me　dizzy。　The　wolf　beside　me　got　up；　too。　His　shoulder　pushed　against　mine；　propping　me　up。
  Wait；I　thought。
  The　circling　paused　for　one　beat；　and　then　they　were　pacing　again。
  There's　little　time；Sam　said。
  But—　what　are　you　thinking？　You　wouldn't　attack　them　for　breaking　the　treaty　this　afternoon。
  Now　you're　planning　an　ambush；　when　the　treaty　is　still　intact？
  This　is　not　something　our　treaty　anticipated；Sam　said。　This　is　a　danger　to　every　human　in　the　area。
  We　don't　know　what　kind　of　creature　the　Cullens　have　bred；　but　we　know　that　it　is　strong　and
  fast…growing。　And　it　will　be　too　young　to　follow　any　treaty。　Remember　the　newborn　vampires　we
  fought？　Wild；　violent；　beyond　the　reach　of　reason　or　restraint。　Imagine　one　like　that；　but
  protected　by　the　Cullens。
  We　don't　know　—I　tried　to　interrupt。
  Wedon't　know；　he　agreed。　And　we　can't　take　chances　with　the　unknown　in　this　case。　We　can　only
  allow　the　Cullens　to　exist　while　we're　absolutely　sure　that　they　can　be　trusted　not　to　cause　harm。
  This。　。　。　thing　cannot　be　trusted。
  They　don't　like　it　any　more　than　we　do。
  Sam　pulled　Rosalie's　face；　her　protective　crouch；　from　my　mind　and　put　it　on　display　for　everyone。
  Some　are　ready　to　fight　for　it；　no　matter　what　it　is。
  It's　just　ababy；　for　crying　out　loud。
  Not　for　long；Leah　whispered。
  Jake；　buddy；　this　is　a　big　problem；Quil　said。　We　can't　just　ignore　it。
  You're　making　it　into　something　bigger　than　it　is；I　argued。　The　only　one　who's　in　danger　here　is　Bella。
  Again　by　her　own　choice；Sam　said。　But　this　time　her　choice　affects　us　all。
  I　don't　think　so。
  We　can't　take　that　chance。　We　won't　allow　a　blood　drinker　to　hunt　on　our　lands。
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  Then　tell　them　to　leave；the　wolf　who　was　still　supporting　me　said。　It　was　Seth。　Of　course。
  And　inflict　the　menace　on　others？　When　blood　drinkers　cross　our　land；　we　destroy　them；　no　matter
  where　they　plan　to　hunt。　We　protect　everyone　we　can。
  This　is　crazy；I　said。　This　afternoon　you　were　afraid　to　put　the　pack　in　danger。
  This　afternoon　I　didn't　know　our　families　were　at　risk。
  I　can't　believe　this！　How're　you　going　to　kill　this　creature　without　killing　Bella？
  There　were　no　words；　but　the　silence　was　full　of　meaning。
  I　howled。　She's　human；　too！　Doesn't　our　protection　apply　to　her？
  She's　dying　anyway；Leah　thought。　We'll　just　shorten　the　process。
  That　did　it。　I　leaped　away　from　Seth；　toward　his　sister；　with　my　teeth　bared。　I　was　about　to　catch　her　left
  hind　leg　when　I　felt　Sam's　teeth　cut　into　my　flank；　dragging　me　back。
  I　howled　in　pain　and　fury　and　turned　on　him。
  Stop！he　ordered　in　the　double　timbre　of　the　Alpha。
  My　legs　seemed　to　buckle　under　me。　I　jerked　to　a　halt；　only　managing　to　keep　on　my　feet　by　sheer
  willpower。
  He　turned　his　gaze　away　from　me。　You　will　not　be　cruel　to　him；　Leah；　he　commanded　her。　Bella's
  sacrifice　is　a　heavy　price；　and　we　will　all　recognize　that　It　is　against　everything　we　stand　for　to
  take　a　human　life。　Making　an　exception　to　that　code　is　a　bleak　thing。　We　will　all　mourn　for　what
  we　do　tonight。
  Tonight？Seth　repeated；　shocked。　Sam—/　think　we　should　talk　about　this　some　more。　Consult　with
  the　Elders；　at　least。　You　can't　seriously　mean　for　us　to　—
  We　can't　afford　your　tolerance　for　the　Cullens　now。　There　is　no　time　for　debate。　Youwilldo　as　you　are
  told；　Seth。
  SetfYs　front　knees　folded；　and　his　head　fell　forward　under　the　weight　of　the　Alpha's　command。
  Sam　paced　in　a　tight　circle　around　the　two　of　us。
  We　need　the　whole　pack　for　this。　Jacob；　you　are　our　strongest　fighter。　Youwillfight　with　us　tonight。　I
  understand　that　this　is　hard　for　you；　so　you　will　concentrate　on　their　fighters—　Emmett　and
  Jasper　Cullen。　You　don't　have　to　be　involved　with　the。。。　other　part。　Quil　and　Embry　will　fight　with
  you。
  My　knees　trembled；　I　struggled　to　hold　myself　upright　while　the　voice　of　the　Alpha　lashed　at　my　will。
  Paul；　Jared；　and　I　will　take　on　Edward　and　Rosalie。　I　think；　from　the　information　Jacob　has　brought　us；
  they　will　be　the　ones　guarding　Bella。　Carlisle　and　Alice　will　also　be　close；　possibly　Esme。　Brady；　Collin；
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  Seth；　and　Leah　will　concentrate　on　them。　Whoever　has　a　clear　lineon—we　all　heard　him　mentally　stutter
