A/N Okay, real talk here. I SUCK at writing battle scenes. How much do any of you care about the actual battle that is a couple of chapters away? Or can I just skip from the lead up to the outcome. It just feels awkwardly written, but I'll include it if you must have it. Or I can put it as an outtake post-epilogue. Tell me what your most desire, dear readers, but you've been warned.

Chapter 9

Bella stepped into the clearing with all of the wolves surrounding her. Her insides were quaking with nerves, but having a bunch of giant wolves helped. She couldn't see the Cullens yet, but she knew they could see her, so she tried to look as confident as possible. Jacob bumped into her a little and she giggled. Sam shot them both a look. Paul growled low at Sam and moved right up next to her. She put her hand on his shoulder as they walked and felt instantly stronger. They were all magnificent creatures and in their midst, with the moonlight shining on her pale skin, she felt a little magical, too.

They'd all teased her earlier when she and Paul had met the rest of them at Sam's. "Oooo, Bella! You reek of Paul!" Quil loudly exclaimed.

Sam looked up sternly, marched over to her with narrowed eyes. Bella could feel herself blushing under his scrutiny.

"Sam," Paul drawled, but moved her slightly away from the alpha. She swatted away his hands.

"Sam is fine, Paul. To answer your questions that you haven't asked, Yes, he's been a perfect gentleman." There were several snorts heard from the pack members present. "Yes, I'm still a virgin. And that will only change when and if I decide it changes. Yes, I understand the risks of being together due to imprinting and we've talked through all that. And yes, I'm going to date him."

"Damn, Swan," Leah called. "I love it when you get ballsy with the Alpha."

Sam shot a glance Leah's way. She responded with an eye roll which made him scowl.

Bella reached out to touch his arm. "I'm okay, Sammy. But thank you for being concerned." His eyes softened and he pulled her into a gentle hug.

When he let go, he looked at Paul again, "We'll talk about this later."

Bella came back to the present when she felt Paul's fur bristle. And suddenly Seth was belly to the ground and Paul was pushing her over to Seth with his snout. Under different circumstances, Bella might have balked. But she knew that whatever was happening right now was something the pack all felt strongly about by the way they got out of the way but stayed around her and concentrated straight ahead. They were working together to what? Oh. They wanted her to ride? She climbed onto Seth's back and that seemed to satisfy them, because he suddenly stood up and they started moving again.

From her new vantage point on Seth's back, Bella felt stronger - a bit like a warrior herself. She knew she'd be useless in a fight and that she was merely a pawn in this battle, but she'd be spilling blood, too. She could pretend a bit. As they approached the large bonfire in the clearing she could feel Seth's muscles tense below her. She looked and noticed all the wolves looked somehow more menacing. As if they were stalking something. She realized that probably meant the Cullens must be close. She felt her heart rate accelerate. Was she really ready for this?

And then she could just begin to make out the shapes of people in the glow of the firelight. She looked around at all of the pack and straightened up. If she was an imprint, she was pack. If she wasn't an imprint, she still thought of these wolves as family. Having her best friend and boyfriend in the mix didn't hurt. She was nervous about seeing the Cullens again. She'd once thought of them as family, too. But she'd be so very wrong. Still. Here they all were. And she was a little older and wiser than the last time they'd been together.

Paul was focused on his enemies, but he had an eye on Bella, too. After everything she'd told him last night, he knew how much this had to suck for her. But damn if she didn't look gorgeous and strong on wolf back. He was hella proud of his lady. "Focus" came the reminder from Sam. And so he went back to reciting the alphabet with the rest of the pack. They'd spent the afternoon reviewing simple commands and directions in their native language. Not everyone of them had grown up with it beyond what they did at the tribal school, but most knew enough to understand what Sam wanted them to for this meeting. Bella telling them about the psychic powers of the vamps was very useful for meeting with their mortal enemies.

They all heard the large inhale of breath Bella took which probably meant she could finally see the Cullens. There they were looking like some broody models. "Stop" came the command from Sam. Seth bellied down to the ground which allowed Bella to slide off of his back. She turned and thanked him for carrying her safely. And then she walked with a hand on Jacob's flank, slightly behind Sam, Paul, and Jared.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed, but as she started to move towards her friend, Jasper grabbed her as all the wolves began to snarl.

"I think you shouldn't be doin' that right now, darlin'," Jasper intoned to Alice. "But it is nice to see you, Bella. We've missed you."

Bella wasn't sure how to feel. Last year this was everything she wanted. The family coming back. All of them talking to her again. She still hadn't made eye contact with Edward. She wasn't sure she was up for it. Jake bumped her with his cold nose, and she giggled. "I'm ok, Jake," but he had helped pull her focus on the now.

"Carlisle, Sam is the alpha of this pack and he will be communicating tonight telepathically." Bella steeled her courage, "Edward, if you could translate, that would be helpful."

Edward looked at Bella with a tortured expression which she caught, but merely nodded and looked back towards Carlisle.

