ELEVEN

TRAITOR

SAM

"The runaway's back," Paul tells me with a smirk as he walks through my back door, shirtless.

"Seriously?" I turn to face him, from my seat at the kitchen table where I'm going through the payroll.

"Yeap. He came by the house for food, and to say goodbye to Rach and the baby. Apparently he's going to Paris to see the Cullens."

"Oh really."

"Yeah."

I snort. "Wonder what made him decide to go." Because I already know that he and his father have made no sort of reconciliation.

"The Volturi leeches are sniffing around Nessie again." Paul pulls up a seat and snags one of the muffins from the container on the table that Emily always leaves out for visitors.

"Hmph," I grunt. If I didn't hate the guy right now, I'd feel sorry for him. It seems like he'll never get those leeches off of his back unless we kill them. But if we do that, then the entire vampire population would run wild and murder innocent people left, right and center. In a roundabout way, letting the vamp royalty live is our way of protecting the entire world. Just thinking about the pale, smelly abominations makes my skin prickle.

"So you gonna talk to him before he flies out or what?"

I meet Paul's eyes and give an affirmative nod. Of course I will, I have to. Not just for my sake, but for his father's. Billy confided in me about everything and we both agree that Jacob needs to be set straight. Since the old man can't do it, nor the Council – because Jacob refuses to come before them – the responsibility falls on me. Jacob and I need to speak Alpha to Alpha, man to man. I really am the only one who can make him understand his duties to the tribe and packs. Him turning away from me as mentor was the mistake that caused all of this mess in the first place.

"Can I watch?" Paul begs with a youthful eagerness that reminds me of my four-year-old, Levi.

I roll my eyes, he's always ready for a fight. Some things never change, but maybe it would be a good idea to have him there as back-up. Someone will need to part us at some point, of this I am sure. I will likely have to exert my dominance over Jacob to make him understand that the Council is not taking no for an answer any longer.

"Yeah, I guess it's better that you come, but not to start trouble Paul, I need you there to keep us from going too far."

"So you gonna whup his ass finally?"

I shrug at the question because I don't want to admit to him just how much I REALLY want to. But I also have to consider that Jacob and I could seriously damage each other if we fight, and Emily has already made a ridiculous fuss about me getting hurt and how it would impact Levi. It's not like I want her to feel insecure about us either. She's already wary of how angry I've been over Leah and Jake. And I admit that I still can't wrap my head around it.

If it was anyone else but him…

Not wanting to think about that anymore, I put everything away into my leather folder (an anniversary present from Emily) and shove off from the table. "Come on, let's get this over with before he leaves again."

Paul gives that sinister laugh of his and slaps his palms together in anticipation. Maybe he isn't the best choice to play pacifist, but he's the strongest in my pack. If anyone can get between Jake and me, it's him.

We phase and run over to the old house where Jacob has been staying and sure enough, he's there. We can hear him moving around inside. Paul phases back first and whistles loudly, and I follow. Jacob's large frame pushes through the doorway and for a moment I am shocked. He's gotten even bigger – broader in his shoulders and chest. It happens when he gives over to the wolf for an extended period. I smooth my features to hide the fact that for a weak moment I am intimidated, then march forward to meet him face to face. There's no way I will let him feel like he has the upper hand in this conversation.

"Well, why am I not surprised?" he starts off, looking between me and Paul with a smug expression that makes my blood boil. "Come to deliver a spanking Alpha Uley? Took you long enough."

"Well you ran off before I could get the chance. Your father asked me to talk some sense into you, you've really disappointed him, Jacob."

Jacob snorts and shakes his head. "Yeah well, he's disappointed me too. But what about you? Disappointed Sammy?"

Paul shakes his head and growls at Jacob's menacing tone, his attempt to bait me. "Watch it, Black."

"You watch it, Paul. I don't need you two coming here treating me like some kid. And I certainly don't give a fuck if you're jealous about me and Leah, Sam. It's none of your goddamn business."

"It's my business when you violate pack law! And when she disappears from the Res without a word to anyone!" I roar. Jacob has some nerve acting like I have no right to care about my first love, the girl I was forced to leave behind before I was ready. But this isn't even about that, it's about their insubordination. "Leah was not allowed to leave the Res without the permission of the Council, and people around town have nothing good to say about her. How do you think that makes Sue feel?"

