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Alpha's power came from his pack； and I had no pack。 For a second； loneliness overwhelmed me。
I had no pack now。
But I was straight and strong as I walked to where Sam stood； planning with Paul and Jared。 He turned
at the sound of my advance； and his black eyes narrowed。
Ao； I told him again。
He heard it right away； heard the choice that I'd made in the sound of the Alpha voice in my thoughts。
He jumped back a half step with a shocked yelp。
Jacob？ What have you done？
I won't follow you； Sam。 Not for something so wrong。
He stared at me； stunned。 You would。。。 you would choose your enemies over your family？
They aren't—I shook my head； clearing it— they aren't our enemies。 They never have been。 Until I
really thought about destroying them； thought it through； I didn't see that。
This isn't about them；he snarled at me。 This is about Bella。 She has never been the one for you； she
has never chosen you； but you continue to destroy your life for her！
They were hard words； but true words。 I sucked in a big gulp of air； breathing them in。
Maybe you're right。 But you're going to destroy the pack over her； Sam。 No matter how many of them
survive tonight； they will always have murder on their hands。
We have to protect our families！
I know what you've decided； Sam。 But you don't decide for me； not anymore。
Jacob— you can't turn your back on the tribe。
I heard the double echo of his Alpha mand； but it was weightless this time。 It no longer applied to
me。 He clenched his jaw； trying to force me to respond to his words。
I stared into his furious eyes。 Ephraim Black's son was not born to follow Levi Uley's。
Is this it； then； JacobBlack？ His hackles rose and his muzzle pulled back from his teeth。 Paul and Jared
snarled and bristled at his sides。 Even if you can defeat me； the pack will never follow you！
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Now jerked back； a surprised whine escaping my throat。
Defeat you？ I'm not going to fight you； Sam。
Then what's your plan？ I'm not stepping aside so that you can protect the vampire spawn at the tribe's
expense。
I'm not telling you to step aside。
If you order them to follow you—
' never take anyone's will away from him。
His tail whipped back and forth as he recoiled from the judgment in my words。 Then he took a step
forward so that we were toe to toe； his exposed teeth inches from mine。 I hadn't noticed till this moment
that I'd grown taller than him。
There cannot be more than one Alpha。 The pack has chosen me。 Will you rip us apart tonight？ Will you
turn on your
brothers？ Or will you end this insanity and join us again？Every word was layered with mand； but it
couldn't touch me。 Alpha blood ran undiluted in my veins。
Icould see why there was never more than one Alpha male in a pack。 My body was responding to the
challenge。 I could feel the instinct to defend my claim rising in me。 The primitive core of my wolfself
tensed for the battle of supremacy。
I focusedall my energy to control that reaction。 I would not fall into a pointless； destructive fight with
Sam。 He was my brother still； even though I was rejecting him。
There is only one Alpha for this pack。 I'm not contesting that I'm just choosing to go my own way。
Do you belong to acoven now； Jacob？
I flinched。
don't know； Sam。 But I do know this—
He shrunk back as he felt the weight of the Alpha in my tone。 It affected him more than his touched me。
Because I had been born to lead him。
will stand between you and the Cullens。 I won't just watch while the pack kills innocent—it was
hard to apply that word to vampires； but it was true— people。 The pack is better than that。 Lead
them in the right direction； Sam。
I turned my back on him； and a chorus of howls tore into the air around me。
Digging my nails into the earth； I raced away from the uproar I'd caused。 I didn't have much time。 At
least Leah was the only one with a prayer of outrunning me； and I had a head start。
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The howling faded with the distance； and I took fort as the sound continued to rip apart the quiet
night。 They weren't after me yet。
I had to warn the Cullens before the pack could get it together and stop me。 If the Cullens were
prepared；it might give Sam a reason to rethink this before it was too late。 I sprinted toward the white
house Istill hated； leaving my home behindme。 Home didn't belong to me anymore。 I'd turned my back
on it。
Today had begun like any other day。 Made it home from patrol with the rainy sunrise； breakfast with
Billy and Rachel； bad TV； bickering withPaul。。。 How did it change so pletely； turn all surreal？ How
did everything get messed up and twisted so that I was here now； all alone； an unwilling Alpha； cut off
from my brothers； choosing vampires over them？
The sound I'd been fearing interrupted my dazed thoughts—it was the soft impact of big paws against
the ground； chasing after me。 I threw myself forward； rocketing through the black forest。 I just had to get
close enough so that Edward could hear the warning in my head。 Leah wouldn't be able to stop me
alone。
And then I caught the mood of the thoughts behind me。 Not anger； but enthusiasm。 Not chasing。。。 but
following。
My stride broke。 I staggered two steps before it evened out again。
Wait up。 My legs aren't as long as yours。
SETH！ What do you think you're DOING？ GO HOME！
He didn't answer； but I could feel his excitement as he kept right on after me。 I could see through his
eyes as he
could see through mine。 The night scene was bleak for me—fullof despair。 For him； it was hopeful。
I hadn't realized I was slowing down； but suddenly he was on my flank； running in position beside me。
am not joking； Seth！ This is no place for you。 Get out of here。
The gangly tan wolf snorted。 I've got your back； Jacob。 I think you're right。 And I'm not going to
stand behind Sam when—
Oh yes you are the hell going to stand behind Sam！ Get your furry butt back to La Push and do what
Sam tells you to do。
No。
Go； Seth！
Is that anorder。 Jacob？
His question brought me up short。 I skidded to a halt； my nails gouging furrows in the mud。
I'm not ordering anyone to do anything。 I'm just telling you what you already know。
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He plopped down on his haunches beside me。 ' tell you what I know —I know that it's awful quiet。
Haven't you noticed？
I blinked。 My tail swished nervously as I realized what he was thinking underneath the words。 It wasn't
quiet in one sense。 Howls still filled the air； far away in the west。
They haven't phased back；Seth said。
I knew that。 The pack would be on red alert now。 They would be using the mind link to see all sides
clearly。 But I couldn't hear what they were thinking。 I could only hear Seth。 No one else。
Looks to me like separate packs aren't linked。 Huh。 Guess there was no reason for our fathers to know
that before。 'Cause there was no reason for separate packs before。 Never enough wolves for two。 Wow。
It'sreally quiet。 Sort of eerie。 But also kinda nice； don't you think？ I bet it was easier； like this； for
Ephraim and Quil and Levi。 Not such a babble with just three。 Or just two。
Shut up； Seth。
Yes； sir。
Stop that！ There are not two packs。 There is THE pack； and then there is me。 That's all。 So you can go
home now。
If there aren't two packs； then why can we hear each other and not the rest？ I think that when you
turned your back on Sam； that was a pretty significant move。 A change。 And when I followed you away；
I think that was significant； too。
You've got a point；I conceded。 But what can change can change right back。
He got up and started trotting toward the east。 No time to argue about it now。 We should be moving
right along before Sam。。。
He was right about that part。 There was no time for this argument。 Ifell into a run again； no