AN: This chapter is a little different. We'll be spending some time in Jacob and Billy's headspace for a while. I have aged Jacob so he's 17 instead of 15. And the Quileute pack is much, much bigger than it was in the books.
For some reason, I'm not getting notifications from FFN anymore. If this is also happening to you, please check out my Facebook page BLUEBUBBLEBURST. I always update the page when I add a new chapter.
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– La Push, Washington –
– Saturday 3 October 2009 –
"She's pregnant, Billy!"
Jacob Black rolled onto his back and, with a groan of exhaustion, peeled his eyes open.
The bright red numbers on his alarm clock told him it was 6:27 A.M. He'd only been in bed an hour.
Last night, after the pack meeting, Sam ordered him to go on patrol. All night. Apparently, Seth disappeared after an argument with his parents and Sam was worried. It took every ounce of Jacob's control not to roll his eyes. Sam wasn't worried. Like most things out of Sam's mouth, Jacob could tell it was another lie. He wasn't sure why he was lying or what really happened, but he could sense the dishonesty coming from the man who declared himself Alpha.
Not my Alpha!
Jacob shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed. He told his dad about the muffled voice in the back of his head. Somehow, Sam caught wind of it and insisted whatever it was, it certainly wasn't Jacob's wolf talking to him. More likely, it was his mind playing tricks on him. There was no way he could hear his wolf talking to him. Wolves don't talk.
He wasn't sure why his mind would play tricks on him. Or why Sam would think such a thing. His dad hadn't said anything at the time, just looked at him in a way the young boy couldn't understand. Perhaps it was pride or awe, Jacob wasn't sure. Could've been gas.
"Harry," Billy rumbled, sounding tired. "It's six-thirty in the morning . . ."
"I know what the time is, Billy!" Harry snapped. "I've been up half the night debating what we should do! She's pregnant! I didn't even know that was possible . . ."
"Sue's pregnant again?" Billy asked, sounding shocked. "Well," he cleared his throat, "congratulations!"
With a huff, Jacob fell back into his bed. His enhanced hearing was cool, but there were some things he did not need to hear! Like private conversations about old dudes getting it on with their wives. Yuck!
With a yawn, Jacob closed his eyes. If he was lucky, he could sleep for another couple of hours before his empty stomach demanded attention.
Being a shifter could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Sure, shifting was amazing. Being in his wolf form was totally cool. But, was there ever going to be any fun? All he heard from Sam was patrol here, do this, do that, yack, yack, yack. If he wasn't out on patrol, he was sleeping or eating.
"Not Sue!" Harry shouted. "Isabella Swan!"
Jacob's eyes snapped open and he shot out of bed.
Bella's pregnant?
Bella Swan?
His Bella?
His best friend, Bella Swan?
But . . . how could that be? She is . . . or was . . . dating that Cullen leach!
What she saw in that moron, Jacob couldn't've said, but she seemed happy and, though he wasn't thrilled his BFF was dating his mortal enemy—besides killing the leach, upsetting Bella, and breaking the treaty—what was he supposed to do about it? She made her decision and he just had to live with that.
Sam had raged for days when they found out Bella and The Mind Turd were dating. But honestly, what were they supposed to do? The Cullen's weren't breaking the treaty. They don't drink from humans. They stay off the Rez. Nobody's been bitten. No blood has been spilled. Their leader is a doctor who helps people! What kind of vampire becomes a doctor and helps people instead of eating them? It was completely mindboggling to Jacob, but, as far as he could tell, the Cullens weren't doing any harm. As long as Bella was safe and happy, who was he to force her to do anything?
All he could do for her was be her friend and support her. She was old enough to make her own decisions. After meeting Renee when he'd gone to visit Bella in Phoenix a few summers back—and seeing the way Renee treated Bella—he wasn't surprised his friend found solace in the Cullen coven. From what she's told him, they were a family. Esme and Carlisle doted on her like loving parents. Emmett was her big brother. She adored them all.
Who was he to take that from her?
