werewolves。
When they appeared； striding out from between the trees； they weren't what I
was expecting。 I'd gotten
the image of the wolves stuck in my head。 These were just four really big
half…naked boys。
Again； they reminded me of brothers； quadruplets。 Something about the way they
moved almost in
synchronization to stand across the road from us； the way they all had the
same long； round muscles
under the same red…brown skin； the same cropped black hair； and the way their
expressions altered at
exactly the same moment。
They started out curious and cautious。 When they saw me there； half…hidden
beside Jacob； they all
became furious in the same second。
Sam was still the biggest； though Jacob was getting close to catching up with
him。 Sam didn't really count
as a boy。 His face was older—not in the sense of lines or signs of aging； but
in the matunry； the patience
of his expression。
〃What have you done； Jacob？〃 he demanded。
One of the others； one I didn't recognize—Jared or Paul—thrust past Sam and
spoke before Jacob
could defend himself。
〃Why can't you just follow the rules； Jacob？〃 he yelled； throwing his arms in
the air。 〃What the hell are
you thinking？ Is she more important than everything—than the whole tribe？
Than the people getting
killed？〃
〃She can help；〃 Jacob said quietly。
〃Help！〃 the angry boy shouted。 His arms begin to quiver。 〃Oh； that's likely！
I'm sure the leech…lover is
just dying to help us out！〃
〃Don't talk about her like that！〃 Jacob shouted back； stung by the boy's
criticism。
A shudder rippled through the other boy； along his shoulders and down his
spine。
〃Paul！ Relax！〃 Sam manded。
Paul shook his head back and forth； not in defiance； but as though he were
trying to concentrate。
〃Jeez； Paul；〃 one of the other boys—probably Jared—muttered。 〃Get a grip。〃
Paul twisted his head toward Jared； his lips curling back in irritation。 Then
he shifted his glare in my
direction。 Jacob took a step to put himself in front of me。
That did it。
〃Right； protect her！〃 Paul roared in outrage。 Another shudder； a convulsion；
heaved through his body。 He
threw his head back； a real growl tearing from between his teeth。
〃Paul！〃 Sam and Jacob shouted together。
Paul seemed to fall forward； vibrating violently。 Halfway to the ground； there
was a loud ripping noise；
and the boy exploded。
Dark silver fur blew out from the boy； coalescing into a shape more than five
…times his size—a massive；
crouched shape； ready to spring。
The wolf's muzzle wrinkled back over his teeth； and another growl rolled
through his colossal chest。 His
dark； enraged eyes focused on me。
In the same second； Jacob was running across the road straight for the
monster。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed。
Mid…stride； a long tremor shivered down Jacob's spine。 He leaped forward；
diving headfirst into the
empty air。
With another sharp tearing sound； Jacob exploded； too。 He burst out of his
skin—shreds of black and
white cloth blasted up into the air。 It happened so quickly that if I'd
blinked； I'd have missed the entire
transformation。 One second it was Jacob diving into the air； and then it was
the gigantic； russet brown
wolf—so enormous that I couldn't make sense of its mass somehow fitting
inside Jacob—charging the
crouched silver beast。
Jacob met the other werewolf's attack head…on。 Their angry snarls echoed like
thunder off the trees。
The black and white scraps—the remains of Jacob's clothes—fluttered to the
ground where he'd
disappeared。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed again； staggering forward。
〃Stay where you are； Bella；〃 Sam ordered。 It was hard to hear him over the
roar of the fighting wolves。
They were snapping and tearing at each other； their sharp teeth flashing
toward each other's throats。 The
Jacob…wolf seemed to have the upper hand—he was visibly bigger than the other
wolf； and it looked like
le was stronger； too。 He rammed his shoulder against the gray wolf again and
again； knocking him back
toward the trees。
〃Take her to Emily's；〃 Sam shouted toward the other boys； who were watching
the conflict with rapt
expressions。 Jacob had successfully shoved the gray wolf off the road； and
they were disappearing into
the forest； though the sound of their snarls was still loud。 Sam ran after
them； kicking off his shoes on the
way。 As he darted into the trees； he was quivering from head to toe。
The growling and snapping was fading into the distance。 Suddenly； the sound
cut off and it was very quiet
on the road。
One of the boys started laughing。
I turned to stare at him—my wide eyes felt frozen； like I couldn't even blink
them。
The boy seemed to be laughing at my expression。 〃Well； there's something you
don't see every day；〃 he
snickered。 His face was vaguely familiar—thinner than the others Embry
Call。
〃I do；〃 the other boy； Jared； grumbled。 〃Every single day。〃
〃Aw； Paul doesn't lose his temper every day；〃 Embry disagreed； still grinning。
〃Maybe two out of three。〃
Jared stopped to pick something white up off the ground。 He held it up toward
Embry； it dangled in limp
strips from his hand。
〃Totally shredded；〃 Jared said。 〃Billy said this was the last pair he could
afford—guess Jacob's going
barefoot now。〃
〃This one survived；〃 Embry said； holding up a white sneaker。 〃Jake can hop；〃
he added with a laugh。
Jared started collecting various pieces of fabric from the dirt。 〃Get Sam's
shoes； will you？ All the rest of
this is headed for the trash。〃
Embry grabbed the shoes and then jogged into the trees where Sam had
