When the wolves descend

Prologue

My name is Isabella Swan. I am seventeen years old and I live in Forks with my dad Charlie. He is the chief of police, and since my mother left him he has spiralled into depression and discovered alcohol numbs pain. Charlie doesn't like being left alone. I moved in with him when i was sixteen as my mother and her boyfriend, Phil, decided to go travelling, but i have always hated being out of my comfort zone. New places, new faces; it's not my dream. Too young to live by myself, i moved in with Charlie. I enrolled in Forks high school; a new place with new faces. If i had gone travelling with my mother and her boyfriend then i would have had to do this every month, so i was glad this would only have to happen once. My first day was a blur of people staring at me, talking about me and some even talked to me and invited me to eat lunch with them; although i cannot remember their names. The people that stuck out to me were the Cullen's.

One girl, i think her name was Jessica; told me that the Cullen's had recently moved to Forks from Alaska. I remember looking over to their table in the corner to see one of the boys glaring at me, as if he was trying to burn a hole in my head. At that moment when I stole a look in his eye, i had determined that he was trouble. And if he was trouble, then his family who all turned to look at me were also trouble. Especially because they all had the same eyes; burning red.

When i had arrived home that evening, i found we had guests over for dinner. That was when i met Jacob Black and his father Billy Black. His long hair and dark skin was so appealing to me. We rushed into a relationship; i thought we were in love. He was a year younger than me, but like Jake always used to say "Age is just a number baby." His smile always made me cringe with excitement. But then a year later, Jacob started to change in ways that I did not expect. The muscles, I could live with. But then he started hanging round Sam Ulley and his "mob". One day he came home with his all his hair cut off. We fought about it; all of it. All Jake could say was "I'm changing Bells in ways you cannot imagine. I can't promise that I won't hurt you anymore." We grew distant each day for a month, until i decided it was time to end our relationship.

I had led him deep into the forest where we wouldn't make a "scene" in public. I had told him to tell me the truth and he refused. I tried to touch him and he slapped me away; he was burning hot. So of course, i thought he was coming down with a fever and i tried to cool him down and take action. I took of his jacket, much to Jake's dismay, and found a tattoo on his arm which was the same tattoo as Sam Ulley. We argued about his relationship with Sam which he defended so passionately. I could see him getting more furious by the second, but i kept going. Then my mind goes blank; all i know is that I'm in pain. My back feels wet and cold. So, i get up and i try to run through the forest. A great fear took over me, and i had no clue where i was going. The only thought i had was 'A monster is chasing me.' I heard a crash, and now here i am hooked up to a dozen monitors and drips. Doctors and nurses constantly coming in and out of my room, asking me what had happened. I tell them i can't remember. They tell me i have five slash marks and my back, like a wolf had scratched me. I tell them i really don't know what happened. The police come in and tell me that they have arrested Jake as he has my blood on his hands. Then i remember. I remember being chased by a wolf; and the wolf was Jacob Black.

Chapter 1

"Hey Issie. HHHHHHHhappy birthday." Charlie said whilst leaning against my bedroom door. Eighteen today; oh joy. I hate birthdays, especially mine, as everyone feels obliged to pay attention to you. I don't like the fuss.

"Now i know you said no presents, but... mine isn't wrapped so technically it isn't a present." Charlie said it with a smirk as he pulled out a small pink camera with a black ribbon on it. Mum then turned up beside him with a big beaming smile on her face.

"And i coordinated with your father's gift- so mine also is not a present." My mother Rene' winked at me as she pulled a pink photo album out from behind her back. I hate the colour pink; but i actually like the gifts.

"Thanks." I managed to smile weakly, but i don't think i spoke loud enough over the loud monitors beside me for my parents to hear me.

Charlie and Rene' put the presents on my bedside table and then sat down on the two chairs opposite me.

"So, how are you feeling today? Are you in any pain?" Rene' asked me with a look of slight concern.

"I'm actually a lot better. This new painkiller i have been on for a week seems to be working well. The doctor said that my wound is healing nicely and that he might be able to take out the stitches today."

