[Long ass mofo A/N; Alright, dear reviewers and readers, I am back. The laptop is fixed and I have a reliable source to write on. This chapter was a little dark, but I totally forgot where I was. As of now, there should be another update during the week. By the way, I would absolutely adore if one of you wrote me a birthday-fic. I have only just turned 17, so pretty pretty please with sugar on top, someone do me a birthday-sex fanfic for Jake and Bells! Much love!]

How To Live With Werewolves

Rule Number Twelve;

It is not uncommon that when a member of the pack is being attacked that the wolves will ascend.

Die for them, they'll do the same for you.

Last time;

That same hand yanks my shoulder back, but it doesn't hurt. My spine meets with a sold chest, and his arms wind around me, pulling me close, breathing in the scent of my hair and neck.

"God damn it, Bella…" He sighs, rests his head on my shoulder.

"You scared me, alright?"

~!~

I pursed my lips, run through a long hot and wanted shower and walk into my room, towel wrapped around my head when I see a figure climbing in through my open window.

I bite my tongue to stop from screaming.

I think I savoured the time I had left. And I didn't know that there was a limit or when the limit had began. But as each minute passed, and turned into hours and those hours turned into days, I knew that the sand in my hourglass was surely slipping faster now.

But what would happen if time ran out came to mind as I sat on the couch, worrying my lip between my teeth and wondering where Jacob was. He was running more patrols now, as did the others, and the constant watch on my house was evident. Even Charlie sensed something was wrong.

"You know I love you, kid," he said, watching me fiddle with the remote "But something is obviously up."

He paused, watching my face.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

I blinked at him and then raised a brow, laughing slightly.

"Are you okay dad?" I asked, distracting him. He just shook it off and patted my head before going upstairs and changing for work. I felt tears sting my eyes and hoped I wouldn't cry.

I had faith in the wolves, was sure Victoria—the name burnt my tongue when spoken aloud—would never be close enough to reach me or harm me. But the ticking of the clock was almost vital, like a key to how I was supposed to wake each morning.

Jacob had spent less time over and so, most of my nights were spent shivering under my thick wool blanket, a cold sweat inching over my skin.

The few rare days I spent at Emily's house were always different. I felt much less relaxed there then I did home. The house seemed rather empty, although Sam was up and about again, walking to the bathroom and back. He was healing faster, and each time I saw him a little more colour was back in his cheeks.

I had sighed in relief when he first came out of the room, stumbling over a cord and nearly hitting his head when he caught himself. He was getting better, and that was what counted. But if Victoria could land a hit like that when there were so many of them, I could only imagine...

I snapped the thought in half and slowed my breathing.

I worried too much.

The time away from Jacob was evidently pulling my strings. I would feel so lost without him near, that I stood in the kitchen, staring at the cooking bacon until it was burnt. All because he wasn't here.

His fingers brushing my palm as we laid in bed, eyes locked, but tired with sleep.

"You've stopped shivering," he breathed. I nodded. "Because you're here."

"That's part of the imprint," he supplied. "Without the other, we begin to get sick..."

"Like the opposite of Hancock?"

He had grinned toothily at me before pressing his lips to mine and laughing.

"Kind of."

Withdrawals was a better word for it. Without him, I had felt lifeless, useless. But Victoria was still out there, hunting, killing.

Because of me.

I began to get ready for the day though all I wanted to do was crawl under the sheets and hide.

I brushed my teeth and then had a long hot shower, emerging pink and clean. I brushed the tangles out of my hair and looked at my reflection. I could have looked better.

There were small bags under my eyes and I was paler then normal. I felt cold, even though the shower had heated my blood to a boil. I shook the feeling off with a frown. Becoming paranoid, too.

Pouring myself a hot cup of coffee, I sat on the couch, folding my legs under me while the house creaked and groaned every once in a while, signalling how empty it really was.

The phone rang, making me jump, but I dashed to it, nearly spilling the coffee.

"Hello?"

"Bella?"

I froze, the cup falling from my open hand as my eyes widened in that single instant of cold hard truth. The glass shattered, splattering coffee on the kitchen floor.

Swallowing my heart, tears rose to my eyes and my throat felt tight.

"Rosalie?"

The moon rose high in the sky, and Charlie was not yet home. This was the best time-frame. Two wolves slumbered outside of my window, so I took the front route to the forest.

I left a note for Charlie, which was cowardly of me, but it was the best I could do. Like mother like daughter, I thought sadly, and left the house with nothing but a set of keys and a mind full of doubt. There had been no other option. Either way I was a goner.

From what Rosalie had told me, Alice had a vision. And... Edward... had seen it also. I closed my eyes tightly and gritted my teeth. Was it so wrong that I wished to never hear of his presence again?

The vision was not a picture-perfect one, but it all ended the same; Victoria breaking my neck, or biting me, or shredding me to pieces.

I had chosen this path unknowingly, and now had to walk down it.

