JACOB POV

(This is before they find Katie)

I was out running patrol with Quil and Embry, normally Leah would be out with us as well, but she's home taking care of her mom. I ran and ran, leaping and moving with ease. I had just gotten into a rhythm when Embry spoke mind to mind to me saying Jacob, Quil, do you guys hear that? I strain my ears, I was about to respond, no, when I heard it. A girl, shouting, she was too far away for me to make out the words, but she sounded like she was in trouble. I spoke to them saying Let's go check it out, but alert the others. The each agree and run off, howling to get the others (Paul, Jared, and Sam). I run to the noise, it has gotten quieter, as if she had stopped shouting, but I could still hear crashing and grunts as if she was being chased and fighting was happening. I ran faster, just as I was nearing the kids, the rest of my pack meets up with me. I pause at the bush, phasing and while I put my shorts on, I looked at what was happening. A group of four guys had a girl surrounded, they were big enough to outweigh her by a lot, but small enough to run after her, especially if she was as tired as she looked. She looked about 15, with bright red hair , and stunning green eyes that were glazed with exhaustion. She was wearing tight fitting athletic clothes that showed off her lean and lithe body, she must be an amazing athlete, I think to myself. My observations were interrupted by something that sent my blood boiling. They tackled her, each guy pinning a different part, as if this was the only way to keep her down. Right as I was about to charge in and rip those boys to shreds, Sam clamped a hand on my shoulder, giving me a look that said "not now, wait, don't charge in there when you're angry. Remember Billy's rules, we can't interfere unless vampires are endangering people" I knew he was right but watching that idiot trace lines on her face with his finger sent me trembling in barely restrained rage. Apparently it bugged her too, because she bit down on those fingers, and even as he slapped her she didn't let go, her green eyes intense with predatory focus. The guy holding her left arm grabbed and yanked in a maneuver I knew all too well. Her scream was the worst sound, I've ever heard in my life, it sent my body pounding, aching to shut off the source of her pain. Okay reality check Jacob, you don't know this chick, I say to myself. That doesn't stop my body trembling with restraint from phasing and ripping those idiots to shreds. It doesn't improve when the lead idiot says "There's no one here to save you, now we can have our fun" as he brings he face down to graze his nose against her neck. The possessiveness in that touch alone half blinded me with feral wrath. I turned my attention to the girls face to gauge her reaction and I found that her eyes shone not with fear, but with anger. Then she slams her knee up into his crotch and try's to roll away, but he grabs her and pulls his arm back to punch. Embry and Quils eyes are blazing with fury, they even go so far as to charge, only to be held back by the alpha order, but they still rustled the bush. Which draws the girls attention, I wanted to shout watch out, but the damage was done, the guy slammed his fist into the side of her face. The pack winced in sympathy, this dude outweighs her and looks about four years older too. I leashed my temper so hard I choked on it. But she wasn't done, I don't how she did it but she summoned arrogance even though she must be tired and in pain.

