Jacob's POV

"I can't… I can't handle it. I can't control it. I'm just... attracted to her. I don't understand why."

"I want to be with you—"

"I want to be with you, too." He interrupts. I've kept myself carefully composed while he explained. But I couldn't really care about anything else other than the fact that he'd admitted to being in love with her.

"But," I continued, determined to keep my cool and say the points he'd already heard in my mind, only if to make it more real to myself. "I can't even look at you if I know I'm not the one for you. And I'm not. You belong with Bella. So… be with her. I have to look over my village and my people now.

"Jacob, please don't do this."

"It's already done. You and she are perfect for each other. And I'm not being facetious, she's the one challenge you ever had; the one scent you've never even imagined to lust. It's forbidden for us to be together, and I'm not interested in the Romeo and Juliet scenario."

He silently nods his head, understanding my meaning. "I love you, Jacob. And no matter what, you'll always hold a piece of my heart, as dead as it may be."

I smile sadly, "She brings it back to life for you,"

He nods again, "Yeah, she does. I could spend forever with her."

"You might,"

He shook his head furiously, "No! I won't turn her into… this. Into a monster like me. It won't happen; I won't let it."

I nod, "Don't leave her. Ever. She's already had one of us walk out on her; she shouldn't have to deal with it again,"

"I won't leave her if you don't leave us,"

I shake my head "I have to. I have to be alone from you two," I chuckle ironically "kinda like the 'lone wolf' deal, huh? You know that whole story? A wolf was betrayed by his pack, even though he was the alpha. Another wolf had challenged him. So he left. He never trusted another wolf again; so he never joined another pack. And thus was the lone wolf." I stray my eyes from him, knowing what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry we've betrayed me. I think we should all take a breath from each other. Give ourselves some time to think. Okay?"

"No. maybe you two need some time away from each other but my mind is made up. I'm done. It's illegal."

"But it's always been illegal! Jake, this isn't right. I don't want to end this with you out of my life."

"Yeah, well I've seen what it's like to be the thrown away third wheel. And it sucks." A wolf howled in the distance, signaling me. "I've gotta go. Bye."

He raised his hand. "Bye,"

I ran off, crying, tears streaking behind my eyes and into my fur. I howl, more out of sorrow than to let them know I'm on my way.

When I got back I found something horrible: the entire tribe together, chanting healing. I was scared to look, and when I did I almost fell back on my feet. Mira, a young girl only five years old had been bitten—by a wolf no less! The bandage was wrapped from her elbow down, and bloodied. It needed to be rewrapped, but everyone was too busy chanting. All the medical supplies were next to her still body. At first look she looked dead, her face pale, her body unmoving, and her eyes closed. But as I got closer to change the bandage, I saw the very miniscule movement of her body; she was breathing, if only nearly. Our tribe usually believes in modern meds but the elders don't, and neither does Mira, one of the elders' granddaughters who lives with him because her parents died in a car crash. So they chanted around her as I slid between them gently to change her bandage. She quietly opened her eyes and looked at me in fear.

"Am I going to die?"

"You might honey. But I'm going to be here." I held her eyes as I cleaned the wound and rewound new bandages around her. I stroked her hair, and watched as tears slid backwards into her hair. I hummed a children's song and held her hand, still stroking her hair, and thirty minutes later I saw her eyes grow wide, her take a gasping breath, and a very weak squeeze on my hand, and I held her eyes, smiling sadly as she let out the gasp, her hand loosening, her eyes losing their sparkle, and her head lolled to the side. The chant seamlessly changed to the chant of death, though all their eyes were closed. They knew she was dead though they hadn't seen it. I dropped her hand gently and went over to her grandfather, putting my hand on his shoulder as he cried. Usually he'd mourn at the grave, but she was to be cremated, her ashes thrown over the cliffs she'd look over, into the sea, where she'd be able to swim forever.

Edward's POV

"What do you mean I'm selfish? I chose you!" I wanted to tear my hair out. I wanted to kiss her.

"Yeah, but the fact that you had to make a decision, that it didn't just come to you makes you selfish!"

I'm a very patient person, but she was actually wearing it thin. I steadied myself and kept my voice level. "I'm not selfish. I'm sorry about everything that's gone on but it's over now. Jacob is only a friend now, to both of us, and I'm yours. Alright?"

She looked down then up, then right at me, "Yeah, alright."

"Good. Can I have a hug?"

"No! I still haven't forgiven you!" she turned her back to me, and I got the hint and left.

"I understand love, and I understand wanting to be with her forever, but fir at least right now, you two should probably take a break. She's not happy and needs time to think. And you have plenty of patience to wait it out."

I looked down and nodded my head. I took my elbows off my needs and stood up. "That's probably what's best."

Jasper quietly whispered, "Plus, she's human. She can't stay with you much longer."

I turned around on him with a growl. He looked at me calmly. Alice took Jasper's head in her hands and told him in a voice that was so firm it sounded mildly mad, which she never was with him, "Don't say that! He's entitled to love whoever he wants. She's going to be one of us anyway."

I whipped my head around, "What did you just say?"

"Look, I saw it alright? I can't change what I see, and right now I see her changing."

I wanted to be with her forever, but not like that. Not that way. Never that way. "No," I growled ferociously, "she won't."

"I don't see anything changing. Edward just admit it. She's going to change. That means she doesn't die from the change and that you two are together forever. It's great! Plus, we're going to be great friends."

Emmett chirps in at the worst possible moment "Aw sweet! I get to fight a newborn! Sweet!"

Esme looks at him in a way that made her seem oddly human, like a mother. "Emmett hush." He looked down and shuffled his feet. If the subject hadn't been so serious, I might have laughed out loud.

"I think you should just kill her. She's annoying alive and she's ruining your life." Rosalie looked bored.

I took a dive at her. Emmett, Jasper, and Carlisle jumped on me and held me down as I hissed and growled, trying to break free. They pulled me into the piano room and held me down. I felt a calm coming down over me and I looked at Jasper. I relaxed and put my head on the floor.

I walk back into the room and look at Rosalie, "I'm not killing her,"

"Well, you've got to do something with her. You know that."

I nod and close my eyes. "Once our break is over, I'll talk to her."

Just then I got a call from Jacob. "I need you to visit Bella. Now. Don't drive, run. She's in danger.

I panicked. "In danger of… what?" I didn't want to know. I had to know. The second it took for him to answer seemed like an hour.

"Dying… from a vampire attack. He's half a mile from her house in the woods and she's sleeping. He's stalking her. I can't get over there."

I ended the call. When I got to Bella's street I heard a scream. I thought I was going to pass out; it was mistakenly Bella's.