AN: Thank you so much to all of my lovely reviewers! A lot of dialogue in this chapter and all from Jacob's POV. No Bella fluff, sorry! I'll upload the next chapter quickly. Enjoy!


Chapter Fifteen

"Hey dad," I called as I walked through the door, dropping my phone and keys on the old side table and looking around the room for him. He sat in his wheelchair at the dining room table, a puzzle laid out on the table in front of him. I raised an eyebrow. "What the-" I swallowed the last word at a pointed look from Billy and closed my mouth.

"Mind your language, kid," Billy said. "You could at least sit and give me a hand."

I sat at the table and continued to stare at him. "Ok, dad, give me something," I said finally, waving at the mess of puzzle pieces across the table.

He sighed a deep sigh. "Your sister sent it from Hawaii. She thought it would do me good and keep me busy. Didn't have the heart to tell her I'd prefer to fish and watch sports."

"If only she lived thousands of miles away and had no way of knowing," I muttered sarcastically.

Billy glared at me. "Don't be a smart ass." He peered at me more closely. "You look different."

I blushed and rubbed a hand over my face. "What do you mean?" He was peering at me closely.

"Seen much of Bella lately?"

I blushed harder, and pushed my chair away from the table, getting up to go to the fridge. For a change there were cold sodas in the fridge door, and I grabbed one, flicking the tab to open it.

Billy cleared his throat. "Be careful Jacob."

I turned back to glare at him. "I don't need your warning, Dad, Sam has already visited to tell me to stay away from her." I took a swig of cold soda. "I'm not staying away. Not this time. We have a real chance together."

"You still need to be careful. Her dad's the sheriff, Jake, that man has a gun."

"We're not kids anymore Dad."

He slammed his hand on the table, sending puzzle pieces flying. "Exactly Jacob! You're messing with real feelings here. What if you imprint, huh?"

I couldn't argue with that. Silently I bent and picked up the puzzle pieces strewn across the floor. "I'm doing everything I can to not let that happen."

"I may not know much, being as I'm nothin' but an old man, but I'm going to guess there's a whole bunch of vampires heading our way and soon, am I right?"

I nodded.

"And my guess is you're going to want to be a part of that fight to protect her. What if you all get killed? The best thing she could do would be to move away from here and take those filthy bloodsuckers with her."

"I love her," I said quietly. "I am in love with her, and I'm not going to leave her alone to fight them." I ran my hands through my hair. "And besides, that's not what we do – the Quileutes don't run from a fight, Dad. We don't let vampires just kill elsewhere in the world and ignore it, that's not how we do things."

"And how would you know," he muttered. "You turned your back on your brothers two years ago and now you're taking Seth with you."

I put my soda down on the kitchen counter. "Do you want me to go?" I asked quietly.

There was a long awkward pause.

"No," he replied finally. "Sit down. Help me with this…" he waved his hand at the puzzle. "This crap."

We spent a couple of hours together, avoiding the conversation that hung awkwardly in the air. I made us sandwiches and we each had another soda.

"You been checking your blood sugar levels?" I asked.

"Who's the parent here?" he grumbled. "Anyway, Rachel checks in on me every day, thank you."

I blushed shamefully, knowing that she and Paul were expecting their first child, yet she was still looking after him better than I was. I heard the roar of the engine outside. Speak of the devil.

When I peered out the window, I realised it wasn't Rachel. Sam, Quil, Embry, Paul and Leah all climbed out of the car, clad in nothing but shorts and the occasional t-shirt despite the cool weather. They walked as one, not speaking, slowly approaching the house.

I sighed. "I'll be right back, Dad."

Billy didn't bother to respond.

I stepped out into the crisp autumn air and wrapped my jacket a little tighter around me. The leaves in the trees had started to turn orange and I gazed up at the late sunlight filtering through the branches. Taking a deep breath, I stepped off the porch and met Sam's cold, steely eyes.

"Where's my brother, Jacob?" Leah stepped towards me, her eyes molten lava as they burnt into my own.

"Leah," Sam rumbled, warningly. "That is not the approach we discussed."

I scratched my head. "And what approach did you discuss Sam?" I snapped at him, feeling my blood begin to boil already. Why did Leah always have this effect on me? "Where's Jared and the other new werewolves? They didn't want to join you for this ambush?"

