Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all.
Rated M for several reasons.
Chapter 12: Kings
BPOV
Well. I have a lot of questions, and yes, new worries about the Cullens that I need to address. But first, I want to know what is happening with my friends, the wolves.
I tried calling Leah's cell a few times, but it went straight to voicemail, and so did Jake's. So, I'm taking the direct approach. Again.
Leah was not kidding about Jake's workshop, after I park up, I take a wander round and the back is currently only protected by a blue tarpaulin and the judicious use of old bricks and discarded machinery.
There is no one in sight but instead of heading for someone's house I walk across the clearing to the woods were I first saw the wolves. It is not raining today but as soon as I enter the trees fat drops of moisture descend on me from overhead, chilling me to the bone. And, yes, like the parking lot in PA I am aware that this may fall into the category of 'life threatening idiocy'. Fortunately, I have not even lost sight of the workshop when muted footfalls approach.
The two giant wolves appear quickly in front of me, emerging from the denser trees ahead to slide to a stop about twenty feet away from me. Russet brown and a mottled light grey they are surprisingly doggy (possibly not an opinion to express out loud), panting lightly with a cautious wagging of their fluffy tails. But they are big, very much bigger than what I am assuming would be their human selves.
"Um, hi" I mutter with a restrained wave.
Slightly more enthusiastic tail wagging ensues. Bella Swan, wolf whisperer.
"I, um, would like to speak to Jake or Leah? Please?"
Oh, teeth, is that a smile or a snarl? Or a smarl? I take an involuntary step back as the russet wolf's tail goes into overdrive.
The grey wolf headbutts the larger one and then turns away, dissolving with a shimmer into a very naked Leah. Who punches the russet wolf in the flank and then turns to greet me with a wide smile.
"Hi, Bella."
I nod because my words have failed me.
"Jake," she huffs, "quit mucking around!"
The russet wolf shimmers and changes too. He is bigger than he used to be.
"Sorry," he mutters, blushing and turning away, "this always happens when I phase."
"Um?" Is all I can manage.
"Go to the house," Leah laughs, "key's under the mat, we'll be there in a minute."
"Okay."
I am barely through the door when Leah and Jake bound in from the back porch, now scantily clad, but at least clad. They look happy. Which can only be good.
Now Jake isn't a giant wolf I feel justified in giving him the 'stink eye'. Which, to be fair, he squirms under. I follow them to the tiny kitchen, watching as they work in tandem to fix a meal fit for forty kings.
"Sorry," Jake mutters, wedging cold cuts into his mouth, "phasing makes us hungry. Want some?"
I blink my eyes at the giant turkey leg he proffers and Leah laughs.
"Jake, come on, she can't eat that, its nearly as big as her thigh! I swear Bella, the Pack is going to bankrupt the whole tribe in food and ripped clothes alone."
As a medical professional I am open mouthed at the number of calories they consume and I even go so far as to suggest they come in for tests, which they find hilarious. Satiated they make coffee and lead me over to the couch.
"We're okay," Jake assures me as he takes Leah's hand in his, "but shit is really fucked up."
Leah nods and I bury my face in the steam from my mug.
"Sam is the Alpha," Jake begins, "as the first to change that was natural. And I think Leah told you about Alpha's orders?"
We both nod.
"I can't believe," he snarls, "that he'd stop my own fucking wife from telling me she was a wolf! It's not like she couldn't have made me believe it considering what was going on around here anyway."
"Why did he do that?" I ask.
"He says it's because we have to protect the secret until we know who is in on it," Jake scoffs. "And he really believes in taking that shit to the nth degree. Even though everyone over fifty around here knows what's happening anyway! He's also an incredibly sexist pig who thinks that Leah, despite being a wolf, shouldn't be part of the pack."
They exchange a glance and squeeze each other's hands.
"I mean, she's not the fucking freak he thinks she is, and we love each other. And she's got more control over this shit than any of the rest of us have, including Sam. I am proud of her."
Leah and I nod.
"His other big problem right now," Jake continues, "is you."
"Me?"
"He's furious that I told you about us."
"Oh." I don't like the idea of Sam being furious with me. Not one bit.
"You probably shouldn't have come down here," Jake observes casually, "but you and Charlie are friends of the tribe and always have been, so I don't see what his problem is. You even know about the Cullens. Which he is also not very happy about."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Consorting with the enemy," Leah sighs. "You run with vampires; Sam thinks that makes you our enemy too."
"I don't think the Cullens are anyone's enemies," I point out.
"I trust your judgement on that," Jake concedes, "but the hatred between us and vampires is instinctive, and the Pack lean that way more easily."
"Aren't you the Alpha now?" I ask, based on my historical reading and conversation with Sue. "Can't you tell them not to, um, hate, any of us?"
"I guess," Jake sighs, shifting uncomfortably. "But I don't see that doing any good."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not entirely sure what's going on," he hedges, "but things got very nasty very quickly the night Leah came to you. Thank you, by the way, for having her back."
"You're welcome. You're my friends."
We sit in companionable silence for a while and then Jake gets serious again.
"Do you remember anything in the original story about imprinting?" He asks.
"No, what is it?"
He sighs and he and Leah exchange a long look.