"Yes, that's also what the doctor told us." Charlie managed to slip in before mum started babbling on.

"And he also said that if it all goes well, then he might be able to discharge you today and you will be able to come home. Isn't that great?"

"Perfect." I turned to Charlie. "Has Jacob been released from custody yet, or is he still being questioned?" The colour drained from his face and he slumped down into his chair. It was silent in the room for two whole minutes, until Rene' finally spoke.

"Jacob has been released as there was no hard evidence against him. He says he tried to stop you running but you pushed right passed him, leaving blood on his hands. Bunch of crap if you ask me, you seen the muscles on that kid. And you'd just broke up with him; there's the motive. I wish you could just tell us exactly what happened Issie."

"I don't remember."

"It's okay, don't beat yourself up about it honey, we just want to help." My mother crooned.

"I'm sorry, Issie." My father mumbled.

"It's ok Char-dad. It's not your fault."

The day went by quickly after that. The fact that Jake could come back at anytime made me panic and my heart rate quicken. A beautiful young doctor knocked at my door.

"Isabella Swan, my name is Dr Cullen, but you may call me Carlisle. I'm here to remove your stitches." His eyes were gold and somewhat soothing. "Can you sit up for me please?"

"Sure, Carlisle."

Rene' and Charlie left the room to give me some privacy. I sat up with slight ease; surprising for a girl in my condition.

"Now let's take a look at those stitches." I opened the back of my gown and Dr Carlisle gasped. "How on earth... did this happen?"

"I have very little memory of how this happened. All i can remember is being chased, and ending up in here."

"The stitches are already gone, Isabella. Has someone already been in and taken them out?"

"Unless i was asleep when they were taken out, then no, no one has been in."

"How peculiar. You know, you have been quite a difficult girl to treat. Not because you refrain from the treatment, but because everything we have tried is not strong enough to treat you. May i ask, do you have a metal plate in your left arm?"

"No, i do not. What do you mean by 'Not strong enough'?"

"Fascinating, fascinating." Dr Carlisle said as he was pacing round the room. I could hear Charlie and Rene' in talking in the corridor outside about how they were going to celebrate my birthday, but i was too busy trying to process what Dr Carlisle had just said. "The needle broke off on your arm. We had to put a tube down your throat to administer the medicine. A medical intern accidently overdosed you, to which you died of. We then tried to revive you with shock panels to which the doctor was electrocuted and the whole town had a power cut. Your heart instantly started beating again normally, but you should have gone into a coma and needed that emergency breathing equipment in the corner there." Dr Carlisle pointed to the beastly machine next to me.

"Do you know why that happened?"

"No, explain it to me?"

"I was asking you, because I honestly don't know."

"It's ok Bella, you can tell me. I am good at keeping secrets. I mean, I have a big secret. I am a vampire." I couldn't help but laugh point blank in his face.

"You're a what? Bloody hell, i thought you were being serious for a second until you said vampire! Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me!" Carlisle's face seemed unchanged. He calmly moved to the edge of my bed, and picked up a scalpel from the crash cart.

"What are you doing Carlisle?" He said nothing as he raised the knife and drove it to his stomach. I gasped out of pure shock as tears ran down my cheeks. But his face still remained unchanged. He then pulled out the knife and I saw it was bent out of shape with not a drop of blood on it.

"Was that trick supposed to be funny?"

"It's no trick, I can assure you." He placed the knife in my hand and it was truly a normal knife. It was neither bendable nor fake. Dr Carlisle then opened his shirt to show me there was nothing protecting him from the blade. "I am immortal. What are you?"

"I don't know!"

"You seem as dumbfounded about it as I do. But you know my secret, now i don't know if i can trust you to keep it. You see, i do not feed on human blood. I have never killed a human in my vampire life; I feed on animals. I have converted my family on to this special diet, so you can see we pose no threat. We are trying to build up a life here so we can have somewhere we belong. I really want to trust you, Bella. Can I trust you?"

