I shrugged。
“Like I said； it’s a long story。 And very 。 。 。 strange。 There’re so many strange things about this new life。 I
haven’t had time to tell you the half of it。 And this thing with Sam — well； I don’t know if I’ll even be able to
explain it right。”
His words pricked my curiosity in spite of my irritation。
“I’m listening；” I said stiffly。
Out of the corner of my eye； I saw the side of his face pull up in a smile。
“Sam had it so much harder than the rest of us。 Because he was the first； and he was alone； and he didn’t
have anyone to tell him what was happening。 Sam’s grandfather died before he was born； and his father has
never been around。 There was no one there to recognize the signs。 The first time it happened — the first time
he phased — he thought he’d gone insane。 It took him two weeks to calm down enough to change back。
“This was before you came to Forks； so you wouldn’t remember。 Sam’s mother and Leah Clearwater
had the forest rangers searching for him； the police。 People thought there had been an accident or something。 。
。 。”
“Leah？” I asked； surprised。 Leah was Harry’s daughter。 Hearing her name sent an automatic surge of pity
through me。 Harry Clearwater； Charlie’s life…long friend； had died of a heart attack this past spring。
His voice changed； became heavier。 “Yeah。 Leah and Sam were high school sweethearts。 They started
dating when she was just a freshman。 She was frantic when he disappeared。”
“But he and Emily —”
“I’ll get to that — it’s part of the story；” he said。 He inhaled slowly； and then exhaled in a gust。
I supposed it was silly for me to imagine that Sam had never loved anyone before Emily。 Most people fall
in and out of love many times in their lives。 It was just that I’d seen Sam with Emily； and I couldn’t imagine him
with someone else。 The way he looked at her 。 。 。 well； it reminded me of a look I’d seen sometimes in
Edward’s eyes — when he was looking at me。
“Sam came back；” Jacob said； “but he wouldn’t talk to anyone about where he’d been。 Rumors flew —
that he was up to no good； mostly。 And then Sam happened to run in to Quil’s grandfather one afternoon
when Old Quil Ateara came to visit Mrs。 Uley。 Sam shook his hand。 Old Quil just about had a stroke。” Jacob
paused to laugh。
“Why？”
Jacob put his hand on my cheek and pulled my face around to look at him — he was leaning toward me；
his face was just a few inches away。 His palm burned my skin； like he had a fever。
“Oh； right；” I said。 It was uncomfortable； having my face so close to his with his hand hot against my skin。
“Sam was running a temperature。”
Jacob laughed again。 “Sam’s hand felt like he’d left it sitting on a hot stovetop。”
He was so close； I could feel his warm breath。 I reached up casually； to take his hand away and free my
face； but wound my fingers through his so that I wouldn’t hurt his feelings。 He smiled and leaned back；
undeceived by my attempt at nonchalance。
“So Mr。 Ateara went straight to the other elders；” Jacob went on。 “They were the only ones left who still
knew； who remembered。 Mr。 Ateara； Billy； and Harry had actually seen their grandfathers make the change。
When Old Quil told them； they met with Sam secretly and explained。
“It was easier when he understood — when he wasn’t alone anymore。 They knew he wouldn’t be the only
one affected by the Cullens’ return” — he pronounced the name with unconscious bitterness — “but no one
else was old enough。 So Sam waited for the rest of us to join him。 。 。 。”
“The Cullens had no idea；” I said in a whisper。 “They didn’t think that werewolves still existed here。 They
didn’t know that coming here would change you。”
“It doesn’t change the fact that it did。”
“Remind me not to get on your bad side。”
“You think I should be as forgiving as you are？ We can’t all be saints and martyrs。”
“Grow up； Jacob。”
“I wish I could；” he murmured quietly。
I stared at him； trying to make sense of his response。 “What？”
Jacob chuckled。 “One of those many strange things I mentioned。”
“You 。 。 。 can’t 。 。 。 grow up？” I said blankly。 “You’re what？ Not 。 。 。 aging？ Is that a joke？”
“Nope。” He popped his lips on the P。
I felt blood flood my face。 Tears — tears of rage — filled my eyes。 My teeth mashed together with an
audible grinding sound。
“Bella？ What did I say？”
I was on my feet again； my hands balled up into fists； my whole frame shaking。
“You。 Are。 Not。 Aging；” I growled through my teeth。
Jacob tugged my arm gently； trying to make me sit。 “None of us are。 What’s wrong with you？”
“Am I the only one who has to get old？ I get older every stinking day！” I nearly shrieked； throwing my
hands in the air。 Some little part of me recognized that I was throwing a Charlie…esque fit； but that rational part
