Facing the pack
We drove in silence; the drive brought us into the forest. In the distance I saw the Cullen's Jeep Edward smiled at me.
"We need to walk into the clearing, you better grab that raincoat in the back, and Alice said it was going to rain." I grabbed the raincoat. Edward helped me with putting it on, I smiled at him and I hid my left hand in the sleeve.
"Never bet against that pixie. But Edward can we wait with telling Jake about" I leaned closer and smiled at Edward "our engagement." He smiled down at me.
"Only when you are ready Bella." He held me by my waist as we walked towards the clearing.
Carlisle was standing in the front; Esme was standing next to him only a few inches behind him. Alice and Jasper were standing at their left and Rose and Emmett were standing at their right. They all turned to look at us and then Alice darted over.
"Let me see the ring!" I rolled my eyes at her.
"I bet you already saw it before I did Alice! But stay quiet I don't want Jake to know that yet." When I turned I saw the wolves coming. "He heard me didn't he?"
"Only the part when you said you didn't want Jake to know that yet." Edward said and I glared at Alice.
"Thanks allot Alice! And you can't see it yet!" Alice groaned and glared back.
"Not fair! You know I can't see a thing because of the wolves! I hate being blind!" she was throwing an anger tantrum and I could see that the wolves were watching her intently.
They were all huge, I saw all brow eyes except those of Cole, and they were blue. I smiled at them and then I looked back at Alice "I know, I just like you curious!" she growled and darted back to Jasper. Telling him it was not fair.
Edward growled, "I'll ask her Jake!"The only wolf that was watching us was a russet colored one.
"Is that Jake?" I asked and the wolf barked, he even grinned a toothy grin. "Yup that's Jake."
"Bella, Jacob ask what you're hiding from him." I sighed and I walked towards Jake. Edward grabbed my wrist. "Edward, you can break all of his lags if he hurts me, so let go!" I could see he wasn't happy with my decision but he let me go.
I walked towards the huge wolf Jacob, Jake was the human and Jacob was the wolf. I went to stand in front of him as he looked at me.
"Jake, I can't tell you yet. Not when I can't see your face Jacob, what I will say to you will hurt you and I'm not ready to tell you yet. My mother will be the first one to know besides the Cullens because I'm sure Alice already told them." I looked him in the eyes and I could see him plead.
"Are you sure you want to know Jake?" he nodded his big head up and down and I walked away from him.
"It's not that I didn't warn you Jake, maybe you will even me mad when I tell you but I think it's better you hear it from me." I pulled up the sleeve on my left arm, so my hand would be set free, droplets of rain were starting to fall and I knew I was going to hurt Jake really badly.
I showed him the ring, he looked at me and then at the ring. "Edward and I are engaged" as soon as those words left my mouth, I heard a whimper. I sounded like a lost puppy that had been kicked and was nearly dying "I'm sorry that I hurt you Jake, but I want to be with Edward forever and I decided I want to become a vampire".
Jake ran off and I looked at him, running away. I heard growls and Edward pulled me back.
"I won't violate the treaty Sam; there are other ways to get the venom in her system. I will never bite her!" he was snarling now as Sam was growling. I went to stand between them.
"Guys calm down! I will become a vampire no matter what! Even if it means that I have to go to the oldest of vampires around and they don't have the same diet as the Cullens have." Edward tensed and he looked at Sam.
"She is serious, she's stubborn and I can't change her mind. You can ask the psychic!" I looked at Sam.
"Tell Jake I'm sorry that he had to hear it that way." Edward pulled me closer.
"He will come around Bella."I looked up at him as me pulled me in a hug.
"Now I would like to talk about cooperation." Carlisle suddenly spoke and I was shocked by the strict business like voice of Carlisle, he had always been nice and calm around me.
I felt my eyes drooping and Edward held me up while he talked for the wolves. After a while he seated himself down and pulled me on his lap, holding an umbrella above my head. Don't ask me where he got that umbrella because I didn't know.
