10. The Tribe

Edward's POV

"There you are!" Alice screamed at me. "I saw you go to Bella's but then everything went black. It took the entire family to restrain me! Emmett and Jasper were about to come check on you. What happened?"

"Calm down Alice. I was at Bella's house until Jacob Black showed up."

"No wonder my sight went black. He's a wolf right?"

"Yes."

"So? What happened?"

"I'm not really sure." I said honestly. "I was there in Bella's room relaxing myself and looking around, as you saw before I left, and I heard his thoughts from outside. He was remembering how he had gotten into Bella's room before but he never thought about why he was there this time or the time in the past. I wonder if he has a relationship with Bella and I'm interfering." I dropped my head. I knew Alice couldn't look with her sight to search for my answer but I could still hope.

"From the visions I got of Bella before they were black, Jacob was just a convenience, a friend if you will. She looked to be comfortable with him but she still looked pained. She loves you, not him. He must have transformed right after those visions since I can no longer see them together. That's why I couldn't see her come home from La Push or go back, he was with her. He must have been at the lake in the last vision I saw."

"Couldn't that friendship have turned into something more in the past few days? She's apparently there with him now isn't she?" My chest ached as I pictured Bella wrapped in his arms. How could Alice take all of this information so coolly?

"I doubt anything has changed but either way, you'll find out shortly. Carlisle is ready to go. Everyone is waiting outside for you. Jasper is taking them as far as the clearing incase there is a surprise attack then he is returning here. Thank you again for getting him not to go Edward." Alice quickly embraced me and danced out of the room before I could respond. My mind was still on Jacob Black and I couldn't make my body get out of the house quickly enough. I had to know what was going on with Bella.

Upon stepping outside, everyone waiting just as Alive had said. It was only a short run to the field so we would make it with plenty of time to spare.

"Everyone ready?" Carlisle asked as he looked at each of us. Emmett was standing off to the side doing his impersonation of a boxer, just hoping for a fight, Rosalie was holding Esme's hand, both looking anxious, and Jasper was standing next to Carlisle, his military face plastered on.

Without another word, we ran towards the field. I held back my speed slightly so we could all arrive at one time. Each of us was on our guard in case of a sneak attack.

After several minutes, we reached the clearing. Jasper and Emmett scouted out the area to be sure we were alone before returning to our group. We wanted no surprises from them.

"Alright everyone, this is where I leave you. Are you sure you don't want me to stick around?" Jasper looked torn. He wanted to return to Alice, as he promised he would, but his military personality was overriding his husband duties.

"We're fine Jasper. Return to Alice and keep her relaxed. I know this must be difficult for her." Carlisle's words sunk in and Jasper nodded and left the clearing. We each stood in silence awaiting the wolves' arrival.

At two minutes past ten, I could hear their thoughts in the distance.

"I can hear them." I whispered to my family.

"How many?" Carlisle asked. It was at that moment that I had a flashback of Bella. My family was enjoying a game of baseball when the nomads approached. I had almost lost Bella in this very spot. I growled at the thought. Carlisle took my growl the wrong way as my entire family lowered into their hunting crouches.

"No, it's fine. I was just having a flashback. I apologize for giving you the wrong idea. Their thoughts are hostile but they're under orders of the Alpha not to attack. There are five in all, four of which are wolves. The leader is in his human form. He is leading Billy here in his chair. The others are in their wolf form."

"Good, so they do not anticipate a fight either if their leader is in a human state. This meeting will run smoothly then." Carlisle had a smile on his face as we waited for what was to come. I had so many questions but only would demand an answer to one.

Billy and the lead wolf came though the clearing to meet us in the center, however, the other wolves stood back just watching. Their only purpose was for protection incase we decided to attack.

"Hello Cullens." Billy said. "What do you want to discuss with us? We're on the lookout for the red-haired female leech on our side of the line. What else do you want from us?" His voice was bitter but stern.

"We came here to ask you about Bella Swan. Charlie is worried sick and desperately needs her home. Do you know where she is?" Carlisle kept his voice steady.

"Why is he worried about Bella? Filthy bloodsucker only wanted to drain her anyway. Charlie may be upset right now but we will protect Bella at all costs."

