth about him and the Quileutes. In reality, she was the only one in his life with whom he was able to willingly share the secret, but Jacob had no desire to do this. At least not yet. "I mean my friends back home," he corrected quickly. "But please, Brandi," he added, his tone slightly more quiet. "Just stay away from him."

Brandi's brown and slightly arched eyebrows met in the middle while her lips parted again. "Jake, I-" she stopped short, wondering quickly if it was too soon to refer to him with a nickname. She closed her mouth, blaming the damn comfortable and at ease feelings that he gave her without even trying. Jacob didn't seem to mind, however, and he continued to look at her, waiting. "Jacob," she corrected anyway. "I think he's fine," she defended. "Besides, I can affiliate myself with anyone I want, you know?" She added nervously. It felt odd to be so truthful with him, the guy she had only met yesterday, but she didn't want to be passive on this subject, and she wanted to come across as someone who didn't hold back what she was thinking or feeling, a horrible personality trait she had given herself back in Florida. It was difficult to do, however, and once she noticed Jacob's face fall slightly, the stuttering began. "A-and he treated me fine today. Actually, to be honest, his attitude only changed when y-you... came around," she added in a mumble, watching as Jacob's jaw hardened. She hadn't meant to be that truthful. "Look, I appreciate the concern, but-"

"It's more than concern, Brandi," Jacob interrupted in a harder tone as he took a step closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. "He's dangerous."

"He's fine," she defended Paul again. But why though? Why was she so keen on defending him, Someone who she knew even less than Jacob. It was almost as if she wanted Jacob to be accepting of her like over Paul, but why? What sense did that make? Why should she care what Jacob thought? His opinions on her actions didn't matter, and they shouldn't. So why did she care so much?

"Brandi just... please," he said again, confusing Brandi even more the longer he went on to push the subject. "Stay away from him. Forget about him."

Brandi instantly began to shake her head. "No," she answered somewhat stubbornly. Jacob closed his mouth and sighed deeply from his nose, realizing he was going to lose this argument. "Look, I think I'm gonna go home," Brandi said. "Doug's supposed to be getting home early, and-" she stopped short as Jacob looked away from her, his lips pulled in a tight, annoyed line. "Do you want a ride home?"

"No," he answered. His own eyebrows met in the middle now, and he turned his head back to her, his eyes cold and hard. He didn't want to leave her, but at the current moment he knew it was what Brandi wanted. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah," Brandi answered. "I think I do. But are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Jacob said as he looked away from her again. "I'll see your around, Brandi. Just-" he paused, sighing again from his mouth. Since she wasn't going to heed his wishes on Paul, then Jacob knew all he could do was try to set some reasonable guidelines for her safety. Now, since he had been shot down with his warnings, it was all he'd be able to do. "If you see him again, just be careful. And stay in public," he added in a stressed tone.

A new wave of confusion swept over her, but she bit her tongue, holding back from the questions. She opened her mouth to speak again, but Jacob beat her to it.

"See you around," he repeated, and without another word he turned his back to her and started down the opposite side of the bridge. Brandi watched him for a moment before she finally turned around to head back in the direction from which they had come. Annoyance and defeat still lingered in Jacob, but it was not strong enough to keep him from turning around and watching as Brandi grew smaller and smaller the further she walked away from him. Once she disappeared around the corner, he continued on his path, knowing this sidewalk would lead back to the opposite side of the park, and from there he planned on making sure Brandi got back to her car safely. Only one question lingered with him now: what was he going to do about Paul?

–

It had been another dinner of boiled vegetables and butter that night, and as Brandi ate, alone at the kitchen table, she couldn't help but to feel a little guilty over lying to Jacob. She couldn't place why she felt guilty, though. An odd, regretful feeling had swelled in the pit of her stomach, and it stabbed her every time she thought of Jacob's face when she said that she had to leave. In truth, she had just been sick of hearing Jacob's negative words on Paul, and it annoyed her slightly to see how desperate he was to keep her away from him. Why? The only reason she could come up with was silly and perhaps even shallow, but it was the only one that made sense: in her mind, Jacob, plain and simple, just wanted Brandi to himself. It was clear that he liked her, and with Paul in the picture that meant only one thing. Competition. Brandi had been forced to contemplate this reason as she laid awake in her bed, and she wondered, if this was the reason for Jacob's hostility, then why did she feel so bad about lying to him?

