Hey guys. New chapter up and running. you know the drill. I don't own anything to do with twilight. Only this story and my prequel to this Blood singer. Sadly no Alice in this chapter either but i hope you'll still read and give me the feedback i know and love. I promise she will be my focus on the next chapter. oh and a little change in the formatting here. All thoughts will be bolded and all texts will be bolded and underlined :).

Chapter 14: Finally Some Answers

Bella laid there on the damp grass for a few moments. Her green eyes were wide and were staring at the tree line where the two wolves had disappeared out of sight. She was breathing heavily and her heart was racing. There was a good reason for it though, she had just seen her best friend shift into a HUGE wolf right before her eyes; and here she thought she had seen everything. 'Apparently not.' Her thoughts answered for her. Bella sat there looking at the trees for god knows how long, then she saw Sam's feet and legs in front of her. The large boy stepped in front of her and held out his hand for her to take. He spoke only a few words before she grasped it. "Come on Bella. We'll tell you everything you need to know." Bella grasped his hand fully and brushed off the backside of her jeans. She walked with the boys who were just as shocked as she was. Jacob never shifted because of Paul's attitude before. This was something new indeed. Maybe Paul was getting out of hand with his temper, they really didn't know. Quill and Embry both gave their apologies before running after Sam who was already a few feet away from them. Bella watched the boys as they walked. 'A pack system indeed.' She thought as the boys followed after their supposed leader. She caught up only a few moments later.

It took the group more than a few moments to reach their destination. It was Sam's girlfriends' Emily's place. Bella had heard a few things about Emily and her cooking from Jake in the past and from the tales he wove, Emily's cooking could very well compete with her own. Bella was nervous before walking into the den of Emily's house. She didn't really know the other woman's opinion of her. The two never really saw each other when they were younger, but Bella was sure Jake told a few stories of her to the other girl. Bella's eyes widened when she saw Paul running in and just plopping down on an empty seat in front of her. She stepped back a bit not knowing if the boy was still angry about her hitting him. Paul turned and looked at Bella and chuckled at the wide-eyed look on her face. Bella was taken aback by this and wondered what was going on. Paul only smiled at her and said, "Sorry Bella. I kinda let my temper get a head of me there." Bella was surprised at the boys' sincerity. She heard a familiar cough and turned to see Jacob standing at the door waiting for her. He smiled slightly and gestured for her to follow him. At first she hesitated but she looked to Sam and Emily. They nodded slightly and Bella then followed her life-long friend.

As the two walked toward the beach it was really hard to get a conversation going. Bella for once took the initiative and asked right out. "Jake, what was that back there?" She asked with concern in her green eyes. The tan skinned boy looked at her with indecision in his eyes, yes he couldn't deny what Bella had seen, but he didn't know where to start the story. The beginning would be the right place to start he supposed. As Jacob and Bella walked down the trail he told the story of his ancestors. He told her everything that had happened with the first sighting of the 'Cold Ones' and the massacre of his people all those years ago. He told her that it was indeed his great-great grandfather that had created the curse just as his family was slaughter by the fiends. Bella asked if his father Billy was a shifter like he was and Jacob only shook his head. The boy told her that there was basically no need for shifters during his fathers' time as an adolescent, but as soon as the Cullen's returned last year, a lot of the boys started feeling symptoms of the oncoming change. It was only a matter of time before Jacob changed into the wolf he was meant to become. He explained to Bella the reason why he had to leave so abruptly on the night of her birthday party at the Cullen's. He also explained why he had shown up in Bella's room with Edward that night. Bella nodded her head in understanding. "So whenever a vampire comes around, you feel the need to shift?" She asked looking at the water when they had come across the beach. She didn't need to look beside her to tell that Jacob was nodding his head. "Yes but the need hasn't been so great in a while. Sam and the rest of the pack have taught me how to control the shift." Bella looked at Jake then. "That's why you shifted when Paul almost came after me." "Yes Bella. He was going to attack you." He sighed before continuing. "When we shift, it's not only the urge to when we feel our natural enemy around. It's also when we feel a large amount of anger or fear towards another person or thing. That's how we control our change; although Paul really hasn't gotten control of his emotions just yet." Jake chuckled at the irony of his own statement. Paul had shifted before he did, so he should have more control over his emotions than Jacob; it didn't appear to be the case.

