Chapter 14

Edward

I sat on the couch, trying to ignore Rosalie and Alice. They were taking pictures of Nessie again. This was her second outfit today. The two of them insisted on making a scrapbook of Nessie that would portray her 'life' while she grew. Bella thought it was cute, but I personally thought it was a slight waste of time. Not that I would ever tell Rosalie that. She would bite my head off.

Carlisle was leaning against the doorframe, his mouth set in a grim line. He had been on the phone with the mutt for all of five seconds and he was already stressed out.

"Is it serious?" I asked. Carlisle nodded grimly. I frowned and went to his side. I could hear the mongrel on the other end. He was nervous and very unsure of himself. That won't help Max you imbecile. Calm down and make her think you're in control. It worked for Bella.

I read Carlisle's mind as he listened to Jacob describing Max's condition. He was very concerned for her safety, but there was no possible way for us to get to her before her bones set wrong. The council wouldn't allow it. We all loved Max, but even she wasn't a good enough reason to start a war with the wolves.

"We have to shift her calf back into place," Carlisle said. "Lift her leg up so that it's bent at the knee." He paused, listening to something Jacob said. "Yes, I'm sure."

We both cringed when we heard Max's cry of pain on the other end. She sounded so hurt and fragile. It would be worse if we waited until tomorrow, I reminded myself. I had to keep telling myself that. I couldn't be too mad at the mutt for causing her pain.

"Now move her calf inwards so that her foot is straight up like it should be. You'll have to use both hands to hold her thigh straight while setting her calf." Carlisle pressed a button and set the phone on speaker.

We heard a light crackling as the phone was set down, on the bed most likely. It was picked up again and I thought Jacob had another question, but then a loud scream echoed through the line. Carlisle dropped the phone and looked horrified. From the floor, I heard Jacob call for his father to get Sam and the other wolves. We waited until they arrived before continuing.

"You are going to have to rip her sweatpants off at the top of her thigh. They're too thick to work over." Carlisle had picked the phone back up, his face still a mask of pain. This hurt him almost as much as it hurt Max herself. Carlisle hated having to cause her pain. But we couldn't have dosed her. If Jacob screwed up, he could kill her. It was too risky.

"Get out. Get out! Sam will help me. The rest of you get lost!" That was probably Emily, Sams' fiancée. We heard the pack leaving and Emily set the phone on the floor. I assumed she had gotten the shorts on a few minutes later because one of the wolves commented on Max's appearance. I imagine someone smacked him. I hope so.

"Jake move. It's gonna be ok Max. Don't be scared honey, I won't let anything happen to you." Emily was trying to soothe Max, but I didn't like how she was promising something she obviously couldn't keep.

"Carlisle, what should I do?" Carlisle told him to describe her entire injury. While Jacob did just that, I left the room. I didn't want to hear this.

"Are you ok?" Bella asked, coming to stand by me. I smiled at her, trying to make her think I was happy. She didn't look convinced. I remembered that during the time she was pregnant, Jacob had told me I would have to work on being truthful with Bella. He was right. She caught so many more things now than she had when she was human. It was frustrating not being able to keep her from the bad things in this world like I used to be able to.

"Max is in a lot of pain," I said softly, running my hand over my eyes. Bella looked sympathetic. She understood pain almost as well as Max. The rest of us could not imagine it. We didn't remember the pain as much now. We had learned to subdue it.

"Is there anything we can do?" she whispered. I shook my head.

"Carlisle is downstairs talking with the mongrel, but I'm worried." Bella was frowning. I kept forgetting not to call Jacob names. It made her upset that I still didn't like her best friend. "If he messes anything up, it could damage Max more than she already is. I just wish we had been able to get there ourselves."

"Jacob can handle it," Bella said firmly. She touched my cheek lightly. "He's good with his hands." I raised a brow at her and if she had been human, a blush would have crept onto her cheeks, but she just looked down, embarrassed. "I just meant he builds cars. He can handle this Edward. Have some faith in him."

I sighed. I knew she was right. I should have some faith in the boy, but I just couldn't help the life-long animosity that ran between us. I should be grateful to him for keeping my wife safe when I left, but even then, I hated him for helping her when I couldn't. I hated him for making her happy in a way that I could not when she was human.

"I'll try to," I compromised. Bella smiled and went to find Renesmee. When she had gone, I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. This was hard on all of us, but I couldn't help feeling like I felt the worst about Max's predicament.

It's because of you, you know, Alice thought. She was downstairs, but she had obviously been listening to our conversation. I growled.

