That week at school, I learned that a boy in class that Jessica had been crushing on, Mike Newton, was inviting a large group from school to a bonfire his parents decided to host down at the beach in La Push. All the upper classmates were invited, but Mike took it upon himself to ask me personally- it was very awkward and Jessica (thankfully) didn't speak to me the rest of the day. I didn't need to be coerced into going- I was pretty excited about seeing Jacob Black again. It was a pleasure to find that Edward Cullen wouldn't be there.

Charlie reluctantly agreed on the condition that Jacob Black would be with me, and that I would stay at Billy's house for the night. I had no qualms, and only put up a little fight when he insisted that he ride down to La Push with me.

It was actually really fun. I watched as the students I know sang and danced around the fire, enjoying the music that Mike's father played. Mike Newton would not leave me alone, and much to my pleasure Jessica Stanley kept pulling him off. Jacob kept me occupied part of the night with small talk, and I convinced the shy Ben to ask Angela to dance, leaving a bright smile on both my and their faces.

As Jacob was walking me to his home, I decided it was time to ask him what he thought about the animal attacks; having forgotten to last time. "Charlie told me that the townspeople think it's werewolves attacking, that's why people keep disappearing."

Jacob's laughter boomed out, as if he hadn't heard anything so ridiculous, "What sort of werewolf drinks blood?"

"He said your father has a different theory on what it is, but wont say." I gave him a sly look, trying to bat my eyes at him in a way that I've seen other girls do.

Jacob grinned and I hoped for a moment that I would get what I wanted; information. "Tribal legends and all that." His tone was serious, and I could see him trying to play it off like it he didn't believe them.

After waiting for him to elaborate, I decided he wasn't going to and I needed to forge on ahead, "Won't you tell me?"

He paused in front of me, and his eyes searched mine for something I'm not certain that he found, "I can't." He mumbled, eyes averted, and led on.

"But you know something," I pressed, hoping to get even a morsel out of him. Jacob stopped and I automatically stopped with him, turning to face him. I smiled at him, lowering my lashes, deciding to pull out whatever stops I could.

He stepped closer to me, leaning towards me in a way that made my heart thud against my ribcage. I was suddenly worried that my attempts at flirtation worked too well; while I really liked Jacob, it was a bit early for kissing. Even so, I had a strange, disappointed feeling of loss as he straightened himself.

"I can't." Jacob ground out, his tone full of frustration, his fist clenching as he displayed the quick temper I still wasn't used to.

"It's okay," I said quickly, as I tried to calm his temper, my cheeks red from the embarrassment of the moment passed. Something inside me warned that I shouldn't make him too angry.

"No, it's not." Jacob's voice, while attempting to be soothing, came out with a slight growl, sending a tingling shiver down my spine. My eyes widened at my body's reaction, and thankfully Jacob misunderstood, apparently thinking I was afraid.

His fists unclenched and his gaze softened, the words coming out slowly, "Sorry, honey, I'm not angry at you. Can we... talk about something else?"

I agreed readily, attempting to distract him by telling him about the gatherings that my neighbors threw when I lived with my grandparents and how I enjoyed the beach party so much more. We talked until we reach Jacob's home, where I was settled into his sister's old room for a restful night of sleep.

The weeks went by and soon it was months; Edward disappeared every time the sun came out and the girls at school teased me mercilessly. Ben Cheney was officially Angela's beau, and Jessica claimed she had Mike Newton almost within her grasp. A boy named Conner had been reportedly courting Lauren for over a week.

I was on my way home one Saturday morning from a lonely visit to the market. I had been gathering ingredients for dinner and realized I didn't have enough to make any legitimate meal. I wanted to have dinner ready for Charlie when he returned home and no one was around to accompany me on the road. I certainly didn't want to ask Edward, as uneasy as he made me feel, and riding to La Push to get Jacob seemed redundant and I didn't want to put my best friend out.

My father had taken to disappearing for a few days every month as his work had called him away. I liked to be waiting for him with a nice warm dinner when he did finally make it back. He had, after the disappearance of the boy at school, expressed worry over leaving me at home alone; but after understanding that I couldn't stomach the idea of putting anyone out for any reason, he relented and let me stay at home alone.

Interrupting my musings, Red came to a sudden stop in the middle of the road and, even as I urged her, refused to go any further. Dismounting, I attempted to calm her and convince her to move, but she stubbornly dug her hooves in and refused to budge, her eyes betraying the fear that kept her still.

The sky was darkening with an impending storm and my patience was wearing thin. The fact that my horse was scared only turned up the creep factor, which induced further havoc on my nerves.

"Please, please," I begged, stroking the side of her face, "lets go, Red."

I heard a low growling and Red bucked up, tearing the reins from my hands as she ran into the woods. My eyes welled up from the pain burning in my palms, then swiveled in the direction of the growling. There, in the shadows of the road I had just rode down, stood a giant black wolf, bigger than I had ever seen before. His head was cocked in my direction, but his eyes were on something behind me. I turned my head the opposite direction- slowly- my eyes caught sight of a pale, motionless body further up the road.

How had I not seen it before? Red had to of seen it or smelled it, refusing to budge the moment we came within range. A panic swelled within me- this beast, this massive wolf has already made one attack and was now cornering me as a second meal.

