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true。 It makes everything
more plicated。 Hey； do you think this Victoria can do anything special？〃
〃I don't think so；〃 I hesitated； and then sighed。 〃He would have mentioned
it。〃
〃He？ Oh； you mean Edward—oops； sorry。 I forgot。 You don't like to say his
name。 Or hear it。〃
I squeezed my midsection； trying to ignore the throbbing around the edges of
my chest。 〃Not really； no。〃
〃Sorry。〃
〃How do you know me so well； Jacob？ Sometimes it's like you can read my mind。〃
〃Naw。 I just pay attention。〃
We were on the little dirt road where Jacob had first taught me to ride the
motorcycle。
〃This good？〃 I asked。
〃Sure； sure。〃
I pulled over and cut the engine。
〃You're still pretty unhappy； aren't you？〃 he murmured。
I nodded； staring unseeingly into the gloomy forest。
〃Did you ever think that maybe you're better off？〃
I inhaled slowly； and then let my breath out。 〃No。〃
〃'Cause he wasn't the best—〃
〃Please； Jacob；〃 I interrupted； begging in a whisper。 〃Could we please not
talk about this？ I can't stand
it。〃
〃Okay。〃 He took a deep breath。 〃I'm sorry I said anything。〃
〃Don't feel bad。 If things were different； it would be nice to finally be able
to talk to someone about it。〃
He nodded。 〃Yeah； I had a hard time keeping a secret from you for two weeks。
It must be hell to not be
able to talk to anyone。〃
〃Hell；〃 I agreed。
Jacob sucked in a sharp breath。 〃They're here。 Let's go。〃
〃Are you sure？〃 I asked while he popped his door open。 〃Maybe I shouldn't be
here。〃
〃They'll deal with it；〃 he said； and then he grinned。 〃Who's afraid of the
big； bad wolf？〃
〃Ha ha；〃 I said。 But I got out of the truck； hurrying around the front end to
stand close beside Jacob。 I
remembered only too clearly the giant monsters in the meadow。 My hands were
trembling like Jacob's
had been before； but with fear rather than rage。
Jake took my hand and squeezed it。 〃Here we go。〃
14。 FAMILY
I COWERED INTO JACOB'S SIDE； MY EYES SCANNING the forest for the other
werewolves。
When they appeared； striding out from between the trees； they weren't what I
was expecting。 I'd gotten
the image of the wolves stuck in my head。 These were just four really big
half…naked boys。
Again； they reminded me of brothers； quadruplets。 Something about the way they
moved almost in
synchronization to stand across the road from us； the way they all had the
same long； round muscles
under the same red…brown skin； the same cropped black hair； and the way their
expressions altered at
exactly the same moment。
They started out curious and cautious。 When they saw me there； half…hidden
beside Jacob； they all
became furious in the same second。
Sam was still the biggest； though Jacob was getting close to catching up with
him。 Sam didn't really count
as a boy。 His face was older—not in the sense of lines or signs of aging； but
in the matunry； the patience
of his expression。
〃What have you done； Jacob？〃 he demanded。
One of the others； one I didn't recognize—Jared or Paul—thrust past Sam and
spoke before Jacob
could defend himself。
〃Why can't you just follow the rules； Jacob？〃 he yelled； throwing his arms in
the air。 〃What the hell are
you thinking？ Is she more important than everything—than the whole tribe？
Than the people getting
killed？〃
〃She can help；〃 Jacob said quietly。
〃Help！〃 the angry boy shouted。 His arms begin to quiver。 〃Oh； that's likely！
I'm sure the leech…lover is
just dying to help us out！〃
〃Don't talk about her like that！〃 Jacob shouted back； stung by the boy's
criticism。
A shudder rippled through the other boy； along his shoulders and down his
spine。
〃Paul！ Relax！〃 Sam manded。
Paul shook his head back and forth； not in defiance； but as though he were
trying to concentrate。
〃Jeez； Paul；〃 one of the other boys—probably Jared—muttered。 〃Get a grip。〃
Paul twisted his head toward Jared； his lips curling back in irritation。 Then
he shifted his glare in my
direction。 Jacob took a step to put himself in front of me。
That did it。
〃Right； protect her！〃 Paul roared in outrage。 Another shudder； a convulsion；
