Jacob had been out with Leah and Seth, his pack. They were in the woods doing a patrol, rumors of something fast in the woods near Slough Trail which happened to be about a mile from La Push, obligating someone to come and check it out.Â
Sam and his pack, still strange even after all this time to refer to them as another pack, separate from his own or himself because at one time they had been one. The bond between them and him could be shaky at times, resulting in Jacob, Leah and Seth getting patrol duty. Jacob didnât mind though, even if Leah complained a lot about how unfair it was but he knew deep down she loved to run in her wolf form, just like they all did.Â
They had just finished the patrol, finding nothing aside from a few odd tracks and some strange scents when a loud crash came from behind them. Jacob crouched, tensed to phase when the scent of Maria and Leahâs warned hushed, âJake,â made him pause. Crashing against his chest, the dampness from their bodies mingled together as he threw his arms around her and picked her up and into his embrace. Jake held her against him, feeling her rapid heartbeat and her spiked adrenaline. âWhat is it?â Pressing his face against her own, their noses brushing gently against each other.Â
Another crash through the woods, but Leah and Jacob both knew it was only Seth but Maria buried her face in his chest. Seth pointed out the fact that her bike was in fact nowhere to be seen. Jacob let her explain, listening intently as he dug his fingers into her hair and his own heart started to pound. âSomething knocked you off the bike!?â His adrenaline spiked and coursed through his veins, the ripple and pressure to phase almost unbearable but Jacob had become good at controlling himself. He was in fact the true descendant of the Alpha and held more power than any of them combined. âYou ran here, baby? Jeeze, are you okay? Are you hurt? BecauseâŠâ Jacobâs voice trailed off, it had become low and hoarse.Â
âWhere was this at?â Leah, the voice of reason while Jacob held it together, chimed in and asked what he should have asked. Pulling Maria tighter against him, she wanted to go in and get cleaned up. Should he go with Maria inside or searching for whatever tried to harm her? âSeth, go and alert Sam about what happened with Maria. Leah, locate her bike and run a wide perimeter around the area until Sam and the others can get there. Iâm going to stay with Maria. Iâll join you guys as soon as I can, keep me updated.â Jacob turned back to Maria, fingers running up her neck and into her hair. âIâll stay with you, baby.â
At the mention of his smell, he chuckled, trying his best to lighten the mood for the both of them. âThanks, I was rolling in some leaves earlier. The dog in me couldnât resist. Seth did it too.â