This is a work of fanfiction and all recognizable elements belong to the original author, S. Meyer. No financial gain is made by the author (that would be me) but I'm having a good time writing and meeting everyone.
Welcome back, and I have to admit, this chapter took me longer than I planned. I had a wicked cold/cough that train-wrecked my ability to write for almost a week. I'm feeling much better, and hope this chapter is what I needed it to be. As always, a huge thanks goes to my pre-readers, though I played this chapter pretty close to my chest. Even so, LittleFurryCannibals was an amazing help (thanks for making me be clearer) and all my usual suspects who got me to this point.
Wild thanks go to Diamondheart who, as always, has immense enthusiasm for the story and is great at reminding me to watch my details. Once again, this story would never have happened without her. Did you know she has a new, smokin' hot OS? Working Man is everything you want in a shortie. She has also updated The Fractured Angel, her side story to Moonshadow. She's making me look bad.
Please enjoy Chapter 18 (By the way- I apologize for all the weirdness in the uploading, only one chapter loaded today.)
Jake POV
It's a hard enough thing to know when someone doesn't want you to go; it's even worse when they say it out loud. I knew Sam didn't mean any harm by the glare he shot toward Bella as we were getting ready to go, but that look was the last straw for me and I let him know it. Alpha or not, that crap was uncalled for.
I stood and joined Sam by the door. We gave each other the 'We'll talk outside' look and he headed out. I gave Bella and my dad one last look and told them both that I loved them before closing the door as fast as I could; I didn't want either of them to see that I was wavering a little. My feet were already on the bottom step when I heard them both say it back, and I just smiled.
Sam kicked some gravel, sending bits scattering across the drive and bringing me back to where I really was. I raised a hand, letting him know I heard him, and I stayed by the porch to stretch a little. I mostly used the minutes for gathering my thoughts.
Something inside me knew it would do me no good to bluntly confront Sam about anything. Besides, it wasn't only about the look he'd given Bella, it was the last few days of strange decisions and reactions. Most of all, it was the difference in how we thought the pack should operate.
I glanced over at Sam, who looked like he was doing the same as me: warming up a little like any runner, but taking a long time to finish each move. He looked tired. I guessed he'd been through the same wringer as I had with the Elders the day before.
Sam believed in guarding our secrets, even from our own pack, with the idea that they were better protected by not being exposed to the full truth. To him, soldiers only needed to know which way to point their weapons. Maybe that would work in a perfect world. You know, a world where there weren't vampires and werewolves and fights only lasted until someone said 'uncle'. Protecting the ones you cared about was fine, but not if it put them at greater risk.
Then there was the issue of the newest pack members, especially Seth and Leah, and how they had been left to the pack rather than being tutored by Sam. Quil had done fine, partly because he and Embry had been inseparable again since he phased and partly because he was so happy to get in on the action.
Seth and Leah had been through family tragedy, and only had each other. If we were beinghonest, Leah didn't really have anyone. Sam should have known that; it was his job to know these things, right? I could understand why he wouldn't want to deal with her personally, but he ought to have assigned someone to at least oversee her transition, and Seth's. The lapse was not what I would expect in a leader. I had been happy to step up, but still…
I twisted my torso and shook out my arms, bouncing on the balls of my feet toward Sam. My blood pounded in my ears to the tempo of my feet.
"Jake, you ready?" Sam asked, twisting his head with his hands to pop his neck.
"Yeah. Uh, did you want to talk about anything before we go?" I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding bitter.
He grimaced and stepped over a jumble of twigs on his way to the trail head. "Jake, we both know you're going to see exactly why I've been a piss-poor leader for the last few days. Let's cut the crap and talk about our real problem." Sam leaned up against a tree and took a deep breath. "I've known since I phased that I had a temp job. You were always going to come, sooner or later, and I would step back. This whole time it's been my job to make the bed for you."
I started to interrupt but he put up a hand to shut me up.
"Nope, I never minded because I believe in our pack order. Do you remember when I told you that, as Alpha, I have access to more things than the rest of the pack? The thoughts and information of the previous Alphas is available to the current Alpha." He gave a tight smile that just looked pained. "The problem is that I have to do things that conflict with other parts of my life."
I gave what I hoped was a sympathetic smile. "Leah?"
"Jesus Christ!" He grunted under his breath, looking up toward the treetops. "Let's just tear the damn bandage off and get this done." Sam started untying the drawstring to his shorts. "We need to clear the air before we meet with the leeches, there can't be any doubts between us, everything has to be solid. There's not a whole lot of time, so let's just get phase and do this the fast way." He picked up the leather case we used for the treaty and slung the harness across his chest.
We strapped our shorts on our legs and phased at the same time. As soon as our minds connected I had to sit down. I understood what the real conflict was now.
When did Emily say that, Sam? I shook my head around, trying to knock the image out of my view. Emily was standing in from of Sam, his thoughts so focused on her that the rest of the memory was blurry and faded, and she was saying the same words Bella had spoken to me tonight.
"I wish you didn't have to go."