Especially with the knowledge he had. During his visit, he couldn't believe it when Bella wanted to take him grocery shopping. She was fifteen years old! What fifteen-year-old wants to go grocery shopping? Not him. No siree! Instead, he managed to convince her to go to the Castle N' Coasters amusement park. They'd had a blast! It was so much fun. Until they got home and Renee threw a monumental fit because Bella hadn't done the grocery shopping and the laundry or cleaned the house.
He thought his dad was a pain in the butt for getting on him about not cleaning his room. Renee was worse. So so sooooo much worse.
He begged Bella to tell Charlie, but she refused. He couldn't understand her reluctance. He knew Charlie would fix this situation. Bring her home to Forks, or arrest Renee, or something! Anything was better than doing nothing.
Bella insisted it was better Charlie didn't know. Jacob disagreed, but he made a promise and he never broke his promises to her. Never.
After his visit, he made more of an effort to keep in touch with his best friend. They called and texted every day. And he insisted she came to Forks in the summer and for every holiday. Trips to the lake were more fun when Bella was with them. Charlie came alive in her presence. And, let's face it, even fishing with the old men was better than doing laundry and housekeeping!
The best part of the summer was traveling. Charlie always invited him and Billy. If Billy didn't want to go, or couldn't go, Jacob jumped at the opportunity. They'd been to Disneyland in California. Disney World in Florida. Yellowstone National Park. Washington D.C. Charlie even splurged one year and took them all to Hawaii!
They made memories and had as much fun as Jacob could pack into the few months Bella had away from her evil mother.
During the Christmas holidays either Bella came to Forks or she met them somewhere. They spent Christmas in New York last year.
A few years ago, while they were decorating the tree, she quietly admitted that even with the wet, cold, and snow, Christmas in Forks was so much better than being alone in Renee's house while she was off with her friends or whatever new guy she was dating. Though Bella didn't realize it, Charlie had overheard what she said and he, too, doubled his efforts to make sure his little girl had as much fun during her visits as he could. He even tried to get her to tell him more about Renee, but she still refused to say anything bad about her mother.
The time always came—too quickly in Jacob's opinion—to say goodbye. Those were the hardest days. He didn't want to let his friend, his sister, go. He ached to tell Charlie the truth; even more when he saw how upset he was to say goodbye to his daughter.
He wasn't ashamed to admit that he'd begged Bella to tell Charlie the truth. But—for reasons Jacob couldn't fathom—she always refused to say anything bad about Renee. He struggled for years knowing that his friend was in a bad situation and he could do nothing about it. Well, there was something. But he'd pinky promised.
When she moved to Forks to live with Charlie, Jacob was thrilled. Charlie was ecstatic! For the first time, Bella would be here permanently. No going back to Renee. No goodbyes. God willing, no more lies! He doubled his efforts to get her surprise truck ready. Embry and Quil were equally as excited to see her again.
Then she'd met the Cullens.
Even though he's a shifter and vampires are his natural enemy, he didn't care that she was dating The Mind Turd. Sure, he hated Edwirdo but Bella was happy. And that's all that mattered to Jacob. His best friend was happy.
Then Sam got involved.
He insisted they demand Bella stop seeing the leach. He wanted to force her. To enforce the treaty. Or even attack the Cullen coven for endangering a human life.
It wasn't going to work.
Jacob knew Bella. He knew how independent she was. She was not going to bow down and obey if Sam tried to force her to do anything. Hell, forcing Bella Swan was a surefire way to cause even more problems and they had enough of those without creating more.
But pregnant . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
That was . . .
He wasn't sure what it was.
Was that even possible?
"She can't be pregnant. That's ridiculous," Billy stated. "You know as well as I do, cold ones cannot procreate."
"Then what we know is wrong!" Harry raged. "Seth had dinner at the Swan place yesterday. He saw it for himself. The girl is pregnant!"
"Then the father must be human," Billy reasoned.
"She was dating a leach!" Harry shouted. Jacob could imagine him turning red in his anger.
Harry Clearwater was an angry man. He'd always been that way. Jacob wasn't sure why that was and he wasn't about to ask, either. He'd been that way for as long as Jacob could remember. He tended to give Harry a wide birth, as most people do on the Rez.
