Careful

Jacob had taken his wolf form behind the tree line as I waited in the middle of the clearing. Too stunned to move or grasp any concept of the information that was just unloaded onto me.

A few moments later Jacob reappeared his broad chest on full display as he made his way back to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

I blinked a few times in quick succession trying to string my racing thoughts into a coherent response. Was I okay? I really couldn't say.

"If he really was bitten by a vampire then where is he now?" Classic deflection, answering a question with a question.

"I had to take him somewhere he couldn't be a danger to you, your family or the people is this town. Sam suggested taking E to the Cullen's in the hopes that he'd get the support he needed to make the transition and follow their diet. We took him there."

"I want to see him."

"No. Absolutely not."

"He's my brother Jacob. I demand you take me to see him, or I'll drive into Forks myself."

"I won't do that. I took Ephraim to the Cullen's because he is a good person who didn't deserve what happened to him and because he is your brother. Make no mistake about the nature of the situation he is in Euphoria. He is likely not himself and now a dangerous predator. He may not be able to control himself around humans for some time and I refuse to risk your own safety-"

"That is not your decision to make Jacob." I interrupted.

"Maybe not, but for your own safety this is how it has to be for now and that is final." Both of our heads snapped to see Sam standing out on the porch a few yards away from us.

"Sam, he’s, my brother. He is the only other person my sister and I have left in this world." I pleaded.

"I can't begin to understand the position that you are in, but your brother is not himself. Many elders in this tribe and some of the pack members don't even believe he can find his way back to who he was before all of this. Don't you understand?" I clenched my fists at my side and held my tongue.

I shot a hot look over at Jacob before storming past him to make my way back around to the front of the cottage.

"Euphoria!" Jacob called after me as I continued my trek back down the road to the Black house to collect my car.

"Please just wait a second." He pleaded as he gently grasped my arm and turned me to face him.

"I need time Jacob. I just need some time to sort this all out in my head." I begged pulling my arm from his grip and continuing back towards my car.

"Okay, I'm here whenever you want to talk." He seemed unsure of his concession and continued to follow me back down the road.

"You can't tell anyone. Not even Ellie or Quil." He chided, stopping me dead in my tracks.

"No need to remind me of my promises Jacob. Unlike other unreliable people in my life, I intend to keep them." I snarled unable to bottle the building frustration any longer.

He flinched and hung his head low. For some reason my heart clenched to see him reprimanded. Confusion filled every available space left in my brain. I couldn't think straight but we'd finally made it back to the Black house my car parked outside, Quil perched on the porch with my keys in his hand.

"Quil can you please drive me home?" He was up on his feet walking over to the driver's side of the car the instant I finished with my request.

"Euphoria please just don't leave angry at me. I-"

"Good night, Jacob." I cut him off and took my seat in the car closing the door firmly behind me.

Quil started the engine and began to backout of the driveway. Jacob stood watching us leave in my headlights, eyes watery with unshed tears. I couldn't bear to look on any longer, sighing heavily and letting the tears flow freely as I place my head in my hands.

"U what happened. Are you okay?" Quil asked cautiously.

"I don't know." I managed between sobs as he moved his hand from the steering wheel to hold onto my shoulder for support.

----------

The days blurred into weeks, the weeks into a month. Jake would turn up every day at my locker like clockwork.

How have you been? Can we talk more about this? I understand you're upset, but there is more you should know that I haven't explained.

Every inquiry met with the same response.

Will you take me to see my brother?

No, he wouldn't and so our standoff continued.

I tried to keep up with my schoolwork to keep my mind busy but worry took every available space in my mind where fear had been before.

I worried that I'd never get the chance to see E again and that he may never be anything to me but a monster if he couldn't adapt to this lifestyle forced upon him. I worried for Ellie, as lost as I was without the truth to cling to. I worried for Quil knowing he'd be taking on every burden that his brothers were right now, and he didn't even know it yet. I worried for Jake knowing he was out patrolling the woods for the vampire who had taken everything from me. I worried I wasn't keeping it together and the cracks in the facade I'd put up would allow for everyone around me to see how I was falling apart under the weight of it all.

I was making my way towards my car when my name being shouted across the parking lot caught my attention. I turned to see Jacob jogging across the lot in my direction.

"What do you want Jacob?" I asked continuing the journey to my parked car.

"I wanted to see if you had anything planned for this afternoon. I have some news to share." He expressed as he fell in step with me.

I looked over at him wearily about to decline before he cut in again.

"Please? You'll want to know this." His gaze was piercing, like it seemed to always be these days.

"Fine get in." I sighed deeply, my own frustration at not being able to say no bleeding through.

Jacob joined me in the car, and I drove us to a small diner in the middle of town. Neither of us broke the silence as the tension grew thick enough to charge the air around us. Once seated inside I ordered myself some fries and a soft drink while Jake ordered a burger meal.

The waitress left us in our own silence. Unsure of what to say Jacob fidgeted with his hands while I stared at him expectantly.

"I spoke to the Cullen's." He breathed as he finally met my gaze, I opened my mouth to respond with the long list of questions the simple statement had brought to the forefront of my mind.

"Before you ask, he is adjusting. I won't say he is fine because he isn't as you well know but the worst of the transition phase is over now."

I waited a second, and then another as the waitress returned to set down our beverages.

"What does that mean?"

"From what I've been told, the transformation can be overwhelming to say the least. Your brother needed time to adjust to his new body and preferences. I was told it was a difficult first month, but he is more cognizant of his true self now and has also kept to their diet with little more than a minor incident or two."

"Incidents?" I probed.

Jacob cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in the booth. The silence stretched over the length of time it took for the waitress to place our ordered food on the table before us. Once she was a good distance away, Jacob began again.

"They said he'd tried to shake them on a hunt once or twice after catching the scent of some hikers that had crossed into their path. The others were able to stop and detain him before anyone could be seriously harmed but self-control is still lacking."

I paused for a moment to take in the information Jake had just given me. My eyes left his penetrating gaze and found my hands clasped tightly together in my lap. I couldn't find the words to talk about the lives he might have taken if he hadn't been in a controlled environment.

"Does he know what's happened to him?" It was all I could think to ask.

"He does. The Cullen's took the liberty to explain the situation and he doesn't want to hurt anyone. E has agreed to try the diet and to stay with them for the foreseeable future as he tries to gain self-control and awareness."

"I want to see him." I pressed despite the nauseating update I'd just received about some potentially unsuspecting hikers.

"I know you do." He looked me right in the eyes, his brown orbs swirling with compassion, understanding and pain.

"Ephraim won't agree to it. I've asked the Cullen's their own opinions on the matter of his self-control, and they agree with his decision. It's too soon Euphoria."

"Fine is that all?" I asked briskly as I made my move to stand from the booth.

He flinched away at the tone in my voice but kept me from leaving by wrapping his too warm hand around my wrist.

"There are other things that we should discuss outside of your brother Euphoria. Things you should know about me, the others, and your role in all of this. If you could just give me a chance to try and explain-" He started.

"I'm not interested Jacob."

"I'm worried about you. You've hardly been eating, Quil says you don't sleep and-"

"It's not your place to worry about my wellbeing." I snapped taking my leave from the booth.

Jacob made no move to follow me out of the restaurant to my car. He only watched with such a pained expression as I drove away it made my heart clench and my stomach roll with sickness.