"What is it?"

"I don't know," Jacob replied, his voice agitated as he stared out into the darkness of the woods while taking deep breaths. He held an arm out to the side, ensuring that Jo stayed behind him. In any other situation, her gentle touch would aid in relaxing the wolf inside him, but not being able to know what was out there made him anxious. "It's not anyone from the pack. I can't see it. I can only smell it."

"A vampire?"

Jo had been told of how the pack had been trained to recognize the scent of a vampire and although she knew that she didn't have cause to be concerned about the Cullen's per say, the mere thought of them being nearby made her nervous. If it were one of them, it meant that they had been trespassing on Quileute land. From what she had heard from Leah, it would be suicidal for one of them to cross over. If it wasn't the Cullen's, it could very well be another of their kind who not only weren't familiar with the boundaries, but didn't share their same diet, and that scared the crap out of her.

Jacob shook his head curtly, much to Jo's relief as he kept his eyes scanning the darkness.

"This is different. I still don't like it."

Jacob swallowed as he proceeded to quickly pull his shirt over his head and slip off his shoes. He seemed to notice her confusion as he began to strip before her.

"Jo, I can't protect you like this," Jacob said nearly growling, his fists trembling as he continued to stare into the darkness, scrutinizing each and every movement that his keen eyes caught. The wolf was close to the surface and was itching to protect the most valuable person in the world to him. His imprint.

Wordlessly, Jacob passed back his shirt to Jo and stepped away from her as he tugged off his shorts before tossing them to the side.

"I hope that you were serious when you said you wanted to see the wolf again."

Jo was certain she saw a teasing smile pass over Jacob's features before he closed his eyes.

Before Jo could say anything, she watched as heat seemed to pour off from Jacob's skin as his body lunged forward, and fur quickly exploded over him. Jacob was completely unrecognizable as the man he was. A growl errupted as the wolf snarled, and stretched his legs. As frightening as it was to watch it occur, she had to admit that seeing Jacob transform was something awe-inspiring. It seemed almost effortless and second nature.

Jacob focused on the woods around them, growling low in his throat knowing that there was a possibility of a threat nearby. He was also aware that Jo was watching him. He could hear her rapid heartbeat as she stood less than six feet away.

"Jake?"

The wolf glanced towards her and in that moment, Jo could see Jacob within the yellow rimmed eyes. Slowly and bravely, she walked towards him as he continued to scan the darkness for whatever was lurking and giving off the unusual scent that he had detected. Just as she was within feet of him, three other large wolves suddenly appeared to come from behind them.

Jo swore under her breath as she clutched Jacob's shirt tightly to her chest and backed up and away from them all. It was obvious by the way Jacob reacted that they weren't a threat to them but at the same time, he didn't greet them amicably. Her assumption was that they were members of the pack, but she had no idea who they were. Regardless, being surrounded by 4 large wolves who were snarling at each other freaked her out.

"Holy shit," she mumbled nervously, as she watched Jacob growl at the others as he backed towards her, positioning himself in front of her.

Jo could only guess what was being communicated by the body language as the wolves glanced back at her before turning their attention out towards the woods ahead of them. Suddenly, the three wolves took off running in the general direction where Jacob thought the scent had come from. A low rumbling continued to reverberate from within Jacob as he looked towards where the wolves had disappeared into the dark woods.

"I have to admit," she said softly as she slowly and tentavitely walked towards him. "You were right. This wasn't the best way to get over a fear."

Jo watched as Jacob glanced at her as she stood just a few feet from his side, his eyes seeming to smile.

"But at least I'm not having a panic attack."

She wasn't about to reveal how close she was to having one though.

Jo looked back out into the dark woods, in the direction that Jacob was watching.

Having a one-sided conversation was a bit awkward and the silence was something Jo wasn't used to hearing from Jacob. Curiously, she looked back at his eyes as he kept them trained on the darkness surrounding them.

"Can you hear them? The others who were here?"

Jacob's head bobbed slightly as she listened to the silent forest.

"It must get loud sometimes," she commented as a low groan errupted from within Jacob, to which Jo perceived as an affirmation. "But I can see where it would come in handy. I'd love to hear what you're thinking all the time."

Jacob didn't respond, but watched keenly ahead of them, his ears up and his body seeming to be alert and rigid. Jo could actually sense Jacob's anxiety and actually took a slight step closer to him despite her fears.

"You'd let me know if I had to run like hell, right?" She asked softly, her voice betraying the fear within her.

