Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. But I do own the concept for how a new Alpha is named for the pack, I didn't steal it from Stephenie Meyer.

AN: Okay, I know that I don't ask you guys for favors very often but I need one now. I got a Nook for Christmas and I'm looking for a website where I can download books for free because Barnes & Noble requires a credit card even for their services that are free and this pennyless writer doesn't own a credit card. But I digress...

Jacob doubted that Charlie would be able to help sort through the tangled, jumbled thoughts he was having or help give him a different perspective on things but his dad had been on his back for over a week to go and see Charlie. He called early one morning hoping that Charlie was home and that he hadn't woken him up. Charlie's schedule had become a lot less chaotic since he married Sue but he was still required to work the graveyard shift at least one weekend a month. Jacob was more than thankful that not only was Charlie awake but had the day off. He said that Jacob could come over whenever he felt like it.

Jacob showed up around lunch time and Sue made him three of the largest sandwiches he had ever seen. Charlie watched with piqued interest as Jacob ate with abandon. Once he was finished Charlie asked him if he wanted anything else.

"Something to drink?" Jacob asked sheepishly.

"What was I thinking giving you all that food without something to drink? I'm sorry Jake," Sue said hurriedly.

Once Jacob had drank half of a two liter of Pepsi Charlie finally asked for the reason behind the visit.

"Not that I don't like having you here; it's just that I haven't seen much of you since Bells and Embry left," he explained.

"I've got a lot going on and I'm spending all the time I can with Allison," Jacob explained.

"Your dad says that you've been having a hard time adjusting to things in the last couple of months."

"With Embry and Bella already gone and Quil leaving in a few weeks I feel like I'm being left behind. Allison's leaving next weekend to start working in Seattle and she'll be starting the school the same time as Quil."

"They'll both be going to the same school, won't they?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that they'll be able to get away from school to see me at the same time except during school breaks," he said with a sigh.

"Has your dad ever told you what happened to me after Renee left with Bella?"

"No."

"You remember how Bella was after Edward left? Imagine that, times ten. I drank a lot back then, I spiraled out of control for two years before your dad and Harry forced me to go to AA meetings. I was in a dark, lonely place and I blamed Renee for it because she took Bella away. We had been high school sweethearts, just like Harry and Sue. We got married right out of high school and had Bella less than a year later. It was too much for Renee and when she left she took a piece of me with her that I have never been able to get back. Sue understands that because the same thing has happened to her. I finally pulled my life together because I wanted to be able to see Bella once she was old enough to travel to see me. I needed something to take my mind off of how lonely I felt. I don't want you to end up like that. Don't get so out of touch with reality that you lose sight of what's important. It broke my heart when Bella went through it, I can't see anyone else that I care about go through that," Charlie cautioned.

Jacob thought about what Charlie had said. He had been a baby when Charlie had gone through all of that so he didn't remember any of it, but he had witnessed Bella's descent into darkness and that had been enough for him. Charlie had told him to find something to take his mind off of everything. Going to college wasn't in the cards for him, getting a job would help, but what about when he wasn't working? There was only one option that he had and he had been mulling over it ever since finishing school.

Once he left Charlie's an hour later he called Sam and asked him to meet him at his house. Sam's jeep was parked next to Billy's truck when Jacob got home. They were both in the living room waiting for him and he didn't waste any time.

"I've been thinking that it's time to take my place as Alpha. It's my destiny and I can't run from it forever. How would we go about changing leadership?" he asked his dad.

"All of the pack would have to be there and it would need to be put to a vote. So you'll need to wait for Embry to come back, until then we should keep this to ourselves so that no one has a chance to try to sway the others in one direction or the other."

"Would you be okay with stepping down if it came to it?" Jacob asked Sam.

"Of course. I kew the position was only temporary when I took it," Sam said with a nod.

The three of them talked through the process and what would need to be done. Jacob knew that he was making the right decision. He had run from his responsibilities long enough and it was time for him to stand up and be a man and leader of his tribe.

XXXX

The call from Jacob had come before dawn. He was calling a meeting for the following night and Sam and his dad had agreed to it. Embry and Bella were more than a thousand miles away in Amarillo when Embry got the call. If they were going to make it home by tomorrow they were going to have leave now. They weren't due home for another week but that didn't matter. Embry was still a member of the pack until the end of the summer when he would announce his resignation. Bella hadn't asked any questions when Embry told her that the trip had been cut short.

