While playing with the dogs in wolf form, Dean listens in on Sam, Jared, and Embry giving Jacob a tour, having had Paul take the day off to make his transition easier.
He'd have to do something about those two eventually. They seemed to really dislike one another.
You'd think Jake's shift in personality would mesh better with Paul, but it seemed too similar now, and Jake hated that, a daily reminder of his fall from grace. The once golden boy who brought a smile to everyone's face was now just another jaded teenager with an angsty personality.
He wondered if the same thing could have happened to him if he'd fallen for someone like Bella instead of his incredible fiancée, Leah.
(Ugh, what's that smell?) asked Jake.
(Vampire. Same one from last time. We need to track it down and end it.) said Sam.
(Shouldn't we get the others?) asked an uncertain Jake.
(It's only one; we can take it. Besides, there should always be a couple of wolves at the reservation just in case,) said Jared.
(Focus! One or not, we don't know if it's gifted,) said Sam.
(The winds are in our favor. An open meadow is coming up. We'll set up an ambush at the tree line,) said Sam.
(Looks like he's hunting someone,) said Jared.
(Hey, isn't that Bella?) asked Embry.
(Where?! Bella!) Jake shouted, ready to rush in if not for Sam cutting him off and pinning him down by the back of his neck.
(Keep quiet and don't move! We don't want to spook him.) said Sam.
(Get off me! I have to protect Bella!) Jake yelled.
(And what if the vampire kills her first? Be reasonable; we have to sneak closer first if you want her to live.) Sam reasoned.
(Okay, I get it. Let's not waste any more time,) Jake whined from beneath his jaws.
(Good. Follow my lead,) Sam said, releasing him.
They moved silently behind Bella, with them none the wiser.
(What are we waiting for?) Jake growled, barely keeping it from slipping out through his wolf.
(For him to get closer. Do you want him to escape and attack her again? It seems like he knows her,) Sam said, which momentarily shut Jake up, thinking of the implications.
(Isn't that close enough!? He has red eyes dammit!) Jake shouted as the vamp was right on her.
Before Sam could respond, Dean, having heard enough, spoke: (Jake, Embry, attack. Sam, Jared, provide backup if necessary.)
Orders given, they burst through the brush, Jake pausing only briefly to lock eyes with Bella before following Embry into battle.
As she was about to run back home, Bella froze when another giant golden wolf walked out. She would have appreciated the handsome, regal beauty strutting if not for the overwhelming dread of meeting a gruesome end.
Amused by her reaction, Dean strolled closer, sniffing her with his great big nose about the size of her face as her back hit the tree.
Once again, she reeked of anxious, nervous energy, with only a hint of fear, surprisingly. It was quite grating on the senses, so he licked her face in its entirety for revenge, feeling playful, leaving her completely soaked in drool.
While waiting for the worst, Bella could have sworn the wolf was snickering at her as she stared dumbly at his retreating form before fleeing back home to warn her dad of what she found.
...
Much later, the pack is in the woods chasing a female redheaded vamp.
Paul lunges, teeth clamping down on empty air as she swiftly dodges, sliding under Jared, who attacks next, then jumping over Sam, climbing a tree just in time as Dean tears through the bark where she was last.
Jake rushes in, bashing the tree over, and Embry runs along its falling form, lunging at the vamp midair as she leaps to the safety of another, stomping on poor Embry's nose for an extra step and sending him back down hard.
(Why can't we fucking catch her!) Paul shouted angrily.
(I don't know. Spread out, and trap her.) Dean ordered.
Seeing the wolves wising up, she hopped from tree to tree and escaped into Canada.
(Fuck! Get down here, you bitch!) Paul barked.
(It's no use; we can't keep chasing her; we need to get back,) said Sam.
(Come on, we were so close that last time,) said Jared.
(Can't leave the reservation without any defense,) said Jake.
(Agreed, I'm calling it,) said Dean.
(Fuck!) Paul said, scratching the ground in frustration.
(We'll get the slippery bitch next time,) said Embry.
...
"Why are we going to Jake's?" Paul asked, kicking a branch.
