Chapter Eight:

The beating inside my chest was full and hot. It wasn't cold or cracking and it didn't hesitate. I was whole. Holding him now, feeling his warmth seep into my chest, empowered me.

His eyes were closed as he slept, and his long black hair swept around us, making me feel safe and cozy. The soft, gentle snores were spaced evenly and slow, and just by looking at him, I knew he was dreaming of me.

Without thinking about it, I leaned down to his lips, and kissed him.

His eyes fluttered open, and before he was even fully conscious, his arms wound around me and he pulled me in closer.

"Hey there." He murmured into my mouth.

I smiled and curled up in the crook of his neck. "Hey." I whispered back.

We had just shared something together I had never experienced before. It had been the most magical, most beautiful thing I could imagine, and now, I felt closer to him than ever.

I felt his muscles shift as he rolled me over and lay side by side with me on the open field. His eyes were sleepy, and beyond happy. I'm sure mine were the exact same.

He reached up and smoothed away a strand of hair tickling my forehead.

"Nice hair." He frowned.

I reached up and felt my short curls, and with a small self-conscious smile, released them.

"It just kind of happened." I muttered.

He tilted my face up and examined me with large intense brown eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

I looked away. I knew what he meant. He meant he was sorry for everything, for this whole situation. He was sorry that we would have to part ways again, he was sorry for not getting to me sooner.

"I know. Me too." I caught his hand and brought it to my lips.

"I love you." He murmured, watching his hand.

"I love you too." I whispered into his palm.

We both took a moment, just maybe five minutes, to let ourselves just be with each other and not examine what was happening. But as my internal clock warned me of the time, I was shoved back into the place I had tried so hard not to linger in.

"Jacob," I started, holding his palm to my chest, "I need to know what happened. What's happening? I can't be left in the dark."

With his free hand he cradled my cheek.

"I don't have much time." He looked at me solemnly, afraid of my reaction.

I closed my eyes and took a breath.

"Just, give me the short version." I managed to get out.

He freed his hand from mine, and encircled me into his frame.

"Where do I need to start?" I felt his jaw moving on top of my head.

I thought back, I knew of the trial, and I knew that whatever the council had tried, hadn't worked.

"I guess what the council had planned for you."

Jacob took a deep breath. "The man who you saw hold the meeting was named Mako. He is the chief of my tribe." He rolled his shoulders as if preparing to tell me something very hard for him to speak about.

"His plan was simple. He wanted to take away my imprint."

I nuzzled deeper into him.

"He knew that our bond was solid, and was only damaged by one person losing faith in the other."

Oh god I could see where this was heading.

" The girl you saw, Sherina, is his daughter. He put her in ceremonial mating robes and introduced her to me. But you didn't see that. You were shown only part of the memory. He tweaked certain details to make you think I had forgotten you. Basically, he set the stage for you to misunderstand."

I felt his arms tense.

"He tried to lie to you through Sherina's memory. And, it worked obviously."

The shame in my belly burst forth, and spilled over.

"Jacob, I'm-"

"Shh." He interrupted, cutting me off.

"Just, just let me get this out. After the part of the memory you saw, he told me two things. He told me that he demanded my marriage to his daughter, and if I refused, I would be removed from the pack, and become an enemy. And two," He continued taking a long pause, "That I could see you, be with you, one last time. That I could set things straight between us before I left."

My whole body turned to ice.

"That's why I can be with you now. I'm not free. I'm merely taking a moment to end things. At least that's what they think."

I knew it. I knew it.

I began to disengage myself from him. I felt numb again. That oh so familiar wash of hurt washed over and my ribs ached from carrying it again.

"No!" He snatched me back.

"No," He whispered into my hair. "I'm not going to say good bye Ness. I'm not giving up. We have until midnight to run, to hide, to get as far as we can away from these monsters."

"Monsters?" I mumbled, still in shock. How could he refer to his own family as monsters?

"Yes. That's what the council is now. Rhea, the one who you saw beckon the end of the memory host, Deja, her brother, Nydel and Syndal the two twins, and Chaizah her daughter, all plan our death if we refuse. My, my family won't accept us Ness. They will kill us if they find us."

I checked at my internal clock, it was half past nine.

"We can't out run them, where would we go?" I gasped, breathing was getting difficult this close to his chest.

"I have heard of a clan, down in New Mexico. They have ways of protecting us Ness. They have places we can hide and never be found. They have ways."

Suddenly, he pulled me to his face.

"Don't say it. Don't even think it. I'm doing this with you. I've been without you, I've gone two months without you and it was hell. I couldn't breathe Ness. I need you. We have to do this."

My head swam. "But what about the other tribe, are they against vampires too?" I whispered into his urgent eyes.

"No!" He grinned wildly, "No! They have made deals, deals that a vampire may live in peace with them if they help defend the tribe!"

I shook my head. It seemed too good to be true.

Reading my thoughts he just shook his head again. "No, see, if you let them in, if you show them you mean no harm, they will have no choice but to be on our side!"

Everything was happening so fast. His heart beat wildly onto mine.

This was just, so much.

"I need a second." I murmured.

He looked at me panicked. "No, I, I just need to get some clothes on."

He nodded hard, "Yeah! Right, right."

He let me go, and I got to my feet.

I slowly retrieved my clothes from the grass, and began to cover myself.

What about Dad and Mom? What about Alice and Jasper? Or Emmett and Rosalie? Or Gram or Gramps? Just leave, without a word? I could do that. Could I? To be with Jacob, to be with him, well I needed that. He was just a part of me I couldn't survive without. He was right. Losing each other wasn't an option. We both simply would survive it.

But my family? Could I just leave? I would cause so much pain and worry for everyone. Jasper, Mom, and Dad especially. Oh god Dad.

I buttoned my jeans. They would go after me. They all would. But first they would check the pack.

"No." I said aloud.

The rustling behind me stopped. Jacob quickly came to me, the cord around his ankle had been ripped free and he was donning a pair of sweats.

"What?!" He asked me, worried.

"No." I repeated. "I have to being them into this. I have to let them know."

He touched my cheek and saw my decision.

"We don't have time Ness." He whispered, imploringly.

I only had one choice than. I couldn't find Dad and tell him. Jacob was right, there simply wasn't time. I closed my eyes, and doing what I had only done once before, stretched for him. When I felt him the back of my mind, I let him in.


Kennan looked out at his pack.

He hated speeches, and he hated conflict. But his brother Jacob had left him no choice.

"Brothers, sisters, one of us needs us. One of our kind is going to perish without us. I have seen his path, and the path of the girl he is bound to. If we do not intervene, their blood will be on our hands. They have a long journey to make. One we will be a part of. But we will fight for them, as we always will for any that is in need of help. They are traveling south, to New Mexico. We won't be any help there. But when they leave, when they find themselves alone, we will come. As men and as women, we will be there for them."

Thousands of wolves raised their heads, and howled.


Cairo rubbed his head with his staff.

God they were going to be difficult. He had thought the dogs pack would be enough to tear them apart. But apparently he was hanging on like a leech.

He smiled at the irony.

He hosted the bird flying over head the two lovebirds, and he heard them.

New Mexico eh?

You all are pissed. I get it, I know. I've left you hanging for like three days. I'm a horrible human being, and you should all hate me. I have no excuse, I can only tell you more chapters are coming up and I'm really, really sorry. Don't give up on me, there is a crap ton more of this tale coming.

Leave a review telling me where you think all this is going, I like to use bits and pieces of theories in my stuff.