Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize, the ones you don't are mine.

Chapter 13:

Fear and Temptation

It was the night before it was supposed to leave with Torrance and Edward, Torrance had already told Ayden that she had to go home and see her father; apparently he didn't ask too many questions. It was my turn now to tell Charlie and Renee that I was going to be gone for most of the weekend, and I knew that I would be facing a firing squad of questions. Jacob was invited over for dinner by Renee, who was getting along with Jacob tremendously. The whole night she just kept asking him questions about his heritage and how much of he "old religion" was still relevant today.

"So you still have chiefs and elders, but do you have like medicine men and stuff," She said taking another bite of meatloaf.

"Well not in the sense that you are probably thinking of, they don't heal people physically, it more of a spiritual thing. They are the ones that discipline the little kids and make sure they are keeping true to the tribe, but mostly they just hold the ceremonies like the peyote festival." Jacob said while still chewing.

"Interesting, and peyote isn't illegal for you is it?"

"Nope, as Charlie could probably tell you, reservations have their own rules that the government can't interfere with, peyote is part of a very spiritual festival. I've only done it once but when I did it felt like I was connected with everything."

I looked over at Charlie who seemed to be completely enamored with Renee, I had been glancing over at him all night and he always was looking at the same thing. Occasionally, when Jacob said something that excited Renee, she would look over at him and give him a quick smile. They too had been getting along very well, which surprised me. Charlie talked about my mom as this force that he just couldn't seem to get the handle of, and Renee always talked about how Charlie was too small town for her, not up for anything. Now though, they were always together, Charlie got Renee a job sorting through papers and cases at the police station, they left for work together, came home together, and now Renee was teaching him how to cook. At night, from time to time, I can hear Renee start to cry in Charlie's room, he had moved to the couch, but every time Charlie would wake up and go to his room, the crying would stop.

"Charlie, mom, I have to ask you something." I said finally break the very long conversation Jacob was having with Renee.

"What is it sweetheart?" Renee asked.

"Well Edward and his family have decided to go camping this weekend, and they have invited me, can I go?" I said. I looked over at Jacob, who face had turned from lighthearted to solemn.

"How long?" Charlie asked.

"Just Saturday, I'll be back late on Sunday." Torrance had requested we stay the night, if her father can figure out what is going on with Ayden and prove it's interfering with his duties as an alpha, then we all have to appeal to the elders to get him to step down.

"Jacob, are you going?" Renee chimed in and gave him a little nudge with her elbow.

"No, I wasn't invited," He said staring at me with eyes that spoke volumes about how bad he thought this idea was.

"Bella! You can't go on a camping trip with your ex-boyfriend and not invite Jacob!" Renee said shocked.

"It's ok, I have some stuff I have to get done here, it wouldn't have been an option anyway," though this was true, the hurt didn't leave his face.

"Still, Bella…"

"No really it's ok, they're friends," he said cutting her off; she was hitting the nail on the head, and driving it through Jacob's heart. "Besides, I trust her." I gave him a beaming smile and so did Renee, no other person on the planet would let his girlfriend do what I was asking him to let me do, if he only knew how much that meant to me.

I got permission to leave and we finished eating dinner. After, Jacob and I went up to my room to talk about a few things. He had already put the plans in motion with Sam to help the Cullens with the newborns, and five people from Ayden's pack had also joined the fight. Jacob told me that if anything happens and fighting starts that he would call me immediately. Edward got the same promise from Alice. Business was not what we needed to talk about, over the past couple of days while waiting to leave and whatnot, it had been really hard to get close with Jacob physically. Right after I was attacked, kissing seemed to be fine, but now it was everything, kissing, hugging, touching all brought me back to that awful wood paneled room in the middle of the woods. When we got upstairs and sat down on the bed, that's all I wanted. To be held by him and feel him warmth, I reached out and touched his hand, he looked over at me and I saw that face again, the calm face I didn't understand.

I yanked my hand away, and the face I loved came back to me, "Sorry," I said but his expression didn't change.

"Don't be sorry," he said and moved a little closer to me, "Just keep looking into my eyes, I'm right here." He slowly put his hand on my face, heat of it made my stomach do back flips, and I closed my eyes, "No Bella, keep your eyes on me." He moved his other hand to my shoulder and moved it down my arm slowly, "It's just me," the hand that was on my face moved back around and through my hair, he didn't take his eyes off of me, they were locked on each other and his face wasn't changing. "I'll never let him hurt you again," his head moved in and our lips touched, but he was too close and I could focus on his features, and the feeling started to come back. I panicked and he pulled away when he felt my body freeze up.

"Just keep looking at me," his head was far enough away that I could make out his face, the feeling went away. "Lay down," he said and I obeyed, he took my hand in his and put it on his chest, "Feel me, this is my heart beat." The thumping in his chest were constant and intense, I felt like I could hear it. I felt my breath match his own, and they were both increasing in speed and intake. "It only beats for you Bella," his words caressed my ears and made my thoughts fuzzy. I kept my hand on his chest when he moved his hands under my shirt, he was just barely touching my stomach and slowly moving up. "I'm with you Bella, body and soul," his hands found my chest and started to move around the base of them, never squeezing, just like a feather brushing up against me.