How is this my fault?

If Bella didn't worry so much, and if you had more of a backbone, you would have gone with Max and the flock. You wouldn't have let them die.

But I couldn't leave Bella, I argued. How could Alice be seriously pinning this on me? Besides, what about the Volturi? She would have been here alone.

No, we would have been back long before the Volturi returned. Alice was being stubborn. No I'm not. You just don't want to admit that if you had more of a spine, you could have told Bella to sit tight and we would have gone with them.

But Max didn't want us to, I reminded her.

Like she could have stopped us. She would have appreciated our help the moment she got there anyways.

What about the blood they spilled? What would you have done then Alice? Leave? Alice's thoughts were quiet for a while.

We could have at least tried, she said, her thoughts desperate for a way out. She wanted to believe just as much as I did that this had happened for a reason and that it wasn't a mistake. If only it were true…

I'm not arguing with you anymore. We shouldn't be fighting, Alice. Max needs us.

But we can't go to her. What can we do?

We can be strong and not fight over her. It's what she needs right now.

You're so sentimental Edward, Alice laughed. I rolled my eyes.

Maybe so, but still. We should be more considerate over how Max feels about all this. We can't bring her down.

Fine. But I refuse to stay here any longer. I'm going to La Push. I heard Alice go out the front door.

Alice! You can't! She stopped at the garage.

And why not? She challenged. She had forgotten the rules.

Because we don't have the all-clear from the council. If you cross the line into La Push, you could start a war. We can't have that so soon after our peace with them.

Fine, she snapped. I heard her come back into the house. But I don't like this.

Neither do I.

Max

"Max?" I opened my eyes. Jacob was hovering over the bed. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," I said, propping myself up on my elbows. It only hurt a little now. Compared to the pain this morning, I was just dandy.

"Can I… I was just wondering…" He was having serious trouble saying what he wanted to say. I narrowed my eyes slightly. Being nervous about asking a question meant a difficult answer. Crap.

"Just spit it out," I snapped, my patience suddenly worn thin by the questions I knew I would not be able to answer. Jacob sighed and looked down at his hands.

"What happened to you?" he whispered. I didn't answer. I couldn't. He looked up at me, his eyes searching mine for an answer.

I lay my head on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. "I can't tell you," I whispered, my voice cracking a little.

"You can talk to me, Max," Jacob said softly. He took one of my hands and held it in between both of his. My hand felt like it was in an oven. But it felt good. My blood had been very cold lately. Metaphorically, anyways…

"Not about this." I raised my head and looked at him. He looked like he wanted to know so desperately that I considered telling him. Then I rethought my answer and shook my head. I could not subject Jacob to this kind of pain. He wasn't ready to hear this. Not yet.

"Why not? I can handle whatever it is you have to tell me," he said, sounding so sure that he could. I smiled at him. My smiles were rare nowadays. His answering smile made me feel a little warmer inside and the room suddenly looked brighter.

"I don't think you can." He frowned and the room went dark again. "You aren't ready for the kind of pain I've felt. I… I can't put that kind of weight on your shoulders Jacob. It just isn't fair to you." I tried to seem like I was sorry, but deep inside, I wasn't. I didn't want to ever have to shove that burden on him.

"Why do people think life is fair?" he muttered angrily to himself. I blinked, a little confused.

"I agree with you. I agree with you completely."

"So you'll tell me?" He sounded excited to hear my horrific story. It made my stomach lurch.

"No."

"Why not? You don't need to protect me, Max," he reminded me. A ghost of a smile passed over my lips.

"I know I don't. But I'm not trying to protect you. Not completely." I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm protecting me," I whispered.

"Why do you need to protect yourself Max?" I could practically see him grinning at me, his face lighting up. "That's what I'm here for."

"You can't protect me Jacob," I muttered.

"Yes, I can," he pressed. "Nothing will happen to you while I'm here. I promise." I shook my head.

"Sure, you can protect me from what might happen, but you can't protect me from what already happened."

"What is so bad that you need to curl up in a ball and shut yourself off from the world?" He was trying so hard to understand, but I just couldn't put that kind of pressure on someone so young and—I don't want to say innocent, but that's what fits best.

"My past," I snapped, sitting up to look at him.

Sitting up fully moved my wing too much and I hissed, lying quickly back on the bed. Jacob sat quietly at the foot of his bed and looked at me. I was suddenly exhausted and irritable. They seem to go hand-in-hand with me.

"I can help you," he insisted quietly. I smiled wryly.

