Jacob stares, dumbfounded, at the woman before him, her previous words resonating deep in his mind. "I don't know what I am." His collectedness staggers for a moment as he repeats the words and tries to think of a counter-approach. He looks to her again and sees the discomfort in her eyes. She is unsure of herself and her surroundings and he knows he must be making it worse, but none of that is a concern at this point. He needs to know everything before he can figure out what exactly to do.
"How do you not know what you are?" He asks.
Now she is beginning to look awkward. "I just don't," is her reply.
He shakes his head subtly. "That doesn't make any sense. What tribe do you belong to?"
"What are you talking about?"
"What tribe do you belong to?" he repeats a bit more heatedly. "In Alaska? I mean, that could be the only explanation -"
"Now you're the one who isn't making any sense!" she snaps, her body language is more assured. "What do you mean tribe?"
Jacob realizes he would need to explain himself further if he continues so he decides to change the topic. "Never mind. You say you're just passing through," he leaves an emphasis on the words she used. "Why here? Are you visiting family? Where are you headed?"
She sighs drastically. "I don't know."
"Do you know anything?" He can feel the anger bubbling deep in his loins as this stand off persists.
Look!" she growls and Jacob can see the raw aggression flash in her eyes. "I get the third degree, alright? I get it! But when I say I don't know, then I don't know."
Jacob watches the seething female before him. Her jaw is tight and her rich, blue eyes are locked on him. Her presence is now strong and dauntless; he can feel the change in the atmosphere. He takes in a deep breath to calm himself, letting his shoulders fall as his lungs push out the air.
"I'm just trying to figure you out. I have the right." He states as calmly as he can.
The woman scoffs. "The right? Listen, asshole. I don't even understand what I've done wrong. I was just minding my own business when -"
"I told you I protect these lands!" His voice rises as he cuts her off. "This is my territory, and yes, I have the right to know who and what 'passes' through here." He finishes in a mocking tone.
Sarah crosses her arms firmly over her chest and grinds her teeth. "Fine then. What are you?"
Jacob finds himself caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
What happened to this woman? Upon first approach she was timid and inarticulate. Now he can smell the animosity radiating from her and she was rendering him speechless. She was absolutely wild, like some kind of feral beast on the loose.
"Well, we're not talking about me." He tries.
"I'm curious." A devious grin turns her lips. "You're so adamant about knowing me, so it's only fair that I know you, and what -" she leans forward to accentuate the meaning. "You are."
"I'm not answering that." He states defiantly.
She drops her arms and deliberately points a finger at him. "You don't cooperate? Neither do I. I'll just leave your precious territory and we can forget this happened, alright?" She turns around and begins to walk away.
"Wait!" the word parts his lips before Jacob can even think. However, it works. She stops but doesn't turn around. He sighs exasperatedly and makes his way towards the woman, stopping within a few yards behind her.
"Listen, this kind of shit never happens around here. We -" he stops himself. "I wasn't prepared for… you. And I didn't mean to lose my temper. I just need to treat every stranger like a threat unless I know the whole story." He pauses to let her soak his words in. When she doesn't move and he can hear her heart beat slowing he finishes. "Can we start over?"
She clears her throat with exaggeration but keeps her back turned to him.
Jacob rolls his eyes. "Please," he says through gritted teeth.
Sarah turns around to face him, her demeanor is softer. In their close proximity Jacob can see the intensity in her blue eyes. They are breathtaking and exotic and beyond comparison to anything he has ever known. He lets himself get lost for just a moment then fights his own site from moving further down. Due to the sudden change in mood he knows he would openly devour her exposed body with his eyes in appreciation.
Sarah seems more collected than him as she just studies his face until she speaks. "Tell me what you are."
"I already told you too much just by showing you." Jacob answers.
"How do you think I feel?" she retorts delicately. "I've never… You weren't supposed to see this."
"It's kind of hard to miss," he laughs but cuts it short. It's not the time for play he chides himself.
Their eyes meet again when Sarah lifts her gaze, her brow rises in scrutiny. "You think I don't know that? I just recognized your smell from last night and I freaked, so I ran. I happen to be a lot faster on all fours."
"But not fast enough." There he goes again with the jokes. What the hell?
