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〃Then shut up and eat；〃 Sam suggested； kissing Emily's ruined mouth again。
〃Ugh；〃 Embry groaned。
This was worse than any romantic movie； this was so real that it sang out loud
with joy and life and true
love。 I put my muffin down and folded my arms across my empty chest。 I stared
at the flowers； trying to
ignore the utter peace of their moment； and the wretched throbbing of my
wounds。
I was grateful for the distraction when Jacob and Paul came through the door；
and then shocked when I
saw that they were laughing。 While I watched； Paul punched Jacob on the
shoulder and Jacob went for a
kidney jab in return。 They laughed again。 They both appeared to be in one
piece。
Jacob scanned the room； his eyes stopping when he found me leaning； awkward
and out of place； against
the counter in the far corner of the kitchen。
〃Hey； Bells；〃 he greeted me cheerfully。 He grabbed two muffins as he passed
the table and came to stand
beside me。 〃Sorry about before；〃 he muttered under his breath。 〃How are you
holding up。'〃
〃Don't worry； I'm okay。 Good muffins。〃 I picked mine back up and started
nibbhrg again。 My chest felt
better as soon as Jacob was beside me。
〃Oh； man！〃 Jared wailed； interrupting us。
I looked up； and he and Embry were examining a fading pink line on Paul's
forearm。 Embry was grinning；
exultant。
〃Fifteen dollars；〃 he crowed。
〃Did you do that？〃 I whispered to Jacob； remembering the bet。
〃I barely touched him。 He'll be perfect by sundown。〃
〃By sundown？〃 I looked at the line on Paul's arm。 Odd； but it looked weeks
old。
〃Wolf thing；〃 Jacob whispered。
I nodded； trying to not look weirded out。
〃You okay？〃 I asked him under my breath。
〃Not a scratch on me。〃 His expression was smug。
〃Hey； guys；〃 Sam said in a loud voice； interrupting all the conversations
going on in the small room。 Emily
was at the stove； scraping the egg mixture around a big skillet； but Sam still
had one hand touching the
small of her back； an unconscious gesture。 〃Jacob has information for us。〃
Paul looked unsurprised。 Jacob must have explained this to him and Sam
already。 Or they'd just heard
his thoughts。
〃I know what the redhead wants。〃 Jacob directed his words toward Jared and
Embry。 〃That's what I
was trying to tell you before。〃 He kicked the leg of the chair Paul had
settled into。
〃And？〃 Jared asked。
Jacob's face got serious。 〃She is trying to avenge her mate—only it wasn't
the black…haired leech we
killed。 The Cullens got her mate last year； and she's after Bella now。〃
This wasn't news to me； but I still shivered。
Jared； Embry； and Emily stared at me with open…mouthed surprise。
〃She's just a girl；〃 Embry protested。
〃I didn't say it made sense。 But that's why the bloodsucker's been trying to
get past us。 She's been
heading for Forks。〃
They continued to stare at me； mouths still hanging open； for a long moment。 I
ducked my head。
〃Excellent；〃 Jared finally said； a smile beginning to pull up the corners of
his mouth。 〃We've got bait。〃
With stunning speed； Jacob yanked a can opener from the counter and launched
it at Jared's head。
Jared's hand flicked up faster than I would have thought possible； and he
snagged the tool just before it
hit his face。
〃Bellais not bait。〃
〃You know what I mean；〃 Jared said； unabashed。
〃So we'll be changing oar patterns；〃 Sam said； ignoring their squabble。 〃We'll
try leaving a few holes； and
see if she falls for it。 We'll have to split up； and I don't like that。 But if
she's really after Bella； she
probably won't try to take advantage of our divided numbers。〃
〃Quit's got to be close to joining us；〃 Embry murmured。 〃Then we'll be able to
split evenly。〃
Everyone looked down。 I glanced at Jacob's face； and it was hopeless； like it
had been yesterday
afternoon； outside his house。 No matter how fortable they seemed to be with
their fate； here in this
happy kitchen； none of these werewolves wanted the same fate for their friend。
〃Well； we won't count on that；〃 Sam said in a low voice； and then continued at
his regular volume。 〃Paul；
Jared； and Embry will take the outer perimeter； and Jacob and I will take the
inner。 We'll collapse in
when we've got her trapped。〃
I noticed that Emily didn't particularly like that Sam would be in the smaller
grouping。 Her worry had me
glancing up at Jacob； worrying； too。
Sam caught my eye。 〃Jacob thinks it would be best if you spent as much time as
possible here in La Push。
She won't know where to find you so easily； just in case。〃
