Disclaimer: (I went to the wizard, but he couldn't make me Stephenie. All I got was this lowsey heart)

okay guys...i'm pretty proud of this particular chapter. i put a lot of time and research into it.
a great way to show appreciation for that would be reviews
TONS OF REVIEWS!!
thank-you much, kowabungabrittany
also a special thanks to Nature'sAngel for conflabbid. your vocabulary amazes me

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The Other Pack

With my hand in his we slowly walked back towards the house. Neither of us caring to meet the familiar opening of the woods. I smiled behind blushed cheeks while Jacob walked with a swanky manner. Happier than ever I supposed. Something had happened back there that neither of us could put into words. Everything that I had questioned in the past was nothing now. I had everything I could have ever asked for. I had Jacob. With reluctant eyes the trees parted before us and the small house came into our vision. I squeezed his hand. He responded with an even tighter squeeze.

"We don't have to go back you know". He nuzzled his nose behind my ear. "We could go back in the woods". I fell into his arms as he deepened his face into my neck. Quietly I moaned.

"Jacob". He pressed his lips against my neck and kissed. As he pulled back I felt a fiery breath escape from his lips.

"Bella, I want to go back". I knew if we did then we would never have returned to the house. And that was something that unfortunately I couldn't wait for. He had promised to explain things to me. Answers with no restraints and I couldn't pass that up.

"No Jake, we should go inside". His lips formed a pout and his shoulders slumped. I felt deep brown eyes penetrating my every thought. He was not getting away with the puppy dog act. I knew much better than that. "You can't get me with that Jacob. I know what you are and it's not a puppy". He grinned.

"Who says I'm not. I've got the warm fur coat and the four paws to prove it". I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my mouth.

"You are not a puppy. You are an overgrown mutt with a serious identity issue". He stood up breaking his shortened posture and let go of the act.

"Well you got me there. I just can't tell who I am anymore". He placed his hands on my cheeks, holding my gaze to his. "All I see is you". What a turd. He was playing dirty.

"I think we both know that you see more than just me. How else would you walk?" I guess that was the best I had. He roared with laughter.

"Jeez Bells you really suck at this". I playfully arched an eyebrow.

"How do you walk?" He laughed again.

"I watch your feet and follow their path"

"Is that all you've got!"

"Believe me it's not an easy task. You aren't the world champion of walkers you know. I've never met anyone who could trip over so many things in a single day". I scowled and attempted to step closer to him. In my mind I was going to punch him, but the enemy I call gravity had other plans. I caught my shoe in the dirt and fell into Jacob. Slowly I peered my eyes to meet his. "You really are quite clumsy". Then he knelt down and kissed me. I almost reacted, but the sight of the house caught the corner of my eye. I pulled off from him only for him to retaliate by pulling me back with even more force. He didn't kiss me but his expression told me it wouldn't be long before he did.

"We need to go inside Jacob". He sighed.

"Sure, sure". Reluctantly he let go and took my hand. "Lets go then". When we walked through the door instantly I felt six pairs of eyes evaluating us. Seth ran up to Jacob and tackled him.

"Congratulations Jake! We all knew it was coming". I stood to the side keeping away from the manly displays of affection. What was he congratulating him for? I looked around the room. Sam sat on the far side of the couch giving off no emotion. Embry was next to him smiling from ear to ear, apparently happy for whatever news he'd just learned that was unknown to me. Billy was next in the circle, sitting comfortably in his wheelchair. He was smiling as well. What was with all the smiles? Then came Leah. She was not among those smiling. She seemed pissed? When she noticed me staring she shot me a glare. What the hell crawled up her butt?I gave up and noticed the boy next to her. Quil had changed a lot in the past few months. He looked more stressed than usual. Maybe being a werewolf wasn't as exciting as he had thought it would be. I guess I couldn't blame him, there was a lot going on. I came back to reality and noticed Seth ripping off from Jacob by Jacob's force. He swayed past me still holding a huge grin. He lightly punched my arm. "Good going Bella. You're finally part of the pack!". I mouthed a what at Jacob. He shrugged and laughed. I gave in and asked.

"You're gonna have to tell me about what's going on. I don't have the whole wolfy gift of reading minds". Leah shot yet again another glare. Jake shot one back at her and answered me.

"They know that I imprinted on you". He'd said it. He'd actually said the words! A smile broke my face that didn't even care about Leah or what was up her butt. I didn't care that Sam was in the room or even Billy. I jumped up on him and planted one right on his lips. He bounced back against the wall in surprise, but didn't reject. Kissing me back he pulled me off and lead me towards the couch. I didn't miss the red that had invaded his face. Who knew that russet skin could turn so pink. He sat down and pulled me beside him. There was awkward silence and darting of eyes. I was getting impatient. Who was going to speak first? With that thought Sam spoke.

