Terrified and suddenly alone, I sprang up and locked the window immediately, thinking only of Victoria and the danger that might be right outside my home. A locked window wouldn't even slow a vampire, but it made me feel a bit more secure. As secure as I could possibly feel without Jacob by my side, that is.

I sat back down on my bed, very aware of my solitude. It was like night and day compared to only a few minutes ago, when I had been so close to Jacob, physically and emotionally. The abruptness of his departure shocked me, and I wasn't sure what to do. So I sat there and waited.

And waited.

With every minute that passed, more and more dread and despair filled my trembling body. Finally, when I chanced a look at my clock, I saw that over an hour had passed. Without warning, I felt the hole in my chest tear open with a vengeance.

Crossing my arms in front of me tightly, I cried out in surprise and pain. This couldn't be happening! I curled into the fetal position, my eyes fixed on the window where Jacob had disappeared. My chest heaved with the beginning of hyperventilation.

Even through my despair, I also felt incredible confusion. Why was this familiar anguish returning now, when I was finally taking steps to move on? I was with Jacob! I had made the decision to be with him – he was fixing me and I wanted him to. It didn't make sense that I should feel so suddenly broken just because he had to return to the pack in response to an emergency. He would be back as soon as he could, until the pack needed him again. How could I not understand and appreciate that? After all, they were his family – did he even have a choice?

His family.

Jacob had many obligations to his wolf family – obligations I could never understand, obligations that didn't include me. I gasped, tears springing to my eyes as my panicked brain made a connection.

For the first time in weeks, visions of a party flashed through my mind. Silver-wrapped presents, a drop of red blood, the ravenous eyes of a blonde vampire, Edward's troubled gaze. Edward. Edward had left me, gone far away because he had obligations to his vampire family – to keep their existence inconspicuous and to support them in their struggles with their lifestyle. Obligations I could never understand.

The scars in my heart had ruptured because I realized that Jacob could leave me, the same way Edward left me. Could he ever truly be mine? If tomorrow Sam ordered the pack to relocate permanently, he would have to obey. If it was in the best interest for La Push for Jacob to cut ties with me, the "vampire girl," he would have to follow his brothers.

I was stunned and a sob wracked my chest. Through my rapidly blurring eyes, I saw a scrap of frayed cloth in front of me – Jacob's shorts were still at the foot of my bed. I reached out and clutched the fabric firmly to my curled, shaking body, my cheeks already wet with tears.

**

My dreams that night were utterly devoid of any color or subject. Just blackness. Suffocating, terrifying blackness. I never woke during the night, but if I had, I would have been relieved at realizing I was not blind or deaf, floating in an atmosphere of nothingness.

**

Thank goodness the dreams were temporary. I awoke before dawn, my head pounding from lack of sleep and my eyes swollen from crying. Grabbing my robe, I shuffled downstairs to the kitchen to get a cup of hot tea. Charlie was not home yet – his shift would end at 8 a.m.

I took my tea out to the white plastic chair on our small porch. The air was moist and chilly, and I cupped the mug in my hands to keep them warm. I felt utterly alone in the quiet morning, groaning internally at the idea of going to school that day. I was incredibly worried about Jacob and the rest of the pack, not knowing what had called him from my bedroom the night before.

Sitting there, I allowed my mind to focus — it was time to put my emotions to the side and make some decisions.

It didn't take me long before I realized an important fact. I wouldn't feel so upset if there weren't real feelings of love in my heart for Jacob. I was moving on and healing. It was happening even while I was so confused. The knowledge empowered me, and I made an important resolution. I would not let Jacob's obligations and my insecurities affect our relationship. I would take whatever I could from him and give him all of myself in return. It was how I had always approached my relationship with Edward. Except Jacob was still here, making the effort to juggle those responsibilities and his relationship with me.

I wouldn't mention my newly discovered knowledge either to my wolf-boy either. He had enough to worry about without dwelling on my internal struggle of "Edward vs. Jacob vs. fate." I wanted to be his solace, his outlet when life became too stressful. That's what he was for me, and he deserved that.

"Bella!" a male voice called quietly from the tree line across the street. I jumped slightly, spilling tea on my lap and hissing at its temperature. Seth Clearwater stepped out of the brush, clad only in sweatpants in the cold morning air, looking a foot taller than he was just a week earlier. "Sorry," he said meekly as he saw me stand up, a large wet spot of tea on my robe.

"It's okay, Seth," I said, sighing. "I'm getting used to having random werewolf visitors." I smiled weakly. "Acually, I was hoping I'd see someone from the pack before I left for school. I really want to know what's going on…and that everyone's safe."

Seth met my eyes. "We're all sorry we had to take Jake away last night, Bella. We all wish he could have stayed for the rest of the night." My ears felt hot and I had to look away from the boy, who was blushing himself. "But we had some possible news on the girl vampire we're hunting, and Sam needed everyone."

"What news?" I demanded, and Seth immediately shook his head.

"Sorry, I can't tell you anything," he said sadly. "They're having trouble tracking, so nothing very helpful has been learned yet. I'm sure Jacob will let you know when he can. Anyway, I just didn't want you to worry too much. Jake's fine, everyone's fine."

