Chapter 16

Jacob just knew that his mind had should've been on overload as he walked back to the Cullens' mansion. So much had happened in that one day that it had almost felt impossible: Edward running off to the Volturi to persuade them to come and kill Emmett, Jacob imprinting on Emmett and losing his virginity to him the same day, learning that the spirits on the ancestors had been contacting the elders, Bella Swan getting gutted by a vengeful boyfriend…so much in so little time.

What the hell was happening?

Life in La Push was always far from normal…but it was as though an entirely different force was in the works at the moment, attempting to twist this already viciously-bent reality. However, part of his mind was locked in content at knowing that his pack would be safe and out of harm's way. Now, the only thing that would've soothed him further was being back in Emmett's arms. Being with the one he would forever belong to.

Despite craving Emmett's hold, Jacob began to think of Billy, of Leah, Seth, Rebecca, Rachel, Embry, Quil, and Sue. If something did happen to him…how would they all hold up without him? Had he ever once considered that? The elders had agreed to keep Sam's pack patrolling La Push once he explained what was happening, but, with Alice not being able to see them in her visions, how did he know that nothing was going to happen to himself?

Jacob stopped walking when he reached the front yard of the Cullens' estate and looked up into the gray skies.

It looks like there's a chance I'm going to be seeing you, Mom, he thought to the smoky clouds.

"What are you thinking about?" Emmett's voice whispered behind him. He put his arms around Jacob's waist and pulled him close, pressing his back to his chest.

It was nice to be with someone who couldn't read his every thought. Sure, he had loved Edward back then, but that mind-reading shit did get annoying at times. There were some things that he would rather have remained secret, but Jacob's mind was like a giant billboard that Edward could've viewed whenever he wanted. His every fear, insecurity, private issues, was all his to rummage through like files from an open cabinet.

It was nice to have a lover and keep his mental security.

"Just of the several grisly fates that are possible of occurring," Jacob sighed.

Emmett chuckled. "I thought that was Alice's job."

Jacob narrowed his eyes. "Em…"

"Sorry, babe." Emmett tightened his hold on Jacob's waist. "I'm not trying to upset you."

Jacob pulled away from Emmett and began to pace furiously through the yard. "It's not you who's making me crazy, Em…it's Edward. He's…FUCKING SICK! He let go of me…convinced me with every fiber of his being that he didn't want to be with me anymore! When I decide to do the healthy thing and move on, he DOES ALL OF THIS! It's just…when the hell did he become so selfish…so manipulative…so…so…"

"Evil?" Emmett finished darkly.

Jacob closed his eyes. "Yes…"

Emmett shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe we all never knew the real Edward. Maybe part of him was always that way…and we just never saw it."

Jacob sighed. "If he was, he sure did a pretty damn good job of hiding it."

"Yeah," Emmett agreed, and then took Jacob's hand. "Come on, let's get back inside."

As he and Jacob began to walk up the walkway, Emmett glanced down at Jacob. "So, what did you and the Elders talk about?"

Jacob turned away as he felt the heat creep into his face. "I'll tell you about it later."

Emmett raised an eyebrow; he never knew Jacob to be the secretive type.

Jacob and Emmett walked hand-in-hand to the living room where the group of vampires all waited.

"Alice, anything new?" Emmett asked, almost immediately, upon seeing Alice, sitting in the loveseat, staring off into space, her eyebrows creasing in concentration.

"No, nothing," Alice said blankly. "The same scenarios: Five members of the guard falling, us being victorious, you and Edward fighting…and then nothing. Jacob, I think you or one of your packmates are going to intervene."

" Impossible, I ordered them all not to get involced. And do you really think that now that I know Emmett and Edward are going to fight, I'll even let it happen?" Jacob asked.

Emmett let out a playful scoff at Jacob's forwardness. Jacob really thought he would be able to stop him and Edward if there should ever come a chance for them to fight?

"I can sense that it's due to Edward…trying to kill Emmett to get to you…I see…that…he's become quite mad…these lies that he has fed to the Volturi…have become delusions in his head," Alice informed. "He wants to twist the reality of what he knows has happened to clear his own conscious…it's as though Edward was become an entirely different being…he's gone completely insane."

Carlisle's face was the portrait of helplessness at that very moment. "Edward…has lost his grip on his own sanity?"

Alice nodded.

Esme took Carlisle's arm. "Dear…"

Carlisle lowered his gaze to the ground. "I figured it would have happened…after all these decades."

"What?" Jacob demanded.

Carlisle sighed. "Edward…was quite unstable upon his first days as a newborn. True he didn't kill any humans that were innocent…but after learning of the demise of his own parents…plus after so many decades of loneliness…this must have been the mistake that made him finally snap."

Rosalie herself was gaping in disbelief.

"If what you say is true…" Mickey spoke. "Then…Edward could simply be using the Volturi to distract us all…to keep us all in a diversion while he goes after both Emmett and Jacob! The Volturi's being involved could just be as a way to separate us all while he comes after the two of them!"

Emmett snarled. "If that's all the little prick wanted he didn't have to go through so much fucking trouble. If a fight is what he wanted I would've been more than happy to just arrange something for him…"

"Emmett Cullen!" Esme gasped. "Remember, this is Edward we're talking about!"

"And?" Emmett roared. "Esme, by calling on the Volturi, he's putting Jacob's life at risk, he's putting all of our lives at risk! No matter what outcome Alice has seen, this has proven that he's more than willing to put us all in danger to get what he wants!"

Esme mouth shut. "I…"

"Don't you see, Esme?" Emmett said, speaking not only to her, but to all of the vampires in the room. "The fucker would practically climb over all of our bodies to get Jacob."

"Em." Jacob took Emmett's arm. "Please…calm down."

Emmett only realized then that he was shaking, and that most of the eyes in the room were on him. He could then feel himself beginning to calm down, thanks to Jasper sending a wave of relaxation over to him.

"I'm sorry, everyone," he apologized. "But I still mean everything that I said. Edward must really be going off the deep end if he's calling the Volturi down here…on me…"

"We understand you're hurt Emmett," Carlisle said sincerely. "We all are. But the best thing to do would be to confront Edward after all of this is over."

"Fine," Emmett said, managing to swallowing back his anger.

"I can't believe Jake doesn't want us to help," Seth said, swishing the silver spoon back and forth through the milk of his bowl of frosted flakes.

"He's the Alpha, what he says goes; we don't have a choice," Leah, who was sitting across Seth in the chair at the kitchen table, said. "Besides, he's thinking of our well-being. We could at least give him points for that."

Quil, who was standing behind Leah's chair with his arms on both sides of her and his chest behind her, spoke up. "But, if these really are vampire elites, then they should be different from the vampires we've all faced in the past."

Leah nodded. "But like I said, there's nothing we can do but hope that Jake comes out of this thing in one piece."

"It's just―" Seth began.

"Leah?"

They all turned to see Sam standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Sam?" Leah said.

"Can we talk?" he requested. "…Alone?"