“I’m watching；” she repeated。
Edward had closed on Jasper now； and this fight was more even than either of the others。 Jasper had the
century of experience to guide him； and he tried to go on instinct alone as much as he could； but his thoughts
always gave him away a fraction of a second before he acted。 Edward was slightly faster； but the moves
Jasper used were unfamiliar to him。 They came at each other again and again； neither one able to gain the
advantage； instinctive snarls erupting constantly。 It was hard to watch； but harder to look away。 They moved
too fast for me to really understand what they were doing。 Now and then the sharp eyes of the wolves would
catch my attention。 I had a feeling the wolves were getting more out of this than I was — maybe more than
they should。
Eventually； Carlisle cleared his throat。
Jasper laughed； and took a step back。 Edward straightened up and grinned at him。
“Back to work；” Jasper consented。 “We’ll call it a draw。”
Everyone took turns； Carlisle； then Rosalie； Esme； and Emmett again。 I squinted through my lashes；
cringing as Jasper attacked Esme。 That one was the hardest to watch。 Then he slowed down； still not quite
enough for me to understand his motions； and gave more instruction。
“You see what I’m doing here？” he would ask。 “Yes； just like that；” he encouraged。 “Concentrate on the
sides。 Don’t forget where their target will be。 Keep moving。”
Edward was always focused； watching and also listening to what others couldn’t see。
It got more difficult to follow as my eyes got heavier。 I hadn’t been sleeping well lately； anyway； and it was
approaching a solid twenty…four hours since the last time I’d slept。 I leaned against Edward’s side； and let my
eyelids droop。
“We’re about finished；” he whispered。
Jasper confirmed that； turning toward the wolves for the first time； his expression uncomfortable again。
“We’ll be doing this tomorrow。 Please feel welcome to observe again。”
“Yes；” Edward answered in Sam’s cool voice。 “We’ll be here。”
Then Edward sighed； patted my arm； and stepped away from me。 He turned to his family。
“The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents — so they don’t make mistakes
later。 If we could hold very still； it will make it easier for them。”
“Certainly；” Carlisle said to Sam。 “Whatever you need。”
There was a gloomy； throaty grumble from the wolf pack as they all rose to their feet。
My eyes were wide again； exhaustion forgotten。
The deep black of the night was just beginning to fade — the sun brightening the clouds； though it hadn’t
cleared the horizon yet； far away on the other side of the mountains。 As they approached； it was suddenly
possible to make out shapes 。 。 。 colors。
Sam was in the lead； of course。 Unbelievably huge； black as midnight； a monster straight out of my
nightmares — literally； after the first time I’d seen Sam and the others in the meadow； they’d starred in my bad
dreams more than once。
Now that I could see them all； match the vastness with each pair of eyes； it looked like more than ten。 The
pack was overwhelming。
Out of the corner of my eye； I saw that Edward was watching me； carefully evaluating my reaction。
Sam approached Carlisle where he stood in the front； the huge pack right on his tail。 Jasper stiffened； but
Emmett； on the other side of Carlisle； was grinning and relaxed。
Sam sniffed at Carlisle； seeming to wince slightly as he did。 Then he moved on to Jasper。
My eyes ran down the wary brace of wolves。 I was sure I could pick out a few of the new additions。
There was a light gray wolf that was much smaller than the others； the hackles on the back of his neck raised
in distaste。 There was another； the color of desert sand； who seemed gangly and uncoordinated beside the
rest。 A low whine broke through the sandy wolf’s control when Sam’s advance left him isolated between
Carlisle and Jasper。
I stopped at the wolf just behind Sam。 His fur was reddish…brown and longer than the others； shaggy in
comparison。 He was almost as tall as Sam； the second largest in the group。 His stance was casual； somehow
exuding nonchalance over what the rest obviously considered an ordeal。
The enormous russet…colored wolf seemed to feel my gaze； and he looked up at me with familiar black
eyes。
I stared back at him； trying to believe what I already knew。 I could feel the wonder and fascination on my
face。
The wolf’s muzzle fell open； pulling back over his teeth。 It would have been a frightening expression；
except that his tongue lolled out the side in a wolfy grin。
I giggled。
Jacob’s grin widened over his sharp teeth。 He left his place in line； ignoring the eyes of his pack as they
followed him。 He trotted past Edward and Alice to stand not two feet away from me。 He stopped there； his
gaze flickering briefly toward Edward。
