Author's Note: Hmm, guess there wasn't as much of a need for a stalling episode as I thought there was… Got this thing done faster than I figured. Anyway, this chapter goes a bit slower than the other ones, but hopefully you'll start to see the slow transition of Jacob's and Edward's relationship/issue/interaction… (Oh, and hey, more Bella-bashing for those who are fans of it. x3)
Chapter Nine: Fairy Tale
It was the day of Bella's graduation party, and Jacob still had every intention of going because-to his own admittance-he was a sick, sick puppy. Over the weekend, he had decided that avoiding her and Edward really wasn't going to do anything for him, so why the hell not? He also decided on the perfect gift for her, too. Months ago, back when he thought he and Bella were going to spend a long time together and back when there weren't any Cullens in Forks, he had hand-carved her a small, wooden wolf charm. The thing had sat on his bedside table for a long while for him to project his angst at, but it was time he finally gave it to her. It might be a good apology gift for the mental-breakdown-slash-forced-kissing incident, too.
However, Jacob wasn't crazy enough to walk into a coven alone-even one that would be crowded with tons of humans too. So, with his wolf charm on a store-bought chain and wrapped, it was time for step two: get company to come with him. And he decided his two best friends would be the best bet for that company. Except…
"Hell no," was the first thing out of Embry's mouth when Jacob asked, and Quil gave a short nod in agreement.
"Aw, come on, please!" Jacob pleaded from the two boys on the couch in his living room. They both looked a little edgy, but not exactly angry. So did all of the pack, really. Over the weekend, he had run into almost all of them around the reservation or at different people's houses, and they all reacted to him the same way: stressed and tense, with a sort of forced friendliness. And they all said the stress was from something else pack-related. So, Jacob decided, whether they saw his conversation with Leah or not, they clearly hadn't drawn the same conclusion that she did. He was still considered part of the pack.
"That sounds like a pretty terrible idea, Jacob," Quil said flatly. "Walk into a vampire coven in human form? They could kill us as soon as look at us."
"I don't think they'll attack in front of all the humans that'll be at the party, too," Jacob reasoned. He really wanted them there. He didn't want to face Edward and Bella alone, or go to a party where he wouldn't know anyone.
Embry grimaced. "Why should we go? There's nothing for us."
Jacob's fingers drummed on his knee for a moment, and then he said, "There'll be girls you've never seen there, Embry!" he grinned. "And it's a dance party, so you can show off your moves."
The werewolf rolled his eyes. "Not all of us are playboys, Jacob."
"True…" Quil smirked at Embry from the corner of his eye. "But you are."
"Well what's in it for Quil?" Embry redirected them, lips twitching.
Jacob, again, thought a moment. "A chance to help out your very best friend?" he answered hopefully.
"You mean the friend who's been ditching us for nearly a month?"
Jacob stared down at his shoes. "Yeah, that friend."
He felt a nudge at his knee and looked up to see Embry looking back at him with an outstretched hand. "Hey, we get it, you're going through some… thing… that's bothering you. And… well, we wish you'd tell us, but if you need our help, we're here. Do you really need to go to this party?"
"Yeah," Jacob gave a weak smile, "I really do. Bella invited me, and so I want to go, and…"
"And?" Quil asked.
"And… I have other business there, too." Namely, to show Edward that he hasn't completely scraped me off of him yet.
Quil and Embry exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable, but they turned back to him with forced smiles. "And you really need us there?"
Jacob nodded again. "Yeah. If I'm going to jump into a situation where I'm likely to get chewed, I want my wingmen with me."
Quil nodded back, silently agreeing, and Embry sighed. "Fine, fine. We'll go with you and just… be there, if you need our help."
Jacob grinned. "Thanks, guys."
So right at the turning point between evening and night, the three of them were driving down the long driveway to the Cullen household. Jacob had his gift in his pocket and was trying to be bright and cheerful, but the other two couldn't seem to shake their tension. Tension that seemed to be lashing out at random things.
"Why the hell are there so many lights? I feel like it's Christmas. Did they think we wouldn't be able to see or something?" Embry growled, looking around at all the twinkling lights on every third tree they passed, leading all the way up the drive.
Jacob shrugged. "It's probably harder for people to find the house since they can't smell it."
That might have been one of the sources of tension. All three werewolves were highly aware that the car they were in was headed towards a huge center of vampires where the scent hung thick and heavy and where they would be at a disadvantage in a fight. When they pulled up to the house, there were already several cars there and they could hear techno and hip-hop thrumming from the building. Jacob also saw a variety of colored lights flashing through cracks in the curtains.
"Never realized Bella was a raver…" Quil muttered under his breath, scanning the nearby shadows and wrinkling his nose at the smell. Jacob couldn't blame him, he was choking on it, too.
The trio made their way up to the porch and Jacob quickly rang the bell. He wasn't going to chicken out now. They won't attack anyway, he assured himself firmly. His hands were still shaking though, and so was Embry.
They waited for a long minute. "They probably smell us," Jacob sighed. They weren't going to leave, though. He pressed the doorbell, this time holding it down for a couple seconds before releasing it.
Another minute-long pause.
"Jacob, maybe we should-" Embry began, but Jacob had already grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open, ignoring the cracks of a splintering wooden lock and walking into the main hall of the house. Just as Quil had suspected, they'd turned the entire place into an underground club. The floor was completely black and perfect for reflecting the pulsating lights flashing from the ceiling. Giant speakers lined one wall and a very full food-and-drink table lined the other. Jacob twitched slightly as the pounding of the bass-beat hit his ears. I don't think I've been to a club since I phased… It's louder than I remember.
He took a few slow steps inside, Quil and Embry following tentatively, and he immediately caught sight of Bella. She had her back turned and was looking around, completely ignoring them.
"Hey, Bella!" Jacob called, waving her over. She turned around and immediately made a less-than-friendly face. She gave a curt wave, and then quickly sped through a crowd of people and disappeared.
"Told you this was a bad idea," Embry muttered, but Quil elbowed him.
"We'll be around, Jake. Just… call if you need us."
The two men wandered across the dance floor to the food, and towards a pack of girls.
Jacob strode forward, determined to catch Bella before she completely ditched him. She had invited him after all. He caught up to her just as she was nearing the Cullens' kitchen. He reached out to grab her shoulder, but she ducked away and tried to bolt. What? Jacob's hand closed on her wrist and he tugged on it to turn her around. She glared, clearly wanting to be anywhere but there.
"Friendly reception," he commented lightly, returning her glare with a steady gaze.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, yanking her hand free with a glare.
Clearly she was still angry. "You invited me, remember?"
"In case my right hook was too subtle for you, let me translate: that was me uninviting you," Bella growled.
Jacob frowned. "Don't be a poor sport. I brought you a graduation present and everything."
She folded her arms and pointedly started looking over his shoulder at someone or something in the crowd. "Take it back to the store, Jake. I've got to do something…" She trailed off, tilting her head and still looking around.
Jacob stepped in front of her to regain her attention. "I can't take it back. I didn't get it from the store-I made it myself. Took a really long time, too." He knew he was being a bit petulant, but he was starting to get annoyed with her complete disregard. Yes, he made a mistake, but it certainly wasn't the first one. You're just trying to dodge the guilt, a voice in the back of his mind muttered, but he ignored it.
Bella ignored him and continued to scan the crowd for somebody. Or just trying to find an escape from him.
"Oh, c'mon, Bella. Don't pretend like I'm not here!"
