Thanks for coming back. It's been a long few months, but all is well.
I have to thank Little Furry Cannibals and WolvesCanEatMe for their time and helpful comments on this chapter. As always, the story would not exist at all were it not for Chef Diamondheart. She is incredible and incredibly busy, and yet is still generous with her limited time.
Thank you so much, and please enjoy!
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Sam POV
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A pile of black volcanic rock separated my hideout from the rest of First Beach; the local kids sometimes came here to drink or party out of sight from the main beaches. I kicked at the sand while I waited, listening for Jake's footfalls. He wasn't running late at all, but I hadn't slept well, and the restless energy drove me out before dawn.
"Sam? You back here?" Jake's voice finally called out.
"Hop the rocks, I'm just over here."
A few jumps and handholds later, Jake bounded up and over the small rock outcrop and landed on steady feet. Of course we both knew this hidden spot, but he looked around as if questioning my choice.
"Getting close to tourist season. Didn't want to run into a bunch of hikers and have to give a tour or some crap. Quil was pissed this morning that his Saturday movie-thon was delayed by having to show some New Yorkers the trail to Second Beach."
Jake gave a loose shrug and hunkered down over the wet sand and rocks. He dragged a pointed stick through the hard sand, cutting a sharp line. "You done any thinking about it?"
"Yeah." I had spent days thinking. The problem was, once I got distracted by thoughts of Emily, my ability to focus on strategy was shot. Of course, on some level, Jake probably already knew this, but he wasn't bringing it up. "I've been thinking about how to pair us up and where to try to make it happen. It's the how to make it happen that's stumping me."
Jake drew more lines and picked up a piece of broken driftwood that had a flat side. "Then we should start where we have ideas. Let's talk pairings."
Half an hour later, we had hammered out who should fight alongside who and why. Jake pulled a pencil from his pocket began to sketch on the driftwood. I watched the waves endlessly break and roll onto the sand; it was strange how something so violent could leave behind such a blank surface.
"I hate this."
Jake turned to look at me over his shoulder, the pencil stalled mid-swipe. "God, I hate this." I repeated. "We just…wait?"
"I don't think we're just waiting. We have to be ready, right?" He turned back to his doodle. "We do what we have to…no matter what."
My back straightened like rebar had just replaced my spine. I knew what 'no matter what' meant, and it would leave my Emily exposed. "Right. When I talked to the Doc he made it clear that there was going to be no negotiations with the enemy."
Jake paused. "Did he say why?"
"No. Just sounded real serious. This finishes. Now."
"Huh." He added a few more touches to his drawing and set it aside. We jumped back into the discussion, grateful to talk business again. When we finished, the rest of the sand flats were covered in sketches.
"Well," I said as I smacked my hand together to knock off the sand, "that's a good start. We can run this by Doc and Whitlock tonight." Jake rubbed his hands on his shorts and reached for the driftwood piece. We easily climbed over the rocks and brush, though Jake went a bit slower because he was using just one hand.
"So, what's with the wood, man?"
Jake smiled. "My dad needs a new project. I figure I can start one for him since he can't, and driftwood's soft, so it won't take long to prep."
"Can I see?" I took the piece in my hands and saw that the sketch Jake had made was of a stylized wolf over his family totem. This was more than just a way for Billy to kill time, almost as if he was afraid to not be there for his dad. Some people think they can't die if they have unfinished business.
He stared hard at the lines on the wood, nervousness etching his expression. "You know," I said, "I bet it'll look great when Billy finishes it. I can't wait to see it."
Jake nodded. "Me neither."
…
"Please send my thanks to Emily, Sam. This is nice." Old Quil picked through the containers and packages and settled on a few things, both of us knowing I would eat the rest.
He settled over his plate and we ate, ignoring the business at hand for the moment. Emily had prepared the basket for us that morning while I was with Jake. Cooking had become nearly a full time job for her since the pack had enlarged. If she was careful, the allowance the elders gave us for food and living expenses would last the entire month and she could splurge on ordering pizza or Chinese food. As much as she adored us, she never got a break. But then, none of us did.
How long could this go on with a bigger pack? Billy could only skim so much money from the youth program; we had to maintain the appearance of something legitimate, after all.
The old man poured me a fresh cup of coffee and gave himself a warm up. He waved me off when I tried to help him as he shuffled across his kitchen to replace the carafe. "I'm old, not dead, boy."
"That's funny, you never say no to your grandkids when they help."
"That's what they're there for. You're not here to serve me." He blew the steam and sipped. "Sue called earlier today. She says it's soon. Monday?"
My last bite scraped down my throat. "I spoke with Dr. Cullen and the explanation Jake and Seth came up with agrees with the fortune teller's vision."
"Hmm."
I snapped the lid back onto an empty container. "I was wondering, is there anything in the legends about the actual fights with the Cold Ones? Strategy?"
The cup he was lifting stopped midway to his mouth. "Now why would you ask me that?"
"Well, you were around when the treaty was made, right? So you would have heard the stories; did the pack talk about how they did it?"
The old man's eyes, clouded already by age, misted with memory. "I was alive then, yes. But I was not here. My father sent me away when the Cold Ones returned. I thought it was just a long hunting trip, but really," he leaned forward, "he wanted to protect me. You, of all people, should understand."
When I frowned, Old Quil rested back in his chair. He began stirring his coffee though it didn't need it.
"Sam, I won't say I'm sorry no one was there to keep this from happening to you, but I will say I'm sorry it happened this way." He set the spoon down and it left a brown puddle on the table. "It should have been simpler for you."
"Nothing is simple. I've stopped expecting it to be."
"Ah, but you should. It will be up to you very soon to change things, I suspect." Old Quil looked at me with that gaze that saw through you. "You feel it, don't you?
"Yes." In my bones. "Jake's getting sharper and stronger all the time. I have to defend, but I can't hold them all together anymore, and… I'm afraid." I half expected him to be disgusted with me, or laugh, even, but he just waited. "I'm afraid for Emily. I'm afraid she'll be hurt if we fail."
Deep breath . "Most of all, I'm afraid that when the fight comes, I won't be able to leave her side. I'm tied to her, and if I'm still alpha, there won't be anyone to order me and I'll abandon them."
The old man folded his hands around his cup. "Has Jacob tried to challenge you? Disobeyed an order? Overcome a command?"
I thought back and recalled the past few weeks. There wasn't one instance when I had to pull him back into line; hell, I get more backtalk from Paul and way more grief from Le-
"No. If anything, he's been perfect."
We sipped our coffee. "Then you have a unique problem, Mr. Uley. You will have to force Jacob to give you a command." At my silence, he continued. "Your spirit has to be challenged, only then will it be able to give up status."
Our talk ended as we finished our coffee, then I washed the cups and repacked the basket Emily had sent. I needed to get the basket back in time for Emily to re-pack it for this evening. Old Quil shuffled with me to the door to see me out. "You must do it before the fight, Sam. If what you say it true, then everything may depend on it."
The door closed with a metallic grind and the white head moved away from the window slowly. I waited by the porch until I caught the sound of him grunting as he sat back down, then swung around to walk home, dimly registering a slight pain on the skin of my thigh.
