NEW ECLIPSE

by TrillionSchiffer

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda version of the events that took place at the end New Moon & all of Eclipse. I will be going canon where I can, but I won't be stupid about it. Things are going to change. This what it should have been. I will be leaning more towards action and away from drama. No worries, the split would be somewhere around 65/35. ***UPDATING Old chapters as of 7/2/2019***

35. Epilogue

***UPDATED 6/28/2019***

***BEFORE WE GO FURTHER: BELLA'S STRENGTH.****

{{{{{PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR HANDS HELD AND NOSE PULLED. LOL

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

People. I LOOVVEEE reviews. YOU KNOW I do. I love things that cause me to think HARD! Something that shows a depth of interest and insight, or investigative thinking of your own. I don't care if you gave positive reinforcement or not. Never did. Just not the "abc" questions and ruminations about why a force field is stronger than muscles

This topic seems to be nothing but a headache, but clearly something's needs to be clarified.

First, off most of you have said something along the lines about a 'human' Bella being stronger than a vampire is a little too far-fetched. Which I say 'I agree'.

Then you would say, "then WHY do you have that very premise in your story"?

To that I say, 'ahhh, what are you talking about?' *truly confused here*

To understand my position on the matter better, you can refer to the first appearance of her physical shield in chapter 20.

Then watch it grow into what it is now in chapters 21,22,25,26, and 32.

Because in my story, Bella isn't stronger than supernatural creature in her human form. But her active shield is! Why? Because its a force of energy, mind, and will.

[currently involuntary will, but will all the same]

Will turned into a physical membrane that surrounds Bella for protection, and pushes her along for the ride. Of course its going to be stronger than muscles of 'any' kind.

This is simple theoretical physics of the mythological world.

Energy shield membrane BEATS muscles, hands down, no questions asked, pass go; collect two hundred dollars, go straight to boardwalk!

Bella's human muscles has SQUAT to do with her winning her fights.

Then we have the others amongst you who say 'Bella is waaaaaay too overpowered'.

And to that I say… 'aahhh, What are you talking about?'

This power at its CURRENT type and level have been done to death in fanfiction. And each time there were limitations put on her human body such as fatigue to prevent her from being … drum roll….curtains going up… ta da….that right, u guessed it…. TOO OVERPOWERED. *fireworks going off in the distance*

Which is 'exactly' what used happened to her once she exhausts her supply of diluted venom before her body began adapting to it. At least in here, her power cannot come to fruition out of anywhere. She needs an external fuel source, one which…. eh em, Edward is happy to supply her with. *wink, wink* [Put on the sexy music]

Again refer to the aforementioned chapters if you are still lost.

Okay with that clarified. Lets move on}}}}}.

Disclaimer: I don't own twilight. Wish to god I did, I would've gotten it right the first time. HAHAAHAAAA. Nah… I probably would've been writing just for a check just like SM did when Hollywood got a hold of her.

NEW ECLIPSE

EPILOGUE

Jacob –POV

Okay, I admit it. I may have gone too far. Now, look where I am. Naked and on top a fucking mountain freezing my ass off. Now that's saying something.

It takes a lot for one of my kind to feel anything, but I am sure as hell feeling this. Especially when the wind blows.

How the hell did I get to this point? Oh yeah because I'm stupid. I should've run south instead. I could've been in Mexico right now. But no, not me, I run north to no man's land.

Yeah, a true geni-ass!

If I were still fully human and was naked as I am now, I'm pretty sure I would've been frozen in my skin by now.

Maybe at one time that would've been the answer. Maybe back then, that was what I needed to be; frozen. She seems to be fine with frozen. The idea of being around it, of being it herself, didn't seem to bother her. Yeah, the cold was definitely what she preferred.

'It's my choice, it's our choice'

I found myself growling at the memories that came to my mind.

When she said, 'my choice' I felt she was just being brainless. That one of them filled her head with dreamy thoughts of living forever and forgot to tell her that she was going have to die first, then 'murder' her way through eternity to keep that stupid dream going. But then she added 'our choice' in her next breath, and it infuriated me even more. Because that told me that she had already accepted that murderous existence, and was fine with it, and being with him.

I should've known right then and there that she was a lost cause, but no.

What did you do instead dumbass?

Jumped right into a losing fight that's what.

Why?

Because I was pissed off that's why!

'What pissed you off?'

That damn smug look on his face. You know the one.

'Yeah I do'

'Well not his actual face, that snake was too smart for that'

But I saw it anyway. It was the one behind that fake ass humble '…thank you for taking care of my girl after I threw her away like moldy pizza' expression that he always wore. The prick hid it well when Bella was around, but it was in there somewhere, and Bella was blind as ever and fell for his tricks.

I mean seriously, I may be just some 17-year-old kid in a 25-year-old's body; but in what fucking universe does the girl who gets dumped like that go back to the guy who did it to her?

I was the one picked up the pieces! I put her back together. I protected her from that redheaded parasite. I showed her and told her that she was loved; that someone was capable of loving her just as she was. And yet in one phone call, ONE FUCKING PHONE CALL; she forgot about all of that and was flying off to save him!

I take it back, I guess that should've been my first clue. The one that should've warned me that that I was in for some unimaginable shit!

Fine, if frozen is what she wants, then frozen is what she gets. Along with everything that comes with it.

I should have nothing to regret. I mean what the fuck else could I do? I did everything possible to be there for her, to show her that I cared for her, that I loved her, and was there to save her from a fate worse than death. A fate that she was so fucking stupidly running towards. But what did she do? She just pushed all my attempts away with me along with it.

Shit, it's not like I wasn't warned along to the way. I had fought the minds of my brothers telling me to "let her go", or "Concentrate on your responsibilities to the tribe" almost every day. I knew it annoyed them, well 'some of them', but my thoughts were the only place she and I were free to be with one another. But admittedly, the blaring neon signs were there. They were telling me that I was fighting a losing battle. But I ignored those as well.

Trying to love Bella, was like trying to hold sand in my hand, and sometimes it was more like water. The tighter I squeezed to keep her with me, human and sane, the more she slipped out.

I would open my hand to only see the crumbs or droplets of what I had before the leech came back. And I knew those crumbs or dew were all she had for me in her heart. But they were a start. They were for a long time, my only hope. And that hope told me the one thing that I needed to hear. It told me that as long as those crumbs were there, that I was someone she cared for, and for a time, that was all that matter.

And that is where I fucked up. Because I had taken that small hope and I decided to build on what I thought was there. Because I thought that as much as she kept saying she likes frozen, I convinced myself that she liked warmth too. Because the first place she ran too by choice, was to me. To me!

God damn it! It was thinking like that, that got my dumbass out in the middle of nowhere.

But no matter how numb my heart gets when I think of her. I can't help to feel regret.

I was so close.

At the time I was driving her home from her attempted suicide. I thought she did it because she decided that she had enough pain, and was trying everything she could to break the hold he had on her. Even taking her life.

I didn't want to believe what she said later on as the reason she jumped off that cliff. I thought I knew the truth; the truth she didn't want to face with them standing there pressuring her with guilt. She wanted an end to the pain he caused her, and she was ready to move on, and do so with me.

And that was what I was waiting for. And it almost happened.

Sitting in her truck in front of her house, she was looking at me, and I saw that she was making a decision. She was deciding to make a change of heart right then and there. She was deciding to throw him away as he did her; and pick me up, like I did her.

So I leaned in slowly, and when she didn't back away, I leaned in some more, and to my surprise so did she.

And from that moment, I knew that she chose me, and I was the happiest I ever been in that one moment, and since.

She may have had been with a leech, but a few months without him, she was ready to move on from that so-called 'great love'. She was ready to bring that to an end, and replace him with me.

I was mere inches away from claiming her for my own. Then I had to be stupid. I paused and I sniffed the air just to find out that one of the leeches was back in town.

Then I followed up that stupid move with the second dumbest thing I ever did. I told Bella that one of her favorite leeches was in the area, and from her expression; I knew she threw away any Idea of me and her right there.

So fucking stupid

But I didn't give up then, why should I? Why would anyone give up on the girl of their best dreams, if they were as close I was?

She finally realized she could move on, and when she did; she chose me to be the one to move on with.

The girl I dreamed of chose me.

But it wasn't long after the tiny leech's arrival, that she was leaving and was taking Bella with her. I overheard plans of her leaving to go save him. I knew Bella was a bleeding heart, but I didn't think she would go back to someone who crushed her like that. So we argued on her way out of the door and possibly my life, and I finally caved and I 'allowed' her to go and save that bastard who abandoned her.

Sure I could have stopped her and killed the tiny tick if she tried to stop me from stopping her, but Bella would not have forgiven me anytime soon, and I didn't want that. So I allowed her to go because that is just who Bella was, a bleeding heart. Anyone who knows her knows that. And foolishly I hoped that that was all there was too it.

Another Stupid move.

Sam and the others let me have it then. Seeing in my mind what Bella was heading to, they thought for sure all the hours they spent guarding her life just went up in smoke. To them, I should've just killed the little leech and allowed Bella to suffer through whatever pain she was undoubtedly going to go thru. They thought that she will get over her issue eventually and see the reason for my actions once her mind lets go of her grief, just like it did before.

If I was outside my wolf form when they caused me to have that epiphany, I would've argued against it just to save face. But they were right. Bella does get over pain fast. Just look how fast it took her to move on to me.

I know now that wasn't true, now. Because she never got over her leech. If I only realized that sooner, I never would've wasted so much time playing by their fixed rules.

With seven minds in the pack at the time, it took a while for me to get off the hook. They thought I was naïve in believing that Bella was just going over there because she felt guilty. They reminded me of how she instantly sprang to life as soon as she found out that one of her leeches were waiting for her. Paul said, she probably thought it was him when I told her.

Paul was never known for his 'brilliance', so I just ignored him most of the time. But that time, I was the only one. Everyone else was quick to agree.

Sure, kick a guy when he's down by agreeing with the village idiot.

I knew I messed up letting her leave then. Especially if Paul could see that this forest had trees.

That was my last straw. I phase back and ran the rest of the way home human.

The following days I started making plans for her return. But first things first, I needed to see how the other leeches were going to act. There was only the little leech, and if the other decided to come back, then the treaty would prevent me from their territory, and that meant Charlie's house.

But the longer she was away, the more conflicted I felt. I was happy on one end. Happy that she would do this one last thing that thought she felt she needed to do, then put him aside as he did to her. But extremely nervous that I may have done something that put Bella in extreme danger to satisfy her guilt. I did send her off to meet with these red-eyed parasites, and that bastard after all.

My only hope then was that Bella was not in time to save that leech, and at the time the odds seemed in my favor. And if the leech did die, then he would've died at his own hands, leaving mine clean and my path to Bella clear.

But it was only when she returned, that I fully understood the error I made.

I was such an idiot.

I had just left her window after checking to see if she had returned, she had been gone for three days then. After I saw no change in her bedroom, I hopped down and was now running back to La Push. I was disappointed in myself and nervous that things may have gone seriously wrong, so I was in no rush to get back. I ran while still human form.

That's when I heard the sound of that same Car Bella and that small parasite took off in coming down the road. I stopped dead in my tracks. Never was I more relieved at the sound of an engine as I was then.

I hightailed it back with plans of begging her forgiveness for being so stupid to let her go like that or for not going with her. I had planned on doing whatever she needed me to do to make it up to her.

But then I broke into visual range just to see her surrounded by Cullen's, and leaning on him for support.

I was still. Looking hard at the scene to make sure what I was seeing. At first, I thought it was because of how exhausted she looked. But why lean on him? Why not on the other two leeches?

Then I thought that it maybe it wasn't her choice at all. It was all him. He was pressing himself against her, and she couldn't fight him off. Making me angry for her.

I was about to loudly break my silence when I heard Charlie roar.

"Get your hands off her!"

His words matched my thoughts perfectly. I was also slightly relieved, Charlie's voice had as much love for the leech as I did.

But the leech didn't seem to want to let go, but worse than that, it looked like Bella did not want him to.

I clenched my fist hard then fight off my nerves and continued to look on as Charlie made his weak attempts to pry her away from him. I stood by feeling like my chest was being squeezed, as I watched Bella fight to keep the bloodsucker close. She fought weakly, mumbling really, but made her wishes clear. She wanted his touch.

I slammed my fist into the tree next me over and over. I kept hitting until I realized that the white I was seeing was my exposed bones. So I stopped and let myself heal.

The bloodsucker grudgingly got permission to take Bella inside and was inside with her now. But the other two leeches turned around and had their eyes focus on me.

They must have smelt the blood.

Of course, they did. Fucking ticks.

I stood there staring at them letting the blood drip from my knuckles, and they stood there staring at me.

I was well hidden from human eyes in the thick green, but not theirs. So they bored holes in my fucking face. The one fucking idiot even seemed to be concern about my hand, and I thought about giving him a closer look as I raked it across his face.

Then the house door opened again, and the parasite walked out only to turn around just in time to have the door slam in his face.

But when he turned back around, his eyes snapped to my own. His cold glare was trying its best to freeze my heated ones. And that made me even more furious.

What gave him the right to stare at me like that? Like I was nothing. Like I was the plague on his world?

He whispered something to the other two leeches, but it was too low for even me to hear. Then began to walk towards the back of the Mercedes.

They glanced my way once more, got in, then sped off.

My only hope at the time was that they came to drop Bella then disappear again, and the reason that she was clinging and crying for him was that he was about to leave once more and this time stays away for good. But something told me that hope was just as stupid as letting Bella go to him in the first place.

I stayed for another twenty minutes, listening for any sound of them returning. They didn't.

Time didn't help. The wolf makes it much harder to cool down when you want. So I was fuming. But I needed to confirm something before I left. When I gave up waiting, I ran out of the deep forest and across the street and got closer to Bella house.

I heard the sound of a gun being loaded and then unloaded, then loaded again. Charlie was dealing with this his own way.

I couldn't blame him if he did, I would've helped if he decided to solve his problem permanently.

But that is not why I came, so ignored it.

I jumped into the tree that was just out her window, then stood on the branch, and listened. It didn't take long to find what I was looking for.

"Edward…Edward don't….Edward…I love you, don't leave me." Bella grumbled in her half sleep half nightmare.

There it was, his name again, and worse, her confession. Even when she sleeps all she can do is think of him. Love him!

I was bitter. I was… I was… broken. Three days she was away was too long. Because in those three days, I had been forgotten.

I hopped down and wolfed. I ran to clear my head. But that act was a contradiction because the minds of the morning patrol were all there waiting for me. Paul shamelessly laughed like this was the funniest thing he has ever fucking seen, while the rest took the well beaten 'I told you so' path. Seth was the only one that showed anything that resembled sympathy and reminded me that I should be glad that my actions didn't cost Bella her life, as he thought about how Charlie would've suffered if that was the case. It was a bighearted thing to say coming from a kid who just lost his father.

When I got back to La Push, I decided to cut her off completely. Attempted to anyway.

For a time, it worked. I somehow managed to stay away, and by some miracle even concentrate on my work now that school started again. But the barriers I put up to keep me away from her, were one-sided in its defense because they didn't fully keep her away from me.

The phone calls and voicemails started. I ignored those. Then after a few weeks of that, apologies sent through Charlie. Then when I gave no reply to that, letters started to come telling me how much I was missed.

Those were the worse. I could concentrate on every word then. It wasn't long after that, that my resolve broke. Like a true dumbass, I had gotten it in my head that she wanted me again, and I was not about to deny her.

Fucking id. I . ot.

I was about to leave when I was stopped by Sam and my Father. They, mostly Sam, told me that I was not allowed to see Bella because her home was in their territory. And then my father told me that Charlie has been talking to him about Bella's "boyfriend" situation, and his problems he has keeping them apart.

I growled at the thought that hit my mind when I was told that Bella's father was having trouble keeping them 'apart'.

'Then what the hell was all the phone calls and letters for? If she wanted me so badly, then why the fuck is she still attaching herself to him?' It made no fucking sense.

I picked up the last letter she wrote only two days ago. In it she was describing us in the garage. Describing watching me as I worked on the bikes. Watching me take my time with them. Describing how delicate I was, and how she liked the look of content in my eyes as I put them back together from nothing. She said I seem to have a gift for fixing broken things, and that she would always 'cherish' the time we spent together. And that she wishes that things between us could go back to being as easy as it was. She then went on to explain why she was so lost as to why I 'suddenly' chose to ignore her, and let me know that she was there with open arms, and a waiting hug if I ever needed to talk. Then ended with 'I love you and miss you. Come back to me soon.'

People talk about signs, but if that wasn't a clear one, then I don't know what the fuck was.

Reading that letter again, I quickly dismissed any logic that Sam and my father tried to give to me, and just accepted, that she did want me. And at the moment that was all I was focused on.

Seeing that change in my face, Sam snatched the letter out of my hand and read it himself quicker than I thought he could, then looked up at me as he passed it to Billy.

"I don't think, its what you think. She doesn't see you that way, Jacob."

"Yes she does, you just read the same thing I did, you think she would write something like that if she didn't care about me?"

