I　had　to　warn　the　Cullens　before　the　pack　could　get　it　together　and　stop　me。　If　the　Cullens　were
  prepared；it　might　give　Sam　a　reason　to　rethink　this　before　it　was　too　late。　I　sprinted　toward　the　white
  house　Istill　hated；　leaving　my　home　behindme。　Home　didn't　belong　to　me　anymore。　I'd　turned　my　back
  on　it。
  Today　had　begun　like　any　other　day。　Made　it　home　from　patrol　with　the　rainy　sunrise；　breakfast　with
  Billy　and　Rachel；　bad　TV；　bickering　withPaul。。。　How　did　it　change　so　completely；　turn　all　surreal？　How
  did　everything　get　messed　up　and　twisted　so　that　I　was　here　now；　all　alone；　an　unwilling　Alpha；　cut　off
  from　my　brothers；　choosing　vampires　over　them？
  The　sound　I'd　been　fearing　interrupted　my　dazed　thoughts—it　was　the　soft　impact　of　big　paws　against
  the　ground；　chasing　after　me。　I　threw　myself　forward；　rocketing　through　the　black　forest。　I　just　had　to　get
  close　enough　so　that　Edward　could　hear　the　warning　in　my　head。　Leah　wouldn't　be　able　to　stop　me
  alone。
  And　then　I　caught　the　mood　of　the　thoughts　behind　me。　Not　anger；　but　enthusiasm。　Not　chasing。。。　but
  following。
  My　stride　broke。　I　staggered　two　steps　before　it　evened　out　again。
  Wait　up。　My　legs　aren't　as　long　as　yours。
  SETH！　What　do　you　think　you're　DOING？　GO　HOME！
  He　didn't　answer；　but　I　could　feel　his　excitement　as　he　kept　right　on　after　me。　I　could　see　through　his
  eyes　as　he
  could　see　through　mine。　The　night　scene　was　bleak　for　me—fullof　despair。　For　him；　it　was　hopeful。
  I　hadn't　realized　I　was　slowing　down；　but　suddenly　he　was　on　my　flank；　running　in　position　beside　me。
  /　am　not　joking；　Seth！　This　is　no　place　for　you。　Get　out　of　here。
  The　gangly　tan　wolf　snorted。　I've　got　your　back；　Jacob。　I　think　you're　right。　And　I'm　not　going　to
  stand　behind　Sam　when—
  Oh　yes　you　are　the　hell　going　to　stand　behind　Sam！　Get　your　furry　butt　back　to　La　Push　and　do　what
  Sam　tells　you　to　do。
  No。
  Go；　Seth！
  Is　that　anorder。　Jacob？
  His　question　brought　me　up　short。　I　skidded　to　a　halt；　my　nails　gouging　furrows　in　the　mud。
  I'm　not　ordering　anyone　to　do　anything。　I'm　just　telling　you　what　you　already　know。
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  He　plopped　down　on　his　haunches　beside　me。　/'//　tell　you　what　I　know　—I　know　that　it's　awful　quiet。
  Haven't　you　noticed？
  I　blinked。　My　tail　swished　nervously　as　I　realized　what　he　was　thinking　underneath　the　words。　It　wasn't
  quiet　in　one　sense。　Howls　still　filled　the　air；　far　away　in　the　west。
  They　haven't　phased　back；Seth　said。
  I　knew　that。　The　pack　would　be　on　red　alert　now。　They　would　be　using　the　mind　link　to　see　all　sides
  clearly。　But　I　couldn't　hear　what　they　were　thinking。　I　could　only　hear　Seth。　No　one　else。
  Looks　to　me　like　separate　packs　aren't　linked。　Huh。　Guess　there　was　no　reason　for　our　fathers　to　know
  that　before。　'Cause　there　was　no　reason　for　separate　packs　before。　Never　enough　wolves　for　two。　Wow。
  It'sreally　quiet。　Sort　of　eerie。　But　also　kinda　nice；　don't　you　think？　I　bet　it　was　easier；　like　this；　for
  Ephraim　and　Quil　and　Levi。　Not　such　a　babble　with　just　three。　Or　just　two。
  Shut　up；　Seth。
  Yes；　sir。
  Stop　that！　There　are　not　two　packs。　There　is　THE　pack；　and　then　there　is　me。　That's　all。　So　you　can　go
  home　now。
  If　there　aren't　two　packs；　then　why　can　we　hear　each　other　and　not　the　rest？　I　think　that　when　you
  turned　your　back　on　Sam；　that　was　a　pretty　significant　move。　A　change。　And　when　I　followed　you　away；
  I　think　that　was　significant；　too。
  You've　got　a　point；I　conceded。　But　what　can　change　can　change　right　back。
  He　got　up　and　started　trotting　toward　the　east。　No　time　to　argue　about　it　now。　We　should　be　moving
  right　along　before　Sam。。。
  He　was　right　about　that　part。　There　was　no　time　for　this　argument。　Ifell　into　a　run　again；　not　pushing
  myself　quite　as　hard。　Seth　stayed　on　my　heels；　holding　the　Second's　traditional　place　on　my　right　flank。
  /　can　run　somewhere　else；　he　thought；　his　nose　dipping　a　little。　/　didn't　follow　you　because　I　was　after
  a　promotion。
  Run　wherever　you　want。　Makes　no　difference　to　me。
  There　was　no　sound　of　pursuit；　but　we　both　stepped　it　up　a　little　at　the　same　time。　I　was　worried　now。　If
  I　couldn't　tap　into　the　pack's　mind；　it　was　going　to　make　this　more　difficult。　I'd　have　no　more　advance