"I wish you could," I whispered. "I honestly wish you could help me Jacob, but you can't. You can't undo the past."

"Then stop looking at the past. Live in the now. Look to the future." He was so optimistic that it made me smile for real.

"The present is nothing to me. I can't live in the present with so much pain in the past." I sighed. "The future means nothing to me. I have no future."

"You have a future Max," he insisted, taking my hand in his again. "Your future is tomorrow, or even later today. What, are you saying you're going to die in twenty minutes?" I shoved down the depressing urge to mutter 'I wish.'

"Just drop it Jacob." I took my hand back. "You can't help me. You can't change the past."

"I don't need to change the past Max. I can help you live now. I'm here now."

"I really don't know why you care so much that I'm seriously and irreversibly depressed," I snapped, trying to get the subject off my past. He actually looked hurt that I had asked him that.

"Because I care about you Max," he whispered. I blinked, astonished that someone I had told I hated cared for me. "You're my friend."

"I don't have any friends," I muttered, determined to get him out of the room. He chuckled.

"Well, good luck getting rid of me then." I opened my mouth to retort, but he was already out the door.

I was left alone again. I hate being alone. I hate being depressed. I hate being alive. Well, it seems I can't do anything about two out of those three. I can't stop being depressed if I'm alone. I can't die because Jacob won't allow it. I know, I've asked already.

A few hours later, Emily came in. I had just woken up five minutes earlier and was surprised to see her. She smiled brightly at me and sat on the edge of the bed. She had a huge basket in her lap and I smelled food.

"Here." She pulled the checkered cloth back and revealed a lot of food. "I thought you might want something to eat."

"Thank you," I said, taking a blueberry muffin and shoving pieces into my mouth. I tried to take the animal-in-me down a notch when other people were around, but I was really hungry. I had been off-and-on sleeping all day, so I hadn't gotten a chance to eat yet.

While I ate, Emily told me about her and the pack. She told me the old legends about the Quilete first. I was interested to know that the pack and the Cullens were born enemies. She told me that there were so many wolves because of the arrival of so many new vampires that were here to help the Cullens against the Volturi. I hadn't known that they weren't born that way. I had just assumed that they were born like that and could change into little pups when they were younger.

"So who was the first to change?" I asked between bites of a second ham sandwich.

"Sam," she said quietly. I figured there was a sad story behind that one word. I was right. "He changed and had no idea what was happening to him. He hid in the woods for days, trying not to be seen. He was finally able to go to the council and tell them what happened to him. He was afraid they would think he was crazy or on drugs or something." She smiled. "He didn't expect them to welcome him like one of them."

"What happened?"

"The council told Sam about the transformation and the reason behind it. They said that no one had been a wolf in so long because there had not been any vampires in the area since the Cullens left the last time. Jacob's grandfather was in the last pack. Sam changed because the Cullens came back."

"When did the others change?" I was curious to know about how all this worked. It was strange knowing about other 'freaks'.

"Jared and Paul changed next. Then Embry." Her smile was a sad one. "Jacob was so scared. He noticed Sam and his 'gang' watching him, closer than they had watched anyone else. He was freaking out. He didn't understand that there was nothing he could do to stop the shift. He didn't even know about it until it happened and Sam was able to explain it."

I felt bad suddenly. The pit of my stomach felt like a rock. I hadn't known that Jacob had been human once. That he hadn't known any of this existed until he was being watched and scared out of his mind. From what Emily had already told me, he hadn't been able to find out the truth until after he changed. I made up my mind that next time I saw Jacob, I would apologize to him. It was the least I could do after his help.

"Quil followed, then Seth and Leah. The others, like Collin, shouldn't have changed at all, but when all those other vampires came, the 'gift', as Billy and the other elders call it, felt like it needed to spread to make more wolves to protect the area. It wasn't necessary, but the 'gift' wouldn't have known that the incoming bloodsuckers weren't going to hurt anyone." She frowned. "Except for those Romanians. They freaked us out."

I laughed. She looked surprised to hear the sound, but her own laugh joined mine. I could have sworn the talking going on in the other room suddenly stopped, as if they were listening to us laughing.

"So what's your story?" Emily asked innocently. I looked at her and knew that she was asking because she did not know about my constant rejection of this question. "Oh c'mon, I've told you ours, it's only fair that you tell me yours."

