Chapter 9: You Think You Won and Then It's All Gone

Jacob

I followed him out of Forks, but he stayed true to his promise and kept going. Since I was in wolf form Sam and the guys knew everything that was happening and I filled them in on the rest.

After all that I was beat and Sam told me I had to go home, get some sleep. He wouldn't hear of me staying out any longer until I was well rested and alert. This one time I had to agree with him, the exhaustion and simmering anger wearing me down to the point of uselessness. I had believed him enough when he said he'd only come to see her happiness, but not that he would never return during her lifetime. He would never be able to keep himself away; I just hoped he managed it long enough to let me have my chance.

I knew that deep down Bella and I were meant for each other, that we could be happy if she was only given the chance to see it, experience it. I hoped that someday, provided he didn't screw it all up, that we might even marry. I may have been only sixteen by birth age, but physically I was at least twenty-five; mentally, I wasn't sure. I had had to care for my dad for a long time now, I had my newer werewolf responsibilities on my shoulders, had school to think of. By the time I was legally 18 I would be more than ready to commit to marriage. If she was; she was the catch, though I would wait forever for her.

I barely had the energy to crawl in the door only to be assaulted by Billy almost immediately. Inwardly I groaned. I just wanted to go to bed and maybe stay there a week.

"Your girlfriend called. She wanted to see if you were around to say goodnight to."

"Ah." I rubbed my eyes. "I'll call her now, before I forget."

Picking up the phone I dialled Bella's number and her breathless little hello made me forget for a second how tired I was. She was undeniably pleased I had called back and quickly let me know why she had called.

"That's sweet Bells." I yawned. "I am so dead right now, though. I'll see you tomorrow though."

We traded those simpering little 'love yous' and goodbyes that I used to think were icky but now live to hear her say and I tried to hang up the phone, missing the cradle completely. Unable to care I just waved my hand at it and stumbled off towards my room. Billy would pick it up and put it where it belonged. Not bothering to turn the light on I just walked in and allowed myself to fall at a slant across the bed that takes up almost the whole room. It's still not big enough for me even when I sleep like that, but I can't stand to curl up; my temperature is way to high for that to be comfortable unless I'm outside on a cool night or in my wolf form.

I don't know how long I slept, but the light coming in the window when I woke looked approximately mid morning-ish. I felt tons better after sleeping so long and now I was hungry. The only things I could find in my kitchen were the heels of a desiccated bread loaf and the scrapings of some grape jelly. This, by the way, is not good fuel for someone who can eat a day's worth of food in one sitting. Since Billy was no where to be seen I figured Sue had taken him to do the grocery shopping. Thwarted from a good meal at home I decided to catch up on the news I'd missed while sleeping as well as grab sustenance by going over to Emily's. She always had something cooking or baking.

"Jacob!" Embry grinned as I came in. I knew it was my name, even though it sounded more like muffin crumbs spewing from his lips and a 'wafub' than my actual name, by his happy look. I gave him a scrutinising look.

"Why aren't you at school?"

"Why aren't you?" He shot back. This time, though, it came out normal since he'd swallowed the muffin.

"Cause I was sleeping after chasing Edward Cullen off our land and halfway through Idaho."

"Ah. Well, I'm not in school because I'm just playing hooky. My mom's a little miffed at me, so I'm lying low for a little."

"And skipping school is going to get off her radar how?" I had snagged my own muffin pan by this time and was quickly devouring the three that sat in it.

Embry looked like he hadn't thought that far. "Besides," he shrugged. "I was out running late last night."

"Uh huh." I mumbled. Emily chose that moment to come in. She paused a second, looked at Embry then looked at me, shook her head and smiled then commenced to remove another awesome looking pan from the oven.

"Blueberry crumble." She said. "Don't touch or I'll sic Sam on you. Jacob, would you like some breakfast? I'd assume you had no food at your house."

