murder。 He was good。 Good as any human we protected。 Maybe better。 The others； too； I supposed；
but I didn't feel as strongly about them。 I didn't know them as well。 It was Carlisle who would hate
fighting back； even to save his own life。 That's why we would be able to kill him—because he wouldn't
want us； his enemies； to die。
This was wrong。
And it wasn't just because killing Bella felt like killing me； like suicide。
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Pull it together； Jacob；Sam ordered。 The tribe es first
I was wrong today； Sam。
Your reasons were wrong then。 But now we have a duty to fulfill。
I braced myself。 No。
Sam snarled and stopped pacing in front of me。 He stared into my eyes and a deep growl slid between
his teeth。
Yes；the Alpha decreed； his double voice blistering with the heat of his authority。 There are no
loopholes tonight。 You； Jacob； are going to fight the Cullens with us。 You； with Quil and Embry；
will take care of Jasper and Emmett。 You are obligated to protect the tribe。 That is why you exist。
You willperform this obligation。
My shoulders hunched as the edict crushed me。 My legs collapsed； and I was on my belly under him。
No member of the pack could refuse the Alpha。
11。 THE TWO THINGS AT THE VERY TOP OF MY THINGSINEVERWANTTODO LIST
Sam started moving the others into formation while i was still on the ground。 Embry and Quil were at my
sides； waiting for me to recover and take the point。
I could feel the drive； the need； to get on my feet and lead them。 The pulsion grew； and I fought it
uselessly； cringing on the ground where I was。
Embry whined quietly in my ear。 He didn't want to think the words； afraid that he would bring me to
Sam's attention again。 I felt his wordless plea for me to get up； for me to get this over with and be done
with it。
There was fear in the pack； not so much for self but for the whole。 We couldn't imagine that we would
all make it out alive tonight。 Which brothers would we lose？ Which minds would leave us forever？ Which
grieving families would we be consoling in the morning？
My mind began to work with theirs； to think in unison； as we dealt with these fears。 Automatically； I
pushed up from the ground and shook out my coat。
Embry and Quil huffed in relief。 Quil touched his nose to my side once。
Their minds were filled with our challenge； our assignment。 We remembered together the nights we'd
watched the Cullens practicing for the fight with the newborns。 Emmett Cullen was strongest； but Jasper
would be the bigger problem。 He moved like a lightning strike—power and speed and death rolled into
one。 How many centuries' experience did he have？ Enough that all the other Cullens looked to him for
guidance。
' take point； if you want flank； Quil offered。 There was more excitement in his mind than most of the
others。 When Quil had watched Jasper's instruction those nights； he'd been dying to test his skill against
the vampire's。 For him； this would be a contest。 Even knowing it was his life on the line； he saw it that
way。 Paul was like that； too； and the kids who had never been in battle； Collin and Brady。 Seth probably
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would've been the same—if the opponents were not his friends。
Jake？Quil nudged me。 How do you want to roll？
I just shook my head； t couldn't concentrate—the pulsion to follow orders felt like puppet strings
hooked intoall of my muscles。 One foot forward； now another。
Seth was dragging behind Collin and Brady—Leah had assumed point there。 She ignored Seth while
planning with the others； and I could see that she'd rather leave him out of the fight。There was a maternal
edge to her feelings for her younger brother。 She wished Sam would send him home。 Seth didn't register
Leah's doubts。 He was adjusting to the puppet strings； too。
Maybe if you stopped resisting。。。；Embry whispered。
Just focus on our part。 The big ones。 We can take them down。 We own them！Quil was working himself
up—like a pep talk before a big game。
I could see how easy it would be—to think about nothing more than my part。 It wasn't hard to imaging
attacking Jasper and Emmett。 We'd been close to that before。 I'd thought of them as enemies for a very
long time。 I could do that now again。
I just had to forget that they were protecting the same thing I would protect。 I had to forget the reason
why I might want them to win。。。。
Jake；Embry warned。 Keep your head in the game。
My feet moved sluggishly； pulling against the drag of the strings。
There's no point fighting it；Embry whispered again。
He was right。 I would end up doing what Sam wanted； if he was willing to push it。 And he was。
Obviously。
There was a good reason for the Alpha's authority。 Even a pack as strong as ours wasn't much of a
force without a leader。 We had to move together； to think together； in order to be effective。 And that
required the body to have a head。
So what if Sam was wrong now？ There was nothing anyone could do。 No one could dispute his
decision。
Except。
And there it was—a thought I'd never； never wanted to have。 But now； with my legs all tied up in strings；
I recognized the exception with relief—more than relief； with a fierce joy。
No one could dispute the Alpha's decision—except for me。
I hadn't earned anything。 But there were things that had been born in me； things that I'd left unclaimed。
I'd never wanted to lead the pack。 I didn't want to do it now。 I didn't want the responsibility for all our
fates resting on my shoulders。 Sam was better at that than I would ever be。
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But he was wrong tonight。
And I had not been born to kneel to him。
The bonds fell off my body the second that I embraced my birthright。
I could feel it gathering in me； both a freedomand also a strange； hollow power。Hollow because an
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。