heaved through his body。 He
threw his head back； a real growl tearing from between his teeth。
〃Paul！〃 Sam and Jacob shouted together。
Paul seemed to fall forward； vibrating violently。 Halfway to the ground； there
was a loud ripping noise；
and the boy exploded。
Dark silver fur blew out from the boy； coalescing into a shape more than five
…times his size—a massive；
crouched shape； ready to spring。
The wolf's muzzle wrinkled back over his teeth； and another growl rolled
through his colossal chest。 His
dark； enraged eyes focused on me。
In the same second； Jacob was running across the road straight for the
monster。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed。
Mid…stride； a long tremor shivered down Jacob's spine。 He leaped forward；
diving headfirst into the
empty air。
With another sharp tearing sound； Jacob exploded； too。 He burst out of his
skin—shreds of black and
white cloth blasted up into the air。 It happened so quickly that if I'd
blinked； I'd have missed the entire
transformation。 One second it was Jacob diving into the air； and then it was
the gigantic； russet brown
wolf—so enormous that I couldn't make sense of its mass somehow fitting
inside Jacob—charging the
crouched silver beast。
Jacob met the other werewolf's attack head…on。 Their angry snarls echoed like
thunder off the trees。
The black and white scraps—the remains of Jacob's clothes—fluttered to the
ground where he'd
disappeared。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed again； staggering forward。
〃Stay where you are； Bella；〃 Sam ordered。 It was hard to hear him over the
roar of the fighting wolves。
They were snapping and tearing at each other； their sharp teeth flashing
toward each other's throats。 The
Jacob…wolf seemed to have the upper hand—he was visibly bigger than the other
wolf； and it looked like
le was stronger； too。 He rammed his shoulder against the gray wolf again and
again； knocking him back
toward the trees。
〃Take her to Emily's；〃 Sam shouted toward the other boys； who were watching
the conflict with rapt
expressions。 Jacob had successfully shoved the gray wolf off the road； and
they were disappearing into
the forest； though the sound of their snarls was still loud。 Sam ran after
them； kicking off his shoes on the
way。 As he darted into the trees； he was quivering from head to toe。
The growling and snapping was fading into the distance。 Suddenly； the sound
cut off and it was very quiet
on the road。
One of the boys started laughing。
I turned to stare at him—my wide eyes felt frozen； like I couldn't even blink
them。
The boy seemed to be laughing at my expression。 〃Well； there's something you
don't see every day；〃 he
snickered。 His face was vaguely familiar—thinner than the others Embry
Call。
〃I do；〃 the other boy； Jared； grumbled。 〃Every single day。〃
〃Aw； Paul doesn't lose his temper every day；〃 Embry disagreed； still grinning。
〃Maybe two out of three。〃
Jared stopped to pick something white up off the ground。 He held it up toward
Embry； it dangled in limp
strips from his hand。
〃Totally shredded；〃 Jared said。 〃Billy said this was the last pair he could
afford—guess Jacob's going
barefoot now。〃
〃This one survived；〃 Embry said； holding up a white sneaker。 〃Jake can hop；〃
he added with a laugh。
Jared started collecting various pieces of fabric from the dirt。 〃Get Sam's
shoes； will you？ All the rest of
this is headed for the trash。〃
Embry grabbed the shoes and then jogged into the trees where Sam had
disappeared。 He was back in a
few seconds with a pair of cut…off jeans draped over his arm。 Jared gathered
the torn remnants of
Jacob's and Paul's clothes and wadded them into a ball。 Suddenly； he seemed to
remember me。
He looked at me carefully； assessing。
〃Hey； you're not going to faint or puke or anything？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't think so；〃 I gasped。
〃You don't look so good。 Maybe you should sit down。〃
〃Okay；〃 I mumbled。 For the second time in one morning； I put my head between
my knees。
〃Jake should have warned us；〃 Embry plained。
〃He sho