Disclaimer:
All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind- scary place that it is sometimes. In no way shape or form have I made or intended to make a profit from this story…. All rights still belong to Stephanie… though it's a shame she never did anything more with the wolves… ah well.. There's always fan fiction

Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for the awesome reviews and thanks to everyone who has started following and or favorited the story J I really appreciate it :D

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Chapter 2

The morning was peaceful and the street on which Bella lived was quiet as usual. Sam's eyes darted from side to side as he drove slowly towards the Swan residence. The stench of leech was heady and it put the wolves in the cab of his truck on edge. They had come to do what they had agreed upon the night before; each of them- including a still flabbergasted Paul- was going to apologize to her for their actions.

He sighed as he pulled the truck into the driveway right behind Bella's. He noticed her father's police cruiser was missing and guessed Charlie had already gone off to work. He killed the engine and opened his door, his nose wrinkling in distaste as the already heady stench threatened to overpower his already acute sense of smell. The wolf in him was clawing at the surface begging to make sure things were alright. Sam was shocked that he already saw Bella as a member of his pack and wondered if the other wolves thought the same.

"It stinks! Stupid leeches. Man, I think I'm gonna be sick." Embry moaned.

"Not in my truck you're not!" Sam almost hissed. "You hold it until we're out of the cab Embry or so help me, you'll be doing midnight patrols for the next month!" He growled in warning.

Paul almost whined. "Wow, having super senses never sucked so much before."

Jared rolled his eyes and shared a look with Sam. "Come on you two, its not so bad if you breathe through your mouth… ok never mind… its bad. Jake, man, how'd you stand to be in the same room with that thing last night?!"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Trust me, the adrenaline was pumping too much for me to be concerned with the smell. Though, afterwards… yeah, she stunk to high heaven." He said with a shudder.

Sam smiled. "I'm actually really proud of you for that. Come on, lets go see if she wants company."

"She better be up." Paul muttered. "That's all I have to say."

"She's up. Just remember, find an opening and mention the imprinting garbage. She'll never relax otherwise… I know her… she's…. Bella is special… you'll see." Jacob said as they walked up the front steps of Bella's home. His friends rolled their eyes at him. He'd spent the entire night worrying about how she would react to what he had to tell her- sure she'd tell him to finally leave her alone for good.

"We got it baby alpha. Just… don't fret about it." Paul huffed with just a little exasperation. He chuckled under his breath at Jacob's frown and knocked.

The knock on her front door drew Bella's attention from the book she had been engrossed in. "Just a minute!" She called placing it down on the coffee table. She hissed when she tripped over the rug and stubbed her toe on an end table. She rushed to the door and whimpered when her foot caught the corner of the doorway as she tried to not trip over her dad's rain boots in turn causing her to let loose a string of quiet and very choice expletives.

Jacob shook his head on the other side of the door, trying in vain to muffle his snickers. He noticed too that the pack were all doing the same thing. Save for Embry and Quil, none of the other wolves had ever heard Bella utter a single curse word in person like this before.

"Ten bucks says she turns into a tomato when she sees us." Jared smirked.

Jacob shook his head. "Deer in the headlights." He muttered.

Embry rolled his eyes. "Nah, she's totally gonna mimic a fish out of water."

The door opened and indeed Bella was shocked, though she only stared- her eyes drifting over each boy in front of her. "Um… hi." She said cautiously. Something had to have happened, the pack was on her doorstep all together- even Paul.

"Hi Bella. Can uh…. can we talk to you for a minute… inside preferably please?" Sam finally asked taking pity on her. He laughed quietly when Jared and Embry groaned and Jacob only smirked- he had just made an easy 20 bucks- she had been staring at them and she did in fact resemble a deer in the headlights, too afraid to move.

Bella raised an eyebrow but stepped aside to allow them entrance. Jacob was the last to walk by her, but before she could turn away, he backed her into the wall and closed his lips over hers as the door closed. The tension melted from her shoulders immediately as her arms encircled his neck. Snickers, wolf whistles and cat calls broke them apart after a minute and all Bella did was roll her eyes.

"Hi beautiful." Jacob whispered.

"Hey. Is everything ok?" She wondered.

"Yeah… well… kind of. Just… let them talk ok?" Jacob watched the confusion dance over her face.

