Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING INVOLVING TWILIGHT! It's all Stephenie Meyer's :'(

EPOV

I pull Old Dusty to a stop just before we reach the other men. His breathing is ragged and he snorts nervously as I try to calm him down. Soon I'll have to pick a new stallion to work with. Dusty definitely showed signs of needing to retire. It sucks, I really love this old guy.

"Easy, boy." I murmur, stroking his neck. We round the corner and I dismount. "Get your asses out to the mares and feed 'em all ready. They are gonna be ready to be in pasture, and you lazy fuckers haven't even checked on them. I'm changing out Dusty for Starlight, she can handle the running better than him today." I led the old boy over to his stall and took off his tack. After giving him a quick rub down, I walked out of the stall to see the boys still sitting around on their horses. "What?"

"Well, bro, I just wanted you to know that Bella's here and in the house. Angela and Ben are getting her set up." Emmett spoke up and the other boys' horses shifted uncomfortably, most likely reflecting their riders' uneasiness.

"Ah, hell, alright." I say scratching the back of my head. "I'll make sure to meet her tonight, at dinner. With how slow you people are moving, we ain't making it in for lunch." With that they sped off, hoping to eat something good for lunch, rather than the nasty grub Ben rustles up and brings out to us. Angela says if we can't sit down at a proper dining table, then we can't have a proper meal.

I chuckled, and saddled up Bred in Starlight. That new girl had it in for her. With the face Jake was making, he definitely has some interest in her. Even Jasper seemed a little chipper after meeting this girl. I wonder if she's pretty.

I quickly shake off the thought. Mustang round up was coming and I needed to focus on our horses. I hop onto Starlight and squeeze her into a hard gallop after the guys. In the distance I hear the herd calling out, wanting to run free across the pastures. I felt a similar need pulling at my legs, forcing me to squeeze Star, urging her faster. Galloping across my lands was the only way I could clear my head now. Closing my eyes for a moment and letting Starlight lead us to the others, I could almost feel the weight lift off my shoulders. Life could be easy this way, no cares. All I felt was the wind sweeping past me and the raw power and energy that ran beneath me. Peace flooded through me, until someone opened their mouth.

"Hey, Edward, open your eyes dammit! That filly will run you straight over the fence if you let her!" Jake hollered while bringing Cliff, his bay tobiano Gypsy Vanner stallion, around in front of Star and me, officially halting our freedom.

I hold on tightly as she rears up and nearly knocks me to the ground. I soothe her with my voice and gently stroke her neck. She lands back to earth with a thud, and prances around, agitated, snorting her disappointment.

"Woe, girl, easy now. It's alright. Steady, Starlight, steady girl." She slowed in her pacing and finally settled with a large sigh. "Atta girl, Star. Walk on, gently, now." I eased her into a slow walk in the direction of the barn, scowling at Jacob the entire time.

"What did I do now, boss?" He asked, with the audacity to look confused.

"You bloody well know what you fucking did, boy. You scared this poor filly half to death, and she nearly threw me across the yard. I had her well under control, and would have reined her in before I was caused any damn harm. It's your stupid ass that nearly got me killed!" I shouted, causing all the horses to shift and nicker a bit. The men themselves even looked spooked, though not Emmett, of course. By now he was far too used to me in a mood to even entertain the thought of fear. Instead he merely tried to calm his horse down and dismounted before going off to let out the now anxious mares.

The other boys followed after, as I dismounted and shut the all the exits, then I remounted Starlight and whistled the all clear. I heard the thunderous hooves beating against the pavement long before they came into sight. The musical and carefree whinnying filled the air, like trumpets announcing their arrival to the world. Then I saw her.

Valley Lilly, my beautiful, pure bred, untamed black Mustang. She had become matriarch of the herd this last year when her mother passed. There was nothing like watching that filly run free, hair blowing behind her, muscles bunching and flexing with each powerful stride. Horses like Lilly remind me why I even wanted a ranch to begin with. This very horse's own mother happened to be the first wild mustang I ever saw. Wild Lilly, my ma named her. And boy was she. As beautiful, wild, white, and graceful as the flower she was named after. Mustangs are magnificent creatures, though only the wild ones are truly forces of nature.

"Edward! Get your head out your ass, man! She's headed straight for ya!" I hear Jake bellowing and watch as our entire herd plunders from the barn in a line directed at me. Luckily, my little filly was a reining and cutting champion.

"Isn't nothing like a little work to liven up the morning, eh Star? Get 'em girl." With a quick squeeze she darts next to Lilly and forces her off toward the open pastures, thus leading the rest with us. We race side by side with the wild beasts until finally she kicks it into high gear and I have to pull away. Once a mustang decides it will out run you, ain't nothing gonna stop it. So I gently rein in little Starlight, and watch as the herd dashes past. They have no worries, no fears, no thoughts, they just run. They are free.

The boys catch up and we all sit a moment, thoughtful. In a few short weeks half these horses would be gone off to new homes, to be broken and trained until the spirit disappears from their eyes. A broken mustang, hell any broken horse, is a terrible sight. It's a bit like looking into a person's eyes before they die: no hope, no happiness, just utterly defeated.

