Chapter 8

Jacob's POV

Two days. It was only two days after our meeting with the Cullens when about a hundred bloodsuckers came to Forks, Washington. Paul, Embry, Jared, and I had been on patrol when the sickly sweet scent hit us. Paul was in the mountains, Embry was circling the rez, Jared was in Port Angeles, and I had taken to the river. Jared smelled it first, but it was hours old.

There's only two scents, he said.

They don't smell too fresh, Paul added.

Leave it be, but keep on the lookout, I directed.

Jared agreed easily.

Who the fuck died and made you Alpha? Paul demanded. Not this again.

This had been a growing problem ever since the meeting with the Cullens. Since then, I had started to slowly take control. I wasn't constantly giving orders, but if I disagreed with Sam's orders, then I would instruct the pack as I deemed fit. I wasn't doing out of disrespect for Sam, though. It just started coming as an instinct. It was strange. Not all of the guys were pissed about it, though. Sure, Paul and Jared were, they had been with Sam the longest. Paul just had a more aggressive way of showing how pissed off he was than Jared did. It was different with Embry, though. To Embry, it was a thing of honor and respect. Sam was my elder, and in Embry's eyes, that meant that I had to respect and honor him just as I did my dad and Old Quil. Embry wasn't mad at me; it was strange with him. He wasn't exactly mad, but he was dissapointed in me. Quil was rather indifferent on the subject at hand. To him, he neither opposed or agreed with my Alpha instincts kicking in. We all knew that Quil wouldn't go rogue if something ever happened, though. Old Quil had taught him better than that. Seth was the only one pretty happy with the fact that my mind was telling me to do what I was born to do.

Screw you, Paul, I growled back. I wasn't in the mood to deal with his cocky ass.

Just as Paul was about to growl a comeback, he froze. Then, we smelled what he smelled. Five different scents scattered the woods he was running through.

Fucking bloodsuckers, he growled out. We could all see that his vision was red with rage.

Follow the mo recent trail, I instructed. They could just be passing through, but don't let your gaurd down.

Listen, kid, I only take orders from Sam, Paul growled. So shut the fuck up. I've been doing this long enough to know how to handle shit like this.

Don't you dare talk to me like that, Paul--!

Then, I smelled it. At least a hundred different leech scents hit me at once. I froze, growling. Through my thoughts, the others smelled it, as well, and they too froze.

What the fuck is going on? Paul asked.

Now you want advice, I growled.

This isn't normal, guys, Embry stated the obvious.

No shit, Jared muttered.

I was shaking too much to form a coherent sentence. I had mastered my control by now, but not even Sam could keep calm if he smelled a hundred leeches.

They smell kind of far away, Jared informed, giving voice to my jumbled and angry thoughts.

Keep to your patrol routes until you're releived, I ordered. Don't interrupt me, Paul! I'm following this trail, and if it leads where I think it will, then I'll be having a very long talk with the Cullens.

You're not Alpha, Jacob, Paul reminded. You still have to send the call to Sam if you end up at the Cullens'.

I'm not stupid, jackass. I know what to do.

Just as I'd predicted, the hundred bloodsucker scents led to the Cullens'. By the time I got there, I was far past just shaking with rage. I let out two longs howls, knowing that Sam would here me back in La Push.

Sam knows what to do. I'm going to talk to them, I informed.

Before Paul could bitch, I phased back and pulled on the paur of cut-offs I had tied around my ankle. It was even harder for me to keep my cool now. About fifty bloodsuckers were grouped in front of the Cullens' obnoxiously massive house. Carlisle looked to me the moment I stepped onto their property.

"Carlisle, what is going on?" I asked, as calmly as I could while surrounded by so many bloodsuckers.

"Jacob, nice to see you again," he said politely. "Well, remember how we said that we would gather vampires to fight the Volturi?"

"You never said there would be this many."

"Yes, I understand how this comes as a shock."

I nodded. A shock? Hell yeah this came as a shock! A little warning would have been nice. What would have happened if Seth passed this trail? He was still a kid; he didn't have enough control to handle something like this without attacking them with all he had. Shit, I wanted to rip the hell out of them!

Bella, a voice said in the back of my head. You don't kill them because Bella wouldn't like that.

I knew that the little voice in my head was true. Bells was the single reason keeping me from going crazy on the leeches that were practically surrounding me.

"Oh, is the mongrel upset?" Jasper called to Carlisle from the front door.

Emmett was by Jasper's side in a second. They both glared at me, hard. I wanted to rip their heads off.

Think of Bells. Think of how Bells would kick your ass if you hurt them.

"I'm sorry for the inconveinence," Carlisle said, bringing me back to reality.

"I understand that you're sorry, Carlisle," I replied, "But an apology does not make up for the fact that there are a hundred--"

"A hundred and seventeen!" Emmett called from the front door.

I surpressed a growl and continued, "A hundred and seventeen...vampires on our land without our knowing. If one of our younger pack members had crossed these trails, he would have attacked your little group of friends on instinct."

"I understand that, Jacob, but we really were not expecting so many to join us in such little time," Carlisle answered, still calm.

"Shouldn't Big Black be giving this tirad?" Emmett asked, now standing across from me at Carlisle's side.

"Son," Carlisle warned.

"Big Black?" I repeated.

"You know, you're Alpha Male," Jasper continued, his face now an inch from mine.

"Boys!" Esme scolded.

"I am here," I heard Sam growl.

I turned to see Sam stalking out of the trees. He was by my side in seconds, though he was clearly trying to mark his rank higher than mine. This thing with Sam was getting old, fast. Jasper smirked when he sensed my anger, causing me to hold back a deep growl. Sam looked at me as if to tell me to calm down.

He wants me to calm down? I thought. I'm surrounded by a hundred and fucking seventeen bloodsucking parasites! And he wants be to BE CALM?! ....Okay, maybe I should calm down. Freaking out like this is no way to act if I'm Alpha--WHOA! Where did that come from? I don't want to be Alpha. Sure, my instincts are sort of kicking in, but I don't want to be in control! Aw, fuck, great, I'm pissed off again. Okay, think of Bella. Think about how beautiful she is. Her flowing chocolate hair, her deep brown eyes...

"Jacob!" Sam snapped, slapping me upside the head.

This time, I couldn't hold back the growl that grew in my throat and slipped through my lips. This caused literally everyone to be silent. Even the leeches inside had stopped doing whatever they were doing to listen to the fight they thought would happen. Emmett and Jasper looked way too happy than I'd have liked, too.

Instead of repremanding me as I'd expected, Sam just gave me a hard stare before turning back to Carlisle.

"Well, thank you for the apology," he said. "I trust that something like this won't happen again. We will see you all in five days, correct?"

Carlisle nodded.

Without another word, Sam turned back to the woods. I knew this as my que to leave, and I knew that arguing the point would only give me further crap to deal with later. So, I followed Sam back into the woods. He was already phased and waiting.

Oh shit, was my first thought when my body shifted forms.

What the hell were you thinking? Paul yelled.

You're not in charge, Jacob! Jared growled. What the fuck gave you the right to growl at your Alpha?

You shouldn't have done that, Jake, Embry mumbled.

All of you, phase back, Sam ordered. I'll let you know when to return to patrol.

With one more growl from Paul and Jared, their thoughts dissapeared, leaving Sam and I alone for the first time in two days. And I was scared shitless of what he would do to me.