"Care for you sure, but not enough to let go of him. And isn't that the goal? If you're so hung up on her words, then maybe you should remember her other words. The ones her heart spoke in her sleep when she thought no one was listening. Those are her true feelings." Sam pressed.

That brought back some painful memories.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Should've listened.

Was Sam always so full of good advice? I asked myself reflected on that quickly.

Finishing the letter for himself, then looking to Sam, my father expressed his fear that if what Sam said was true, and Bella still felt that way for the Cullen boy; then the only reason for their return was to support this relationship. He said if the boy felt the same her, the Cullen's may very well intend on breaking the treaty over Bella; and that would mean their true purpose now was to wait for the right time to leave again, but this time with Bella in tow, and do so possibly against her will.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Sorry but I doubt that it's going to be against her will. I've seen how quickly she ran to him. How hard she fought to be with him, and even how she dreams of him; and I've seen it all from his eyes." He said pointing firmly at me looking at my father. "So I know Jacobs knows the truth, one that," he snatched the letter from Billy grasp and waved it around both our faces "would wring out any delusions about what these words really mean."

For a bossy jackass, he had sure been right about things more than I was then.

Sam tried to explain his thoughts then, but I couldn't accept them. Not then anyway. At the time I lost it there. I stormed out and rushed into the garage and phased. I thrashed around and destroyed everything I got my fangs and my claws on. I just finished flinging the bike that I built with Bella with my mouth, when I realized what I needed to do.

I calmed myself down, then I ran back naked into my house to find Sam still sitting there. They were discussing Bella's protection and the chances of winning a fight with the Cullen's over her. From Sam's position, it didn't look good. He describes to Billy the fight we had with the one vampire we killed.

He explained, that even with surprise on our side, the fight lasted longer than it should have. And even with the five of us, the fight still cost him a dislocated jaw, Embry a broken collarbone, and me a nice sized whelp in the middle of my forehead where he tried to crush my skull with one blow.

Sam said we need far more experience before we would try to take on the Cullens. From Sam's perspective, even if we were able to find a moment when one or two are separated from the rest, the Cullens would lose one maybe two before catching on, but we would lose all, and that was the best case scenario.

I Interrupted Sam and his depressing outlook of our chances, and told them of my plan to save Bella from the Cullens; one that would save us from having to go to war with them over breaking the treaty.

I explained to them that I will bring Bella's bike back to Charlie, and that will get her grounded, which will separate her from her leech for a time being. She will be mad at me for a time, but she will forgive me as she has always done in the past. Then we will go back to how things were when her leech wasn't around. I would invite her here and tell her that she has other options. I explained that it would work if she tried too. Explain that I know it will because it almost happened for us before. Sam already knew the story so I explained it for my father. I told him that before the tiny leech came and got Bella, Bella was ready. She was ready to give up on the leech. To which Sam did admit 'looked' true. Then I told them that at the very least we know some part of her must want me in her life. That may be, she has mixed feelings or else why all the letters and the phone calls. And of course, reminded them of the alternative of me 'not' trying.

Admittedly the plan was full of holes, but no one else had a better one, and it was better than just doing nothing.

I told them all we needed to do was keep them separated, and during that time I will give her time to think for herself. That the only way this was going to work was for her to be outside of their influence for an extended amount of time. I told them that must be Bella's decision. She'll fight it if she thinks she is being made to do it.

Sam stood and called my plan what it ultimately was, stupid; then left shortly after. But my father was more willing to try and save Bella from a future of being a bloodsucker and was willing to try for both Bella and Charlie's sake.

He told me to remind them of the treaty they signed and use it as a reminder that we know what they are, and Bella will be watched. So with his permission as Elder, I grabbed her bike and rode it to her house.

As I got to her house and saw that the leech was already parked in her driveway. But I didn't hear them in the house and for a moment I was relieved that was the case. I focused my hearing some more and did so just in time. It was low, but I still picked enough to make out Bella promising her parasite that she won't be making any trips to La Push.

Fucking Leech. He was ahead of me and using my strategy.

But my thoughts were interrupted when I saw Charlie's patrol car turn the corner. He came down the block, parked and got out. He gave me a solemn nod but was concentrating more on the leech's car, than Bella's bike.

"Charlie, I just wanted to bring Bella's bike back to her," I told him to break his concentration.

It worked because now he was no longer upset at the Volvo but at me and my explanation of how it was possible for Bella who couldn't even survive on her two legs without tripping and falling, to now have a motorcycle.

After thoroughly getting reamed out, I told Charlie that Bella was not in the house, and told him that she was in the woods again with Edward.

His face loss some color then flashed red. Clear as day he must've gotten a flashback of the last time Bella was in the woods.

Too bad for both of us that wasn't the case.

"I'll go get her," I told him tiredly.

I hopped off the bike, patting him on his shoulder. And took off into the woods.

It wasn't long before I heard them coming my way. She was going to be really mad about my telling Charlie about our little project. But I knew that would be the case. What I really wanted was Charlie to put his foot down, and keeps her away from him, and push her towards me like he promised my father he would do all those years ago.

So I decided to wait, and let her vent some of her anger. I leaned up against a tree ready to give that bloodsucker a reminder that he won't be getting away from here, not without having to go past me.

Then I saw her, I saw here for the first time since that morning, and like then, I was hurt by what I saw. She looked happy, truly happy. And I hated it. I didn't want to see her so happy. Not with him. And especially not because of him. That wasn't his job. That was mine. I was the one that fixed things, not him.

The grey clouds rain clouds were moving just above the treetops covering us, and the gloom they brought did nothing to dim her smile. By the way, she was looking at him, turned the world colorless right then and there for me. She was looking at him the way I spent our entire time together dreaming and wishing she would look at me. She looked…in love. Totally in love. Then she turned to me and her smile dimmed down. And that made me angry.

Since when did my presence make her smiles go away? Didn't she want to see me? Isn't that what she said in all those messages?

Then another thought came to me.

No, it's not her, it's them! They have been poisoning her against us, against me.

He just made her promise never to come to La Push again. If he could do that, then making her promise not to see one specific person shouldn't be too hard then.

It was clear then that the leech was playing on Bella's good nature when he got his sister to come here and tell Bella that she needed to go and 'save him.'

It didn't take long for that situation to go from bad to worst. Bella was upset at me for bringing her bike and getting her in trouble and even went as far as saying I may have potentially put Charlie's life in danger. Then she proved Sam right when I reminded her leech about the rules and actually confessed that she planned on making the change of her own free will and that it was none of our business. And she proved him right a second time when she broke and said to her and I will be done after she paid me back for all I did.

I was losing her.

I had no time to argue with her, Charlie was yelling like a mad man calling after her. So with no time to waste, I tried to see if any part of my Bella was still there. Any scrap of the girl who used to hold onto me for dear life. So I reached out to her. Silently pleaded with her, not to leave without holding me once. The sadness was not too hard to conjure up. All the nonsense she just spoke bout, brought all that to the surface. I reached out from my heart, and to my relief, hers bent towards mine.

She was making her way back to me. But the monster seeing its hold loosen, decided to step in, and keep her from getting any closer. Lying to her about the danger I am supposed to be. I wanted to rake his lying mouth off his face then. But just my loud growl was enough to send her back into his arms as if I just proved his point.

Fuck! The manipulative bastard was ahead of every trick I had and was using them right back on, me!

With the moment lost, she left me and the leech alone in the woods.

She really let her dad have it then. Left him speechless and spineless. So much for my plans. I then quickly planned on trying other means. I wasn't going to give up just because of a couple of setbacks. Because I didn't miss the fact that, before she left the woods, she showed me she still had a soft spot for me and would come if I called. But I wonder if she would have done it over her promise to him.

I would never get that answer now.

Because…Then I realized where I was. I thought that this was the opportunity that I didn't even know I was waiting for. The leech was all alone, with no backup for miles. Treaty or not, this was my chance, one that I had to take.

So I started to push him, and make sure he cast the first stone. So I threw insult after insult at him, but he just stood there feeling sorry for himself.

Pathetic.

But when he told me that he 'mated' with my Bella, I lost it. I didn't care that he got the better of me, at my own game once more. For all thoughts of the treaty was out the window. I was going to rip him apart.

But, in my anger, I forgot the most critical rule of fighting vampires. 'Never fight one alone'. I ignored all the advice and training that I was taught.

I was made to re-learn it all over again. Because in a fraction of a second when I thought my victory was certain, I was kicked, crushed, and toss aside like I was nothing at all. I was on the forest floor, broken, and totally defeated.

Was he always that much stronger than me?

That pain was horrible, the shame even worse, and the fact that he was in my head at that moment, was mortifying. I was made to crawl away like a worm; completely unable to retaliate or mark him.

But as much as this hurt, It wasn't as soul-crushing as the pain Bella inflicted on me with her words, over and over again.

Her leech may have kicked me aside once, but she kicked me and kept at it like it was a sport.

Fucking Bitch! Where to even start?

I should have realized things have changed when she was a no show when Charlie came alone storming thru the door to check on my condition. I wasn't the only one surprised by that. Sam had thought, given her nature, that would've made my circumstances was a blessing and disguise. He knew Bella was a bleeding heart just as much as I did and was planning on talking with her right then and there about her intentions. He and Billy planned on setting her straight and explain to her the consequence of her choices and what it would mean to her, her family, and both our groups.

I should have realized it again when she didn't show up the following day as my dad and Sue had planned. Quill had come by and explained to me what happened at the bonfire. He said my dad and old quill, in an attempt to bring Charlie into the fold before Bella did something completely stupid, explained the best they could the legacy of our people. They didn't outright say anything but gave him enough clues for him to connect the dots if he wished.

A lot of good that did. He thought they lost their mind, then quickly lost his.

I should have seen the signs once more when I tried calling her to convince her to meet me. The others had convinced me that imprinting may be the only choice I had. Sam questioned me time and time again about my feelings when I see her. He wanted to know if I felt the same 'pull' like he did. I told him that I didn't know anything about a damn 'pull', to me, it was more like a 'push'. I explained every time I see her, something just launches out of me to have her, to make her mine; but then it feels like it all smashes up against a wall. I told him it's so frustrating to be around her sometimes. I want nothing more than to be with her, but when I am, I could literally feel my inability to reach her.

Sam nodded along, not sure what to make of what I told him, but he said he they all sense that sensation from me when the leeches were away. Sam said the only reason that he could think of was, that maybe the connection felt different for each wolf.

But I suggested a more the more likely reason is that it may have been because of something that her leech or his mood ring brother must have done.

But when I was on the phone with her that day, I ran into another wall, one that I built myself. She clarified the reason why she wasn't around or ever coming back. Then harshly told me our 'friendship' was over.

It was a huge step in the wrong direction. I licked my wound, then called back, but after the eight tries, I knew she was gone.

A few days later, Charlie came over and told us that Bella and her leech left for sunny Florida of all places. I swore up and down that was a lie and cursed Charlie for being so blind. He looked at me like I was crazy, then I stormed out. My dad lied to cover my ass, but I thought it was too late, that we were all too late.

I was in my wolf form as soon as I got into woods; but to my surprise, my brothers were in a fight with the redhead. Paul, Leah, Embry had it cornered, or at least I thought they did, but somehow it was beating on them, instead.

Charlie's stupidity, Bella's kidnapping, and possible change got put on the back burner. We were under attack!

I howled signaling the others to the danger, then raced to help. Soon Sam and the others were in their wolves and closing in. But we weren't going to make it. She had them all on the floor at her mercy. But we weren't going to give her the time to finish them off. We all howled then. Making it sound like we were everywhere at once and closing in fast. She fell for it. After looking around a bit, she just slowly backtracked into the wood, turned and walked away.

We all were racing to help our downed members, but then Quill saw the 'big one' flying overhead and fall like a meteor onto our lands.

Wasting no time, we surrounded him. I couldn't figure out then why he was here if that other parasite was away changing Bella, but I didn't think on it long. I was just happy knowing we were going to kill at least one of these bastards because of it.

With five of us closing in from all side, he was done for. Or so I thought.

I launched in first, but only at half speed, just enough to get his attention. Quill took off like a shot once his back was turned and bit down on his neck, hard. The rest of us quickly picked up the pace and grabbed what we could. But in one mighty twist, he flung me, Sam and Quill off him then picked up Seth and Jared off his legs by the scruff of their necks and slammed them both down back to the ground, spraining Seth's shoulder and Jared Paw. And with the exception of some torn clothes, he stood there without a break on him. Not even on the neck where Quill had him dead to rights.

"Sorry mutts, those chompers aren't sharp enough to hurt me. Gotta go. No time to play today, my Rosie needs me. Smell ya later pooches" Was all he said before breaking past our momentarily stunned circle to try to leap back over the stream to his side of the line.

Sam roared at us to give chase and finish this before he gets over the line. But not even fifty feet into our chase, things felt off, then one by one we fell over. Jared saw him. It was the scarred one. He did it. He had us on the floor.

There was no doubt about it. Whether it was three on one, or worse, FIVE on one; no matter how you put it, we were utterly defeated in almost every way that mattered that day.

When the threat passed and we returned to the Rez, Sam let us have. We all took another lashing that night under Sam's sharp tongue. I had to temporarily put any ideas of taking out the Cullens. Because if just one of them was able to dismiss us as easily the big one, or down us even before we knew he was there, like the mood ring, we didn't stand a chance.

It was training for everybody. Sam worked us to the bone till dawn.

Getting in after a night like that made sleep seemed like the biggest blessing God ever put on this earth. But it was soon eclipsed when my dad told me that Charlie got a call from Bella saying she had booked her flight home and will be in time for school.

I thought there was no more time to lose. That stunt to go see her mother could have just been pretend and could've gone all kinds of wrong for her. So I was going to make sure my position on the matter was clear. And with a nod from him as I dashed for the door, Billy let me know he was on the same page.

He wanted me to go save his friends daughter, but I had other reasons. I needed to prove to Bella and everyone else that she was thinking clearly. That her feeling we being forced on her by him. I was preparing myself to do anything. Even if it meant letting the imprint I suspected I had for her, take us both over.

I loathed the idea. It's not what I wanted, but it was better than not having her at all. Plus, playing by the rules wasn't working.

But once she was in front of me, that sensation of being blocked was there again. I stared as hard as I could, but it felt like I was throwing my hopes and love up against a wall.

Right then and there I should've have known that was the time to let go, but I couldn't. All my love and affection was still there, no matter what she said to me. Plus I knew then that the thing blocking me was him. It had to be. He had done something to her the stopped me from getting through to her mind. At least that was my excuse.

I was so blind.

Because it was because of that belief, that I endured insult after insult.

I suffered from the meeting we had after the attack on our village, where Bella egged us on to give her leeches a chance to humiliate us all. Sending us back to the rest of our pack with memories of our disgrace.

They should've just fucking killed us, that would have been a much better fate that sending us back with those thoughts. And finding out that it was Bella's plan…that was just a betrayal of everything we did for her.

And how stupid was I? Even after all of that, I couldn't bring myself to hate her. I felt like if I did, it would be the same as willingly letting whatever trance they put her under, win. So no, I couldn't hate her. But the others sure as hell did.

Then we found out that the leeches were after her when Leah and Seth discovered the scent trails of eight or more leeches around Charlie's. But by then most of the others weren't feeling any 'desire' to protect her anymore. They more or less have written her off. In their minds, she had her defense, and if they failed her, too fucking bad.

I wanted to feel the same way after what she did, but just the thought of losing her at all made my stomach twist with regret, guilt and a desire to protect.

But that was quickly washed away when Leah's thoughts gave away the fact that an army of vampires were coming looking for all our heads, and that Charlie and Sue were leaving town for the next two months because of it.

The rest may not have liked it, why would they, the situation was a shit sandwich without bread, but it provided a new chance for me.

I knew what I had to do. I needed to get Charlie to force Bella on our side of the line or at least remain at home. No way could she be allowed to remain with them. That would be all the opportunity the leeches needed to leave with her, or worse, it would give her alone time with her new tick fiancé.

The council meeting that afternoon was a panicked one. Sam insisted to the elders that we weren't ready, that we needed more preparation. That caused fear to set in on their features.

Seth spoke up and suggested that we join forces with the Cullen's. He said that this was both our fights, one that neither could win alone. His mother quickly backed him up, but that only earned them both back talk from the pack and my father.

"Fine, don't join forces. But don't be stupid and act like they can't be useful to us either." Leah yelled out getting all our attention. But earned hard cold glares. "Fight nearby, win the battle, then go our separate ways. Simple, and everybody wins. "

I had to admit, I wasn't thoroughly disgusted by the idea. It had some merit, even Sam looked like he was considering it. It did get our brothers home, and that was a big plus.

Old Quill didn't move a muscle, but there was a twitch in the corner of eyes that showed his opinion was in favor. Now he was waiting for the rest of us.

He didn't have to wait long. Sam said no, starting another round of 'you're being stupid' this, 'don't be a jackass' that. In the end, it came down to a battle of pride over life. Sam would rather fight and die with his pride intact than live without it. So that meant we all were gonna do the same.

Too bad he didn't do either when it mattered. I thought thinking back on the actual battle.