Billy sighed. "What is it you want me to tell you, Harry? I don't concern myself with who Isabella Swan is dating, not dating, or who she shares her bed with. She's an adult. It is not our business."
"It is if she's carrying the child of a cold one," Harry hissed.
Jacob heard the front door open and Sam stepped into the house without knocking or waiting for an invitation. As soon as the older boy was inside, Jacob felt the little hairs on the back of his neck prickle.
Not. My. Alpha!
"I agree with Harry," Sam stated. "This needs to be dealt with quickly. I've had my eye on Isabella since we found out she was dating the leach. She has not been seen with anyone else. If she is, in fact, pregnant with its child, that cannot be left unchecked."
"What exactly are you suggesting, Sam?" Billy asked. Jacob knew his father well enough to hear the gently simmering anger beneath the surface of his calm façade.
Jacob could understand his father's anger. Billy's been Charlie's best friend their whole lives. They knew each other's deepest secrets. They were godfathers to each other's children. Billy adored Bella as fiercely as he loved his own children. Despite her choice of romantic partners, he would never do anything to go against her or Charlie.
"Two members of the pack will be sent to the Swan residence to gather intel on the situation. If she isn't pregnant, there's no reason to harm an innocent. Though I personally don't believe the girl is innocent or right in the head if she willingly dated a leach. That is neither here nor there. This is about the safety of our tribe and lands. If it turns out this was a misunderstanding, we'll back off."
"And if it's not?"
"If, as we suspect, the girl is pregnant, neither she nor the thing she's carrying will be allowed to live past this day," Sam stated. "I realize you and Jacob are fond of the girl, which is why neither of you will see sense in this matter. It will be done. We cannot allow whatever she is carrying to survive."
There was a shift in the room and then the front door opened.
"Brian and Brady are going to remain here with you, Billy," Harry spoke. "We can't have you warning Charlie or the girl."
As quickly as he could, Jacob threw on some clothes and left his bedroom via the window. He wasn't sure why Sam hadn't posted anyone outside his window, but he was thankful none of his brothers were there to try and stop his escape.
He didn't want to risk phasing and alerting anyone, so he ran. He wasn't as fast on two legs, but it was safer this way. He didn't want to hurt his brothers, but if he was stopped in his mission to get to Bella, he'd do whatever he needed to ensure his sister was safe.
─── ・。゚: *. .* :゚. ───
When Jacob arrived at the Swan residence, he could see a small, white-haired woman through the kitchen window. Two unknown men were sitting at the breakfast table drinking, what Jacob assumed was, coffee. Charlie entered the kitchen, already dressed for the day, his hair still wet from his morning shower.
Despite the ungodly hour, Jacob knocked urgently at the front door. He could already sense two of his brothers approaching Forks. It wouldn't be long before they arrived at the Swan house and sensed his presence. He figured, by now, Sam probably knew he was missing.
As soon as the front door opened, Jacob went to burst into the house but was thrown backwards. He went tumbling down the stairs and landed in a heap on the front lawn.
"What the hell?"
Charlie had a look of utter surprise on his face. "Marie, your spell worked!"
"Well, of course it did, dear." The white-haired woman appeared beside Charlie. "I'm not new to the craft." Her bright, dazzling blue eyes fell on Jacob. "Oh, more guests! How wonderful. I'll start breakfast. Invite the young boy in, Charlie dear, unless . . ." her eyes narrowed, "is he a danger to Bella?"
At the mention of her name, two men appeared behind Charlie, arms folded across their chests, eying Jacob like he had the plague.
"Bella," Jacob grunted as he got to his feet. Whatever just hit him, it packed one hell of a punch. "Is she pregnant?"
He wasn't sure how much Charlie knew. He was like a second father to Jacob. He didn't want to put him in any danger with the leach coven or his pack.
Charlie nodded his head. "It's all right, son. I know everything. The pack. Cold ones. Vampires. Werewolves. Witches. None of this is new to me, kiddo. C'mon in and we'll explain everything."
"Witches?" Jacob whispered; eyes wide. "And what do you mean cold one and vampire? They're the same thing!"
