"If you care at all about Esme, you'll stop her from going to Alaska."

Izzy felt a twinge of guilt as she roared past the New Moon Cafe. In June, she agreed to meet Esme there for coffee. It had been months since they'd seen each other and they were long overdue for a catch-up. Four months later, Izzy was running out of fingers to count the number of times she'd asked Esme to reschedule.

"If you care at all about Esme, you'll stop her from going to Alaska."

While they often went months without seeing each other, that didn't mean Izzy hated Esme. How could she feel anything but love for the woman who'd taken her prom dress shopping, learned to cook her favorite meals, and wiped her tears at Charlie's funeral? Edward often joked if they ever broke up Esme would disown him and adopt her instead. Izzy wondered if that was still true after all the rescheduled coffee dates and turned down dinner invitations.

"If you care at all about Esme, you'll stop her from going to Alaska."

As much as she cared about Esme, Izzy also cared about herself and the life she'd built in La Push. She cared about her friends, the band, and all the dogs at the Black Pack. She didn't have the time or emotional energy to spend the afternoon listening to Esme talking about her sons and her plans to find them. For her mental health, Izzy needed to move forward and hoped Esme would one day have the strength to do the same.

"If you care at all about Esme, you'll stop her from going to Alaska."

While Izzy knew Nessie was right, she had no idea how to go about stopping Esme from getting on that plane. Multiple people including the police, Rose, and Alice had already told Esme she was chasing ghosts. Even Carlisle, who always told his children never to give up, told her it was time to accept their loss and move on. If Esme didn't listen to all those people, why would it be any different with Izzy?

Still no closer to finding a solution, Izzy pulled into the gravel driveway leading up to Sam's house. She hopped off her bike and patted her broken-down truck on the hood. Even Jacob and all his magic hadn't been able to fix it this time. While she hated to admit it, it was probably time to let Paul 'Tow that broken down hunk of junk to the scrapyard where it belongs!' Izzy gave her truck one last pat and headed inside.

After the usual over the top greeting from Rebel, her loyal german shepherd mix, Izzy went to find Jake. She found him in their shared room scrubbing dog poop off his boots with a blue toothbrush.

"Is that Paul's toothbrush?" Izzy asked, already knowing the answer.

"Maybe," Jacob replied, a mischievous grin on his face.

Izzy rolled her eyes. Eleven months. Paul and Rachel had been together for nearly a full year and Jake still hadn't forgiven him for the egregious sin of dating his older sister. Izzy didn't even want to know what would happen when he found out Paul had an engagement ring hidden in his sock drawer.

"So how was school?" Jacob asked as he dried his boots off on a fluffy blue towel.

Despite the thoughts swarming around in her head like angry bees, Izzy smirked. Leah was going to make Jake wish he'd never been born when she found out what happened to her favorite towel.

"School was fine, but I got another call...actually several calls from Esme."

"Is she mad you missed coffee last week?" Jake stood up and looked out the window at the ever-expanding rows of kennels. "I'm sure she'll understand if you tell her about Mocha and Java."

Izzy shook her head. "No, that's not why she was calling."

Esme wasn't upset when Izzy called to say she had to make a trip to Oregon to pick up a pair of pit bulls instead of meeting her for coffee. Izzy wasn't surprised. No matter how flimsy her excuse was, Esme never raised her voice when Izzy failed to show up. Instead, she told Izzy it was alright and they'd reschedule for next week knowing full well it was a 90% chance they'd need to reschedule again.

"Then why was she calling?" Jake asked.

"She wants me to come with her to Alaska. She thinks her sons were kidnapped by the Denali family cult." Izzy rubbed her temples. "Nessie thinks I need to stop her, but unless you've got a nuclear bomb hidden away somewhere, I don't see how that's possible."

Jake sat down in his desk chair and started lacing up his boots. "Then go with her."

Izzy did a double-take. "What? Why?"

She had to have heard that wrong. Jacob Black, great-great-grandson of Ephriam Black, the one who banned the Cullen settlers and their descendants from La Push, did not just encourage her to go poke around in cult-infested Alaska with Esme.

"You know it's not going to be them, right? Izzy asked. "It's a pointless wild goose chase."

"I know, but you should still go. You've more than earned a break," Jake said, looking anywhere but Izzy's eyes. "I hear Alaska is nice this time of year."

Izzy scuffed. She knew Jake like the back of her hand. There wasn't a chance in hell he'd get away with lying to her.

"Jake," Izzy said, channeling her inner Leah. "What's going on? There's no way you're cool with me going out of state with a Cullen, especially "the crazy one."

Jake bit his lip. "Technically Esme won't be a Cullen anymore after Carlisle signs the divorce papers."

"Jake. What's going on?"