So with that meeting behind us, I found my father afterward and explained what Charlie and Sue were doing and what it meant. He was in agreement. Although he feared that it was too late to save her 'virtue', he thought that this would give them the time they needed to change Bella and disappear, leaving us with twenty-five vampires on our doorstep.

He said that we needed to make sure that no matter what happens, Bella must be made to stay behind on the reservation. That way we were sure that the Cullen's wouldn't skip town and leave us with the mess they created.

I sat in the red truck and thought how glad I was that she kept this little bit of me. This was my father truck that I put back together just for her. She loved it and took care of it. And that is what I really loved about her. She was simple. She cared about the little things. Price didn't matter. If it was from the heart that's all she needed to know.

But then I remembered that her leech takes her everywhere these days. I guess it easy to keep a truck in good shape if you don't drive it. It seemed that the truck was forgotten by Bella just as much as I was. And with a quick rev of an engine, I realized why.

Her leech had brought her home once in his fancy cars, and I could tell I had another problem. If it wasn't immortality they were trying to tempt her with, then surely it was the money and all the things I knew I couldn't get her.

My Bella didn't care for those things, but he was changing her, they all were. Slowly but surely they were turning her into someone else.

I remember going over by their house when they were gone and realized that their living room was bigger than my entire house. I realized that the only thing I could offer her was myself and hoped that was good enough.

They were corrupting her on every level. The Bella I knew didn't care for expensive things, but it looks like this Bella did, or was beginning to.

But soon none of that mattered. I got a whiff of her scent and found his all over her, and hers all over him. It was clear, that they had been together, and given the strength of the smell, it wasn't that long ago.

My thoughts were murderous. That fucking leech was taking her to bed. And worst yet, she was happily... stupidly letting him.

I wanted to pull her away from him right then and there and get his scent off of her, but then her parasite told her what I was planning and all hell broke loose after that.

Bella began shouting at me, and Charlie bolted outside soon after. But surprise, surprise, it was the leech's side he took.

Where the fuck did all his anger go?

I wanted to phase right then and there and end this shit, and I even tried too, but my anger kept getting interrupted, and I found myself calming down when I was trying to boil over.

The fucking mood ring brother was nearby.

Charlie argued with me and my father on behalf of his soon to be 'leech in law'. That gave me what I needed to fight off some of that calm I was being force-fed, because 'son in law' was supposed to have been my title, but he gave it to him. Not only that, he gave the leech full permission to do everything to Bella under the sheets, but knock her up.

My dad and I were heated. But to me, it was clear now more than ever, that Charlie's loyalty was bought.

So at that point, I didn't give a damn about the treaty or Charlie's safety. He was a traitor to his own cause, and if he got in my way, he was dead too.

But he had nothing to fear because my anger was held captive, and I was rendered powerless. But even in my powerless state, I was not about to let that asshole get away from me without some type of injury, so I swung at him and tried to crush his face with everything I had. But it missed and I was quickly tackled to the floor. Now I looked like the one that was bat shit crazy.

Great, just fucking great.

I was pulled and shoved out of there, practically got myself stuffed into my car. And every time I tried to really fight back, I found my will to do so sucked out me. Soon my dad was in the car and I had to cool it or else I would've made myself an orphan. But what really shut me down was looking up past my steering wheel at the look of disgust on Bella face. She looked at me like I was the biggest shit someone ever took. I couldn't drive away fast enough after that.

My dad was already on the phone with Sam, making plans to meet him at our house. And from the way he spoke to Sam, I could tell we were both quietly stewing in our rage.

Sam met us at our door when we pulled up, looking dog tired. He was sleeping when we called and we fucked that up for him, but this was important.

He shook his head seeing me unlicensed and behind the wheel like he always did but one look at me trying to help my father out the car and into his chair caused him to sigh at us in pity, like he always did.

I hated him for that.

Inside the house, Billy laid things out quite flat. He had explained that the Cullen's were sending Charlie and Sue away, but this time, it really was a scam. He said that it was just a plan to get them out of the way so they can steal his daughter.

Sam growled and said we have bigger fucking problems than what happens to a witless fool like Bella Swan, and that our people's survival should be Billy's first concern, not some white man's daughter.

"You're the fool if you can't see that the child and protection of our people is one and the same." My father growled back, shutting Sam down. "If they escape with her now, they would be leaving us to deal with this situation, alone! A situation that you yourself said we couldn't handle. They enemy has almost three to one odds in their favor. We need them to take that pressure off of us. Understand now, boy! That girl is their anchor to forks. So she stays!"

That got Sam's back up. "If you are so concerned, then why don't you make your escape now, or take your chances and fight them off with your insults when they kick down your front door." He sneered mockingly. " I got an army to prepare for, and boys to train into men in gods knows what amount of time. So excuse me, Chief, if I could care less about your Swan issues. And as for the Cullens; the last time I checked, they were able to leave just fine without her. And as for them staying or going, I don't see a way that we can truly promote or prevent either. So don't be surprised if I don't lift a finger to try. So if you'll excuse me I have an army to lead."

And that got my father's back up. "Lead? If your concern is leadership, then you should remember who is next in my line." He said earning a hard glare from Sam. "You're a stand-in Uley. The first to change because you spent all your time in town away from your people and next to those Cullens when we elders were warning all of you against it. But being first doesn't make you their true leader. Soon Jacob will accept his role and maybe then he'll show you what it means to go above and beyond for the people you were meant to protect. Yes, maybe then you'll understand what it meant to put others first above your pride, and make hard desperate choices to make sure all life is protected."

I looked on and let both their heated stares and jaw grinding go on for a few more moments.

"Yeah, one day. But not today. Today he does as I say, and what I say now is these monsters will be at our doors any moment, and we don't have any time to waste on wishful thinking or go around, hat in hand, begging for help to all our well-known problems. The Cullens know our situation and if they decide to leave, they would have done it with the full knowledge of what they left us to face alone, and so would she. So no, I will not beg for their help, and I will not waste time trying to secure her for both of you." He harshly told my father not even bothering to hide his contempt. Then turned to me. "So get off your ass, and go meet your brothers on the line, and maybe I can teach you how to be a leader that understands the differences of what can be saved and what can't."

"Don't bother, that's not a lesson I can to learn from you!" I threw back earning a proud nod from my father.

"Heh, and that's exactly why you'll end up learning it the same way I did. The hard way." Sam said shaking his head, then barged out the door, leaving both me and my father screw faced.

The days that follow in the next two months were miserable.

Leah and I were on the outs. I saw in Leah's mind what she and that leech were talking about the next time she wolfed. Leah actually told the leech to take Bella away from here and make sure she is never 'forced' to live here on the reservation as we did. It was a betrayal of all us.

I left my post and ran to get my fangs around her neck. She never backs down from a challenge, ran my way as well with Seth hot on her heels trying to stop us both. The rest looked on and placed bets, but with one alpha command from Sam, I had to put my hate away. And not only that, since Bella made the headlines again as the reason for my break in the discipline, I was banned from leaving treaty lands to sneak away and see or interrupt whatever she and the leech were doing.

That was just the beginning of my hell.

Being banned from Bella was torture, and it earned Sam a lot of insubordination of my part. With one Alpha command firmly in place, he couldn't force me to do anything else, so I did what I wanted. If I was going to be caged, I might as well make it as gilded as possible.

I lazed around in my wolf form, sleeping away the day just to taunt him and all his 'we're on high alert' bullshit. I took fun where I could, like teaching Cody and Brady the ropes, but other than that, not much else. As far as we all knew, the Cullen's were long gone or leaving, and it would be up to the Ten of us to protect the tribe. So that's what I did. I stayed three or so miles away from the village and listened for any screams of bloody murder. I didn't see the point of running patrols all over the fucking place if they were all going to end up on our fucking doorstep anyway. So I laid out and gathered my strength.

That's when the dreams started. My time away from Bella had taken its toll on my mind. I couldn't help the dreams that came then. It always began the same way. It started with Charlie's words. His permission.

'What they do is none of your or my business… Just….don't get her pregnant.'

Those words rang in my head over and over. It practically was permission to do anything and everything to Bella. And soon, I was doing just that; anything and everything I ever wanted. I was with her, in her, for hours at a time, I couldn't get enough. The sensations were so…real.

I never felt a woman from the inside before, but Sam did. So that meant we all did. And Leah had sex with Sam, so too bad for us, we all knew that side of it too. All the memories and sensations of entering and being entered were there. But my dreamscape automatically took things one step further. It had accounted for every, caress, handhold, hug, and kiss on the cheek Bella ever gave me. The coolness of it compared to my temperature & the pressure if it, her pressed body against my skin, along with the smell of her breath close up.

It also mapped out her body perfectly. It used the information from all the times we were caught in the rain and when she jumped from the cliffs, which had caused her clothes to cling to her tightly as well as become almost see through to my eyes. But what solidified the image was the night I came over to clue her in about us.

I had just finished telling her to remember the 'other' part of our legends and had left to run patrols. I wolfed and ran the circuit once. I realized nothing was going on, so I came back to protect her in case something slipped by one of the others. I was in the tree, outside her window when I saw her. She had just come back from taking a shower and walked over to her dresser. She reached grabbed a pair of cotton panties and slipped them on under her towel. Then she let her towel drop when she went to put on a matching bra. I got an eyeful of every curve and 'indent' that night and it has stuck with me since. Now it was one of the main contributors to the accuracy of my dreams.

So while the others ran patrols, I laid out in the forest with nothing else to do but dream of my Bella. And dream of her I did.

In there I had a fresh start to everything. My mind had rewritten every one of our meetings and corrected all of my mistakes. Our walks in the woods, the beach, our log, my room, her room, her living room when Charlie was not around. My living room when both our parent were fishing, and especially our time in seclusion in the garage. In my dreams, I had made love to her on every surface of every room and every terrain. I had pumped her full of my seed repeatedly in a desperate attempt to make her mine for good. And in there she loved me more with every deep thrust.

I lost myself in it and in her. I suddenly didn't care if the village was on fire or not. I was where I wanted to be.

We watched movies and commented on the parts that made no sense or was outright ridiculous. Then made love. We would hang out with the guys and Emily at the general store that Emily runs, then find a quiet spot on the walk back and make love. We would go to bonfires on the beach and watch the salt in the wood turn the fire to green or blue, then sneak off to a dark corner of the beach and make love in the sand; then go home take a shower and make love while the water washed out every place the sand was never meant to go. And on and on it would go.

The only real interruption and reminder that I was, in fact, fantasizing, happened when Paul and Collin decided to use my girl to taunt me and get their rocks off. I hunted them both down and tore into their fur for that. It was two on one so they gave as good as they got. Sam had to break up the old fashion way since I was already on one alpha command too many. Sam cursed us all for risking injury and in turn village this way.

But if I couldn't get at Paul's throat, I was going to rip his pride to shreds.

"You could imagine yourself as big as you want, but we all know the truth." I thought to him causing a raucous of laughter throughout the pack. "She would never choose that cute thing over, mine."

And with that, he was after my neck trying his best to rip it to shreds.

Sam was livid. Once again 'Bella' was the reason for strife amongst his pack. He forbade Paul and Collin of thinking about her sexually and would've done the same to me, but couldn't compound his alpha command.

His first command of "Don't cross the treaty line" could not be added to. Sure he could revoke it, but what could he say in its place? "Stay away from Bella Swan". That wouldn't work either. It left too many loopholes for disobedience. Like how far away is 'away'? He may think miles, but to me, an inch is too far. Even if he decided to be a smartass about it and said "Stay ten miles away Bella Swan at all time", it would be meaningless. That would require the ability to know where she was all the time. All I had to do was go to town and 'accidentally' bump into her. And therein lies my loophole. Which is why Alpha commands have to be worded carefully and precisely, with no room for misinterpretations and based on factors within the persons' realm of control.

Not only that, he couldn't compound it. There was no such thing as "Don't cross the treaty line and Stay away from Bella Swan". Too many directives. If he could've have done that, I'm sure the bastard would've compounded it a thousand different ways to correct everything he thought was wrong with me, but that was outside his power.

And until he can come up with a better alpha command for me than he currently had, he was stuck with me just as I was.

So I lost myself on in my dream world once again. But Paul, however, wasn't thru with me yet. If his pride was hurt, so would mine.

He flushed me with images of every harsh word spoken, every evil glare she had given me, trying to break up my new world.

I quickly went human and began to dream alone. It wasn't as good, but it was quieter.

The days that followed as I dreamed away were too short. Howls had gone off around me, alerting me that something was going down. I wolfed quickly to see Paul giving chase to a vampire that none of us had ever seen before. She had back herself against a tree with Paul bearing down on her. He was told to wait for backup even 'alpha commanded to, but he was already following other 'orders', so Sam was ignored.

His thoughts showed us that he was confident and that he was all that was required, and told us that we would be facing even worse odds soon, so we might as well start practicing one on one now. And with that, we held our positions and waited to see how much advantage our training earned us.

The fight was all too brief. Paul had been tricked. Then he got himself captured by the tail and painfully smashed to the ground. The others raced to him as the vampire started breaking his limbs one by one.

But the closer I got, I found myself slowing till I came to a complete halt at the line.

Next thing we knew the Cullen's were on the scene with two other parasites we never seen before, backing up the other parasite that jumped into the trees above to hide from us.

They had it out while the 'Papa leech' tried to reset Paul's bones. They argued over 'guest rights' and why the ticks didn't tell us about their 'visitors' sooner, only to end up agreeing to disagree on who is allowed to allow others to come and go as they pleased.

We held a council meeting that evening before the next patrol. The information gained demanded it. The meeting was bittersweet.

On one side of things, the Cullen's stayed, and brought in some friends.

And that was the good news.

The elders and a few of the wolves, like Jared and Embry were relieved. Both argued 'that it is only right that they stay and fix the mess they created' But Old Quill argued back saying that the Cullen's didn't strike him as the sort to 'skirt' around their responsibilities.

No one wanted to argue with the old man so we stayed silent.

Then there was the flip side. Sam brought up the fact that we were still far from ready to face the enemy one on one. Paul's recent incident proved that hands down. That caused a lot of us to sober up. Because Paul may have been an asshole in human form, but he was one of our strongest fighters.

"Hmm, that does not bode well for our future." Old Quill grumbled out.

No shit.

"Make the request to join our force with theirs. I see no other way." Old Quill suggested.

"That is where you're wrong." Sam defiantly stood and said. "It is they that don't have a choice. They have already decided to stay and commit themselves to the fight. There is no reason to lower ourselves and ask them anything. The enemy has no need to come here. We have nothing they want. So we will let the Cullen's fight it out, and when the battle is nearing its end, we shall breach the line, and if the opportunity is present, we'll end this. All of it."

Most of us were in agreement. Only Leah, Seth, Brady, Old Quill, and my father made no outward show of support. But the bastard had my vote. I had to admit it I thought it was a good plan.

"How stupid are you? She knows now, you know that don't you? Idiot."

"Who knows? What are you talking about Leah?" My father quickly question.

Causing Leah to turn to me and roll her eyes. "You didn't tell him?"

We never told the elders exactly how the physics leeches ability worked. At the time broad strokes were all that I was able to manage. Other things took the lead in my thoughts, such as my burning hate for the Cullen's for embarrassing us like that.

It was bad enough that the other wolves saw how the mood ring used Sam's alpha status against us like that. I'd be damned if I went home tail between my legs to let my father know I got my ass kicked and sent home naked from the playground.

And we never told them before that, because we didn't fully believe it was really possible. Not until they started proving us wrong.

"The raven-haired Cullen. She has the ability to see the future" Sam explained looking unconcerned by the surprised expression on the elder's faces.

"Better than that, her power shows her the outcome of the choices of people she knows. Choices like the one that idiot just made. In other words, he might as well been talking into her ears." Leah explained further, causing my father eyes to go slightly wider with either his awe or shock; I couldn't tell. But when he got over that, there was no mistaking he was livid.

"Then why?" Billy sneered "Why would you expose us and you're brothers like that? What's to stop them from attacking us now that they know?"

"An army that's what. Neither side can risk an attack on the other without risking the loss of a member or two. And we both need every member we have. So cursed them or plot their deaths all you want, there is nothing they can do about it, not now." Sam said to a room full on nodding wolves.

"You seem confident," Old Quill Questioned.

"I am."

"And when the army is no longer there to barricade them, what then? Their memories are long." Old Quill pressed.

"When that army is gone, so will half or more of their numbers. And with us at full strength, there will be nothing they can do about my words, except watch me carry them out." Sam boldly stated standing arms folded in front the two sitting elders.

The hall was filled with loud boasting once more.

"…At that point they'll be begging us to end it." Paul yelled from his cot on the floor.

"Ha, If that is the case, I'll make sure they don't have to ask twice" Collin hurriedly agreed.

"And what about Bella? What happens to here in all of this?" I asked through the celebration.

"We can't concern ourselves with her. She chose to live with them, so surely she knows what that meant. We have a job to do. We will finish what's left of the leeches once their battle has run its course, and do so only if the outcome is in our favor. What becomes of her only matters if she can remain out of harm's way long enough for us to finish our task. And when its done, we get our lives back!" He said to a room full of nods.

"But one of our jobs is to protect the lives of humans too. So we need to save Bella then, right?" Seth reminded him, pleadingly.

