Tillet　you　know。〃
  It　felt　good　to　get　back　to　my　animal　self。　I　was　stiff　from　sitting　still　for　so　long。　I　extended　my　stride；
  working　out　the　kinks。
  Morning；　Jacob；Leah　greeted　me。
  Good；　you're　up。　How　long's　Seth　been　out？
  Not　out　yet；Seth　thought　sleepily。　Almost　there。　What　do　you　need？
  You　think　you　got　another　hour　in　you？
  Sure　thing。　No　problem。Seth　got　to　his　feet　right　away；　shaking　out　his　fur。
  Let's　make　the　deep　run；Itold　Leah。　Seth；　take　the　perimeter。
  Gotcha。Seth　broke　into　an　easy　jog。
  Off　on　another　vampire　errand；Leah　grumbled。
  You　got　a　problem　with　that？
  Of　course　not。　I　just　love　to　coddle　those　darling　leeches。
  Good。　Let's　see　how　fast　we　can　run。
  Okay；　I'm　definitely　up　forthat/
  Leah　was　on　the　far　western　rim　of　the　perimeter。　Rather　than　cut　close　to　the　Cullens'　house；　she　stuck
  to　the　circle　as　she　raced　around　to　meet　me。　I　sprinted　off　straight　east；　knowing　that　even　with　the　head
  start；　she'd　be
  passing　me　soon　if　I　took　it　easy　for　even　a　second。
  Nose　to　the　ground；　Leah。　This　isn't　a　race；　it's　a　reconnaissance　mission。
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  I　can　do　both　and　still　kick　your　butt
  I　gave　her　that　one。　/　know。
  She　laughed。
  We　took　a　winding　path　through　the　eastern　mountains。　It　wasa　familiar　route。　We'd　run　these　mountains
  when　the　vampires　had　left　a　year　ago；　making　it　part　of　our　patrol　route　to　better　protect　the　people
  here。　Then　we'd　pulled　back　the　lines　when　the　Cullens　returned。　This　was　their　treaty　land。
  But　that　fact　would　probably　mean　nothing　to　Sam　now。　The　treaty　was　dead。　The　question　today　was
  how　thin　he　was　willing　to　spread　his　force。　Was　he　looking　for　stray　Cullens　to　poach　on　their　land　or
  not？　Had　Jared　spoken　the　truth　or　taken　advantage　of　the　silence　between　us？
  We　got　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　mountains　without　finding　any　trace　of　the　pack。　Fading　vampire
  trails　were　everywhere；　but　the　scents　were　familiar　now。　I　was　breathing　them　in　all　day　long。
  I　founda　heavy；　somewhat　recent　concentration　on　one　particular　trail—all　of　them　coming　and　going
  here　except　for　Edward。　Some　reason　for　gathering　that　must　have　been　forgotten　when　Edward　brought
  his　dying　pregnant　wife　home。　I　gritted　my　teeth。　Whatever　it　was；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　me。
  Leah　didn't　push　herself　past　me；　though　she　could　have　now。　I　was　paying　more　attention　to　each　new
  scent　than　I　was　to　the　speed　contest。　She　kept　to　my　right　side；　running　with　me　rather　than　racing
  against　me。
  Were　getting　pretty　far　out　here；she　commented。
  Yeah。　If　Sam　was　hunting　strays；　we　should　have　crossed　his　trail　by　now。
  Makes　more　sense　right　now　for　him　to　bunker　down　in　La　Push；Leah　thought。　He　knows　we're　giving
  the　bloodsuckers　three　extra　sets　of　eyes　and　legs。　He's　not　going　to　be　able　to　surprise　them。
  This　was　just　a　precaution；　really。
  Wouldn't　want　our　precious　parasites　taking　unnecessary　chances。
  Nope；I　agreed；　ignoring　the　sarcasm。
  You've　changed　so　much；　Jacob。　Talk　about　one…eighties。
  You're　not　exactly　the　same　Leah　I've　always　known　and　loved；　either。
  True。　Am　I　less　annoying　than　Paul　now？
  Amazingly。。。　yes。
  Ah；　sweet　success。
  Congrats。
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  We　ran　in　silence　again　then。　It　was　probably　time　to　turn　around；　but　neither　of　us　wanted　to。　It　felt　nice
  to　run　like　this。　We'd　been　staring　at　the　same　small　circle　of　atrail　for　too　long。　It　felt　good　to　stretch　our
  muscles　and　take　the　rugged　terrain。　We　weren't　in　a　huge　hurry；　so　I　thought　maybe　we　should　hunt　on
  the　way　back。　Leah　was　pretty
  hungry。
  Yum；　yum；she　thought　sourly。
  It's　all　in　your　head；I　told　her。　That's　the　way　wolves　eat。　It's　natural。　It　tastes　fine。　If　you　didn't
  think　about　it　from　a　human　perspective—
  Forget　the　pep　talk；　Jacob。　I'll　hunt　I　don't　have　to　like　it
  Sure；　sure；I　agreed　easily。　It　wasn't　my　business　if　she　wanted　to　make　things　harder　for　herself。
  She　didn't　add　anything　for　a　few　minutes；　I　started　thinking　about　turning　back。
  Thank　you；Leah　suddenly　told　me　in　a　much　different　tone。
  For？
  For　letting　me　be。　For　letting　me　stay。　You've　been　nicer　than　I　had　any　right　to　expect；　Jacob。
