Chapter 26: Chapter 26

"Now, explain." Jake's voice was as serious as the guys' faces had been as he looked back down at Bella. The other three shared glances, also looking between Jake and Bella for some kind of answer.

"Jacob, I don't know everything." Bella's eyes were raking across the room, desperately searching for any Cullen, no doubt.

"What do you know, then?" Jake insisted. Before Bella had to answer, relief washed over her face.

"Alice!" She squealed. Juliet saw Alice on the stairs, and she quickly was at Bella's side, an arm snaked protectively around Bella's waist. If there was on thing about Alice Cullen, however, she was far from intimidating-especially when standing against three giant werewolves. Alice leaned over, whispering something in Bella's ear.

"Uh, Jake, I'll see you later..." Bella said, avoiding his eyes as Alice began to lead her around the three wolves. Embry had moved, to keep clear of Alice, but Jake threw his arm out, his hand flat against the wall as he blocked them.

"Hey, not so fast." He said.

"Excuse me?" Alice asked, her eyes wide.

"Tell us what's going on." Jake insisted. Juliet hadn't realized it until now, when Quil shifted his weight, but he'd moved to stand between her and Alice. She moved forward a bit more, one of her hands resting on his back as she leaned around him. On the other side of Jake from Alice and Bella was Jasper, though he didn't look nearly as friendly as he did when she spoke to him earlier.

"Jake..." Juliet said nervously, trying to get him to back down. Jake didn't look back at her, but he slowly moved his arm back.

"We have a right to know." Jake said, glaring down at Alice. Jasper then stepped between Jake and Alice, his intimidating gaze unchanged. She felt Quil tense, and a glance at Embry told her that he had as well.

"Hey, hey!" Bella tried. "This is a party, remember?" No one was listening.

"It's okay, Jasper." Alice spoke. "He has a point." Jasper didn't move.

"Alice, what did you see?" Bella sounded like she was near hysterics, though Juliet couldn't blame her. She'd never felt any different from her wolf friends until now. Even when she'd seen them phase in front of her. Something about this, though, this was different. Maybe it's because they were in their human forms, face to face with two vampires-with five more somewhere else in the house, or maybe it's because they were in the middle of a bunch of clueless humans. Blissfully unaware of the very dangerous situation occurring directly next to them.

"The decision's been made." Alice turned to Bella, allowing the wolves to listen.

"You're going to Seattle?" Bella asked.

"No." Alice shook her head lightly. Bella looked like she was about to pass out in an instant.

"To Forks?" Bella obviously didn't want the answer, but she already knew it.

"Yes." Alice confirmed.

"For?" Alice nodded in response to some silent question that Bella had asked in that moment.

"One carried your red shirt." Alice said.

"We can't let them come that far." Jasper spoke, his face twisted in a displeased frown. He glanced towards the wolves before looking back down at Alice. "There aren't enough of us to protect the town."

"I know." Alice's face fell. "But it doesn't matter where we stop them. There still won't be enough of us, and some of them will come here to search."

"Alice." Bella said after a few moments. "I have to go, I have to get away from here."

"That won't help." Alice sighed. "It's not like we're dealing with a tracker, they'll still come looking here first."

"Then I have to go meet them!" Bella exclaimed, her voice strained and hoarse. "If they find what they're looking for, maybe they'll go away and not hurt anyone else!"

"Bella!" Alice's voice made it sound like Bella had just admitted to murder.

"Hold it." Jake's voice almost sounded like Sam's when he was giving orders, low and forceful. He usually only had to speak that way to Paul. "What is coming?"

"Our kind." Alice looked at Jake, obviously not pleased with having to address him at all. "Lots of them."

"Why?" Jake questioned.

"For Bella." Juliet tensed, one of her hands forming a fist while the other clutched into Quil's shirt. "That's all we know."

"There are too many for you?" Jake asked.

"We have a few advantages, dog." Jasper said dismissively. "It will be an even fight."

"No." Jake said, and Juliet could hear the smile in his voice. "It won't be even."

"Excellent!" Alice's word came out almost like a hiss, and wide smile spread across her face. "Everything just disappeared, of course. That's inconvenient, but, all things considered-I'll take it."