It was so easy to like Seth Clearwater. I poured the gratitude into my voice as I whispered, "Thanks Seth."

**

After sitting in class for hours, with plenty of time to play out dozens of horrific scenarios in my head, work was cathartic. We were doing an inventory, and it kept me occupied for a few hours.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Newton, I'll see you on Friday," I called as I left work at the end of my shift. The air was warmer than usual, but still held onto some of the late winter chill, and I shivered as I walked toward my truck.

I was alert in the dark parking lot, but I still didn't hear him as he snuck up behind me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Aaaahh!" I screamed, whirling around to stab my key in his unsuspecting midsection.

"Ouch!" Jacob rubbed his side where my keychain had grazed him. "Geez, Bella, next time I'll give you some warning!"

"Jacob!" I cried, stretching on tiptoes to throw my arms around his neck. We stood there for a moment before he released me and we walked the rest of the way to my truck. "What's going on? Are you off duty tonight?" He took my hands firmly and turned me to face him.

"Bella, there's something you need to know," he said urgently. "I know that leech used to keep you in the dark about stuff, but I know how important it is for you to know what's going on…"

"Jake, what is it?" I asked, my eyes wide, ignoring his verbal jabs at Edward.

"We think we know what the red-head is planning."

I breathed in sharply and squeezed Jacob's hands in alarm. "What?" I whispered.

"Remember that other scent that we caught…when Sam called off the pursuit? The one we've been trying to find for a while now?" I nodded. "Well, Sam found it last night — that's why I had to go. We were having trouble tracking it, and we actually thought we were too late. But when I was on patrol with Leah and Embry today, we came across it again. We were able to track it this time, so we followed it. It was another vampire…a new vampire none of us were familiar with. The trail took us all the way to Seattle, and Bella," he looked at me with anger in his eyes, "we distinguished at least four different vampire scents, mixed in with that of the red-head."

I was confused, but terrified. "Wha…what does that mean?"

"Sam thinks — and I agree — that Victoria is gathering friends to organize an attack."

My legs were shaking so badly that I almost crumpled to the ground, but Jacob anticipated my reaction and held me close. Mrs. Newton walked by on her way to her car and looked at us curiously before driving away.

"What are we going to do?" I trembled. "Jacob…what if there are more than just the five of them?"

He stroked my cheek with his fiery hand. "We are going to meet with the entire pack tonight. Sam has asked that I bring you — after all, this is your life, too." I started to speak and he stopped me. "I've already called Charlie to say that you're going to be at a birthday party for Quil. He wasn't happy because you have school tomorrow, but I'll have you home in a few hours."

I stood there, stunned, but finally squeezed his arm and said with false bravado, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going."

**

It seemed like half of the reservation was gathered outside of Sam and Emily's home, near the large fire pit in their yard. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I was surprised to see Billy, Old Quil and Sue Clearwater sitting in a row with Sam. Gathered around were Emily, Jared, Paul, Embry, Quil, Leah, Seth, and two teenage boys whom I assumed were Brady and Collin. They looked so young, and a bit scared.

Also in the circle was a teenage girl whom I didn't recognize. She held tightly onto Jared's hand, looking around at the scene with wide, alarmed eyes. I turned toward Jacob with a questioning look on my face.

"Who?..." my voice trailed off.

"Oh, that's Kim. She's Jared's, uhh…well, I guess you could call her his girlfriend. That's something I'll have to explain later. We're getting ready to start."

Sam stood, and with authority in his voice, explained the situation with Victoria. It was exactly what Jacob had told me earlier. He described what we were there to do — to prepare a plan for protecting the citizens of La Push and Forks, and to organize a strategy for the fight that was sure to come.

Sue had obviously taken her husband's place on the tribe's council. She and Old Quil argued that the residents of La Push needed to be kept in the dark about what was actually happening, but couldn't think of a solution that would take every last member of the tribe away from the area during the fighting.

Billy stood shakily, grasping one side of his wheelchair. "We have yet to hunt our whale this year. We could plan something with the Makahs to make this year's hunt a tribal unity event on their lands — a lesson for all of the young in our culture to learn the ways of our people. It would be something for all to attend. And then we could lure the cold ones here for the battle, when all of the homes are empty for the day." Many around the yard murmured their approval or nodded their heads.

"But how can we lure them? We have no way of knowing when they'll attack," Seth called from the back of the crowd. The crowd fell silent as everyone mulled this over.

Looking around at their faces, I felt their concern. I could also feel the love and loyalty that kept them linked to one another. I saw Emily's shining eyes as she gazed at her Sam. She accepted him whole-heartedly, even with his pack responsibilities keeping them separated for hours and days at a time. I looked at Jared's girlfriend, Kim, and was struck at the devotion etched on her face as they stared at one another, communicating so much without talking. Maybe I was being silly in having the fears I did. A reaction to being left by Edward so suddenly, perhaps. I had no reason to believe that Jacob would do the same thing.

I fixed my gaze on the tall boy — no, man — next to me. He leaned into me, his arm around my waist. My heart thumped as I studied his profile, a warmth settling in my stomach. I was struck with the notion that I wanted him. I wanted nothing more than for him to turn and look down at me with that sweet smile that I'd come to associate with my Jacob.

