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“What about it？”
“Well； if it’s about the lineage 。 。 。 shouldn’t you be the chief； then？”
Jacob didn’t answer me。 He stared into the darkening forest； as if he suddenly needed to concentrate on
where he was going。
“Jake？”
“No。 That’s Sam’s job。” He kept his eyes on our pathless course。
“Why？ His greatgranddad was Levi Uley； right？ Was Levi an Alpha； too？”
“There’s only one Alpha；” he answered automatically。
“So what was Levi？”
“Sort of a Beta； I guess。” He snorted at my term。 “Like me。”
“That doesn’t make sense。”
“It doesn’t matter。”
“I just want to understand。”
Jacob finally met my confused gaze； and then sighed。 “Yeah。 I was supposed to be the Alpha。”
My eyebrows pulled together。 “Sam didn’t want to step down？”
“Hardly。 I didn’t want to step up。”
“Why not？”
He frowned； unfortable with my questions。 Well； it was his turn to feel unfortable。
“I didn’t want any of it； Bella。 I didn’t want anything to change。 I didn’t want to be some legendary chief。 I
didn’t want to be part of a pack of werewolves； let alone their leader。 I wouldn’t take it when Sam offered。”
I thought about this for a long moment。 Jacob didn’t interrupt。 He stared into the forest again。
“But I thought you were happier。 That you were okay with this；” I finally whispered。
Jacob smiled down at me reassuringly。 “Yeah。 It’s really not so bad。 Exciting sometimes； like with this
thing tomorrow。 But at first it sort of felt like being drafted into a war you didn’t know existed。 There was no
choice； you know？ And it was so final。” He shrugged。 “Anyway； I guess I’m glad now。 It has to be done； and
could I trust someone else to get it right？ It’s better to make sure myself。”
I stared at him； feeling an unexpected kind of awe for my friend。 He was more of a grownup than I’d
ever given him credit for。 Like with Billy the other night at the bonfire； there was a majesty here that I’d never
suspected。
“Chief Jacob；” I whispered； smiling at the way the words sounded together。
He rolled his eyes。
Just then； the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us； and it felt like it was blowing straight
off a glacier。 The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain。 Though the light was vanishing as
the grisly cloud covered the sky； I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us。
Jacob stepped up the pace； keeping his eyes on the ground now as he flat out sprinted。 I curled more
willingly against his chest； recoiling from the unwele snow。
It was only minutes later that he dashed around to the lee side of the stony peak and we could see the little
tent nestled up against the sheltering face。 More flurries were falling around us； but the wind was too fierce to
let them settle anywhere。
“Bella！” Edward called out in acute relief。 We’d caught him in the middle of pacing back and forth across
the little open space。
He flashed to my side； sort of blurring as he moved so swiftly。 Jacob cringed； and then set me on my feet。
Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug。
“Thank you；” Edward said over my head。 His tone was unmistakably sincere。 “That was quicker than I
expected； and I truly appreciate it。”
I twisted to see Jacob’s response。
Jacob merely shrugged； all the friendliness wiped clean from his face。 “Get her inside。 This is going to be
bad — my hair’s standing up on my scalp。 Is that tent secure？”
“I all but welded it to the rock。”
“Good。”
Jacob looked up at the sky — now black with the storm； sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow。 His
nostrils flared。
“I’m going to change；” he said。 “I want to know what’s going on back home。”
He hung his jacket on a low； stubby branch； and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance。
22。 FIRE AND ICE
THE WIND SHOOK THE TENT AGAIN； AND I SHOOK WITH IT。
The temperature was dropping。 I could feel it through the down bag； through my jacket。 I was fully
dressed； my hiking boots still laced into place。 It didn’t make any difference。 How could it be so cold？ How
could it keep getting colder？ It had to bottom out sometime； didn’t it？
“Wwwwwwhat tttttime is it？” I forced the words through my rattling teeth。
“Two；” Edward answered。
Edward sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space； afraid to even breathe on me when I was
already so cold。 It was too dark to see his face； but his voice was wild with worry； indecision； and frustration。
“Maybe 。 。 。”
“No； I’m ffffffine； rrrreally。 I don’t wwwwant to ggo outside。”
He’d tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already； but I was terrified of leaving my
shelter。 If it was this cold in here； protected from the raging wind； I could imagine how bad it would be if we
were running through it。
And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon。 Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the
storm was over？ What if it didn’t end？ It made no sense to move now。 I could shiver my way through one
night。
I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost； but he promised that it would still be plain to the
ing monsters。
“What can I do？” he almost begged。
I just shook my head。
Out in the snow； Jacob whined unhappily。
“Gggget out of hhhere；” I ordered； again。
“He’s just worried about you；” Edward translated。 “He’s fine。 His body is equipped to deal with this。”
“Hhhhhh。” I wanted to say that he should still leave； but I couldn’t get it past my teeth。 I nearly bit my
tongue off trying。 At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow； better even than the others in his
pack with his thicker； longer； shaggy russet fur。 I wondered why that was。
Jacob whimpered； a highpitched； grating sound of plaint。
“What do you want me to do？” Edward growled； too anxious to bother with politeness anymore。 “Carry
her through that？ I don’t see you making yourself useful。 Why don’t you go fetch a space heater or
something？”
“I’m okkkkkkkay；” I protested。 Judging from Edward’s groan and the muted growl outside the tent；
I hadn’t convinced anyone。 The wind rocked the tent roughly； and I shuddered in harmony with it。
A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind； and I covered my ears against the noise。 Edward
scowled。
“That was hardly necessary；” he muttered。 “And that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard；” he called more
loudly。
“Better than anything you’ve e up with；” Jacob answered； his human voice startling me。 “Go fetch a
space heater；” he grumbled。 “I’m not a St。 Bernard。”
I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down。
Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage； while the arctic air flowed in around him； a few
flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent。 I shivered so hard it was a convulsion。
“I don’t like this；” Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut。 “Just give her the coat and get out。”
My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes — Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a
tree next to the tent。
I tried to ask what they were talking about； but all that came out of my mouth was； “Wwwwww；” as
the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably。
“The parka’s for tomorrow — she’s too cold to warm it up by herself。 It’s frozen。” He dropped it by the
door。 “You said she needed a space heater； and here I am。” Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed。
As usual； when he’d been running around as a wolf； he’d only thrown on the bare essentials — just a pair of
sweats； no shirt； no shoes。
“JJJJJake； you’ll ffffreezzzze；” I tried to plain。
“Not me；” he said cheerfully。 “I run at a toasty oneoheight point nine these days。 I’ll have you sweating
in no time。”
Edward snarled； but Jacob didn’t even look at him。 Instead； he crawled to my side and started unzipping
my sleeping bag。
Edward’s hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder； restraining； snow white against the dark skin。 Jacob’s
jaw clenched； his nostrils flaring； his body recoiling from the cold touch。 The long muscles in his arms flexed
au