Jacob's POV

I couldn't help but smirk the entire time it took us to get off the leeches' property. As if Bella had punched the blonde bitch! I couldn't stop myself grinning. I had no idea as to the blonde bloodsuckers' name but she had seemed like a complete and total bitch.

And Bella had knocked the living daylights out of her.

I couldn't help but snigger. I'd heard of the volatile tempers of newborns but to see it up close and personal was, well, it was freaking awesome.

Bella looked over at me curiously. "Do I really want to know what's making you so amused?" She asks warily.

"The blonde bitch's face after you smacked her!" I chortle.

Bella doesn't laugh. "Rosalie… I shouldn't have hit her. She was acting like a bitch, but I'm a guest at their house and I've behaved appallingly."

I bite back a witty reply when I see how downcast Bella looks. "I'm sure it'll be fine. The leeches defended you pretty well in there against us. They're hardly going to kick you out." I point out.

Bella scowls. "Stop calling them leeches Jacob!"

"They drink blood, don't they?" I ask casually.

She falters. "Yes, but…"

"So do leeches." I interrupt.

"So I can call you a dog then since you share characteristics with one?" She challenges.

"I can't help what I am." I scowl at her.

"And you think we can?" I noticed that she included herself with them. "They are trying their best with the hand they've been dealt. I've seen others of our kind Jacob and not one of them are like the Cullens. None of our kind has any respect for human life!" She sounded pissed.

"Well that's pretty stupid," I mutter, "considering that you all started off human."

She glares at me. "We still are Jacob! Just a little less active in the heart department."

"Eesh," I shudder, "let's not talk about this."

"Fine." She says sullenly. "How are we getting to your house?"

I fix her with a speculative look. "Well, we could just get the bus with you covered in blood. That's a possibility." She scowls at me. "No, you're right." I grin at her unamused expression. "My good looks would only attract attention… We're running Bella. How else did you think we were going to get there?"

Bella looks uncomfortable. "Jacob, vampires are fast runners."

I laugh. "I know Bella. But we're just as fast."

Bella looks unconvinced. "Seriously, you can't outrun a vampire. We're deadly fast."

"We're designed to kill your kind Bella. How are we supposed to do that if we can't keep up?" Bella flinches and I feel guilty. "I'll prove it. Race you to my house?"

"I don't know where you live." She says hesitantly.

"La Push. But if you get lost just follow the wet dog smell." I wink at her, before taking off my jeans.

"What the hell are you doing Jacob?" Bella yells, averting her eyes.

I laugh at her. "What does it look like I'm doing Bella? I'm taking off my clothes!" I say calmly.

"I figured that part out for myself!" She screeches, still looking away. "But why?"

"Because I don't want to remain naked when I phase back." I say, rolling my eyes and tying the jeans to my ankle with the cord I take with me wherever I go. "Imagine what the neighbours would say."

Bella ignored my last statement. "Your clothes don't just appear when you… phase?" She asks, testing out the unfamiliar word.

"This isn't a fairy-tale Bells." I say sarcastically.

She looks pained. "Charlie used to call me that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realise." I say quietly, frowning at myself. What the hell was I doing? Why wasn't I just sticking with Bella, instead of a nickname? Hell, why was I even speaking to her like she was my friend? She was a bloodsucker, not the Bella I knew and remembered.

That Bella was dead.

And I'd better deal with that. I began the transformation process, letting the heat take me and leaving my conflicting thoughts behind. Everything was so much simpler when I was a wolf. I let myself go completely, my human shape, my human form as I quickly shifted into a wolf.

Bella looked at me, awe evident on her pale face. "That looks painful." She murmurs.

I shake my head so she knows I can hear and understand her although part of me is distracted. The transformation wasn't painful, more like a slight tug on muscles you didn't realise you had. It was weirdly satisfying to let myself go and I'd become very adept at changing at will.

However, I was still distracted.

Something was missing here. Something was wrong.

"You're much bigger than Paul." Bella continues quietly. "And you're russet coloured, not silver like him."

With a jolt I realised what was wrong. A whining growl slipped from my throat at the revelation. Bella did not smell like sickly bleach like the other bloodsuckers did.

In fact, she had no scent at all.

Bella frowned at my discomfort. "What's wrong Jake?" She asks instantly.

The nickname did not sound wrong coming from her lips, which unnerved me most of all. I shook my head at her and took off running to my house as fast as my legs would carry me.

/

Bella was right. Vampires are fast and Bella was faster than most as her newborn strength gave her an increased pace. But I was still faster.

I barrelled onto my property and phased into human form, pulling my jeans on before she appeared. She looked startled. "You weren't exaggerating." She says in awe. "Are all wolves that fast?"

"No, it differs like it does with your bloodsuckers. We're all fast but I'm the fastest." I tell her. "I was supposed to be the Alpha." The words just slipped out.

Bella's eyes widen. "So why aren't you?"

I had already said too much. I had to remember who Bella really was. She was the enemy. "It doesn't matter." I growl.

