Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

The beginning is kinda light hearted, but the mood changes dramatically by the end. The action is here! :) Oh, and be prepared; there's an impending lemon that will be approaching soon.

Thanks for the awesome reviews you guys. :)

Please enjoy!

Divided Moon - CHAPTER 4

Jacob's POV:

Taking the hike to the West side with Edward to check out the stench came a bit earlier than I had planned. He insisted that we needed to have a "talk." Meanwhile, Nessie was with Bella, probably having the same discussion.

Being Alpha, I hadn't felt this young in years.

'What do you want, Edward?' The question rang icily in my head, probably more so than it should have, but I really wasn't looking forward to this argument. It seemed unnecessary. 'You knew this day was coming.'

"So soon. She's too young." He hissed, leaping from the ground and stirring several branches in the air when his feet impacted with the tree. "There's plenty of time later. I suggest you allow her to accept adulthood before touching her again."

It was actually challenging to keep up with him. If it hadn't been for the adrenaline rush - thanks to Nessie's talented lips - I may have fallen behind. But as it was, I could probably outrun Leah no problem.

'You've read her thoughts! You know better than I do that Nessie is more mature than most adults.'

"That she is." He hated to admit.

This was probably more awkward for him than me though. I didn't want to disrespect Edward, but I was dead set on Renesmee, and could barely think past wanting to kiss her again.

"I would appreciate it if you would attempt to control your thoughts." He hissed.

'Oh sorry.' I grunted. That was easier said than done when I was completely ecstatic. My diet could consist of Nessie's lips and I think I would survive happily. 'Sorry again.'

I heard a loud growl bubble from his throat. "We may look a similar age, but I assure you Jacob, she is still my daughter. I have no issue with making that point very clear, even to you."

Was he threatening me? Arguing with Edward while I was in wolf form was not quite as gratifying than when I was human. My irritated expressions not quite as readable. Growling would have been preferable, but I let out a deep grumble of chuckles instead. Did he really think I would back down from this? It's like he didn't know me at all.

His lips drew over his teeth. "If you love my daughter as you claim, then yes. I do expect you to back down. At least for a little while."

Okay, that comment made my blood boil.

'Love her as I claim?! That's why I won't back down. If I pushed her away now, it would only hurt her. Think about that bloodsucker. It's not like the timing was premeditated. Did you expect me to be her nanny forever?'

I growled, and he hissed. This was not our most loving 'father/son' moment.

Leaves lifted like a great wind passed through the forest as we ran by, both of us racing in the same direction as if a competition of speed would win the argument.

Edward's eyes were closed tightly most of the way, trying to block out my unavoidable thoughts. His senses were strong enough to guide him without any trouble. Or maybe he was attempting to think up a way to win his case.

That wasn't going to happen.

'I do love Renesmee, Edward. You know that already.' I was feeling a bit guilty after watching his expression like that. 'I will protect her like I always have.'

"Yes," Finally, he agreed with me, "There's no doubt in my mind that you will."

'But?' Too easy.

"But, I'm worried that she's been over-protected. She hasn't faced any real danger since she was a few months old, and she's fallen completely in love with you. What will become of her if something happens to you? Physically and mentally she would die as well. That is my concern."

I gulped, feeling my teeth shutter as a growl erupted from my chest. 'She won't! She's strong!' Though I knew he was right. I had just failed to realize it. She was strong, yes. But she was dependent on me more than I probably knew.

"Good. I'm glad you realize it." Edward snarled.

'Sure, sure. So I should just flip that switch to turn off how I feel about her now then, right?' That wasn't even possible. 'I live for her as well. You of all people should know what you're asking me.'

"You have a point. I know that would be quite difficult."

'Impossible!' I reminded him. 'Do you have any idea how strong a bond I have with Nessie? Imprinting isn't just some schoolyard crush.'

He grunted again, "I know."

'It's not something I can prevent either.'

"Fine!" His tone set me back a bit. I was so distracted I nearly ran into a large pine tree.

