Thanks again to all my faithful readers. I love hearing what you have to say, so a big thanks to the reviewers & all the silent lurking readers. I think I prefer writing from JPOV, he's more fun and, sort of realistic, in the way he processes his thoughts. I frequently find myself thinking in expletives! I probably have one coming up from BPOV and maybe EPOV, depending on how the story flows. Would you guys have any interest in seeing EPOV? If you'll hate it I won't bother, so lemme know!

Chapter 11

JPOV

"A-alpha?" Shit, what have I just done. "Sam, I take it back. I can't do this. I can't be alpha. I didn't mean to do that."

"Jacob, it's time. It's too late to take it back now; once it's done it's done. The only way you can stop being alpha now is to stop phasing completely. I've already talked to the council; you have their blessing. And actually we're all surprised it took this long." He smiled; Sam wasn't even mad. This is insane!

"Come on, this is stupid. You're alpha!" I tried insisting, hoping there was some way I could get the words back into my mouth as if they'd never been said at all. Pretend this never happened. I can't do this!

"Jacob, you are alpha now. It's in your blood. It was only a matter of time." He walked over and clapped me on the back, as if this were a good thing. It was anything but, if you ask me. I hadn't wanted this shitty werewolf life in the first place and now I'm responsible for every one of them? If something happened it was my job now. If someone got hurt, or worse… I gulped. I'm so fucking screwed.

"Sam, I'm not ready." I looked into the eyes of my friend, my mentor. I feel like I might be sick.

The way he looked at me, with that complete confidence made me feel better if only slightly. I still couldn't imagine being the one in charge. I felt a tiny ember of a growing sense of pride and almost contentment, as if this was how it was supposed to be. Jake the wolf was celebrating but Jake the man was shaking in his boots. Damn it, why did I have to defy an alpha command?

"Yes, you are. You're going to make your ancestors proud. Trust me. I'll be here to help you as long as you need me to but Jacob, this is your destiny. It's time you accepted it."

It was starting to feel real, like I could do this. Sam always knew what to say to calm everyone down and make them see the best way to handle a situation. I hope I can learn to be that supportive and be the strength my pack needs. My stomach settled a little, no longer churning uncomfortably. I gave Sam a nod, and felt a smile grow on my face.

As Sam turned back around to face everyone, they whooped and yelled. They seemed excited about this too. It made me feel better to know I had their support. Even Leah looked happy. I realized Bella had been standing behind me and I wanted to find out what she thought about all this. In one look I knew exactly what was going on in her mind.

"Congratulations, alpha!" She laughed and looked at me with pride reflected in her expression. The light in her eyes danced with genuine happiness.

"So you're okay with this?" She always surprised me with her easygoing nature. I guess I always knew she'd be fine with me being alpha but I halfway expected that there would come a time when she would reach her limit and freak out. We've always said it about her, she's good with weird.

"Of course, silly. Sam's right, it's your destiny, Jake."

"Thank you, Bells."

"May I make a suggestion, alpha?"

I chuckled and answered, "Sure, sure."

She moved in a step and a blush rose to her cheeks as she motioned me to come closer. I leaned down to better hear her and she whispered confidentially, "Put on some pants." She pulled back, a wide grin spread across her face. The rest of the pack broke up into loud laughter and started harassing me immediately.

"Yeah, alpha, put your beta away would you?" Quil joked. I slapped him on the back of the head as I headed inside to grab a pair of shorts. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

We'd all settled down by the time we were supposed to meet those bloodsuckers. It had been decided that we'd meet at the treaty line since it was the closest we'd come to a neutral ground for all of us. I was nervous, as it would be my first real action as the new alpha of the pack. I seriously didn't want to lose my cool and screw up. I knew everything that had happened in the past few days and the threat of them hurting Bella was foremost in my mind. Her safety was paramount; if something happened to her the wolf would recognize the pain from its imprint and the whole pack would suffer. Before, just as a part of a pack it was important she was safe so that I'd be able to focus, but now as alpha the whole pack would feel it too if something bad happened. I knew I'd have to tell everyone about the imprint, the sooner the better.

On the way over to the treaty line with Bella on my back, I broke the news to them all. I relived the memory of the meadow with that leech who almost took her from me. I felt the imprint almost as if it were new, the pull to her and the unconditional love I felt. Honestly it wasn't much different from how I felt about her in the first place so I was almost confused if it had happened or not. After talking about the whole thing with Sam I knew it had really happened, and at the time all I could feel was relief. I took comfort in the fact that at least I had imprinted on the girl I truly loved, and didn't need the werewolf voodoo to tell me who my soulmate was. I already knew. I had known for as long as I could remember. Back then the only one who didn't know was Bella herself. Stubborn girl.

Paul was the first to react to the news of the imprint. Have you sealed the bond yet? He flashed through his memories of the process as he'd completed it with my sister, Rachel. Them both naked and obviously enjoying some alone time, then he marked her as they both cried out.

Paul! Jesus, I don't need to see that shit! That's my sister, man. Not cool! If Bella hadn't been on my back I would have lunged at his face. Honestly, sometimes he just didn't know when to keep his mouth, or his mind, shut.

Well, did you? Seth asked.

No, not that it should matter to any of you. I rolled my eyes. I'd felt a slight urge in my gut when Bella and I had been messing around in her house. I did want to mark her, or should I say the wolf did. I didn't want to have to bite her, even for me it was too weird. I had a pretty good idea that would be the point where Bella would run screaming.