"I don't like that she left either Sam. But I get it now, because I myself needed a break from everyone breathing down my neck. Honestly, everyone can go fuck themselves if they have a problem with her. Whatever makes her happy, that's all that matters."

"You should learn some respect!" I shout.

"I will when everybody else does!" Jacob shouts back, hitting his chest.

"How can Leah be happy all by herself? She has no one. It's not good for the wolf," Paul interjects.

"How would you know? You've never been by yourself Paul. The wolf is quite fine without a pack once the human side is strong enough mentally. And Leah's stronger than any woman we know."

The reverence in his tone sickens me and I can't listen to another word of him talking down to us. "Look, we all had to step up when we imprinted, Jacob. We all had to leave our old lives behind to fulfil our duty to the wolf and to the pack! What makes either of you think you can go against our way of life now, huh? You both need to do what is right." I just want to pummel his smug, entitled ass into the ground. He deserves it for dragging Leah into his rebellious mess.

My hands clench into tight fists, and Jacob's eyes follow the motion. He steps away from the house fully and walks right up to me, presenting himself for a challenge.

"Some of us choose to follow our hearts, and some of us let prideful old men dictate what we should and should not do."

"Have you no pride in your lineage? Huh?" I taunt. "You should be getting ready to take over from your father, to sit on the Council in his place, but instead you defy and insult him at every turn, you go against the natural order of things."

"I want no part of this fucking 'natural order,' I never did. You of all people knew that when you were willing to submit to me and I refused."

I take umbrage at the low blow and shove his left shoulder. "I never wanted to submit to you, Black. It was only because your father was hung up on you claiming the title as Ephraim's heir. You were never fit to be Alpha, you have no regard for our law. In fact, you disgrace this tribe and the Spirit Wolf."

Jacob sneers, baring his canines. "Well the feeling of disgust is mutual. But understand this, none of you have the right to compare my situation with yours. None of you have to give up everything and spend an eternity fraternizing with the Cullens. You get to live out your days right here on this land, raise your Quileute babies with your Quileute wives. But what about me? Huh? Did you ever stop to think for one second, about what I'd have to do?"

Paul looks over at me with hesitation, as if he wants to agree or relate to this fool. I shake my head at him to stop him from voicing whatever stupid thought is in his head.

"Your father will allow her to live on our lands," I respond. The Council has already agreed. Jacob shakes his head, seeming unable to come up with an argument against the obvious. "Nessie Cullen is your imprint, you do whatever you have to do to honor that sacred bond. She was given to you, it is a blessing that you curse every time you stay away and defile your body with another woman." I still don't understand how he can do it. I could never even think about Leah in an intimate way after imprinting on Emily. Every time she purposely flashed images of us into my mind, it would make me feel ill with betrayal.

Jacob shoves me, his palms flat on my chest, his eyes now a deep amber. I stagger quite a few paces back, in an effort not to fall. He's strong, stronger than before, and my wolf knows it. It barely tries to counter-attack, which in itself throws me off center because all I want to do is claw those eyes out.

"The wolf wanted that 'woman.' The wolf wanted to claim HER not Nessie, and whether or not it was right or wrong; neither of us could refuse the pull. None of you understand what it's like between Lee and me. She's my Beta, she's my partner – no scratch that – she's the Alpha Female of my fucking pack, and I'll NEVER apologize for doing what came naturally to us. It was way more natural than the idea of sleeping with Bella's KID!"

"Then why did she leave?" Paul asks, his tone betraying his curiosity.

"I'm pretty fucking sure it's because she thought that I'd give in to the imprint, like your boy Sammy here. She thinks I'm as weak as you! She doesn't think I can truly love her more than Nessie, but I already do, it's a totally different kind of love. And after I'm done checking in on Nessie, I'm going to find her and make her believe it."

"The hell you will!" I threaten.

"The hell I WILL! And thank you Sammy for making me realize that that's EXACTLY what I've got to do. I'm not fucking giving up on her. You made me remember the kind of man that I NEVER want to be."

I snarl and shove him backwards. "If you don't submit to the imprint Jacob, you no longer have a home here, on this land. It's been decided."

It was not what his father told me to say, but it's what needs to be done if Jacob continues to be stubborn. But while the Chief genuinely hopes that my influence will force Jacob to bring Nessie here, get married and start a family, all I want is for him to be permanently gone from my life. Every time I see him I am reminded of his defiance, of what he did to my pack, splitting it in two. The two of us cannot be Alpha of this land, and I REFUSE to give up my place – not when I'm so close to being chief myself.