"I'm not," she snapped back, but even that sounded distracted. "Look, Jake, I've got a lot on my mind right now."
Jacob sighed and gently put his hand under her chin, lifting her face up to directly meet her eyes. "Could I please have a few seconds of your undivided attention, Miss Swan?" he asked in his best Edward-impression.
She jerked away from his hand and narrowed her eyes at him. "Keep your hands to yourself, Jacob."
"Sorry!" he dropped his hands at the sound of her angry hiss. She really was furious. "I really am sorry. About the other day, I mean, too. I shouldn't have kissed you like that. It was wrong. I guess…" How am I going to explain this one? "Well, I guess I deluded myself into thinking you wanted me, too."
She very nearly sneered. "Deluded-what a perfect description!"
She's reminding me of Leah, now. "Be nice. You could accept my apology, you know."
"Fine," she replied flatly. "Apology accepted. Now, if you'll just excuse me for a moment…" She turned to walk away and Jacob's gaze dropped to the floor.
"Okay," he muttered, letting her go. "I guess you'd rather be with your real friends. I get it." He'd finally done it-no more nice afternoons at La Push anymore, then. Stupid werewolf. Your indecision did this. Embry and Quil were right, it had been a mistake to come. And I didn't even get to see-
She groaned loudly and Jacob looked back up. Now it looked as if her anger had turned to exasperation. "Aw, Jake, you know that's not fair."
Jacob was confused. "Do I?"
"You should," she leaned towards him, trying to catch his gaze, but a specific scent wafted by and Jacob's eyes snapped up and over her shoulder to a man in the corner.
Edward stared at him expressionlessly, frozen mid-stride. His skin, which was almost glowing under the throbbing and flashing lights, stood out against the black button-down he wore-sleeves rolled up to his forearms, as always. His whole outfit was black, actually, and it made him blend almost effortlessly into the shadows. He looked dangerous. He looked… enticing.
"Jake?"
Jacob's gaze was still over Bella's shoulders, on the vampire less than thirty feet away. Under the red-and-purple strobe lights, he couldn't believe anyone could mistake them for being human. No one could glow like that. No one could look so menacing or so ethereal-or so very, very inhuman. The darkness masked whatever emotion he was wearing, but every now and then, a beam of light would hit it and Jacob would feel the weight of dark amber eyes on him.
"Hey, you said you made me something, right?" Bella's voice wrenched his gaze away from the vampire. "Was that just talk? Where's my present?" Jacob rolled his eyes. So now she's interested.
"I'm waiting," she said, holding her hands out. Jacob glanced up again, but the space where Edward had stood was empty.
"Right," he said, a bit distractedly, but he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the fabric pouch that he had put the charm in. He set it in her palm.
She smiled. "Hey, that's pretty, Jake. Thanks!"
He stopped himself from rolling his eyes again and settled for a sigh. "The present is inside, Bella."
"Oh." She fiddled with the strings holding the pouch shut, so Jacob reached out and took it from her again, untying it. He turned the bag upside down and shook the charm and the silver bracelet he had bought into her hand.
"I didn't make the bracelet," he admitted, handing her the pouch. "Just the charm."
He watched as she lifted it up to peer at it closer and turned it over in her hand. It had taken him days to get the dozens of tiny lines to indicate the wolf's fur right, but it had turned out pretty good. At the time, he had been pretty proud of it.
"It's beautiful," she finally whispered, lowing the charm and looking at him. "You made this? How?"
He shrugged. "It's something Billy taught me," he explained. "He's better at it than I am."
"That's hard to believe," she murmured under her breath, still studying each detail of the wolf and touching it almost reverently. Jacob smiled. Perhaps he had succeeded in getting her a good apology gift.
"Do you really like it?"
"Yes! It's unbelievable, Jake." She grinned and he returned her expression, but when the too-sweet tang of Edward's scent came back, his attention snapped back to that. However, that time, Edward decided not to be visible. The smile slid off Jacob's face. He's playing that game, is he? "Well, I figured that maybe it would make you remember me once in a while. You know how it is, out of sight, out of mind," Jacob said pointedly, glancing up to see if the vampire was sticking to the ceiling or something.
Bella ignored his comment. "Here, help me put it on."
She held out her wrist and he quickly fastened the clasp for her. The silver rings clinked together.
"You'll wear it?" he asked.
"Of course I will." He grinned at that, and this time it stayed. She really had forgiven him. The anxiety came back, though, when she began scanning the room frantically again.
"Why're you so distracted?"
"It's nothing," she replied, a little too airily, "Thanks for the present, really. I love it."
Jacob frowned. Something's definitely up. Bella never gets worried about anything. "Bella? Something's going on, isn't it?"
"Jake, I…" she trailed off, finally focusing only on him. Jacob waited. "No, there's nothing."
"Don't lie to me, you suck at lying. You should tell me what's going on. We want to know these things," he said firmly. He knew something had Edward wound up like all hell, and he knew a vampire had snuck into Bella's room at some point-but he knew nothing else. Clearly, though, Bella did.
"Jacob, I will tell you. Just let me figure out what's happening, okay? I need to talk to Alice."
At the name, Jacob's eyes widened. "The psychic saw something."
She nodded. "Yes, just when you showed up."
So that's why she was distracted. Just looking for the sparkling fortune teller. He lowered his voice for his next words. "Is this about the bloodsucker in your room?"
"It's related," she admitted.
Jacob stared at her for a few long moments, taking in the tense lines on her face, the lack of focus, the light tint of fear that radiated from her body… Something had her badly scared-and nothing scared Bella. Not vampires. Not werewolves. Not exceptional heights.
"You know something you're not telling me… something big."
"Yes," she murmured, her voice barely above the music.
He grimaced, and then looked over his shoulder. Quill and Embry were wandering a bit aimlessly, glancing over at Jacob every few moments. The last time they looked, their eyes narrowed. They knew something was up, too. Jacob's gaze flicked back to Bella for a moment, and the look on his face had his two packmates marching straight towards them. They weaved through the crowd, touching no one, and flanked him on either side.
Jacob turned back to Bella. "Now. Explain."
"Jacob, I don't know everything," she hedged, glancing around the room again.
"What do you know, then?" He folded his arms and saw Quil and Embry mirror the motion.
Suddenly, Bella brightened. "Alice!" Her voice came out as almost a squeak.
Jacob looked over his shoulder and saw the vampire in question look directly at them and skip-skip?-to Bella's side. She quickly stepped behind Bella and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist. "I need to talk to you," she murmured softly, locking eyes with Jacob and shooting him the second most possessive look he'd ever seen-Edward still held first place.
"Er, Jake, I'll see you later…" Bella trailed away, smiling brightly and leaning into Alice.
What… the… Hell? For the smallest instant, Jacob wildly wondered if they were together. Everything from clearly-owning arm that curved around Bella's waist to the way Alice held her body close and whispered in her ear. But no… no, that was ridiculous…
Still.
"Hey, not so fast," Jacob snapped, bracing his arm against the wall and blocking their way. They weren't going to slink away without telling the wolves what the problem was. Chances were, if it was a problem for vampires, it was going to be a damn big issues for the werewolves.
"Excuse me?" Alice's gentle voice was gone and a hard growl replaced it.
"Tell us what's going on," Jacob growled back.
But before she could say anything, Jacob saw another flashing movement and suddenly another vampire was standing right next to him, aggression pulsing off of him in waves. He was blonde and pretty badly scarred up, and was leaning protectively towards Alice. Jacob grudgingly lowered his arm, trying to avoid a fight. They couldn't afford a showdown among a pack of humans. "We have a right to know," he insisted firmly, careful to keep his voice below the music.