"That sounds like the best idea I've heard in a long time." I grinned at her. "And how did you guess my intentions?"

Emily laughed. "Because Billy called me earlier and warned me that Sue was taking him shopping and there was nothing to eat in the house."

"Oh." I blinked in surprise at Billy's forethought. To my knowledge Sue was not yet privy to any information concerning our duality despite Harry's having been on the Elder Council which made it all Billy's doing. This was unlike him.

"I'll whip some eggs and biscuits up for you. I think I have some bacon in the freezer, too."

"What about me?" Embry's lower lip trembled and he tried to look innocent, not an impossible feat for him.

"You've been eating since you arrived and you have food at home, you're just too scared to go back in case your mom is there." Emily waggled a wooden spoon at him. "You don't get any eggs unless Jacob feels like sharing."

"Jacob, brother," Embry started. I eyeballed him, a smile creeping across my lips as I debated sharing.

"Oh shut your mouth Embry. I'll share. But I get first dibs. You get left-behinds."

"Fair enough." Embry leaned back in his chair only to have Emily kick the leg he was balancing on, making the chair slip and he scrambled not to fall on his ass.

"And don't abuse my furniture like that." She warned. I quickly set my own chair back on all four feet before I could be scolded also.

It did not take long for my mouth to begin watering as Em made a breakfast worthy of a king. Embry had caught me up on the rest of the night before while we waited and Emily threw in a few things Sam had told her. It wasn't until I was halfway through eating that I realised neither of them had mentioned my little trip with the bloodsucker the night before.

"So, there haven't been any other sucker sightings, right? They're keeping their promise?" I asked casually. Embry began coughing and Emily slapped him on the back, both of them avoiding my gaze.

"Uh, I think I should go now. If I hurry I can still make it to third block." Embry looked extremely uncomfortable and if his choking fit had not red-flagged the situation then his avoidance did and I narrowed my eyes.

"Stay where you are." I growled. Being the second-in-command he had to do what I said if I ordered it and this was not a request. He thumped back in the chair and buried his face in his arms on the table top. "Now spill it all."

"Jake, please." He looked pained. "Can't this wait until Sam gets back?"

"You are hiding something from me. I want to know what it is."

I couldn't believe how much Embry was fidgeting and refusing when it occurred to me that maybe he wasn't allowed to tell me, by edict from the Alpha. Embry was normally very forthcoming, so this was the only answer I could find that satisfied my ire.

As I sat there stewing and Embry squirmed, Emily cleaned up. I was still trying to figure out what was so horrible Sam would have directed Embry, and probably the other guys should I run into them, not to speak of it when the man himself showed up. I turned on him before he could even kiss Em.

"What is it about the leeches that Embry won't, or rather can't, tell me?" I demanded.

Sam did not even look surprised by my question, just resigned. "I would rather you not know at this moment, Jake. And don't think to ask, the others will not be able to say anything about it until I give leave."

"Does it have anything to do with Bella or her safety?"

"Not directly. And if you don't know she won't know, and that is best for both of you. Let me take care of this, Jake."

I narrowed my eyes as I measured him up. Whatever he was hiding was obviously explosive if he didn't even want Bella knowing. I was very big on Bella knowing everything if it concerned her and he knew it.

"Please, Jake." Embry begged. "Listen to Sam."

"You'll tell me when it's finished?" I asked, ignoring Embry's rush from the kitchen.

"I promise, Jacob, you'll know when it's finished."

"Good." I sat back down and rescued the rest of Embry's meal from congealing.

When I was done I rinsed my plate and utensils and then, without even saying goodbye to Sam or Emily, left. Since I was angry at being left out of the loop I felt the need to just run, but I didn't want to phase. Slamming my fist into the bole of a tree I gave a growl and took off; even in human form I'm pretty fast and it was minutes before I found myself heading to the beach. It would be fairly crowded by now with the early surfers out. The waves would be good today, after the storm we'd had yesterday.

