That did it。
〃Right； protect her！〃 Paul roared in outrage。 Another shudder； a convulsion；
heaved through his body。 He
threw his head back； a real growl tearing from between his teeth。
〃Paul！〃 Sam and Jacob shouted together。
Paul seemed to fall forward； vibrating violently。 Halfway to the ground； there
was a loud ripping noise；
and the boy exploded。
Dark silver fur blew out from the boy； coalescing into a shape more than five
…times his size—a massive；
crouched shape； ready to spring。
The wolf's muzzle wrinkled back over his teeth； and another growl rolled
through his colossal chest。 His
dark； enraged eyes focused on me。
In the same second； Jacob was running across the road straight for the
monster。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed。
Mid…stride； a long tremor shivered down Jacob's spine。 He leaped forward；
diving headfirst into the
empty air。
With another sharp tearing sound； Jacob exploded； too。 He burst out of his
skin—shreds of black and
white cloth blasted up into the air。 It happened so quickly that if I'd
blinked； I'd have missed the entire
transformation。 One second it was Jacob diving into the air； and then it was
the gigantic； russet brown
wolf—so enormous that I couldn't make sense of its mass somehow fitting
inside Jacob—charging the
crouched silver beast。
Jacob met the other werewolf's attack head…on。 Their angry snarls echoed like
thunder off the trees。
The black and white scraps—the remains of Jacob's clothes—fluttered to the
ground where he'd
disappeared。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed again； staggering forward。
〃Stay where you are； Bella；〃 Sam ordered。 It was hard to hear him over the
roar of the fighting wolves。
They were snapping and tearing at each other； their sharp teeth flashing
toward each other's throats。 The
Jacob…wolf seemed to have the upper hand—he was visibly bigger than the other
wolf； and it looked like
le was stronger； too。 He rammed his shoulder against the gray wolf again and
again； knocking him back
toward the trees。
〃Take her to Emily's；〃 Sam shouted toward the other boys； who were watching
the conflict with rapt
expressions。 Jacob had successfully shoved the gray wolf off the road； and
they were disappearing into
the forest； though the sound of their snarls was still loud。 Sam ran after
them； kicking off his shoes on the
way。 As he darted into the trees； he was quivering from head to toe。
The growling and snapping was fading into the distance。 Suddenly； the sound
cut off and it was very quiet
on the road。
One of the boys started laughing。
I turned to stare at him—my wide eyes felt frozen； like I couldn't even blink
them。
The boy seemed to be laughing at my expression。 〃Well； there's something you
don't see every day；〃 he
snickered。 His face was vaguely familiar—thinner than the others Embry
Call。
〃I do；〃 the other boy； Jared； grumbled。 〃Every single day。〃
〃Aw； Paul doesn't lose his temper every day；〃 Embry disagreed； still grinning。
〃Maybe two out of three。〃
Jared stopped to pick something white up off the ground。 He held it up toward
Embry； it dangled in limp
strips from his hand。
〃Totally shredded；〃 Jared said。 〃Billy said this was the last pair he could
afford—guess Jacob's going
barefoot now。〃
〃This one survived；〃 Embry said； holding up a white sneaker。 〃Jake can hop；〃
he added with a laugh。
Jared started collecting various pieces of fabric from the dirt。 〃Get Sam's
shoes； will you？ All the rest of
this is headed for the trash。〃
Embry grabbed the shoes and then jogged into the trees where Sam had
disappeared。 He was back in a
few seconds with a pair of cut…off jeans draped over his arm。 Jared gathered
the torn remnants of
Jacob's and Paul's clothes and wadded them into a ball。 Suddenly； he seemed to
remember me。
He looked at me carefully； assessing。
〃Hey； you're not going to faint or puke or anything？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't think so；〃 I gasped。
〃You don't look so good。 Maybe you should sit down。〃
〃Okay；〃 I mumbled。 For the second time in one morning； I put my head between
my knees。
〃Jake should have warned us；〃 Embry plained。
〃He shouldn't have brought his girlfriend into this。 What did he expect？〃
〃Well； the wolf's out of the bag now。〃 Embry sighed。 〃Way to go； Jake。〃
I raised my head to glare at the two boys who seemed to be taking this all so
lightly。 〃Aren't you worried
about them at all？〃 I demanded。
Embry blinked once in surprise 〃Worried？ Why？〃
〃They could hurt each other！〃
Embry and Jared guffawed。
〃I hope Paul gets a mouthful of him；〃 Jared said。 〃Teach him a lesson。〃
I blanched。
〃Yeah； right！〃 Embry disagreed。 〃Did you see Jake？ Even Sam couldn't have
phased on the fly like that。
He saw Paul losing it； and it took him； what； half a second to attack？ The
boy's got a gift。〃
〃Paul's been fighting longer。 I'll bet you ten bucks he leaves a mark。〃
〃You're on。 Jake's a natural。 Paul doesn't have a prayer。〃
They shook hands； grinning。
I tried to fort myself with their lack of concern； but I couldn't drive the
brutal image of the fighting
werewolves from my head。 My stomach churned； sore and empty； my head ached
with worry。
〃Let's go see Emily。 You know she'll have food waiting。〃 Embry looked down at
me。 〃Mind giving us a
ride？〃
〃No problem；〃 I choked。
Jared raised one eyebrow。 〃Maybe you'd better drive； Embry。 She still looks
like she might hurl。〃
〃Good idea。 Where are the keys？〃 Embry asked me。
〃Ignition。〃
Embry opened the passenger…side door。 〃In you go；〃 he said cheerfully； hauling
me up from the ground
with one hand and stuffing me into my seat。 He appraised the available space。
〃You'll have to ride in the
back；〃 he told Jared。
〃That's fine。 I got a weak stomach。 I don't want to be in there when she
blows。〃
〃I bet she's tougher than that。 She runs with vampires。〃
〃Five bucks？〃 Jared asked。
〃Done。 I feel guilty； taking your money like this。〃
Embry got in and started the engine while Jared leapt agilely into the bed。 As
soon as his door was
closed； Embry muttered to me； 〃Don't throw up； okay？ I've only got a ten； and
if Paul got his teeth into
Jacob〃
〃Okay；〃 I whispered。
Embry drove us back toward the village。
〃Hey； how did Jake get around the injunction anyway？〃
〃The what？〃
〃Er； the order。 You know； to not spill the beans。 How did he tell you about
this？〃
〃Oh； that；〃 I said； remembering Jacob trying to choke out the truth to me last
night。 〃He didn't。 I guessed
right。〃
Embry pursed his lips； looking surprised。 〃Hmm。 S'pose that would work。〃
〃Where are we going？〃 I asked。
〃Emily's house。 She's Sam's girlfriend no； fiancee； now； I guess。 They'll
meet us back there after Sam
gives it to them for what just happened。 And after Paul and Jake scrounge up
some new clothes； if Paul
even has any left。〃
〃Does Emily know about ？〃
〃Yeah。 And hey； don't stare at her。 That bugs Sam。〃
I frowned at him。 〃Why would I stare？〃
Embry looked unfortable。 〃Like you saw just now； hanging out around
werewolves has its risks。〃 He
changed the subject quickly。 〃Hey； are you okay about the whole thing with the
black…haired
blo