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Chapter 8: Taking One for the Team

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

'(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' by Bryan Adams

I breathed hard as I went faster. I was getting closer to satisfaction and I knew it. Too bad I was by myself and no one else could witness it.

I was coming, and it was going to be miraculous when I did because I haven't done this in a while.

It was almost the end and sweat formed on my brow.

I stopped at the end of the path and let out a satisfied breath. I looked at my watch, Ten minutes and thirty-eight seconds; a new record, good job Melanie.

I felt like giving myself a pat on the back. I had just flat out sprinted two miles straight in the forest. I was so busy now, with school starting for Ana and Wendy it was nice to finally have some me time.

Ana was going to La Push High school and Wendy was going to start taking classes at Seattle Pacific University. It was a long commute so daddy sent down Wendy's beloved pink Bentley.

Daddy spoiled us all and we knew it; but that didn't stop him from spoiling us even more. Even though all of his only daughters are spoiled, daddy also – having no boys – trained us like he would if he had sons; so while we were girly girls at times we could also fight and defend.

I looked at the woods that surrounded me and took in a deep breath. I itched to stretch my paws. I hadn't been able to see much of Jacob or go running with him.

But in this solitude I had; so I decided to take advantage of it, because until things settled down I wouldn't be able to go running again.

So I looked around me once again, out of habit, and stripped down quickly. Hiding my clothes behind a bush, my body started to shudder and I relished in the transformation taking place.

I landed on all four paws and sniffed the bushes where I hid my clothes, committing it to memory so that I could remember where they were.

Then that's when I allowed my wolf to roam the forest and do what she wanted. I was still in control, I'm not stupid enough to lose myself completely, but I just let her take the driver's seat while I sat shotgun; ready to pull the keys out of the ignition if she started to break the speed limit, you could say.

She caught a scent in the air and started to follow it. I didn't realize the scent until I bumped into the wolf it was originating from.

My wolf smiled and allowed me to take back over; we're cool like that.

I sent a big wolfie grin to Jacob and he sent one back. He walked up to me and nuzzled my neck, showing how happy he was to see me. And I returned the gesture, I really missed him.

The saying about how absence makes the heart grow fonder is so true. I looked into his brown eyes and asked, 'What ya doing?'

Jake smiled, 'It's official pack business.'

I frowned, 'But I thought I was apart of the pack.' I finished it off by pouting.

Any person watching the interaction would probably laugh at seeing two wolves doing such human gestures. But then again, who would be stupid enough to just sit there and watch a bunch of wolves?

'You are,' he said with a smile, 'Okay, let me rephrase. It's Alpha/Beta business. Only Sam knows I'm here.'

I personally understood that kind of business; sending the Beta to gather information about a subject without having the whole pack fretting about the results.

'Are you going to tell me? Or do I have to seduce you?' I asked Jake. I knew he probably wasn't supposed to tell me but I was curious.

As if hearing my thought – which he probably did – he said, 'Didn't you know that curiosity killed the cat?'

I smiled and replied by saying, 'Well it's a good thing that I'm a dog, so that rule doesn't apply to me.'

'Ah, touché,' Jacob said.

I batted my eyelids and pouted, giving Jacob my best puppy dog face, excuse my pun, and said, 'Maybe if you tell me what's going on, I could… I don't know, make it worth you while?'

Jacob tried to stay strong but I saw his will fading, I was, after all, his soul mate. He sighed, obviously not liking his weakness, 'I'm supposed to be checking up on the Cullens and you. Making sure that none of this… stuff is connected to any of them more than we might have been led to believe.'

'You're making sure we're not double crossing you.' I said plainly. And Jacob looked apologetic but I brushed it off. If it was me in his position I would be doing the same thing so I wasn't mad at all.

'But if you're going to the Cullen house won't Edward, like, sense you're there or whatever, since Alice can't see us?'

I asked him and he shrugged, 'I can't help it, I'll just try to protect my mind from him in any way I can.'

