13. Plans
"That had to be the longest party in the history of the world," Bella complained on our way back to her house.
I couldn't argue with that. It had dragged on rather painfully. "It's over now," I said, rubbing her arm soothingly.
She was the only one who needed soothing now. My entire family had perked up at the news of Jacob's pack fighting with us. Bella was the only one who was still worried. Worried for her friends. Alice had reached up to pat Bella's head when we left, while Jasper had used his gift to try to calm her. Emmett, trying to lighten the mood, had asked Bella why she was the only one who was allowed to fight with werewolves. And Esme had kissed her forehead and promised that everything would be all right. Now I was trying to convince her that everything would be fine. I really believed that it would be.
"You're taking me with you tonight," Bella demanded.
"Bella, you're worn out," I protested. I didn't like the idea of her watching us fighting, and if fighting erupted between us and the wolves…well, I definitely didn't want her in the middle of that. We still didn't know for sure if this alliance would work.
"You think I could sleep?"
I frowned. She was right; she was way too keyed up to sleep. "This is an experiment," I told her. "I'm not sure if it will be possible for us all to…cooperate. I don't want you in the middle of that."
"If you won't take me, then I'll call Jacob," she threatened.
I narrowed my eyes at her. She knew that was a low blow. But I couldn't find words to express my feelings, my doubt. Every second, I doubted her affection more and more. Everything she did seemed to assure Jacob of her feelings for him. And, because I couldn't read her mind, I couldn't know whether those feelings were of merely friendship, whether she felt kinship with him as she claimed, or whether she was in love with him and only staying with me because she was afraid of hurting my feelings.
"See you upstairs," she muttered when we got to her house.
I sprang lightly up the tree and in her window. I listened with amusement as she moved Charlie from the couch to his bed. Then I waited while she changed into a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, watching her unhappily as she hung the outfit Alice had given her in the closet. I still didn't want her to come with me tonight. She was about to lose it as it was. Seeing us practice would only make it more real and more terrifying to her.
"Come here," she said, taking my hand and pulling me to the bed. She pushed me onto the bed and then curled up against my chest.
I sighed with relief as I tucked her quilt around her so she wouldn't get cold and held her close. All was right again. She was here in my arms. For now, at least, it seemed like she wanted me. That was enough.
"Please relax," I said soothingly.
"Sure," she muttered.
"This is going to work, Bella. I can feel it."
She clenched her teeth. Her heart was racing at a million miles a minute. She was going to have heart failure if she didn't calm down.
"Listen to me, Bella," I begged. "This is going to be easy. The newborns will be completely taken by surprise. They'll have no more idea that werewolves even exist than you did. I've seen how they act in a group, the way Jasper remembers. I truly believe that the wolves' hunting techniques will work flawlessly against them. And with them divided and confused, there won't be enough for the rest of us to do. Someone may have to sit out," I finished in a teasing tone.
"Piece of cake," she mumbled in a monotone.
"Shh," I murmured, stroking her cheek. "You'll see. Don't worry now." I started humming her lullaby, but, for once, her heart rate didn't slow. It didn't calm her.
My poor Bella. Why couldn't the world of mythical creatures just leave her alone? What had she ever done to harm anyone in it? She didn't deserve this. Every member of my family, even Rosalie, was more than willing to risk their lives to protect her. And every member of the wolf pack, too. But she hated it. She couldn't stand that someone might die or get seriously injured because of her.
I hated leaving her when she was already so anxious. I was seriously considering sitting out, but I couldn't abandon my family and leave them without my help. And, if I were honest with myself, I had to admit that I wanted to fight these vampires who wanted to hurt my Bella. I wanted to finish it with my own hands this time.
Bella was still very much awake when I pulled us both up into a sitting position.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay and sleep?" I tried again. As tense as she was now, I definitely didn't want her there, seeing Jasper instruct us in how to fight the newborns.
She grimaced at me.
I sighed and took her in my arms, then jumped from the window.
I wanted to calm her down, so I used my excitement at the prospect of a fighting lesson to fuel the run. I ran the way I did when it was just Bella and me, when I ran just for the feel of the wind in my hair. Since she'd taken to riding motorcycles, she'd grown to love riding on my back while I ran. But tonight, it didn't calm her. Nothing would calm her.
When we got to the field, everyone was relaxed, except for Alice. Since the wolves were coming, she couldn't see, and that made her uncomfortable.
"You know what I think?" Bella asked.
I laughed. Of course I didn't know what she was thinking. "No. What do you think?"
"I think it's all connected. Not just the two, but all three."
"You've lost me," I told her, seriously confused.