Deciding I didn't want to be around people I veered off that course and headed deeper into the woods, deciding I would go find that meadow Bella had almost gotten killed at by the leech she'd called Laurent. I had been there the one time in wolf form, but I didn't think it would be too hard to find it now.

I had not even gotten halfway there, though I was off Quileute land now, when a smell made me pause. Stopping where I was I sniffed again and grimaced, then looked around.

"I know you're nearby." I called out. It was not Victoria, I knew her smell well, but one of the Cullens, or several. I knew their smell, too. Out of the trees stepped the vampire doctor and the one I vaguely recalled as his mate.

"Please, do not attack us." The male held his hands out in an 'I-mean-no-harm' gesture. He obviously remembered my grandfather and knew what I was.

"What do you want?"

"My daughter is adamant that only Bella can save her brother." He replied with a sigh. "Please, allow us to take her."

"Yeah, right. You have got to be kidding." I snorted. "Bella is under pack protection and she is not going anywhere with anyone from your family."

He traded a look with the female. She stepped forward and looked at me with a sad smile. "Edward is going to commit vampire suicide." She sighed. "Alice has seen his decision and there is little time to waste. Bella is the only way I can save my son."

"She is going nowhere." I crossed my arms over my chest. They knew what I was, they knew how fast I could phase and rip them apart. I thought for a moment. "You're the ones Sam refuses to tell me about. Well, you have your answer, now leave."

"Please." The female looked so unhappy that for the tiniest millisecond I felt sorry for her, until I breathed in and remembered what she was.

"No. And I'm sure Sam told you the same thing." The hairs on my neck prickled suddenly and two more of them appeared, the blonde and her mate. She sneered at me.

"I don't like Bella, and Edward pisses me off royally most of the time but I will not just let him die because you have some sort of wolfy grudge against us, dog." She hissed. The big male beside her wrapped his arms around her, I guess to prevent her from storming me.

From behind me I heard the growls and I knew Sam had followed me, at least. Sparing half a second to glance behind me I was surprised to see almost the whole pack; he must have really been booking it to get them all together to follow me. I looked back to the blonde. There was no way the four of them would attack me now, not with my brothers to back me up.

"I did not want a fight." The doctor sighed. "Rosalie, back off. Please, we just want to save Edward."

"That is not my problem or Bella's," I replied. "Because he left her and if that makes him depressed and suicidal or whatever he is then that is his problem, his fault and his to deal with. End. Of. Story."

"Then we are done here." He nodded towards Sam, took his mate by the hand and then turned and they ran. The blonde hesitated for a second to send us a glare until the big one tugged on her hand and she ran off.

Whipping around I glared at the huge black wolf behind me. "You should have told me."

Sam shook his head and whined. I guess he had hoped to take care of it and spare me that confrontation; he'd just been too late when I left Emily's without letting him know.

"Yes, you should have." I informed him. I looked over the pack again noticing that Embry was missing. "Where's Em?"

Sam dug at the ground and growled a little, shaking his head towards the left. I gathered that meant Embry was pacing Bella as she did whatever. I sighed and ran my hands through my short hair and stared at Sam again.

"I'm going to go be with Bella now. Don't follow us, okay? I'll speak with you all later, but right now I just need to be with my girlfriend."

Sam whined, nudged me lightly and then wheeled around, the others following. He had just been trying to protect me, protect Bella, from an unnecessary confrontation but still, it was wrong. If I'd known I could have prepared to be ambushed by the Cullens.

I didn't phase as I headed towards Bella's since I did not want to listen or speak to the pack. It would take me slightly longer to get to where I was going but at least my thoughts were my own.

Did I want Bella to know her ex-boyfriend was suicidal? If I told her would she insist on going to him, the way the little one, Alice, insisted she should? I tell her and she runs off, my life was done. I don't tell her and she finds out somehow, she'd break up with me surely. Either way I was dead. I decided not to tell her.