Jake sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "What's going on is I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

Izzy didn't need Jake to worry about her anymore. She was a strong, confident woman fully capable of taking care of herself. She'd been through a lot in the past and had a lot going on in the present, but that didn't make her some damsel in distress waiting for a long-haired rock star to come along and save her.

"Have you taken a look in the mirror recently?" Jake asked. "You look exhausted." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You look like my mom when she got sick."

"Jake," Izzy said, shaking her head. "You're being a bit dramatic. I hadn't been getting much sleep lately, but I'm…"

Izzy trailed off mid-sentence when she noticed her reflection in the mirror above her dresser. Her baggy eyes were bloodshot red and her summer tan had faded leaving behind pale, blotchy skin. Jake was right, she looked like something out of the walking dead. Or herself... after Edward died.

"What about the dogs? Izzy bit her lip."We're stretched thin as it is. I can't leave now."

"Collin got caught trying to sneak into some dive bar with a fake ID," Jake said, joining Izzy in front of the mirror. "I told the cops I've got a pooper scooper with his name on it if they're willing to let him off with community service."

"And Angel?"

Angel was a pure white wolf dog they rescued from a roadside zoo. She was beautiful, but vicious when she felt threatened. The only one who could get close enough to clean her pen was Izzy and even she'd been nipped a few times.

Jake winced. "I'll borrow a bite suit from the police station."

"What about the band? Izzy asked. We've got a show this weekend."

"Brady can cover for you. He's no John Bonham, but he can hold his own."

Jake first met Brady as an angry fourteen-year-old in danger of being expelled for smoking weed in the middle school bathroom. Four years and a lot of quality time dishing out kibble later he was on track to graduate at the top of his class. While he didn't know it yet, the Wolves were planning to make their next show a benefit concert to help pay for his first year at Stanford. It was the least they could do for their most loyal volunteer.

"What about that Eleazar guy?" Izzy asked. You know me, I'm a walking danger magnet. He'll probably force me into cult 2.0."

"If he does, I'll send Paul and Quil after you," Jake said, trying not to laugh. "One day with those clowns and he'll be willing to pay us to take you guys back."

Jake could be every bit as stubborn as Esme. Izzy could come up with a thousand excuses but Jake would find a way to counter them all.

Izzy crossed her arms and glared at Jake. "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

Jake smiled at her. "Nope."

Izzy hated that smile. That smile came before prank wars, five am wake up calls, and chasing after dogs that didn't want to be caught. It encouraged motorcycle riding, cliff diving, and partying until the sun came up. Worst of all, it made her scarred heart wonder if it was possible to have two Jane Austen novel worthy loves in a single lifetime.

Jake wrapped his arm around Izzy's waist. "Knowing Esme, she'll have booked the nicest room in the fanciest hotel in town. I say you take her up on her offer and spend the weekend living like a queen."

Jake wasn't wrong. The Cullens never stayed anywhere that didn't have an onsite spa and five star-restaurant. It would be nice to be pampered for a change even if it meant confronting another con artist.

"Okay, you win." Izzy sighed and did a half-hearted fist pump. "Alaska or bust."

Izzy breathed in Jake's familiar scent. As always, he smelled of bonfire smoke and Old Spice deodorant. She wished she could bottle that scent and take it with her to Alaska. Izzy took another breath and wrinkled her nose. Jake hadn't done the greatest job getting the dog poop off his boots. Maybe it would be better to take her long-neglected copy of Wuthering Heights along in case she found herself in need of comfort.

"If you're interested, we could check out that new Italian place when you come back," Jake whispered into Izzy's ear. "I hear the spaghetti is to die for."

While her date with Mike was a complete disaster, it had made one thing clear; she was ready. She was ready to give love a second chance. She was ready to make it through the whole evening without wishing it was a bronze haired god sitting across from her. She was ready for stolen hoodies, smiles that made her knees weak, and a warm body wrapped around hers at night. She was ready to say yes to Jake.

"I'd like that," Izzy whispered, looking into Jake's warm brown eyes. "I'd like that a lot."

Jake's smile grew. "Me too."

Jake leaned down and Izzy stood up on her tippy toes. Just when things were about to get interesting, all hell broke loose at the front door.

"What are you doing here?" Sam shouted over Rebel's frantic barking. "You know you're not allowed here!"

Izzy reluctantly broke away from Jake and raced over to the window. Just as she expected, there was a golden Lexus parked in the driveway. The driver must have got tired of her calls going straight to voicemail.

Jake joined Izzy at the window and frowned. "Esme?"

Izzy nodded. "Yep."

"Where's my towel!" Leach screamed from the bathroom.

Jake looked at the poop covered towel with wide eyes. "Is it too late to go with you to Alaska?"

Izzy, who was already half-way out the door with her weekend bag, hummed the funeral march. "Sorry, Jake. Girls only. I'll see you when I get back...assuming you're still alive."