I own nothing.

CHAPTER TEN: Who Let the Dogs Out? (Lucy Did)

Sometimes, you really just have to take a step back and wonder what the fuck is going on with your life.

Me, I found I had to do that way too often.

"Jake," I begged repeatedly, hauling him by the arm. "Please calm down."

He continued shaking, the same as he'd done not ten minutes ago, when he saw me and Seth in the theatre. With wild, angry eyes swiveling about, he looked like he was searching for something. Anything.

A way out.

I was familiar with the feeling, the urge to free yourself. It felt like everything was clamping down on you, pressuring you, pushing and pushing and there was no way out. So the shaking became worse. And worse. And worse.

Until finally…

I threw Jacob in the cover of the trees by his arm, and not a moment too soon. He exploded. Quite literally, his skin exploded. Hair sprouted out from his body, bones cracked and snapped, one after the other. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his mouth opened in a silent scream of pain. Absolute agony.

I stripped the damn skirt Emily had forced me to wear off my body, kicked it away with the nylons (fuck, girl-clothes were so awkward to strip out of in a rush). I didn't bother with the shirt—I just phased.

Jake was hysterical, and rightfully so. Standing at his impressive horse-size height, Jacob looked ready to pass out from shock.

This isn't happening. This can't be happening.

Jake, I thought firmly, calm down. It'll be ok.

OK? His horrified whisper of a question broke my heart. How can this be OK? Damn it, Lucy, I'm a monster!

Stop, I soothed desperately. I needed Sam, badly. I didn't know how to deal with a new wolf—let alone the one that was supposed to become Alpha. It's part of who we are. Jacob, it's just us. We're still Lucy and Jake. I promise.

Jake's thoughts were too scared, too wild to be spoken to. He took off like a bolt of lightning, tail swishing behind him as he ran. I followed him, fervently hoping he wouldn't do anything too stupid.

Sam finally phased.

Jacob Black, calm down. And under the order, Jake stopped running. We weren't far from Sam's house, thank God—without knowing it, Jacob had run for the Pack's central hub. Sam's low tenor continued to speak to him. It was different than the way he'd spoken to Embry, or myself. Back then, it had been an order. As in, I would calm down and I would listen because that's what he ordered me to do.

With Jake, Sam was much more…coaxing. Like he was asking, not telling.

He's being careful, I realized—or rather, my wolf told me. He doesn't want to set off an Alpha male.

No shit—I didn't blame Sam. Jake was a fucking skyscraper, combined with heavy-duty military equipment. Everything about him, except for his wild, terrified eyes, screamed 'destroyer.' He was an Alpha in its truest form. I'd never noticed the differences (I'd had nothing to compare him to) but I knew then and there that Sam wasn't meant to be the Alpha of this pack.

It was Jacob's, the moment he phased.

Sam was ignoring me, chanting in low, dulcet tones to Jake. The kid I'd known for years was slowly relaxing, though the horror was a constant. I think having me with him helped somewhat—if only a little. I wasn't too sure how much to interfere. I wanted to say so many things to him, but I wasn't sure how welcome I'd be.

After abandoning him, Quil and Embry for months because I hadn't wanted to put them in danger, I'd done the very thing I'd set out not to do.

I had jump-started Jacob's phase.

There was no denying it, and that hurt me deep in my heart in a place I hadn't even known existed.

"Fuck."

My one word seemed to set things in motion, and fast—so fast, in fact, that I could hardly keep my head straight.

Jake was phasing. In a movie theatre. In front of my imprint, some random kid from Forks and Jake's new BFF (and don't get me started on her). And to top it all off (because really, my life didn't suck enough), the people were being let out of the movie now.

Just what I needed. A fucking crowd.

I made up my mind in a split decision. I didn't have the time to linger on choices—it was either risk exposure or hurt Seth's feelings and ditch him.

"Bella—can you call for a ride for you and Mike and Seth?" I was already shoving Jake out of the theatre, pushing frantically against his chest. He was trembling faster, violently.

"Uh—"

"Great. Seth—I'm so sorry!" I shouted, trying to avoid his face. I couldn't bear the disappointment I was so certain I'd find. "I'll explain it later, I promise!" But that was a lie. I couldn't explain a goddamn thing in this mess.