Just before Harry's funeral, when I told her about what you…found in the woods and that we thought there was a fight coming. His mind had her on replay and he finally cut it off. She didn't mean anything by it, but I don't think Emily realizes what saying a thing like that does to me.
We started to walk slowly in the direction of the clearing we used last week. So, when Bella said the same thing…?
Yeah. Sam was embarrassed. It wasn't cool to hear it again, but you dealt with it better than I did with Emily.
How did you deal with it? I asked, and I immediately had my answer: he didn't because there was no way for him to compromise. His brain swirled with his need to care for and protect Emily and his conflicting obligations to the pack and tribe. Sam still held the delicate balance, but the scale itself was wobbling.
Sorry I growled at you. Sam seemed to accept and brush off my apology simultaneously and we fell into an easy quiet, picking up the pace to a trot. He started thinking about the pack in general, and I narrowed it to Seth and how he had gotten lost in the last few days.
I spoke to Seth, Sam said. He's much better, and I have you to thank for that. He has a hell of a drive to protect and it might be useful. I caught a sideways glance from Sam as I ducked a little to avoid clothes-lining myself on a branch. You gave that kid an eyeful, by the way. Sam gave me a brief but pretty vivid version of the things I had let leak to Seth- the curve of Bella's neck, the sound of her moan, the feel of her skin on mine…
Oh God… I complained, but Sam just snorted a puff of steam into the damp air.
Whatever, Jake. Your fur hides the blush and besides, better it comes out of your head than Embry's, right? I had no response except to shudder in agreement and continue our lope towards the gridline that lead to the clearing. I noted the scents of my packmates and the little side trails they left. I could even detect the patterns of their gait; Sam, the largest, had to go over every fallen tree and bound over low branches, and from the way her track never left the ground, Leah's smaller form stayed low, but had an enormous stride.
Sam caught the flow of my observations. You're on her good side, but just remember she's fast as hell. If you do manage to piss her off, don't run. He remarked.
You're saying just take it? I didn't really like the idea of Leah's anger getting directed at me.
You remember my face the night of Harry's bonfire, right? I did remember. The black and swollen eye had taken hours to go down, an eternity for us.
Hey Sam? He said nothing, but I felt his focus on me. It was bad for us to not be on the same page. We shouldn't go for days without talking again.
Agreed, Sam answered simply, with a mental shrug.
We pressed on and as we drew closer to our destination our thoughts began to focus. Sam's internal struggle was pushed aside and he concentrated on the task at hand, while I tried to prepare myself for anything. A few members of the pack phased in to give all-clear reports of their patrols, all of which were close to home to cover La Push and the edges of Forks.
Sam breathed a sigh of relief and asked everyone to phase out and wait for our signal. As they dropped out and Sam and I were left alone once more, he slowed to a walk and faced me.
Do you still want this job, Jake? He asked me softly.
I sat and pawed the ground as if I was kicking stones. Do you want out, or are you just trying to do what you've been told? Sam sagged a little and sat next to a huge redwood, leaning his huge shoulder into it.
I won't lie and tell you I know you'll be a perfect leader. I'm also not going to sit here and say that I've been a bad one. Sam stood back up and shook off the drizzle that had settled in his coat. I have faults and I've been humbled in ways I never thought possible, but I know, I know I've done the best I could. He sat and kept his dark eyes trained on me, asking me for my answer again.
By now my paws were covered with mud and it squished between my toes. I wasn't sure if I had an answer for him, all I seemed to have were questions. Would you want it, Sam? If you knew what you know now, would you still do it?
Sam looked down and thought. Unlike me, he was still, only his mind raced with images of his family, the Elders, Emily, Leah, the pack, my dad, me, and flashes of thoughts about the odd jobs he did to support himself and about the large family he'd planned. Bonfires, football games, public service to the tribe and a place eventually with the Elders were the milestones he was gauging his life by now, rather than school and moving to another city. He lifted his gaze back to me.
Yes, Jake. Yes I would. He stood up, walked over to me and only stopped when our noses were nearly touching. And I'm going to walk away when the time is right and only you will know when that will be.
He turned and we started off for the meeting again.
…
It took a few miles to shake off our conversation, but we had to get ready for the meeting. On the way we went over the procedure again, the sequence of events, and a few strategies to follow depending on what the new vamp was like. Over the course of the run we forged our common ground again and re-established our roles.
Do you have some jokes ready this time? Sam asked with a fuzzy grin.
A few, but I'm really better with less preparation. How can you script a joke?
He shrugged. Easy. Make fun of the shopaholic. Sam's mental voice had gotten more relaxed and it was plain that he ready for the face to face meeting. He seemed more comfortable with the idea of direct communication with the vamps rather than the constant planning and speculation- I guess a good army needs both approaches.
Sure, sure. Like I'm gonna copy your lines.
Do it your way, Jake. You did fine last week.