The male stepped between Alice and Jacob, who narrowed his eyes at the aggressive stance. Clearly he was raring for a fight-and Jacob would be happy to oblige.
"Hey, hey. This is a party, remember?" Bella broke in, a hint of hysteria in her voice.
Jacob's glare slid past the male vampire and to Alice, who was still clutching Bella. It was because of his focus that he saw the point at which she suddenly changed her mind. "It's okay, Jasper. He actually has a point."
The male-Jasper-didn't relax or step down. Jacob raised his chin slightly. He wasn't going to be intimidated by some uppity leech.
"What did you see, Alice?" Bella asked, glancing between all of their faces anxiously.
The black-haired woman glanced back down at her. "The decision's been made."
Jacob squinted slightly. What? What's that mean?
"You're going to Seattle?" Bella frowned.
"No." came the short answer.
And then Bella went from abnormally pale to as white as a sheet. "They're coming here."
Jacob felt his chest clench and trembles danced over his skin. On either side of him, he noticed both other werewolves also shaking. He wasn't sure who 'they' were, but he figured it had something to do with the red-haired vampire that had freaked Edward out before. The vampire that terrified Bella and worried the whole pack of them. The 'they' implied that now she had friends.
"Yes," he heard Alice say in the background.
"To Forks."
"Yes."
"For?"
"One carried your red shirt."
Jacob grimaced. If a pack of vampires were coming, it was up to the pack to kill them off. It sounded like they were no friends of the Cullens, either, so perhaps they'd have that coven on their side. The vampires and Bella continued to discuss the issue in front of Jacob, Quil and Embry. He listened intently, picking up information to give Sam, and he was sure the other two were as well.
Jasper was grimacing. "We can't let them come that far. There aren't enough of us to protect the town."
"I know. But it doesn't matter where we stop them," the psychic replied. "There still won't be enough of us, and some of them will come here to search."
Bella mouthed something but Jacob missed it. He did pick out her next words, though. "Alice. I have to go, I have to get away from here."
Alice was still looking vaguely ahead, not seeing any of them. "That won't help. It's not like we're dealing with a tracker. They'll still come looking here first."
"Then I have to go to meet them!" Bella's voice was rasped and choked with near-terror. "If they find what they're looking for maybe they'll go away and not hurt anyone else!"
"Bella!" Alice cut her off, her tone tinted with exasperation.
"Hold it," Jacob interrupted, jumping in. He had to be sure of his theory. "What is coming?"
Alice's look turned icy. "Our kind. Lots of them."
I was right. "Why?"
"For Bella. That's all we know."
"There are too many for you?" he asked, cocking his head. So there had to be enough vampires to not only be able to out-maneuver Alice's psychic abilities but able out-smart Edward's mind-reading. The other Cullens might have special abilities they could use, too... So that meant a whole festival of leeches.
Jasper bristled. "We have a few advantages, dog. It will be an even fight."
"No," Jacob shot back, a wild idea coming to mind. He could use something to distract himself. "It won't be even."
Before he could elaborate, Alice's face lit up with a vicious hiss. "Excellent!"
Her growl turned into a grin and Jacob couldn't help but grin back. Time for a good ol' fashion vampire-hunt.
"Everything just disappeared, of course," Alice continued, referring to her view of the future Jacob guessed. "That's inconvenient, but, all things considered, I'll take it."
"We'll have to coordinate," Jacob added, "It won't be easy for us. Still, this is our job more than yours." Finally, the town guardians would finally get to do some guarding. And the coordination shouldn't be too hard with Edward able to read their minds to relay their commands to the Cullens.
"I wouldn't go that far, but we need the help. We aren't going to be picky."
Right. Like werewolves are really such a step down. But even the slight scrape against his pride couldn't dampen his excitement.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Bella jumped in, sounding frantic. Jacob turned to her in annoyance and saw Alice do the same out of the corner of his eye.
"Coordinate?" Bella all but spat when everyone was finally looking at her.
Jacob scoffed at her incredulous doubt. "You didn't honestly think you were going to keep us out of this?"
"You are staying out of this!"
Jacob grinned again. "Your psychic doesn't think so."
"Alice-tell them no! They'll get killed!"
Jacob couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed. Quil and Embry echoed the sound. Honestly, some rogue vampires taking down a large werewolf pack? Ha! The vampires would have to number in the dozens to win.
"Bella," Alice's voice turned soft and soothing. "Separately we could all get killed. Together-"
"It'll be no problem," Jacob finished. Quil let out another excited laugh. He had missed the last vampire hunt, so this would be his first time-but Jacob had confidence in him. His wolf form was fast and darting, and he could outrun any vampire if absolutely necessary.
"How many?" Quil asked, the excitement practically flying off of him. Jacob turned his sunny expression to him, but Bella interrupted again.
"No!"
Alice smiled. "It changes-twenty-one today, but the numbers are going down."
So twenty-one of them and fifteen of us. Sam and Paul could both easily kill two, and I bet Edward could get more than one, too. We're pretty damn even. Jacob thought, the thrill whirring through him.
"Why?" Jacob asked after a short pause, wondering why the numbers are going down.
"Long story. And this isn't the place for it."
"Later tonight?" He pressured, hoping he'd be able to get a hold of Sam and the rest of the pack as soon as possible.
This time, Jasper answered. "Yes. We were already planning a… strategic meeting. If you're going to fight with us, you'll need some instruction."
Jacob gave a silent snort. Yeah. Right.
"No," Bella protested weakly, but no one paid her any mind.
"This will be odd," Jasper sounded almost thoughtful. "I never considered working together. This has to be a first."
"No doubt about that," Jacob agreed with a short shrug. "We've got to get back to Sam. What time?"
"What's too late for you?"
The oldest werewolf rolled his eyes. "What time?" he repeated. Like we really have a bed time.
"Three o'clock?"
"Where?"
"About ten miles due north of the Hoh Forest ranger station. Come at it from the west and you'll be able to follow our scent in."
Jacob wanted to point out that they could follow the scent from any direction, but he held his tongue. "We'll be there."
He turned and Quil and Embry were a breath behind.
Bella's "Wait, Jake!" held him back though, and he paused as the fellow pack members went on ahead. "Please! Don't do this!" she protested, sounding horrified by the idea. God, did she have no faith in them at all? They were werewolves. Giant vampire hunters! They were the vampire's only predator. Sometimes her faithlessness really got frustrating.
"Don't be ridiculous, Bells," he replied, giving a casual wave. "You're giving me a much better gift than the one I gave you."
"No!" Bella repeated, but Jacob kept walking. He jogged to catch up and met them at the Rabbit.
"You were right, Jacob!" Quil grinned at him as he slid into the car. "The party was totally worth it." Jacob laughed. That it was!
Embry's excitement, however, was tempered with concern. "You know what these means, don't you?" he asked quietly.
The driver turned to look at him. "What?"
"You're going to have to phase. You're going to have to share minds with us again."
x X x
For the first time since his phasing, Jacob felt cold. Ice ran through his veins and he trembled violently. Instead of his usual compulsion to shake apart, he felt as if he was going to implode from the stress.
But he had his mantra. He had his mental exercises. He was going to keep the pack from reading his mind if it killed him.