"As I told Charlie, she was at our house and then Jake went to check on her and she was gone. We haven't seen her since then. I've given orders to the pack to find her. They haven't yet."

I could hear the minds of the pack grow louder from the edge of the forest. They were amused that we believed the lies of the elder. Bella is with them I know she is, their thoughts confirm my suspicions. For their own sake, she better not be there against her will.

"We could smell her trail leading back to La Push mixed with the smell of your son. If you are being truthful, then you may need to have the pack's noses seen about." Carlisle was getting angry but his voice was still steady. Even without being a mind reader, he could see through Billy's lie as clearly as I could.

The pack didn't like how Carlisle was speaking to their elder. Growls of protest reached us from across the field sending Rosalie's thoughts into a blur. She and Emmett were already growing tired of this game and their movements were getting antsy.

"You know the rules leech," Sam, the known leader jumped in, "You have to stay on your side of the treaty line and take our word that Bella is not there. Break the treaty, and we will gladly rip you apart and burn you." A smile rose to his lips but it wasn't his voice I was concerned with. It was the thoughts coming from Jacob Black that bothered me.

"Filthy bloodsucker will not get his hands on my Bella. She loves, me, I know she does. Staying with me at La Push will only strengthen it over time. She was happy when I brought her fresh clothes and Wuthering Heights earlier. I wish I had caught Edward in her house. I would have taken him out then and there.

I listened to his arrogant thoughts a few more moments before I lost control. I hadn't even noticed that Sam and Carlisle had begun to argue next to me. Seeing Bella's face as she was practically held hostage with false lies sickened me to my core.

I could see from his thoughts that Bella was living in his bedroom. She wasn't there against her will but she was there under false pretenses. She had been told over and over that Charlie would be killed if she went to his house again. Bella, being the martyr she had always been, believed his lies. He found her the day after she decided she wanted to find the meadow. However, he and the pack were too distracted with Laurent to take her back to La Push, Jacob found her later at the lake which was why Alice thought she died. She knew he was a wolf and she had seen Victoria watching her. I had to admit, I was at least thankful for Jacob being that that time.

"Enough!" I growled loudly. "Jacob Black, you will bring Bella back to me!"

All thoughts around me froze suddenly. Had Bella not told them that I can read minds? Apparently she had not because as the pack's thoughts began to grow louder, they were filled with shock that I knew what Jacob could see in his head just as they could.

An amused sound reached me from across the field as Jacob's body shook with laughter. He slowly left the cover of the trees and made his way over to me, screaming insults in his mind all the way.

"Jacob, fall back." Sam's voice commanded.

Jacob continued his stride over to me. Sam may be the alpha, but his command had no effect on Jacob.

"You want her leech, come and get her. I would rather see her dead than to be a vampire. I would kill her myself I let that happen. Don't look at Sam to stop me. The position of alpha is rightfully mine. I'm the grandson of Ephraim Black." Even in his wolf form, I could see the smirk on his face.

"I will have her dog, if I have to cross the treaty line and kill you, I will get her back." I was in my crouch now, as was Rosalie and Emmett. Carlisle and Esme stood strong trying to get us to calm down to hold the treaty in tact.

"Like hell you will cross the line!" Sam yelled. The other wolves were beginning to approach seeing the possible fight unfold before their eyes. I could hear the thoughts of other wolves running to join us. Apparently their communication isn't cut off with distance.

"Billy," I turned my attention, "Give Bella back to Charlie. It's not right for you to lie that he is in danger if she is there with him. Victoria will go to her house whether she is there or not. Charlie needs his daughter back before he loses his mind."

Billy looked at me silently for a moment before replying. "As soon as I return her to Charlie, you will swoop in and kill her."

"Your assumptions are absurd. I would never hurt Bella and I certainly wouldn't lie to her just to get her to be with me."

"Then what? What will you do to her? You will bite her and kill her. She would be better off dead than to be one of you. I know Charlie would rather see her in a coffin than as one of the undead!"

His words struck me and caused me to send an ear-shattering growl through the forest. Just as I crouched, ready to destroy the old ignorant man for his words, I was tackled to the ground by an unseen force. I thrashed but was unable to move. Once one hand was broken free and I was ready to kill whoever was on top of me, I realized who the person, or should I say vampire, was.