"The legends say that wolves imprint on their mate," he says, rubbing Leah's hand "it's all a bit confusing but the gist of it is that once you start to phase you will eventually imprint on the best probable mate for you. Genetics for the best wolves or some shit."
I nod, like I understand. Which I don't.
"Sam really believes it," Jake continues, "so much so that he's already left Emily and Mia so they can get used it while he waits for the one."
I offer a helpless shrug. Poor Emily, poor Mia. And shit! I open my mouth, but Jake knows what I'm going to ask.
"We don't know," he says, shifting Leah into his lap and wrapping his arms around her. "I mean, we don't know it's true, and if it is, we don't know if it will affect us. We're both wolves and we already have a kid. We just don't know."
"Jesus."
The three of us reflect on that for a long minute. I can't see it. They're so 'together' and they have been ever since they got together. That's why not telling, not being able to tell, each other what was going on was so shocking to me. I mean, its Jake and Leah, they're so right, Together. And a little bit fucked up when they're not.
"Anyway," Jake sighs, squeezing Leah hard enough to make her gasp, "the crux of the matter is that even though I'm supposed to be in charge, and be able to tell the others what to do, it didn't seem to work that way last night. Sam wants to cut ties with anyone who isn't a Quileute or a wolf and kill anyone who is a vampire. And I, we, kind of want to live in peace with everyone until or unless there's a reason not to. There was a bit of a fight . . ."
"A bit?" Leah snorts.
"Okay," Jake allows, "there was an epic fight and the pack seems to have split."
"Split?" I ask.
"Split," Jake nods.
Leah takes over the story because women are simply better at the narrative.
"When I came home I was able to phase and catch up pretty quickly. Jake and Sam were already at odds over me and some of the other crazy shit that Sam was down for. By the time I reached them Jake was trying to assert his authority but the others were backing Sam. It was nasty, Bella. The shit they know, and how some of them were prepared to twist it in their minds . . ."
Her face, I can't read her mind, but her face . . .
"No one would back down, and just as I got there Jake and Sam got physical. I jumped straight in, because you would, wouldn't you? And after a moment, Seth . . ."
"Seth?!"
"Yeah, baby bro is a wolf now too. Don't get me started. Anyway, Seth jumped in to defend Jake and I, and so did Paul and Jared. It was fucking awful but at least it stopped the fight, turns out Jake, Paul and I are the strongest fighters apart from Sam."
"So, you won?" I ask.
"No," she sighs, leaning into Jake again, "I, we, don't know what the fuck we did. Half the pack is with us, at least we assume they are because we can still hear them in our heads when we're all phased. The other half, and Sam? They haven't been back to La Push and we don't know where they are or what they're doing."
"Shit!" I intone, eloquently. "Can I do anything to help?"
"No," Jake is firm, and Leah is nodding. "Bella, stay out of it, and stay out of La Push. Stay safe. We'll let you know if anything happens you can help with."
"You promise?"
"We promise," Leah says, crossing her entwined fingers with Jake's.
…..
There isn't much to say after that, well I have questions but they have Harry to fetch and put to bed, so I take my leave, driving as carefully out of La Push as I can with my head stuffed full of new worries.
I am halfway back to town when I get a flat.
Great.
I text Charlie the news and then step out of the car to see if it's something I can fix myself. The first thing that catches my eye is the stinger across the road in front of me, Charlie has one in the trunk of the cruiser. Then I look back to see the one in the road behind me, and I go cold even as the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. Wrong. Something is wrong.
Somewhere in close proximity a wolf howls and I scramble back into my car, slamming the door behind me, locking it, scrabbling around the passenger seat to find my cell.
Another howl. My cell slips out of my hand and disappears into the footwell.
"Fuck!"
I lean down to find it, banging my forehead on the steering wheel. My hand closes around it and I pull back up, instinctively checking my mirrors as a cacophony of howls shred the night.
Two figures have appeared in the road behind me. One that I am sure is Edward. And another that looks like a line-backer with short curly hair. The figures drop into a fighting stance and my cells slips from my useless fingers as giant wolves with lambent eyes emerge onto the road to face off against them.
The sudden silence is deafening, and I flick my eyes forward, where Alice and Carlisle have materialized in my high beams. I'd feel better, but they're both in a fighting crouch too, staring over the roof of my car like it's not even there.
Suddenly all round me is a blur of movement and sound, the car is buffeted this way and that, with me tossed back and forth inside it. The noise is terrifying and my young and healthy heart is threatening to beat right out of my chest and retire.
I only realise that my screaming has exacerbated the din when the car door opens, and Esme tries to speak to me.
"Bella?"
"Bella? We need to get you out of the car and away from here."
"Bella, can you come with me?"
"Esme?"
"Yes, come on, while they're busy. Let's go!"
I let her coax me out of the car, but we've only taken a few steps away from the tumult when a group of wolves jump into the road ahead of us. She stiffens but I relax slightly.
"It's okay," I tell her, "its Jake."
The russet wolf bows his head and then leaps over us into the fray, the rest of his group following. I try to turn and look but Esme wastes no time swinging me onto her back and breaking into a run.
Air roars in my ears because of the eye watering speed but it is still a few minutes before the sound of the battle fades . . . .
A/n Once again I have been an epic fail at responding to reviews, and I'm sorry. I hope you're all still with Bella and I as we whizz off into the unknown . . .