What if Laurent bit Bella in Edward's meadow before the wolves came for him? What if she went through the transformation without any help from the Cullens?
I always thought Edward would be the one whose venom made me what I am today. How naive I was. He always wanted to keep me human, fragile and unable to fight him and the mold he tried to press me into. I must say I am glad Laurent tried to kill me, for if not, I am positive that I wouldn't be what I am, nor would I be with the vampire I should have realized was my mate all along.
I had wanted to see the meadow one last time before I left for Jacksonville to live with my mother, to see if it held any part of him. Maybe I would hear him there, even if it was a scolding voice telling me to be careful. As I approached the meadow, the hole in my heart ripped open at the memory of him sparkling in the sun, surrounded by the purple meadow flowers that bloomed that spring. The pain brought me to my knees, and when I finally looked up, my broken heart stopped. Across the meadow stood Laurent, who was supposed to be living with the Denalis, but even at the great distance between us, I could see that his eyes were red, almost black, not the golden hue of a "vegetarian" vampire, which meant he was still a human drinker, and he was thirsty.
I stood, prepared for the fight or flight instinct to kick in, knowing either option would be useless against a vampire. I was only human after all. I suddenly heard the voice I had been hoping to hear. Edward told me to stall him, to lie, whatever it took to keep him away. I started to make small talk, but Laurent was having none of it. He sped over to where I was standing, frozen, unable to fight or flee. He came right up close to me, sniffing me as if I was a fine exotic dish, which to him, I would be. I knew, without a doubt, that I would die that day in the meadow.
Laurent explained that Victoria was after me, and had asked him to track me down. He said that she would torture me, make me suffer for the loss of her mate, James. A mate for a mate, she had said. It would have made sense, if Edward and his family hadn't left me on my own just a few months ago. I had no mate now. But I didn't let Laurent in on that secret.
Laurent assured me that his way would be much quicker. He was thirsty, and I was so very mouthwatering. It would only take a matter of minutes to put me out of the deep misery I was feeling. I knew I really didn't have a choice, so I turned my neck up to him in submission, accepting my fate. My last thoughts were of Charlie and Renee as I felt his teeth bite into my neck. As I felt the burning of the venom enter my blood stream, I thought I heard wolves howl somewhere close by.
Suddenly, I felt myself falling, burning from the inside out even as I fell. I lay on the cool, dead grass of the meadow, unsure of what was happening around me, aware only of the fiery burning in my veins. I thought I caught glimpses of large animals snarling and snipping at something, but I couldn't be sure.
Finally, the noises stopped. The burning continued, and soon I felt arms lift me up and run with me, to where, I wouldn't know for 2 and a half more days. No one was stopping the venom from spreading this time, like Edward had done when James had bitten me. I knew then that I would finally get my wish, and if I survived the 3 days of fiery hell, I would be a vampire, and maybe finally worthy of Edward.
Two and a half days later, and I found that the burning had stopped, taking with it the last beats of my heart. I opened my eyes, seeing everything with my newly enhanced senses. Suddenly, a smell so aweful, so rank, that if I had been human, I would have vomited, hit my nose. I turned my head in the direction of the aweful smell, only to see Jacob Black standing there. The last I had seen him, his hair had been long down his back, and based on the cold weather, he should have been wearing more than the cut off jean shorts he was wearing. His hair was cut in a buzz cut, short and spiky, and a dark round tribal tattoo now decorated his right arm. He looked stronger and more menacing somehow.
"The bloodsucker family leaves, and you still manage to attract supernatural creatures. At least we got the vamp with the dreads before he could permanently kill you. I had to finally accept my Alpha position to overrule Sam, though. He wanted to kill you before you could finish turning, but I wouldn't allow it. Since the Cullens aren't the ones that bit you, the treaty hasn't been broken. Plus, he agreed that it might be beneficial to the pack to have a vamp on our side. We have all agreed to help you hunt animals instead of humans. Sam and the rest of the guys are creating the scene where you died. You went hiking and were attacked by the huge bears that have been killing hikers. We are the "huge bears" people are seeing, but we aren't the ones taking hikers. I have a feeling there is another vamp out here somewhere. Laurent said something about Victoria? Who is she?"
"Oh just a sadistic female vamp with bright red hair who is after me because her mate was killed by the Cullens for coming after me last spring." I thought hard about what he was talking about. I suddenly remembered the story he had told me on the beach of La Push about the Cold ones and his tribe being descended from wolves. "Are you telling me that you are all wolves, and Laurent is really dead?"
"Yeah, the vamp with the dreads is dead, but the red-haired witch is still out there somewhere. She seems to be after something, waiting for something or someone" "She's waiting for me. She won't be happy that I am not a fragile human anymore." I went on to explain the true story behind my injuries from last spring. I went to show him my scar from where James had bitten me, but the crescent shaped scar was no longer there, healed by the venom that now flowed through my veins.
I expressed wonder about where I would live, knowing I couldn't go home, nor could I stay on the reservation. Jacob offered a suggestion. He said I should go live in the Cullen's old mansion. It was secluded, and with them gone, no one would go looking for someone there. I agreed, and just hoped that the memories wouldn't hurt as bad as they had the last time I had visited the Cullen home. We ran, me leading the way, somehow instinctively knowing exactly where to go, even through the woods, and being slightly faster in my newborn state than the beautiful russet colored, powerful looking animal Jacob had phased into. The grass and other vegetation had grown up around the house, giving it a definitely abandoned look.