"We simply want to talk to you Jacob," Sam replied.

"Right," I laughed. "Just like you wanted to talk last month in the garage, when you told me to stay away from Bella."

Quil and Embry stepped forward and Quil spoke, "Jake, man, come on."

"We're your best friends," Embry chimed in.

"We just want what's best for you," Quil said.

"You don't know what's best for me, or what's best for Seth," I retorted angrily. I stepped towards them, wanting to take this argument away from the house and away from Billy's hearing.

"You've turned your back on us, Jacob," Sam said in his resolutely calm voice.

Leah took another step closer. "I don't care about you, Jacob Black, you know that. But I do care about my brother, and you're tearing him away from us."

Sam turned around and shot a glare at Leah. "Leah, enough. You're clearly not helping, so leave."

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her feet, her face flaming from the reprimand. Her body shook with anger until Quil rested a gentle palm on her arm and she calmed.

"You know what's coming, Jacob. You know what that girl brings with her. And it's a storm that we cannot win," Sam said quietly.

I clenched my hands into tight fists. "I'm not leaving her," I whispered. "I'm never going to leave her again, and I'm not returning to you. I won't risk it. I can't imprint, I can't do to Bella what you did to Leah."

Both Leah and Sam flinched and I knew I had touched a sore spot.

"You left your family behind because of her!" Paul yelled, his hands beginning to shake. "You know that, Jacob, don't even try to deny it. You didn't want to be a werewolf anymore because you didn't want to lose her. After everything she put you through you're letting her waltz back into your life like nothing even happened."

Paul took a step closer and shoved me hard. I took a hasty step back in surprise. Paul had always had a temper, but this seemed different. What was going on? He came at me again and I threw my fist out, defending myself. He blocked me easily, my strength nothing compared to his.

And then I realised. He was trying to make me angry. He was trying to destroy everything I had worked for these last two years. He wanted me to transform. Sam wasn't even trying to stop him

I saw red. My hands began to shake, and I did something I had never done in a fight before. I turned and ran back to the house, slamming the door closed behind me.

I leant against the cool wall, trying to breathe, trying to calm myself down before I exploded into the animal I was trying so hard to resist. Billy watched me from his seat at the table, but did not move.

I heard footsteps coming up the porch steps, and closed my eyes. My senses seemed alarmingly acute. I could hear the others turning, running back into the woods.

A knock sounded on the door, and I took a deep breath before opening it. Sam stood there, both palms raised as if he was surrendering. I glared at him.

"I came to talk," he told me. "I promise I had no other intentions but to talk to you. I apologise for the actions of the others. I should have been more specific in my instructions to them." We stared at each other for a long moment. "Jacob, brother, please let me come in so we can talk. You came down here for a reason and there are many things we need to discuss."

Finally, I relented and held the door wide for him to enter. Billy cleared his throat uncomfortably and wheeled himself down the hallway to his bedroom, giving us some privacy.

"Coffee?" I asked, turning the machine on.

"Yes, please," Sam replied, taking a seat at the old table. I noticed the puzzle had been swept unceremoniously into its box.

When the coffees were made, I sat at the table opposite him and relayed the meeting between Bella and the bloodsucker the previous week. Sam rubbed his chin, his brow furrowed when he heard about the Volturi.

"We'll fight," he said quietly. "There's a reason the pack has grown so big."

"Bella seems to think they're un-fightable."

Sam frowned when I mentioned Bella. "She's not your imprint, Jacob."

I slammed my fist down on the table, my temper still simmering so closely to the surface. "You think I don't know that? You think I am not acutely aware of that fact? I know she's not my imprint, Sam, but I love her. I love her so much and I am never letting her go again." I swallowed hard. "Even if I do one day imprint, I don't care. I choose Bella. I'm going to be with her always."

Sam looked around the room, as if he was checking we were alone. "I understand that Jacob. I thought the same thing about Leah. I thought I would marry her, have a family with her. But then Emily happened. I wanted to stay with Leah, she was my choice, but that choice was taken out of my hands. I had to be with Emily."

I rubbed my face in my hands and sighed wearily. "I know Sam. You forget, but I've seen all of this in your thoughts when we ran together. I've seen all of this in Leah's thoughts."

