Jacob POV

We had a little over a week to prepare for their arrival, but there was nothing to actually do but lay low and wait. It was driving me crazy to sit at home and try to keep peace with my dad when all I could think about was tearing apart these Volturi dicks so I could have some semblance of my life back.

My mind kept involuntarily wandering to the pack and whether or not I should warn them. It was the only thing I could actually do while we waited. They probably deserved to know that a bunch of bigwig vamps were about to be so close to their turf, but I knew they would never help us, and I didn't want to start something with them with everything else going on. Bella finally called me on it.

"Jake, what's the matter with you?"

"Huh?"

We were hanging out in my cramped bedroom, avoiding my dad as had become our new normal over the last few days. Bella was reclined on my bed, and I was standing. Sitting in one place felt like torture.

"You've been pacing for the last 30 minutes. Tell me what's going in that head of yours before you wear a hole through your carpet."

Busted. I sat next to her on the bed and let out a sigh.

"I've just been wondering if I should give the pack a heads up," I admitted.

"Should you?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't ask them for help or anything, I just don't want something to go wrong where they wind up crossing paths with the Volturi without knowing what they're up against."

"Maybe you should tell them, Jake. It can't hurt, right?"

"In theory, I guess. But I don't want to give them too much information. This is none of their business." I gestured between the two of us.

"They can't get into your head anymore, so you don't really have to tell them anything you don't want to. You could just give them the essential information and leave them to do what they want with it. Need-to-know basis only."

Maybe I could handle that. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I'd never forgive myself if someone got hurt because I didn't warn them. These weren't just your average bloodsuckers passing through. Besides, maybe it would serve as further determination for the pack to tear them apart if they did come into unexpected contact with the Volturi, and that would more than fine by me.

"I can't take you with me if I go, though." I reasoned.

"I'll stay right here. I think I can handle Billy on my own for an hour or two."

I frowned. I wasn't so sure about that.

"Jake, go. I'll be fine. You're driving me a little bit crazy with all of this pacing anyway." I turned and looked at her. "No offense," she added.

"Sorry. I guess I'm a little on edge."

Bella flicked my shoulder playfully. "You think?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Okay, I'll go. Give me an hour, and I'll be back as soon as I can. Promise."

"I know," she said.

It all felt a little more bearable when I realized that I didn't actually have to involve Sam at all. I didn't answer to him anymore, and I knew he'd get the message as long as I relayed it to someone in the pack. I called Quil and asked him to meet me the moment I'd thought of it. He seemed shocked and maybe a little nervous to hear from me, and I knew he must be thinking how Sam would react knowing that I'd contacted him. He hesitantly agreed to meet with me once I explained that I had an important message for the entire pack.

I shifted and ran through the woods behind my house to Quil's, enjoying what felt like an entirely too short run between our houses. I could have just walked there in my human form, but as soon as I exploded into my wolf, I knew that part of the pacing and pent up anxiety I'd been feeling was because I'd needed this. I'd been avoiding phasing and going on my usual runs so that I could stay closer to Bella, and my body wasn't happy about it.

When Quil's house was in sight, I shifted back and pulled on my shorts before emerging from the woods into his backyard. I managed one whole knock on the door before he opened it, and I could see Embry standing just behind him, too. They stepped outside with me and Embry quickly shut the door behind him. It was clear I wasn't being invited inside to hang out.

"Jake," Quil said stiffly. Embry nodded his head towards me once in acknowledgement.

"Hey Quil, Embry." I ran my hand through my hair and caught myself drawing a pattern in the dirt with my toe. It was weird feeling this nervous around two of my oldest friends.

"What's this about? You said it was important." Quil asked.

I was surprised by the sudden urge to tell them everything. It was easy enough to put the pack out of my mind when I wasn't around them, but now that they were finally back here in front of me, I missed them like crazy. I tried to brush off the urge and keep things simple. Need-to-know.

"Yeah, I thought you should know that there are going to be some pretty bad vampires coming through the area next week."

"As opposed to the good ones?" Embry snapped. I instantly realized I'd been stupid to use those words here.

Quil eyed me suspiciously. "Tell me you didn't come here to ask us not to hurt your pals when they come to visit."

"What? No! Of course not! Look…they're not like the Cullens. These bloodsuckers don't care about humans, and they're more powerful than any others we've ever encountered. They're like…vampire royalty or something. I just wanted to give you guys a heads up so you know what you're dealing with in case you come into contact with them."

"I guess the fact that you know so much about it means Sam was right about you being the Cullens' little pet now," Quil accused. "I didn't realize they were in the market for a puppy. Looks like they've trained you well, letting you out without a leash like this."

Anger surged in the pit of my stomach, and my fists clenched involuntarily by my sides. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay then, why are they coming? How do you know?" Embry asked.

