Jacob turned around. "Someone get Bella out of here. Now." he snarled, with an undeniable air of authority, and then he exploded into a mass of fur.

Alice was pulling on my arm. "Bella let's go," But I wasn't listening, something was off. I don't know how I knew, but I could just sense it. Alec fixed Jacob with an intense stare and he was powerless. He swatted with his paw randomly and growled ferociously. I knew immediately what they were doing, they were targeting Jacob. An eye for an eye kind of deal, you kill our leader we kill yours.

"No!" I screamed, as Alice pulled me backwards, trying to get me to safety. "Let me go!" I screamed again, struggling uselessly against her ironclad grip on my body. It was safe to say I was hysterical. If I could just get over to him, I could shield him. I saw Felix pouncing and I knew it was over, there was nothing Jacob could do to deflect an attack he couldn't even see coming. I wanted to close my eyes. I didn't want to see the moment where my world would come crashing down around me, but for some sick reason I couldn't look away.

And then the most incredible thing I had ever seen happened, and coming from a human that keeps company with vampires and werewolves that's saying a lot. Felix fell back as he tried to attack Jacob, as if he was hitting some invisible barrier. He looked utterly shocked, and Jacob took advantage of his brief moment of unease and charged. But how could he see? I glanced over at Alec and I knew I wasn't the only one who was confused.

He was staring at Jacob with the same intense frustration as Jane had when she had first tried her power on me.

"Alice, what's going on?" I asked, keeping my eyes glued on Jacob.

"Bella, I think it's you.." she said, incredulously.

I whirled around to face Alice. "What?"

"What were you thinking about when Felix attacked?" she said, answering my question with another question.

"That if I could just get over to Jacob, I could shield him." I said, angry that she had stopped me from doing just that.

"I think you shielded him with your mind, Bella."

"I what?" My mouth dropped open. "But how?"

She shook her head, looking just as shocked as I was.

"Bella, try it with Jasper, quick!" She spun me around so I was looking straight at Jasper who was currently engaged in, what appeared to be a losing battle, with Caius. He was visibly limping and blood was pouring out of large gash in his side.

I focused all my energy on Jasper, envisioning myself standing in front of him, arms spread wide. And instantly Caius couldn't touch him. I saw the infuriated look on Caius' face and the shocked expression on Jasper's. He put his hands on his knees and breathed heavily, taking full advantage of the unexpected and unexplained break.

Alice jumped up and down beside me, elated. "Bella, that's amazing!"

I grinned; glad that I could finally be of some use.

I heard a loud whimper and I spun around to see Jacob limping, his back leg twisted at an impossible angle, and Marcus circling him like a vulture circling its prey. Without thinking I ran towards him, concentrating all my thoughts on protecting him. I ran up to him and examined his leg.

"Jake, are you okay?"

He growled fiercely and nudged me away from him and I knew exactly what he was saying. What are you still doing here?

I leaned closer to him and whispered so low that I was barely speaking. "I can protect you! You know how Felix and Alec couldn't get to you? That was me!" My voice was rising in excitement.

Jacob stared at me for a moment, and he seemed so human in that moment, it was a little eerie. He threw his head back, trying to tell me something.

"What?"

He pointed his head to me, then to his back again.

"You want me to get on?" I asked in disbelief.

He shook his head up and down, in some semblance of a nod. He crouched down and I swung my legs over the broad expanse of his back so I was astride him. He stood back up to his full height, his leg healed, and I looked down suddenly conscious of how high up I was. I dug my fingers into Jacob's fur, held on, and put every single fibre of my concentration into keeping up the invisible shield.

He ran deep into the forest and I was confused. What was he doing? He crouched down again and I assumed he meant for me to get off. I jumped off, and looked at him questioningly. Suddenly, he was human again.

He grabbed my shoulders urgently. "Bella, you did that? You..shielded me?"

I nodded quickly.

"Can you shield yourself at the same time?"

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. I knew where he was going with this, and if I admitted that I wasn't sure about that fact he would make me leave. There was noway I was leaving now, not when I could finally contribute. I figured if I could create a force field of sorts around Jacob and I was right next to him it should protect me too.

"Can you protect everyone?"

I shook my head, sadly. "No, just one person at a time."

He nodded businesslike. "That's okay, this is much more than we expected. You can just spread it around, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Okay, we have to get back."

He phased back and I jumped on his back and we were flying back to the clearing. The trees all blended together in my vision as he ran. He was definitely faster than Edward, and that gave me hope. With the wolves speed, the fact that the Volturi were outnumbered fifteen to six, and now with my shielding ability we had a definite edge. Even with the all the Volturi's special powers I was, dare I say it, confident.