Jacob's eyes widen and for a few moments, the air is crackling heat around us, pulsing with the energy of our wolves being suppressed. I can feel his wolf pushing out towards me and Paul, searching for a challenge once again. When we don't give it, I expect Jacob to throw the first punch but instead he steps back and shrugs his shoulders.

"Then, so be it."

I watch in shock as he turns and walks back into the house.

"Wait, what?" Paul says to me in confusion and disappointment. "That's it? You're gonna let him go?"

I want to lash out, but to my dismay I just don't have it in me. My wolf is powerless over Jacob Black. It has been since the day he broke away from me to go to the Cullens. Refusing to admit it out loud to my subordinate, I purse my lips and strip my shorts, tying it to my leg. I will not let Jacob Black get the upper hand through a fight, I've basically already won. I made the right move.

"Let's go, Paul."

As far as I'm concerned, my job is done here, he will go his way. And quite frankly, I never want to see that traitor again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

After we run off, I dismiss Paul and head to Old Quil's home. Something that Jacob said bugs me and I need to know what it means. When I arrive, I knock on the door and enter when the old man calls out for me to do so.

"Oh hello Sam," he greets me with an almost toothless grin.

"Old Quil," I nod in response.

"What brings you by? It's been quite some time since you last visited me to chat."

I take a seat at the kitchen table where he's sitting with the newspaper and a cup of tea. It's true, I used to view the elder as a mentor because he was the one who helped me when I first phased. But I'm beyond that now, I'm not the same young boy without a father. "I met with Jacob just now and there's something I wanted to ask you about."

Old Quil meets my eyes, seeing how serious I am and then folds the paper neatly and rests it on the table, then removes his reading spectacles. "And how is our young chief? Glad to hear that he's back."

I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. "He's moody and still determined to disobey."

"Well, Alphas are known to be quite temperamental, aren't they?"

I huff in annoyance and Old Quil chuckles. "What is your question, Sam?" he finally asks, folding his fingers and resting them on the table.

"He said that we don't understand his bond with Leah, that she's the Alpha Female of his pack – he said his wolf wanted her. Can that…is that even possible? What about his imprint with the hybrid?"

Old Quil puckers his lips in thought. "Hmmm…that is very interesting. Of course we've never had this type of thing before in our tribe's history, with her being the first female Spirit Wolf. But…when I think about the wolf, your natural ancestor, it has value to it."

"What do you mean?" I lean into the table, eager for him to explain himself. As much as I want to know, I don't want there to be actual validity to what Jacob is saying.

"Well, the gray wolves for example, their packs are led by an alpha male and female pair, much like a kingdom is run by a king and queen. The entire pack is subordinate to them, and comprises of their own offspring. The pair mate for life and are in total control of everything that goes on in the pack. I have observed our Leah, and she displays many Alpha qualities."

"What?" I sit back, extremely disturbed. How could he give her so much power, such a title. She is stubborn and bitter, that's all there is to it. She is not a leader. The imprints don't even get along with her. Well, besides Rachel and no one supported the move to make Leah godmother, but Paul lacks real control over his wife.

"Well, from what I can tell, she never wanted to be subordinate to you when the pack was united in the early years. She resisted your dominance at every turn. You were not her mate."

"Because of me and Emily!" I reply, clenching my jaw as my annoyance builds, slow hot and steady like a volcano.

"Was it really just that though?" The old man simpers and takes a loud slurp of his tea. "When Jacob broke away she had no problem following him."

"Because of Seth!" I bite out.

"Was it really just Seth though?"

I sigh in frustration, feeling like this old coot is taking pleasure in running me in circles.

"Does she not exhibit more control over the Black pack than Jared does with yours?"

"That's because Jared's not like Leah. He's imprinted, he's mellow and happy. She's bitter and hell bent on making everyone miserable around her."

"Samuel, I fear you are purposely being closeminded towards her, and I fear others have influenced you to be this way. You are afraid to give her any recognition because of your imprint, and maybe your guilt, but in the end it causes you to be unfair to her."

"She's caused nothing but trouble, Quil."

"Says who?"

"Says everyone! The Chief -"

"Ah yes well, our Chief has his own ideas of pack dynamics which may or may not agree with the natural order of things sometimes."

"But the natural order IS the imprint! It's our most sacred law and bond, Quil! Jacob and Leah are going against everything that is sacred to our traditions!"

