STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT AND RELATED CHARACTERS

Loving the reviews! POV switches alot here, try to keep up!

Chapter Song: "Time Is Running Out" - Muse (I know Stephenie has this on her playlist, but I love Muse and it fits)

EPOV:

I dashed frantically through the forest, weaving in and out of the trees, searching for a scent, a path, anything that would lead me to Bella. The whole forest was riddled with the scent of werewolf, each smell blending together with next. Every time I picked up a familiar trail, it would soon fade and become alien to me once more.

I could hear the others behind me, searching the grounds I had already scoured. I followed another false lead that made me double back on my family. I slammed my fists into a nearby tree trunk and let out a roar of fury as it fell to the mossy ground.

"Edward, please. We are on their territory now, let's not agitate them further," Rosalie hissed.

I turned on her. "Agitate them, Rosalie?! That's the very least I can do!" My fists tightened, then I felt my rage leave me abruptly. "Damn it, Jasper!" I turned to him and growled.

"Enough."

I whipped around at the sound of Carlisle's voice.

"Let us not forget, Edward, that it is Jacob who is solely responsible. I doubt the rest of the pack is happy with his actions."

"We are in this as much as you are and just as worried," Esme said softly. "So let's try to keep our wits about us."

At that precise moment, a cool breeze blew through the branches of the surrounding woods and everyone froze. It carried a scent we all recognized instantly.

I raced as fast as I could toward the scent; I knew that the wind could cease at any moment, and we would be back where we started. It got stronger and stronger as I ran, and I pushed my speed to the limit.

Then, the breeze stopped.

I inhaled as deeply as my lungs would allow; the scent still lingered. I looked quickly at my surroundings. I zeroed in on something white that had snagged on a fallen log.

BPOV:

My heart pounded rapidly at the prospect of hope, but I remained silent. Jacob looked absolutely shocked, like someone had just knocked the wind breath out of him. He swallowed hard and turned away from me. He busied himself with picking up the plate I had thrown across the room earlier.

"You should, um… get some rest, Bella."

I didn't move. His nervous eyes rested on mine for a second before he turned again to enter the small nook by the front door. I heard him fumble noisily for a moment, then he reentered the room.

He met my gaze again. He must've read the restrained excitement on my face because his turned a deeper shade of red, and his eyes narrowed.

"I really think you should rest now," he said evenly. I had a feeling it wasn't a suggestion.

I nodded erratically and retreated back to my little room. I leaned against the closed door and tried to organize my thoughts. I was overwhelmed by feelings of happiness at the prospect of being reunited with Edward, but I needed to think. If Jacob chose to continue with his ridiculous scheme, he would most likely want to move me somewhere farther away. I gulped. I needed to get past Jacob and get out of here, if that was the case. But how?

Come on, think! Think!

I turned my eye to the crack in the doorframe again. Jacob was pacing nervously; this was new. I don't think I had ever seen him nervous before. Arrogant, sad, angry, of course, but never nervous.

Hmm… Maybe I can use this.

I opened the door slowly and stepped into the main room, trying my best to display some confidence. I was worried though; this would either work to my advantage or royally screw me over.

"Okay, look."

He looked up from the floor.

"I'm going to give you an ultimatum here," I said.

Jacob snorted. "You're giving me an ultimatum?"

My forehead creased. I wanted him to take me seriously. "Yes."

He crossed his arms as a smirk formed on his face. "Okay. Shoot."

"They're coming. You know it, and I know it," I said slowly. "Jacob, you are starting a war here."

His eyes tightened. "I haven't broken any rules."

"Don't give me that, Jacob!" I hissed. "You knew exactly what the consequences would be!" I was getting angry now.

"They have no right to cross the boundary line! Humans are fair game. It's not like I took one of them," he spat in disgust. He was shaking was anger as well.

He wasn't getting it.

"That's exactly what you did," I said quietly.

Jacob's body rippled as he shut his eyes. "Don't ever say that, Bella. You aren't like them." He was having a great deal of difficulty keeping his voice below a shout.

I stomped closer to him. "It's going to happen, Jacob!" I yelled at him.

He quaked harder now, and I knew I was pushing the limits of his restraint.

"And you knew they would come for me, how could you not?!" I clenched my fists in frustration.

Then, it hit me.

"That's what you want." I could not believe it had come to this. "You wanted to draw them into the woods, to make them break the treaty. You knew the pack would be forced to take care of them." Hot, angry tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Yeah, well, I never planned to lose the stupid veil…" He looked at me with slightly softened eyes. "I never planned to bring the fight here to you."

I grabbed his shoulders and dug my fingernails into his skin. "Think about what you're doing!" The tears were blurring my vision. "You are risking everything, Jacob, everything!" I was screaming at him now. "Sam, Quil, Paul, Leah… you are risking their lives! And the Cullens…" My arms dropped limply to my sides. "Of course," I hissed, "that is exactly the plan, isn't it?"

He looked at me with fuming eyes. "We need to leave now."

"No."

Jacob took a step toward me. His skin was shaking so violently, it looked as if it was going to jump off his bones.

"Remember my ultimatum?" I said calmly. "You take me back, and we forget this ever happened…" I stared intently into his eyes. "Or you kill me."

EPOV:

I clutched the veil tightly in my hands. The aroma of freesia emanated from every fiber; it smelled exactly like her. My stone heart ached; I felt like half of my very being was missing.

"Edward," Alice's voice brought me back to the present.

I could smell Jacob on the veil, too, and I tried to identify the differences between his scent and that of the rest of the pack. I sniffed the air again, then turned to my family.

"This way."

BPOV:

Jacob froze and stared at me with revulsion.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella."

"I am dead serious… If you'll pardon the expression." I was a little smug now, as I saw how my words had affected him.

His face was suddenly inches from mine. "That... is... not... funny."

"You are planning to take away everything I love. I won't live without him. Any of them. You leave me no choice."

His eyes were ablaze.

"I will provoke you, Jacob. I know which buttons to push," I threatened.

Jacob backed up a step. "I would never do that. Ever. You know me."

"Do I? The Jacob I know would never endanger the people he loved. That Jacob would never endanger my family."

I hit a nerve with that last statement.

"THEY AREN'T YOUR FAMILY!" he yelled at me as if he were in pain.

I stared at him in disbelief. "This isn't you. You are better than this. I don't know who you are, but you aren't my Jacob."

"No, I'm not. You made that quite clear, remember?" he retorted.

His words made me wince with guilt, but I ignored them. "So what's it gonna be, Jacob?"

His eyes turned suddenly fierce, and he leapt at me, his fists closing tightly around my wrists.


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