"It's nice that you imprinted Jacob, but lets get down to business. Bella is here to get informed on what's going on. Nothing else". I couldn't tell if he was being rude or just impatient with the fact that this meeting was being held for me and me only. Everyone else already knew what was going on. I was wasting their time. Jake dropped my hand.

"You're a real ass Sam". Billy broke Jacobs comment.

"Okay, okay. Let's calm down and get this meeting going". He turned to me. "I'm sure Bella want's to get going just as much as we do. So lets talk"

"I'm fine making this long". Seth turned and grinned. "Bella you're gonna love this. There's so much you've missed". He empathized the so. I couldn't help but smile. Seth always had that effect. Ignoring Seth, Sam spoke up.

"Billy, maybe you should tell this. You know it better than us". Jacob's father grinned, almost out of his chair. He loved telling stories, especially the long ones. He let go of the grin to take a sip of water. When the glass went down a serious expression held his face.

"A long time ago-"

"Yeah, yeah. In a galaxy far far away". Seth interrupted. Both Billy and Sam shot him a glare. Seth embarrassingly sunk back into the couch. Billy continued.

"A long time ago, long before Taha Aki and the Quileute descendants came to be in La Push there was another pack. Nobody then or today could recall the name of their people for it had been lost generations ago. Mostly they were seen as nomads that diverted from the usual way. They saw it fit to roam around never phasing out of their animal form. They had given up on their human body and chose to permanently stay as the wolf. While Taha Aki found it important to never forget your human form and had strongly disagreed with their way of life. But since it was not his pack to judge he let it go. So for many years there was no interference with either of the packs. When the time came for a new leader of Taha Aki's descendants a brave man called Machk was picked. All was peaceful until one of Machk's sons fell in love with one of the nomad's. Her name was Donoma, meaning sight of the sun and that she was to all that saw her.

The room darkened as the story unfolded. I hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. Sitting next to Jacob with my head against his shoulder I stayed obsessed with the story at hand while he drew patterns with his finger on my palm. Billy explained in beautiful detail on how Machk's youngest son, Ahote, had fallen in love with the other packs beloved Donoma, the daughter of the nomad chief Nahuel. He spoke of their secret meetings in the moonlight and how Donoma would phase back into her human form to please Ahote. For hours they would sit under the moonlight watching stars and sharing dreams. Both knew nothing could come out of their love while under the watch of their fathers, so it was the third full moon that they picked for their escape. Billy told it in so much detail it was as if he had actually been there. I was in awe at his ability to tell a story. The legend took a drastic turn when Nahuel found out about his daughters relationship with the son of Machk. With this information he sent out a retrieving team to bring back his daughter. Machk had also heard of this news and hurriedly started his search for his son. What he came across was beyond describable. Two dead and mangled bodies laid naked in a bed of moss. Machk phased and howled at the sight of his dead son and his lover. Nahuelhad sent his team not to retrieve his daughter, but to kill her. With this realization Machk sprinted in a mad fury towards the nomads camp. He killed all that he could and left the rest to hide in fear. When he came against Nahuel he fought and was defeated. Many nights passed until Machk's pack heard of his death. In anger they also ran to Nahuel's territory and killed him. Only a small few of Machk's pack died in the effort, but the loss in Nahuel's was overwhelmingly drastic. The remainders of the pack had to flee the land and take up new lives on their own. Or so it seemed. At that point Sam broke in with the current situation.

"So cutting to the point, basically the nomads have come back". Seth perked up.

"Yeah, we all thought they'd just died out, but instead they were just hiding and waiting. So now there's more of them than ever!" Sam ignored this statement.

"Since their numbers are so large we've decided to scout them out first. A few weeks ago I caught their sent and for a while now we've been watching them. They don't seem to be very intelligent".

"Smart enough to get past us though", Seth blurted. Leah snapped at him.

"It wasn't my fault! If anything it was yours you paper weight!" Seth roared with laughter.

"Did you just call me a paperweight?!"

"Well it was you that fed me the wrong information. You said watch at the east so I did"

"If it had been me on watch I would have got'em. Use your nose Leah". Seth jumped off the couch and sniffed his way towards Leah. He caught her smell and quickly backed off. "Are you wearing perfume?!" She glared at him.

"Yeah, what's it to you". Seth recoiled.

"Nothing". With that he headed for the kitchen. "Hey does anyone want some nachos?" Instantly three pairs of werewolf sized eyes shot open. Quil, Embry and Jacob said in union.

"I do!"

So for the remainder of the night I sat around a group of werewolves sharing plans and ideas on what to do. Me, being not the most productive in this area just listened. I could tell that Jacob was getting tired as the hours passed when his hand fell out of mine. Or maybe it was mine that fell out of his? I was too exhausted to figure it out. When I woke up I was being carried towards Jacobs room. I felt long muscular arms embracing me with every step. I looked up and he seemed thrilled that I'd caught him in his transportation deed.