Behind Charlie, the darker-haired man growled. His eyes were a strange and eerie ice-blue. "Vampires—real vampires—are nothing like cold ones."
"Damon," Charlie warned, then sighed. "But he is right. C'mon in, kid, and we'll explain everything."
As Jacob cautiously walked through the threshold he shook his head. "The explanations will have to wait—Seth!" His eyes bulged at the sight of Seth whisking something in a mixing bowl.
The younger boy grinned happily. "Hey Jake! What's up?"
"What's up!" Jacob yelled, feeling a little irate now. "What's up! I spent the whole night searching for you because Sam told us all you'd run away after an argum—why do you have a black eye and a bandage on the back of your head?"
Seth shrugged his shoulders. "You know how Harry gets . . ."
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "So, there was an argument?"
Seth nodded. "Yeah. I, uh, accidentally told Mom and Harry about Bella and they freaked. Then they found out I'd shifted and Sam tried to get me to join the pack, get a tattoo, and then imprint on some girl. No, thank you! Turning into a giant wolf hasn't changed who I am. I'm still Seth. I'm still gay. I told Sam no. He wanted to fight me to prove he's the Alpha—at least that's what Nik said—but I said hell no. I don't want to fight anyone. And then Harry threw me out," he shrugged.
Everyone in the room seemed to tense up at Seth's statement. Jacob wasn't sure why. It seemed like they were all holding their breaths, waiting for something.
"I had no idea you could refuse to join the pack," Jacob frowned. "Wish I'd known that sooner."
Seth sighed. "Jacob, did you hear what I said? I'm gay!"
"I heard." Jacob nodded.
"And you don't care?" Seth frowned, looking tense and nervous.
"Love is love, dude." Jacob shrugged. "So, you like hoo-hoo's instead of ha-ha's. I'm cool with it. You're still my little brother. Nothing will change that."
Seth stared back at Jacob in awe.
Upstairs, a male voice asked. "What's a hoo-hoo?"
"Uh," Charlie cleared his throat. "As wonderful as this may be, I think you came here for a reason, Jake?"
"Oh yeah!" Jake's eyes widened as he turned back to Charlie. "The pack. They know about Bella. Is she pregnant with that bronze-haired leaches kid?"
A growl tore through the house suddenly, putting Jacob on edge.
"It's okay, Jake," Seth said, patting his arm. "That's either Nik or Kol. Possibly both. They're Bella's soulmates. And yes, she is pregnant with a cold one's child, but we don't know who the father is yet."
This was too much for Jacob. His head was beginning to spin. "I'm sorry, what?"
Charlie chuckled. "C'mon, let's start from the beginning." He led the teen into the living room, offering him a seat on the couch while he made himself comfortable in his recliner.
A moment later, three others joined them.
"Jake, this is Damon, Stefan, and Nik," Charlie introduced.
Jacob looked the three men over. Damon was the one with eerie ice-blue eyes and black hair. Stefan looked younger now Jake was looking at him more closely. Nik was leaning against the doorframe. Jacob couldn't decide if he was intimidating or trustworthy.
"You're one of Bella's soulmates?"
"I am."
"A vast improvement to her ex . . ."
Nik's lip twitched.
"Nik's been helping your father find the missing pack members," Charlie said.
"You know my father?"
"I knew your grandfather, too," he said, surprising Jacob.
Jake turned back to Charlie. "Maybe you should start from the beginning . . ."
─── ・。゚: *. .* :゚. ───
By the time Charlie was done explaining everything, Jake's head was spinning with all the new information.
Charlie Swan is a werewolf.
Werewolves are nothing like shifters. But he's no Remus Lupin, either. That was good to know.
Marie is a witch.
Bella's mother is an evil witch. No surprise there!
The Cullen's had left after Bella's birthday party. Nobody was sure where they were now.
Cold ones aren't the only vampires in the world. There's a different breed. Traditional vampires. Younger than cold ones but more powerful. Though they don't have the marble-like skin. And a splinter could kill them. Good to know.
Nik and his siblings are the exception. They're The Originals. They came before all other traditional vampires. They were the first.
