AN

Hey my lovelies, here's update 2 of 2.

I hope you enjoy; I just wanted to bring you up to date on the wolves lives in general and it starts with a chapter about Jake's new life. Please keep an open mind - there is reasoning behind it.

On another note, please check out my new story - Reality Check. I am still determined to complete Amaguq, but I was hoping I could get some feedback on this new one and see if it's worth me continuing.

As always I loves ya. xxx

Jake's POV

I had just got off the phone to Seth. It was the gallery opening last night and by all accounts Leah's artwork was doing well. I was so pleased for her, although a little disappointed she wasn't able to tell me herself. Seth said she had been out all night and I had a good idea of who she was with.

I had tried to warn her several times; I could see exactly what was happening, even her pack could. Leah was thawing, the winter in her heart was coming to an end. She was still like an ever burning fire, but the embers were now a comfortable heat and not a consuming one.

It was inevitable, Cris was a good guy. Why shouldn't she like him? He had been there when I wasn't and supported her. He never took advantage of her and, in fact, Leah claimed he wasn't even interested in her. They were both in denial; I was still in their heads regularly and their thoughts often lead to each other.

Unfortunately, I was under strict instructions not to interfere. A few weeks after leaving, me and Leah had a blow up on the phone and she ended up calling me a jerk and hanging up. I was only trying to protect her and warn her off Cris, but she refused to believe there was anything between them. I was then ordered by the Cullens and the pack that whatever the outcome was going to be, I was to let it run it's course.

It's not easy to admit that I was jealous of Cris initially. I'm a guy, I couldn't help it; seeing another man filling my place in Leah's life wasn't a nice experience. As soon as me and Leah cleared the air though, I realised he was completing her life in another way - the one way I couldn't.

My only problem with it now was the possibility of imprinting interfering. Her life was finally getting on to some sort of track, but there was still one thing that could break her. Leah wouldn't survive losing someone again and I was no longer there to pick her up.

I felt Nessie enter the room as I hung up the phone. I turned to see her beautiful face watching me. Skipping to my side, she hugged me.

"How did Leah get on?" she asked.

"Good, baby. How are you getting on though, that's just as important."

Nessie was currently being made to look at school prospectus's. Now I was back, there was no reason for her not to try and go to school.

Nessie stepped back from me and pouted, "I don't want to go. It wouldn't be so bad if you could come."

"I know, but I look a little bit too old. Heck, I am a little bit too old for high school." I chuckled.

I pulled her back to me, missing the distance and kissed her softly. We had been officially together since the moment she rocked up at La Push. It was an all new experience and adjustment with the family, but when we got back to Denali they all excepted me with open arms. Including Tanya's clan.

"Put the dog down Nessie. It's probably got mange," Rose's voice cut through our moment.

Nessie laughed at her aunt, before she looked at me trying to appear apologetic. I chuckled at her bad attempt; her cheeky smile was all it took to make me see the funny side in anything.

"Hey Rose, what do you call a blonde with half a brain?"

I waited for the signature scowl, on cue Rose flashed me a dark look, so I continued. "Gifted!"

"You've already used that one mutt!" Rose snorted.

Nessie was next to me giggling at our performance. I heard Jasper and Emmett laughing from down below, no doubt at three of us.

Nessie was by her aunt's side in a blink, "Where's mum and dad?"

"They've gone hunting. Why?" Rose looked suspicious at her niece's question.

"No reason." Nessie was back by my side in a flash and pulling me out of the room.

"Where are we going?" I whispered.

Nessie put her hand to my face and showed me an image of us making out back at my cabin. I got the point immediately; her parents were out, which meant we could have some time together. Let's face it, none of us liked the fact that Edward could hear exactly what we were thinking about each other. It was bad enough Jasper feeling it, he coughed his throat often enough in our presence that everyone had a fair idea of how mine and Nessie's relationship had changed.

We were back at my cabin within minutes; Nessie straddled me on the sofa and assaulted me with kisses, all the while running her hands over my chest. Within minutes things was getting heated and I could feel myself getting worked up. Nessie was a minx: she was this sweet tender girl around her family. Give us alone time and a locked door however and she was passionate and incredibly sexy.

After a long make out session, Nessie's hands were starting to wander downwards. I immediately grabbed them and put them back on my waist. She tried again and the amount of control it took to stop her was indescribable.

"Nessie don't." My voice came out deep and heavy.

She pouted at me again. "I love you Jake, you love me, so what's stopping you?"

I sighed and rested my head on her shoulder as she waited patiently for my answer. Finally, I looked her in the eyes trying to decide how to put it.

"I love you Nessie, that's not even a question, but I don't want us to rush things. We have years to do all kinds of stuff. Right now, I just want us to enjoy this. I know what your feeling baby. You have no idea how much I want to take you here and now, but I want our first time to be about making love, not just a quick fuck."

My girl blushed before nodding in understanding.

In my mind, Nessie was still new to this world. Everything she had experienced so far had happened rapidly. She hadn't had the time that the rest of us had to grow. She wasn't a child anymore, but I still wasn't going to make her miss out on the first stages of a relationship just because of damn hormones. I wanted everything to be perfect between us. That included our first time not being a fumbling quickie on the sofa. I loved this woman too much for it to be anything less than perfect and she sometimes forgot that I had never been with anyone either.

