Now you know the whole story, I concluded. So its your turn to talk. What happened while I was with my mom this weekend? I knew Jacob would give me more details than Edward had. He wasnt afraid of scaring me.

Jacob leaned forward, instantly animated. So Embry and Quil and I were running patrol on Saturday night, just routine stuff, when out of nowhere  bam! He threw his arms out, impersonating an explosion. There it is  a fresh trail, not fifteen minutes old. Sam wanted us to wait for him, but I didnt know you were gone, and I didnt know if your bloodsuckers were keeping an eye on you or not. So we took off after her at full speed, but shed crossed the treaty line before we caught up. We spread out along the line, hoping shed cross back over. It was frustrating, let me tell you. He wagged his head and his hair  growing out from the short crop hed adopted when hed joined the pack  flopped into his eyes. We ended up too far south. The Cullens chased her back to our side just a few miles north of us. Would have been the perfect ambush if wed known where to wait.

He shook his head, grimacing now. Thats when it got dicey. Sam and the others caught up to her before we did, but she was dancing right along the line, and the whole coven was right there on the other side. The big one, whats-his-name 

Emmett.

Yeah, him. He made a lunge for her, but that redhead is fast! He flew right behind her and almost rammed into Paul. So, Paul . . . well, you know Paul.

Yeah.

Lost his focus. Cant say that I blame him  the big bloodsucker was right on top of him. He sprang  hey, dont give me that look. The vampire was on our land.

I tried to compose my face so that he would go on. My nails were digging into my palms with the stress of the story, even though I knew it had turned out fine.

Anyway, Paul missed, and the big one got back on his side. But by then the, er, well the, uh, blonde . . . Jacobs expression was a comical mix of disgust and unwilling admiration as he tried to come up with a word to describe Edwards sister.

Rosalie.

Whatever. She got real territorial, so Sam and I fell back to get Pauls flanks. Then their leader and the other blond male 

Carlisle and Jasper.

He gave me an exasperated look. You know I dont really care. Anyway, soCarlisle spoke to Sam, trying to calm things down. Then it was weird, because everyone got really calm really fast. It was that other one you told me about, messing with our heads. But even though we knew what he was doing, we couldntnot be calm.

Yeah, I know how it feels.

Really annoying, thats how it feels. Only you cant be annoyed until afterwards. He shook his head angrily. So Sam and the head vamp agreed that Victoria was the priority, and we started after her again. Carlisle gave us the line, so that we could follow the scent properly, but then she hit the cliffs just north of Makah country, right where the line hugs the coast for a few miles. She took off into the water again. The big one and the calm one wanted permission to cross the line to go after her, but of course we said no.

Good. I mean, you were being stupid, but Im glad. Emmetts never cautious enough. He could have gotten hurt.

Jacob snorted. So did your vampire tell you we attacked for no reason and his totally innocent coven 

No, I interrupted. Edward told me the same story, just without quite as many details.

Huh, Jacob said under his breath, and he bent over to pick up a rock from among the millions of pebbles at our feet. With a casual flick, he sent it flying a good hundred meters out into the bay. Well, shell be back, I guess. Well get another shot at her.

I shuddered; of course she would be back. Would Edward really tell me next time? I wasnt sure. Id have to keep an eye on Alice, to look for the signs that the pattern was about to repeat. . . .

Jacob didnt seem to notice my reaction. He was staring across the waves with a thoughtful expression on his face, his broad lips pursed.

What are you thinking about? I asked after a long, quiet time.

Im thinking about what you told me. About when the fortune-teller saw you cliff jumping and thought youd committed suicide, and how it all got out of control. . . . Do you realize that if you had just waited for me like you were supposed to, then the bl Alice wouldnt have been able to see you jump? Nothing would have changed. Wed probably be in my garage right now, like any other Saturday. There wouldnt be any vampires in Forks, and you and me . . . He trailed off, deep in thought.

It was disconcerting the way he said this, like it would be a good thing to have no vampires in Forks. My heart thumped unevenly at the emptiness of the picture he painted.

Edward would have come back anyway.

Are you sure about that? he asked, belligerent again as soon as I spoke Edwards name.

Being apart . . . It didnt work out so well for either of us.

He started to say something, something angry from his expression, but he stopped himself, took a breath, and began again.

Did you know Sam is mad at you?

Me? It took me a second. Oh. I see. He thinks they would have stayed away if I wasnt here.

No. Thats not it.

Whats his problem then?

Jacob leaned down to scoop up another rock. He turned it over and over in his fingers; his eyes were riveted on the black stone while he spoke in a low voice.

When Sam saw . . . how you were in the beginning, when Billy told them how Charlie worried when you didnt get better, and then when you started jumping off cliffs . . .

I made a face. No one was ever going to let me forget that.

Jacobs eyes flashed up to mine. He thought you were the one person in the world with as much reason to hate the Cullens as he does. Sam feels sort of . . . betrayed that you would just let them back into your life like they never hurt you.

I didnt believe for a second that Sam was the only one who felt that way. And the acid in my voice now was for both of them.

You can tell Sam to go right to 

Look at that, Jacob interrupted me, pointing to an eagle in the act of plummeting down toward the ocean from an incredible height. It checked itself at the last minute, only its talons breaking the surface of the waves, just for an instant. Then it flapped away, its wings straining against the load of the huge fish it had snagged.

You see it everywhere, Jacob said, his voice suddenly distant. Nature taking its course  hunter and prey, the endless cycle of life and death.

I didnt understand the point of the nature lecture; I guessed that he was just trying to change the subject. But then he looked down at me with dark humor in his eyes.

And yet, you dont see the fish trying to plant a kiss on the eagle. You never seethat . He grinned a mocking grin.

I grinned back tightly, though the acid taste was still in my mouth. Maybe the fish was trying, I suggested. Its hard to tell what a fish is thinking. Eagles are good-looking birds, you know.

Is that what it comes down to? His voice was abruptly sharper. Good looks?

Dont be stupid, Jacob.

Is it the money, then? he persisted.

Thats nice, I muttered, getting up from the tree. Im flattered that you think so much of me. I turned my back on him and paced away.

Aw, dont get mad. He was right behind me; he caught my wrist and spun me around. Im serious! Im trying to understand here, and Im coming up blank.

His eyebrows pushed together angrily, and his eyes were black in their deep shadow.

I lovehim . Not because hes beautiful or because hesrich ! I spat the word at Jacob. Id much rather he werent either one. It would even out the gap between us just a little bit  because hed still be the most loving and unselfish and brilliant anddecent person Ive ever met. Of course I love him. How hard is that to understand?

Its impossible to understand.

Please enlighten me, then, Jacob. I let the sarcasm flow thick. Whatis a valid reason for someone to love someone else? Since