Bella POV

I really wanted to do something to thank the guys for letting me hang out with them, so naturally I decided to cook. I picked a menu, went shopping, and planned to cook it down at Jake's. But on my way down, I had a slap-the-forehead moment when I realized I'd forgotten to put a couple of things on my list. "It's okay, Bella," I told myself. "There's a store on the reservation you can pick that stuff up at."

In the store, I found myself being watched by the extremely buff guy behind the counter. The shirt he wore was molded to his very sculpted physique, but the muscled effect wasn't my preference; he really looked like he was on steroids. The intent way he was staring at me as I moved around the store, grabbing the things I'd forgotten as well as some impulse buys, unnerved me enough that I forgot to watch where I was going. A well-waxed spot of floor sent me skidding and I was heading for a spectacular fall. I didn't get there, though, because someone caught me.

"Gotcha," a deep voice said.

Catching my breath and my balance, I looked up and up into a predictably native face. He looked as serious and buff as the guy working the counter and regarded me just as intently. "You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem. I'm Sam Uley, and this is my wife Emily and our son Levi." He gestured toward a pretty petite woman pushing a baby stroller. The little boy inside was slouched over, sound asleep.

I wasn't sure why I was getting the full introduction from a complete stranger, but I'd been raised with manners, and so replied with, "Hi."

"Hello, Bella."

"You know my name?" It was such a clichéd movie line, but true.

"Of course," she seemed surprised. "You're friends with some of the guys down here. And my Sam and his friends—including Jared here," she pointed toward the store employee," are the ones who found you when you got lost in the woods."

The abrupt knowledge of their connection to the worst day of my life slammed into the little family image in front of me, with the flash of memory that told me I had seen this man before today. And somehow the little mental niggle I'd had about that name—Sam Uley—also resolved itself: this was the same man who Leah had spoken about with such derision, the man who had dumped her for another woman. I couldn't imagine how hard it was for Leah to see them around all the time, living what could have been her life. I didn't think I'd have been that strong if I'd been faced with that same challenge.

I'd felt myself growing stronger every day, both mentally and physically, and irrationally I blamed this woman for reminding me of what I was trying to move past; I knew it was unfair, but couldn't help it.

"Excuse me, I've got to go," I spun around and moved as quickly as I could to the checkout counter, paid, and left. By the time I got to Jake's house, the drive had managed to calm me down some, and the left-over energy was put to use cooking the meal.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sam POV

Jared, Emily, and I all exchanged glances after Bella Swan bolted from the store.

"That was interesting," Jared observed laconically.

I didn't dignify him with a response, just dug out my phone and called Billy.

"I just saw Bella Swan in Cameron's store. Any reason why she'd be pissed off at me? She's not still pining after that ex of hers, is she?"

"No, I don't think so," Billy denied. "She's looking so much better since she…" he trailed off. "Damn."

"What?"

"Jake and his boys aren't the only ones she's been around lately. Charlie said she spends a lot of time with a couple of girls from school. She's also gotten close to Leah Clearwater."

Billy didn't need to say anything more. I hadn't had any choice in giving up Leah for Emily—imprinting was absolute—but the rules of secrecy where wolf-packs were concerned meant that no one—including me and Leah's own father—had been able to give her any explanation for the reason for my actions. Leah had given both Emily and I a wide berth ever since, but the glares I'd gotten on the occasions we'd been in close proximity to one another confirmed her continued resentment. I could well believe that, having found another rejected girl to exchange sympathy with, Leah had taken full advantage of the mutual venting opportunity.

"Great," I finally muttered, knowing Billy would understand that I meant exactly the opposite.

"We'll deal with it if an when we must, Sam," Billy decided. "Nothing for it now."

"You're right. Thanks, Billy. I'll let you get back to your day."

Putting my phone away, I saw that Emily had finished selecting everything we had come here for, and Jared was ringing us up.

"Run this afternoon," I told him, paying up as Emily pushed our son toward the door. "I'll call when Paul and I are leaving."

"Okay."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jake POV

"I love you, Bells," I exclaimed.

"You love my food," she shot back.

I fell backward in an overly-dramatic play of being struck in the chest. Bella shook her head and tried to scowl, but couldn't help laughing. Mission accomplished. I loved that I could make her smile and laugh even when she didn't want to. And I loved that she was spending every weekend with me now. Maybe there actually was some truth to that whole absence/heart thing, 'cause I felt like I might have that old crush back again. I wasn't about to push Bella too fast—not with her having gotten dumped just over a month ago. But I was definitely going to be the best friend I could be, and lay the groundwork for more as soon as she was ready.

"You love any kind of food as long as you aren't the one cooking it," Quil snorted.

