School sucked.

Classes were fine – if she ignored the ridiculous amount of homework – and Embry was fine. He was better than fine, actually. Alex was beyond proud of him, and she knew Sam was too, and Embry knew Sam was proud, so Alex got the pleasure of watching Embry smile and hold his head a little higher. He was tired; adjusting to being a part of the patrol roster took a chunk out of his nights, and it meant confrontation with his mother, but he was good.

The part that sucked was watching Jacob and Quil eat alone. The part that sucked was Jacob pretending she didn't exist and Quil looking so damn sad. The part that sucked was Embry having to avoid them, because he didn't want to lie to them.

It sucked.

Winter break was coming, and honestly, Alex didn't think she'd ever wanted holidays to come sooner. She and Embry had plans, and she knew he wanted a break too. He deserved a break.

"Morning." Embry smiled at her as she opened the car door. He looked tired.

Alex frowned, leaning over to touch her fingers to the dark circles under his eyes. "Sam's running you ragged." She said disapprovingly as she sat back.

Embry shrugged, turning out of her driveway. "It's fine. He's just being careful, with the-" he snapped his mouth shut suddenly, colouring. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"With what?" Alex leant forwards, trying to catch his eye. Embry kept his eyes very firmly on the road. "Embry?"

He groaned. "I wasn't supposed to say anything!"

"Em…"

"Fine! Fine – it's just a vamp that we've scented a few times. Just circling the territory, and we haven't gotten a good look at it or anything, but…" he shrugged. "We gotta be careful."

Alex sat back, thinking about what Emily had said. Surely it wasn't the same leech from Seattle. "Yeah, okay."

Embry gave her a worried look. "Are you scared?"

Alex almost shook her head, but remembered that Embry could smell her moods better than she could interpret them. "A little." She admitted.

Embry hummed soothingly, reaching over to pat her hand. "We've got it handled. Plus, Sam reckons Jacob's closing to Phasing, which means we'll have more help." He looked happy about the fact, even as Alex's stomach dropped in horror.

"What?" She gasped, and Embry looked at her in confusion – because how could she not be excited at the thought of their friend joining them? "When?"

Embry shrugged. "I don't know. He just said soon, keep an eye on him at school. Aren't you glad? Then we can finally stop hiding this. You guys can make up."

Alex shuddered. "It is the last thing I want, Embry. I never wanted any of you to be involved." Embry looked a little hurt, and a little understanding, but kept his mouth shut anyway. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "But it's stolen your future and your life."

"You think I don't know that?" Embry said roughly. "You don't think that I wish that it never fucking happened? Maybe it is selfish, Alex, but god – to have a friend…?" he trailed off, jaw clenched.

Alex didn't say anything. It wasn't her place to say anything, because as much as she could rage and sympathise and support and hold – she was not one of them. She was not a wolf, and though she may have been able to see through their eyes, she was not one of them, and she didn't carry the heavy weight of power and responsibility they do. All she could do was love them.

It was the last day of school, and Alex should have been excited, but all she felt was a dull dread as she coasted through the day. She surreptitiously examined Jacob, stomach dropping further as she confirmed that; yes – he was taller and broader than he had been a few days ago.

"Shit." She muttered to herself, watching as he loped towards the rabbit. He'd finished it, and as much as she wanted to congratulate him, she couldn't keep her eyes off how he struggled to fit himself into the seat. He must have been almost seven feet tall now. Guilt and worry carried towards him, and she hurried over to him. He turned to eye her even before she came into view. Enhanced senses, check. She thought to herself, as his nostrils flared. "Um, hey."

"Hi." Jacob said flatly, every line in his face screaming fuck off.

"How, uh, how are you feeling?" She asked warily, aware she sounded a little crazy.

Jacob gave her an incredulous look. "What?" She swallowed and chanced a touch to his arm. He was burning to the touch. He shook her off. "What's wrong with you?" His hands, lax on his wheel, trembled just slightly, and she eyed them warily.

"Nothing. Sorry. Just, uh, you're taking it easy tonight, yeah?" she asked him.

Jacob scowled at her. "Not that it's any of your business, but I've actually got a date. With Bella." He said coldly. She floundered.

"Can you cancel?"

He looked disbelieving. "What is your issue with Bella – seriously. What, are you, like, jealous or something?" She snorted, irritated. "No. I'm not going to fucking cancel." With that, he gunned the engine, the delightful roaring sound filling her with nervous vibrations.

As he drove off, she fished out her phone from her pocket, jumping at the arm that wound its way suddenly around her waist. Embry looked down at her in concern, and she couldn't even bring herself to muster a smile as she dialled Sam's number.

