Author's note: hello everyone :) this chapter is more of a filler, just to keep things going smoothly though it still has some important points in it. I may or may not be uploading again this week but since I still haven't gotten my schedule figured out yet, I can't make any promises just yet. If you guys have any thoughts as to what's happening let me know, I'd love to know what you think.

Enjoy!

"I'm fine, really."

"Sure, sure."

Jacob carried Anala back towards the house. She was feeling a bit better now but Jacob wouldn't let her walk on her own. His body was incredibly warm, keeping away the chill of the day. The sky rumbled and Anala looked up at the clouded sky. It would rain, as was usual for the Olympic Peninsula. Jacob passed the tree line and into the front yard of the Cullen home. Emmett appeared seemingly from nowhere.

"What did you do to her?" he demanded, glaring at Jacob. He reached for her and Jacob's hold on her tightened for a moment before he let her go. Anala struggled to get down onto the ground and on her own two feet but Emmett was having none of it.

"I didn't do anything." Jacob's body was trembling slightly. "She collapsed in the woods."

"I'm fine." She assured before Emmett could overreact.

Anala found herself being lowered onto Emmett's bed a few seconds later.

"I told you to rest." He said, adjusting the blankets. He pressed a hand against her forehead and cheeks. His brows drew together slightly. "You're a bit warm."

"I feel fine." She assured again. Emmett's eyes were troubled, clouded, and Anala cupped his cheek. He paused then sighed, placing a hand over hers. His dark eyes met hers.

"You should go hunt."

"I'm fine." He said, half mocking. Anala smiled.

Emmett's nose crinkled and he leaned in, breathing deeply against her neck. His hands skimmed her torso and uninjured side as he leaned closer, pressing against her. Anala's breath caught and she tilted her head slightly as Emmett's lips pressed a feather light kiss to her throat. He pulled her hair out of its bun and ran his fingers through the still-wet locks, bringing them up to his face, inhaling and exhaling.

"What are you doing?" she murmured.

"You stink like him."

Anala sat up and stared at him. "Are you . . . are you scenting me?!"

"I wouldn't put it that way."

"I'm not a piece of meat." What came next? Him peeing on her to make sure none of the other alpha men did?!

Emmett had the nerve to look offended. "Of course you aren't. You're my mate, he should know that."

Anala sat up. "Jacob knows that."

Emmett nodded and grinned. "Good."

She sighed. Men. Human or not they reverted to cavemen at the first sign of another male threat. They were hopeless idiots. But it was adorable how Emmett was being unnecessarily possessive. Jacob was attractive. He radiated an inner light all his own and his eyes showed he had a kind heart, but there was nothing Anala wanted from him. She lay back against the pillows and raised a hand to her head. Her headache was gone, but she was tired now. Emmett was right to say that she should've stayed in bed but Anala had needed to talk to Jacob. She stared sleepily at the ceiling, hearing soft notes of what sounded like a lullaby.

Anala rubbed the healing paste onto her side. The scars were nearly gone now, leaving only small pink marks on her skin. She'd been home for a couple days now and Anala was becoming frustrated. While things seemed fine, Anala knew that wasn't the case. She hadn't seen Jacob since the day she woke up but Rosalie told her he'd visited Bella, which displeased Edward. According to her, Jacob had feelings for Bella and if it were up to her "the mutt could have her." Alice wasn't in her usual bubbly state which made Anala worry she'd seen something troubling. Was it Victoria and her army? Was it her family? Was it something else entirely? She'd reassured their chances of winning this fight were good. Newborns were inexperienced and reckless, driven by their hunger making them easier to kill than an older, more experienced vampire. Javan had been his usual cool, sly self and Anala didn't buy it for a second. She knew him; Javan was a master of the dramatic arts. Psychology was his weapon and she had on more than one occasion seriously considered him a special kind of psychopath. He was dangerous to those he made his target and Anala was not stupid enough to think he wasn't planning something. The question was what and then there was Emmett . . .

Anala closed the jar with the paste and set it on her desk before pulling on her shirt.

Emmett had been off since that day. Anala had returned to school, more for appearances than anything, and Emmett was acting strange. He'd barely looked at her; hardly spoke more than a few sentences to her at a time, finding reasons to leave. She didn't understand it. Had she done something? Said something? It was confusing. Anala wracked her brain for hours trying to figure out why this was happening and continually came up blank. It hurt, not knowing why Emmett seemed to be avoiding her. Her door opened and Nolan strolled in and tossed himself onto her bed.

"What do you want to do tonight?" he asked. Of all the shit that had been happening lately, Nolan was still the same, something Anala was always grateful for. She turned and looked at him.

"I thought we were supposed to go train with the Cullen's."

Nolan sat up. "We don't need to relearn how to kill a vampire. They're going over that with the wolves tonight. So, we can go to the movies or get something to eat in Seattle. Maybe we'll see some of these newborns, eh?"

Anala laughed. "Okay, you and Javan need some time apart. You're almost as bloodthirsty as he is."

"I am not!" he exclaimed, a smirk forming on his lips. He threw a pillow at her. "I'm bloodthirsty in a way that is all my own dear sister."

"Oh, of course! How silly of me to think otherwise."

"Oh shut up." he muttered.

Anala pulled on her jacket. "Okay let's go then."

Anala followed Nolan downstairs, noticing how quiet it was. "Jay's not here?" she asked.

"Nope." Nolan twirled the keys around his finger. "He left a while ago."

They exited the house and headed to the car. Anala was about to open the door when a bit of color caught her attention. At the edge of the yard, just beneath a tree was a light grey streak against the ground, contrasting with the dark. Anala stepped closer, curious. As she neared, Anala realized the light grey streak was a shirt and she picked it up. a few feet away Anala spotted a pair of dark jeans.

"what is it?" Nolan asked from behind her. He stopped next to her and looked at the clothes. "Oh, shit."

Anala dropped the shirt and ran into the trees.