Her brow quirks again and he doesn't lay any blame. He doesn't even know what exactly he is doing. He watches as her eyes continue to search through his and he catches a glimpse of a new emotion, or a new thought. She looks lost and uncertain and this only piques his interest more.
"Sarah, why are you here?"
"I'm running."
He didn't expect such a blunt answer and this causes his thoughts to stumble for a moment. "Running from what?"
"Everything." Her tone sounds defeated as her eyes once again drop to the ground between them.
"Are you alone?"
"Yes."
"How long are you planning on staying in this area?"
"I don't know." Her head turns as she studies the surrounding trees as if she were searching for an answer and then her eyes are back on him. "I don't mean any harm. I just happened upon this place and it seemed nice, so I thought I might stay for a week or so. Nothing more."
Jacob lets her words sink in as he feels a sudden comfort settle in his bones. "Can I trust you?"
She blinks and her face twists with befuddlement. "What do you mean?"
"Can I trust you to not doing anything stupid? To not cause any trouble?" He can't even believe the words coming out of his mouth. He didn't understand what was going on with him. Why was he letting this woman get to him? It was like he was under some kind of spell that compels him to understand and consider her situation. He then notices that she is still eyeing him strangely.
"Look," he begins. "I'll leave you be as long as you can honestly tell me that you're not here to cause any problems."
Sarah nods. "I'll just leave in the morning. I don't want to be a burden."
"Stay or go, it doesn't matter to me. Just know that you won't be bothered."
"And what about your friends?" she asks skeptically.
"Friends?"
"I know you weren't alone last night."
"Oh," Jacob mentally curses himself. "Don't worry about them. I'll spread the word."
"Okay." Sarah nods again and turns to leave but stops on a second thought. When their eyes meet for the last time Jacob sees a flash of that untamed nature again and he barely catches the sultry lace on her last words. "See you around, Jacob Black."
Sarah doesn't leave any room for a response as she walks away without turning to look back. Images of the tall, strapping, and very naked man play in the memory reel of her mind. She can't help but feel the pull in her stomach; the want to see, and smell, and feel again. It has been so long. But there was an uncertainty there as well and it wasn't settling right.
As she reaches the creek where she had dropped her commandeered belongings she hears the abrupt howl in the distance. She knows it sounded from Jacob, still in the same spot she had left him, and the sound churns something within her. She absentmindedly brushes her arm against a tree and twists to subtly scratch her back against the bark, letting the sensation of touch course through her body. Her groin spasms and a smooth gasp slips from her lips. When the realization hits her, she picks up her speed and tries to leave the recent memories behind.
When Jacob can tell the female has reached a safe distance and is continuing to move further away he morphs back into his wolf form and lets loose a fleeting howl, then awaits the arrival of his pack members. He sits for a moment in silence, letting his conversation with the newcomer settle into his mind. He burns the image of the strange woman into his memories and relishes in her lingering scent of woods and morning dew. Everything about her was so natural, as if she were born of the earth itself.
"Christ, Jake. Why don't you keep that to yourself?" A bored voice calls out.
"Calm down, Leah. It's important." He answers.
"Damn, who's the hottie?" Another voice chimes in. "Please tell me you're hitting that, Jake!"
"Seriously Embry? How old are you?" Leah asks, her tone dripping with annoyance.
"Take a chill pill, Lee. I'm just messin'."
Jacob sighs in frustration. "Cut it out and get your asses over here."
"Yessir!" Embry answers.
Jacob can hear all of the questions swarming in his wolves' minds and he catches glimpses of some of the male's versions of what they would personally do to the image he has of Sarah. On a regular basis he weighs the pro's and con's of his "gift", but more often than not he concludes with the thought of it being more of a curse, especially in moments like these. The whole lack of privacy is still difficult to grasp, even after all of these years.
Seth is the first to arrive being that he had already been nearby, and Quil completes the assemblage as he trots lazily into the circle. Jacob watches his collection of five while they settle and ready their attention for whatever orders he may give.
"I'm sure everyone remembers that scent we tried to track down last night," he pauses for the collective 'Yes's', ignoring that most of their tones are bored. He lets more images of Sarah run across his mind, trying to keep full body shots to a minimal.