"Alex? Is everything okay?"

"No." she said, Embry's grip tightening around her briefly in surprise. "Sam – I think Jacob is going to tonight."

"You're sure?" He asked, a faint rustling in the background telling her he was on the move.

Alex watched as the red car rounded the corner and disappeared from view, moving in the direction of Forks. "Yes." She said, suddenly certain. "Yes, and Sam, he's going on a date – he won't be in La Push."

"We'll handle it. Put Embry on." She passed her phone to Embry wordlessly, her boyfriend stepping away to talk to his Alpha.

Jacob was going to Phase tonight; she could feel it as solidly as she could feel her heart beating a nervous thrum. He was going to Phase, and all she could hope was that he didn't hurt someone or himself.

Embry re-joined her, slipping her phone back into her pocket, and wrapping her in a tight hug. "Are you okay to drive yourself home today? I've gotta…" he jerked his head in the direction of the trees.

She smiled wanly. "I think I can handle it. Be careful."

"It's just Jake, babe." Embry grinned, and kissed her. He was happy; happy at the prospect of having his friend back, smiling against her lips. She felt like shit, but forced herself to return the gesture, breaking apart from him and catching her breath. "Alright. I'll come by later tonight, okay?"

"'Kay." She said, and stood back to watch him lop towards the trees.

When he was out of sight, she let her face crumple, pressing her fist to her chest hard enough to hurt. "Hey, are you okay?"

She turned at Quil's tentative voice. "You're speaking to me?" she blurted in surprise.

Quil looked uncomfortable. "I thought you weren't speaking to me. No one is speaking to me." His eyes were sad, and she buried her own distress in favour of consoling her friend. Very soon, Jacob would be taken from him too.

"Yeah. Um, I'm really, really sorry." She said.

Quil's jaw worked. "Are you gonna tell me why you and Embry are being so weird?"

Her face fell. "I can't." he scoffed, and turned to go. "Quil – I'm sorry, I want to, Embry wants to – but we can't."

"Is this about Sam's gang? Does he have something over you?" He looked concerned, despite his irritation.

She shook her head. "He isn't – I mean, yes, but, it's not a gang. It's not…" She trailed off frustratedly. "I'm sorry. I can't say. But I never wanted this to happen. You can trust me on that." Quil looked unsure, and she reached for him, catching his wrist. "Do you want a lift home?"

Quil shook his head. "I drove." He didn't wait for her response, ignoring her distraught look, and turning to leave her. She watched him go, feeling impossibly small.

Great. Now Quil hated her too.

She was almost asleep when she felt it; a dynamic shift, and her head spun at the sudden flare of heat that rushed through her. Outside, a sudden howl echoed around the trees, and she sat up. The roiling in her stomach ceased just as suddenly as it had come, and she went to the window almost cautiously. The howl had been joined by others, the varying tones she thought she could almost recognise.

The night grew quieter eventually, but she stayed by her window, waiting. Embry hadn't come yet, and she wanted to know how Jacob was. Because Jacob had Phased, she was certain. The hours ticked by, and still, Embry hadn't arrived. She fell asleep there, uneasy and shallowly, forehead pillowed against the window, and woke as the sun managed to hit her window.

She stood unsteadily, body sore from her cramped position, and toddled over to her phone. The battery was dead, and she groaned in frustration. It would take too long to charge it. She wanted to know what was happening now. She plugged in her phone at the wall, and pulled on a change of clothes, wincing at her greasy hair. She pounded down the stairs, and was almost at the door, when her mother called her name.

"Alex! Where are you going?"

She winced. "Out."

"With Embry?" She turned as her mother stepped out of the kitchen, arms crossed. "You're spending a lot of time with him recently."

"So? Does it matter?" She said defensively.

Her mother pursed her lips. "Do we need to have the talk?"

Alex blanched. "Ew! No, mom! God." She scowled. "I'm going." Her mother held her position, and Alex resisted the urge to run, containing herself to a slow, casual pace down the driveway, sliding into Embry's car and backing out calmly. It was only when she was out of sight of her house that she hit the gas, and sped towards Emily's house.

It was empty.

She paused, blinking at the lack of cars in the driveway, the closed door, the lack of light from the windows.

"Where is everybody?" she muttered, and slowly backed out of the driveway. She idled by the side of the road for a moment. It didn't make sense that they weren't at Emily's – it was like a den – but if Jacob- "Jacob." She said, and thrust the car into gear. Of course. Billy knew all about the Pack, it made sense that he'd want his son close. She made a spinning turn, tires screeching a little. "Whoops…" she muttered, and headed towards the Black's house.