"I NEED TO SAVE YOU!" Sam roared back, pointing sternly at Seth. "And you, and you, and you, and you, and you, you, you, you, and you!" He said pointing to each of the wolves in the room. " I need to save my Emily, I need to save our people, and I need to save those who respect and cherish their human lives, not a fool who throws it away recklessly. I have my priorities, and the life of Bella Swan isn't anywhere near its top."

The hall went quiet with his honesty.

"If she lives it will be by chance alone. Your minds will be focused on the task at hand, one way or the other." He finished with.

"No need to Alpha me, I'm with ya" Paul strained out,

"Same here" Collin agreed, patting Brady on the back who remained still.

"Yeah me too. We have to put this to an end" Quill agreed "We won't have another chance like this."

"Sure, whatever," Jared said like it was nothing.

When Sam's eyes fell to Leah, she just sat there staring at the ceiling choosing not to cast her vote.

"What about the treaty. They didn't break it yet. And they are staying to fight. Are we really going to attack them when they are down?" Seth asked. "I mean, they are not like the other ones."

"They haven't broken the treaty, but we all know they are planning to. Don't make a fool of yourself!" My father broke in, firmly reprimanding Seth and quieting the hall. "As for the rest, their eyes earned them all the leniency they are going get from us. It is past time they take their rightful places among the dead." Then turned to Sam. "We will follow your plan. But In turn for our permission, you will save Charlie's daughter."

"I will need all I have to complete my task as is. I will not risk lives trying to save…"

"You will!" Billy shouted over him, firmly cutting him off. "The child's mind has been tampered with, and emotions twisted. I've felt these effects for myself and I know how powerful and compelling it can be. She is trapped and the only way to release her is to free her from those who hold her in bondage. So do what you must, but bring Charlie's daughter home. Maybe then she will walk the path she was always meant to." He said nodding my way, causing Sam to stare coldly at the both of us.

"You would ask me to risk the lives of my brothers to warm your sons' bed?!" Sam bit back.

"The girl is human. The girl is your job. That is as far as you know it goes. If you can't do your job, then step down so that another more capable can take your place." My father grounded out.

The hall was quiet once more as the two heatedly faced off once more.

"Now, tell me you understand," My dad said not looking away from Sam's glare.

Sam grounded his jaws menacingly and even lifted his lip to flash his teeth, but my father didn't back down.

"Say it!"

Sam slowly nodded never giving up his cold stare or the actual words.

"Good. Then make your arrangements." My dad said and began to wheel himself towards the exit.

Meeting Adjourned.

The days following the meeting was more relaxed. With Paul out of the way, I went back to dreaming in wolf. They all got used to it or just ignored me the best they could. But now, more than one dream came to mind. And it was all due to Sam's plan.

My new dream painted the perfect picture for me. It showed me that if I time it just right I could make myself come off as a 'failed hero' instead of the bastard who just stood by and watched Bella's leeches get taken down one by one.

It showed me that all I have to do was let one of the redheads' army kill the mind-reader and then run in and kill that bastard as soon as he lets the first piece fly into the fire. I would've failed in my 'rescue' but I would look like I have avenged him.

I hoped by doing it that way, I would have cut out the period of bitter hate that she would have if I just killed the bastard myself. Then, all I had to do then was wait her out another nine months till she was ready to admit to herself once again that she was ready to move on from her so-called great love.

"Why are your thoughts constantly consumed by her?" Sam growled out, mentally showing me his frustration with my mental activities and distraction from the task at hand. "She has laid with one of them. She has chosen to accept him as her husband, and she…"

"She hasn't chosen anything!" I snapped back, mentally showing him my meaning.

"Even if you believed her mind to be changed by them, do you really believe that she is worth the risk of one of our brothers to protect? She is tainted, and we are the largest pack that has ever been; but so is the force we're up against. Jacob, what we do in coming days will be written in our history for hundreds of years to come, we are writing its pages right now, and I will not have it said that we failed to seize our moment or lost our brothers because of division within. The execution of this attack must be perfect. We will need everyone focused on the attack. We can't risk dividing our forces to protect or rescue her from her choices."

"I told you, she had no-choice! She's a prisoner and we are going to free her. You would do the same if it was Emily, wouldn't you?" I said whilst listening to his mind angrily refuse to believe that Emily would ever be as foolish as Bella and willingly give herself to a vampire knowing full well what they are.

"You saw how she was before the psychic showed up. She was moving on. All she needed was time away from them, time away from their powers. Once that happens…"

"…She'll magically just falling into your paws right?" Leah snarkily added.

"Leah, stay out of this," Sam told her, seeing where my mind was going as I remembered what Leah told that leech to do with my Bella.

" Why? His bullshit affects me too." She threw back.

"I said stay out of it. I'll handle it." He returned with a growl.

"Look around Jackass, do you really want this for her?" Leah said ignoring Sam while thinking about the lives of the women of our village. "We don't exactly live the most glamorous existence here now do we? You can't tell me you really want this for the rest of your unnaturally long life? At least with him, she will be able to…."

"Die! That's all she can do for him. That all he wants." I snarled out, snapping my teeth wishing her throat was between them.

"That's all she wants you mean. Because last time I checked it wasn't him screaming down your throat telling you to back off and mind your own business."

"Leah, turn! Don't involve yourself further!" Sam snarled angrily, thinking he may have to use his alpha command to force her after he saw that she was just going to keep fucking with me.

"You two may have been cozy once, but things change." She thought thinking bitterly about her former relationship, causing Sam to feel guilty and pity for her, but remained unrepentant. "She's moved on… or back, or however the hell you want to look at it. She's gone back to him and did it in a heartbeat. So clearly she wasn't ready to move on as you imagined. And if I remember correctly she already explained to you why that was. So if your gonna play 'selective memory' with the facts, then remember the part where as soon as she was given the chance to go back into his arms she took it!" She said haughtily.

"Dumb bitch, all that means is she didn't have enough time away. A problem I plan to solve for good."

"Ha, you mean a problem you hope that some stronger more capable leech will solve for you," she said thinking of my plan and that if I did it myself, I would get my ass handed to me again. "Maybe Bella should go to him instead; he did do all the work after all."

I was on my feet running towards her post once again. If she wanted to see what I was capable of I was going to show her.

"Enough! Turn human. Now!" Sam commanded her to do, which she unwillingly obeyed.

He ordered her not for her safety, but because he didn't like the fact that she threw such as disgrace back at a fellow wolf. Especially since we had all had similar disgraces of our own.

Another thing they had coming. Our pride demanded retribution, and the Cullen's were due some payback.

"Jacob, you and your father are both fools. That girl will be the ruin of you both. But for now, your line holds the authority so I will obey. But hear this, I will not allow a single brothers life to be put in further jeopardy over this, not even yours. The mission comes first. Kill the leeches, save the girl. In that order. Got it?"

"Sure, sure." Was all I replied then went human myself before I had to listen to any more lectures.

"Pfft" I scoffed. Liked I had a choice. I already knew what he was going to do to make sure we all 'obey'. No need to waste time explaining it.

What's that old saying about what happens when you tell God your plans? Well, that sure as hell happened. And I was the only dumbass that didn't see it coming.

A few days later, we got a surprise. The medicine leech called us and told the mood ring got scared by the news reports and demanded a meeting. Normally leeches wanting to talk was no big issue. Personally, I would rather put my ears to Embry's tail end and listen to the breeze blow, because listening to those assholes more or less sounded and smelled the same.

But this time was different. My father informed Sam that they wanted to me with him alone, and Sam quickly agreed. Then the leech surprised us again, by not only inviting Sam on their land but to their home.

The damn thing read like a neon sign, "BIG FUCKING TRAP RIGHT HERE". So no way. It looked like the little leech informed on us and now they were going for the head. At least that was my argument.

But to the others, it felt more like he was being 'summoned' like some servant and fuck me if that didn't raise our hackles.

"Fuck them, fuck what they have to say, and fuck the idiot who gave them our number in the first place," Paul growled out, clearly not liking any part of this.

"Paul they just want to talk to Sam, so re-fucking-lax. They are not going to attack him and risk any losses right now, no matter what the fortune teller saw and told them." Leah reasoned out using thoughts of Sam's earlier point as a backdrop to make her point.

"Who the fuck do they think they are? What...do they think inviting us back on our own land is some great fucking prize? We gave them that land!" Paul bit out as he paced back and forth at his post where he was attacked, mentally hoping to see that blonde parasite again.

Sam's mind stirred then, but the others piped in before I could finish listening to his thoughts.

"It's not like that Paul. They want to talk. It might be important information." Seth argued back

"What fucking century do we live in, kid? We have phones, and they have the number. That's all talking requires." Paul snapped back not liking Seth blind optimism.

"He got you there, kid" Jared said nonchalantly.

"Have you thought that maybe its something that can't be discussed over the phone?" Leah said after a moment of thinking of both side and our need for secrecy.

"Like fucking what?" Paul bit back, surprised by Leah's position on this. "It's not like we talk in code. If someone was listening, they would've down here months ago. Give me a break. All they want him to do is go over there and smell their asses."

"Hey don't forget, they'll be smelling his too, and I've ran behind him after he had Italian. Trust me, if he drops one of those on them, it would be game over for those leeches." Quill joked, causing us all to snort at that.

"Yeah, that's one Brightside," Paul reluctantly agreed. "But I still don't think he should go."

"Too bad I'm going." Sam firmly stated to him. "But so are you Paul, Seth, Leah and… Jacob."

The bastard struggled to look for anyone else except me. He thought it best that I remain behind and take command while he was away. But the idea of me in charge didn't sit well with him either. To him, I didn't deserve the privilege to lead just because of my lineage. To him, the leadership was earned, and me lazing around all this time while the others worked, was not something deserving of promotion, Beta or not.

"Quill, I want a three-mile perimeter around our village. I want all possible entry points watched especially the beaches. They don't need air and it gives them the shortest distance from entry to target, so watch it closely."

"Got it. Count on me" Quill said happily with his promotion.

"I do." Sam thought back proudly.

"Are we really going to just go when they snap their fingers?" Paul sharply reminded us of the pride we have at stake.

"We're not going for them. We're going because now I have something to say" Sam stated assertively, then quickly phased human.

And that was that.

The trip to their nest was a brief one, we already knew the way, but finding them tonight was especially easy. They practically lit the way. All you had to do was look for the nightclub in the middle of the woods.

"What the hell is this?" Leah said expressing the surprise we were all experiencing.

"Are they having a party? Sure wasn't expecting that." Seth said anxiously.

"Please, please, please dear god don't tell me these fuckers threw us a party," Paul thought angrily but nervously to the sky.

"Haha, scared?" Seth taunted.

"If you don't shut the hell up…" Paul tried to threatened but only earn him more laughter from Seth.

But I couldn't really focus on that. My thoughts were elsewhere. Sam had his mission and I had mine. Two months was too long.

I wasn't going to delude myself. She had a 'role' to play. And in that 'role' she was required to 'perform' certain duties. She did it too because she had no choice, her mind isn't her own.

"pfft, keep telling yourself that" Leah scoffed.

"Enough, change and remember your orders" Sam instructed.

"Yes captain my captain," Paul said, mockingly saluting with one paw to his forehead.

"Ah someone is letting their diploma go to their heads. Don't forget, you're not that smart Paul" Leah ribbed.

I guffawed at that, then thought about the boots I brought as a present to the leeches, and now Paul was the one chuckling.

It's only fair. They invited us onto their land, so why not share some of ours with them. I thought it was the perfect gift.

But other than Paul, no one else was amused. Their thoughts showed that this could easily trigger a conflict that would not end well for us. But then I reminded them that they could not risk it, so no foul.

Sam was thinking how much of a mistake it was to bring me, but I phased back as 'ordered' to shut him out.

I remembered my orders. They were simple enough. "Don't think of any battle plans against the Cullens." Simple and easy to follow, but a complete waste.

Sam didn't want us to be constantly broadcasting a message like that in enemy territory, but the physic already knew so what was the point?

Still, that didn't help Sam who was outside his own command. But that was his problem. My increasing nerves told me I had other issues.

As we made our way through the woods, laughter caught our attention.

"Lil sis is not so little is she?" I heard the dumb jock leech say while he was laughing it up about something.

"Ah Bella, that was one of my favorite lines" I heard that voice only once before when Paul fought the blonde. She was one of the new ones.

"Looking at Edward's eyes, that line still works." That one was the bimbo leech.

Then we all heard the big leech stop laughing then cursed under his breath.

"That's our cue," Paul said, causing the other leeches to growl.

"I thought we were invited?" Seth said showing his nerves for the first time.

"We were" Sam replied then boldly pressed on with Seth at his heels.

Breaking the tree line, my night quickly turned to shit. Two shits specifically.

Bella 1 and Bella 2

It was clear what he wanted to replace everything I gave her by giving her that truck. He was wiping my existence away, one piece at a time.

I was losing her. The leech was taking her places I couldn't follow. But I had to remember that it was not her doing. That she was under someone else's control. That she was being remade to fit someone else's needs.

"They made a liar out of you to? I thought you weren't doing it for the money?" I asked her, but it came out more like an accusation. I almost wanted to smack my head. I didn't see her for two months and I didn't want to be on her bad side.

"What are they doing here?" She asked her leech.

She did one thing, but I found that I was hurt for two reasons.

For one, she didn't even bother to acknowledge me. Not even when I spoke to her directly. I was just part of 'they' .And secondly, she completely squashed the hope I had on the way here that she may have missed me in some small way.

She was cutting me to ribbons and from the way she was acting, and I didn't even register to her.

There was another big ass clue.

But I didn't have time to think about it long. The leeches were moving about us, surrounding us completely. By the time I snapped out of my depression, it was too late. They positioned themselves well.

It takes at least a second or two to phase, and if they were anything, fast was one of them. At this distance, they would have our throats out well before we were able to complete our transformation.

But either that didn't scare Leah or the thought never crossed her mind. Things got heated between her and the bimbo, and the situation was on the verge of turning into a massacre.

But the head leech made his appearance and put the lot of them to shame, then waved us in.

Sam in a hurry to get this over with stormed in and we followed suit.

But walking into their home didn't make me feel better at all. Everything was larger than it actually needed to be. There wasn't a small room to be seen anywhere.

I couldn't believe the number of pale faces they hand come to this 'buffet'. We eyed them like they were crazy for being here, and they more or less flicked their eyes our way and scrunched up their brows every now and then like we were lost.

Paul was getting angry with the stares, but the mood ring appeared almost out of nowhere and was already in his face. The bastard drained the fight right out of him, and us for that matter.

"Cut that out" Sam sneered.

"I could tell you the same." He dryly replied. "Come, this way; the meeting is over here."

The bastard turned his back on us like we weren't capable of doing anything but what he said. I wanted to show him different, but he kept us calm the whole way.

We followed the leech into some sort of library. They must have soundproofed it because you could barely tell was a party anymore once you were in there. Good thing too, soon we found that we were in a room with even more leech than we accounted for.

"Who the hell are they?" Paul demanded, earning glares from both groups.

"No need to alarm yourself. This is Eleazar and Carmen. They are family and they are here to assist us. I believe you already met the other members, Kate, Tanya, and Irina, correct?" The leader Carlisle said, and then kept making intro's liked we cared. Our attention was on the vamps that kept filing in behind us.

I got out of the way of the door and draft and leaned up against their books. I heard minor growls from them but that just egged me on to get comfortable.

Then Bella finally showed. Seeing her in full form, I was immediately turned off. Looking at all the jewels and ornaments on her had me shaking my head in disapproval. She looked like a rich leech Christmas tree. And from the way that bastard hand his hand around her it looked like he was finally able to make Bella into the way he liked.

She may have still had a heartbeat, but she no longer was the simple girl that lived down the street anymore. She looked just like one of them now. Their corruption of her was almost complete.

But what surprised me and hurt the most that evening was the easy carefree smile she gave to Seth. It was just a friendly smile that was supposed to have meant nothing, but from everything that has happened before, I was completely envious of it and of him.

She wasn't mean to him. She didn't say hurtful things to him. She didn't look away from him. No only me she did those things to.

I didn't know it at the time, but looking back, I was much better off when she treated all of us like 'us and them'. That I could deal with. But that smile showed that she didn't think the same of all of us as she did me. I was somehow placed below her sight in some dark place the eyes does not want to see, and Seth had taken my place. He is where I was.

And that added to the burning hell she was putting me through. It was bad enough I was losing badly to the tick, but to find out that even if she didn't have him, there might be someone else she would go to before me was maddening.

I couldn't blame Seth, the kid was innocent, but I couldn't keep to the shadows any more either. So I decided right then and there, not to waste any more time being a ghost to her. I was going to make her 'see' me again, no matter what the cost.

And so it went that evening, I pushed my emotions out against that wall of hers again. I ignored all that I could and bared my soul out to her with total abandon. I didn't care who was in the room and what they heard or how upset it made them.

The information about the growing army, the embarrassment, her unwillingness to acknowledge her situation, and her eventual shut down of my advances, were all secondary or irrelevant themselves. My only goal was to be acknowledged once more. One way or the other.

