"Relax, Jake," I said, reaching for the tense muscles of his arm and rubbing them reassuringly. "Alice and Edward will be on their best behavior, and we're meeting in a totally neutral spot." I bent down to nuzzle against his warm arm. Jacob had been edgy ever since picking me up for our day out with the two Cullens. We planned to go hiking in a remote area of the Bogachiel Peak — a spot not preferred by many area hikers for its out-of-the-way trail head. We had chosen an option far from human eyes so the non-humans could run and sparkle with no worry. "You have no idea how much I appreciate this," I added.

He sighed and reached for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

"That's not why I'm all freaked out," he said, his eyes hardening as he watched the road. "Although, it certainly doesn't help things."

"What's wrong?"

He paused, and seemed to choose his words carefully. "Another member of the pack imprinted." I gasped, releasing his hand so I could cover my mouth in shock. He glanced at me, looking angry for some reason. "Yeah…and this one hits pretty close to home, Bells."

A spasm of fear crippled my body, and I couldn't move. "You…you didn't…"

"No, no…God, no, honey," he reassured me. "It was Paul."

I couldn't help but breathe a loud sigh of relief, but now Jacob's anger was curious.

"So who…"

I saw Jacob's hands tighten on the wheel. He clenched his jaw and seethed, "It's Rachel, Bella." His voice rose. "God damn it, my fucking sister! Paul imprinted on her yesterday, and…and…" He couldn't continue, because he began trembling and had to concentrate to calm himself.

I reached to touch his skin, but still leaned away from him as he slowly settled down. I could understand why Jacob was upset, but the news was unsettling to me for a different reason. This was the fifth pack member to imprint — the impulse, which Jacob had thought to be rare, was proving to be very common after all.

"It's bad enough that he's going to be my freakin' brother-in-law someday," Jacob's voice was controlled, careful, "but he's another one who bucked the previously imprint traditions."

My heart stuttered when I realized what he meant. "He saw her at the beach the other week," I said softly. "He didn't imprint with her at first either."

"Yeah, babe," Jacob's voice was even softer than mine. "Rachel's had to meet with the pack and tribal leaders about it, and she obviously knows everything now." He smiles for the first time in a few minutes. "She freaked when she found out that I was a werewolf…Paul's revelation didn't faze her, but knowing her little brother is a snarling beast…" He chuckled lowly.

We sat in silence for a moment before I remembered something.

"What did she tell her boyfriend?" I asked, feeling distressed and sympathetic toward the young man I didn't even know. I wondered if his situation would be mine someday. "I know they weren't together long, but she seemed pretty into him a few weeks ago."

Jacob heard the strain in my voice and squeezed my hand reassuringly. "It wasn't an issue. I guess she went back to school for her finals and found out he was cheating on her. Totally ruined her concentration on her exams…Dad wasn't happy with her grades this semester. Anyway, she came home a few days ago and has been miserable the entire time. Totally moping around and going for lots of walks at Second Beach by herself. That's where she ran into Paul. He was coming out of the woods after a morning wolf run. She was totally free for someone to come along…probably a rebound relationship, but I just wish it wasn't Paul."

"Or that it wasn't for life," I added, returning the squeeze. The unspoken tension that had been one-sided when we first began our drive to the more secluded area near Rugged Ridge Trail, now radiated from me as well. I had been hoping for a day free of worry, a day free to concentrate on building a tentative, friendly truce between the most important people in my life, but no luck.

***

Jacob stiffened slightly when we pulled into the parking area by the trailhead. Edward and Alice sat on a large rock near the cleared path, looking brilliant even though the sky was overcast. Edward rose immediately, looking anxious. Alice's face was pinched, obviously frustrated that her vision was blocked by Jacob's presence. I wondered if any of them would have fun today.

"Is this a mistake?" I whispered to Jacob as he shifted to park. "All three of you look miserable."

He reached for me and slid his palm against my cheek. I sighed and pressed against his skin, enjoying his hand embracing my face gently.

"This is important to you," Jacob said. "It's going to be difficult, but if they love you half as much as I do…" His voice hardened slightly at the word "love." "They'll do what they can to make you happy."

"Thanks, Jake."