You should talk to her about it. Of course that was from Sam, the voice of reason. You need to complete the imprint in order to fully ascend to the alpha position. Once you do that the rest of the pack will be able to draw strength from you, but not until the wolf is satisfied with the imprint.

I will, I just need to find a way to explain it other than saying I'm going to chomp on her with sharp, wolfy teeth. God, it even sounds messed up.

Grow a pair, would you? Leah scoffed.

Shut up, Leah. What a lady you are. Really classy.

She barked a laugh. What can I say, I was raised by wolves.

She's got you there, Jake. Embry agreed with a rumbling chuckle.

The smell of leech burned in my nose and the pack gave a collective instinctive growl. Bella soothed me by playing with my fur as we slowed to a stop by the treaty line. All the leeches were in attendance with one noticeable exception. I had a bad feeling about it. It wasn't that I wanted to see him and actually had been trying to talk myself down on the way over here in case he did something stupid. Him not being there actually made me feel more uneasy than if he'd been threatening me to my face.

The pack approached as a unit, all of us phased back into human form. Sam was on my right, then Embry and Quil, with Paul, Leah, Seth, and Jared behind me on my left. It felt strange not to be in the ranks with the rest of them behind Sam, but it also felt right. I grasped Bella's hand tightly and stood protectively in front of her, slightly blocking her from the leeches' view. I felt her tense up as we moved closer to the leeches, and that only irritated me further, remembering what happened today. Damned dirty bloodsucking leeches.

"Where's the other one?" I demanded, glaring at them all one by one. None of them revealed a hint, their faces expressionless.

"Given the circumstances, it is probably best that Edward is not in attendance for this." Carlisle responded, glancing between Sam and me, trying to placate us. His head quirked to the side as he understood the new dynamic of the pack. "Jacob, I see you are now alpha? Ephraim would be – "

I cut him off before he could continue, holding up my hand. "Don't speak about my family. We're not here for that." Blondie rolled her eyes and huffed. Bella jabbed me in the rib with a finger as a reminder to relax. I turned to see her giving me a disapproving look. I took a breath and then continued, getting to the point at once, "The treaty needs to be amended to include Bella's house as Quileute territory. This is non-negotiable; we were ambushed and attacked there by Edward, so I need to be able to protect her there."

"Ambushed? What do you mean?" Clearly Dr. Fang had no clue but the pixie shifted on her feet, and I caught the emotion on her face briefly before she collected herself. It was guilt, I was sure of it. My eyes narrowed at her and I put her on the spot.

"Why don't you ask the psychic back there? I have a feeling she knows." I pointed at her, identifying her like a criminal in court.

"Jake, stop it, if Alice saw anything she would have said something. Tell them, Alice," Bella scolded, stepping forward. I growled quietly, keeping her hand firmly in mine. No way I was letting her get any closer than she was, especially now that I got the feeling they were keeping something to themselves.

"Bella, I…" The pixie started to respond but looked at the ground instead. Yup, guilt. I would have been smugly satisfied with my discovery if I weren't equally pissed off.

"Alice! What did you see?" Dr. Fang sounded just as mad as I felt, and all eyes were on her. Her mouth fell open as she formulated an acceptable response, one that might not start a war between us all.

"I didn't see Edward hurt her, I swear! I just saw that he wanted to talk to her, so he went to her house and waited. Bella, I never thought he was planning to attack you, I just saw how depressed he felt and that he wanted to try and work things out, I just – "

"Alice, how… After what you saw him do this morning? You should have told me! What else are you hiding, Alice?" Bella's quavering voice displayed the hurt she felt, I would have recognized it even if I didn't feel the hurt right along with her. Being imprinted had its benefits I suppose, one of them being in tune with her and knowing what she's feeling. I knew her so well I almost didn't need it since her pain was mine, as it always had been. I rubbed her back soothingly; I knew she considered the pixie leech to be one of her closest friends, even if I scoffed at the very idea. Though I was right about them protecting their own kind over Bella, I still didn't like to see her feeling so betrayed.

"Nothing! All I know is that when he left your house he, uh, went hunting." The pixie looked nervously between Dr. Fang and me. I heard Bella suck in a breath sharply, her hand tightened on mine and her heart beat picked up in pace immediately. She covered her mouth with her free hand and looked up at me with wide, petrified eyes.

"Oh my god… Charlie, he… he said there was an attack and that's why he was working late. He said some hiker was mauled or something, and he told me to stay inside because they weren't sure who or what had caused it. I… I didn't put two and two together but now… oh my god, Jake… it can't be," she rambled, almost talking to herself.

My blood was beginning to boil at the implication and my vision slowly clouded with a red haze. I felt the vibrations begin their course through my body as I willed myself to calm down. I couldn't even speak for fear of phasing and hurting Bella.

I was shocked when Blondie spoke up, demanding an answer from the pixie. "What exactly is he hunting, Alice?" She sneered, her lips curled in disgust.

Instead of answering, the pixie turned to Dr. Fang for help. It was clear she wanted his permission before she admitted what we all were afraid of. "Carlisle?"

He spoke calmly, despite the gravity of the situation, "Is Edward involved in the attack Bella spoke of?"

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the inevitable. The pixie looked around at all of us, concern etched in her marble features, obviously knowing that her answer would decide the fate of them all.

Finally after what felt like hours, she gave one affirmative nod and a single syllable, "Yes."

A/N: Crazy, right? Edward's off the deep end. What do you guys think?