We continued like that for hours, his voice seemed to make it ok. My mind never went back to the bad place as long as I was looking into his kind and patient eyes. He knew what I needed and he put his own needs aside to comfort me, his voice soothed me as his eyes kept me grounded. I was there in that room with him and nowhere else. When it was over he got up and sat at the end of my bed facing the window.

I sat up and put my hand on his shoulder, he gripped it in his "Jacob, what is it?"

"I'm scared, Bella…" his voice was strained. He was talking about tomorrow, he still had his concerns that it was going to be a trap and I would be stuck in a lions den carrying a huge steak on my head.

"I'm scared too, but I have to do this."

"That's not it… I'm scared of losing you. I'm scared that you are going to go away with him and remember what you had. I'm scared that you're not going to come back to me that you're going to come back with him."

I got up off the bed, walked around the bed, and stood in front of him. "You'll never lose me Jacob, I'm yours. I've made my choice and I can't be happier with my decision, I love you Jacob Black."

"I guess I just needed to hear that," he said looking up at me. his face told me that he wasn't fully convinced, but I knew I would prove him wrong. I could tell him all day that I would never go back to Edward, but in the end he needed to see it; so I would go on this trip and come back to him like I never left.

He helped me pack a few things, stayed with me while I got ready for bed, and kissed me goodnight before he left. Sleep did not come easy and morning came on too fast, before I knew it I was rushing down the stairs and saying goodbye to Charlie and Renee, who were at the kitchen table having coffee and laughing about something I didn't catch on to. I flew out of the front door and saw the Volvo waiting for me in the driveway. I got into the passenger's side and looked over at Edward then at Torrance who sat in the back.

The drive itself was only a couple of hours, even with Edward driving like he was in the Indie 500. The radio played and we all sat there silent anticipating what was to come. As soon as we reached the borderline of forks though, I felt a cold statue-esque hand touch mine as it rested in my lap. I quickly pulled away and looked over to its owner, who was smiling that crooked smile I loved so much.

"What, friends can't hold hands?" he said smugly

"No," I snapped back.

"Ok guys you really have to tell me before we get there, what's the deal with you two? I mean, Bella, you're dating Jacob, he even imprinted on you, but every time I see you and the bloodsucker together you seem like…"

"Nothing is going on with me and Edward," I said cutting Torrance off before she could give Edward any more ammunition against me. I let the bloodsucker comment go, "We're just close friends."

"Ok, I get that, but it seems like there's more there." She said leaning forward.

"Well we used to be closer than friends," I heard Edward say but didn't want to look at him. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Until I found out that what I was feeling for him was the result of some vampire's trick," I replied angrily. That was too much though, I finally looked over at Edward and his face was pained, I had just hurt him a lot. "Look why don't we just focus on the present and leave the past in the past. What are we even up against here?" I asked desperately trying to change the subject. I did still feel something for Edward, how could I not? He was my first love and there is no changing or ignoring that, for the first time I started to realize that the next couple of days was going to be really hard.

"Well I can't really say what we're up against because I don't really know what's going on with Ayden. I do know that it's going to be really hard getting anything out of my dad with the leech present. You people in forks are way to lenient with the presence of vampire's in your town, I don't think he will respond well to one being in his house." Her voice sounded a bit too worried for my liking.

"Is he in danger?" I asked looking over at Edward who's face showed no signs of worry.

"I want to say no, but in the end something like this has never happened. I can't tell you for sure on e way or the other. Maybe when we first get there he should wait out in the car."

"No," Edward said flatly, "I'm here to make sure nothing happens to Bella, she will not be out of my sight, period."

"Edward, if it helps…"

"No!" he said again cutting me off.

The rest of the car ride was silent, every once in a while I would feel Edward's gaze on me and get that feeling in my stomach I used to be so familiar with, the feeling that Jacob now gave me. I told my self it was motion sickness from the car ride and ignored the feeling. I knew Torrance was sitting in the backseat watching us, analyzing our every move, which made it a lot easier not to give in to the secret feelings I was having.

We crossed the border into the Hoh reservation and I was in awe at differences I saw between it and the Quileute Rez. Nobody was outside, no kids playing, no men or women gardening or washing the car, it was barren, everything looked dead. Torrance must have noticed and quickly spoke up to defend her town.

"This is the first time the entire pack has left the rez, our people have experienced fear to a degree that is unmatched. Without us here, their protectors, they're afraid to even leave the house."

We pulled up the driveway to an off white house with blue shutters. It wasn't a big house by any means but it seemed warm and inviting, an attitude I wasn't expecting from its inhabitants. The car slowly rolled to a stop and I felt the tension double and become thick, it was hard to breathe. Torrance got out first followed by Edward, then me, we walked to the back door so that no one could see Edward walking into one of the elders house. She unlocked the door and we all walked in.

