g　you。〃

〃That　wouldn't　have　stopped　me。〃　I　couldn't　get　rid　of　my　perception　of　Sam　as

the　bad　guy。　My　teeth

clenched　together　whenever　I　heard　his　name。

〃Well；　it　would　have　stopped　me；〃　Jacob　said；　morose　now。　〃Remember　how　I

couldn't　finish　my

sentences　last　night？　How　I　couldn't　just　tell　you　the　whole　story？〃

〃Yeah。　You　looked　like　you　were　choking　on　something。〃

He　chuckled　darkly。　〃Close　enough。　Sam　told　me　I　couldn't　tell　you。　He's　the

head　of　the　pack；　you

know。　He's　the　Alpha。　When　he　tells　us　to　do　something；　or　not　to　do　something

—when　he　really　means

it；　well；　we　can't　just　ignore　him。〃

〃Weird；〃　I　muttered。

〃Very；〃　he　agreed。　〃It's　kind　of　a　wolf　thing。〃

〃Huh〃　was　the　best　response　I　could　think　of。

〃Yeah；　there's　a　load　of　stuff　like　that—wolf　things。　I'm　still　learning。　I

can't　imagine　what　it　was　like　for

Sam；　trying　to　deal　with　this　alone。　It　sucks　bad　enough　to　go　through　it　with

a　whole　pack　for　support。〃

〃Sam　was　alone？〃

〃Yeah。〃　Jacob's　voice　lowered。　〃When　I　changed；　it　was　the　most　horrible；

the　most　terrifying

thing　I've　ever　been　through—worse　than　anything　I　could　have　imagined。　But　I

wasn't　alone—there

were　the　voices　there；　in　my　head；　telling　me　what　had　happened　and　what　I　had

to　do。　That　kept　me

from　losing　my　mind；　I　think。　But　Sam〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Sam　had　no　help。〃

This　was　going　to　take　some　adjusting。　When　Jacob　explained　it　like　that；　it

was　hard　not　to　feel

passion　for　Sam。　I　had　to　keep　reminding　myself　that　there　was　no　reason　to

hate　him　anymore。

〃Will　they　be　angry　that　I'm　with　you？〃　I　asked。

He　m