"Sure… um… let me get some food and some drinks first, ok?" She was nothing if not polite and thoughtful. "Guys, go ahead and make yourselves at home. I'll be back in a few minutes." She told them with a smile.

"I'll help you. Come on." Jacob grinned at the shocked looks on his packs faces.

Bella found them all sitting ram rod straight in her living room ten minutes later and had to stifle a giggle. She was the weakest link in the house right now seeing as she was completely human, and these boys- these larger than life, supernaturally strong, shape shifting wolves- were walking on egg shells around her- the barely 90 pound soaking wet looking human. She only shook her head and placed a tray of small sandwiches and drinks out on the coffee table.

Jacob grinned at her confused and slightly hurt look. "You have to eat first. It's the one rule the pack has when it comes to food. Women and all non shifters get first dibs, otherwise nothing is left for them to eat." He explained with a gentle smile.

"Oh. Um… sure. Sure." Bella grabbed one of the sandwiches and a soda and before she could even sit next to Jacob, the boys were grabbing at the food.

Sam's eyes closed briefly in pleasure. It was meat. He loved his Emily, but she had had a thing for rabbit food after talking to her Aunt Sue and then what had happened to Harry just cemented her belief that vegetarians lived longer. She seemed to think that they all needed to eat healthier, and that meant no meat. He noticed the other boys in much the same state of bliss and couldn't help but to appreciate Bella all that much more; she'd be a fine alpha female for them one of these days.

Jacob grinned once they were all finished eating. "So…" He snickered at his friends and waited for one of them to start saying something.

"Jake… you're starting to scare me here… what's up? You guys act like there's a vampire in the room or something. I know I'm pale but damn, I'm not dead." She teased.

Jacob only snickered. "No babe, you're not dead… thankfully." He grinned and kissed her temple.

Bella noticed the boys looking anywhere but at her. She rested her head on Jacob's shoulder running her fingers up and down his arm which was wrapped gently around her waist, and waited patiently for someone to speak.

Paul huffed and kicked Embry's foot. He knew her better than the rest- save for Jacob at least. Embry snorted and rolled his eyes. 'sure, leave it to me.' He seemed to say. "Look, Bella. The guys… well all of us except Jake owe you a serious apology."

Her head shot off of Jacob's shoulder so she could turn to see Embry more clearly. "What? For what? No you don't." Bella was stunned at his confession. She couldn't fathom where this was coming from and she watched the boys carefully.

Jacob's shoulders shook as he tried and failed to hold in his laughter. "Oh no, they do…they really do." He muttered.

"Well don't laugh at them! Geez Jake!" Bella swatted the back of his head lightly. "You're lucky you already ate or I'd keep the food away from you! Something is bothering your friends! Respect them by not laughing." She shook her head in amusement as he pretended to be hurt even as his eyes danced with mirth.

Paul blinked. "And you're STILL doing it!" He cried. "Why are you doing that?!" He wondered in exasperation.

"Doing… what…exactly?" She asked slowly, trying to think of what she had done wrong.

Sam rolled his eyes. He looked at Jared, who had always been good at talking to people, and sighed. He nodded his head in her direction begging his friend to tell her what they all wanted her to know but didn't know how to say.

Jared smirked and rolled his eyes at his almighty alpha. "Bella, what he…what they…what WE, I mean… what we mean is, Jacob showed us what happened last night…"

"Which is why we all owe you an apology." Embry told her crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

"You said that already, but I don't understand why. You didn't do anything to warrant an apology Embry. None of you did!" Bella said, still highly confused.

Embry groaned. "Jake, dude, help us out please!" He all but whined.

Jacob kissed her temple, his arm resting comfortingly around her waist. "They thought you'd go with her." He whispered in her ear.

Bella's mouth opened and closed a couple times before her shoulders sagged slightly; they still didn't trust her, much less accept her. "I guess I can understand that. I haven't really given you guys too much to trust so far have I?" She said with a sad smile.

Sam blinked. "You- you're not mad at us for our assumptions?" He asked incredulously.

Bella smiled and shook her head gently a few times. "No… why would I be mad at you? I mean… I haven't really give you any reason to think otherwise." She told him honestly.

"You're something else, Swan." Paul said.

Bella was floored. "You…didn't call me leech lover…" She said quietly.