I nodded and looked up at the sun seeing it was about noon; Ana would be home soon for lunch before heading back to school.

'I need to go Jake,' I said to him. He nuzzled my neck before saying, 'I'll come over later after your sister leaves for that… um, promise you made to me.'

I smiled, and nodded, I turned to leave but not before I said to him, 'Jake, be careful okay. I don't think I could bear to lose you.'

Before he could say anything mushy I closed off my mind to the best of my abilities and ran as fast as I could. I found my clothes then changed and jogged back home to make Ana lunch.

--

After lunch, Ana hopped back into my midnight blue convertible and drove back to school. But when she came home she was gushing about all the nice people there and all the guys that just wouldn't leave her alone.

I laughed, and she blushed, she wasn't an attention grabber like Wendy and was uncomfortable when she was in the spotlight unlike me. But I loved her all the same.

But I still kicked her out of the house after she finished eating. She asked me if Jacob was coming over and it was my turn to blush.

I just nodded sheepishly, and she laughed. She left without another word, and when I heard her pull away from the curb and drive away I rushed up the stairs to take a bath and brush my hair.

I put on some form fitting jeans and a slate colored knit top that I favored very much because it hugged my form and was very comfortable. I slipped on matching socks and put some music on while I waited.

I opened the window to air out the smell of the food that I cooked and sang along to the songs. A favorite of mine came on, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts – I Love Rock & Roll, and I singed along at the top of my lungs.

"I love rock n' roll so put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll so come on take you time and dance with me!"

I danced and jumped up and down on the couch. I jumped off doing an air guitar along with the song.

At the end of the song I slid across the hardwood floors in my socks and then did a power slide ending the song with my brushed hair now messed up.

I was breathing hard by the end and I had a satisfied smile on my face. I had never been so carefree until I arrived in La Push.

I was about to go back upstairs to go brush my hair again when I heard applauding. I looked around to see where the sound was coming from.

There, at the window, was Jacob with a smirk on his face. He was sitting on the sill, shirtless may I add, looking at me with amusement in his dark eyes.

My cheeks heated, I probably looked like a downright fool dancing around like that and Jacob most likely saw it all.

When I found my voice I said, "How long were you there?"

He smiled and hopped into the room, "As soon as you opened the window. I must admit, you have a beautiful voice."

I shivered as his deep voice hit my ears, I felt like I wanted to melt into his arms. Damn my disobedient body.

What I wanted to do is come up with a witty remark but all I had was a weak 'Thank you.'

Come on Mel! You're stronger than this! Don't let this man get you frazzled! I thought to myself.

But how was I wrong, because everytime Jacob looked at me with the expression he has on now it melted my heart – and knees – every time.

He moved his intense gaze from raking my body to the kitchen, which I had neglected to clean after cooking; that was not like me.

Jacob walked over and ate the left over macaroni and cheese out of the pot. When he was done he washed it up for me. Such a savage and then civilized act.

I walked to the sink and washed the rest of the dishes while Jacob raided my fridge some more.

"Hey Mel, you need to go shopping, there's nothing in here to eat." He said to me looking over the door the refrigerator.

"That's impossible, I went shopping yesterday." I looked in the fridge and there it was, full with food.

"Jake what are you talking about? There's plenty of fo-," I was interrupted by Jacob's lips on mine.

I was rigid at first because I was surprised, but when his hands moved to my hair, I relaxed under his touch.

He led me to the couch and laid me down there. Now on top of me, Jacob started to kiss my neck and jaw. My breathing now turned into short gasps as his tongue darted out to taste my now overheated skin.

A purr escaped my lips and Jacob lifted his head to look at me, "I thought only cats purred."

I blushed, "I guess I'm just full of surprises."

"I bet you are," Jacob said and his eyes darkened, if that was even possible.

I shivered and brought his lips to mine. His hands slipped up my shirt and I ran my hands over his muscular back.