Emily's basket had a rough patch in the weave where a bend in the wood had splintered. It had scraped against me, leaving a sizable splinter embedded in my thigh that had to come out before my skin healed over it. My pocket knife was handy, and I had the thing out in no time.
I waited there on the cold gravel as a few drops of blood trickled from the cut. When it closed, I walked home, making sure the red streaks on my skin had flaked off before I went in the cabin. I didn't want Emily to worry that I'd gotten hurt.
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Bella POV
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I squinted against the light as soon as I opened my eyes. I'd slept in, and the space next to me was cool. The house was quiet, too. Jake must have been gone for some time, so I dragged myself from the warm cocoon and crossed the hall to the bathroom.
A scrap of paper was on the sink.
Bella-
Already ate, have to meet Sam, then run a patrol. Be back for lunch and then will have topow-wowwith the rest of the pack before the meetingtonight.
Love, Jake
God, he was so busy. He'd mentioned that he'd be there was a lot going on this weekend, but I hadn't expected this. I dreamed of us savoring these last moments of peace before Monday and…
I wanted to walk along the beach with him. I wanted to hold him and watch the sunset. I wanted to fall asleep in his arms on the couch watching a bad movie.
At least he'd be back for lunch, according to his note.
Wait, lunchtime?
I bounced off the doorframe in my scramble to find my phone and check the time. It was already eleven-thirty, so I hurried through a shower that wasn't as warm as I liked, then ran into the kitchen, my hair on top of my head in a towel beehive. I threw some short-dated lunchmeat together with barbecue sauce and had it simmering and ready for some toasted rolls just minutes before Jake stepped through the door.
"Hey, Bells." He gave me a quick hug before sitting down hard in his usual chair. "That smells good."
His neck was damp and the scent of forest air clung in his hair when I kissed the top of his head, setting a plate in front of him. The two big sandwiches were gone in no time and he made himself a third.
I fidgeted with the uneaten half of my sandwich, picking poppy seeds off the bun. "Did you get enough sleep?"
Jake shrugged. "I haven't been getting very much anyway, but yeah. I got enough for now. Besides," his lips twitched up, "It's not the quantity, but the quality that really matters."
I felt my face grow warm and Jake's little smile broke into a full grin. It looked better on him than the tired half-smirk, and I returned it despite my flush.
We small talked over lunch and washed up afterwards. Once the plates were set into the drying rack, Jake went into the living room and settled into the couch, leaning far back into the cushions. I dried my hands and sat next to him as he turned on the television.
"How's Sam?" I ventured. I didn't want to directly ask about his meetings. He never gave me the impression that he would hide anything from me, but I just wasn't sure how much he wanted to deal with it when we were together. He needed some time off duty.
"He's fine. He'll be by in a few hours so we can talk with the rest of the pack before the meeting tonight." The channels flickered by as he surfed. I tucked myself into his side and sighed when he put his big arm around me. His lips brushed my forehead and he rested his cheek lightly against me for a moment. "Everything is gonna be okay, Bells. You'll see. Just take care of yourself and Charlie."
"I will. I promise." The channel surfing continued for a few more channels until we landed on a documentary about classic cars and racing. I smiled; he was always thinking about cars and motors. I liked that he was good at something he was passionate about. Not everybody can say that.
The show went to commercial. "You know, if there was a market for dangerous stained glass art or hand-quilted yoga-mat carriers, Renee would never have to worry about money again. Did I tell you that she's started doing tin-punching?"
Silence. "Jake?"
As if on cue, there was a faint rumble in Jake's inhale. I craned my neck and saw that he was not absorbed by the show, but sound asleep. I heaved the deadweight of his arm off and gently laid it down. If it was anyone else, I would have put a blanket on him, but he was so warm that I was a bit sweaty from snuggling next to him.
I didn't want to wake him, so I did busy work until I ran out of Post-It notes. My dad's insurance papers looked like a daisy in full bloom, but there was nothing I could do until he was admitted into the rehab center. Anxious to stay busy but not wake Jake up from what had to be the deepest sleep I'd ever seen, I pulled out a book from my reading list and got stuck on the first page, staring at words that made no sense.
Once again, I found my stomach twisting at the thought of the coming days. I needed to calm down—or make myself do it.
My phone was still in the bedroom. Restless to take some action, I excavated it from under the clothes I'd thrown around and dialed.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Dad. I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"Not at all, kiddo." There was a muffled grunt and I imagined him sitting up straighter. "Sue just brought in lunch so I don't have to eat the hospital food. How are you?"
I was nervous, distracted, and was desperately ignoring the passage of time. "I'm… fine."
"Bull." In the background I could hear paper crinkling and a straw squeak through a plastic lid. "You're the rottenest liar I ever heard, Bella."
I lay back on the bed and examined the textured ceiling. In the silence I could make out some of the hospital noises and I closed my eyes to imagine myself there. "Dad, there's just a lot going on. It's just… more than I can keep track of sometimes."
There. I admitted it. Sort of. My breath came in a shuddering sigh.
"Bella? Are you okay?" I managed a shaky 'uh-huh' and couldn't say any more yet. "Honey, do you know why people have a hard time admitting when they're having trouble or when they really, truly feel overwhelmed?"
I wiped my snotty nose. "No."
"It's because they don't want to let anyone down. Believe me, kiddo, I know. You take on more and more until you think you're going to break, but you're afraid to say anything or ask for help because that means you're weak." There was a shuffling in the background and I heard the door close gently. "It doesn't mean you're weak, it means you have people that you can trust to share it with. I learned that lesson late, but you don't have to.
"You have a lot of people around you, Bella. All you need to do right now is enjoy your weekend. Go to the beach before the weather closes in, or have a movie night at our house. Maybe call up Drew and invite him to the bonfire; he wants to meet the Rez patrol anyway. Whatever you do, don't coop yourself up all weekend, and then have to deal with me on Monday, okay?"
I managed to clear my throat and dig my voice back out. "Dad, I won't be 'dealing' with you on Monday. We'll get you to the center and settled in. I'll make a call and find out how much you can personalize your room; we'll make it like home. Just tell me what you want."
"I don't need much, and don't you wear yourself out. You need to put your energy into your schoolwork and your own health. Your mom will be there in about a week, so just hold out a few more days."
I giggled. "Right. She'll be great moral support as she hangs punched tin sheets all over your house."
"What?"
"Nothing." There was no need to make him worry about her new hobby. "Hey, you were about to eat lunch. I should let you go so it's hot."
"Don't worry about it, kiddo. Even cold, it's better than the fruit plate and barley soup I was expecting. Call anytime."
I smiled. If Charlie wanted to talk on the phone then he was getting pretty bored. "Oh, I'll check with Jake and see what he's up to. We'll call Drew if Sam has some time to spare."
"Good. And, uh, send my regards to Sam, will you?"
"I sure will, dad." A warm tingle crept up from my neck into my temples. Words were powerful things, after all. "Love you."
"Love you too, Bells. Bye."