Nik is different. He's cursed. They didn't go into the Original's story just yet, but Nik agreed to tell Jacob their story when his soulmate was safe.
Bella really is the soulmate of two Original Vampires. Possibly all four brothers. That was mindboggling, but he could handle it. Love is love. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. He wasn't about to judge his best friend. She didn't ask for any of this. It's fate.
And then they finally told him about the pregnancy.
They called it a parasite. Demon Spawn. Evil. A soulless monster.
"So, you don't plan to let her keep it and raise it?"
Charlie sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Jake, son, there's a chance Bella won't survive the birth if we allow it to get that far."
He'd said the words as gently as possible, but still, Jake's heart felt like it was about to rip in half at the mention of losing Bella.
Charlie was still talking, telling him something, he wasn't sure what. Right now, he didn't care. The only thing he could see was his best friend lying dead and the parasite slaughtering the town. That wasn't an option. He wouldn't lose her.
Jacob jumped to his feet. "Then turn her!" He cried. "Get it out of her and turn her!"
"We can't . . ."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because right now, Bella's skin is as hard as a cold one's," Seth answered, entering the living room. "And turning her isn't an option."
"Why?" He looked over at Nik. "You're her soulmate. You can't tell me you're willing to leave her human and only spend a handful of years with her instead of eternity . . ."
"He isn't," Seth answered before Nik could. "Neither is Kol. And my guess is neither will her other soulmates. But right now, it isn't possible to turn her because . . ."
"Because of what?" Jacob growled. "Give me one good reason why you're refusing to save her life!"
"She'll go rabid and die," Seth answered again.
Jacob stared at him, losing all his anger as he dropped back down onto the sofa. "Run that by me again?"
"Bella is the daughter of a werewolf and a witch," Seth stated. "While witches can be turned, werewolves can't. If they are turned—if they survive the transformation—upon their first kill, they'll go rabid and die."
"Nik didn't die . . ."
"Nik is different. He's the exception to the rule because he's an Original."
"Seth's right. Turning Bella isn't an option," Charlie stated. "Not yet. Eventually, she'll have the choice to turn or not, but right now, we must find a way to get the parasite out of her without endangering her life."
"That's the part we're struggling with. Getting it out of her safely and then what to do with it once it's out," Stefan added.
"Peter's off communing with The Fates. Hopefully, he'll come back with some answers on how to kill the parasite," Charlie sighed.
"Or at least subdue it long enough for me to rip its head off," Nik growled.
Jacob frowned. "I'm sorry, you've totally lost me again . . ." He shook his head. "You know what? Never mind. You can explain that later. Right now, we need to prepare for the pack. They're coming . . ."
"They want to kill my mate?" Nik snarled.
Jacob nodded. "Sam has Brian and Brady watching my dad so he couldn't warn Charlie. He's meant to be sending two others to spy on you guys and report back what they find. I'm sure they know I'm here by now."
"Will that be enough to stop Sam?"
"Doubtful. I'm sure my presence here will just piss him off even more."
"What's their problem?" Damon demanded.
"Same as ours," Seth hissed. "But I'm sure Sam has his own way of handling it."
Jacob nodded. "Sam and," he shifted his eyes to Seth, "and Harry," he sighed, "think Bella has become a problem."
Seth let out a low growl.
"Sam's been watching Bella since she started dating The Mind Turd."
Charlie smirked.
Damon chuckled.
"He wanted to intervene when she first met the Cullens but Dad stopped him. They weren't breaking the treaty or doing anything to warrant our interference. But Sam," Jake sighed again, "he thinks Bella's lost her mind and now that she's pregnant, he has all the ammunition he needs."
"He and Harry will convince the Elders that whatever Bella is carrying will be a danger to the world. Granted, they're right. But they aren't going to stop to listen to reason. In their minds, all vampires, no matter the breed, are evil and must be eradicated. And anyone who sides with them are just as dangerous. My guess is, Sam will order the pack to attack and they will. If it's an order from the Alpha, we won't be able to deny him."
"You two have," Nik stated.
Not. My. Alpha.