This wasn't going anything like I had planned. What had I expected, a pat on the back and a solid thank you for the heads up? I had to tell them something that would make them take it seriously. I wasn't just hanging out with vampires because it was fun, and I wasn't their fucking pet.

"They're coming after Bella, okay?"

That stirred something in them all right, but it had the opposite effect of what I was going for.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Embry laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Dude, you lost that one already. Game over. Or wasn't that clear when she MARRIED your mortal enemy and then became one herself? She doesn't want you, idiot. Open your eyes."

I felt my fist connect with Embry's face before I even knew I'd thrown the punch. My whole body rippled and threatened to phase.

"What the fuck, Jake?" Quil yelled.

Embry wiped fresh blood from his mouth and tilted his head back, then shifted the bridge of his now-crooked nose with a sickening crunch. The sight somehow sobered my anger enough that the rippling in my body slowed. An ounce of remorse seeped in.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Quil cut me off. "You didn't mean to what? Punch your best friend in the face, or dump the people that actually care about you for someone that clearly doesn't give a shit?"

Those words hit me harder than any punch could have. "I don't have to listen to this," I growled. I turned to leave, but Quil kept talking.

"I mean, I could kind of understand you following her around like a lovesick puppy when she was still human, but now it's not just pathetic; it's disgusting. Or were you always into Necrophilia and you've been hiding that from us too—"

"For fuck's sake, Quil, she's still human!" I shouted.

That shut him up. Embry let go of his nose, which had already stopped bleeding. Now it just had traces of drying blood around the edges.

"What do you mean, she's still human?" Quil asked incredulously. His eyes demanded answers that I couldn't give him.

"That's why the Volturi are coming." I searched my brain for whatever details I could give to make this all come together without blowing everything. "I know I said they're like vampire royalty, but I guess they're also sort of like the entire legal system, too. Their only law is that humans can't know about their existence. The Cullens promised them that Bella would be turned after the wedding, and now they're coming to check."

"Why the hell is she still human, Jake?" Embry asked. "Does she get off on torturing you or something?"

I didn't dignify that with a response.

"Look, I've told you everything I came here to say. You should tell Sam and the others. It doesn't look like they'll be coming directly through here, but you may catch a scent and I thought you deserved to know what you're up against in case anything changes."

I turned and took off towards the woods without waiting for a response. "Sorry about the nose, Em," I muttered as I made it to the tree line. I knew he'd hear. Then I shifted before they could say anything else and before I could do any more harm.

Bella POV

I was glad Jake decided to go give the pack a heads up, and I hoped it wouldn't be too hard for him. I hated that we were in this position because of me. It was like once things started spiraling out of control, I could never stop myself from letting things get crazier and crazier. Everyone in my life had been so supportive about what felt like some pretty selfish decisions right about now, and we were all about to pay for it. I looked up at Jake's ceiling and wondered how in the world I ever let us end up here.

"I'm sorry, you deserved so much better than this," I murmured, running my hand across my belly. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Knock knock," Billy called out in addition to the actual knocking. I felt a pang in my chest, because it was the kind of thing Charlie would have done. I struggled to pull myself up to an upright sitting position.

"Come in," I called.

The door swung open, but Billy didn't make a move to come inside.

"I, uh, thought you might like some lunch."

I looked and saw a plate with a sandwich sitting in Billy's lap.

"Wow, thank you, Billy." I swung my legs over the side of the bed and onto the floor, and he wheeled himself into the room to keep me from getting up when he saw me struggling.

"Here. Don't get too excited, it's just a ham and cheese," he mumbled. He handed me the plate and then reached into the bag that hung on the back of his chair and pulled out a bottle of water. The simple gesture made me want to rush forward and hug him, but I didn't.

"Thanks," I said again, unsure of what else to say.

"Mhm," he murmured, and turned himself to head back out of the room. He made it back to the door before I called out to him.

"Wait."

He stopped and turned to look at me silently.

"How's Ch—, I mean, how's my dad? Have you seen him?"

Billy sighed. "He misses you. Keeps saying he's ready for you to come back home."

"I miss him too," I said. "More than anything. I wish I didn't have to hide all this from him."

His face softened. "I know it's hard, Bella, but he can't ever know. Do you really want to drag him into this mess?"

"No," I agreed. "Billy, I'm sorry for…for everything. I never meant to put Jake in this situation, or to get you involved." We sat in a sad, awkward silence for a while before he responded.

"You care about Jake, right?" he asked.

"Of course. He's my best friend."

"And you still love Edward?" I nodded, unsure of where this question was leading.

"That's what I thought. I need you to do something for me, Bella. If you care about Jake, I mean really care about him as a person, when all this is over, I need you to let him go. Actually, no. Don't do it for me. Do it for him."