'I have your blessing then, pops?'

"Do I have a choice?" It was more of a statement than a question, spoken in frustration.

'Absolutely not.' I was chuckling again as we neared the West side.

Renesmee's POV:

"I think it's very sweet. Good for you, Nessie." Alice chirped, happily spinning in a circle through the living room.

Bella grinned at her through a curtain of hair. I knew she had hoped I didn't see.

"Ugh, I think it's disgusting. Soon you're going to smell exactly like that hound." Rosalie huffed, throwing a wave of blond hair behind her shoulder. "I won't even be able to come near you."

"Rosie!" Bella protested, "Would you chill out?"

"First love is beautiful, Rosalie!" Alice added firmly, "Don't you remember your first grown up moments with Emmit?" She smiled dreamily then, obviously lost in her own romantic memories with Jasper.

Rosalie shrugged, "Emmit's not a dog."

"Neither is Jacob." Bella responded.

I couldn't stop smiling. My mind was fuzzy, focusing more on my resent memories than the unfolding present. "I'm sorry." I offered the gesture, as I dreamily skimmed the tips of my fingers in tiny patterns across the kitchen table. But in reality I really, really wasn't sorry at all. I simply couldn't be.

Momma's hand grazed mine, and I jumped, startled by the sudden coolness across my knuckles. My eyes flickered over to her and she winked at me, causing me to let out a small chuckle. I showed her a memory. One after Jacob left with daddy, after our third kiss. A chipmunk hoped onto the porch in front of me, while another one took off in the direction Jacob sprang. Similar to the sparrows that hopped closely when Jacob held me when I was a baby. Nature seemed agreeable at least.

"We're just concerned baby, that's all." Then mom shrugged, smiled and rolled her eyes, "Well, your father is anyway."

My eyebrows lifted curiously, as I asked her silently if dad was mad at me.

She opened her mouth to speak, but contemplated for a minute. "He's... concerned." She repeated.

"I don't want him to read my thoughts now." I shook my head, pulling my hand away from hers. "It's... embarrassing."

"Gross." Rosalie murmured. Bella shot her a glare.

"Jacob is not gross! He's lovely!" I surprised myself at the indignation in my tone. Even Alice stopped spinning to grin at me.

Rosalie grimaced. I could tell she was at a loss for words for a minute. The shocked expression on her face made me feel guilty. "He... He's... I just know you can do much better for yourself, Nessie."

How ridiculous! I took a deep breath and held it for a minute before I was able to respond. "There isn't better than Jacob! Nobody could love me like my Jacob!" I protested. Again, it surprised me. I wasn't used to being so frustrated. Jacob was right, I was vocal today. "I'm sorry, but haven't all of you known this day would come anyway? Shouldn't it have been obvious? Or are you just disappointed that I grew up so quickly?"

There was a minute where nobody said anything at all. But at least the tension broke when Alice chuckled and began to spin around again. "I think it's darling!"

"Eh!" Bella through her arms in the air. "I can't do it! I told Edward I would try to persuade you to wait a while, but I just can't do it. You remind me too much of myself, and nothing was going to ever hold me back from your father!"

I smiled widely at that admission, "Thank you."

"That's it?" Rosalie rolled her eyes, "Seriously Bella."

Mom ignored her, and continued talking to me. "He'll want to talk to you, I'm sure. But you have him wrapped around your fingers too. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"Nessie?"

I turned my head to see Papaw Carlisle standing by the door frame leading into the kitchen. He had a knowing smile on his face, and a tape measure in hand.

"Again?" I pouted, not meaning to sound so impatient, but it was the third time this week.

"It's just a precaution." Carlisle laughed, and motioned me over with a wave of his hand. "I want to be precise, Nessie."

I stood, begrudgingly making my way over to papaw Carlisle and standing straight as a flank against the door frame. There were several markings lined up the wall in different shades of pink to mark my growth spurts throughout the years. The one at the top had been marked over and over again, much darker than the rest.

