Cara:

After three days of school in Forks, Washington, the dreams started. Blurred, confusing images that swirled around in my mind. As far as I could tell, they weren't connected, just random thoughts.

But they weren't my own.

At first, I was alone, standing in a dark room. Probably a basement. The darkness was so still, so empty. It crept under my skin and sent shivers down my spine. But then, the scene shifted. I was at a fork in the road, one path leading to obvious safety- the way was paved with light and flowers- and the other was more ominous. I didn't want to go down that way, but my feet moved on their own. The shadows seemed to move.

One step. Before I could take another, the world was whizzing by too fast to be normal. Even for me. The trees were a blur, my feet barely hit the ground. My heart started hammering against my rib cage, I couldn't control my dream self.

A heavy mist, too thick to be fog, covers everything and I stop moving. Frozen in time. I heard voices but I couldn't quite make out the words. Were they speaking to me? To each other?

And that's when I'd hear my name. Spoken over and over again until I'm afraid I'll go crazy trying to find the person calling me. Cara… Cara…

"Cara… Cara? Cara!" with a shout, I fell out of bed, sheets twisted hopelessly around my ankles. My hand sprawled for the desk but I only managed to knock over my alarm clock, which hit me on the head.

"Ouch…" I mumbled. There was a familiar chuckle from above me and I looked up to glare at my boyfriend.

"Sorry, here" Jacob helped me up, fighting a smile. It was dark outside my bedroom window, the sky oddly clear and blue. My fallen- and painful- clock read 1A.M.

Jake sat on the corner of my bed as I bustled about, getting ready. Excitement started to bubble up inside me. It was my first night on "watch" as an official member of the Pack. There wasn't a ceremony or anything like that, just silent acknowledgement that I was a werewolf too and it only made sense that I join.

I dressed in my sweats, ready for a long night of prowling the dark woods in my Were form. I was still dreading the Pack Mind, but it was getting better, steadily. And tonight it would just be me and Jake.

Sprawled across my bed, in his usual attire of cut off shorts- period- Jake hummed a song I didn't know, his eyes closed. He had climbed in my window which he had left wide open. Hopefully, my dad wouldn't take it upon himself to investigate the sudden draft and come in.

"Alright, ready" I said and he studied me with one eye. A slow smile crept across his face as he stood. In two strides, his arms were around me, his lips on mine. Instantly breathless, I sighed into the kiss, bringing my arms around his neck.

A sudden creak from the hall sent us flying apart and Jake out the window. I rushed under the covers and counted to ten, steadying my breathing. Just as I suspected, Dad creaked the door open, poking his head in. He saw I was awake and came in.

"Hey, kiddo… you feeling okay?" I held my breath as he went to the window and closed it quietly.

"Just a little stuffy… I might have a cold"

"Oh… I better stay away then! I'm going to a big baseball game in Seattle this weekend" Dad, always the kid. His life consisted of work, sports, me, sports, sleep, food and sports. For the moment though, I'd relish my good fortune.

"Oh, yeah, don't want to miss that. Good night, Dad" Without another word, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. I'm not sure if it worked, but he's not exactly a master of perception. As soon as the door closed, I jumped up, slid my chair under the handle- a delay just in case- and hopped out the window, shutting it behind me.

"Jake?" I whispered, peering into the dark trees. There, hidden a little further in was a russet colored wolf, tongue lolling out in a wolfy grin. In seconds, I was shifting, exchanging hands for paws, skin for fur.

Jake:

Having Cara beside me made my shift that much better. Usually, I'm left gnawing on my own tail. It also helped that there was actually a good reason for doing shifts instead of just running them for sake of running them.

So, this is what you do all night. Cara's voice popped into my head and for a second, I was seeing through her eyes. Closer to the ground and with fiercer angles. I shook my head and blocked out her vision.

Isn't it exciting?-Oh, I can hardly contain it! Wow! Was that a rock?

I let out a hoarse, wheezing laugh and my shoulder brushed hers. There was a second of extra warmth, but it faded back to normal. The leaves of trees rustled in the wind, animals scurried around, desperate to get out of our way.