Jacob's fingers tightened on the windowsill, where he was looking out into the forest and waiting for his pack to come get him. They'd wonder what he was hiding, and they'd guess and poke at it, but he wouldn't let them figure it out. Only Leah 'knew' the truth, but it was really only a guess; they couldn't punish him based on her assumptions. Sam would technically be able to force it out of him, but the leader respected him, and Jacob doubted it would come to that. The pack would be angry and frustrated, but Jacob believed-had to believe-that he would last the night.
For three hours, Jacob stayed by the window and practiced not thinking about Edward-and complimenting himself every five minutes for not thinking about the man at all.
All too soon, Jacob heard a nine-part, singing howl. He slid his window open and leaned over the sill, looking out into the forest. Almost immediately, he saw a pack of huge wolves step from the shadows of the trees and look up at him expectantly. Jacob knew he wouldn't be able to skip this mission. He glanced over to the table by the window where he had his ankle cord and a pair of durable pants. It seemed strange, to prepare that again, but his fear damped a bit at the familiar activity.
The biggest one, his fur dark and foreboding, stood up on his haunches and growled at Jacob.
Wincing slightly at Sam's warning against procrastination, Jacob put a foot up on the windowsill and pushed off, flying into the open air and dropping two stories below. It felt like returning to an old habit, but was terrifying nonetheless. It was perfectly normal for him, but there was a whole new threat to it. The silver-gray wolf-Paul-crouched and snarled a little, the impatience showing in his flicking ears and twitching muscles.
Jacob drew a slow breath and released it as he bent to tie the sweat pants loosely to his leg so the knot would have room to expand as he phased. This was easy. He could do this. All he had to do was drop the reins. And plummet to my death.
Jacob unclenched his fists decisively and instantly felt a wash of heat burst out from his heart and slide over his skin as violent rattles. He tipped his head back, terror being burned away by the fire of a werewolf that had been held back for far too long, and exploded outward in all directions. Extra mass and fur covered him, pushing him up and out until he stood nearly six feet high at the shoulder. He stood on four legs with a long swishing tail and his maw was low to the ground as he caught his breath. He was a werewolf again. Slowly, he raised his eyes until they met the gaze of his leader.
Welcome back, Sam murmured in his mind, and Jacob felt the same emotion reverberating from the other pack members-except… there were two new strangers in the mix. Who?
Jacob's head whipped around and he snarled at the two smallest wolves, whose minds he didn't recognize. The two shrank back from their miffed older brother, but Seth jumped between Jacob and the other two before he could do anything.
Jacob, stop! We've had two new phases this month, so they're now official members of the pack. That's Colin, and that's Brady, Seth explained, jerking his nose at one, then the other.
Leah curled a lip at Jacob. That's what you get for cutting yourself away from us for so long… Oh, and why is that, by the way? She asked with mock curiousness.
Suddenly, her mind was right against his and he could tell that she was listening hard enough to catch the breathiest whisper of subconscious if Jacob let it slip. He immediately clenched his focus and stared down at the leaves. If it was any of your business, I would have said so. He growled, then shut down his higher thinking to focus solely on the ground.
Dark green, still damp from the morning rain… Evergreen? Looks like it. He pressed down into the ground with one paw, focusing only on what it felt like for his paw to sink into the mush and feel it crumple between the pads. The huge wolf dragged the paw through the earth, mind and eyes watching the dirt and leaves slide through his claws with an almost obsessive concentration. As he dragged it, deep marks were made by his claws in-
So it's going to be like that, is it? Embry's voice was soft, but the bitterness was clear. Jacob jerked his head up.
No, it's-I mean-I can't- Jacob stuttered and faltered. As soon as his focus lowered, a whole storm of memories slipped through the cracks and flooded outwards to the other pack members.
"Anyone at all!" Bella and Edward in riding jackets, intertwined around one another. Flashing black eyes melting into warm brown. A pair of hands sliding up a pair of legs, awarding small caresses all the way up. Kisses-hesitant with inexperience but enthusiastic with discovery. A cold grip on his wrists. A sneering mouth framed by the upturned collar of a sleek coat. Bella clutching her hand and spitting fury at him.
Clasped hands pressed into the dirt hard enough to dislocate fingers, shaking with passion overtaking two bodies immersed in- STOP! Jacob snarled out loud as he washed the images from his mind and faced his pack with fury. Get out of my head! Stop poking around, you bitch. He shot at Leah, mirroring her expression back at her, and then turned furiously to Sam. Aren't we going to be late or something?
Sam stared at him for a long moment, and then turned away and started walking towards the field that the Cullens had specified. The other followed silently, avoiding looking directly at Jacob. But Jacob had realized something-he wasn't the only one turned inward. As individuals and as a pack, they were trying to keep something from him just as badly as he was trying to keep something from them.
The march towards the field was mostly silent, but punctuated with small wisps of thoughts and emotions passing from one mind to the next. Briefly, he heard someone whisper I think that last one was two guys…, but the thought was gone as soon as Jacob latched on to it. Just as the trees started thinning, Sam addressed them.
Listen up: we're only going to watch. We don't fight them, we don't touch them. I don't want anything getting out of hand and I don't want a war on our hands because one of us can't control themselves, Paul. He emphasized the last name at the sound of the gray wolf's derisive snort.
The ten of them, Sam in the lead, and Paul and Jared on each shoulder, stepped through the last line of trees and into the clearing. The Cullens were all clumped together and eying them warily, and Bella was holding Edward's hand and watching them with wide-eyed terror.
Jacob's russet ears twitched when he caught Edward's faint "Fascinating," and knew he must be picking up the odd sound of individual thoughts overlaid with the together of the pack. Jacob knew their minds worked a bit like a tree where each small part came together to look-sound like one mass from a distance, and-he then realized-this was the first time the man had been in the presence of the whole pack in wolf form.
Edward was still wearing that same pressed button-down and slack set, but he looked a bit more normal without the strobe lights. His eyes still flashed unnaturally, though, and Jacob forced his mind away from that and towards the other vampires before his thoughts threatened to get louder.
The oldest-appearing one, Carlisle Jacob reminded himself, took a slow step forward. "Welcome."
Sam raised his head and met Edward's gaze. Would you relay to the others for me? He projected, and waited for the minute nod before continuing. Thank you. We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control.
As Edward repeated the words out loud, Jacob curled a lip. Our? Most of us are perfectly controlled.
I hope you haven't deluded yourself into including yourself in that category, Leah shot back, flicking her tail mockingly.
Oh, shut up. Like you're such a shining example of propriety. Jacob sneered back.
Both of you shut up, Jared cut in, half-looking over his shoulder at the pair of them. You should be paying attention to what's going on, not getting into another pissing match.
They are different from you? Sam was asking and Jacob, realizing he was probably missing key information, tuned back in.
Carlisle spoke again. "They are all very new-only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you," he gestured to each group in turn. "It shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."
Seth snickered eagerly-a sound that was echoed by the other young members of the pack. They would finally get to hunt. The excitement even leaked a little into Sam's tone.
We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary, he offered, and Paul flashed a wolfish grin that the father vampire smiled at. "We'll see how it plays out."
Do you know how they'll arrive? The leader asked and Edward echoed.
"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path."
The one that sees into the future, Jacob remembered. But if the werewolves were going to help them intercept the newborns, how would she know where they were? As he mulled it over, Sam answered. Thank you for the information. We will watch… And thank you for relaying that for us, he directed at Edward.
As another vampire stepped forward, this one with bright blonde hair and faint scars, Sam turned to Jacob. There's one that can see into the future?
