gone； and I didn’t know if your bloodsuckers were keeping an eye on you or not。 So we took off after her at
full speed； but she’d crossed the treaty line before we caught up。 We spread out along the line； hoping she’d
cross back over。 It was frustrating； let me tell you。” He wagged his head and his hair — growing out from the
short crop he’d adopted when he’d joined the pack — flopped into his eyes。 “We ended up too far south。
The Cullens chased her back to our side just a few miles north of us。 Would have been the perfect ambush if
we’d known where to wait。”
He shook his head； grimacing now。 “That’s when it got dicey。 Sam and the others caught up to her before
we did； but she was dancing right along the line； and the whole coven was right there on the other side。 The
big one； what’shisname —”
“Emmett。”
“Yeah； him。 He made a lunge for her； but that redhead is fast！ He flew right behind her and almost
rammed into Paul。 So； Paul 。 。 。 well； you know Paul。”
“Yeah。”
“Lost his focus。 Can’t say that I blame him — the big bloodsucker was right on top of him。 He sprang —
hey； don’t give me that look。 The vampire was on our land。”
I tried to pose my face so that he would go on。 My nails were digging into my palms with the stress of
the story； even though I knew it had turned out fine。
“Anyway； Paul missed； and the big one got back on his side。 But by then the； er； well the； uh； blonde 。 。 。”
Jacob’s expression was a ical mix of disgust and unwilling admiration as he tried to e up with a word
to describe Edward’s sister。
“Rosalie。”
“Whatever。 She got real territorial； so Sam and I fell back to get Paul’s flanks。 Then their leader and the
other blond male —”
“Carlisle and Jasper。”
He gave me an exasperated look。 “You know I don’t really care。 Anyway； so Carlisle spoke to Sam；
trying to calm things down。 Then it was weird； because everyone got really calm really fast。 It was that other
one you told me about； messing with our heads。 But even though we knew what he was doing； we couldn’t
not be calm。”
“Yeah； I know how it feels。”
“Really annoying； that’s how it feels。 Only you can’t be annoyed until afterwards。” He shook his head
angrily。 “So Sam and the head vamp agreed that Victoria was the priority； and we started after her again。
Carlisle gave us the line； so that we could follow the scent properly； but then she hit the cliffs just north of
Makah country； right where the line hugs the coast for a few miles。 She took off into the water again。 The big
one and the calm one wanted permission to cross the line to go after her； but of course we said no。”
“Good。 I mean； you were being stupid； but I’m glad。 Emmett’s never cautious enough。 He could have
gotten hurt。”
Jacob snorted。 “So did your vampire tell you we attacked for no reason and his totally innocent coven —”
“No；” I interrupted。 “Edward told me the same story； just without quite as many details。”
“Huh；” Jacob said under his breath； and he bent over to pick up a rock from among the millions of
pebbles at our feet。 With a casual flick； he sent it flying a good hundred meters out into the bay。 “Well； she’ll
be back； I guess。 We’ll get another shot at her。”
I shuddered； of course she would be back。 Would Edward really tell me next time？ I wasn’t sure。 I’d
have to keep an eye on Alice； to look for the signs that the pattern was about to repeat。 。 。 。
Jacob didn’t seem to notice my reaction。 He was staring across the waves with a thoughtful expression on
his face； his broad lips pursed。
“What are you thinking about？” I asked after a long； quiet time。
“I’m thinking about what you told me。 About when the fortueller saw you cliff jumping and thought
you’d mitted suicide； and how it all got out of control。 。 。 。 Do you realize that if you had just waited for
me like you were supposed to； then the bl — Alice wouldn’t have been able to see you jump？ Nothing would
have changed。 We’d probably be in my garage right now； like any other Saturday。 There wouldn’t be any
vampires in Forks； and you and me 。 。 。” He trailed off； deep in thought。
It was disconcerting the way he said this； like it would be a good thing to have no vampires in Forks。 My
heart thumped unevenly at the emptiness of the picture he painted。
“Edward would have e back anyway。”
“Are you sure about that？” he asked； belligerent again as soon as I spoke Edward’s name。
“Being apart 。 。 。 It didn’t work out so well for either of us。”
He started to say something； something angry from his expression； but he stopped himself； took a breath；
and began again。
“Did you know Sam is mad at you？”
“Me？” It took me a second。 “Oh。 I see。 He thinks they would have stayed away if I wasn’t here。”
“No。 That’s not it。”
“What’s his problem then？”
Jacob leaned down to scoop up another rock。 He turned it over and over in his fingers； his eyes were
riveted on the black stone while he spoke in a low voice。
“When Sam saw 。 。 。 how you were in the beginning； when Billy told them how Charlie worried when you
