CHAPTER FIFTY- NINE

(JPOV)

I waited until Bella was fast asleep before leaving her house, trying not to make a sound as I climbed out her window and headed for the woods. I had told Rana that I would come find her when I got Bella settled and I intended to keep my promise to her. I was concerned for her safety with the pack now aware of her and no doubt, keeping a closeful eye on her whereabouts.

Bella was terrified after we returned with the pregnancy test, her fear nearly palpable over the result and while I understood it, I didn't exactly share it. The truth was, I had always wanted a family of my own and while the timing was a lot sooner than I had envisioned for us, that didn't mean I wasn't happy about the possibility of starting that family with her now. I had loved her since we were kids and there was no one else I wanted to grow old with- imprint or not. Bella was where my heart belonged. She always had been.

I had assumed she would be eager to take the test and get it over with, but when we reached the top of the stairs, she told me she wanted to wait. I was surprised but could see how the anxiety over it all had really drained her. She still didn't have all her strength back and needed more rest. I had laid with her till her eyes grew too heavy to keep open and I had made sure she was comfortable before taking off. I phased once I reached the tree line, and followed the trail of Rana's scent. My instincts telling me she had chosen to stay far enough away from Bella's house for good measure, knowing the threat of the pack. I ran hard and fast, not wanting to be away from Bella for too long and hoping she wouldn't wake up without me there.

I couldn't make her fear that I had left her again. She didn't deserve that.

When I approached the town line, Rana's scent became more potent and I knew she wasn't far. My eyes scanned the trees above, seeing the shadows casted all around me from the moonlights glow and waiting for her to show herself to me. A sudden howl made me snap my head up, whirling around as the packs mind linked with my own. Their accusations loud and demanding.

"How could you bring her back here? You know what a risk she poses to us!" Paul huffed, his tone arrogant.

"What the fuck, man!?" Jared added.

"How could you be so damn irresponsible? You have to think like a leader now, Jacob. That's what you are now! Remember? Sam would never-" Quil continued.

"Ease up, bro! You don't know the whole story yet. None of us know his reasoning!" Embry defended.

My head pounded as a commanding baritone cut in through the rest of their thoughts.

"Jacob! You need to meet us. Now!" Sam demanded, his tone sounding lethal enough for me to change the course of my direction and head straight for the lumber yard. I knew they would all be waiting there for me when I arrived.

It didn't take long for me to get there and the chatter continued along the way. Some of the comments making me angry at their doubt placed in me now. Quil was the first to approach me, his wolf form sauntering up to me in a hurry.

I brushed past him, seeing Sam now standing in the middle of them all. Leah growled to Paul, snapping at him and coming to stand next to me.

"You all are acting like jerks! Stop being such assholes! Jacob doesn't deserve your disrespect or your cruel comments!" She barked, nudging into me as a sign of support. I glanced over to her, seeing her wolf gaze meet mine as Sam asserted himself.

"This is not about disrespect Leah! He brought one of them back here with him. We have a right to know why. It's our duty to protect our land and we can't do that when he keeps information from us like this." Sam huffed, approaching me further. "I am glad you have returned home and that the spirit warrior is no longer-"

"She helped me. She is the reason I'm free now. That was Rana. I owe that to her." I asserted to Sam, standing up to my full height and reminding him of where his place was. "I am still Alpha of this pack."

His wolf gaze narrowed and his stance became defensive upon hearing this from me.

"Who is she to you and what do you mean she helped you? How could she-" He began in disbelief.

"Her name is Rana. She was my mothers best friend. They were like sisters. She was changed against her will years ago and she has unique abilities, Sam. She isn't like the others-"

"I don't care what abilities she has or what tie Sarah had to her at one time. She is a COLD ONE!" He yelled, stepping even closer to me and placing us nose to nose.

Leah whined beside me, sinking down under the weight of his words and causing a growl to spill from me in response.

