Chapter 12

Telling the Wolves

Jacob's POV

As soon as I've finished the food Nessie provided I tell her I have to go.

"I know you do. Like I said, you have things to do." I smile at her.

"You'll be fine without me for a while, right?" This earns me a fake icy glare.

"I'm not two years old Jacob," I start to say 'yeah, but you're only seven,' when he cuts me off. "Ah ah ah! No. You're soo not playing the 'you're only seven' card. We both know I can handle staying home alone."

"I do know that. And, that's not what I meant. What I meant was will you be ok without me here while all of this going on?" Again I'm met with the glare.

"I will be fine. I'm going to work on my painting, and you are going to go talk to Leah and let everyone know what's going on."

"Yup. I will be back by 4:30." I stand up and Nessie does too, but she stops me.

"Don't worry too much ok? I'll be fine." I nod, looking her in the eye. She gives me a peck on the lips. "I love you." She says softly, with a shy smile.

I should have been shocked, but all her words make me do is smile. We've only been 'together' for less than a day but I know that my response is 100% true, "I love you too Ness."

"Good." She smiles at me, obviously happy with my response. "Now," she turns me toward the door, "Go, and be back soon."

She gives me a good natured push toward the door and I just have time to call over my shoulder before I leave, "Bye Ness!"

When I make it outside I run to the trees and ditch my clothes. It takes all of two seconds for me to phase into my wolf form, and I call out in my head.

Guys? You there? I am met by two voices in my head.

Yeah. Yo Jake. What's up? That's Embry.

I'm here too Jake. And that's Seth.

Guys we have a problem. We need Leah and Quil. Now. This is big. Really big. The Volturi is coming back.

Yup. Got it, getting Leah, be back in two minutes.

Embry's response comes next. I think I can get Quil, give me two minutes.

They're both gone, their voices out of my head, and I start to run a patrol line, until I hear Leah and Seth's thoughts return.

Jacob, what's going on? Leah's thoughts aren't bitter, but they're straight to the point.

The Volturi are coming back. We don't know why-yet.

What do you mean yet?! Leah is shouting her thoughts at me, and I'm beginning to feel some sympathy for Edward. What do you know?!

Nothing, well, not a lot. We know that they're coming. They warned us, for whatever reason, and we think they're bringing a hybrid with them.

Great. Just what we need more complications.

Yeah well, that's not everything. We think it, he or she, may be coming because it's particular… talent has caused an 'aversion' to it's 'natural food source'.

You think it's staying!? She's still screaming her thoughts at me, and I can tell I'll have a headache later.

You know Carlisle. If it wants to stay, and it's not going to drink humans he'll let it. Besides, maybe they'll send it off with the Denali's I think there's more than enough Cullens.

Why do you sound so ok with this? We don't know anything and you're prancing around like nothing is wrong.

Well, lets see, for one we will know something soon enough.

Now Seth chimes in, Pause for a second please, where did they go?

I know who Seth's referring to. They're off collecting all the vampires who'll fight.

So we've got this figured out then? He sounds skeptical, rightfully so.

Not exactly. Think about it, they've had seven years to practice they're fighting skills so that they could still stand a chance without their special powers, and we don't know exactly when they'll show up. They could change their mind and decide to come sooner or later, and because of that other hybrid we won't have a clue.

Now Embry and Quil are back. Jake, Quil's thoughts are worried. What's going on?

I direct my command at Leah. Fill them in, will you?

I got this. She assures me, embracing, not for the first time, her role as my second.

She takes about a minute to relay all the information I've given her to Quil and Embry. They both take it all in quietly with questions and concerns that they hold until the end of her spiel.

Wow. Embry doesn't have much to say for a few seconds.

Yeah. That pretty much sums it up. I agree with him, and Leah decides to start firing questions at me.

So what does this mean for the packs? I know we're fighting with the Cullens, but patrols? And you need to warn Sam, they'll fight too.

I know they will, and that's next on my rapidly growing 'to-do' list. As for patrols we're gonna need at least two people running the boundary and making rounds around the Cullens property. I don't want anyone running patrol by them selves. I rarely give orders, and they could chose to ignore this one, but something in my command must tell them it's not to be ignored-even if it wasn't an injunction. Is that clear?

Yeah. Leah.

Yup. Quil.

Got it. Seth.

Sure thing. Embry.

