Bella

I stared out of the window, watching the dark sky. It looked like rain. This night had been bizarre, yet not totally unexpected. I knew that the Cullens would eventually find me, and I was thankful it was not him who did the finding… I wondered what Emmett and Rose wanted to say. They probably want to make sure that James isn't holding me hostage. I smiled wryly. How silly. If I wanted to leave, he couldn't stop me. And there wasn't any way Rose and Emmett could force me to go.

I tore my gaze away from the window. The entire drive home, James clung fiercely to my hand, not saying a word. I spared flitting glances at his face, observing how angry he looked. His blue-tinted eyes were tight and his jaw seemed to be ticking.

"Pull over." He commanded, and the driver instantly screeched to a stop, perhaps sensing James' mood and not wanting to fall victim to his current rage. I sat still, looking forward. I knew he was worried about me, but I wanted to clear my past. We had been running for so long. I didn't want to run anymore. He let go of my hand and threw open the car door nearest him, taking off into an alley adjacent to the street. I gasped, rising to follow. What was he doing?

I heard a muffled shriek echo down the dank alley, followed by a growl that I recognized all to well. My mouth agape in shock, I bolted to the end of the alley. He spun towards me, a tiny slip of a girl in his arms. She couldn't be older than fifteen. She let out a deep and guttural moan as rivulets of blood streamed down her neck, onto her simple dress and to the cool ground beneath us. She extended a shaking hand to me as James took another bite from her jugular. "Non…" She whispered, "Capisco…" I translated: I don't understand. I watched as her eyes fluttered closed, and I could hear her sputtering heart beat slow before stopping completely.

I stared, appalled as my mate dropped the girl's body carelessly against the stone wall, as if disposing of a tissue. He stared me down, licking the fresh blood that had escaped around his lip.

"Why?" I gasped, falling to my knees, "Why would you do this?"

James took a step towards me, squinting his eyes, "This is me. This is us. We're vampires. This is what we do, who we are…" He stopped, bending down so his face was an inch away from mine, "This is me."

"No." I shook my head, refusing this, "This isn't you."

"Yes, it is." He sighed, placing a gentle hand on my cheek. I shied away from his touch, frowning, "It is. I hunt. I track. I kill. I'm a predator, Bella, and so are you."

"I can't hunt like you. I can't take someone's life just to sate my appetite-"

"And you're going to what? Live off of blood bags forever? Jesus, Bella, I put up with your sensitivity because I love you. But you have to know you're ignoring all tradition, all of the natural ways. They are prey. I hunt them every night. I know you know this. I know it bothers you." I shook my head in denial, and he smiled slightly at my blatant lie.

"It does. I can't change, Bella. I can't be a vegetarian do-gooder-"

"I don't want you to be!" I shouted, angrily taking a step towards him, "I never said I did. Just because I choose one path doesn't mean I want to dictate yours."

"But can you accept this? Can you love this?" He asked, his eyes harsh as they gazed at me from under his light eyelashes. He gestured to the girl's corpse, trying to force me to look at it.

"This isn't about you or feeding. This is about you thinking I'll go crawling back to the Cullens." I fumed, "And I hate that you murdered this girl to make a point! It's callous and-"

"It is! And I do want to know." He said, venom in his tone, "Can you love me like you loved him? Can I ever compare? He spent short months knowing you. I've stayed by your side for years." He laid his head in his hands, kneeling back down onto the street.

I felt my heart jump to my throat. "You know how I feel. I… I don't know if I ever can." James scoffed, and I fell to my knees, taking his face in my hands and forcing him to look at me, "He broke me. Understand? I thought he was my forever, and as soon as I was gone for a few days he found someone new. I can't trust like I did before." I choked back a dry sob, "I can't."

"Try." He said, "Try saying it."

"It won't be true." I said, sadly, "I can't mean it."

"I don't care." He breathed into my face, removing my hands from his and holding them tightly in his own, "Lie to me." I looked into his eyes, and immediately wished I hadn't. The pure devotion in his gaze made me feel unworthy, selfish. I wanted to make myself feel for him, but I could only give him the next best thing.

"I love you." I said softly, looking into his eyes, "I love you."

He smiled slightly. "Does that feel so wrong to say?"

It did. The words tasted wrong, sour on my tongue.

"No." I lied, and his face brightened instantly. I backtracked, "But I still-"

"I know." He pressed a finger to my lips. I sighed, looking down. I had gotten street grime all over my dress. He helped me to my feet before backing me into the alley wall. I emitted a quick breath in surprise as he pinned me, kissing me slow and passionately. His lips delicately brushed against mine as his tongue danced, drawing mine in, teasing. I tasted the fresh blood on his tongue. I shied away, remembering the girl's cries, but he gripped the hair at the base of my neck tightly, forcing it into my mouth. I gave in, relishing the sweet taste while trying to forget where it came from.

He nipped my lip affectionately before he leaned away, satisfied. "Let's go home." He said, extending his arm. I nodded, taking it. I couldn't look back to the alley. I mentally apologized to the girl. I don't understand, either.

