There's no chance for usIt's all decided for usThis world has only oneSweet moment set aside for us

Who dares to love foreverOh, when love must die?

But touch my tears with your lipsTouch my world with your fingertips

Who Wants to Live Forever, by Queen, from the album A Kind of Magic, released in 1986

Jacob's P.O.V

As I let out a howl, I couldn't help but show the state Bella was in. The Pack, being in my head in all, were shocked at what they saw, and they pushed themselves even faster to get to my location. The forest, that seemed so alive and vibrant before, seemed dead and dull now.

"How could he?!"

Sam snarled viciously, his ears curled back in anger. His entire body was shaking, and I could feel him pushing himself to his fastest pace, trying to get to me as fast as possible. It was obvious that Bella needed aid. Urgently. His reaction was a shock to me. In the whole time I had known him, Sam had always been cool and collected. I had only ever seen him get this angry once before, and I'm not inclined to mention it again.

I didn't wish to upset him, especially as he was trying to get to me as fast as he can, to try and save Bella's life. The rest of the Pack snarled, growled, basically showed their thoughts of what happened. The amount of anger whipping through the pack was overwhelming, and even though Embry and Quil had left their patrols to try and help me, Paul and Jared easily fitted in and covered it for them. Paul could be an asshole at times, but even he admitted that he would never wish this upon Bella.

"SHE LOVED HIM!"

Quil growled, anger filling his entire body. Like Sam, his body was filled with violent tremors, and his tail was raised in aggression, compared to its usual drooping and sweeping motion. Quil loved Bella as a sister, and he hated to see her in this condition. His chocolate brown fur bristled, as he let out a string of intelligible growls. His wolf was obviously pissed as all hell, if his lip constantly curling was anything to go by.

Bella was there for Quil when me and Embry stayed away from him just after our first Phase. I was forever grateful to her for doing that, when I couldn't. In response, Quil just continued to growl angrily, and the fact that he wasn't trying to crack any jokes meant that he was seriously pissed.

"H-He couldn't have.. Could he?"

Seth whined softly. Seth was so innocent, and he was one of us who could comfortably socialise and be with the Cullens. For Edward, -Seth's idol- to assault Bella like this, it made poor Seth ashamed, but also angry at Edward. I think it was safe to say that Seth was feeling betrayed, but also feeling gullible, to look up to a monster like that.

His tail was between his legs, his ears pulled back. He looked like a kicked puppy, and I hated seeing him like that, and so upset. He shouldn't be like that- he should be his usual light-hearted and happy self.

"S-She didn't deserve that"

Leah was shocked. Her voice was filled with genuine sympathy and horror. I was surprised at her reaction, but then again, she knew what it was like to be betrayed by someone you love. Leah may be a bitch at times, but she did have a heart somewhere in her body. She pushed herself towards my general direction, and I couldn't help but compare Bella's situation to Leah's.

Not that it's Sam's fault, or what she went through was the same, but she can probably sympathise with Bells. Everyone else, who hadn't voiced their opinions were no doubt yelling things in their heads.

Every so often a stray thought would ring out, and it would echo around my head, giving me a headache. I laid down next to Bella, and tried to clean her wounds. With my keen ears, I heard the snap of a branch before I turned around sharply, and let out a loud warning growl.

"Easy Jake, It's just me and Quil"

Sam soothed, even though undercurrents of anger still remained in his tone. He managed to control his anger somewhat, Within seconds Embry and Quil had caught up, each panting slightly. If the situation wasn't so dire then I might have laughed- they looked so comical.

While we were built for being fast-easily keeping up with a Vampire- going at such a high speed from such a slow start could easily slightly tire the wolf. Me, Sam, and Embry quickly phased, not caring about our modesty. It took me slightly longer then usual, due to the anger about Edward still remaining, but all I needed was the thought that Bella needed me.

After being able to tear through clothes rapidly, it was a thing you wouldn't particularly care about any more. After all, we were essentially all the same.