"Thank you, Bella. Before we begin, may I ask where you fit within the pack?," Carlisle asked.

"No, you may not," Bella answered, surprising even herself. "With all due respect, we're not here for personal conversations. This is a strategy meeting, isn't it? You saw me play chess often enough to know I'm hardly the one who should be speaking right now."

"Damn, girl!" chuckled Emmett. "When did you grow a pair?"

Bella smiled, but Edward hissed, Esme and Carlisle scowled, and half the pack growled, while the other half did what Bella assumed was a lupine laugh.

"Very well, Bella. Mr. Uley, my apologies. Let us proceed."

Bella noticed that Paul wasn't being overprotective of her. He was entirely focused on the Cullens and the meeting. She thought that if she'd been with Edward still, there was no way that he'd let her be here, but even if he had, he would've been twitchily guarding her from whatever he perceived as danger. The thing of it was, Bella realized, Paul not only trusted her to be here and recognized her contribution to all this, but knew and trusted his pack to help protect her.

The wolves' agitation made her tune back into the meeting at hand. "...so if you could show us how you fight, that would be helpful for us to know what we're working with," Carlisle finished.

"They don't want to," Edward said, with a touch of derision.

The pack erupted into growls all around her. Bella snorted a laugh, "Edward, it seems you may have interpreted that incorrectly."

Edward had the decency to scowl and Jasper chuckled and immediately guessed the problem. "Gentleman, we would be happy to demonstrate our abilities first and tell you what you might expect from newborns who are stronger and less in control of anything. They will be almost entirely consumed with their own blood lust."

Alice and Jasper squared up and Bella watched in amazement as Alice danced around Jasper like a fairy ballerina and still managed to catch him in the end. Jasper explained everything like the soldier he once was, and Bella thought how beautiful it was to see him be so much himself in that moment. She realized just how much he had to keep tamped down all the time. Poor man.

After a bit Jasper suggested, "Perhaps rather than fighting amongst yourselves, one of you might be willing to fight us? I'm sure it goes without saying we're doing this in good faith. We'd prefer to not have any limbs severed, and death under the current circumstances would simply be in poor taste."

Bella laughed out loud and Jasper looked up with a shy smile. She winked at him, and he continued.

With a look from Sam, Paul stepped forward. Then Emmett. And so it began. Emmett was all brute strength, but he seemed to be relatively slow for a vampire. Paul, though. Paul was gorgeous in action. Bella thought it was like watching a very violent, but beautiful, sort of dance.

Paul for his part was enjoying every moment in his combat with the big vamp. But he secretly wished he could be tearing apart stupid, mopey Edward. He wasn't going to be distracted, but he did tell Jacob to pay attention to Bella. Sure enough, Edward had been inching ever closer to where Bella was standing. Jacob rumbled a warning growl while moving to the other side of Bella, putting himself in between her and the vamps. She looked momentarily confused, but then also noticed that Edward was closer. She patted Jacob's shoulder and continued watching the combat.

The Bella situation had been enough of a distraction for Emmett to get his arms around Paul. He heard Bella gasp as he phased back to human and slipped out of the big guy's grasp. Emmett was left staring at empty air and when he saw human, naked Paul standing nearby, he threw his head back and laughed. 'Nice, man!' Emmett bellowed.

"I'll say," Rosalie smirked, while leering at Paul.

"Rosalie!" Esme gasped.

Bella couldn't help but giggle and even raised her eyebrows with a knowing grin at Rosalie and winked.

Paul slipped his shorts on and turned to face Jasper, although Paul kept his back to the pack, not the Cullens, Bella noticed. "While we can phase back and forth quickly, and it's a tactic to be considered, it also uses a lot of energy. Not a great idea if we suspect we're in for a long battle."

Jasper nodded. "You may also lose the element of surprise if you do it too often. Although, again, the newborns will probably not be terribly skilled fighters."

"Well," Carlisle interjected, "this has been a very informative meeting. Mr. Uley, I'll be in touch with any further information we get about a timeline. I wonder, Bella, before you leave, might I have a word?"

Without missing a beat and in unison, Bella and Paul said, "Anthropomorphic. All yours, big guy." Then they high-fived each other. Bella looked back at Carlisle innocently while Paul stood right behind her chuckling but leaving no doubt that he was there to protect his human.

Sam glared at the two of them, but with the corner of his lupine mouth twitching like he was trying not to laugh. The vamps even snickered, except Edward who just looked confused. Leah rolled her eyes at the rest of the pack who was laughing, but even she had to admit that the look on Dr. Cullen's face and the pissy blood sucker ex-boyfriend was pretty great.

Carlisle looked so confused that Bella finally took pity on him. "Sorry, Carlisle. Just babbling in quotes of a tv show I like. I'm a little delirious from lack of sleep." She knew Paul was standing behind her. He was near enough she could feel the warmth radiating off of him, but was also keeping his distance to maintain his authority, she supposed.

"I'd be happy to speak with you, of course, but you can speak openly. I have nothing to hide from the pack," she said looking out proudly at them all.