The giant wolf nodded as the others laid down and watched the vampires. Her name's Alice, and she can only sort of see the future. I think she only gets vague clips of what happens, and she can't see what involves werewolves…Jacob paused. Except sometimes she can. That part's a bit confusing.
Meanwhile, the blonde was explaining general fighting information that applied to vampires in general, and Jacob was tempted to tune out, but he knew he had to focus. If he slipped, a thought he didn't want his family to see might slip past.
"Okay, Emmett first. He's the best example of a newborn attack."
Emmett-Jacob's eyes instinctively narrowed at the volatile vampire and the fur on the back of his neck bristled slightly-walked over to Jasper and assumed a sort of fighting pose. "I'll try not to break anything," he muttered with a twitching grin. Sure of his victory.
The scarred vampire grinned back, sure of the same thing. "What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about the attack. The newborns won't be trying anything subtle, either. Just go for the easy kill, Emmett." He backed up a couple steps. "Okay, Emmett-try to catch me."
With a snarl that had every wolf tensing, Emmett lunged at the other vampire, who ducked and slide to the side with a simple step and turned to knock Emmett away from him. Emmett kept reaching for him and catching only air as the blonde ducked and twisted away from his grasp. The movement was flashy and a bit unnecessary, but effective against Emmett who seemed good for nothing except for lunging threateningly. Suddenly, the blonde seemed to get bored and-after sliding up right behind Emmett-nipped the back of his neck. Emmett froze and cursed, admitting defeat.
Jacob could hear appreciation mildly rumble through the pack, though he wasn't that impressed himself. It wouldn't be hard to defeat Emmett with a technique like that, and the first vampire would probably be easily defeated by someone who put less flash in his steps.
"Again," the larger vampire insisted, straightening up and glaring at the other.
"It's my turn," Edward finally spoke up, sounding a bit off-put. Jacob forcibly turned himself away from his- him, and watched the blonde.
"In a minute," he was still grinning as he spoke, "I want to show Bella something first."
He turned and waved at the clump of Cullens and Alice came forward. Jacob stiffened against the memories of those months before, when she had been standing in Bella's driveway as a signal for the Cullen's return and forced himself to focus on the upcoming fight.
"I know you worry about her," the vampire explained. "I want to show you why that's not necessary."
Alice kept walking until she stood just a few feet away from the original vampire, who slowly crouched while she simply stood still. Oddly enough, Alice closed her eyes.
The blonde lunged forward, showing as much finesse as Emmett had earlier, but missed as Alice stepped aside. He turned and tried to grab her again, but she simply stepped aside. His next jump-and-turn set him a lot closer, and so that time, she twirled as she stepped so that she could do a quick dart to his other side. Jacob saw the blonde's eyes narrow. Suddenly they were moving a lot faster than the previous fight had gone. Both of them twisted and turned around one another, Alice slipping from the other's grasp each time and turning every dodge into the next. She never stopped moving, but she added nothing unnecessary. Every step, every duck, every turn was calculated to put her into the ideal spot, and Jacob knew he wasn't the only one riveted. Out of the few vampires he'd seen, including the Cullens, she was by far the most graceful.
After only a minute or two, Alice decided to end it. Doing another one of her ducking side-steps, she suddenly leapt upon his back and nipped his throat like the blonde had done to Emmett earlier. "Gotcha!" Her laughter sounded like a tinkling bell and she kissed the back of the other vampire's neck with the casual intimacy of two people very much in love.
I'm glad she's on our side, Seth commented quietly, and Jared nodded.
That one actually looks like a legitimate threat, he added, and the other wolves sent their agreement.
Jacob could only watch silently and feel a ribbon of envy curl through him at the pair.
Across the field, he heard Edward quietly say, "It's good for them to learn some respect," and then saw him walk forward to join the others. "My turn."
Vaguely, Jacob could hear Alice and Bella having a quiet conversation on the other side of the clearing, but all he was paying attention to was Edward. He and the other one faced each other silently, each feinting to one side or the other as they tried to find an open weakness. In a flash, they spotted the same weakness and closed in on one another.
Jacob knew the blonde must be trying to go off instinct alone, but he was still thinking and so Edward was still hearing it. The blonde would duck to one side and Edward's hand would be waiting. He would try to swing, but Edward was already out of his reach. But the other vampire clearly had a good deal of experience and they were fairly matched. Every once in a while, one of them would let out a vicious snarl as some move or another failed and the battle dragged on.
Five minutes. Ten. Jacob could read the frustration on Edward's face as his mind-reading abilities failed to give him a clear win. The blonde looked just as annoyed, hating that even his instincts were being read.
At long last, Carlisle cleared his throat and the two men backed off. They both flashed grins, but there was an edge to them.
"Back to work. We'll call it a draw," the first vampire consented, and the fights continued.
Carlisle went next, and then the pretty one whose name Jacob didn't know, and then Carlisle's wife-and then Emmett again. They all fought the blonde and each other, each battle technique different. The wolves weren't learning much in the way of fighting newborns, but they were learning the strengths and weaknesses of each Cullen. A handy bit of knowledge should a war break out.
Every now and then, Edward would flash him a look or stare at him and poke around in his mind, but Jacob did his best to ignore him. Keeping his thoughts on lockdown was hard enough without golden-amber eyes trying to silently communicate with him while doing it.
After a few hours-two? Three? It looks like dawn should be here soon…-the scarred vampire who had spoken to the pack before spoke again.
"We'll be doing this tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again."
Sam met Edward's gaze again and answered. Yes. We'll be here. And, if I may, I'd like it if my pack could read the scents of each of your family members so that we can tell them from the newborns.
They watched as Edward stepped away from Bella and repeated the message to his family. Carlisle nodded. 'Certainly. Whatever you need."
The pack all stood as one, grumbling unhappily about having to directly inhale leech stench, but they all followed Sam further out into the clearing. Jacob fell into step right behind him, with the other senior wolves following him, and the newest four trailing behind. Sam sniffed at Carlisle, who seemed very formal but not unfriendly about the activity. Both the blonde and Alice seemed tense about it, but Emmett was relaxed and Edward only had eyes for Bella in that moment. Jacob felt a flash of jealousy skitter just underneath his skin at the vampire failing to pay any attention to him at his best, but he shoved it back down as he sniffed the Cullens one by one.
He glanced over only briefly to see Bella studying him intensely. Did she know it was him? Jacob had no idea, but he was willing to risk it. He flashed her a wolven grin, his tongue lolling out in what he hoped was a friendly manner. Her mystified stare crumpled and she let out a sharp giggle, like someone expelling fear. Reassured, Jacob left his place in line and went over to the pair of them, wagging his tail slightly. Maybe if I associate us with dogs rather than wolves, she might calm down a bit.
He could still never forget the vivid terror in her eyes the first time she saw the pack in their wolf forms.
He briefly glanced over at Edward, who was staring even harder than Bella had. His gaze kept flicking towards Bella, probably reading her reaction to the giant dog in front of her, but Jacob could feel the weight of his judging gaze against his fur. Doing his best to ignore him-and self-consciously failing-Jacob crouched down in front of the girl and leaned in.
Bella blinked. "Jacob?"
Isn't that clear by now? Jacob chuckled at her, not unkindly, and watched as she slowly reached forward to touch the side of his face.