James

I was quiet as we returned home. She immediately retreated to the shower, shutting the bathroom door behind her. I paused outside the door, hurt. She only closed the door when she was either contemplative or angry… I wasn't sure which option I'd prefer.

I sat on the bed, cradling my head in my hands. We shouldn't have gone. If I'd let her keep us home, none of this would have happened. We would be talking, laughing, fucking. Like we do every night. Except now, I didn't know where we stood.

I knew the day would come that this threat would present itself. I knew enough to know that Bella had misunderstood seeing Edward with another woman. I didn't see it as a tragedy. I saw it as a gift. When I had let her leave the car that day, I'd been pondering my options. I thought of leaving for a few months before returning to claim her, whether she liked it or not. I had her scent, so the possibility of her evading me was nonexistent (and, frankly, humorous). She'd interrupted my thoughts as I heard her running back towards me, the Cullens on her tail.

I wasn't any more prepared to let her go now than I was then. Yet somehow I had risked something today. I'd tried to get through to her. To show her who I was. I'd already changed so much for her, mostly in terms of stability. But I had to show her I was still a tracker; still wild.

I've known that I loved her for so long. It was never something I questioned or even bothered to deny. It would sure as hell be easier not to love her, but my heart gave me no choice in the matter. My traitorous heart that I'd thought had been dead for so long. I chuckled darkly.

I knew I loved her, but did I love her enough to let her go? I already knew the answer. No. I loved her as she was: as mine. I couldn't bear to see her with anyone else, let alone him. I couldn't exist without her. Simple as that. There was no way I could survive if she left me. The wild tracker in me knew the solution to this potential quandary: don't allow her to leave. It's a matter of survival. Eliminate the threats, keep what you need to survive. And I unquestionably needed Bella, just like I needed blood.

I'd let her have her little meeting. Let them try to convince her. Whether they do or not, it's of no consequence. I have their scents. If she doesn't come home, I will hunt and destroy them. If she does come, their fate is still sealed.

She exited the bathroom, a fluffy white towel wrapped snugly around her torso. She paused, seeming surprised to find me sitting on the bed, waiting. She opened her mouth as if to say something before quickly shutting it again. She turned away from me, walking briskly to the dresser. I sighed, coming up from behind her and placing my hands gently on her shoulders. She stiffened, her fingers tightening almost imperceptibly against the wood of the dresser.

"I'm sorry." I breathed softly, trailing my lips across her the back of her soft neck delicately as I spoke, "I overreacted. I just don't want to lose you." It was honest, at least. Misleading, since I wouldn't let her be lost, but honest nonetheless. She softened against me, her neck leaning back against my lips. I smirked at such an easy victory.

She spun around within a millisecond, catching my cocky grin. She hissed lightly. I kept smiling unrepentantly, although it dimmed a bit when I noticed she still clutched her towel to her chest. She squinted her gorgeous eyes at me a bit, and I indulged her, stepping back with a smile. She frowned.

"I'm sorry, too… I'm just distracted. Stressing about tomorrow." She said, biting her lower lip. I loved when she did that. It was only second best to biting it myself.

"Nervous why?" I enquired, moving to sit back on the bed. She hesitated before looking angry at me again.

"You know I'm not going anywhere, right?" She asked, as if asking if I knew the sky was blue. I shrugged slightly and her face fell. She stepped purposefully towards me before dropping the towel. My eyes widened before skimming involuntarily down her body. Slim but curved in all of the right places, her pale skin flickering in the candlelight. I looked up at her beautiful face, her beautiful eyes.

"Take them out." I said, my voice dry and rasping. She drew her delicate brows together in confusion. "The lenses. Please." Although I only put mine in during daylight hours that I may encounter humans, Bella wore her tinted contacts almost constantly. She nodded her acquiescence before I reached to gently push her hands away. I leaned closer to her, one arm winding its way around her small, bare waist. I pulled her forward suddenly so that she was flush against my body. Her breathing instinctively quickened. I smiled as I noticed her almost panting. Over the years I'd learned to play her body like a violin. We knew exactly what to buttons to push.

I leaned my face down, breathing in the scent of her breath before reaching my free hand to her face. Quick as lightning I flicked each lens from both of her wide eyes. I smiled in wonder as I looked into her deep burgundy eyes. She shifted against my arm uncertainly, looking down. I tipped her chin up with my hand.

"You are absolutely the most devastatingly beautiful creature I have ever laid my eyes upon." I spoke slowly, forcing her eyes to meet mine. She moved to shake her head and I growled before sweeping her up into my arms, bridal style.

"How many times do I have to say it?" I muttered, laying her down on overly plush duvet. I covered her body with mine, pinning her to the bed as I gently grasped her wrists. She rolled her eyes before looking off to the side, as if considering.

"Hmm… A few more times." I growled playfully and dove for her throat as she giggled. She slowly started to unbutton my shirt, arching into me as I nipped her throat with blunt teeth. I wasn't even inside of her yet and I was radiating with joy.

I couldn't let her leave.