Jacob bounded back into the clearing and it was utter chaos. My eyes focused in on Jasper, who much worse for wear since I had last seen him 5 minutes ago. He was still fighting Caius, but he was clearly losing. I stretched my shield over him, leaving Jacob and I unprotected.

"Alice, get him out of here!" I shouted. He was in rough shape.

She nodded, she picked Jasper up effortlessly and ran away from the clearing.

Okay, make that thirteen to six.

With great effort I pulled the shield back over Jacob and I. I felt light headed, and I struggled to remain upright as Jacob fought. I felt like I had not slept in days. What's wrong with me?

I heard an agonizing yelp, and I saw Seth in my peripheral vision fighting Jane, who was clearly using her powers to turn it into an unfair fight. I concentrated on Seth and I saw stars, I closed my eyes tightly and opened them up in time to see Jared tearing Jane's head from her body. Yes! I shouted in my head, triumphantly.

Jacob growled loudly and the sound reverberated throughout my whole body. I brought my attention back in front of me and I saw Felix racing at us, with blood lust in his eyes. With all the power I had left in my body I pulled the shield back over Jacob and I.

And then I blacked out.

I opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh light. I sat up and groaned in pain, closing my eyes again, my head was on Fire. Fire? Oh no! Did I get bitten? Oh my, God, this is going to destroy Jacob.

"Jacob," I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

I felt a cold hand on my face and it felt amazing against my flaming skin. I pulled the hand closer, clutching it to my face.

"Bella, it's me," said a familiar, velvety voice.

Oh.

Edward, not Jacob. Coldness, not warmth. Immediately I dropped my hand.

"Did I-" I paused here, not sure if wanted to hear the answer. "Did I get bitten?" I whispered, almost inaudible, but of course he would hear me.

"What? No, of course not," he pushed my hair out of my face. "It's over Bella, the Volturi are gone."

"Gone?"

"Dead," he clarified.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but realized it was premature. "And everyone else?"

"Everyone is fine, Bella." he assured me. "Just get some rest," I opened my eyes to watch him jump out my window.

The Volturi were dead, everyone was fine, it seemed too good to be true almost. Maybe it was. If everything was fine, then where was Jacob? Why hadn't he come to see me? What if Edward was lying and Jacob was hurt. I gasped aloud, aghast at the terrible thought.

I got up from my bed, ignoring the burning pain in my head. I tiptoed downstairs, so as to not wake Charlie, it was still early. Once I was outside I walked as fast as my throbbing head would allow to my truck. I pushed my poor truck to its limits again, speeding to Jacob's.

I walked up to his front door, not bothering to knock.

"Jake!" I called out urgently. I walked down the hall, pushing the door to his bedroom aside.

Jacob sat on his bed, his elbows on his knees, and his face in his hands, tears streaming freely down his face.

I hurried over to him. "Jake, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Please, let him be okay, I prayed.

He looked up at me, dazed and after a moment he answered quietly. "No, I'm not hurt."

But he wasn't okay. I sat down in his lap, and alternated between brushing and kissing his tears away.

"What's wrong?"

"Collin," he whispered, trying to reign in the tears, but I didn't want him to feel like he couldn't cry in front of me. I wasn't like other girls, I didn't think it made him any less of a man.

"I'm so sorry, Jacob,"

"My first day as Alpha and one of my pack members dies. What kind of leader does that make me? If Sam was still Alpha he would never have let this happen."

"Jacob, this isn't your fault." I told him, he didn't look up, unconvinced. I tipped his face up to meet my eyes. "This is not your fault." I said with conviction. If anything it was my fault. If I hadn't gone to Italy Collin would still be alive.

"I'm sorry I didn't come see you right away, I should have. I just needed a minute,"

"No, don't be sorry. I'm fine," Not entirely true, but. "It's you that just lost one of your brothers."

He sighed heavily and I wished there was something I could do to make him feel better. I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him to me. For once I was the one comforting him, for once I could be there for him. For all the times he had held me together I was glad I could return the favour.

We laid back on his bed and fell asleep like that, both getting some much needed rest.

I'm sweating.

That was my first thought when I woke up. I opened my eyes and my vision was blocked by a wall of russet skin. I propped myself up on my elbows, no wonder I was hot. I was laying on top of Jacob, my head had been resting on his burning hot chest. He was snoring softly, his arms wrapped tightly around me; like he was afraid I was going somewhere. He looked so peaceful I didn't want to disturb him, but I was burning up.

I scooted further up his body so I could reach his face. I bent down and kissed away the tracks of his tears, I trailed my kisses lower landing on his supple lips.

"Mm," he moaned, subconsciously clutching me tighter to him.

His lips began to move against mine and I pulled back to see him smiling sleepily.

