19.Thicker Than Water

"Bella, run home!"I shouted to her and then reacted without a second thought, jumping up to meet Paul as I felt the sensation of fire strip down my spine heat and extinguish every part of me, leaving new senses and muscles in it's wake. I met Paul in mid leap and forced him back against a tree, our weight snapping it cleanly in two.

He attempted to throw me off of him even before we hit the ground, howling in fury as his blue eyes promised death if I did not leave him alone.

What are you doing, Taj? He thought to me in a mix of surprise and fury, She's the one you're supposed to be attacking.

Not today, Paul, I thought backas I attempted to hold him down despite his flailing limbs and kicking legs.

Get off of me! She's killed all of those people and you're letting her get away! And then with a final kick from his legs, right into my stomach, he tossed me off of him and leaped up again, dashing into the brush, Fine, if you can't carry this out, then I will.

I coughed and tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of me, scrambling up. Bella was gone by now, but it would be easy to follow her trail. I couldn't let Paul get to her. I took off into the brush after Paul, which came back to a meadow, and I spotted Paul already half-way through it, chasing after Bella who was heading toward another stretch of woods at the end of the large meadow. He was probably calling the other pack members, I didn't have much time.

With a growl of frustration I darted down the slope, my legs stretching out at top speed and gaining on Paul fast.

Paul, you have to stop! Please, it's not what you think, there's more going on than you know! I thought to him as I ran, pushing myself to keep going as adrenaline rushed through my veins.

Taj, if you want to be in this pack, then you're going to have to follow the rules. The treaty is the bottom line, Paul snapped just as Bella reached the hulking shadows of the forest.

If you're going to choose some ran-sacked hunt over common sense, then maybe I don't want to be in the pack! I replied with just as much fury, despite all of this going on, it felt like the world had shrunk down to the furious beating of my heart, which was pounding fast enough that I calmly deemed it possible that I could go into cardiac arrest right now.I could hear the thumping of it in my head, like a stop-watch, and at the same time it felt like the only muscle that mattered in my chest, pumping electricity but only having the static waves hit my bones and bounce back. If I didn't act now, before Paul got into the woods, I'd never have a chance to get a clean jump on him. We were just reaching the shadows of the trees when I surged forward, becoming airborne before landing on Paul with a raging snarl as my jaws clamped down on his shoulder.

He let out a howl of pain and wrath as we tumbled over each other across the grass, and Paul took a backseat to his fury. Within our jumble his jaws clamped on my foreleg and a razor wave of pain raced up my arm, into my shoulder. I growled threateningly as he pulled me off of him, my back smacking against the ground and he attempted to snap at my stomach.

I reacted quickly and leaped up, my jaws closing around the side of his neck, getting a mouthful of his thick fur as I forced him to the ground. I was seeing red by now, and though his paws flailed and scratched at my shoulder and chest, I would not let go. My jaws were clamped tightly around his windpipe, and I even went as far as to attempt to shake Paul as if he was nothing more than a mere rag-doll. Of course, I couldn't do this because of how heavy he was. His attempts to push me off of him were getting weaker and slowing down. The thought that I might be suffocating him hadn't occurred to me.

Taj..stop..Paul thought, coming out of his blind rage, but his thoughts didn't register to me, and his voice was weak and muffled in my mind. I wasn't myself anymore, or at least right now, the beast was in control, and was doing just as it pleased.

HEY! Get off of him!A different voice screamed in my mind, Leah's, I noted as an afterthought. I was so distracted that I didn't hear the pounding footfalls until I finally let go of Paul and turned my head to see who it was, getting ready to attack again, but Sam had already pinned me down before I could blink. Another volcanic burst of anger surged through me at being pinned down and I whipped my head around to see Sam's golden eyes watching me. I snarled a warning.

Just calm down Taj..take it easy, He thought as I tried to struggle. But it was impossible to move so I stopped and looked around.

Leah had phased back and was sitting by Paul, helping him, but his eyes were open, watching me. Jay had slowed down to a walk and was wandering over to Paul, but Embry, Quil, and Jacob stood nearby, still as werewolves, watching Sam and I.

As I slowly came back down to earth I wanted to just tell them to go away, I wanted to tell Sam to get off of me so I could just go home. My heartbeat slowed down and everything came back into focus, and I thought about how I could have nearly killed Paul.

Jacob walked over to me and I felt understanding radiate from him, What happened?

