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Jacob let himself into the house in a good mood. He had had fun with Leah last night, and now the whole area around the forest smelt like wolves. It seemed to fit, as if the area needed more wolves like it needed trees. It was around two in the afternoon when he left his work in his garage and headed over to Emily's house.
"Hey Jacob" Emily said "Would you like some lunch?"
"Hi, that would be great. Hi Sam"
"Morning" Sam replied distractedly, he was eating a large spanish omelette, one eye on the newspaper. Jacob smothered a smile as he sat down.
"He's on his toes with Mari round" Emily said quietly to him as she put a plate down in front of him
"Where are they staying anyway?"
"In the forest, they say they'll stay out of the way. I don't think they want to let Swarhi out of their sights."
"16 down, 11 letters, two words, 5, 6, James Bond's Car." Sam muttered
"Aston Martin" Emily supplied "How are you anyway Jake?"
"I'm good, why don't they want her out of their sight?"
"18 down, 6 letters, Jack Lemmon's character in the 1953 film 'Some Like It Hot'."
"Daphne. I don't know, I'm not sure its a healthy attitude."
"Ume."
"2 across, 8 letters, archvillan of Sherlock Holmes"
"Moriarty, and the next one's Jaws."
"Oh. Thank you."
"It's alright sweetie" Emily kissed him on the cheek "I've got to teach today, take care"
"Will do." She picked up her bag and coat and waving to Jacob reached the door
"5 across?"
"Carpe dentum, seize the teeth" Emily called back as she left. Sam wrote it into the crossword and sighed. "She's amazing that woman."
"Ume." Jacob agreed; face full of omelette. He swallowed. "Wheres Swarhi and Jonty?"
"Still asleep. They had a rough time whilst you were gone. They said something like she couldn't stop bleeding," Jacob grimaced "Jonty gave her a transfusion or two. She wasn't supposed to be up yesterday, but she wanted to see you guys got back safely."
"Oh. How are you dealing with Mari's pack?" Sam sighed heavily and pushed the paper aside
"I don't know, it's irritating having another alpha here, on my territory" the hairs on the back of Jacob's neck rose "but they're ok, they're coming over tonight, some of them anyway."
"I'll pop in and say hello" Jacob said, finishing his omelette and getting to his feet "I'll see you later."
"Bye" Sam said, going back to the paper.
Jacob was working in the garage on a car when the light from the doorway was blocked and a scent reached his nose. He looked up with a smile and found Leah leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed, wearing those shorts that made her legs go on and on and on-
"Eyes up here Jake." But she was smiling and walked in with the casual grace she didn't realise she had and leant against the hood. "How you doing?"
"I'm ok, not much to tell really." He said, wiping his hand across his forehead and leaving a streak of grime. Leah hid a smirk. "You know Sam's getting angsty about Mari?"
"Not surprised." Leah said with a small laugh "doesn't like anyone who might over rule him. But it does feel better here, like the forest and stuff. More accepting."
"I 'spect 'cos wolves are supposed to run on this land" Jacob said with a shrug, and met Leah's eye "And it's put you in a good mood." Then Leah actually smiled and blushed slightly, dipping her head.
"You have no idea what it's like to realise your not a barren freak." She said honestly "And for some one to care."
"Swarhi?"
"Yeah, and other people." She said cryptically with a shrug. A chime rang from her pocket and she produced a phone and sighed at the message "I have to go, Mum needs the car."
"Oh, ok." Came the response. Leah straightened, the sun bouncing off her skin in all the right places, and she stepped up to jacob so they were face to face. Jacob's breath caught, his temperature rose, and Leah smiled as she wiped the grime away.
"I don't want you dirty just yet" She said quietly, and left, her shadow trailing behind in the open doorway. Jacob let out a sort of gurgle and closed the door, not seeing Leah make a similar noise as she started her car in the drive.