"I could sure get used to waking up like that every morning." My heart soared at the implications of his words.

I smiled back. "Mhm, but could you let go, I'm really hot."

He squeezed me tighter. "Yes, you are."

I laughed. "Jake,"

He let go and I rolled off of him, leaving as little room between us as possible in order for me to cool down. I grabbed his hand and laced his fingers through mine, because I missed the contact.

He rolled on to his side to face me. "How are you feeling, Bells? I'm sorry I haven't asked sooner, here I am feeling sorry for myself and you're the one that passed out."

"Jake, please stop apologizing. I feel alright, a little light headed, but much better than last night. What happened to me?"

"I don't know, one minute you were on top of me and the next you were on the ground shaking. I was so scared that there was something seriously wrong with you." He paused here, shaking his head. "I thought I was going to lose you." He closed his eyes as the gravity of those words sunk in.

"It's okay, I'm fine now." I whispered, stroking his face with my free hand. "How is everyone? Nobody was hurt right?"

He shook his head. "No, Seth was hurt pretty bad, and the beefy vamp."

I gasped. "Emmett?"

"Is that his name?" He shrugged.

"Edward told me everyone was fine!" I said, infuriated. Just another example of him trying to protect me from everything.

"He probably just didn't want you to worry."

Jacob was standing up for Edward? What had the world come to?

I glared at him and he held his hand up in surrender.

"Hey, I'm not saying it was right."

"So, what happened to Seth?" I asked, bringing my attention back to more important things.

"That little blonde bitch broke his spine." he snarled.

"What?" I shrieked. "Is he going to be okay? He's not going to be paralyzed is he? Oh my, God, this is all my fault."

"Bells, don't worry, he'll be fine. It might take a week or so, but he'll be fine."

I released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "And Emmett?" I asked, not sure I wanted to hear the answer. Vampire's couldn't heal as quickly as wolves.

He hesitated momentarily. "He broke all his ribs, and he lost a finger."

Immediately I felt nauseous. I jumped up from the bed and raced down the hall to the bathroom. I knelt down next to the toilet, breathing heavily. I heard Jacob running in behind me.

"Bella? Are you alright?" he asked frantically.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I moaned.

"Oh Bells," he knelt down next to me and gathered my hair up in his large hands.

I took a deep breath in and out, and the feeling passed. I laid back, resting my head in Jacob's lap, as he ran his fingers through my hair.

"I wanna go see them,"

He nodded. "Okay, let's go,"

Seth was laying in his bed, in a full body cast, with a smile fixed on his face.

"Hey Bella,"

I walked over to him, my hands fluttering around, wishing there was something I could do for him. "Seth.." I whispered. "Look at you,"

"I'm fine," I shot him a dubious look. "Well I will be soon, anyways." He grinned as if to prove his point. "Did you see me out there though? I was totally whooping that leeches ass until she started playing dirty."

I shook my head.

Guys.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked, feeling helpless.

"Hey, from what I heard you already helped me out a lot. If it wasn't for you she probably would have finished me off."

I hit him on the arm. "Don't talk like that."

"Ouch! Hit a man while he's down why don't you, Bella."

I gasped, realizing what I had just done. "Oh my, God, I'm so sorry Seth."

He laughed. "I'm kidding, I didn't even feel that."

"Yeah, she hits like a girl, doesn't she?" Jacob chimed in.

Seth laughed, nodding his head in agreement. Leah growled from the next room.

"Sorry, she hits like a human." Jacob corrected himself.

I glared at both of them. "Hey, it's not my fault that I'm surrounded by supernatural entities."

"Maybe next time you should try a crowbar." Seth suggested.

Jacob laughed. "Yeah, or a hammer. That way we might feel it a little."

"Jake, phone's for you," Leah called, from the living room. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Who would be calling him at Seth's house?

A minute later, I heard Jacob shouting. "What?"

I was instantly alert. More bad news? God, I hope not.

I looked at Seth questioningly, wondering if he might know what Jake was talking about. He shrugged, or tried to at least, his shoulders couldn't go very far. He winced in pain at the movement.

Jacob came running back into the room a grin plastered on his face. Not bad news then I guess.

"Collin's alive!" he yelled.

"What? How?" Seth asked. "Brady said.."

Jacob waved his hand as if to brush that idea away. "Idiot didn't even check for his pulse. It was faint, but it was there. He was just unconscious!"

"Oh Jake, this is such good news!" I said, enthusiastically. I got up from the chair next to Seth's bed to hug him.

"Yeah, everything's going to be okay." he said, his voice had taken on a dreamy quality.

"Yes, everything is going to be fine."

I could finally say that with utter confidence. Now Jacob and I could finally live our lives together, with no interruptions.