A/N: Reminder to take the poll.

Also keep in mind that Edward doesn't know that Jacob is a werewolf. He just knows that there are werewolves in la Push and therefore Jake hates Edward.

Chapter 37

I opened the door to find Jake closing his phone. His russet skin was tinted with pink and he was breathing heavily. My eyes ran over his huge form and it seemed as if he had grown three inches since I last saw him. I also noticed that his short hair was now about shoulder length. It was as if he had transformed over the night.

"Are you going to let me in?" He asked cockily flashing me his goofy grin.

"Only if you're hungry." I shot back.

He laughed and walked past me as I opened the door a little farther. My head came up to his chest now. He did what he was good at and followed his nose into the kitchen. I followed him laughing to myself and headed over to the counter. I instructed him to get out glasses while I started moving things to the table.

I corrected him when he pulled out three glasses. "Charlie isn't eating with us."

He didn't ask questions and then just turned back to me. "More for me then."

I rolled my eyes and took my seat at the table. Jake sat across from me and I poured our drinks and looked at him questioningly. "What?" He asked a little giddy.

I shook my head and bit my lip. "I don't know. What did you want to talk to me about?"

He reached across the table and took my hand in his. "Later." He said mysteriously.

I said the blessing and Jake dug into the foods laid out before him. I watched in amazement the whole time as he devoured for or five helpings without slowing down. I ate my ribs and okra letting my mind drift back to Alice's cryptic comments.

"You okay Bells?" Jake waved his huge hand in my face.

I nodded. "Yeah, when did you get so big?"

He chuckled. "This weekend."

I nodded my head. "That's what it looks like. How?"

He pushed his plate back and patted his stomach. "You see, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." He hesitated. "I know that you know about the Cullens."

I nodded my head. "Yeah, I know that you hate them and I know that Edward is still alive when he was supposed to be dead."

Jake shook his head and his expression turned melancholy. "He's not still alive."

I was confused by his assumption. "Of course he's alive. I saw him. He was living and breathing." I thought back to the kiss he had given me. "Yeah, he's defiantly not dead." I smiled.

"Yes he is." He thought for a second. "Okay, let me guess. His skin is very pale, his eyes are golden, he's really cold all the time, and he's unbelievably strong. Oh, and he has trouble breathing around you."

I shrugged. "That doesn't mean anything."

Jake frowned. "Yes it does. Maybe I should start with my side of the story. If you don't have a heart attack then I'll know that you can handle the rest."

He scooted his chair back and stood up offering me his hand. It was a very Edward thing to do. Never the less I placed my hand in his and gripped it tightly. I couldn't help but notice he was burning up. Just to merely touch my hand to his made the skin of my hand sticky with sweat.

"Here, put your coat on." He commanded me and I did as I was told as he tossed my coat to me.

"Where are we going?" I asked him a little unaware of what to do.

"You'll see." He stated cryptically.

I decided not to ask any more questions. It wasn't like he was going to answer them anyway. I followed him out the back door and we started toward the woods. Going with my no asking questions rule I followed him a little insecurely.

"Don't worry Bells, you'll be safe with me." He reassured my quavering faith.

We stopped when we got to a small clearing in the woods. There was a broken tree that made a natural bench and I looked up to see a faint light shining through the thick foliage. Jake pulled me into the middle of the clearing and then put both of his hands on my shoulders.

"Okay Bella. Do you trust me?" He asked me with all earnestness.

I nodded. "Completely. What's all this about Jake?"

He took a deep breath. "Bella, I'm a werewolf."

I burst out laughing. "Ha ha, good one. Now what did you really want to talk about?" I looked into his eyes and went silent. There was an emotion in his eyes. Hurt maybe? That's when I knew he was telling me the complete truth. "Jake?" I was a little scared now.

He wrapped his arms around my body and I felt like I was being enveloped with heat. "Just trust me Bells. It's not exactly what you might think." He stepped back. "I'll be right back."