When Jacob returned later the couple were up, Jonty was at the table, correcting Sam's crossword and Swarhi was on the sofa, curled up by the arm, dozing. Paul sat at the other end, flicking channels on the TV. Jacob looked over, he was watching it on mute with subtitles. He was surprised at Paul's courtesy, and greeting some of the others around the table he shot a smile to Leah, who returned it as he slid into the seat next to her.
"You get oil n the strangest places" She said quietly to him, running a finger behind his ear and producing the black substance
"Comes with the job" Jacob said, and she grinned.
Mari was talking to Sam about the Cullens and the treaty, and Odette was looking mildly interested as Embry spoke to her about something. Hearing Paul turn the sound back on Jacob looked up and saw Swarhi walk up behind Jonty, and kiss his head as he looked up, her arms round his neck like a scarf.
"You alright?" He asked
"I'm fine-" She paused "Can you smell that?" A sickly smell permeated the house and Odette shuddered.
"Leech." Jonty said, his jaw set. Swarhi squeezed his shoulders, and beckoning Jacob and Mari she led them to the door. Paul followed to, and Jacob opened it to see Carlisle standing outside. He had tried to make his pose as unassuming as possible, hands by his sides to show he had no weapons, slouched, knees relaxed and legs together. He was met by four glares and five heartbeats going rather fast.
"Good evening, I'm Dr Cullen, I don't believe we've met." He said to Swarhi
"Surely you know enough about me from your son's spying games?" She said with a blade in her voice. "I'm Swarhianna Hollowfern, I'm here with my husband on a visit, and I believe you've just broken the treaty you have with this pack."
"Carlisle why are you here?" Jacob asked, Carlisle looked at him
"Merely to introduce myself to your guests."
"Well you've done that-" Jacob said, and paused as Carlisle spoke
"I also came to apologise for what my son did to you."
"Really?" Swarhi said in surprise
"I understand he caused you much more harm than he thought, he was irrational."
"Thank you." Swarhi said, and Carlisle nodded to his head to them before turning and walking away. Wolves in human form were peppered around the area and watched him as he left, walking at a restrained human pace, though with his scent he wasn't fooling anyone. Jacob closed the door with a frown, and turned to Swarhi. She rested one hand on her stomach and looked troubled, a frown marring her features.
"Swarhi?" Paul asked quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She was biting her lip, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"I'm fine, I'll just go upstairs." She turned and headed for the stairs as they returned to the kitchen, where Jonty raised one eyebrow in question.
"She's upstairs" Jacob supplied, and informed the others of what had just occurred.
"Your Cullens feel threatened, they're preparing an attack." Mari said "They see my pack as soldiers, like you're building an army."
"So what do we do?" Embry asked.
"Nothing, they don't pose a threat." Sam said with a shrug "We're fine."
"Excuse me?" Jacob said in annoyance "Are you serious?"
"What?" Sam said
"If they think we're on the offensive then they will launch an attack. Swarhi and Jonty might be targets" Said Jacob. Jonty stayed quiet where he sat.
"The leeches probably don't even care they're here." Sam dismissed "Now-"
"My brother, and his family, were killed by vampires." Jonty said quietly, staring into his mug "It was territorial. Same as this. Vampires thought we were going to attack, so struck first." The pack were silent, listening. "Swarhi and I have discussed this, we don't want to put you in danger, we will leave." Various noises of outrage filled the kitchen, and Jonty raised his eyes to where his wife now leant against the door frame. She nodded to him, but no one else noticed.
"You can't leave!"
"We wont let you!"
"It's too close to Swarhi's due date" That was Leah. She had been quiet until now, and they looked to her in the sudden silence, "I'm being serious, with her hormones they could track you for miles. It wouldn't be safe." Jonty looked at Leah, and then to his wife.
"We've run before, we'll run again." Swarhi said from the doorway with a shrug, "I'm sure I can still outrun one." But the pack could feel her underlying unease, and saw her bite her lip again.
"No." Sam said in his alpha command, Swarhi and Jonty shared another look, and Swarhi straightened. Mari stepped back, pulling Odette with her. The medic's apprentice hid behind her drink.