I must have dozed because when I woke, I was lying in the back seat of a car with my head on Edwards lap. I looked at his face when he was looking at the driver, he was talking but I could barely hear him and I noticed his lips were moving fast. Edward was running his fingers through my hair and I never felt safer or happier.
"What did the pack say?" I suddenly asked, my mind was still a bit foggy with sleep and I wasn't completely rested.
Edward looked down at me and smiled "We have and arrangement, we will hunt her together and try to catch her. I'll be staying with you as much as I can and you'll be with Alice, the redhead her mind is tricky. When I'm able to get closer her mind is only running on her instinct which makes my ability quite useless." I gasped; Edward couldn't catch her while he could read her mind.
"Self preservation." I mumbled and Edward nodded.
"Bella, I want to see the ring!" I groaned as I heard Alice in the car.
"Sure, after I woken a bit more." Edward helped me up and I held up my hand so the ring would be shown, Alice turned to look at it.
"Edward that ring is beautiful!" I smiled and looked at Edward, my mind said we were moving too fast but my heart said it was right. Alice had seen me as a vampire next to Edward even before I knew it, it was meant to be.
"It's perfect; I will never take it off again! It will stay on my finger for the rest of eternity." I smiled at Edward, I could see he liked that thought but he was still worrying.
"Alice stop the car!" Edward said loudly as he held me close as Alice stopped the car.
"Something was here a few seconds ago; I thought I heard some thoughts. But they are gone again, it seems like she knows I can read minds." He was growling and his grip tightened around me.
"Edward, you'll get her eventually. And as long as one of you guys looks after me, I'll be safe. She runs away because she is scared Edward, else way she would have tried to get me. She probably wonders why I'm hanging with vampires and I smell good, she's probably interested and scared." Edward looked down at me and his growl lessened, I couldn't hear a thing but his chest was still vibrating.
"Edward calm down, please? She's not here so I'm safe, noting else matters okay!"Alice chuckled and I rolled my eyes.
"She's right you know I don't see a blurry vision so she's not planning something soon." I smiled at Alice and I felt I was still tired and fighting to keep my eyes open.
"Bella, no need to stay awake." I rolled my eyes.
"What day is it?" I suddenly asked.
"Friday?" Edward asked in question.
"Crap, I missed the vampire diaries!" Edward was looking down at me and Alice chuckled.
"I recorded it Bella! I love that show even when the vampires are totally wrong!"I was laughing.
"We're going to watch it together Alice!" I smiled at her as she groaned. "No cheating Alice, no using of your gift or anything else."
"You can be real annoying for a human Bella". I rolled my eyes.
"Alice, look in the mirror and you see the most annoying vampire in the entire universe! That's why we are best friends right?"My voice was low and I had trouble staying awake.
"Best friends forever!" she shouted cheerfully. She said something more but I was slipping into a deep sleep as Edward brushed his fingers through my hair.
I woke up slowly and I opened my eyes, I looked up and noticed that I wasn't at home. I blinked several times and I looked around, I was alone in Edward's room. Where was he?
"Edward?" I asked as I seated myself up, I blinked away the black clouds in the corners of my eyes and then I saw Alice. "Where's Edward?" I managed to say, my voice was hoarse of the sleeping.
"He's at the hospital, he needs to work you know! You have to go in an hour or so Bella" I nodded and looked around to find some clothes.
"There are clothes and underwear in the bathroom." I smiled at Alice as I walked to the bathroom.
"Set up TVD please?" I asked as I closed the door.
"Sure thing Bella! Who do you think is the hottie of the Salvatore brothers?" I rolled my eyes.
"That's easy! Damon! But he's nothing compared to Edward" I heard Alice snort. "A real live vampire family is way more interesting! I could make a story you know, my best friend is a vampire." Alice was laughing.
"Yeah, sparkling vampires like that would ever be real! What was that girl thinking vampires that sparkle? That's so gay, a vampire needs to burn!" Alice was laughing and I felt being watched again. God how sick was I? I always thought I was being watched when Edward wasn't around.
"Totally, they will burn the book. Telling me that it's ridiculous!" We were laughing loudly when I was getting dressed.