disappeared。 He was back in a
few seconds with a pair of cut…off jeans draped over his arm。 Jared gathered
the torn remnants of
Jacob's and Paul's clothes and wadded them into a ball。 Suddenly； he seemed to
remember me。
He looked at me carefully； assessing。
〃Hey； you're not going to faint or puke or anything？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't think so；〃 I gasped。
〃You don't look so good。 Maybe you should sit down。〃
〃Okay；〃 I mumbled。 For the second time in one morning； I put my head between
my knees。
〃Jake should have warned us；〃 Embry plained。
〃He shouldn't have brought his girlfriend into this。 What did he expect？〃
〃Well； the wolf's out of the bag now。〃 Embry sighed。 〃Way to go； Jake。〃
I raised my head to glare at the two boys who seemed to be taking this all so
lightly。 〃Aren't you worried
about them at all？〃 I demanded。
Embry blinked once in surprise 〃Worried？ Why？〃
〃They could hurt each other！〃
Embry and Jared guffawed。
〃I hope Paul gets a mouthful of him；〃 Jared said。 〃Teach him a lesson。〃
I blanched。
〃Yeah； right！〃 Embry disagreed。 〃Did you see Jake？ Even Sam couldn't have
phased on the fly like that。
He saw Paul losing it； and it took him； what； half a second to attack？ The
boy's got a gift。〃
〃Paul's been fighting longer。 I'll bet you ten bucks he leaves a mark。〃
〃You're on。 Jake's a natural。 Paul doesn't have a prayer。〃
They shook hands； grinning。
I tried to fort myself with their lack of concern； but I couldn't drive the
brutal image of the fighting
werewolves from my head。 My stomach churned； sore and empty； my head ached
with worry。
〃Let's go see Emily。 You know she'll have food waiting。〃 Embry looked down at
me。 〃Mind giving us a
ride？〃
〃No problem；〃 I choked。
Jared raised one eyebrow。 〃Maybe you'd better drive； Embry。 She still looks
like she might hurl。〃
〃Good idea。 Where are the keys？〃 Embry asked me。
〃Ignition。〃
Embry opened the passenger…side door。 〃In you go；〃 he said cheerfully； hauling
me up from the ground
with one hand and stuffing me into my seat。 He appraised the available space。
〃You'll have to ride in the
back；〃 he told Jared。
〃That's fine。 I got a weak stomach。 I don't want to be in there when she
blows。〃
〃I bet she's tougher than that。 She runs with vampires。〃
〃Five bucks？〃 Jared asked。
〃Done。 I feel guilty； taking your money like this。〃
Embry got in and started the engine while Jared leapt agilely into the bed。 As
soon as his door was
closed； Embry muttered to me； 〃Don't throw up； okay？ I've only got a ten； and
if Paul got his teeth into
Jacob〃
〃Okay；〃 I whispered。
Embry drove us back toward the village。
〃Hey； how did Jake get around the injunction anyway？〃
〃The what？〃
〃Er； the order。 You know； to not spill the beans。 How did he tell you about
this？〃
〃Oh； that；〃 I said； remembering Jacob trying to choke out the truth to me last
night。 〃He didn't。 I guessed
right。〃
Embry pursed his lips； looking surprised。 〃Hmm。 S'pose that would work。〃
〃Where are we going？〃 I asked。
〃Emily's house。 She's Sam's girlfriend no； fiancee； now； I guess。 They'll
meet us back there after Sam
gives it to them for what just happened。 And after Paul and Jake scrounge up
some new clothes； if Paul
even has any left。〃
〃Does Emily know about ？〃
〃Yeah。 And hey； don't stare at her。 That bugs Sam。〃
I frowned at him。 〃Why would I stare？〃
Embry looked unfortable。 〃Like you saw just now； hanging out around
werewolves has its risks。〃 He
changed the subject quickly。 〃Hey； are you okay about the whole thing with the
black…haired
bloodsucker in the meadow？ It didn't look like he was a friend of yours； but。
。〃 Embry shrugged。
〃No； he wasn't my friend。〃
〃That's good。 We didn't want to start anything； break the treaty； you know。〃
〃Oh； yeah； Jake told me about the treaty once； a long time ago。 Why would
killing Laurent break the
treaty？〃
〃Laurent；〃 he repeated； snorting； like he was amused the vampire had had a
name。 〃Well； we were
technically on Cullen turf。 We're not allowed to attack any of them； the
Cullens； at least； off our
land—unless they break the treaty first。 We didn't know if the black…haired
one was a relative of theirs or
something。 Looked like you knew him。〃
〃How would they go about breaking the treaty？〃
〃If they bite a human。 Jake wasn't so keen on the idea of letting it go that
far。〃
〃Oh。 Um； thanks。 I'm glad you didn't wait。〃
〃Our pleasure。〃 He sounded like he meant that in a literal sense。
Embry drove past the easternmost house on the highway before turning off onto
a narrow dirt road。
〃Your truck is slow；〃 he noted。
〃Sorry。〃
At the end of the lane was a tiny house that had once been gray。 There was
only one narrow window
beside the weathered blue door； but the window box under it was filled with
bright orange and yellow
marigolds； giving the whole place a cheerful look。
Embry opened the truck door and inhaled。 〃Mmm； Emily's cooking。〃
Jared jumped out of the back of the truck and headed for the door； but Embry
stopped him with one
hand on his chest。 He looked at me meaningfully； and cleared his throat。
〃I don't have my wallet on me；〃 Jared said。
〃That's okay。 I won't forget。〃
They climbed up the one step and entered the house without knocking。 I
followed timidly after them。
The front room； like Billy's house； was mostly kitchen。 A young woman with
satiny copper skin and long；
straight； crow…black hair was standing at the counter by the sink； popping big
muffins out of a tin and
placing them on a paper plate。 For one second； I thought the