…
The clouds had a way of filtering the light during the day, then acting as a dimmer switch once you passed midafternoon. The days may have been getting longer, but the evenings still snuck up on you, so it was only when Jake swung his legs off the couch and opened the door that I finally noticed the darker shade of gray that blanketed the sky.
"Hey Sam. C'mon in."
From the other side of the door, I saw Sam's thick arm extend and shake hands with Jake before he entered the house. I closed the brochure from Charlie's rehab center and laid it on the table, running my fingertips over the embossed business card of the director as Jake waved Sam into the kitchen.
The two overpowered the narrow space when they walked to the table. "Hi, Bella. How's your dad?"
"He's okay. Actually he's better than okay; they're discharging him to rehab on Monday."
Jake picked up the brochure. "He's doing great, and I think you have a lot to do with that, Bells."
Sam and I both watched as Jake carefully placed the brochure in the labeled folder I'd made for it and the admission forms I had. "You can't expect the person you take care of to keep it together if you can't. You were strong for him when he needed it, and that's part of why he's recovering so fast." Jake winked at me. "Well, that and he's a pretty tough SOB."
I laughed as I took the folder. "That he is."
They headed into the living room after that, and I decided to distract myself by planning dinner. Sam surprised me by sitting in Billy's usual chair- not even Jake sat there- and leaving Jake to sit at the extreme end of the couch so they could talk. Jake hesitated, then shrugged slightly and took a seat.
They talked quietly for a few minutes, then Jake stood to get a glass of water. "Say Jake," Sam started, "Emily is coming here to cook a late dinner for everyone. I figured it'd be easier than trudging out to my place afterwards to talk with everyone."
Jake only missed a beat, but he nodded. "I don't mind. Bella? Did you have any plans this evening?"
I pushed my piles of scribbles and notes aside. "You're joking, right? No, I don't mind helping at all."
"Great. She'll be here in about a half hour. I think she's just getting a few things together."
I glanced at the cabinets. "We just did some shopping, so we shouldn't need anything." Sam was on his way to the door when I remembered what dad asked about. "Hey, Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"Is everyone meeting on the beach this weekend?"
Sam turned slowly. "Nope, cancelled. With the weather coming in I doubt anyone would come anyway." He cocked his head. "Why?"
"My dad asked. His new deputy wants to meet you and the 'patrol'."
Sam looked over at Jake. "You met the guy, right Jake? Is he okay?" Jake explained what he knew about Drew and how he wanted to see what had been described as the neighborhood watch of La Push.
With a rueful laugh, Sam agreed. "Sure, I'll talk to him. We shouldn't need to play along for too long anyway, right?" We all nervously nodded our heads, more hopeful than sure.
As I dug out Drew's phone number, Sam pulled his shirt off and left it by the door, folded. Jake tossed his shirt into the basket by the washer, then stooped down to kiss me. His lips lingered for only a moment. "We'll be back before you know it." He nudged a curl behind my ear and kissed my cheek.
"You better be."
Sam cracked his neck and a shoulder. "Jake, let's go. They're waiting."
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Jake POV
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The run back home after the meeting was easy, but the air seemed thicker than usual and my coat felt heavy, with the humidity penetrating all the way to my skin. It usually got kinda warm the day before spring storms came, and this was no different.
Sam and I were quiet on the way back. Most of what we had to say had already hashed out, and now there were only questions left- questions that we would work discuss with the pack, and then finalize our plans with the Cullens on Sunday.
It wasn't until we were back on the trail just behind my house that Sam, still a wolf, piped up.
So, how do you want to do this?
I say we just lay it out there. What can we gain by hiding?
Sam sat on his massive haunches and nudged a pile of leaves with his paw. It … just wasn't the best news to hear. We shouldn't overwhelm them.
I think they're tougher than that, Sam.
They're just kids, Jake.
Not anymore, we aren't. I couldn't help it- in my mind's eye I replayed the night that Harry died and I found myself, barely a pack member myself, talking Leah and Seth through their first night, and the long night of practice later with Seth.
I walked a few paces and saw my house through the trees. Shadows were moving around inside, so Sam and I phased and pulled on our shorts.
…
Jared sat back on the couch and shoveled food into his mouth. When Kim wasn't around he skipped the table manners. The rest of the pack seemed to follow his lead, except for Leah, who sat on the floor by Seth with a napkin in her lap.
Sam served himself and sat in my dad's chair again. It wasn't a sight I was used to- no one but Dad sat in that chair. I shook it off and tried to focus. We agreed to eat first, and then discuss the meeting. After the day's patrols, no one would pay attention if there was food around.
Bella and Emily seemed friendly, if a bit uncomfortable. The cramped kitchen was barely big enough for one person to work, let along two near strangers. Sam constantly looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen, almost like he was making sure Emily hadn't disappeared. Bella seemed to notice it, too, because she kept glancing back and forth between the two from under her eyelashes.
When the paper plates were cleared away and cups refilled, Sam rubbed his hands together and called the pack to attention.
"Everyone fed and watered?" A few grins and nods. "Good. So, Jake and I had the pleasure of meeting with the Cullens yet again this afternoon. The plan hadbeen to figure out exactly what our strategy was and how to execute it. It didn't quite turn out to be that easy." Right away, everyone started looking around at each other and mumbling uneasily. "We had a few ideas, they had a few ideas, but tonight it seemed like we just shot holes in everything."
Sam had been looking around at the pack as he spoke in his best deadpan, but now he settled on me. The rest of the pack followed his lead and the ball was in my court.
"Uh, like Sam said, we didn't make a lot of progress, but at least we got some thinking done. We'd like to hear what you guys think." They all shifted around uncomfortably. "Whatever comes to your mind, let's hear it and we can hash it out here. Maybe someone's got an idea we can take to the table tomorrow when we all meet for the last time."
It took a few moments, but finally Quil broke the ice. "How about a drag net? We spread out along the border and sound the alarm when we spot them."
Jared shook his head. "No, man. Remember, we suck when we fight alone. We have to stay in pairs, and never act alone. Besides, we'd get spread even thinner as we fanned out and there's no guarantee we'd be able to detect them in time once we were more than a quarter of a mile apart. As fast as they are, they'd be on the rez or in town before we could stop them."
"Not a bad idea, Quil, but Jared's right. It won't work. What else?"
Seth raised his hand, and Paul sighed loudly. Sam ignored it. "Yeah, Seth?"
"Well, couldn't we circle around? Then we could sort of corral them to where we wanted them to go, maybe keep them together?"
Sam stood up and smiled grimly. "We considered that, but it puts us at risk of losing control of the fight. They have to want to go to where we want to fight. They're smart—or someone is anyway—and if we try to push them somewhere, they're going to resist and possibly make things even harder for us."
"No matter what," I said, "we have to stay in control of the fight. Anything less and we can't be sure we'll win." We sat in tense silence.
Paul stood up suddenly. "Why don't we just take the fight to them? Fuck all this war game shit. I say we surprise them!"
The group started rumbling in approval until Embry rolled his eyes. "You dumb shit, they're trained. Do you really think they've camped out in a nice cozy spot all perfect for an ambush?" Embry punched Paul behind one knee, making his legs buckle so he sat down hard. "Besides, they'd hear us all coming from miles away. One or two, maybe, could get close. All of us? Your loud ass would get us busted in no time."
