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Chapter Thirteen:

Paul phased back before I did in order to give me some privacy. I had spent the last ten minutes trying to figure out the best way to relay the information to Jake, without spilling the beans to Paul in the process. A huge part of me just wanted to stay phased and take the easy way out.

Pulling my jersey dress over my head, I followed the path Paul had just taken toward the garage. The weekday worked in our favor, and the last customer was pulling out of the lot as I rounded the corner of the shop. Embry was in the process of locking up the front door, and he winked at me as I passed the lobby's windows –I only managed a weak smile in return.

Everyone was waiting for me by the time I entered the open bay doors. Paul was speaking in a hushed whisper to Jake as he wiped the grease and oil off his hands.

The electric jolt I felt as we locked eyes was so powerful that it would have sent me reeling backwards, if the invisible steel cable hadn't been pulling me toward him. Even with the strength of the dual imprint grounding me, the nervous butterflies in my stomach made me feel a bit queasy. At least with the imprint connection, I was able to tune out all the other pack members in the garage and focus solely on Jacob.

The tens steps it took for me to reach Paul and Jake seemed to take a lifetime. What on earth was I so worked up about? We'd talked about Bella before, and now the bitch was leaving –it wasn't a big deal. Why was I making it one?

My lover and alpha hadn't yet made eye contact with me, but as I approached he caught my waist and pulled me to him. The electricity flowing between us instantly calmed me as he turned and spoke to Paul.

"Give us a few minutes alone, and then we'll all meet at the cliffs." Jake's voice wasn't loud, but the underlying Alpha command was clear. Paul nodded, and then he and the rest of the guys disappeared out of the shop.

I waited for another few seconds before I opened my mouth to explain, but Jacob moved first. He spun me around and trapped me between his body and the black Suburban that was up on the vehicle lift. After planting a searing kiss on my still parted lips, he pulled away and looked at me

Smiling up at him, I rolled my eyes. "Are you trying to distract me?"

He grinned at me. "No. You just needed to relax…" Jake trailed off so he could lean in and kiss along my jaw. "If we had more time, I'd give you the full treatment."

My chest vibrated with an exasperated growl; there was nothing I wanted more in that moment than for Jake to…

I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to take a deep breath. When I opened my eyes, he was watching me expectantly. "Bella's leaving, Jake. She and her family are moving."

My verbal vomit hung in the air as I watched Jacob's face for a reaction. It took several seconds for my words to sink in, but when they did, his only response was to release a deep breath. I wasn't sure exactly what I had been expecting, but that wasn't it!

My eyebrow arched, and my hands moved up to cup his face when he didn't say anything after several seconds. "Did you hear me, Jake?"

He rolled his eyes at me, before moving his head so that he could plant a kiss on my nose. My eyes narrowed at his continued silence.

"And?" I asked, and Jake gave me a small smile, but expression was distant.

"It's a good thing the Cullens are leaving. They've been here longer than they should have; people are starting to wonder."

"And?"

His eyes became serious. "And…it'll be good for the pack. Maybe some of them can stop phasing, and try to have a normal life…" Jacob's gaze shifted away from mine. "I'll miss Bella…a lot, but a part of me is kinda happy she'll be gone. I won't have to deal with any more awkward meetings or getting evil glares from her husband."

He held me in silence for a minute or two, before I finally worked up the courage to open my mouth again.

"Jake?" I asked.

"Mmmhumm?"

"I got a bit frustrated with her…and was kinda rude." Suppressing a growl at the memory, I continued, "I may have threatened her with bodily harm, but just so you know…I didn't physically hurt her."

Jacob's arms tightened around me —then he laughed! What the hell?

"Oh, fuck, Cas! I can't wait to see this! You're freaking sexy when you're mad." He kissed me firmly on the lips, released me from his hug, and then led me outside by the hand so we could go meet with the rest of the pack.

Jacob's kiss had sidetracked me and it took me a few moments to collect my thoughts. I didn't want to phase until my mind was clean and organized.

Less than five minutes later, Jacob and I emerged from the trees in wolf form and joined the rest of the waiting pack. Everyone was there except Collin and Brady —the extended pack was a sight to see. All fourteen of the other wolves registered our arrival and followed our movement with their eyes.

Jacob went to stand at the peak of the circle with Sam; Leah moved over so I could squeeze in next to her. She glanced briefly at me before bumping her shoulder into mine. Her support was appreciated —Leah was going to flip out that she hadn't been there to witness my little incident with Bella. Granted if she had been, I wasn't so sure Bella would have left completely unharmed.

What the hell, Cas? I'm the pack bitch, don't even try and compete.

Nudging her shoulder back, I replied, Our interaction was hardly epic, Leah, though I do wish you had been there.

She cocked her head and looked at me. And why is that?

It would have been a bit more of a memorable experience for her, I think.

Paul butted in with his memory of the trees I destroyed. Those trees thought it was a pretty fucking memorable experience.

