Chapter Two

Collin shifted his backpack absently, hardly noticing the weight of it across his shoulders. His eyes were focused on the ground, darting side to side, taking everything in. His eyes were focused on the little radio clipped to his jeans. Beside him, Brady lumbered along slowly, his thick fur brushing Collin with every other movement.

Brady was listening too.

"And the death toll has risen from seventeen to nineteen people confirmed dead. There are two other bodies that have been found, but police have not yet shared whether they believe it is the same group of rogue killers, or unrelated all together. More news at six, for now, enjoy the tunes folks..."

Brady keened lightly in his throat, butting his head against Collin's chest. Their eyes met, and the wolf turned man quirked his lips. "Hey man, we're taking care of it." His hand rose, fingers sinking into the fur of his brothers neck. He always gave Brady the best neck-scratches. "There won't be any more, okay?"

The wolf nodded and slunk away, brushing lightly against the she wolf. He showed his teeth to the vampire - Jasper, his mind supplied - when the cold one raised an eyebrow at him. He didn't like them being so close to Leah. She was -

If you say weak, I'll eat you Brady. Just because I'm a girl... The she wolf snarled, ears jerking forward angrily. Her fur was bristling along her back, and they watched as Leah drew her slim frame up, trying to appear more dominant.

Brady silently backed away, falling back into place at Collin's side. His head hung and he kept his eyes forward, mentally humming along to the radio.

Leah's head shot up. Do you hear that?

"Hear what Leah?" Edward asked in his soft, crisp tone. It had always bothered her, how perfectly he talked. So polite. It was irritating - not to mention different. He was speaking for the benefit of the unphased wolves, and his own family.

Exactly, she thought, watching as the phased wolves tightened their circle, boxing the 'humans' and vampires into the middle.

"What do you mean?"

I don't hear anything.

Me neither...Paul added, ears twitching from side to side. Jacob paused a few feet ahead of them, causing all the wolves to freeze.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, brow furrowing. She touched her husbands shoulder lightly, nostrils flaring. "I can't smell anything off..."

"Shh." Edward soothed. He strained his own ears, head tilting. "They're concerned - do you hear how quiet the forest is?"

Carlisle turned in a slow circle, eyes scanning the woods around them. "It's true...I never even noticed. Do you think -"

Bang.

The noise filled the air, startling Leah into lunging forward and taking off. Jake tried to catch her, teeth missing her tail by mere inches, and then she was gone. Out of sight.

Not out of mind Seth scoffed, taking chase after his sister. She had the horrible habit of running towards the unknown, despite how she claimed to hate it. Leah, slow down. Leah! Stop!

Stop.

The power of Alpha rolled over them, caused Leah to stumble over her front paws before seizing up. Jake, what the fu-

"Leah, it was a gun." Edward's hand was on her hip, and normally she would have tried to devour him. She still couldn't move though, Jake's command a smothering blanket that fell across her body, heavy and controling.

I hate this, I hate you. Don't fucking touch me. Don't. Jacob Black you tell him right now -

Shut up Leah. He's not hurting you.

The she wolf bit her own tongue, blood dribbling slowly to the ground in her rage. She didn't understand how Jake could let this vampire especially touch her, let alone any vampire. He hated Edward Cullen with every fibre of his being. It was unacceptable for the 'man' to steal Jake's love, while he was allowed to touch Jake's pack, his family the one's that were on his fucking side.

Stop it Leah. This isn't about you.

No. It's always about you.

Jake's anger at her statement caused all of the wolves to shift uncomfortably, eyeing each other nervously. Jasper reached out mentally, tried to soothe Jacob. The wolf barked in anger and Jasper gave up. He wasn't going to get caught up in pack politics if it wasn't needed.

Leah couldn't move yet, not enough to get away, so she did the next best thing. She phased human, not caring about her nudity, or the men surrounding her. To Jacob, it was a slap in the face. To the pack? It was a move that was well deserved.

She was on all fours and Brady dropped his jacket across her back without thinking. They didn't care about the lack of clothes, but he'd be damned if he let some random vampires oggle her body. Edward snorted at that, but the wolf ignored him, choosing instead to crouch near the she-wolf's head as the others shuffled even closer.

Jacob fumed but retracted his order, turning stiffly to continue on their path. He wasn't running anymore, rather walking slow enough that he looked like he was stalking. Every part a wolf on the hunt.

The vampires exchanged worried looks as Leah slipped the jacket on - Brady was tall enough that it covered all the important bits.

The she wolf stayed close to their second youngest pack mate, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. It wasn't out of shame; rather it was out of anger.

Silently, Seth took his sisters other side, wondering where they were going wrong, or if he'd ever be able to fix it. He stayed wolf, quietly letting Jacob and Paul hear his displeasure at the situation.

Jacob did nothing to stop him.

Paul wondered what that meant. The alpha gave him a look of disaproval. Paul didn't particularly care.

ZZZ

"Do you agree with what she does?" The dark one asked, eyes nearly black. She was settled against a tree, watching the mass of white fur that covered two small bodies move and rise with every breath they took.

"No. But I don't disagree with it." He told her, laying at her side. Nothing covered him, nothing at all, but he was content with that.

"How very philosophical of you." Her voice was deep, mocking. She sounded like one who had smoked too many cigarettes, perhaps drank to much burning-liqour in her lifetime.

"You know me, sister." He rumbled back, voice yet an even deeper timbre than hers. "Always the philosophical one." He stretched, one hand crushing a rock with no struggle, as he pushed himself to a sitting position.

One of the bodies shifted, and the woman growled, deep in the back of her throat. It was a dangerous noise, soothing only in the quietness of it. "Sleep Grandmother."

The body fell still.