  overBella's　name—　the　creature　will　take　it。　Destroying　the　creature　is　our　first　priority。
  The　pack　rumbled　in　nervous　agreement。The　tension　had　everyone's　fur　standing　on　end。　The　pacing
  was　quicker；　and　the　sound　of　the　paws　against　the　brackish　floor　was　sharper；　toenails　tearing　into　the
  soil。
  Only　Seth　and　I　were　still；　the　eye　in　the　center　of　a　storm　of　bared　teeth　and　flattened　ears。　Seth's　nose
  was　almost　touching　the　ground；　bowed　under　Sam's　commands。　I　felt　his　pain　at　the　coming　disloyalty。
  For　him　this　was　a　betrayal—during　that　one　day　of　alliance；　fighting　beside　Edward　Cullen；　Seth　had
  truly　become　the　vampire's　friend。
  There　was　no　resistance　in　him；　however。　He　would　obey　no　matter　how　much　it　hurt　him。　He　had　no
  other
  choice。
  And　what　choice　did　I　have？　When　the　Alpha　spoke；　the　pack　followed。
  Sam　had　never　pushed　his　authority　this　far　before；　I　knew　he　honestly　hated　to　see　Seth　kneeling　before
  him　like　a　slave　at　the　foot　of　his　master。　He　wouldn't　force　this　if　he　didn't　believe　that　he　had　no　other
  choice。　He　couldn't　lie　to　us　when　we　were　linked　mind　to　mind　like　this。　He　really　believed　it　was　our
  duty　to　destroy　Bella　and　the　monster　she　carried。　He　really　believed　we　had　no　time　to　waste。　He
  believed　it　enough　to　die　for　it。
  I　saw　that　he　would　face　Edward　himself；　Edward's　ability　to　read　our　thoughts　made　him　the　greatest
  threat　in　Sam's　mind。　Sam　would　not　let　someone　else　take　on　that　danger。
  He　saw　Jasper　as　the　second…greatest　opponent；　which　is　why　he'd　given　him　to　me。　He　knew　that　I　had
  the　best　chance　of　any　of　the　pack　to　win　that　fight。　He'd　left　the　easiest　targets　for　the　younger　wolves
  and　Leah。　Little　Alice　was　no　danger　without　her　future　vision　to　guide　her；　and　we　knew　from　our　time
  of　alliance　that　Esme　was　not　a　fighter。　Carlisle　would　be　more　of　a　challenge；　but　his　hatred　of　violence
  would　hinder　him。
  I　felt　sicker　than　Seth　as　I　watched　Sam　plan　it　out；　trying　to　work　the　angles　to　give　each　member　of　the
  pack　the　best　chance　of　survival。
  Everything　was　inside　out。　This　afternoon；　I'd　been　chomping　at　the　bit　to　attack　them。　But　Seth　had
  been　right—it　wasn't　a　fight　I'd　been　ready　for。　I'd　blinded　myself　with　that　hate。　I　hadn't　let　myself　look
  at　it　carefully；　because　I　must　have　known　what　I　would　see　if　I　did。
  Carlisle　Cullen。　Looking　at　him　without　that　hate　clouding　my　eyes；　I　couldn't　deny　that　killing　him　was
  murder。　He　was　good。　Good　as　any　human　we　protected。　Maybe　better。　The　others；　too；　I　supposed；
  but　I　didn't　feel　as　strongly　about　them。　I　didn't　know　them　as　well。　It　was　Carlisle　who　would　hate
  fighting　back；　even　to　save　his　own　life。　That's　why　we　would　be　able　to　kill　him—because　he　wouldn't
  want　us；　his　enemies；　to　die。
  This　was　wrong。
  And　it　wasn't　just　because　killing　Bella　felt　like　killing　me；　like　suicide。
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  Pull　it　together；　Jacob；Sam　ordered。　The　tribe　comes　first
  I　was　wrong　today；　Sam。
  Your　reasons　were　wrong　then。　But　now　we　have　a　duty　to　fulfill。
  I　braced　myself。　No。
  Sam　snarled　and　stopped　pacing　in　front　of　me。　He　stared　into　my　eyes　and　a　deep　growl　slid　between
  his　teeth。
  Yes；the　Alpha　decreed；　his　double　voice　blistering　with　the　heat　of　his　authority。　There　are　no
  loopholes　tonight。　You；　Jacob；　are　going　to　fight　the　Cullens　with　us。　You；　with　Quil　and　Embry；
  will　take　care　of　Jasper　and　Emmett。　You　are　obligated　to　protect　the　tribe。　That　is　why　you　exist。
  You　willperform　this　obligation。
  My　shoulders　hunched　as　the　edict　crushed　me。　My　legs　collapsed；　and　I　was　on　my　belly　under　him。
  No　member　of　the　pack　could　refuse　the　Alpha。
  11。　THE　TWO　THINGS　AT　THE　VERY　TOP　OF　MY　THINGS…I…NEVER…WANT…TO…DO　LIST
  Sam　started　moving　the　others　into　formation　while　i　was　still　on　the　ground。　Embry　and　Quil　were　at　my
  sides；　waiting　for　me　to　recover　and　take　the　point。
  I　could　feel　the　drive；　the　need；　to　get　on　my　feet　and　lead　them。　The　compulsion　grew；　and　I　fought　it
  uselessly；　cringing　on　the　ground　where　I　was。
  Embry　whined　quietly　in　my　ear。　He　didn't　want　to　think　the　words；　afraid　that　he　would　bring　me　to
  Sam's　attention　again。　I　felt　his　wordless　plea　for　me　to　get　up；　for　me　to　get　this　over　with　and　be　done
  with　it。
  There　was　fear　in　the　pack；　not　so