"Almost, but not quite," I shook my head. "Some of that stuff Emily Uley makes is a little…" I trailed off. There were plenty of adjectives I might have used, but those old lessons from my mom on staying quiet if I couldn't be nice were permanently carved into my mind.

"Emily Uley?" Bella asked, turning away from the stove. "I saw her and her family at the store before I came over here. It was weird how she almost acted like we already knew each other. And the way her husband and the guy who worked there looked at me…" Bella stopped talking and gave a little shudder.

I started toward her. "Did they bother you?"

"I'm fine, Jake. It was just odd, that's all. I hadn't met either of them before, and it's not like I plan on doing my shopping there in the future, so I'm sure I'll be fine."

"I could talk to my dad," I started to offer.

Embry interrupted me. "And he'll just say you're overreacting, Jake. You know your dad and the other elders think the sun rises and sets by Sam Uley's word. Even Harry and Sue Clearwater don't have a problem with hum, even though he dumped their daughter two years ago."

"But he doesn't look that old. Why do people listen to him?" Bella asked Embry, and he answered her.

"No one knows."

"But—"

I didn't want to spend our day together talking about Sam Uley. "He went on some kind of spirit journey, did a 180 when he got back—in the wrong direction a lot of people say. And he's pulled Jared Cameron and Paul Lahote into it now, too. Don't worry, though, Bells. We keep our distance from them, and like you said, you aren't likely to run into them, either." Privately, I vowed to still avoid them, but not so much that I wouldn't know if they bothered Bella again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sam POV

Even with the Cullens gone, I'd still kept myself, Jared, and Paul on a light patrol schedule. I couldn't forget my conviction that Bella Swan was a future imprint. And since Paul wasn't her wolf, that meant we'd get another brother for sure. Jake was most likely, though he still showed no signs that the phase had been triggered. His cousin Quil was also a possibility, as he, like Jacob, was the great-grandson of a member of the tribe's last wolfpack. I didn't really want to see either of them—or both of them—condemned to this life that was as much a curse as a blessing, but neither could I ignore Billy's report of how much Bella had improved in just the short time she'd been spending with them both. If it meant that an innocent girl would be spared a wasting death and be blessed with a powerful and life-changing love, then it would be worth it to have Jake and Quil join us.

So here we were, out in the woods running loops and straining for any scent or sound of a leech that would start the phase and seal Bella Swan's imprint.

This had better be worth it, Paul grumbled, off to the east. I could be… his words trailed off, but his mind supplied ample pictures of what he'd rather be doing right now.

Give me a break, Jared groaned, having phased in just in time to catch Paul's comment.

Is our poor Beta upset because he's not getting any? The syrupy-sweet words weren't—and yet were—typical of Paul. After all, it's your own fault.

I take it Kim's still pissed at you? I inquired.

Jared's mind offered a crystal-clear image of an obviously irate imprint.

You knew it would happen. Both of you did, Paul said, with much less snideness than before.

Being told it will happen and then actually having it happen are two very different things, bro. Just you wait and see.

Hell, no! Paul's horror was almost funny. I plan on putting that off as long as I can.

Jared didn't say anything to that, but we all got his opinion of the likelihood of that.

Would it help if Emily stopped by for a visit?

I can't be in any worse trouble than I already am, so sure, Sam.

I'll let her know, then. And Jared…

Yeah?

Don't ever think that things can't get worse; there's always worse somehow.

Ha ha. Not funny.

Fact of life, bro.

Whatever. Can we change the subject?

Sure.

So…who here thinks it's gonna be a cake walk when the boys phase and when the leech lover—excuse me, ex-leech lover—all join the family? Paul clearly didn't believe it, and neither did we. It was unfortunate that our need for secrecy resulted in public perceptions about what we were doing and what kinds of people we were that couldn't have been farther from the truth. That, and our changed physical appearances meant it was essentially impossible to avoid being noticed by others in the tribe. It was a major part of why I'd asked Billy to keep an eye on Jacob and to update me on how he was doing. I'd hoped Emily might be able to start making connections with Bella, now that the girl was spending time here, but the encounter earlier today made that unlikely in the extreme. Even though Bella didn't know us, she obviously was close enough to Leah that she wasn't likely to think well of my Emily.

The guys saw all this in my thoughts, but I answered Paul anyway. We'll just have to deal with whatever happens when it happens. The boys' families will be able to help, and the girls will do what they can to help Bella understand.

Hey! Paul's tone now was completely different from before.

What?

Leech!

Looking through his eyes, I could see the bloodsucker running through the forest. It was a female, with the corpse-white skin they all had. There was a glimpse of crimson eyes set into a too-perfect face, as she froze in place—she must've heard Paul's footfalls. They—we stared at one another: predators and prey, before she pivoted in a swirl of long curly red hair. Paul instantly started to charge, and Jared and I both put on speed to join him.