Defective - Jacob Black {1}

Chapter 48: Countdown

Jacob's POV

Seth and I had spent the most part of our night shift running the perimeter that we had made. Occasionally we'd go off track on side trips, checking to see if the pack had ventured any closer to our own boundary line and to see if I could recognise any patterns in new patrol routes. So far we had found nothing, which was a good sign I guessed, if the Cullens were going to make a hunting trip anytime soon they could rush out of here in any direction basically.

It was easier to run with Seth and Jesse than it was to do the same with Leah. Though she was trying - trying hard - there was always an edge to her thoughts. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to feel the softening toward the vampires that was going on in our heads. She didn't want to deal with Seth and Jesse's cosy friendship with them, a friendship that was only getting stronger.

Funny, though, I'd thought her biggest issue would just be me. We'd always gotten on each other's nerves when we were in Sam's pack. But there was no antagonism toward me now at all, just the Cullens and Bella and Aria slightly, but that was only because she was a half vampire. Maybe it was simply gratitude that I wasn't forcing her to leave. Maybe it was because I understood her hostility better now. Whichever, running with Leah wasn't nearly as bad as I'd expected.

Of course, she hadn't eased up that much. The food and clothes Esme had sent for her were all taking a trip downriver right now. The small elk she'd taken down around noon had not totally satisfied her appetite. It did make her mood worse, though. Leah hated eating raw.

"Maybe we should run a sweep east?" Seth suggested. "Go deep, see if they're out there waiting."

"I was thinking about that," I agreed. "But let's do it when we're all awake, before we trade off for our day shifts at ten. I don't want to let down our guard. We should do it before the Cullens give it a try, though. Soon."

"Right." Seth concluded.

That got me thinking.

If the Cullens were able to get out of the immediate area safely, they really ought to keep on going. They probably should have taken off the second we'd come to warn them. They had to be able to afford other digs. And they had friends up north, right? Take Bella and run. It seemed like an obvious answer to their problems.

I probably ought to suggest that, but I was afraid they would listen to me. And I didn't want to have Bella disappear - of course Aria would tell me if she had made it or not, but I wanted to be there during her last human days or just last days in general.

"Oh, I already asked Edward about that," Seth thought, he had asked before I woke up yesterday morning and joined them downstairs for breakfast.

"What?"

"I asked him why they hadn't taken off yet. Gone up to Tanya's place or something. Somewhere too far for Sam to come after them." He explained.

"So what did he say? Are they waiting for a window?"

"No. They're not leaving."

"Why not? That's just stupid."

"Not really," Seth said, defensive now. "It takes some time to build up the kind of medical access that Carlisle has here. He's got all the stuff he needs to take care of Bella, and the credentials to get more. That's one of the reasons they want to make a hunting run. Carlisle thinks they're going to need more blood for Bella soon. She's using up all the O negative they stored for her. He doesn't like depleting the stockpile. He's going to buy some more. Did you know you can buy blood? If you're a doctor."