"Wait—where are you going?" Seth was shouting after me, among the crowd of audience members. I guess that was a blessing in disguise; at least I didn't have to worry about him running after me.

"Jake—he's sick!" I called, not really lying. Definitely understating, though. He was fucking turning into a wolf in front of my eyes. "I gotta' get him home!"

Bella was too stunned to follow me, and Blondie didn't seem to care overmuch. Good, another thing not to worry about. If things went my way, he wouldn't remember any of this in a month from now.

(Yeah, like that's gonna happen).

As for Jacob, he moved backwards with a quiet, confused acceptance. He didn't feel right, and I could completely relate. The itch was probably so strong that it hurt by now—not quite the bone-breaking pain, but getting there. I hadn't gotten far from the doors where he collapsed on his hands and knees.

"Rough night!" I laughed awkwardly at some stunned by-passers. A man and woman both looked on in fear (naturally they were scared for the kid. They probably should've been scared for themselves), but they left after some pretty rude words from my mouth. Hey—whatever keeps them safe, right?

I almost bodily rolled Jake away from the steps, ushering him through the parking lot. I could feel the phase—where the fuck was Sam? If he was using his damn sex-bed, I was gonna kill him.

Sex, at a time like this…the shame…

I'll admit, I wasn't all together there and present. I think I was in shock as much as Jake—maybe more, considering I knew what was happening to him. There was no denying the fear in his big brown eyes, though—something which ripped me in half.

"What's happening?" he cried out, hugging his middle. Well, that wouldn't help him. He was going to phase not matter how tightly he curled in on himself.

"Just relax," I said as calmly as possible (I was still half-gone, mentally). "It'll be over quick."

Wrong words.

"I'm dying?" His horrified shout was accompanied by a thud as I hurled him behind a tree.

"Shh!" I hissed, searching frantically for eavesdroppers. Particularly Swan and my poor imprint (who I couldn't believe I fucking left with her). "It'll be ok, Jake—you're not dying, for fuck's sake."

"Luce—" His final word before he gave one last tremble and, following a swift push from my merciless, desperate hands, he exploded.

Jacob was a natural.

I knew that pretty fast, but when he phased back into a human within twenty-four hours, let alone the four fucking hours it actually took, I felt it safe to say we had our new Alpha.

Except…Jacob didn't like that. In the slightest.

I don't wanna be your damn leader! he shouted—he hadn't quite grasped the fact that we could hear him just fine, despite it being in our heads. We all cringed involuntarily, scowling mentally at him. His fears were understandable, though. He thought that being better at this made him more of a monster than he already was.

I preferred the term, genetic mutation.

I don't care what you freaking prefer, Lucy! Jake's head hung miserably between his gigantic front paws. I don't want to be the best monster of all of us.

Cheer up, man, Paul offered in the most unhelpful way possible. You could be a leech.

A what?

Damn it, Paul!

Paul only snickered, and all at once (in a far-too-fast onslaught of information), everything was revealed. And not just wolves, no—though that too. Our rapid-healing, our immortality, our explosive nature, our speed, our stamina, our enhanced senses, our need for secrecy, our inability to leave La Push (that one was possibly the toughest pill to swallow. No one blamed Jake for acting out on that one—we'd all done worse). And imprinting (more on that one later, though, because Jake didn't really want to consider what that meant, for the time being).

And then the Cold Ones.

Vampires.

It's hard trying to explain something to a wolf via the pack-link, because our thoughts come out in a very jumbled manner. It's not a cut and dry explanation; it's more like a sudden definition of words and thoughts and memories. It is damn hard to follow for an experienced wolf, let alone a brand new one.

Jake…Jake followed it freakishly well.

Would you cutitout with that natural-wolf crap? Jake snarled, his words tinged with fear, almost visibly so. I'm not some kind of…of….

Alpha? Paul broke out into loud guffaws, like a donkey. Hey! Oops.