I tip my hat to the carefree young before me and turn Starlight to the west. Can't dally any longer, got things that need fixin'.

"Em, Jazz, head over to the east quarter with the dually and pull out the fallen tree. Once it's cleared, mend the fences and make sure there ain't any oak around where the horses'll get at it" They both nod and race off to put their boys up for the morning. Maybe even put 'em out to the small grazing pasture attached to their barn. "Jake, go grab the fencing saddle bags. Meet me at the western hill by the old creek bed. We got a weak spot, and if that damned old mustang gets near it she'll break for it, taking the whole fucking herd with her." He nods and sits there a moment, just staring out across the land.

"Boss, you think love could ever come way out here? I mean, we pretty much sealed ourselves away from the rest of the world. You still think I could find it? Could it find me?" He stares out at the hills, so he misses the scowl I shoot at him. Guess he doesn't get the warning to get the fuck away.

"I don't pay you to think about love! Hell, I don't pay you to think, dammit! Hurry the hell up and grab the damn tools before I decide not to pay you and toss you out on your hide! Move!" He looks over at me, eyes wide in shock, before nodding and mumbling some kind of agreement, then racing off across the fields. Funny thing is, I scared him so bad he doesn't even bother to slow and open the gate, and he jumps that happy draft's ass right over the gate at full speed. Gonna have to build higher fences, so the other horses don't do that. Then I close my eyes and face the sun, snapping them open again when I see her face.

"Fuck." I mutter and run a hand through my hair. Stupid kid oughta know better than to bring up shit like love around me. "Come on girl," I ease her through the gate, then close it up and mount up before riding to the west.

God, it'd been months since that damned woman even took hold in my head, then today I can't seem to get her out. Doesn't help when that damned Jake started talking about love; now all I see are her eyes, her lips, her hair… Dammit all! I can still feel her, even. How the hell did this happen? That gold digging bitch somehow managed to weasel her way into my heart, only to turn around and try to sue the shirt off my back. Saying it was my fault when she idiotically tried to mount one of the mustangs and got thrown. What did she think was gonna happen? 'Reckless Negligence', my ass! She's just lucky I didn't turn around and press charges for emotional damage or some shit like that. Ugh! And I really thought she loved me… Nah, I was just stupid.

Starlight's whinny pulls me out of my internal monologue right as we reach the creek. She halts before I even pull her to a stop. Smart little fucker, ain't you? I think to myself, smiling, and dismount her. I leave her reins hanging about her saddle and let her wander around for a drink and grazing. Finding myself a nice shady spot, I plop down and sprawl out, staring up at the sky.

I lay there for a while, watching the leaves dance in the wind and play in the sunlight. Nature is so beautiful to me. I just don't understand why city folk sit around in front of the TV all day when there is a world of mystery right outside their doors. Sighing, I drop my hat over my face and decide a nap is a good way to pass the time as I wait for that slow ass gypsy to catch up.

I jolt awake to the sound of rumbling hooves. Standing up, I listen harder and watch Starlight tune in on who's coming to join us.

"Who is it, girl?" I ask quietly, approaching her and readying myself to mount. Definitely two horses coming. Probably ain't Jake then, unless he picked up one of the other guys. "Better not be that damned Lilly. I can't have her getting out again."

I swing myself up into the saddle and wait. The snorts and slowing of the steps tells me that the horses are definitely being ridden. No wild animal in their right mind stops a full blown charge that quick, especially when we are downwind from them. Starlight relaxes and begins grazing where she stands. Lazy little thing, she is doesn't even bother to move from that spot as two horses, with riders, appear from the trees.

"Hey, Jake." I call, but can't seem to make out who's on the other steed. "Angela?" The person was way too damn small to be anyone else. Well, maybe…nah. I recognized the other horse though, aptly named Diablo.

"Hey, Ed. Um…" He pauses and scratches awkwardly at the back of his head. "Actually this is—"

"Hello, Mr. Cullen. My name is Dr. Isabella Swan. Though, if you don't mind, I'd greatly prefer if you simply called me Bella." She gracefully dismounted Diablo, our huge black Friesian stallion, and approached me. "It's great to finally meet you." She smiles and holds her hand out.

The fuck? This tiny woman was not only my new lead vet, but she also could handle Diablo? I looked from her to the stallion and back, certain my eyes were wide with the shock and incredulity I felt. I heard a little huff and saw her reach farther toward me, smile gone. I shake the surprise away and reach down, taking her hand in my own.

"Pleasure, Bella." And that's when I saw it. Looking into her eyes, I saw the fire, the passion. This was gonna be fun, munchkin girl or not.

A/N: Long, I know. But now you know more about the girl he was thinking about in chapter 2. Yep, she did him WRONG! But don't worry, I think he just found him a new filly to chase after. Or did he? We shall see. I make no promises because these stories write themselves, I merely type them up. Peace, Love, and Horses!