With the morning came a mind that was still full of these thoughts, and now, as Brandi waited nervously in front of the cafe' for Paul, came a mind full of anxiety. At precisely five minutes before the hour, Paul rounded the corner, wearing almost exactly what he had been the day previously. Only difference now was that his wife beater had gone from black to white. The lighter fabric caused his skin to seem that much more darker, and as Brandi noticed this, she couldn't help but to let her eyes roam slowly up his muscular arms. The small, logical voice in her head, clouded behind her nervous, but swooned emotions and thoughts, wondered lightly why she found herself so accepting of Paul's muscle-packed body and not Jacob's. She had never been a fan of buff guys, so why was Paul such an easy exception to her preference?

"You're early." Paul's slightly sneering tone snapped Brandi out of her daze, and she blinked twice before she tilted her head up to look into his dark eyes. Her heart skipped a beat the second her eyes took in his smirking expression, and she cleared her throat.

"Oh, yeah," she began, instantly feeling like an idiot. She could only image how she must have looked to him –– eager and desperate. In a sense, he'd be right. She was eager to see him again, and desperate to see if Jacob's warnings were really accurate. "I was out of cigarettes so I had to buy more." This was true, but she wasn't about to mention that she had actually purchased the cigarettes fifteen minutes prior...

Paul raised an eyebrow. "You got them on you now?"

"Uh, in the car," Brandi answered slowly as she jerked a thumb behind her, pointing at the black Civic that was parked next to the curb.

"Awesome," Paul said. "Let's go."

Without another word, he stepped past her and onto the street, and Brandi turned around just in enough time to see him reach out for the passenger side door handle. With a clouded mind, she finally forced herself to move forward, and she got into the car just as Paul had closed the door behind him. As Brandi proceeded with closing her own door, she watched as Paul reached forward to grab the new box of cigarettes from the space under the radio to open up the lid and pull one out. Only after he closed the box did he glance up to her, cigarette dangling in between his lips, and he grinned.

"You mind?" He asked, pointing with both of his index fingers toward the cigarette, and Brandi quickly shook her head.

"No, have all you want." She immediately closed her eyes in annoyance over her comment – too desperate sounding for her tastes – and upon opening them she stuck the keys into the ignition. Paul was still smirking to himself as he lit up the cigarette now, and when he glanced back over to Brandi he noticed she had pulled out her own cigarette, the car now running, and he handed her the lighter. "So, where are we going?" She asked now as she exhaled, and she set the lighter down along with the pack of cigarettes. Paul shrugged as he rolled down his window.

"I don't care," he answered. "You go anywhere interesting yesterday with Jake?"

Brandi shook her head as she took another drag from her cigarette. "Not really, we just drove around town. Actually, he showed me this pretty neat place in the park." She stared at Paul as he laughed slightly, shaking his head as he ashed his cigarette out of the fully opened window, and he glanced back to her with that same, pointed smirk, his eyebrows raised.

"Did you guys get icecream?"

Brandi glared at him, her eyes narrowed. "No," she said sternly, using his same tone, and she couldn't help but to grin along with him as he lifted his cigarette to his mouth for another hit.

"Well that's redeeming," he commented.

"Redeeming?" Brandi wondered. "How?"

"Because you're better than that," Paul told her. "I see you more as risk-taker."

"Risk-taker?" Brandi snorted a laugh as she spoke. "Yeah right. You clearly don't know me well." She turned her head away from him to ash her own cigarette out of the window.

"I don't," Paul agreed. "Which is what today is for, right?" He waited until she turned her head about around to look at him, and he stared into her light, gray eyes, practically a glowing silver color due to the sun. "So, risk-taker, where we goin'? What's it gonna be? Rock climbing? Cliff diving? Skinny dipping?" He added with a grin, and a powerful, electric shock ran up Brandi's spine. "You call it."

She stared at him, mouth slightly agape. She was digging herself a hole here, a hole with a reputation that she would not be able to keep. The most "risk-taking" thing she had ever done was shoplifting a ring from a small store back in Florida, and in fact, it was the very ring that she wore on her thumb finger. She looked down to it now, forcing herself to look away from Paul as she tried to think of something to say. She felt nervous, and an odd but powerful sort of intense feeling radiated from Paul, making her more tongue tied. Finally, with a large sigh, she glanced back up to him, not wanting to disappoint him, but also not wanting to be the one to call the shots.

"You seem to know which is the most fun," she said. "I'll let you pick."