"Samuel, traditions are meant to evolve over time. This pack is different to any other. You have had the most vampire experiences, you have had the most imprints, and you have also had two alphas and a female for the first time in our history. Not to mention, Jacob's imprint is the first hybrid we have ever known, and their imprint bond is truly the most unique. Even the circumstance under which the imprint occurred was most unique. Jacob's devotion for Bella was transferred to her child when Bella died. He protected them, from you. If you hadn't posed a threat on Bella's life, maybe things would have been different."

"You're blaming ME?" I growl, my impatience reaching to dangerous levels.

"I am simply pondering on things, Samuel. But if he does not feel a romantic connection, I believe him. I do not believe that was ever his intention or the wolf's when the imprint happened. It was a bond of protection, out of love for his dead friend."

"You can't know that!" I growl, seething at the insinuation that Jacob had any "intentions" or control whatsoever over what happened. None of us did! "That's not how it works!"

"In my eyes, there is a need for evolution in our thinking in order to accommodate these changes. Billy too must come to see this for himself. Young Jacob is strong-minded like Ephraim. He does what he thinks is necessary for his pack, he trusts his instincts and acts on them. He is a true Alpha."

I snort and shake my head. "And I'm not, right?" I'm not important because my great-grandfather wasn't Alpha? Like hell I'm not! "I was the FIRST Alpha!" I grind out.

Old Quil regards me with a coy smile. "You are the first wolf, you are the first leader of this generation, you will be admitted officially to the Council soon. Your place will always have value and always be special, but it does not make you the only master, Samuel. You need to work with Jacob, not against him. If there is one thing I ask of you before the ancestors call me home, is to make peace and unify the packs under the True Alpha. Let me have good tidings to carry to the Great Beyond."

Thoroughly frustrated, I shove away from the table and stand, towering over one of the oldest members of our tribe. "Does Billy know that this is how you feel?" It seems that Old Quil has been drinking Jacob's stupid Kool-aid, just like Lee-Lee.

Old Quil smiles at me once again, with a twinkle in his eye which serves only to set me further on edge. "If Billy cared to ask my opinion, I'd certainly tell him. But I'm sure he knows; as I, along with Sue, don't agree with how he's handling this situation with Jacob and Leah. He is acting as a father, not as part of a Council."

His opinion sours me and there's nothing that I want more than to deny him his request. I want to wipe that stupid grin off of his face. Who does he really think he is to go against the Chief, and me? "Well, Jacob belongs with the Cullens. He belongs with the girl and Bella, like he wanted; not us. And from what he just told me he's going to Europe to finally do the right thing and he has no intentions of coming back, so I guess you'll have to die without your wish old man."

Of course I don't tell him about Jacob's plan to find Leah, because I wholeheartedly believe that it won't happen. He will be powerless when the imprintee starts to wield her feminine wiles against him.

"You will find that I have a lot more faith in myself and the ancestors than the prideful desires of men like you, Samuel. You resent Jacob for doing something that you could never do, and you think it makes you less than him. And maybe it does. Or maybe, Leah simply wasn't your destiny, and the Spirits gave her to the pack to fulfil a higher calling. You need to let your resentment for them, go."

"She wasn't his destiny either," I snarl, baring my teeth in warning as the heat of the wolf licks down my spine. The urge to claw him is strong, as his words seep through my skin with the burn of acid. How DARE he speak to me this way? How dare he imply that I care anything about that woman? She could never be as good as my Emily. She can't even have children! I want for nothing because I have my beautiful wife and son.

"I think it's best you go now Samuel, we wouldn't want you to make the same mistake twice. Unlike Emily, I don't have youth on my side to ensure my recovery."

Incensed even more by his words, I turn on my heel and march outside to the trees. I phase and let the wolf carry me wherever it needs to go to burn off the rage that pulses through my body before I go back home to my perfect family.

One thing I know for certain, Jacob Black and Leah Clearwater will never take our place.

AN: Well! Wasn't this just an over the top piece of alpha drama? lol. But it was necessary to set certain things in motion wasn't it? Im currently going through a headache, as i decided to make some major changes with Nessie which affects a whole lot of the later chapters so my posting might be slow for a while. I just want to avoid posting too fast because then I can't make any changes to the story line or dialogue if the need arises. i hope you enjoyed this one though, and up next is Sam again, he goes to meet Billy. Take care everyone!