After we watched 'the Vampire Diaries' we talked about the plot and the story. I told her I thought Katherine was interesting and way cooler than Elena, Kat was more flirtatious and she could get any guy she wanted but she only wanted Stefan. I wouldn't like her when she was a real life vampire because she was vicious and didn't value human life, but she wasn't real and the bad guys were always the most interesting.
Alice drove me to the hospital, the closer I got the more the feeling of being watched disappeared. I smiled and looked at Alice "He's here isn't he?" she just nodded and I opened the door and waved at Alice. "See ya later pixiegator!"
Alice just rolled her eyes and drove away; I walked inside the hospital and said my greetings to Angela.
"Bella, you'll be working with Edward the rest of the day, Riley can go home tomorrow so Edward asked you to help him." I smiled at Angela. I placed my hands on the desk and smiled at her.
"I'm going to miss that kid though." Angela was staring at my left hand and I pulled it away. "Angela, please don't tell anyone yet okay? Edward asked me to marry him and I said yes. But my mother doesn't know that yet and I don't want her to hear it from someone else than me."
"Sure thing Bella and congratulations!" I smiled and walked away.
"Thanks Angela!" I shouted as I ran towards Riley's room.
When I got into the room, Edward wasn't there and my smile faded again. "Hi Riley!" I said cheerful as I could. "So I heard you're going home with your mommy?" I asked as I seated myself on the bed next to Riley, he looked up and smiled at me.
"I'm going to miss you, you know that right?" he just smiled at me. "Do you know where Edward is?" I asked I knew I was addicted to the guy. I just couldn't get enough from him.
"He went to get me some candy." I had never heard Riley say so many words in one day and I smiled at him. Edward was so sweet to him, too bad that vampires were infertile like me.
He grabbed a chessboard and I looked at Riley and chuckled "I would love to play but I don't know how." Riley just smiled and handed me a paper with the rules.
"Well you're going to win Riley! I still don't get it." Riley chuckled, it was so cute, and he never chuckled. He was probably just happy that his mother was bringing him home.
"Maybe I can help you?"
I turned and smiled at Edward who was standing in the doorway.
"Na ah Eddie, you always win!" Riley said and I turned to look at Riley.
"It's like he can read your mind right?" I said it jokingly.
"That's impossible Bella!" he shouted at me and I smiled.
"Yup no-one can read my mind, you're right." I altered it to me so it wouldn't show that I was lying.
"There's a fact Bella." Edward said as he seated himself down next to me and took my hand.
Riley went quiet again as he and Edward were playing chess again, I never really understood the point of chess and it seemed so difficult. Sometimes Riley would stare at the table and be lost in thoughts, he seemed so normal at when he was playing chess. I understood Riley; it was hard to be different. You could try your best to pretend you were normal but you would never be normal; you would always be different and people would look at you like you were some kind of freak.
I didn't know how much time had passed but when Bree came walking in.
I walked up to her and she hugged me "Bella you look happy." She commented and I smiled at her.
"You look happier too Bree. And I have a good reason to be happy." Shit those words I showed her the ring and she gasped.
"Who's the lucky bastard? Is he hot?" She was sounding like a 17 year old but I didn't care, I just wanted to say something when Edward got up.
"That lucky one would be me, and for that last question you can think of it yourself." He chuckled as Bree was staring with her mouth agape.
Edward grabbed my hand and squeezed it softly as Bree went to her son after giving me a hug and shaking Edward's hand.
"Man your hand is ice-cold" I felt how Edward tensed. I shrugged and smiled at Bree.
"You're hands weren't warm either, its cold outside and Edward forgot his gloves. No wonder his hands are freezing." My face didn't even betray that I wasn't telling the truth, I was impressed by how good it sounded.
"Yeah and with my poor blood circulation." Bree just shrugged and went to get Riley.
We said out goodbyes and Bree handed me her phone number, she was asking me to stay in touch. We went back to the lab to do some routine stuff, most of my time was spend in the lab; Edward only came to assist me, even when he knew more about it then I did.