We ran back to the reservation as fast as we could. All of them nervously went over the meeting in their heads while I play catch up like I wasn't even there. Which for the most part I wasn't.

Things were bad. Sam's plan to stick to the sidelines was not going to work. The Red head had gone over board and created enough to take out both of her problems. And from Leah and Seth's perspective, we have no hope of receiving outside help from the Cullen's thanks to Sam's pride.

But those all quickly became a secondary issue to other four's main problem that evening. The punch that Paul hit me with as soon as I phased back signaled that. Then when I thought Sam was coming to my aid, I found myself on the receiving end of more than a few from him as well. Leah and Seth's dog piled in, and I just curled up and endured.

They all really let me have it.

"I don't know why you can't accept the fucking truth, but if you ever in your fucking life put us in danger or embarrass us like that again over that fucking girl, I will kill you myself," Sam said with every ounce of authority he possessed.

"*spit*…I put us in danger?!" I said shoving him off me and spitting out a loose tooth. "What about you? You big boss with your ultimatums and tribal justice bullshit? They were madder about that than anything I did. And what happens when they bring her to face that justice? What happens…."

"THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BRING HER ANYWHERE YOU FOOL!" Sam roared. "I said what I said to see what I needed to see, and I had hoped you saw it too. But I guess that was too much to hope for."

"What? You mean you weren't trying to force them to let her loose?"

"I was, but only to see how far they are willing to go for her. If they did, you would have gotten your wish. Their betrayal would have broken her; giving you the separation from them that you were looking for. But instead, it confirmed what I already thought was true and much worse."

"Worse? What could be worse than her being mentally chained to a nest of vampires?"

"You stupid blind son of a bitch! Didn't you see?! She is the one that has them chained you fool"Sam grabbing me by the neck and shoving my back against the tree leaving me gasping for air.

"Tonight made it more than clear. She isn't some pet or vampire follower hanging off the fringes of that coven, orbiting around them looking for a way in. No, we had it wrong. She is the thing that they are orbiting around."

"What?" I whispered in confusion.

"Idiot!" Leah barked out. "He is saying she is not being played, she is the one doing the playing."

"No one is tricking her Jacob. No one is playing mind games. It's all her own free will." Seth deliberately stated slowly, making sure I got the point.

"Yeah stupid" Paul jumping in "Plus, don't you think it's weird that she got herself in a little trouble and now all of a sudden she has an army of vamps to back her up?"

"But more than any of that," Sam entered again, letting go of my throat. "All you need to do is look at the way she commanded the room. She points and they follow, she speaks and they listen, she commands and they obey. They respect and treat her as one of their own, and hold her in high regard even among their already existing rank and file. I thought what we saw at the river was some fluke or that they were humoring her when they let her mouth off like that. But even when Doctor told us then, 'it was her idea', I couldn't believe it. I couldn't see them letting themselves follow some girls' orders over their own judgment. But they followed her then, as they still do now."

"So…so what does that mean? You trying to say she's secretly their leader or something?" I asked lost to what he was getting at.

"No, not their leader, at most I would say she's someone's opinion they respect. But what that means for you is, she is not someone that needs saving. She is on her own now, and that is my final decision."

And that was that. Sam and the other's relayed the same message to my father that night, and this time he didn't back down. Paul, Leah and Seth all agreed; there was no need to divert resources to save Bella. Those leeches were going to protect her with their lives, and we needed every man we had to be fully invested in the fight.

The four-day wait was tense. I thought watching imprinted couples like Sam, Jared, and Quill prepare for the worse was like watching someone prepare to go to the gallows. But I would learn.

While that was going on, the rest of us tuned it out the best we could. We instead turned attention to training. The surrounding trees were a big help. Their bark simulated vampire limbs and we use them to showcase our new hit and run technique. It was a borrowed technique from the vamps, but it was one that I felt we perfected in the two days we spent training with it. With our minds linked it was like this strategy was made for us.

It was a lot better than the one on one, vamp by vamp fight to the death we all originally planned for. Our histories and our own experience proved that time and time again, that wolves weren't designed to win that way. But a technique the caused our group to move like one body, that was more our speed.

None of us were ashamed to say that this new confidence for the upcoming battle and technique was due to the advice Bella and the doctor gave Seth. No, why bother with that? The object of war was to win, so who cares where the strategy came from, as long as it worked.

But when the battle found us, even the best strategy meant less than shit if everyone around you was shitting their pants.

We were hauling ass to save our own. Sam mentally gave up after the first round flew by his ear, and told us all to run as he mentally said his goodbyes. But while his mind was contemplating complete defeat, my mind was sick with the notion that I was going to die completely hated by Bella.

Suddenly the two days Sam, Jared, and Quill spent with their imprints making sure that they knew how much they were loved didn't seem like such as waste after all. And it is not like I didn't ever try to express my feelings for her, but the idea of dying without her ever admitting that she loved me in some small as well was not something I felt I could accept.

Right then, the need I had to hear her admission meant more to me than my next breath, and the only way I was going to get back to her was through those bastard. So be it.

I was always a crow left of the murder, so breaking the connection then was easy. I turned sharply and just concentrated on doing everything I need to do to close the distance. The problem then was I succeeded. Now I was face to face with all of them and no help in sight, but I didn't stop. If they wanted to do that, they would have to kill me.

They came close.

I didn't remember much, it all came back in broken pieces. I remember being at the bottom of the vampire dog pile, I remember taking someone's leg for it. I remember finding a gun and letting them have it, then getting shot again. I remember spotting the Cullen leeches coming to finish us off. And I remembered being happy that Bella leech wasn't with them. I thought he was dead. Then I remembered the day-long march back to La Push and collapsing as soon as I saw the village. Then I remembered waking up in the sauna that was the meeting hall, surrounded by groans and cries of pain.

That was the worst part. The battle was quick, but this was slow suffering. The air in the hall was hot, stiff and foul from all the blood gone bad. And the yelling parents were just adding to my already pounding headache. My dad, Old Quill and Emily had a hard time getting time to understand that this was something in their children's blood and not something we cast upon them with some ancient tribal spell.

The elders and Emily held an emergency session to explain to the parents there children were one half of the secret they were keeping. They broke down our histories, the truth about the Cullen's and how that led up to their children lying nearly dead on the floor of the meeting hall. The story as a whole was a tough pill to swallow, but it was hard to argue otherwise as some parents watch in real time their kids body spit out bullets and close up the wounds on its own. They had to admit right then and there that there was something supernatural going on, or admit that they were going crazy. It was an easy sell after that, because nobody wants to admit they're crazy.

One a few days later I was awoken by a sudden draft. Sue had returned and was standing in the doorway gasping at the sight of the six remaining wolfs laying in blood bandages on the hall floor; not that the sight of the rest of the hall was any better with all the dried blood everywhere.

She brought with her the only good news worth waking up for. Charlie was having a barbeque and we were all invited.

By the time the Barbeque came around we were all more or less all healed up. Some of us still had a lean in our step but nothing that couldn't be explained away. The biggest reminder of that day was Sam's missing eye, but Emily and Sue came up with their own explanation for that and the rest of us just fell in line.

I shifted for the first time since the battle that morning. We healed twice as fast in our wolves than our human forms, and I wanted to be one hundred percent when I saw her again. But when I came into my wolf this time things felt different.

There was a new type of comradery in the minds of the others that was never there before. Everyone thoughts were soaring. Their minds were excited but remain centered on one thing. We survived!

Despite the odds going in, the surprise those bastards had waiting for us, and the crippling fear that told us it was better to run for our lives. We fought, we suffered, we endured, and we won!

Yes, we survived. We made it. This was something to be celebrated. This was history. Something monumental. And why not? All our prior history was filled with incidents of battle and death. A vampire would make it presence known, and we would defend. But in that defense, a life was always lost. It got to the point were started to name the battles after the lives that were lost. That way they would be immortalized in some way.

But this was different because in this battle not a single life was lost. Sure some of us bore scars that will never really fully heal, like Sam's left eye. But for those of us who knew how it was, we will see it as a badge of honor. But there will be no tale sung with any of our names. They could call it the battle of 'tree in the forest' or 'Uley's left eye' for all I care, We were alive and that was all that mattered.

Absorbing the celebration around me, I sat on my hunches and howled my cheers along with the other. But when I was taking a quick assessment of my status to see how far I had to go till I finished healing; I realized that my mind held a new weight, and so did my body.

I felt stronger, and the other minds didn't seem as hard as they were before. They seemed more flexible. I felt like I was able to push on them if I focused on certain wolves hard enough.

I would've said this sensation was new but I've felt it before. This was what Sam felt like as an alpha. But my version was much weaker. What felt like pushing against rubber wall to me, felt like more pushing a hand through the sand to him. And while his mind covered every wolf, mine only touched on wolves like Paul, Collin, and Brady. Their mind seemed the most conforming to my own.

But I didn't get a chance to think on anything too long. Everyone's mind was still in celebration, but now more to the point, it was centered on my return. Each of them played back some assumed heroic feat, and showed me how my action saved them directly or spurred them on in some way. This was much different than the parents coming around and thanking me, while I was half dead to the world, for being there for their kid. In here I got a full picture of the fear and hopelessness they were experiencing till my actions created a chance for them to live or battle on.

My first thought was that this couldn't be real. I mean, as a pack never agreed on anything, so how is this possible? Looking at the minds around me, I saw that there wasn't a single negative thought about me. Not even from Leah or Sam, and with that I was at a loss.

I didn't know what to say. I've never been celebrated before, so I had no clue what to do with all the compliments. But I would be lying if this didn't make me the happiest I've been in a long time.

The pack took on a whole new meaning for me then. With everyone, Sam Included, smiling at me, supporting me, believing in me, I finally saw what being in a pack could really mean.

You would think the day would finish the same way it began, but I barely made it eight hours before I had my brothers were doubting me again, gone into a fit of jealousy over Seth, brought shame to the village, got cursed out by Bella, caused a grown man to cry in public, got dragged out of a party by the scruff of my neck, then put flat on my back to fight for my life once again. Just eight hours. All from the very moment I decided to take one step towards Bella Swan.

Another frickin clue right there.

I had just came back from my ice run with Quill and Jared that Charlie had put me up. Collin and Paul had walked over to me and informed me that Bella maybe interested in moving on. Quill and Jared quickly got in their face about that being a bad joke, but I was more or less frozen with shock and hope.

My thoughts were something must've happened. I knew her leech was alive, I had heard that from my father the day before when he was telling me that the guest list has been officially revised and that the Cullen's will not be in attendance, so my only guess was that he did or said something that ended up pushing her away.

But my hope didn't last long. Collin was telling Jared, to back the hell off because he wasn't lying and that Bella as in the process of 'moving on' right now with Seth.

They went into the 'what the hell are you talking about' conversation, but I was mentally sick with disbelief and jealously. It was such a numbing experience that I didn't even feel the bags of ice fall on my feet.

But as much as I wanted to disbelieve it… for some reason I knew they were telling the truth. My mind flashed through all the smiles she gave him in the school yard, the laughter they all had at my expense, her concern that she had when she heard he was hurt during the redheads first raid two miles outside the village, the way she zeroed in on him during the meeting at the Cullen house and gave him soft smiles. It was all there. I knew she liked him, and that was bad enough, but love… no I couldn't believe that. But yet I did.

"What…what do you mean 'right now'? I asked in a shaky whisper. But as loud as they were, and I quiet as I was, they still heard me.

They dropped their argument and looked at me with all the pity they could spare. And that scared me even more.

My mind screamed at me that whatever Bella and Seth were doing, it was happening and it was happening right then. And that thought shook me to the core with sickening fear.

"They…um…they are in her room now." Paul said timidly. A new one for him. "They...ah…locked the doors, closed up the windows, and ah…turned on some music to…ah….hide the…noise."

I wanted to be sick. Because in an instant I mentally pictured and heard what they were talking about.

Not being able to stand there anymore, I ran to the tree next to her room, and climbed it as quickly as my nerves allowed, which wasn't very fast given that I felt numb to everything under my fingers.

But as I got higher I saw it for myself. Bella was standing over Seth holding his face upward and staring deeply into his eyes.

I went completely numb then, and found myself falling out the tree.

I hit ground but didn't really feel it. I got up quickly went back to the bags of Ice I dropped and pick them up and started to head into the back yard, and did so without a word.

The others were speculating and asking me if they were 'doing it' or not, but I didn't say a word. I was literally speechless for a time.

They may not have be as far along as I thought, but it was clear to me now, that I was far from her second choice. Seth had somehow taken my place.

I wanted to roar with rage and tear down her door and ask why him? But I was too terrified of her response. She had said some pretty nasty things before when she was with the leech so I knew how much her words were capable of utterly crushing me and I feared what I might do if I suffered another soul crushing tongue lashing. We were strong, but we all had limits.

Once I was in the back, I filled the buckets with Ice. I found the drinks and threw them in the large metal bucket to cool. Then to my surprise, Seth burst out the back door like a man on a mission, pats me on the back as he runs by, like he didn't just steal my reason for living, then calls his mother and my father over.

That catches Sam's attention and he walks over as well. Seth begins to tell them that the Cullen's would like to meet. Sam immediately thought that they were going to challenge the pack over the words he had spoken, but Seth said he doesn't think that would be the case. He says that Bella told him that her family has noticed that there was bad air around us in regards to them even before the battle and they want to air out those grievances.

That comment had a few members laughing when they heard it from the other side of the barbeque, as they joked about fact that there will always be 'bad air' between us.

But I went back to concentrating on what the 'adults' were saying. Sam was skeptically that a meeting right now would not be productive, while Sue and my father agreed to it. Sue was said that this meeting should have happened long before we went to war, and we should've allied ourselves with the Cullen's. To which my father scoffed and said, that the war is not over and it is impossible to ally ourselves against the very enemy we mean to defeat.

They debated that point a few moments longer, but with two elders agreeing to it, the decision was made. We would meet.

With that out of the way, I didn't fail to notice my growing relief. Given the fact that Seth launched himself outside not long after I saw them so close like that, gave me hope that they didn't have time to do much else. But more importantly, that I wasn't too late.

Truthfully, I almost didn't want to go to the barbeque in the first place, which was why I showed up so late. I was conflicted about Bella. Sure the thoughts of seeing her spurred my thru the fight, but now, faced with the actual chance, my nerves came full force, paralyzing my resolve.

I knew I wanted Bella to confess how she really felt about me, but I had no plans as per how I could do it. At first I had wanted to wing it and see what words came out, but Charlie called me away and sent me for Ice. Personally, I still wasn't totally convinced that she wasn't under some type of influence given the power they have to make you feel things you didn't want to; but I would be lying to myself if I didn't accept that some of her words were her own. The problem now was figuring out which ones.

And that's what I wanted to know the most. And since there wasn't a Cullen insight to push her emotions or mind around, it was now or never.

So, I waited. I joked with the other when I could, and listened to Seth defend himself against Paul and Collins mistaken assumption, which was broken up by Sam as he bitterly mentioned that yet again, Bella Swan was the reason for conflict amongst his pack.

He really hated her.

But seeing her walk outside, in that long chocolate colored dress that matched her eyes, I knew then I couldn't agree with him less. Not only that, my internal conflict took on an old purpose. I no longer wanted to know whether or not she truly cared for me once. I now wanted to know if she ever could. Because seeing her pale skin as it was brightened even further by the sun and lite up her eyes, almost giving them a glow; I knew right then I could never be made to give her up, and that I would love her for the rest of my life if she only gave me the chance to.

She was so beautiful to me then that it was actually painful. The thought that she was not mine or that she didn't love me, literally hurt to have.

I watched as she talked to Sue, and I found that I was actually jealous of Sue now. I envied how easy it was for her to talk to Bella without having to hold back a world of feelings and professions of love off of her every breath.

Even as I sat there, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I was drawn to her like nothing else. I stared and stared and pushed as much love out to her as I could. I continued on till I felt that wall that seems to be around her. Then I took a deep breath and made the biggest fucking mistake of my life. I left the safety of my brothers and approached Isabella Swan.

My world turned on its head. Suddenly the truth I was seeking no longer mattered. Time seemed to have picked up and the hero I was to my people just a moment ago, now seemed like something that happened in some long ago ancient past. I felt what I was surrounded by fire; but one that froze you in place instead as it cook the very soul out of you.

Then the logs beneath my feet started to pile up as strangers made their way in to scene. I turned back to Bella and begged for mercy; to stop and let enough be enough, but seeing that seemed to have sparked something in her and gave her fuel to continue.

I defended myself when I could. I tried talking as much as possible and did so in the hopes that if I was talking she wouldn't be. I was wrong again.

Too much. It was all too much. The pain of burning in shame like that was not something of this world, supernatural or otherwise. Because no one could claim to love someone even a little and do what she did to me, no one.

And with that I realized I had gotten my answer. And with it I saw no more reason to suffer, so I retaliated.

It was my big 'FUCK YOU TOO' moment. I let my words fly out of me with complete abandon, and like the unchecked words themselves, so was the damage.

Seeing a man crumble like Charlie did stunned me out of my rage. I wanted to grovel right then and there and quickly tried to do just that; but it was too late.

