Thanks to my beta, Kate Pedroso. She works very hard for me while still writing her own story. And many thanks to the few of you who review, you don't know how much it means to me to hear how my story effects those who read it. I hope you continue.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer and her Twilight series. Stephenie, I hope I did Jacob justice.

"Damnit," I voiced out loud. Quil and Embry looked at me, then ahead to the entrance. They stiffened automatically but followed us into the hospital. Carlisle Cullen was standing just inside the doorway with a small, welcoming smile on his face. He was standing still and tall. He looked as if he should be playing a doctor on TV rather than being one in real life.

Billy looked up at me with a confused expression. "What's wrong?" I nodded forward towards the door and Billy saw Dr. Cullen waiting for us inside. "I'm fine; we should just go home," he said grimly.

"Oh, Dad, relax," I said, rolling my eyes in exasperation. "He's not going to bite you." I said this with a smirk, the sarcasm dripping from my words. I didn't even bother lowering my voice since I knew no one would get the double meaning.

"Hush yourself, Jake," he warned. I knew Billy was grateful for the time Carlisle took looking after me when I was hurt, but I was sure he wasn't comfortable being treated by the vampire himself.

Carlisle smiled and stepped forward to the gurney as we walked by. "Mr. Black, good to see you again. I just wish it were under better circumstances." He reached out to shake Billy's hand. Billy grudgingly shook it and pulled his hand back as soon as possible. "Sam called ahead to let us know you were coming in. Lets get you back and take a look at your leg."

A nurse wheeled the gurney back into an empty examination room, quickly took Billy's vital signs, and left. Carlisle stood next to the gurney and went to pull the makeshift bandage back. Billy stiffened automatically. The look on his face made it seem like he was contemplating making a run for it. Quil, Embry, and I all watched Carlisle carefully.

"Relax, gentlemen," Carlisle said softly with a chuckle. He looked at us all, trying to put us at ease. "I have been doing this for a very long time and I know how to control myself." He looked at me and I nodded once for him to continue. He pulled back the bandage and the blood continued to ooze, though at a much slower rate than before. The towel was now soaked red. Carlisle's perfectly smooth brow furrowed. "Hmmm, this looks pretty deep. I am definitely going to have to close this up. Please excuse me for a moment." He got up gracefully and left the room.

Quil let out the breath he had been holding. "This just seems…wrong. I feel like he's going to sink his teeth into Billy any second," he said with a shudder.

Embry just watched me carefully. I shook my head. "I don't like being here any more than you guys do, but he isn't going to do anything like that. As much as I hate the thought of putting this kind of trust in a vampire, Carlisle isn't like the stories; he's not like other vampires. He isn't going to hurt Billy like that." They looked at me as if I'd gone over to the dark side. "Look guys, it isn't like we have any other options at the moment. What do you want me to do? He needs stitches, we're here. Carlisle is the best doctor here, even if we don't like it." I stood tall, daring them to contradict me.

They looked away. "Maybe we should step outside," Quil said. "We'll sit in the waiting room with Sue and Charlie." With that they left.

I sighed, feeling as if I'd just taken Carlisle's side over my best friends, even though I know it wasn't the case. I sat down on a nearby stool and leaned back, running my hands through my hair. I felt very tired all of a sudden.

Carlisle returned to the room alone with an armful of supplies. "How are you feeling these days, Jacob?" he asked while sorting and opening the items in front of him.

"As good as can be expected." I didn't intend to get into a full blown conversation with him if I didn't have to. The quicker we could get out of here, the better. "All healed."

"I am very glad." He looked at me with a sincere smile, and I had to look away. Part of me would always be grateful for what he did for me; but it didn't change what he was.

Carlisle filled a syringe with a clear liquid and then brought a rolling stool to sit next to Billy. "It's too bad you do not have the same healing properties, Mr. Black. This will feel like a bee sting, but it will numb you." He started injecting the fluid from the syringe into the area around the cut. I started to tune Carlisle out as he asked questions about Billy's medical history. His hands moved swiftly and smoothly and Billy gasped. It was a good thing there wasn't a nurse in the room, because he motions were starting to blur. "I'm sorry. I wanted to be able to talk for a minute when I'm done. It's why I did not ask a nurse to assist. Am I hurting you?" Billy shook his head. He gave us discharge instructions as he worked. "…and just remember to keep the stitches clean, Mr. Black, so that you avoid infection."

