Chapter 8

The Happening

Jacob loves me... Raven paused, holding her hand on the doorknob. Her legs felt weak, and her stomach did somersaults of joy. Everything felt warm and hazy. She entered the house, stepped down the stairs to the lower level and floated to her bedroom in a stupor. Jacob loves me. Her mind empty of all but his words, she didn't give a thought to being in trouble. Jacob loves me. She drifted through her bedroom door vaguely seeing Mike's red-faced sneer, before hearing, "You whore!"

Bam!

A blinding light burst at the same time a loud, popping smack rang inside her ears. She bounced off the dresser, falling to the floor with a thud. Curling into a ball, she covered her numbing face with a shaking hand.

In no time, Abby had forced her way between Raven and Mike. She held the phone in her hand, and with the most ferocious tone Raven ever heard coming from her mother, Abby screamed, "You get the hell out of this house right now, or I'm calling 911!"

Mike stumbled back, shocked. Backing away, he slammed the door and pounded his way up the stairs.

Abby lifted Raven from the floor, tilting her head back and searching for something to hold over her nose. Raven felt cold, as if nothing was real.

Locking the bedroom door, Abby cradled Raven until they heard the door slam and Mike's car roar to life and pull out of the driveway. Abby's hard, determined glower fell soft. She peeped out the window to be sure Mike left then rested on Raven's bed, staring off into space.

Raven sat for a moment, holding the cloth to her nose, her thoughts wading through the dreamlike incidents of the night. Then shaking herself from the daze, she grasped Abby crying. "I'm sorry, Mom," Raven said, reaching out for Abby and wrapping her arm around her.

"It's not you, Raven. It was never you." Abby lowered her eyes. "When your dad died, I was all alone. We didn't have any money because most of it went to bills. Sure, the Army gave us something, but it was never enough. I had nowhere to turn. I couldn't go back to my parents even if I'd wanted to. I had no education, because I married so young, with two small children to care for. Then I met Mike... He helped me find a job and babysat sometimes while I worked. He helped me take classes, and he would cook for us when I got home late.

"I convinced myself Reed sent me an angel to help raise you kids... But Mike fooled me. The older you two became, the more resentful he became, especially when I couldn't get pregnant. I was weak, afraid to be on my own, and I thought I owed him something. I tried to pretend we were a happy family, to pretend Mike loved you and River like Reed would have loved you both. That's what allowed me to continue to be with him."

Abby laughed, tossing her eyes up at the ceiling as tears streamed from them.

"It's okay, Mom," Raven soothed. "You don't have to feel bad. I understand."

"I haven't loved that man since that day River walked out the door, maybe longer. I don't know why I ever stayed with him. I've missed your brother so much." She wiped her nose with a Kleenex, stifling her sobs, and forced a smile at Raven. "But, we're okay now Raven, because Mike is finally gone."

When Abby left Raven's room, Raven picked up the phone lying there and called Fort Bragg. She prayed that someone there could help her find her brother.

Jacob's body exploded at the sound of the howling cries coming from the wolf in danger. From Seth's mind, he knew of the vampire stench, and that Brady was in a confrontation which wasn't visible to Seth's eyes nor clear to his mind.

What's happening, Seth? Jacob growled, sprinting as attack adrenaline pounded through his veins while listening to several panicked wolves howling in the distance.

Bloodsuckers! Seth thought.

A moment later, Jacob saw Seth find Brady, lying lifeless in the dark clearing, a seething leech hovering over him. Separated from all other wolves within a close enough distance to help him, there was no time to waste. Seth fixed his eyes on the bloodless creature and soared with all his might.

Jacob heard Sam's panicked thoughts. Jacob, three vampires, and Brady's down! Seth wrestled with the bloodsucker, snarling and snapping his teeth.

What do you know? Sam wondered.

Seth's attacking, Jacob relayed to Sam, hearing Leah wailing for Seth to hold on.

Through Seth, Jacob glimpsed two other bloodsuckers, dragging Brady away.

Sam, they're taking Brady. Jacob snarled, his sharp canines manifesting.

Collin's almost there! Sam thought.

Jacob witnessed Seth, hurdling through the air and hitting against the forest ground, hard on his back, and saliva filled his own mouth as he hungered to sink his teeth into the leech. Helpless, he watched on as the bloodsucker leapt for Seth, baring its daggered teeth and going in for the kill.