Knowing Edward never locked his window, I gracefully leapt to the second story and slid the window open. Score, I now had a home. Edward's room was empty of all personal effects, but his white couch was still there, and there was a slight scent of him lingering there. Before I could have a vampy breakdown, I went downstairs to let Jacob in.
We both took a long look around, trying to decide which rooms to stay in. Jacob would be staying with me, to help me hunt. We had hunted earlier, him in his wolf form, and I had taken down a mountain lion; his favorite, if I remembered right. Not that I would ever forget anything again. In a small room down the hall from Edward's room, I found a couch and a desk. The walls were lined with bookshelves, all empty. The room was scented with a hint of cinnamon and leather, a very pleasant combination. This room would be mine. Jacob chose a plain room upstairs and we met in the kitchen to see what we should do next.
A knock at the door made us both jump, at least until Jacob told me it was just Sam and Paul. He got up and let them in. Sam looked kind of sheepish towards me, which, on such a large man, especially one that I knew turned into a huge black wolf, seem wrong somehow. "No worries, Sam, instincts and all, I guess. Forget about it." I immediately saw him relax. Paul on the other hand had his nose crinkled up and looked about 5 seconds from phasing in the Cullen's kitchen.
"We came to tell you that the pixie vamp is in Forks, visiting Charlie. He told her you have died, and it seems like she can't see you, Bella, when we are around you. I think she smelled us around, but I'm not sure. She said something about being alone. I guess the blonde warrior vamp left her, or she left him, or something. In any case, she is still with the Cullens, but he isn't. So technically, he doesn't fall under the treaty anymore, but if he still drinks from animals, he is off limits to any wolf. We respect him as a warrior, and have heard stories of his time in the south."
Poor Alice, I thought. Did Alice kick him out for almost biting me? I thought back to the unwanted, unnecessary birthday party just a few months ago that set everything in motion. Edward left me, I had a mental breakdown, and eventually got my wish of becoming a vampire anyway because they left me unprotected. I guess I should find Jasper and thank him. Maybe if he had bitten me that night, I would have been a vampire and still would have had my Cullen family. Maybe Sam and the other wolves know or can find out where he is.
"Can you go talk to Alice? Get her alone, and let her know I'm alive, but am a vampire now, and find out where Jasper is. I need to thank him for everything he ever did for me. Which was a lot, whether he knows it or not. Please hurry! I don't want to miss Alice. Especially if she thinks I am truly dead."
Sam, Paul, and Jared, who had been waiting outside, phased and took off for Charlie's house at a fast, wolfy lope. I hoped they would bring Alice back with them. I missed her so very much. Almost more than Edward. Now that I was a vampire, my feelings toward Edward weren't as strong as they had once been. It made me wonder if there hadn't been a real reason Edward hadn't wanted to change me. It was quite possible that he and I had never been meant for each other at all.
After Jacob and I went for a very quick hunt, in which I took down Emmett's favorite; bear, we returned to our home, where we found Sam and Alice arguing. I let out a yell of "Alice", and threw myself into her, knocking the both of us to the ground. As we stood up, Alice gasped, and if vampires could go into shock, she would be the poster child for it. "Yes, Alice, I am alive. Well, as alive as we can be, I guess. Its a long story, but the short story is Laurent came back, our friends here are wolves, and they killed him, but not before he could bite me. Oh, and Victoria is still looking for me. But I am still in existence. I figure the reason you didn't see all of that was because you can't see the future if wolves are involved. I have been with them for 2 weeks now."
Alice was still silent, but suddenly pulled out her cell phone and called the rest of the Cullens. She said they would be here within the hour. I asked about Jasper and she just nodded. "What happened to you two? Aren't you mates?" "I always thought so, but about 2 weeks ago, we both had an epiphany. It seems like we are destined to just be friends or brother and sister." "I lost all feelings for Edward about the same time. You don't think that Jasper and I could be mates, do you?" Alice looked shocked again, then she grinned. "Its very possible. So far I haven't seen either of our mates yet. But that could also be because of the wolves. I hear Emmett's jeep. Jasper has been staying with Emmett and Rose. Gosh, its great to be back here at this house again. Plus its fabulous that you are finally one of us. I can't wait to see Jasper's reaction, especially if he is your mate. I have a "feeling" that you might be right that he is your real mate. I have thought about that since your birthday party. Edward totally overreacted. Something someone thought pissed him off enough to throw you into the table."
Emmett's jeep came into view, and Jasper could be seen standing up in the back. Even before the Jeep was stopped, Jasper was out of it and running to me. He was acting totally strange, and his scent, that of cinnamon and leather, assaulted my nose, and made me purr like a cat. I glimpsed Alice nodding at Emmett and Rose, but I was more distracted by the fact that Jasper was purring against my neck. Such a deep, gentle sound coming from such a seasoned warrior. I vaguely heard other cars approaching, but I was too wrapped up in my mate to really care who was coming.
Carlisle and Esme were the next to arrive, and while they were very surprised to see me as a vampire, they seemed to approve of me and Jasper as a couple. The only one not here was Edward, and at that thought, Alice screamed. It seems that when she had called Rose from Charlie's to tell her that I was dead, Edward had been there, planning to come and visit me. He truly believed that I was dead, and Alice said he was on the way to Volterra. Shit. Always the stubborn prick. "Well, my mate, what do you say we go rescue our stubborn brother? Aro should find this all very amusing. Nothing he can do about me now, though, I am not human anymore."