"Three bad things have happened since you came back." She ticked them off on her fingers as she spoke. "The newborns in Seattle. The stranger in my room. And—first of all—Victoria came to look for me."
I narrowed my eyes in concentration. Was it possible that Victoria was behind the newborn army? Perhaps. "Why do you think so?" I asked.
"Because I agree with Jasper—the Volturi love their rules. They would probably do a better job anyway."
I tensed. She was right. If the Volturi wanted Bella dead, she would be dead by now.
"Remember when you were tracking Victoria last year?" she asked.
"Yes." I frowned at the memory of that horrible time in my life. I'd been the worst tracker in the history of the world, and I'd been grieving for my lost love. "I wasn't very good at it."
"Alice said you were in Texas. Did you follow her there?"
I furrowed my brow. Texas. The south. Where vampires created armies. "Yes. Hmm…"
"See—she could have gotten the idea there. But she doesn't know what she's doing, so the newborns are all out of control."
And then I remembered. Maria had lied to us about Victoria's whereabouts. Could Victoria have met Maria? If so, she would certainly have seen newborn armies in action, and probably would have been intrigued at the prospect. It was very plausible. There was something wrong with this, though. The fact that someone knew how to mess with Alice's visions.
I started shaking my head before she finished. "Only Aro knows exactly how Alice's visions work."
"Aro would know best, but wouldn't Tanya and Irina and the rest of your friends in Denali know enough?" she pressed. "Laurent lived with them for so long. And if he was still friendly enough with Victoria to be doing favors for her, why wouldn't he also tell her everything he knew?"
I frowned. She was right. He had probably told her everything he knew before we even started tracking her. Why else wouldn't Alice have been able to see her when we had been tracking her? But I hadn't recognized the scent of whoever was in Bella's room. "It wasn't Victoria in your room," I told her.
"She can't make new friends? Think about it, Edward. If it is Victoria doing this in Seattle, she's made a lot of new friends. She's created them."
I considered this. No fresh-made newborn left Charlie alive, but what if Victoria had created someone several months ago? Someone to assist her with the army. She could have sent that vampire to do her reconnaissance work.
"Hmm," I said after a minute of consideration. "It's possible. I still think the Volturi are the most likely…But your theory—there's something there. Victoria's personality. Your theory suits her personality perfectly. She's show a remarkable gift for self-preservation from the start—maybe it's a talent of hers. In any case, this plot would put her in no danger at all from us, if she sits safely behind and lets the newborns wreak their havoc here. And maybe little danger from the Volturi, either. Perhaps she's counting on us to win, in the end, though certainly not without heavy casualties of our own. But no survivors from her little army to bear witness against her. In fact, if there were survivors, I'd bet she'd be planning to destroy them herself…Hmm. Still, she'd have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature. No fresh-made newborn left your father alive…Definitely possible. Regardless, we've got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure. You're very perceptive today," I told Bella. "It's impressive."
She sighed. "Maybe I'm just reacting to this place. It makes me feel like she's close by…like she sees me now."
I clenched my jaw. What I wouldn't give for her to be right here, so I could kill her myself. "She'll never touch you, Bella," I vowed, but in spite of my words, I swept my eyes across the field, just to be certain. I bared my teeth, almost hoping that she would be there. "Yet, what I wouldn't give to have her that close," I murmured. "Victoria, and anyone else who's ever thought of hurting you. To have the chance to end this myself. To finish it with my own hands this time."
Bella shuddered and tightened her hand around mine. "Is something wrong with Alice?" she asked as we got closer to my family.
I chuckled. "The werewolves are on their way, so she can't see anything that will happen now. It makes her uncomfortable to be blind."
Alice heard me. She stuck her tongue out at me. I laughed again.
"Hey, Edward," Emmett greeted me when we reached the others. "Hey, Bella. Is he going to let you practice, too?"
I groaned. "Please, Emmett, don't give her any ideas."
"When will our guests arrive?" Carlisle asked me.
I concentrated for a moment, trying to hear their thoughts. They were a minute and a half out, and they were coming in their wolf forms. They didn't trust us enough to use their human forms. "A minute and a half," I told Carlisle. "But I'm going to have to translate. They don't trust us enough to use their human forms."
Carlisle nodded. "This is hard for them. I'm grateful they're coming at all."
So was I. I was very grateful that they were willing to protect my Bella. Right now, I was a little glad that Jacob was in love with her.
Bella stared at me with wide eyes. "They're coming as wolves?"
I nodded, trying to decipher her mood. She swallowed loudly.
Then, I noticed something else. I was listening to much more than six minds.