was greatly overshadowed by the irrational part。 “Damn it！ What kind of world is this？ Where’s the justice？”
“Take it easy； Bella。”
“Shut up； Jacob。 Just shut up！ This is so unfair！”
“Did you seriously just stamp your foot？ I thought girls only did that on TV。”
I growled unimpressively。
“It’s not as bad as you seem to think it is。 Sit down and I’ll explain。”
“I’ll stand。”
He rolled his eyes。 “Okay。 Whatever you want。 But listen； I will get older 。 。 。 someday。”
“Explain。”
He patted the tree。 I glowered for a second； but then sat； my temper had burned out as suddenly as it had
flared and I’d calmed down enough to realize that I was making a fool of myself。
“When we get enough control to quit 。 。 。 ；” Jacob said。 “When we stop phasing for a solid length of time；
we age again。 It’s not easy。” He shook his head； abruptly doubtful。 “It’s gonna take a really long time to learn
that kind of restraint； I think。 Even Sam’s not there yet。 ’Course it doesn’t help that there’s a huge coven of
vampires right down the road。 We can’t even think about quitting when the tribe needs protectors。 But you
shouldn’t get all bent out of shape about it； anyway； because I’m already older than you； physically at least。”
“What are you talking about？”
“Look at me； Bells。 Do I look sixteen？”
I glanced up and down his mammoth frame； trying to be unbiased。 “Not exactly； I guess。”
“Not at all。 Because we reach full growth inside of a few months when the werewolf gene gets triggered。
It’s one hell of a growth spurt。” He made a face。 “Physically； I’m probably twenty…five or something。 So
there’s no need for you to freak out about being too old for me for at least another seven years。”
Twenty…five or something。 The idea messed with my head。 But I remembered that growth spurt — I
remembered watching him shoot up and fill out right before my eyes。 I remembered how he would look
different from one day to the next。 。 。 。 I shook my head； feeling dizzy。
“So； did you want to hear about Sam； or did you want to scream at me some more for things that are out
of my control？”
I took a deep breath。 “Sorry。 Age is a touchy subject for me。 That hit a nerve。”
Jacob’s eyes tightened； and he looked as if he were trying to decide how to word something。
Since I didn’t want to talk about the truly touchy stuff — my plans for the future； or treaties that might be
broken by said plans； I prompted him。 “So once Sam understood what was going on； once he had Billy and
Harry and Mr。 Ateara； you said it wasn’t so hard anymore。 And； like you also said； there are the cool parts。 。
。 。” I hesitated briefly。 “Why does Sam hate them so much？ Why does he wish I would hate them？”
Jacob sighed。 “This is the really weird part。”
“I’m a pro at weird。”
“Yeah； I know。” He grinned before he continued。 “So； you’re right。 Sam knew what was going on； and
everything was almost okay。 In most ways； his life was back to； well； not normal。 But better。” Then Jacob’s
expression tightened； like something painful was coming。 “Sam couldn’t tell Leah。 We aren’t supposed to tell
anyone who doesn’t have to know。 And it wasn’t really safe for him to be around her — but he cheated； just
like I did with you。 Leah was furious that he wouldn’t tell her what was going on — where he’d been； where
he went at night； why he was always so exhausted — but they were working it out。 They were trying。 They
really loved each other。”
“Did she find out？ Is that what happened？”
He shook his head。 “No； that wasn’t the problem。 Her cousin； Emily Young； came down from the Makah
reservation to visit her one weekend。”
I gasped。 “Emily is Leah’s cousin？”
“Second cousins。 They’re close； though。 They were like sisters when they were kids。”
“That’s 。 。 。 horrible。 How could Sam 。 。 。 ？” I trailed off； shaking my head。
“Don’t judge him just yet。 Did anyone ever tell you 。 。 。 Have you ever heard of imprinting？”
“Imprinting？” I repeated the unfamiliar word。 “No。 What’s that mean？”
“It’s one of those bizarre things we have to deal with。 It doesn’t happen to everyone。 In fact； it’s the rare
exception； not the rule。 Sam had heard all the stories by then； the stories we all used to think were legends。
He’d heard of imprinting； but he never dreamed 。 。 。”
“What is it？” I prodded。
Jacob’s eyes strayed to the ocean。 “Sam did love Leah。 But when he saw Emily； that didn’t matter
anymore。 Sometimes 。 。 。 we don’t exactly know why 。 。 。 we find our mates that way。” His eyes flashed back
to me； his face reddening。 “I mean 。 。 。 our soul mates。”
“What way？ Love at first sight？” I snickered。
Jacob wasn’t smiling。 His dark eyes were critical of my reaction。 “It’s a little bit more powerful than that。
More absolute。”
“Sorry；” I muttered。 “You’re serious； aren’t you？”
“Yeah； I am。”
“Love at first