Chapter 2

New Beginnings

"Bells," I heard Will groan from the other side of the door, "Come on. I want to get out there and back before the game starts on TV." I rolled my eyes, and looked back in the mirror. I couldn't believe how much the change had … changed me, and, yet, how I still looked the same.

"I know you're nervous, but if you come out now I'll do all your chores for a week." I snorted as I heard Will sit down, leaning against my door.

"I'm just getting changed," I replied. The melodious tinkle of my voice was still something I was getting used to.

I heard Will's reply as he snorted. "We're going hunting Bella. I'm pretty sure the bears and the deer don't care what you look like. You know what with the whole us killing them bit."

I stood up taking a deep breath, a sure sign that I was nervous as I no longer needed to breathe, and opened the door.

I laughed as Will fell into the room. All six feet four of him. He looked surprised, before pushing his jet black hair away from his eyes and laughing.

I looked down at him, a smile crossing my face. My angel. He had helped me when I was at my lowest point, when I had lost the reason and the will to live. I owed him my existence. Him and the rest of the coven. If they hadn't been there, hadn't been in Port Angeles, I hate to think of what my life, however short, would've been like.

It was Will who had guided me through everything from my change to hunting. He was the big brother I had never had. He knew everything about my life and I was slowly starting to learn about his.

He grinned and jumped up. "Alright. Hunting is a go!" He bounded past me and down the stairs, reminding me of an overgrown puppy.

I shook my head and followed him down the stairs. I saw Mark and Jenny, the other two members of our coven, both walk out of the dining room as I got to the bottom step.

Mark reminded me so much of Charlie. Caring and loving but not exactly comfortable showing it. He would die to protect anyone in his family. I was surprised at how quickly that had included me.

Then there was Jenny. She was one of the most caring people I had ever met. She was like a mother hen, always worrying about the rest of us and trying to make sure we were okay, with a gift that allowed her to see when someone in our family was in danger.

She grabbed me and pulled me in a hug before I walked past her. "You'll be fine Bells. There aren't any humans around for miles and even if there was, you could control your thirst."

I forced a smile to my face as she let me go. This was the first time I would be going hunting without the full coven. It would be just Will and me. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. If I was still human I think I would've been sick.

Mark nodded at me and squeezed one of my shoulders. "You'll do fine," he said, reiterating Jenny's words.

"Alrighty, lets get this show on the road," Will said, clapping his hands together.

"Could you just take this a little seriously?" I asked, punching him on the arm. He rubbed his arm, mock glaring at me before grinning.

"Full seriousness," he said, his face taking on a serious expression. I had no idea how he could mask his emotions within seconds. Everyone could read me like an open book. He turned to Mark and Jenny. "We'll see you tonight, after this very, very, serious expedition."

I saw identical grins appear on Mark and Jenny's faces. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my own, even as I rolled my eyes. Damn Will and his boyish charms, I thought.

"Alright, lets get going before you miss your football game." I saw him grin as I ran past him. It wasn't long before he was beside me.

"Be careful!" I heard Jenny yell as we both took off into the forest.

*

"I'm never going to get better at this," I said, sighing, as Will and I walked back towards the cabin. We'd been gone a few hours and although the hunt hadn't gone terrible, it hadn't gone great either.

No matter how many times we went hunting, I always came back a mess. Unlike the others, who never had a hair out of place after a hunt.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Will grinning at me and playfully smacked him across his arm.

He threw his arm over my shoulders and squeezed. "Oh, sure you will Bells. You're just clumsier than me is all. But you'll get the hang of it. We've got an eternity."

I snorted, and shrugged his arm off, but couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I was lucky that I had Will.

The cabin barely came into view before I felt something was wrong. I started to worry when I felt Will stiffen next to me. Looking at the small cabin, nothing appeared different from the outside.

Will pulled me behind him as we walked closer. I tried not to roll my eyes and made a note to remind him that being a newborn meant that I was stronger than he was at this point in time.

We walked up the steps quietly and we both gasped as the door flew open.

"We're leaving! Now!" Jenny said, as she ran down the steps carrying bags which I knew contained only irreplaceable family items, like photos and videos. Everything else we could replace.

"Jenny," I said, running down to the car she was putting the bags into. "What's wrong?" I felt a spike of fear run down my spine and tried to stay calm. Jenny only got like this when …

"They've found us," she said, getting into the car. I got in beside her and saw Mark and Will jump into the other car.

I swallowed hard and tried not to feel too guilty. Ever since Will had changed me, the coven had been hunted. This was the fourth time that we had had to run. It was all my fault.

At first, I had thought it might have been Jake and the La Push pack hunting us, even though we weren't in their area. But, after calling and hearing Jake say that he would never hurt me after all I had been through, regardless of what I'd become, I'd come to the conclusion that it must be Victoria and Laurent. Still hunting me after all this time. Still trying to hurt those I care about.

I tried not to snarl as I thought of them.

"Bella," Jenny said quietly, as the countryside flew past us, "None of this is your fault. You're part of our family now and we look after our own."

She turned and smiled at me. "I wouldn't change anything for the world," she added.

I smiled as the words sunk in, feeling slightly choked up. "Was it Will again?" I asked. I didn't need to look at her to know the answer. It was always Will.

"Yes," she said, spurring the car on faster