She would find me eventually and even with the protection of the pack, they could not watch me all the time. She would find a gap and use it. And someone would get hurt—like Sam had. I shuddered as Jacobs face came to mind, eyes screwed shut, mouth wide with a silent scream.

I didn't want this. Any sane person would not want this and I was 99.9 % sure I was sane. I was going to end this. Quickly, I hoped.

I didn't use the truck, but rather walked into the mouth of the forest, and listened to the creaks of the trees and the audible crunch of shoes on dead leafs. The wind swept my hair upwards, covering my vision momentarily and I then was hit with the reality of what would be in the next half hour.

My death.

I swallowed my pride and trudged on, eyes watering.

Jacob, I love you.

The response of a growl lifted my heart; I knew he wasn't going to be happy with my decision but at least I would hear his voice one last time.

I came to a familiar clearing, one that held beauty, once. I had not realised how long it had taken me to get here, but I was dream-walking, as if in another universe.

Looking around, I took in the full moon, of the clouds a shade darker then the sky, the velvet stretched on forever and the stars glittered brightly.

Reaching into my pocket without blinking at the sky, I pulled out the key, and absent-mindedly ran my fingers over the teeth. Sharp enough.

Closing my eyes and holding my breath, I whipped the silver item across my wrist, instantly drawing blood. The smell rose to me, and the taste lingered on my tongue. Copper, metallic. Deadly.

I took in a deep breath through my mouth and screamed a name that had haunted me in my nightmares.

"VICTORIA!"

I waited a beat, maybe two, before a flash of red caught my eye. And then there she was. Beautiful. Her hair was a mess of fire, and her eyes were more intense then before, staring at me as if I were not here.

And then her lips curled over her teeth.

"Hello, Bella..."

Her eyes then found my wrist and the snarl fell from her lips like thunder rolling low in the distance.

"You're one of us now, Swan. Deal with it," Paul had growled when I had protested to the protection of these wolves.

"You're so foolish..." she grinned, coming towards me lazily, like a tiger zeroing in on its prey.

Seth laughing as we left the shops, arms full of groceries.

"Being here, all alone... so foolish," she purred, and I knew from the look in her eyes my death would be quick—the blood was getting to her.

Embry and Quil drooling over my famous lasagne and devouring it under a minute, making bets.

She leaned forward, smelling my flesh delicately and growling low.

Sam smiling at Emily yesterday as she lovingly caressed her stomach. Leah trying not to smile, but failing. Forgiving.

Just as her jaws spread wide, ready to bite, I clutched to the last memory of Jacob tightly, willing him to make this painless.

"Love you.." he says, kissing my temple.

A howl pierces the silence and she snaps away from me as if she'd been burnt.

Approaching us quickly, a large wolf jumps from between the trees, the distance almost breathtaking as the jaws spread wide and latch onto Victoria's arm. With a sound that nearly shatters my eardrums, the wolf yanks backwards, tearing through frozen marble flesh and sinew like a carving knife through butter. Victoria screams, and jumps backwards, howling in rage.

It spits the offending ligament and snarls, eyes wide and vicious as it eyes the monster in front of me. Victoria hisses back and in a flash, she's running. She doesn't get very far, as another wolf approaches from the other side of the clearing and simply leaps—flies through the air—and takes her down, pinning her to the earth floor with another howl that shakes me to the bone.

And then more wolves ascend, tearing at flesh and shattering bones and that's when I realise her screams will haunt me forever.

Something moves beside my leg as I'm frozen, watching the onslaught and then I cry out as something grips at my calf harshly and white hot pain shoots up my body, as it hits me that my leg is being crushed.

A glimpse of russet fur and the pain lessens, but I fall, writhing and screaming as all feeling of this pain consumes me, the burning hot sensation of this making all my nightmares and everything in my life meaningless. I forget who I am, my name, and then...

"Bella! God, no!" cries a voice I know better then my own.

"How the—oh, fuck!"

"We need to..."

Voices fade in and out, as if a child were playing with a volume switch.

"Jake," I murmur pathetically. No one hears me.

"Jake?"

Again, my voice is useless. It barely comes out as a whisper.

My heartbeat is the only sound now, as I fall deeper into the black abyss that is nothing and I become one with it, part of it.

I am nothing.

"Again!"

Pain in my chest.

"Bella, please, baby, hold on," someone urges and I feel a pressure in my palm. It's hot, and melts away all doubt that I am still falling. The stomach-drop feeling has ceased, but only for a moment as another pain swells in my chest.

"She's going into shock. Jesus. Move."

Who? Emily's hurt? No.

Where was I again?

The clearing... smell of rain. Blood.

Pain again.

Then...

[ Normal Rant ]

DUN DUNN DUNNN! Gotta love cliff-hangers. As said above (way above) in my A/N, I am back.

To all of those faithful reviewers, you know who you are, you are what drives me forward. I love each and every one of you! So please, tell me what you think, and if (God-forbid) you find a mistake or have questions, just send me a message! I will be doing a review rant in the next chapter, so get your typing-fingers ready!

[ End Rant ]