"Prepare yourselves—they've been holding out on us," I told my family.
"What do you mean?" Alice asked.
"Shh," I said, staring past my sister in the direction the wolves were coming from.
"Damn," Emmett muttered under his breath. "Did you ever see anything like it?"
Esme and Rosalie exchanged a wide-eyed glance.
"What is it?" Bella whispered. "I can't see."
I leaned down to whisper in her ear. "The pack has grown."
Ten werewolves appeared in the clearing, all but one of them apprehensive. Jacob knew we wouldn't try to kill him.
"Fascinating," I muttered under my breath.
"Welcome," Carlisle greeted them, walking forward.
"Thank you," I replied for Sam. "We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control."
"That is more than enough," Carlisle told Sam. "My son Jasper"—he gestured toward Jasper—"has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style."
"They are different from you?" I asked for Sam.
Carlisle nodded. "They are all very new—only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you—it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves."
The wolves were all excited about the prospect of fighting the newborns, especially since the newborns might do part of the job for them.
"We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary," I translated.
Carlisle smiled warmly at Sam. "We'll see how it plays out."
"Do you know when and how they'll arrive?"
"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path."
"Thank you for the information," I replied for Sam. "We will watch."
The wolves sighed as they lay down to watch Jasper's lesson.
Jasper hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the empty space between us and the wolves. He threw a wary glance at me. Is it safe for me to have my back to them, bro?
I nodded. The wolves were not going to fight us tonight.
"Carlisle's right," Jasper said, speaking only to us and trying to ignore the wolves behind him. "They'll fight like children. The two most important things you'll need to remember are, first, don't let them get their arms around you, and, second, don't go for the obvious kill. That's all they'll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they'll be too confused to respond effectively. Emmett?"
Emmett grinned as he stepped forward. He was just as excited about this as I was.
Jasper backed toward the north end of the opening, waving Emmett forward.
"Okay, Emmett first. He's the best example of a newborn attack."
Emmett narrowed his eyes, a bit angry at Jasper's assessment. "I'll try not to break anything," he muttered.
Jasper grinned. "What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about the attack. The newborns won't be trying anything subtle, either. Just go for the easy kill, Emmett." He backed up a few paces, tensing himself for the attack. "Okay, Emmett—try to catch me."
Emmett charged Jasper like a bear, grinning as he snarled. He was enjoying himself immensely. He was fast, no doubt, but Jasper was faster, weaving in and out of Emmett's attacks with ease. I studied the attack intensely, taking in everything. Suddenly, Jasper caught Emmett from behind.
Emmett muttered a few expletives, while the wolves rumbled in appreciation. They were concentrating just as hard as I was, fascinated by Jasper's lesson.
"Again," Emmett insisted. He didn't like losing, even though he knew that was the point.
"It's my turn," I protested. I was eager to practice, hoping to get some of this irrational longing to fight out of my system. Maybe if I weren't so eager to fight, it might calm Bella down a bit.
Jasper grinned. "In a minute. I want to show Bella something first," he said, waving Alice into the ring. "I know you worry about her," he said to Bella. "I want to show you why that's not necessary."
Jasper sprang at Alice, but she moved quickly, almost too quickly to notice, anticipating his movements before he made them. It almost looked like a well-choreographed dance, with Alice's swirling motions and Jasper lunging toward her, missing her by inches each time. Suddenly, without warning, she was perched on his back, her lips at his neck.
"Gotcha," Alice said, kissing Jasper's throat.
Jasper chuckled and shook his head. "You truly are one frightening little monster," he teased.
The wolves were wary now, seeing Alice's relationship with Jasper.
"It's good for them to learn some respect," I murmured quietly, amused. Then I spoke louder. "My turn," I insisted, squeezing Bella's hand before letting it go.
I heard Alice talking to Bella as Jasper and I began. "Cool, huh?"
"Very," Bella said. It didn't sound like cool would have been Bella's word of choice to describe this.
"I've got my eye on you, Bella," Alice said quietly. "I'll warn him if your plans get any more defined. It doesn't help anything for you to put yourself in danger. Do you think either of them would give up if you died? They'd still fight, we all would. You can't change anything, so just be good, okay?"
I panicked as I closed in on Jasper. Was Bella planning on doing something stupid in some misguided attempt to save me or Jacob? I couldn't allow it. I wouldn't allow it.
Bella didn't answer.
"I'm watching," Alice repeated.