"She's beautiful." Seth breaths while Embry and Quil shift awkwardly on their haunches.
"Let's get on with it." Leah tries to prompt Jacob in getting to the point.
"I don't -"
"What's her name?" Quil cuts him off as his curiosity grows.
Jacob groans, irritated. "Sarah. Now I -"
Jacob is interrupted again by a swarm of chattering and memories from his pack, mainly from Leah and Quil, and Seth attempts to voice what they are all thinking. "Like your mo-"
"Yeah, I get it!" Jacob growls, his voice bellowing in his subordinates ears as silence falls once again. "Now listen. I don't want any of you going near her, understand?"
"Why? Is something wrong?" His beta asks.
"Yeah, who is she?" asks Embry.
"I don't know." Jacob answers simply.
"What is she doing here?"
He can hear all of the questions picking up again and he tries to pick apart all of the voices blending together, hoping he can give as many answers as possible. "I don't know," he thinks again, and when flashes of his earlier encounter begin playing throughout his head again the entire mood shifts at a particular point.
"Wait a second, right there!" Embry stands excitedly, his tail twitching behind him. "Did you guys see that? Is she one of us?"
Jacob pauses, realizing he had completely forgotten about the most important piece of the puzzle. He openly remembers the point where he had first approached, causing the female to run away. The moment she disappears behind the trees and emerges as a wolf is replayed, over and over again, as he lets the image sink into his packs minds.
"Shit, Jake…" Leah's concerned voice trails as she tries to gather her thoughts. "What does this mean?"
"Is she one of us?" Seth repeats Embry's previous question.
"I have no idea," Jacob lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "I don't think so."
"I don't care what she is, the chick is gorgeous!" Quil exclaims.
"Amen to that, bro!" Embry laughs along with his friend.
"Cut it out!" Leah snarls at them and looks back to her leader. "Jake, what do we do about this?"
"Nothing, for now." He swallows. "I just don't want any of you to go anywhere near her. Don't talk to her, ignore her scent -"
"But what if we bump into her?"
Jacob gives Embry a pointed look and grunts. "Em, you have never bumped into anyone. Just stay clear of this girl, alright?"
"But -"
"And if you do come across her, for some reason," he continues. "I want you to call me. I don't care when or where. I'm not risking any of you getting hurt."
He lets his boys whine in protest for a moment before he sends them home, asking Leah to stay behind to further discuss the situation. He has full confidence in his beta and is proud of how much she has grown in the past years, even letting loose a little. He chuckles at the memory of his friend's old uptight nature as they take long strides under the dying light of the sun.
"I wasn't so bad back then, you know?" her voice sounds in his head.
"Yeah, whatever you say." He guffaws and he hears the warning growl from her throat.
"How about you try being the only female in a pack of adolescent males with quick tempers and raging hormones, huh? And then Sa-"
"I'm just giving you a hard time, Lee." Jacob winces at his comrade's train of thought, the images of Sam. It had been so many years and it was easy for Leah now. She had moved on. But there were times the feeling of a fresh heartbreak would return, much like any normal human would experience, and his entire pack could feel it.
"Don't feel sorry for me, Jake. I'm over it." She was obviously playing off of his current emotions.
"I know," is his reply, but his thoughts remain on their former leader.
"Are you going to tell him about this?"
"I'm not sure. I mean, I'm thinking he has an idea, already. Her scent is strong and he has probably come across it himself."
"Maybe you can come up with some ideas? Together, I mean."
Jacob knows Leah is only trying to help, and Sam would be the last person she would suggest going to. But he is wise in his youth and usually had a good sense about things when they all used to run together. Well, most of the time.
"I think I'd rather take this to my father. He has an answer for everything."
Leah slows to a stop and watches him for a brief moment. "What are you thinking?"
Jacob stares blankly ahead. "I don't really know."
"Well, what did she say? Did she give you any answers?"
"No, not really. She seems to not know anything, either. Strange, don't you think?" He turns to watch her nod in agreement. "She isn't human -"
"Obviously," she grunts.
"She said she doesn't mean any harm, but how can we really know that?"
"I don't understand why you didn't just rip her to pieces."
"It's a bit more complicated than that, Leah."