Maybe I had, but I concentrated on shaking off the frustration I had felt toward Dr. Cullen and his family, trying to see them as they wished to be seen. He was the vampire who created and presented the treaty to my ancestors, and he had honored it ever since. I had to live up to our half of the bargain and act like the leader and partner that my signature would demand of me.
We were getting close to the treaty clearing and slowed down, making more noise as we walked to announce our approach. I wasn't sure why we did this, habit or something; the bloodsuckers' ears were at least as good as our own.
I sniffed at the damp air and cringed. Sam, I think I made a huge mistake at the last meeting.
You mean, aside from smashing a few trees and risking the treaty? He said dryly, squinting to peer into the woods ahead.
I rolled my eyes at him. I thought one vampire smelled really bad. We both raised our noses when a breeze wafted lazily from the direction we were heading. Two is way worse.
Sam puffed a silent laugh through his nose and kept walking. As we neared, we could hear the familiar sound of stacking wood again. The trees thinned a little and we could see two figures standing by the pile of logs.
The doc has the new versions of the treaty in that case down there. Dr. Cullen had a large flat wooden box propped up on a thick log like a desk. You see the other guy?
I did. Where Dr. Cullen was moving, straightening logs in the pile, wiping his hands, smoothing his hair, and just sort of… human looking, the other one stood like a statue. He was still, hard, and did nothing that might make you think he was anything other than what he was. His hair was the only animated thing about him, flopping in the winds that were always stronger in these clearings.
That is one spooky mother. I muttered. We walked a couple more paces and the wind shifted a little, blowing the blonde's hair back and away from his face.
He was staring right into the forest at us.
Fuck. Can he see us from there, Sam? He's taller than the doc.
I don't know. Maybe he could smell us coming? Sam speculated.
We walked right up to the edge of the trees and showed ourselves in wolf form. Dr. Cullen raised his palm to us in greeting and lit the pile of wood. The long- haired blonde just blinked as a few strands of hair went in his eyes.
Sam and I let out a quick howl, our own greeting as well as a signal to the pack that we had arrived and would be phasing human. We stepped back behind the trees and as I took shape I could feel the threads of conversations as the pack phased to wait for us. Most were patrolling around La Push, but Seth was- why was he at my house?
"Jake. They're waiting." Sam was pulling on his shorts and I bent quickly to untie mine and step into them. We straightened up and took deep breaths, steeling ourselves against the stench. I was trying like hell to size up the blonde, but he still hadn't moved.
We stepped over the bits of brush and twigs at the edge of the woods and entered the clearing. Dr. Cullen placed the pine on the fire and it crackled immediately, sending out flickers of sparks that the two vampires gracefully stepped away from. It was the first move I had seen the taller one move, but every one of the short hairs on my head stood on end. My arm hairs, too.
The pine smoke cut the reek and Sam and I walked toward the pair. Getting closer to the mop haired leech did nothing to change my feelings about him. He was dangerous. He'd gone still again and tracked our every move with his eyes. The doc tossed another bough on the fire and gave a gentle smile like he was encouraging me. I clenched my jaw and walked a little faster; there was no way I was going to look skittish in front of them.
Sam allowed me to walk half a pace in front of him, so I would assume the greeting. The doc looked like a glossy watch ad and I catalogued his appearance- the colors were brighter than last week's beiges. The taller vamp wore plain jeans and a button down with...cowboy boots?
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Mr. Black," The doc extended his hand first through the smoke and I took it, swallowing down the disgust and forcing my face into the mask I needed.
"Dr. Cullen. I wish the circumstances were better, but thank you for returning so quickly." I managed, releasing the steel grip.
"I always honor our agreements, gentlemen." The doc extended his hand to Sam with a half smile. "Mr. Uley, always a pleasure."
"You brighten our forest with your spring collection, Dr. Cullen. Does this mean you weren't able to evade your daughter this week?" Dr. Cullen laughed.
So did the other vampire.
Sam and I exchanged a very fast glance before the doc spoke. "Mr. Black, Mr. Uley, I would like to present my new second, Mr. H -" The doc hesitated for a split second.
"Whitlock. Jasper Whitlock," The wind blew a strong gust as he reached forward and another mass of hair went right in his face. He raked it back with the hand he was not extending to me. I took it cautiously and he clasped my hand with obvious concentration, then released it. He watched me for my reaction and I was drawing a blank.
"Jacob Black." I wracked my brain for the wit I was so sure of earlier. "Nice hair." Fuck.
Mr. Whitlock blinked very slowly and a smile spread over his face, more on one side than the other so he looked a little sinister. "Thanks. I was on my way to my company's barber."
I frowned. "Come again?" Was there a joke I was missing?
"I was en route when I was bitten."
Oh. He shrugged slightly, as if brushing off my unspoken apology.
Sam extended his hand. "Sam Uley." They shook hands and Mr. Whitlock showed the same care with Sam as he did with me, like he wasn't quite as sure of his movements as Dr. Cullen. "Well, aren't you lucky that the style has come back?"
"My wife was happily giving me a mop in the seventies, too." We had made our icebreakers and I made the move to get us going.
