Author's Note: First, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story so far. It really does mean so much to me!

There is not very much talking in this chapter, so I hope that doesn't bother too many of you. This chapter is mainly to give you a better idea of where I'm going with this and where Jacob stands as far as his personality and view on life at this point. But, to make up for the lack of communication, there is a steamy naked Jacob scene for all of you to (hopefully) enjoy. So, well, enjoy!


Chapter 2: Meet Jacob Black

The sun has decided to show itself today, marking the first day in a long time that actually feels like spring. The birds greet the break of day with their crooning while all other wildlife rejoices and basks in the newfound warmth. The beaches will soon be crowded with eager families and teenagers hoping to catch even a glimpse of a tan while they can.

Today is an exceptional day.

A warm, yellow light filters in through the large front windows, creeping its way through the quiet house. Each crevice and crack ignites in the glow, revealing old cobwebs in the corners and months of collected dust. As the sun peaks over the crest of treetops, the light stretches itself further into the old wooden home. It splays over a worn sofa and almost brings a new life to the tattered, red cushions, while even the dirtiest glass in the sink gleams at the touch.

When it reaches the last window facing east that was only moments ago blocked by the shadow of a large elm tree, the sunlight blazes into a small bedroom. The morning luster illuminates a taut, muscular frame cloaked in umber skin. Chocolate eyes squint against the welcoming light as they adjust to the change until they flutter open to revel in the brilliance.

He hadn't slept much the night before, much like most nights. He was used to going weeks without a decent rest. So now, like most mornings, he lies on his back with his arms folded beneath his head and just stares out the window at the world outside. He could lay here for hours, half of the day even, just thinking. After all, he has led an eventful life compared to most and there is much to reminisce on.

Jacob Black.

He remembers when his name used to mean something, when his existence was actually noticed. Some feared him while others loved him. He was notorious and strong-willed, but he was also loyal to the bone and caring. He cared too much, he figured that out years ago. And now he was just a name, one that would probably be forgotten too soon.

Don't get him wrong. He isn't depressed or drowning every day in his sorrows. In fact, he is numb. He is emotionless and could care less about whatever is going on outside of his own life.

He no longer keeps friends. It's just family and his own little rogue pack. Sure they were small in numbers, but they were strong and he was a good leader. He knew this. Occasionally he and Sam would coordinate, bringing their throngs together for training camps to set the new pups straight or for a threat that could prove too large for one of their circles.

His father, Billy, was still in great health and as wise as ever. Of course he is always worrying about his son, seeing as he rarely visits, and even being just on the other end of the reservation. Jacob just finds it hard to get back into the swing of things. It's always so easy to revert back to his old self when he is around his father often. Old memories and feelings come swarming back, mainly memoirs of a broken heart, thanks to her.

Bella Swan. Or Bella Cullen, now. Jacob rarely speaks to the girl that once had his heart. His wolves still protect their family when necessary and the Cullen's are there at any time when he and his pack are in need, but it's kept to the business end of things, never pleasure. He just can't stand to look at her anymore, now that she is one of them. His heart no longer yearns and the butterflies that used to churn his stomach ceased years ago, but he can't help but feel sickened at the waste of a life. She had such a bright future and it was all thrown away, just like that.

For Edward, that pretentious prick. Though there were times Jacob considered him a friend. It seemed they had this unspoken bond, a matter of respect for each other as men and as warriors.

And now they had a real family together. As real as vampires and hybrids get, he guesses. Seven years ago Bella and Edward had a child. Little Renesmee. Jacob couldn't help but think of the girl as a little monster, but a part of him was drawn to the fact that a part of Bella, the old Bella, was inside of her. Since he rarely saw the girl, she always looked so different, considering she aged so fast. It was always so strange to him, but again, the Cullen's were nothing but business partners.

Jacob just couldn't help but question when it was his turn. He was coming up on twenty-six and there were still no prospects. He has had many women, of course, but none that he felt drawn to for more than a few nights. When he was younger, he felt so attracted to even just the idea of love. Obsessed, even, with the thought of finding his imprint. His destiny.

This was no longer the case. He was just an empty shell, feeling nothing towards anything except for the will to work and protect those he does love. Deep down, maybe at the very back corner of his mind, he wondered when he would find her, but he would no longer search for it. There were more pressing matters than his puppy love.