Seth! Leah shrieked in horror.

Jacob forced more from his body, and a pained, earsplitting howl burst from him.

Seth rolled out of the way, springing back on his paws and spinning in a circle to re-locate the bloodsucker.

Collin sees them! Sam howled.

Seth looked up, and Jacob watched Collin flying over Seth's head, knocking the bloodsucker back. Collin bit and snapped. Seth whipped around, leaping. Two other wolves, Jared and his younger brother Samson, charged out of the darkness, pinning it down. Seth's teeth sank in, ripping the vampire apart.

Leah had caught up to Jacob, and they merged with Sam and his pack, chasing after Brady and the other two vampires. Jacob listened as Sam told him how they shot Brady three times, and he fell, fading into silence. Shot with a rifle? He's dead? Jacob asked.

Brady didn't think so. The pain felt like an injection, and he felt the sensation of being drugged before he slipped into unconsciousness, Sam recapped.

The scent's faded. Jacob growled in fury.

It's gone. We've lost them, Sam agreed.

The wolves slowed, howling as they ran in circles, trying to recover the scent. When they couldn't, they turned around, sprinting back to Seth and the others.

Seth, Collin, Jared and Samson burned the remains of the vampire as the packs convened in the clearing. Seth phased back into his wolf form, and Jacob and Leah listened as he re-thought the incident.

He had been out patrolling with Collin and Brady. They just finished their shift, and Jared and Samson were on the way to relieve them. Collin left first, but Brady and Seth jumped a herd of deer. We became separated in the chase and by the time I whiffed the bloodsucker, it was too late. If I'd only been able to hear or see Brady sooner... Seth wailed.

Jacob gave Sam Seth's account. Sam yelped at Collin, and Collin dropped to the ground and whimpered in guilt.

Sam barked an order of silence at the rest of his pack. Jacob, there can no longer be two packs. It's too dangerous!

Jacob could hear the Alpha in Sam's statement.

Under who's command? Jacob thought, telling Leah and Seth. Sam wants to unite the packs.

Leah growled and barked in defiance.

Sam snorted, pawing the ground for a moment. Jacob, we need to talk alone.

Jacob followed Sam away from the packs, and they both phased to humans, cutting off their connections to everyone.

"The most important thing to me, Sam, is figuring out who took Brady, why, and how we get him back. We can discuss uniting the packs later," Jacob said, in a firm tone.

"Listen, Jacob, I know finding out what's going on is the most important, but we need to stay safe to do that. Brady might still be with us if we were all one pack. It's not safe for you three," Sam paused. "It's not safe for her."

Jacob could tell Sam worried about everyone, but Leah weighed heavy on his mind.

"I'll talk with Leah and Seth, and we'll all meet at your house in a few hours. I think everyone needs to calm down to think clearer," Jacob said. He thought about Brady and felt defeated.

"Okay, but we stay together. We all travel with our own pack brothers from now on. I'll stop by Brady's place to tell his parents what happened."

Jacob agreed and informed Leah and Seth. Jacob, Seth, and Leah headed toward La Push, considering who the vampires were, and why they took Brady. The sun was rising, and they were sharing the accounts of the night when Jacob remembered Raven. I have to go! Changing his direction, he spun around, barreling toward Forks.

In packs, Leah thought, and she and Seth chased after him.

His clothes were right where he'd left them, in the woods across from Raven's house, all torn to little bitty shreds. Jacob woofed. Now what?

Here take these, Jake. Seth came up from behind him and dropped his cut-off sweats near Jacob's paws. Jacob clutched them between his jaws and trotted into the brush to change.

When he came out of the trees, he scoped Charlie's Sheriff's vehicle parked in Raven's driveway. Breaking out in a cold sweat, he darted to her house, fighting to keep himself under control. He banged at the door as blood vessel swells surfaced over his muscles.

The door jerked open, and Jacob spotted the swelling and a tinge of blood on Raven's nose. His alarm turned to rage.

Raven's eyes lifted wide, and she blurted, "He's gone, Jacob. Mike's gone!" She placed her hand on Jacob's chest to calm him with her touch and the tone of her voice. "He's gone, and he won't be coming back. She finally kicked him out." Raven sighed. "But that's not why the Sheriff's here. He's here because we had burglars this morning. Thank goodness my mom couldn't sleep, and she heard someone trying to get in the house. She thought it was Mike, so she dialed 911. Charlie got here right away."