From within the woods, the three wolves came bounding towards him. This time though, Jo gasped and moved even closer to Jake, her back coming up flush against his front leg. The way they were growling and seeming to pace around nervously where she stood frightened her. She heard Jacob's own response to them as he snarled and seemed to lean into Jo in a protective stance.

After a few more seconds, the three wolves took off into the woods, leaving Jacob and Jo alone once again. This time, he seemed more relaxed.

"Is everything all right?"

Jacob gave a curt nod before he walked over to where he had abandoned his shorts and shoes. Just as he had predicted, this wasn't the best way to go about facing a fear. If it hadn't been for that unusual scent, he wouldn't have considered it. But being alone in the woods with Jo, phasing was his only option to not only protect her from the unknown but to also contact the pack. He had to explain what had occurred and also to verbally chew out Paul, Embry and Quil later for unnecessarily scaring Jo the way they had.

Jo watched, realizing that he was intending to phase back. She looked down at Jacob's shirt that she still clutched tightly within her hand.

"Jake, wait," she said, looking back at Jacob and causing him to turn to her.

Jacob watched curiously as she slowly walked up to him. To him, her eyes seemed unsure as she kept her gaze on his while she came closer. Jacob didn't move, in fear of startling her. Slowly and tentatively, she reached out towards him with her free hand until she felt the thick fur beneath her fingers. Jacob let out a low moan from deep within him as he sat down. The wolf relished in this first voluntary touch from his imprint. The sound wasn't the least bit aggressive to Jo and if she could humanize the response, it would almost be referred to as a sigh. It brought a small smile to her face.

His russet fur was warm and thick beneath her fingers.

It had been a big step for her and both Jo and Jacob knew it. Wishing to speak to her himself about what had just happened in the woods, Jacob moved away from Jo, and she quickly backed up. She seemed to recognize that he was about to phase back into a man. Like before, this time was no different. Except Jo wasn't on the verge of passing out.

Jo watched as he grabbed his shorts off the ground and proceeded to pull them on. He looked over at her and smiled weakly as she walked up to him.

"Something's wrong."

Jacob turned towards her as he did up the button on his shorts and took the shirt she held out to him. He could see the concern that he felt within himself on her face.

"What makes you say that?"

"I can tell," Jo told him. "I could feel it."

This part of the imprint he disliked the most. Jacob never wanted Jo to be affected by his stronger emotions and unfortunately, she had a direct link to them. After talking with Sam, this two-way link between them seemed to be unique among the imprints. For what purpose, they still had no idea. Either way, Jacob knew he couldn't lie to her about it.

"You mean, you felt my unease."

Jo nodded, placing a hand on his chest. "I can still feel it."

Jacob took her hands within his own. "Jo, whatever is going on, I'll keep you safe."

Jo shook her head.

"Then tell me what's happening. No more secrets, remember?"

Jacob sighed and shrugged.

"I'm not entirely sure what's going on," he said, looking out into the woods. The stench still lingered in the air. "Whatever left the scent is long gone. Embry, Quil and Paul lost it out by La Push road."

"But you didn't recognize it?"

"No, and neither did they. They went back to Sam to let him know and to spread the word to the others."

He paused and looked at her.

"Everything will be all right."

He said as much for himself as he did for her. Deep down, he felt an unease and dread that he just couldn't explain. Instinctively, Jo took a step towards Jacob and leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling that intense heat radiate from his skin. His arms enveloped her as he dipped his head into her hair and inhaled.

He missed this; the closeness.

"I have to say, I was surprised when you wanted to touch the wolf. I was more concerned that you'd faint at anytime."

Jo leaned back and swatted at his chest. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Jacob laughed. "Seriously though, I never expected you to come close. You have no idea how good that felt. I know that you said that you accepted that part of me, but to physically have that contact means so much more."

Jo let go of Jacob's hands and reached up, placing her palms on either side of his face before bringing her forehead to his own. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"I love you," she said softly. "All of you."

The sides of Jacob's eyes squinted as he smiled back at her.

"I love you t..."

Jo cut him off by kissing his full lips.

It was a pleasant surprise to which Jacob chuckled lightly into the kiss. Jo seemed impatient as she lightly bit on his lower lip to which Jacob growled deep in his throat before parting her lips to further taste her. The intoxicating scent of melons and cucumbers seemed to encompass every part of her being and he seemed to never be able to get enough of it. Those few days apart nearly drove his inner wolf insane. He needed her to breathe and to simply think clearly again.

