rt　at　Billy's　house。

Emily　brought　a　cake　that

would　have　won　over　a　harder　man　than　Charlie。　I　could　see；　as　the

conversation　flowed　naturally

through　a　range　of　casual　subjects；　that　any　worries　Charlie　might　have

harbored　about　gangs　in　La　Push

were　being　dissolved。

Jake　and　I　skipped　out　early；　to　get　some　privacy。　We　went　out　to　his　garage

and　sat　in　the　Rabbit。

Jacob　leaned　his　head　back；　his　face　drawn　with　exhaustion。

〃You　need　some　sleep；　Jake。〃

〃I'll　get　around　to　it。〃

He　reached　over　and　took　my　hand。　His　skin　was　blazing　on　mine。

〃Is　that　one　of　those　wolf　things？〃　I　asked　him。　〃The　heat；　I　mean。〃

〃Yeah。　We　run　a　little　warmer　than　the　normal　people。　About　one…oh…eight；　one

…oh…nine。　I　never　get　cold

anymore。　I　could　stand　like　this〃—he　gestured　to　his　bare　torso—〃in　a

snowstorm　and　it　wouldn't　bother

me。　The　flakes　would　turn　to　rain　where　I　stood。〃

〃And　you　all　heal　fast—that's　a　wolf　thing；　too？〃

〃Yeah；　wanna　see？　It's　pretty　cool。〃　His　eyes　flipped　open　and　he　grinned。　He

reached　around　me　to　the

glove　partment　and　dug　around　for　a　minute。　His　hand　came　out　with　a

pocketknife。

〃No；　I　do　not　want　to　see！〃　I　shouted　as　soon　as　I　realized　what　he　was

thinking。　〃Put　that　away！〃

Jacob　chuckled；　but　shoved　the　knife　back　where　it　belonged。　〃Fine。　It's　a

good　thing　we　heal；　though。

You　can't　go　see　just　any　doctor　when　you're　running　a　temperature　that　should

mean　you're　dead。〃

〃No；　I　guess　not。〃　I　thought　about　that　for　a　minute。　〃　And　being　so　big—

that's　part　of　it？　Is　that　why

you're　all　worried　about　Quil？〃

〃That　and　the　fact　tha