"I haven't grown in half a year."

"Yes, that's true, but still," I stepped on the end of the measuring tape and he raised it up to the top on my head. "Ah yes, five feet one and a half inches." He smiled at me, and I rolled my eyes playfully. "I feel better. Don't you?" He teased.

I nodded, and grinned up at him. It was utterly impossible to be even slightly irritated with that man. I stretched up to my toes, and he leaned down so I could kiss his cheek. Unfortunately my touch sent a jolt of memory I hadn't even thought to control. He saw me kissing Jacob.

"Oh!" His surprised expression startled me, making my eyes bulge in their sockets. "Well, that's certainly a turn of events. When did this happen Nessie?"

He didn't seem upset at all. Actually there was a light smile peaking on the right side of his mouth.

"Just today." Alice offered happily.

"And Edward?" Carlisle raised a curious eyebrow towards Bella.

"Off tracing the woods with Jacob." She smirked as if she were on the verge of laughing.

All Carlisle could do was clench his teeth together, "Ah oh."

I folded my arms across my chest. "You feel that way too then. I knew Edward would overreact."

"Renesmee Carly Cullen!" Momma erupted. It was the first time I had referred to my father by name.

"It's okay momma. I was simply eluding to my frustration with the situation. Daddy doesn't have less of my love no matter how irritating this is."

Her mouth was gaping at me, similar to most of the times I spoke this way. "Well, don't tell him that."

I nodded. Perhaps she felt a bit hypocritical. I was well aware of how she referred to grandpa as 'Charlie' instead of 'dad,' unless he was around.

Alice laughed again after the brief moment of silence when a low rumble erupted from my belly.

"Oh!" I chuckled and held a hand to my stomach. I remembered being a bit too preoccupied to eat any of the dinner poor Billy had specially made for me. I would be certain to do something nice for him to make up for it. Crap, there goes the rustic butterflies in my stomach again. I couldn't keep my thoughts from wondering from Jacob for more than a few seconds.

"I'll hunt with you, baby." Mom offered.

"Thank y-" I yawned halfway through my words, one need overpowering the other at the moment. If my thoughts of Jacob would allow sleep, I was ready for it. "But I think I'll wait until morning."

Jacob's POV:

It was like running into a smelly brick wall. The repulsive scent had me screeching to a dead stop, my claws digging sharply into the damp soil. My gag reflexes hit immediately.

'Ugh!' I grumbled, stumbling to the side a bit.

"Are you alright?" Edward asked, reaching out to offer support. His icy fingers glided across the fur just above my front left leg, and I shivered. It had been a while since a full vampire had touched my skin. My fur flinched. I hadn't missed it in the slightest.

'Fine. Just can we hurry up please?'

His eyes narrowed as he turned away from me, bending from the waste to pick up the scent even stronger. I could have vomited, and he wanted to smell it more.

'What do you think it is?'

"I honestly have no idea. It doesn't smell bad to me, just strange."

Ugh! How was this not puke-inducing. It had to be another vampire. There was no other explanation.

"A vampire? I think I agree with you." Edward said, still following the scent. "Though that still doesn't explain why it disappears so suddenly. We would need a tracker to know for sure. Perhaps the scent merely weakens." His index finger raised to his chin, still in deep thought. "I don't know. I don't understand."

'Nessie should stay inside while we're figuring it out. I bet we can agree on that.'

He glared at me sharply without turning his head. "Without question."

'Ha! See! You're over-protective too. It's not just me.' I felt a victory here, though it didn't lessen the icy feeling running down my spine at the thought of Nessie being in any sort of pain.

He ignored me, changing the subject completely. "I need to hunt." He seemed hesitant as his eyes flickered to meet mine. "Maybe you should go home. We can come back in the morning."

I let out a loud grumble of laughter, 'Sorry Edward, but not until I've checked on Nessie. You understand.'

"Right." He snarled. "I will check on Bella as well."