"I think my ex-boyfriend is a werewolf. He had completely changed in the space of a month, and so we went deep into the wood were I was going to break up with him. We argued, and I think he turned. I tried to run, but as you can tell by the marks on my back that he caught up with me. He is still running in the woods surrounding my home. And now, here I am. I did not tell the police what I think of him, because I'm not sure what he is. Can I trust you, Carlisle?"

"I can open your eyes to a whole new world; my world. But that's only if you're willing to accept the consequences of you're newly found knowledge." He left a small white business card on my bedside table. "Give me a call, we can arrange something. Now, I will get your discharge forms. You best get dressed and ready to go home." With that he left the room carrying my chart. I hold his secret with great respect, and always will. Rene' and Charlie then came into the room.

"Dr Cullen just told us that he is going to discharge you. We best get you ready." Rene' said this with a big grin that made me suspicious. I turned to Charlie as she left the room to grab my clothes.

"There's a party waiting for me at home, isn't there?"

"Your mother insisted..."

"Great. And I thought today was going so well..."

The whole town had crammed into my dad's humble home for my "Welcome back/birthday party". It was humorous how my mother tried to act normal. She walked into our dark house and said "Oh, it is so dark in here. I best go turn the light on." whilst me and Charlie looked at each other and rolled our eyes. As soon as Rene' turned the light on, everyone screamed surprise, and i realised just how many people had turned up.

I tried my best to put on a smile as everyone was staring at me as if they wanted me to give them a big speech at how heart warming this gesture was. But to be honest, it was just uncomfortable. I just wanted to pick up a big bottle of wine from the kitchen and go hide under the food table. But there was no way i could do it without going un-noticed.

"Er, hey everyone thanks for coming. What a nice surprise to see the whole town, in my house." Everyone gave a low giggle and turned around to continue talking. I looked around and saw that group of people from school. Now what were their names again? Oh shit, they're heading this way! I don't know you people!

"Issie! You're alive! God, after all that has happened! You know, at school you're now known as invinci-bella." I just nodded and smiled, but my smile was stiff and fake as i tried to pick up one memory of how i knew this boy. I recognised his face, but the name just wasn't sticking. "Issie? It's me... Mike..." Mike!

"Mike, i knew that. It's just... parties make me un-comfortable. You know?" He looked relieved and let out a big sigh.

"Ah, of course, I'm not really into parties either, I mean I didn't really want to come, of course i wanted to come and see you, but I didn't want to come to this...party, and er..."

"I know what you mean. I'm going to go get a drink." Thank god i got away before he finished that sentence and had a heart attack. That Mike needs to remember to breathe between sentences. That's what full stops and pauses are for. I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of wine. I had full considered running away with a few bottles of the stuff, but I knew the plan was a little far-fetched.

"That wine is good stuff. I believe it's a vintage wine; very expensive. I just hope you appreciate the taste of the wine, and are not drinking it for the sake of drinking alcohol." I turned to find one of the Cullen boys standing in the kitchen doorway. His eyes were a promising golden yellow. "My name is Edward Cullen." He said as he extended his hand towards me.

"My name is Isabella Swan, and I am a big appreciator of vintage wine" I said as I shook his hand firmly. He looked over me with a smile and took a deep breath. Then a strike of pain flashed across his face and he stepped back. "Is something wrong, Edward?" His eyes turned black and I began to panic. Of course i should have been afraid when he stood in the doorway; i knew his secret after all.

"I should go..." He didn't take his eyes off me as he said this.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did. If i make you uncomfortable, then please go."

"What do you mean by that?" He closed his eyes and sighed, and then stopped breathing completely. "Never mind, Isabella, it was nice meeting you." He turned around to walk away.

"I know what you are." He turned back to look at me. He walked into the kitchen and closed the door behind him.

"Explain it to me, and the explanation better be good." He said this through gritted teeth which made the atmosphere unnerving. He began to walk towards me with clenched fists.

"I don't think that is such a good idea Edward. Threatening someone you do not know. I could be anyone. I could be capable of anything."

"But you're a human. Humans are so very limited when it comes to capability."