Bella looks surprised at my tone but doesn't comment. "So, this is your place?" She gestures to the house behind me.

"Yeah. Mine and Billy's." I tell her.

She looks panicked. "Billy? But he'll…"

"Chill Bells." I flinch when I accidentally call her that. "He's out. It's cool."

Her eyes narrow slightly. "We better be quick though. I'm sure the Cullens aren't far behind me."

"Nah." I grin widely. "The leeches aren't allowed on the land. Quileute lands belong to us; they're forbidden to go on them. It's all part of the treaty."

"If vampires aren't allowed on this land…" She begins.

I see where she's going and head her off. "The wolves uphold the treaty, so if one of us allows the blood… vampires onto our land then that's fine." I explain.

"What exactly is this treaty?" Bella asks, confusion all over her face.

"A pact that the cold ones signed. They promised not to hunt on our lands or bite a human in return for us letting them taking residence here and not revealing what they really are to the humans." I explain.

"The cold ones?" She asks, looking puzzled.

"Yeah, you're freezing. Haven't you ever noticed?" I ask sarcastically.

"Not in my eight months, no. My skin feels perfectly normal to me and so do the others." She answers thoughtfully.

"Well believe me. It's like ice." I say, shuddering at the thought.

"And let me guess," she says dryly, "your skin is the total opposite. You're hotter than the average human?"

"Thank you." I smirk at her.

She looks flustered. "I… You know that isn't what I meant."

"I know what you meant." I laugh. "And yes, it is."

"Figures." She muttered. "You would have to be the total opposite to us."

I laugh again. "Come on Bella. Let's go inside before my humour kills you. Oh wait," I smirk, "too late."

"Are you taking lessons in sarcasm?" She asks. "Because they're not really working out for you."

I shoot her a grin as I open the front door for her and she walks inside, her walk graceful. She looks around. "Nice house." She says appreciatively.

"It's kind of small." I admit. "Nothing like the bloodsucker's place."

"Yeah well, money isn't everything." She says, her tone strange. It was hard and unyielding. "And besides after eight months of living rough, anything looks good."

"You lived rough for eight months? How long have you been with the bloodsuckers?" I find myself asking. I was filled with the urge to try and change the topic onto something that didn't make her tone sound so hard.

She glances at me with her strange coloured eyes – a mix of red and golden. "A few days." She says softly.

Now it was my turn to be surprised. "That short a while?"

"Yes." She says stiffly. "You sound surprised."

"I am." I admit. "You… you seemed to fit right in with them. Like you were part of their… family."

Bella frowns, deep in thought. "They…they have welcomed me like I am part of their family. And I do want a family." She admits. "They seem perfect for me. They all agree human life is to be preserved."

"So we do." I scowl. "And is it because of the bronze haired bloodsucker that you find them so perfect?"

Bella frowns at me. "Edward? He's only part of it. I'm surprised you noticed about him actually, you seemed otherwise… preoccupied with me being a murderous newborn leech and all."

Her tone was casual but I could feel my face burning hot. Why did I sound so jealous about the mind reading leech? What he and his coven did was none of my business. "He made it pretty obvious by his protectiveness of you." I told her.

Her expression darkens. "I didn't need his protectiveness! I'm perfectly capable of defending myself." She growls.

I found myself rushing to appease her, which worried me on a subconscious level. Why was I so anxious to make her happy? "I can tell you are." I say sincerely.

Her expression lightens as she studies me. "Seems like you're the only one who does." She brushes a strand of mahogany hair behind her ear.

"You have very human mannerisms." I comment suddenly, wanting to change the subject. She was looking at me very intently.

She laughs, the same musical tinkle as before. It was strangely appealing, unlike the other bloodsuckers' musical voices which just set me on edge. I grin at her words. "I didn't die and turn into a cat. I still am human, in a way. I don't feel any different now."

The thought of her death sobers me up and I stop grinning. "Did… did it hurt?" I ask suddenly, tripping over the words.

She fixes her eyes on me. "Becoming a vampire? Yes. It was the worst pain I've ever felt. It's like being burned over and over, but the pain gets worse every time." She visibly shudders.

"Do you regret becoming a vampire?" I ask boldly, sitting down at my kitchen table. I didn't feel the need to be on guard against Bella.

"No." She says instantly. "I enjoy this new life. The freedom, the strength, the speed." I noticed she didn't say beauty. "I always thought there was something missing in my life when I was human. And besides, I wouldn't have met Edward… or you, for that matter, in these circumstances if I wasn't a vampire."

I blink in surprise. Did she really view me with such high regard? "Why did you choose not to drink human blood?" I ask quickly, wanting to change the subject. "Not that I have a problem with that, seriously, but I thought all newborns craved human blood."

"Apparently they do, but not me." She says solemnly. "I've never wanted to drink human blood, not even when I was first created but even if I had I don't think I would have been able to face the possibility of killing a human. Especially as I had been one not so long before." She looked troubled and I longed to brush the anxious expression away. I clenched my fist on the table. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I going all soft on leeches?