"I didn't exactly refuse an order. I just refused to join the pack," Seth frowned. "He told me I didn't have a choice. It's either join or fight him. And he made it clear he'd win that fight and force my submission."
A low growl tore through Jacob's chest.
Not. My. Alpha.
Seth looked over at Jake. "I'll bet Sam won't attack today. He's lost the element of surprise. He's not going to launch a suicide mission."
"What makes you think it'll be a suicide mission?" Jake asked. "The pack outnumbers everyone here. We're strong. Even missing four members."
"Sure, the pack's strong. But these guys aren't exactly weak, Jake. I bet Nik and Kol could take the entire pack on their own without breaking a sweat, especially if Nik summoned his wolf and went all Alpha on their asses."
Jake looked over at Nik. "You can do that?"
"I'm not sure," Nik answered honestly. "I don't know if I could summon that kind of power while my curse remains unbroken. My wolf has risen, but not fully. I still need to break the curse. However," he grinned, "as the grandson of Ephraim Black, you have that power within you, Jacob. You are the rightful Alpha of the Quileute Pack."
Jacob stared back at the vampire in shock.
He was the rightful Alpha? But Sam phased first. Sam's always been the Alpha.
Not. My. Alpha. I am Alpha!
But Sam phased first!
Doesn't matter! Not. My. Alpha. I am Alpha! I am Ephraim Black's blood. I am Alpha!
The howl in the back of his head was loud and fierce. It would not be ignored any longer.
I am Alpha!
I am Alpha!
I am Alpha!
"That's what my wolf's been trying to tell me," Jacob realized. "That's why I have such a hard time obeying and submitting to Sam. Because . . . I'm not meant to . . ."
I am Alpha!
I am Alpha!
I am Alpha!
"You can talk to your wolf?" Seth asked.
Jacob nodded.
"That's pretty cool."
"Can you talk to yours?"
"Nah. Must be an Alpha thing. Although, I guess my wolf might not like me so much because I don't plan to be a wolf too much longer."
"What?"
"Let's focus on our main problem, boys," Charlie encouraged. "What are we going to do? We can't leave Billy to deal with shifters on his own."
Jacob shook his head. "They wouldn't hurt him." He frowned. "Harry wouldn't. They've been best friends for years!"
"I'm not sure how true that is, Jake. Maybe once but now . . ." Seth sighed. "Your dad and my mom . . . they either were or they still are having an affair. Billy is my father."
"You're my . . ."
Out of all the things he'd learned today—cold ones, traditional vampires, werewolves, demon spawn, his best friend is a hybrid-tribrid-who-knows-what—it was this fun fact that had him at a complete loss for words.
He knew his dad wasn't a saint.
He was also aware that Billy had a special friend after his mom passed.
Jacob was only two when she died.
He wasn't going to begrudge his father any kind of happiness.
Jacob looked up at Seth who stood tense beside Damon. His eyes were wide and fearful.
"I guess," Jacob said with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "you really are my little brother . . ."
Seth relaxed. A wide, happy smile graced his face.
"Okay, now that's out, what do we do next?" Damon asked, looking at everyone in the room.
─── ・。゚: *. .* :゚. ───
Charlie, Nik, and Jacob stood at the edge of the La Push boundary waiting for Sam, Harry, and Billy to join them.
Jacob wasn't sure this was the best idea they could've come up with, but it was better than Nik's suggestion to 'kill them all'. And at least this way, he would know for sure that his dad was safe.
He was pretty sure nobody would hurt Billy. Sam wasn't stupid. He knew that hurting their chief would, at the very least, get him kicked out of the tribe.
Charlie was hoping they could solve this mess without bloodshed. Jacob wasn't as hopeful. There was something off about Sam that set Jake's wolf on edge. And now he's teamed up with Harry, he feared it was going to be worse.
They weren't waiting long. Harry and Billy pulled up in Harry's truck. As Harry was getting Billy out of the truck, Sam sauntered out of the woods.