  warning　of　attack　than　the　Cullens。
  We'll　run　patrols；Seth　suggested。
  And　what　do　we　do　if　the　pack　challenges　us？My　eyes　tightened。　Attack　our　brothers？　Your　sister？
  No—　we　sound　the　alarm　and　fall　back。
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  Good　answer。　But　then　what？　I　don't　think。。。
  I　know；he　agreed。　Less　confident　now。　/　don't　think　I　can　fight　them；　either。　But　they　won't　be　any
  happier　with　the　idea　of　attacking　us　than　we　are　with　attacking　them。　That　might　be　enough　to
  stop　them　right　there。　Pius；　there're　only　eight　of　them　now。
  Stop　being　so。。。Took　me　a　minute　to　decide　on　the　right　word。　Optimistic。　It's　getting　on　my　nerves。
  No　problem。　You　want　me　to　be　all　doom　and　gloom；　or　just　shut　up？
  Just　shut　up。
  Can　do。
  Really？　Doesn't　seem　like　it。
  He　was　finally　quiet。
  And　then　we　were　across　the　road　and　moving　through　the　forest　that　ringed　the　Cullens'　house。　Could
  Edward　hear　us　yet？
  Maybe　we　should　be　thinking　something　like；'We　come　in　peace。〃
  Go　for　it
  Edward？He　called　the　name　tentatively。　Edward；　you　there？　Okay；　now　I　feel　kinda　stupid。
  You　sound　stupid；　too。
  Think　he　can　hear　us？
  We　were　less　than　a　mile　out　now。　/　think　so。　Hey；　Edward。　If　you　can　hear　me—　circle　the　wagons；
  bloodsucker。　You've　got　a　problem。
  We've　got　a　problem；　Seth　corrected。
  Then　we　broke　through　the　trees　into　the　big　lawn。　The　house　was　dark；　but　not　empty。　Edward　stood
  on　the　porch　between　Emmett　and　Jasper。　They　were　snow　white　in　the　pale　light。
  〃Jacob？　Seth？　What's　going　on？〃
  I　slowed　and　then　paced　back　a　few　steps。　The　smell　was　so　sharp　through　this　nose　that　it　felt　like　it
  was　honestly　burning　me。　Seth　whined　quietly；　hesitating；　and　then　he　fell　back　behind　me。
  To　answer　Edward's　question；　I　let　my　mind　run　over　the　confrontation　with　Sam；　moving　through　it
  backward。　Seth　thought　with　me；　filling　in　the　gaps；　showing　the　scene　from　another　angle。　We　stopped
  when　we　got　to　the　part
  about　the　〃abomination；〃　because　Edward　hissed　furiously　and　leaped　off　the　porch。
  〃They　want　to　kill　Bella？〃　he　snarled　flatly。
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  Emmett　and　Jasper；　not　having　heard　the　first　part　of　the　conversation；　took　his　inflectionless　question　for
  a　statement。　They　were　right　next　to　him　in　a　flash；　teeth　exposed　as　they　moved　on　us。
  Hey；　now；Seth　thought；　backing　away。
  〃Em；　Jazz—not　theml　The　others。　The　pack　is　coming。〃
  Emmett　and　Jasper　rocked　back　on　their　heels；　Emmett　turned　to　Edward　while　Jasper　kept　his　eyes
  locked　on　us。
  〃What's　their　problem？〃　Emmett　demanded。
  〃The　same　one　as　mine；〃　Edward　hissed。　〃But　they　have　their　own　plan　to　handle　it。　Get　the　others。　Call
  Carlisle！　He　and　Esme　have　to　get　back　here　now。〃
  I　whined　uneasily。　They　were　separated。
  〃They　aren't　far；〃　Edward　said　in　the　same　dead　voice　as　before。
  I'm　going　to　go　take　a　look；Seth　said。　Run　the　western　perimeter。
  〃Will　you　be　in　danger；　Seth？〃　Edward　asked。
  Seth　and　I　exchanged　a　glance。
  Don't　think　so；we　thought　together。　And　then　I　added；　But　maybe　I　should　go。　Just　in　case。。。
  They'll　be　less　likely　to　challenge　me；Seth　pointed　out。　I'm　just　a　kid　to　them。
  You're　just　a　kid　to　me；　kid。
  I'm　outta　here。　You　need　to　coordinate　with　the　Cullens。
  He　wheeled　and　darted　into　the　darkness。　I　wasn't　going　to　order　Seth　around；　so　I　let　him　go。
  Edward　and　I　stood　facing　each　other　in　the　dark　meadow；　i　could　hear　Emmett　muttering　into　his
  phone。　Jasper　was　watching　the　place　where　Seth　had　vanished　into　the　woods。　Alice　appeared　on　the
  porch　and　then；　after　staring　at　me　with　anxious　eyes　for　a　long　moment；　she　flitted　to　Jasper's　side。　I
  guessed　that　Rosalie　was　inside　with　Bella。　Still　guarding　her—from　the　wrong　dangers。
  〃This　isn't　the　first　time　I've　owed　you　my　gratitude；　Jacob；〃　Edward　whispered。　〃I　would　never　have
  asked　for　this　from　you。〃
  I　thought　of　what　he'd　asked　me　for　earlier　today。　When　it　came　to　Bella；　there　were　no　lines　he
  wouldn't　cross。　Yeah；　you　would。
  He　thought　about　it　and　then　nodded。　〃I　suppose　you're　right　about　that。〃
  I　sighed　heavily。　Well；　this　isn't　the　first　time　that　I　didn't　do　it　for　you。
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