JPOV

Her fingers skimmed over mine, the sensation of her touch and presence…..gone. She turned without looking at me. Without allowing me to respond, she ran into the crowd leaving me behind, breathless, helpless… in agony. The blood was still coursing rapidly through my veins from her touch, her kiss …. her words. She loved me. Bella Swan was in love with me! She wanted me. She's all I'd ever wanted, all I'd ever want, and she was mine. I had held her fragile form safe and beautiful in my arms ten seconds ago, and now she was gone.

Life was cruel.

What kind of sick existence is this? Just when you have everything your heart could ever want within your hands. Fate rips it out, leaving you damaged and defeated.

My chest began to heave in sobs, but the tears refused to come to my willing eyes, as I watched her run. She didn't turn around to look at me. I knew she couldn't or she would run back into my arms and hate herself forever. But, she wanted to; she was in as much agony as I was. I could tell because she never stopped crying.

The thought finally knocked some sense into me. What was I doing just standing here!? Just because the annoying, little leech was psychic didn't mean she could render me helpless. Since when did I take orders from bloodsuckers? Besides I made it hard for her to see things clearly, this could still end well. If it didn't, Bella and I would be together. It was a win-win: together in success or together in failure.

I took off into the crowd.

I can't believe I was so stupid to ever let her out of my grasp. Just look at her up there, barely able to keep herself upright, fighting a nervous emotional break down and yet still pushing ahead because of her loyal conviction to save the rotting corpse lurking in the shadows. How could I possibly have even thought about letting her face that monster alone!

The hate seethed through my body. My arms trembled as the beast inside me clawed to break free and end him. If it wasn't for Bella, I would. I still didn't completely understand why we had to come save him, he deserved to die after what he'd done to her, but if it was going to keep Bella from more pain to know he….existed…then so be it. I couldn't bear to see her go through more pain. She was just starting to get better. Something big had happened in the kitchen besides our kiss, although that had to be my favorite part. For the first time, she looked like she wanted to heal. She wanted to be a whole person again without him, and she wanted me with her.

Still couldn't believe that last part. Quil had come over the other night after he found out about the psychic leech, maybe he slipped something in my soda and I was dreaming. Nah, if I were dreaming I wouldn't be trying to save the parasite. Bella and I'd be touring Italy side by side in a cozy Italian sports car, eating that fancy Italian ice-cream I learned about in Geography last year, driving recklessly all the while proclaiming "It's a rental." She wouldn't be running toward certain doom with me at her heels. My version made me smile though.

I was gaining on her, only about thirty yards away. Relief washed through me as I watched her chestnut hair move with the rhythm of her running. The memory of its scent teased my senses. My body began to crave her touch again. How easily she could distract me. It was pretty pathetic, but I won't complain.

As the gap between us closed, horror struck. From the alley Bella was passing a stone arm reached out, reflected the sun and vanished….with her. A new fury ripped through me. I bound over people's shoulders to get to the alley faster. It probably looked like I was playing a superhuman version of leap frog. People turned to stare at my agility and speed, but I didn't care how much attention I brought to myself. Only one thing mattered, Bella.

I was at the alley with in seconds, but it wasn't fast enough. My enemy was faster. I searched for her scent with waves of pain, anguish, longing, and terror washing through me. I was struggling to keep myself together. It had never been this hard before.

I found Bella's scent, but it was mixed with another…..familiar as well….the smell made the animal howl and scratch within me. I whirled around in a blur, determined to hunt them down, but an ice-cold, sturdy hand grabbed my shoulder. I didn't look. I knew who it would be. The scent was unfamiliar.

A sardonic smile crept across my face, "So, you're the infamous Volturi Guard," I sneered, "What took you so long?"

The heat over took me. I didn't fight back. The wolf was free.