"Then you've also seen the pain I caused Leah. Don't do that to Bella."

I stared at him, my eyes pleading. "I can't leave her Sam. I promised her I would never hurt her, and I can't leave her."

He shook his head. "Well that's a promise you're going to break. You're a werewolf Jacob, you're going to imprint sooner or later."

My voice broke as I asked, "What do you suggest I do?"

Sam shrugged sadly, and stared into his mug. "We'll fight, Jacob. You know that. Bella is one of us, even if she isn't your imprint. We'll fight alongside the Cullens, but we need to work with them, we need to come up with a plan. Do they know when the Volturi are arriving?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. The little one, Alice, she hasn't seen them make a decision yet."

Sam nodded. "I think it's time I called on the Greater Council."

I blinked at him. It was an old story, one that we all knew, but none of us were sure how true it was. "The Greater Council?"

"If we're going to fight these Italian bloodsuckers and win, we need all the help we can get." He paused. "And that includes you, Jacob."

A cold shiver ran through my body. I knew I would fight with them. I couldn't not – I didn't have a choice. But that would mean turning into a werewolf again - losing everything I had worked for these last two years. Becoming a werewolf would mean imprinting, I was almost sure of that. Especially if the tales of the Greater Council were true. How many tribes would we gather? How many potential soul mates would pour into our village to fight alongside us? All I needed was for a distant cousin to wander into our lives and bam.

Sam looked at me sadly. "And Bella? What are you going to do about her?"

I shook my head. "I can't hurt her, Sam. I can't."

"But you will."

"I need to talk to the Cullens," I said, draining my cup. "Do you want to come with me?"

Sam shook his head. "Not yet, not until things are clearer. Will you tell them about the Greater Council?"

It was my turn to shake my head. "No, I don't even understand it fully, and I'm not sure we should show them our hand, not yet."

"Won't the little bloodsucker see it anyway? You said she sees the future."

"She doesn't see us, remember? And anyway, Edward will probably get it out of my head, so it's a good thing you haven't explained it to me properly."

Sam reached across the table then and clasped my arm in his hand. It felt uncomfortably warm. "I've missed having my right hand man by my side, Jacob. I wish you would come home."

ooo

As I drove up the long, winding driveway, I was once again amazed by the sheer lightness and airiness of the Cullen's house. I always imagined vampires would live in a grey, dreary mausoleum with crows perched on the gargoyles and thunder rumbling overhead. But of course, those were the vampires of my childhood, the vampires that could be killed with sunlight and a sharp stick. If only the real vampires perished as easily.

The blonde one was sitting on the front steps, making a chain out of daisies with lightning quick fingers. The delicate stalks trembled under her nimble hands. She looked up as I drove up the gravel driveway and glowered at me, showing her teeth. I beeped the horn cheerily. I couldn't help but aggravate this one.

She placed the chain on her head like a crown and stood, brushing her hands on her jeans. She crossed her arms and continued to glower.

I parked, and stepped out of the car, grinning at her. I couldn't help it.

"Dog boy," she said, as way of greeting.

"Blondie," I replied. "The rest of family Dracula home?"

Rosalie hissed but the front door opened and Alice bounced out, trotting down the front steps and skipping lightly over to me. She stopped, inches away and held her arms out.

"Jacob," she enthused warmly. "If you didn't smell, I would hug you."

"Ditto," I replied, my smile becoming earnest as I greeted her. And then the realisation hit me – Alice didn't smell. Not the way she used to, her scent didn't burn my nose, it was just vaguely unpleasant. I couldn't help but grin broadly and only just restrained myself from sweeping her in a hug of happiness. I looked back up at the house and saw another bloodsucker standing in the doorway. His face was pinched and his brow furrowed. This one always looked like he was in pain.

"Do you remember Jasper?" Alice asked, taking me gently by the arm and leading me up to the house. "This is my husband."

I nodded to him in greeting and he nodded stiffly back, as though the very gesture hurt him. Weird guy.

"Oh this is nice," Alice breathed. "Having you here is lovely, it's the first break I've had in ages."