"Look at yourself. You look human, you smell human; the only thing that is un-human about you is your behaviour."

"Is this your feeble attempt to try and get me to back away?"

"Is this your final response? Listen... I'm not trying to pose a threat to your family. I was pulled in on your family secret because I am, going through a difficult time. I am... different."

"Different? How?"

"That's something we have yet to discover. I think that's why Carlisle shared his secret with me; so I didn't feel so strange."

"It wasn't his secret to share. Do you know how many of us there are? Are you aware of all the facts of our species?"

"I have some ideas. Carlisle told me that you have recently changed your diet from human blood to animal blood. I think that might be why your eyes are now gold instead of red. And from that little episode just now, I'm guessing that when your eyes turn black it means you're hungry."

"Hmm, little girl, you are catching on so quickly. I would say you're a smart human, but then again you're standing in a kitchen pissing off a vampire." His acid words rolled off his tongue as sweetly as he caressed my chin. In the instant that he looked in my eyes, it felt as if something was trying to get inside my head. I heard Edward's voice, although his lips did not move. The voice got louder and clearer 'She's taunting me with that awkward smile and that sweet smelling blood. Why would she make me want her so badly? If she wants me to suffer, she will suffer to. Bite her, let the venom burn her. Why can't I read her mind?

"Is that you trying to get into my head?"

"How... What are you?" I quickly stepped back, but he stepped forward even quicker and pushed me to the wall with his hand clasping my throat. 'Strangulation is the quicker way to die. Better be thankful for my mercy'.

'You think this is mercy Edward? Just because I'm different to your kind you think i deserve pain? Death? I have told you I would keep your secret, and in return you help me discover what i am. Don't do this Edward, please.'

I don't know how I did it, but I think Edward heard me because he released his hand from my throat. His hand was covered in blisters.

"I heard you, in my head. How is that possible? When you got into my head, i got into yours just for a second." His eyes twitched in, what i think may have been shock, but it looked as if he was trying to cry. If vampires are dead, then that probably explains why they can't cry.

"What did you see, inside my head?"

"Fire. I saw flames."

"Fire?"

"Look at my hand. What are you?" His hand was covered in blisters that slowly started to heal. Good thing about vampire blood; instant healing.

"Now you're asking the right questions. Please, help me find the answer." A noise came at the door and we both shot a look at the door. Another Cullen boy stood before us.

"Edward, leave before you hurt someone."

"Jasper, don't come near her, she marks..." Edward held up his hand, but it was no longer blistered or maimed. It was as perfect as it once was.

"Ed, please leave now. Go and see Carlisle." Edward looked over me with sceptical eyes.

"My hands should have crushed you, bruised you at the very least. Yet I was the only one harmed for any period of time."

"Edward..." He left so fast all I felt was a gust of wind blow over my face. The boy named Jasper was still in the doorway.

"Edward was once a strong Christian. He fell ill with a fever and faced certain death. Carlisle then stepped in at the last minute and saved him, but Edward doesn't believe he was saved. He thinks he was robbed of his fate. He feels that anyone different, including himself, is not a man of god. He thinks that none of us have a soul. I just thought you should know that before you judged him so harshly ma'am."

"And what about you Jasper, what do you think of your soul? Do you think you still have one?" He looked like he wanted to talk, but he was in too much pain to construct sentences. It was me; my blood. He didn't want to stand around me for too long in case he lost his control and destroyed his human facade'.

"I think a soul is all a vampire has left in the body of a murderer. I may be dead, but i feel alive. To me that is enough. I'm going to go...mingle."

""Well, the vintage wine is in the fridge. You know where i will be all night." He gave a slight smile and turned away. He then stopped for a few moments, and i had no idea why. Then he suddenly walked back in to the kitchen and shut the door.

"You know what; maybe we should go for a walk Isabella Swan."

"Why, what's gotten in to you?" You should never ask a question unless you really want to know the answer to it. I learnt that lesson just now when Jacob Black entered through my kitchen door.