We went back to kissing, this time more tenderly. Before we knew it, Bella was standing on the other side of the cabin door knocking. "Jacob Black, my daughter better be decent in there."

I laughed; "She's never anything but decent."

Gently I lifted Nessie off me and walked to the door to let Bella in. Even after all these years it still sometimes took a moment to get over the vampire that she now was. She smiled at me and peered over my shoulder, evidently pleased to find nothing going on. Bella was still doing the overprotective thing, but it was what a mother should be doing. I could never think bad of her, knowing how precious her daughter was to all of us.

"Ness, can you come help me at the house?" Bella held her hand out for her daughter.

Nessie walked over and kissed me lightly on the lips before taking her mother's hand. "I'll see you later." She smiled up at me.

Bella started to lead her away, "Hey Jake. Don't go anywhere, my husband wants a word."

I grumbled, Edward visiting meant some kind of Nessie lecture. Like clockwork and within minutes, he had arrived at my cabin. I left the door open on purpose and he strolled in to find me sitting on the sofa waiting.

"Jake." He nodded.

"Edward." I nodded back.

We were friends these days, but I was now the guy dating his daughter, not just her innocent guardian.

He smiled, hearing my thoughts. "Yes, Jake you are now the guy dating my little girl. That's why we need to talk."

"Look Edward save it; I know you're all old fashioned about love, sex and marriage. I'm not saying I'm that way minded, but I'm not going to disrespect your daughter either." I got angry, when anyone questioned my intentions and respect for Nessie.

"Actually, my beliefs are mine alone. I can't expect people as strong minded as you and Nessie to follow anyone's except your own. I don't like the idea of anyone being with my little girl, but I would rather it was you than anyone else." Edward was clearly uncomfortable.

"So what's your point?" I snapped.

"Just be careful," he replied.

I felt embarrassed at the implications of what he meant. Was that all he wanted to say?

Edward smiled again, "Yeah Jake, that's all; be careful! I'm not ready to be a granddad yet. Nessie's a grown girl though and I know her too well; I see her mind. If she want's something, she will damn well get it. Be warned Jake, just be careful and be prepared."

After an awkward moment, Edward left my cabin silently. I had just got a sort of thumbs up to sleep with his daughter. This whole thing was way too weird for me. I laughed out loud. Where was Leah when I needed a sharp voice of reason? She didn't get embarrassed about things like this.

I thought over everything Edward said and soon became restless. With no job (the Cullens wouldn't hear of it) and no pack duties, my days were mainly taken up by Nessie, or hanging out at Cullen's house.

Like the Cullens, Tanya, Carman, Eleazar, Kate and Garrett had over the years built up a small estate in Denali. It was secluded and their permanent residence was in the centre of it. The Cullens had been given their own house to live in as and when they wanted and there were a few cabins for visitors (one of which, I accepted gratefully).

It was still occasionally awkward for me and the Denali Clan, even after the almost war, they didn't take to me as naturally as the Cullens did. I therefore spent the times I wasn't with Nessie messing around with Emmett and Jasper, antagonising Rose, and adoring Esme.

The little pixie vamp was sweet as well, but a bit to giddy for my liking. She was always trying to organise everything. I just thanked God she couldn't see me - or Nessie - otherwise our lives would be categorised and out of our control before you could say 'leech'.

Bella was still my friend and always would be. She was still quiet and stubborn, but the dynamic of our relationship was completely different since Nessie grew up.

Edward, on the other hand, was just Edward. He hadn't changed but we had a mutual respect for each other. We had both proven time and time again that we would lay down our lives for Bella and Nessie and subsequently we bonded.

Finally Carlisle, as always, was still the head of the family. He was like a second father to me after all the years I had spent with the Cullens. He was always helping people and was currently adding to his knowledge of medicine; I was his favourite project at the moment.

Now that he wasn't working at a hospital, he became like a mad scientist. I was always being pricked and prodded and tested for one thing or another. He wanted to compile as much information about shape shifters as possible so he could have his own encyclopaedia to aid us. I was only to willing to help. If anything we learnt could save even one shape shifter it would be completely worth it.

I decided that I would visit him today and see if he wanted to work on any theories. We were currently working on the way in which our healing worked and ways to speed it up, or even slow it down. Broken bones in particular caused a problem if Carlisle couldn't reset them before they healed. It often meant he had to re-break the bones which, from past experience, was painful to say the least.

I wandered up to the house and, with my hearing, pin pointed Nessie as being in the study with her parents. They were talking about schools on the East Coast so I left them to it. I had to give them all space, otherwise living here wouldn't work; it was too easy to get lost in imprinting.

"Yo, wolf! Thanks for earlier. Rose took her annoyance out on me." Emmett yelled at me from the sofa. He was being playful, but I had no doubt it was probably true. How he put up with bleach brains was beyond me.

"Want to play?" He nodded at the computer.

I shook my head. Did he ever do anything except play computer games?

"God, you're dull Jake. What about a wrestling match? Can't you get that bear to come down. You know how I love fighting grizzlies!" Emmett was jumping up and down on the sofa like a five year old.

"He's not a grizzly Emmett, he's a polar bear and I'm not even sure you could kick his arse." I laughed at the image. I really was uncertain who would win. Shay had size and strength equal to Emmett.

I heard Jasper chuckle, "Please, let them fight. Since Bella's strength ebbed he's been unbearable."

Amused, I left the guys to it and went upstairs to find Carlisle and take up my role of lab rat.