He smiled grimly. "Doesn't mean I'm looking forward to it, Bella." The corner of his mouth twitched, and with one swift motion, he pulled his t-shirt up over his head. My eyes took in his massive rippled form, and I knew exactly what he was doing — keeping me preoccupied with his beauty while also attempting to intimidate Edward.

"Jacob," I said, feigning annoyance while my hand reached over to run against his stomach in admiration.

His smile faded when he glanced again at the Cullens, who patiently waited. "Well, here we go."

I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before we exited the Rabbit. Jacob quickly made his way around the car and pressed himself against my side, clinging to me as we walked toward the two vampires.

"Hey guys," I called with more enthusiasm than usual.

"Hello Bella…Jacob," Edward said, nodding toward the hulking figure at my side, his tone formal. His eyes fell on our joined hands.

Alice ignored the obvious apprehension and darted forward to hug me. Jacob unconsciously pulled me back momentarily, trying to put himself between me and Alice in a protective stance, but immediately realized his mistake and relaxed. She froze in front of me while he calmed and then pulled me in for a quick embrace.

"Well, this will be interesting," Alice said cheerfully, shooting a smile at Jacob, who grinned back, his guard lowering even more. I was reminded that the two of them had conspired to plan my romantic evening with Jacob several weeks earlier. Perhaps this would be easier than I thought.

Next to me, I heard a low growl from Jacob. Surprised, I glanced at him and then over to see Edward walking tentatively toward me, his arms outstretched for a hug of his own.

"It's okay, Jake," I urged, silently begging him to calm. Edward's eyes were cautious, watching Jacob and pausing suddenly when my wolf began to tremble. He looked at me with worry, and I knew he was panicking that I would somehow get hurt if Jacob lost control. I pressed Jacob's arm reassuringly and took a few steps forward to meet Edward in the middle. Behind me, I heard Jacob struggling to shush his instinctual growling.

"Hey Bella," Edward's voice was soft and his musical lilt couldn't hide the wooden dullness hiding in his tone.

"Hey Edward," I replied, stepping up and wrapping my arms around him for a quick hug. Behind me, Jacob's growling continued softly, but Edward seemed to ignore it.

"You'd better reassure your boyfriend," he whispered, pulling away from me and smiling a bit too broadly — his ocher eyes flickering toward Jacob, who was trying his hardest to appear unbothered by the display of affection. Edward almost looked smug.

At that moment, I realized that there would be nothing easy about this day.

***

"So, Edward," Jacob began, after we had been walking the trail at my human pace in near silence for fifteen minutes. "I never thanked you for taking out Victoria. Things were looking pretty bad there for a moment." He tried to keep his tone casual, and I squeezed his hand to show him that I appreciated the effort.

"I knew she would never stop hunting Bella," Edward said simply. "I had to protect her. But I'm…glad…that I could save you in the process." His voice sounded anything but glad, and I thought I saw Alice shoot him a warning look.

"I'm glad too," I murmured, looking up at Jacob and smiling.

Behind me, Alice sighed exasperatedly. "Can we please go faster? Bella, I know how you hate to run, but if we keep it to a medium pace, would that be okay?"

"Do you think you can keep up, Jacob?" Edward asked, and Jacob flinched next to me. "I mean, you'll probably be carrying Bella, right?"

"I think you just might be surprised, leech," Jacob tried to keep his words light, as if he were teasing, but I could hear the competitive agitation radiating from those words.

Edward snorted. "I am pretty fast."

"So I hear."

"Alice, I think I want to ride with you," I said weakly, my face burning with anxiety as the two of them did an uneasy dance of words. She laughed nervously. "Don't lose control," I whispered to Jacob as he released my hands and pulled his shirt over his head. "Please."

His grin for me was wide, but his wary eyes never left Edward. "Sure, sure," he said dismissively. Alice and I turned our backs to him to give him some privacy as he finished undressing. I heard him bellow, "All right, let's do this…," and then a momentary snarl sounded and all was quiet.

Alice and I turned around but both of them were gone.

"Boys," I muttered, but she just shook her head.

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Alice reiterated. "I'm surprised Jacob doesn't just pee on your leg already…the two of them are just going to keep up this passive-aggressive competition until one of them gets hurt or embarrassed."

