2 new moon新月-第53章

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〃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　
compassion　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　made　a　face。　〃Probably。〃　

〃Maybe　I　shouldn't—〃　

〃No；　it's　okay；〃　he　assured　me。　〃You　know　a　ton　of　things　that　can　help　us。　It's　not　like　you're　just　some　
ignorant　human。　You're　like　a…　I　don't　know；　spy　or　something。　You've　been　behind　enemy　lines。〃　

I　frowned　to　myself。　Was　that　what　Jacob　would　want　from　me？　Insider　information　to　help　them　destroy　
their　enemies？　I　wasn't　a　spy；　though。　I　hadn't　been　collecting　that　kind　of　information。　Already；　his　words　
made　me　feel　like　a　traitor。　

But　I　wanted　him　to　stop　Victoria；　didn't　I？　

No。　

I　did　want　Victoria　to　be　stopped；　preferably　before　she　tortured　me　to　death　or　ran　into　Charlie　or　killed　
another　stranger。　I　just　didn't　want　Jacob　to　be　the　one　to　stop　her；　or　rather　to　try。　I　didn't　want　Jacob　
within　a　hundred　miles　of　her。　

〃Like　the　stuff　about　the　mind…reading　bloodsucker；〃　he　continued；　oblivious　to　my　reverie。　〃That's　the　
kind　of　thing　we　need　to　know　about。　That　really　sucks　that　those　stories　are　true。　It　makes　everything　
more　complicated。　Hey；　do　you　think　this　Victoria　can　do　anything　special？〃　

〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　hesitated；　and　then　sighed。　〃He　would　have　mentioned　it。〃　

〃He？　Oh；　you　mean　Edward—oops；　sorry。　I　forgot。　You　don't　like　to　say　his　name。　Or　hear　it。〃　

I　squeezed　my　midsection；　trying　to　ignore　the　throbbing　around　the　edges　of　my　chest。　〃Not　really；　no。〃　

〃Sorry。〃　

〃How　do　you　know　me　so　well；　Jacob？　Sometimes　it's　like　you　can　read　my　mind。〃　

〃Naw。　I　just　pay　attention。〃　

We　were　on　the　little　dirt　road　where　Jacob　had　first　taught　me　to　ride　the　motorcycle。　

〃This　good？〃　I　asked。　

〃Sure；　sure。〃　

I　pulled　over　and　cut　the　engine。　

〃You're　still　pretty　unhappy；　aren't　you？〃　he　murmured。　

I　nodded；　staring　unseeingly　into　the　gloomy　forest。　

〃Did　you　ever　think…　that　maybe…　you're　better　off？〃　

I　inhaled　slowly；　and　then　let　my　breath　out。　〃No。〃　

〃'Cause　he　wasn't　the　best—〃　

〃Please；　Jacob；〃　I　interrupted；　begging　in　a　whisper。　〃Could　we　please　not　talk　about　this？　I　can't　stand　
it。〃　

〃Okay。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'm　sorry　I　said　anything。〃　

〃Don't　feel　bad。　If　things　were　different；　it　would　be　nice　to　finally　be　able　to　talk　to　someone　about　it。〃　

He　nodded。　〃Yeah；　I　had　a　hard　time　keeping　a　secret　from　you　for　two　weeks。　It　must　be　hell　to　not　be　
able　to　talk　to　anyone。〃　

〃Hell；〃　I　agreed。　

Jacob　sucked　in　a　sharp　breath。　〃They're　here。　Let's　go。〃　

〃Are　you　sure？〃　I　asked　while　he　popped　his　door　open。　〃Maybe　I　shouldn't　be　here。〃　

〃They'll　deal　with　it；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　grinned。　〃Who's　afraid　of　the　big；　bad　wolf？〃　

〃Ha　ha；〃　I　said。　But　I　got　out　of　the　truck；　hurrying　around　the　front　end　to　stand　close　beside　Jacob。　I　
remembered　only　too　clearly　the　giant　monsters　in　the　meadow。　My　hands　were　trembling　like　Jacob's　
had　been　before；　but　with　fear　rather　than　rage。　

Jake　took　my　hand　and　squeezed　it。　〃Here　we　go。〃　

14。　FAMILY　




I　COWERED　INTO　JACOB'S　SIDE；　MY　EYES　SCANNING　the　forest　for　the　other　werewolves。　
When　they　appeared；　striding　out　from　between　the　trees；　they　weren't　what　I　was　expecting。　I'd　gotten　
the　image　of　the　wolves　stuck　in　my　head。　These　were　just　four　really　big　half…naked　boys。　