"So? The Jacob we all know doesn't ask questions, he just acts." She pauses for effect. "For all we know this girl could be dangerous, Jake."
Jacob shakes his head slightly as he lets the vibes his body experienced while talking with the strange girl return to course through his nerves. "Something tells me she isn't. I mean, she is a threat in the way that we don't know what she is, but I don't think she is dangerous. She's wild, that's for sure, like she isn't afraid. Even caught me off guard a little bit. She kind of reminded me of you, actually. A total spitfire."
Jacob knows his friend would be grinning arrogantly by the pull of her emotions at that moment. In fact, a brief montage of her most unstable moments played in her head.
"I doubt she could keep up with me." She finally states matter-of-factly.
Now it's Jacob's turn to face his friend as he speaks with a serious tone, "I mean it, Lee. She's totally wild. I'm trying to listen to my instinct on this and it's hazy. I don't understand it, and I know that makes no sense at all, but please trust me on this. Keep away from her."
"I don't think I'm the one you need to be worrying about, Jake."
"Then help me keep the others in line. Quil has Claire, so he's all talk, but Seth is still young and Embry…"
"I meant you, Jake. I'm worried about you."
Jacob snorts. "What? Why?"
"Listen to yourself. You're all over the place! You talked to this chick for what? Five minutes? And already your screws are unraveling. You're starting to remind me of how you were with Bella and -"
Jacob cuts her off with an admonishing growl, unable to come up with words to express the anger building up inside of him. Leah takes a step back to reconfigure her thoughts and carefully treads as she explains.
"Jake, I've told you this a hundred times and I'll say it again. You're a great leader. I would follow you to the death for the good of our families and I know the others would, too. But you're a loose cannon, and when you're head isn't straight we all get a little squeamish." She quiets for a moment as she lets her alpha take in her words and calm down. "I just want to know how to handle it before it becomes a problem."
A long and heavy sigh brings itself from Jacob's lips. "But she said she's leaving in the morning, so maybe it isn't a big deal."
"How do we know that for sure?"
"You're right. I'll talk to my father in the morning. I need some time to clear my head."
"I would talk to Sam, too, if I were you. It couldn't hurt to have as many opinions as we can get."
"I guess."
"Good." Leah laughs lightly. "You were starting to sound like a little bitch."
"Don't even start with me, Lee." Jacob warns in a joking manner as he picks up the pace again towards home, Leah in tow.
"I'm serious!" Her laughter grows. "I was beginning to think I needed to knock some sense into you."
"Yeah, sure."
"Whatever, Jacob. You know I can kick your ass nine ways 'til Sunday before you could even lift a paw." She gives him a playful shove nearly knocking his feet out from under him then takes off at full speed.
"Now who's running away like a little bitch, Lee?" He calls out as he watches his friend disappear into the thick forest. The only response is her fading cackles.
Jacob takes his time getting home. He wanders the trails at a steady pace as the sun sinks behind the mountains, spreading the comfort of darkness throughout the land. His land. He picks up on Sarah's scent at every turn as it blends in with the surrounding aromas, as if it were meant to belong there.
The female has already covered a large portion of the woods over however long she has been here. He wonders about her story and about how and why she was here. He thinks of his pack and what they must be feeling right now. Are they curious? Are they frightened?
He wonders about Sarah and how she must feel in this environment. Is she frightened? Why did he care?
The only thing that he is sure about was something within him is drawn to her. Some unspeakable force pulls at his loins and fogs his mind. He has no idea and it is absolutely confusing, infuriating even. He knows he needs to speak with his father about this, Billy would certainly have an answer. But his curious mind is pulling in all different directions, and before he can even fathom what his body is doing he is moving. Moving towards the female's stench where it grows fresher.
Author's note: I really don't know how I feel about this chapter. It took me forever to write it! Trying to keep everyone in character and the conversations realistic… Ugh, it's difficult! But, I hope that you have enjoyed!
Please let me know what you think! Feedback is highly appreciated!
A special thank you is needed for A.J. Scarlet, Song Of The Moon, and Crimsonmoon90 for all of your words of encouragement! Also thank you to everyone else that has reviewed, favorited, alerted, etc. It means so much to me, and I hope that you continue to enjoy this story!