Vampires are real, Jake was repeating to himself as he paced restlessly. Many wants and needs popped up in his head. Billy was a prominent one for both. He needed his father, and no one could begrudge him that. And he was hungry—yeah, we definitely understood that one. Tired, yep. Irritated, double-yep. And Bella.

I swore softly in my mind, waiting for the explosion.

And explode he did.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SEE HER? Jake wasn't just mad—he was furious. After two hours of trying to calm him down, we were at square one again. Probably worse than square one—more like, square negative five. Unless that puts us back before he phased, in which case, where are we now? What's worse than square one? Or is square one before he phased—in which case, what square are we on now? Is this square five? Six? Who knows? What kind of dumb saying is that?

Holy shit, would you shut up? Paul was trying desperately to shut the pair of us up, and I snickered unwillingly at his impatience.

I can't do this, Jake begged frantically. Sam was growing angrier with Paul and myself by the minute—having his to-be Alpha freshly-phased probably wasn't helping matters, either. I can't, Jake repeated. I can't deal with people in my head at all hours of the day. I just…can't.

You get used to it, Paul reassured. More like lied. I still hadn't gotten used to it.

Jake was replaying various memories of himself with Bella, unused to the feeling of people watching your every thought, literally. Hugging her, laughing with her (or at her, because she didn't smile a whole hell of a lot), kissing her—

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I shouted, stunned. You did not kiss the leech-lover.

Jacob roared. Don't call her that!

Why not? I asked him reasonably enough—alright, I was fucking pissed at the tone he took. But I still felt enough guilt over making him phase that it tamed my overbearing anger. It's what she is. Look at the facts.

And I showed him the memory of Sam and myself finding her, curled on the forest floor.

'He's gone,' she repeated numbly, as Sam carted her to her father's waiting arms. She was tiny and fragile and it was still kinda-heartbreaking, even after she started totally using Jake for the happy sunshine coming from him.

Sam was pissed off, and even more so now that I'd picked that memory to replay. I knew he didn't like remembering her small body, curled up like a child's on the damp ground, with the scent of leech almost overpoweringly strong.

Enough, he snapped (finally—I'd been waiting for this). Go home and sleep. Lucy, you're on babysitting duty with Jared tomorrow, 6 till noon. Paul, you and Embry, noon till 6 at night.

No can do, Alpha, I said cheerfully, thinking of Seth. I gotta fix things with Seth (he needs me needs me gotta explain).

Sorry Lucy, Sam said, and I knew I wasn't going to like whatever the fuck came out of his mouth. I need you tomorrow.

Damn.

As I'd done with Embry when he first phased, I spent most of the next day with Jacob. The poor guy was hurting something fierce—and the whole world knew it. So instead of taking time off like Sam had allotted for me, I was spending every minute with Jake, when I knew, knew it deep in my soul, that Seth was somewhere, hurting.

Billy had admitted that Bella had called, several times, and Jake found messages, several, on the machine. Grimacing, most likely dreading the conversation that was to come (the one that had to come, because with Sam there was no choice). Jake was upset, but all in all, his control over his wolf was incredible. After two days of sleeping at Jake's house, most often in his garage in the backseat of his Rabbit (alone, I'd like to add), after the two days of watching him lose his cool every few hours and recover even faster, I felt ready to ask for a break.

I wanted to see Seth. I needed to. Nothing was more important than fixing the giant fucking mess I'd unintentionally created—and at the same time, I was absolutely terrified to try. What the fuck was I going to tell him this time? Sorry Seth, I'm a werewolf. I knew Jake was about to shift for the first time and I didn't want him to kill anyone so I ditched you with Swan and Blondie. But it was to protect you, I swear.

Yeah, that'd go over well.

Honestly, I was ready to give it a shot, but Sam was oddly firm about me keeping my mouth shut.

"No, Lucy," he said for the thousandth time after I'd asked to let Seth in on the Big Secret. "Not yet. He's still too young."

Well that was just bullshit.

(But I never protested, oddly enough).

I left Jake laughing in Sam's backyard with Embry and Jared, tossing a medicine ball around as a baseball, using their wolfy-strength to keep from damaging their hands. Their booming howls echoed across the yard as I walked away, grinning and nervous and just…one giant mess.

