A/N: A few twists and turns here but bear with me, I'm not finished with this story yet…

The Pack was slowly getting used to seeing Bella around. She was usually with Jake, claiming they needed to spend their 'downtime' together.

It was hard to swallow as the Pack were a collective. A group. There was no room for the lone wolf scenario.

Luckily there were weekly gatherings, such as bonfires, which Bella deigned to join in. As her hand was still in a cast, she couldn't help as much in the kitchen, which irritated Jared's imprint, Kim. That she bought food was little consolation.

A part of Kim felt trapped in the role of carer as Emily had been the first imprint and thus set the pattern for other imprints to follow.

Kim wasn't too keen on the constant food preparation and envied Bella's status as a non-imprint.

The three girls were talking about it one day. Bella had made an innocuous comment.

"I don't know how you manage to keep feeding the boys Em."

Emily laughed. "I don't mind. It's a little thing to do for the boys. They work so hard. This Vampire is a tricky one and keeps slipping away."

Kim and Bella made a sympathetic noise.

"Is it just the one Vampire?"

"Yes, a woman with wild red hair."

Bella stilled. "Red hair?" Memories of last summer echoed. "The nomads, there was a woman with red hair and a black man with dreads…"

"They killed a black man with dreads a few weeks ago…"

"Why would she be hanging around here?"

It hit her then. "Oh my God! She was his mate!"

Now she had their attention.

"The Vampire that tracked me to Arizona, she was his mate."

"Do you think it's a revenge thing?"

"But why would she be after me? It was Edward that killed him?"

"Maybe it's a mate thing? I know that if anything happened to me, Sam would move heaven and earth to avenge me."

Jacob's words filled her head. 'Gravity shifts and she becomes your world.'

Bella shivered. "But I wasn't Edward's mate."

"Didn't you say Edward's reaction triggered the chase?"

Kim was right. Edward's lengths to protect her had posed a challenge to the nomad and now she was alone, it was no wonder she felt the need to avenge her mate and friend.

Emily filled Sam and the Pack in on the news as soon as they returned and it was decided that Bella should spend as much time in the Rez.

Jake pulled her close and swore that they would catch the red head.

XxX

Jake was hunting Victoria, leaving Bella unsure of where to base herself. She couldn't face another round of cooking with Emily and Billy was out, leaving the diner as her only option. She left a message with Jake and made the short journey there.

She made herself comfortable and ordered a snack before starting to write.

The past few days had left her on edge as she conquered her feelings for Jake. Maybe she was a fool for taking him back but did she really want to miss out on this time? It could be years before he imprinted and why waste the opportunities on 'what-ifs'?

Jake met her after patrol and they shared a lunch before they returned to Sam's so Jake could debrief. He led her to the table, where Paul Lahote was downing a muffin.

"I won't be long."

Bella wasn't sure what made Paul look up at her, his nose twitching.

"Why do you smell like Black?"

Bella gave a look. "Excuse me?"

"You heard."

"I was with him a few moments ago?"

Paul edged his chair closer. "It's more than that."

Sam had returned to see Paul invading Bella's space.

His voice was low, so as not to disturb the volatile wolf. "Paul?"

"Do you smell it Sam?"

He moved closer to appease Paul and followed suit. Bella wasn't impressed to find herself the object of a sniff-session.

"Have you finished?"

Sam met her eyes. "I'm sorry Bella. We have an enhanced sense of smell and you do smell like Jake. It's almost as though…"

He broke off as she took his meaning.

XxX

Neither Jack nor Bella spoke on the way home. Bella couldn't wrap her head around the idea that she was pregnant.

"It was probably the night of the movies."

"I didn't use anything."

"The pill isn't a sure guarantee…"

"What do we do?"

She looked at him and saw not passionate lover but a teenager whose life had been twisted one time too many.

He saw her go inside but didn't follow, instead returning to his home. That night Bella felt tears pour down her face as the feeling of loneliness grew.

XxX

Charlie was in the kitchen when Bella appeared, her eyes red raw.

"What's the matter kiddo?"

She felt the tears build anew as she knew she would have to come clean.

"I might be pregnant."

Those four words were the worst a father could hear.

"Are you sure?"

She shook her head.

"Well, first things first. You need to find out for sure. There's no point worrying yourself silly."

She rested her head against his chest and he ran a soothing hand over her head.

XxX

It was late afternoon when Bella pulled up outside the Black's home.

Charlie gave her a nod as she made her way to the bathroom, Jake at her heels.

The tests had said to wait a few minutes and they sat side by side.

"Do you know what you'll do if it's positive?"

"I hadn't thought that far. Dad said not to think about it."

"You know I'll stand by you, whatever." She did her best to hear a trace of sincerity in his words.

He still hadn't met her eyes.

"Have you thought of names?"

She shook her head.

"If it's a girl, I thought maybe Sarah?"

After the mother he lost.

"If it's a boy?"

"Maybe after our fathers?"

The timer rang before she could respond and she gave a sigh of relief as the three tests proved negative.

It was a jubilant couple that raced downstairs.

"We're not pregnant!"

Charlie wrapped an arm around his daughter. "I'm pleased for you kiddo."

Billy seconded Charlie's sentiments.

They ordered pizza and were sitting around when Jake turned to Bella.

"Are you happy?"

She smiled and patted her flat stomach. "Yep there's no little Sarah or Will growing here."

Billy looked up as he heard the names. "Sarah?"

"Jake and I were throwing ideas about, in case."

There was the merest hint of a tear in his eyes.

Later, Jake informed his brothers that Bella wasn't pregnant. They shared his relief as the possibility of an imprint lingered in the shadows. As much as they liked the girl, she wasn't one of them. Not really.

XxX

Paul still held the notion that Bella smelled like Jake and was able to prove it when she was next at Emily's.

She was sharing her relief about the pregnancy with the girls.

"So you don't want children?"

"Not now! I'm still in school and there are so many things I want to do before I settle down."

Emily hummed but it didn't sound like she agreed.

"I take it you don't feel the same?"

"Well, we're all different. But I know I'd be happy if I'd been pregnant. I can't wait to give Sam a son."

Her views took her back and she had to wonder if the imprint was influencing Emily. She shook her head. It was Emily's business anyway.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. I'm not carrying Jake's baby and that's all I care about."

Kim had been a silent third party up until now.

"Do you think you feel this way because you're not Jake's imprint?"

It had occurred to her, but thinking and hearing it were two different concepts.

She gave a committal "Maybe" and was glad when Paul's entrance broke the conversation.

He gave a terse, "You still smell like Jake."

"Well, it's not because I'm carrying his baby."

He stepped closer, sniffing at her neck.

"Do you mind?"

"It's strongest there."

She'd had enough of his arrogance. "What business is it of yours if I do?"

Everyone was looking their way and Bella's embarrassment was complete.

Paul beckoned Sam over as he held a protesting Bella in place, pulling her top down at the nape to reveal a miniscule bite-mark.

"Holy shit!"