Then she said "Does this make you feel powerful? Hurting a younger and smaller girl? Forcing her to have sex with you because you can't convince anyone else to suck your tiny dicks? How sad. At least you guys can suck each other's." The guys behind me choked on a laugh, and Paul whispered "Who is this chick?" Well if she earned Paul's mark of approval, then she must be impressive. For a moment I was happy Seth wasn't here to listen to the foul language. I mean, she's absolutely right, but I still didn't want my baby cousin listening. She moved fast and gracefully out from under him and landed a kick to one of the other guys right before the dude grabbed her shirt and cocked back and arm, she flinched, expecting the blow and that snapped the tether on Sam. Because he said "Screw it, she's a badass and needs help, let's go" The pack ran out from the bush and Sam stopped the oncoming attack with a terse "Is there a problem here?" The idiot had the nerve to say "Yeah there is, you interrupted a very romantic moment for me and my girlfriend" I snorted, girlfriend my ass. Apparently she had similar ideas because she stormed up, tapped his shoulder and said "oh sweetie" then just punched the shit out of him. From how far back he flew, she must be really strong, especially with a hurt shoulder. He ran back to retaliate but Sam caught his arm. Sams face was carefully blank, but I could sense the rage boiling just beneath the surface. He had a soft spot for females being attacked. Sam mastered his temper enough to not snap his bones, but instead said "Leave her alone,get your guys and go" The girl looked back and said "Don't forget the scraps of your ego and dignity, I think they might be back there on the forest floor, along with unconscious friends of yours." Holy crap, there were more of them, and she fought them off this long. Even with the blood running down her face, mud and twigs covering her, and her face glimmering with exhaustion she was beautiful. She finally turned to us and kept her muscles tense, as if she was expecting another fight. Then relaxed as if she realized the threat had passed, I guess now she finally allowed herself to feel the pain because a broken whimper came out of her, making my rage disappear into concern and compassion. Still, she put on a brave face and turned to us saying "Thanks for the help, I'm Katie, who are you guys?" Katie. Katie. Her name was like an answer to a question I didn't even know I was asking. Then she briefly made eye contact with me and my world shifted. Then heat flooded through me, stronger than the rage before, but it was a new kind of heat—not a burning. It was glowing. Everything that made me who I was - my love for Bella, my love for my father, my loyalty to my pack, the love for my sisters, my hatred for my enemies, my home, my name, my self—disconnected from me in that second—snip, snip, snip—and floated up into space. I was not left drifting. A new string held me where I was. Not one string, but a million. Not strings, but steel cables. A million steel cables all tying me to one thing—to the very center of the universe. I could see that now - how the universe swirled around this one point. I'd never seen the symmetry of the universe before, but now it was plain. The gravity of the earth no longer tied me to the place where I stood. It was the bruised, bloodied, dirty girl standing in front of me, eyes blazing bright, refusing to back down or let fear take control. Though still kind and compassionate, I could see it in her eyes. It was this girl, Katie. This strange, new girl is my imprint. I imprinted. I guess I must have been in a daze because she stopped in front of me and said "Um...hi. I'm Katie and you are?" I shook my head trying to clear the daze and re order myself. I realized she was still waiting for an answer and I said "I'm Jacob, you can call me Jake." She responded with "Nice to meet Jake" and when I met her hand to shake it, a shock went through me. Her hand was warm and strong, like the lithe body hid how muscled she was underneath. As we shook, she winced and my gaze caught on her shoulder and her bloody face. Then the words leapt out of my mouth "Are you okay? What happened?" Her lightly tanned face paled, her lips turned wan. She lost too much blood, she's gonna collapse, I thought as she swayed. When she fell, I lunged to catch her, my hands supporting her back. She grunted our "Shoulder dislocated. Pop it back in." Oh she must be in so much pain, and it killed me that she was hurt and that I couldn't help her beside offering her the comfort of a polite stranger. It would freak her out if I was like "Hey Katie, I like you, you cute, also, you're kinda, sorta my eternal companion and I would die before putting you in harms way." Yeah, that would go over well. Sam came up and said he would pop it in on three, the pack knew that meant on two, it was Sams way of trying to distract us from the pain and do it when we weren't expecting. The he warned her it would hurt and she responded with "Really? Thanks for the clarification, I thought it would feel like rainbows and butterflies" I let out a hesitant laugh. Then Sam counted down and on two popped it in. His method worked on Katie, except she reacted. She barked a curse (which, again, made me happy Seth wasn't here) and then punched Sam in the arm. She punched Sam. Seriously this girl has balls. Then she shouted "What the hell happened to three?" Which made the boys laugh.

Then she turned back to us, her eyes clear and bright, as if Sam had cleared away the pain. Then said "thanks again for the help. I'm new here and now lost, could you point me in the direction of the Swans house?" Swans? Bella and Charlie? Why did she want to go there? She spoke their name with such familiarity that she must know them. So I asked "You know Bella and Charlie?" She gave me a smile so dazzling that I temporarily forgot how to breathe and decided I want her to look at me like that all the time. Then she explained how they are cousins, with Jared jumping in to say what was on everyone's mind that they looked nothing alike. Then everyone decided to go to Emily's house and call Charlie from there, I wasn't really listening. I was just mulling over everything that had happened. I had imprinted. Me. And I wasn't scared. I just wanted to get to know this girl standing beside me. I wanted to talk and laugh and tease. I didn't care, if she was by me, we could do anything. As we started to walk in the direction of Em's house. I stayed back, partially to talk to her, partially to make sure she didn't pass out from her head wound. Seriously, how was she even standing? I asked her about her life, her interests and hobbies. I was right that she loved sports and I was thrilled when she said "I just like being outside. Being out with the fresh air and trees, it's my home." Then she blushed as if she hadn't meant to reveal that to a stranger.

She went back to say her favorite thing to do is running, and I suggested a race, as a joke. She laughed, a genuine, beautiful sound, that made my heart skip a beat, and said "Maybe when my head isn't bleeding" my eyes snagged on the jagged cut on her temple, it did look bad, and had bled quite a lot, down her cheek and onto her neck. So I asked "Are you sure you're alright?" She answered with "My head hurts and my shoulder aches, but I've had worse" What? What has happened to her? She spoke with such honesty that I knew something had happened, but what? Just as I was about to ask, her eyes widened when she realized what she had admitted, and she changed the subject. I wanted to know, but if she didn't want to talk about, she didn't need to, she deserves space to sort it out. Her head swiveled as the boys started sprinting to the house. She bounced on her toes, I could see her muscles shifting as she prepared to sprint after them. I grabbed her hand saying "don't even think about it, you're injured" She stuck her tongue out at me then sprinted off, swift as a doe. Except this doe passed the wolves, literally. She bounded up the steps declaring "I win!" Woah. She is fast. Of course as wolves, we were faster, we can keep up with vampires. But even in human form, we have increased senses and strengths. And she beat them. There faces were priceless, she even asked "what?" As they walked by. I just laughed and followed her in. I could smell Emily's food and my stomach grumbled, Sam went up to give her a kiss, she was his imprint and it was hard for them being apart. The boys parted for Katie to be seen she said "Hi...I'm Katie" Emily looked at her and dropped her plate, her hand over her heart. "Oh honey, what happened to you" the pack had already dispersed, getting food and such, I wanted to as well, but hunger was pushed to the back of my mind because I just wanted to make sure Katie was okay. Katie grimaced and said "I look that bad?" And then Emily went into mom mode. She took Katie into the bathroom and I turned to Sam. As soon as the bathroom door closed I said "I imprinted" Everyone stilled, then Paul laughed and said "Well at least she can hand your ass to you on a day to day basis" then Embry and Quil came up to congratulate me and said it was about time. Then Sam said "Are you going to tell her?" I shook my head "Not right now, I want to get to know her before throwing this on her." He nodded and said "It will be hard, on both of you, but especially on her, she will want to be near you, but her voice of reason will say she's being crazy. Just be careful." This time I nodded and headed to grab food. Emily came out shortly after.

