Prologue: The Promise.
The animated sound of adult conversation drifted from Esme's dining room, where the household were having a Christmas Eve dinner party. The children had gathered in a small playroom across the hallway from the dining room, and Bella Swan, who was ten years old, sat on the gold sofa in her most formal red velvet dress, wishing she had been allowed upstairs to read one of her many books on the shelf. Her best friend, Alice Cullen, also dressed up for the party in a much prettier dress than hers, was beside her, engrossed in a fashion magazine and clutching her doll.
The boys stood in a huddle on the other side of the room, excitedly whispering to one another. Bella stared at them, trying to eavesdrop, knowing they meant to cause trouble, no matter the consequence. Her eyes were riveted on Edward Cullen, Alice's brother, as he was always the leader of the pack.
She had met Edward two years ago, when they were both eight, when he had first arrived in Forks with his adoptive father Carlisle, from Chicago where he had been born and raised. Upon being introduced, she had snubbed him instantly, although his green eyes, bronzed hair and swaggering air of confidence instantly fascinated her. Bella didn't know why she snubbed him, maybe it was because his brave self-assurance was highly irritating, but she was all the more stubborn, so she meant to put him down. But he hadn't been affected by the rejection; instead, he had progressed to regale her with stories of his small spanned existence. Bella had expected him to be recessive and gauche, but he was neither. She quickly realized that she had never met any boy before who had lived through as much as he had. He had been to operas, art museums, Broadway plays and many, many bookstores. Within an hour, she decided that he was the most interesting boy she had ever met—not that she would ever let him know!
She knew him well now. Edward was an adventurer, like his birth father—he told her—and he could never sit still for long, either. What were the boys up to? They hurried across the room, and she realized they were about to leave, their goal the back french doors.
Pushing her chestnut hair behind her ears and smoothing her sparkly velvet dress, Bella slid to her feet. "Wait," she cried. She rushed over to them. "Where are you going?"
Edward grinned at her. "La Push Cemetery."
Her heart lurched. The whole town knew the old La Push cemetery were haunted!
"Are you mad in the brain?"
His green eyes danced. "Don't you want to come, Bella? Don't you want to hear the wolves cry through the night of the full moon?" Edward leaned close. "I dare you, Bella."
Her heart beat with alarm and fear. She wasn't brave like Edward or her eldest cousin Emmett who stood next to him. Bella had no desire whatsoever to rush off into the night to meet a wolf.
"Coward," Edward said softly. He touched her chin. "I'll protect you, you know."
She jerked a step back. "And how will you do that? You are only a boy—and a crazy one, at that!"
His smile faded. "If I say I will protect you, I will."
She believed he would—even from a wolf. She hesitated, not wanting to go with them.
Emmett stepped forward. "Leave her alone, Edward. She doesn't want to come, don't force her." Emmett tried to play the hero on her part.
Alice walked up to them, having actually put down her china doll. "I'll go." Her amber eyes were wide and bright, her black hair bouncing. "I would love to see a wolf!"
Edward gave Bella a daring look.
"Fine!" she cried, furious for being taunted. "But how will we get there?"
"On our bicycles of course," Emmett grinned.
This was a horrible idea—Bella simply knew it—but everyone else was wide-eyed with excitement. Within moments, she was following the Edward across the road behind Doctor Carlisle's house to where his bike was. Meeting Emmett and Alice at the end of the street Bella's distress wore thin. The night was so dark and so quiet! She glanced up at the gleaming moon. It was full and bright. She prayed they would not encounter a wolf that night.
A few minutes later Bella was behind Edward on his bike and Alice on Emmett's. Bella held on hard to Edward, angrier with him by the minute. On the bumpy ride, she was afraid she would fall off.
"Are you alright," he asked, with laughter in his tone.
"I hate you," she exclaimed.
"No, you don't."
They rode in the silence the rest of the way. Ahead, in the moon's odd yellow light, she saw the dark shadows of La Push Cemetery. It was huge. It was also quiet. Very quiet.
They passed through the piles of eerily gray tombstones. She wanted to turn around and go home! Suddenly a wolf howled.
Edward's slim body stiffened. Bella asked apprehensively, "Is that the wolf?"
Edward ignored her. They halted their bikes by the cemetery shed.
"Let's go." Emmett said excitedly, pointing at the huge shed.
Bella swallowed dryly. Her heart thundered.
Edward whispered, "They say the wolves are the protectors of the reservation—to keep evil out." Helping her off the bike; he gave her his hand, twisting a bit to do so.
Bella obliged, keeping her balance by holding his hand. Everyone parked their bikes by the broken white gates.
Alice whispered, "We didn't bring flashlights."
"Yes, we did," Edward said proudly. He produced a travel sized flashlight from his pocket and so did Emmett. "C'mon." He swiftly startled inside, evidently intent on leading the way.
Everyone followed. Her stomach churning with dread, Bella flinched. She did not want to go inside. The group of children vanished into the darkness. Bella bit her lip, breathing hard. She became aware of being absolutely alone in the dark night, outside with the ruins of tombstones… and the wolves. And perhaps that was even worse.
Backing up slowly, something moved. She cried out, leaping in fright. An owl hooted, the sound unpromising. She hated adventure! She liked books and french macaroons! She was not like Edward! Or even Alice! But being outside alone was worse than going inside with everyone else. Bella rushed after them.
It was almost pitch-black inside and she could not see. She could hear their whispers and she ran, trying to follow them. But the interior of the shed had many corners and turns. She hit a wall, panicked and turned, found a corner, and turned that, too. Her foot caught, and she tripped and fell.
She started to call out to Edward, to tell him to come back, when she saw a flash from somewhere ahead. She froze, crouching by the wall, afraid to cry out. Bella became utterly still. She realized she couldn't hear her friends anymore. Where were they?
Panic overcame her. She saw the light again! Bella rushed from the corner where she had been crouching, intent on fleeing. Instead, she found herself turning corner after corner, tripping and falling where she ran. Where was the entrance? How was she going to get out? She reached a dead end. A huge brick wall blocked her. She fell against the rough brick, panting harshly, and that was when she heard the wheels and faint sounds of their bikes.
They were leaving her?
She choked on a sob of fearful disbelief. She turned her back to the wall, and saw a ghost with a light coming towards her. Fear paralyzed her very bones.
"Bella!" Edward cried, hurrying forward.
Bella's knees buckled in absolute relief. It was Edward, carrying a flashlight, not a ghost. She cried out, weeping. "Edward! I thought you left me. I thought I was lost!"
He put the flashlight down and swept her into his arms. "It's all right. You're not lost. I'd never leave you. Didn't I say I would always protect you?"
She held on to him, hard. Bella never wanted to let go.
"I didn't think you'd find me—I heard the bikes leaving! And—And I'm mad at you!"
"Don't cry. I'm here now, and don't be mad at me. You heard your father and Carlisle looking for us. They are outside—and very angry." His gaze searched hers. "How could you think I wouldn't find you?"
"I don't know," she whispered, trembling, her face wet with tears. But she had stopped crying still cold with the shivers.
"If you are lost, I will find you. I will always be here, I will always protect you," he said seriously. "It's what I would do for you, Bella."
She inhaled. "Promise?"
He slowly smiled and brushed a tear away. "I promise."
She finally smiled back at him. "I'm sorry I am not brave."
"You are all I ever want you to be," Edward whispered humbly. And he believed it.