"Dr. Cullen, do you have the new versions with you?" Dr. Cullen and I went to the stump and we reviewed the terms, then I handed it to Sam to go over. We all agreed to the revisions and signed with the doc's fancy pens. They had to be custom made- the same lion crest I saw sealing the letter was on them.
Sam rolled our copy of the treaty into the case he brought while Mr. Whitlock placed theirs in the wooden case. Dr. Cullen straightened and screwed the gold caps back on the pens.
"Gentlemen, now that we have the housekeeping out of the way, we should probably discuss the real reason why we're here so soon. I would not have rushed to replace my previous second if there weren't events threatening our territories and the people in them." The doc gestured to his new signee. "Mr. Whitlock has graciously agreed to join us tonight, and for the foreseeable future, to discuss how we should proceed."
Dr. Cullen launched into a detailed account of the things we had described to him and asked Sam and me to fill in the blanks whenever he needed information. I explained what I saw at the scene Seth found in the woods and what I thought it meant. The entire time I could see the longhaired vampire's mind working over every word we said, and his eyes drifted closed, moving under the lids like he was reading.
After we finished going over the last couple days, which had been very quiet, he lifted his semi bowed head and gazed at me in a way that made my blood cold.
"Show me. I want to see the place where you say there was a struggle, and I want to know the route they took." His tone was curt, but not exactly rude, and his eyes were narrow with concentration.
Dr. Cullen laid a hand on Mr. Whitlock's arm and spoke so softly in his ear that we could not hear him over the cracks and snaps of the fire. The doc released him and the taller one straightened up.
"I apologize. Sometimes my habits overtake my good manners." Mr. Whitlock smiled faintly and he gestured to Sam and me. "Would you please consider taking us to the place you saw this, by the route you followed? It would tell me a great deal about what might have happened."
Something in the air changed and Sam and I consulted each other wordlessly. He was nervous about taking them so deep in our territory, and while I didn't think we really had an alternative, I had some questions.
"We will consider it. Can you tell us what you're looking for?" I kept my question as neutral as possible. I really wanted to know why the hell he was here as a treaty second.
Another slow smile crept across Mr. Whitlock's face. "I want to look for signs of training." I was about to ask what kind of training when he supplied the answer. "Military training."
Sam's brow furrowed, but I took the lead. "You were in the military?"
Dr. Cullen stood perfectly still and merely watched everyone's reactions, and Mr. Whitlock's face was a perfect blank. "Yes. I was in the Army." His voice was a little softer when he spoke again. "And before you ask I will tell you… I'm from Texas and I fought in gray…but I didn't own slaves."
It took about a tenth of a second for that to fully register. So that would mean that he…Well, fuck me.
…
In order to take the vamps to the site that Paul and Seth had found, we had to leave the ceremonial fire. There was no precedent in the meetings, so the doc asked us to bank it until our return. To make the trip easier, we asked to phase wolf. Once requests were granted and Sam had the fire settled, I took the point and guided our party to the shredded patch of earth. Some members of the pack were phased with us and running perimeter to give reports and, once they were done, Sam asked them to phase out again so we could talk. I recalled the afternoon our patrol found the place, and realizing that we didn't know what we were up against anymore, that there was nothing in the pack mind to tell us how to proceed. Jake, are you sure about this? Sam asked me as we ran. We were trying to adjust to our roles, him as pack Alpha but me as primary on the treaty. It blended our positions uncomfortably in the pack mind.
We have to. If he doesn't see anything to worry about, then we have our answer. If something is bad, then maybe we can get help. Either way, we aren't in the dark anymore. Very quickly I remembered that our packmates knew nothing of all this. We can't keep them in the dark about this. It's too dangerous for them now to not know.
It's always been enough that they knew what the enemy was and did what was natural to get rid of them. Sam's voice was hard. To know more is to place our burdens on them. A flash of Emily's scarred face went through his mind.
What if it's not enough now? I shot back. Sam didn't have a reply.
We arrived at the little patch of torn up ground and phased back to our human forms. Sam and I jumped into our shorts and stood back while Mr. Whitlock scanned the area, then sniffed the broken branches and stumps. He shoved a hand into his pocket and raised a cell phone to his ear.
"I have to make a call." He was about to walk to the trees when Dr. Cullen raised his eyebrows at him.
"Jasper?" Dr. Cullen called gently. Sam and I watched the exchange, wondering how their dynamic worked- aside from making the smell of leech worse.
Mr. Whitlock paused, about to step over one of the fallen branches, and lowered his arm, and addressed us gravely, "I'm going to call Peter and Charlotte, and I don't want to waste a moment." He nodded to Sam and me. "I'll be right back, this may be nothing, or..." He didn't finish the sentence, and Sam and I felt a chill despite our high temperatures. He walked into the woods and was speaking rapidly within a minute.
Dr. Cullen explained that Mr. Whitlock had connections from his past that monitored what he called regions of interest. We just stood there waiting until the buzzing sound of vampire chatter stopped and the phone beeped when he ended the call. All three of us watched the tall blonde slide out of the brush, his face oddly tight, and we all trembled in rage for a split second. For a moment it was so bad I nearly phased before it was squashed and replaced by an odd calm.