Well, at least Alice would warn me if Bella was going to do something stupid. I sighed and continued my match with Jasper. Jasper had the century of experience to guide him, and tried to go on instinct alone as much as possible, but I always read his intentions a second before, giving me time to defend myself. I was faster, but the moves Jasper used were unfamiliar to me. We came at each other again and again, neither of us able to gain an advantage. We snarled at each other, as if we were actually fighting. After about five minutes, Carlisle cleared his throat.
Jasper laughed, taking a step back. I grinned at my brother as I straightened up.
"Back to work," Jasper said. "We'll call it a draw."
I headed back to Bella and took my place on her other side, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. I could tell the fatigue was getting the best of her.
Everyone took turns fighting with Jasper before he slowed down, giving more instruction.
"You see what I'm doing here?" he asked as he fought with Emmett.
"Yes, just like that," he encouraged Rosalie.
"Concentrate on the sides," he told Esme. "Don't forget where their target will be. Keep moving."
I watched and listened intently to everything, but I didn't fight again. I stayed with my love, who was about to fall asleep standing up. She leaned against my side, and I supported all of her weight.
"We're about finished," I murmured to her.
"We'll be doing this tomorrow," Jasper told the wolves, facing them for the first time. "Please feel welcome to observe again."
"Yes," I answered for Sam. "We'll be here."
It would be helpful for us to be familiar with your family's scents, so we don't make mistakes later, Sam told me. If you could all be very still, it will make it easier for us.
I sighed and stepped away from Bella, turning toward my family. "The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents—so they don't make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it will make it easier for them."
"Certainly," Carlisle said to Sam. "Whatever you need."
The wolves grumbled in disgust as they rose to their feet to sniff us. Bella watched them with wide eyes. I watched her carefully, evaluating her reaction. I knew she wasn't scared of the wolves. That wasn't what I was worried about. I was more interested in her reaction to Jacob. She'd figured out which wolf was Jacob, and I wanted to know what she would do.
I got my answer soon enough. Jacob turned toward her and bared his teeth in a grin. It would have been a frightening expression, except that his tongue lolled out to the side, making it look silly rather than menacing.
Bella giggled.
Jacob's grin widened as he left the pack and trotted over to Bella. I focused more intently now.
Jacob stopped about a foot away from Bella, crouching down so that his head was on the same level with hers.
"Jacob?" Bella whispered.
Jacob chuckled a wolfy chuckle.
Bella reached out and started stroking Jacob's head, as if she were petting a house dog. Jacob closed his eyes and hummed in contentment. He was enjoying this immensely. Bella moved closer to him, and almost without warning, Jacob licked her face from chin to hairline.
"Ew! Gross, Jake!" Bella complained, jumping back and smacking at him. He dodged out of the way and barked a laugh. Bella wiped her face on the sleeve of her shirt, laughing with him.
I was on edge now. That lick would have been a kiss if Jacob had been in his human form. How would Bella have responded if it had been?
Everyone in my family was a little uncomfortable with Bella's reaction, except for Carlisle.
Calm down, son. He's her friend. She still loves you, he thought, trying to comfort me.
Give it a rest, bloodsucker. I seem to remember promising I wouldn't try anything today. I was just messing around, Jacob thought.
Jacob stayed in the clearing as the rest of the pack left, not taking their eyes off of us as they backed away into the trees. Only Quil and Embry stayed, anxiously waiting for Jacob.
Ignoring the dog, I went to Bella's other side and took her hand. "Ready to go?" I asked.
What are you planning on doing with Bella during the fight? Jacob asked before she could respond.
"I've not quite figured out all the details yet," I told him.
What, you don't know how to protect her? Then keep her close by and I'll protect her. Jacob grumbled.
"It's more complicated than that," I told him. "Don't concern yourself; I'll make sure it's safe."
"What are you talking about?" Bella demanded.
"Just discussing strategy," I said.
If you won't tell her what this is really about, I will. She deserves to know. I'll be back. I want to be able to talk for myself. Jacob ran off into the woods to phase.
"Wait," Bella called. "Why did he leave?" she asked me.
I couldn't keep the irrational jealousy from taking over my thoughts, but I fought to keep it out of my voice. "He'll be back," I told her, sighing. "He wants to be able to talk for himself."
She leaned into my side again, and I knew she was about to collapse in exhaustion. I pulled her closer, hoping to silence the jealous voice in my head by having her in my arms.
Jacob loped back toward us, clearing the distance in about three seconds. "Okay, bloodsucker," he demanded. "What's so complicated about it?"
"I have to consider every possibility," I told him. "What if someone gets by you?"
Jacob snorted. I can take them. "Okay, so leave her on the reservation. We're making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. She'll be safe there."
Bella scowled. "Are you talking about me?" she demanded.
