Breaking Dawn

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.

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 a trail 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. I 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. . . .

I 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.

I 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 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. I like this pack.