"I beg your pardon?" Swarhi said, and sensing a challenge Sam stood up. Even though he dwarfed her, Swarhi appeared to have a lot of power, or at least a lot of nerve, and raised her eyebrows as he repeated it.
"I said no. You won't leave." His voice didn't shake as Swarhi stepped closer to him.
"Lets get one thing straight Sam Ulley." She said clearly, arms folded over her bump "My husband and I are each others alphas, we are equal, and we do not respond to another alphas orders. Even if an alpha command did have an impact it would not be iterated from you."
"What do you mean?"
"You're not the rightful alpha." Jonty said from where he sat "He is." And he nodded to Jacob. Jacob promptly went bright pink. Sam frowned as Swarhi addressed the blushing teenager.
"What would you have us do Jake?" All eyes were upon him, and Jacob looked from the fuming Sam to the calm eyes of Jonty before catching Leah's gaze. She found his hand under the table and squeezed it.
"I think it would be best that you stay here." Jacob said, raising his eyes to meet Swarhi's. She had unfolded her arms and now appeared to hug her stomach "If you want to. We have the numbers to deal with the Cullens if they attack, especially now with your tribe" he nodded to Mari, who smiled
"Always happy to pull the head off a leech son" She said with a smile
"Then thats settled." Jacob said slightly too fast, and Sam sat down suddenly, bemused and more than a little bit angry at having his authority undermined. The pack began to chatter about how they could prepare for the Cullen attack ('It's like old times' Paul said happily) as Jonty got to his feet and approached his wife, pressing a hand into the small of her back.
"Got the ball rolling at last. " He said looking back at Jacob, then to his wife " Are you all right?"
"Braxton Hicks." She muttered, closing her eyes "Bloody vampire seems to have set them off."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Same ones as before."
"Come on, lets sit down." He led her back to the sofa and sank down onto it sideways, Swarhi between his legs so she leant back against his chest. She closed her eyes as she tipped her head back, and he rested his hand on the side of her bump and felt the muscles inside contracting suddenly. In the kitchen the pack had begun to argue over who should get which patrol, and Swarhi let out a quiet groan as the pain ebbed away.
"Anything I can do?" He whispered, entwining her fingers with hers as she tried to breath in properly. She dropped her head, eyes still closed.
"No." Came the quiet voice. "Why does everything hurt?" Jonty looked at her, then to the kitchen where no one had noticed they'd left. Sam had now begun to argue with Jacob about undermining him and others had joined in.
"How about a bath?" She paused, then looked up at him.
"That is the best idea you've had all day." She said simply
"I have my moments" he said, sweeping her hair back and pressing a kiss to her forehead "Come on." he helped her up, the pain having faded for now and headed towards the stairs.
"Are you guys ok?" They turned at the foot of the stairs to find Muni watching them.
"She's fine, its just braxton hicks. We're going to have a bath." Jonty said patiently
"Don't have it too hot!" Muni reminded them before leaving. Jonty could feel the anger coming off his wife as she squeezed his hand
"They're only trying to help Swarhi" He said softly, "Really." She didn't say anything but continued up the stairs. Jonty sighed and followed, this could be a long night.
Once in the warm water Swarhi felt much calmer, and her body felt lighter too. She dunked her head under to wash her hair, and lying back admired her feet for the first time in a while. She did miss baths when they were running, this one was full of bubbles and sweet smelling things, and the pain of her braxton hicks contractions had dimmed slightly once she was submerged. But the best bit was having someone else combing her wet hair through and massaging her shoulders, and she let out a sigh of contentment.
"You are definitely the best thing that ever happened to me" she murmured, and Jonty smiled
"I love you too." He leant down and kissed her, she tasted of soap and bubbles and he sneezed, causing his wife to collapse with laughter before grabbing him and kissing him again, before 'accidently' pulling him into the bath with her.
In the large glass house near the forest the vampires stood silently in the house.
"He's back." Edward spoke up as Carlisle appeared and let himself in, shedding his coat that he'd worn for appearances sake and facing his family.
"I agree with Edward." He said simply. "They are a threat."
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