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

Authors Note:
Thanks for the reviews guys :) Makes me smile to see em. And just a heads up, this isn't beta'd. if you catch a mistake, can you give me a heads up? I'll do my best to edit it before hand, but sometimes some stuff will slip through the cracks :)

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Chapter 4

Bella sighed. It was pushing a month now that Edward had been harassing her in school. He was determined that he could get her to see reason, in other words- force her to love him once more. She had told the pack that he had admitted to dazzling her in the beginning when they had first met and then almost once a week thereafter in order to make her stay with him; he had tried to do so on several occasions since coming back. It made everyone's proverbial hackles rise- none so much as Jacob or Paul, who thought of her as a little sister these days.

Even Leah, who had been stand offish towards the girl at first, had fast become her friend- their talk helping immensely to sway her opinion of her future alpha's mate. She was the overprotective big sister, and to hear that she had to deal with the idiot known as sparkle dick by her and Paul made her want to punch her fist through a wall- or the vampires twisted and delusional head- given the chance.

Paul grinned when he saw Bella step foot through Sam's front door. "Hey Swan. Emily is out shopping with Leah for dinner."

"Hey, um that's cool. Is Jake here? Billy said Sam called him over earlier." She was frowning.

"No. They'll be back soon. They're hunting Red again." Jared told her having just walked in from the kitchen biting into his second sandwich.

"What's wrong Swan?" Paul asked seeing her shoulders slump slightly.

"Bella?" Jared asked noticing her frown.

"It's nothing guys." Bella lied plopping down on Sam's couch with a small sigh.

"Nuh uh. Not good enough. I call bullshit on that blatant lie. What's up Swan?" Paul wondered as he and Jared took up places on either side of her.

"Edward. Need I say more?" Bella groaned. "He's got this sick, delusional idea that you and the pack have been brainwashing me somehow and that I just need to see him and his family on my own to come to my senses. It's annoying the hell out of me."

"I swear I'm willing to forgo the treaty and take any punishment deemed fit if I can kill that good for nothing leech with my bare hands." Paul growled.

"Hey… shh. I didn't mean to get you pissed off." Bella said resting her head on his shoulder. Jared only sighed. He sat his plate on the coffee table and placed a hand on her knee. The gesture was friendly and got the intended response when Bella smiled at him. Touch was fundamental to the pack. Sometimes a mere touch was all that was needed.

"Come on Bella. What would you have us do? He's forever harassing you. Him and the pixie both." Paul grumbled. "The only ones who seem to have any sense are Mr. Emotions, the model and the child." He said with an eye roll. Bella tried not to giggle too much.

"He's right you know. The only time you're happy anymore is when you're here on the rez… least that's how I see it." Jared mused.

"I'm just glad Alice can't see past you guys. It makes her mad when she can't see what I'm doing here on the rez and I love it!" Bella grinned.

"Listen to you!" Paul laughed. He smirked when he heard Jacob sneaking up behind them. "All rebellious and sneaky."

Jared shook his head. "I think we've created a monster!" He grinned over her head at Jacob.

"Yes well. This monster is missing her boyfriend." Bella pouted.

"And your boyfriend is missing you!" Jacob whispered in her ear.

Bella squealed and climbed over the back of the couch to get to Jacob. The wolves present all laughed as she all but melded their bodies together. She only sighed when she all but climbed his body to wrap her legs around his waist as they kissed.

Sam shook his head. It wasn't the same as an imprint, and they weren't marked as mates just yet, but he knew their love ran deep for one another. He admitted that Jacob had been right- Bella had only needed to give him a chance and once she realized she had never loved Edward, Bella flourished in the deep love for her best friend. Deep down he was happy that they still had the choice to fall in love the right way. And once she was marked, their bond would be just as lasting as an imprint.

"Alright you two, stop sucking face! I don't want to have to kick you out." Sam teased.

"Oh come on Sam, did you really have to do that?! It was just getting good!" Jared snickered as they finally broke apart and both of them blushed.

Jacob sighed and moved them both to the arm chair. He pulled her into his lap and nuzzled her neck. "Missed you." He murmured smirking when Paul pretended to gag.

