Like a Leaf in the Wind

Chapter 2:

I was finally released from the intense stare of the russet wolf when he was slammed from the side by a fast moving blur. The only discernable color from that blur was a streak of bronze.

My head snapped up.

The sounds in the meadow shifted from a silent staring match to thunderous booms as wolves collided with the people that were obviously something else. They met these giant animals head on and didn't flinch.

I, on the other hand, covered my ears and winced at the sight of each collision. The man, who had transformed into a wolf not too long ago, had now returned to his wolf form. He was lunging at the blond man he had initially been conversing with.

I closed my eyes.

I never liked violence and I was in the midst of the most violent encounter in my life. I didn't understand what was said prior to this escalation to make them so angry at each other. I didn't know what an imprint was nor did I understand what being 'Edward's mate' had anything to do with me.

I wanted to run because if this was real then I wanted no part of it. Before I even decided to move, I felt a sharp breeze and when I opened my eyes a woman appeared before me.

I have seen beautiful women while walking in the mall with my mother. They were all well-groomed with perfectly polished tips and clothing that looked like it was tailored for only them but this woman before me was beyond their beauty. It wasn't the clothing or the grooming that made her attractive it was the soft expression of her amber eyes. It was the way her auburn curls billowed around her face and it was the faultless alignment of her features.

Her pale hand cupped my face in a gesture of apology. Her touch was cold and her skin felt hard.

These were not normal people.

She quickly pressed her body into me wrapping her arms around my waist only to take off running. I instinctively wrapped my legs around her waist as I clasped my hands around her neck as tightly as possible. I was afraid of falling because the swiftness with which she moved was comparable to a car speeding down the highway.

My eyes started to burn and my head started to swim as we blurred past trees. It was too fast for me to make out my surroundings so I closed my eyes in an attempt to seek refuge from the feeling of vertigo.

She stopped abruptly. I kept my eyes close as I let my limbs loosen around this cold hard being and I crumbled to the floor. It felt like a very soft rug was underneath me.

I was grateful that she took me away from the meadow but I was also fearful of her intentions.

I chanced a peek and she was anxiously looking out a floor-to-ceiling glass window. I fully opened my eyes to take in my surroundings.

The room was exquisite. The south walls where the woman stood was made of glass with heavy dark drapes on either side. I was crumbled on a soft golden rug but the floors were all dark wood and highly polished. There were two dark brown leather couches facing a massive wall of shelving. Music and books impeccably lined these shelves. The only separation between the stocked shelves and the couches was a unique glass coffee table. Holding up the table's glass top was a piece of wood that resembled a trunk of an aged oak tree. It was twisted and contorted with knots; it was beautifully grotesque.

I was near the table this entire time facing the wall of glass that my savior was peering from. My head swiveled from side to side as I looked at the room yet I did not make a sound. I wanted to turn around and see what was behind me but I could not move. I was captivated by the coffee table because the knots in the wood mimicked my emotional turmoil.

She suddenly turned to me with a warm smile, "they're coming back."

I stiffened, who was coming back?

She slowly approached me as I cringed further into the rug. "I'm sorry to act so rashly but I didn't want you to get hurt. I'm Esme Cullen by the way."

She extended her hand and I gave her a trembling handshake. She had confessed that her only concern was for my safety and she also looked at me like my mother would so I could not deny her this formality.

She gave me a quizzical look. Oh she must want me to introduce myself.

"Um…hello, I'm Bella."

We both looked behind me as a door below opened. She gently lifted me from the floor. "Let's go meet the rest of the family." She gave me an encouraging smile as we walked out of the room and headed down some stairs.

This house was beautifully decorated. The colors used throughout had a light natural aura that not only made it modern but made it seamlessly weave with the natural surroundings that I could see through the many floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Esme and I stood near the foot of the stairs looking at the other people from the meadow.

They were no longer sparkling and they almost looked normal…except for their indescribable beauty. It was not normal for an entire family to be that perfect. They were all pale with slightly darkened bruises under their eyes.

They were all anxiously staring at me and Esme, which caused me to instinctively shrink closer to her.

"I can't hear her."

There were audible gasps as they all starred at one of the family members standing in the back.

What was he talking about? Of course he couldn't hear me…I didn't say anything.

When I finally looked at the speaker our eyes locked, I felt my knees weaken and my heart thumped wildly in my chest. An invisible cord snapped between us and I couldn't help but moan under the pressure. It was as if hands were pushing me toward this man while the cord simultaneously pulled me forward.

He fell to his knees as soon as I moaned.

"What's wrong?" Esme looked from the man on his knees to the blond one who rushed over to him.

"They need to mate," the same female who spoke in the meadow was talking about us.

"Alice, she's only human, Edward could kill her."

"Sweetheart I know, but they need to mate or it will only get much worse…for both of them." The one referred to as Alice was morose at the end. She looked at me with sympathetic eyes but I could barely register what was happening. I was still consumed by the beautiful bronze-haired angel on his knees.

Esme began whispering in my ear, "That's Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and over there that's Edward."

She pointed to everyone as she said their names but I was only waiting for her to say the last name. Edward…I tasted the name on my tongue as I repeated that name to myself…I liked it. His name was Edward.

"Edward" I whispered looking at him.

Yes, I wanted Edward.

He began to purr when I said his name.

How strange, my Edward purrs. Why did I just refer to him at 'my Edward'?

"Everyone, this is Bella." Esme spoke loudly. She looked like she was beaming but her expression was also worried as she clasped my face in her hands to get me to focus on her face.

"Bella, you and Edward need to mate but I'm not sure we know how that will turn out because you two are…different. Most importantly we want to make sure that you do want to be with Edward that way."

The intensity between Edward and I had dulled into a noticeable throb. Like the cord between us was nudging me to pay attention to it. I was so confused.

"Esme, what do you mean be with Edward?"

"Um….you will need to be intimate with him. You're his mate."

Be intimate? I hadn't even kissed a boy and these crazy people were all standing here referring to my virginity as if it was theirs to give to Edward?

I couldn't explain what I felt for Edward. It was more than love at first sight but this was getting out of hand too fast. I needed to get out of here to think things through with a clear head.

"I need to go home."

"No! You're mine!"

I felt the cord increase in strength and then explode as Edward rushed to me faster than my pupils could dilate. He enfolded his arms around me and before I could blink we were back in the room I was first brought to.

He locked the door and let out a deafening grown to whoever was on the other side. He was still holding my tightly to his chest and the cord hummed with ecstatic satisfaction as my skin came in contact with his hard cold body. My senses were bombarded with Edward's being. His scent was so concentrated that I could taste him every time I inhaled. I ignited at our proximity and was pulled in. It was like my world had shifted and there was a gravitational force that kept me in orbit around Edward.

His growl turned into a purr as he tilted my chin to look at him. I lifted my eyes to his only to notice that his amber eyes were slowly darkening.

Edward was right. I was not going home. I was probably never going to see my parents again.