Alex got a text from Emily on Tuesday, telling her she was missed, and was welcome around the house whenever she felt ready.

Whenever she felt ready.

She deleted it without replying.

Quil looked up from his surfboard, pausing in his dutiful stokes of the wax bar to give her a hopeful smile. It fell when she shook her head. "Still nothing." That at least was true. It had been radio silence from Embry, and though she hadn't messaged Jacob, Quil hadn't received any response from him either, though that was probably due to the whole wolf-thing, rather than any personal vendetta. She managed a smile. "Still wanna go to the beach?"

He shrugged. "Yeah – but I doubt they'll be any decent surf."

They'd been attached at the hip for the last couple of days, Alex determined not only to be there for her friend, but to ignore the way her chest was aching, Quil determined to pretend everything was fine.

"Why're you waxing up then?" She asked, trying to keep the mood light, reaching for another cookie.

Quil raised his nose in the air slightly. "Keeping a board in good condition requires constant upkeep." He said haughtily. She rolled her eyes at him, and threw a cookie at him. Without looking, he snatched it out of the air. She paused, looking at him, as he eyed the cookie he had caught with wide eyes. "Did you see that? I guess I'm a superhero now." He laughed to himself, eating the snack.

She frowned, giving him a proper once over. Quil had always been bulky, but a little short. Was he- was he taller? She squinted at him, trying to see if he'd put on the inches she must have been oblivious too. He met her gaze. "What, weirdo?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow. "Is there something on my face."

"Stand up." She ordered, and he did so, smiling a little bemusedly. A few moments ago, she wouldn't have noticed anything wrong. A few days ago, she was the same height as him. Today – oh god this was really happening – he was a good half a foot taller than her. "Oh fuck." She swore. No, her eyes were not playing tricks on her, he had really grown that much in the past 48-hours.

"What, Alex?" Quil was starting to look concerned, so she smiled. She shouldn't worry, she tried to reassure herself, it didn't seem to be as drastic as Embry or Jacob's growth spurts. Maybe it was normal for boys to grow that much in such a short space of time.

"Nothing." She told him. "Just realised you're getting a little taller is all."

He blinked, taking the new distance between them. He grinned proudly. "Ah, yes. Just, y'know, hitting my strides as a man."

She laughed. "Idiot." She slugged him fondly, bending to pick up the rest of the cookies. "Shall we head to the beach now?"

"Yeah." Quil slung an arm around her as they ambled down the main road, and though it made walking a little harder under the awkward hold, she didn't shrug him off, happy to be with him. Happy. She was happy.

Or so she told herself.

LEECH.

He couldn't be sure which of them had thought it, which of them had smelt the trail, had sensed the intruder – but the sudden outcry through the pack mind had been instinctual and completely synced.

Jacob was already Phased, wandering near his house, trying to get over the anger stopping him from returning inside. He'd woken up angry, and had broken two pans trying to make breakfast and when his dad had mentioned something about Bella calling, he'd nearly broken the door trying to get outside before he exploded in the house.

It was stupid, really. How on edge he felt, how frayed his emotions were. Everything was a trigger, and he didn't know his own strength. Embry had Phased in earlier too, and had been trying to make him feel better, but of course, Jacob knew that Embry's main problem was keeping his mother from grounding him, rather than any petty self-control problems, which had just made it harder for him to focus.

Honestly, he was almost glad for the sudden interruption, the sudden wash of panic and animal instinct to protect, attack- Jacob ran hard, Embry at his side, keeping pace easily. His friend was fast, faster than the others. He was faster though – and his wolf was baying for blood.

Paul was furious, angry that it had gotten so close, too close. Jared and Sam were much the same. Jacob fell in behind Paul's grey flank, the older wolf replaying the last few moments before he'd gotten the alert, before he had smelt the stinking thing, Kitty far too close, too close, too close-

Enough. Sam was tramping down his own anger, exercising a sizeable amount of calming influence over them all. Jacob was surprised to feel his own tumultuous emotions smooth in places. He hadn't realised how worked up he was. Be angry later. Focus now.

Jared's internal train of thought, which was also revolving around Kim, Kim, Kim, Kim, Kim- quieted as well, and it was only then that Jacob began to understand where they were headed – Jared had been the one to cross the unknown leech's trail whilst on the way to his father's house. East, it had been going East-

That would lead to Forks. That would lead to Bella.

Jacob snarled, muscles bunching powerfully as he drew ahead of the others. Sam's distant warning fading, ignoring his Alpha's call to CALM DOWN-

Alex gasped at the unexpected surge of panic and rage that flared in her, sudden and surprising and not her own.

"Jacob." She bit out, pressing a hand to her throat, trying to supress her answering anxiety, breathing hitching sharply. Quil turned around, concerned.

"Alex? What's-"

Whatever he was about to ask evaded her, as her eyes fluttered shut, gravity pulling her limp body to hit the sand.

Jacob was outpacing the others without heed, nose angled to the east, teeth bared in a ferocious snarl. For the first time, Alex was entirely aware of her Walk – completely aware of the consciousness she had invaded. She was aware of the snap into place, the ease with which she could sense Jacob's turmoil.