Never had I been at the end of such a murderous stare as the one Bella had for me. I had froze again and actually felt fear creep in and move it way up my spine. Sam snapped me out of it by dragging me out of there. But only to bury me with words of his own.

"What the fuck Jacob? What the fuck!" Sam sneered lowly trying to keep it to just the two of us. "Why the hell do you constantly push things to the fucking brink over this girl? Well?... Answer me."

"I…I…love" was all I was able to get out before he had his hands around my neck.

"What the hell is the matter with you? You have people looking to you now, looking to you for guidance and leadership. I know you felt it this morning, I felt you feel it. You're coming into your own now. You're going to be the alpha soon. But if you don't clear your fucking head of this girl, I'm going to make sure that you never obtain the mantle."

Now I was angry. I grabbed his hands and pull it off my throat.

"Good luck trying to keep it." I arrogantly challenged back.

"I don't want it you fool!" He confessed sneering at me in a low whisper, shocking me out of my anger. "You think I ever wanted this?" He said pointing to his missing eye. "I was never as scared in my whole fucking life, as I was four days ago. If it wasn't for you, I would've ran us all to our graves one way or the other. But I became what I am, and did what I could because there was no one else. No one! I had no choice, and still don't thanks to you! You weren't ready then, and still aren't ready now. And you won't ever be ready as long as you have her hanging over every thought in our heads! And just so you know, even if you were to somehow take power now, I would not step aside without a fight. There are people who need protecting and right now your only priority is her. And I won't allow it. I won't allow your madness over that girl to consume our brother's minds as well. Not now, especially after that shit I just saw." He said point at the backyard. "That shit you pulled embarrassed you, your brothers, your father, shamed our people, enraged her, and brought a grown man to tears in front his child, neighbors and men he means to lead; and it was all done because you couldn't leave her be."

Sam really had a way of putting things in perspective. I couldn't even look up past his feet at that point.

"I..I'm sor…"

"Go home Jacob!" He said causing me look up in shock. "There is nothing you can do or say now will make a difference anymore to her or this situation you have gotten yourself in. So, go home."

Why the fuck didn't I listen.

It was a simple enough instructions to follow, and even better advice, but at the time I was too desperate to make things right as soon as possible.

I felt the longer she stayed mad at me the more cemented her feelings for him will become. To me, that moment meant now or never.

"I…Sam…I'm sorry…I can't, I just can't. I have make this…." Was all I was able to get out before Sam turned his back on me and walked away.

I felt like shit disappointing him right then and there, but everything in me screamed against his advice. I needed to make this right.

Brady and Collin found me shortly after, told me it was best to probably stay out of the backyard right now. So instead we sat on the front steps away from the party and listened as Bella lied to her father.

And suddenly I was mad again. This was not Bella. She wasn't a liar, but to be with him, she turned herself into one.

We listened for a few more moments before shockingly her leeches pulled up in middle of the day. But whatever hope I had of them outing themselves fizzled out before it really ever amounted to a true flame.

Looks like the little leech could predict the weather too.

Things went by fast then. Bella dashed out, and somehow broke my hand when I tried to stop her to apologize, then she made-out with her leech like she didn't care that I was there, then the little leech left in Bella's new truck but not before flipping us all off as the 'mood ring' hopped out the woods and into the passenger seat, then Bella tried to push her way past me once again when she came back from her delivery run.

Seeing as this was my only shot, and probably the last one I'll get. I just poured out everything I was holding back. I begged her to let me beg forgiveness. I asked her to realize that I was only hurtful to her because she was hurtful to me. And pleaded with her to stop looking at me with such bitterness. And on and on it went. I pushed it all out once more, I said everything I could to make her see and feel my regret but more importantly my feelings for her. But it didn't work, her wall felt thicker than ever. My attempt to heal us only made her angrier as I went on.

Seeing that my words were spent, she made to get around me, and with no other choice to prevent her from leaving and going off somewhere to break the treaty in some dark corner of the world, I decided to threaten her leech by promising to break it ourselves.

I was desperate…but… so were they.

Apparently they had thought this thru even further that I thought. And not only that, they were willing to kill not only the pack but our people as well if we exposed them.

And to my shock, none of that seem to faze Bella in the least. I never seen her act so… selfishly, so 'out for mine'. People, humans, were going to die in a big way at the hands of her leeches, and she didn't give a damn. I knew then that the Bella I knew was nearly gone.

The thought of her spending another second in his mist so he could finish erasing my Bella enraged me. I immediately egg him on, because if I was going to save her it had to be now.

My thoughts were simple. If this war was going to start, let it be today, let it be now, and let them throw the first punch. He was one of their strongest, and he was alone. If we took him out now we would've all but guaranteed our victory. So it was now, because it had to be now.

So I fucked with his head and pride like he did mine. I made it so that if he wormed away he would have to do it in front of her.

He acted like he was so mature so above it all, and I didn't know if he was or not, but what I did know was that he was a proud bastard, and I was going to make him either give up his pride or fight for his life to keep it.

He chose to fight, and suddenly I found myself staring at my ceiling in my room with my weeping father over my head calling my name and thanking god.

The first thing I thought to do was ask how the hell I ended up here all of a sudden. But that was when I realized I wasn't home at all. I was in hell. A hell that took the shape of my body. Because somehow I had been imprisoned inside of it.

Forget talking. I couldn't even blink at will. My first attempt to do anything ended up with me backhanding my father off his wheel chair, and the continued attempts to correct myself only end up with me face first on the floor about flopping about like a fish out of water.

Within the hour of me opening my eyes, my father had practically gotten the whole village to squeeze into our tiny house to watch me flop around, piss and crap myself. Panic was in everyone's voice as they said their condolences to my grieving father. And our shaman, Old Quill, was at a lost as what to do.

He quickly assumed that the vampire implanted me with his demon spirit and that my soul was in a battle for ownership of my body. The pack told Old Quill what they saw, telling them that it was some other type of power the mind reader held back on. They said it was him because he and Bella were trying to be real hush about it, till they were found out. And to my even bigger surprise this happened four days ago.

But one thing was clear. He did this to me! That thought drowned out everything else. Because it was then I realized that we did have a fight, and I lost.

The shame of losing so badly against him was almost unbearable. I happened so fast, that within a blink of an eye I was in my room without a clue how I got there. And now I was on the couch as the entire village paraded by to take measure of my defeat.

I laid there for another few days unable do nothing but twitch and starve as my body devoured itself for food, and try my best to ignore the pity I was getting from the neighbors who brought food for my father and me, cleaned off my 'accidents', bath me, and changed my clothes.

The whole situation was mortifying. Losing to him in the woods and made to crawl away was bad. Losing to him in front of Bella after I challenged him like that, was humiliating. But him turning me into some sort of spectacle or sideshow for my whole village to see and pity, was unforgivable.

To me he always was the thief of 'what could've been,' and I always hated him for what he took from me. But what he took this time was more than words could describe. Hate seemed weak and small compared to what this was.

And it was then, in that rage, that I made my first voluntary movement.

Rage was the answer. My answer. And I had plenty to spare.

The first thing I did with my discovery was beg for something to drink and eat. Nobody around me bothered to make a move towards the fridge. They were all too preoccupied cheering over my ability to talk again. But once they got around to it, I was put on a strict diet of soup till I gained enough muscle control to chew my food.

The going was slow. It took days to recover my basic functions like chewing and using my hands. But in that time I learned that four new wolves had joined the pack.

The first was Cody Sky, age 16. They tried to impress me by saying that his line descended from one of Taha aki's daughters, so that made him a cousin of mine, one that was three or four times removed. But to me that just meant I was going to have a 'complete stranger' at the dinner table next year.

After him was Brian Moore, also age 16. His lineage couldn't be tracked. He just had his mother. The rumors were that she had slept with someone of wolf blood, so him turning wolf made every wife of known wolf bloodline suspect their husband. And for that I was grateful. It meant for a few days, the talk wasn't about me and my need of adult diapers. I was going to make friends with the kid just for that alone.

Robin Scales, 17, had a mother that was Makah and a Quileute father. His mother lived on Makah land while his father, 'the village lush' but still one of the 'wealthiest' people here since he owned the bar all the town drunks were drinking at, lived in La Push. The tribe didn't believe in divorce, but after her 7th trip to the hospital and the loss of the baby she was carrying, the elders in all their 'great wisdom' finally agreed to a 'separation' of distance, but not of bond. So when Robin was coming to an end of his six month visit with his father, he decided to end one of their arguments by surprising his father by phasing into a wolf for the first time. Now his father is with Old Quill, hanging on by a thread. So I guess I owe him too.

And last but certainly not least, Eric Turtle, age 15, also known as "slow turtle". He was full Makah, who had a great, great grandmother, who married a Quileute whose line came from Ponah, one of Taha Aki's sons who was killed in the assault of 'the mate' when the village was attacked again. He died as the 'distraction' so that his brother can could gain the upper hand, but they ended up dying as well, along with the third wife. And from what I hear, Eric was going to share the same fate someday. Because Eric was fat; and the vampires were going to catch him on the run. Even with our high metabolism, he was still the 'biggest' wolf by far; standing a quarter bigger than me or Sam. But he had a serious jaw that had power like nothing we've seen to date. But as a pack our biggest problem was that the kid had some serious anger issues, much like Paul, except less funny. It was typically high school crap. The poor kid was the victim of some serious horseplay. And now, someone, somewhere decided to give him more strength than he knew what to do with. Things were going to be different at school for sure. His second issue was location. He lived on Makah land and had no supervision outside of his wolf form; I could easily see why this would unnerve Sam enough to have sat down with my father about possible restriction he could put in place to protect the people of the Makah tribe, but we just didn't have the authority to govern one of their own. So that made Eric's position with us 'voluntary'.

And that discussion led Sam to question my father about the other problem they were facing. The Cullen's still wanted to talk, but one look at me twitch as I tried to keep my food on my spoon, and my father told Sam that the time to talk was over, and to make no replies to them.

Sam then reminded him of the little leech and her power to see the future, and the fact that they would already know of our intentions, to which my father cursed. But that was just his way of a begrudgingly admitting that he had forgotten. My father then told him to ready the pack just in case, while he decides how to reply.

So the next few days were spent getting the new wolves up to speed, and me getting back to my feet.

It took another day or so after that meeting, but I was on my feet. It had happened in the middle of the night were I spend most of my nights alone with my murderous thoughts about avenging myself. By the time my father made his way out of the bedroom that morning, I had eating and drank our fridge bare. But the look of shock on his face before he bawled himself out of his chair in relief at the sight of me moving on my own, showed me that he couldn't have cared less about that.

By noon, almost the entire village had come by to see my miraculous recovery. But I was in no mood, and it showed. I thought at the time, that anger was the only thing keeping me on my feet, so I didn't let it go, and it sent out mixed signals. I did my best to thank all those who came to support my father and I but left it at that.

The fanfare died down, and the people left. The pack remained behind to catch me up to everything I've missed, and I was introduced to the new wolves face to face.

A few days later, I was able to phase for the first time. That set off another round of fanfare, but this time it was by the pack only. I stayed in my wolf all afternoon and watched in amazement as the last bits of my involuntary twitching disappeared for good. I was healed, and now it was time for payback.

After a long discussion in the meeting hall that lasted till the early morning hours, Sam was told to make the call.

We went home and rested up till the late afternoon. Had a bonfire, and roast and ate as many hot dogs as possible while Sam confirmed everyone's role tonight. Then we packed up the elders and headed out.

The scent hit Leah's scout team first. The Cullen's were already waiting. Sam give quick commands and Quill, Cody, Brian, Robin, and Eric split from the pack and go circle behind the vampires to wait for their orders.

Sam may have been a decent leader, but strategy was not his strong suit. I mean what was the point? The fortune teller already saw, and the mind reader already knows. We weren't 'sneaking up' on shit. But I didn't have a better plan, so I kept to myself.

Old Quill chose then to remind us all that this was a parlay, and no matter how close to each throats our fangs may get, we weren't allowed to bite. No aggression were to be had within a full day of an agreed upon parlay.

That rule was so old and dusty he must've been there to write it himself.

Fine, if we weren't going to attack, then I was going to make sure that they were.

At the meeting the head leech showed his true colors. He and my father traded words as I watch there line carefully.

They were alone. I was sniffing non-stop since I got there to see if I picked up on anything other than them. I got nothing. No lingering scents in the area, not even from the clothes they were wearing. And that meant not only did their friends leave, they must've gone it a while ago.

And so I watched for my opportunity, I was provided with plenty. The head leech was 'acting' like a hard ass tonight and that worked out well for me. I jumped in every opening he gave me.

But despite my mission, seeing her again was turning me world over. I was conflicted. After her words and actions at the barbecue, I didn't know about my feelings for Bella anymore. They were still strong, very strong, but strong for new reasons. Love was there, but also a new need to destroy her world just as much as she destroyed mine. To me she had become just as much a source of pain as she was of love. And part of me wanted her suffering.

I could see a then that if she hated me, I could live with that too. Of course a small part of me still wished that what I was about to do would be the trick to free her and allow her to love me, but a larger part just wanted him dead and her suffering no matter what the cost. Both their actions that day freed something in me. I was no longer worried about the consequences from killing her leech, and a very small but growing part was no longer worried about it killing her.

Seeing them standing there at the line looking at her allow him to wrap his arm around her waist, pull her back to his chest and whisper in her ear as my father and the leech went back and forth, I found that I felt nothing but bitterness towards them both and their sick unnatural relationship. At that moment I didn't care if she bawled her eyes out till they bleed and curse me till her throat was raw; just as long as I got to kill him.

So back and forth it went. First my father and the head leech. Then he and Bella. Then Sam angered the bimbo, which moved things along nicely. But then Bella stepped in and shutdown everything by quickly putting Sam in his place.

But my plan and immediate dream of revenge soon took its first major slip after hearing the physic leech's story. I realized that her gift was more dangerous than I thought; shit than any of us thought. She was probably just as dangerous to us as the mood-ring or the jock, and he was practically unbreakable. But as unbreakable as he might have been, if I heard her right, her gift made her untouchable. And we already fought someone like that once to know exactly how dangerous that could be.

And at a time when we needed to hit hard and fast, someone like her was a nightmare.

I wanted to ignore what she was saying and write it off as lies, but for some reason I couldn't. And one glance around me said that no one else could either.

Then Bella went on to describe the feats of the mind-reader. Then he went on to threaten us even more. Everyone else may have batted an eye, but not me. They may have feared it, but I had no reason to. He had his chance, and he blew it. I thought that whatever it was he tried, wouldn't work on me again. Just the sight of him gave me all the rage I needed to stop it dead in its tracks. But picking up on my thoughts he warned everyone against that very idea. And there my plan slipped again.

I didn't want to believe him, but if there was one thing about that bastard was that he was true to his word. He delivered on almost every threat he's ever made to me, except one. I still had my life. But something told me somewhere that if I leaped in head first this time, he would deliver on that promise too.

So I did what I had to, and rallied my brothers against the fear of his promises.

I loved my brothers, but I hated him more, and if he was going to die, then it would be between my jaws. But I wasn't going to be stupid about it, not this time. If I had to use a brother or two to test his threat, that was exactly what I was going to do. Because I knew that next time we fought, was going to be the last for one of us.

Then my chance came. Bella outright asked us to 'support' her choice in giving up her life. I momentarily didn't have the words, but then I realized I did; and I let them all hear it.

I allowed no time to pass before I denied Bella's psychotic request outright, and did so for all to hear. Then I went on to remind our people of who the hell we were, and what our purpose was supposed to be, because clearly somewhere between the meeting hall and the words already said here, the others had forgotten why we existed!

As far as I was concerned, the time for talk was over. We knew want they wanted, and they 'should've' known our answer before they asked. That request should've been the end of it. But it wasn't.

I stood there shocked when I saw that most of the elders that was supposed to have been guiding us, and making sure we maintained the best interest or village and of our humanity, stood there and actually looked like they were considering her request. On top of that, they were more upset at me for interrupting that 'consideration.'

That request should have made our decision clear. It should have been all I needed to push our brothers over the edge to forget the rules of parlay, and rip the parasites to shreds. My fangs should have been at his fucking neck already. But instead, I found myself on the outs with my own people as I stood there facing down Sue, Seth, Leah, and Sam, debating over my attitude.

They were acting like hypocrites and they were pissed off at me?!

I barely contained myself then. Everything inside of me told me say, 'the hell with them' and finish this on my own. And from the growls behind me, I knew I wasn't alone. And as weak was I looked, I felt stronger as ever, and surprisingly getting stronger.

Then the mind reader called out why that was. He let us all know that it had begun. The leadership of the pack had started to shift from Sam to me. And from the growls and infighting that was going on, some members must've already had broken off.

Things happened quickly after that.

Bella went into a rant about how 'holier than thou' her parasites were for ignoring us when we were weaker than them. My father begged her to consider her own father, but she ignored that. Sam asked her about her plans about what she would do if she didn't get her support, to which she told us some crap about leaving to 'spare us' once more. Then I spoke up, then the bimbo stepped in on Bella's behalf. I was about to lose it on her, but just then Sam and Sue try to stop me again, but that time neither of them had the power to make it happen.