I felt the love that linked me to him, as tangible as the love coursing through the other people gathered around the fire. I couldn't deny it any longer — I didn't want to — and as this comprehension washed over me, I felt my soul lift, as if a weight had been taken from me. I took a deep breath, feeling like it was the first real breath I had taken in months. At that moment, as if reading my mind, Jacob looked down at me, met my eyes, and smiled.

I understood.

I loved him — was in love with him — even though I still loved Edward. And I would feel that way regardless of what the future might hold because of some wolfy commitments. Jacob was the person making my heart skip and occupying my thoughts.

I love Jacob. I murmured the words under my breath, and the thought made me feel warm and pleasant. The corners of my lips couldn't help but curve up slightly as he squeezed me lightly, and we stood there for several minutes more.

Occasionally, someone would start to talk, but no real solution had been presented. Mostly, it was still. As I gazed at Jacob, I could see his forehead crease in worry and concentration. That look was reflected on the faces of every member of the pack. It made me feel incredibly guilty. I was connected to them through Jacob. All of this was because of me — they were all in danger because Victoria wanted to kill me. And all I could do was sit back and watch, helpless as usual. Unless…

I stood up from where I had been leaning against Jacob's car. With a wavering voice, I said, "Victoria is after me, right?" The murmuring crowd quieted as all heads turned to me. Taking a deep breath to steady my words, I continued. "If she knew where I was and thought I was unprotected, she'd come for me."

"What, use you as bait?" Jacob's voice was furious as he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the Rabbit. "Absolutely not, Bella…you're not risking yourself like that!"

The voices around us were growing. Most agreed with me.

"I think this will work!" Jared said enthusiastically, while Embry added, "Bella's tough, Jake. She can handle this."

"Son, this might be the only way," Billy's voice sounded.

"We will keep her safe, Jacob," Sam said. "You know that is our priority."

Jacob seethed next to me. I put my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest.

"Let me do this, Jacob. I've made my decision — I want to help." He held me tightly and stroked my hair, trembling slightly. He remained silent.

**

I spent the next two hours in Sam's yard, strategizing with the wolves. Jacob listened closely, but did not participate, other than nodding gravely every so often. Victoria would know by now that I spent a lot of my time in La Push. We just had to figure out the right time and the right way to try to lure her out of hiding to where I'd be. Before long, I was yawning, and Jacob broke his stony silence to insist that he take me home. Looking at his face, I was shocked at what I saw. His eyes burned and he clenched his jaw. He almost seemed angry with me.

When we got back to my car in the Newton's parking lot, Jacob turned to me and pulled me to him urgently. His lips were hot and incredibly soft on mine. I could feel his love and his panic in his kiss. I pulled away reluctantly, because the kiss couldn't possibly say all that was needed, and I had to talk to him.

"Don't be upset with me, Jake," I implored. "I'm doing what's right. I can't just sit on the sidelines while you all risk your tails," Jacob snorted quietly, "protecting me."

He stared at me long and hard before sighing, his eyes softening. I heard defeat in that sigh, and I knew that he couldn't be mad at me for long. "I'm not mad at you, Bells. I'm just damn worried that this is too much…too dangerous." He stroked my cheek with his warm fingers. "I want to protect you, but I'm not going to lock you up and throw away the key like your bloodsucker did. You're a grown woman. If this is your choice, Bella…then I'll live with it." I smiled gratefully at him and leaned in for another kiss.

"I've made another grown-up choice, Jacob," I whispered in his ear. "I've chosen you."

He pulled me back to smile broadly. "I'm so glad you did…my heart chose long ago. I love you," he said before brushing his lips against mine.

"I love you too, Jacob," I said breathily against his mouth, meaning every word. I opened the door to my truck grudgingly. "Good night."

**

A half hour later I had arrived home, washed my face and brushed my teeth, and now I sat in my bed, replaying all that had happened during the last few hours. My stomach was in knots, nervous about the pending battle with Victoria, and euphoric over the latest developments with Jacob.

Jacob was wonderful. Because of him, I was experiencing feelings that had been buried for months. My emotions had jumped around from such highs and lows — it was incredibly confusing, but exhilarating at the same time. I felt alive again. I hadn't felt this way since Edward —

Since Edward.

I waited for the sting, but it never came. No pain! I was doing it. I was following his advice. I was being happy. And for the first time, I didn't feel bad about it. I think I had made peace with the fact that Edward would always be in my heart. But he wasn't my whole heart — Jacob was proof of that.

As euphoric as I was about Jacob, and distracted by the tingle on my lips every time I thought about our last kisses, I couldn't ignore the worry over what I had decided to do. Acting as bait for Victoria would be dangerous, but it was necessary. I was resolved that it had to happen, but it didn't make the reality any less frightening.

As I thought about the details of the plan, my cell phone buzzed next to me. I grinned, wondering what endearments Jacob wanted to tell me before I went to sleep.

"Hello?" The smile in my voice was apparent.

"Don't do it, Bella!" Alice's panicked cry begged.