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So I'm making great progress in updating the new/improved chapters. :) If this is your first time reading, please...please, review. Although the story is complete, I still love to hear from my readers and I'm still very much involved with this story.

Chapter 12

Jacob's POV

I couldn't let Bella see me break. She couldn't see me cry. I needed to be strong. She needed to see me strong. I wasn't ready to let her go, but I knew she was on borrowed time. She would be safe with Quil and Embry. I had ordered them to protect her and if she was harmed in any way, they would face my wrath. Still, I couldn't help but feel guilty for handing her over to someone else for protection. I had just won her trust, her heart. And now, I had to break it.

During my drive back to the reservation, my mind was submerged in the growing amount of problems my life seemed to be collecting.

Bella. Alpha. Bella. Werewolves. Bella. Vampires. Bella.

I made it back to La Push in time for my first Alpha initiation with the elders. I really wasn't handling being the alpha very well. I was proud of my heritage, of my ancestors. I just wasn't sure I was ready. This meeting was why I couldn't go with Bella. It was very important, similar to my Freshman orientation, only more serious. Tonight would prove to be my first act of self-sacrifice. My entrance into the pack had been hard enough but being leader was something else, altogether. Sam had pretty much winged it. He was a leader out of necessity, but I was going to be held to a higher standard. I had a genetic predisposition to lead this pack.

I had begged the elders to allow Sam to continue being our alpha. Sam was good as our leader. He was calm, collected, and skillful. I was just a kid, how could lead anybody? The elders would hardly listen to my argument, it was done. It had been settled long before I was ever born. I had no choice but to own it. In addition to my recent physical changes, I had matured emotional and intuitively. My perception of things had changed immensely. That's how they knew it was time.

I hoped that my letter to Bella was enough, to calm her fears for now. I hadn't found the right time to explain all of this to her. What with her being chased by a psycho killer. I only had about thirty seconds to pen down the note and get it in Bella's bag. I gave her the emergency money from my wallet. I would probably have to explain the money to her later, as well. I was saving my mechanic money for Bella's graduation present.

The meeting, as powerful and important as it was, had only lasted a little more than an hour. The elders spoke of past alphas and warriors, the protectors of our tribe. I had to admit that it felt really good having Billy there, looking at me with admiration and pride. The meeting ended with meditation and a spiritual cleansing. I didn't really feel any different but both would be a big part of my life, from here on out. I may have felt a little better about all of it if my mind wasn't on Bella and her safety.

I wanted so badly to go see her, to check on her. Billy said that Quil had called to say they arrived safe. But, I was still apprehensive. Bella was a danger magnet, she was surely marked. The elders had told me of my responsibilities as alpha. The biggest of which, was maintaining close to the tribe. Port Angeles was just too far away, to be for a night. Especially, so close to my initiation. I was full of conflicting emotions. I needed to be with her, but my pack, my tribe needed me here.

I didn't go straight home after the meeting. I decided to run the border and do a quick sweep just to blow off some steam.

The separation from Bella was killing me. I stopped in a clearing just a few yards short of the treaty line.

The smell, hit me fast. It was fresh. I could tell that it was one of them, one of the Cullen's.

I ran as fierce as my four legs would take me. I was catching up to the leech. Howls ripped from me. I wasn't signaling the other member's of the pack, but I was determined to see why this bloodsucker found the need to make routine stops, from time to time.

I phased back to human form, put on my sweat shorts, and began my chase on foot. If I was going to confront this leech I had to be able to communicate. I didn't have far to go before I saw it, the vampire.

I had expected it to be Edward. If not Edward; then maybe the doctor. Or, the short haired one that was Bella's friend. I was shocked to find that the Cullen that was staring at me was neither of those.

"Mutt, may I help you with something?"

She spoke very clearly, very fluid. She tossed her blonde hair back, and glared at me with golden eyes.

"Why are you here? Why do you come here so often? Does he send you?" I growled at her in a low voice.

"By he, I suppose you mean Edward? She said nonchalantly.

"Yes, that would be who I meant," I snapped.

"No. The answer is no. Since the human ruined our little family, none of us really communicate with Edward." Her perfect voice had a tinge of hostility in it.

"Where is he?" I raised my voice this time. Her allusive answers were making me angry.

"Really, wolf, I don't know. He doesn't check in much with us anymore. You see our family has somewhat parted. Alice and Jasper went their way; leaving me and Emmette, to stay with Carlisle and Esme."

"So why do you come here, if you're not spying for him?"

"I have to make sure that Bella stays human."

"Of course she's human. Why wouldn't she be?"

"Bella was so determined to become one of us. I fear she will go to great extremes to continue that desire. Bella can not choose this life. No matter how much she loves Edward, she can not give up humanity. She will regret it, for eternity. I can't help but think that if the possibility presented itself, she would want to be like us. So when I get the chance, I come by just to see. To put my mind at ease, if you will."

"You care for Bella?"

"Not exactly, I just don't want to see her lose something, as valuable as human life."

"Bella's fine. We watch out for her, she's happy. I don't think becoming a vampire is on her immediate to-do list."

"You care for her, don't you? If you say she's happy, I will take your word for it."

She disappeared, before I could mention that Bella was hiding from a deranged lunatic, in a hotel room with two werewolves. I probably wouldn't have told her that anyway.

I phased back into wolf form and headed for home. My mind was at ease knowing that Edward hadn't been the one to come back.

My feet pounded through the forest as my speed increased. I loved the open feel of running through the forest. I heard a loud howl. Sam had phased and he was sounding a warning.

I ran faster to meet him. His thoughts told me that Bella was in trouble.

I couldn't believe that Embry and Quil let him get to Bella. My Bella was no longer safe. I would have ripped them apart, but they were on their way to tell Charlie.

I had let her down, I had broken another promise. She wasn't safe. I was failing her.

I had no idea where she was, but I was going to find her. Sam was in charge of the pack for now. I was going to find Bella.

Tribe or not, I was going to save Bella.

Daybreak had come and the sun was peeking from the clouds. I had apologized to Charlie about two hundred times. But, I wasn't forgiven, yet. I begged Charlie to let me come with him to find Bella. His investigation had uncovered a property in Port Angeles that Bella's captor owned. We were hopeful, on a hunch, we might find her there.

"This is the address. This building is listed in Bruce David's name."

The old garage looked like it had been empty for awhile, but someone had been in there recently. It was hard for me to pick up Bella's scent without being phased.

Charlie went in through the front of the building. My intuition was leading me to the back of the garage. There was a two story brick attachment in the back and I felt a magnetic force pulling me closer. I maneuvered over the fence to gain entrance into the back lot. I could see movement in the upstairs window, prompting me to move faster. I saw a fire escape and decided to go for it. Suddenly through the window I saw a flash, and heard a heart wrenching sound. Gunshot.

I practically flew up the fire escape stairs. My heart was pumping, my adrenaline running wild. Even in wolf phase, I never felt this alive. The next moments were like an out of body experience. I had crashed through the window, Jackie Chan style, covering my entire body in glass. I picked myself up and started searching for her. Blood was everywhere, on the floor and the walls. I saw a lifeless limp body, lying in the corner. And beside of it, my eyes found her, Bella.

A/N: Okay how am I doing? Review please.