Good. If you come across something report is back to the house, and fall back. Do not engage the Volturi gaurd alone, under any circumstances. Other than that, we have information pending. Edward and Bella went to Italy.

This shocks the pack into silence-briefly.

Leah recovers first, They did what? Don't they see how stupid that is?

I sigh, facing my pack. We talked about it, briefly. I'm replaying the conversation back to them as close to verbatim as I can. When I'm finished they all know that we're on 'Nessie patrol' for the time being, at least until tomorrow.

The Denali's will arrive in the morning. Carlisle called them and they'll come. That means if you catch a vampire scent tomorrow morning see if it's them. Nessie should be waiting for them. I don't know if they're coming on foot, or in a car-no one tells me anything-so just watch.

Got it. Leah is already thinking through the schedule for patrol for the next two weeks. She has a disproportionate amount of time, compared to the others, where she's working, but I don't comment. She's good about this sort of thing, making sure she doesn't over work anyone, even if that means she works extra herself.

Alright, Quil, and Seth you two are running patrol tonight, from six to one. Then I'll take over with Embry. You guys rest and we'll run till nine. We'll switch off when the other vamps show up, and Jake you're staying with Nessie tonight, and at least part of tomorrow. You need to be there to talk to those other vampires and fill them in. Since we don't know when the other Cullens will be back.

Alright, guys listen to Leah, A sentence I never thought would come out of my mouth, I have to go talk to Sam.

With that, I take off into the forest running for La Push.

I make it there in some short time, and although Leah and my pack's voices are still in my head I tune them out. When I make it to the edge of the wood's near Emily's house I stop.

I phase back and pull on a pair of shorts that I keep stashed near Sam's for situations like this. I head toward the door and knock, waiting for someone to answer. I'm surprised when four year old Hadley opens the door.

"Hey Had! Is your Mom or Dad here?" I keep the smile on my face so I don't scare the little girl and she smiles at me.

"Hi Jake!" She looks over her shoulder and yells, "Moooooommmmmyyyy! Jacobs here to see you!"

She grins at me, "You can come in."

"Thanks Hadley." I go into the house and lean up against the wall.

I hear Emily yell from the back room, "Ok, hang on just a minute Jacob!"

Hadley goes back to the living room where she has a wide spread of toys including a dollhouse and a million other pieces.

"That's an elaborate set up there Hadley."

"I know." She says, not looking up at me, but continuing to re-arrange the furniture in one of the dollhouse rooms.

I chuckle at her matter-of-fact tone. Abruptly she turns to me and says, "What's wrong Jake?"

"Nothing Hadley. Just need to talk to your daddy." She narrows her brown eyes at me and scrutinizes my expression.

"Lying isn't nice Jacob," I have to bite back a laugh. "But, if you must know my daddy is not here."

"You're right Hadley lying is wrong. I'm not lying to you. Nothing is wrong, I just need to talk to you're dad. Nothing to worry about."

"If you say so…" But her skeptical tone makes it clear that she doesn't believe me. She's a very perceptive four year old, and when Emily comes into the room I'm glad that I won't be badgered by Hadley anymore. I love her to death, but she's doesn't know the wolves secret, so she can't know anything.

"Hello Jacob," Emily calls quietly from the kitchen. "You can come on in."

"Thanks Em. Where's Sam? Hadley said he's not here?"

"No he's not. I think he went to work." Her pointed look tells me that she doesn't mean he went to his part time job at a bait shop on first beach. 'Work' is their cover up for 'wolf-duties' until Hadley is old enough to be able to keep the secret.

"Alright. Any idea where he may be working today?"

"No. But, Jacob, what's going on?"

She can tell something's up. I lower my voice so that Hadley couldn't possibly hear it. "The Volturi are coming back. I need to warn Sam, because there's going to be a lot more vampires around here for a while."

She nods, and looks at me with a sorry expression. "I would help you look for him but I just put Daniel down for a nap."

"That's ok Emily. When he gets back just have him call me on my cell. There's really nothing he could do now anyways. We just don't know enough." I wouldn't want to pull her away from her kids to have her running around looking for a wolf.

"Alright. Bye Jacob."

I head toward the front door, pausing to say goodbye to Hadley, which gets me a, "Goodbye Jacob the Liar." I chuckle; she's quite the kid.

I run back toward the forest, stash my shorts again, phase, and head towards the Cullens house. I make it there in fifteen minutes thanks to my sprint, and I check in with Quil and Seth who are running patrol.