Again；　they　reminded　me　of　brothers；　quadruplets。　Something　about　the　way　they　moved　almost　in　
synchronization　to　stand　across　the　road　from　us；　the　way　they　all　had　the　same　long；　round　muscles　
under　the　same　red…brown　skin；　the　same　cropped　black　hair；　and　the　way　their　expressions　altered　at　
exactly　the　same　moment。　

They　started　out　curious　and　cautious。　When　they　saw　me　there；　half…hidden　beside　Jacob；　they　all　
became　furious　in　the　same　second。　

Sam　was　still　the　biggest；　though　Jacob　was　getting　close　to　catching　up　with　him。　Sam　didn't　really　count　
as　a　boy。　His　face　was　older—not　in　the　sense　of　lines　or　signs　of　aging；　but　in　the　matunry；　the　patience　
of　his　expression。　

〃What　have　you　done；　Jacob？〃　he　demanded。　

One　of　the　others；　one　I　didn't　recognize—Jared　or　Paul—thrust　past　Sam　and　spoke　before　Jacob　
could　defend　himself。　

〃Why　can't　you　just　follow　the　rules；　Jacob？〃　he　yelled；　throwing　his　arms　in　the　air。　〃What　the　hell　are　
you　thinking？　Is　she　more　important　than　everything—than　the　whole　tribe？　Than　the　people　getting　
killed？〃　

〃She　can　help；〃　Jacob　said　quietly。　

〃Help！〃　the　angry　boy　shouted。　His　arms　begin　to　quiver。　〃Oh；　that's　likely！　I'm　sure　the　leech…lover　is　
just　dying　to　help　us　out！〃　

〃Don't　talk　about　her　like　that！〃　Jacob　shouted　back；　stung　by　the　boy's　criticism。　

A　shudder　rippled　through　the　other　boy；　along　his　shoulders　and　down　his　spine。　

〃Paul！　Relax！〃　Sam　commanded。　

Paul　shook　his　head　back　and　forth；　not　in　defiance；　but　as　though　he　were　trying　to　concentrate。　

〃Jeez；　Paul；〃　one　of　the　other　boys—probably　Jared—muttered。　〃Get　a　grip。〃　

Paul　twisted　his　head　toward　Jared；　his　lips　curling　back　in　irritation。　Then　he　shifted　his　glare　in　my　
direction。　Jacob　took　a　step　to　put　himself　in　front　of　me。　

That　did　it。　

〃Right；　protect　her！〃　Paul　roared　in　outrage。　Another　shudder；　a　convulsion；　heaved　through　his　body。　He　
threw　his　head　back；　a　real　growl　tearing　from　between　his　teeth。　

〃Paul！〃　Sam　and　Jacob　shouted　together。　

Paul　seemed　to　fall　forward；　vibrating　violently。　Halfway　to　the　ground；　there　was　a　loud　ripping　noise；　
and　the　boy　exploded。　

Dark　silver　fur　blew　out　from　the　boy；　coalescing　into　a　shape　more　than　five…times　his　size—a　massive；　
crouched　shape；　ready　to　spring。　

The　wolf's　muzzle　wrinkled　back　over　his　teeth；　and　another　growl　rolled　through　his　colossal　chest。　His　
dark；　enraged　eyes　focused　on　me。　

In　the　same　second；　Jacob　was　running　across　the　road　straight　for　the　monster。　

〃Jacob！〃　I　screamed。　

Mid…stride；　a　long　tremor　shivered　down　Jacob's　spine。　He　leaped　forward；　diving　headfirst　into　the　
empty　air。　

With　another　sharp　tearing　sound；　Jacob　exploded；　too。　He　burst　out　of　his　skin—shreds　of　black　and　
white　cloth　blasted　up　into　the　air。　It　happened　so　quickly　that　if　I'd　blinked；　I'd　have　missed　the　entire　
transformation。　One　second　it　was　Jacob　diving　into　the　air；　and　then　it　was　the　gigantic；　russet　brown　
wolf—so　enormous　that　I　couldn't　make　sense　of　its　mass　somehow　fitting　inside　Jacob—charging　the　
crouched　silver　beast。　

Jacob　met　the　other　werewolf's　attack　head…on。　Their　angry　snarls　echoed　like　thunder　off　the　trees。　

The　black　and　white　scraps—the　remains　of　Jacob's　clothes—fluttered