Chapter 12
Bella POV
"This makes no sense," I pile papers on Jacob's small desk he had used for school. "Why doesn't Edward just give up already?"
"You know the answer already," Jacob groans and sits on the bed making it squeak as it adjusted to his weight. "He loves you and is to hard-headed to give up."
"I know that much but he is supposed to be smart enough to know that he's not going to get me," I said confidently. "He's only one vampire and there are so many of us! There's no way he can get past you or Sam, or even Seth!"
"Speaking of Seth…." Jacob drawled out. "Where did that rascal go? He's supposed to be patrolling."
"Oh, Sam took over for him," I explained. "He left Seth alone with Luna to explain to her the whole imprinting thing."
Luna POV
We walk along the beach and I take off my shoes so the sand could caress my cold feet. "I have never been to a beach," I say very quietly as I set them under a tree. "It's so calm and serene here…"
"You've never?" Seth, who did not have to take off his shoes for he wore none, asked, shocked.
"Yea, my father, being the vampire he is, didn't really want to show people his true form in the sunlight that shined down on beaches. He said to Luna and I, both, that we were never to go to a beach."
"Do you regret coming with me here then?"
"Of course not…I love it here," I twirled around in a circle motion, cheerfully. "Why would I regret something I love? You never regret love."
"Some people do," Seth mutters.
"Then it truly wasn't love. Even though I was a baby when she died, I remember her last words. Those very words, though they were few, became our motto, my sister, and I, oh how we loved that motto…"
"What were her last words?"
"You may love to regret but never, EVER, regret love for love is more sacred than any rose. It is more beautiful than any other wonder in the world. Regretting is not love, it's just stating that you never had love in the first place." I smile. "It may not make sense, or sound very fancy like one of those quotes off of brainy but hey, I love it."
"I can see why," Seth grinned, understanding me completely. "I don't regret imprinting on you."
"And I don't regret being imprinted on," I finish. "You don't have to explain to me what it is for I already know."
"How?"
"My father told us everything about werewolves," I tell him. "He spoke most badly of your kind but he did give us more facts than opinions, which is a good thing."
"How does he know so much?"
"My father is very old….he has even served the Voltouri but left them years later. He was probably the best thing that ever happened to the Voltouri. If it wasn't for his leaving…Aro wouldn't have risen to power the way he did, being the leader of the Voltouri and what not-" Before I could continue, Seth interrupted me, which he apologized for very quickly and asked his question.
"What made him step down?"
"Simple. He wanted them to crash and burn without him, for he hated the people who had to work with, and even though they haven't, my father still believes it's bound to happen one way or another. He has a gift that not even Edward Cullen could beat. Sure, the guy has his little mind reading tricks, but my father you see, he's got Edward in check. He could've killed Edward the day we met him but…he didn't."
"What's his 'gift'?"
"It's like Jane's but hers doesn't really kill you, only makes you think you're in hell when your really not. Hers can only be used as a distraction. His, as you can infer, is the opposite. His DOES hurt you, physically. He can use his mind to choke you from a distance without even pausing to hold up his hand."
Seth's jaw dropped.
"Yea, I know, crazy right? ….Am I bothering you talking about all this stuff? We can talk about other stuff if you want."
"No…please go on. This is interesting."
"Yep, he is even more powerful than Aro, who can only see every thought you have ever thought with just a touch of your skin. Aro and my father are now enemies but Aro refuses to send his 'minions' to kill my father because he knows my father would dispose of them as he always did."
"That is interesting…but still, how does he know so much about my kind?"
"Well….as you know…there aren't many female wolves but now there is only one, your sister, Leah. He's the reason why there aren't many. My father is very, very, very, old. He's a vampire who's been around for a while. He was even around before Jacob's great grandfather was born. I think about…two or three thousand years ago there was a woman who suddenly phased…into a wolf while he was on his daily stroll. He killed her and stopped the chain…and that's why there are usually only boys, or that's what my father said."
"So…did he like start researching us?"
"Pretty much, he observed their behavior but when they noticed his scent he killed them and once he had all the information needed…he left the area."
"That's crazy."
"Yea, I know."
"Why didn't he want you guys to go to the beach? I mean…you are half human."
"He always thought we would be together, him, Elaine, and I, a family forever." I didn't say anything else. I didn't need to say anything else. My facial expression said it all. 'Don't talk about it.'
"So…are you okay with the imprint thing?" Seth shifted the conversation back to its original form.
"I guess…I just hope everyone else accepts me."
"Of course they'll accept you!"
"And if they don't? Hello? I'm supposed to be your enemy!"
"So what if my love came from hate? I love you and that's all that matters. Besides, I'll kill anyone who dares tell you anything differently."
Seth wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I looked up at the sunset with him.
"It's beautiful," I sigh in contempt.
"Not as beautiful as you."
I couldn't help but smile but…then Seth's bright smile faded and his hands went rigid. I look up at his face and see no joy in it anymore. He holds me closer to him, wrinkles his nose, and says the very thing I hoped he would not say on such a perfect day: "Vampire."
**** Sorry for the very, very long wait for my update. Rkoviper begged me…again! She is also a Greg hater and wanted to know what convoluted thing he was going to do next. Hate to disappoint but…he's not in this one ….or is he? Please review! ******