〃What about Charlie？〃 I demanded。
〃March Madness is still going；〃 Jacob said。 〃I think Billy and Harry can
manage to keep Charlie down
here when he's not at work。〃
〃Wait；〃 Sam said； holding one hand up。 His glance flickered to Emily and then
back to me。 〃That's what
Jacob thinks is best； but you need to decide for yourself。 You should weigh
the risks of both options very
seriously。 You saw this morning how easily things can get dangerous here； how
quickly they get out of
hand。 If you choose to stay with us； I can't make any guarantees about your
safety。〃
〃I won't hurt her；〃 Jacob mumbled； looking down。
Sam acted as if he hadn't heard him speak。 〃If there was somewhere else you
felt safe〃
I bit my lip。 Where could I go that wouldn't put someone else in danger？ I
recoiled again from the idea of
bringing Renee into this—pulling her into the circle of the target I wore
〃I don't want to lead Victoria
anywhere else；〃 I whispered。
Sam nodded。 〃That's true。 It's better to have her here； where we can end
this。〃
I flinched。 I didn't want Jacob or any of the rest of them trying to end
Victoria。 I glanced at Jake's face； it
was relaxed； almost the same as I remembered it from before the onset of the
wolf thing； and utterly
unconcerned by the idea of hunting vampires。
〃You'll be careful； right？〃 I asked； an audible lump in my throat。
The boys burst into loud hoots of amusement。 Everyone laughed at me—except
Emily。 She met my eyes；
and I could suddenly see the symmetry underlying her deformity。 Her face was
still beautiful； and alive
with a concern even more fierce than mine。 I had to look away； before the love
behind that concern
could start me aching again。
〃Food's ready；〃 she announced then； and the strategic conversation was
history。 The guys hurried to
surround the table—which looked tiny and in danger of being crushed by them—
and devoured the
buffet…sized pan of eggs Emily placed in their midst in record time。 Emily ate
leaning against the counter
like me—avoiding the bedlam at the table—and watched them with affectionate
eyes。 Her expression
clearly stated that this was her family。
All in all； it wasn't exactly what I'd been expecting from a pack of
werewolves。
I spent the day in La Push； the majority of it in Billy's house。 He left a
message on Charlie's phone and at
the station； and Charlie showed up around dinnertime with two pizzas。 It was
good he brought two
larges； Jacob ate one all by himself。
I saw Charlie eyeing the two of us suspiciously all night； especially the
much…changed Jacob。 He asked
about the hair； Jacob shrugged and told him it was just more convenient。
I knew that as soon as Charlie and I were headed home； Jacob would take off—
off to run around as a
wolf； as he had done intermittently through the entire day。 He and his
brothers of sorts kept up a constant
watch； looking for some sign of Victoria's return。 But since they'd chased her
away from the hot springs
last night—chased her halfway to Canada； according to Jacob—she'd yet to
make another foray。
I had no hope at all that she might just give up。 I didn't have that kind of
luck。
Jacob walked me to my truck after dinner and lingered by the window； waiting
for Charlie to drive away
first。
〃Don't be afraid tonight；〃 Jacob said； while Charlie pretended to be having
trouble with his seat belt。
〃We'll be out there； watching。〃
〃I won't worry about myself；〃 I promised。
〃You're silly。 Hunting vampires is fun。 It's the best part of this whole
mess。〃
I shook my head。 〃If I'm silly； then you're dangerously unbalanced。〃
He chuckled。 〃Get some rest； Bella； honey。 You look exhausted。〃
〃I'lltry。〃
Charlie honked his horn impatiently。
〃See you tomorrow；〃 Jacob said。 〃e down first thing。〃
〃Iwill。〃
Charlie followed me home。 I paid scant attention to the lights in my rearview
mirror。 Instead； I wondered
where Sam and Jared and Embry and Paul were； out running in the night。 I
wondered if Jacob had joined
them yet。
When we got home； I hurried for the stairs； but Charlie was right behind me。
〃What's going on； Bella？〃 he demanded before I could escape。 〃I thought Jacob
was part of a gang and
you two were fighting。〃
〃We made up。〃
〃And the gang？〃
〃I don't know—who can understand teenage boys？ They're a mystery。 But I met
Sam Uley and his
fiancee； Emily。 The seemed pretty nice to me。〃 I shrugged。 〃Must have all been
a misunderstanding。〃
His face changed。 〃I hadn't heard that he and Emily had made it official。
That's nice。 Poor girl。〃
〃Do you know what happened to her？〃
〃Mauled