I do not own any of the recognizable characters presented in this story. No copyright infringement is intended. All other characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

8. PARTY

"So how does it feel to have graduated?" Jacob and I were walking down the street towards the graduation party we heard about. Jacob invited Edward and Bella to come to the party, but they didn't want to go. So he asked Edward to take his cap and gown home for him, and immediately unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing, revealing his stunning torso.

"It feels… A lot like it did before I graduated." He shrugged.

I laughed, that was exactly what I felt when I had graduated. "Yeah, the only difference you notice is when you no longer have to wake up for school. Instead you wake up for work."

"But you don't work."

"That's because I moved here with you." We had reached Sam's house and opened the door, stepping inside.

"That doesn't mean you can't get a job around here." Jacob turned and received a hug from Sam.

I laughed. "If you want me out of the house, just say so. Sheesh!"

Sam looked at Jacob seriously. "Now that school's out of the way, are you going to take my place?"

Jacob shook his head. "I dunno. I never really thought about it…"

Put my hand on Jacob's arm. "Take his place? What does that mean?"

He turned to me. "I'll tell you later. Go… go hang out with Seth and the rest, I need to talk to Sam for a while."

I wanted to protest but the look in Jacob's eyes told me that he would explain everything when we got home. I turned and walked over to where Seth, Paul, and Quil were all sitting. Paul smirked as I sat down next to him. "So, Terry, tell me, has Jacob being riding you hard?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Whenever you're ready for a real man, you let me know." He laughed, moving his hand up and down his chest.

I pushed his shoulder. "Yeah, I'll hop right on that."

"Oooh, feisty. I like that." He laughed some more, joined by Seth and Quil.

Jacob's POV

"Why'd you have to say that in front of him?" I turned back to Sam once Terry had walked away.

"What are you talking about?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to be the Alpha."

"Jacob, it's in your blood. The last Alpha the wolf pack had was Ephraim Black. A Black, Jacob. I am only able to use the Alpha command because you wanted me to be the Alpha. But I can't do it anymore. Especially with Emily being so pregnant."

That's right… Emily has been pregnant for a while now… "How far along is she?"

Sam sighed. "About eight months. There's still a lot we have to do to prepare for the baby, and I can't do all of that and balance the responsibilities of being the Alpha."

I groaned. "I'm supposed to be starting my life with Terry!"

"And I'm starting mine with Emily. The responsibilities are yours, and you need to deal with them now. I'm relinquishing myself as the Alpha. It's all you now Jacob."

I turned my head away, shaking it. I don't want this… When I turned back, Sam had walked over and sat next to Emily, rubbing her pregnant stomach. I looked around and saw Terry sitting between Paul and Seth, Paul had a mysterious grin on his face. Better go find out what's up…

"Jacob! Is that you?" The voice was so familiar. I hadn't heard it in a long time.

I spun around. "Rachel?"

"Little brother!" She walked over and hugged me. "Or should I say 'big brother'? Geez, look at you! You're huge! Hitting the juice are we?"

"I am not on steroids."

She tilted her head from side to side. "Could've fooled me. So how's it going? Sorry I couldn't make it to your graduation ceremony."

"No, that's fine. What're you doing back? Aren't you in college?" She had a scholarship to Washington State college.

"Summer break. I just got to Dad's house when he said I'd find you here. And what's this I hear about you moving out of Dad's?" She looked me in the eyes. "He's upset that all his kids have grown up and left him."

That made me feel bad. "Yeah, he was all broken up about me having graduated. But yeah, I moved out with…" I realized I hadn't told Rachel about Terry. "I moved out with my fiancé."

"Jakey's getting married?" She elbowed my ribs. "Who's the lucky lady?"

Why do they all do this…? "There is no 'lucky lady'."

She cocked her head to the side. "But I thought you said…"

"I am. I'm getting married to a guy." I waited for the inevitable awkward silence.

But there was none. "Well, who's the lucky guy?" She smiled.

"He's uhh… over there…" I shook my head, taken aback that she accepted it so quickly. I turned to where Terry was sitting and waved him over. "Terry, come here."

He stood up and walked over to me and Rachel. "What's up Jake?"

I wrapped my arm around his waist and pulled him to my side. "Rachel, this Terry. My fiancé. Terry, this is Rachel. One of two older sisters."

"Nice to meet you, Terry." Rachel smiled and held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Terry shook her hand. He looked up at me. "One of two?"

I nodded. "Yeah, Rebecca is the other one. She moved to Hawaii with her husband years ago."

Rachel touched a hand to my shoulder. "Jake, I'm gonna go back to Dad's. We're going to hang out at some point, alright?"

"Of course."

She waved to us before she left. Terry smiled. "She seems nice. Is she married, too?"

"No, not yet. Still looking for 'Mr. Right'."

"Well not everyone can be as lucky as us and have 'Mr. Right' basically fall into their laps." He wrapped his arm around my waist.

I laughed. " No I guess not. Now come on, let's go hang out with the guys." We turned and walked over to where Seth, Paul and Quil were, now joined by Embry and Jared.