Chapter Four

It was the size of a fucking car. It wasn't the size that bothered them though, it was the eight fucking legs, all of which scrambled and clung to Leah's fur. The thing was attached to her side, running across her the weight of it pressing her down.

Paul's heart skipped a beat as he lunged for its...its head?...

The things fangs clicked lightly together, a mixture of saliva and venom dribbling down its face, soaking Leah's fur. Sticking to her, matting her. Leah's voice was a continuous scream in their heads, begging them to just get it the fuck off of her.

They could all sense Leah's mind fading as she stumbled, fell to the ground. She was only drowsy, not feeling the burning pain of vampire venom. She was posioned though, the bloody wound on her back coagulating, slower than it should. Her blood was thick in her veins, crawling sluggishly as it tried to keep her organs going.

Just what in the actual fuck -

"Spider." Edward choked out, still feeling a bit of shock himself. "It's a spider."

A spider the size of a car, a spider that was twisting around Leah's body, her hind legs giving out both from the venom, and the webs that were curling around them. The she wolf hit the ground hard, the furry, odd looking spider leaping off of her and onto a -

Onto an Embry, because he refused to let that thing escape in the trees. Not after it had hurt Leah. The spotted wolf snarled and twisted his head, nearly grabbing a leg. He slammed his side into a tree, jostling the eight legged beast on his back. He wouldn't let it bite him, he had to kill it, it hurt Leah.

Paul could hear a rumbling, off to the side - the left. It was coming from the left, but he couldn't bring himself to care, because huge spiders were almost as bad as human drinking vampires, and this was so not fucking cool.

He lunged as the spider landed once more on Leah, on his sister, and his fangs were only a hairs width away when he realized his fatal mistake.

The trees to the left - three of them, shit - crumpled and splintered under a mass of white fur. Paul suddenly felt tiny as a deafening, thundering roar filled his ears and then he was flying. Flying through the air, a burning pain in his chest where the paw had connected. Flying over his pack mates head, over Carlisle Cullen, flying, flying, flying.

Flying directly into a tree. He went through it, flew through the second one as well. The third was larger, didn't break, but he broke. He could feel his ribs splintering like the wood his body was tangled around, and he tried to howl in pain.

Blood dribbled from his nose and mouth as Paul slid bonelessly down the tree and thumped solidly into the ground below.

He couldn't move.

Vaguely, he could see his packmates trying to take chase after the spider. It was gone, though, they couldn't see it anymore - but that other thing was there, straightening up from the blow it had dealt Paul.

Paul had always thought they were the largest animals.

The bear stood at twelve, nearly thirteen feet tall, and it looked angry. Jacob didn't care though, and he was lunging for the creatures throat with deadly accuracy.

The bear lifted a paw and swatted Jacob away from his throat as if their alpha, their largest wolf, was merely an irritating fly. Black lips were curling up over snow-white teeth, and Collin was complaining that man, this asshole has stinky fish breath.

Edward was calling for the wolves to stop, just stop, and Jacob followed the vampires orders for once, forcing the pack to freeze. They all knew Edward could hear what they couldn't, could see what they couldn't.

The wolves were still lowered into crouched fighting stances as the second bear stepped lightly over Paul. It was smaller than the first, but not by much, and it bent its head to snuffle along the grey wolves neck.

A quiet, mournful sound slipped from its throat as the beast nudged his head into a position that was easier on his spine.

Paul sighed in relief and, unable to move, watched as the bear lumbered forward.

His pack was boxed in. A bear in front, a bear behind. He didn't know who would win.

ZZZ

The bears were watching each other, amusement dancing in their eyes. Eyes that looked much too human for Jacob's liking. Against his better judgement, the alpha turned human once more. He felt smaller than he had as a wolf, more...inadequate.

"I take it you two aren't just regular bears?" He asked, voice low and mocking. Danger hiding behind the slightly playful tone.

The smaller of the two grumbled quietly, but neither of them moved, other than their ears flickering back and forth.

They were listening for something. Jacob sincerely hoped it wasn't more bears. Two of them, they might be able to take. Three? Four? He wasn't certain his pack and the Cullen's could handle it. They weren't trained for this.

"That thing hurt my wolf." He added, arms crossed over his chest. The pups and Seth were huddled protectively around Leah, Brady's sharp teeth working on the webs around her legs.

"Your wolf was trespassing." The voice was silky smooth, giving the impression of mist on water. The woman it belonged to was equally as odd.

She had faded russet skin and glowing gold eyes. Her hair was cut short, sharp around her chin. Straight. She was tall, nearly matching Jacob in height. Scars littered her face and naked torso.

"My wolf was looking for whatever killed that deer." He jerked his chin at the dead doe, eyes narrowed at the approaching woman.

She didn't walk so much as glide, on the balls of her feet. She made no noise as she moved; they couldn't even hear her breathing. Her chest was rising though, and they could smell the blood in her veins. She wasn't a vampire. She was - something.

"The eating habits of others are of no concern to your wolf, or you." Her voice was bland, revealing none of what she thought. "I apologize for what has happened here, wolf. But this isn't your place to protect. I'll ask you to leave now."

"No."

"Excuse me?" Her lips curved finally, a toothless, unamused smile. "Well then, I ask you no longer, wolf. I'm telling you. Leave."

The larger bear strode forwards, rising to his full height on the womans left side. The smaller bear kept her post, keeping the pack and coven boxed in on either side.

"I'm not leaving. That thing al-"

"She's not a thing, she's a child. More importantly, she's one of mine. She was merely protecting her land, the same way you protect yours. Leave now, wolf. I won't say it a fourth time. This is your last chance."

Jacob shook his head and leaned forward.

The larger of the bears dropped to all fours.

Ready.