"Missed you too." She grinned and sighed in relief as the tension left her body when Jacob's hands massaged her shoulders gently.

"So what's got you all upset now?" Sam asked having not heard the first part.

"Edward was in my house when I got home from work today." She sighed. "He opened my window and climbed inside. My bags were packed and waiting. If not for the fact that Charlie was pulling into the drive, I can almost guarantee he would have tried to take me with him. As it stands, he raced to put my bags back and I told my dad I was coming here."

The growling didn't even phase her anymore. Jared huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't tell us THAT part Bella! How are we supposed to defend you when you won't let us know what's going on?" He chastised gently.

"See how you're acting right now? Think I want to be around that when there's not an alpha male who can calm your asses down?" She teased.

Paul sighed. He wanted to be mad at her for not sharing that tidbit with them, but she had a point. And she had cursed. She really had been hanging around the pack too often these days. Not that he was going to complain about all that. He only shook his head. He really hated Edward Cullen.

"He'll get his. Trust me." Jacob muttered darkly. Paul secretly agreed.

"He just won't take no for an answer. And Alice told me yesterday while I was at work that she saw me as a vampire again and swore you were using your wolf magic or tribe voodoo to keep me imprisoned here." She told them with exasperation in her voice as she rolled her eyes.

The other wolves couldn't help it. They let loose peals of laughter as they looked at one another. It was one thing for Jacob to be accused of stealing the girl that Edward wanted for his own. It was another thing entirely to blame the entire pack- and then to say it was because of some wolf magic or tribe voodoo? Sam wiped the tears from his eyes. ""Oh is THAT all? Damn Bella, the gig is up. You've found us out." He teased.

Jared snickered. "Well damn Jake. Guess you need to stop using your magic and voodoo on her so she can decide for herself huh. What do you say Bella, should we go ask Old Quil to stop making voodoo dolls of you. Then you could see how bad we all are to be around. Or wait… no… they say we're dangerous, uneducated mutts." He teased.

"Hmm you may be right. No more magic Bells. Sorry." Jacob grinned.

Bella pouted. "Well damn. That's no fun. Guess I'll have to find some wolf magic somewhere else huh. What do you say I ask Leah instead? Think she has the voodoo I need to stay here?" She teased causing Jacob to growl and Bella's eyes to close momentarily. She loved his growl.

Jared shook his head. "What is it with girls and the growl?" He mused looking to Sam. "Kim does that too."

"Hell if I know. Emily loves it though." Sam grinned. He may be their alpha, but he was still a young man too, not that his looks would tell a stranger that.

Paul rolled his eyes. "It's a danger thing. Either that a thrill factor I haven't been able to figure it out yet." He shrugged. "What?" He asked when he saw Sam and Jared staring at him.

"Do I even WANT to know how you know that?" Jared teased.

Paul sniffed. "Do we really want to talk about conquests here and now?" He challenged with a raised eyebrow. He smirked when Sam sighed and Jared threw a pillow at him instead of answering.

It was Jacobs turn to roll his eyes. He kissed Bella's temple and wrapped his arms around her waist. He and the other wolves paused in their friendly banter when a howl sounded through the air. Bella watched them wondering what was going on.

"Baby, we gotta go. Leah and Emily should be here- now," Jacob said when they rushed through the door carrying bags of groceries, "I need you to stay here. We'll be back soon."

"Stay safe. All of you ok?" Bella kissed Jacob on the lips before he went bounding out of the back door and into the forest with the rest of his pack. After he phased, he was bombarded by Colin and Brady's thoughts. There at the treaty line stood the entire Cullen coven.

"Oh hell. This isn't good." Jared whined in agitation.

"Lets just get this over with. I hate their stink." Paul growled.

Embry rolled his large eyes. "I tend to agree with Paul for once. Nothing good is going to come of this. Hey Paul, what was that?"

Sam mentally groaned when images of Bella telling them what had happened before she ended up in his living room flashed through the pack mind. All of the wolves were on edge with the newest information. Paul huffed. "I still say we destroy them now. We have the numbers!"

