A little tension

24.

Quil arrived around the time Jacob hung up his phone and smiled at his only window. Quil paused at the door, hesitant to disturb his alpha in his rare moment of joy. Jacob looked up and his smile was gone, creases crept back on his forehead.

"What is it?" he asked shoving his phone back in his pocket.

"Is that the way to greet people?" said a voice behind Quil. Jacob blinked and his friend stepped aside letting the current luna, Emily, in.

"Hey, I didn't see you there," Jacob gave an embarrassed smile. Emily nodded at him. She had the natural beauty and gentleness Jacob had come to appreciate. He considered her as a big sister and her scar was now a part of her and a sad reminder that he could hurt the person he loves.

"You haven't come over for dinner lately," she said. Quil nodded in agreement. Jacob pursed his lips at him.

"What?" he shrugged. "She's telling the truth. You're hiding in your room, lovesick and starving," Jacob just glared at him.

"So you're here to save me?" Jacob turned away from them crossing his arms over his chest. Emily exhaled.

"Jacob, just come over," she pleaded. His jaw tensed just thinking about sitting at the same table as Sam. "And don't worry about him," she added as if reading his mind. Jacob knew he had to somehow, get out of his hideout. He gave a slight nod toward her. Quil blast up into a fit of laughter, happy he was able to convince his alpha.

"At last," he hugged Jacob and patted his back. "I was sick watching you rot in here," they got out of Jacob's house and marched on the dirt road to Sam's house peeking behind tall conifers. Even from outside, they could hear the loud chatter and laughs of the pack. They went to the small wooden porch and the door swing over before they could reach it. Leah smiled when she saw Jacob, her alpha.

"You're back from the dead?" Jacob grimaced. Was she referring to the Cullen's or his own state of depression? A grin danced on her lips as she perceived his thought through their link. The fact that Leah left Sam's pack to join Jacob had made the tension between the two alphas worst. However, Jacob never made a move to take power. He only wanted peace between the vampires and the werewolves which to Sam was an absurd idea. Sam didn't want those monsters on his reserve and that was about all. He wanted to keep things as they were.

"Happy you see that you still have a great sense of humor," she opened the door wider to let them in. As they went inside the conservation died around the dinner table. Eyes darted from the new arrivers to Sam sitting at the head of the table. Emily pushed her way toward the center of the room.

"Oh, would you cut it out," she glared at Sam. "Let the poor kid eat. I went into the trouble of dragging him over. Can't you set your egos aside for a meal," she looked at Jacob then back at Sam.

"Sure," Sam said after a deep breath.