Pack Meeting

The pack had gathered at Sam's log cabin that was based in the woods east of the reservation. Jared, Embry, and Sam were sitting at the small dinner table that was in the center of the room, just a few paces from the kitchen. Paul was sitting on the grey sectional couch, right leg bouncing in irritation. Jacob sat across from him, oddly relaxed and flipping through the channels on the flatscreen in front of him.

"I'm so FUCKING mad!" Paul had officially snapped, roaring at the top of his lungs as he stood up and began pacing about. "We lost that dumb leech!"

"It can't be helped," Jared sighed, "we'll get it next time."

"Yeah, just get over it bro." Embry rolled his eyes as he bit into a turkey sandwich.

"If baby fucking alpha over here hadn't lagged behind we could've gotten it this time!" Paul snarled inhumanly as he ignored his pack brothers, his arms swinging back and forth as he rolled back on his heels. Six pair of eyes were on Jacob, but the alpha didn't seem to acknowledge any of them, his eyes trained on the television. "I trusted y'all could've handle it, I had another situation to deal with." Jacob's tone was sharp and dismissive, his narrowed eyes on Paul—daring him to speak or attack. When Paul didn't do either, the alpha scoffed and stared at the T.V. again.

"Jacob, I know you only stayed behind to make sure Beau was okay—but we needed you too. Paul's right, we would've killed the bloodsucker if we'd had you with us." Sam eventually broke the silence and was at Paul's side, placing a hand on the trembling wolf's shoulder. Jake scowled deeply before shooting Sam an annoyed glare—he knew his beta was right and that only pissed him off more.

"I couldn't ignore Beau, I made a promise."

"We know that, Jacob. We all made a promise to Charlie to never harm Beau, to...watch him if he ever encountered danger." Sam kept his grip on Paul, giving his pack brother a silent order to take a walk to cool off. The last thing any of them needed was for Paul to wolf out in the beta's house. The moment Paul went off and opened the door, the fresh scent of a leech wafted its way into the house, sickly sweet and rotting.

The other wolves were all on their feet and running out the door behind Paul, the distinct sound of howling only egging the pack onward to the source. They weaved through the labyrinth of the forest in synchronization, Jacob easily taking the lead ahead of Paul since the scent was the most familiar to him—"It's Beau, whatever you guys do, don't attack without my command!"

"What the hell is he doing on the rez?! What if he's chomping his way through our people? JAKE!" Paul roared after his alpha, but Jacob simply ignored him as he surged on ahead and phased on the fly, his shorts tearing to shreds in the process.

. . .

It all happened so fast—the lack of safety he felt after Jacob had left him to chase Laurent had made Beau feel so cold and empty. The feeling was no different than Edward abandoning him and it shook the newborn to his core. Jacob's scent was all over the forest and the next thing Beau knew, he was tracking his best friend. The hollow ache in his chest made him take off in a sprint, desperate to catch up with Jacob—he needed his anchor, his friend.

Beau tripped over his own feet and collapsed inches away from the river that was a boundary line between the Cullens and the Quileute. He stared at the inky grey water for what seemed like forever, fingers digging into the grass and dirt as a desperate whimper escaped him. The newborn didn't hesitate a moment longer and surged over the boundary line, his movements unnaturally faster than before.

His legs eventually brought him to the Black's residence, but Beau's nose had him scurrying straight for the large red garage instead. Jacob's scent was stronger here. "Jake..." Beau called for him, knowing he wasn't there as he moved in further. He bit down on his lower lip when he saw two bikes lined up in the middle of the room and he instantly rushed over to them. "We were gonna ride these—I remember that, I really wanted to go but—"

"Yo Jake, we need to talk man!" Quil Ateara's angry voice startled Beau out of his trip down memory lane and he stiffened instantly, too afraid to move. "Jake, I know you're in—" Quil's voice died the moment he met Beau's startling red eyes and his breath hitch. The sickly sweet scent of the newborn had Quil gagging, a russet hand covering his mouth as he staggered back. Before either of them knew it, Quil Ateara was transforming, bones breaking and the sharp tears of his clothes as he dropped to the ground and screamed. The screams eventually transformed into layered, guttural growls as a sandy brown wolf took the place of the Quileute boy.

"Quil, it's me—don't—!" But it was too late, the newly turned wolf was lunging for the newborn and instinctively Beau's barrier surfaced to knock Quil backwards in a ricochet effect.

"Stop please! Just calm down, I don't want to hurt you!" Beau shouted in a strained, pleading voice. He was on the ground, just a few inches away from the black Volkswagen rabbit. Quil snarled at him and attempted to lunge for Beau, only for the newborn's transparent barrier to keep him at bay yet again. "I-I didn't mean to violate the treaty—I swear! Please don't hurt me! Jake, Jake help me!" Beau was frantic as he called for his best friend, grabbing the door of the rabbit a bit too hard as he yanked it open and climbed in to keep a further distance from the newly turned wolves.

"Quil—stand down, now." Jacob's voice boomed angrily and the wolf dropped like a fly, his ears flat against his head. Beau was breathing shakily, his entire form quaking with fear as he curled into the seat of the rabbit. "Go outside, follow the voices you hear and stay hidden in the forest until you can change back. Go!" Jake barked at him as he pointed Quil out the door. With one last look at Beau and an angry huff, Quil trotted out of the garage.