A sudden, strong wind carried to us and the fur on my back stood on end. Vampire. I'd know that scent anywhere, the smell of the dead mingled with the metallic tang of mixed blood. It was disgusting.

What is that?-Careful, its one of them-Them being…-yeah. Stay by me. Her fear rushed over me and for a second I got caught up in it, before pushing it down. Sometimes the Pack Mind can really get in the way.

Crouching low, we crept through the trees, searching and waiting for any sign. I wasn't expecting to actually have anything happen, that's why I took Cara along. But if this was the guy who killed Charlie, we may need some back up.

I spun as a twig snapped behind us and could just see something too pale blur away. Adrenaline started pumping in my veins as I thought of chasing him down. Tearing him apart. The instinct of hunting down the enemy filling me with intensity.

But first, I had to take care of Cara. It wasn't a scent I knew and that could only mean danger.

Listen carefully. I need you to run to Sam's place, as fast as you can, got it? Don't stop for anything, just run- What about-Just go!

After a split second of hesitation, she turned and rocketed through the trees, the leaves on the ground barely stirring. My heart started hammering, my breathing became ragged. Another gust of wind carried the scent back, coming from a different side. He was circling.

I could hear him now, his quick feet barely padding against the forest floor. I crouched so low to the ground I could have been laying there and closed my eyes, listening carefully. No heartbeat, no breathing. Just the occasional footfall. He made his way around me and I waited a few laps, timing it perfectly. I had one shot.

Behind… in front…. Left…. In front… right… behind… left…. It was erratic and hectic but at just the right time, I pounced.

My body hit something as cold and hard as stone and sent us flying. We came tumbling to the ground, snarling and growling. In seconds we were standing and facing each other. His hair was almost white it was so blonde, his eyes glowing red. His clothes were tattered and dirty but there was no time to judge what he looked like.

"Quite while you're ahead, little wolf. I may just let you live for two extra minutes" He said, his voice a low whisper. There was a spot of blood on his collar bone and for a sickening second it occurred to me that it could belong to Charlie.

That anger pushed me forward, gave me extra determination to finish this early. I wouldn't let it get out of hand like those vampires did last year. It wouldn't turn into a war. Just a battle.

Claws out, I tore at his limbs, trying to tear him apart. His dodged easily but not before I got a good swipe at his stomach. His shirt became even more shredded, but the skin underneath was perfect. He lunged for my back as I charged for his throat and we met mid air, crashing to the floor. He landed on his arm with a sickening crack and it came up mangled and useless.

"Luck" He sneered and before I could even see what he was planning, he was behind me, the trunk of a young tree in hand, the roots dangling. It came flying through the air and hit me in the side, sending my flying.

I hit a huge old birch tree and hit the ground in a crumpled mass. The pain was unbearable. I knew I had a few broken ribs- the crunch told me that- I could feel warm blood trickling down my face. Before I could take a good breath, I was lifted off the ground and thrown to the ground, landing on my left paw.

The world started to fade, colors began to blur and still, I tried to stand and face him. Stupid, Jake. Stupid. I couldn't take him! Why couldn't I just accept that and wait for help?

The vampire chuckled, low and deadly and I realized… help wouldn't come fast enough. Not fast enough to beat a vampire to a death blow. Actual fear filled me and I felt suddenly cold.

Cara? I sent out a mental call. I could feel her, not far away with Sam and Jared. Not far away… but not close enough.

We're coming Jake, hold tight. Yeah, easy for him to say, he wasn't the one being tossed around like a human rag doll. That tingling feeling that signified the change traveled down my spine and a minute later, I was human Jacob. Naked in the woods with a deadly vampire hovering over me, ready to flat line me.

He crouched low over me, a grin revealing pointed teeth. For a second, Bella's face flashed before my eyes. She could do what he was doing. She could be him, hunting down some innocent creature somewhere. The thought made me sick.

He tilted my head to the side, eyeing my neck and I could even fight against it, my eyes were clouded with blood from the gash in my head. It was hard to breath cause of the broken ribs and my arm hurt so badly I wanted to puke.

But before he could really sink his teeth in and before I blacked out for good, the familiar scent of honeysuckles came to me. And in the next instant, the vampire was gone, leaving me alone in the woods as help finally arrived.