Paul glared. "Aw, fuck you."
"I prefer brunettes, you silver fucker."
"No, you prefer foliage, you pervert." Paul shot back.
Sam sighed. "Shut up, both of you." When everyone calmed down Sam paced by the kitchen, down the hall and back, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright. So, the heart of this is that no one acts alone, and we have to make them want to go to the site. Aside from that, all options are open."
The pack sat around sipping drinks and whispering. The only one who stayed silent the whole time was Leah, who had turned her napkin into a pile of thin shreds and was balling them up into a lump. Sam and I gave it another ten minutes before shutting it down and letting the pack get dessert.
Sam ate a brownie in two bites and, after kissing Emily on the cheek, informed Jared and Quil that they'd be doing the next patrol with him in exchange for a break tomorrow.
"Wait," Quil protested, "I thought you said no one acts alone? If there's three of us, someone's left hanging."
Sam leveled his best scowl at Quil. "No, because I'll be running double tonight. Go take a nap, Jared will wake you in a few hours." He paused with his hand on the door, about to walk out. "Jake, call the new deputy and say we'll meet him late tomorrow. There's no way I'm meeting with an outsider tonight."
…
Bella was awake before the sun rose on Sunday and we had a hot breakfast together while we watched the cloud cover go from pink to gold and then back to blue-gray. She bundled up and we went for a slow walk on the beach while we could. There was mist and rain coming soon.
"So, you think you're up for another wolf-back ride?"
"I don't really have to go again, do I?" Bella let her shoulders droop and swung her arms. "I'm not sure there's anything I can offer. Besides, I'll be nowhere near the action. I'm hoping to spend the day harassing nurses in Aberdeen." Her fingers tightened around mine.
"Sorry. We'll all be at the meeting, so there won't be anyone here to stand guard. The safest place for you will be at the meeting." She took my hand for balance as she walked on a branch. "Besides, we may need to make a…contingency plan. If it comes to that, you'll have to be ready and know who else might be involved."
The possibility of a less-than-perfect outcome made Bella walk a little slower on the branch, the fronts of her soft shoes bending as they gripped the wood. She was watching her feet more closely than even she needed to. Her hair fell forward, hiding her face, and she stood very still.
"Bells, I didn't mean…" I tried to find words, fumbling with the unspoken fears and knowing in my soul that there was always that possibility that we could fail. "I just think we need to be prepared."
She shook her head and squeezed my hand, giving it a tug to make me turn to face her. "I know. It's only realistic." She finally looked up at me, using her free hand to push the hair away from her tear-streaked face. "But I must insist that you wear a saddle this time."
We met each other's eyes for a few seconds before lunging. I held her as tight as I dared and felt the shudder in her breath. The joke was weak and forced and really only made the situation feel that much more desperate.
"God, Bells. I don't want to lose you." She pulled back and frowned sadly as she wiped my cheeks. "You know what's even scarier?" I asked. She shook her head. "That I don't want to lose me, either. I don't want to get lost inside all this and forget who I am, or change so much that I'm not who I think I am anymore. Does that even make sense?"
Bella shrugged and made a half smile. "More than you realize."
She held my hand and stroked my cheek as the rains started. Any tears left on my face mixed with the rain and washed away. We got back to the house, ate lunch and relaxed until Seth came by to go run patrol with me. Bella was subdued, but spent the day near me and gave Seth a pat on the back as we left.
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Sam POV
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I nearly panicked when I finally woke up. It was dark in the room and I was terrified that it was after sunset and I had missed the meeting.
After groping for the alarm clock and knocking it off the nightstand, I realized that some light was still coming through on the edges, and it was bright enough to still be the gray light of day, and not the bright yellow of my yard light. Emily had only pulled the shades and curtains tight. Still, I didn't know what time it was, and running a double patrol shift was more disorienting than an all-night study session. Back when I did things like that.
I had planned to apply to the community college, but when my plans changed, then changed again, I burned the completed application form with the house trash. Part of me felt perfectly content to sink roots deep in the soil here, right next to Emily. Only a tiny piece made a protest, and he's been quiet lately. I think he's been too tired to say anything else.
My back ached as I rolled out of bed to follow the sound of Emily's humming. She sometimes sang while she cooked and cleaned. She wasn't the best singer, but it always made me smile.
"Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead. Ready for linner?" Emily smiled and pulled a chair out for me.
"Linner?" After I kissed her cheek, I grabbed a roll from the basket and bit into it before I even sat down.
She rolled her eyes at me but handed me the butter dish. "Yup. You're too late for lunch, and it's not going to be dinner time for a few hours. Linner."
My first plate was cleared in a few minutes. You have to feed the machine if you expect it to keep grinding away for you. Emily chatted about her phone call to her mother and I did my best to pay attention, but I kept finding myself watching her more than listening.
She had a beautiful way of moving- completely open and expressive. I wondered if she might consider tribal dance.
"…but Mom thought the nurse was a little careless, so she asked them to check again. Sure enough…"
Maybe we could dance together. Strictly speaking, it wouldn't be traditional anymore, but what the hell? I bet Old Quil could make it traditional if he said it was. Who would argue? Then we could tell the story of our love…
"…but the baby is just fine. Nothing but a fever while she cut teeth…"
Teeth. Shit. There will be plenty of teeth tomorrow. Sharp ones full of venom. Teeth that want to bite my Emily. Hurt her.
I have to guard her. She is all I have. She cares for us and feeds me. She can bring strong children.
Jesus. She's a person, too. She has a job, and ideas of her own.
"…and she thinks my uncle may be able to help with that. Do you think you'd like to try?"
"Sorry. Try what?"
"The handyman idea you have. He's got some power tools he wants to give you and a few regular customers in the area. He told Mom that he wants to retire next year, but wants his tools to be put to good use."
"Wow. That's really nice."
She even helps find support. Honest, paying work. Without her I am nothing.
I sighed, swallowing the nasty voice down and viciously stabbed a meatball. It wasn't that I loved her against my will and fought it; it was that I didn't want to fight it. I really did love her, and she loved me back…now. But I could feel the pull; it wanted me to stay with her and forget everything else as if I didn't have obligations and others weren't relying on me.
I knew what I had to do, and I would do it for them, and for the people I was obligated to protect, whether they knew it or not.
Emily went back to talking. She was trying to make me comfortable, knowing what the coming days were bringing. Just the sound of her voice could make me relax. Sometimes she hummed as she worked. I wanted to just listen to her for hours.
Damn. I had to call Paul. Tonight. It had to be tonight.
.
Bella POV
.
Late afternoon came too soon. By the time Jake and Seth returned, I was watching my hands tremor with nerves that made me slosh milk onto the table when I attempted to pour. I'd spent the two hours that he was gone packing and unpacking the bag I'd carried the last time Jake had taken me into the woods for a meeting. I tried to find reasons to take other items with me, and a pile of discarded things from pens and notepads to lighters and hair-ties made a halo around the backpack. All that was in there was the plastic grocery bag with Leah's clothes for later and water bottles.