The two friends sat there for a long time, trying to catch up on everything that had happened. They laughed with each other and Jacob apologized profusely to Bella about not being there for her when she needed him. "Yesterday when you met up with Laurent, and Victoria came, I was one of the wolves that chased her off." Bella looked shocked at the boys' statement. She could tell there was something else on his mind but she decided not to push the issue. In all reality, Jacob knew that one of the Cullen's was back in Forks. At least one had returned no doubt to keep an eye on the girl when He had not. He could smell the vampires' scent not too far off in the distance as well. If it was Edward he cast a thought outward towards his position. 'I will not leave her again. That I swear.'

The guilt that laced the boy's thought was enough for Edward to believe him. The telepath stood just outside the border of the reservation knowing better to step onto the wolves' land. He knew that Jacob could smell him. He wanted the boy to know he was close by without revealing the identity of who was out there. In a way it was refreshing to see Jacob back with Bella. The two made a great pair as friends. Edward nodded his head and went off back to the Cullen House.

Jacob stood from the dead log the two were sitting on and held out a hand for Bella to take. The girl smiled up at her good friend. It was a real smile; one that reached her eyes. She hadn't smiled like that in a long time; not since her birthday before everything happened. Suddenly she was beginning to fell less of the pain she had felt initially when the Cullen's first left Forks. However one fleeting thought haunted her steps as she walked with Jake back to Emily's house; was Alice safe, or was she trapped by the Volturi council? Would they let her go if they found out the truth of their relationship, or would they still seek vengeance for the fact that a human found out of the existence of vampires? These were a few questions she found hard to answer for herself. Her mind would not process an answer and that is what scared her. No answer, no Alice, no Cullen's; it all frightened her to no end. That's why she had the nightmares; that's why she didn't want to go another day feeling the way she felt. Bella needed to find her pixie, but where to start was a complete mystery. Her lack of knowledge made her even more depressed by the day.

When they arrived back to Emily's house, Jacob and Bella were both greeted by the rest of the pack. Paul had become a little more accommodating to Bella's situation, even though he never really liked vampires. He, along with Embry and Quill never really thought the Cullen's were that bad until they had changed into shifters. The family was nice enough and never caused problems on the land, so why did they deserve any of their ire? The boy wanted to be friends with Bella; they all did but they knew it would cause complications with the elders and decided to back off of the whole situation. The group welcomed them back with open arms as the two friends sat in their perspective seats. When they got seated, Bella had a better chance to get a closer look at Emily. What Bella saw made her eyes go wide and her heart pound. There on the side of her face was a huge scar. Actually it was multiple scars in one. Three huge claw marks were etched on the side of Emily's face. The tan skinned girl noticed Bella's staring and smiled lightly. She brought a hand up to the side of her face and said, "Sam got a little out of control one time. It was after we got together." Bella took the meaning and nodded in understanding. She heard footsteps behind her and saw a girl with short hair that never reached her shoulders. She was wearing a tank-top and shorts and also wore a frown on her face. "So you finally told the vampire lover our secret, huh?" The girl looked at Sam and then at Emily, another look came over her face and Bella thought she was about to cry, but as soon as the look appeared, it went away just as fast.

Jacob leaned over and whispered in Bella's ear. "Don't mind Leah, she's still sore over losing Sam to Emily. They used to be best friends you know." Bella's eyes widened and suddenly felt bad for the girl. To think of someone you used to date going out with your best friend. It was hard to process. Suddenly the group heard another pair of footsteps running toward the house and smiled when a short stocky boy came up and took a seat not far from the groups' table. "Hey guys, what'd I miss?" He saw Bella sitting next to Jake and squealed as manly as he could. "BELLA!" He shot up from his seat and ran over to the girl. He gave her a huge hug and yelled, "It's awesome to see you!" At first Bella was confused as to who this boy was and how he knew her, but when the boy pulled away, she got a better look at him. "Oh my god, Seth?! No way!" She recognized the boy immediately as a boy she and her mother used to babysit. Bella used to also visit the boy when she visited Jake all of those years ago. He was so scrawny then, it made her laugh looking at him now. Of course he was still scrawny, but at least he had some definition to him; some muscle finally. "Well Seth, you finally have some muscle to you at least." Bella giggled before shuffling the boys' hair. Seth just huffed and whispered, "No fair, making fun of me Bella." The girl looked over to the boys' sister and nodded slightly. She knew her friend had a sister and they had met on many occasions back when Bella had visited, but she did change over the years. Bella remembered a girl who loved to laugh and have fun; the girl that stood in front of her had become hardened and seemed a little ruthless. 'I guess that's what happens when you have your heart broken like Leah has.' She reasoned with herself.