He bandaged the leg, disposed of his gloves and washed his hands. Then he sat back down on the stool to face both of us. His expression was serious now but also…weary in a way. "Though I wish you were not here under these particular circumstances, Mr. Black, there was something that we were going to contact you about soon. I realize that you are the chief elder and, therefore, the person I need to talk to."

I looked at him, and then Billy. I was confused. Why did he want to talk to Billy? Billy looked at him as if he knew what Carlisle was going to say. "You want to discuss the conditions of the treaty."

Carlisle nodded, and all of a sudden I understood. He wanted to discuss Bella being turned and how it would affect the treaty. Anger surged through my body like a jolt of electricity. I couldn't help it; I growled. Carlisle looked at me then, no fear in his golden eyes, but rather a look of compassion. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and pressed his hands together. "Jacob, I truly am sorry. I know it is a topic you would rather not discuss, let alone have it actually happen; but we must. I do not want this to be the end of our co existence. I don't want this to become a war."

"It's simple; don't break the rules," I said in a gruff voice. "You vowed that you would never turn another human. You made the rules, you follow them!" My body crouched over the stool. I was afraid I was going to lunge at Carlisle involuntarily so I stood up and started to pace. I felt my hands start to shake but I willed myself to calm down. This was the last place that I needed to lose control.

"Keep your voice down, Jake," Billy said calmly before speaking to Carlisle. "This is something that will have to be discussed with Quil and Sue as well as the pack. This is not something that can be decided by me alone." I was stunned into stillness. I slowly turned on my heel to look at him.

"You can't be serious, Dad! You are actually going to discuss changing the terms with them?!" My breath started coming faster and faster. My head started to pound and I could feel the fury slide down my spine. The red haze started to cover my vision and I could tell my shape was blurring. I turned around and rested my forehead against the wall. Focus, focus, focus. The cool sensation of the wall helped, as did the silence behind me. I waited to turn around until I was calm once more.

I turned around to see Carlisle standing next to Billy, almost blocking him from my view. I looked at him in shock. He thinks HE needs to protect Billy from ME? This can't be happening. What alternate universe have I just stepped into?! It ruined my concentration and I had to get out of there.

I opened the door with so much force that it nearly tore it from its hinges. In a few swift strides I was in the waiting room, headed towards the exit. I could see Quil and Embry waiting for me. Charlie and Sue looked up with startled expressions, but I wasn't about to give explanations. My wolf brothers put their heads together quickly and Embry followed me out. He didn't say a word but ran behind me as I made my way as fast as humanly possible to the forest that bordered the rear of the hospital.

Once we were far enough in for complete privacy I howled in rage and balled my hands into fists. I punched the tree nearest to me again and again and again until it cracked under my hands and fell to the ground. I then proceeded to pulverize it into sawdust to vent my anger and frustration. Every punch that I threw, I pictured his face…Edward's face. It was for everything he had done and everything he planned on doing.

When there was nothing left of the tree I looked up at the sky, feeling a sense of release and calm. I sat down and stared at the ground. Embry sat down beside me.

"What happened, man?"

I took a deep breath. "Cullen wants to meet to discuss renegotiating the treaty." Even with that short sentence I could feel the rage flicker inside.

"Really," Embry said, though he didn't sound surprised.

"Yeah, and you know what? Billy seemed like he was expecting it."

Embry thought about that for a second. "Well, it would make sense. This whole thing with Bella isn't a spur of the moment event, Jake. They're getting married; she wants to become one of them. The leeches made an agreement never to turn anyone again so that creates a problem. But…is the agreement still in effect for someone who asks for it willingly?" It was a rhetorical question and he didn't expect an answer, but I gave him one anyway.

"Of course it is, damnit! They made an agreement to never turn anyone ever again," I said, emphasizing the last part of my statement. Why isn't he as angry about this as I am? He hates the bloodsuckers just as much as the rest of them. Confusion was now added to my frustration with the subject. "It's easy; they want to do this, then they better accept the consequences and prepare for war."

"Would you really want to fight them, Jake? To kill them?"

I was astounded. "WHAT? Are you telling me you wouldn't want to fight them??"