Edward stood motionless； a statue； his eyes still assessing my reaction。
Jacob crouched down on his front legs and dropped his head so that his face was no higher than mine；
staring at me； measuring my response just as much as Edward was。
“Jacob？” I breathed。
The answering rumble deep in his chest sounded like a chuckle。
I reached my hand out； my fingers trembling slightly； and touched the red…brown fur on the side of his face。
The black eyes closed； and Jacob leaned his huge head into my hand。 A thrumming hum resonated in this
throat。
The fur was both soft and rough； and warm against my skin。 I ran my fingers through it curiously； learning
the texture； stroking his neck where the color deepened。 I hadn’t realized how close I’d gotten； without
warning； Jacob suddenly licked my face from chin to hairline。
“Ew！ Gross； Jake！” I complained； jumping back and smacking at him； just as I would have if he were
human。 He dodged out of the way； and the coughing bark that came through his teeth was obviously laughter。
I wiped my face on the sleeve of my shirt； unable to keep from laughing with him。
It was at that point that I realized that everyone was watching us； the Cullens and the werewolves — the
Cullens with perplexed and somewhat disgusted expressions。 It was hard to read the wolves’ faces。 I thought
Sam looked unhappy。
And then there was Edward； on edge and clearly disappointed。 I realized he’d been hoping for a different
reaction from me。 Like screaming and running away in terror。
Jacob made the laughing sound again。
The other wolves were backing away now； not taking their eyes off the Cullens as they departed。 Jacob
stood by my side； watching them go。 Soon； they disappeared into the murky forest。 Only two hesitated by the
trees； watching Jacob； their postures radiating anxiety。
Edward sighed； and — ignoring Jacob — came to stand on my other side； taking my hand。
“Ready to go？” he asked me。
Before I could answer； he was staring over me at Jacob。
“I’ve not quite figured out all the details yet；” he said； answering a question in Jacob’s thoughts。
The Jacob…wolf grumbled sullenly。
“It’s more complicated than that；” Edward said。 “Don’t concern yourself； I’ll make sure it’s safe。”
“What are you talking about？” I demanded。
“Just discussing strategy；” Edward said。
Jacob’s head swiveled back and forth； looking at our faces。 Then； suddenly； he bolted for the forest。 As
he darted away； I noticed for the first time a square of folded black fabric secured to his back leg。
“Wait；” I called； one hand stretching out automatically to reach after him。 But he disappeared into the trees
in seconds； the other two wolves following。
“Why did he leave？” I asked； hurt。
“He’s coming back；” Edward said。 He sighed。 “He wants to be able to talk for himself。”
I watched the edge of the forest where Jacob had vanished； leaning into Edward’s side again。 I was on the
point of collapse； but I was fighting it。
Jacob loped back into view； on two legs this time。 His broad chest was bare； his hair tangled and shaggy。
He wore only a pair of black sweat pants； his feet bare to the cold ground。 He was alone now； but I
suspected that his friends lingered in the trees； invisible。
It didn’t take him long to cross the field； though he gave a wide berth to the Cullens； who stood talking
quietly in a loose circle。
“Okay； bloodsucker；” Jacob said when he was a few feet from us； evidently continuing the conversation
I’d missed。 “What’s so complicated about it？”
“I have to consider every possibility；” Edward said； unruffled。 “What if someone gets by you？”
Jacob snorted at that idea。 “Okay； so leave her on the reservation。 We’re making Collin and Brady stay
behind anyway。 She’ll be safe there。”
I scowled。 “Are you talking about me？”
“I just want to know what he plans to do with you during the fight；” Jacob explained。
“Do with me？”
“You can’t stay in Forks； Bella。” Edward’s voice was pacifying。 “They know where to look for you there。
What if someone slipped by us？”
My stomach dropped and the blood drained from my face。 “Charlie？” I gasped。
“He’ll be with Billy；” Jacob assured me quickly。 “If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there； he’ll
do it。 Probably it won’t take that much。 It’s this Saturday； right？ There’s a game。”
“This Saturday？” I asked； my head spinning。 I was too lightheaded to control my wildly random thoughts。
I frowned at Edward。 “Well； crap！ There goes your graduation present。”
Edward laughed。 “It’s the thought that counts；” he reminded me。 “You can give the tickets to someone
else。”
Inspiration came swiftly。 “Angela and Ben；” I decided at once。 “At least that will get them out of town。”
He touched my cheek。 “You can’t evacuate everyone；” he said in a gentle voice。 “Hiding you is just a
precaution。 I told you — we’ll have no problem now。 There won’t be enough of them to keep us entert