After a few hours of chatting with the group of shifters, Bella saw that the sun was going down and it was beginning to get dark. This sort of made her a little uncomfortable. She fidgeted in her seat and decided to take her leave. Jacob offered to walk her back to her truck and after what happened the day before, she was very happy to have his protection. The walk back was mostly done in silence. When they got back to the big pick up however Bella spoke lightly. "I don't know what to do Jake." She spoke quietly to her friend. Jacob only nodded not really knowing what to say. "I feel so helpless and empty without the Cullen's." The boy looked at her with pained eyes and then she elaborated. "I love you Jacob. Never forget that but you are my brother. You will always be my family. Alice and the Cullen's are something completely different. I belong with them just as much as I belong with you and Charlie. I need them here Jake and I don't know how to get them back." Tears welled up in Bella's green eyes. She covered her face to hide the tears and Jacob wrapped his arms around her in comfort. They stayed like that for a few moments. Bella was regaining her composure as she got into her truck and said her goodbyes. As the truck pulled out of the reservation, Jacob used his mind link to speak to his alpha. 'I need to follow her Sam. I need to make sure she gets home safe.' He waited a few moments before hearing a confirmation from Sam. 'I agree. Go Jacob, but stay alert. I can smell a vampire in the area. I don't know if it's the one after Bella or not but you have to be careful.' Jake nodded and replied, 'Will do boss.'Jacob took off his shirt and pants before shifting fully into his wolf form.

The russet wolf ran as fast as he could to catch up with Bella's truck and in no time, he was running alongside her in the forest where she could not see him. He panted as he ran with Bella's truck and stayed in the forest right near the tree line as the vehicle pulled into the driveway. The wolf whined as he watched his friend get out of the truck and walk toward the front door. The look on the girls face was one that broke his heart. Her green eyes that were once filled with happiness and life were now sad and dull. Bella's posture was now sullen, and her gait was slow and almost sluggish. It was like Bella was just going with the motions of everyday life. She was no longer living but merely surviving. Jacob lay on the ground as he looked up into the house. Bella's window was still open and he wondered why that was. Since the Cullen's were gone, there was no reason to keep it open. Maybe Bella had hoped the family would just pop up and return to her through the bedroom window. Maybe Alice would fly in without a care in the world. In any case, Jacob didn't understand his friend as much as he used to. Jacob reigned in his emotions and shifted back into his human form. He looked down at his legs and was thankful he remembered the extra set of clothes wrapped around his ankle. He slipped on the jeans and shirt and stood there for a few moments longer. He was getting worried about his friend. Bella shouldn't be having her window open for no reason. Jake sat on a dead log on the tree line and watched Bella's window until her bedroom light went off. Then he got up and went to the tree outside her window. He jumped to the tallest branch and looked inside the room. Jake saw that the coast was clear and Bella was sound asleep before entering. He surveyed the room quickly checking for anything out of the ordinary or any unwanted guests. Once done, he nodded and went back toward the open window. He jumped to the tree branch and reached with his long arms to shut it.

Jake then took a moment to study the girl from afar. In sleep Bella seemed rather restless. She tossed and she turned, and very often cried out Alice's name. He felt a twinge of anger toward the vampire family for leaving his best friend without a second thought, but then he realized that he too abandoned the girl for a short time. There had to be something Jake could do to ease Bella's pain, but the question still remained. Where were Alice and the rest of the Cullen's? He knew one was here already, he could tell by the smell, and as he took another whiff through his nose, he could smell this particular scent coming closer. He hopped down from the branch and went further towards the tree line. His steps were cautious as he stepped in front of none other than Edward Cullen. Jake knew that he had to control his emotions around the vampire, but he couldn't help the growl that emanated from his mouth as he spoke. "What are you doing here?" He whispered knowing well that Edward could hear him. The telepath spoke. "I'm checking on her, the same as you I would assume." He said this with a smug tone as he leaned up against a tree. Jacob crossed his arms and tapped his foot in annoyance at the boys tone. "Yes I can see that." He huffed and then continued. "You need to tell her you're here Edward." Jacob stated simply. Edward only shook his head. "Why not?!" He whispered and yelled at the telepath. "You've seen the state she's in damnit! She needs you. She needs your family. What the hell is going on with Alice anyway?" Jacob asked clearly frustrated. Edward only shook his head and refused to answer. He smiled however when he hear Jacob's thoughts. 'Stupid, mind reading vampire; I hate you.' Of course the smile faded when Edward heard Bella whimpering in her sleep.