"Honey, are you okay?" Jake took the rag from me as I went to reach over him to wipe the table. I'd come perilously close to knocking over his glass in the process.
"Fine. Just…fine."
"Bull. You're shaking like a leaf and I think you scared Seth away, or did you not notice that he didn't even stay for a snack?" Jake wiped the spill from the table and tossed the rag into the sink.
"I didn't mean to freak him out. I'm just…a little nervous. That's all."
Jake pushed his plate away and rubbed his face with both hands. "I know you are. Of all of us, you might have one of the hardest jobs." Both his elbows rested on the table, supporting his head in his hands. "You don't get to fight. Just watch. And wait. That sucks."
"Yeah, it sucks. What if there was something I could do? Maybe I could draw them here or lay down a trail-"
Jake's head popped up. "No. Absolutely not. Victoria tried to use Charlie as bait to get you in Seattle- there's no way we're using you as bait here. I won't sink that low." His ears had turned pink with anger and I had cringed at the strong reaction he'd shown the idea. In a moment he softened and propped his cheek on his hand again. "Sorry. I just can't imagine putting you in danger on purpose. Not when you have to take care of Charlie and we have a dozen things to consider first." He went quiet afterwards and kept eating, staring distantly at the far wall, deep in thought.
Most of the house was dark with only the kitchen light on, illuminating us in a halo that made me feel like we were in a little bubble by ourselves. Just to fill the emptiness, I considered turning on the radio or television, but I didn't want to disrupt these last few sacred minutes of quiet with him. With a cold flush of fear, I realized they might be our last.
I served myself some dinner, pushed it around my plate, then gave up and just ate some crackers. As the light outside grew weaker, the knots in my stomach tightened and flipped. Jake finished eating and set his plate in the sink while I checked the backpack one more time.
The phone rang and the bubble popped.
"Hello?...Yeah, just finishing up…not unless you need to bring something special…okay, meet you at the feeder trail. Bye." Jake hung the phone back up and wiped his hands on his shorts. "Well, are you ready?"
I tried to answer with confidence, but all that came out was a rasped croak. Jake's gentle smile was sympathetic, but he handed me my raincoat. "The rain is going to pick up tonight. Bring an umbrella and stay close to the fire when we get there, okay?"
Jake bundled me up and we walked to the edge of the forest behind his house. Within minutes the trees were dripping more than usual as the mist turned to drizzle.
"Sorry I didn't get the saddle, but try not to pull my ears for grip, okay?" Jake said with a grin as he helped me put on the backpack.
"I make no promises." I reached up and ran my fingers through his wet hair. "With all your hair cut off, there isn't much to hold on to." Jake smiled sadly, then turned as if he heard something.
"We need to go." He stepped behind me and unzipped the backpack. "Use this stump to climb on." Jake walked alongside a long-felled tree stump. From behind me, I heard the slip of the basketball pant material. When I turned back around, Jake was gone and the wolf stood, pawing the sludgy ground, waiting impatiently for me to climb on.
So I did.
…
The pack maintained a dizzying pace, weaving amongst each other and trading yips and growls, until we reached a clearing that may have been the same one we stopped at the last time. It was hard to be sure. Jake sat slowly to let me down, but kept watching where the black and silver wolves had gone to change. The fur between his shoulder blades stood straight up, prickling at my cheek.
I slid off Jake's back gingerly and hobbled over to lean on a tree. The smallish gray wolf I knew to be Leah walked to me and nudged the backpack, so I pulled out her top and hung it on a bramble a few paces away. An answering wuff was her thanks.
I resigned myself to being wet to the bone for the time being and sat down on a section of fallen wood that wasn't too mushy. Jake, Sam and Paul emerged from behind trees, the rest of the pack walking behind them.
"So… that was a nice little run, don't you think Seth?" Embry said. Leah came from behind the brush, tucking in her t-shirt and joined her brother, alongside Quil, Jared and Embry. They hung together, clearly separated from the other three.
Seth just nodded and plucked at the ties to his pants. Quil and Jared started strolling towards me with deliberate nonchalance, the way you might walk by a chained guard dog; you're pretty sure it can't hurt you, but you're not sure you want to get too close. Seth and Leah followed and made a show of getting water from the backpack.
"Sam, Jake? You guys want some water?" Seth held out bottles, his hands seemed steady, till I noticed the quiver of the water against the sides of the bottle. The whole group was acting skittish. "Got extras over here if you're… you know… thirsty."
I could barely see in the half-light that filtered down to the ground, but it touched their faces as they turned towards Seth.
Jake looked horrible- he alternated between glaring at Paul and a confused fear directed at Sam. Most of all, he looked like he wanted to run away. Paul stayed just behind Sam, just beyond the movements of the two and skirting the edge of the clearing. Sam was menacing, with a crazed fury in his eyes directed at Jake. I had never seen him like this before and an unease that had nothing to do with the upcoming meeting began to tighten in my stomach. He huffed the air and paced back and forth restlessly with Jake watching his every move. The air around us crackled with nervous energy.
I began to lean forward to stand when an iron hand clamped down on my shoulder. Jared looked down at me. "Whatever happens, don't move or say anything." When I opened my mouth to ask why, he cupped a hand over it. "I mean it, Bella." Only when I nodded did he release me, but stood directly behind me with that hand on my shoulder. I was very gently, but very truly, pinned down.
Sam and Paul were faced off with Jake, walking in a loose circle in the clearing. All I could make out from the edge of the clearing was a low rumble, like they were talking in growls. I couldn't understand them, but I could see Leah's eyes darting between Jake and Sam, following the escalating tension of their conversation.
Finally, Sam held a hand up in front of Paul, waving him off. Paul backed off and joined the rest of the pack at the periphery with me.
"Are you just going to sit in the cheap seats again tonight, Jake?" Sam said more clearly. "Just going to do the bare minimum and let the leeches do the rest?" More growling.
"What do you want from me, Sam?" Jake asked, half angry and half pleading. "I'm the primary on the treaty, I'm ready to talk strategy and take risks if I need to! That's what we're here for!" Jake's arms were outstretched and he swept around, indicating the woods that swallowed us.
Sam leaned forward into Jake's space and crowding him. Jake leaned back but didn't move his feet. "No, Jake, that's not all this is about. This is about you and me. We've avoided it up to now, we've pretended like it wasn't so bad but," Sam's voice lowered and I could barely hear him. "You and I both know the shit that's in my head. Christ, the whole pack knows it by now."
"Knows about what? Emily?"
Sam winced. "Yes, Emily, damn it!" Jake looked lost and shrugged which just seemed to make Sam angrier. He walked forward and got in Jake's face. "You just don't fucking get it, do you, Jake? You don't get it—because you're such a goddamn, happy mother fucker and that might get us all killed!" He glanced over at where we all stood and flicked a gaze at me. "Including your precious little Bella." Jake's fists tightened, but he kept watching Sam, lightly poised on the balls of his feet.
As if something had occurred to him, Sam backed away, his face thoughtful. "You know, there might still be bonfires after all of this is over, provided there's anybody left. I wonder how Old Quil's going to craft a new story about the chief's son who refused to do his duty, all over a little girl and ended up letting the whole tribe die at the hands of the Cold Ones."