"I won't back down from you, Sam. I respect you and appreciate all you did in my absence. But remember your place and respect my decision on this. It is not something I take lightly." I clarified to him.

"Wait- Wait just a damn minute! What the hell are you saying, Jacob? That you want to keep this bloodsucker chick around? On our land? Have you lost your mind? The council will never allow it." Paul huffed, growing more agitated than before.

"That's insane. Do we get a choice?" Quil asked. "... or are you pulling rank here?"

"Of course you get a choice." Sam clarified, his wolf gaze still narrowed. I growled to him, knowing full well what he was about to do and already hating it. "You can't expect the pack to follow you on this, Jacob. I do not support it. Not in the least. It goes against everything that we are and you know this."

"Sam- don't-" Leah protested, rising back up and glancing my way.

"There is a divide here." He continued. "... and you will all need to decide who you're following from now on. Jacob or myself."

I roared, stepping up to him in immediate protest before he could finish any further. "You WILL NOT separate us like that."

"I WILL." He countered, nudging into me as he returned my angry gaze.

"How can we choose that?" Embry asked, his tone full of sadness when he looked my way. "It wouldn't be right and we'd be divided."

"You will choose which leader you wish to follow." Sam answered, stepping slowly away from me and retreating to the other side of the lumber yard, clearly drawing a line between us.

I huffed in agitation, seeing Paul head his way first, followed by an obviously torn Quil and Jared. Seth glanced toward Sam once before running over to me and taking his place by his sister, who had remained firmly planted by my side in this.

Embry whined aloud, sinking down in the mud and glancing at us both a few times, his thoughts full of betrayal as he headed our way. He took his place beside me, his head hung low in disapproval. We were evenly split and I cringed at how weakened for defense that left both sides. This was certainly not to our advantage nor would it be to theirs.

"Sam- We can work this out." I offered, biting back the anger for the sake of the packs unity and trying to better the hostile situation any way I could.

"No, I think we can't and I am damn appalled at your willingness to divide us over a leech!"

I snarled, taking a few steps his way again. "Her name is Rana and she is not a threat to us. Not in any way. I've spent time with her. I know her and if you gave me the time to tell you more about her- to show you that she-"

"I don't reason with or try to understand their kind, Jacob. Neither should you. It is clear what we do. What we protect. I thought you had a good understanding of this!"

"I do, Sam. Protecting this land is my first priority!" I bit back, rapidly losing my temper at his hot headed ignorance. "Rana lived here her whole childhood. She was best friends with my mother from the time they were children. La' Push was her home-"

"If you truly understood, you wouldn't take the risk with her. And how do you know that she's not part of some larger coven who plans on killing us all?" He asked with a huff.

"Rana would never -"

"Are you hearing yourself right now, Jacob!? Your biased because she was close to Sarah before, but that doesn't change what she is now. What would your father think of this?" Sam snapped in return to me.

"He would trust my judgement, Sam! Just like you should! And my father knew Rana."

"Billy remembers her? How did she become one of the cold ones?" Paul asked, raising his head to meet my wolf gaze.

"She met someone- He changed her. But it was against her will. She never asked for it or desired it." I explained, seeing the doubtful and revulsive looks they now wore.

"The solution to this is simple." Jared huffed in agitation. "We find her and we destroy her before she can harm anyone."

I snarled, glaring at him for his remark.

"Let me tell you about her... about her abilities Sam. She's- gifted. She comes from a long line of witches and her spell is what helped me." I hedged, trying to make him see reason.

He went silent at this, his wolf eyes widening some from my response.

"You shouldn't have brought her back with you without consulting us first. It was wrong of you, Jacob... and now you'll pay the price, because we're divided on the decision of allowing her to stay and this makes us all weakened in our line of defenses. If something happens and she attacks a human - their blood will be on your hands!"

I watched him as he turned from us then, taking Quil, Paul and Jared with him.

A/N: Another Update my awesome readers! Please review and tell me what you think of the packs reaction to Rana! Look for another chapter tomorrow :-)