"Do you think they'll hurt each other?" I never thought that could be an issue, but I was suddenly worried. Alice didn't respond, so I walked over to her and put my arms around her neck from behind. "Maybe we should have had Jasper along to calm them down." I squeezed my eyes closed and tucked my chin against her shoulder. Well, let's get going…they're probably halfway to Canada by now."

"Hang on, Bella…I'm going to be faster than usual — we need to find them before things get out of hand."

I found that traveling with Alice was usually a bit easier than running with Edward had ever been. Her gait was remarkably smooth and graceful, even when compared with Edward's flawless stride. But today was different. There was an urgency in her run, and I comprehended her worry as my stomach lurched from the pace.

"I think we're only a minute behind them," she turned and shouted so I could hear. Her voice sounded anxious, and it made worry pool in the pit of my stomach. I leaned against her, urging her ahead silently and starting to regret my idea to force Jacob and Edward to coexist.

The forest blurred past, and I felt Alice tense under my grip and she was suddenly faster. A minute later, she stopped and dropped me unceremoniously on the ground.

"Oof," I said, my jeans hitting the moist ground and creating a wet patch on my rear end. I looked up to protest, but froze when I saw why Alice had dumped me off her back so abruptly.

Edward was crouched in a fighting stance, his brilliant face twisted in a snarl. Fifteen yards in front of him, Jacob stood tall, enormous and terrifying in his wolf form. Alice positioned herself between them, pleading in a low voice to her brother.

"Stop this, Edward," she seethed, almost too quiet for me to hear.

Edward immediately stood from his crouch and murmured an apology, more for my benefit than Alice's. "I am sorry for my reaction, Alice…Bella. Jacob was several feet behind me and I think my instinctual reaction to protect my back must have kicked in."

At once, Jacob's wolf form melted away to reveal the rippled body of my boyfriend, unabashedly naked. He unfastened his pants from the cord he always wore and pulled them on.

"Behind you?" he scoffed. "You were trying to keep up with me, bloodsucker."

Edward's smile was amused. "So you say," he said.

Alice turned to me, relief over the slowly calming situation evident in the way her shoulders relaxed. "Just like I said…I fully expect someone to pee on your leg or mark you sometime today."

***

For the sake of keeping the masculine showboating to a minimum, Alice and I set some ground rules for the rest of the outing. First rule was: No more racing. We were making up the rules as we went along, and didn't have a second rule identified yet because the guys were behaving themselves after their aggressive display. But I could see in the occasional glare they shot one another, and hear in the involuntary grumbles deep in their chests that their control teetered on the brink.

When I slipped my hand into Jacob's warm one, he smiled at me in relief, glad I wasn't angry at him for the moment with Edward. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward take one step toward me, holding his hand out and opening his mouth to voice some concern, but stop himself before vocalizing. Turning away deliberately, he bounded gracefully forward, putting the distance of a dozen yards between us.

Alice came sidling up to my other side. "It bothers Edward to see you so close to Jacob."

Jacob snorted. "Yeah, I bet."

"No, not like that," she insisted. "He's afraid for her safety. Remember? I was the same way at first."

"But you got over it," I said sadly, before sighing. "Alice, I'm really starting to think you were right. This doesn't seem like it's working out very well." My mood had been souring ever since Jake and Edward's impromptu race, and now the sadness overwhelmed all other emotions.

She seemed sympathetic. "I think it's…okay, Bella." She shot a glance at Jacob.

"Yeah, Bells. It's not that bad. I'll behave, I promise," Jacob said. He stopped to help me over a fallen tree, which Alice bounded over effortlessly. I fell into his arms on the other side, and he gave me a sweet kiss on the tip of my nose before setting me down on my feet.

"So…" Alice began, and I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of my hope reawakening when I saw how Jacob and Alice were getting on. "What do you two have planned for La Push's prom?"

Jacob looked at me and grinned…the first genuine smile from him since we had exited the car at the trailhead. "I wanted to take Bella to a very private restaurant, and then we'll head to the dance. It's nothing fancy…they're holding it at the res community center." Jacob's voice lowered slightly. "And then I was going to take Bella to a special after party."