New feelings were coming over me, I was feeling more savage by the second. Sam's authority didn't seem as unbendable as it once did. It was to the point where it was almost nonexistent. Sam and I were arguing but both soon found ourselves instantly sleepy and instantly on our knees.

My focus was back. I was wasting time on Sam when the ones I wanted as right in front to me. And the mood ring just proved once more that he could drop us all at will.

If it's not one thing with them, it was another.

The conversation went on, but I was re-considering the idea of facing all of them at once. I was coming to terms that it may not be the best idea after all no matter how mad I was. I was thinking then that it may be better to back away now, and find another way to finish them one by one.

But Bella's confession that the real reason she had to turn in to a monster was because she was going to be killed anyway if she didn't shattered those thoughts right then and there.

Two things happened instantly. First, my rage grew to new heights at the yellow eyed monsters that I thought manage to capture her and made her think it was her vampirism or death. And with this new rage, they suddenly didn't look so unbeatable anymore.

The second thing that happened that instant was I felt an explosion of new hope. The hope that I thought were burning through its last embers was suddenly and instantly an inferno.

Because to me, I thought she had finally admitted truth. It may not have been mind control or emotional control like we thought, but she was making her decisions under a threat, and that was I all I needed to hear.

I was such a fool. Feeling that hope was bad enough. Deciding to feed it…even worse.

I made the mistake of using that confession to justify every nasty word and action she has ever said to me. I ran through as many as I could think of and at the end each one I reasoned out that she only did and said what she did because she had to push me away, she had no choice.

'Because she had to'

But I was wrong. Because then, Bella made another confession. And all she gave me a moment ago, she took back and much, much more.

Nothing on this earth was more emptying to my spirit than her words.

She wanted me dead. She had wished I'd died a hero in battle, but dead all the same. And what hurt most of all, was that she wanted it that way because she didn't want to stain her hands and be the one to do it herself. There was no reprieve or room for redemption. She just wanted me dead, and didn't care how it happen.

I believed her instantly or rather the shock and surprise on the faces behind her. Their stunned expressions told the story. It let me know that this secret 'dream' of hers, she kept to herself, and in no way was she tricked by any of them. The desire, the wish, and the hate for me that kept it all alive, was hers alone.

I was in an emotional void then. I moved almost mindlessly then. I knew what I wanted to do. I looked around to my brothers to ready an attack, but… suddenly had no will to care enough to do it. The action was entirely robotic; a residue movement from an anger or madness I no longer had. My mouth moved and made the motions but no words came out, it was surreal. I looked to the elders and Sam then, and I couldn't find it in me to care about anything to say to them either. And with one last glance at Bella, finding that I felt nothing, I turned and left.

I ran, and ran free. I was no longer confused or conflicted about anything. My mind was as clear as it has ever been. I wanted to be surprised by this, but I couldn't even find the will to care enough to know why I wasn't in more pain. But more than that, why I wasn't happy either. I was just… numb.

I ran the eighteen miles back to La Push human. I walked through the village, heard my name called but I acknowledged no one.

I went straight to the meeting hall that was shaped like a metal barracks or long house. I started a fire in the pit in center of the room, put some hot dogs on a stick, and ate my fill.

I ate in silence. Silence in mind and surroundings, and kept on eating without a single thought spared on anything else except the next bite. I had gone through three packs and was half way into the fourth when I heard the pack in the woods and the cars pull up moments later.

And just like that, I snapped out of my daze. Then it all began to slowly creep back in. The first was taste. I didn't even realize I wasn't tasting anything. The next was feeling. I felt the heat from the fire, it burned. I had no I idea I was that close. There were blisters on my left hand and arm. Feeling the pain for the first time, I stepped back, finally allowing it to heal.

Then, shock, hurt, bitterness, shame, confusion, fear, disdain, desperation, anger, panic, sadness, and hate. I felt it at the edges preparing to crash in ward, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it.

It was like I was standing on a beach watching some massive tidal wave build, one that I was sure that would wipe out everything it touched for miles; and the only shelter I had to run to was a matchstick shack a few feet from water.

It was hopeless. The pain was coming, and it was going to hurt when it got here.

Last to come was time; or a sense of it. I realized it was late into night, or early into the morning. Old quill called this the witching hour. So it was no wonder few people were out.

With so many wolves outside shifting back at once, I felt it in the ground. So I took a deep anxious breath or two and prepared the loss of silence.

They piled in then. I didn't bother to turn around, but that didn't bother them any. They were as rowdy as ever. I didn't even think it mattered that I was there or not. They argued between themselves, but I knew that I wasn't going to be invisible for long.

"Hey you! Chicken shit. Don't ignore me, Im talking to you." Paul started in on me "Fine then. Chicken shit, chicken shit, chicken shit, chicken shit…"

"Paul!" My father and Sam both said.

"What?! He ran like a bitch! What if you hadn't surrendered our asses and we needed his help?"

"Yeah, he's got a point" Jared said lazily.

"What's the point of running? I bet you any amount of money he's still planning on sniffing her crouch." Paul bitched, causing me to turn a heat glare his way. "…yeah thought so."

"All of you, outside, now." My father ordered. "Sam, stay. Wait for Sue."

"Yeah, yeah. I guess it's time to rock the baby to sleep." Paul scoffed pushing Jared out ahead of him as he ignored my father's and my angry glare.

Sam leaned against the long house scratched his head a few times then folded arm and eyed me with his one eye as he waited.

"Jacob…"My father started softly.

"What did Paul mean by surrendered?" I quickly asked Sam worriedly. "Was there going to be a fight?"

Suddenly my concern for my pending tidal wave of pain took a back seat. I was now worried and angry at the same time. Worried, that I had left them at a critical time, and angry at myself for not being there. For the first time in a long while I didn't cared that missed out on a chance to kill leeches. I was more concerned that the others could've needed me and I wasn't there.

Sam eyes finally left me to look at my father and Old Quill somewhere behind me.

"Hey, talk to me, what did Paul mean? What the hell happened? Was there going to be a fight?" I asked too harshly. My nerves was causing everything to come out wrong.

Sam quickly unfolded his arm as was feet from my face.

"Now you find your voice? Now you want to fight?" He scoffed "Pfft, too damn late. The bargain has been made and so has our decision. But don't worry your 'pampered' head about it, if you were there it would've been the same regardless."

He had said a lot of words just to say nothing.

"What decision?" I yelled back in my growing confusion, but silently hoping they are not saying what I think they are saying.

"Then only one we had left!" He barked back not backing down.

He was stalling me now I knew. And that made me even more nervous. He knew I I wasn't going to like it whatever it was.

"Quiet…both of you," Old quill struggled out in a wheezing whisper, causing me to turn around.

The old man put up a strong front for us tonight. I had almost forgotten how weak and fragile he had become.

Truth be told, if it wasn't for his time as a wolf that stopped his aging him for those ten years, he wouldn't even be here right now.

"Jacob, be patient. We have a lot to say, and when Sue returns we will inform you of what happened after you…" My father was saying

"Abandoned your post." Sam filled in at my back.

I bit my jaws and ignored him, just to be surprised when I saw my father hesitantly nod in agreement.

"Yes, abandoned your post and your brothers." My dad sadly agreed. Then quickly fixed his face to look as firm as possible. "Sam is right. They all are. You coming with the full intention to bring us to war, could have cost us many lives this night. You leaving after you've provoked both sides to the point of chaos could have cost us even more. I'm sorry Jacob, but this night you've gone too far, and there must be punishment."

I stood there finding his words unbelievable yet able to understand his reasoning. I did leave, but I didn't do it to abandon them. Yes I did come with the intention to bring us to war, I had to admit that. But I wouldn't have left if I thought I was close to actually getting one.

I had lost everything I fought for tonight. My plan went to shit and Bella wants me dead, no worse, wants to kill me barehanded. After hearing that, I even almost lost my mind. And after all of that, he still wants to punish me?

"You can't be serious? I..I didn't abandon anyone." I pleaded "You heard what she…, I…I just couldn't stand there anymore…not…not after that. I had to leave."

"And that is your truth that helps you understand your world. Ours is another." Old Quill spoke giving of an air of ancient wisdom and authority. "Punishment must be shown. The wolf must be bound; or its howl will be never-ending."

Sam and my father both nodded.

"What are you saying?"

I grinded my jaw wanting to be angrier, I knew that they know I didn't abandon them, not on purpose. But they stilled wanted to use me to set an example for the others.

"Nothing, for now. We will wait for Sue. Hear it all first. Then you'll be told the decision of the council. " My dad said pointing to me to take my seat around the fire.

I took my seat then and waited, no one spoke another word. Old quill's wheezing, the crackling fire, and pulsing heart beats were the only sounds in the hall.

Soon I heard the others greet Seth and Sue. She apparently had been riding on his back, and they were making a big fuss about it. Some were even talking about taking their parents for a trip around the woods, 'wolf style'.

But her arrival meant something else to me. It meant answers.

Sue and Seth both walked into the hall, but after seeing the audience and probably feeling the tension, Seth raised both his hands up, and back out of the room as he told Sue he was going to be right outside.

Sue boldly strides across the hall and takes her seat next to the other elders. Now it was three elders on one log, and me to their left and Sam to their right.

"Wait," Sue said holding up her and as my father was about to begin, then turn to me and stared as if she was trying to dig thru my mind with her eyes. "Is it done?"

I didn't even bother to guess. That question could've meant a hundred different thing, but I knew better.

They all turned to me. Apparently she had asked the one question that they all wanted an answer to. But after everything that has happened, I don't even know why they bothered.

My moment of pause may have looked like I was giving it thought, but only one answer came to my mind immediately; so I simply nodded.

The Elders look to one another then. They kinda looked like they were holding back their relief, but I saw it anyway. Sam however wasn't convince. His one eye burned with suspicion, but he said nothing.

Sue gave a nod and gestured for my father to start.

"Jacob, after you...left, we were informed very troubling things about this world."

"Like what" I quickly asked.

"Don't interrupt son. Hear it all first." He said firmly and waited for me to give a sign that I have heard him.

"Sorry"

"As I was saying we heard some very troubling information. As Bella mentioned before, it seems her human life must be sacrificed to the change otherwise not only will she be killed, but possibly Charlie as well."

They agreed to the change! I immediately firmed up my face and grinded my jaws. Something that no one in the room missed. But I didn't care. This was the 'surrender' Paul has been going on about.

Sam's eyes burned fiercer than ever. I had met his gaze and returned it two fold thinking if he wanted to keep the only good eye he had, he had better look away.

"Jacob…,"My father called out.

"Just…finish it." I said being deliberately rude.

He couldn't help the suspicious look on his face then, none of them could.

"Hmph" Sam scoffed, but said no more.

My father began to explain of the existence of these… 'Masters'. Vampires that ruled over all other vampires. He explained that the made themselves into their rulers and enforce law over vampires and all supernatural creatures alike.

That pissed me off.

The others started to chime in then. They explained that they created only one law, and if anyone was caught breaking that law, the punishment would be death. Sue said, that is why the other vampires stayed out of the news no matter how many people they were killing.

That part would have made sense, if the whole thing didn't reek of bullshit. The fools have been duped and they didn't even know it. Those leeches came up with the perfect ghost story to scare us off, and these idiots actually bought it.

Couldn't they put two and two together? We tell them that we are going to rat them out, and they, 'conveniently' just happen to have a law against the very fucking thing we were about to do to them, and carried out by some big scary Italian goons, on the other side of the planet, who couldn't even see me flip them off let alone watch me break their imaginary law.

"You really bought that crap?! I yelled and ask them "You gave them your permission, because of that?"

"NO!" my father snapped back. "They do not have our permission in anyway. That is not something we would allow. But…with that said, once they leave here there is nothing we can do about their actions."

"No more to the point, there is nothing we can do to stop them here either." Sue said

"What?! Are you fucking crazy? There is only seven of them, seven. Now is the only time in which we can stop them." I forcefully reminded her.

"I thought you said this wasn't about the girl." Sam said stonily not picking his eye off the floor.

"No, it's not about her. You heard her, I might as well be dead to her. She has made her choice. She is one of them now. I see that. But until she has made the change, she is still human. She's still Charlie's daughter. And that means we have a job to do. I told you all this before, we can't just sit by and let them add vampires to the world. It about numbers, period. The vampires have more. And they keep growing. Don't you all see? Its going to come down to them and us eventually. Humanity versus vampires; and I for one I'm not going to let them bury us in numbers and win this war before it was even fought."

"Hmmm, It is true, and your words sincere, but they are also too late." Old quill wheezed out. "They have promised to leave. And we agreed amongst ourselves to let them. And as long as there is one of us, they will never return."

"And whether this comes to a war or not, for now Bella… must go with them. It's the only way to ensure our people is protected from the evil she brings." My father said

"So we just let another vampire be created?! All because you're too scared of some boogie men who might not even be as powerful as they say!"

The more they talked the angrier I had gotten. It was one excuse after the next. The problem was right there, and the solution was simple.

"Others will come in their place, and our land will need to be defended. Sharpen your teeth on them." Old Quill suggested.

Cowards….hypocrites...

"…And what? Just let this one go? Are you all fucking crazy? That's not who we are! We don't let some go. They are monsters, all of them, none better than the rest. They take human life no matter what color their eyes are. Why are you…"

"Because we can't win!" Sam stood up and yelled. "If we fight them we will lose all, and they would still do it anyway. What then, what happens to your great rage then?!"

That momentarily stunned me. Sam was a proud bastard; at least he was till the battle. But even still, pride like his couldn't die easy. So for him to admit something like that was shocking. But even still, I saw the moment of weakness for what it was.

"So you're just give up? You're just going to take them at their word about these masters?!"

"Their word has nothing to do with it! It's my own eyes I trust. We've all seen and experienced their abilities firsthand. The big one, we can't even put a dent in. He took on five of us, and still left without a scratch. We all had our teeth firmly on him at the same time; we even had him by the damn throat, and the bastard just flicked us off." He said causing my father and Sue's eyes to go wide as they learned of another shame we had withheld. "And three of them we can't even touch! Sure, the psychic will 'allow' us to get close, but only so she can rip us to pieces. And the other two could cripple us from a distance, leaving us defenseless for the rest of them. So besides raging at us for not being stupid and throw ourselves into a hopeless battle, why don't you tell us your plan to go up against them?"

"Fine, here's one. If fighting them together is the problem then don't try to take on the whole group, get them one by one. We have…"

"...Congratulations, you just told the psychic your plan, now they will move everywhere in groups. Now what are you going to do?" He asked mockingly.

I grinded my jaws.

"….What? Nothing? Or are you trying thinking of a plan without thinking at all? Hmm, is that it?" He mocked again.

"Don't you get it yet? No one is playing around." He snarled lowly. "There is no 'bluff' to call. These are the fucking facts you have to deal with if you plan on going up against them. And as you make your 'master plan', know that they would always know as soon as you come to a decision and make plans of their own. There is no victory here. They let us know these things tonight not to show us up, but to warn fools like you, that going up against them is suicide. Anyone of those four can end a war with us in their favor, and that still leaves three more. And once they get Bella, they will have another power, one that even their Masters was interested in seeing. Which should remind you that the Cullen's aren't even the worse problem we have. Because if we somehow destroyed the Cullen's, their Masters would still be coming here searching for Bella. And if that happens, a fool like you would throw yourself into battle without knowing what you're facing, getting the attention of the real monsters, and then we all die. So no we're not going to throw our lives away. This… is over!"

"Sam is right, this is over. The Cullen's have been banished, and on their departure our land will be returned to us." Sue said calmly trying to make me understand.

But it didn't work. I was too far gone in my feeling disgust for the four people in front of me.

"Banished? You didn't banish shit! All you're doing is sticking your heads up your ass and praying none of them decides to kick it!"

"Watch your tone, I am still…"

"No fucking body to me!" I raged, causing her to shrink back.

"Jacob! Calm down. She is…." My father tried.

"Why should I? So I could be made to see all the reasons to give up my purpose and cower in fear like the rest of you? No fucking thanks."

I earned a growl from Sam then, and that gave the elders some of their back bone back.

"You still have a punishment for your abandonment to face don't forget that. I won't go as easy if you keep acting like..." Sue said

"Punishment?! From you?! Try it and see what happens!" I growled back menacingly causing all three elders to lean away now. "If you think I'm not going to let a bunch of hypocrites punish me from a fight they ran away from too, then you all are more out of you minds than I thought." I said closing in on them.

Things happened fast then. Sam got in front of me and pushed me back into the fire, causing me to roll over ended over. He yelled for the elders to run and they obey. I thought he meant to challenge me right then and there, so after quickly healing from my burns, I took him up on his offer.

I wasted no time in transforming. My anger with him made it easy, and I didn't bother to wait him. I lunged for him quickly before he phased. By the time I got close, he was in mid-phase and his torso was now were his face was. I bit down on anything I could. It didn't stop his phase, it just grew the wound on his stomach as he grew.

Not about to be defeated easily, he bit down on the back of my exposed neck and shook his head rapidly once he got my spine.

