Jacob's Point of View

I have one foot in Emma's room when I see her bolt awake. Her eyes meet mine and they are filled with panic. I'm by her side in an instant. My back scrapes against the window but I ignore the pain.

"What's wrong?" I ask and hold her in my arms. My eyes scan over her whole body looking for injury.

She shivers in my arms and I pull her into my chest. The poor thing is freezing. I shift so that I can pull the blanket over the two of us. "I had a nightmare" she says into my chest.

I try and sooth her by running my hand through her hair. "About what?"

"What do you think?"

I sigh and keep smoothing her hair. It's late and it doesn't take long for Emma to fall back asleep in my arms.

I worry about her. A lot actually. Ever since she learned about all this werewolf stuff, she's had trouble sleeping. And now with the newborns so close the insomnia is getting worse. I can tell she worries about me and I wish she wouldn't. But there's nothing I can do to sooth her worry. We'll just have to wait until the end of all this.

Her head rests on my chest and I smile down at her. In sleep she looks so peaceful. I could watch her sleep every night if it wasn't for patrolling. One day, I tell myself. One day I won't have to worry about all of this and I can live out my life for Emma. I smile just thinking of that day. We'll stick around the res and have our own kids. And hopefully by that time all these leeches will be dead. Because if this is how Emma reacts when I have to patrol, I don't what she'd do if it was our kids.

I shiver. I'd never let them go out there. I've seen what the leeches can do. And while I'll never admit it to Emma, they are powerful. The pack and the leeches are pretty evenly matched. The only difference is we have a greater drive to fight.

I can't let Emma know. She's already suspicious and I know she doesn't fully believe me when I say that we can do this. She's scared. She's scared for me and I feel awful leaving her and making her worry whenever I'm not around. But there's nothing I can do.

Emma sighs and snuggles into me. I love this girl. I would do anything for her. She is everything I've ever needed. She is my life. I can't leave her anymore. I decide then and there never to step away from her. She will never leave my sight again. I can't leave this beautiful, little girl all alone. No. She is mine and mine only. And I will protect her. I will be there for her.

And that's when I hear the howl.

It's sharp and long. Desperate. My chest rumbles with the growl that's building up. I can't leave. There's another, longer howl and I groan. I have to go.

It's difficult to slip out from under Emma because I don't want to wake her. It'll be hell if she catches me leaving. Hopefully I can deal with whatever it is and then sneak back in before she wakes. Maybe I'll even head home and let Billy know I'm spending the night with her. It'd be nice to let my dad know where I am for once. I'm probably aging him terribly with all this pack stuff.

I jump from her window and phase as soon as I have my clothes off. My brothers' voices fill my head.

They're here Jake!

We need help!

Where the hell are the Cullens?

What's going on, I snap.

I'm answered with a thousand memories. The newborns are already here. Fortune Teller didn't see them and now they're already in Forks. They're making their way towards the border.

I thought they were after Bella!

They're having trouble focusing, Sam answers.

I hear Embry howl in the distance and I pick up my pace. He is on their tail. I can see them through his eyes and now I'm starting to smell them. There are a lot. More than we had expected.

Seth! Sam commands. Go get the Cullens.

I growl. What if they are abandoning us? It wouldn't have been the first time that they've ran and left us to clean up their mess. Do we really need them? I try and smell how many there are, but all the scents start to blend into an awfully sweet aroma that burns my nose.

I catch up to Embry at about the same time everyone else does. I catch a glimpse of pale skin and push myself harder. My muscles are so tired from having patrolled all night already. What I wouldn't give to curl up next to Emma and just…

Emma!

My mind erupts in panic. I left her window open! She's not safe!

Focus Jake! Sam commands and I have no choice but to obey. I still growl and fight against the Alpha command. My girl is in danger and I'm not just going to sit by.

Collin's already on it, Jared assures me. He's running back to Emily and telling her to call up all the families.

I try and reassure myself that she'll be ok, but my mind keeps thinking of the worst. What if Collin gets there too late? He's not as fast as I am. What if one of the leeches beats him to it? I shudder and once again Sam commands me to focus. It's not just me though. It's all the guys who have imprinted that need reminding.

Leah snaps at something and I catch sight of a flurry of red hair. I push myself harder despite my protesting muscles. Seth is back in our heads. The Cullens are right behind me.

I'm starting to make out more of the leeches. Either they are slowing or we are picking up pace. The forest is infected with them. They are everywhere like trees. Sickly pale, deadly trees. I see that red hair again and instantly recognize the leech. It's the same bitch that cornered Emma before. I snarl and howl. She turns her head and smirks.

Something isn't right here. And we realize this too late.

The small army and their redheaded commander halt in the middle of a clearing. We break through the trees and dig our paws into the dirt. Something is up. Seth comes bolting in with the Cullens who also survey the area.

Blondie motions to something in the trees. I turn my gaze that way and bare my teeth. I can feel the fur on my back stand up. There are at least twenty more of these newborns hiding in the trees. They've brought us here on purpose.

Paul is a raging ball of fur and lunges at the nearest newborn. The clearing becomes a mess of snapping teeth and crunching bones.

…

Emma's Point of View

When I wake, I am alone. It doesn't surprise me, but what does is how dark my room still is. I thought for sure it would have been morning. Jake doesn't usually leave until the sun starts to rise. And I don't normally wake unless it's from a nightmare. And I don't remember having another one. The last thing I can remember is Jake holding me close and keeping me warm.

There's a slight chill in the room because my window is still open. And that's another strange thing: Jake never leaves my window open. He's always careful to shut it before he leaves.

I hear a knocking at the door and I remember why I woke up. Emily is a heavy sleeper and I can still hear her breathing lightly when I creek down the stairs. I don't switch on any lights and hold a phone in my hand, ready to call 9-1-1 or Jake if it's a leech problem.

I tiptoe over to the window and pull the curtain back. I recognize the russet skin and bulging muscles, but not the face. I'm careful about not opening the door completely. "Emma?" he asks. His eyes are wide and he keeps glancing behind him. His foot taps impatiently.

"Collin? What's the matter?"

A howl erupts from the distance and he looks all but ready to launch off the porch. I tense up because I know a howl only means one thing: trouble. Collin turns back to me with a frantic look about him that only sets my nerves off even more. "Call all the families and imprints. Tell them the newborns are here. Tell them to lock everything and stay inside."

And before I can even process his words, he's phased and bolting for the forest. I slam the door shut and lock every lock on it. I dial the first number I can think of and scream. "Emily!"