"I wasn't born with the wings," I admitted. She raised her good eyebrow at me, curious. "Well, I was, technically, but it's not like they're natural or anything. I had tests done on me before I was born. I didn't know who my parents were until a few years ago." I thought about the flock's joke that I was a test-tube baby. It had seemed possible and less concerning at the time.

"What about the others?" I winced. She doesn't know, I reminded myself.

"They were born with them too, same as me. We grew up in too-small cages until I was ten, and then my father kidnapped us and gave us a home. We lived with him for a while, but he disappeared so I had to lead the others for two years. When our house blew up and Angel"—I swallowed at having to say my baby's name—"was kidnapped, we had to go back to the place where we'd been 'born.' Basically, since then, we were on the run 24/7. It sucked."

"I bet," she agreed. "Did they finally stop chasing you?"

"Yeah, they did," I murmured, my eyes going hazy as I saw things Emily couldn't see. She waited for me to come back to the present before asking how we survived all that time on our own.

"I was oldest, so I was the leader. We flew where we wanted and hid where we could. We scavenged food and shelter until I found a mysterious unlimited credit card. We used it to buy ourselves food, but practically never shelter. We were fine with the trees, and besides, someone could track us through the pin number."

"Who gave you the credit card?" Emily was surprised that I had resources like that.

I shrugged and told her the truth. "I have no idea." She didn't like that.

"You use a card that an anonymous person gave to you, and you're not worried? What if they do track you with it?"

"They would have by now. We've been using it for years. It never seems to run out, and I never get any bills for it." She still looked a little apprehensive about it, but she didn't bring it back up.

"So… that's my life," I said, holding out my hands. She smiled.

"Thank you for being so honest with me Max, I truly appreciate it." I smiled back at her, feeling some bit of happiness come over me. It was strange not feeling the need to hide inside myself. I felt...calm.

"You're welcome." I actually meant it… weird.

A knock on the door made us both turn. Billy nudged the door open with one of the wheels on his chair. He smiled at the two of us, sitting on Jacob's bed laughing, and came as far into the room as his chair would allow.

"Having fun girls?" he asked with mock seriousness. Emily smiled lovingly at him and nodded.

"I was just telling Max about our history and how the boys came to be shifters."

"You included the part with me saving the day, right?" Emily laughed and I felt even better. She was so easy to be around.

"Of course Billy," she said, winking at me. I managed a smile. "How could I forget?"

"Good," he said gruffly, nodding his head. "Oh, and Sam wants to talk to you." Emily rose. "Not, you Em, Max." I was surprised and a little frightened. What could Sam possibly want to talk about with me?

Denali. That one word was like a taboo, a curse, which sent a shiver up my spine and a black shroud over my heart. I mentally cursed the Voice for answering my rhetorical question.

"See you later Max," Emily said quietly, sensing the instantaneous mood-change in the room. I nodded at her. I couldn't say anything, my mind was too worried and my stomach was starting to lurch and tumble already.
Emily left, with Billy not far behind her. He gave me one last smile before rolling out and closing the door behind him. I sighed and forced myself to sit up. I didn't want to be lying down anymore and it wouldn't give me any edge if I needed to be strong against Sam.

I had just managed to prop myself up against the wall at the head of Jacob's bed when the door opened. Sam walked in, tall, dark, and without a shirt, as usual. He didn't look at me until he had perched himself at the foot of the bed. I didn't like the look on his face as he examined me.

"Max, we have to talk." He sounded serious, and that worried me immensely.

"'Bout what?" I muttered, looking down at my hands folded in my lap.

"About why you are here." He stopped and waited for me to say something. When I didn't Sam surged onward. "The pack is concerned with your involvement with the bloodsuckers."

"Why?" I hadn't seen this new turn in his usual questions. Where was he even going with this?

"Because we need to know if you were hurt by accident or not."

"What are you saying?" I asked slowly, my eyes narrowing. "That I fell from the sky on purpose? Yeah, 'cause I would definitely do that." Sam shrugged like it was a possibility. "Why would I do that?"

"To be here? I don't know." He sounded fed up with me already. I have that affect on people sometimes. "Max, we just need some answers. Give us what we want and everything and everyone will be better off."

"I can't answer what you want to know," I said stiffly, looking away from Sam. He growled. He was losing his temper quickly…

"Then we have no choice." I did not like where this was going… "We'll have to get the Cullens to tell us what we want to know."

"Fine," I said, with a small sigh of relief. Sam seemed surprised. "That's fine."

"You don't mind if they tell me?" he asked, any anger or frustration replaced by confusion and wariness.