That's all this was, really. One giant mess.

I covered my eyes as I walked in (I'd learned to give ample warning and look away when trying to find Sam or Emily, especially if they were alone. Together. God forbid, in their room…). "SAM?"

Thankfully, they were just cuddling on the couch. Sam had one beefy arm draped over Emily's slim shoulders, hugging the scarred half of her body close to him, peppering kisses along the raised lines of her skin like he could heal them with doggy-love.

(The idea was far-fetched, but I didn't doubt the fact he'd probably tried).

"What's up, Lucy?" Emily asked, smiling genuinely at me. I returned the gesture stiffly, clasping my hands behind my back. Losing control because of my nerves would be the worst thing ever.

"I need to talk to Sam. You mind?"

Emily raised one eyebrow, looking up at Sam. The man in question said nothing, staring impassively at me with an expression that seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. "This won't take long, Em," reassured Sam, patting her hip comfortingly. She kissed his chin chastely and swept away into a different room, leaving us to talk.

"Sam…"

The awkward word was all I could get out. He nodded in understanding.

"You gotta see Seth," he said quietly, "Yeah, I figured. Don't worry about patrol tonight—I was thinking of letting Jake run it by himself for a few hours, let him get used to being wolf before having to share his thoughts with everyone."

"You're gonna' leave him alone?" My surprise was obvious; I couldn't find the will to hide it, not on top of everything else. "Already?"

Sam gave a mild shrug, presumably unoffended. "You've seen how good Jake is. I know you have."

"Well, yeah, but—"

"I'll be at the ready the whole time," he said gently, standing up to pat me on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Now," he clapped his hands briskly, "I don't think you came here to talk about Jake, now did you?"

I flushed in remembrance. "No, I-I didn't." I twisted my fingers nervously, biting my lip. "I want to see Seth but…I haven't got a fucking clue what to say!"

With wide, pleading eyes, I silently implored my Alpha for guidance. He didn't chastise my cussing, so I knew he was busy thinking about something to tell me, some comforting shred of information that would shed light on the situation, enough so that I wasn't shaking like a leaf when I went to see my imprint.

All Sam said was, "Have you thought of apologizing?"

I blinked up at him.

That's it?

Without meaning to, the words came out aloud. "That's all you got? Apologize? We're talking about me ditching Seth for my ex-best friend, and sending him home with Bella Swan, who he barely knows from a fucking hole in the ground, for reasons that I can't even explain! And you want me to just apologize? Holy shit," I breathed, stunned. "You gotta be fucking pulling my leg. Yanking my chain. Pulling the wool over my eyes."

"Are you finished yet?"

I took in a deep cleansing breath, and stopped pacing after a pause. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good." Sam pushed me into a chair and sat opposite from me. "Sit," he ordered (a tad unnecessarily, I think).

"Lucy," he began in a low voice, "I know Seth. You seem to be forgetting that I spent a lot of time with the kid, not long ago." Oh yeah, when he dated Leah. Fuck, I'd forgotten entirely. "I know what he's like. The kid can't hold a grudge to save his life. He'd probably hang out with me if I really tried," Sam made it sound like a ludicrous idea—and it was. Seth hanging out with his sister's evil ex-boyfriend? Yeah, not likely…

Then again…it is Seth. (My heart did that warm expanding thing it always did when I thought of him).

"And you've got the imprint working on your side," he added calmly, leaning forward with his elbows braced on his knees. "Trust me—apologize to him and mean it, and you just might be surprised, Lucy."

"Yeah," I said slowly, frowning, "Or he'll hate me and never talk to me again."

Sam snorted in exasperation. "Get out of my house and go find the boy, you idiot," he threw in a tousle to my hair, laughing as I scowled over my shoulder at him and went to find my imprint—for better or for worse.

So is Seth going to forgive her? What's Jake going to do about Bella? And what about poor Quil?

I just wanted to say that I'm so excited writing this! Normally, I struggle with certain parts of my stories, but this came surprisingly easy. I am INTENSELY excited to post chapter...twelve or thirteen. Maybe fourteen-whatever. It's coming up.

Thanks for reading!