"Jasper? What's wrong?"

"It's Alice. She got a vision and took off out the door. We have to stop her. Please!" I had never seen Jasper panic before. With him emotions going crazy, it was making all of us panic without reason.

Without responding to his unspoken plea, I got to my feet and began to run. I knew just as well as he did where Alice was going. We had to hurry before she reached her destination. The confused thoughts of my family stayed in place behind me as Carlisle tried to calm everyone down. No one, not even Jacob, followed us.

"Alice!" Jasper yelled, as we got closer to the line. "Please Alice, stop!"

I remember this part from the vision. Alice was already over the line and Jasper and I were about to stop. The difference in her vision and reality, I had no intentions of stopping and I wasn't sure that Jasper did either. I was right.

"Edward, I'm crossing the line. I will not stop when we reach it."

"Nor will I."

By the time we reached the actual line, I was a good distance ahead of Jasper. Being the fastest member in the family had its advantages but it would have been nice if we could have crossed into enemy territory at the same time. However, I had no intentions of slowing to wait for him. That was until the new scent hit me and my entire body came to a halt and Jasper crashed into me.

"Why the hell are we stopping?" Jasper growled. He got to his feet but the scent hit him quickly as well.

"Victoria?" He whispered.

I took a deep breath but nodded. Is that what Alice had seen? I guess since the rest of the wolves were on the way to the clearing to fight, Alice had her sight back.

Before I could get a good feel on the trail, Jasper had picked it up and was running. Thankfully he was an excellent tracker. Where we found Victoria, we would find Alice and Bella.

I followed Jasper blindly until I was close enough to hear Alice's thoughts. She was in battle with Victoria and she wasn't exactly winning. Victoria wasn't alone. Leave it to her to find an advantage. From what I could tell, she only had one other male vampire with her. At least she didn't have too much of an upper hand.

Upon realizing the odds of the battle, a scent hit my nose and made my throat scorch as if a fire was lit inside of it. At the same time, my stomach turned and made my body feel weak. It was Bella's blood that I smelt and it was flowing openly. Jasper could smell it to but his entire focus was on defending Alice, he wouldn't harm Bella. I think he was actually holding his breath.

Jasper and I burst through the door to the garage Alice had seen in her vision of Bella and Jacob before he was a werewolf. Searching the room frantically, I found Alice hunched over Bella's bleeding body growling at Victoria. Though Alice's bloodlust was growing and her resistance was wearing thin, she was repeating the same phrase over and again in her head, "I will not kill Bella, I will not kill Bella."

Upon seeing me, Bella began to convulse and scream for me. The sound of her voice, even in dire pain, made my body warm from the inside out. Even in her state, I couldn't help but be thankful that she was there and that she wanted me by her side.

"Edward, she's losing a lot of blood. I can't get it to stop!" Alice was shrieking at me but she didn't turn her gaze from Victoria. Alice was the fiercest vampire I had ever seen in all of my existence at this moment. A mother lioness protecting her cubs had nothing on the wrath of Alice.

"My dear Edward," Victoria sneered, "you will suffer as I have suffered. You will watch your mate die and spend eternity without her as I have to do without James." The smile that came to Victoria's lips was sickening.

Without a glance back at me, she ran from the small garage, the male behind her. Her thoughts echoed in triumph. I crouched, ready to head after her when Alice's thoughts stopped me.

"Edward, Jas and I can't take the smell. Stay with Bella, we'll get her."

"Jasper! Lets go!" Jasper took a breath and froze. His eyes were on Bella, bloodlust evident on his face but with a flash, he grabbed Alice's hand and they were gone from the room. In that same instant, I was at Bella's side and her wounds bled as she convulsed harder, panting out my name each time.

Examining her body, I couldn't tell what all was broken and how badly she was hurt, only that the blood wouldn't slow even when I applied pressure to the open wounds in her stomach. I could just see the look in James' eyes from the ballet studio as I fought him, Bella bleeding in the background. It only made me that much more angry with myself for leaving her behind to suffer.

"Bella? Bella love, can you hear me?" I kept one hand over her stomach in hopes of slowing the bedding while I used the other to stroke her pale face.

