For some reason, I'd had the thought of hating Jacob for something that was completely out of his control. For some reason, I wanted to blame him for the fact that I was a human-wolf-thing. But I knew I couldn't. And finally, after the Imprint, I realized that there was no reason for me to hate Jacob. Just as he had explained, it was possible for one to like someone, regardless of whether or not they had Imprinted. I found this to be true, and I also found that the Imprint made us stronger together.

We encouraged one another, loved one another, looked out for one another. All of this I discovered while running patrol. That and pushing him gently out of the way when one of the vampires threw the other into a tree next to where Jacob was standing when we went to watch and learn about newborns.

So I eventually had to face a question: was I in the wrong before? For running away and not wishing to see Jacob? I realized that I was, but when I tried to apologize, Jacob brushed me off.

"It's fine. You were forgiven the moment it happened. Stuff that happens when you change for the first time is generally beyond your control. You were scared and out of your mind. You had no idea what was going on. It's OK. I promise,"

So now, here I was, the only wolf in Sam's pack left out of the newborn struggle at Sam's house with Kim, Emily, and Quil's Imprint, baby Claire. And I was going out of my mind.

"Matt, you need to relax," Emily said, laying a hand on my shoulder and I crossed my arms.

"I should be there. They need me. At least for support," I said, and she frowned.

"You're just worried. We all are; even Claire," She pointed to the toddler who was looking out of the window expectantly, as though she expected Quil to come flying up the driveway any moment, arms wide open calling for his "Claire-bear". I sighed.

Then suddenly, as I sat there watching Claire, something jolted through my chest, and I pressed a hand over where my heart was.

"OH!" I shouted, and I sprang out of my chair.

"Matt? What's wrong?" Emily said, looking worried.

"Somethings wrong with... Jacob!" I shouted, then I ran to the door, wrenched it open, and I started running. In five seconds, my body transformed into my wolf, and I was a white blur on the horizon. I shouted out mentally, begging for someone to answer me, when I finally heard Sam.

Matt! Stay at the house!

No! There's something wrong with Jake!

What do you mean, something wrong with Jake?

He's NOT WITH YOU? I shouted incredulously, and I shot my mind out, probing to find Jacob, but he wasn't in his wolf form. He hasn't phased. Where the hell is he Sam?

Then Sam said something which made me lose my mind.

I don't know.

I came to a close stop, spewing gravel yards ahead of me and the next thing I knew, I let out a howl. It was a long, mournful note. Then without warning, I took off, my paws flying through the woods around me. I crossed a river, something I really didn't notice as I flew over it, and then my nose was assaulted by the sickly sweet smell of vampires. Of death.

I flew past a clearing, but stopped and looked back through the trees. There, in front of me, were my pack and the Cullens, standing resolutely, and gazing into the direction of the woods, facing away from me.

I shook my head and took off again, flying through the area, sniffing, using all of my senses to propel myself forward and to search for Jacob.

Then I found a trace of wolf. Seth.

SETH! I shouted, my mind's voice screaming and mixing with my wolf's bark.

Matt? What the hell are you doing up here? He asked.

I felt something. Jake's in trouble.

No he's not. He's in this tent with Bella and Edward trying to keep Bella warm so that she doesn't freeze.

Where the hell are you? I asked, and then my mind was shown pictures of the area, and I realized that I was on the opposite side of the mountain from them, because I'd already passed them once.

I'll be there in ten, I said, then took off, my limbs moving fiercely.

I came flying into the small clearing, with Seth standing there grinning at me in his sandy-haired wolf, and the small tent sitting beside him. I could tell from the small lights inside that there were three people inside, and I knew from my enhanced sense of scent that Bella, Edward, and Jacob were all in the tent.

I let out a small whine, and then I heard Jacob say:

"I'll be right back. Don't worry,"

Told you he's OK, Seth said in my mind.

Shut it. I said.

Jacob exited the tent quickly, zipping it up just as he stepped out, and I sat back on my haunches, waiting for him to realize that I was there.

"What's the matter, Seth?" He asked, and I let out a wolfy laugh. He'd thought the whine was Seth rather than me, and he turned around at the laugh, but his eyes bulged as they landed on me.

"Matt! Damn it, what the hell are you doing here?" He shouted, and I cringed slightly. But then, he phased and my mind was assaulted by thoughts of worry and concern and slight anger at my being there.

Jake... Jacob... JACOB! I said, finally pulling him to my attention.

W-what? He asked slightly startled by my break into his consciousness.

I came because I felt something... It was like, you'd gotten hurt or something, and I had to make sure that you were OK. I phased at Sam's, hoping you'd be changed, but you weren't, and Sam said that he didn't know where you were, and I was freaking out. I'm sorry. I said, my mind's voice rushing to get everything out before he could interrupt me again.

Matt... He said, and I watched as his large russet wolf walked towards me, then stopped right in front of me and nuzzled my head. I leaned against his wolf, needed the slight support. All the running had finally gotten to me. I might have been the fastest, but I did have my limits.

"Jacob, I hate to interrupt your slight reunion, but I'm afraid that Bella is freezing to death in here," Edwards voice said, and I looked up and grinned at him.