Jacob shook his giant wolf head as they stopped inside the tree line. "We can't do that Paul. It would start a war and they would see just how well we fight or where our weaknesses lie. It's what they want. They're trying to see how hard it will be to fight for Bella after the redhead is gone."

Quil rubbed his side against Paul's. It was a lupine mannerism, and one he didn't openly acknowledge unless another of the pack started poking fun at who ever was doing it. It was merely a soothing gesture- a way to try and offer one another what limited amount of comfort they could in this form.

"So what are we going to do about the barrage of info we just found out. Sparkle dick is going to know what we know in about ten seconds." Quil muttered.

"None of you will think about anything to do with the pack when in the presence of any of the Cullens. You will not answer any of their questions. Above all, you will not engage during this meeting unless otherwise told to first." Sam's command rushed over the pack as they ran, effectively putting an end to the debate.

"Paul, Jacob come with me. The rest of you stay in the trees. Leah the girls ok?" Sam checked.

Leah lay by Sam's house. "They're fine. Kim is here too, Jared. Seth went and got her so the girls could be together. They're all inside with him now. Take care of things and get back, Emily and Kim are already antsy as is. Bella isn't much better."

Sam phased into his human form and walked out of the tree line with Paul to his left, Jacob to his right- both still as wolves. It highly impressed Jasper who was watching them intently. He wanted to find out how much they knew about Victoria. The sooner they found and killed her, the sooner he, Emmett and Rosalie could leave- they didn't want to be a part of making Bella's life miserable because she seemed to find a place that she was happy in.

"Why are you all by the treaty line?" Sam asked gruffly. He could see the disappointment in Carlisle's eyes when it was just the three of them coming to talk. For once he was thankful he knew of Edward's ability to read minds.

Edward looked from the wolves to Sam and finally to the trees. "The others are staying inside the tree line. I can't hear anything in their thoughts at all besides cars, or… women." His lip curled in disgust when he looked at Paul. "Can't you at LEAST control your thoughts… they're obscene!" He scoffed.

"That's right Eddie boy. THAT'S how you make a woman gush." Paul would have laughed if he were able. He had to settle for feeling rather smug when Edward took a step backwards in disgust. Jasper smirked when he felt the smugness rolling off of Paul's form in waves. It only made him curious as to what he was thinking of that could be enough to cause such disquiet in his coven mates mind.

"We actually wanted to speak to Bella." Alice said. "She's the only sensible one around you mutts." She sneered.

"Watch your tone leech. Bella is no longer your concern. She's the chosen mate to one of the wolves. She'll stay that way." Sam said much without saying anything.

Edward stared hard at him. "Why can I not find anything in their thoughts other than what they are thinking?" He glared. "Even you."

"I guess you should learn to stop invading other people's privacy. Now. what. do. you. want?" He growled.

Jasper took a moment to soothe the frayed nerves of his coven mates and the those of the wolves before stepping forward. "I called for this impromptu meeting. I apologize, but I wanted to meet with you all. I'd like to offer you my aide and that of my family in searching for Victoria. The sooner she's dead, the sooner we can move on. I'll not impose on Bella, or cause her any unjust unhappiness."

Sam had a feeling there was more said in those words than was let on. The pixie sent a glare in his direction that spoke volumes. "We'll see. What would you have us do?"

"You can't be serious Jasper! They're mutts! They can't help!" Alice cried out in shock. "They can't be trusted! They want to keep Bella away from us!"

Paul and Jacob growled while Sam only sneered. "Like YOU helped Bella when you LEFT?" He asked thinking of the night they found her. "Tell me leech, what kept you away from her for the months that followed?! What happened THEN?!" He asked thinking about how she had begun to slowly waste away.

His memories were almost to bring Edward to the ground. "Please. No more. I beg you, stop." His voice sounded so pained that Alice stopped screeching at Jasper instantly and flocked to her brothers side. She missed the sneer that passed over Jasper's lips as she did.

"You can help…Keep him away from Bella. Keep BOTH of them away. Or you'll get NO help from us at all." Sam warned.

Jasper nodded. "Very well." It was clear he was in charge of the coven, at least for the time being. "If it would be possible, I'd like to show you a few tricks to help you, if you're able to meet back here sometime during the coming week?"

