acob sniffed the air, it was cool - a light mist falling from the low cloud that covered the sky. It wasn’t very often he found himself in Forks forest - here he couldn’t really be ‘himself’, he was limited with his actions - although his services to the Cullens meant he had a bit more power than Sam and the others. Still, he wandered in human form through the trees - enjoying being on two feet instead of four. He was considering stopping at Bella’s, waiting for her there until she finished school. Charlie wouldn’t be around for a while so they’d have some time to just…chill. He nodded, that was a good plan.

Turning on his heels, he heading in the direction of her home, keeping his wits about him. So many strange vampires were passing through La Push and Forks that it was beginning to become a task knowing who you could trust and who was here to push the boundaries. Jake found himself thinking over the events that had brought them to this particular moment in time, so much had happened, so much was changing, he really couldn’t believe that only a year ago things were simple. He was just a normal boy, attending school and rebuilding cars and bikes in his spare time. This whole supernatural world was hidden from him. Yeah, things had definitely changed. A lot.

As he came to a clearing, Jake noticed a figure up ahead. He froze, carefully observing the girl in the distance…she wasn’t a vampire, he’d be able to tell from the smell. No, she had a heartbeat…was she human? He approached with caution, hoping not to freak the girl out - the last thing he wanted was for someone to report a psycho in the woods. He stepped forward carefully, but as he did a twig snapped in the undergrowth. She turned to face him, a smile spreading across her face. What the hell? Jake stood still for a moment, before standing up steadily and giving a half-hearted smile back. “Um, hi?” He was a little bewildered by her appearance, “you know, you’re pretty far from the trail and it’s not exactly safe out here…” He leant against the tree next to him and folded his arms.

he use of his name threw him completely, how did she know him? He studied her face, it wasn’t one Jake recognised. Did she live in Forks? Was she one of the many kids that had thrown themselves at Bella, trying to reap the benefits of her popularity like that Jessica girl had? He blinked at her, his face falling a little as he tried to figure the connection out. She also seemed to know of the legends, and that was something guarded by every member of the tribe. How on earth did she know about any of it.

“I, er…sorry, do I know you?” He shook his head a little, how did she already know so much? He watched her carefully from a distance, wondering whether it was actually safe to be here. And then her explanation carried on…ah! Like that, the penny dropped. Nova…she’d been a friend of his as a kid, but something had happened and she’d gone away. He didn’t know all the gory details, but Jake pulled out vague memories he had of her. So she was one of them? That was something he hadn’t expected. “Nova!” The tone of his voice was excited, and a little surprised, “where have you…what did you…how?!” He moved over to where she stood, a big grin stretching across his face at the welcome surprise.

Frowning a little, he listened to her little speech on the Cullens…for a start he hadn’t realised she’d been a part of Sams pack at all, but also…she knew the Cullens? “Wait, you’re connected to Sam?” This was a lot for him to take in, he shook his head again and sighed, “they won’t ever like the Cullens, I don't particularly but I have agreed to help them…for now.” Jake shrugged and thought about whether or not he should go into details, though - if Nova knew of the Cullens she was bound to have an idea of the current situation. He laughed, “that’s why I’m a lone wolf, at the moment anyway…being my own Alpha makes sense you know?” He studied her face more, now knowing who she was. She was pretty, but stood out from the other girls on the res…he cringed internally, unsure what they would all make at this very sudden arrival.

acob smiled a small smile, he had very vague memories of her but they were so long ago – she hadn’t been around, outside, for years. A lot of the pack members probably hadn’t realised who she was until she’d phased and formed an immediate allegiance with Sam. Now things were a little bit more confusing, with Jacob taking off on his own the new wolves were having to choose. Although Jacob had done a good job of keeping his mouth shut – he wasn’t a natural leader and the fewer the better…or at least that’s what he thought. “I remember…” he muttered, nodding in her direction.

He listened carefully as Nova explained the reason behind her extremely long absence. No one had known, and he was sure if Billy and the other elders had heard the family were visiting the Cullen’s for treatment, they definitely wouldn’t be best pleased. Families from La Push very rarely visited the hospital in Forks for that exact reason. “Sam will eventually work out things aren’t how they were when the original treaty was made.” Although Jacob agreed with the majority of the terms written within the treaty, there were definite points that we null and void. Jake himself wasn’t exactly the best advocate for ‘Team Cullen’ given his own experiences. It was a confusing situation that had forced his hand – placing him as top guard-dog for the family.

He scoffed a little, “they aren’t technically people, even they’ll admit to that,” he was facing reality – they weren’t ‘alive’. Frozen in time. Never changing. People didn’t do that, people grew…changed, their hearts beating. Though he had to admit, the Cullens weren’t the worst of their kind. “Seeing the Cullens, especially at the moment, is tricky. Swinging by to say thank-you won’t be high on their priority list to be honest,” he knew the threat that loomed over the family, loomed over Bella. Really, receiving a thank-you from a wolf wouldn’t be important to them right now.

His face blanched, her request was out of the blue…something Jacob hadn’t expected to hear. He wasn’t about being a leader, he didn’t want to tell others what they could and couldn’t do. Controlling was something he wasn’t very comfortable with. He made a face, grimacing slightly. “Um, I’m not exactly running a pack here…it is only me,” though Sam probably didn’t utilise her the way he should – when he’d been a part of Sam’s pack he hadn’t even noticed Nova…would Sam miss her? Rolling his eyes he gave a reluctant sigh, “Fine, I guess I could use the back-up. I won’t be throwing commands around though, so don’t expect much in the way of structure.”

acob felt uneasy at the way she stared at him, it wasn’t an offended look across her face…it was more a look of uncertainty, and Jake wondered how long she’d been like him. How much she knew, and if she’d figured out the whole wolf thing yet. “Sam wouldn’t force you to hurt the Cullens without good reason…” although he had left the pack with the intention to protect the bloodsuckers – something Sam himself hadn’t been too keen on. “But I agree, it’s not the best place to be for you – especially if you have those kind of feelings toward the Cullen’s.” In fairness, Jake tolerated them, but he didn’t really like them. Everything within him screamed against his decision, but he felt as though he had a duty to fill.

Rolling his eyes, Jacob snorted and sighed – they weren’t people…perhaps they had been once, but he couldn’t see them for anything other than the parasites he always had done. The only thing he did now realise was that they felt. He’d seen Edward’s pain, it had been real that was for sure. “I’m not saying anything on this matter, we view things very differently when it comes to the Cullen’s I think…they’re not all they seem sometimes.” He didn’t like that the legends were true, that the Cullen’s had powers beyond they’re already immortal state. It put him on edge, although it made him feel better that the psychic one couldn’t see the pack, or their decisions. It gave him and Sam the upper hand.

He narrowed his eyes at Nova, he wasn’t keen on how close she’d become. “You know, there are just the two of us…it’s like the impossible task.” He didn’t want to encourage her under false pretences. “I’m sorting out the boundaries with Edward…” Jake’s teeth gritted at the use of the bloodsuckers name, “and then I’ll have a bit more direction for you.” This was looking like it was going to be more of a struggle, but at least he would have some back up. “So, why are you out here anyway?” Jake was curious why she wasn’t on La Push land – somewhere she could have defended herself without breaking the treaty. He folded his legs and sat on the forest floor, leaning back on his hands in a relaxed stance.