I felt all the way down to the jeans he was wearing. When my hands rested on his backside and I squeezed, he growled and moved from my neck back to my lips and kissed me fiercely.

Then the door swung open, "Look at that! They're making puppies! Isn't that sweet?"

I was so surprised that I threw Jacob off of me and he landed on the ground a good five feet away.

I sat up in the couch and looked towards the door to see both my sisters and the rest of the pack.

"What the hell are all of you doing here?" I asked, still flustered at having being caught.

Paul replied by saying, "Interrupting you two, obviously."

What are you stressing over? You're not a teenager, this is your house and that's your boyfriend. There was nothing wrong with what you were doing, so just calm down. I scolded my self.

I took a deep breath and looked towards Jacob who was still on the ground. The pack walked in and took random seats around the room.

Leah, the only female in the pack before my sisters and I, looked at Jacob and said, "Why are you on the floor?" Jake just got up and shook his head. I looked at him and mouthed him a 'Sorry' but he shrugged it off.

He walked back to the window and picked up his shirt and drew it over his head. So he did have a shirt, but he came to me without one so that he could tempt me. Son of a biscuit-eating bulldog.

I got up and went to the kitchen, no doubt they wanted food. Ever since Jacob and I have been going steady, I've been like a second Emily to them.

Not only would they just pop in – to the extent that I stopped locking my door. I could handle any burglars – they would eat my food too. So I just went out and bought three times the amount of food I would normally buy.

And to tell the truth, my sisters and I ate enough food, which would normally feed a family of four for a month, in a week.

Good thing daddy gave up his credit card. He's used to having to have to buy large amounts of food anyway.

I brought the food and set it on the table in the middle of the living room and sat next to Jacob. There he put his arm around my shoulders.

"Okay, so what brought you all here?" I asked.

"Maybe we just wanted to visit. We like you, you know. God, always jumping to conclusions," Embry said.

I raised an eyebrow, "All of you came to 'visit' me?"

"Well I did anyway. Then all of them showed up," he replied. I looked towards Sam, ignoring Embry, "So what's up?" I asked.

Sam got up from the chair he was sitting in and the small talk quieted, knowing the Alpha was about to speak.

"I have been informed," Sam's eyes flashed to Jacob, that only I caught, "that Alice had another vision. Apparently, the attacking coven will be here sooner then first thought."

"How soon?" Quil asked. Sam looked slightly troubled, "Approximately two months."

We all gasped, we hadn't even started to prepare and they were coming in two months?

Sam looked at me, "Melanie, has your father given you any word as to helping us?"

I bit my lip, it wasn't that I hadn't talked to my dad, "He said no. Well, not no necessarily. He said that he would have to think about it, and then if he decided to do it after all, he would send scouts down here to see if, well, you worth sending men down here for."

Everyone looked at me like I'd grown two heads, "Oh for crying out loud. She means that dad has to check you guys out before he gives the OK." Wendy explained.

That seemed to make everyone understand a little better. "But even if he does decide to send scouts it'll take time for them to get here, take the situation in, and for them to get back. It's a very complicated process."

Everyone looked like they had no hope but Sam said, "Okay everyone, change and meet me in the woods, we're starting training in one hour."

The pack groaned and got up to leave but then Ana said, "Wait! I think I might have a way to speed up the process."

Wendy and I looked at Ana and we had some sisterly ESP and I knew what she was thinking.

"No! No way in hell and I doing that. I refuse Ana! How could you even think that?" I yelled.

Wendy looked at me, "It just might work Mel, and it's all up to you."

My sisters looked at me with pleading eyes, "Please Mel! We have to help the Quileutes out," Ana said to me. Then Wendy pitched in, "Please Mel, I want to kick some more vampire butt and show our pack that I'm not afraid to get dirty. They think I'm a sissy, let me prove them wrong!"

I looked at my sisters then the pack, and my shoulders slumped, "Fine I'll do it." I grumbled.