"Burglars?" he repeated, inhaling through his nostrils and exhaling through his mouth. The enlarged swells of his veins began to fade back to normal.

Charlie finished taking down Abby's statement and walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Charlie, what's going on?" Jacob demanded.

"Just a couple lowlifes, probably thought the house was empty. We just had the van they were driving towed. We'll be charging them with attempted breaking and entry and attempted burglary."

"You mean you caught 'em?"

"Yeah, got 'em locked up at the station," he replied, sounding as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Jacob turned toward Raven, focusing on her face. She fidgeted, turning away and putting her head down.

Remorse flooded him. "I'm really, really sorry, Raven. I d-didn't..." he stuttered, lifting her head with his fingers.

"Not now, okay?" she interrupted in a whisper. "You don't have to be sorry, Jacob. I never went back outside."

"It's still not all right," he muttered. "But something else terrible happened last night. I can't explain it, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back here, either. Don't worry, though."

Raven seemed to comprehend the seriousness in his tone and didn't ask questions. Finding a piece of paper, she finally gave him her telephone number. "Call me as soon as everything's okay." She gave him a subtle smile, letting him know that she really was all right.

Seth was resting under a tree while Leah kept watch when Jacob returned. They headed back home to La Push, moving in silence and grieving over Brady. When they got deep within their borders, they felt safe enough to split up.

I really need to get some rest. I can't think. I'll meet both of you at Sam's in two hours. Jacob yawned, a low howl.

I don't think mom's home, so can I go with you, Leah? Seth never sounded so much like his age as he did that instant.

As Leah and Seth were about to separate from Jacob, Leah stopped him. Jacob, I know you and Sam will do what you think is best for all of us, but I honestly don't think I could live through Sam's thoughts again. She hung her head, and her eyes welled with tears.

Feeling her misery, he said, It'll be okay, Leah. We'll figure something out. I promise, we will.

When Jacob got home, Billy was nowhere to be found, so he took a quick shower and jumped in the sack. Falling into a deep sleep, he dreamt about standing in the clearing with his brothers, prepared to defend the Cullens, as they did not long ago. In the dream, his pack stood in a line behind the Cullens. There were several other vampires, friends of the Cullens, standing behind the pack. A screech sounded to his rear, and whisking around, he saw his entire pack slaughtered by the Cullen's so-called friends. The friends he'd convinced his pack to ally with.

Grief consumed him, because he knew it was entirely his fault.

"Jake... wake-up... Jake."

Jacob opened his eyes and realized he was crying. Quil and Embry were standing over him.

"What is it, guys?" He sprung out of bed, wiping away the tears.

"It's Rachel and Kim. They're both gone. Someone took them." Distress covered Quill's face, most likely thinking of Claire.

Embry took over. "There were notes left at each place that said, 'No harm will come to them. We'll be in contact.'"

Jacob felt sick to his stomach as he washed his face. If something happens to Rachel, Billy won't survive.

Embry continued, "Billy's at Sam's place with Paul. Everyone is upset, but it's taking nearly all Sam's strength to keep Paul and Jared from losing it. We tried to call but..."

Jacob couldn't speak. Dozens of thoughts ran through his head at once, making him feel disorientated. "I have to get over there," he said, as he sprang out the door about to phase.

"Wait! there's more!" Quil hollered.

Jacob stopped dead in his tracks. How much worse is this going to get?

"We came to join your pack again!" Embry revealed.

"Not now guys. We could talk about that later."

"Now, Jake." Quil was adamant. "Something is going on, and it feels like we're all in danger. Everyone's thoughts are out of control. We can't focus until we know we're all as safe as can be. Sam's under the impression you won't be willing to unite packs, so that's why Embry and I came to you!"

"Was that an order from Sam?" Jacob asked.

Embry answered. "It was a suggestion, but we volunteered. We know how bad you feel about separating the packs in the first place and five is better than three."

"Ugh, okay, whatever, guys. Now let's go," Jacob bellowed.

As they all phased to a sprint, Jacob felt the instant connection.

It's a lot easier to concentrate now that I don't have to listen to everyone at once, Embry thought.

Quil agreed, Sure is.

I have to admit, it sure feels good to hear you guys again, Jacob barked.