Jake

It all happened so fast then, I knew that no body else was on patrol because of the meeting Jared had called. It was just me. I looked around to check on Quil, and I wasn't sure whether to be happy for him and for myself or to pity him, as Quil started shaking and swearing.

"Come on, Quil! Come on!" I yelled, we had to start chasing the blood sucker. "You… you're ugly!" it was the lamest insult ever and I would have burst into fits of laughter if I wasn't desperate to chase the leech, but it seemed to do the trick.

A few moments later, a light, chocolate brown furry Quil stood in front of me. I phased straight away, and I heard Quil.

"This is awesome! What's going on, though?"

"Leech." I muttered. "You smell that?"

"Ugh, yeah it stinks!"

"Well follow it!"

I howled as we ran, knowing the pack would hear it quickly but not as fast as the bloodsucker would be able to get what she wanted and leave. We ran for ages, I could see her red hair just a few feet away…

Sam: Jake, what's going on? Is it the leech?

Jake: It's her alright!

Quil: Wow, this is cool! We can talk without speaking!

Paul: Nice to know you find it so fun.

Embry: Shut up, Paul. I'm glad you're one of us now, Quil.

Quil: Yeah, same.

Sam: Focus!

We ran and ran, I was the fastest and kept on getting within a few feet of her but she'd always accelerate at the last minute or fly up in to the trees. When I asked what Jared's meeting was about, they showed me Bella standing in Sam's kitchen.

"She's after me." She whispered.

The words started to fill my head, my run was slowing down. Everyone was shouting at me, telling me to focus, but I felt like my heart was being crushed. The bloodsucker was heading for Sam's, and even I wasn't fast enough to catch her.

Bella

We pulled up outside Sam's house and headed inside, the pack were all already assembled inside, as well as Sam's fiancée Emily. Everyone but Jake was there. I decided not to mention it, and I smiled as everyone introduced themselves and welcomed me to the pack.

"So Jared, what's this about?" Embry asked eagerly.

"Err… Bella?" Jared prompted me to explain, his eyes filled with worry.

I closed my eyes and stepped closer to the group.

"Last year, when I was still with Edward, he and his family took me for a game of baseball." I began, but I realised if I told it like that, like a detailed story, it would get too long. They just needed to know I was likely to die because of the blood sucker, only all I wanted to tell them really was to protect Charlie. "We err… some other vampires including the red head Victoria found our game and they… they wanted to kill me, basically. The Cullens wouldn't let them and it turned up a wild chase, running away from James, Laurent and Victoria. James managed to trick me in to going alone to see him…"

A low growl erupted from one of them but I couldn't tell who.

"He was… he made me think my mom was there, and it was just him with a video camera. He was going to film himself killing me… only Edward got there first and killed him. So we got away, because Laurent-"

"Laurent being the guy we killed in the meadow." Jared interrupted me, before gesturing for me to continue.

"Laurent gave up, he didn't think he stood a chance against our… I mean their coven."

"Coward." Paul muttered, everyone shout him angry looks.

"So once James died it was just Victoria. Only James was her mate and now she wants to kill me because she wants to get revenge on Edward, and she thinks it's only fair if they both lose a mate." I said the last sentence in a rush. "She's after me and she won't stop for anyone, she'll kill anyone I know it… my dad, Renee…"

"Bella, we're wolves; we can protect you from her. She's just one vampire. We just need a strategy."

He started like he was about to announce his plan, but was interrupted by a loud wolf howl.

"Oh no." Embry muttered, sniffing the air. "It's getting closer by the second."

"We need to go." Sam ordered, and everyone got to their feet.

"Wait, what?" I argued. "She'll kill you!"

"Bella, there's so much more of us than her, she won't kill us." Paul said like I was ridiculous for even thinking it.

"Jared…"

"Bella, we won't let her hurt you or your family."

"You could get hurt though!" I whimpered, I wasn't ready to lose Jared, not yet.

