CHAPTER 11: THE PROTECTORS

It had been a week since I had started the change into a werewolf. The transformation had finished a couple of days ago and there were pluses to being a werewolf, my senses had been enhanced tenfold and even as free as it felt to run as a wolf, I felt trapped. Sam had this annoying power over us, since he was the alpha and he controlled what we could do. How much bull is that? I'd been depressed since the last time I talked to Bella. I couldn't see her anymore, I loved her and I was forbidden to see her. All because Sam said so, Sam himself wasn't that bad but the constant rules were driving me nuts.

I heard a thump and looked up, as Embry had jumped through my window.

"Dude we have a front door, you know." I said, looking away.

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Embry laughed.

"Yeah." I said, trying to smile.

"Bro, I thought having you in the pack would be fun, but lately your attitude sucks." Embry said.

"Sorry, I'm not Mr. Happy, like Jared." I scowled.

"That's not what I meant." Embry said.

"You know Embry, I'm sorry that unlike you I don't have anything tieing me to my old life. I'm in love with Bella and I can't talk to her ever again. You don't know how that feels!" I screamed.

"I don't have anything going on in my life, wow I know your anger is hard to control the first couple of weeks but really that's just fucking vicious." Embry said, getting heated.

"Bro, I'm sorry I didn't mean that. I'm just frustrated, I miss Quil, Bella and I even miss Seth. That's pretty bad, isn't it?" I chuckled.

"I understand where you're coming from. Look Sam said we have a meeting in a half hour. Some leech is stalking the woods; Sam wants us to keep an eye on him." Embry informed me.

"Come on, let's go." Embry urged me.

"Whatever." I sighed.

We both jumped out the window and started at a run. We took off our pants and wrapped them around our legs and started the transformation. As I ran, my face lengthened and my hands and feet became giant paws. I grew to be about 10 feet tall and reddish brown fur sprouted all over my body. My ears became pointed, as did my teeth, my eyes adjusted and my tail bone lengthened. I ran as a wolf with my best friend. How many 16 year olds can say they can change into a wolf? I guess that's kinda special.

*Where are you two?!*

*Embry I told you to be here a half hour ago!*

*Just chill Sam, I have him and we're coming*

*Come on puppies, we don't have all day*

*Shut up, Paul.*

*Why don't you make me, Black?*

*Maybe I will.*

*Guys come on, let's just calm down*

*Yes, exactly thank you Jared.*

We arrived in the clearing a minute later and we greeted the others. Paul was seated up in a tree with a smirk on his face and Jared was leaning against a boulder.

"It's about time you puppies, got here." Paul chuckled, jumping from the tree.

"Paul, we don't have time to mock the newbies." Jared chuckled, also.

"Do you want to see what the newbies can do to you?" Embry asked getting pissed.

"Enough of this." Sam said, putting up his hands.

"Well Jacob, Billy tells me you're transitioning into a member of the pack very well." Sam said, like a proud father.

"You could move up in the ranks soon." Sam smiled and patted my shoulder.

"We'll help you of course, cuz our family is only as strong as our weakest link," he finished.

"Which would be Paul." I said.

"What did you say?" Paul asked, getting heated.

"Your temper makes you the weakest link." I said, calmly.

"Jacob don't mock your brother, he's trying." Sam said.

"Would you cut out the whole family shit?! Number One, I only have 2 brothers, one's here and the other I'm forbidden to see, number two; I already have a father thank you. We're not a family we're a bunch of freaks, I know it's because of the leeches but seriously I don't care. I can't see the girl I love because of all this shit! That's all it is, she wouldn't care! The girl dated a fucking vampire, why would it matter if I'm a giant dog?! You tell me, oh great Sam. But if you wanna pretend for one more second, like you or any of us are happy about this, you go ahead. If I had a choice, I would leave but that's right I can't cuz you wouldn't let me. My life is shit, all thanks to this STUPID FAMILY CURSE!" I yelled.

I was literally shaking in fury and I went off on my own. I sat down on a fallen log and buried my face in my hands. I just screamed at the sky and I felt it shake the forest. Why did this have to happen to me?

Embry sat down with me after they had their meeting. He informed me, we were on the trail of a leech now. Sam said it was hungry, so we couldn't take any chances. I nodded and the five of us were off toward Forks. We ran as a pack, as hard as it was to be monster, we did protect the innocent. Seriously who can say they never dreamed of being a super hero? We got to a clearing and Sam turned to us.

*I'll take a look first, then you guys back me up.*

*Okay*

I watched Sam take the lead and it was obvious there was a vampire there. We heard Sam growling and then he gave us the sign. We jumped and turned to face the vampire and I gasped. The piece of shit was going to attack Bella, but there was Bella. I stared into her eyes and she looked into mine. The girl I was forbidden to see was sitting in front of me. My heart sank and I felt so lightheaded. She stared back, but she wasn't scarred I think subconsciously she felt protected.

Jacob! Get your attention back now.

I let a low growl escape my throat and Sam gave me a deadly glare. I scoffed and turned my head. Embry looked at me and I knew what he wanted. I took one more quick look at Bella and ran over to the pack. Sam barked and we all ran after the leech, he was a fast sucker, but eventually we caught up and Sam told the others to demonstrate, I watched them tear apart the vampire before my very eyes. I was full of adrenaline and I realized how much fun that was.

When we got back to the village, Sam pulled me aside.

"Jake can I please talk with you?" Sam asked me.

"It won't change my opinion of you." I scoffed.

"I beg to differ." Sam said, surprisingly optimistic.

"Fine, go ahead." I said.

"I know how you feel," he said.

"I doubt it." I scoffed again.

"You know Leah and I dated right?" Sam asked me.

"Yeah, everyone does with that big stink she made over you dumping her. We're close to the Clearwater's, my father and I. That's just one more reason, I dislike you." I spat.

"I didn't want to leave her, you have to believe me. I was scared of what I'd do to her, I was a monster. I'm not happy about this perdicament either Jacob, I had to leave the love of my life. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and I couldn't. I know what it's like to be so close to the one you love, but so far away. We call each other brothers, to make it seem normal. Of course it's not normal, but we try to keep our sanity. "Sam sighed.

"Then why can't I see Bella? I would never hurt her!" I screamed.

"You never know, you're only a week old. Jake you could kill her." Sam warned me.

Those last two words, came out slower than all the rest, I just heard those words echoing in my head. KILL HER. My eyes bugged out of my skull and I dropped to my knees. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest; I gripped my chest in pain. Tears began to freely flow down my face, I realized I couldn't see Bella anymore. I wanted to protect her, but to protect her I had to push her away. To keep her safe, she could never be around me.

"You want to keep her safe right?" Sam asked me.

"More than anything." I managed to choke out.

"Then you have to stay away from her, I'm sorry Jake." Sam said.

I dropped to my hands and knees, my tears falling onto the moist ground below. Sam put his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry…………………my brother."

I finally understood how nice it was to hear that. I gave Sam a look and he understood. I tied my pants around my leg and ran off into the forest; my tears left a watery trail behind me. I reached the cliff and howled to moon. My fellow wolf brothers heard the howl and felt my pain.