His life was just dull. He has nothing to show for the last five or so years except for his role to play in the pack. The alpha. He cared about nothing but leading his numbers to continued safety. That was all that matters now.

Besides the Cullen's, vampires rarely ventured into their territory anymore, so there really wasn't much need for patrolling. However, Jacob felt it was their duty to not only protect themselves and the Cullen family, but also the surrounding towns. Whether it be a vampire or just a strange, mortal newcomer that had bad news on his breath, Jacob kept his pack in shape and scheduled a patrol for every day, even if it were for just an hour.

As the sun rises further into the clear sky and the shadows settle, he remembers what had kept him up most of the night. That scent he and Embry came across at dusk. It was certainly nothing like he had ever come across in his life. Due to the unknown origin of the scent, he had called in the troops.

He and his members searched for hours, chasing this alien odor all over the forests and to the beaches and back but came up with nothing. Though he felt that no trace was found should be alarming, Jacob only felt more enticed. Who could this have been? What was it?

One thing that he could absolutely testify was the stink came from a female, but she wasn't human. She wasn't a vampire, either, but there was something in her musky aroma that just seemed so animal, and it drove him absolutely insane not knowing who or what she was. The animal within him roared vigorously for the hunt, the need to find this girl, while the man remained intrigued and alert. Who knew what kind of ghastly creature could have been dragged in with the current this time around?

Jacob rises from bed and stretches his tired body as he makes his way to the jamb in his door frame. He grips the handles in his fists and lifts his body effortlessly, over and over again, his muscles visibly contracting and expanding in his bare shoulders and back. He knows there is no need for any kind of workout, a body like his comes with the blood coursing through his veins. But the activity distracts him and it keeps him limber. It even helps pass the time some days.

Only a single bead of sweat emerges from his hair line after a satisfying amount of pull-ups. He drops to the floor and goes into a whole routine of army-style pushups and crunches, keeping his breathing steady and his eyes focused on old knots in the wood floors. The sunlight coming in through his bedroom windows ignite the curves of his brawny chest and stomach and glows with every movement he makes.

It's hard for him to actually work up a sweat with his naturally high temperature, but once his tan, unblemished skin gleams with the wet coat, he lifts himself up from the ground and makes his way to the bathroom. He removes his grey boxer briefs and starts the shower with lukewarm water before stepping in.

The water pressure is low as it collides with him, rinsing the grime and waste from his body. He steps under the stream and lets the water comb back his shoulder length sable hair. He takes a drink of the liquid as it courses down over his closed lids and finally drizzles over the curve of his lips. He grabs the bar of soap and runs it all over his naked body, lathering up the suds to scrub himself clean. His hands spread the soap from his neck to his shoulders and down each strong arm, then to his chiseled chest and across his abdomen. He reaches around to get his back then down to his thighs and in between his legs, the water following the trail closely to wash it all away.

Jacob feels refreshed now and his nose is tickled by the clean scent as he retreats from the bathroom. He makes his way into the kitchen clad in nothing but a white towel hanging low on his hips. He pours yesterdays coffee into a barely clean mug and steps out onto the front porch to greet the fresh air. It really is a beautiful day.

After he finishes his cup off coffee, he sets the empty mug on the railing and unravels the towel from around his hips, letting all of his naked glory be displayed to the open world. He takes in a deep breath then lunges forward to run towards the edge of the forest, but on all fours and in the shape of a monstrous, titian colored wolf. The ground shakes beneath his weight and the dirt from beneath his grand paws tears up in sprays as he passes.

Phasing has never been a hardship for him. Unlike most of his pack members, Jacob could phase in a matter of seconds and without the influence of specific emotions. It just came so naturally to him after his first time. This has proved to be a large advantage in many cases. However, one of the many complaints he still cannot get used to even after all of this time is the lack of privacy. He immediately feels the other wolf's presence, through whatever distance between them, and knows it to be only a matter of moments before he speaks up.

"Hey Jake, what's up?"

"Just out for a run. What are you doing out?"

"Same thing, I guess." Jacob catches the other male's visions of teenagers playfully terrorizing the beach. "Want some company?"

"No, Seth. I'm just getting in some exercise. Go have some fun at the beach."

"Alright, catch ya later bro."