"Jake...You saved me," Beau whispered
in relief, his barrier dropping instantly now that his best friend was here. He attempted to get out of the car, but Jacob raised a trembling hand to the newborn and he paused. "Jacob?"

"What the fuck were you thinking, Beau?! You could have been killed!" Jacob shouted angrily at him, the panic and frustration clear on his tired face. There were dark circles under his angry black eyes and Beau released a stuttering breath of shock.

"I wasn't thinking, Jake. I just...I had to find you, to be where you were. Deep down I knew it was stupid, I swear I did! But I couldn't stop, I couldn't..." He was dry sobbing by the end of it, his arms wrapped around his middle as the pain began to consume him again.

Before he knew it warm arms were around him again and Beau clung to Jacob tightly, face buried in the alpha's chest. "I'm sorry, Jake. I'm really sorry, I just wanted to be where you were."

"It's okay, Bee. I'm here now, it's gonna be okay." Jacob promised him, rubbing soothing circles on the vampire's back. Beau slowly began to relax, but his tight grip on Jacob hadn't ceased at all. "Y'know, the last time you got this worked up was when we were kids," Jacob mused with a soft chuckle as he rested his chin atop of Beau's head. "It was the day you and your mom were leaving Forks, you cried the whole time."

"You helped me hide from her too."

"You're my best friend." It was as simple as that and they both knew it.

Eventually Jake pulled away from Beau and opted to take the vampire's hand instead. "Let's walk and talk," Jacob took the lead and tugged Beau out of the garage. As if the alpha could sense Beau's uneasiness, he squeezed the vampire's hand. "Don't worry about the guys, they're busy welcoming Quil into the pack."

"I'm not worried," Jacob gave Beau a pointed look and he relented, "Okay, I'm a little worried—but only 'cause I know they're probably pissed having me on their land."

"That's a them problem. They've gotta get over it—you're my best friend and I'm not letting Charlie lose you a second time." Jake was determined to keep his promise, even if it meant butting heads with his pack brothers. The boys walked silently down a winding path that led them onto First Beach. The water was a murky grey as it crashed against the shoreline. It was empty save for the two of them, not a single human in sight which made it easier for Beau to relax.

"So, um...You said that you'd explain everything. What did you mean?" Beau broke the silence first, red eyes on Jake as the wolf stared ahead.

"The pack and I have been growing ever since the Cullens came back into town last year. Then you...changed and things really started to speed up for me. The second my dad told me you were—" Jacob's eyes narrowed in mild rage and he exhaled slowly, "—dead, that pissed me off so bad I phased on the spot."

"Jake, I'm so—"

"Don't, it's not your fault." Jake rolled his eyes and snorted. " 'Sides, it's fun getting to run around and kill vampires. Paul's pretty pissed we didn't get that dude with the dreads."

"Laurent? He escaped?" Beau shuddered, his grip on Jake's hand tightening. "He sensed you were coming—he was gonna to hurt me, but you stopped him. That's twice now you've saved me."

"Yeah, I doubt that's gonna change anytime soon ya danger magnet." Jake teased, nudging Beau's shoulder with his own. Beau rolled his eyes, clearly not amused.

"What did he say to you? When we got there, you looked really scared."

"Victoria, a vampire from his coven wants to kill me. Edward killed her mate James, the one who..." Beau closed his eyes as he tried to will away the face of his assailant. "He bit me, he's the reason I am what I am. It was too late for me—he took everything away, he took my choice away!"

"Um Beau—you're uh, doing that thing again." Jacob's voice made Beau snap his head up to stare at him, only to gasp in shock by the wispy white barrier that surrounded them. As if it could sense it's creator's distress, it seemed to grow larger, pushing away piles of sand and blocking the crash of the waves that came straight for them.

Jacob released a low, impressed whistle while Beau stared helplessly ahead. "I don't know how to make it go away. What do we do? What if someone sees us? What if—?"

"A storm's brewing Beau, no one in their right mind save for us n' the pack would come out here." Jacob assured him with his sunshiny grin and Beau released the pent up breath he was holding, nodding his head slowly as a means to keep calm. "So this Victoria wants you dead, huh? What's she look like?" Jacob asked nonchalantly as he swung their conjoined hands back and forth.

"Red hair, red eyes—completely feral." Beau muttered with a shudder. Jacob scowled, sudden annoyance flooding him. "She's the leech that's been killing off the hikers. We keep losing her—once we chased her all the way to the Canadian border. She keeps coming back, now I know why."

"Laurent said she's good at evasion. It might be her gift, kinda like how mine is this weird barrier."

"We'll have to tell the pack. They need to know everything." Jacob whisperer, knowing that Beau wouldn't like it at all. The barrier around them eventually gave way, dissipating once Beau pulled his hand away from Jacob's.

"I can't be around them, it's too soon but...you go. I'll wait for you at the garage, okay?"

"Beau—!"

But it was too late, the vampire had already ran off in the direction they'd come.