A slight ring went off in Edward's pocket a moment later. It was a text from Carlisle. 'Status Report son; none of us have heard from you in a few days and everyone's worried. We need to hear from you soon. Send me a reply message or call us when you get a chance.' Edward hit the reply button and gave his apologies to the family for making them worry and also gave hit a status report on Bella. To say she was in a weakened state was putting it mildly. Once he sent the message, it only took a few moments for him to see his fathers' response. 'I can't imagine what she's going through. We need to get this mess sorted out with Aro as soon as possible. Hopefully we can get an audience with him soon.' Edward sent his agreements and promised he would call soon knowing Esme must be up a wall with worry at this point.

"ALICE!" Both boys heard from down on the ground. Jacob and Edward jumped into action and went to Bella's side instantly. The sleeping girl was clutching to her wrist where James had bitten her not too long ago. She was thrashing around and her breathing and heartbeat became very erratic. Tears came to Jacobs eyes as he watched over his friend. He looked over to Edward who didn't seem to be faring too well either. He moved closer to the boy and saw that he too was in fact crying actual tears. To his knowledge, Jake knew that vampires did not cry. So why was Edward crying if they were unable to produce tears? This was strange indeed. "I need to go." Edward said with his voice cracking. "And what would you like me to do?" Jake whispered once again frustrated. "Tell her that she's not alone as she believes. Be there for her and be vigilant for Victoria. We don't know when she will come back." Jake only nodded and went to Bella's bedside as Edward took his leave out the bedroom window. "Damn Bloodsuckers better get their shit straightened out soon." He grumbled.

A few moments later, Edward arrives home and begins pacing around the empty living room. He begins to thread his fingers through his perfect hair while thinking of what to do now. After hearing Bella whimper and scream in her sleep, the boy decided that enough was enough. He had to tell Bella he was here. That at least one of the Cullen's was back in Forks watching over her. Edward thought about calling Carlisle and asking him what to do and that's just what he did.

He dialed the cell phone number he knew by heart and waited only moments before he heard his fathers voice. "Hello Edward. Whats going on?" Edward thought about how to tell the man what he had witnessed, but after a moment he decided to just come out with it. "Bella is in a really bad emotional state Carlisle. I've heard stories of Bella's nightmares from Jacob and it doesn't sound good. I...I heard her whimper and scream Alice's name in her sleep." The other line went silent for a moment before the boy heard Esme gasp. Edward knew that his mother felt a maternal instinct toward the human girl as well. "She's fine physically but mentally she feels a bit unstable. I'm sure if Jasper were here he would feel the raging emotions inside of Bella now." Edward could almost see Carlisle nodding his head. " She's physically fine now, as I had mentioned, but I'm sure she won't for much longer if I don't reveal my presence to her." Carlisle sighed before replying. Edward was sure the man was overcome with emotion and Esme had tears in her eyes. "Alright Edward. Talk to her tomorrow. The girl needs her sleep. But I want you to pick her up in the morning or at least ride with her to school. We need to make sure she doesn't do anything rash alright?"

Edward nodded and replied. "Yes father. I will do as you say." Then he hung up. The boy sounded almost relieved to hear that he could meet with Bella. He knew for some reason that she was going to do something drastic soon. He wasn't sure if she was going to hurt herself or do something to find a thrill, to find a feeling other than pain and sorrow. Yes now was the time to reveal his presence. Now was the time to tell her she wasn't alone. Edward would wait until morning, after he hunted, and then he would go to her. He sent a quick text to his wife that everything would be fine. Edward would make sure his sisters mate was safe.