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off to the vampires alone？
I'm pretty sure he'd rather they took him out than spend another minute with you。
Shut up； Jacob。 Oops； I'm sorry— meant； shut up； most high Alpha。
Why thehellare you here？
You think I'm just going to sit home while my little brother volunteers as a vampire chew toy？
Seth doesn't want or need your protection。 In fact； no one wants you here。
Oooh； ouch； that's gonna leave ahuge mark。 Ha； she barked。 Tell me who does want me around； and
I'm outta here。
So this isn't about Seth at all； is it？
Of course it is。 I'm just pointing out that being unwanted is not a first for me。 Not really a motivating
factor； if you know what I mean。
I gritted my teeth and tried to get my head straight。
Did Sam send you？
If I was here on Sam's errand； you wouldn't be able to hear me。 My allegiance is no longer with him。
I listened carefully to the thoughts mixed in with the words。 If this was a diversion or a ploy； I had to be
alert enough to see through it。 But there was nothing。 Her declaration was nothing but the truth。 Unwilling；
almost despairing truth。
You're loyal tome now？ I asked with deep sarcasm。 Uhhuh。 Right。
My choices are limited。 I'm working with the options I've got。 Trust me； I'm not enjoying this any more
than you are。
That wasn't true。 There was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind。 She was unhappy about this； but
she was also riding some weird high。 I searched her mind； trying to understand。
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She bristled； resenting the intrusion。 I usually tried to tune Leah out—I'd never tried to make sense of her
before。
We were interrupted by Seth； thinking his explanation at Edward。 Leah whined anxiously。 Edward's
face； framed in the same window as last night； showed no reaction to the news。 It was a blank face；
dead。
Wow； he looks bad；Seth muttered to himself。 The vampire showed no reaction to that thought； either。
He disappeared into the house。 Seth pivoted and headed back out to us。 Leah relaxed a little。
What's going on？Leah asked。 Catch me up to speed。
There's no point You're not staying。
Actually； Mr。 Alpha； I am。 Because since apparently I have to belong tosomeone— and don't think I
haven't tried breaking off on my own； you know yourself how wellthat doesn 't work — choose
you。
Leah； you don't like me。 I don't like you。
Thank you； Captain Obvious。 That doesn't matter to me。 I'm staying with Seth。
You don't like vampires。 Don't you think that's a little conflict of interest right there？
You don't like vampires either。
But Iam mitted to this alliance。 You aren't。
I'll keep my distance from them。 I can run patrols out here； just like Seth。
And I'm supposed to trust you with that？
She stretched her neck； leaning up on her toes； trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes。
will not betray my pack。
I wanted to throw my head back and howl； like Seth had before。 This isn't your pack！ This isn't even
a pack。 This is just me； going off on my own！ What is it with you Clearwaters？ Why can't you
leave me alone？
Seth； just ing up behind us now； whined； I'd offended him。 Great。
I've been helpful； haven't I； Jake？
You haven't madetoo much a nuisance of yourself； kid； but if you and Leah are a package deal—
if the only way to get rid of her is for you to go home。。。。 Weil； can you blame me for wanting you
gone？
Ugh； Leah； you ruin everything！
Yeah； I know；she told him； and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair。
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I felt the pain in the three little words； and it was more than I would've guessed。 I didn't want to feel that。
I didn't want to feel bad for her。 Sure； the pack was rough on her； but she brought it all on herself with
the bitterness that tainted her every thought and made being in her head a nightmare。
Seth was feeling guilty； too。 Jake。。。 You're not really gonna send me away； are you？ Leah's not so
bad。 Really。 I mean； with her here； we can push the perimeter out farther。 And this puts Sam down
to seven。 There's no way he's going to mount an attack that outnumbered。 It's probably a good
thing。。。。
You know I don't want to lead a pack； Seth。
So don't lead us；Leah offered。
I snorted。 Sounds perfect to me。 Run along home now。
Jake；Seth thought。 belong here。 I do like vampires。 Cullens； anyway。 They're people to me； and
I'm going to protect them； 'cause that's what we're supposed to do。
Maybe you belong； kid； but your sister doesn't And she's going to go wherever you are—
I stopped short； because I saw something when I said that。 Something Leah had been trying not to think。
Leah wasn't going anywhere。
Thought this was about Seth；I thought sourly。
She flinched。 Of course I'm here for Seth。
And to get away from Sam。
Her jaw clenched。 don't have to explain myself to you。 I just have to do what I'm told。 I belong to
your pack； Jacob。 The end。
I paced away from her； growling。
Crap。 I was never going to get rid of her。 As much as she disliked me； as much as she loathed the
Cullens； as happy as she'd be to go kill all the vampires right now； as much as it pissed her off to have to
protect them instead—none of that was anything pared to what she felt being free of Sam。
Leah didn't like me； so it wasn't such a chore having me wish she would disappear。
She loved Sam。 Still。 And having him wish she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to
live with； now that she had a choice。 She would have taken any other option。 Even if it meant moving in
with the Cullens as their lapdog。
don't know if I'd go that far； she thought。 She tried to make the words tough； aggressive； but there
were big cracks in her show。 I'm sure I'd give killing myself a few good tries first。
Look； Leah。。。
No；you look； Jacob。 Stop arguing with me； because it's not going to do any good。 I'll stay out of
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your way； okay？ I'll do anything you want Except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic
exgirlfriend he can't get away from。 If you want me to leave—she sat back on her haunches and
stared straight into my eyes— you're going to have tomake me。
I snarled for a long； angry minute。 I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam； despite what he had
done to me； to Seth。 No wonder he was always ordering the pack around。 How else would you ever get
anything done？
Seth； are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister？
He pretended to think about it for a minute。 Well。。。 yeah； probably。
I sighed。
Okay； then； Ms。 DoAnythingIWant Why don't you make yourself useful by telling us what you
know？ What happened after we left last night？
Lots of howling。 But you probably heard that part。 It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that
we couldn't hear either of you anymore。 Sam was。。。Words failed her； but we could see it in our head。
Both Seth and I cringed。 After that； it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink
things。 Sam was planning to talk to the other
Elders first thing this morning。 We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan。 I could tell he
wasn't going to mount another attack right away； though。 Suicide at this point； with you and Seth AWOL
and the bloodsuckers forewarned。 I'm not sure what they'll do； but I wouldn't be wandering the forest
alone if I was a leech。 It's open season on vamps now。
You decided to skip the meeting this morning？I asked。
When we split up for patrols last night； I asked permission to go home； to tell my mother what had
happened—
Crap！ You told Mom？Seth growled。
Seth； hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec。 Go on； Leah。
So once I was human； I took a minute to think things through。 Well； actually； I took all night。 I bet the
others think I fell asleep。 But the whole twoseparatepacks； twoseparatepackminds thing gave mea
lot to