He closed his eyes, feeling a pleasant hum ringing in his chest, as she ran his fingers through his fur and stroked just below his ear. No one had ever petted him in wolf-form before. And it was rather… nice. As she leaned closer, her hand beginning to stray to his neck, Jacob opened his eyes again. The dog thing was just too tempting. He leaned forward, sticking out his tongue, and licked her face. Being the size he was, there wasn't a patch of skin his slobber missed.
"Ew! Gross, Jake!" She jumped back, scrubbing at her face with a sleeve, but she was laughing. Jacob stepped back, feeling his wolflike laugh escaping him, and grinned again. She put her arm down, mock glaring at him and looking like she was about to say something else, when she noticed the audience they had.
Jacob turned and looked at them as well, seeing the confusion and disgust on the faces of the vampires and the icy disapproval from his brothers.
You are not a dog, Sam growled, after a few moments of cold silence. And I would appreciate it if you refrained from acting like one.
The others seemed to be more amused than upset, except for Seth, who was leveling a… a glare? at Jacob. Why is he angry?
Don't worry about it, Seth muttered and forcibly cleared his mind like Jacob had earlier. Off to the side, he saw Leah shoot him a wordless warning look and Embry was edging away from him. Why? It didn't make any sense. What had happened between all of them? It seemed like they were keeping a secret that was just as bad as Jacob's was…
He glanced over at Edward, who looked… hurt? What the hell? The vampire refused to look directly at Jacob and, instead, simply stared down at Bella. Having finished their sniffing, the rest of the pack wandered off into the woods, leaving Jacob there almost alone. Quil and Embry were still hesitating by that first line of trees, waiting for their brother.
Edward finally silently gathered himself and pointedly took Bella's hand. "Ready to go?"
Wait! Another question popped into Jacob's mind. What are you doing with Bella, during the battle? Where is she staying?
Edward's gaze over Bella's head was entirely expressionless. "I've not quite figured out all the details yet."
Well that's something you might want to figure out, isn't it? Jacob grumbled. Why don't we just keep her somewhere nearby with a guard or two posted, and-
"It's more complicated than that," Edward interrupted. "Don't concern yourself, I'll make sure it's safe."
"What are you talking about?" Bella demanded before Jacob could continue.
Edward didn't even look at her-he only continued to stare levelly at Jacob. "Just discussing strategy."
Jacob narrowed his eyes, then promptly turned and stormed into the nearest patch of trees. He was going to talk to Edward as a human. Let him deal with that! And Bella needed to hear what he had to say, too. He phased back into his human form, pulled his black sweat pants from his ankle cord and walked back into the clearing when he became dressed.
His nerves were still buzzing as he approached the pair again. For some reason, Edward's chilled apathy was stinging more than his previous aggression would. "Okay, bloodsucker, what's so complicated about it?"
Edward didn't so much as twitch at the epithet. "I have to consider every possibility. What if someone gets by you?"
Great, you too? Are you were Bella got this idea of the 'incompetence' of werewolves? He snorted, not needing an answer. "Okay, so leave her on the reservation. We're making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. She'll be safe there."
Bella scowled at being left out of the conversation. "Are you talking about me?"
"I just want to know what he plans to do with you during the fight," Jacob explained patiently, turning a couple ideas over in his mind. All they really needed was a place the newborns wouldn't know where to look and a guard in case they found her anyway…
Bella bristled. "Do with me?"
"You can't stay in Forks, Bella," Edward elaborated, and his condescension was palpable to Jacob. "They know where to look for you there. What if someone slipped by us?"
The girl paled. "Charlie?"
But Jacob already had a plan for that. "He'll be with Billy. If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there, he'll do it. Probably it won't take that much." He paused for a moment, mentally flipping through his dad's and Charlie's usual plans. "It's this Saturday, right? There's a game."
"This Saturday?" Bella asked, looking almost dizzy about the date. "Well, crap! There goes your graduation present."
Edward laughed and Jacob watched disbelievingly as they both promptly lost the point.
"It's the thought that counts," he replied in his 'perfect' voice. "You can give the tickets to someone else."
Bella suddenly smiled. "Angela and Ben. At least that will get them out of town."
The vampire reached out and touched her cheek and Bella looked utterly dazzled, the two of them completely lost in their own world. "You can't evacuate everyone," he said, still smiling in that oh-so-gentle way. "Hiding you is just a precaution. I told you-we'll have no problem now. There won't be enough of them to keep us entertained."
Before they could continue, Jacob roughly cut in. "But what about keeping her in La Push?" The newborns will smell the werewolves all over and they won't touch the place.
The sparkly couple both looked annoyed at being interrupted, though. "She's been back and forth too much," Edward pointed out, his tone a bit sharp. "She's left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to come himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that." He frowned and his gaze slid back to his girlfriend. Jacob twitched. "I can't leave her somewhere she's been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It's a very long shot, but I'm not taking chances."
He lightly patted her arm. "Just being overcautious."
Jacob turned and gestured to the huge mountain range behind him. "So hide her here. There's a million possibilities-places either of us could be in just a few minutes if there's a need."
Edward immediately shook his head. "Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella's scent, it would catch their attention. We're not sure exactly which path they'll take, because they don't know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us…"
Jacob grimaced in frustration and saw Edward mirror the expression.
"You see the difficulties," Edward said quietly, probably turning over ideas like Jacob was.
"There has to be a way to make it work," Jacob muttered, but fell silent when Bella swayed on her feet. When was the last time she slept?
"I need to get you home-you're exhausted." The concern dripped off the vampire's tone as he put a careful arm around the girl and held her close. "And Charlie will be taking up soon…"
But Jacob had thought of something. "Wait a sec'. My scent disgusts you, right?" It wouldn't make any sense for the werewolves and the vampires to be teaming up, so they'll probably completely disregard the trails that we've left all through those mountains. I'll carry her and it should mask the scent.
"Hmm, not bad. It's possible." He turned to look over his shoulder. "Jasper?"
The blond vampire walked over to them, Alice a breath behind, and Jacob suddenly recognized the name. That was the same vampire that had been protecting Alice at the party a few hours earlier. He looked different in the dawn light than he had in that dark room, and his passive expression seemed to completely change his appearance. Jacob waited for them to speak or do something, but they only stood there and watched.
Well? Jacob pushed, and Edward nodded. "Okay, Jacob."
The dark-haired man reached out towards Bella, motioning for her to come closer. As she studied him suspiciously, Jacob couldn't help but start feeling wary. He and Edward and Bella were hardly alone together very much, and there was inherent tension every time. He remembered when Edward came back to Forks and they faced off, and just after Bella and Jacob kissed, and the two of them faced off again, and now… when there was nothing to fight about. Except for the girl hovering in between them-and the heavy stare they were exchanging.
Edward must have been thinking along the same lines since he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
"We're going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail," Jacob explained, still keeping his arms raised. Bella didn't move.
"You're going to have to let him carry you, Bella." It may have been just Jacob's interpretation, but Edward's voice sounded odd to him. He was still calm and infuriatingly neutral, but there were dark undertones underneath that Jacob couldn't read.
Bella only frowned.
I guess she's allergic to me now. A hint of annoyance wound through Jacob, but he ignored it as he reached forward and hoisted her into his arms with a muttered "Don't be such a baby." As soon as he did, though, his gaze met Edward's again and he froze. This was pretty much it, wasn't it? How they were. Jacob and Edward facing off with Bella mock-resisting in Jacob's arms. But then who's winning? Who's losing?
After less than a second, Edward pulled his attention away and glanced at Jasper. "Bella's scent is so much more potent to me-I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried."