"Issie, what happened to you? You were running. I couldn't stop you. My hands were covered in your blood." He looked sincere; almost upset even.

"Don't think you can fool me with that 'I'm really a nice guy' act. You may have fooled the police, maybe even the town; but you haven't fooled me. The worst part is that you used to be the good guy. Why did Sam and his mob have to change you? What are you now? Look at what you have become!" All the tears i cried didn't change his mood. His face was nothing but a facade' that i could see right through. He was angry; his eyes said it all.

"Issie, i have always loved you. Why can't you see that i had nothing to with this?" He then realised that Jasper was in the room, and then stood by the open kitchen door gesturing for him to leave. Jasper looked at me, and turned to walk out of the kitchen. The door slammed behind him.

"Jacob listen, i don't want you here. I am afraid of you. I am afraid of the monster you have become, and what you might do to my family if you stay. I stayed for the old Jacob; but i ran from this. And you know where that left me; on the ground with blood dripping down my back."

"How can you be so sure that it was me, Issie?"

"Was it you?"

"No, it was not me, Issie, i would never hurt you." I didn't know what to say. Replaying it over and over in my head i had been so sure that it was him. I could draw no other conclusions in my head, i genuinely had no idea what had happened to me. "But the other Jacob might of." His face remained the same, but i had never been so confused in my life.

"There is another Jacob? If you know what happened to me, why don't you just say it?"

"Because this other Jacob is a part of me now and there is not a thing i can do about it. The other Jacob is a wolf, Issie, and it needs to run wild, or it will tear me apart."

"Are you trying to tell me that you have a split personality Jacob, or that you turn into a werewolf?"

"I'm not telling you. You already knew. In the back of your mind, you knew that i was different. Didn't you?" He smiled a slight smile which made looking at him when he spoke unnerving.

"Your, you're a wolf? And you were the one, who did this? What? Why?"

"You broke my heart by not accepting the other Jacob. Now, you're changing. Don't you want to know what you are Issie?"

"Tell me. Tell me what i am?"

"You, you are a fallen angel." This was getting more and more ridiculous by the minute, but his words were like taking a punch to the stomach. Something about what he said clicked, made sense, brought back memories i have yet to remember. But how is this even possible? Then i remembered what Dr Cullen had said 'Open your eyes to a whole new world; my world'. If vampires exist, then there is a possibility that werewolves exist, which means that there is a possibility that i could be more than what meets the eye. Jacob seemed to be enjoying my pain and confusion. "You know anything about fallen angles? Or why they fell? The stories of legend say that fallen angels were thrown from the heavens by god himself, because the devil envied his brother for having such a perfect angel. The only way to share this angel was to place it in the middle between heaven and hell. The only problem being that if the angel died, where would it go? So, they made the angel immortal; untouchable. But still, they both cheated." Jacob circled me, continuing his story. "They both talked the angel into doing their bidding for them on the middle world. They spoilt the angel with gifts of special abilities. God gave her the power of instant healing, so that the angel would not have to bear the marks of their human life for eternity. The devil gave the angel the power to control and manipulate fire. And of course, the angel keeps the powers they possessed in heaven, such as the ability to read minds and control actions, and fly."

"It sounds like fallen angels are rare."

"That's because only one angel has ever fallen. Only one has been documented throughout the centuries. But it's a shame the angel made herself forget, because the burden of life became too much to bear."

"That is ridiculous. If i had been alive for centuries with all these powers, i would have remembered, and Charlie and Rene' would have said something."

"Charlie and Rene' aren't real. They were a gift." Carlisle walked in through the door quietly with a face of concern. "A gift that is about to get taken away from you real soon. Get ready for the Battle Issie, because it's coming. And they are going to fight to win back the angel that fell."

"Jacob" Carlisle put his hand on Jacobs shoulder. "I think that's enough wild stories for one night. You look tired; maybe you should go home and rest? Doctors orders." Carlisle led him out of the kitchen, and i fell to my knees. Had my life in Forks been a lie? Was this all a facade' to make my existence here more bearable. Who is Isabella Swan?