This time, it was easy to call for the wolf.

JACOB.

His violent surprise almost sent her sliding. He could sense her presence now too, and it caused him to falter, losing his footing and crashing head over heels in a hidden divot in the earth. The way the horizon and sky went spinning made them both feel a little nauseous – but he recovered quickly.

Alex? What the fuck-

What's going on, Jacob?

There wasn't time to argue, because even as they faced off in their own anger, Alex could sense, through Jacob, the voices of the Pack, Sam's loudest of all – and she could feel the Alpha's pull, Jacob somehow ignoring them all.

A Leech.

She could sense his unease at her presence, but the animalistic pull towards the monster that they were chasing was already beginning to overwhelm him again. Alex almost didn't recognize the tumultuous thoughts of the boy she was with. He was baying for blood, some deeper tone calling to unleash violence.

You need to listen to Sam.

Jacob snapped and snarled, head whipping around, searching for an enemy to loose his irritation at her statement upon. His fangs closed on air.

You have no right to tell me what to do. I don't even know how you-

Alex slid.

Sam.

The Alpha was surprised at her sudden appearance, ripples of it spreading to the others, the whisperings of her name through the Pack link.

Jacob's out of control.

I know. He's angry. Unbalanced. Bella's in Forks.

Sam was short, terse. His attention was too divided, focussed on keeping the others in formation, his own head clear, running as fast as he could, trying to keep Jacob in check. Alex felt helpless, staring through Sam's eyes as he did a quick sweep of the others, the forest rushing past them at dizzying rates. They were on the hunt, and perhaps it was because she had never seen them like this – in the light of predators, dangerous creatures – but Alex, for the first time, felt a thrill of fear.

Her mind went to Billy's explanation of Dream Walkers, what felt like years ago.

"They could see what they see, move as they move… if one was strong enough, theoretically – a Dream Walker could enter a person's consciousness and control them…"

Jacob was far ahead of them now, and Alex realised she was afraid for him as well. He was inexperienced, young, and hadn't faced a vampire before. If he got carried away, went in alone-

He could feel her the second she re-entered his consciousness, or however the fuck she was in his fucking head-

I'm sorry, Jacob, I promise I'll explain.

Honestly, he couldn't care less – right then, all that mattered was killing that thing that was on his lands. Kill it. Protect the Pack. Protect Bella. Kill it. Protect the Pack. Protect Bella. Kill it. Protect the Pack. Protect Bella. Kill it. Protect the Pack. Protect Bella-

And then his body was no longer his own.

The only way he could think to explain it later, was as if he had been driving, and then had suddenly found himself in the backseat as someone else took the wheel. It was a sickening, disorientating experience, and the man in him immediately wanted to rage, to take back control. The wolf in him was far too calm, and the realisation that because it was her – because of the unnatural Imprint – made him Phase back so suddenly that his naked body went crashing into a tree as his momentum kept him flying forwards. The Pack engulfed him a moment later, only Embry lingering for a moment as Sam powered forward, giving him a furious growl as he passed.

Jacob panted, disorientated, in the remnants of the tree trunk, shivering. The cold air was sobering, and he sat up slowly, trying to regain his bearings.

Of three things, he was certain.

One; his wolf's hold upon him was stronger than he thought – and perhaps, stronger than Sam's hold.

Second; he needed to tell Bella, get her under his protection.

Thirdly; he and Alex needed to have a talk.

With a shudder, he Phased, and started after the Pack. They were getting close, and he wasn't planning to miss out on the action.

The sharp pain that snapped her head to the side roused her with a start, and she sat up so suddenly that Quil screamed, and collapsed backwards from where he had been crouched over her. There was sand down her neck and in her hair, and the back of her head was aching a little, but clear and pressing was the scene she had just left.

She scrambled to her feet, ignoring Quil's squawks for an explanation, wheeling to face the mass of trees behind them. There was no way to tell where they had been exactly, Alex had been more focussed on their minds rather than identifying the rapidly moving surroundings. They could have been anywhere.

Forks. They had been heading towards Forks.

As if on cue, howls rose in the air, further from the La Push forest than she'd heard them before. She shivered, hoping they were cries of victory rather than defeat.

"Alexandra! What the fuck is going on?" Quil stepped back into her line of vision. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head? I'm sorry I slapped you, I just-"

"Quil! Calm down! It's okay." Alex grabbed him by the bicep, shaking him a little. "I'm okay. Sorry for, like, fainting or whatever."

Quil sucked in a deep breath. "That is the second time you've fainted in front of me. Do you have a condition or something?"

Alex ground her teeth. The first time she'd collapsed on Quil had been entirely out of exhaustion. This time – well, she had no real explanation – she'd never Walked like that. She thought back to the intense surge of Jacob's emotions right before she had fallen. It must have been something to do with the Imprint. She scowled. "Or something." She muttered.

Quil shook his head. "You worry me, dude."

"I'm sorry, Quil." She told him, trying to smile. Her eyes wandered again; searching the trees. "I'm sorry…"