Yet another short chapter for you. Enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: I own Twilight. Seriously.

'Jacob, I'm sorry for the rudeness – but where the hell are you?!'

Jacob separated the phone from his ear and stared at it for a second, dumbfounded, before putting it beside his ear again.

'Alice?' he asked to verify his thoughts.

'Yes, that's my name,' she said impatiently, 'Listen, I've been trying to call you all afternoon, where have you been?'

'I – I had shut it off,' he lied. The truth was that he had seen Alice's number calling him a number of times, but had been afraid to answer. Alice sighed on the other end of the line.

'I'm sorry about how this turned out, Jasper,' she said apologetically, 'But you have to listen to me now. Edward, Bella and I – oh, sorry – Edward, Bella, Sophie and I – happy? – are heading for the hospital right now.'

'Is someone hurt?' Jasper asked, worried, but Alice's sarcastic silence made him bite his words back, 'Yeah – sorry.'

'The werewolves know we've broken the treaty,' Alice explained, and didn't stop when Jasper gasped inaudibly, 'Rosalie and Emmett are coming all the way from Seattle right now. We need to stay together. And try to find Esme – I have absolutely no idea where she is.'

'She left to Alaska this morning,' Jasper told her putting a hand on his forehead to support the weight of his head, 'Said she needed to tell Tanya and the rest the 'good news.''

'Oh, perfect,' Alice muttered to herself angrily, 'One vampire less.'

'No, you still got Sophie to replace!' Jasper suggested, but Alice's silence made her thoughts clear enough, 'Yeah – sorry. Okay, no problem, I'll be there quicker than what you imagine.'

'Great,' Alice said, now in relief, 'And – Jasper?'

Jasper stayed in silence as a sign that he was listening to her.

'I love you. Really.'

The boy smiled.

'Thanks.'

It was Alice's turn to stay in silence, but in another way.

'What I mean to say is, I love you too,' Jasper laughed, and Alice beamed as though he could see her.

'Thanks, then.'

…

'You know, you're sort of beautiful.'

'Thanks. Sort of.'

'You're sort of welcome.'

Bella… She was gone. Gone. What had he done? He had dismissed her from his life forever… Those things he had said…

A monster, he thought painfully, that's what I am.

He had insulted Bella in the worst way possible – his Bella, the one who had cheered him up so many times, the one with whom he laughed with and shared so many beautiful moment, the one who had made his life so much happier in those dark times… He had driven that Bella away. Scared her away from him. And he wouldn't blame her if she didn't come back; he had been horrible, disgusting, despicable, with the one person he would ever love. It didn't matter if she didn't love him back the way he did, he would still have her friendship, her support, her everything. Because she was everything for him. She was the very essence of his life, the very centre of his universe. What was left for him if he shouted at her and threatened her?

'Jacob,' Sam's deep voice called him from somewhere between the trees.

'Leave me alone,' the boy moaned, digging his face between his knees.

'We must get prepared,' Sam insisted, and waited beside him. Jacob did not stand up.

'Sam – we can't fight against the– '

'We must fight,' Sam said harshly, 'The Cullens have broken the treaty, Jacob. As long as we didn't get into their lands, they wouldn't hurt a single human. They wouldn't bite a single human.'

'We're outnumbered, Sam,' Jacob said, now looking up at his leader, 'We're six against eight.'

'Do you think we are going to fight this war alone?' Sam said, getting increasingly angrier, 'We must protect our people, Jacob Black, and get those vampires out of here! How many more lives do you want to see leaving us?'

'Bella,' Jacob whispered, 'Bella's with them. They only wanted to transform her. And by her own will. They won't bite anymore.'

'Really?' Sam snorted disbelievingly, 'A recently-transformed vampire will not give in to the delicious scents all around her? Jacob, no vampire can resist the temptation – it will happen sooner or later, and it is our job to avoid that.'

'No– '

'Our ancestors accepted the treaty because they were experienced vampires, vampires that could control their thirst! And now an uncontrolled vampire is on the loose, without having drank human blood for around five months – how much longer do you think it will take for her to fall?'

'Sam, we're talking about killing –'

'Yes, Jacob, killing!' Sam shouted at him, 'We will never be able to drive them away – they're going to fight as well, Jacob! This is a war! I'm sorry if your Bella is among them, but it is she the real threat to our people!'

'I will not fight against Bella!' Jacob shouted back, now jumping to his feet, shaking with anger.

'Are you defying me, Jacob Black?' Sam said between gritted teeth, 'Are you not going to obey my orders as the alpha male?'

Jacob had been breathing quickly, ready to spring to him if the occasion required – but when he heard is, he gave a deep, long sigh, and relaxed. He couldn't possibly not follow Sam's orders – he was the alpha, the wisest, and most probably the strongest. Even if he had wanted to fight, he couldn't have done so. Sam looked pleased.

'I'm sorry, Jake,' he said as he turned away from him, 'But I don't know why you are so keen on Bella… Even if she turned out to survive all of this, she wouldn't go back to you.'

Jacob stared at his back, new tears welling in his dark eyes.

'Face it, Jacob – she doesn't love you.'

A/n: sobs POOR JAKIE. SAM, YOU MEANIE!

PS: No, I don't really own Twilight. Thought I might make this clear before a Percy Weasley Fan Club member came and denounced me to the authorities.