My eyes rolled to the back of my head on their own accord, knowing he just wanted to follow me back. 'Of course you will.'

Five minutes later we were back at the Cullen's house. Nessie had already gone back to their little cottage in the woods. I grunted at the idea that she was alone, but reminded myself repeatedly that she was an adult now. She was strong.

Still, the moment Edward and Bella were out hunting, I ran through the woods as if the ground shocked electric currents through my limbs. Edward wasn't an idiot though. He didn't mind me checking in on her, but I knew he would be hunting quickly tonight so he could get back.

It wasn't like I would go home anyway. There was no way I would leave Nessie's side with something unknown lurking around. Especially something that stunk that bad.

Nessie's window was open of course. The fresh, cool air felt good against her warm skin, same as me.

With a hard swallow, I huddled through the narrow window, barely fitting. I leaped lithely, landing in a crouched position on the hardwood floors with scarcely a noise. Relief washed through me, knowing that Edward wasn't there. I least I had a moments peace with Nessie without having to worry about him barging in.

My eyes scanned the room, lightly illuminated by the surprisingly cloudless glow of the moon. I smiled when I came closer to Nessie's bed. She was sleeping face down, her head tilted to the side towards me. Her hair was almost black in the blueish glow on moonlight, and sprawled out messily in every direction. Even a spiral of curls crossed the bridge of her nose. Her thick, black eyelashes fanned across her rose colored cheeks entangling with a single curl.

She rarely slept with more than a light sheet. Considering her body temperature was only a couple degrees cooler than mine, it made sense. Tonight, however, it looked like she and the sheet had gotten into a fight, and the sheet won most of the bed. I chuckled, holding a hand to my mouth to keep it quiet as I observed her right leg dangling off the side of the mattress.

Very carefully, I reached my hand to her face, smoothing back the few strays hairs behind her ear. She sighed, and I jumped back. Her hand reflexively curled into the pillow, resting in front of her face. Her mouth slightly parted to take in soft, even breaths; they were quicker than a full humans breaths because of her naturally rapid heart beat.

She was still sleeping soundly. So beautiful.

My eyes shifted to the corner, narrowing suddenly. Something was outside. I could smell him, and hear the leaves crackling under his feet. I turned at the waist to see the trees shifting outside the window, not from the wind, but something very fast running past them.

"Paul?"

There was a sudden, loud crackling, breaking the logs against the side of the house in half.

I grabbed Nessie - so swiftly that it was a blur - and ran outside before that part of the house had the opportunity to collapse. She was thrown beneath me, my body shielding hers completely before either one of us had the chance to understand what the hell was going on. Her eyes shot open, but she made no discernible frightened sound at all.

"Jacob?"

Renesmee's POV:

Jacob had me pinned to the forest floor. His long hair curtained around my face as he stared down at me with frightened, narrowed eyes. They glowed a slight yellowish color, and I knew that if I had been injured he would be out to take a life in half a second. He'd forgotten how little could actually hurt me.

"I'm okay!" I assured him loudly, trying to top the confusing, insane screams and howls coming from behind him.

He stood within a flash and phased instantly. His clothes shreaded to the ground, not bothering to shove them off or hide in the trees to cover his nudity. Suddenly he was on all fours, crouching dangerously in front of me as a protective shield.

There was a werewolf not five feet ahead of him, madly thrashing his claws into the bark of a hollow tree. His agonizing howls were enough to cut deep into my bones.

"Jacob?" I jumped up, landing in a crouched position. If he was in danger, I would fight. I didn't care who.

The wolf took a step in front of me when I attempted to pass, his dark eyes reflecting the light of the moon as they darted to the side to glare at me.

I glared back, tempted to shove the large creature out of my way. I wanted to protect him as much as he wanted to protect me.

Something strange happened then. Paul phased back into a human, falling naked to the ground. His chest was heaving in a fit of rage and tears. A supernatural scream broke from his throat.

Jacob's POV:

There wasn't a chance in hell that Nessie would get by me, not until Paul calmed down.