And on that note…Cassie, why don't you show us what happened. Jacob met my eyes as he spoke, and I gave him a brief nod before launching into my memory.

A Week Later…

Quil and I had taken over patrol for Jared and Brady less twenty minutes ago. I was running the western perimeter and Quil was running the east; we would intersect again in about twenty minutes if we kept up our current pace.

Now that the Cullens had left, our range of coverage had expanded considerably. Despite our territory being almost doubled, there hadn't been anything to report for months.

How was your first week of work, Cassie? Quil asked, as he ran along a rocky pass bordering the National Park.

Really good, actually. Everyone's cool, and Rich, the guy I'm replacing, has been really nice about everything. Working here is very different from San Francisco, but that's not a bad thing. I jumped over a small creek. No stabbings or shootings yet —the most exciting call we got was an eight year old having a seizure.

Is she okay? Quil asked as an image of his imprint flashed to the forefront of his brain.

Yeah, she's fine. She was epileptic, so it was fairly normal for her. It was just a problem with her meds getting out of whack. It was pretty scary for her family, though.

Man, I can't imagine. Claire will be eight in a few months —thank God, she's healthy!

The ten-hour shifts have been rough for Jake and me, but I think there's a chance I'll be able to switch to eights here in the next week or two. So, how does Claire like the second grade? I asked, weaving around a series of trees.

Oh, she loves it! She's way ahead of the rest of her class, too, and doing really well in ballet. You and Jake should come to her recital at the end of month. Plus, her mom is thinking about letting her stay in La Push for the summer, which would be awesome…

Quil's mental barrage about Claire continued for awhile, and I didn't have the heart to interrupt him. Before I could ask when Claire's big performance was, my thoughts were interrupted.

The burn in my nostrils was so severe that I didn't want to suck in the polluted oxygen. Vampires —they were very close.

This trail is fresh, Quil! Call for help and then get over here. My paws itched to move, but I stopped and lifted my nose in an attempt to pin-point the stench.

Quil's deep echoing howl reverberated from the other side of the reservation. I'm on the way, Cassie. Stay there!

Oh, don't worry. I'd like to keep my paws attached, thanks. I'll be waiting here until the Cavalry arrives.

I paced back and forth in the small clearing, trying to hone in on the direction the stink was coming from. It seemed to be coming from everywhere! How did this sneak up on me? Vampires don't just fall from the sky.

All of my senses were hyperaware of the close proximity of the leeches, and I fought to keep my wolf in check. It wanted nothing more than to crash into the underbrush and shred some bloodsuckers, but I knew I wouldn't stand a chance against them all by myself.

My subconscious rippled with in the influx of my pack mates, and Quil and I replayed the info we had over and over as each new member joined. Most of Jake's pack was coming, but I still had plenty of time to kill. Suddenly, the breeze shifted and my hackles rose. I wasn't going to be alone in my little clearing for long.

Hang in there, Cassie! We're coming. Jake's strong voice echoed in my head as I scanned the forest in front of me and inched backwards.

Thereb are at least three of them, Jake. Two in front of me and one further back. They're trying to flank me. Without thinking I altered my retreating steps to avoid getting trapped. What do you want me to do?

One of the scents was familiar, and my memory flashed to the second vampire on the beach that had attached me all those months ago. He was here —waiting for me. My growl came unbidden from my throat. I wasn't as fragile as I had been before, but one against three wasn't a fair fight; I didn't have a death wish.

Get out of there! We'll handle them together when we all arrive.. Run, Cassie! Now!

I didn't need to be told twice —lurching backwards, I took off at a full sprint. Clearing the huge riverbed in a single leap, I changed directions toward the ocean rather than the village. Even in my frantic escape, the need to protect human life outweighed the importance of my own. Following the rocky riverbed gave me an advantage, and I changed sides repeatedly —trying desperately to get some distance between me and my would-be attackers. The bloodsuckers stayed close on my heels, and the forest groaned around us as we tore through it.

Moving closer to the river, I leaped over the boulders that surrounded it, finally feeling like I had gained some ground. For several minutes, I enjoyed my sense of security until I came to a sudden stop within ten feel of the crouched vampire. Shit. My paws skidded in the damp river sand, leaving deep trenches in my wake.

We're coming, Cas! Hang on. Several of my pack mates yelled at me.

Growling, I bared my teeth at the leech in front of me, subtlety glancing around me looking for a way out but finding out I was surrounded.

Hurry, please! My nose burned with their sickly sweet odor —it was way too close for my liking.

A leech came up from behind me and spoke; I spun to face him. It was him. His crimson eyes bored into mine for several seconds, before his face broke in an evil grin.