A new-found grin found Paul's face, and he stared at her for a moment. Pushing past her nervous facade, Brandi smiled at him, her eyes wrinkling slightly in the corners, as she waited for a response. Finally, with a small nod, Paul glanced out of the wind shield as he took another drag from his nearly finished cigarette, thinking. What was there to do around here? At least in La Push he had had an ocean to swim in, or dive into from a cliff. Thus far, he hadn't seen any cliffs, or any large bodies of water at least. How disappointing. His eyes narrowed on the park up ahead as he thought of something for them to do. Brandi waited, staring at him, until he finally shrugged and glanced back over at her.

"We could go hiking."

"Hiking?" Brandi repeated. "Where?" She had never "hiked" before. What did that pertain, just following a trail somewhere in the woods? As far as she knew, it did, but she had a feeling that with Paul it wasn't so simple...

Paul shrugged again as he tossed his cigarette out of the window. "Anywhere," he said as he faced completely forward in his seat now. "We gotta start small."

Brandi smiled. "Hiking now and cliff diving later?" She put the car in gear while Paul nodded with a smirk.

"You got it," he said. Still smiling, Brandi pushed her foot to the gas pedal and started down the road, butterflies flourishing to life in the pit of her stomach as she wondered where, exactly, she was supposed to be going.

–

Fortunately, after a few minutes of driving blind, Paul had started to give her directions, randomly telling her to turn here or there or stay straight on this road, until finally, after they had just started on the outskirts of town, they came across a small parking area on the shoulder of the road for amateur hikers. Directly from the parking lot was the start of a dirt trail, marked with pink markers on either side of it, for the hikers to begin their trip, and in the distance Brandi noticed more pink makers tied around the trees.

"This'll work," Paul said as he motioned for Brandi to turn in, and she parked her car next to the only other car in the lot. She glanced out of the windshield with furrowed eyebrows as she took the keys from the ignition. The trail seemed... easy, for lack of a better word, especially for someone like Paul, who Brandi was gathering to be a bit of a cocky thrill-seeker, not that this was bad or anything. But before she could open her mouth to make this comment (just to talk? To sound up to par with him and cocky herself on his choice, just to impress him?) she quickly paused and held herself back. The park Jacob had taken her to had been her first real taste of being in a forest, and she wasn't sure she was ready to go anywhere treacherous. She knew, if she was to make the comment, it would only persuade Paul to chose to go somewhere more difficult.

But in the end, it wasn't like it had mattered, and deep down Brandi had known this all along. After Paul had grabbed the lighter and pack of cigarettes and after Brandi had made sure the doors were locked and had pocketed her keys, her and Paul began on the trail, walking past the pink markers, both of them silent. The sun was high in the sky, and the air around them was warm, though a cool breeze blew past every now and again, leaving goosebumps on Brandi's skin while the thick clusters of trees swayed up ahead. It had been fine; in fact, Brandi liked walking in silence next to Paul as she was unable to help but take in the sight, sounds and smells of nature all around her, until Paul started to stray off course. Brandi hesitated as he took a sharp left turn off of the dirt trail, and she paused, biting her lip as she glanced down the rest of the trail, another set of pink markers a few feet up ahead. The breeze blew past as she glanced back to Paul, who continued to trudge on into the woods as if he didn't even realize Brandi had stopped, and with a nervous swallow she forced herself to follow in his footsteps.

Now, after a good ten minutes of following on this same, imaginary path, Brandi found them to be deep within the thick Colorado forest, and everything around her looked the same the further they went, and it didn't take long for her to figure out that she at least, was hopelessly lost. Had it been a good idea to so easily trust Paul? Jacob's words instantly echoed in her mind: ...just be careful. And stay in public, he had warned. Brandi swallowed, torn as she tried to convince herself that it was silly to feel nervous, while another part of her wondered if Jacob had been on to something. After all, he had known Paul much longer than she did...

"Hey," Brandi spoke up as she quickly skipped ahead to catch up to Paul, leaping gently over a small log on the woodsy ground, and she glanced up to him once she had caught up. "Do you know where we are?"

"No," Paul answered, partially a lie. He could easily sense the anxiety Brandi gave off like a strong perfume, and he smirked. Paul really didn't know where they were, but he would easily be able to lead them back, by either following his scent or hers. Brandi didn't know this, she had no idea rather, and admittedly Paul enjoyed her sense of nervousness. "Why?"

"Just wondering," she answered slowly as she continued to walk on beside him.

"Where I come from, hiking isn't following a marked trail," Paul said. To be more precise, it wasn't really called hiking either. More like roaming, or perimeter runs. But those had only ever been in his wolf form.

