"Hey."
I uttered only that one word to the boy sitting outside the Cullen house. He didn't look at me—I guess it was that bad then. "Hey."
"I'm sorry—I didn't want to do this, but I thought you'd react badly, and you clearly did. It was my fault for not telling you, but that stress isn't good for Bella."
Jake stood up and looked at me for a minute. For a split second, I thought he was going to kick me or do something really stupid again, but he just wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back, deciding against any shock. "Don't be sorry—you were right. I did react badly."
"You know it was starting to send me to an early grave, don't you? I hate keeping things from you," I mumbled against his shoulder.
"I have to tell you something." He pulled away from our embrace and sat on the porch again. I followed suit, wondering what he could have thought up. "You hate me—I know."
"That is impossible because I love you too much. No, I left Sam's pack."
I gasped in surprise. "What do you mean by left?"
"I made him bow down, and then I left. They were going to kill Bella—believed that the thing inside her was an abomination, a monstrosity."
"Dear god, that is horrible. I'm just glad you're okay," I whispered before kissing his cheek in relief. "And then Seth followed me—he believes that I'm starting a pack of my own."
"Your grandfather was an alpha, so technically you're an alpha too. If Seth followed you and is ready to be under your command, then I think you have yourself a pack."
"That wasn't the end to that story—"
Leah and Seth's arguing gets louder as the two get closer to the house. "No."
"Leah joined the pack."
***
"So, how's life without me?" Mom laughed. I gazed at her sadly—God knew how much her leave pained me. Especially because it was just two days after I'd come back home. "I miss you terribly. Everything here is so complicated—I am very worried about Bella and whether she's gonna survive this baby."
"When I was pregnant with you," Mom sighed—she never talked about Dad, not since his death anyways, "Your dad was with me every step of the way. It didn't matter that my parents would kick me out when they found out I was having a child out of wedlock. Nothing mattered—only you did. I know he didn't regret a single decision he'd made—definitely not you."
"Dear god, I wonder what you would do if I was pregnant."
"Keep you hidden of course—your powers would go insane. It happens to the best of us—you can't control what spell flies out of your fingers," she answered. I know only stories about my mom when she was having me—muting people randomly, stunning bystanders in the supermarket, and charming herself to sing everything.
"Kids aren't my whole future, Mom. I'm looking forward to law school." Unlike my mother, who believed that I didn't need to pursue higher education in a human school, I was really looking forward to taking law. "Mind you—your grandmother deposited most of the money for your 529."
"And I'll make her proud."
"You better."
"I will," I paused as my phone started to ring—Jake had told Carlisle and the others about Sam's plan, "I'll call you later, Mom—have to see the Cullens. It's urgent."
"I love you, cara."
***
"Sam's lost the element of surprise—and he doesn't wanna take you on outnumbered, so he's not gonna come at you head-on. He's got the place surrounded, and he'll wait for his opportunity."
"We won't get through without a fight." I stared at Jake nervously. He caught my gaze, sending me a reassuring nod. "No fights. We won't be the ones to break the treaty."
"The treaty is void—at least in Sam's mind."
"Not in ours." Esme's voice was firm as she spoke. "None of you have hunted in weeks, how are you going to fight?"
"We'll make do."
"You've done us a great service, Jacob. Thank you." Jake nodded curtly at Carlisle before leaving the house. I let out a breath I'd been holding since the beginning of the conversation, slouching down on the exquisitely expensive sofa.
"You look much worse than Bella." Rose snickered. I laughed softly, collapsing into a sleeping position. I hadn't done much, but whatever I did is really weighing me down. I'm tired almost all the time nowadays. "It's just...stress."
"Seems like way more than stress," Rose displayed a look of concern, "Did the dog do something?"
"No, the dog didn't do anything." I laughed. I hoped she was joking, but she probably wasn't. Rose hated wolves like Leah hated vampires. "If he did—I'm always here to kick his ass."
"What makes you think I can't do that myself, Rosie?"
***
"I know they're out there somewhere, but I can't hear them anymore," Jake muttered. I leaned against a tree for support—it was hard to stand up anymore. We had graciously taken the shift so that the Cullens could rest and hunt later. "It's quiet—way too quiet."
"I stopped hearing them too—the second I decided to leave. It's so quiet." Leah's voice pulled me out of the tranquility. Thank god for her—I was losing my mind. "You know you can't stay here."
"But I don't have any—"
"I can't trust you with the Cullens—you hate them too much. You don't even like me," Jake sighed in frustration. "I don't have to—I just have to follow you."
"Look—Seth doesn't want you here. Neither do I."
"You better stop with that bullshit—without Leah, we wouldn't have been able to know Sam's plan. The least you can do is accept her as a member of your pack." I scoffed in retaliation. Leah gave me a grateful smile. "Being unwanted isn't exactly a new thing for me. Look, I'll stay out of your way, I'll do whatever you want, except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can't get away from. You don't know how many times I wished I could imprint on someone—anyone."
Jake looked at me with a happy gleam in his eye. "Just to break the connection. All right—I'm gonna do a perimeter run. You got my flank?"
"Yessir."