"It's too really bad about your change, my dear. You probably will not taste nearly as delectable now…It's such a shame. If I had all my pawns in play two weeks ago, I could have had you alone when you left the hospital after your interview. At least then you were in your more appealing form." The vampire's expression turned sour as he scrutinized my wolf form. "Though I must say, even now your blood calls to me. Your very essence speaks my name. " His words hung heavy in the air, but the small hand gesture he gave to his followers didn't go unnoticed. Even though their footfalls were silent, I could sense them getting closer.

"I didn't appreciate your little puppy of a boyfriend interrupting us last time; it would have been perfect, and when he killed poor Horatio that was just insult to my injury. He had such a way with women. The others weren't nearly as useful to my operation…" The leech's head cocked to the side. "Pity, we don't have much time. I really do like things to be a bit more dramatic…" This time his gesture was theatrical and over the top; he looked as though he was going to take an encore bow.

The vampires that had surrounded me converged at once. I dodged one of them, snapping and snarling, and sinking my teeth into a foul tasting limb. The second leech managed to land a solid blow to my head; I saw stars before dropping like a rock into the sand. On my way to the ground, I managed to rip yet another chuck out of the first vampire, and he gave a satisfying scream. As my vision darkened, the vampire who I just taken a bite out of kicked me hard in my left side, and my ribs groaned in protest before they broke. I almost yelped before clamping my mouth shut; they didn't deserve the satisfaction.

Cassie, we're almost there. Hang on!

Jake's pleading helped keep me conscious, and I shook my head trying to stay in the present. It hurt, but pain was good; I had a lot more to give out before I would roll over and play dead.

The two vampires circled me like vultures waiting for some overt signal. Their leader had other plans; he took a step forward and slowly licked his lips. It was now or never. I prepared to pounce, but my broken ribs sliced into my spleen. I yelped again —so much for not showing weakness.

Mother fucker. Get here soon, Jake. I'm getting my ass kicked!

We'll be there in two seconds, Cas!

After taking a slow wheezing breath, I lunged forward and pounced on the leader. My front paws landed on his chest knocking him backwards. Before we hit the rocky sand, I had my jaws around his neck and ripped his head from his torso, tossing it into the woods. The momentum helped me stay upright, but my broken ribs continued to shred into my soft insides.

The blows I expected to come from behind never did, and loud snarls and growls filled the air around me. The satisfying sound of metal tearing and vampires shrieking was beyond comforting. I carefully stepped away from the headless leader to allow Seth and Leah to rip his arms and legs from his body.

I'll be over here healing, if anyone needs me, I thought as I gingerly tried to slink up the embankment. I didn't make it, but I got far enough so I wouldn't be in the way. Lying down with my back to the boulders, I watched the fight unfold in front of me with my head on my paws. Now that I was finally stationary my body began to heal itself. My grated spleen burned and throbbed and sharp pains shot up my sides as my ribs mended. Even my skull ached, but with every breath I could feel my body healing itself.

My belly had barely touched the sand when Jake appeared my side. He stood over me with his teeth bared —every muscle in his huge body was tense.

The pack made quick work of the bloodsuckers, and had their bodies piled up and on fire in minutes. As the purple smoke permeated the air around us, I drew a deep breath. My ribs were already knitting back together and the throb of pain was barely noticeable.

The russet wolf next to me finally began to relax; I felt his eyes on me, so I looked up and met his anguished gaze.

I'm fine, Jake.

He gave a series of low growls as he circled me, prodding my fur every so often with his nose. I followed his inspection with my eyes.

When he reached my head, his eyes locked with mine. Neither one of us blinked, and I opened my mind up to him completely.

See, good as new! I rolled over, showed him my belly, and wiggled my legs in the air haphazardly. The movement wasn't pain free, but considering I had just gotten my butt kicked, I was doing pretty great.

Jake just huffed and lay down, so that his head was across my chest and my beating heart.

I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to you, Cas.

I squirmed so that I could lick his face. Nothing happened. Yet again, the big bad alpha wolf got to play hero to the awesome and unbelievably hot damsel-in-distress. I think this the point where you whisk me off into the sunset, and we have our happy ever after.

Oh? Is that so? Jacob's wolf cocked his head and looked down at me; his eyes glimmered in amusement.

My tongue lolled out of my mouth as I grinned up at him. Yep. So, I'm thinking, Hawaii, feather beds, fruity cocktails, and frolicking on the beach…

Jesus, Jake. Just mount her already! Paul teased. You guys need to either fuck here or go get a room.

You would like that wouldn't you, Paul? I asked, moving to stand up.

Only if I get to watch. The dark gray wolf turned and nipped playfully at me.

As I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth to retort, Jake cut in, Thanks for volunteering, Paul. You're on patrol with Quil for the rest of the evening.

AN:

Thanks for sticking with me guys! You're all wonderful, I cherish every one of your reads, and your reviews make my day! *wolfy hugs*

AtR has been nominated in the Gem Awards. Voting starts soon! gemawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

Much love to Morgan (RobotProspecktor) and my lovely FF wifey Leanne Golighty for betaing the hell out of this and making it so much better! xo