"I promise I wont, I'll come back. I've got to go." He said, and then he kissed my head nervously but still, he did it which counted.

"Wait… Jared, you stay here." Sam said suddenly.

"What?" everyone asked, confused.

"If what Bella says is true, I want someone here protecting her and Emily."

That made me remember that Emily was here too, and she wasn't making a fuss over Sam leaving her, she was just standing there looking worried.

"Sam, are you sure? I mean I…"

"You'll be concentrating better if you can see Bella is safe for yourself."

Emily ran to fiercely embrace Sam before he left, kissing him with more passion than I had ever seen. He held her up, and even though they were being impossibly fast, time still seemed to slow for them, in that moment.

"Be safe." Emily whispered. "I love you."

"I love you." Sam said, stroking her cheek one last time. "Look after them, Jared."

Jared

Although part of me wanted to be the one to kill the bloodsucker, I was so relieved when Sam permitted me to stay with Bella. I couldn't have put up with the idea of it, to be away from her. I watched her as she and Emily paced around the house, worrying about what might or might not happen, she was biting down on her lip so hard I thought it would bleed. Before I was really thinking, I walked over to her and without saying anything, I pulled her close to my chest. She didn't protest, I actually heard her exhale in what I hoped was relief.

"You're safe here, Bella." I promised in whispers. "I'm here."

I heard Emily put the kettle on in the kitchen and wondered how she was dealing with this. She has been coping with it a lot longer than Bella, but I know she always fears for the worst. She knows Sam is strong but she's sort of like the pack mom, she's not even much older than us, she worries about everyone more than we worry about each other. I wordlessly released Bella and took her hand, leading her to Emily.

She was sat at the table clutching a cup of tea, she'd made one for me and Bella too and I could already smell she'd starting cooking something. That's one of the other reasons we always have food, when she's worried, she cooks.

"Hey Em." I said gently, making her jump.

"Have you heard from them?" she asked anxiously. "Can you smell her? The vampire?"

I shook my head. "They'll be okay, Emily."

I knew she was better on her own when Sam was gone, so I took both mine and Bella's drinks and we went back in to living room. It was strange, we had been chasing her for ages but each time whilst aggravating it was also kind of thrilling to be running as a wolf, going in for the kill, but it seemed a lot more serious when a) it was to protect Bella and b) I was sitting out of the chase.

I used to always find Emily's worrying so unnecessary, but sitting there looking at Bella made me realise just how she felt.

"What's your favourite music?" I asked suddenly, wanting to distract myself but more Bella before she pulled all the skin from the lip. "C'mon, I need to get to know you better!"

She smiled just a little, before telling me, "You know, I miss music."

"Sorry?"

"Since he left, I've not listened to music." She said thoughtfully. "However, I like Linkin Park. I've missed them the most."

That surprised me a little, I don't really know why.

"Sam's got a CD of that." I said, crossing to the other side of the room and looking in the CD racks. I found one and placed it in the CD player, Bella smiled at me.

"I like this song." She said, and I raised an eyebrow, holding out a hand to her.

"You're seriously suggesting we dance to this song?" she asked, laughing a little as What I've Done started playing.

"Yep." I told her. "We need to have fun."

I pulled her to her feet and she told me not to risk it, she couldn't stand up straight without falling… but I surprised her by placing an arm round her waist and leaning her backward. She inhaled sharply and didn't break eye contact with me. I slowly let her back up, and she didn't try and leave, she just stood with one of her hands in mine and the other one resting on my shoulder. I kept my arm round her waist and her hand in mine, I liked that. We continued like that, just making sudden movements randomly and then standing up, looking in to each other's eyes.

"So what's your favourite?" she breathed.

"Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, Green Day…" my voice trailed off as I got more and more lost in her eyes.

"I like those." We were both talking quietly, breathlessly.

"I'm glad." I said softly.