"Right," Brandi said lowly. "So hiking is wondering off course and getting lost?"

Paul laughed, four, deeply independent "ha's". "I don't get lost."

"That's reassuring," Brandi grumbled. Paul's grin faded slightly as he glanced down to her.

"Aw, c'mon, risk-taker," he began. "Is this too scary for you?"

Brandi rolled her eyes. "No," she partially lied. "I just want to be assured that I'll make it home tonight."

"You will," Paul assured, easily hearing the near silent sigh that escaped from Brandi, a sigh that had been meant for only her to hear, and he was able to detect the slight calm that washed over her with just his simple promise. It was funny how easy she was to trust him, but Paul couldn't resist but to instill that slight anxiety in her again. He smirked down at her. "I never said what time tonight, though," he pointed out, and his grin widened when she glanced up to him with slightly widened eyes. They both stopped walking as they stared at each other. A breeze blew past them, and his eyes flickered down to her hair as it swayed behind her in the wind, the scent of cherries more potent than before now. "You wanna take a smoke break?"

Brandi quickly fixed her slightly shocked face as she rolled her eyes, and she glanced around her surroundings, taking in the tiny, open field they had wondered into, surrounded by brush and trees, an old, with a large log sitting just a few feet ahead in front of a steep hill. "Yeah, I do," she finally answered. "And you'll give my brother a heart attack if I get home too late, by the way."

"So?" Paul asked as he reached into his pocket for the pack of cigarettes and lighter. "You're eighteen. Legal to go out and do what you want, right?"

"I guess," Brandi said as Paul handed her the pack and lighter after he had lit up his own cigarette. Not thinking about it or not caring after she lit up, she handed the pack and lighter back to Paul.

"So, why is it you're living with your brother anyway?" He went on to ask as they both began to advance toward the log. The question took Brandi by surprise; it was the first real question Paul had asked her about her life.

"Um, well-" she paused just as they had sat down on the log, sitting a mere few inches from each other, and she suddenly found herself unable to tell him that her parents and grandma had died, the words catching in her throat. Her eyebrows furrowed as she realized this complication. Why had it been so easy to share this with Jacob? She could feel Paul staring at her, and when she glanced up, she noticed he was. He stared at her with a hard look in his eyes, waiting for an answer, an eyebrow cocked. "My parents and grandma died," Brandi finally forced herself to say, speaking quickly as if the statement had been a single, long word. She quickly took a deep drag of her cigarette. Paul's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he took a drag of his own.

"How?"

The question caused Brandi's heart to skip several beats, rendering her unable to exhale the smoke, and she coughed a few times, the smoke being forced out from her. How? How was she suppose to answer that? How had Paul manged to so easily ask her such a personal question? Glancing back up to him, how was it he composed such a blank expression as he waited for an answer? The answer to his question was something that she did not like to talk about, let alone think about.

Paul easily detected the uneasiness that overcame them, and he noticed how difficult it was for her to suddenly speak. He found himself oddly wanting to take the question back, though the desire to hear the answer was greater, but before he could even decide to backtrack, just faintly he heard sound of a twig snapping in the distance, a far too quiet sound for Brandi's weak, one-hundred percent human ears to pick up on. Just barely, he turned his head as his eyes roamed over to left, and he eyed the thick brush of tall grass, bushes and trees there. As Brandi struggled, he smirked as he realized they were no longer alone...

It hadn't been Jacob's intention to follow Brandi. Instead, it had just sort of happened. In the beginning, he had just wanted to make sure that, after he had witnessed her meet Paul – something she had failed to mention she'd be doing the day before in the park – he didn't have plans to do anything stupid. But once they had decided to go on a little hiking trip, Jacob became fixated on making sure Brandi stayed safe.

There were handfuls of harmful things that Paul could do during their time together to put Brandi in danger, and once Jacob had phased into his wolf form, leaving behind his torn clothes to keep up with Brandi's car in the surrounding forests around the road, his thoughts were blinded with these possibilities. The ideas ranged from Paul finding a way to get them lost, abandoning Brandi, to full on phasing in front of her. This last option seemed to make the most sense. All it would take was for Brandi to say or do the wrong thing, or for Paul to just decide that it would be fun to freak her out. He no longer belonged to the pack. He no longer had Alpha's orders to follow, therefore he was free to do what he wanted. Since Jacob had imprinted on her, Brandi now had every right to know their secret, and more than anything Jacob wanted to share it with her, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of deciding it wasn't the best time. Brandi would know, eventually, but it would be on Jacob's watch. It was one of the only acts of selfishness he planned on doing with her. But now that she was alone with Paul, he knew anything could happen. Only difference now was he'd be there to stop it and protect her.