He trailed kisses down her neck and to her collarbone. Snarling lightly, Jacob pushed her shirt away from her shoulder and tugged her bra strap out of the way as his path continued. Hearing Jo's gasps and feeling her fingers in his hair, urged him to continue until he found something on her skin that he hadn't noticed before. It was otherwise hidden on top of her left breast, just below the collar of her shirt and obscured by the top edge of her bra. No one would ever notice it unless it was during some passionate embrace, such as what they were in the midst of.

"Jo?"

"Yeah," she said nearly breathlessly.

"What is this?"

Upon hearing his alarmed and somewhat upset tone as Jacob spoke to her, the mood suddenly shifted. Jacob backed up, afraid that his sudden change in emotions would somehow cause him to phase. Images of Sam's anger that once caused the alpha to phase in front of Emily were brought to mind and he took another few steps back in fear of Jo's life.

"Jake? What's wrong?"

He wasn't trembling, and for that she was grateful. But Jo was still confused. She had been warned by Leah to keep away from any of the guys if they began to shake as they were less likely to be able to control their tempers and eventually phase without warning. But she had also been told that if anyone could calm down a wolf, it would be the imprint. Except, in this instance, it didn't seem like the wolf was upset. Jo had no idea what had him worked up.

He pointed towards her chest. "Where did that come from?"

Jo frantically looked down at herself to where he had been pointing. Her bra strap was still sitting over her shoulder and she pulled the collar of her shirt back to further see what he was meaning. When she saw what he was pointing to, she sighed.

"You don't remember?"

The look of confusion on his face told her that he obviously didn't.

"I'm pretty sure that it was you that did it."

His eyes widened in horror. "Me? I don't remember giving you that."

Jo nodded, running her hand over it. "I'm guessing that it happened during our first time up on the mountains a few weeks ago."

He walked forward, to get a closer look at the mark he had apparently left on her without even being aware of it.

"You're guessing?"

"Honestly, I don't really remember exactly the moment it happened. I think we were busy at the time," she said chuckling. "I noticed it a few days later. It never healed completely though."

It was small. It was the size of his thumb and resembled that of a faded bruise but beneath her own light russet skin it simply looked more like a birth mark but around it were the telltale signs of scarring.

"Jo, that looks like a bite."

She looked down at the top of her left breast and ran her fingers over the mark.

"I bit you?"

He said it with so much repulsive disdain that Jo could feel the self-hatred through the imprint. Quickly, she reached forward and took his hands, before pulling him forward towards a fallen tree branch. Jo climbed up on it to bring herself up to his eye level.

"Jake, look at me. I'm fine," she told him, as his dark eyes landed on her own. "If you did bite me, it was obviously not that bad since I didn't remember it and considering it was probably during one of the best nights of my life, I'm not upset about it."

Jacob glanced down at the ground for a moment before looking back at Jo, this time an obviously forced pout on his face.

"One of the best night of your life, huh? Not, the best?"

Jo chuckled, upon hearing his playful tone once again. Jo leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck now that she was eye to eye with him. She gave him a chaste kiss on his pouting lips.

"Jake, you are the best. I just don't want to set the bar too high for you, you know," she chided. "Besides, someone has to knock that pride out of you."

Jo chuckled at Jacob's expression of feigned offence. She watched as his eyes darkened and her own anticipation began to build when she heard that low growling in his throat. Jacob leaned forward and captured her lips with his own, quickly gaining entry as Jo wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. She could feel the muscles of his shoulders move as his hands moved up and under her shirt and brushed down her sides, pausing on her breasts.

A familiar scent suddenly caught his nose and he froze, turning his head while Jo continued to kiss down his neck. He slid his hands out from beneath her shirt.

As distracted as Jacob had been, the wolf caused him to become aware of their impending company. He growled involuntarily at being interrupted.

"Hey Quil," he called out gruffly, causing Jo to pause and lift her head.

"Hey guys!" He exclaimed as he ran towards them, but paused upon seeing Jacob's murderous glare and quickly turned his back to them, chuckling when he saw him standing awfully close to Jo. "Whoa...uh, sorry for the interruption."

Jacob growled upon hearing Quil's attempt at keeping his laughter under control. "What do you want?"

"Sam wants the pack to meet at Emily's place," he told him. "I figured that it would be best to come out here like this rather than go all wolf and freak Jo out again."

"I really appreciate that, Quil," Jo called out to which he nodded. "More than you know."

He was about to toss out a quick comment about them getting a room, but he knew Jake was already pissed at him for frightening Jo earlier and now, for interrupting them. This would simply add fuel to that fire and Quil wasn't too keen on fighting the wolf one-on-one.

"I'll be there shortly."

Quil quickly said his goodbye's before darting back off into the woods, leaving them once again alone.