I was tempted to run toward the house but I knew that I wouldn't get far without tripping. I stayed where I was and tried to think the situation out rationally. Then it came to me. If Jake was a werewolf, what did that mean Edward was? Was he something worse than Jake? Was there something more to the treaty that Alice told me about? That might be why the Quileute tribe were worried about their people. Could Edward be as dangerous as Jake thought he was?

Some twigs snapped and my head shot up to see an oversized dog standing in the direction that Jake disappeared in. I started to back up and fear shot through my body. The wolf stepped toward me and I looked in it's eyes. They were Jake's eyes.

"You weren't kidding were you?" I asked as the wolf stepped forward a little more.

He tilted his head as if he understood me and I walked toward him meeting him halfway in the small clearing. He looked back up at me and then he did something that took away all my doubts of Jake's stories. He grinned.

EPOV

I was on my way to Dartmouth and I hoped that everything was going well for my family. I knew that Alaska would be a big change for Craig especially. He never really fit in at school but then again neither did I. When I was younger I was always the misfit. I read books while the other boys played wall ball. I shunned girls who through themselves at me while the others only wished a girl would do the same to them.

The only person that kept me content was Jake. He was my best friend and although he may hate me, I could never hate him. We were after all blood brothers. I smiled to myself. He probably didn't remember that.

My gaslight came on and I pulled into a gas station. I turned off my car and popped the gas cap. I went through the routine of getting gas and then slipped my credit card into the pay-at-the-pump slot and in a couple of clicks the machine spit out a receipt.

I climbed back into my Volvo and pulled out into the highway. I guess a smarter man would have taken a plane. One again, I'm an idiot. It wasn't like I had anywhere to go anyway. I decided to try my hand at distracting myself. I passed through a small town and tried to tune into some of the houses. I found their thoughts too stereotypical and absolutely boring.

My phone vibrated and I glanced at the caller ID to see that it was Alice. "Yes hello." I greeted.

"Edward?" Alice's voice was a little frantic.

"The one and only." I laughed a little at myself.

She groaned. "Listen Edward, Bella kind of disappeared."

I slammed on the brakes of my car earning a screech of the tires. "What do you mean she disappeared? Make her reappear." I yelled into the phone.

She was very quite. "I tried to find her. She's with a werewolf."

"Who?" I asked but figured she was safe if she was with the la Push boys.

"Jacob Black." She whispered hesitantly.

"Since when?" I shouted then thought. "Wait, she's with a young werewolf?" My mind started to go frantic.

"Yes, I can't exactly help that though."

"Oh yes you can. Do whatever you have to." I couldn't see why this was so hard.

"Edward, will you listen to yourself. You're asking me to go swoop Bella up from the paws of a werewolf who could use his freaky mind power thing to call the other members of his pack. We don't need a war right now." She stated obviously.

"Oh, well I don't want her to get hurt. What if he looses control?" I was now borderline crazy stopped in the middle of a road. I was glad that no one was coming toward me. They would probably send me to the insane asylum. Not that I couldn't break out.

"Edward, at least pull off to a respectable place. I don't want you to total that pretty little Volvo of yours." She added some humor to the tensed situation. "Listen, I think she'll be fine. If anything happens I'll call you." She went to hang up the phone but I yelled for her.

"Alice, wait!"

"What?" She asked a little pushy.

"When did Jake change?" I asked a question that I possibly didn't want an answer to.

"This weekend." She broke the news to me.

"Thanks Alice." I flipped the phone shut and placed my head on the steering wheel.

It was official. Now there was no turning back. We were enemies and Bella was dancing behind enemy lines.

A/N: I wasn't exactly sure how Bella should react to the whole Jake thing. I had to remember that she has tons of faith and trust in him. Jake is her foundation and she would love him no matter what. Next chapter Jake spills the beans… what joy!

Review and take the poll on my author's page.

Kayla