Mr. Whitlock looked at me apologetically, but he was clearly agitated. "We have a problem."
…
The fire was still hot, so Sam stoked it back to life in a few minutes and the four of us arranged ourselves in the smoke as we settled to discuss developments. Dr. Cullen had suggested we return to the treaty clearing, saying that the neutral territory would help us keep perspective. Sam consented coolly enough, but as we ran back phased, we agreed that it was better in any case to get them away from our usual patrol routes.
"Jasper, what did Peter have to say?" Asked the doc, dropping the titles.
"I told him about the scene and that it looked like typical discipline for wild newborns used in the Southern wars. There were at least two trained fighters in the group, but the rest were raw newborns so those two look like a loan." Jasper looked down and sighed. "I asked him if he'd heard or seen anything that might help. He said there have been drills going on near his place in Arizona and a few skirmishes along the border for... territory, as if someone's squad just recruited and they're taming conscripts again."
Dr. Cullen exhaled and looked disgusted. "Good God, then...?"
"He said a couple tracker-fighters and a female went across his land recently, and caused some trouble in a neighboring town before heading north."
My head had gone back and forth like I was watching tennis and I was tired of it. "What does this all mean for us?" I asked almost angrily.
Mr. Whitlock's head snapped around and he focused his intense gold eyes on mine. "It means there are highly trained vampires in this area, and they are likely associated with the pack of newborns that you have been tracking. Carlisle has been watching the news and the group of newborn vampires trashing your local hiker population has grown to somewhere between five and ten." He oozed irritation at me and I felt my hair stand up again. "Any other questions?"
I swallowed around the awful lump in my throat. "Yeah. How the hell do you know all that?"
He raised an eyebrow, almost amused. "I was in two wars, actually. One ended in 1865, the other..." he gave a rueful smirk, "well, I deserted in 1934, and I just confirmed that it is still going on."
…
Mr. Whitlock gave us his assessment of what he saw in the woods, and it matched fairly well with what we had guessed. "From what you've told me and my examination just now, it appears that there may have been as many as eight or nine vampires, if you consider the ones that fought, those who dealt out the discipline and at least one waiting with a vehicle. "
The meaning of his words sank in and Sam made a low whistle. We sat and watched the smoke curl and billow from the fire for a minute like any group of campers pondering their surroundings and telling ghost stories, only ours were real.
"So," Sam started, "what do we do now?"
Mr. Whitlock leaned forward like he'd been waiting all along to hear those words. "We plan and figure out how to best use our advantages. How many are in your pack now, and what kind of strengths do you have?"
Sam bristled. "We rely on the spirits to guide us and our actions." He sat up proudly and met the even gaze of the vampires across the haze. A curl of hair fell into Mr. Whitlock's eyes and he slid his jaw to one side in irritation- I wasn't sure if it was due to the hair or Sam.
"Are you saying you are completely untrained? You have no specialists?" Whitlock held back what might have been disgust. I uncrossed my arms and watched Sam hold back his shakes.
"We've killed enough of you-" I reached out with the arm closest to Sam and laid it across his chest like a seat belt. If Sam really wanted to break loose he could; he may be my Alpha, but this was my domain. We both calmed down quickly and I saw that Whitlock was watching us very closely again as I withdrew my arm.
Neither of us was about to reveal the substance of the pack mind or the amount of received wisdom from our forbears that we utilized. We might be allies, in a grudging kind of way, but certain things were just none of the bloodsuckers' business. Let him think we were just a bunch of savages or wild animals or something for the time being, our true nature was a big-time hole card and I intended to use it well.
I was desperate to get us back on topic. "So, what do you think we should do, Mr. Whitlock? You sound like you have a plan."
He looked from Sam to me and over to Dr. Cullen, then back again. When he looked at me from the sides of his eyes, he looked like the predator I knew he was. "Make no mistake; these aren't just nomads wandering by or a tiny coven carving out a territory. I'm not sure what we have to work with yet, but we need to find out as soon as fucking possible so we are the ones building the pyres, not them."
Mr. Whitlock leaned over to Dr. Cullen and his voice buzzed, and I could only catch a few words here and there. After they spoke back and forth a couple times, the doc sat up and addressed Sam and me again.
"Mr. Black, Mr. Uley, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by stalling for the sake of diplomacy. We propose a joint meeting- your pack in its entirety, and my family- here, to train together."
Sam twitched, but kept still. I was wary because this was a tailor-made nightmare for him- not only would this expose the pack to everything he wanted to shield them from, it would mean close association with leeches. It was my nightmare too, because it was all becoming so real- not just a couple of annoyances and some paperwork, but an immediate threat to everything I loved and wanted to hold onto.
I would do anything to protect it. I would risk everything.
All three sets of eyes settled on me; this was my call as primary. I would have to go against my Alpha's preference, but it was clear he realized he had a bias- the face of his imprint would always make him hedge his bets. The two vampires watching me through the rings and spirals of pine smoke waited patiently.