"Oh no man, under other circumstances I'd love a good fight; but I'm wondering if, in the end, it would really be something YOU would want." He was getting at something, but I didn't know what.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me. I'd take Edward's head in a second if I could." I'd pictured it over and over…and over again. I'd planned more attacks than I could count, and I relished each and every time I ripped his head from his body in those thoughts.

He just looked at me, waiting; willing me to see where he was going with his logic. When I didn't respond he revealed his train of thought. "Even if it means hurting Bella… and leaving her alone as a vampire forever? She would have nowhere to turn, Jake. Sure, some of the leeches would probably survive, but if Edward died would it matter to her if she survived or not? You know none of us would touch her, yourself included. Vampire or not she means too much to you. So what would you leave her with?"

My blood ran cold. I could picture Bella doing exactly what Edward had done when he heard Bella was dead. No. I could see her trying to find a way to die. No! She can't do that, she wouldn't do that! Nausea washed over me at the thought. The unwanted visual of Bella being ripped apart was too much to handle. NO!! "Oh god." With that I leaned over and let the nausea overtake me.

Embry waited patiently by until my retching stopped. "I see that you got my point." All I could do was nod as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "But seriously Jake; what did you think was going to happen after she is changed? Did you honestly think we were going to take down the coven?"

I sat there for a moment. What did I think was going to happen? "I think…I don't know." It was so hard to put into words all the thoughts that had flashed through my mind. "All I can think about lately is that last day she came to visit me. As much as I promised her that I would stay out of the way, I know part of me, no matter how small, still has hope Embry." I looked into his eyes, pleading with him to understand where I was coming from. "And the wedding would be the absolute end to that hope. There is nothing after that. It's like a brick wall my thoughts either can't or won't work past. I've tried to think about after…when she's…but I don't know how. We tried to talk about it once. But how can we be friends? And even if it is possible that vampires and werewolves can stand each other enough for that…can someone be just friends with someone they love so deeply?" I looked at Embry for answers I knew he wouldn't be able to give me.

"I don't know, Jake. Just remember that we are all here. We care about Bella too. It makes me sad that she is choosing this future over a full human life, but being that she is in the position she is…and don't tell anyone this or I'll kick your ass…I can understand that she is choosing to be a vampire."

My eyes bugged out of my head as I looked at him incredulously. Is he serious? "Have you gone fucking insane?"

Embry rolled his eyes and muttered, "I knew you wouldn't wait to hear me out."

"No, no please go on, because if you can help me understand this any better I'm all for it."

"First off, she chose him, Jake. If it is going to work she'd have to change. It wouldn't make sense to stay human and still live the rest of your life with a coven of vampires. There would be too much suspicion and too much danger. You know Bella, danger magnet, right?" He shoved me in the shoulder. I worked up a weak smile for his sake, but it didn't reach my eyes. "Look at all that has happened to her in the last two years. I'm amazed she survived it all. Besides that, you haven't imprinted on her. So if she had decided to stay with you, your future with her would probably be less secure than even the most average human relationship. Any other relationship the man or woman might leave because they aren't in love anymore; but it would be a choice. And with you…you might have unwillingly imprinted one day and left her even though you still love her. Then what is she supposed to do? End up bitter like Leah?"

The thought of the feelings Leah lived with from day to day made me realize that Embry was right, even if I didn't like it.

"Arrrgh." I fell back and lay down in the grass, looking up at the late afternoon sky. "This is just one more thing that is going to go HIS way, you know? It's like all his pieces are falling right into place and mine are all falling apartWhy can't life be easy…and when the hell did you get so smart?"

I saw him smirk and look at me out of the corner of his eye as he shrugged. "I don't show this side. It would increase your expectations of me." I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing and Embry quickly joined in. He patted my leg. "We'd better get back to the hospital. I'm sure Charlie, Sue and Quil took Billy home by now. I told Quil to leave the truck behind for us."

"Good thinking." We got up and started to make our way back the way we came.

"I've got my moments. Now…let's get back to the food."

I grinned and shook my head. "Now there's the Embry we all know and love."

A/N: I've had well over a thousand hits on my story and I have quite a few people on alert...and still only 36 reviews. That is quite depressing. I would appreciate it if you would leave a message after you're done reading. We all know it takes less time to review than to actually read it so please take the time. I've worked my way through an extreme case of writer's block to continue the next couple chapters. Let me know it was worth it!