"Oh, hello Matt," He said smiling.

Don't worry Jake. I'll stay here with Seth. I'm not leaving unless you force me to; I need to know that you're OK, I said, and I could tell that he understood what I meant.

Fine. Just... don't do anything stupid.

He quickly phased back, placing on a pair of shorts, and walked back into the tent, disappearing behind the canvas and zipping it up. I heard Bella's slight moan of delight as Jacob's warmth filled her up, and I growled a little, slightly jealous.

Then I heard Edward laugh. "Matt's jealous of Bella,"

Am not, I said, but I knew it was true.

"Don't worry Matt. We'll have plenty of time to be together later," I heard Jacob's voice, and I just knew that he had a smile on his face.

I fell asleep soon after that.

XXX

I was jolted awake by the mental scream of Sam:

WAKE UP! GET SETH AND JAKE UP NOW!

I jumped up and nudged Seth with my head, but he'd heard Sam's scream too, so he woke up quickly. I headed over to the tent, which was hard to see thanks to the sunlight glaring off of the snow around us, but I let out a loud bark, and I heard Edward saying:

"Jacob! You need to get up! Sam needs you!"

"Wha?" He asked, then he came to his senses and barreled out of the tent as fast as he could without tearing the structure down.

He phased quickly, and took off. I heard him tell Seth to stay put and stay with Edward and Bella, but there was no thought telling me what to do. I decided to follow him.

We'd made it half way down the mountain before he realized I was there, and he wheeled around, causing me to crash into him, and we stumbled down the mountain a bit more before we came to a sudden stop.

Go back to Seth, He said, and I shook my head.

I can't. I have to be with you. There's something that's making me stay with you.

It's the Imprint. But I have to keep you safe. If you got hurt...

No Jacob. If you got hurt, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. You're stronger than I am. Just think of me as... your guardian for the day. I smiled at how ironic that was. Jacob was older, stronger, and more powerful than I was. He heard my thoughts on the subject as well and smiled grimly.

Fine, if you insist on staying...

I do.

Come on then.

I followed him quickly, and we entered the clearing, finding the Cullens and the wolves in the same places that I saw them in yesterday.

We're here, Jacob said, and the wolves wheeled around at the word "we're". The Cullens looked around but otherwise showed no form of shock or emotion as two other wolves joined the clearing.

Good, Jake. Matt, go back to Seth. Sam said. I looked at Jacob, and his eyes were shining. Time for me to stand up.

No Sam. I can't. Something is making me stay, to ensure that Jacob is safe. The only way I'm going back to Seth is if you force me.

What? You're defying your Alpha? You can't do that Matt.

I can if it could mean the difference between the life and death of my Imprint.

Fine. He snarled. Just stay out of the way of the fight.

And so we waited. But for only five minutes.

Then they came. There were so many. I was scared out of my mind. So many newborns. I felt bad. I couldn't kill an innocent being. I didn't care if it was a vampire. I stood behind and watched as they were torn apart left and right, and I cringed multiple times. Then I saw something that changed how I was seeing one particular newborn. It was closing in on Jacob, and he didn't know. My Jacob.

JAKE! I screamed and took off at a breakneck speed, just pushing him out of the way quickly enough. The newborn saw that its target had changed so it wrapped its arms around my body – something Jasper had told us to not let happen. I let out a mix between a whine and a yelp as it crushed my ribs and my forelegs. I felt the newborn ripped off of my back and I gasped as I fell forward onto the grass, my legs pinned in front of me.

Oh God! Matt! Matt! Jacob screamed and I heard the others telling him to go and get Carlisle, but he was out of it. I screamed his name like I'd done before to get his attention.

JACOB! Get Carlisle! I shouted into his mind, and with eyes of fear, he couldn't move. If he left, I'd be unprotected. Then something happened. Jasper – the one that was sensitive to feelings – must have realized the situation. Carlisle appeared just then.

I phased quickly and screamed as my human senses took over.

"Ribs and my arms!" I screamed with my head still on the side and my arms pinned under me.

"It's okay, I'll reset them, but you'll have to try to be careful," Carlisle said hurriedly, and then before I knew it, the doctor's cold hands were on my body, carefully rolling me over, and then, he re-broke my arms and my ribs. I let out another painful scream as he looked around, then ripped up some trees and planked my sides and my arms.

Then, after about ten seconds, the doctor had me scooped up and deposited behind Esme, who was harboring a patient of her own. I looked over to see the face of a scared-looking newborn. But she didn't just look scared. She looked out of her mind. Her eyes wheeled towards me and then pinched her nose.

"She's surrendered," Esme explained to Carlisle quickly. He gave a curt nod and then took off to the other areas where he was needed.

I clenched my teeth as I felt my bones starting to mend. That was something I'd learned about being a wolf. You got super hot, and you healed a hell of a lot faster than you did when you were a human.

Slowly, the fighting died out and there were fires every where as the Cullen's burned the remains of the newborns, save for the girl behind Esme, who told me that her name was Bree.

Jacob, who had phased, came over to my side and fell to his knees. He placed a hand on my forehead, and I tried to give him a smile. It came out as a grimace.

"Told you I felt something," I said, and then I passed out.