As they hiked, Jacob growling to himself once Paul lead them off course, Jacob had followed many, many yards behind, his reddish brown fur hidden well in the brush of the forest. His paws quietly touched the ground as he made subtle movements, and he rolled his big eyes to himself at Paul's stupid comments. He wondered to himself why Brandi even bothered with him. Paul came off as entirely rude to her, with snatching her cigarettes and having no concern for her safety. Jacob couldn't figure out why she was even putting up with it. Jacob had been polite and mindful toward her, and listened wholeheartedly at what she had to say. At least, he thought he had... He knew he'd be there for Brandi in any way, shape or form she needed, and as he had thought before, all of his relationships entailed him keeping her away from Paul. His warnings had gone in one ear and out the other, he realized now, but at the same time he couldn't really blame her. They had just met, and he knew Brandi to decide she had no reason to listen to him, this random, desperate seeming guy. But still. She had absolutely no idea how true Jacob's warnings had been. He knew it was only a matter of time...

His following them had led him to the small clearing Brandi and Paul sat in now, and he stopped a few feet behind the tall brush that enclosed the clearing, watching them through the foliage. He had instantly noticed Brandi's hesitation when Paul asked her why she lived with Doug, and behind him his tail swooshed to the side as he sensed her strong uneasiness. So it was hard to talk to him, that was a start. She had forced herself to answer regardless, forced, Jacob thought sourly, and he narrowed his eyes on them as he continued to watch. But almost instantaneously with Brandi, when Paul asked how her family had died, the word sent a shock of anger through Jacob, and the furious feeling flowed throughout his blood, not because Brandi hadn't told him the answer to the question – no, that would be shallow and silly – but rather because he could feel the pain that overcame her, and it affected him too. His lip snarled up, exposing his sharp teeth as he ducked his head, his eyes focused on Paul, and he forced himself to keep from growling. Instead, he breathed out deeply through his nose, and took a menacing step forward, the small sound of a tiny twig snapping making his ear twitch slightly. He watched as the realization of company overcame Paul, and when Jacob noticed him inconspicuously glance over in his direction, the great wolf bowed his head even more, fighting the urge to jump out from the brush and tear Paul's stupid head off.

Paul hadn't even picked up on Jacob's scent until now. He had been so wrapped up in Brandi's scent that he hadn't even realized. But now, now that he knew Jacob was just feet away, watching, staring and listening, it seemed their hiking trip suddenly turned that much more interesting.

Brandi continued to hesitate, her heart pounding, and finally she closed her eyes as she shook her head. "I don't like to really talk about it," she forced herself to say. "It just... it–" she heaved her shoulders up before they came crashing back down, and she shook her head again as she lifted her cigarette up to her mouth. "Sorry," she mumbled, the cigarette in between her lips, and she inhaled deeply, only to pause suddenly at the lack of smoke that came through. Her eyebrows furrowed as she glanced down to the end of the cigarette, and she touched her fingers to it to take it out of her mouth when she realized it had gone out. Stupid camel lights, she thought sourly to herself, but next to her Paul had already drawn out the lighter from his pocket.

"Here," he said as he leaned closer to her just as Brandi had glanced over to him. She began to reach her hand out for the lighter, only to hesitate when Paul leaned in closer. "I got it," he added with a grin, and with her eyes locked on his, Brandi lifted the cigarette back to her mouth. As Paul lit the end of the cigarette for her, she inhaled deeply, finally getting that hit of smoke, and his grin widened as he leaned back into his normal spot. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want," he finally said. Jacob sourly rolled his eyes to himself.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"You don't gotta apologize," Paul assured as he took another drag. "Besides, I had originally meant why you were living with your brother, as in, why not live on your own?"

"Oh," Brandi said, glancing down nervously to watch her cigarette burn. She felt so stupid. Like an absent-minded child, trying to look cool in the eyes of a bigger, better, cooler adult. She could only imagine what Paul thought of her. How embarrassing she thought. But at this point what could she do to correct it? She sighed, deciding to put on her best confident facade, but she knew even the most confident mask wouldn't be able to hide how pathetic her answer was. "I just, didn't want to," she said as she shook her head. "I guess I'm not committed enough to get a job and dive in to that lifestyle." She shook her head again as she took a drag from her cigarette.