"Jasper! You can't promise that! Bella will be one of us! I've seen it!" Alice cried desperately before Sam could answer.

"You saw what you wanted to see!" Rosalie hissed. "She doesn't want this life! And with her mind free of the allure even SHE knows what she wants is a normal life with someone who can love her and not be afraid to hurt her."

Sam nodded his head towards the trees- a silent command that it was time to go. He left as quietly as he had come while the vampires fought. Jasper watched him go with open curiosity and a little awe before turning his attention back to his mate and his sister. There would be time to deal with his wonder of the shape shifters later on. Now he had to settle everyone down as best as he could before they all killed one another.

Sam welcomed the feel of the phase, used his hidden well of anger to shift seamlessly into a midnight black behemoth of a wolf. They all knew, even though Sam had warned them, that Edward and Alice were far from done trying to get Bella to see their side of things. He thought about the open resentment spreading across the major's face and wondered if they were well and truly mates after all. Bella had told them they were, but he didn't think one mate would so openly resent another.

The pack found themselves in Sam's back yard after the meeting. Leah and Seth were wrestling while Emily, Bella and Kim all watched and laughed, egging them on. It lightened their hearts to see and soon enough, Embry, Quil and Paul had joined in on the play to tackle Leah. Colin and Brady used the distraction to pounce on Seth and all the while Sam, Jacob and Jared phased and moved as a choreographed unit towards the back porch and their mates.

Bella grinned when Jacob sat behind her on the steps and wrapped his arms around her waist, watching his pack play. "Have fun?" She asked.

"No. I never do when I'm away from you. Having to see Edward and not be able to torch him doesn't help." Jacob finally whined.

"Soon enough babe. He'll mess up. You know he always does." She shrugged, laughing when Leah trotted over towards them with her head high in the air. She had just laid out not one but three of the pack and was looking every bit like a preening peacock.

Even Jacob smirked. "Come on guys… you gonna take that?" He taunted.

Paul yipped and snapped his jaws towards Sam and Jacob- a blatant though playful challenge. Bella and Emily merely laughed. Leah sighed and rested beside her friends, a rumbling purr emitting from her chest as Bella scratched her behind the ears and Emily pet the soft fur around her neck.

Bella had sat down with both Emily and Leah soon after talking in Sam's living room. Together, Bella and Emily helped Leah realize that while Sam now loved Emily, the two never meant to harm her; they both still loved her. When Emily told her exactly how she had gotten attacked- how she fought the pull of the imprint, Leah reached out and hugged her fiercely. Since then, they had gone back to being close friends and the pack couldn't have been happier about it.

"Well damn you two. You've tamed her!" Jared crowed. His eyes danced with mirth while Leah growled at him; it was a clear warning that said she'd lay him out as well if he didn't hush up.

Kim rolled her eyes. "And you won't get any if you keep it up." She all but growled out. Leah let out a wolf's version of a smug grin as she shifted closer to Kim in thanks for defending her. After her talk with Emily and Bella, they sat down with Kim and together during a girls night out they laid down the foundations for a friendship all of their own within the pack.

"W-what? But… baby… that's just… I mean… that's not… that's so not fair!" Jared spluttered.

"And neither is the way you all pick on poor Leah!" Emily huffed.

"I see how it is…" Sam mused breaking Emily out of her thoughts. "Women ALWAYS stick together." He muttered. The pack, all of whom had, by now phased back, nodded in agreement. It was clearly the wrong thing to say if Sam was judging the scowl on Emily's face right.

"And MEN do the same thing. And I'd keep those comments to yourself, Samuel Levi Uley, if you want to eat anything tonight." Emily almost growled.

"You too, Jake, before you even open your mouth. I'd think VERY carefully about what the next words out of your mouth are! Leah is your sister, and by rights as the only female wolf right now, the alpha female! You should show her respect instead of trying to gang up on her the way you do!" Bella grizzled. Leah phased back and snickered quietly at the chastised looks on her pack mates faces.

"Come on guys, lets go fix lunch. We'll give the boys some time to THINK about how to treat a woman properly." Kim huffed. Together the girls walked inside leaving a weary pack in their wake.