  Er；　no　problem。　Actually；　I　mean　that。　I　don't　mind　having　you　here　like　I　thought　I　would。
  She　snorted；　but　it　was　a　playful　sound。　What　a　glowing　commendation！
  Don't　let　it　go　to　your　head。
  Okay—　if　you　don't　let　this　go　to　yours。She　paused　for　a　second。　/　think　you　make　a　good　Alpha。
  Not　in　the　same　way　Sam　does；　but　in　your　own　way。　You're　worth　following；　Jacob。
  My　mind　went　blank　with　surprise。　It　took　me　a　second　to　recover　enough　to　respond。
  Er；　thanks。　Not　totally　sure　I'll　be　able　to　stop　that　one　from　going　to　my　head；　though。　Where　did　that
  come　from？
  She　didn't　answer　right　away；　and　I　followed　the　wordless　direction　of　her　thoughts。　She　was　thinking
  about　the　future—about　what　I'd　said　to　Jared　the　other　morning。　About　how　the　time　would　be　up　soon；
  and　then　I'd　go　back　to　the　forest。　About　how　I'd　promised　that　she　and　Seth　would　return　to　the　pack
  when　the　Cullens　were　gone___
  /　want　to　stay　with　you；　she　told　me。
  The　shock　shot　through　my　legs；　locking　my　joints。　She　blew　past　me　and　then　put　on　the　brakes。
  Slowly；　she　walked　back　to　where　I　was　frozen　in　place。
  /　won't　be　a　pain；　I　swear。　I　won't　follow　you　around。　You　can　go　wherever　you　want；　and　I'll　go
  where　I　want。　You'll　only　have　to　put　up　with　me　when　we're　both　wolves。　She　paced　back　and　forth
  in　front　of　me；　swishing　her　long　gray　tail　nervously。　And；　as　I'm　planning　on　quitting　as　soon　as　I　can
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  manage　it。。。　maybe　that　won't　be　so　often。
  I　didn't　know　what　to　say。
  I'm　happier　now；　as　a　part　of　your　pack；　than　I　have　been　in　years。
  I　want　to　stay；　too；Seth　thought　quietly。　I　hadn't　realized　he'd　been　paying　much　attention　to　us　as　he　ran
  the　perimeter。　/　like　this　pack。
  Hey；　now！　Seth；　this　isn't　going　to　be　a　pack　much　longer。I　tried　to　put　my　thoughts　together　so　they
  would　convince　him。　We've　got　a　purpose　now；　but　when。。。　after　that's　over；　I'm　just　going　to　go
  wolf。　Seth；　you　need　a　purpose。　You're　a　good　kid。　You're　the　kind　of　person　who　always　has　a
  crusade。　And　there's　no　way　you're　leaving　La　Push　now。　You're　going　to　graduate　from　high
  school　and　do　something　with　your　life。　You're　going　to　take　care　of　Sue。
  My　issues　are　not　going　to　mess　up　your　future。
  But　—
  Jacob　is　rightLeah　seconded。
  You're　agreeing　with　me？
  Of　course。　But　none　of　that　applies　tome。　/　was　on　my　way　out　anyway。　I'll　get　a　job　somewhere
  away　from　La　Push。　Maybe　take　some　courses　at　a　community　college。　Get　into　yoga　and
  meditation　to　work　on　my　temper　issues。。。。　And　stay　a　part　of　this　pack　for　the　sake　of　my　mental
  well…being。　Jacob—　you　can　see　how　that　makes　sense；　right？　I　won't　bother　you；　you　won't
  bother　me；　everyone　is　happy。
  I　turned　back　and　started　loping　slowly　toward　the　west。
  This　is　a　bit　much　to　deal　with；　Leah。　Let　me　think　about　it；　'kay？
  Sure。　Take　your　time。
  It　took　us　longer　to　make　the　run　back。　I　wasn't　trying　for　speed。　I　was　just　trying　to　concentrate　enough
  that　I　wouldn't　plow　headfirst　into　a　tree。　Seth　was　grumbling　a　little　bit　in　the　back　of　my　head；　but　I　was
  able　to　ignore　him。　He　knew　I　was　right。　He　wasn't　going　to　abandon　his　mom。　He　would　go　back　to　La
  Push　and　protect　the　tribe　like　he　should。
  But　I　couldn't　see　Leah　doing　that。　And　that　was　just　plain　scary。
  A　pack　of　the　two　of　us？　No　matter　the　physical　distance；　I　couldn't　imagine　the。。。　the　intimacy　of　that
  situation。　I　wondered　if　she'd　really　thought　it　through；　or　if　she　was　just　desperate　to　stay　free。
  Leah　didn't　say　anything　as　I　chewed　it　over。　It　was　like　she　was　trying　to　prove　how　easy　it　would　be　if
  it　was　just　us。
  We　ran　into　a　herd　of　black…tailed　deer　just　as　the　sun　was　coming　up；　brightening　the　clouds　a　little　bit
  behind　us。　Leah　sighed　internally　but　didn't　hesitate。　Her　lunge　was　clean　and　efficient—graceful；　even。
  She　took　down　the　largest　one；　the　buck；　before　the　startled　animal　fully　understood　the　danger。
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  Not　to　be　outdone；　I　swooped　down　on　the　next　largest　deer；　snapping　her　neck　between　my　jaws
  quickly；　so　she　wouldn't　feel　unnecessary　pain。　I　could　feel　Leah's　disgust　warring　with　her　h