My face burned as I realized the meaning behind those words. Alice chose that moment to cluck, "That's nice," and then speed up her prancing to catch up with Edward. Jacob and I slowed.

"An after party?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Very exclusive," he murmured.

"Oh, really?"

He nodded. "So exclusive, it's just for two people." His grin was wicked, and he stopped to pull me to him for the first real kiss we had shared that day. As we broke apart, he sighed, "Aah, Bells, I love you."

"Me too," I gave him a quick peck to punctuate it and we continued after the Cullens at a leisurely pace, enjoying the moment, only the two of us.

Fwap. Fwap. Fwap. I was distracted by a repetitious noise every time I stepped. Looking down, I saw that my boot had come untied.

"Dang it," I muttered, stopping to crouch and loosen the scraggled half-knot. Jacob continued walking ahead, sidling up to Alice, who was leaning against a rock and watching her brother closely. Edward had broken from our group and remained fifty feet ahead.

I heard Jacob laugh at something Alice had said, and it warmed me where I crouched on the moist earth, struggling with the complicated laces of my hiking boots. Springing to my feet, I scampered toward them to share in their joke.

My boot caught a gnarled root near the edge of the path and I pitched forward in typical Bella clumsiness. The ground rushed up to meet me, but it was covered in wet leaves and I expected a rather soft, but messy, landing.

I never saw the rock.

I landed with a loud, comical "oof," and started laughing at my clumsiness, looking at the three sets of feet suddenly in front of me, before a sharp pain in my left wrist silenced my laughter at once.

"Ouch," I said in surprise.

A trickle of red dripped from the sleeve of my torn jacket.

Many things happened at once, almost too quickly for me to comprehend. Edward violently shoved Jacob away from our group, as Jacob's form began to ripple as he fought against phasing so close to me. Alice and Edward snarled at each other, both fighting the overwhelming bloodlust that my scent brought, but also trying to protect me from the other. Jacob rushed back on four paws, propelling the growling vampires twenty feet with a swipe of his massive head. They landed gracefully and crouched down, facing Jacob now. He pressed his furry form against me, acting as a barrier from Edward and Alice.

The three of them roared at one another, while I cradled my arm and pleaded for calm while my stomach roiled from the rusty smell of my own blood.

Alice was the first to regain her sanity, and her voice rang out above the din. "Bella, how badly are you hurt? Please, Jacob…she's bleeding. I'm not thirsty, I promise." Her hands were clasped in front of her and she vibrated with agitated concern for me.

Jacob's growling lowered slightly.

I felt my vision waver, spots floating in front of the scene. "It's okay, Jake. She's fine."

Jacob's muzzle lowered in reluctant agreement, and Alice flitted around him to my side. Edward started to follow, but was stopped by Jacob's sudden snarl.

Edward sighed angrily. "Fine, mongrel…I'll stay here."

Alice ripped my jacket sleeve away with quick, nimble movements. The gash on my arm was dirty from the rock, and went from my wrist to my mid-forearm. Luckily, it was not deep, and the bleeding was starting to slow. As she worked to rip my useless jacket sleeve into strips she could use to cover the wound, I noticed that Alice was holding her breath.

"I don't think you'll need stitches, Bella," she said cautiously. "But we should get you back home so you can clean it. You don't want an infection." She worked silently for a moment before adding, in a sad voice, "And I suppose we'll have to find you some gloves to wear with your prom dress now."

Her priorities made me smile, even as my gaze was fixed on the tense staredown going on between Jacob and Edward behind her.

Edward was hissing to Jacob in a low voice, and Jacob was responding with angry, careful growls. After a moment, I caught onto their seemingly one-sided conversation. Edward was reading Jacob's mind and my boyfriend was not happy about it.

"I think you're wrong," Edward was saying. "Today is proof that there's something still there…something that won't go away no matter how close you are."

Jacob's responding bark was loud and furious, but still he remained pressed to my side. I struggled to get up off the wet ground, and he turned his attention to me for a moment, nudging my hand with his nose.

"I'm okay, Jake," I said gratefully, but my eyes fixed themselves on Edward's face. "You two need to stop this, please…for my sake."