After that his mind went void. The other man must have returned to human form to leave Jacob with a moment's peace, and he preferred it that way.

He keeps his pace at a canter as he moves through the colorful woods, his eyes piercing straight ahead and ears listening to everything else around him. He can hear the laughter amid the crashing waves of the beach from miles away and the natural rustle of living things within the forest. Nothing to be alarmed about. It was just him and the open air.

Suddenly, Jacob stops in his tracks, the dirt rising up like a heavy splash in the pool of earth as his paws slide against it. His nose catches the smell from last night, the one that got away. His ears prick and twitch in every direction to listen while his nose surfs the wind for the aspect of where. His mind filters through all other scents and sounds to distinguish what he seeks until he hears the humming from a woman's throat. Without taking the time to gather his thoughts he tears off towards the sound, her smell getting stronger with every long stride.

He smells the salt water and notices that her scent is leading him towards an ocean-fed estuary, its existence known by a very small handful of people due to its isolated location. When he gets closer he slows down to stalk the grounds. Better to be cautious, after all.

He comes to what he could tell to be at least a football field length's away when he sees her for the first time. The young woman before him, and so far away, is completely in the nude. He sees her bent over the edge of the pool, pulling a white article from the water and twisting the content in her hands to wring it dry. She goes about her business completely oblivious to her surroundings. As if it mattered, anyway. No one ever came here. Except for Jacob, at this moment, led by her essence.

The woman turned sharply and her eyes darted in every direction as she held her frame stiffly. Had she heard him? Jacob crouched low as the woman's breathing slowed but kept steady. Her head turned gradually as she scoured the forest and Jacob knew she was on alert, but she soon returned to her laundering. He took in the view and noticed that she was not familiar in any way.

She was slender with luscious curves and supple breasts that moved naturally as she whipped the white dress from its knots. Her black hair fell in soft waves to the middle of her back that bounced about freely as she carried on. Her heart-shaped posterior was tight and her legs were like mile long stems. Her tawny skin seemed to glow in the light of the sun. She was a vision, whatever she was. Jacob could only imagine the size of the hard-on he would don if he weren't in this form. This thought then reminded him that where this woman was doing, whatever it was, happened to be on his territory and he had a duty to uphold.

Quietly, he makes his way towards the woman when she starts to hum inaudibly. As he closes half of the gap between them he rears up onto his haunches and shrinks back into his human form. The thought of his nudity causes him to pause for a moment, but there isn't much else he can do. Besides, she's in the buff too, so maybe the common ground will ease the situation.

He sees the muscles in her back tense, indicating that she is about to turn around when he comes to about twenty yards from her. He has absolutely no idea how this can turn out or what this woman was capable of, but Jacob couldn't help the shout that bellows from his throat.

"Hey you!"

The woman turns fast to meet his gaze, her arms stiff and knees bent slightly, ready to take off at any second. Her vivid, blue eyes are wide as they take in the sight before her, raking from Jacobs head to his toes. Her lower lip quivers slightly as her jaw threatens to drop.

Jacob takes a hesitant step forward. "Who are you?" his voice is softer this time.

She doesn't answer. Her nose twitches and her chest rises as if she were taking in a sniff. Her eyes widen a little more and she lets out a quiet gasp. The white dress is dropped from her hands and before Jacob could even process her reactions she is running away, and fast.

He takes a moment to compose himself and watches as her legs carry her weight at an impressive speed. He decides for a moment that it is probably best to not partake in a naked chase with some strange woman until an unsettling change sends a chill down his spine. The woman disappears behind a tight group of trees, and emerging on the other side in her place is a large black wolf which moves away even faster.

"What the fuck?" Jacob says under his breath.

He falters for a moment, trying to refine all of the facts in his mind. He finds himself chasing after this woman, or thing, when his legs decide for him on impulse. He is thinking far from straight when he explodes into his horse-sized alter-ego and quickly catches up to the black creature trying to escape him. She picks up her speed but Jacob hadn't even been trying when he got this close, so with ease he is back at her haunches. Using all the power in his back legs he leaps forward to land with a thunderous hit to the ground and spins around, blocking her path. When she skids to a stop the wolves stare each other down.

Jacob thinks again on impulse as he sees the smaller animal lower its head and growl lowly. "Who are you?" He tries to communicate.

