The Consequences {Jacob Black}

Chapter CXII: Jacob's Point of View

"How could you do that to her?" Bella screeched again. I had been too focused on getting Bella off of my land without killing her. I needed her alive if I was going to be able bargain with the Cullens. I should have been paying more attention.

What did you do, Seth?

I didn't mean to. What was the kid freaking out about? The memory played in his head. The little spawn grabbed hold of Collin, her pasty white hand against his own dark fur. Her hand squeezed a little and I heard a pop of bone. Collin whimpered a little, but bit down on his tongue. I could feel the protection surging in him as Seth jumped forward and grabbed hold of the demon's arm. I heard her own bone snap and felt a rush of blood into a mouth that wasn't mine. Seth balked, the coppery taste of blood filling a mouth, whether it was his or mine, I couldn't tell you. That was what was freaking him out. He had tasted blood.

It wasn't what we were built for. Yet another thing that Annie had been right about. We were made to protect human life, not hurt it. The taste of blood wasn't something that we craved like the vampires. No, we didn't lust after the blood but after the protection of humans.

She's not human, Seth. You did nothing wrong. Calm down, I commanded. I watched Seth inhale and exhale and Collin push to his feet. Let the kid go, Seth. We need her alive.

Seth took a step off of her, growling and snarling the entire time. Collin did the same thing, crouching down, prepared for the fight that seemed imminent. "How could you hurt her? She's a child!"

She's not a child or a human. She was on our territory. Any harm that came to her was her own fault, I snarled. Edward reiterated the message.

"You asshole. She was trying to show him something."

"She hurt him," Edward translated.

"She didn't mean to. It's like you said, we don't know anything about her. She didn't mean to hurt the boy," Bella said.

"I didn't know," the thing said.

I glared at Edward. "Renesmee, get back over here now," he commanded. She jumped just like any other vampire that I had ever met. She made it up to her parents, looking back at us with wide, watery eyes. Eyes that I would never see on a fully human face again. And the best part was, I wasn't really upset about it. "You don't want to hurt her, Jacob. I know. I saw Seth's thoughts too. He didn't mean to hurt her."

But he did. It was instinct to kill her. You know she'll never be safe. Why don't you tell your wife and your daughter to stay off of my territory or next time, we will kill them. Boys, patrol. Get control of the twisted thing you call a family, understood. Let's make it clear: your witnesses are dead if they get close enough to the border. I waited until the monster had nodded to nod to the guys and take off running.

I was going to have to talk to Leah. It was the only chance I had of making sense of this. But not this morning. I couldn't deal with it this morning. Annie had been sick and stressed; Sam had been pissing us all off with his inability to realize that he was no longer Alpha. I was going to be sick if I didn't get a break from all this shit soon. What was I thinking? I couldn't be Alpha. It took someone who had power and authority and that energy to keep going. I didn't have any of that left in me.

At least I didn't think I did. But as I walked to the tree line, I could hear Annie screech singing from the house. I was laughing as I phased out and pulled my shorts on. The house smelled like bacon and sausage and everything I could possibly want to come home to. Dad was still asleep, snoring in his room happily. I pried the door open and stepped in, Annie's sweet smell smacked me in the face. I sighed. I could do this; I could fight and fight and deal with the stress if this is what I came home to.