I turned to her quizzically as we entered the house, but before I could ask what she meant, there was a noise to my left and Edward walked into the entrance hall, followed by his parents and the bear-sized vampire.

"She means that you're blocking her visions," Edward said.

"Yes," Alice agreed. "I've had the worst headache these past few days. It's such a relief you're here. How's Bella?"

At Bella's name, my heart happily skipped a beat and I opened my mouth to reply when Edward growled a low menacing growl. I turned to him, my hackles instantly raised. The sound was so threatening, that my body was reacting without meaning to.

"You stupid dog," whispered Edward, taking a step towards me. "You careless, moronic dog."

I took a quick step back. "What do you-"

He cut me off. "You could have killed her, what were you thinking?"

My heat rose and I felt myself blush. Oh that.

"Yes that!" Edward spat. "What the hell were you thinking? Do you not care about her at all?"

Alice was standing between us, her head turning from Edward to me and back. Esme also stepped in between us. "I think that's enough," she said, very quietly in her light musical voice.

"Calm down, Edward," Carlisle said. "This is something that we need to calmly discuss."

I gulped and took another step away from him.

Edward looked murderous. "Do you have any idea what that mutt did to her?"

How had he seen? I hadn't been thinking about it, had I? Now I was, and Edward growled even louder.

"You know I would never hurt her," I said, wishing I could cover up my thoughts. Edward had no right to see that. He had no right to see Bella like that and I wanted to protect her.

"Protect her?" Edward snarled.

"While this is all very interesting, hearing one side of a conversation," Rosalie said, "can we get all get over the fact that this mutt is clearly having sex with the Swan girl and just move on? We're all adults and lucky for them I say. Clearly neither one of them broke."

Emmett laughed and for an absurd moment I thought he was about to give me high five. Carlisle rested a hand on Edward's shoulder and Alice took his hand. I began to relax as well, suddenly feeling my calmer.

"Thank you, Jasper," Alice said, turning to beam at her husband.

Of course, Bella had told me about Jasper's tricks. I would have felt annoyed at him, but that emotion seemed impossible at the moment. Esme led us all through into the sitting room, and everyone perched on the pristine white leather couches.

"So," I began awkwardly, acutely aware that our conversation hadn't started off at all the way I wanted it to.

"Thank you for coming here, Jacob," Carlisle began in his quiet, soothing voice. "We have lots to discuss and much to prepare for."

I turned to Alice. "Have you seen anything?" I asked her desperately.

She shook her head. "Nothing concrete. They're getting closer to their decision, but they keep changing their minds. No one has decided yet so I can't see what's going to happen."

"But you know they're going to come?"

"Yes," Edward said, "they're definitely going to come. And the werewolves have been making preparations? What is the Greater Council?"

I glared at him. "Do you have to do that?"

"I apologise," he said, and he sounded sincere for once. "I wish I could turn it off." He spoke to his family, "Jacob has met with Sam, and the werewolves will fight the Volturi alongside us. Jacob, could you please explain what the Greater Council is?"

I shook my head. "I don't really know. The stories tell of a chain between the tribes. In times of great trouble, the Quileutes would activate the chain, and the Greater Council would act, supporting each other when needed."

Edward frowned. "Well unless the other tribes are also werewolves, how can they help?"

I shrugged. "As far as I know, only the Quileutes have this connection to the wolves. Sam is going to talk to the tribal elders."

"Ok, well keep us updated," Edward said.

"As for us," began Carlisle, "we too will be activating our own chain, in a manner of speaking."

"Many of our kind mistrust the Volturi," said Esme softly.

"We believe that with some convincing, they will agree to stand by us," explained Edward.

"I know the Volturi well," said Carlisle. "Aro, Marcus and Caius will not wish to fight, not if they think even for a moment they may be beaten."

I suddenly felt extremely tired. I just wanted to go home, and be with Bella and run away from this life, like we had both tried so hard to do.

Edward frowned and a deep grief filled his eyes. "I am so sorry, Jacob," said Edward. "If it wasn't for me, then none of this would be happening."

I shook my head and met his eyes. If it wasn't for you, I thought, Bella wouldn't be who she was now, and I wouldn't love her as much as I do.

"Look after her," was all he said, but I could see the anguish behind the words, as he knew, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't protect her anymore.


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