Bella and Rosalie bolted in the direction of the scream. They found themselves heading towards the La Push reservation. Just on their side of a large ditch was a naked woman with Jane and the other two Volturi.
Jane must have been using her abilities on this woman. With a growl, Bella launched herself at Jane. The other Cullens quickly caught up and restrained the other two Volturi.
Bella held Jane to the ground with a vicious snarl. She was not going to come to Bella's home and hurt the people there. Without thinking about the consequences of her actions, she tore Jane's head off with her teeth. Then everything came crashing down on her.
"Oh, no. What have I done?" If she let her put herself back together she'd tell Aro about this. She wasn't that valuable.
"Bella-" She cut Rose off.
"We have to burn her. And the others." Bella fished around in her pockets for a lighter and was frustrated she couldn't find one.
A hand held a lighter out to her and she grabbed it, noticing only briefly that the hand was very hot. She lit Jane on fire while Emmett and Jasper added the other two to the fire. She would have to take the blame for this if she wanted to save her family. She would have to flee.
She was planning out her escape when a strong smell hit her nose. She cringed. It smelled like wet dog. An overwhelming scent of wet dog. She looked up from the ground and froze.
Just on the other side of the large ditch were seven of the biggest wolves she had ever seen. She froze, not wanting to make any sudden movements. The hand, still in front if her face, was connected to a very naked, short haired woman. They all seemed to have bags tied around their ankles?
"Why did you save me?" Her voice was deep for a woman.
"Because you were in danger?" Bella couldn't help but phrase it as a question.
"You're new to the yellow eyes clan." She jutted her chin out in their direction.
"Indeed, I am." She stood slowly, watching the wolves in her peripheral vision. "And more of those-" She pointed at the burning pile, "Will be coming soon when they don't return. I recommend you and yours relocate if you wish to survive."
A chorus of growls rang out around her. The woman in front of her just laughed and placed a hand on her hip. Bella was beyond confused.
"They're all in agreement that they won't be pushed from their home." Edward spoke from somewhere behind her but she didn't dare look away from the wolves.
The woman, right in front of her eyes, turned into a giant wolf with a loud tear sounding around her. Bella stared in awe. Edward chuckled behind her and came up to her side.
"She didn't appreciate your staring." Bella swore she would have blushed if she could.
"I wasn't- I didn't- naked!" Embarassed and flustered, Bella shut her mouth.
"As if, wolf girl." She suddenly felt Rose's weight on her, with one arm between them over Bella's shoulders and the other hanging with her arm. "She has plenty to stare at."
A low growl came from the "Wolf Girl" who Edward pointed out was named Leah. Bella looked back and forth between them. Was Rosalie jealous?
"We should really discuss this more in depth, Sam. We could really help each other here." The wolves were silent, glancing between each other, other than Leah who was staring daggers at Bella's mate.
The largest wolf slowly backed into the trees and out of sight. All the other wolves took defensive positions as if daring the vampires to attack. Luckily, they had no such intentions. A few moments later, a large man stepped out into the clearing, thankfully wearing a pair of cargo shorts.
"So what's going on here, leech?" He crossed his arms over his chest and oozed superiority.
"Well, those three came from Volterra, from our rulers, the volturi." This caused Sam to tense.
"So you're saying this was your fault. They could have killed Leah!" He was shaking now, practically vibrating with the force of it. "That female did something strange with her mind and hurt Leah!"
"And I stopped her, didn't I?" Bella carefully stepped out of Rosalie's grip and in between Carlisle and the volatile shifter. "I have an ability that stops abilities like hers."
"But you drew her here!" He was so warm there was steam rising off his shoulders.
"You're right. I did. But that doesn't matter because when she doesn't show up back at the castle, they'll send their troops here. Their troops who will be completely indiscriminate in who they sate their hunger with." She now looked at all of the wolves one by one and met their eyes. "The vampires that will be coming here are not like us. They are cold blooded killers with abilities the likes of which you've never even heard of. And whether or not you fight us here today, they will still come. You can have our help and practically guarantee victory. Or," She looked at Sam. "You can do away with us here and maybe you'll still win, but casualties will be high."
Sam did not appreciate the corner Bella had backed him into. He went back into the woods and his wolf reemerged in his original position. Edward pointed out that they were discussing this at length.
"They communicate telepathically when in wolf form." Was Edward's response to her quizzical glance.
"That's fascinating." She stared in awe at the pack now forming a circle around Sam, Leah included.
"I agree." She had a curiosity.
She expanded her shield carefully and without too much strain to engulf the wolves. Once Leah was engulfed, however, she heard all of them. All of their inner voices trying to speak over each other was intense. She wondered how Edward handled it all the time.
We need their help!
We would never need the help of leeches! Let's just take them down right now and fight the troops when they come!
And lose who in the midst of it all, Paul?
Yeah, as if you care mister, "I never wanted to be Alpha, it's too much work. This was met with a threatening growl from a russet colored wolf.
What if she's telling the truth?! Leah's voice she could identify. What if the leeches that are coming really do have more special abilities like those of the blonde one? You saw what she did to me. With one glance, I was on the ground! Let's also not forget that she saved me and she definitely did not have to.
Groans rang out all over the group. As a unit, they hung their heads and looked at Bella. Sam was the next to speak.
As much as I hate to admit it, Leah is right. She did save her and we know nothing about these leeches. They could help us.
All of the wolves looked at Carlisle then. Idle chatter was passing telepathically about how awful this was. Sam silenced them all with one word.
Edward. Edward made eye contact with Sam. Tell them that we will meet up tomorrow at dawn to learn all you all know about these incoming leeches.
Just like that, they were gone. Bella breathed a sigh of relief and turned around. To welcome a slap to the face hard enough to knock her off balance.
"Would you stop doing that?!" Rose looked beyond angry.
"What-" Her angel growled and shut her up.
"Just throwing yourself in danger all the time! You're like a damn magnet for it! And you just jump right in all level-headed and-" Bella kissed her hard, trying to dispel her worries.
When Bella broke away and pressed their foreheads together, there was a smile on her lips. Despite the blonde still looking like murder she pulled her close. She kissed the side of her neck and whispered gently in her ear.
"Yes, I will marry you." Rose pulled back, her anger fogotten, and she tackled Bella to the ground.
The pair were oblivious to the looks of those around them as they rolled around in the dirt. At some point, Bella grabbed Emmett's ankle in an attempt to escape, and drug him into the fray. Of course Cass had to join in after that. Pretty soon the whole family was wrestling around in the dirt, their clothes tattered and covered in dirt.
Carlisle and Jasper were toe to toe in a mudball fight. Emmett had Edward pinned in the mud and his raucous laughter rang loud in the clearing. Cass was shoving mud in a giddy Victoria's face. Esme and Alice were chasing each other through the trees. Finally, Rosalie and Bella were rolling in the mud, just happy to be together.
For just a little bit, they could forget the impending threat. For just this night they were just a family having fun. Until dawn, they were just like any other coven of fun-loving vegetarian vampires.