Chapter 19 — Instruction

Jacob

Who the fuck was that guy?

"Nahuel. Half-vampire, half human hybrid," said Edward.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard it the first time," I thought back, annoyed.

"Oh man, you're jealous," thought Nick, amused.

"She is extremely hot," thought Jordan more to himself than anyone else. "Weird though. Half vampire…"

"Shut up and focus up," I thought to my pack.

Pack. It was nice to have a pack again.

"Aww," mocked Nick.

"Focus. We're gonna start with the big one. Just watch me."

Emmett approached me looking excited.

"Long time, no see, Dog," he said. "You ready to do this?"

I gave a short growl to let him know I was ready and squared myself, getting ready to pounce. Emmett came at me forcefully, but I recalled his weaknesses instantly. All brute force, no technique. I moved quickly and lunged at his side. He knocked me to the side with a move of his arm, but I bounded back around again. Suddenly he was behind me, but I was faster and leapt into the air before he could get his arms around me. Now I had him as I landed on top of him, my mouth in position to rip his throat out.

"All right, that's enough," said Blondie, clearly unnerved by my display.

I got off Emmett, who looked both annoyed and energized.

"Let's go again," he said, punching his fist into his hand.

"No, I think we should let one of the young ones try," said Carlisle, evenly.

"Not someone too hard, Carlisle," said Esme, looking concernedly at the young wolves. It still weirded me out how much this vampire was like a mom.

"Let me try!"

Nessie came running over, Nahuel behind her looking curious and excited.

"I'll be easy," she said. "I'm a little slower and a little less strong than a vampire, but not by much."

I growled. I did not like that idea.

"Under no circumstances are you allowed to attack her," I commanded the other two.

"Whoa, what was that?" thought Jordan, feeling the weight of the Alpha command.

"I'll try not to give them too often, but as Alpha you have to follow my commands," I explained.

"No choice?" thought Nick.

"As Jacob has just commanded his pack they are not to attack you under any circumstances," said Edward, "I don't think you're the best candidate."

Nessie looked at me and rolled her eyes. It made my heart swell to see her, not sad, not broken-hearted, not angry. Just herself.

"Barf," thought Nick.

"How about me then?" said Nahuel.

"I'm cool with that," I told Edward, glaring at Nahuel as he smiled at Nessie.

"Okay," said Edward, although he looked uncertain.

"Give him all you've got," I said to Nick.

Nick was faster, but Nahuel out maneuvered him for awhile, eventually pinning him in a headlock.

"C'mon," I thought, teeth clenched. "Get him."

In the end, Nick pinned him. Next, Jordan fought Nahuel, while Bella (the least experienced fighter) fought Nick. I watched as intently as I could, but my eyes kept coming back to Nessie. Eventually, she walked over to me.

"You know, I'm pretty annoyed with you right now," she said, staring straight ahead at the fight between her mother and Jordan. "I need to learn how to protect myself."

I couldn't bear the thought of her learning how to fight, of her being in a situation in which she had to fight.

"So," she said stiffly, "how have you been?"

I moved my shoulders up and down in a shrug.

"Yeah, same," she said, distractedly. "Look at how well Nahuel's doing. No one seems to believe that vampire-human hybrids can keep up, but we can."

I snorted as I watched Nahuel take down Jordan for the fourth time.

"I suppose you're wondering about Nahuel," said Nessie. "The first time I met him I was just a child. Two years old, but closer to eight years old in terms of maturity. I was growing at an alarming rate and my family was worried. They had heard legends about half-vampire children originating from the Amazon, so we went. We found Nahuel and even then I was excited to meet someone who was so like me. I've thought about visiting him again for a long time, but I wasn't sure how he'd feel about seeing me.

"When I came home after… after everything, my father decided I needed to be with a person who would really understand me. So he invited Nahuel to come and stay with us. I was wary at first, but he's really growing on me."

Then, she walked away, leaving me angry and jealous and full of self-loathing. Of course she would move on. That was the point, right? We're not good together so we both need to move on?

Except I can't. I never could.

I just wanted her to be happy. And stupid Nahuel with his stupid braid could probably make her happier than I ever could. We were too different. The imprinting magic had messed up this time. Our relationship was impossible.

Suddenly, panicked screams ripped through my head, breaking my self-pitying monologue.

"Oh my God, oh my God, help!"

Leah's daughter, Ally, had phased.

I howled at Edward.

"Tell Leah," I thought loudly at him. "Ally, it's okay. It's Jacob here."

"We're here too, Ally," thought Jordan.

"Aw man, I have to share the wolf thing with my stupid sister?" thought Nick.

"Leah," said Edward. "Jacob wishes me to convey a message to you."

"What?" she snapped, shuddering as he approached her. I wondered if it still burned her nose to smell him.

"Your daughter Ally has phased," said Edward.

"No!" shrieked Leah.

Seth put his arm around her. "It's okay, Leah. She'll be okay. They all will be."