Jacob knew a hint when he heard one. He turned and walked off into the woods, still a bit annoyed. Bella was pouting with her arms crossed, which made him have to hold her close to keep her from falling forward. He carried her in a long arc, ending just a short distance away from their original spot, and Edward immediately came into view. Which wasn't surprising, since Jacob knew he was well within the mind-reader's range.
"You can put me down now," Bella bit out, her arms crossed and her tone flat. It was alright, though. He was used to a lack of gratitude. At that thought, Edward's eyes briefly flashed to his, but Jacob pointedly turned away.
"I don't want to take a chance of messing up the experiment," he muttered back.
"You are so annoying."
"Thanks."
After another few poignant seconds, Alice and Jasper appeared next to Edward. Jacob immediately set Bella down-and she promptly walked away and took Edward's hand. Their eyes met again. Maybe that position, Edward and Bella clasping hands with Jacob standing by and wanting to be a part of it, was a more accurate representation of how the three of them were.
"Well?" Bella asked, looking towards the vampires that had been 'hunting' them.
"As long as you don't touch anything, Bella, I can't imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to that trail to catch your scent. It was almost completely obscured." He looked happy about it.
"A definite success." The fortune-cookie just looked disgusted.
"And it gave me an idea," Jasper added, and Alice brightened.
"Which will work," she chirped cheerfully.
Edward paused, then shared a smile with them. "Clever."
Jacob hadn't felt that much out of the loop since Embry joined up with Sam's gang. "How do you stand that?" He grumbled.
Edward ignored his distaste and, instead, explained the plan to Bella. "We're-well, you're-going to leave a false trail to the clearing, Bella. The newborns are hunting, your scent will excite them, and they'll come exactly the way we want them to without being careful about it. Alice can already see that this will work. When they catch our scent, they'll split up and try to come at us from two sides. Half will go through the forest, where her vision suddenly disappears…" He trailed off, shooting a half-smile at Jacob.
"Yes!"
And the half-smile turned into a real one at the wolf's excited hiss. Unfortunately, just when the warmth started to build, Edward's attention snapped towards Jasper and he practically spat. "Not a chance."
Jasper, looking as if he'd been caught doing something bad, immediately waved it off. "I know, I know. I didn't even consider it, not really."
Alice looked just as annoyed as Jacob at being left out and stepped on her partner's foot. "If Bell was actually there in the clearing," the vampire quickly turned to explain to her, "it would drive them insane. They wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but her. It would make picking them off truly easy…"
Both Edward's and Jacob's glares hardened at that.
"Of course it's too dangerous for her. It was just an errant thought," he added.
There was another pause long enough to make Edward repeat his reply.
"You're right," Jasper agreed and took Alice's hand. They started to head back towards the clearing. "Best two out of three?" the male asked casually, and heard her pleased reply. Apparently they would be practicing through the night. At something, Jacob's mind added, but he stifled that thought at Edward's slightly raised eyebrow.
Still, neither one of them were amused with Jasper's theory.
"Jasper looks at things from a military perspective," Edward's tone was low, neither approving nor disapproving of the motivations. "He looks at all the options-it's thoroughness, not callousness."
Jacob snorted. Every one of your delightful family members has an excuse, don't they?
They both fell silent, suddenly aware the proximity of the other two. The three of them had never stood that close before, and for some reason, it seemed significant. When was the last time Jacob had just existed next to Edward? No fighting, no sex, just existence… Not for a while, Jacob knew, and Edward seemed to be aware of that, too. Oddly enough, by the way Bella was glancing between the pair of them, it almost seemed like she was aware of the tension as well.
"I'll bring her here Friday afternoon to lay the false trail," Edward said at last, breaking the silence and making the other pair turn to him. "You can meet us afterward and carry her to a place I know. Completely out of the way, and easily defensible, not that it will come to that. I'll take another route there."
Jacob, however, was skeptical. "And then what? Leave her with a cell phone?"
"You have a better idea?" Edward almost sounded defensive, and Jacob couldn't quite keep his smugness down.
"Actually, I do." He briefly flashed the image of a werewolf sitting next to Bella, relaying thoughts to the wolf pack and receiving them. Both parties would know immediately if the other were in serious danger. And since Seth was being so prickly lately…
"Oh…" Edward mulled it over. "Again, dog, not bad at all."
The way he says it, it almost sounds like a term of endearment.
The vampire's stare was suddenly more intent, and Jacob quickly turned away to explain things to Bella. Again. "We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two. He's still too young, but he's stubborn and he's resisting. So I thought of a new assignment for him-cell phone."
Bella sort of half-nodded along, but it was clear the plan wasn't clicking.
"As long as Seth Clearwater is in his wolf form, he'll be connected to the pack," Edward clarified, then turned back to Jacob. "Distance a problem?"
Ha! "Nope." We've heard each other from at least three hundred miles. Maybe more.
"Three hundred miles? That's impressive." And he almost sounded genuinely impressed.
Jacob grinned slightly. "That's the farthest we've ever gone to experiment. Still clear as a bell."
Bella nodded again, this time seeming to understand, and Edward spoke again. "It's a good idea. I'll feel better with Seth there, even without the instantaneous communication. I don't know if I'd be able to leave Bella there alone. TO think it's come to this, though! Trusting werewolves!" He sounded disgusted by the idea.
"Fighting with vampires instead of against them!" Jacob copied the tone, but a smile twitched at his lips.
"Well, you still get to fight some of them," Edward corrected, and the flash of warmth that lit his eyes felt like it heated up Jacob's whole body, and the semi-grin they shared made it seem like they were almost friends. As if there really was an emotional bond between the physical connection. Almost as if… as if…
But Jacob didn't need to finish the thought. He already knew what it was. "That's the reason we're here."
x X x
The three of them quickly finished up their plans and figured out the times, the people involved, and everything else-and by a little after dawn, Jacob was on his way home. Just as he reached the main road to his house, though, Paul cut him off at the turn.
The other man jogged up, shirtless like he'd recently phased, and fell into step beside Jacob. Jacob watched warily. Paul talking to him alone usually meant he had a bone to pick, or he was just itching for a fight. Normally, Jacob would've been thrilled for the stress relief, but the previous day and the all-night vampire-watching and the Edward-time in the morning had worn him down and made him just want to sleep.
"Hey, Jacob," Paul greeted. Too casually, Jacob's mind pointed out. "What was that about, the staying behind?"
Jacob watched him out of the corner of his eye. He knew the pack didn't know his exact feelings for Edward, but if they had seen Leah's conversation, they would probably still be sniffing after the trail… And Jacob knew he'd have to watch what he said around the likely-scheming pack.
"Just deciding what to do with Bella during the battle," the man answered, shrugging. "Why?"
"Just making conversation." Paul dropped his gaze, watching his footsteps on the gravel road, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Hey, I was wondering… My parents are out of town for the weekend and you know I can't cook worth shit-do you think your dad would mind if I had lunch and dinner with you guys today?"
The request was perfectly normal, rather typical for the family-sharing pack really, but the tone was so off, Jacob stopped and stared at his packmate. The down-turned eyes, the slight hunch, the non-demanding tone… all of those were traits that Paul never showed, and Jacob knew there had to be something off about him. Was he having a fight with his family? Did he think he and Jacob were fighting and trying to make up? Jacob paused. Are we?
"What's this about?" Jacob asked suddenly, and Paul looked up again.