"Edw… Edward? I love you." The words were strained but she forced them between her lips. My heart would be pounding if it were able.

"Bella, my Bella. I love you too. So much. Please, try to relax. I'm here with you and I'm not leaving. I'm right here and I love you."

"What did you do to her?" A scream came from behind me. I snatched my head around to see Jacob Black standing there, his body shaking ready to transform into the wolf.

"Don't transform Jacob. You could kill Bella!" My voice was fierce but I refused to move from Bella's side.

"I could kill her? Look what you've done to her you filthy leech! She's dying and you were sucking her blood! If Seth had stayed behind like he was told he could have killed you!"

Venom filled my mouth and I spat acid as I spoke to him, "I didn't touch her you mangy dog! If I had attacked her like you believe I desire to do, she would have been drained long before you entered this room! Another thing, had Seth stayed here as he was told, Victoria and the other vampire she brought with her would have killed him without question. My brother and sister are after them now. If you want to do something useful, get the other dogs to go do their jobs and destroy her!"

For a moment, Jacob hesitated and looked like a child who had been caught sneaking a cookie from the kitchen. Unfortunately, his silence didn't last long and I was beginning to lose my temper with him.

"The treaty is broken bloodsucker. You crossed onto our land. I should kill you now…"

"Stand back Jacob!" I heard Billy yell from the doorway, Carlisle at the back of his chair pushing him. "Dr. Cullen, can you save her?" My breath caught in my throat as Billy addressed Carlisle without insult.

Carlisle left Billy's chair in a flash and was on the floor at my side, Bella's body still bleeding, though she was still conscious. I was breathing deeply, not registering the burn in my throat from the blood on my hands and pooling around me in the floor. Bella's life was more important than her blood.

"The others have gone after Victoria. She will be punished for this Edward. I assure you she will be." He never looked at me as he spoke but I knew he believed in what he said. He continued to touch Bella's broken body to assess the damage.

"She has four broken ribs, a broken spine, and she has quite a lot of internal bleeding. She is much worse than when we found her in Phoenix. Edward… She's going to die. No medical treatment will help her now. I'm sorry son, there's nothing I can do except…" His voice trailed off but I knew what he was referring to.

My body began to shake uncontrollably. I had finally found Bella just to watch her die in my arms.

No, I promised myself that I would change her when I found her.

"Jacob?" My voice was only barely above a whisper but I knew he could hear me. His angry thoughts had turned into hysterics when Carlisle announced that Bella was going to die.

He didn't answer but I continued anyway. "In the clearing you said in your mind that you would kill Bella yourself before you let her become a vampire. Do you still mean that?"

"I… No. I would rather her live as a human but if death and vampirism are my only choices, I would rather see her become a bloodsucker. At least then I could still see her face… I love her…"

His words struck me but I didn't have time to dawdle. "If you mean that, as Ephraim Black's grandson and the true alpha of this pack, I need your word that biting Bella will not break the treaty, if you still consider the treaty in place."

There was silence but time was running out. "Jacob! I need your word or I can't save her. I don't want to fight you over this, I only want Bella to live!"

"Damn the treaty!" Jacob yelled, "Save Bella! I promise, just save her"

Unfortunately, that wasn't all the permission I needed. I turned my gaze to Bella, she was barely conscious but I had to ask.

"Bella love can you hear me?" I stroked her face gently with my bloody hand. Her blood was still not slowing and my clothes and body were covered in it as well.

Her eyes fluttered and she let out an acknowledging sound.

"I need you to make a choice for me Bella. This is your decision and only yours. Do you want to pass on into the next life as a mortal, or do you still want me to change you? Sweetheart you have to answer me."

"What the hell does that matter? Don't let her die leech! Put those fangs to good use for once." Jacob was coming closer to me. From his thoughts, he would have pushed my teeth into her skin himself if he had to.

"Jacob, I will NOT take Bella's life without her permission. She will not be damned to this existence without a choice!"

"Edward?" Bella's body shook then lay still in my arms as her eyes slowly opened.

"Please love, I won't touch you without your permission. What do you choose?"

A smile crossed her lips as she uttered one word, "Forever."