Rule Twenty-Nine: One must remember that wolves are, and always have been, social animals. This holds true for the shifters of La Push. Their pack becomes an extension of their families, of their very persons. Separation can prove to be difficult, if not impossible.

Jacob wasn't sure what he expected when Leah Clearwater's image appeared on the screen of Edward's laptop, but he did know that he was struck with an intense sense of relief. "Hey," he said, grinning at the elder girl.

Her reply was delayed, but not by much, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down at her computer screen. "Hey yourself," she replied. Her tone was clipped, but it was obvious she was pleased to see and speak with him. "When are you coming home?"

"Soon," Jacob returned, not sure of the exact date, but he knew it was within the next few days, meaning that he ought to be back in La Push by the next week. "Sometime next week, I think."

Leah nodded, but she didn't say anything else. Her dark eyes darted around her bedroom before she heaved a soft sigh, Jacob finally breaking the silence to ask what he wanted to know. "How're things with the pack?"

"Sam's got us running patrols around the border in shifts," Leah replied, her eyes returning to the screen. "It's non-stop. Quil and Seth are out there right now."

It was near impossible to conceal the shock he felt upon hearing that statement. He had known they had scented the rouge close, but he didn't think it was serious enough to have around the clock patrols…unless Sam neglected to tell him something.

His lips curled into a deep frown at that thought and a flicker of worry passed behind his eyes. "But, why?" Jacob asked softly before his eyes widened, realization dawning in them as he met the girl's gaze. "What's he not telling me Leah?" He demanded to know, his anger laced in his voice though it was not directed at the girl.

Once again the elder girl didn't answer right away; she looked away, chewing on her lower lip. It was her actions that let Jacob know she was battling with the decision to tell him whatever it was that was happening on the reservation. "C'mon, Leah, if she's done something…I need to know," he encouraged her softly.

She gave a heavy sigh and nodded in agreement. "Jacob…she's…," Leah replied as she looked down at her hands and then back up at the computer screen, meeting his gaze through the glass. "Jake…she's been on the reservation…"

xxx

"She's looking good…"

Rosalie looked up from the shining, red hood of her car, grinning at her brother. "She's nearly finished," she replied proudly as she pulled a rag from her back pocket, tossing it at Edward. "You can help me finish waxing her."

The elder vampire caught the rag before he joined his sister at the hood of her newly refurbished car. "What are you going to do with this one?" He asked, starting on the side of the hood Rosalie hadn't gotten to yet.

The blond hummed in thought, not saying anything for a moment-a long moment, but after awhile she looked up at him. Her lips were curled in a small, yet devious grin. "I'm thinking it's going to be a wedding present."

Edward frowned in confusion, obviously not understanding what his sister was talking about. "Wedding present?" He repeated and Rosalie nodded. "But who's getting married?"

His sister chuckled at that, shrugging as she turned back to rubbing down the car, keeping her thoughts carefully masked. "You'll figure it out eventually," she replied sweetly. "I'm sure you will."

The elder vampire eyed his sister for a long moment before finally looking away, heaving a great sigh because whatever it was she was talking about, she wasn't giving it up. Even in her mind it was carefully locked away behind some music lyrics.

The two carried on in silence for awhile, neither of them seeing much point in breaking it to speak about petty things, but after awhile Edward looked up from the sparkling red body of the Ferrari and caught his sister's gaze. "We're leaving in a few days…" he said softly, pointedly.

"What?"

Jacob's voice echoed around her room and Leah just had to look away from her computer screen, frowning deeply, her heart clenching in her chest as she sucked in a breath. "There's…there's more, Jacob…" she said, looking back at the screen wondering if it was a good idea to tell him, but knowing she didn't have a choice in the matter.

"What do you mean more?" Jacob asked, his teeth clenched in shock and Leah could practically feel his anger radiating through the computer screen. She nearly changed her mind, but she forced herself to tell him because she knew Sam wouldn't and Jacob deserved to know.

She chewed on her bottom lip. "She's been to your house," Leah replied softly, seeing Jacob's eyes widen in horror. "But Billy wasn't home…I think she was looking for something…but, I don't know."

"L-looking for something? Looking for something in my house and no one thought it was a good fucking idea to tell me about it?" Oh yeah, Jacob was beyond pissed and Leah almost felt sorry for Sam when their alpha had to face Jacob again.

"Hey I told you about it," Leah pointed out, heaving a sigh. "Don't freak out, Jacob. Everything's okay…for now. She hasn't been back since, unfortunately, and Sam was very worried about her being on our land. Even more so about being in your house."

