I take a step back, trying to think if showing fear will make things worse like with dogs. Why am I thinking like this? I try a different tactic and hold up a hand in a sort of I come in peace offering. It doesn't seem to be working as his mumblings of me and Paul are any indication. That and the slight line of drool and there might be a bit of foaming at the mouth going on. Sweet Jesus. Now I find the lord?

I try reasoning while cursing stupid wolf super senses in my head, "Jake? Jake, why don't we go inside and have something to...?"

He cuts me off, eyes tinged yellow. Wow, that's something new and kind of creepy. "You're fucking him."

My mouth falls open. I can't muster up any words because 1.) we're not! 2.) his voice was calm, dead calm and that scares me more than the foaming at the mouth thing.

I swallow and try speaking again, only to pause when I hear a howl nearby. He goes quiet when he hears it and it seems to make the shaking worse. He's starting to blur and I'm not sure if that's because he's about to phase on my fucking front lawn or because there are tears in my eyes at how fucked up this all is.

I try again because he's one of my best friends, and this might be partially my fault since I've been acting like a dick-whipped wolf girl blinded by my love and lust (lots of it) for Paul. Still, I'm putting way more blame at Billy's feet because Jake should have been given the heads up - just saying.

I take a deep breath and speak, "Um, look, you need, hell, I need for you to take a deep breath and calm down." He snarls, holy fuck really snarls, at me. I continue, glad my voice is sounding so calm. "I mean it, Jake. This can get really bad really quick. I swear I'll explain..."

He's shaking his head and when I look into his eyes I see my Jake fighting with wolf-Jake. I can see how much pain he's in. Tears are sliding down my cheeks as I see my best friend, my childhood bud, falling apart in front of me.

He's holding onto himself so tightly. "I... I can't... I can't fucking focus. And fuck, god, you smell like him and fucking... fuck, you smell like sex..."

I swallow the bile down. "I was... God, this sounds so weak now, so pathetic of me. I swear I was just..."

He cuts me off, hands clenched into fists at his side. "Just what? Trying to spare my feelings? How fucking noble of you. Were you laughing it up with him? Poor Jake, all in love with Bella. But he's too young, right, but somehow Paul isn't?"

I am full on crying now, shaking my head. "It wasn't, it isn't like that! You have no idea..."

He growls and his attention shifts away from me to the trees behind us. I follow his gaze and see a silver wolf, smaller than Paul in size. Leah.

She's on her belly, slowly inching towards us. Jake growls out, "Stop!"

Oh my. I feel his power, his Alpha-ness, in my bones. Leah whines softly. Jake looks at me with worry in his eyes now. Oh, that I can work with.

He motions me with his hands. "Move slowly, Bells. That's the biggest fucking wolf I've ever seen."

I know Leah isn't going to hurt me, but I start inching closer to Jake to reassure him. Then a breeze blows up from behind me and it all goes to shit.

Jake's shaking again. Leah's creeping closer, no longer on her belly. Jake snarls at me, "You fucking reek of him!"

Okay, it seems like my safety isn't that big of deal as me getting it on with Paul is. I try really, really hard not to roll my eyes or stomp my feet. Leah's a bit closer, but I'm thinking she's taking it real slow as to not startle Jake or maybe wait for backup.

Backup! If I can feel Paul's emotions maybe it's a two way street. I'm not sure if this might make the situation worse, but if Jake's the Alpha and a breath away from phasing, I'm pretty sure Leah won't be able to deal with this on her own. I don't want her - or me - to get hurt.

I stand quietly. Paul, babe, I hope you can feel my worry, my scared out of my ass-ness because I really am freaking out.

I look at Jake once more. I speak softly, hoping to put him at ease. "Jake, I have to tell you a few things." Leah whines behind me, but I ignore her. I'm not Quileute and the tribe's traditions can kiss my pale ass right now. "Jake, remember all the legends Uncle Billy used to tell us? Ya know at the bonfires or when I would sleep over?"

He nods slowly, looking at me like I'm the tiniest bit stupid. Don't really blame him. I continue, "Now remember how Sam disappeared? How Leah all of a sudden got huge and muscle bound like Wonder Woman? How Paul dropped out of your life too?"

There's a bit of something in his eyes. I press on, "Think about how you've been feeling that Sam and his gang are always looking at you? Like they're waiting for something? This is the something, Jake! God, I know you feel it, well not literally for reasons I will explain, but I need for you to calm down a bit even if you're mad at me. Like you're a..."

He's backing up and shaking his head. I bite my lip. This is all too much. For him. For me. For all of us. It's not fair. As I wipe my eyes where once stood my best friend is a huge, bigger than Paul and Leah combined, russet-colored wolf.

I swallow loudly and hold my hands out, inching closer. I speak softly, "Jake, it's me and I know it's...FUCK!"

He takes off, growling loudly. I am about to call out to Leah, but she's already running past me. All I can do now is fall onto my ass on my front lawn.

LPOV - - -

Fuck, am I the only one phased right now? I shake my head and am glad to be gaining on Jake. I have been calling his name repeatedly since he phased, but he's ignoring me.

I howl once again as the woods we're in give way to the more familiar terrain of La Push. I can make out that we're getting closer to the stupid boundary. Once again, I think us having a stupid treaty with the disco ball vamps is ridiculous, but who am I? Oh yeah, the lone female wolf and the chick that's banging the Alpha. You would think that my opinion would count just a bit, but noooo, with all that testosterone I'm surprised I'm even let into the fucking Council meetings.

Vamps?

Fuck, that makes me lose a step and I almost fall on my ass. I gain my balance and risk speaking to him again. Jake?

I'm running by his side now, my speed useful once more. He turns to look at me briefly so I just go with it. Cold Ones. They're real.

He actually falters and stops. I stop a few feet in front of him and face him. The legends, like Bella was trying to explain, they're real. We're protectors. Against the Cold Ones.

He shakes his massive - and boy oh boy is he massive - snout. He whimpers and I sigh in my head.

He looks at me. Who else?

I settle down comfortably. Sam, Jared, Embry, me...

He growls low in his throat before asking, Paul?

I just nod. We sit quietly before I feel someone phasing in. I'm hoping for Sam, but fuck my life, it's Paul. Jake catches that last bit and takes off, gunning for the guy he thinks stole his girl.

He's loud in my head. He did steal her goddamn it.

I take chase, wondering how Paul is oblivious to what's going down when I feel the fear in him. I nip at Jake's tail, trying to slow him down. He didn't and you know it. You've always known she wasn't meant to be yours.

Paul stops and anger, boiling and red hot, flickers in his head. The fuck is going on? Why is Bella sending me a physic SOS? I thought ... fuck, baby Alpha phased?

Many thanks to my comma yielding beta, krystal214. She's such a doll.