Chapter Fourteen

Bella

When I saw Alice the next day, again she'd been missing when it was sunny, she noticed I was preoccupied and asked me about it. I told her about my aunts death but I don't think she believed that was what I was preoccupied about. She didn't push it and at the end of the day she left with Emmett and Rosalie. Jasper had been absent for some reason and I missed him, his quiet presence seemed somehow soothing. When I got home Jake was there but so was Alice although how she'd got to my place before me when I saw her drive off in the opposite direction I had no idea. Jake looked thunderous and she didn't look much happier so I got out and walked over to where they stood facing each other. I could hear the whispered conversation,

"We aren't any danger to her it was you and your damn pack of dogs"

Jake was visibly shaking with rage and I got between them before he hit her or something.

"What's wrong? How did you get here so quickly Alice?"

"Yeah good question Bells. I came to invite you to the Res this evening. We're having a barbecue and Charlie's already on his way. He was hoping you'd join him."

Dad rarely asked anything of me so I felt I should make the effort. I nodded and Alice took my arm,

"I really don't think you should go Bella."

"Why? Look I know there's something going on between the Cullens and the Quileutes but dad is there so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow Alice for a study session. She looked unhappy and very disturbed but after a last look at Jake she turned to me.

"Be careful Bella. Don't go into the woods please."

"After the last time? Don't worry Alice I won't, I promise."

She nodded frowning then walked off into the trees herself.

"She's not only dangerous she's crazy too Bells, see I told you."

I glared at Jake and went up the steps to the house,

"Just shut up Jake. Wait here while I get changed."

I went upstairs wishing I'd said no to the barbecue now. Jake was acting very strangely about the Cullens and I was already spooked by the conversation with my aunt. When I came downstairs Jake was standing there just as I'd left him so I couldn't help a dig as I walked past,

"Good doggie, now come"

Behind my back I heard a growl which made me jump but when I turned again Jake was still there, looking angry, really angry and it scared me a little so I thought I'd better apologise, this was going to be a fun evening!

Alice

I'd seen the Quileutes invitation to Charlie and knew it included Bella too and that unsettled me so I got there ahead of Bella hoping to change her mind about going. I had no success and without compromising both the wolves and ourselves there was little I could do but accept her decision. As soon as I got home I went to find Jazz to talk to him about my feelings but he wasn't in our room or downstairs. When I asked Carlisle he scowled so I knew Jazz had been out on his motorbike, that always put our "father" in a bad mood. I found Jasper in the garage talking to Rose about his suspension or something so I waited. I didn't want to bring Bella up in conversation with Rose there or she'd only start and I really didn't need to hear her thoughts on Bella right now. When they finished I grabbed Jasper's arm and pulled him outside,

"Lets go for a walk Jazz"

He knew what that meant, I wanted to talk in private so he threw his motorbike leathers into the hall and we ran into the woods hand in hand. For a while we just ran in silence, until we reached our favourite conversation spot at the head of a small waterfall.

"What's the matter Alice?"

I put my head on his shoulder and sighed,

"Its Bella. I'm worried about her. You heard about the wolf attack on her friend"

"I thought she hadn't been attacked."

"You know what I mean, she almost was. There is a rogue in the pack and he's dangerous Jazz. I think he's on the loose again and I'm worried because Bella is going to a barbecue on the Res tonight. What if she gets attacked?"

"Alice if she's on the Res the rest of the pack will be there. Besides we can't act inside the treaty line. I'm sure Bella will be OK."

"I hope so because I think there's something very special about her. It just wont come clear and that annoys the hell out of me."

"You still can't see her? Maybe Carlisle's right, maybe she has a latent gift or something. Now stop worrying."

I turned until I could look into Jasper's face,

"I was given a task to undertake Jasper and its my guess you were too. I think Bella is a part of that. Of this big picture we aren't seeing yet or at least I'm not. I think you know a lot more than you tell me."

I felt his muscles tense under my hand,

"You think Bella is involved in the task?"

"So you do have one too? I knew it. You aren't going to tell me are you?"

He shook his head and stroked my cheek,

"No Alice I'm not, but please don't worry about Bella. If she were the one I'm looking for I would know, trust me."

I thought about this,

"How would you know?"

"There's a sign I'm waiting for Alice now please don't ask any more questions but if it will make you happy I can patrol the treaty line between Forks and the village."

Well it was better than nothing but I still had a nasty feeling in my bones that tonight there would be trouble.

Bella

We didn't speak on the way to the Res and Jake slowly calmed down, the way he had looked he needed anger management classes! Pulling up outside Billy's cabin I got out ignoring my passenger and ran inside to find dad and Billy already with a beer in their hands discussing the next fishing trip which was coming up in a few days time. What they saw in fishing I couldn't understand, it seemed a waste of time to me but then what did I know? They both looked pleased to see me and I was soon sent over to Emily's to help with the catering. I'd met Emily a couple of times, a very pretty girl until she turned and you saw the huge scars that ran down her face on one side. She had been attacked some time ago by a bear but miraculously it hadn't finished the attack and killed her but run off. Her fiancé Sam Uley who seemed to be a leader of some sort adored her and didn't seem to notice them at all. With her was another girl I'd only met once, Leah Clearwater, Harry's daughter. If there was a face that could sour milk it was hers. Leah was unhappy and let everyone know about it. I didn't know what upset her but I knew my presence didn't help and when talking to Emily I let slip that my study partner was Alice Cullen. Leah almost choked on her spite but I tried to ignore the things she said about the Cullens letting her rage on until she finally ran out of steam, she was obviously reading from the same script Jake had! When she went quiet I couldn't help a quiet,

"So you aren't a fan of the Cullens then?"

Emily looked concerned but Leah turned on her heels and strode out swearing under her breath. Although I asked Emily what her problem was I never got anywhere. Like Jake it was all very nebulous and secret and it just pissed me off so I dropped the subject. Once the food was done we took it outside to the huge barbecue pit and started the steaks, sausages and burgers cooking at one end while the fish went the other. The salads and desserts, bread, and condiments were all on a huge trestle table to one side of the pit. I'd never seen so much food, surely there would be way too much but when I pointed this out to Emily she just laughed.

"You haven't seen the appetite on some of the guys" and she was right.

I couldn't believe the amount of food the younger guys packed away. By the time they'd finished all that remained were a few burned sausages and some stale bread, I was amazed. Then the guys brought out a CD player and started dancing with the girls who all seemed eager to be chosen as partners. Jake hauled me to my feet despite my resistance and I was forced onto the "dance floor". Charlie looked on but didn't try to help me and that made me mad. I thought he could see I wasn't happy but he didn't tell Jake to ease off so after two dances I managed to struggle free and stormed off in the direction of the forest fuming. It wasn't until I stopped a few minutes later I realised just how quiet it was. I could no longer hear the music or voices from the village and I looked around concerned.

Then suddenly I felt I was being watched.

"Not funny Jake. Get out here and take me back."

He didn't answer and I started to panic as I heard twigs snap under the weight of whatever was out there. I ran, not knowing which way I was headed, but hoping to outrun whatever was following me. I tripped on a tree root and crashed to the ground hitting my head and making myself feel sick and dizzy. Looking up I saw a huge wolf spring onto the track ahead of me its tongue out and its teeth flashing white in the moonlight. As I tried to struggle back to my feet knowing I didn't have a chance in hell of beating the beast to safety I heard more sounds. This time when I looked up I saw a figure wrestling the wolf and it seemed to be doing well so I lurched to my feet turned and ran back in the direction I'd come hoping to make it to safety before the wolf killed my saviour.