"Guess I kind of can't anymore huh… you kind of defended us all. It kind of makes you a wolf girl…a pack mate…family." Paul muttered to the floor. There was still so much to apologize for, he didn't even know where to start.

Her next move both stunned the pack and made Jacob's heart swell with pride. Bella stood and moved to hug Paul, kissing his cheek even. "I already forgave you a long time ago Paul. I knew why you did everything you did." She told him. She did the same thing to each of the other boys before sitting back down next to Jacob.

"Wow. Just…wow." Jared said. "You're truly an amazing woman Bella."

Embry grinned. "Thanks Bells." All the guilt he felt about thinking the worst about her was wiped clean; it was just like old times when they would sit in Jacob's garage.

Bella grinned in return. "I meant everything I said by the way. In case any of you were wondering."

Sam sighed even though the pack knew this part was all for Bella's benefit. This was the opening he needed. "Just… please be careful." He told them cryptically. Bella frowned in confusion at him. Her look just screamed for him to tell her exactly what it was they needed to be careful of.

"We don't have to be Sam." Jacob sighed praying they could pass this off with some wonderful acting. So far it seemed to be working.

"But… imprinting…" Even Paul looked at the two. He knew Jacob had made the right move in asking them to do this when he saw Bella tense on his lap and pay closer attention. He guessed Jacob had told her about Sam and Jared imprinting already as well as the clusterfuck that was the Sam/Emily/Leah imprinting triangle.

"It won't be an issue. My dad and Old Quil came to me after they learned everything last night." He paused and sighed. "Apparently the true alpha of the pack can pick as many mates as he desires." He muttered.

"So you could have your own harem? Go Jake!" Embry teased. He snickered when Jacob glared at him- a look that said it was clearly overkill- and only shrugged as he watched Bella relax and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Damn, why do you get all the perks?" Paul chuckled good naturedly.

"It… it seems right." Sam finally said. He had said much the same thing last night when they were first told.

"Sam, I'm sorry." Jacob told him quietly. He really meant that.

"I love my Emily. I just wish it wouldn't have cost me Leah's heart." Sam shrugged.

Bella sat facing them all in that moment. She tilted her head to the side in thought before looking at them all with a raised eyebrow. "Can I talk to her?" She looked around the room, at the wolves sitting on her furniture and raised an eyebrow. Jacob had gone back to her after the meeting to tell her it hadn't been one but five to phase and Leah had been one of them. That's when she also learned about imprinting.

"Say what?!" Five voices shouted at once causing her to wince slightly at the sudden noise.

"I understand what she's going through to some degree. I know what it's like to lose your first love abruptly and with no warning." Bella told them.

"No. Not going to happen!" Sam told her firmly but gently. "She's a new wolf and she has a temper to rival Paul's! I'm sorry Bella, but no." Sam grizzled.

"And so was Jake when he came to see me." Bella challenged. "How is it any different?" She asked gently.

Sam deflated momentarily. She hadn't backed down from him. She was a mere human and she wasn't scared of him, he reiterated his earlier thought that she would make an amazing alpha female one day. "Jacob loves you Bella. He would never intentionally hurt you and his wolf is backing him on that as well. Leah isn't… affectionate… with anyone." He told her softly after some minutes.

"Leah needs someone who understands her. I took the brunt of Paul's abuse… come on Sam. I'm tougher than I look. You know that. You ALL know that!" Bella quipped.

Paul shook his head. She had wormed her way into his heart, he would be damned if he'd see her hurt now. "It's not that. Look Swan, its not that we don't think you couldn't handle it… lord knows after telling a leech off, you can. Sam is actually right about this one… she's a new wolf and doesn't hold the same… loyalty to you that Jacob did- does. I have a temper, yes, but I wasn't a brand new wolf when you smacked me." He said softly.

"She's violent and unpredictable right now, that's all. We're worried about her getting emotional. Accidents can happen, regardless of what you told the leech last night or not, we just don't want to see you hurt." Jared agreed.

"And she's really hurt. She just lost her dad AND she has to hear Sam in her head, not to mention see Sam and Emily together… it'd be like sending you to the gallows… it's too much for us to take… you're… Bella, like it or not you're pack now… we'll all protect you to the last… we can't knowingly put you in harms way." Embry told her, begging her to understand.

"Jake?" Bella turned to him.