At Charlie's suggestion, Jake hadn't phased. He thought it would be better not to antagonize the situation and having Jake in his wolf form might seem threatening. So, here he stood in his human form. Though he wasn't exactly feeling powerless. He knew he could shift in seconds if it was necessary.
"Why are you here and not on patrol, Jacob?" Sam demanded, his eyes narrowing when he caught sight of Nik. "And why did you bring a leach onto our land?"
"He's not on our land," Jacob stated. "And I did patrol. I spent the entire night looking for Seth who you said had run away."
"He did."
"Seth ran away?" Billy asked, joining the group. "Why am I only just hearing about this?"
Jacob looked over at his dad. "Probably because it's a load of crap I was told last night by Sam. But, guess what? Seth never ran away. He was kicked out of his house and told nobody in the pack or on the Rez would take him in because of his sexual orientation."
Billy looked up at Harry. "This? Again? Really? He's a fourteen-year-old boy. Who the fuck cares if he likes boys or girls?"
"I will not have—"
"HE'S A CHILD!" Billy roared, interrupting whatever was about to spew out of Harry's mouth.
"Where is he?" Sam asked, glaring at Jacob. "I order you to tell me where he is, Jacob!"
Jacob felt the Alpha's command. He felt it. His wolf felt it. And then he felt it wash over him and not make a damn bit of difference.
"He's safe at the Swan house. When I left, Nan was teaching him how to make pancakes." Jacob said, straightening to his full height.
He felt as if in that one sentence he'd grown another few inches.
"You want him, Sam?" Jacob growled, his eyes locked on Sam's. "You'll have to go through me."
"Are you challenging me, Jacob?" Sam growled.
"Nope. I'm warning you. If you want to get to Seth . . . if anyone wants to get to him . . . you'll have to go through me."
"Easy," Sam growled as he began to shake.
"And me," Charlie stated.
Sam looked over at Charlie and grinned. "You're human. One swipe of my paw and you'll be dead."
"How about me?" Nik smirked. "Think you can take me, too, pup?"
─── ・。゚: *. .* :゚. ───
Billy stared at the three men in complete shock. Well, no. He wasn't shocked by Jacob. He was proud of his son. Even prouder that he was standing up for his younger brother. He was already showing the signs of a great Alpha. His grandfather would be proud. Billy was immensely proud of him.
He wasn't all that surprised by Charlie, either. The gold shining in his eyes could be due to the coming full moon tomorrow. More likely, Charlie saw himself in Seth. They were similar in a way. Both of their fathers were abusive assholes. Now that Charlie knew about Seth's situation, there was no way he'd ignore it. Hell, he'd happily adopt Seth and take him into his home. And right now, as much as Billy loved Seth, that might not be the worst idea. He had a feeling, things here were going to get worse before they got any better. He didn't want his boys—his sons—caught up in all of this.
Klaus surprised Billy. His father had told him that the vampire was a good man. An honorable man. But it was hard to overlook the horror stories of his past. He may be honorable, but he was still a vampire. A vicious, cruel, sadistic vampire. And yet, here he was, the vampire who called himself the devil, willing to fight to protect a young Quileute wolf. There must be some good in him somewhere.
Well, legs or no legs, he wasn't going to be left out of this one.
"And me," he stated, wheeling his chair across the La Push border to sit beside his son and best friend.
"Billy!"
"No, Harry. Enough is enough. I've had my suspicions for a while but I was never able to prove anything and Sue always covered for you. That's her choice, I suppose. But I will not allow you to hurt that boy any longer!"
"I am an Elder—"
"Not anymore, you aren't," Billy interrupted again. "I've already spoken to the council. You will no longer be an Elder of the Quileute People or have any say regarding the Quileute Pack."
He shifted in his wheelchair and peered around Harry to see three young boys coming out of the forest.
"Ah, just on time," Billy smirked. "It would seem, Sam, you don't have as much of an iron grip on the pack as you believed."
The three young boys kept walking until they'd crossed the boundary line and stood behind Billy's wheelchair.
"When you left, Sam, it only took a stack of pancakes each for Brian and Brady to answer all my questions. Brady called Collin to join us. And I spoke with the Elders. I'll be speaking with them again about Seth's situation and advising that he remain in the care of the Swans."