The moment my eyes were back on the massive black wolf, a white blur slammed into the creature and they were gone, a clamor of yelping fading off into the woods. In a haze, I made my way toward the body on the side of the road. Conner, Lauren's beau, lay bloodless at my feet. His chest cavity was fully intact.

Near hyperventilation with sleet pelting me at every moment, I slowly stumbled my way up the road. I called out to Red a few times, before collapsing from cold and shock. Strangely, I remember Edwards voice, his face. I remembering being picked up and carried at breakneck speed through the woods and brought into a strange home, but other than that- nothing but blackness.

When I woke, I saw a breathtakingly beautiful blonde man standing over me. He must not have been any older than his thirties. Beside him stood my father and Edward Cullen.

"Bella, honey, are you okay?" I could hear my father's voice.

"Red?" I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy.

"What? Red?" Clearly, Charlie was too distressed to focus.

"Her horse." I heard Edward's musical voice, "Don't worry, Bella. Red is fine. She's in the stable at home."

I breathed a sigh of relief before panic overtook me again, "I saw Conner! He was dead! There was a big wolf- a giant, massive black wolf, and a white blur attacked it-"

"Shh, honey, it's okay. We know about Conner."

"Now Bella, I need to do an examination. Do you two gentlemen mind stepping out of the room?"
A new voice, musical like Edwards, spoke. Charlie and Edward immediately exited the room, leaving me alone with the mysterious but pretty doctor.

"I'm Doctor Carlisle Cullen," The man smiled down at me, "I'm just going to look you over to make sure you're ok."

Doctor Cullen gave me the coldest physical of my life, his hands gentle but freezing.

Shortly after, the doctor went out of the room to speak with Charlie, and Edward made his way back into the room. He stood silently by my bed, his expression filled with consternation.

"Thank you for finding Red for me." I tested the subject.

"You shouldn't have gone off on your own, Bella." He was smiling, making me feel sort of queasy again, pleasure and annoyance battling in my mind.

"How did you manage that, by the way?" I demanded, "Finding Red?"

"She was next to your body when I found you." He was frowning, as if it was obvious that was where she would be.

"How far did I make it from Conner?" Something wasn't right in the way he was responding.

Edward frowned, obviously perplexed by my attitude, "I would say about ten feet. I think the shock of seeing a dead body really got to you."

"How did you take out the wolf like that? How did you carry me so quickly through the forest?" I tried to keep my cool, but my voice trembled as I spoke.

His jaw clenched and his eyes were suddenly angry, his temper reminding me of Jacobs. The words came out as if nothing in his mood had changed. "Bella, you're not making sense. I was walking the road and found you there."

"Red wouldn't go anywhere near that body. I remember you carrying me at breakneck speed through the woods, Edward. I know it was you who saved me from the wolf." The words felt intangible as they left my lips, but I couldn't ignore the gut feeling that I was right.

"What you're saying is impossible." His black eyes flashed at me.

"No, it's not." I said, fixing my eyes on him. He had to know I wouldn't back down.

"Why can't you just say 'Thank you, Edward, for saving my life.'" He complained, annoying me further.

"Thank you, Edward, for saving my life. Now stop lying to me." I snapped, losing my patience.

Edward sighed, speaking condescendingly, "Bella, you were unconscious. Did you ever think you might have been hallucinating?"

"I know what I saw, Edward!" My voice hushed as I noticed Doctor Cullen move in the doorway. "This isn't the end of it," I muttered, casting a glare at his relieved expression as the Doctor and Charlie walked in.

I was announced healthy and grounded before being taken home using using one of the Cullen's horses.

The following Monday at school Lauren Mallory spent the entire day sobbing her eyes out about losing the love of her life. Jessica stayed close to comfort her, and Mike Newton wouldn't stop hovering. Everyone was afraid to leave the schoolyard.

It was demanded that children travel in twos wherever they go. Most parents stopped by to make sure their children got home safely.

As the spring months came and Edward disappeared from school more and more, on those sunny days, my father rode with me to school. At least a month before summer arrived, Jacob Black showed up at the school to ride home with me.

He explained that my father had some duty or another to take care of so he called him to walk with me. We talked and laughed most of the way home, Jacob filling me to the brink with warmth and happiness.

A familiar eerie feeling came over me as Red stopped dead in her tracks and started to back up; my laughter, my smile stuck in my throat as I glanced at Jacob.

He was dismounting from his horse, a dark expression on his bronzed face.

"Oh no." I murmured nervously, and leaned forward to rub Red's cheeks, "Shh honey, it's okay..."

I felt Jacob place his horse's reins in my hand. "Don't move, Bella. Trust me on this. I'll be right back." And he disappeared into the forest.

I heard a screams from up the road, and both horses looked ready to bolt. I heard a single wolf howl nearby, and then a chorus of them, shaking me to the bone. It sounded like an entire pack, all howling in unison- and advancing in my direction. Red and Jacob's horse turned to bolt in the opposite direction but were frightened, stopped in their tracks, by a reddish blur. The howling was upon us- on either side- and the horses had no choice but to bolt forward.

In moments they were halting again, Red nearly knocking me off as she bucked up. A young girl from the schoolhouse was on her knees in the road ahead, sobbing, beside her lay the lifeless form of another child. Beyond them, hiding in the cover of the trees, I could see the unmistakable face of Edward Cullen.