"Jake"

Sam spoke quickly, horror filling his tone once more. Remembering basic first aid, he hastily turned his spare shirt into a sling, and gently applied it to Bella's shattered wrist. But that was not her only injury. No, she had a multitude of them we had to look after. Each one life threatening, and each could be causing my Imprint to die.

"We need to get her back to La Push, can you carry her?"

I knew that if I had been Alpha in this scenario, I wouldn't have been able to cope as well as Sam is doing now- I would have been an emotional wreck. Even he was having issues with his anger, but knew that he was putting them aside for my benefit. He was imagining if it was Emily in this condition no doubt, and he knew exactly how much pain I was in.

I nodded, unable to speak because of my anxiety. I had never been so scared before in my life- and certainly not to the extent where I couldn't speak. I carefully bent down, trying to best find the angle to pick her up from. But that was an issue, because there wasn't a single place she wasn't injured. I couldn't pick her up without causing her pain, but I couldn't leave her because she would die.

It was a miracle she hadn't already. Ignoring the stab of pain that her agonised screech sent through my heart, I sprinted at my fastest human pace towards my house, where I knew my father would be waiting. He could do something-anything- to save my Bella. I couldn't lose her, not after so long waiting, I couldn't lose my only reason for living.

Sam, Quil and Embry had arrived ahead of me, and was already describing Bella's injuries to Billy, who had Sue, Harry, and Old Quil in the same room as her. They all flinched, knowing who had exactly done this to her, and knowing that their fears weren't unfounded.

My father suffered the most, knowing that he had not done enough to protect his son's Imprint. For the same reason, the guilt bubbled up in Sam, and I was so emotionally distressed I could not even console them. Sam said, softly, breaking up the building elders tensions;

"The others are out on patrol"

They nodded, answering the unspoken question- the house would not be destroyed by a full angered wolf pack. Just the one. They began to try and treat Bella, but I felt like I was going to cry. Our bond may not be consummated, she may not know about it, but on my side it was strong, even for a half imprint. A sad crooning note emitted from my chest, a sound of extreme anguish and pain. A sound I wasn't even aware I could make.

"Jake"

Sam broke me out of my pitiful crooning, looking at me with a sad expression on his face. He had something to tell me, something that I was more then likely not going to like. But I knew that he would have Bella's best interests at heart, and that he would never break the most sacred rule of the pack: 'Never harm a Wolf's Imprint'.

And that was what Bella was to me- and he knew it. He didn't care that she had been in love with Edward, he didn't care that it was a half formed imprint. He just knew that one of his own was in pain, and that was what prompted him to try and save her to the best of his ability.

"I have to talk to you about something"

I felt my body trembling violently, and I bit my lip to try and control it. While I had the best control in the pack, the sheer anxiousness caused that to fall away like it was nothing in the first place. My inner Alpha wanted me to force Sam to submit, and my wolf was brimming close to the surface. I knew that Sam could no doubt feel the sheer will to dominate coming out of me, and was no doubt fighting his own instincts to submit.

"Jake"

Quil warned, reminding me that I had to try and cool it. Once I had Alpha position, there was a high chance that Sam wouldn't be able to force me to submit, forcing me to stay as Alpha, which I didn't want. Not yet anyway.

My body continued to violently shake, and I went outside, disregarding the pain that I felt staying away from Bella in her time of need. I needed to hold myself together so I could hear what Sam needed to say. It may regard my Imprint's life.

"We know how you feel-"

While it was Embry's attempt to calm me down, the simple suggestion set my wolf into another growling frenzy. How could he even suggest that he knew what Bella was going through. He hadn't even imprinted yet! I could feel the vibrations even faster now, and I was only barely resisting the urge to phase.

No doubt Sam could tell, because he tried to calm me down, which only slightly worked. Quil slapped him on the back of the head, a complete 180 from their usual attitude. Usually it was the other way around.

"How could you know?! You haven't even imprinted! Your imprint has not been through this kind of pain by a Leech!"

I growled, causing Embry to tilt his neck up in an act of submission. It didn't do much to appease my wolf, but I managed not to tear into him. The shaking still hadn't ceased, and they had seen how volatile I was currently, attempting to hold on to my human shape.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood- whether they were my teeth or the wolf's I couldn't know. I wanted to mutter an apology, but I couldn't. I was too heated up. And no, that wasn't a pun.