"We'll have to coordinate." Jake said. "It won't be easy for us. Still, this our job more than yours."

"I wouldn't go that far, but we need the help." Alice nodded. "We aren't going to be picky." Alice had now gotten up on her toes in excitement, and Jake had leaned down closer. Juliet could only see Alice's face, but her nose was wrinkled up in disgust while the rest of her face read pure excitement. So werewolves did smell bad to vampires, too.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait." Bella waved her hands, making Jake and Alice turn to look at her. "Coordinate?"

"You didn't honestly think you were going to keep us out of this, did you?" Jake asked.

"You are staying out of this!" Bella argued.

"Your psychic doesn't think so." He said smugly.

"Alice-tell them no!" Bella insisted. "They'll get killed!" The wolves all laughed, and Juliet couldn't help but shake her head. How breakable did she think the boys were? Juliet had seen her fair share of wolf fights over the past few months-thanks to Paul and Jake's tempers, they used to be a lot more common, but Jake had gotten better. Paul, of course, hadn't.

"Bella." Alice started, her voice soothing. "Separately, we could all get killed. But together-"

"It'll be no problem." Jake finished, and Quil chuckled again.

"How many?" Embry asked eagerly.

"No!" Bella shouted.

"It changes." Alice started, ignoring Bella. "Twenty-one today, but the numbers are going down."

"Why?" Jake asked.

"Long story." Alice glanced around, and Juliet did too-suddenly remembering where exactly they were. "And this isn't the place for it."

"Later tonight?" Jake suggested.

"Yes." Jasper nodded. "We were already planning a...strategic meeting. If you're going to fight with us, you'll need some instruction."

"No!" Bella whined.

"This will be odd..." Jasper seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I never considered working together, this has to be a first."

"No doubt about that." Jake nodded. "We've gotta get back to Sam, what time?"

"What's too late for you?" Jasper asked, and Jake scoffed lightly.

"What time?" He repeated.

"Three o'clock?"

"Where?"

"About ten miles due North of the Hoh Forest ranger station." Jasper explained. "Come at it from the west and you'll be able to follow our scent in."

"We'll be there." Jake nodded.

"Wait, Jake!" Bella called before he could move too far.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella." Jake chucked. "You're giving me a much better gift than I gave you." The wolves then left, Juliet following close behind.

"How am I getting home? Anyone got a plan?" She asked as they stepped outside.

"Ah, fresh air!" Embry yelled, taking a deep breath. "Felt like I was about to fucking suffocate."

"I know, right?" Quil sighed. "God, we're gonna smell like vampire for weeks after all that."

"I fucking hope not." Embry rolled his eyes. "You owe me 15 bucks, by the way." Quil groaned.

"What'd you bet on this time?" Jake snorted.

"I made the bet, thank you." Juliet intervened. "And it was on it Bella would slap you for showing up after she broke her hand on your face."

"Does that mean I have to pay you, too?" Quil groaned.

"Pay him first, call mine an i.o.u." She said.

"Ugh, fine." Quil sighed.

"You guys get back to Sam, I'll take Jules home." The boys nodded, starting towards the woods as pulled off their shirts.

"Nice goin' in there, by the way." She said. "I figured Jasper would've set you off on the spot, getting defensive like that."

"I told you, I'm working on it." He huffed. "Alright, we can do this two ways, your pick." She raised an eyebrow. "Either you get on my back and it takes like an hour to get home." She groaned. "Or, I'll let you sit on my back while I'm a wolf and it'll take ten minutes."

"What the fuck did you think I was gonna pick, duh I wanna ride on your back as a wolf." She said, and he laughed.

"Alright, gimmie a sec." He moved back into the trees.

"So, can I come to the strategy meeting?" She called.

"Absolutely not!" He called back. "First of all, I won't allow it. Second, Sam won't. Third, Leah won't. So no!" She groaned. There was silence for a few seconds, then Jake walked out of the forest, his clothes tied to one of his back legs.

"This is so fucking cool, I'm so glad I got stuck with the wolves instead of the leeches." She said as she climbed into his back. He let out a huff that almost sounded like a laugh, and she gripped into his fur tightly. "Alright Jake, let's go. But if you do any crazy shit and I fall off, I'll tell Leah it's your fault."