Jake went completely stiff. Sam smiled. "Oh, now that gets to you, huh? Betraying daddy and his legacy?"
Jake twitched. "Watch it, Sam."
"No, Jake. If you don't grow up, I'm no-show. If I'm no-show, then Jared's probably no-show. He has the same need as me: To protect the imprint. We can't be two down and make this happen, so you need to do your job." Sam stood right in front of Jake again. "When are you going to quit playing little chief and be a man? Give me an order, Jake."
"No."
"Give me an order, Jake. Now!" Sam moved wildly, his powerful limbs engaged in a spastic parody of his usual grace.
"No!"
"Fuck you!" Sam yelled, jumping up and down in front of Jake and waving his arms. "Give me a god damned order!" He kept flapping around Jake, taunting him. The hand on my shoulder squeezed tight and I didn't even dare to breathe. We all watched Jake as he tried to hold up his hands in an attempt to placate Sam.
Finally, Jake clutched his scalp, hands over his ears, as if trying to muffle an unbearable noise. "Damn it, Sam! Sit down and shut up!"
The whole pack reeled back at the force of Jacob's command; Sam hunched his shoulders and slumped to the ground, landing hard on knees that sank into the soft ground. He leaned back, catching his weight on an outstretched hand then sitting like a child, his head bowed over his crossed legs. Sam was calm, serene almost. He just sat, catching his breath and looking nothing like the furious, raving monster of moments before.
Jake stood heaving with his face in his hands, his entire body rocking to an unheard tempo. He lowered his hands, exposing eyes that flitted back and forth as though he read a text in the air. Finally, he looked around at everyone. The pack watched him warily but everyone met his gaze, and Jared took his hand off my shoulder so I could stand. When Jake looked down at Sam, still and quiet on the ground, he reached out and took his hand to help him up.
"Jesus, Sam. I'm…sorry." Sam just nodded and Jake looked shamefaced. "Oh, you can talk…if you want."
"Don't be sorry. I was afraid you wouldn't do it and I didn't have a back-up plan." He brushed the dirt off his rear and gestured toward us, the onlookers, then walked over to join us, taking a place next to Paul at one end. "Well, are we going to a meeting or not?" He said it lightly; maybe it was my imagination that he sounded almost shaky with relief.
"Uh, right." Jake muttered. "Sam, nothing changes tonight, but I might adjust…structure. A little."
"I don't know why you're even bothering to tell me. That's not my problem anymore." Jake gave Sam what can only be described as a snarl, and Sam made a sympathetic smile. "But I'm always happy to offer advice, if you need it. I just won't make the decision for you."
That seemed to satisfy Jake and we started to walk. Jake and Sam walked side by side, but this time Jake was a half pace ahead of Sam.
Seth came up beside me. "You caught what happened back there?"
"Looked like a … a power exchange?"
Seth grinned. "You might say that. We're under new management."
"Quiet!" Leah whispered furiously. "We're getting close."
The clearing must have been up ahead. This time I would enter the clearing with everyone else, not stay behind in the brush with Seth. As we walked further, I could make out the edge of the trees. The breeze carried the smell of smoke. Jake looked back at me when we reached the clearing. I mouthed the words 'I love you' and he replied with a deep exhale and the slightest smile. He turned to face the clearing, Sam at his side, and took the few steps to exit the forest. The rest of us stood together, waiting for the word to join them.
I shivered. The Cullens were down there, waiting for us. The distraction of the confrontation between Sam and Jake had worn off, and I was now stuck with my usual demons.
No, actually they weren't my usual demons. Those were gone and what was left was a feeling of purpose. Regardless of what came, I knew that tomorrow I would be spending my day away from here, helping my dad get settled and making sure he was okay. By being away from here and removing myself as a distraction, I would do my job as Charlie's daughter, Jacob's girlfriend, and as one of the people of the peninsula the pack was sworn to protect. I wanted to help and, right now, that was the best way for me to do it.
A nudge from behind put my legs into motion. I stamped through the twigs and sloppy ground on feet that were wet and cold. My parka kept most of me pretty dry, but from the knees down I was soaked. When I cleared the trees the first thing I saw was the fire, and felt a longing to be next to it, warming up and, hopefully, drying off. From the looks of the sky, that was unlikely, but I noticed that, a few feet off to the side, there was a small open-sided tent.
Right then, as I walked slowly down the incline, I glanced up and saw the wink from Alice. I started to formulate the thank-you I would have to deliver when her lips formed the words 'You're welcome'. Of course—she knew what I was going to say before I'd even said it.
Carlisle and Jasper stood by the fire as before, luminescent in the dim evening. A short distance behind stood Alice, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie and… Edward.
I'd be lying if I said I felt nothing, or that I felt enraged or self-righteous fury. Instead, what I felt was complicated and confusing, but it didn't yank at my heart's borders. It certainly didn't have me curling into a cold ball; but it was an indistinct impression in my mind, like footprints that hadn't quite been washed away by a wave.
I walked behind the pack members and sat in the simple tent with a slight breeze at my back, carrying the pine smoke away and between the parties but leaving most of the heat behind. From my vantage point I could see nearly everyone clearly but for the occasional flare up from the fire. Emmett gave me the tiniest wave.
Jake reached out to shake Carlisle's hand first. "We better get to it. I don't know how long the weather will hold."
The rest of the greetings were exchanged and Alice popped up next to Jasper, whispering into his ear. "My wife tells me we have almost a half hour before the real rains come. If necessary," he inclined his head in my direction, "we understand if some of your party needs to leave."
"Thank you. In that case, let's not waste any time. Dr. Cullen and Mr. Whitlock, Sam and I were discussing approach plans…"
Jacob, Sam, Carlisle and Jasper began talking, and as a few minutes passed, the pack had gravitated closer to the fire where the main four were drawing on the ground with sticks, making hand gestures, and, once in a while when the wind was not favorable, leaning back for a breath of fresher air. Their discussion was running into the same problems that the pack had the evening before.
Jasper shook his head. "Don't forget, we can't assume that we can trick them into being chased anywhere. Newborns are nothing if not aggressive and driven by instinct. Not only do we need to get them to the right place, we have to keep them away from any other people unless we want…bigger problems." Carlisle and Esme exchanged a nervous glance, but said no more.
I watched Edward. He hardly said a word, his eyes shifting from the group ringing the fire, to the forest, then tracking around the diagrams that were drawn, wiped away by a foot, and drawn again. Alice turned slightly to face him, and they engaged in one of their silent conversations. It was all eyes and postures, but after a minute or two of this, Alice made the faintest of nods, effectively ending the exchange.
When she nodded, for the first time the entire evening, Edward raised his eyes to mine. I'm sorry. He mouthed. My jaw went slack, my mouth dry.
What was he doing?
"Damn it." Jasper said, looking down at yet another diagram. "We may just have to wait for them to make the first move and try to meet them partway. The location may be less than ideal, but we can plot out the best places to make a stand-"
A smooth voice sliced through the jumbled conversation. "Send me."
Jasper trailed off and looked over at Edward, who had stepped forward. "We're not going to be effective unless we know what they're going to do. Send me."