As I was chowing down on my fourth sandwich, a slender hand came over my shoulder and took the other half. Katie came around into my field of vision and I almost fell out of my chair. She was in brown shorts and a green tank top. And I mean short shorts, that showed off her long, muscled legs. She was pale by nature, but her tan suggested she spent most of her time outside. Emily had loaned her a green tank top, that sent her eyes sparking and exhibited her strong shoulders and arms, both of which were full of cuts and bruises. She devoured her half of the sandwich and I asked her questions about her life. Which Katie hesitantly answered, she seemed to be a person who lived and loved fiercely, but guarded her past, for what reasons, I don't know. I finished the last of my, quite large, meal. I turned to her and said "okay, let's check out that head of yours" In reality she had cuts and bruises all over, some from her dealing pain, but most from her receiving it, just thinking about made my temper flare up. She cocked her head to the side, the movement more predatory then human, and smirked saying "My dear Jacob, are you calling me insane" Oh Paul was right, I had never met anyone who could match me, in speed or strength, either of the body or the mind. Even my pack here, for all their bantering and remarks, I had a feeling she could render them speechless in a few sharp words. I had never met anyone who was my true...equal. I paused my thoughts and answered her saying "Maybe not now, but if you don't let me help you, then possibly" I could feel her roll her eyes, I smiled internally. I hadn't felt this carefree and happy since before I phased,I think to myself. Then I grabbed the first aid kit and starting prepping the towel to disinfect her cuts. She stared into the distance, thinking. I brought the rag to her split knuckles and her head snapped up and she hissed through her teeth in pain. I immediately sprang back. I hurt her, I hurt her, I hurt her, was chanting through my head. I tried to shut down those thoughts that broke my heart. No. No. I was helping her, I would never hurt her, I told myself. I looked up and tried to explain this to her, but found my self stumbling saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just don't want it to get infected, and...it's...I...I'm sorry" Katie just laughed at me in a way that sent her bright eyes sparkling, then she grabbed my hand moved it back to her cuts saying "I'm A Okay champ, just took me by surprise" I loosened a breath and savored the contact between our hands. I cleaned the cuts on her other hand and her arms, I could tell it hurt, but I talked and joked with her. Trying to distract her from the pain and it seemed to work, more than anything, I want us to become friends. I want Katie to trust me with everything. Ugg, Jake slow down, one thing at a time, I say to myself.

I cleaned the rag again and look at the deep gash on her temple. "Which idiot gave you this one?" I asked as I gesture to her head. She snorted and said "The biggest one, Chad". I brushed my hand across her cheek, moving her red hair away from the cut. Her skin was so smooth and her hair was as soft as it looked. I started cleaning the cut, and it was really deep, it must have hurt really bad, yet she still fought back the whole time. No wonder Paul approved. I finished cleaning and bandaging her cut and said "Any deeper and you would've needed stitches" she give me an innocent look and said "Unlucky for the boys I left, they might need some" that's right. She wasn't fighting four, she was fighting eight and managed to knock four unconscious. Damn. I finished with her head and offered her a hand to help her down. She, of course, ignored me and jumped down by herself.

Just after, the door opens and Sam and Emily walk in. Sam looks Katie over saying "Well you look less dead" Emily gives him a disapproving look and says to Katie "You look great sweetheart, why don't you sit down on the couch, you must be so tired. We were about to call Charlie, and explain the...um...situation" She nods and her shoulders slump down, her exhaustion must be catching up to her. She stumbled to the couch and sat down heavily, then shivered. Well that's one problem I can solve, I think to myself. I sit down next to her and shrug off my sweatshirt, running at about 109 degrees means I really don't need it. The jacket catches on my shirt and pulls it up, exposing my stomach. I pull it off and as I'm holding it out to her, I notice her gaze. Which is on my arms/stomach and the considerable muscles there. I smirk and say to her "See anything you like?" Katie tried and failed to fight the blush coming up to coat her cheeks, turning them pink, it made her really...cute. Not as intimidating. She then muttered "You're impossible" Translation: I have no comeback, you caught me, but I'm refusing to yield. She slid my sweatshirt on and yawned. My sweatshirt was huge on her, it covered her arms and went down to her knees, she wasn't small, I'm just huge . Katie then curled her legs up and leaned her head on my shoulder, letting her eyes close and her body relax.