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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
passion 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 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