Jacob was not placated by Leah's explanation, hell he looked even more pissed and that's when she noticed the door behind the other shifter open and his imprint walk in. "But that doesn't change the fact that she was in my house?" Jacob snarled, turning away from the screen when Edward said something she could not hear. "That bitch was in my house!" He shouted and Edward's eyes widened marginally.

Leah swallowed nervously and swore that Jacob was about to phase, but he didn't instead he turned back to his screen. "I'll call you later, alright?" He said before his picture went blank and something told Leah that his vacation was just cut short.

"Victoria?" Edward questioned, hearing his lover's frantic thoughts, the red headed vampire flashing through Jacob's mind-answering Edward's question before Jacob had even realized a question had been asked. "She was in your house?"

Jacob turned to face him and the vampire felt his still heart clench at the pain and worry he saw on his lover's face. "Apparently," he replied, his thoughts running rampant again. It was so overwhelming for Edward that he could barely keep up. "And Sam didn't fucking tell me…" the shifter added just moments later, his voice was low and growling in anger.

Edward sighed softly, stepping closer to the younger teenager, resting his hands on his shoulders as he looked up at his lover. "Do you want to leave early?" He asked softly, giving the shifter a meaningful look.

An answer wasn't given right away, Jacob was wibbling back and forth between agreeing and disagreeing, but in the end the teenager's worried thoughts won out and Edward made the decision for him. "We'll leave tonight. After dinner. Tanya and the others will understand," the vampire said simply, leaning forward to press a kiss to Jacob's forehead.

He felt the shifter sag against his hands and then finally lean against his chest. "Sorry," he muttered softly, his arms coming around Edward, basking in his support and love. "Leah said everything was alright, but…I just…"

"You need to see for yourself. I know, Jacob, and it's alright," Edward finished softly, his arms falling from Jacob's shoulders, embracing him. "I understand completely and I don't want to see you on edge for the rest of the week because we didn't leave."

Jacob nodded before he looked at his imprint. "Thank you," he replied softly, his voice was heartfelt and his eyes were brimming with the gratitude he felt, but none of that mattered to Edward because he was just happy he had put the younger teen at ease.

"You welcome," Edward replied, his voice just as soft as he leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips against his lover's. The kiss lingered, but it didn't gain in any heat. It wasn't about anything sexual right now. It was just about comfort. Comfort and support.

The kiss was broken a few moments later and Edward nudged his lover towards their bed. "Why don't you rest for awhile?" The vampire suggested softly, giving the shifter a meaningful look. "I'll talk to the family and start dinner. After you eat, we'll pack and head out."

Jacob sighed and looked back towards the bed, he didn't look like resting was on his list of things to do, but Edward was insistent. Jacob needed a quiet moment to sit down and just relax and calm down. "Please? For me?" Edward asked, seeing the hesitance in his lover, but in the end he knew Jacob would give in…if only to please him.

La Push

"Who gave you permission to tell?"

Leah stood strong and proud as Sam stood in her living room, her mother lingering in the kitchen, smartly staying out of pack business. "You didn't forbid it, she was in his house, he had a right to know."

"He left-"

"He's coming back, Sam, Jacob didn't abandon us so stop acting like he did," Leah interrupted him, glaring at the man she once loved so much.

Sam stiffened, his muscles rippling and his body shaking in anger. She knew he would be mad, but she didn't care very much at this point. What he had withheld from Jacob was much more detrimental than Sam's anger.

"It wasn't your place to tell him," Sam growled and Leah rolled her eyes, turning away from the man.

"You're right. It should've been yours. But where were you? Not telling him, that's for sure," Leah snorted softly, shaking her head before she looked back at Sam. "If you're going to punish me, then punish me, but you're not going to make me think what I did was wrong. Because it wasn't. He deserved to know."

For a moment Sam didn't speak, but Leah knew he wasn't through. She could feel it. "You have the midnight patrol…until Jacob comes back and then he can join you for the next two weeks."

The woman snorted softly as Sam turned and stomped out of her house. That's all you got…? She thought to herself, shaking her head before she looked into the kitchen at her frowning mother. "You don't think I'm wrong, do you?"

Sue Clearwater stepped out of the kitchen, giving her daughter a small, meaningful smile. "I don't think so, no, but Sam is your alpha. You should've consulted-"

Leah groaned loudly and covered her ears, tuning her mother out before she looked at the elder woman with narrowed eyes. "You know Jacob ought to have been our alpha? He never would've pulled shit like this!" She snarled viciously before she turned and left the room in a fury, heading to her bedroom, slamming the door once she reached it.

Notes: Sorry about the long time between updates. I got unbelievably busy and then unbelievably sick, before finally pulling a muscle in my back. In between all of that I had other stories (with deadlines) to worry about. I can't promise that my updating schedule will be back to normal, but I can promise that I'll continue updating.