Unknown to her, the more uncomfortable she began to feel, the angrier Jacob became, and Paul picked up on this. For the first and only time ever Jacob wished he could hear Paul's thoughts, but for now, the best he could do was just keep a watchful eye on Brandi for protection. He just wished there was something he could do to ease her emotional pain...

"Not committed," Paul repeated as he nodded to himself. Me either, he thought. Right now, "home" consisted of where ever he decided to crash in the woods in his wolf form, or where he left his small bag of clothes hidden in the brush. "I couldn't wait to get off the 'res," he said.

"Oh yeah, desperate for those changes, huh?" Brandi asked as she glanced over to him. He smirked at her.

"Yeah," he answered. "Changes."

"You and Jacob both. How's that going for you?"

"Salida's boring, but-" he took another drag from his cigarette "-so far so good."

Brandi nodded as she took another drag of her own, her heart beat finally starting to slow from its racing state. "That's good," she mumbled.

"Can Jacob say the same thing?" Paul asked with a fresh smirk as he turned fully toward Brandi, able to easily picture Jacob's growling face and prepared stance. Brandi glanced over to him, her eyebrows meeting in the middle, and she shrugged.

"I guess," she said. "He seems to like Salida."

"Where's he staying?"

"I don't know," Brandi answered. She recalled what Jacob had told her, but right now she felt slightly too lazy to tell him. Besides, she couldn't help but have the feeling that Jacob wouldn't appreciate her telling Paul where he lived. Jacob seemed to really hate him. Which reminded her... "Why do you guys hate each other?"

Paul laughed as he flicked away his cigarette. "I don't hate him," he clarified. "Jacob's just... touchy. And bi-polar. And he likes to run away from his problems," he added louder with a smirk, and Jacob was certain he caught Paul's quick glance in his direction.

You're one to talk, Jacob thought sourly to himself. Surely Brandi didn't believe him. At least, he hoped Brandi didn't believe him.

"Let me guess," she said with a sigh. "He's dangerous, and I should stay away from him, right?"

No..." Paul began slowly, an eyebrow raised. "I didn't say that." He paused, suddenly figuring it out. "Did he say that about me?" He laughed loudly when Brandi nodded, and she jumped slightly at the powerful sound. "He would say that!"

"Why?" Brandi came out and asked, and a shock ran up her spine when Paul locked his eyes on hers. He shrugged.

"He said it best. I'm dangerous." He grinned, his eyebrows bouncing up once. "You believe him?"

Brandi continued to look into his eyes, searching for any glint of danger or threat in them. She finally shook her head. "No," she answered truthfully. "I don't."

Paul seemed to be slightly surprised over this. "Well, then," he said with a sigh as he finally stood up. "Guess I gotta try harder."

Brandi followed his movement, and after she put her cigarette out on the log, she followed his actions and stood up as well with a grin. Jacob backed up slowly and lightly from behind the bush, his head still bowed at he started at them through the bushes and trees. "Are we going back?" Brandi asked as another breeze blew past.

"I guess," Paul answered. "Gotta get the risk-taker back home and safe with her brother," he added with a sigh. "Don't wanna get him worried."

"Damn straight," Brandi said. "Otherwise it's you he'll be going after."

Paul laughed at this as he purposely lead them in Jacob's direction. "Bring it on," he threatened. Jacob, once he had backed away far enough, turned around and ran off in the opposite direction, and Paul shook his head to himself as he listened to Jake's retreat. He didn't understand Jake's determination to get Brandi to see just how dangerous he was, but now it was just an excuse to get under Jacob's skin. He knew Jacob was still within earshot of them, and he smirked down to Brandi. "So what's it gonna be tomorrow?" He asked.

Brandi shrugged. "Your call," she said again. "I don't know my way around this place any more than you do."

Paul shook his head. "No, you're callin' the shots," he said. "We started off easy today, tomorrow we gotta take it up a notch. Whatever you wanna do, we'll do it."

Brandi let out a breathless laugh as she focused on not tripping over any shrubbery. "Fine," she gave in, though she had no idea where to even begin with deciding on an activity. "Whatever you say," she added with an exaggerated sigh, and she grinned up at him.

"And don't you forget it."

I'd like to publicly thank Wolfasaurus for giving my story a shout-out! And also to everyone who has added this on their alerts and favorites. Please leave me your thoughts!