I sat in the passenger seat of Jacob's car. We had just gone to another bonfire in La Push, and I got to hang out with my werewolf friends. It had been a fun night. Now we were nearing the border, and I saw Edward on the other side of it. He was pacing anxiously next to his Volvo, and looked up abruptly from the ground as we approached him.
"Thanks for inviting me, Jake," I told him. "It was a lot of fun."
He grinned at me. "Any time, Bells. Not very patient, is he?" he asked, inclining his head towards Edward. Edward had apparently heard Jacob think that, as he glared through the windshield. The glare deepened.
"What did you just say… think to… at(?) him?" I sighed.
"Nothing." Jacob's grin widened as the car came to a stop and he shifted to park. He got out and shut his door. I reached for my door handle, pushed it, and at the same instance he hit the lock button on his keys. I smiled and unlocked the door, trying once more to get out. He locked it. This went on for another minute or so. I tried to give him my most threatening glare, which widened his grin even further. I giggled. From across the border line, Edward growled. I noticed that he had gotten closer to the line.
Jacob let me out finally, and I hugged him goodbye.
"See you later," he said.
I turned and walked swiftly towards Edward. He smiled at me my favorite crooked smile, moving towards the passenger's side door of the Volvo to open it for me. Later I would regret letting his smile distract me from my walking. Oh man, would I regret it.
One instant I was walking towards my Edward, the next I was on the ground. I felt pain, saw the look in Edwards' eyes turn ravenous. In the same instant, a giant wolf flew over my head, landing on top of Edward.
I let out a wail as I saw them collide, one swift movement from Edward and I heard a crack. A snarl from Jacob, echoed by a hiss from Edward.
"No, no, no, no, no, STOP IT!" I cried through my tears. "Edward, stop, you'll kill him! Jacob!"
Jacob stopped and jumped back. He looked at me with an expression that I will never be able to label. The main two emotions in it were apology and one as if to say, "are you alright?"
And then – to my horror – Edward lunged at Jacob's throat.
"Edward! NOOOOOOOOOO! STOP!" I was wailing. "Why won't you stop it?"
He continued to ignore me. Jacob was not trying to hurt Edward, only to defend me and himself. Edward was in it for the kill, I realized with horror.
Suddenly, three other horse-sized wolves came flying from out of nowhere. In the dark, I could not tell who they were. They watched the fight hesitantly, as if trying to decide if they could avoid hurting Jacob and get Edward away from him. They were probably trying to coax him to kill Edward. That thought made my heart leap up in my throat.
One of the wolves walked into the trees, reappearing in human form, running towards me. I recognized him as Seth Clearwater. He kneeled down beside me, and looked down at my leg.
"Bella, are you alright?" he asked, his voice dripping with concern.
"Whaa…" I asked, dazed. I looked down at my leg. I covered my mouth and closed my eyes as a wave of nausea hit me. It was gashed open from the fall, blood running down onto the concrete. I had a few minor cuts, as well. Leave it to me to trip over a crack in the road and cause something like this. There was a loud crack down the street further, and I saw that Jacob had thrown Edward into a tree, knocking it down, a clean split down the center.
I noticed that a few more wolves had appeared. I saw the rest of the Cullen's appear from the trees. Alice and Carlisle ran over to us.
"Bella, are you alright?" Alice panicked. I saw her inhale deeply as she smelled my blood, plugging her nose and closing her mouth. Her eyes fell down to my leg and widened.
"I'm…" I couldn't talk, just stared at the fight. I heard a crack, and I knew that a bone had been broken. Jacob.
"What happened?" Alice asked Seth. At least none of the wolves or the Cullen's were fighting – aside from the two people I loved the most in this world.
Seth began a quick explanation, but I did not hear his words. I was in shock, in panic.
"Somebody stop them!" I cried. The three of them looked at me.
"Bella, we can not interfere without endangering either of them even further," Carlisle explained to me. I knew that, but still, we couldn't all just sit here and watch.
"Seth, get Bella. We'll driver her back to the house in Edwards' car so that I can fix her up." Carlisle said in a diligent tone.
"Right." Seth nodded, picking me up carefully and carrying me quickly over to the car.
"What will happen?" I whispered once we were in the car. Alice took my hand.
"Bella, I'm sure they'll both be fine." She was a good liar. She pulled my head gently onto her shoulder and stroked my hair. It was then that I lost consciousness.
I awoke to a terrible burning stinging on my leg. I sat bolt upright.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" Carlisle asked me. He was sitting next to my leg with a bottle of antiseptic and bandages, wiping off my wound with a cotton ball covered with the antiseptic. I looked around the room. I recognized the room. I was laying on the white couch in the Cullen's' living room. Seth sat in a chair across from me, eyeing me with concern. I wondered where Alice had gone off to, and then I realized that the smell of my blood had probably been too much for her. Or maybe she had gone back – I suddenly recalled what had happened.
"Where are they?" I asked in a shrill voice.
"We don't know," Seth answered me. He looked scared. "We figure it should be over soon." He bit his lip.
Just then, the front door swung open. It was Alice, along with – to my immense relief – Jacob. I almost smiled, but then I noticed their grim expressions. Jacob came over and kneeled down beside me. He had tears running down his face.
"Bella, I'm… I am so sorry."
I immediately knew what was wrong. But it took me a minute to let the though into my mind, which I did unwillingly, as even though I was trying to block it out, it still flew through my head. I didn't want to believe it. My Edward was gone.
"I know you probably hate me now —"Jacob started.
I wound my arms around his neck as tightly as I could, buried my face in his neck, and let out the biggest, body-wracking sob.