"The whole pack knows there's something wrong, Jake," his tone was low and serious, without a single aggressive edge or prideful lift. "Even Billy can tell, and he's been telling the other families about your issues. You aren't eating as much, and he doesn't think you're sleeping right, and you still won't talk to us. What's wrong? Please just tell us."
Jacob stayed silent until Paul reached out and grabbed his arm, just below the shoulder, and forced him to face him. "Why can't you at least tell me? You know me well enough. I'll probably stamp around and bitch and hit you a few times, and then I'll be over it-I'm probably the safest one to tell. Quil and Seth and Embry are all too emotional, Sam and Jared have to be focused on the good of the pack, and Leah holds grudges like their permanent tattoos-but I explode and then I'm done with it. Tell me."
Now it was Jacob's turn to get worried. How bad did it have to be before Paul got concerned about it? Sure, Jacob was losing some weight; eating human portions at meals did that. And his sleep schedule wasn't that bad. His mood… Well, it probably could be better, but when did Paul start giving a damn about that?
Still, I can't tell him. I can't tell anyone. They'll just have to deal with this.
Jacob pulled his arm away. "Stop worrying about it. Let's just go to my place, Dad'll be fine with having another lunch guest."
"You really are an ass sometimes," Paul muttered, but he put his hands back in his pockets and followed Jacob home.
When they reached the house, it was warm and bright as usual. Billy was in the living room, which meant Jacob was probably going to have to whip something up himself. "Sandwiches okay?" He asked the sullen Paul, but didn't wait for an answer. As his wolf brother lingered in the dining room, Jacob started rummaging through the fridge. After a moment or two, he pocked his head back out and glanced at Paul. "Coke? Sprite? Water?"
Paul shrugged. "A coke's fine."
Jacob tossed him one and took one himself, still a little offset by the man's demeanor but determined to play it cool. He went back to the fridge to grab sandwich-making material-that is, until he heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway.
"Jake? Is that you?" The female called, and Jacob's hands froze, still holding the bread he'd just grabbed. No… It can't be.
But who else has her voice?
"Rachel?" He called back, raising his head and setting the bread on the counter.
"Oh good, you still recognize me!" Rachel-it is her!-trotted into the dining room and grinned at her brother. Her smile and mannerisms were just like Jacob remembered, but she looked several years older now. Her shiny black hair now fell to her shoulders and she had dumped the glasses somewhere down the line. That along with a charming face and shapely body, and Jacob realized she looked rather pretty. She looked different, too. But she was still first and foremost his sister, though, and she was home.
"Of course I do! And it's good to see you," he pulled her into a hug, grinning. "But I have no idea why you're here."
She smiled with the fake-modesty Jacob remembered from when she still lived at home when she was about to brag without looking like bragging. "Oh, I just finished my degree early. I decided to double-up on my class amounts for all the semesters and got the bachelor's I wanted in half the time. Cool, huh?"
"Sure, sure." Jacob rolled his eyes. "Nerd."
"Layabout."
She grinned back at him, but her gaze shifted to the man behind him. "Who's this? Your new boyfriend?"
"Oh, shut up! That's just Paul. He's one of my packm-one of my friends. He's-"
But Jacob didn't get to continue because, at that moment, he heard a sharp intake of breath from his sort-of-brother and suddenly a soda stain was spreading across the carpet and fizzing where it sunk into the weave.
"Nice goin', Paul," Jacob grumbled, jogging back to the kitchen, grabbing a towel from under the sink and tossing it to the man. To Jacob's annoyance, the towel just bounced off his shoulder and slid to the floor. His eyes were firmly locked with Rachel's.
"Rachel, you said your name was?" If Paul's voice had sounded strange before, it sounded downright alien then.
"Yeah. And you?" Horror upon horrors, his sister almost sounded breathless.
It wasn't exactly an uncommon reaction to girls around the men of the wolf pack, but the fact that it was his sister made the whole thing a bit disgusting.
"Paul. I… live down the street." Was that a freaking murmur? What's with those two?
And then he recognized it. That shine in Paul's eyes, and the answering sparkle in Rachel's. He'd seen it with Quil and Claire. He'd seen it with Sam and Emily. Jared and Kim. He just imprinted on my sister!
"No. No way!"
"It's nice to meet you," Paul slowly started to smile.
"No way in hell!"
"It's nice to meet you," Rachel replied, a flirty sort of tone in her voice.
"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Everyone ignored Jacob's progressively louder protests.
"So I'm… ah… Well, like Jacob said, I'm a friend of his. I take it you're the sister he sometimes talks about?"
"Knock it off, Paul!"
"Yes. I've been off to college, but I decided to come home after my first degree… You're one of his friends from high school, right?"
"Right. And-"
"DAD!" Tattling was the only option, now. "GET IN HERE!"
"What are you wailing about, Jacob?" His dad stormed in, glaring at Jacob in irritation. He stopped, though, when he glanced from Paul to Rachel and then back again. And then: "Oh."
x X x
It was a rule with the wolf pack that whenever one of them imprints, that imprint had to be told about the whole wolf deal. The truth behind the legends. And now pushing over two days without sleep, Jacob could only slump at the dining table and watch as his dad and Paul explained the situation to Rachel, who listened with wide and concerned eyes. He now knew what lovestruck-Paul looked like, and he never wanted to see it again.
When the story was done, Rachel's gaze slowly moved to her little brother. "So that's why you look so different."
Jacob snorted. "What? Tall, muscular, twitchy and without a high school girl's hair style?"
Rachel shook her head. "No. Adult. And… depressed."
"Oh, that's just because he keeps falling in love and getting dumped," Paul pointed out, only half-thinking and watching Rachel with wide-eyed wonder. Both Black kids froze.
Keeps falling in love? It should have been 'did'. Did fall in love. He knows… he must know… or at least have a strong clue. Damn him!
Rachel's hesitant smile slid off her face. "Oh… I'm sorry to hear that, Jake."
Jacob waved it off, pushing his rising fear back down and trying to focus. "No big deal. That was months ago." He abruptly rose. "I think I'm going to go to bed. It's been… a while… and I think I could use a break." He glanced at his sister. "Rachel, it's good to see you again." His gaze jumped to the other teen at the table. "Paul, for the last hour, I've hated you and will probably continue to do so for a good part of tomorrow, but hey," he grinned a bit when Paul looked up and stared at him. "we get over stuff fast, right?"
Paul nodded, slightly grinning back. "Right."
Jacob knew the pair of them had a bit of an odd relationship that seemed ridiculous to everyone not in it, but it worked for them. They bickered and fought and had constant pissing matches, but they had each other's backs. And with his sister back, maybe things were looking up.
But as he curled up in his bed, still dressed, he remembered how he and Edward were almost warm to one another that morning, and the instability of his life came back into sharp and painful focus. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore it, but as the hours dragged on, all he could do was tremble and stare at the inside of his eyelids.
And now with three days without sleep, Jacob felt his mind begin to break down.
"Take a breath of the heavy air
And try my best to just pretend there's no one's there
Shut them out again, I'm trying not to miss you.
I'm busy looking for another place to run to.
Rock bottom isn't very far away,
Because all we are, are broken dreams and shattered hearts."
~"Fairy Tale" by Saturday Night at the Apollo
A/N:I couldn't find a decent description of Rachel anywhere, so I just made her up on the spot. That's sort of, hesitantly, how she looked in my head but I really have no idea. And wow, another way-too-long chapter (12,000 words, actually.) x3 I think it turned out pretty well, though.