I still felt bad about Jake; Edward noticed I wasn't paying much attention while I was filling in the forms in autopilot. "What are you thinking?" I looked up at Edward and sighed.
"I feel bad for Jake." I looked down, not wanting to see Edward's face when I talked about Jake. They were like fire and ice, they were total opposites and they hated each other because of they were supposed to be enemies. A werewolf as a best friend and a vampire boyfriend, life didn't make it easier for me. "I'm hurting him and I don't want to hurt him. The imprinting thing doesn't make it any easier. I just hope that he finds someone, someone that can give him everything he deserves you know; a wife, kids." I sighed "But I only see him as a big brother, you're the one I love and nothing will change that." I looked him in the eyes when I said those last words and he was smiling.
"Jacob is hurting but he saw how I held you and I was pleased with what he was thinking. 'At least he's good to her, thanks for letting me hang with her Edward.' He knew I was listening and he noticed I would never hurt you, he was arguing with Sam asking him to stop blaming me. We might be friends if he wasn't a shifter, he seems like a good guy and I trust him to protect you. Maybe you can give him a visit tonight?" I looked up at Edward, almost dropping the test-tubes that I was holding in a rack.
"You got to be kidding me!"I placed the test-tubes back on the table.
"Nope, you can call him. I'll bring you to la Push, Jake will get you. You go spend some time here and I'll come and get you before midnight, I will just run into the res if it takes longer than 3 hours. Alice will be blind of your future and I won't be able to read the minds there, so I'll be anxious until you get back." He was speaking so fast that I barely heard it.
I smiled at him widely and went over to him; I seated myself on his lap. "Thank you, what about this; I'll be staying at la Push from 8 to 10?" he didn't say a thing as he leaned down and kissed me.
"Get a room!" it was Lauren, I hated that girl. She was a model and came here to pick up Jessica; she was the biggest bitch I had ever met.
I broke the kiss "Lauren, you do know that it is more thrilling in public, don't you." I head Edward gasp as Lauren was just staring at me. Then I looked at Edward and smiled before I pressed my lips on his for a chaste kiss, then I pulled away and glared at Lauren.
"Just so you know, jealousy is a bitch!" Edward was laughing now and I smiled at him.
Than Lauren grabbed my arm and leaned in to threaten me when Edward got up and I could almost feel his angered predatory stare, an almost animalistic glare. Lauren stiffened and I could see that her instincts we telling her to run.
"If you dare to threaten my fiancée Lauren then I'll make sure that my sister, Alice Whitlock will never hire you again and she can give you a name. She can make or break you Lauren!" I could see the chock on her face and she couldn't be out fast enough.
I turned and smiled at Edward "Not fair pulling the Whitlock-card!" I was smiling at him as Edward was breathing heavily, he was fuming. "But that bitch deserved it!" I walked towards him and looked up at him.
I cupped his face in my hands and he closed his eyes "Look at me Edward!" I said those words softly, his eyes focused on me and the anger was still evident on his face. "What in heaven's name was she thinking? You are too upset."
He sighed and his body was less tense "She was picturing how she could torture you, she has a sick mind!"
"I know, but Edward do you really think I would let her touch me ever again? She's not smart enough Edward so relax." He relaxed at my words as Carlisle came rushing in.
He let out a breath "She's not death Carlisle, even when I still want to kill that bitch." His eyes were black with anger.
"Edward, it just some thoughts. I imagine torturing people after I watched saw, it's not like she was planning it or something. When I watch 'Saw' I start to think real sadistic you know I actually like those movies. The victims basically kill themselves, that puppetguy is real smart you know." I was rumbling about those movies and then I noticed Edward was shaking with laughter. He said that he never thought I would like such movies, I also told him about my vampire-movie collection. The books I had read about vampires and we talked about numerous things while we were working.
The day passed while nothing really interesting happened, Mike came to congratulate our engagement. I would go to Jake and afterwards we would go to Jacksonville; I would have to face real horror tomorrow.
I had to tell my mother that I was engaged with Edward, after knowing him just over 4 months. I felt nauseated when I thought about it; my mother had never believed in true love, she wouldn't understand what I felt for Edward.