She almost killed me, that's what happened! Paul snapped.

Like none of us have done that before, Embry thought, and I could almost see a laughing glint in Quil's eyes.

I'm guessing the vampire is long gone, Sam thought calmly.

Yeah, she's gone, I said, Can you get off of me now?

Sam then moved off of me and I stood up slowly, shaking my fur. Jacob walked over and sat next to me, gently touching my shoulder with his nose. I felt better knowing that he was here.

You're bleeding, He thought, and I looked down at where Paul had bitten me, almost forgetting about it. There was so much blood! It raced down from the bite wound in rivers, turning my fur pink. Thankfully I wasn't the squeamish type.

I'll be okay, I thought briefly, even though my arm was sore..along with every other part of my body.

I can't believe you managed to pin Paul, Quil thought with a sense of pride as he looked at me.

Neither can I, Sam interrupted, and our little group's chagrin was washed away, This is serious.

Thank you,Paul thought exasperatedly as he sat down near Sam.

Taj is new, it's likely for her to lose her cool, Embry thought defensively, And it wasn't like Paul was focused on her anyways.

..Still, it's odd for a new phaser to take down a seasoned werewolf. She shouldn't even be alone..Sam thought as his condescending gaze turned to Jacob and I.

I looked over to Jacob to see that he was eyeing me down as well, growling in mild annoyance, I told you to stay put.

Well there was something that I needed to say, it has to do with the coven, I thought back, unphased, I wasn't going to let a possible fight take place if I could prevent it.

You didn't have to..that bulky one got away, Jay thought bitterly as he walked over to our circle with Leah.

Bulky one? I asked curiously.

Edmund, Jacob answered me, Quil and Embry found his trail, and they managed to have him cornered. But he gave Quil a run for his money and then got away. Vampires are pig-headed, but they're not stupid.

By the time the slow-pokes showed up we got the call from Paul, Embry thought.

But apparently she got away, too, Jay thought curtly.

I would have had her if it wasn't for Taj going phsyco on me, Paul thought bitterly, When I found her, she was with Taj. The two of them had been talking about something. Taj didn't want me to attack her.

Well, if you had just stopped to listen to me, I wouldn't have gone all ape on you, I snapped back.

Well, we're listening now ,Taj, Sam interrupted, What's going on?

When I went to look for you guys Bella found me, and I noticed that she still had her bracelet on. She said that she wanted to talk to me, her sister, Rosalie has gone missing and their coven is blaming it on us, she wanted to warn us because she didn't think that we did it, I began, She said that the reason they came back to Forks in the first place was to just pick something up from their house, but then Rosalie went missing, so they've been trying to find her. They didn't even know about the murders.

Then who do you suggest is the culprit behind these murders? Paul asked nastily.

Well, Bella and I have a theory, I thought, What if a slayer was framing her family to provoke us to attack them, and this person also kid-napped her sister to provoke the vampires to come after us. Thus, causing a fight.

A human? Kid-napping one of those bloodsuckers? Jay asked, Highly unlikely.

The last time Bella said that they heard from Rosalie she said she was going out hunting, I said defensively, even though I could already feel my argument crumbling to dust.

That's still difficult to believe, Sam said.

Can I ask who 'suggested' this whole Slayer theory? Paul asked humorously.

I did, I snapped coolly, looking at Sam and Jay, So you think Bella is lying?

..She is a vampire, Taj, Leah thought slowly, They can be manipulative, they waste others for their own survival. They'll do what they can to save their skin.

But we fought with them by our sides once, Embry said, to my relief, as he glanced at me, It's a feasible idea. They wouldn't hang around because of the treaty, and Taj even said Bella had the bracelet.

What if she made another one? Jay asked, Maybe they want their home back and are using this plot as a lure to try to do us in.

Are you crazy? I asked, looking at Jay.

We've known Bella for years, Jacob added, She wouldn't do this to us.

Well if you haven't noticed, Jacob, your childhood sweetheart is one of those parasites now. Have you even spoken to her since she was bitten? For all we know that bouncer husband of hers and the rest of 'em brainwashed her, Paul thought.

Jacob, to my amazement, became silent, seeming to be torn.

..Blood before friendship, Quil thought slowly, Bella is different now. Plus, there are lives at stake. You haven't seen her family, Taj. You don't fully understand what's going on.