"Who's bright idea was it to get them all together under the same roof again?" Brady wondered after a few moments had passed.

"Who knows. I just hope no one else imprints! Wolf chicks are scary when they're mad!" Colin sighed.

Jacob, Sam and Jared only nodded. Squeals and laughter floated to the boys from the kitchen a short time later. When they all peered through the window that saw Emily and Kim play fighting with two wooden spoons, brandishing them like a pair of swords. Bella was hiding behind Leah who was fighting back tears of laughter.

"What… the hell…." Colin snickered.

"I don't think I even WANT to know." Jacob agreed.

"….women are nuts, wolf women especially it seems." Embry teased before they all walked in through the still open back door. Jacob, Sam and Jared all growled in warning towards their pack mates before stopping when Bella, Emily and Kim turned to him.

"What are you growling at?" Bella asked.

"Nothing Bells." He muttered. He growled again when Quil mimicked a whip being cracked before he and Embry snickered in a corner.

"Keep it up mister, and you won't be getting any anytime soon." She teased quietly.

Jacob huffed while the pack all snickered- he didn't get any as it was, not that they didn't know that. Jacob didn't miss the shiver that ran down her spine when he growled out a warning to the younger guys. He was dragged from the house shortly after that- after Bella had said her goodbyes to everyone. When they climbed into her truck, before he could even start it, she was in his lap. Their mouths were fused together and their tongues battled for dominance within their kiss. She really loved his growl.

Bella's hands moved to tangle in his short hair, pulling ever so slightly. Jacob growled again, a feral sound that moved straight to her core, which caused her to further melt into him. His hands traveled the length of her torso, mapping her every curve and bump with his heated fingers. So engrossed were they, that they never heard Embry, Quil, Colin and Brady sneaking up to the front of the truck. Just as Bella's hand wrapped around Jacob's thick cock, Brady slammed his hand down on the hood of the truck. Luckily light enough that the hood didn't dent.

Bella gasped and jumped away from Jacob in shock. "What the hell?!"

Jacob looked out of the windshield and growled at his brothers. "You're SO dead!" He hissed menacingly.

"Come on Jake, it was all in good fun!" Brady crowed.

"I'll show you-" Jacob moved to step out of the truck before Bella placed a hand on his arm.

"Hey, Jake…. Come on. Let's go home. You can make it up to him tomorrow at school in front of Piper." Bella smirked- having recovered from her fright. She knew full well they could hear her. Jacob smirked evilly.

Brady paled. "You…. You guys KNOW about that?!" He gulped.

"I know HER too, Brady! Her dad is one of my dad's deputies." Bella's grin was feral and for once Embry and Quil stayed quiet. "Imagine what she would think if she knew what an ASSHAT you were. I mean… just IMAGINE how she would feel if she knew all you wanted from her was a piece of tail…" Bella cooed, her voice saccharine sweet.

Jacob smirked. "Now now Bells." He purred dragging her close again. "You're scaring him." He teased.

Bella only huffed and crossed her arms. "Promise me you'll behave Brady, or Piper and I are having a talk! And I can guaren-damn-tee you, she won't have a THING to do with you afterwards!" She hissed.

"I promise! I swear! I'll behave from now on!" Brady squeaked.

"Damn Brady! She's got you by the balls!" Colin teased.

"Don't think I don't know about Alexis, Colin. I know her dad too." Bella said with an arched eyebrow.

It was Colin's turn to pale. "H-how'd you know?"

Bella shrugged. "It's a small town. And I'm observant. And I know her as well Colin, so don't get any cute ideas!" She warned.

Quil only shook his head. "Jake… go have fun. She's got a lot of tension to work out." He smirked.

Embry only sighed. "Come on Quil. Let's go see if Paul wants to share in the kicking of your ass in Halo."

"HEY!" Quil huffed. He and Embry argued the whole way back inside Sam's house, followed by a subdued Colin and Brady. Bella was well and truly scary and they now held the same amount of respect for her that their brothers did. They made a vow that they'd try to never irritate the woman again knowing now that she could be deadly when she wanted to be. They finally understood a little of the attraction their future alpha had towards her.