"Would you excuse us? I'd like to talk with Sam for a sec." Dr. Cullen dipped his head and Sam and I rose and walked away from the glow of the fire. When we reached the cool dark of the tree line we both leaned on a patch of rough bark and slid down to a crouch.
"What the fuck is happening?" Sam breathed. He wasn't angry, but he sounded winded like he'd been running. "This is supposed to be their problem, they're the ones who clean up the messes."
"This is different. You saw what was in the woods, and you know how many trails we counted. If we make them fight, sure, they'll do it without us, but they might lose. Then what? Then we fight whatever is left? What if they kill us, too?"
Sam's breathing hitched and he faced me, his mouth tight and grim. "Then we lose everything."
We were quiet for a few minutes, listening to the distant snaps from the fire as pine needles popped in the heat. The vampires had not moved from their seats on the ground. They had nothing but time.
"We have to tell the pack everything." I reminded Sam.
He ground his teeth a little before breathing in to speak. "I have to let them choose for themselves if they want to fight with…them or not. I can't force them to do this, it's not right."
"That's a good idea." I agreed.
My legs had begun to tingle from crouching, so I sat on the ground and stretched my legs in front of me, and Sam did the same. When the pins and needles were gone, I looked over at Sam and we nodded at each other and stood in unison.
I stuck my hand out at Sam who took it in a strong shake. "I hate this, by the way." I said flatly.
"Yeah. It's not fair, but we have a job to do." We let go of each other and walked back to the fire, shoulder to shoulder, naturally matching our strides.
…
I purposely ran behind Sam on the way back to La Push. We recalled the end of the meeting and watching Mr. Whitlock fire up his phone, making calls arranging for some documents as soon as we accepted the doc's offer. When I asked why he wasn't calling the rest of the Cullen family he just smiled a little and said, "Oh, they already know."
So, Saturday, huh? Sam thought. We have to tell the Elders… let them know we're having a big pow-wow in the woods with a bunch of leeches.
At least Emily doesn't have to cook for them, right? We could just flush some deer at them. We both snickered and eased back into our more normal roles. I hesitated a little, but there was something I had to get out. About the Elders, Sam…I know they met with us separately yesterday.
Yep. He answered cautiously.
I didn't like that. I don't want to risk the pack order just because they want to do an interview. I pushed my breathing harder to keep pace with the run. We were both thinking about our responsibilities to the tribe, the Elders, to the pack, and each other- especially regarding the Alpha position. You're right, I thought, we'll handle that when it's time. It's not their business yet.
…
Every member of the pack was sitting down , their tongues slopped out and slack-jawed. Sam and I were prepared for any response, and we probably deserved a lot more than the faint whistles of wind, owl hoots and the little waves that slapped on the rocks. It was a little early in the season for crickets, I guess.
Sam had just finished explaining everything, from the treaty and it's history, the roles we each played, how the meeting last week went to the one we had only just arrived back from. We hadn't even seen the Elders yet. That was our next stop.
Jake and I agree, the only way we can be sure this is finished, to do our job in protecting the tribe and our territory, is to join them and fight together.
Uh, tell me again why they aren't taking all the risk? Leah interjected. I thought you said it was their job to take care of the rogues.
That's what the treaty says, I answered. But what do we gain if they get wiped out and we're stuck defending the peninsula by ourselves? Plus, this spreads the risk, sure we'll all take some damage, but at least it looks like we'll outnumber the bad guys.
Unless the bad guys get the good guys to join them. Paul said with suspicion. Do you really trust the Cullens? They've got nothing to lose if they turn on us.
Sam sat up straighter and shot a very dark glare at Paul, who winced a little from the Alpha's stare. If you want to read the treaty, be my guest. It's a damn dry piece of shit that made my eyes water the first time I read it until I got to the part that says if they fuck up, they burn. Not only that, they have to build their own fire and walk into the goddamn thing. So yes, I trust them.
The shared mind simmered with murmurs and surprise that a vampire would put their immortal ass on the line, but I thought about what Sam said to me about the doc's motivations.
What was that, Jake? Quil piped up, and the background chatter quieted. The focus of the pack's authority was still Sam, but to tell them everything meant…everything. They knew now that I was probably going to become Alpha, so they acted a little differently now. Part of me was still shy about that, especially when they were all staring at me like I had all the answers.
They won't betray us. Not just because of the fire, but because they have something to prove, like Sam told me last week. They have to prove they aren't monsters. I looked around at the semi circle of wolves that had set their attention on me. The treaty is how they set themselves apart from the others. It's how they make their peace with what they are.
Jared spoke up. We do the same thing, really. We protect our homeland and the people around us. He flashed back to his first phase and how it could have ended tragically. We could do a lot of harm, but we channel it into service, right? We aren't that much different.
A mental hiss swirled through our collective mind at that, I couldn't tell who made it; it might have been any or all of them.
