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at my chest—had told me how difficult it was to kill a vampire。 Only another vampire could do the job。
Yet Jake said this was what werewolves were made for…
He said they were keeping a special eye on Charlie—that I should trust the werewolves to keep my
father safe。 How could I trust that？ None of us were safe！ Jacob the very least of all； if he was trying to
put himself between Victoria and Charlie… between Victoria and me。
I felt like I might be about to throw up again。
A sharp rap on the truck's window made me yelp in terror—but it was just Jacob； back already。 I
unlocked the door with trembling； grateful fingers。
〃You're really scared； aren't you？〃 he asked as he climbed in。
I nodded。
〃Don't be。 We'll take care of you—and Charlie； too。 I promise。〃
〃The idea of you finding Victoria is scarier than the idea of her finding me；〃 I whispered。
He laughed。 〃You've got to have a little more confidence in us than that。 It's insulting。〃
I just shook my head。 I'd seen too many vampires in action。
〃Where did you go just now？〃 I asked。
He pursed his lips； and said nothing。
〃What？ Is it a secret？〃
He frowned。 〃Not really。 It's kind of weird； though。 I don't want to freak you out。〃
〃I'm sort of used to weird by this point； you know。〃 I tried to smile without much success。
Jacob grinned back easily。 〃Guess you'd have to be。 Okay。 See； when we're wolves； we can… hear
each other。〃
My eyebrows pulled down in confusion。
〃Not hear sounds；〃 he went on； 〃but we can hear… thoughts—each other's anyway—no matter how far
away from each other we are。 It really helps when we hunt； but it's a big pain otherwise。 It's
embarrassing—having no secrets like that。 Freaky； eh？〃
〃Is that what you meant last night； when you said you would tell them you'd seen me； even though you
didn't want to？〃
〃You're quick。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃You're also very good with weird。 I thought that would bother you。〃
〃It's not… well； you're not the first person I've known who could do that。 So it doesn't seem so weird to
me。〃
〃Really？… Wait—are you talking about your bloodsuckers？〃
〃I wish you wouldn't call them that。〃
He laughed。 〃Whatever。 The Cullens； then？〃
〃Just… just Edward。〃 I pulled one arm surreptitiously around my torso。
Jacob looked surprised—unpleasantly so。 〃I thought those were just stories。 I've heard legends about
vampires who could do… extra stuff； but I thought that was just a myth。〃
〃Is anything just a myth anymore？〃 I asked him wryly。
He scowled。 〃Guess not。 Okay； we're going to meet Sam and the others at the place we go to ride our
bikes。〃
I started the truck and headed back up the road。
〃So did you just turn into a wolf now； to talk to Sam？〃 I asked； curious。
Jacob nodded； seeming embarrassed。 〃I kept it real short—I tried not to think about you so they
wouldn't know what was going on。 I was afraid Sam would tell me I couldn't bring you。〃
〃That wouldn't have stopped me。〃 I couldn't get rid of my perception of Sam as the bad guy。 My teeth
clenched together whenever I heard his name。
〃Well； it would have stopped me；〃 Jacob said； morose now。 〃Remember how I couldn't finish my
sentences last night？ How I couldn't just tell you the whole story？〃
〃Yeah。 You looked like you were choking on something。〃
He chuckled darkly。 〃Close enough。 Sam told me I couldn't tell you。 He's… the head of the pack； you
know。 He's the Alpha。 When he tells us to do something； or not to do something—when he really means
it； well； we can't just ignore him。〃
〃Weird；〃 I muttered。
〃Very；〃 he agreed。 〃It's kind of a wolf thing。〃
〃Huh〃 was the best response I could think of。
〃Yeah； there's a load of stuff like that—wolf things。 I'm still learning。 I can't imagine what it was like for
Sam； trying to deal with this alone。 It sucks bad enough to go through it with a whole pack for support。〃
〃Sam was alone？〃
〃Yeah。〃 Jacob's voice lowered。 〃When I… changed； it was the most… horrible； the most terrifying
thing I've ever been through—worse than anything I could have imagined。 But I wasn't alone—there
were the voices there； in my head； telling me what had happened and what I had to do。 That kept me
from losing my mind； I think。 But Sam…〃 He shook his head。 〃Sam had no help。〃
This was going to take some adjusting。 When Jacob explained it like that； it was hard not to feel
compassion for Sam。 I had to keep reminding myself that there was no reason to hate him anymore。
〃Will they be angry that I'm with you？〃 I asked。
He made a face。 〃Probably。〃
〃Maybe I shouldn't—〃
〃No； it's okay；〃 he assured me。 〃You know a ton of things that can help us。 It's not like you're just some
ignorant human。 You're like a… I don't know； spy or something。 You've been behind enemy lines。〃
I frowned to myself。 Was that what Jacob would want from me？ Insider information to help them destroy
their enemies？ I wasn't a spy； though。 I hadn't been collecting that kind of information。 Already； his words
made me feel like a traitor。
But I wanted him to stop Victoria； didn't I？
No。
I did want Victoria to be stopped； preferably before she tortured me to death or ran into Charlie or killed
another stranger。 I just didn't want Jacob to be the one to stop her； or rather to try。 I didn't want Jacob
within a hundred miles of her。
〃Like the stuff about the mind…reading bloodsucker；〃 he continued； oblivious to my reverie。 〃That's the
kind of thing we need to know about。 That really sucks that those stories are true。 It makes everything
more complicated。 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；〃