The inside of the house was beautiful, elegant even, we walked in through the kitchen and was met to an array of light coming from a very expensive looking chandelier, which was held above a red wood stained dinner table. As I looked around I saw that nothing was out of place, and every wall seemed perfectly planned out with pictures and knick-knacks.

"Your house is amazing," I said still looking around.

"Thank you, my mom did it. She had… expensive taste," She replied back with a smile.

"Is your mom an elder too?" I asked then felt a swift jab at my side from Edwards elbow, I looked up in response and he just shook his head.

"No, she left when I was very young, my dad keeps the house like this to remember her." There wasn't sorrow in her voice or even anger, it was just matter-of-fact. "Stay here, I'll go get my dad."

She left us alone, bad idea. Edward turned to me, "Why can't I hold your hand?"

"You really want to talk about this now, we are literally in the wolf's den." I answered without answering.

"Bella, none of these residents, besides Torrance, is a werewolf, you heard her, they're all with Ayden. Now why can't I hold your hand?" He persisted.

I didn't know how to answer him, and I was very grateful he couldn't read my mind. The truth was that it brought back everything I felt for him, in one touch I was his again, and I couldn't let that happen. "I…," as I began to try and lie to him, Torrance retuned with her dad and saved me… in a way.

The man that walked behind her was tall and very thin; he had a full beard that matched the length of his long midnight black hair. He looked proud and very capable; a sigh of relief flushed over me when I saw his face wasn't shocked, surprised, or even angry as he looked over at Edward.

"So this is the vegetarian vampire of lore," his voice was rougher than I had expected from his frame, he sounded like he sung blues for a living.

"Sir, I'm very appreciative to you for seeing us." Edward said back cordially.

"And you are the one making all the fuss," he said looking at me. I noticed he didn't seem scared of Edward, but he also didn't move any closer.

"I apologize," I said back sheepishly.

"Come sit down," Torrance said pointing to the table I had admired when I walked in.

We all sat down and Torrance began to explain why we were all here, everything up until when I was attacked. I found out that the attack was planned and everything before that really was wrapped around me. Torrance's dad's face grew grim with every sentence his daughter spoke, so when it became my turn to tell what happened in the woods, I was a little apprehensive.

Everyone looked over at me, it was time, "Jacob and I were driving home and we saw Ayden and a few others standing in front of the car, Jacob had already been in a fight with them and I was scared. He told me to wait in the car and he got out to see what they wanted, in seconds they changed into wolf form and he started fighting all of them, except for Ayden, he remained human. I got out, out of instinct, to help or stop them, but when I got out Ayden came straight for me. He hit me with something and I blacked out," I felt Edward go rigid beside me, I never told him all of the details of that night. I looked over to him and gave him an I'm ok look, but it didn't seem to help. "I woke up in some shed in the middle of the woods…" It was getting harder to talk about; I didn't want to go back to that place. "He interrogated me, and when I didn't give him the answers he wanted he…" I felt the tears coming, but I wanted to be strong, to get through this and find some answers.

"I can see this is hard for you my dear, but I really do have to know the details," I saw his hand reach out across the table and lay on top of mine, a gesture I wasn't expecting.

"He ripped open my shirt, touched me all over. He began to use his hand…and I um… I got angry… I hit him and he hit me back, I blacked out again. The thing that haunts me the most though was his face, he was just so calm and in control. Like no matter what I said, he was going to do that anyway, it just made me feel really weak and small." The tears were coming more rapidly now, but I was proud of myself that I had gotten through it.

The sorrys came from everyone, even Torrance's dad. He got up from the table and spoke very strongly, "Bella, I'm sorry that this happened to you, and I think I know why. I have to get a second opinion on it, but if it's what I think, it's not the last time he will do something like this."

"What do we do?" I heard Torrance ask, but m eyes remained on her father.

"Well I'm going to go talk to Grace, and see what she says. I suggest you all go to bed, if what I'm thinking is true, we need to have a council tomorrow and decide what to do about all of this."

I looked outside for the first time and noticed it had gotten dark outside, my anxiety was wearing on my body and I did feel drained. Torrance got up from her seat and kissed her dad on the cheek, "here, I'll show you to your rooms."

As I followed Torrance out of the kitchen her dad grabbed my hand one last time and looked at me with pained eyes, "I really am very sorry, and I'm going to make sure this never happens again."

I nodded my head and continued to follow Torrance. She led us upstairs which was just as affluent as the place we had just came, and opened up the first door on the right. "Unfortunately we only have one guest room, it has a couch as you can see, and there are plenty of pillows and blankets in the closet. I know you don't sleep," she looked over at Edward, "but if you want to just relax, the couch is very comfortable."

"Thank you," He said politely and I felt my stomach turn. I couldn't share a room with him all night. The fears that Jacob was having before I left, which seemed so ridiculous at the time, started to creep up my spine…

Thank you all for reading, the next chapter is going to be a doozie, so please tell me what you think.