Jacob whined at my side and nudged me again, and I threaded my fingers through the shaggy russet fur on his neck. I almost understood what he was trying to say — that he was trying to be good, but Edward was making it difficult. With a shaky sigh, I fought back the disappointed tears that prickled my eyes.

"We should probably go," I told him softly. He nodded his massive head, but didn't phase back.

Edward chuckled. "He doesn't trust us enough to turn back into his human form." Jacob responded with a resurging rumble.

Suddenly, the wolf next to me ceased his growls and gave a barking laugh. This time, Edward snarled and took a few steps toward us. Alice positioned herself in front of her brother, glaring angrily at his apparent lack of control.

"Get out of the way, Alice," he responded, his voice calm and dangerous. To Jacob, he growled, "Yes, yes, I know that, dog. You don't have to keep throwing it in my face."

I wondered what Jacob was thinking about to make Edward so upset.

"That's where you're wrong, Jacob. I'm not going to hurt her again," he said, a small smile stretching across his flawless face. He paused, his head cocked slightly to the side. "You, on the other hand…"

Jacob's enraged snarl echoed against the trees and made me jump. He took a step forward, his body twitching with fury and the desire to spring at the vampire in front of him.

"Edward!" I admonished, ignoring the obvious danger and striding to Jacob's side. "Jacob, please."

Edward turned to me, a confident expression decorating his handsome face. He seemed so suddenly sure of himself.

"Bella," he began, his voice imploring me, attempting to dazzle me from a distance. "Sweetie, I know everything now. I know what's going on."

I froze. "And…what is going on?"

He took a few steps toward me but stopped when Jacob raised his muzzle to show his teeth. "You're giving yourself to someone who can never really be yours. He will always have his loyalties elsewhere…to the pack…" He paused. "And to his imprint."

His imprint. The words echoed in my ear as I felt my vision go black momentarily.

"What?" my voice was panicked, rising into a shrill shriek. "What?!?!" I clung to Jacob's fur as though it were the only thing keeping me grounded. "Jake?"

Edward's confidence faltered at the sight of me so stricken. "I only mean that he may find her someday, and you'll be left with nothing but a broken heart."

I had assumed the worst, of course. The color returned to my vision. Jacob hadn't imprinted. Our relationship was safe, for now, I thought, relieved. Still, the fact that Edward knew my greatest fear

The swift rush of air into my lungs felt like a punch as I gasped. Edward knew everything…everything Jacob and I had been sworn to keep from the Cullens. He knew that my relationship with Jacob stood on the edge of a knife, and always would as long as his possible imprint was out there. He knew all about the pack secrets, and I cringed when I realized Jacob would be the one to take the brunt from Sam for my stupid oversight. Since Jacob was in his wolf form, there was a good chance they already knew.

Today was a huge mistake.

"Oh, God," I cried, taking a step back away from them, then another. My horror was written on my face. "Oh, Jacob…I…I didn't think…I didn't…" A sob ripped through my words and reverberated in the remote area where we were. "I'm sorry, I was so wrong…"

Alice and Edward started toward me, but before they could, Jacob shimmered back into his human form and rushed to take me in his arms, holding me closely against his warm nakedness, comforting me. I couldn't handle it and pushed him away unsuccessfully.

"No, I can't…" I sobbed. "How could I have done this?"

"Bella…Bella," he repeated my name over and over, pressing his cheek against mine. "I love you…I knew the risks…I could have said no…"

I didn't hear him.

"Jacob…" I heard Edward begin.

"Fuck you, Edward," Jacob raged, still cradling me in his arms. "You said you're not going to hurt her? Well, look at her." His words made me wail even more, proving his point to Edward. "Why can't you let her be happy? Just let her go!"

"I will as soon as she lets go of me," Edward said, failing to keep a note of triumph from his voice. "Until she forces away that piece of me that still occupies her heart, you'll never fully have her. And that means you'll just have to put up with me."

"Her heart belongs to me, leech."

"But what about your heart, Jacob? Who will that belong to someday? How can I give up when I know you'll probably leave her for your imprint, brokenhearted and alone?" Quietly, I heard him add, "I just hope you don't saddle her with a litter of puppies before you walk out on her. Disgusting."