The female growls again and flashes her teeth, her raven fur rising between her shoulders.

"Can you hear me?" He tries again. He plants himself firmly and stands tall, looking down at the other beast, his head slightly cocked to the side in curiosity.

The female backs up a step and snarls, curling her lips back to bare all of her sharp teeth. The guttural sounds coming from her are savage and bone-chilling. Saliva gathers at the corners of her mouth as her lips move to expose even more teeth.

Jacob studies her closely and figures she is much larger than the average wolf, but still only half of his dimensions. She was even noticeably smaller than Leah, the runt of his pack. Although her size is nowhere near intimidating, her stance and her spirit is more vicious and fierce than any of his own wolves, and that was enough to terrify him. He watches as the female lowers herself and snaps her jaws with another admonishing rumble. She was ready to attack, obviously not threatened by his demeanor.

Jacob answers her with a growl of his own, but he keeps his voice low. She doesn't even flinch. He tries telepathy again. "If you can hear me, just tell me who you are. Where did you come from?" He realizes he can't even see images from her mind or hear anything of what she was thinking.

"Jake! Need some help?"

Jacob hears the urgency in Seth's voice when it reaches his mind. "No, Seth. I'll call if I need anything. Just listen for me."

"Are you sure? I can be there in five – "

"I've got it, Seth."

"Okay."

They exchange no more words but Jacob can feel his subordinate's mind which he finds as a comfort. However, he is Alpha, and this is a situation that he can, and will, get under control.

The female remains unwavering and crouches as if ready to spring. He listens to the sounds from her throat and watches her stance. He sees the same blue eyes as her human form and they gleam insistently for a fight. Jacob decides he needs to figure this out fast so he takes a few steps back and phases out of his wolf form. The growling of the other wolf ceases as he stands straight and holds his chest out assertively. He watches as the animal before him steps to the side, sweeping back and forth, a soft whine sounding from her as if she were frightened but curious.

"My name is Jacob Black," he speaks. The wolf lowers her head again and watches him tentatively. "I just need to know who you are."

He hears the wolf exhale through its nose. She stands still, just watching him. He decides he will not reveal anything about his pack to her due to her unknown origin, but he needed to know about her, what she was doing here.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but I need you to tell me what your business here is."

He watches as she seems to hesitate until, finally, the wolf molds back into the woman from the water. Her stance is anchored and confident while her eyes are questioning. She is fearless, he can smell it, and she doesn't show any interest in the fact that they are both standing feet from one another in the nude. He waits as her eyes read across his features as she rocks her jaw in contemplation.

She takes in a breath before she speaks. "My name is Sarah Compton, and I'm just passing through."

Jake feels relieved but refuses to let his imperative posture falter. "Where do you come from?"

The woman pauses for a moment as more questions brim the gleam in her eyes. "Alaska," she puts it simply.

"And you're just passing through?"

"Yes."

"Passing through to where?"

"Anywhere."

She was cooperating, but it was obvious to him that it was difficult for her to do so. Now, the curiosity was getting the best of him, so he springs the next question while ignoring the voice in his head telling him to slow down.

"What are you?"

He hears her breath hitch and her heart picks up a faster beat for a matter of seconds, but she swallows and keeps her composure. "What's it to you?" She says it confidently, and it almost has him fooled.

A hardly noticeable grin turns the corners of his lips. "I protect these lands and all of the surrounding towns. So, Sarah," he gently folds his arms in front of his chest. "I'm going to need to know what you are so I can get a better idea of what I'm up against."

The woman sucks on her lips and her eyes fall to the ground for split second. She looks nervous but Jacob just continues to stare, waiting for her answer. She opens her mouth slightly but nothing comes out and her eyes dart to the ground again as if she were searching. When those brilliant blue orbs meet his again, she looks hopeless and surrendered. And then he hears her voice, so soft and bleak that natural being would probably never hear.

"I don't know what I am."


Author's note: Well, I really hope that you all enjoyed! I know it was just a lot of rambling and whatnot, but I truly feel all of this was extremely important to the plot that I have swimming around in my head. Plus, I tend to get a little carried away with details and descriptions.

I definitely appreciate feedback and constructive criticism, so please review or leave me a private message, whichever you prefer. I just really like to know what YOU are thinking!