"You can't do that!" Harry seethed.
Billy smirked. "You'll find, as Chief of the Quileute Tribe, Head of the Elders Council, and Seth's biological father, I most certainly can."
That came as a shock to Billy. Seth was his son. He couldn't believe it when Sue told him. He'd always wondered. They'd only been together that one time, just a few years after his beloved Sarah was taken from him. He'd asked if Seth was his when Sue told him she was pregnant but she'd insisted the child was Harry's. And she kept insisting for fourteen years. Until Leah went missing and the truth came out.
"You might be able to interfere with Harry's life, but you have no authority over my pack," Sam growled. "Brian. Brady. Collin. Get back here, NOW! That is an Alpha order!"
The three boys looked at each other as they tried to decide. They were too young to deal with this situation or the threats and danger that came with being a shifter.
Billy's pride in his son soared as Jacob moved to stand behind the boys, wrapping his long arms across the shoulders of Brian and Collin, with little Brady in the middle.
"If you don't want to join Sam's pack, you don't have to. Seth said no. I've said no, too. But if you want to return to Sam's pack, that's okay, too. The choice is yours."
"Nobody here will judge you boys if you want to return to Sam," Billy assured them. "You've done nothing wrong."
"No," Collin stated, his voice decided. "We've talked about it. We want to stay with Jacob and Seth. We aren't going back to La Push or Sam's pack."
Sam shrugged. "Fine. Take them. They're weak anyway. My pack is still strong. Stronger than yours Jacob. Strong enough to take you out, get to the leach lover, and do what needs to be done!"
A low, dangerous growl came from Nik. "My patience is wearing thin, Jacob," he warned.
"Bella is pregnant," Jacob confirmed. "She is carrying the child of an unknown cold one."
"Then she and the child must be killed!"
"ENOUGH!" Nik roared. "Go near my mate—"
"What?" Sam smirked. "You'll kill me?"
"No," Nik said, his voice quieter. "Death would be too good for you. If you harm one hair on my mate's head, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your pathetic life, however long that may be, in excruciating agony, wishing for a merciful death."
Sam laughed. "I'm not afraid of a leach!"
Nik grinned. "I can smell your fear from here. Your pack may have numbers, but my brother and I will tear you all limb from limb without batting an eyelash. And if you think I'm cruel and sadistic, just wait until you meet Kol."
Charlie cleared his throat and stepped forward. "The parasite Bella is carrying will be eradicated as soon as we can figure out how to safely remove it from my daughter without harming her. We've called in a doctor. She's on her way. Hopefully, we can end this within the next few days."
"And if you can't?" Sam sneered. "Am I supposed to let her raise whatever she's carrying? Are you going to risk innocent lives just to save one?"
"That one is my daughter!"
"And there are hundreds of daughters in this town. Mothers. Fathers. Grandmothers. Sisters. Brothers. Am I to trust that you give a damn about their innocent lives?"
Eyes shining a bright gold, Charlie snarled and darted forward, punching Sam so hard he went sailing through the air and landed flat on his back.
"SHE IS MY DAUGHTER! MY CHILD! Go near her and you won't have to worry about Nik or Kol coming after you. I'll put you down myself!"
Sam's eyes widened as he stared at Charlie. "What the hell are you?"
Charlie smirked. "I'm a werewolf, Sam. A real one. I recommend staying inside tomorrow night. I doubt my wolf will be as willing to allow you to keep breathing after you've threatened our child."
Sam scurried back and then jumped to his feet. "You're as bad as the leaches! Prepare for war, Charlie Swan. I'm coming for your daughter. And anyone who tries to protect her will fall!"
With his threat lingering in the air, he spun on his heels, shifted into the humongous black wolf, and then ran into the surrounding forest. A moment later, they heard the echoing howl as Sam called to the rest of his pack.
AN: I loved writing Jacob and Billy's POV in this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write Jacob. This Jacob is entirely different from the books and movies. He is not in love with Bella. They're best friends.
So, what do you think? Are you happy with how things are progressing so far? Is there anything you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments. xoxo