Alice's dismayed cry of "Edward!" was nearly drowned out by the concentrated breathing of Jacob trying to keep his temper under control.

"Enough!" My voice burned my throat as it roared from me. "I need to get out of here," I was half in a panic as I struggled to my feet, wobbling dangerously until Jacob swept me up against him. I felt close to swooning due to the intense fear and crippling dismay running through me.

"Bella?" Edward asked, his voice losing its confidence, shaking in pain.

"Don't," I heard Alice murmur. "I warned both of you, but you didn't listen."

Before Jacob took off through the woods, I heard my own voice rasping out — it felt disconnected from my deadened body. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry," I repeated weakly to anyone who would listen.

***

We arrived back at the car, having been silent the entire way. Jacob put me on my feet gingerly, being careful not to brush my throbbing arm. He kissed my forehead softly before opening my door. I found that I could not meet his eyes. I was ashamed — ashamed that I had exposed the pack secrets without thinking, embarrassed that Edward had acted so rudely, and uncomfortable that Edward's words, "You'll never fully have her," rang more true in my heart than I realized. Not because of the threat of imprint…because I refused to fully let go of Edward.

"Bella, what have I told you about looking away from me?" Jacob said softly, ducking his head to try to meet my gaze. "Don't do that, baby…I can't stand it when you don't look at me."

"I'm sorry," I said again, not thinking I could ever say it enough.

He crushed me against him in a vice grip. "Look, I know today wasn't what you were hoping, and maybe it was impossible. I know I certainly didn't help things. But honey, what do you have to be sorry about? He's confusing you, Bella. I know where your heart is, but he's trying to manipulate your memories into something that isn't there anymore." He held me back at arms length. "You love me," he declared confidently.

"I do, Jake…so much."

He pulled me close again. "That's all I need to hear."

"But the pack…"

"Let me handle that," he said. "It isn't up to them anyway…if Sam issues another gag order, he knows I'll break away. I'm tired of us having our personal and family time dictated by his unnecessary obsession with control."

I gasped. "You can't do that, Jake! He's your…your alpha."

"The descendent of Ephraim Black does not answer to a Uley." Jacob sounded reluctant, but firm. "I'm the rightful pack alpha, and if I feel like I need to exercise that authority, I will." He met my eyes. "I won't have him keep me from you again, Bells."

I didn't know what to say, but luckily I didn't have to worry long — Jacob chose that moment to crush his lips against mine. My surprised breath gave him the opening he needed to taste my mouth, claiming me with his tongue. One hand rubbed my hair and massaged the nape of my neck as he held me closely against him. I felt the first sign of his arousal, but he broke away before it could progress any farther.

"I think this day's been kind of a bust, Bella," he said, sounding serious, but then breaking out into an amused chuckle. "What a disaster."

I smiled along with him, even though I didn't find the situation to be amusing in the slightest.

"Come on," he said, helping me into the Rabbit. "Let's get you cleaned up at my house so Charlie doesn't freak out when he sees you."

"This probably wouldn't faze him," I murmured, my mind a million miles away.

"No, I guess you're probably right," he said. Jacob laughed again, and for a moment I envied him and his ability to smile. It wasn't easy to do when everything around me was crumbling.

***

Author's Note: Readers, I need your help! Now that LN&D is winding down, I'm planning my next fic. I have two good ideas, but I don't know which one to do first. So I'm leaving it up to you guys! In your reviews, let me know which fic you'd like to see me write next!

Option #1 - Amishward - A re-telling of Twilight, except instead of being vampires, the Cullens are an Amish-practicing family on the "fringe" of their larger religious community because they go against some of the basic principles. It will follow many of the same scenes (with a lot of the same quotes), but in a totally new way. There are no mountain lions and irritable grizzlies here...just homegrown veggies and sugar cream pie!

Option #2 - Homieward - Edward is a baggy-jean-wearin, car-loving homeboy (we used to call them "wiggers," but I know that's very un-PC); Bella is pretty straight-laced and meets this guy and falls for him unexpectedly. He likes her too, but has an image to maintain with his boys. This fic takes place in the mid-1990s, in a world of confused, hormone-riddled teens who like low cars, rap music and Newport cigarettes. It's Twilight meets "Fast and the Furious."