Jacob took a deep intake of breath before lightly kissing Jo's lips once more. "I have to take you home."

Jo nodded as he took her hand and led her back out of the woods before giving her a ride back to the Clearwater's.

When Jacob walked through the front door of Emily's house, he walked into silence. Sam paced anxiously along the kitchen floor while Embry, Jared, Seth and Quil sat equally concerned at the table. Leah leaned against the wall near the door and Paul stood with his arms crossed near the table. They all seemed to subtly glance Jacob's way when he walked through the door, except for Sam who kept up his pacing. He had heard the door open and in fact, knew that Jacob had arrived he moment he was coming up the road.

"Jake, do you recall seeing anyone or anything out in the woods behind the Ateara's place?"

Jacob shook his head at his alpha.

"I just happened to catch a breeze as the scent headed downwind. It was nothing like I've ever encountered before."

Sam paused and looked towards the table. "And you guys discovered that the smell died out by La Push road?"

Embry nodded. "There were fresh tire tracks in the gravel along the curb."

As Jacob looked around, he could see that he wasn't the only one experiencing an unease and anxiousness within themselves. Jacob glanced over at Paul as he rocked slightly, unable to stay in one position for too long. Sam, himself was breathing deeply as he listened to the conversation. Jared's leg bounced as he sat at the table.

"What could we dealing with?" He asked.

"I don't know," Sam replied, as he ran his hand over his chin.

"Could it be a vampire?"

"You smelled it. It was worse than a vampire stench," Quil quickly said to Jared, before looking to Sam. "This was nasty; like something had died and was rotting. I still can't shake the feeling of smelling it."

"Well, vamps are dead," Jared suggested, a smirk coming to his face as he attempted to dispel the obvious apprehension in the room . "Maybe one is finally decomposing."

"Whatever it was, it was on our land," Sam stated firmly and bitterly, causing the smirk to disappear from Jared's face. "I need everyone to keep their senses and wits about you for the next little while. Until we can figure out what the source may have been, we're doubling up on patrols. Our priority is to keep this reservation safe."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"In the meantime, Jake, take Seth with you and go out to the Cullen's place," Sam said, turning towards him. "Find out if they have any unwanted visitors in the area who may have stepped onto our land."

Jacob groaned inwardly. He was not looking forward to going out to the Cullen's. But he knew that Sam would have gone himself as alpha, if Emily wasn't feeling so poorly and he didn't have a possible threat on Quileute land. Because of that, Jacob agreed and took off with Seth the moment the impromptu meeting ended.

As they approached the Cullen property, they both phased and walked the rest of the way through the woods towards the large house. The stench of vampire increased with each step they took, and Jacob couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the smell as they made their way onto the stone driveway.

"You don't smell much better."

Jacob and Seth stopped in their place upon hearing the voice. An instinctive growl errupted from Jacob's throat when he saw him standing on the stone porch.

Edward Cullen.

He wasn't alone.

Bella held onto his hand while Carlisle and Esme stood beside them. A few steps above near the door, Alice suddenly appeared.

Despite the reason for their visit, a smile came to Seth's face when he saw them.

"Hey Edward!"

The vampire smiled at Seth just as Emmett and Jasper appeared to their right. Emmett walked up to Seth and clapped his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey wolf pup!"

"Are you up for a pool rematch?" Jasper asked him.

"We're here on business," Jacob stated sharply, walking past Seth, Jasper and Emmett towards where the others stood. The smile on Edward's face faded. He knew exactly what the vampire was doing. "Should I bother even telling you what it's about or are you just going to read my mind, leech?"

Rosalie hissed from behind him, obviously offended by Jacob's coined term for them. Esme put her hand on Rosalie's shoulder and gave her a non-verbal warning.

Edward wasn't phased by the remark and was more concerned by what he had seen in Jacob's mind. He pursed his lips as he glanced over at Carlisle who watched the silent exchange with interest.

"Jacob and Seth are here because they believe that one of our kind may have violated the treaty and trespassed on Quileute land," Edward told him, as not only Carlisle looked to them in surprise, but Bella and Esme as well.

"The stench was not the same as your own, but it was unique so we wondered if you were expecting company that are not aware of the treaty," Jacob told them.

Carlisle shook his head, finding the discovery upsetting. "Not that I'm aware of. What did it smell like?"

"It was repulsive; worse than your stench. The closest thing it would resemble would be the smell of something rotting. There had been someone there at one time, but the scent disappeared by La Push road."

Edward's eyes widened just as he turned towards Alice. Carlisle turned as well.

"Alice, could this be connected to what you saw?"

