Chapter 20

The funeral was today. Jared, Embry and Jacob were meeting us there. Jacob needed to go talk to Bella about the redheaded bloodsucker. Now that Cullen leech was back, we couldn't patrol Cullen land.

The funeral was just about ready to start, when my sensitive hearing heard Jared's car park in the parking lot of the church. I heard Jacob's swearing. I sighed and excused myself to meet them outside. I seen them leaning against the car waiting for me.

"What's going on?" I asked. It was Embry that answered seeing that Jacob was trying to control his temper.

"Bella took off with that Cullen leech to go save the one that left her broken in the woods. Apparently he's trying to kill himself because he thinks Bella is dead. So now Bella is going to run to her death to save him."

In the middle of the speech, Jacob slammed his fist down on the car roof leaving a fist size dent and then took off for the woods. I sighed and ran my finger's through my hair. Shit. "Go inside." I ordered Embry and Jared. They both went inside and I walked in the woods. I really didn't want to take off my suit just to put it back on again. So I did the next best thing.

"Jake," I paused and listened. I heard a rustling about a half mile away. I heard his heartbeat and his breathing too. I knew he could here me since he was in wolf form. I just hope he had enough decency to take off his suit first. "Look I'm sorry, but, there are people in that church right now who need us. They need us to be strong for them. Your father lost someone the other day. Someone who was like a brother to him, like a second father to all of us. I know your hurting, but you don't even know what's going to happen. She might waltz back in in a couple days with nothing wrong with her. Come on, Jake."

I didn't hear anything except his heartbeat and his breathing. He hadn't moved. My blood was starting to boil, but I held back the urge to phase.

"Damn it, Jake! I know your only sixteen, but you have a responsibility to these people to be there for them, to protect them. It's in your blood to lead the people of this tribe and pack. It's about time you grow up and stop throwing tantrums like a child. No one asked for this, no one wanted this, but it happened and there is nothing any of us can do about it except make the best out of it and that means getting up off your ass and dealing with this like a man! Now I don't know about you, but I am going inside that church and comforting my mother and fiancé. I suggest you do the same."

I turned around and walked out of the woods. I seen the pack standing in front of the church staring at the woods. When I emerged they all bowed their heads and walked back inside. I followed after them and took my seat in between my mother and Emily. Billy was in the front row with Sue. I leaned forward and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked back at me and raised his eyebrow in a silent question. I shook my head letting him know that I didn't think Jacob was coming in.

Thirty minutes into the sermon the door opened and in walked Jacob. He wasn't in the same suit, but one that looked like he owned it before he changed. The pants looked like floods and jacket was about 3 inches too small. If it wasn't such a somber occasion, I would probably be laughing my ass off.

He walked to the front of the church and gave Sue a hug. Then he sat next to his father and put his hand on his shoulder. I felt a little squeeze on my hand and looked over to see Emily smiling at me.

Hours later, here I am patrolling the woods. All of us are here,except Jacob and Embry, who are running circles around the Swan residence. I was just getting ready to tell everyone to call it a night when the scent hit me.

Fuck guys. She somehow got past us. Jacob she is on her way towards you!

I'm on it Sam.

All of us took off running towards Forks. We were about halfway there when we seen through Jacob's eye's that she got with in 2 miles of the house and froze. She whipped her head back and forth a couple times and then booked it in the opposite direction.

What the hell happened?

I think she caught the scent of that little leech that was here.

Damn, I didn't think the Cullens were that scary. You should have seen her face. She looked like Armageddon just happened.

I wonder what they did to her.

Ok, guys head home. She's gone for now.

We all headed home, since it was getting light out.

The next couple days were pure hell for us. Jacob kept driving us all crazy with thoughts of the different ways he thought Bella was going to die. Finally, one morning he came onto patrol looking all chipper but still grumbling and glowering.

"What the hell is up with you now?" Paul asked while he was putting on his shorts. He was just getting off of patrol with me.

"Bella came home last night. She's fine."

"I thought that was a good thing?" I said.

"She brought her leech with her. The one that left her a while ago."

A series of rumbled growls came from various places in the woods. The rest of the pack didn't like it. If he was back, that meant the rest of them were also. This wasn't good. How many more innocent kids from the bloodline would change now? How many more would be burdened with this curse?

"Jake, next time she comes down here, find out if they are staying or not."

"Will do, Sam."

Of course, she didn't show. Weeks passed and Jacob became increasingly agitated. Finally there was one particular conversation that snapped my patience.

"What if they slip, Sam. I remember she said something about one of them slipping on her last birthday or something. They'll kill her!"

"Jacob, for pete's sake, if you so worried about her just call her or something. I'm sure there is a reason she hasn't been down."

"Yeah those leeches probably won't let her. Probably thing we'll corrupt her against them or something. If there was only some way to keep her away from them."

He was basically talking to himself by this point. I was outright ignoring him until we walked into his garage and I heard him yell. I spun around and bared my teeth. My body was trembling with the on coming phase.

"That's it!" He yelled. He had the biggest grin on his face.

"Damn it, Jacob. If I didn't know werewolves couldn't have heart attacks, I would have thought you just gave me one. What the hell are you yelling about."

"I know how to get her away from them."

"How?" He smiled his biggest shit-eating grin and stepped aside to reveal two shiny motorcycles.

"Your going to what? Run them over with the bikes? You do realize that they are basically as indestructible as us, don't you?"

"No, you ass. I'm going to get her grounded. She told me once before that if her father found out that she had been riding, that he would ground her for life. So, I will take the bike to her house and tell him I am only looking out for her best interest."

I thought about it for a minute. In a twisted way, it kinda made sense.

"I guess. You can also relay some information to them. Remind them about the treaty, like the no biting thing. If they slip, it means war. Also see if they seen that red headed bitch anywhere. We haven't caught hide nor hair of her since that day at Charlie's.

So it was agreed. Jacob would go, since he knew the Swan's the best and he was also the best controlled besides me. Embry and Quil would stand guard about a mile away so they could here and make sure he didn't break the treaty first if he did happened to phase. It seemed like a fool-proof plan. But like most fool-proof plans, they are anything but fool-proof.