"Training time, and Jake's been in another one of his moods since he started avoiding Bella, so we're all going over there to drag him out and make him pay," said Dean.
Paul grinned, "Well, why didn't you say so?"
"Oh, look, his not-girlfriend is here," said Paul.
"Think they broke up again?" Embry asked, unable to help himself.
They laughed.
"Hm, she's storming over here; what do you think she wants?" asked Jared.
"Think Jake told her yet?" asked Embry.
"Better not," said Sam.
"Doesn't matter," Dean said, shooting Sam down.
"You bastards! Leave Jake alone; he doesn't want to be a part of your gang!" Bella yelled.
Paul and the guys laughed. "What are you? His mother?"
She slapped him as Jake came running over.
"You crazy bitch!" shouted Paul.
"Don't call her that!" Jake yelled, getting in between her and Paul.
Paul shoved him. "I'll call her what I want."
"Back off Paul," Jake warned.
"Or what?" Paul asked, shoving him again.
"Jake, Paul..." Sam began, until Dean's hand landed on him, shaking his head.
"Let it happen. It's been a long time coming," said Dean. "Could do them some good."
"Jake, don't," Bella said worriedly.
"Yeah, Jake, don't. Listen to your mom," Paul smirked, shoving him again.
That was all it took for Jake to snap and punch Paul with a hard right hook.
"Shouldn't have said that," Embry said, shaking his head. "$50 says Jake owns him," he said, turning to Jared.
"Get real, Paul's a born fighter, been doing it since he could walk," said Jared.
They slugged it out until they finally shifted and started tearing into each other, tumbling into the woods.
"They went wolf. Jake's definitely got this now; he's a natural," said Embry.
Jared scoffed, "Friendship can only take you so far in betting. He's got nothing on Paul. No way Jake can take him."
"Guess she knows now. Sam with me, the rest of you take her to Emily and hang out for now," Dean ordered.
"Come on Bella," said Jared.
Embry finds the keys and tosses them to him, and they get in her truck and drive to Sam's and Emily's place.
After parking, they get out, and Bella just sits quietly.
"Bella, you coming?" asked Embry.
"I think we should go back and make sure Jake is okay," said Bella.
"Nah, they'll be fine, and Dean's right, they need this," said Jared.
Bella hops out reluctantly and follows.
"Hey Emily, Leah, meet Bella," Embry introduced.
"We've met," Leah said flatly.
"Well, I haven't. You must be the vamp girl. Come in, I made muffins," Emily said, carrying a plate over to the table. Slapping Jared's hand away from grabbing another, "Save some for the others."
"And you must be the wolf girls," Bella calmly retorted.
Leah sneered, making Bella flinch uncomfortably.
Thankfully, Emily let out a nice little laugh, "You could say that," lightening up the atmosphere.
"Careful what you tell her; she runs with vamps," Jared warned.
"You don't run with vamps; they're too fast," said Bella.
"Yeah, well, we're faster," said Jared.
Paul walked in, sat down, grabbed a muffin, and took note of Bella. "Sorry," he apologized.
Sam entered next, kissed his fiancée, and then Jake showed up.
"Hi Bella, guess we need to talk," Jake said nervously.
She snorted, "You think," getting a laugh out of Embry.
Then a thought occurred to her: "Which one of you is the golden wolf?" Bella asked, and Leah perked up.
"That'd be me," Dean smirked, walking in.
"You're the one who licked me," she accused.
"What? You licked her?" Jake asked, looking like his hard drive had crashed, unable to compute what he just heard.
"As a wolf, Jake, God, get your head out of the gutter," said an upset Bella, unwilling to feel any more ridiculous or out of place.
Jake flushed with shame and yelled, "Shut up!" at Embry, Jared, and Paul, who were laughing at him.
"You licked her? How come you never licked me?" asked Leah.
"What are you talking about? I lick you all the time," said Dean.
Paul, who was drinking at the time, did a spit take.
"I meant as a wolf jackass," Leah said, refusing to blush, unlike Bella, who was busy drawing further into herself, trying to make herself invisible.
"I know," Dean said shamelessly.
Jake then took Bella away for a private conversation, both happy to escape.
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