"It could be," she said slowly, as she thought back to her vision.

Jacob took a hesitant step forward. If it had something that could affect the tribe, it was important to him.

"What are you talking about? What did she see?"

"I had a vision the other day," she said, looking to Jacob. "A wave of something dangerous and repulsive is coming to the area. I couldn't get a clear picture to know what it was or what it was after. I had a strong sense that it was bad so I advised Bella to get her father out of Forks until I could see it better. I figured that whatever it was was still being indecisive about what it was going to do, but now the holes in my vision makes sense...you dogs are somehow related to this."

"And you guys thought it smart not to tell us what was going on?"

"We didn't think that the vision encompassed La Push," Carlisle argued. "Until now."

A wave.

The memory of his father telling him the story of the storm that destroyed the Spirit Warriors was quickly brought to mind. He thought of Jo, and the possibility of something happening to him and leaving her behind. It was enough to cause an anger to brew up within him.

"It was on our land," Jacob snapped. "I need to know everything about this vision."

Edward watched him curiously, as Alice stepped forward, obviously offended at Jacob's sudden harsh tone.

"I've told you all that I know."

"Do you have a time frame at least?"

Again, she shrugged and replied just as harshly as he had.

"Until a clear decision is made, I don't have one. I don't even know what it is we're dealing with or why it's coming here."

"Could it be your Volturia or whatever the hell it is that you call them?" Seth suddenly interjected, sensing Jacob's hostility and wanting to ease the conversation back into a more polite direction.

"You mean the Volturi," Carlisle gently corrected him, glancing towards Jacob who seemed to be more agitated that Seth was. "And, no. Alice has been keeping an eye on them and they aren't involved."

Jacob sighed. "I guess that's one bit of good news."

"Jacob, if anything changes, we'll keep in touch," Carlisle assured him.

Jacob nodded, feeling a bit weary. "I'll let the elders know."

Seth and Jacob turned to head back out into the woods. Suddenly, Edward stepped down the final steps of the porch and made his way towards the pair.

"Jacob, wait."

Jacob turned on his heel and sighed when he saw Edward coming towards him. Jacob glanced to Seth and silently gestured to him to go on ahead and that he'd catch up shortly. Seth watched carefully as Edward smiled weakly at him before the young shape shifter turned and darted into the woods.

To Jacob's surprise, Carlisle also joined them.

"What do you want?" Jacob asked, disdainly.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Sam's imprint is pregnant," Edward stated rather than asked, as Jacob crossed his arms.

"What is it to you?"

Edward pursed his lips at Jacob's hostility and ignored him.

"That story your father told you about your tribe and the storm. You've been feeling the same way as those men in the story towards your own imprint, just as Sam had been towards his own. Except the only difference is that Jo is unable to have children."

"That's none of your concern," Jacob growled out the words, as he held out his hand within inches of Edward's neck. The only thing that held him back was the treaty.

"If there is truth behind that story, and it coincide's with what Alice has seen in her vision, then the lives of the pack and the tribe are in danger," Edward argued.

"It still could be just a story from centuries ago..."

"That's about to played out in modern day Washington. If you're considering what is coming is actually what triggered the emotions within the imprint, it could certainly be the cause."

"What? What story?" Carlisle asked.

To Jacob's dismay, Edward retold the story that he had heard in the shape shifter's head.

"That is...an interesting theory," Carlisle said, glancing from Edward to Jacob. "Nonetheless, if it happens to be true and the Quileute's are in danger, we will be willing to help."

Jacob was genuinely surprised. "You'll help us?"

"You all did more than your part to help us and Bella during the newborn army war, despite the fact that we aren't the best of friends," Edward told him. "We're going to help you in any way we can, regardless of what it is that is coming."

All hostility seemed to wash off of Jacob following the offer of assistance.

"I appreciate that," Jacob said, his voice audibly softer as he was about to turn to walk away. "I'll relay the message."

He looked past Edward to where Bella was standing on the steps before he turned to head back into the woods. She gave him a small wave to which he simply nodded before disappearing into the darkness.

A/N

Thanks again for the kind reviews, to the new fav's and follower's. I'm just blown away by the number of new followers and favs I seem to be getting each day. You guys are amazing.

I've been trying to upload this all day, but our internet has been fuzzy...we've had an ice storm so the power has been flickering. As for the stress of everyday life, I have to say that writing is my stress reliever. It gives me the chance to abandon everything for a short time and relax.

Although, I must say...a little stress may be good since the next few chapters will become a bit more intense as the story is progressing along... I hope you all will enjoy it.