Everything alright guys?

Yeah Jake, looks good. I mean, if the decision was just made today, I don't even think there's a way they could get here this fast.

That's true. Good point Quil. You need anything?

I think we're ok. Seth?

Nah. We're good Jake. Go hang out with Nessie.

Don't have to tell me twice. I think, as I phase back earning me a wolf laugh from each of them. I grab the clothes I ditched earlier and pull them on, heading for Bella, and Edward's cottage. I suppose it's Nessie's cottage too. She must hear me coming because I don't even make it to the front door when I hear "Come on in Jake," with my super sensitive wolf hearing.

Guess that relieves me from knocking on the door.

"Ness?" I say, scanning the small living room, though it's clear Nessie isn't there.

"Back here Jake." I can tell she's in her room, and I head down the hall ducking under a low support.

I knock lightly on her door and I hear Nessie giggle lightly, "Yes you can come in Jake. That's why I said, 'back here'."

"What's up?" I ask her, though it would appear she's looking for something.

"I am flipping through these sketches trying to decide which one I actually want to draft." She doesn't even pause; her voice is even and cool as she continues flipping through sketches in index card size paper.

"How many do you have there?"

"Thirty six. I made them while you were gone."

I have to fight to keep the shock off my face, and even though she's not looking at me a knowing smile plays at the corners of her mouth. "That's a lot of sketches."

"I know. I just can't decide which one I want to use. I could ask you what you think but I'm not telling you what it is so you can't really tell me which one looks best."

"You have weird, but correct logic Nessie."

This makes her smile, "Thanks." And the odd thing is she's being sincere. She scrutinizes her sketches for a few more seconds until a triumphant smile crosses her face and she holds one up above her head.

"Got it!" She says happily before whirling around in her swivel office chair and facing me. She looks at me curiously, "You know you can sit down right?"

I actually hadn't realized I was standing until she pointed it out.

"Sit down, you look tired."

"Do I?" I guess I'm tired.

She stands up and grabs my wrist pulling my down onto her bed. I flop down on the bed following her instructions and she returns to her swivel chair.

"So, how did it go with Sam?"

"He wasn't home, and really there wasn't anything I could tell him, so I told Emily to have him call me when he got the chance."

"Oh. Speaking of Emily, I've been meaning to go see her and the kids. How are they?"

"Emily had just put Danny down for a nap when I got there, but Hadley is somethin' else."

"I know!" Nessie giggles, "She's so smart. It's hard for me to believe she's only four."

"Yeah I know. She figured out I was lying to her when I said nothing was wrong so when I left she said, 'bye Jacob the liar!'"

Nessie laughs. "Yup! That's her all right."

"She's funny."

"She's just plain adorable. So is Danny." Then she gets distracted by something on her desk and she turns around.

A comfortable silence falls over us and it lasts for a few minutes, I look at the clock and see that it's about six. No kidding, that's why Quil and Seth were on patrol.

I'm not sure when I fell asleep, but when I open my eyes it's dark outside Nessie's window. Nessie's still at her desk, and there's a content smile on her face.

"Hey sleepyhead." She uses a soft tone, as if she's not sure that I'm completely awake.

"Hey," My voice is thick with sleep, and I'm actually pretty comfortable, no wonder I fell asleep.

"I told you I thought you looked tired," She says, still not turning away from her work.

"I guess you were right. What time is it?" I say, sitting up.

She glances at her clock sideways, "About nine thirty."

"You let me sleep that whole time? Ness, you should have woken me up."

Now she turns her chair to face me. "Jacob, you need your sleep. We both know you're going to be running patrols a lot more now, and I'm not about to deny you sleep when you finally get a free minute. Besides, you're cute when you sleep." I smile, but she continues. "And I got some more work done on my new painting."

She holds up a canvas full of pencil marks, that I'm sure is really a picture of some kind, but I can't tell what it is.

"It looks great?" I say, though it comes out as more of a question.

Nessie just laughs, "Thanks Jake." Then she set down the canvas and her pencil and stands up. "Are you hungry?"

"Really? You have to ask?"

"Ok, well lets go get some food. Surprisingly I'm hungry too."

Hey! How was that? What did you think of that chapter? It was fun to write and Jake and Nessie had a big moment thrown in there too. :) Hope you like it. Please let me know what you thought because I love your reviews.

Thanks,

R&R