I didn't know the rules for etiquette as they applied to werewolf culture.

"Because my hair is longer," he said, amused - my question hadn't offended him, at least. He shook his head so that his unkempt hair - grown out to his chin now - tickled my cheek.

"Hmm... that makes sense," Carlisle said, his eye twinkled with amusement. "I wonder what he looked like the first time he transformed."

This, of course, caused Emmett to laugh loudly, and everyone else besides Rosalie, obviously, and Edward. He seemed too busy reading to care what Carlisle had just said.

"Oh." I was surprised, but it made sense. So that was why they'd all cropped their hair in the beginning, when they joined the pack. "Then why don't you cut it? Do you like to be shaggy?"

He didn't answer right away this time, and Edward laughed under his breath.

"Sorry," I said, pausing to yawn. "I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me."

Jacob made an annoyed sound. "Oh, he'll tell you anyway, so I might as well. . . . I was growing my hair out because . . . it seemed like you liked it better long."

"Ah...to impress the girl. That's a good reason," Emmett chuckled, keeping his eyes on Edward, but again, he ignored him and just continued to read.

"Oh." I felt awkward. "I, er, like it both ways, Jake. You don't need to be . . . inconvenienced."

He shrugged. "Turns out it was very convenient tonight, so don't worry about it."

I didn't have anything else to say. As the silence lengthened, my eyelids drooped and shut, and my breathing grew slower, more even.

"That's right, honey, go to sleep," Jacob whispered.

Edward made a sound somewhere between groaning and growling at that.

I sighed, content, already half-unconscious.

"Seth is here," Edward muttered to Jacob, and I suddenly understood the point of the howling.

"Perfect. Now you can keep an eye on everything else, while I take care of your girlfriend for you."

Edward made another face.

"I think she's warm enough... does the mutt really need to stay there like that?" Rosalie asked Carlisle. "I mean, if he just stays in the tent, shouldn't that work?"

"Well, I'm not sure," Carlisle said, "but she definitely wouldn't be as warm as she is now. Sorry... I don't know how the werewolf heat would affect her."

Edward didn't answer, but I groaned groggily. "Stop it," I muttered.

It was quiet then, inside at least. Outside, the wind shrieked insanely through the trees. The shimmying of the tent made it hard to sleep. The poles would suddenly jerk and quiver, pulling me back from the edge of unconsciousness each time I was close to slipping under. I felt so bad for the wolf, the boy that was stuck outside in the snow.

My mind wandered as I waited for sleep to find me. This warm little space made me think of the early days with Jacob, and I remembered how it used to be when he was my replacement sun, the warmth that made my empty life livable. It had been a while since I'd thought of Jake that way, but here he was, warming me again.

Edward narrowed his eyes here, but his reading voice had gone back to showing no emotion.

"Please!" Edward hissed. "Do you mind!"

"What?" Jacob whispered back, his tone surprised.

"Do you think you could attempt to control your thoughts?" Edward's low whisper was furious.

There was frustration in his voice at that.

"That's got to be a killer," Emmett snickered.

"No one said you had to listen," Jacob muttered, defiant, yet still embarrassed. "Get out of my head."

"I wish I could. You have no idea how loud your little fantasies are. It's like you're shouting them at me."

"I'll try to keep it down," Jacob whispered sarcastically.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Yes," Edward answered an unspoken thought in a murmur so low I barely made it out. "I'm jealous of that, too."

"What?" Edward asked.

Emmett laughed hard at that. "See…it's not very nice to be in the dark."

"I figured it was like that," Jacob whispered smugly. "Sort of evens the playing field up a little, doesn't it?"

Edward chuckled. "In your dreams."

"You know, she could still change her mind," Jacob taunted him. "Considering all the things I could do with her that you can't. At least, not without killing her, that is."

"Go to sleep, Jacob," Edward murmured. "You're starting to get on my nerves."

"Starting?" Jasper snorted.

"I think I will. I'm really very comfortable."

Edward didn't answer.