Sam ran a hand over his hair. "Excuse me?"
Jacob watched silently as Edward walked to stand in their midst by the fire. Sam seemed about to object but Jake raised a hand, ending the protest before it began. Carlisle peered at him almost nervously, but Jake kept his gaze trained on Edward.
"Alright Edward," Jasper said. "We're listening."
Edward rumpled his hair as if he was gathering the right words. "We don't know what her plan is because it's so fluid, correct? And Alice thinks that Victoria," he spat the name, "is unstable, but has enough control over her forces to not attract attention."
"We've been over this, Edward, and yes, it is as you say." Carlisle soothed.
"Then she must have a tight rein over them, right?"
Jasper tilted his head. "Yes, through her recruits from the South. They likely handle discipline, but…"
Edward finished the thought. "But they are mercenaries, and therefore have to be supervised. By Victoria. She has to be nearby, and if she's nearby, then all I need to do is get someplace nearby."
Jacob crossed his arms. "You mean you want to be a spy?" Sam let out a whistle.
"I suppose you could call it that."
Carlisle shook his head. "You would be outnumbered and far from where we could provide help. You would be completely exposed and alone."
Edward smiled, the effect dizzying in the firelight. "You forget how fast I am, Carlisle. Even if I'm compromised, I will most likely outrun them long enough to get back and report in."
"And if you can't outrun them? They're newborns."
The shrug was nonchalant for the gravity of the topic. "Then I give myself a fifty-fifty chance."
The Cullens immediately broke into a buzz of debate and objection. Jake and Sam looked as though they approved of the idea, and most of the pack had now risen to its feet and were gathering around them to talk. Leah hung back, gazing down at the blurred diagrams on the ground, then up at…Edward.
Who leveled his gaze right back at her.
"I'm going, too." Leah announced, ending the chatter. The entire party of powerful wolves and shimmering vampires all stopped and turned to face her in shocked silence.
It was Sam who spoke first. "No."
"You're not my Alpha, Sam. Don't even."
Jake held up his hands to calm them. "Easy, both of you. Explain yourself, Leah."
"Isn't it obvious? I can obscure his trail as we go, throw them off his tracks in case they're running patrols. We can watch each other's backs while we're there, too."
Sam interrupted. "Hey, I can go and act as a guard."
"Sam, you're the slowest one here. We need speed and stealth, and you're too big for either." Leah squared her shoulders. "Besides, no one acts alone, right?"
The whole group shifted their weight around, mumbling. Alice whispered into Jasper's ear and he spoke softly to Carlisle. "It seems," he said gently, "that the involvement of a wolf in the reconnaissance has obscured Alice's vision, but now she more often sees the fight occurring in the meadow we selected, rather than moving from place to place." Carlisle sighed and gestured politely for the main players to return to their positions. Jake stared down at the ground and frowned, considering.
"Dr. Cullen? I think…" Jake uncrossed his arms and stepped back to his place. "I think it's a shit excuse for a plan, but it's the best we have. Let's see if we can make it a little clearer." The group tightened and chattered away, the rich tones of the wolves' voices counterpointed by the delicate and crisp sound of the vampires.
My limbs, no longer chilled, had begun to feel heavy so I rested my head on my knees. The orchestra of voices lulled me into a drift as the evening's adrenaline wore off and I finally let my eyes close.
A loud snap from the fire woke me. I didn't know how long I had been asleep, but it wasn't long enough to ache from my position or for the meeting to be over. They still stood by the fire, smoke still sluicing between the two knots of people.
"And I'm telling you that 'probably' isn't good enough." Jake said flatly. He and Sam were holding similar poses, their broad shoulders impassable as they held their fists on their hips.
"For the last time," Jasper said. "we can only tell you that this has a good probability, that there can't be guarantees."
Sam shook his head. "You can't possibly understand. You don't have the kind of commitment and ties here that we do. If anything goes wrong, you lose a nice house. We lose everything." Jake cast a sideways glance at Sam, but didn't stop him.
"That," Jasper said, his nose flaring slightly, "was uncalled for." I stood to stretch my stiff legs and walked to stand near Jake. I touched his arm and he took half step back, defusing Sam and calming himself down in the process.
"Enough." Carlisle placated. "Arguing over this is pointless. What we need is a solution, and we need a good one fast."
"What's wrong?" I asked. "Why aren't we sure the plan will work?"
Jake frowned and sighed. "Mr. Whitlock and his wife assure us that there's at least a seventy-five percent chance that we will get the newborns in the right place. So, if we can get them there, we win. But, Sam and I say that seventy-five isn't good enough because, if they veer off course, who knows how many people they'll take out?" His jaw pulsed. "They might even track you."
"It's the best we can do. I'm not sure what we can do to improve the odds." Jasper said.
Carlisle glanced at me and then cast his eyes down. "I may have a…suggestion." In a gesture born of living amongst people for decades, he rubbed his hand over his mouth as if unsure of himself or what he was about to say. "But … it requires Bella's permission."
All eyes, brown and gold, focused first on Carlisle, then me.
"Well?" Sam snapped.
"We could leave a trail. Something irresistible." He raised his eyes back to me again. "The reason why they're here."
I gasped and felt my head spin for a second. The world tilted until I felt a familiar, warm hand on my back.
"She's not bait. Don't even go there." Jake warned.
"Please don't misunderstand me, Mr. Black. Isabella will be far away from here." Carlisle paused. "It's standard practice to take several samples as back up when you're investigating a medical oddity. When I took samples of your blood-" a few growls rose from the pack but Jake shushed them. "I froze the extra samples in small vials for future tests."
Paul balked. "You let him handle your blood?"
"Of course." I said. "It was to see if there were any aftereffects of…" I trailed off and glanced at Edward. His face was twisted in pain.
Paul slapped his forehead. "Your blood. Seriously? Blood?"
Jake, who was already on edge, glared at Paul with a ferocious glint in his eye; he quieted immediately. Jake took a deep breath and spoke in a perfectly even tone. "What, exactly, are you proposing we do with this…sample, Dr. Cullen?"
Carlisle steepled his hands and touched his fingertips to his lips. "What I propose, with Isabella's permission, of course," he inclined his head towards me. "Is for Edward and Miss Clearwater to create, perhaps, a trail. They would lay a trail with the, er, sample and then, once they were assured of their safety and an appropriate position, create a distraction which causes the newborns to pick up the scent, following it to our selected site."
Jared spoke up. "We're talking about, like, fifty miles here. Are you sure a tube or two of blood is gonna get that done?"
Jasper laughed grimly. "It's enough. Trust me."
Jake raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Instead, he took my hand. "Bella, you heard what the Doc said. It's up to you. We can always figure out something if you're not okay with-"
"Do it."
"Are you sure? It's your…blood. You don't have to."
"I'm sure." I looked around at all the faces dancing with shadows in the moving firelight. Alice was hopeful, and Emmett looked like he wanted to give me a high-five. Esme and Carlisle looked proud, like they still thought of me as one of their own, despite the passage of time and changes in relationships. Jasper and Rose were cool. Edward…I avoided any more than a passing glance. I just didn't have it in me.