His eyes were sad, and I could see the desperation in them. I hung my head in my hands. It's not like I hadn't thought of it before, that letting Jake go would be better for him. But I knew that pushing him away would hurt him, too. And right now, I couldn't imagine my life without him in it.

"He would kill me for saying this, but I think under the circumstances…" he let his thought trail off. "Ah, hell. He's in love with you, Bella. I think he's in denial about it even to himself. Thinks he's just being a good friend. But as long as you keep giving him hope, he's never going to move on and live his own life."

The tears streamed down my face involuntarily.

"Honey, I'm not saying any of this to upset you, and I know you've been through more than most people. But you have to see that you're not good for him. You can't keep letting him chase something he can never have. You understand?"

I sniffed and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I love him, you know," I said.

"But you're not in love with him, and if you really do care, then you'll let him go. For his own good, Bella. He deserves a chance to move on."

I nodded, only confirming that I understood, not that I could or would actually do what he was saying. I didn't feel strong enough to let him go. Not now.

Billy turned his chair to face the door again, then turned back one last time.

"I promise I'll do what I can to take care of Charlie," he said. "And I hope you'll do the same for my son."

Jake POV

When I got home, Dad was in his recliner in the living room, and Bella was in the kitchen on her tip toes reaching into a cabinet. I covered the space between us in two easy steps and reached over her head to stop her.

"Easy there. Going for the Oreos?" I asked.

"Am I that predictable?" she asked.

"Mostly." I pulled down the package and set it safely on the counter in front of her.

"Thanks," she said.

I pulled a glass down from the next cabinet and set it on the kitchen table before she could ask.

"Sit," I told her. I grabbed the milk from the fridge and poured it into the glass, and she looked up at me with a grateful smile.

I heard my dad lower his paper. "So how'd it go?" he called. I sat opposite Bella in the chair that was closest to the living room so that I could see my dad.

"It…went. I gave Quil and Embry the information they needed. They'll pass it along to Sam."

"Good, good."

"How was it seeing them again?" Bella asked. "Were they happy to see you?" I watched as she dropped a whole cookie in the glass and had to fish it back out messily. Soggy black crumbs floated on the surface.

"Not exactly…"

"Did something happen?" Dad asked.

"I, uh, may have broken Embry's nose. But trust me, he was asking for it. And I told them that you're still human," I turned to Bella. "But they don't know about the baby."

"What does that mean for us?" she asked. She looked worried again.

"I hope it means they'll stay the hell away and keep their noses out of it." Broken ones included.

"Maybe you should go a little easier on them, Jake. You didn't exactly put them in the best position," dad pointed out.

I grabbed two cookies and dunked them in Bella's glass, then shoved them both in my mouth.

"I apologized." I mumbled through the cookies.

"Don't worry, you did the right thing telling them," Bella said.

"I hope so."

That night, I had trouble sleeping. I tossed and turned on my bedroom floor as the day's events ran through my mind. Everything just felt wrong. Quil and Embry weren't supposed to be my enemies, and they weren't supposed to just be allies in a time of crisis, either. I'd have to worry about sorting that out or dealing with it after the Volturi were gone, though. One thing at a time.

Bella groaned in the bed above me and turned in her sleep. She'd been using my bed since she got here, and I'd insisted on taking the floor in my room so I would be nearby in case she needed something. It's not like I fit on the couch anyway. I wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy or if she was always like this, but Bella was kind of a loud sleeper. She didn't snore, but she thrashed around and groaned a lot. The first night, I thought she had a nightmare, but when I asked her about it the next morning, her cheeks went pink and she said she couldn't remember.

Now she was doing it again.

"Mhm," she moaned. Is it wrong that I found the sounds she was making kind of hot? I was suddenly reminded of the night we'd spent together in the cabin, and my body reacted on its own. God, this was messed up. She was probably dreaming about something completely innocent, like bunnies or babies or her family.

"Yes, more," she pleaded in a breathy tone with an invisible person. I heard the sheets rustle as she moved. Was she dreaming about Edward? Yuck. I did not want to stick around for that. I was debating whether I should just go sleep in the living room or wake her and tell her she was dreaming when I heard it.

"Oh, Jake!"

I froze, suddenly sure that she had woken and was calling me out on listening. I laid there immobile, silently willing something to happen. When she didn't say anything else, I slowly sat up and faced her. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling with her fist clenched around the edge of her pillow. Her hair looked crazy, but somehow hot at the same time. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that this beautiful creature had just been calling my name in her sleep.

While I was still looking at her, she mumbled "You're hot," and I almost jumped out of my skin.

Something told me dream Bella wasn't commenting on the temperature. I laid back down, unsure if I wanted her to keep talking all night or if I wanted it to stop. Either way, I knew I definitely wasn't going to get any sleep.