He closed his eyes and sighed, warring with the wolf in him to keep her safe. "What if she talked to Leah while we were still there?" He finally proposed. He knew just how stubborn the girl in his arms was. If he could find a reasonable solution to ALL of their concerns, it was for the best. "At least that way she won't go behind our backs. You all know she doesn't do well with the words no and don't and you KNOW she'd find a way to talk to Leah on her own besides." He teased.

Sam couldn't find anything to say to that. Bella grinned. "Just… not with you all in the same room." Bella asked biting her bottom lip.

"NO!" Sam growled softly at that. "I won't have you put in a position to get hurt!" He said dangerously. His wolf saw this as a threat to a pack female and he wasn't about to let anything happen to her willingly. "I can't let that happen." He said more quietly, trying to make her understand what he was feeling.

"Sam… she wont get hurt. Bella knows what she's doing. Besides, she learned not to provoke us." Jacob glanced towards Paul who looked at the floor in shame.

Bella saw that, smacked Jacob's shoulder for his cheap shot and was next to Paul's side in an instant with her hand over his. "Hey… Paul… that wasn't your fault. I did that. That was me. I'm the one who slapped you. Remember?"

"Yeah… but… I could have hurt you bad. If Jacob hadn't tackled me…" Even Paul's wolf was shamed. He had been angry that the tiny female in front of them had dared try and hurt them, that she had challenged a mighty Spirit Warrior because she wasn't an imprint and she wasn't a fellow wolf. He knew better now- they both did. She was just protecting her friend, the way a mother wolf would a pup- his wolf admitted the act was brave, if not somewhat foolish. They both agreed it would never happen again. She was a part of his pack now and he'd die trying to protect her- even from her hair brained self.

"But you DIDN'T. You stopped. Don't beat yourself up for something that never happened." Her voice interrupted his inner musings. Bella kissed his cheek and moved to sit by Jacob again.

Jared shook his head. "Just… wow." He, Embry and Sam were all floored. He had just watched his best friend willingly let a woman into his heart, watched as Paul's wolf openly accepted that she was here to stay as well. He only hoped Bella understood what that meant.

"So… can I?" She asked Sam again.

Sam rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm getting to old for this shit…" He muttered rubbing at his temple. "Fine. I don't like it, but alright. I trust your judgment with this. But you'll be where we can get to you easily if something goes wrong… as in… my living room while we're all in the kitchen. And I want you to wait for a week. Let us teach her to keep her calm- as best she can- so it minimizes the urge to phase at the drop of a hat."

Bella grinned. She hugged Sam tightly and thanked him before sitting down next to Jacob again. They all chuckled at her. She did seem more free without the bloodsucker to drain her life away. They all relaxed and traded playful insults together before Bella put in a movie- Underworld, ironically.

"Do you think she saved him in time?" Embry asked when the movie was paused so Jared could go to the bathroom. He didn't want to miss out on making fun of the vampires.

Bella shrugged. "Even if she did, I don't care. I don't want him back- especially knowing that he and his family are the cause of your phasing- all so they can be selfish and play the perfect little family. No, I'm completely happy with my choice." She said leaning her head on Jacob's shoulder.

Embry grinned. "Cool."

"Besides, it's kind of like having a pack of overgrown dogs all to myself- well, add in Emily and Kim too. They have a tighter hold on your leashes than I do." Bella teased. Sam frowned at that.

Embry pouted. "Not cool."

"SO not cool!" Jared whined, having just sat back down.

"You're alright Swan." Paul nodded.

Jacob merely smirked until he understood just what it was she had said. "Hey!" He pouted.

Bella only giggled. "Way delayed reaction there Jake." She teased before unpausing the movie. She laughed along with the wolves as they made fun of the vampires and grudgingly admitted that Selene was hot in her outfits- for a vampire at least.

"Come on guys. We've got to go talk to Billy. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of Bella from now on." Sam grinned when the movie was over.

It wasn't until later that night they learned from Jacob that Bella had called him directly after she had received a call from none other than Carlisle Cullen himself to tell her that Edward was alive and well. When she explained that she was indeed now dating Jacob, he asked her to inform the pack that they were coming back to hunt for Victoria, whom Alice had told them was in the area. She tried to tell him that it wasn't necessary, however, he wouldn't hear it. He claimed she was in danger no thanks to his family so he would help remove the threat to her life. Needless to say they were none too pleased, and all of them were praying their stay would be short.