One year. One year of fighting himself, his family, his world. It was all for nothing. He had wasted a valuable year of his precious Bella's life in vain. They were returning to Forks, Washington to right his wrong and hopefully Bella would be forgiving.
Bella let out a large sigh, looking up into the gray, cloud filled sky. How could so much change in just a year? There was really nothing holding her to this town anymore but she couldn't bring herself to leave just yet. Graduation had come and gone, her father was gone, the Cullens were gone, and she hadn't really spoken to her mother since Charlie's death. What was keeping her here? Lightning lit the sky above her as it began to rain, thunder rumbled loudly against her ears causing an irritated growl to escape her throat. She got up to leave, so much for enjoying her day.
She slowly made her way down the mountain she was currently on. She had been careful to avoid crossing into La Push territory when she had decided to take a walk this morning but she wouldn't put it past the Mutts to break the treaty and jump her while she was alone. A couple she could take but the entire pack would be a challenge even for her. The days of her clumsily tripping on air were well past her and she didn't miss it even if it would mean the Cullen's return which she was sure it wouldn't. Edward has made his choice as did the rest of them she should feel nothing for them but she did miss them even if the only one she would admit that tonwas herself.
Her paws were silent as she left the hard, wet rock of the mountain and stepped onto the cold, wet, muddy ground of the forest. The trees would offer her an advantage if the wolves showed themselves but her enhanced hearing didn't pick up anything out of the ordinary. She had a lot to worry about these days, she rarely felt at peace, but there wasn't a lot she could do at the present. A twig snapped not to far from her location and she immediately tensed to fight as she stared in the direction, after a few moments a tiger emerged from the bushes.
"Do you have a death wish?" Bella growled.
"Don't be so dramatic. It's not my fault the rain makes scenting difficult." The tiger replied apathetically. "You're too keyed up for someone who spent the entire morning looking at the sky."
His apathy made it easy to control his shifts but aggravated Bella to no end most of the time. It wasn't his fault, she often tried to convince herself, if finding out you turn into an animal at will doesn't shake you out of feeling almost nothing then she doubted anything would.
"Did you want something Nick?" Bella said airily as she resumed her walk back to her home.
In his tiger form he was quite a bit bigger than her. As a black leopard she was only slightly bigger than an ordinary male leopard as far as she could tell so Nick's tiger form was a good five inches taller. As a human he possessed light brown almost blonde hair with equally light blue eyes which oddly enough didn't change with his shape.
Nick followed for a second before falling into step. "David and Kevin are on their way. They said they should arrive within the hour."
"And?"
"Thought you would want to know is all."
"Thanks." Bella doubted that was the reason he had decided to take a hike out to see her especially since she hadn't told him where she would be and so he would have had to track her down but she didn't call him on it. He would tell her in his own time.
They were two minutes out from her home when Nick said "There are also rumors that the Cullens are returning."