A quick yelp was all I was able to get out, before the feeling of my nerves being pinched overcame me. I instantly thought I was going to die. Everything in me was panicked then. I rolled us over and over trying get him off, but he held firm. He used his hind legs like clawed and raked it across my belly and chest rapidly as he bit down.

I caught him in one of his attempts when he got too high and bit down hard, snapping the bone.

He howled in pain, letting go of my neck, giving me the moment I needed. I got to my feet and charged us through the walls.

The other wolves phased then, but none entered our fight our minds. They knew that this is what it was always going to come down to, and stayed out of it.

I looked past the dust cloud surrounding us and saw that Sam was struggling to get back to his feet. Fear overcame me then. I immediately thought of his mouth on my neck again and panicked at the thought of him there again, so I rushed in. Luck was on my side at the moment. I was on his blind side, so I wasted no time. I bit down on his neck as hard as I could.

The feeling of having the blood of a wolf rushing in my mouth instead of the incredible stench of a vampire was surreal. I was completely disgusted. And if that didn't shake me out of my fear, Emily's scream did.

I let go of Sam immediately and watched as he fell to the ground, neck spitting out an unsteady sprays of blood.

That snapped me out of my fear and my madness, as overwhelming regret and shame took its place as I watch Sam struggle for breath.

I didn't hear it in time but I soon found the wind knocked out of me and struggling to get to my feet once again. When I stood, I saw Embry's wolf trying its best to use his tongue to plug the hole in Sam's neck.

To my surprise, I found Paul, Collin, Brady and some the new wolfs were in front of me growling in my defense then. Their minds were no more than a whisper as the reassured me of their loyalty as they stared down a furious Quill and Jared.

I didn't want another fight between wolfs so I quickly flashed them a piece of memory, letting them in on the horrible sensation of having bit the neck of a brother.

That cooled them off immediately.

Saying no more and only thinking of my wretched act, I turned and ran.

I felt the others wanted to turn to come with me, but without a single thought or command I held them in place.

My connection and command over them were incredibly powerful. They were like a part of my body. I just needed to concentrate on them hard enough to move them in any which way I wanted and it was done.

But I had no time to be amazed by any of that, so I just ran.

Now, here I am alone in the dead of night in the middle of nowhere about to pass out under a tree, in what would've been complete darkness if it wasn't for the bright full moon. I guess I should have gotten used it, It has been five months.

I don't phase too much anymore. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. It's became so much harder to do now. My last few hunt I had to go human, and if I don't figure a way to phase again and soon, I would be stuck here; where ever the hell here is.

I've been running human towards 'south' for days now. I've finally left the snow behind me in trade for green grass this afternoon. The first rabbit I saw got hit with the first stone I got my hands on. Even though I was human I ate it raw. I may not be able to go all the way wolf, but it hasn't full left me either.

I still had the stamina, strength, healing, but most importantly, body heat. If it wasn't for that, I would've been dead months ago. So I didn't care if the meat was uncooked. Sure, I got sick , but that only lasted five or ten minutes.

This all would've been some great adventure, if I wasn't running for my life. Problem was, I didn't know if running back to La Push would've solved the problem either. The leeches were long gone with their 'new addition.'

And to our surprise, our ability to phase started to fade as well. The last time I phased it took everything I had to make the transition. Not only that, instead of phasing all at once, I had to do it piece by piece, arm by arm, leg by leg. It was then my mind met up with Collin and Brady's.

They had remained phased for the past two month or so after they heard Old Quills warning. And it was them that let me know what was going on back home.

They told me Sam had lived. And it was because of that alone, I decided to turn back. Because now I wasn't a murderer on the run and what had happen was just a 'fight'.

But they also told me about the Feds who were snooping around La Push, and all the problems our people ran into when they found all sorts of guns and spent ammunition near our lands.

I shook my head at the over sight. But between the full day it took us all to practically crawl back to La Push, the week we took to heal, that barbeque, then dealing with me after the mind reader crippled me, raising four new wolves, then going to the line, then the shit I pulled in the long house; I had to admit, cleaning up the evidence seemed to have been put on the back burner and forgotten about all together. And because of it, the feds were all looking at the Quileutes sideways.

Then Brady told me that the Feds had new problems. Two of their lead 'agents' died in a tragic 'accident' when a tree fell in front of their car and they weren't able to stop in time. They were thrown from the vehicle and slashed up by the glass on the way out. We Quileutes did our own 'sniffing around' and found vampire stink over everything.

'Accident my ass. They must've figure out something and got too damn close.' Collin thought to me. 'Shit, Sam and the Elders weren't kidding, those Cullen's play for keeps. I mean… they killed FBI agents, just like that!'

I was told once they smelled vampire on the scene of that accident, the council was brought in. But just like in the case of Bella; the council 'looked the other way' at the loss of human life.

I was angry all over again. Not a damn things changed. They were still the same cowards and hypocrites that I left all those months ago. Still giving the Cullen's 'special treatment'.

Brady said that he didn't agree with the elders either, but if the Cullen's didn't do it, he thinks that Paul would have. He said that those two particular feds were really pressing hard for clues against both groups, and something needed to be done to keep the secret. He said it looks like the Cullen's thought the same and acted first, making it look like an accident.

But then Collin said, the same day they had the meeting with the elders, was also the same day Bella and the Mind reader were having their wedding. I didn't want to talk about that, or more to the point, wasn't ready to. So I asked for the next update.

He told me that if I didn't want to hear that, then hearing that Bella came back from her honeymoon pregnant wasn't going to make me feel better.

He was right, it didn't, but he continued and rammed it through my skull anyway.

He said, Sue went with Charlie to Cullen's to secretly make sure that the leeches were sticking to their schedule. But when she and Charlie got there, she saw something different about Bella, and that's when she guessed that Bella was pregnant. Charlie was surprised but happy, but that was until Bella told him she wasn't keeping it. Then all hell broke loose. By the end of it, Charlie had all but disowned Bella, and after Seth, Leah, Sam, and Embry, confirmed that Bella was going to destroy the baby, they left the leeches to handle it.

I was furious, but disgusted more. It made me sick to hear confirmation of how far things had gotten between them.

Collin the said that, three days after that, a member of each pack was sent to scout out the Cullen house to see if they kept their word, and they did. They were gone, never to return again.

'Never to return again...' That suck in my head longer than it should have.

I was shown the kick-ass barbecue the tribe had over it. And saw my father, give a speech letting everyone know that they were now allowed to access the hospital at forks and all the other things that they were cut off from due to the Cullen's presence. That earned him some loud cheers.

Then Brady showed me that the cheers didn't last too long after that. Because a month later, there were rumors that Sam and Emily were having trouble. Emily was showing signs of fear towards Sam, and she wasn't as outspoken as we knew her to be. Sam himself couldn't figure out the reason behind it. The real shame was the timing couldn't be worse... Emily was pregnant. Then Collin had overhead Jared tell Quill he was having 'second thoughts' about why he was with Kim. They thought nothing of it, but another month after that, Quill stopped babysitting Claire.

But trouble didn't stop there. Phasing became harder and harder to do. First it was the newbie, but then the veterans were having trouble too.

Another council meeting was held, and that was when Old Quill informed them that 'we were natures attempt to balance itself in the presence of her great unnatural enemy. Now that the enemy has withdrawn, balance must be returned.'

Basically saying, that without them, there is no need for us.

God had been watching out for them, because if I had heard that shit face to face, I would've lost it on all of them. But instead I had took my fury out a nearby moose. I started at the back with his hind legs. It died slowly and in a lot of pain. But I ate well that night.

Old Quill went on explain to us the truth of imprinting for those who were suffering. He said that it was an 'unnatural' coercion of wills. It should be something to be feared. But it's power does not come immediately, it takes time to grow, and serves a purpose. It manifest when the treat remains too long. It is natures way of making sure that if this generation fails, then the next generation will have everything they need in order to eliminate the threat. It's always begins with Alpha, making sure that his line has best selection. Then once that bond has been made, it is released down the line. Its a bond that serves only one purpose. And that is to ensure that the 'quality' of wolf in the next generation is superior. It guarantees that our great enemies end. Which is why it's power only latches on to the most suitable companions. If the partner is willing, the emotions to follow will be pleasing to both, making the chance of reproduction all the more likely. However, if the partner is not willing, then the emotions will not be 'pleasing' and that partner will...no, must be destroyed to ensure she doesn't mate with another wolf and produce a stronger heir than the Alpha, and create even further conflict within the pack.

He then told everyone that Billy was a product of such a bond. But the threat was long gone by the time he came of age. He has missed his purpose, but the blood in him still burns hot. He would have made a powerful wolf 'in his day'.

From there, he explained that if the connection failed, then the duty falls on us ourselves to create a new relationship beyond the connection. One that is more 'natural' to man rather than wolf. One that is of mutual adoration rather than fear an obligation.

'Natural...Fear...Obligation' I thought thinking on that too long as well.

'Can you believe that horseshit?' Collin added to his thoughts.

'I've been in nothing but 'unbelievable' situations ever since I phased in the first damn place; so yeah, I could believe it.' I snarked back. 'But I still don't like it.'

'Nobody does. That's why me and Brady have been wolfing it ever since.'

'Still, it's a true, 'better be careful of what you wish for' situation" Brady barked up and said.

I rolled my eyes and phased back, and haven't been able to phase since.

It's been a month and some week since that last conversation. As far as I know, Brady and Collin were the only two wolves left.

The sun had set four hours ago, and that rabbit didn't do shit, but make me shit. So after having a quick drink by the river, I hiked another mile, found a nice spot, and crashed for the night.

Then suddenly I found myself awaking to the sensation of being nudged. I opened my eyes slowly just to find two red ones staring back at me.

"Phew, thought you were dead kid. You sure smelled like it. Actually you smelled more like you've stepped in bear shit then had the bright idea to roll around in it to scare away predators. Ha ha, well congratulations, it worked, you're completely unappetizing!" The demon said genuinely laughing at me.

He was the oldest looking vampire I've ever seen. He even looked like he had a wrinkle or two in the corner of his eyes, and streaks of gray in his jet black hair. But under the light of the full moon, his skin look pale blue; and that made the shine of his red eyes all the more demonic.

His voice was deep, and there was an accent to it. But he kept it calm even soothing.

Like a predator, drawing in prey

Even though he was a vampire, he looked like he was dress for the weather. Big bear skin coat, hat, red checkered flannel shirt, the whole shebang. He even had a rifle slung over his shoulder as if he needed it to hunt his kind of prey. The only thing out of place, was the large back metal suitcase he was carrying.

It looked like it weight a few hundred pounds, but it didn't seem to bother him any.

It turned to look at me then, probably after realizing it was laughing alone, and was in time to see me grimacing.

"I am a dammed fool, sorry child, you must be freezing, and here I am making jokes." He said sounding genuinely sorry for my situation, as he began dropping everything off his shoulders, to take off his large coat, and put it over me.

'What the hell? What is he doing, playing games with his food? Or is does he like his blood warm?' I thought bitterly, wondering if this is how all the other leeches rope their victims in.

"There better?" He asked trying to rub my arms over the coat.

I didn't answer I just kept my glare cold and myself alert to his every move.

"My name is Boris, and yours?" He asked but I said nothing. I just scowled at him.

"Do you speak English?"

…nothing

"French?"

Nothing

Haha, Russian?" He asked speaking in each language, then took a look at my skin, "Espanol?"

"English!" I quickly bite back throwing his disgusting smelling coat off me.

He caught it quickly and looked at me to see if I said anything about his rapid movement. I didn't.

"No young one. This is yours too keep. You'll catch your death out here without it." He said trying to wrap me up again.

"I don't fucking need it." I said causing him to squint at me suspiciously.

Fuck….

I was pushing myself to phase, but nothing.

This guy was no Cullen. He didn't bother trying to hide the fact he was a killer by drinking animal blood. He was a murder and proud to be one, no matter how 'nice' he was trying to be.

"You're a proud one, and maybe it was that same pride that got you all the way out here. But you don't need to be proud anymore. I'm not asking you if you want my help, I am giving it to you." He said patiently, stooping in front of me, holding out the coat for me to take.

"I don't need your help. I was sleeping just fine till you woke me up, wasn't I?"

"You were dying just fine without me, yes? Cold has a way of making you believe that you are tired when in truth, you are actually dying. I should know, sometime very long ago it fooled me too. Till someone came along and offered me salvation. Same as I offer you now. But luckily for you, I see that none of your limbs have blackened to tar, so the coat shall be all you need." He patiently told me till hold out the coat for me to take.

I grabbed the coat then and flung it away, and scowled at him as he shook his head.

"If that is where you want it when you wake up, I will leave it there for you. But now, I must go." He said never losing his patience.

He began picking up his rifle and luggage. "I have a delivery to make. But know this, you are four days walk away from the nearest town, and a storm is coming from the south. I'll do my best to make my delivery fast and be back to help you to safety if I can. But in the mean time I will leave your life in the best capable hands possible, your own. Don't let it fall away." He said while turning and walking away in a quick pace. One almost too fast for a human who was weighed down by so much luggage.

I got to my feet and looked after him and spat. That caused him to pause and turn to me immediately.

Shit…you were home free. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"You know…I'm starting to think you don't you like me." He said finally changing his tone from calm polite to wary.

"I have my reasons." I said dryly

"But why, is it because I'm Russian?" He said trying to joke once more.

I said nothing.

"Whatever it is, we don't have to be enemies. The world has plenty of stupid people fighting for nothing. They fight, some die, some end up comrades. So why don't we just skip the fighting, and just be comrades? Da?"

Was this really coming from some red eyed leech? Weren't they supposed to be the most depraved and homicidal of the leeches?

I said nothing.

"Okay… You take coat anyway… you don't have to wear it," He said quickly after my scowl tighten "…Just keep it. Just in case you run into someone else who could needs coat. Okay?" He said giving me a quick nod, then turned again.

'What the fuck is this? A red-eyed leech was standing there after committing how many untold murders, and now was acting like he was some fucking hero!'

Suddenly I was filled with a sickening rage as I saw his back once again as he made his way to leave…, no… to escape. He was 'escaping' and I was just letting him.

No! I wasn't going to be like them. Like Sue, Sam, and my father Old Quill, Lehman Clearwater, or Ephraim Black. I wasn't going make 'peace' or turn a blind eye to murderers in order to save my own ass.

I pushed myself to phase once more…nothing. I pushed harder, concentrating on one limb at a time…nothing.

"Where the fuck are you going monster!" I yelled before he got too far. Still straining to transform.

He was more a hundred yards away, but turned on a dime and was facing me with pure shock on his face.

He looked to be deliberating as he stared at me squeeze and strain my muscles over and over. Then began walking towards me at a faster than human pace. Each step more deliberate and confident than the last, and he kept coming till he was only thirty feet away

"I haven't been or thought of myself as a monster in a long time." He said looking at me suspiciously.

"Doesn't matter, that's what you are, Leech!"

That stunned him even more. But he seemed resigned to remain calm.

"Hmph, Don't know what you are talking about. I'll be on my way." He said turning once more.

No you're fucking not!

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about bloodsucker!" I said still trying to push myself. But I was getting nothing.

He turned towards me once again. Looking hard, taking good measure of me this time.

"You should be careful, saying things like that to the wrong people can get you hurt." He said, finally causing me to see some type of anger from him. "But what it matter now? Only you and me here, da? I tell no one, you tell no one. Deal?"

That caused me to shimmer.

"Sounds like a good deal for you. But I can't allow you to keep going around murdering people for food vampire."

He looked at me even more seriously now. Then after a moment or two, he sighed and dropped his luggage and rifle.

He scrutinized me some more. He looked like he was still making up his mind.

"You are sure not making this easy kid. Had I known you were so intent upon suicide, I wouldn't have bothered. But you seemed so much like I was that…"

"I am nothing like you. And I won't ever be anything like you parasite!" I said as menacingly as I could.

He nodded, looking on regretfully. "No, I don't suppose you will." He said sadly. "My apologizes to your loved ones…"

He said, but in one breath his hand was at my throat and in an instant later I had been choked slammed into the earth.

'Fuck…*pain* …Hard to breathe….* Going to die…murderer…going to kill more….people…if i….fail… going to…kill.'

A loud fierce growl erupted from me then despite the pain I felt in the back of my skull.

I don't know what he saw in my face, but he shrank back in confusion.

"What…what are you?" He sounded out, lost in confusion.

"You won't live long enough to care monster!" I roared as I phased

He went wide as saucer, and fell back in shock, as I began to tower over him.

"Ch…chi…child of the moon."

[END OF STORY]

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Questions:

So about this epi….Whattaya think? Good, bad, UUUUGGLLLYYY? Let me now.

What did you think of the 'wall' JB's feelings kept running into when they would throw themselves against Bella?

What are your thoughts regarding the new insight to how Alpha commands work?

How did you like the insight into Sam's 'dislike' for Bella?

Do you think JB's version of Justice is in fact just or is he setting himself up again?

How did you like the ending that never really ended? [ Psychic: "I see hate mail in your future…"]

A/N: That is it folks. NEW ECLIPSE is finished. Im am now going back to CORRECT all the grammar mistakes I could find, then I will press on to HORIZON.