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〃Hey； Jake's ing around！〃 Seth crowed。
He was sitting on Bella's other side； his arm slung carelessly over her shoulders； an overflowing plate of
food on his lap。
What the hell？
〃He came to find you；〃 Edward said while I got to my feet。 〃And Esme convinced him to stay for
breakfast。〃
Seth took in my expression； and he hurried to explain。 〃Yeah； Jake—I was just checking to see if you
were okay 'cause you didn't ever phase back。 Leah got worried。 I told her you probably just crashed
human； but you know how she is。 Anyway； they had all this food and； dang；〃—he turned to
Edward—〃man； you can cook〃
〃Thank you；〃 Edward murmured。
I inhaled slowly； trying to unclench my teeth。 I couldn't take my eyes off Seth's arm。
〃Bella got cold；〃 Edward said quietly。
Right。 None of my business； anyway。 She didn't belong to me。
Seth heard Edward's ment； looked at my face； and suddenly he needed both hands to eat with。 He
took his arm off Bella and dug in。 i walked over to stand a few feet from the couch； still trying to get my
bearings。
〃Leah running patrol？〃 I asked Seth。 My voice was still thick with sleep。
〃Yeah；〃 he said as he chewed。 Seth had new clothes on； too。 They fit him better than mine fit me。 〃She's
on it。 No worries。 She'll howl if there's anything。 We traded off around midnight。 I ran twelve hours。〃 He
was proud of that； and it showed in his tone。
〃Midnight？ Wait a minute—what time is it now？〃
〃'Bout dawn。〃 He glanced toward the window； checking。
Well； damn。 I'd slept through the rest of the day and the whole night—dropped the ball。 〃Crap。 Sorry
about that； Seth。 Really。 You shoulda kicked me awake。〃
〃Naw； man； you needed some serious sleep。 You haven't taken a break since when？ Night before your
last patrol for Sam？ Like forty hours？ Fifty？ You're not a machine； Jake。 'Sides； you didn't miss anything
at all。〃
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Nothing at all？ I glanced quickly at Bella。 Her color was back to the way I remembered it。 Pale； but with
the rose undertone。 Her lips were pink again。 Even her hair looked better—shinier。 She saw me
appraising and gave me a qrin。
〃How's the rib？〃 I asked。
〃Taped up nice and tight； i don't even feel it。'7
I rolled my eyes。 I heard Edward grind his teeth together； and I figured her blowitoff attitude bugged
him as much at it bugged me。
〃What's for breakfast？〃 I asked； a little sarcastic。 〃O negative or AB positive？〃
She stuck her tongue out at me。 Totally herself again。 〃Omelets；〃 she said； but her eyes darted down；
and I saw that her cup of blood was wedged between her leg and Edward's。
〃Go get some breakfast； Jake；〃 Seth said。 〃There's a bunch in the kitchen。 You've got to be empty。〃
I examined the food in his lap。 Looked like half a cheese omelet and the last fourth of a Frisbeesized
cinnamon roll。 My stomach growled； but I ignored it。
〃What's Leah having for breakfast？〃 I asked Seth critically。
〃Hey； I took food to her before I ate anything〃 he defended himself。 〃She said she'd rather eat roadkill；
but I bet she caves。 These cinnamon rolls。。。 〃 He seemed at a loss for words。
'Til go hunt with her； then。〃
Seth sighed as I turned to leave。
〃A moment； Jacob？〃
It was Carlisle asking； so when I turned around again； my face was probably less disrespectful than it
would have been if anyone else had stopped me。
〃Yeah？〃
Carlisle approached me while Esme drifted off toward the other room。 He stopped a few feet away； just
a little bit farther away than the normal space between two humans having a conversation。 I appreciated
him giving me my space。
〃Speaking of hunting；〃 he began in a somber tone。 〃That's going to be an issue for my family。 I
understand that our previous truce is inoperative at the moment； so I wanted your advice。 Will Sam be
hunting for us outside of the perimeter you've created？ We don't want to take a chance with hurting any
of your family—or losing any of ours。 If you were in our shoes； how would you proceed？〃
I leaned away； a little surprised； when he threw it back at me like that。 What would I know about being
in a bloodsucker's expensive shoes？ But； then again； I did know Sam。
〃It's a risk；〃 I said； trying to ignore the other eyes I felt on me and to talk only to him。 〃Sam's calmed
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down some； but I'm pretty sure that in his head； the treaty is void。 As long as he thinks the tribe； or any
other human； is in real danger； he's not going to ask questions first； if you know what I mean。 But； with all
that； his priority is going to be La Push。 There really aren't enough of them to keep a decent watch on the
people while putting out hunting parties big enough to do much damage。 I'd bet he's keeping it close to
home。〃
Carlisle nodded thoughtfully。
〃So I guess I'd say； go out together； just in case。 And probably you should go in the day； 'cause we'd be
expecting night。 Traditional vampire stuff。 You're fast—go over the mountains and hunt far enough away
that there's no chance he'd send anyone that far from home。〃
〃And leave Bella behind； unprotected？〃
I snorted。 〃What are we； chopped liver？〃
Carlisle laughed； and then his face was serious again。 〃Jacob； you can't fight against your brothers。〃
My eyes tightened。 〃I'm not saying it wouldn't be hard； but if they were really ing to kill her—I
would be able to stop them。〃
Carlisle shook his head； anxious。 〃No； I didn't mean that you would be。。。 incapable。 But that it would be
very wrong。 I can't have that on my conscience。〃
〃It wouldn't be on yours； Doc。 It would be on mine。 And I can take it。〃
〃No； Jacob。 We will make sure that our actions don't make that a necessity。〃 He frowned thoughtfully
〃We'll go three at a time；〃 he decided after a second。 〃That's probably the best we can do。〃
〃I don't know； Doc。 Dividing down the middle isn't the best strategy。〃
〃We've got some extra abilities that will even it up。 If Edward is one of the