I understand that you're choosing some stupid treaty over a friendship, I thought, You're choosing a war without looking into another possible explanation.

I looked at Jacob, I spoke with Bella about you, and she's sorry that she snapped at you. She was just nervous that you would only see her as a vampire, not as the old Bella. That you would act differently around her.

You spoke with her? Leah asked suddenly, and all eyes were on Jacob.

He glanced at me for a moment, and I thought that maybe I'd said something wrong, but then he thought, Yes, when I found Taj, Bella found us. We got into an argument because Bella was the one that tipped Taj off about being a werewolf in the first place. But she left before Taj woke up.

See? I asked suddenly, looking around, Why would Bella entertain the idea of me being a werewolf when instead she could have simply killed me before I had the chance to phase. If they were trying to kill us off, she could have simply done that to start.

She has a good point, Embry added, looking at Sam.

..But if she killed Taj, then we'd know that the vampires were trying to kill us off, Paul thought, It could be a part of their plan.

You're intolerable! I thought, losing it.

No, I just have the best interests of the pack, Paul thought, putting emphasis on the end of the thought.

My gaze narrowed, And what's that supposed to mean?

Well, you're off talking to vampires secretly..even protecting them, and you nearly killed me, Paul thought, You don't even want to be in the pack. Plus that, the only possible suspects for your idea would be someone in the pack, or associated with it. The people that the vampires would be wanting to take out.

I could only blink at him but Jacob was growling next to me and Quil had stood up.

So you're suggesting that Taj is in cahoots with the bloodsuckers? Quil asked, Now that's ridiculous.

Well whatever's going on, they're obviously using Taj as an outlet, Paul said.

He has a point..Sam thought, Taj, I don't want you going near any of them, you're going to be under watch. ..But what's this about the pack?

If being in the pack means carrying out some self-righteous bounty hunt, then I'm not buying in, I thought calmly.

But Taj, we said-Jacob thought quickly.

I never said I was leaving Forks, Jacob, I'm just not going to be in the pack, I reassured him.

So now she can go talk with those parasites without any problems, Paul thought snidely.

Jacob growled in warning.

Sam, you can't just let her do this, Quil thought suddenly.

STOP IT! Sam thought suddenly and everyone became quiet and still.

His gaze traveled from Quil to Paul, There is nothing I can do. We can't force someone to join the pack. The treaty is pack law, and if Taj doesn't want to follow it, then she isn't in the pack. Personally, I don't blame her for not wanting to put up with certain people..

As for the vampires, based on what we have seen, we are going to carry out the treaty. The people of Forks are in danger, as now is the pack, it seems. And I'm not going to put any more lives at risk if I can help it.

A silence followed and then Sam's gaze settled on me, Taj, you're on your own, but don't think we won't be watching if anything suspicious is going on. As for the pack..our offer is always open, He then stood and turned away from me, looking around at the pack, We'll have to go back to Emily's to regroup and figure out what we're going to do, I have a feeling it won't be long before we run into Carlisle's family again.

Then Sam picked up a sort of trot and headed off into the woods, along with the rest of them. Quil glanced back at me a couple of times, as though convinced I'd change my mind and start following, but he gave up and disappeared into the safe curtain of shadow. Then it was just Jacob and I.

I looked over at him, but he stayed silent and continued to watch the trees even after Quil had left, then he turned away from me and walked into the trees to phase back. I wondered briefly if he was angry with me. When he walked back out to me he was pulling his shirt over his head and I tried not to stare, acting as if I was looking at an interesting patch of grass instead.

"These aren't going to fit, but they'll do for now,"Jacob said, tossing a shirt and a pair of his jeans at my feet,"You're lucky that I always carry extra with me."

When I met his gaze he was smiling a little and that reassured me, then I picked up the clothes carefully in my mouth and trotted into the brush to phase back. The shirt was baggy, but I didn't mind, the jeans were worn in and comfortable, but they were huge on me and I had to keep pulling them up. I would never get used to being a werewolf. When I walked out into the meadow again I wondered if Jacob had left for Emily's but he was laying in the grass, soaking up the warm rays of the noon sun.

I walked over to him and sat down, and he took my hand and squeezed it as his eyes met mine, and I couldn't have remembered a time when I'd been happier, except for that day that I'd been looking over the Charger with Eric.

"I don't understand why you won't join the pack,"He said suddenly, but it didn't surprise me,"Well, I do, but still..I don't want you to be alone."