Embry drove the first three hundred miles while Bella slept. She took over so that Embry could stretch out in the back seat and get some much needed rest. It was after midnight when she woke him up because she had stopped so that they could get something to eat at an all night diner just outside of Denver. Embry bought Bella a coffee because she refused to go back to sleep before getting back on the road.

Two more stops for gas, three more cups of coffee and seven hours later Bella pulled into Embry's yard. She shook him awake and helped him lug his bags into the house. He tried to persuade her into staying so that she could get some sleep but she declined several times. She wanted to see her dad before he went in to work in an hour and she would come to see him tomorrow because she planned on sleeping through the day if possible.

Her dad met her at the door with a bone crushing hug. Seth brought in her things without being asked and Sue greeted her with a hug as well. Her room had been redecorated over the summer. Her rocking chair and desk were gone and in their place was a mahagony desk and high back computer chair. Her bed was new as well and it was a size larger. There were boxes stacked in a corner waiting for her to fill them with things to take to college.

After her dad and Sue had shown her the added rooms she took a shower before turning off her phone and going to sleep. The less distractions the better.

XXXX

Quil, Embry and Seth walked to the clearing where all pack meetings and bonfires took place together. Jacob and Sam were already there and had built a fire. It wasn't particularly cold but it would as the night wore on. Embry found it odd that Billy was sitting off to the side talking to Quil Sr.. They didn't normally sit in on pack meetings.

After a few minutes the rest of the pack had shown up and Sam called the meeting to order.

"As all of you know Jacob is the rightful Alpha of the pack and I was meant to only lead all of you for a short time. You have the power to decide if you want to keep me as leader or let Jacob take over."

He saw a mix of emotions on every one's faces. He knew that Paul still had qualms against Jacob and most of the younger members looked up to Jacob and had since before joining the pack. Jacob was made to lead, it was in his blood.

"All of you will vote secret ballot and Quil Sr. and Billy will count the votes," Sam explained as Quil Sr. passed each of them a piece of paper and a pencil.

Jacob collected the ballots and gave them to his dad before going to sit back with Embry and Quil. He had been silent but he could tell that his two best friends were surprised by the turn of events. Quil Sr. cleared his throat to get everyone's attention to let them know that Jacob had been voted in to replace Sam as Alpha.

Sam shook Jacob's hand giving him a gracious smile. The decision would take effect immediately and Sam knew that Jacob would lead the pact with honor and treat them with respect.

XXXX

A quick, sharp wrap on her bedroom door woke Bella the next morning. Seth had let her sleep until early the previous afternoon before bringing in the mail that had come for her that summer. Her welcome packet from the University of Washington was among the hefty stack of envelopes and magazines. Inside was a list of what she would need to bring with her and a letter letting her know that freshman orientation was in two weeks. She called Leah in hopes of having someone to go shopping with since Embry had been roped into running patrol with Jacob and Quil his first night back.

Leah looked over the list, calling out items to Bella so that she could check to see if she already had them or not. Some of the items were things she would have have thought to bring with her.

"Which version of Windows does your computer have?"

"Seven, I think. Why?"

"You need Windows Eight or better for your classes."

"That's going to set me back at least sixty dollars alone. What else is there?"

"You need a pair of nonslip shower shoes and a two hundred count box of condoms."

"I do not," Bella said, taking the list from her.

"I'm pretty sure that they'll know you by name down at the student health center by winter break if one of you doesn't bring them," Leah said with a smirk.

"Embry is going to take care of that," Bella said as she went over the list.

Half an hour later they were at Walmart and Leah was pushing a cart that was already too heavy for Bella to push. They were in the electronics section and Bella was talking to a sales associate about which version of Windows would be best for her. She was glad to have time to spend with Bella since they wouldn't be able to do things like this for much longer. Pretty soon Bella's world would be consumed not only with school but making time for Embry.

They were still getting to know each other and Leah felt cheated because she hadn't given Bella the time of day when they were younger. She had been so consumed by Sam even before they had gotten together. She couldn't remember a time when she wasn't dependent on a guy, whether it was her dad, Sam and now Julian. She had always needed a male figures acceptance. She acted like things like that didn't matter to everyone else but it was obvious to her that she would never be able to break the habit. She and Bella were more alike than she wanted to admit. They both depended too much on the men in their lives to save them when push came to shove. Maybe she and Bella could become friends after all.