"Jacob. Calm"

Sam tried to place an injunction on me, in an attempt to restrict me from going apeshit crazy. It didn't do much, but I lacked the resolve to shatter the injunction- even though I could. Both me and my wolf knew that. I looked at Sam with narrowed eyes, and they lacked his characteristic confidence.

His eyes were filled with the urge to submit to the Alpha, while mine were filled with the urge to dominate. It was an urge that when it got heated, I struggled to contain. Sam's wolf would never be able to be an Alpha- any wolf could realise it. He lacked the bloodline, the ability to be one- he would always be a Beta.

He paused, swallowing, before he tried to figure out how to explain something to me. And I hoped he would hurry up because I was beginning to lose what little control I had.

"She..she's not going to survive...human."

I lost it. I'm not ashamed to admit it. My human skin burst, tatters of the little clothing I had floating down around me. Sam quickly phased upon seeing that I wouldn't be able to phase back anytime soon. Sam flinched upon seeing the pure rage and anguish that flooded through me, but stood steadfast and tried to explain his train of thought.

"There's an old Quiluette legend. Legends say that the blood of an Alpha and a Beta combined, have increased healing abilities. Not much is known about the Legend, nor is there any recorded incidents of where this was used, but I figured you would like to know all options."

I knew that I wouldn't be able to phase back anytime soon, regardless of how Bella was. She had to live- I would do anything to keep her alive. Anything. I looked at Sam's form, who was sitting while I paced anxiously back and forwards, my tail swishing backwards and forwards aggressively. My wolf was coming incredibly close to taking control, and we didn't need that.

Realising that pacing was just making both me and Sam more anxious, I laid down and put my head on my paws. I encouraged Sam to go on with what little he knew, as he remained a cautious distance away from me. He knew that a simple misstep would cause my wolf to lunge towards him and tear at his flank.

"Other than that, I can't say we know much more. Harry and Billy are combing the legends thoroughly, but we might not have time for them to get definite results."

It didn't take much thought to realise what he meant by we might not have the time. I couldn't even think about it because it made my heart stab with pain. Sam flinched as he felt what I felt, and regretted having a pack mind sometimes.

It caused my- the pack- to hurt with my pain. I nodded towards Sam, just as Sue came out of the door, standing against the doorway with anxiety. I backed away slowly, just in case I lost it. I didn't want to harm Sue when she was doing her best to keep my imprint alive.

"I've done all I can..but without an intervention..she has a low...chance of survival."

She looked at me both anxiously and remorsefully, as my paws dug deep into the dirt. I would not lose it. My imprint would not die. It would not happen. I would save my imprint. Even if she had to try this so called legend. I nodded my head towards Sam. I would not risk my imprint's life. We would do it.

Sam nodded, and quickly phased back as Embry went indoors. Quil approached me, and asked if he could stroke my back. An attempt to calm me down, he said. I nodded and he sat next to me, attempting to keep me calmer. The simple act of him running his hands through my thick fur was helping me to keep a hold of my human side, calming the wolf down and reducing the chances it would tear into whatever it saw.

It was working to an extent. Embry quickly passed Sam a knife, and gave him a small sterilised bowl. Knife in the same hand, he clenched his fist, causing a gash to appear. He bled into the bowl, before bringing it over to me, asking for my left forepaw. I handed it to him, and he quickly sliced across my upper paw, letting the blood also drain into the bowl.

I followed him inside, and curled up near Bella, refusing to leave her side. Sam handed Sue the bowl, as she nodded, and quickly left with it. I didn't know what she was doing but she'd better do it fast.

My Imprint was on the line.

She came back a few minutes later, and I kept one eye on her as I stayed curled up protectively at Bella's bed. No enemy would get past me. I would keep her safe as the Bloodsucker failed to do. It was nice that the pack mind was quiet, Paul and Jared leaving me to my own thoughts and intent to murder.