"They're focusing more on the treaty than what's at hand, Jacob, and I'm not going to attack someone who I think is innocent, vampire or not,"I said slowly, giving him a smile,"Plus, I won't be alone, I have you."

"And don't you dare forget that,"He said seriously, but he couldn't keep the goofy grin from his face as he sat up and kissed my cheek swiftly.

I couldn't help but smile as fire rushed over my skin, I pushed hm back on the ground jokingly, my smile slowly fading.

"But what are you going to do?"I asked, frowning a little,"Shouldn't you be going to Emily's?"

"I can catch up with them later,"He answered, sitting up again, then thought for a few moments, shrugging,"..I don't know. I can't go against pack law, but I don't want to hurt Bella either, she's still my friend. As for that fight..I can understand, and I forgive her. I was always apprehensive about seeing her after she was bitten, if she would be different."

"Maybe you could try talking to her again,"I suggested helpfully.

Jacob shook his head,"I don't think so Taj."

"Why?"I asked, perplexed.

"..It's complicated,"He said,"..It's just the way things are now. It would be better if we didn't talk to each other anymore."

I became silent, I accepted Jacob's answer, even though I didn't understand it. I got along with Bella fine. But, there would always be things in life that we didn't understand.

"Do you think my theory is ridiculous?"I asked him calmly, resting my chin on my knees as I hugged my legs.

Jacob shook his head,"No, but I don't think it's entirely believable, I mean, there could be a slayer. I just can't think of who it would be, everyone is so loyal to the pack. And how do you know that Bella is telling the truth?"

I frowned,"But you just said before you didn't think Bella would hurt the pack."

"I don't,"Jacob answered, his expression somber,"But I know that Bella would protect her family first. I don't think she's out to get the pack, but she'll do whatever she can to keep her family safe."

"But that doesn't explain everything going on with Rosalie, and she wanted me to go meet her family and speak with them,"I told Jacob.

"It could have been a wild goose chase to distract you and earn your sympathy, her family could put on an act to convince you that they're not as bad as they seem. Then, they'd probably go and make a run for it while we were distracted. Vampires are manipulative, Taj, and you're new, you're naive, no offense,"Jacob told me simply.

I just stared at him, I couldn't believe that he was still unconvinced. Bella had been his friend, and he still thought that she was lying. It was like talking to a wall. I decided to ignore the naive comment.

Jacob read my thoughts,"Taj, I just find it more unlikely that someone from the pack would be betraying us than a vampire lying to us. It all revolves around loyalty and family, werewolves and vampires have been enemies since the beginning of time."

I sighed slowly, watching as a butterfly fluttered past, it's wings a bright yellow, seeming even brighter in the sun. I could understand where Jacob was coming from now, but I still stood by my choice. Bella and I would find out who was doing this and prove them wrong. We would just have to do it quickly.

"..I guess I understand,"I murmured, my gaze turning away from the butterfly as it disappeared into the distance, going to him,"But can you accept my choice?"

"I don't have much choice myself, do I?"Jacob asked with an almost sad smile,"The pack laws don't apply to you, Taj, so do what you will. ..But be careful, for my sake."

I shrugged,"I'll try."

"Good enough,"He said, thinking again,"You're going to be speaking with Bella and the Cullens again, aren't you?"

I nodded, smiling a little.

"I wish you wouldn't. Paul will be looking for any opportunity to force you into a corner. And that means I'm going to have to make sure you don't get found out."

"I knew you would understand,"I smiled brightly.

Jacob rolled his eyes,"The things I do for love."

I frowned and pushed him again, a little bit more roughly than before, but still in good humor,"Well, then you can get love some pants that fit."

"Aren't you going to go home?"Jacob asked, laying on the ground again, one of his eyebrows quirked.

I hesitated,"I'm not sure if I'm ready to face them yet. I.."

Jacob didn't wait for me to explain,"You can stay at my house until you're ready to go home. Billy doesn't need to know about your choice with the pack yet."

"Thank you,"I said gratefully,"I'll need some of my clothes though, I could sneak up into my room and grab some stuff."

Jacob stood up, offering me his hand,"Let's go then."

And I looked up into his bright, smiling face and took his hand, letting him pull me up to my feet. As the two of us started off towards the woods and my house, hand entwined, I remembered something that my mom had told me that I still believe in to this day, that if you have people that love you, then you can get through anything.