didn’t get better； and then when you started jumping off cliffs 。 。 。”
I made a face。 No one was ever going to let me forget that。
Jacob’s eyes flashed up to mine。 “He thought you were the one person in the world with as much reason
to hate the Cullens as he does。 Sam feels sort of 。 。 。 betrayed that you would just let them back into your life
like they never hurt you。”
I didn’t believe for a second that Sam was the only one who felt that way。 And the acid in my voice now
was for both of them。
“You can tell Sam to go right to —”
“Look at that；” Jacob interrupted me； pointing to an eagle in the act of plummeting down toward the ocean
from an incredible height。 It checked itself at the last minute； only its talons breaking the surface of the waves；
just for an instant。 Then it flapped away； its wings straining against the load of the huge fish it had snagged。
“You see it everywhere；” Jacob said； his voice suddenly distant。 “Nature taking its course — hunter and
prey； the endless cycle of life and death。”
I didn’t understand the point of the nature lecture； I guessed that he was just trying to change the subject。
But then he looked down at me with dark humor in his eyes。
“And yet； you don’t see the fish trying to plant a kiss on the eagle。 You never see that。” He grinned a
mocking grin。
I grinned back tightly； though the acid taste was still in my mouth。 “Maybe the fish was trying；” I
suggested。 “It’s hard to tell what a fish is thinking。 Eagles are goodlooking birds； you know。”
“Is that what it es down to？” His voice was abruptly sharper。 “Good looks？”
“Don’t be stupid； Jacob。”
“Is it the money； then？” he persisted。
“That’s nice；” I muttered； getting up from the tree。 “I’m flattered that you think so much of me。” I turned
my back on him and paced away。
“Aw； don’t get mad。” He was right behind me； he caught my wrist and spun me around。 “I’m serious！ I’m
trying to understand here； and I’m ing up blank。”
His eyebrows pushed together angrily； and his eyes were black in their deep shadow。
“I love him。 Not because he’s beautiful or because he’s rich！” I spat the word at Jacob。 “I’d much rather
he weren’t either one。 It would even out the gap between us just a little bit — because he’d still be the most
loving and unselfish and brilliant and decent person I’ve ever met。 Of course I love him。 How hard is that to
understand？”
“It’s impossible to understand。”
“Please enlighten me； then； Jacob。” I let the sarcasm flow thick。 “What is a valid reason for someone to
love someone else？ Since apparently I’m doing it wrong。”
“I think the best place to start would be to look within your own species。 That usually works。”
“Well； that just sucks！” I snapped。 “I guess I’m stuck with Mike Newton after all。”
Jacob flinched back and bit his lip。 I could see that my words had hurt him； but I was too mad to feel bad
about that yet。 He dropped my wrist and folded his arms across his chest； turning from me to glare toward the
ocean。
“I’m human；” he muttered； his voice almost inaudible。
“You’re not as human as Mike；” I continued ruthlessly。 “Do you still think that’s the most important
consideration？”
“It’s not the same thing。” Jacob didn’t look away from the gray waves。 “I didn’t choose this。”
I laughed once in disbelief。 “Do you think Edward did？ He didn’t know what was happening to him any
more than you did。 He didn’t exactly sign up for this。”
Jacob was shaking his head back and forth with a small； quick movement。
“You know； Jacob； you’re awfully selfrighteous — considering that you’re a werewolf and all。”
“It’s not the same；” Jacob repeated； glowering at me。
“I don’t see why not。 You could be a bit more understanding about the Cullens。 You have no idea how
truly good they are — to the core； Jacob。”
He frowned more deeply。 “They shouldn’t exist。 Their existence goes against nature。”
I stared at him for a long moment with one eyebrow raised incredulously。 It was a while before he noticed。
“What？”
“Speaking of unnatural 。 。 。 ；” I hinted。
“Bella；” he said； his voice slow and different。 Aged。 I realized that he sounded suddenly older than me —
like a parent or a teacher。 “What I am was born in me。 It’s a part of who I am； who my family is； who we all
are as a tribe — it’s the reason why we’re still here。
“Besides that” — he looked down at me； his black eyes unreadable — “I am stillhuman。”
He picked up my hand and pressed it to his feverwarm chest。 Through his tshirt； I could feel the steady
beating of his heart under my palm。
“Normal humans can’t throw motorcycles around the way you can。”
He smiled a faint； halfsmile。 “Normal humans run away from monsters； Bella。 And I never claimed to be
normal。 Just human。”
Staying angry with Jacob was too much work。 I started to smile as I pulled my hand away from his chest。
“You look plenty human to me；” I allowed。 “At the moment。”
“I feel human。” He stared past me；