She was right; by the time she'd crested the hill outside the house, she could see Paul's truck, and Sam's car parked in front of the red painted house. She kept driving a little further, turning down the side of the house to park there – catching sight of a couple of familiar shirtless figures. She waved out the windshield to Paul and Jared, and undid her seat belt. She looked back up with a shriek, Paul's face suddenly in her window. She laughed, and opened the door. "Dude, you gave me a heart attack. Where-"

"Go home, Alex." He said seriously. She frowned.

"Um, hi. And, uh, no." She told him, and he sighed, pushing her back, into the car. "What's your problem, Paul?"

Jared was hovering in front of the vehicle, looking between them and the trees on the other side of the Black's yard. "Alex, it's not safe for you to be here right now, okay? Jacob is-"

But Alex had caught sight of another person, and her heart jumped into her throat at the sight of Embry on the porch. His arm was in a sling, and he had a raised red cut running almost the full length of his torso. "Em…" she breathed and ducked under Paul's barring arm. He made a grab for her, missing by inches, and when Jared turned, stepping in her path, she scowled. "Back off, Jared." He faltered, eyes going wide, and she took advantage of his pause to slip past him, running towards Embry. "Embry!" she called, and he turned to her, and she frowned at the way his face fell.

"Alex, what are you doing here?" he asked, moving to meet her at the bottom of the stairs.

Alex laughed a little angrily. "Why can't I be here? Jacob just Phased, I want to see him. Where is he?" she peered into the house behind him but couldn't see any evidence of movement there. She looked back to Embry. "What happened, Em?" she asked him, softer this time.

Embry looked pinched. "He wasn't… in his right mind."

Alex shook her head, confused. "Who? Who did this?" anger began to build in her belly, and she reached for his face. He leant into her touch, looking a little relieved. "Em?"

He sighed. "Jacob did." Alex went still. "He didn't mean to! And he feels really terrible now, but he was just…" he scrambled, watching the way she had grown quiet. "It's fine, Alex. Its just not safe."

"Bullshit." She growled and turned. "JACOB BLACK!" she roared, in the direction of the forest. Behind her, Embry flinched. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

There was nothing for a long moment, but she knew he heard her. Then, a low dangerous growl echoed from the trees. "Alex, don't." Embry whispered, but she was already striding towards the tree line, hands curling into fists at her side.

It didn't matter that he had been out of control – he had still hurt Embry – and from the looks of things, had clearly known what he was doing, enough so to seriously injure Embry. They weren't very far in, and she caught sight of Sam first. The huge black wolf wasn't facing her, but at her footsteps, he let out a warning snarl. She ignored him, stepping around him, and caught sight of Jacob.

He was big – as big as Sam already, with paws even larger, indicating he wasn't finished growing – and he was pinned beneath Sam's front paws, Sam's jaws around the scruff of his neck. As she came closer, she watched as he thrashed furiously, letting rip another bone chilling growl. Sam shivered slightly, but in the next moment, Jacob went unnaturally still. She wondered just how much control the Alpha was mentally exerting over him. He was a deep russet colour, almost amber, reminiscent of autumn, and his long white fangs were exposed, growls rolling from him as if he couldn't help it.

"Jesus." She breathed, and at her voice, he thrashed again. She scowled. "Quit it, asshole. I know you can understand me."

Jacob went wild, frenzied as he bucked, and Alex felt her gut twist with sudden fear as Sam lost his grip on the wolf, jaws snapping around nothing as Jacob twisted out from underneath him. She didn't need Sam to tell her to run, and turned, sprinting away as Jacob turned towards her. What was wrong with him? It beat in her chest, fear lending her speed as she heard Sam and Jacob snarling and snapping behind her.

There was a cry from the house, Embry was already sprinting towards her, and behind her, she heard the sudden crash and thudding of huge paws. The next moment, wolf-Embry was running towards her, roaring at Jacob, who was right on her tail. But Embry wasn't quick enough, and she wasn't paying enough attention; and when her foot caught on a little hillock, she stumbled, ankle bursting with pain as she went down, rolling several paces before stopping, winded. Jacob was already on her, and she shuddered, biting her lip hard enough to bleed as she tried to keep from screaming.

His massive paws landed on either side of her body, and Embry was snarling, nearly there, Paul howling and Sam coming from the trees, all of them panicked.

And then she met Jacob's furious eyes, muzzle drawn up around his fangs, terrifyingly close.

The world stopped.