"Not really, no." I relaxed now, knowing that the twenty-questions would soon be at an end. Edward could tell them. I wouldn't have to talk about it ever again. That was a pleasing thought.

"So… you won't tell me, but they can?" He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around it. "Why?"

"Because talking about it hurts me," I admitted softly. A lone tear coursed down my cheek. "I don't care how you find out, but it won't be from me."

Sam nodded and swiftly got up from the edge of the bed. He turned to leave, but I called his name, stopping him.

"Can you… not tell anyone?" He raised a brow. "I can tell you would be able to handle it, but the others? I'm not so sure about them." I took a deep breath. "Especially Jacob," I said in a rush. Sam didn't look as surprised as I would have thought he'd be, but he did look confused for a split second.

"I'll do my best," he promised. I knew I could count on Sam to keep his word. He doesn't seem like the type of guy that would promise to keep your secret and then go straight to tell his friends. I hate those people…

Sam gave me one last look of something I couldn't identify, confusion maybe? He shut the door quietly behind him and I was left in the dark again. Except it was noon… What the hell?

I tried to scoot myself to the only window in Jacob's room, but my knee hurt too badly. My leg was still strapped to a wooden board, and it was very uncomfortable. I got a few feet closer by lifting the board carefully, my leg along with it, and sort of gently tossed it towards the window, hopping on my butt when the board was in the air. It only worked up to a point, and it made my leg send shocks up my body.

I really stretched my arm and was able to slide the curtain back from the windowpane. I wished I hadn't immediately.

It was dark as night outside. The wind blew in huge gusts, whipping the trees around like feathers in a breeze. It scared the hell out of me. It actually reminded me of that tornado we got caught in a few years ago… Those were bad times. What made it worse was the rain pounding against the earth. How had I not heard any of this earlier? It couldn't have just started…

"Max!" Jacob had burst into the room. He jumped onto the bed, jarring my leg a little. He scooped me up into his arms. "You can't be near the window during a storm like this."

I put my arm grudgingly around his neck so I wouldn't fall on my face. Jacob carried me out of his bedroom like I weighed nothing. I mean, I knew I was lighter than most, but it's not like I weighed nothing at all. It sure didn't seem like it when he carried me into the main room.

Billy was beside the couch, his hand clutching the arm of the battered couch for support. He looked grave, his face set in a frown, the lines on his face aging him ten years. He looked up when Jacob set me gently on the couch, facing away from the door.

"How bad is it?" he asked roughly. Jacob went to peer cautiously out the kitchen window. He frowned as well and sat on the floor beside my stomach, his back leaning against the couch.

"There are a few trees down already." Billy looked worriedly at the front door. "This is a bad one, dad."

"I know Jake. We need to get the windows boarded up." Jacob nodded.

"I'll be right back." He got up and went to the door. His hand was on the knob when I realized he was going outside.

"What are you doing?" I asked hurriedly.

"I have to get plywood from the garage," Jacob said. I had my head turned all the way around to look at him.

"You're seriously going outside in this?" It was a ludicrous idea.

"Yeah, I have to. If the wind blows any harder, the windows and doors will be in our faces in no time." He didn't look too concerned about his own safety.

"Whatever," I mumbled. "Be careful?" He grinned at me.

"I'll be fine Max, I promise." I glared at him. He was so chill about going out into this storm. It wasn't healthy to think you were indestructible. Mother Nature is a bitch.

"You better come back," I said, pointing my finger accusingly at him. "Or I will personally find your body and kill you."

"Didn't think you cared so much Max," he said, his grin growing. I blushed a little. I hoped he didn't notice it. "I'm touched."

"Oh shut up and get back here fast," I muttered, turning away from him. He chuckled and I saw Billy looking over my head at him. Billy was smiling knowingly at something and I frowned, crossing my arms.

They were being so difficult. Of course I cared about Jacob! He and his pack had saved me—and almost killed me— on more than one occasion. I owed him. Sort of… Besides, it's not like I want him to get sucked up by that storm. The threat wasn't really a threat. It was more of my way of telling him he had better get back here soon.

"He'll be fine," Billy said, but he didn't sound as convinced as he was trying to make me. His face showed signs of worry and I had the feeling this face came out every time Jacob and the pack went out hunting vampires.

I know Emily had that feeling. She had told me about the first time Sam had gone vamp hunting after they met. She had told me that she stayed awake the entire day and a half, sitting at the kitchen table, coffee mug in hand. She said it was the most stressful and painful thing she had to endure while being Sam's fiancée.