"Bella, you should go upstairs and get changed." I say, my voice hard. "First door to the left is mine."

Bella doesn't move as her gaze travels to my clenched fist. "What's wrong Jake?" She asks instantly.

"Don't call me that!" I snap. "You and I could never be friends so you should stop deluding yourself!"

Her eyes blaze with fury and I force myself not to show a reaction. "Oh really? I hadn't realised that was what I was doing … deluding myself. Now, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you instead of snapping at me?" I stare at her, startled at her perceptiveness and she smirks. "I'm not stupid, Jacob. I can tell something is up. What is it?" She demands.

I find myself blurting out the truth. "When I look at her I can't help but see her… the Bella you used to be when we were younger. The human Bella."

Her face softens. "I still am that Bella, Jake."

I don't yell at her tis time. "You're not." I say softly. "You're one of them. A vampire."

"And you're a werewolf… But you're still Jacob. You're still that annoying little boy who use to enjoy throwing mud pies at me." She grins, taking a seat opposite me although I knew it wasn't necessary for her.

I can't help but smile. "Who are you calling little?"

"I am technically older than you." She laughs.

"Thirteenth of September, right?" I ask and she nods, surprise in her eyes. I grin. "My general knowledge and experience makes up for the natural age difference, so technically I'm older."

"Like hell you are." She scoffs. "What experience are you referring to?"

"Bet you can't dismantle a car and put it together with your eyes blindfolded?" I smirk.

She falters. "Well no."

"Your general paleness makes you lose years too." I continue, laughing at her wounded expression.

"Like that's fair."

"My build and stamina gives me extra years too." I conclude.

"Now you're just being ridiculous." She laughs. "I need to get changed. I'm scared about getting blood on your chairs and besides," she shudders dramatically, "I hate dresses." She disappears in the next second.

"Okay, I'll give you some extra years for hating dresses!" I call after her and I hear her tinkling laugh. "You can be twenty," I say thoughtfully, "I'll be thirty-five!"

"No way!" She yells back, after a short pause. "I'm at least thirty!"

"In your dreams." I mutter.

"Well, since I can't sleep, I can't technically dream either." Bella whispers suddenly, her cool breath fanning into my ear, appearing out of nowhere.

I jump so much I fall out of my seat. She laughs so hard she has to clutch the chair for support. "What the hell Bella?" I exclaim. "That was quick!"

"I should get five years just for scaring you." She laughs and I notice that she's changed into a pair of my old jeans that were way too long for her and my favourite checked shirt that she'd rolled up at the sleeves. "And I'm a vampire, remember?" She finishes.

"Like I could forget that." I say dryly.

She smirks at me as she offers me a hand. I realise belatedly that I'm still on the floor. With only a small hesitation I take her outstretched hand and she easily pulls me to my feet. Her skin isn't as cold as I expected, instead it's smooth and rather soft.

Bella raises her eyebrows. "You weren't exaggerating about your temperature." She comments.

"I told you. I'm hot." I wink at her.

She snorts. "Alright then Jake." She says sarcastically, resuming her old seat. "So, how long have you been a werewolf?" She asks randomly. I look at her. "What?" She asks. "You can't always ask all the questions."

I find myself grinning again. "Two months."

She bites her full bottom lip. "Not that I know much about wolves because I don't but… Paul lost his temper and exploded into a wolf, you've been angry and remained human."

"Perceptive." I say approvingly. "Yes, you're right. I can only assume I'm able to control myself more than the others because of my bloodline."

"Because you were supposed to be the Alpha?" She asks. "Will you tell me about it?" She requests.

And you know what shocked me most?

I did.

/

Bella and I spoke for hours. In return for me telling her about my Alpha bloodline she had told me her creation story as simply as possible. It has shocked me and horrified me but I finally understood why she had chosen to become a vampire.

In return, I had told her what it was like to be a wolf, about imprinting, things I'd never mentioned to anyone else and in response she told me what it was like to be a vampire and to have found Edward. I found that part of the conversation irritating but I managed to keep my patience and listen.

By the time we'd finished talking I felt like I knew a lot about Bella and therefore she knew a lot about me. It felt… strangely comforting to have told everything to someone and the more I'd spoken to Bella and listened to her stories, the less I'd remembered that she was a vampire and started viewing her as more of a human.

And that scared me, because if a few hours with her had changed my mind about her, then what would any other length of time do? I was struck by the realisation that I actually wanted to spend some more time with Bella. I'd known her since we were both children and I finally felt like I was getting to know her again.

And I liked it.

Finally though, I realised that we were both avoiding the subject that really mattered. "Charlie…" I say quietly.

Bella sighs. "I know." She says, almost inaudibly. "I keep telling myself that if I don't think about him then the problem will go away."

"Oh Bells," I say quietly, "it's not going to go away. He's your dad."

"And I miss him." She admits.

I opened my mouth to reply when everything very quickly went wrong as a familiar voice floated into the kitchen. "JAKE I'M HOME! I MISSED YOU BUDDY!"

"Shit!" I curse.

For it was the voice of Billy Black, my father.