I was looking out the window as I tried to find a good way to tell my mother, this was going to be hard. I would have to endure a lot of judgment by my mother; she and my dad had dated for years before they got married. After marriage they had me; she said I was unexpected but she had never been happier.
My mother and I were like friends, I really missed her. If I was changed, I would miss my mother terribly. I had to go on a holiday with her before the change; I would have to make a great last memory of me, a good memory of happy Bella. My mother deserved some good memories about me; after James I had been a zombie for a real long time.
Edward was the sun breaking through after a real long and bad storm; maybe after a tornado. He was the reason that I was happy, that I was smiling, that I was able to let people in.
"What are you thinking?" I looked at Edward and smiled, he always knew when I was lost in thoughts. He once told me he hated and loved my silent mind at the same time; he loved to have his thoughts for himself without other thoughts running through it head and he hated it when I was silent for too long.
"I was worrying about my mother's reaction and I was thinking how you are the sun breaking through after a storm. You made me feel alive and I'm happy because of you. My mother won't understand our love, or at least I think she won't understand." Edward grabbed my hand and kissed the back of my hand.
"Everything is going to be alright my love." I smiled at him and turned on the radio.
I smiled when I heard the song that was playing.
I don't have to tell you
What this is all about
'Cause baby half the fun is in us
Figuring it all out
I started to sing along with the song and I didn't care that Edward was watching me; I needed to get a break from my own mind.
So why you gotta ask me
What I'm doing now
'Cause I don't like to question
What I still haven't found, ooh yeah
So don't turn off the lights
I don't wanna be in the dark tonight
'Cause you can't read my mind
I need to know if what I'm doing is right
Edward chuckled as I sang 'cause you can't read my mind' instead of 'cause I can't read your mind. Edward started to sing and I stopped singing, his voice was perfect for singing. I always preferred Enrique until now; hearing Edward sing those words was amazing. Edward was driving way to fast but I trusted him enough, he wouldn't let any harm come to me. I bet Edward was the best airbag you could ever imagine.
Eventually I started to sing with him and we were laughing as Edward parked his Volvo in the Cullen garage.
"I can be your hero, baby. I can kiss away the pain; I will stand by you forever. You can take my breath away." He whisper-sang those words in my ear and I shivered. What was that guy doing to me?
I was blushing when I got inside and I was sure Jasper could sense my emotions, I felt bad for the guy. I wanted to jump Edward, I was edgy because of my mother, I was sad and confused because of Jake. Jasper walked outside and he smiled at me, I could see his eyes were dark, he was hungry. So was I.
Esme had made some guacamole and I ate it eagerly, Edward and Alice were watching me intensely I offered them a bite but they declined. Emmett told me that it tasted like dirt and cardboard, he had eaten it for a bet when he was human. I never ate any of those things.
I sighed and called Jacob; Edward was holding my hand and tried to calm my nerves.
I called him 5 times but there was no answer.
I sighed and tried one last time "If Jake doesn't answer his phone now, I'm not going to see him the following week."I was getting angry and I knew anger wasn't smart around a shifter.
"Black's residence." It wasn't Jacob but it was someone.
"Is Jacob home?" I asked as I looked up at Edward.
"No and who's asking." It was a male voice, I didn't recognize it.
"Bella." I said and then I heard a growl into the phone.
"Listen girl, you've hurt Jacob enough! Just leave him alone." I felt tears well up in my eyes.
"Just tell him I'm sorry and I'm leaving to Jacksonville for three days. I'm going to visit my mother there. I was just hoping that I could talk to Jacob before I left." My voice was hoarse as I tried not to cry.
"Just leave him alone Bella" a sob escaped me as I hung up the phone. Edward pulled me close and I wrapped my arms around him.
"Can we go now? Maybe I can sleep on the plane, I just need to get out of this mess and I really want to see my mom again." I wiped away my tears and smiled at Edward.
"Let's go then. I'm sure we will get in time to catch a plane." With those words we were on our way.