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly. I could hear the roar of the storm outside and it sent a shiver up my spine. Billy didn't answer me and I grew more apprehensive. Jacob better come back…

It seemed like much too long when Jacob finally opened the front door. Billy had been reading a magazine, but his gaze and mine shot to the door when it creaked open. Jacob backed into the room, a huge bag in his arms. It was fully of wood and I saw a hammer sticking out the top. Jacob kicked the door shut behind him. Neither of us said anything until Jacob set the bag down on the kitchen table and walked over to stand a few feet from me. He was drenched, water falling off him in large drops onto the floor.

"Well I'm back," he said, grinning. His eyes shone as they stared into mine. They seemed black, but not in the same way as when Edward or the others got really hungry. It was more as if they shone like a newly polished opal. That wasn't weird to think about or anything…

"Good," I managed. I looked away. "Who else would do everything for me? And who would take care of Billy?" Jacob's grin faded a little as he realized the truth in my words. Billy couldn't take care of himself as well as he used to. He was getting old.

He shrugged and tried to slide the feeling of remorse off his shoulders. I was envious that it worked so easily for him. It never worked like that for me… Guilt washed over me like a second skin and didn't leave until I either fixed the problem or Angel convinced me it wasn't that bad. She was always my scapegoat for those types of things.

"I'll start some dinner," Billy said, breaking the silence. I looked up and watched him roll into the kitchen. "Jake, why don't you start on those windows?"

Jacob nodded and grabbed a board from the bag. He shoved a few nails into his mouth and held them between his lips. He took the hammer and boards to the kitchen window, and nailed the boards over the glass. The sound of the nails being pounded into the wall resounded in my ears. It gave me a headache.

I put my hands over my ears and closed my eyes, trying to block out the sound. It didn't work as well as I would have hoped. I could still hear the pounding and it made my head feel like it was being hit with rocks.

"You ok?" I heard Jacob ask faintly. I opened my eyes and saw him standing over me, concerned. I took my hands off my ears, but the pounding in my head continued.

"Yeah," I said weakly. What is wrong with me? Jacob leaned over me, one hand on the wall, and peered at my face.

"You don't look so hot," he commented. I grimaced and closed my eyes. "Seriously Max, have you eaten today?"

"Yeah, Emily brought over a basket of food earlier," I said. "But I didn't eat most of it." We had been talking and I hadn't gotten around to eating more than a muffin and three sandwiches. Not enough to sustain me for an entire day.

"I'll grab it," he said, pushing himself off the wall. I watched him walk into the bedroom, his broad shoulders and muscles attracting my attention the most. He was seriously good-looking. Shut up Max…

"He's a good kid," Billy said, startling me. I didn't get a chance to answer awkwardly because Jacob rejoined us, carrying the basket Emily had brought me. He was also sporting a dry pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. How he changed that fast is beyond me.

"Em packed all the good stuff for you!" Jacob complained lightly. Billy laughed and wheeled himself back to the kitchen to finish making dinner.

"She loves me best," I said, shrugging.

"Not possible," Jacob countered. "She's an Imprintee. Sam is part of my pack. Therefore, she automatically loves me best."

"That doesn't even make sense," I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest. Jacob grinned and sat down, his shoulder leaning against the couch as he faced me.

"Sure it does," he said, looking triumphantly up at me. "Sam is my pack leader. He Imprinted on Emily. So, she loves me best because she's connected to the pack through Sam."

"Yeah, but she has no choice but to love your sorry butt," I retorted. He grinned. "She comes over to see me. Not you, me."

"Because you're bedridden," he reminded me with a laugh. I laughed with him and shrugged my shoulders.

"Fine, whatever. She loves us both, all right? Truce?" Jacob was still grinning when he answered.

"If you say so Max. If that's what gives you sleep at night."

My face fell. I hadn't slept well in months. His smile slipped from his face when he saw my depressed expression.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, concerned. I closed my eyes and ignored him. "I'm sorry."

"S'okay," I whispered.

"I swear that I won't hurt you anymore Max," he said, completely serious now. I hoped Billy couldn't hear our weird conversation. "I'll try to make it easier for you here."

"Thanks Jake," I said softly, my head falling to the side to press my right cheek against the arm of the couch.

"That's the first time you've called me Jake, you know," he said unexpectedly. I opened my eyes. He was smiling warmly at me.

"Yeah well," I muttered, closing my eyes again. I got comfortable and forgot to make a real excuse. I honestly did not have one. It sort of just slipped out. Whatever.