"Bella, I really think -", Edward began, then broke off in obvious frustration.

Bella archly raised one eyebrow. "Yes, Edward? What do you...think?"

Paul tried very hard not to smirk at her tone of voice that was almost derisive. Sparkle Dick had no idea with this girl.

"I just think it would be best for you to come with us for a while. As I mentioned when we returned from Italy, wolves can be very unstable," he hissed.

"Aaaaaand we're done here," Bella snapped. But then she turned to Esme who looked heartbroken. "I missed you. I missed the whole family when you left so quickly. I wish I'd had the chance to say goodbye. It hurt to lose you all like that. But now I appreciate that you left. I know that sounds cruel, and I don't say it because I love you any less, but you left so I could live. So, thank you," and with that Bella kissed Esme's cheek, hugged Carlisle, nodded to the rest and went to stand next to Paul. "Shall we go?" she asked.

Paul nodded. He had planned on phasing to head back, but decided to stay human with Bella until they reached the tree line at least. They walked side by side, not touching. The rest of the pack slowly turned to join them, Jacob last of all. He leveled a long look directly at Edward and let flash a few pictures of Bella from the woods. Bella holding herself together. Bella looking hollow and gaunt and nearly dead. And then pictures of Bella with the pack. Cooking with Emily. Tutoring the younger wolves. Playing frisbee down on the beach in the rare sunshine. Playing card games with him, Quil, and Embry, everything showing how alive she was again. When Jacob heard Sam's voice in his head threatening him with extra patrols, Jacob finally turned to join his family, but not before enjoying the look of pain on Edward Cullen's face.

Bella was sound asleep when they got back to Paul's house. He'd phased once they'd hit the treeline far enough away from the Cullens and had her climb on his back. He loved the feel of her fingers fisted in his fur. He asked Jacob to follow him, then phase to lift her off his back, then he could safely phase back.

"She was something else tonight," Jacob said as he held her in his arms. Paul didn't like the way she snuggled into Jacob. And he hated the way the vamp had looked at her. Even with the fighting, he needed to hold her.

Jacob was perceptive. He raised an eyebrow, but transferred her to Paul's arms. Paul immediately stuck his nose in her hair and inhaled. In sleep, Bella sighed his name and smiled. Jacob blinked a few times, then furrowed his brows, "Dude. Did you imprint on Bella?"

"I don't know," Paul admitted in a rare moment of emotional honesty. "It's not like it is with the others, but it's definitely something."

Jacob's eyes went wide. "Paul, when was the last time you were with anyone else?"

Paul scowled at the thought, "Are you asking when the last time I chased tail?"

Jacob looked thoughtful, "I'm asking more about the catching then the chasing."

Paul dropped the sneer, "I..I don't know. It's been a long time, though."

"Since you and Bella started studying together?" Jacob asked.

"A little before then," Paul admitted, staring at Bella. She looked so pretty, her pale skin reflecting the light of the moon.

"Holy hell!," Jacob gasped in a laugh, "You're in love with her!"

Paul startled at the thought. "I mean, yeah, I guess," he stammered.

"Paul Lahote in love with the leech-"

"Don't you friggin finish that sentence, Black!" he growled. "I only just realized how much I hurt her when I said those things."

"It's about damn time, too," Jacob said. "Look, I love her. Everyone knows I wish she would have loved me romantically. She doesn't, but our friendship works. Everyone also knows she loves you."

"She loves all of us," Paul grumped.

"Not the same thing and you damn well know it. Don't ever treat her love for you as less than it is, Lahote, or I will happily kill you."

Jacob said it with a smile, but Paul knew there was no lie in that statement.

Paul snorted, "You could try, Black."

Jacob narrowed his eyes, "Why you-"

"I KNOW, okay? She deserves better, but both me and my wolf can't get enough of her! I will never intentionally hurt her again. But we both know I'll do something stupid at some point that will hurt her feelings somehow."

"Jackass," Jacob muttered but with a grudging respect. "Just so we're clear, I will always take her side in any argument the 2 of you ever have."

"What are you? 12? This isn't middle school," Paul huffed. "But, yeah, I know. You and everyone else. I suck, she's great, blah blah blah."

Jacob narrowed his eyes at Paul. But suddenly Bella was curling into her wolf again. Jacob sighed. "She's getting cold. Better get her inside."

Paul was annoyed at Jacob. As if he didn't know how to take care of her! And then he remembered how it was she who took him shopping today, so he'd have food for the week. She said it was because she was there, too, and she didn't want to be a strain on his grocery budget. Who the hell was he kidding? He was in no position to take care of her. He could barely take care of himself.

"Mine," he heard her whisper as she turned into him even more for warmth. "My wolf."

Jacob took that moment to slip away and head back to his house, but not before admitting to himself that the look he'd just seen on Lahote's face when Bella said that was the kind of naked emotion people had been writing songs and poetry about for centuries. Jacob sighed. He hoped to hell this was going to be the happily ever after kind and not the tragedies. Those two deserved some happiness.