"Wakey wakey". He grinned down at me. I mumbled.

"I fell asleep?". Then I realized that while I was snoring I had probably missed the whole remainder of the meeting. They probably already had their plan all drawn out and would now have to waste more time filling me in on it. God I was such a nuisance. "I missed everything didn't I?"

"Nah, we just went over some ideas". Great now he was protecting me from my idiocy. "You were pretty out of it Bella. When you fell asleep you stared mumbling things about Achak and how he was going to win". I gave him a questioning gaze.

"Who is Achak?" He laughed.

"That's what we wanted to know! But you weren't much of a conversationalist sleeping, so I figured it was time for bed". He lowered me into his bed. Once he laid himself down beside me I cuddled my body against his. Jacobs warmth covered over me like a three layered blanket. With that I shook off the blanket he had covered me with. "You might want the blanket Bella, we don't have heat". I laughed.

"Why would I need a blanket when I've got my own personal space heater right here?". He groaned at this and nuzzled his nose against my chin.

"Sometimes I wonder if you just keep me around so you can save money on blankets". I felt my way to his lips and pressed mine against his. A soft kiss grew between us. I snuck my hand up to his neck and pulled him in closer. He groaned. "I'm just a tool to you aren't I". I parted our lips with a smile.

"If only it was that easy". Jacob slid his hand along my waist and held it against my hip. A path of fire erupted from his trail.

"All you have to do is ask". As if that statement somehow had a profound effect on me my breathing heightened and blood flushed to my cheeks. I leaned in closer, getting my lips so near I could feel his breath against my cheek. With a surge I squished his lips against mine, but there was no movement from him. His mouth stayed secure. "You have to ask", he breathed. I stayed in a haze for a moment, then realized his statement.

"Jacob, will you kiss me?" He leaned in and came so close so that I could feel his lip against mine. He breathed out and sighed.

"No". His sweet breath bounced off my nose. I was stuck in the haze of bliss.

"No?"

He smiled. "No". Was he telling me no? He wasn't going to kiss me?!

"What do you mean by no?" He pulled back and knelt on one of his elbows.

"I'm not going to kiss you". I was lost for words. Instead I just leaned in further towards him only for him to back away again. I reached out my arms and caught his shoulders, pulling myself on top of him in such a graceful manner that I even surprised myself. His eyes grew wide and he instantly tensed. Holding him down while I startled him I finally found my words.

"Why won't you kiss me?" Almost like he'd forgotten his previous intentions he started to pull himself up to meet me. I pushed him back into the bed. He hit the pillow with a soft thud. His eyes grew wider. In a breathless tone he answered.

"I can't remember". He tried again to lift himself up. I leaned down to him, pulling my arms under his. His eager lips attached to mine.

"Tell me", I demanded. He groaned.

"I was trying to tease you". I backed up.

"You were being an ass". He looked shocked. "Don't worry, I wouldn't tease you. I'm a better person than you". With that he grabbed a hold of my hips and flipped me under himself so now he was the one on top. He breathed heavily over me. I watched as his muscular build heaved in and out. As he started to close the distance between us I promptly rolled out from under him. He quickly moved back over me, destroying my attempt to escape. He raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were a better person?"

"I lied". With that he growled and caught my lips with a final gasp. He tore at my shirt and threw it to the floor. Beneath him I gasped in surprise. After he took a moment to look down at me he slowly bent down and started placing kiss after kiss along my collarbone. I pulled my hands along his back, feeling every muscle. Without warning my knee slid up against his, causing friction to fuel between our bodies. As he continued his fiery kisses I could feel every movement in his back beneath my hands. He worked his way up my neck as he entangled his fingers in my hair. Slowly he pulled me up to his lap so we sat in a hug. My hands found the back of his neck as they tried to pull his face closer and closer. Finally he reached my lips, but teased by kissing just the corner of my mouth. "Jacob", I begged. He paused above me. I looked up and saw a god before my eyes. How did I get so lucky? Surely there were other more deserving people. Then he stopped all together and broke a distance between us. I could feel this distance. It was as if gravity was working it's self against my will, pulling me closer towards him with every passing second. In deep breaths he broke the silence.

"We have an audience". With that he rolled off from me and planted his head into a pillow. I huffed a breath of defeat. Why did werewolves have to have such good hearing? If anything could break a mood it was definitely that. I sunk deeper into my pillow and pulled the blanket back over myself. Both of us stared up to the ceiling breathing heavily. All I could think to myself was Conflabbid! So close, then nothing! I closed my eyes and decided to let sleep invade my thoughts, my very dirty thoughts.