Without making sure Jake followed, I went outside and to the line of trees. Somehow I knew he was following even though his feet made no noise. That was a new development. I sat on a fallen tree and looked up at him. "Let's hear it."

Jake licked his lips, looking suddenly nervous. "Hear what?"

"I don't know, maybe what the hell is going on? You show up and punch a guy for dancing with me. You told me I was slutty," that got a wince that I ignored. "You suddenly pretend to have mono, and I know you were faking because I didn't get it. You refused to talk to me for two weeks. And when I finally show up you try to run away. You got a tattoo, for crying out loud!"

He took a deep breath. "Do you trust me?"

"I trust the old, mellow you. This hot head you've become? No so much."

"I deserve that. The best way to explain it is to show you first, then I'll explain everything, I promise." Jake toed off his shoes and pulled off his shirt at the same time. I starred with wide eyes.

Jake had always been lean but now there were abs and pecs that would make a male model jealous. I swallowed as my eyes drank in all the golden skin. When his fingers popped the button on his jeans my eyes almost fell out of my face.

"Uh, Jake?"

The grin I was given was the same grin he'd been giving me since we were kids. "Relax, Syd, I'm keepin my shorts on. Just keep your eyes open."

I nodded, eyes tracing the thin line of hair that ran a trail from under his belly button to the waist band of his shorts.

"Eyes up here, Sydney."

I blushed. "Why are you stripping?"

"Because I'm running out of clothes." Jake took a few steps back, stretching his neck and shaking out his limbs. With a scream Jake was gone and a giant red brown wolf was in his place.

I fell backwards off the log. Scrambling to my knees I peered at the wolf, who made a sound that was all too similar to a chuckle. Dad had been warning us about bear attacks for weeks, then the other day Bella came home screaming about how the bears were really giant wolves. We'd been forbidden to go into the woods alone.

"The wolves…Sam's cult." My thoughts wouldn't leave my head in coherent sentences, but the wolf nodded it's massive head. "The night at Visions…is that when it started?"

Another nod of the head. The wolf, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it was Jake, took a deliberately slow step towards me. I started, not moving, from behind my log. Another step. Strangely, I wasn't afraid.

I climbed over the only obstacle between us. "So this is what's become of my Jacob." My hand reached out as I took a step. The hair on top was coarse, my fingers dug down to the softer fur beneath. A sound similar to a purr, but with more rumble, came from the wolf. Looking in his eyes I knew without a doubt this was Jake. "Why am I not afraid?"

Jake's reply was to nuzzle his nose against my neck.

"Can you change back? I need human Jake for a while."

He picked up his jeans with his teeth and retreated behind a tree. Moments later my Jake reappeared, still buttoning his jeans.

I straddled the log and waited for him to do the same so we could face each other. "That's why you stayed away from me, why you said you were dangerous."

Jake nodded. "Emily, Sam's fiancé, her scars didn't come from a bear. She was too close one day when Sam lost control. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you."

"Instead you acted like a dick. Good plan."

His head fell. "It was the only thing I could think of. Embry kept urging me to just tell you, but Sam gave orders not to tell. And when Sam give an order we literally can't go against it."

I looked up from the patterns he was drawing on my palm with his finger. "Then how'd you find a loop hole?"

"There aren't any loopholes through it."

"But you just told me," I pointed out.

"You're gonna flip." Jake ran a hand through his hair.

My eyebrow went up. "I just watched you turn in to a wolf. Try me."

He blew out a huge sigh. "We can tell whoever we Imprint on."

"Imprint? What's that?"

"It means you're my best friend." A big, fake smile followed that lie.

I stared at him. "Wanna tell me what Imprinting really is now?"

He shook his head. "I don't think you're ready for that yet. But I promise I'll tell you eventually."

"Wait! Embry's a wolf? Is that why he stopped talking to us?" So I was a little slow on some things, it was a lot to process. But this had to be the reason.

"Yep. Although his mom thinks he's just going through a rebellious stage. She keeps grounding him and he keeps sneaking out."

"Can't Sam say something to his mom? Why's he always sneaking out anyway?"

Jake licked his lips, it was a habit he'd had since we were kids. It meant he was trying to figure out exactly how much he should tell me. "Sam's got us out patrolling."

"Elaborate. Now."

"I don't know how much I'm allowed to tell you, Syd." He sighed. "There's a vampire that keeps edging around our land."

"Why are you hunting a vampire? The Cullens left so there's no reason…you know about vampires?"

Jake looked suddenly angry, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. "The fucking Cullens are the reason we're like this." He explained the whys and hows. Growing up I'd been told the Quileute legends so parts of it I already knew. Stories about men turning to wolves and The Cold Ones.

"Just another reason to kick Edward in the nuts," I muttered.

He laughed and leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "If you wouldn't break your foot I would let you, but leave the Cullens to us."

I shook my head. "They aren't coming back."

"Have you been talking to them?" Jake almost seemed to vibrate with tension.

"Not since they left. Alice left a note. I found it that Saturday when we kissed." I reached out and put both hands on his shoulders. "Breathe, Jake."

At my touch he seemed to calm down. It was then I realized he hadn't put a shirt on. And he was hot.

"I think you might have a fever." I pressed a hand to his forehead and cheeks.

"It's a wolf thing. I run at a toasty one oh eight now. Are you cold?"

"No, my teeth are chattering because I want to shake loose a filling."

He laughed. "Turn around and scoot back." Jake laced our fingers and wrapped our arms around me when I did as told. I could now feel his body heat from my neck to my knees. "Better?"

I nodded, his chin on my shoulder. "When you age and get old and grey with your wolf age?"

Jake tensed. "I'm not going to age, Syd. Not until I can stop phasing."

I tried to turn around, but he wouldn't let me. "What do you mean you won't age? You're going to look like this forever? What happened to us being old crazy people and in rocking chairs? Now I'm going to be feeble and decayed alone?" I suddenly completely understood why Bella wanted to be a vampire so badly.

"Don't cry," he whispered, lips against the shell of my ear. "I'll always be with you, Syd."

"And what happens when I die? When you dad dies? And my dad and Bella? Then what?"

Jake's arms tightened. "Don't. Please don't make me think about it."

"You're going to have to think about it, Jake. One day I will be dead and you're still going to be exactly as you are this moment."

Jake moved away so quickly I didn't know until I fell backwards. "Stop, Sydney." He was vibrating again.

I didn't want to stop. "No! if I have to think about it then you do too!" I knew I was being a selfish bitch.

"Sydney?" it was Bella's voice. "Why are you yelling? Dad sent me out to check on you." She stopped a few feet away, eyes dancing between a shirtless and obviously pissed off Jake and me.

"This is all your fucking fault," I spat the words before I could stop myself. "The Cullens would have left a lot sooner if you'd just stayed away from Edward when he told you to. And now Jake has to watch everyone he loves and everyone he knows die!"

At the mention of his name it looked like she'd been punched in the gut. But like I told Dad: my pain turns to anger. "I…"

"Now Jake and Embry and a bunch of other children change to wolves in order to protect us from vampires."

"Syd," Jake's warm hand on my arm was strangely soothing. "It's not her fault. And this won't change anything."

I let him pull me back against his chest, arms going around me. "I know. But everything has changed."

"And you've never done well with change," he murmured against my ear. "Go put on some real pants, we're going to Sam and Emily's place."

But I like my yoga pants. I sighed and did as told, grabbing Bella's hand on the way past. "There are some things you need to know."

So I explained everything I could while I changed in to jeans. My sister took it well enough. When your most recent ex-boyfriend is a vampire I guess it's not a total shock to find out your friend is a werewolf. She's good with weird.