"I've been listening. This has to be the best we have. If there was a better solution," I squeezed Jake's hand. "You would have thought of it by now." Having given my consent, I stepped back.
Carlisle nodded to me. "Thank you Isabella."
"Alright, we agree to this plan, but only on one condition." Carlisle waited politely for Jake to continue, ignoring the insulted snort from Edward as Jake pointed at him. "He can't carry it."
A fleeting look of pain passed Carlisle's features for an instant, and then was smooth again. "Under the…circumstances, I think that is a perfectly reasonable request."
Another few discussion filled minutes passed. Finally, as I yawned, Alice yanked Jasper's sleeve.
"My wife informs me that in a short while the rains will arrive. May I suggest we finish and continue contact by phone?"
Emmett and Esme busied themselves managing the fire as the goodbyes were exchanged. I managed a weak wave to Alice and Emmett, who gave me bright smiles in return. Edward whispered to Alice and handed her a note. Before I could say anything, Edward disappeared into the woods, and Alice placed the envelope in my hands. They were both gone so fast, only the echo of Alice's cool touch remained on my hand. I shoved the note into my backpack and got ready to leave.
.
Sam POV
.
I drifted towards the back half of the pack on the return trip. It was funny, I'd never seen how the pack moved from behind. I'd always been in the front. Each would run in a straight line for a time, then make a brief jog to the side to canvass for unfamiliar trails or scents, then move back to the center. From above it must have looked like a long, thin braid.
Ironic, since our hair had been cut. Now we weave our paths together, rather than our hair.
My mind was more open, fewer corners to hide in now. For some reason it didn't bother me any more than it bothered anyone else. Well, except for Lee-
Don't call me Lee-lee.
Sorry. Just thinking.
Well, try not to think about me, okay?
So I thought about Emily. It didn't cause my chest to tighten anymore. Now, instead of feeling the need to stand in front of her, guarding her, I could protect her and more by doing my job. I meshed into the rest of the pack.
Speaking of mesh, Jared said, We'll need to take a look at of the creek beds a few miles East from here sometime. I think some asshole has a still. Has it covered up with camo mesh, but camo can't cover that smell.
Oh, yeah. I saw him setting up yesterday on my patrol. Gotta nip that in the bud fast.
Chatter. I'd been able to block most of it out as alpha, but now it was a constant stream I was plugged into. It reminded me of my father's police scanner, minus the jargon. Or at least with jargon I understood.
Hey, about those cops, how many of us have to be on the 'rez patrol' to meet Jake's cop buddy?
It's Charlie's new deputy, Jake clarified as he rolled a shoulder to keep Bella balanced. It'll be Sam, me and I need one or two more. Anyone?
I'll do it.
Anyone but Paul?
Fuck you, dude.
Not even with Embry's dick, Paul. Anyone? C'mon, I know it's raining, but I need at least one more.
Seth nudged his sister. Annoyed, she sped up and made a wide swing out. Fine, I'll do it.
Thanks, Leah. After I drop off Bella, we'll take the Rabbit and meet him at the beach.
.
Leah and I waited just inside the front door while Jake fussed over Bella. When she had a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket around her we slipped out the door and into the most uncomfortable moment since…
Now wasn't the time, and it probably never would be. Instead of trying to fill the space with bad small talk, we just stood waiting, accepting the discomfort. A day before I would have felt obligated to do something, anything, to smooth the moment and create harmony in the situation. Now it simply was. The change in my station removed the pressure for me and defused the power struggle for her.
The hurt, however, was still there. That was something to worry about later, but not now. Right now it couldn't be helped.
The door opened and Jake stepped out. He looked us over and, seeing nothing worth correcting, flipped his keys around his fingers. "Alright, Bella's all set. Seth?" A soft yip sounded followed by a furry face poking out from the trees. "You're here till I get back." Another yip and he disappeared.
We piled into the car and sped to the beach. I took the back seat.
.
A hand wave was enough to get the new deputy to meet us at the campground office. After our long evening we didn't feel like standing in the rain, and neither did he.
"Hi there, Jake!"
"Hey, Drew."
They shook hands and Drew dove to stand under the overhang of the office. Leah and I stood behind Jake with our hoods up. We may not be cold, but we'd been wet all evening. "So, is Bella excited about her dad coming tomorrow?"
"You could say that, yeah. You're picking us up?"
Drew nodded. "That's the plan. I'll be by around noon, so have an early lunch." The deputy let out a shiver, and Jake stifled a laugh.
"So, Drew, it's a little nasty out…" Jake prompted.
"Sure, no problem. We can talk more another time." He held out his hand to me and I dropped my hood. "I'm Deputy Drew Miller. Call me Drew."
We shook. "I'm Sam Uley. Glad Charlie has some help."
"Sam started the, uh, patrol." Jake supplied. "And this is Leah Clearwater. She and her brother Seth just joined."
Leah dropped her hood and shook her bobbed hair free. Drew dropped his hand and seemed unsure of what to do with it. She raised an eyebrow and stuck her hand out and Drew looked at it, still dazed, before shaking his head slightly and reaching out to take it. .
"Leah, right! Hi, I'm Miller…Drew. Just Drew." He kept shaking her hand. "You and your brother? That's great. Family involvement helps a community so much, you know. Really important, family. Do you have a big family?"
Leah took her hand back. "Not really, no. Lots of cousins, though." She leaned her head to the side, unsure of what to think about Drew's babbling. "We like to help out."
"That's great." Drew was about to start talking again when a hard gust of wind hit us, plastering us with a sheet of rain. His teeth chattered instead. "How about we meet indoors sometime? Next week is pretty packed for me; I sign the final paperwork with the city and then I have to meet the local business owners. How about I buy you guys lunch at the diner, say, on Saturday? We can talk more and not freeze to death!"
Leah flipped her hood back on and I saw Drew watch her every move. "Sure, that sounds great. Mind if the rest of the group comes?" I said. "We tend to act as a pack, you might say."
"No problem. Let me know if Saturday doesn't work. Jake, I'll see you around noon tomorrow?"
They shook. "Sure, sure. I'll remind Bella about the time."
Drew turned to me. "Good to meet you, Sam. I'm looking forward to hearing more about what you do here." His ears turned pink. "Miss Clearwater, it's very nice to meet you. I hope you can make it to lunch. Great to meet you!"
For a split second, Leah's jaw hardened, but it was gone before it registered with Drew. "Me, too. It was nice to meet you, Drew…Miller."
The deputy grinned and waved as he made his way to his car. We loaded back up into the Rabbit and Jake started it up.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, I was the first to break the silence. "You know what would really be great?"
"What?" Jake muttered.
"If we live to have that guy buy us lunch."
It wasn't really funny, and no one laughed.
Thanks again for reading. Only 2 chapters left...well, one (I'm pretty sure) and an epilogue (because it just isn't fanfiction without an epilogue, right?)
Yes, so I have a new baby after a rough and risky pregnancy, my father in law is now in a nursing home, and work is completely insane but incredibly rewarding right now. Thank-you, fandom, for giving me a fun and easy creative outlet from the hard stuff!
sfiddy