Sam once again recalled Emily's face and the bright red gashes streaking from her hairline to her jaw. The pack winced collectively in response. He wiped the image away and cleared his mind of distractions.
We're going to train alongside vampires and fight with them. I don't know what's going to happen any more than you do, but I am convinced that this may be the only way to be sure we've done all we can, even though there is a chance this could all go badly. A rumble of voices rose up.
Enough! Sam barked out loud with the order. You've heard all there is to hear. Go think about it and make a decision- if you want out, this is your opportunity to back out, no questions asked. If you're in, come to the bonfire tomorrow.
The pack lingered, mumbling with each other.
Go! Sam ordered, and they scattered.
.
Bella POV
.
I re-read my notes from the Mr. Banner's seminar and swallowed thickly. The list of symptoms jumped up at me from the paper: fatigue, night sweats, aching, swollen nodes, headaches, and localized swelling.
How often had my sleep been disturbed and I'd woken soaked and shivering? I was always tired, achy, and the node under my arm and those at my neck were tender. Under the heading of 'immunomodulators', there were other things in my notes; lack of sleep, poor diet and depression were glaring up from the paper at me. Toaster pastries were not known for their nutritional content, and I had been a walking billboard of a cry for help for months before Jacob had brought me back to life by sheer force of will and the power of his smile.
The only one that was wrong was heat. I never felt hot or feverish, but always cold. Even when Jake was wrapped around me I only felt warmed at the surface, my insides still crackly and iced over.
I dutifully finished going over my work and closed my notebooks when the clock struck nine-thirty. Jake had been gone for several hours and I was running out of excuses for staying up and not talking to Billy, who had the television on but watched the door much more closely than the headlines. We had fallen into a comfortable quiet since Jake left, but it became strained after the second hour elapsed, and that had been over an hour ago.
My phone started to ring and Billy waved me off with a smile when I excused myself to the guest room to take the call. I saw the number was my dad's.
"Hi, Dad. How was the trip?"
"Fine, kiddo. We got the first rounds of paperwork dropped off and someone will look at it tomorrow." He sighed tiredly but I swore I heard a beer fizz and pop in the background. "School went okay? No issues with getting to La Push?"
"Nope. Jake was waiting in the parking lot for me and we grabbed my stuff at the house." I reassured him. "No problems at all."
We chatted about what we had done for dinner and other nonsense until we ran out of things to say, which was pretty fast for us. It was a relief compared to talking with my mom.
"So, do John and Andy have plans for you this weekend?" I was dying to know if my dad was going to do something other than watch ESPN.
"Uh, well I may consult on the Biers case since the car was found in Forks, but it will probably be just a formality. You know," he said dismissively, "just to show interdepartmental cooperation. Other than that I think we're going to just catch up, maybe go out to dinner." I could hear the grin in his voice. "Just boring stuff."
"Sure, sure." I laughed. He was almost as bad a liar as me.
"What are you doing this weekend, Bells? Does Jake still have big plans?"
"I still have work tomorrow after school, but after that I think we're going to a bonfire."
"Is Billy going to be there?" The dad voice kicked in.
"I think so. You want to talk to him? He's here."
I walked to the living room and handed the phone to Billy. Within a minute I could hear Billy laughing and assuring my dad that he would be at the party. The conversation shifted to the Clearwater family and who was with Sue for the night. I walked back to put my books away and by the time I got back to the living room they were talking scores and statistics. I traded Billy a cookie for my phone and wished my dad a good night and that we'd talk tomorrow.
I also told him to learn how to text.
"Goodnight, Bells. Tell Jake thanks for me when you see him tonight, Billy said he was out helping get a car out of a ditch."
"I will dad. I love you."
"Love you, too. Be careful tomorrow, Bella."
We said goodbye and hung up, leaving me to get ready for bed. I said goodnight to Billy and made a wobbly crawl onto the air mattress, taking my spiral notebook of seminar notes with me. I flexed my hand and tried to ignore the cold tingles that travelled up my arm when I twisted my wrist or nudged at the little lump under the scar.
I piled the stack of blankets in the closet on me to keep out the night chill, but my expansive notes prevented me from falling asleep easily. When I finally dropped my head onto the pillow it was nearly eleven and I was too tired to fight any more. I drifted off, imagining my immune system in an uproar over some invader. Part of me was afraid to venture a guess as to what the invader was.
.
Jake POV
.
Sam and I arrived at my house to report in to my dad. As soon as the door opened, I only had to glance toward the hallway to make my dad smile and gently mention that Bella was asleep. I spotted the second bag of cookies and, after grabbing two to start off with, offered it to Sam who helped himself.
Thankfully, my dad didn't even bother to ask us anything until we'd slowed down enough to make a couple sandwiches.
"So?" He prompted, wheeling himself to the table to join us.
Sam and I had agreed not to be separated in front of the elders again if we could help it, and while he was my dad, he was acting as an elder now. The feeling of sharing leadership roles for the time being was awkward and it strained the established order, but we were determined to make it work. This was our first test at that relationship.