"Can I have his leg?"

"I'll take the Bastard's di-"

Jared nipped at Paul's leg as they continued to run patrol, before the pack mind subsided into silence once more. Paul's eager vengeance for Bella was surprising, considering how much he hated her at the beginning. But something seemed to have changed..was it because of what the Bloodsucker had done to her. In the forest?

A grudging quiet affirmation was the response to my thoughts, along with the echoing sentiments of un-justness, and how she didn't deserve that. Sue poured the blood into a small but thin needle, and I knew that Bella would be flinching if she was awake. But she wasn't..and the sad feeling of that encompassed me. Sue turned back towards me as she softly jabbed the needle into her arm. Her eyes were just asking for permission, and I nodded, as I uncurled and got up from my position.

I nudged into her leg, and she reached down and patted my head softly. She put her hand on the plunger, and pushed it in, and all I could smell was the copper smell of blood, accompanied by Bella's scent. I curled back up to the side of Bella this time, and nudged at Bella's hand, where it spayed limply over the bed. It twitched for a slight moment, before completely relaxing, back to it's lifeless state once more.

Despite the reassurances that it would definitely heal her, I was still anxious. Could it have negative side effects? Could it ultimately kill her? Would it turn her into some sort of mutant? I was worrying out of my mind, whining pitifully. I brushed my head against her limp hand, looking for some sort of response- even though I wasn't expecting one.

And true enough, there was no response from her hand, not even a twitch. I had the sudden urge to howl- but I didn't want to do it so close to Bella, because it could damage her ears. But I also didn't want to leave Bella- she was fragile and unprotected in this state. As if Sue heard my thoughts, she came back in, holding Bella's favourite book, Wuthering Heights. How she knew that and how she had a copy I wouldn't know- but I didn't care.

"Go Jacob- I'll be here while you're gone."

Nodding, I walked out, tossing a backwards glance at the still form of my Imprint. Sue made a shooing motion, and I strolled outside, running a short distance into the forest. I didn't want to go too far, but I didn't want to stay in the forest. I sat on my haunches, and looked up into the deep dark sky.

I threw back my head, and howled loudly into the sky, letting out a howl of mourning, of worry, and anguish as it all faded away. It still lingered but not to the extent it was prior. A howl wasn't going to get rid of my emotions, but it helped control them. Soon enough, nine other wolves joined my chorus, some of the howls sounding more human like then others.

The symphony echoed for a few moments, before I turned tail and headed back to my Imprint, the fear of leaving her unprotected coming to me once more.

Key

Bold - Injunction

Bold Italics - Pack Speech

Just Italics - Thoughts

Author's Note

So...after much deliberation, I changed my mind about the update schedule of Bloodmoon. Rather than uploading a new chapter at the same time as I upload the new chapter for my AC story, I would update Bloodmoon on Thursdays, and keep the normal update schedule of Sunday for my AC story. So...sorry Cuteballerina13 , I guess I lied about when the next chapter would be. My bad. It was a spontaneous change, so to speak.

Annnnddd my exams are looming ever closer, just like the eventual end point for EIT-NIP. Although there is a much longer timeframe for that. And as it looms closer, I'm beginning to panic. So...that's fun. On another note, I have gotten really into Spider-Man PS4, so much so that I have 100% the main campaign and the first two DLC's. I haven't quite finished Silver Lining yet, but I'm enjoying it all the same. Those guys with the bloody miniguns...grrrr...

Speaking of which, who's hyped for ENDGAME?! I know I am. I can't wait to see where they go with it, and who lives and who dies. And some part of me wants to see Stan Lee's last cameo...rest in peace. Despite this, I am somewhat sad about the finale of the Avengers, because while it has lived a long course, it is the longest running, most successful, superhero movies ever. Hands down.

Anyway, I've got to go. I'm working on drawing something on my computer as a bit of fan art...well...illustrated art. I can't be a fan of my own work now, can I?

Have a nice week as per usual, and see you all on Sunday!

Edit Notes, 28/5/19 - Fixed paragraph issues, typos, and general format.

~Cait