'What the hell are you doing, numb skull? People can hear you in Seattle! Calm down!'

He didn't respond to me at all. It was the strangest thing I'd ever witnessed. Paul's body was mercilessly phasing one moment from wolf to human and back again, as if he hadn't the control to stop it.

'Jake! What's happening?' It was Sam.

'I have no idea. Paul's losing it!'

'We're headed to you now.' He said. I could already hear the low galloping thumps of half a dozen wolves approaching.

'Someone come in human form to try and talk to him. He keeps phasing, and I don't want Nessie anywhere near him.'

'Jake? What the hell?' That was Leah. She was on the opposite end of La Push with Seth trailing her.

'Geez Lee! I don't know!' My patience was running a bit low due to the frustration of trying to keep Nessie safe, and figure out what the hell was wrong with Paul at the same time.

Nessie, not thinking about the consequences to herself, attempted again to pass me. I turned my head, growling.

'Stop it Nessie!' If only she could hear me. So stubborn, just like her mother.

"I can calm him!" She screamed at me.

I turned instantly back to the wild animal. 'Paul, what happened?!" Still, no answer. He was human again, but not for long. The moment his wolf broke out, his claws swung, slashing through the side of the house. I had to shove Nessie to the side with my back leg to knock her out of the way. I snarled loudly, 'Dammit Paul! If you get too close to Nessie in this state, I will not hesitate! Tell me what happened. Now!'

Paul flinched, raising his large paw, accidentally slashing four deep cuts in my cheek. I heard Nessie hiss dangerously behind me - an unnatural, grave sound - and turned instantly. She leaped right into me, and I slammed us both back to the ground again, pinning her beneath me. I was surprised by how much force I had to use. If it hadn't been for my weight, she would be the one trapping me beneath her.

I closed my eyes, rubbing my forehead against hers, and whined uneasily as if to beg her to stop. But when I opened my eyes again, I inhaled a sharp, surprised breath.

Nessie's teeth were bared. Her eyes crimson, glowing bright as fire.

Renesmee's POV:

I knew Jacob was trying to tell me he was okay. But there was something inside of me erupting in fury. Blood dripped from his russet fur, landing on my heated cheek. It only lasted a second before drying up. The wound was already healing, but I felt my insides enfolding as if they were about to spring in a fit of raw anger, and destroy anything or anyone that touched him. My blood felt hot as liquid fire, my heart pounding at an astounding speed, and my nails dug furiously into the ground on either side of me.

I had to breathe. Staring up at Jacob was the only thing keeping me from ripping open Paul's throat. I was on the verge of throwing him off of me, but his eyes were pleading, begging me to calm down.

'He's okay. He's okay. He's okay.' I repeated it to myself relentlessly.

Finally, I nodded my head, feeling a sudden cool sensation like ice melting down my throat. My sudden rage had calmed, but it left me instantly afraid. What had just happened to me?

Jacob hesitantly let me stand, only after I showed him my calmed thoughts. The shock was still written in his dark eyes.

Paul was in human form, and in so much agony that it was difficult to look at him. I felt a stinging behind my eyes, and fell to my knees to touch his cheek. If I could find any image at all to comfort him, I would do it.

I gasped when he shoved my hand away, but I caught his wrist in a death grip before he could do much else. Jacob was down on all fours, and growling within a single heartbeat. His lips curling sharply above his teeth not an inch from Paul's face.

"Jake, stop!" Sam ordered, running out from the woods with three large wolves growling behind him. "What happened Paul?"

He thrashed, but I didn't let go. He wasn't even breathing anymore, his face blood red.

"It's Rachel!" Edward ran out from behind the trees so fast I barely noticed him approaching at all. Bella followed closely behind him, immediately grabbing around my shoulders to pull me into her arms. I let go of Paul's wrist, slamming into her stone body. Daddy's raw gaze shifted sympathetically, first to Paul, and then to Jacob. "She's gone. Something took her."

To be continued...