"The Cullens," I began after receiving a nod from Sam, "wish to meet on Saturday to conduct a joint training exercise."
Sam seamlessly continued for me. "They feel that the threat is real and we need to determine our combined strengths and weaknesses as soon as possible." He looked at me but I had taken a bite of my sandwich and had a full mouth. "The rest of their family will be joining us in the that night in the clearing."
My dad's face was impassive. "Who is the new second, and what did you think of him?" His tone was carefully measured and it was only because I was his son that I knew how much thought he was putting into his words.
I swallowed. "A Mr. Jasper Whitlock. He is -was- a military guy, and if he's right, we will need every bit of help they can offer to figure out what the hell is going on around here and how to end it." I bit my sandwich.
"He has what sounds like about one hundred fifty years of experience in warfare. I'm thinking he might know how to fight." Sam supplied, drily. "Just had bad timing when it came to haircuts." We both snorted and my dad frowned at us a little in confusion.
We continued to tell my dad details of the meeting, and unrolled the updated treaty for him to check over. When he was satisfied he rolled it back up and bid goodnight to Sam, who was only too happy to get home to Emily. I was left alone with my dad and I sighed, knowing the official interrogation was over and the personal one would begin.
"Jake... are you sure about this? Having so many vampires around?" He leaned forward and placed his hand on my forearm. "You do realize, if they stay in close proximity for long, there may be more wolves soon."
"I know. And if we don't have them here, there may be no wolves at all. We aren't prepared for an attack by a group of trained vampires. The most we've ever dealt with is one or two nomads. Whitlock confirmed what we suspected: that there are more than we first thought and they aren't just wandering through." I stood and got my dad a glass of water. When I sat back down he was gazing down the hall.
"Do we know if they will all be there?" He said slowly. "The whole…family?"
I glanced at the door that was holding his attention, knowing the meaning behind his words. "I got that impression." I said, wanting to spit the words. I would have to control my temper even if Edward was there. If he had the balls to show up. My breath came hard for a few moments before I could blow out a deep sigh, the heat in my back and neck dying back down.
My dad patted my hand and reached for the phone. "I need to call Sue and the old man." The interrogation ended more gently than it began and I stood, taking Sam's and my forgotten plates to the sink. I was clearing away the packages of meats and cheese, smiling when I remembered the conversation Bella and I had on the beach only a week and a half ago. Love really was milk and cold cuts, and I was thankful she remembered to put them both on the grocery list for me earlier.
I set the packages in the refrigerator and closed the door. There was a new list of phone numbers held up by a magnet, each one a way of contacting Charlie or someone who could get to him quickly if we needed him. I made a mental note to talk to him while Bella was here. I'm pretty sure dads like their daughter's boyfriends to do that sort of thing.
My dad was telling Sue about the night and I waved to get his attention. "One sec, Sue." He looked up from the phone, covering the receiver and waiting for me to speak.
"I have to let Bella know I'm here. She'll probably have a nightmare if I don't."
He smiled knowingly but raised his eyebrows in warning. "Five minutes. Then I call Paul and have him pull you out." He uncovered the phone, "Sorry about that Sue. So they will be training…"
I walked down the hall and cracked the door to the guest room- Bella's room- open, letting in a thin bit of light. She was asleep, but her face looked tight and nervous. I closed the door behind me since I didn't need the light to see her, and knelt by the air mattress. Her scarred hand was shoved in a notebook, holding her place. I took the spiral and set it on the floor, careful to leave it open to the right page, and took her frigid hand, warming it in mine. She stirred a little and opened one eye.
"Jake? Are you back?" Her voice was groggy with sleep.
"Nope, but I will be in ten more minutes." She gave me a weak smile and the eye drifted closed. "Everything went fine, and I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Do you need anything?"
"Mmmm. Cold…" She mumbled.
I still had four minutes left. I climbed under the blankets with her and she wrapped herself around me, tucking her face into my neck and breathing down my chest. Her skin was cooler to me than it should have been, but she was soaking in the heat and breathing deeply. Three minutes.
At the one-minute mark I was embarrassed to stand, and she was thankfully in a deep sleep. I gently lifted her limp arms from around my neck and pulled her leg over and off of me from where it had drifted up around my hip.
If we weren't able to ditch my dad at some point, this was going to be a long weekend.
I slid off the mattress very slowly and tried not to jostle her too much; if I'd gotten up quickly it might have flipped over. I stepped into the hall and took one last look- she was on her side, burrowed in the blankets, her hair a wild mess over the pillow. It wasn't really the vision I held in my mind of her, but it was close enough to what I saw every time I phased human. I closed the door silently and whispered good night to my dad.
Building the momentum. I hope you liked the new second from the Cullens. Mr. Whitlock seemed the logical choice!
Thank you so much for reading, and a huge thanks to all my reviewers. I know we're all busy, and we like to get our fic-hit and run, but hitting that button and making a comment makes every writer's day. When you take the time, I do, too. I respond to pretty much every review.
Thanks again so much- sfiddy