"I just want to know what he plans to do with you during the fight," Jacob told her.
"Do with me?"
"You can't stay in Forks, Bella," I said, trying to calm her. "They know where to look for you there. What if someone slipped by us?"
"Charlie?" she suddenly gasped.
"He'll be with Billy," Jacob assured her. "If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there, he'll do it. Probably it won't take that much. It's this Saturday, right? There's a game."
"This Saturday?" Bella asked. She turned to me. "Well, crap! There goes your graduation present."
I laughed. She would be thinking about that. "It's the thought that counts," I reminded her. "You can give the tickets to someone else."
She thought for a moment. "Angela and Ben," she said. "At least that will get them out of town."
I touched her cheek softly. "You can't evacuate everyone," I said gently. "Hiding you is just a precaution. I told you—we'll have no problem now. There won't be enough of them to keep us entertained."
"But what about keeping her in La Push?" Jacob pressed.
"She's been back and forth too much," I told him. "She's left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he"—I paused to look at Bella, remembering her theory—"or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to look himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that. I can't leave her somewhere she's been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It's a very long shot, but I'm not taking chances."
Bella stared wide-eyed at me, obviously terrified again.
I patted her arm. "Just being overcautious," I promised her.
Jacob gestured toward the forest and the mountains. "So hide her here," he suggested. "There's a million possibilities—places either one of us could be in just a few minutes if there's a need."
I shook my head. "Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella's scent, it would catch their attention. We're not sure exactly which path they'll take, because they don't know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us…"
Jacob and I grimaced at the same time, neither of us wanting to say or even think of what would happen.
"You see the difficulties," I told him.
"There has to be a way to make it work," Jacob muttered, glaring toward the forest, pursing his lips.
Bella swayed on her feet. I put my arm around her waist, pulling her closer, supporting her weight so she wouldn't fall. And when I did that, once again, the world was right. All of my jealousy faded away.
"I need to get you home—you're exhausted," I told her. "And Charlie will be waking up soon…"
"Wait a sec," Jacob said, wheeling around to face us with bright eyes. "My scent disgusts you, right?" So let me carry her to wherever you want to hide her. Maybe my scent will obscure hers enough that they won't be able to tell. Why don't we try it right now?
"Hmm, not bad," I said. "It's possible." I turned to my family. "Jasper?"
Jasper looked up curiously and walked over, Alice half a step behind him.
"Okay, Jacob," I said, nodding at him. I didn't like the idea of Jacob carrying Bella, but I couldn't deny his logic.
Jacob turned toward Bella, holding his arms out to her. She looked wary. Good, she didn't want to go to him.
I took a deep breath.
"We're going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail," Jacob told her.
Bella stared at his open arms suspiciously.
"You're going to have to let him carry you, Bella," I said, trying to keep my voice calm in spite of my jealousy and revulsion.
Bella frowned. I was glad. She didn't like this idea.
Jacob rolled his eyes and yanked Bella up into his arms. "Don't be such a baby," he muttered. His eyes flickered to me. Oh, cool it. You can't deny the logic here.
I spoke to Jasper, trying to ignore Jacob. "Bella's scent is so much more potent to me—I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried," I explained.
Jacob turned from us and walked into the woods. He was enjoying the moment with Bella a little more than I liked. I wished desperately that I could read her thoughts so I would know what her reaction to him was.
He was back in just a few minutes, and I was waiting for them about fifty yards from their original departure point. Jacob headed toward me.
"You can put me down now," Bella told him.
"I don't want to take a chance of messing up the experiment," he said. And I'm enjoying this moment. He slowed down and tightened his arms around her.
I fought to keep the growl that was building in my chest from breaking free. How dare he do that? Especially when I was standing right there watching.
"You are so annoying," Bella muttered.
Good, she didn't like this, either.
"Thanks," Jacob said sarcastically.
Jasper and Alice came to stand beside me as Jacob set Bella down. Without even glancing at Jacob, Bella walked back to me and took my hand. I sighed in relief.
"Well?" Bella asked.
"As long as you don't touch anything, Bella, I can't imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to that trail to catch your scent," Jasper said, grimacing at the scent of werewolf. "It was almost completely obscured."
"A definite success," Alice agreed, wrinkling her nose.
"And it gave me an idea," Jasper added. Bella can leave a false trail to the clearing and then Jacob can carry her up to your meadow. It's far enough away that they won't go looking for her, and maybe it will calm her down a little bit to be there.
"Which will work," Alice added.
"Clever," I agreed.
"How do you stand that?" Jacob muttered to Bella.
I ignored Jacob as I looked at my love to explain. "We're—well, you're—going to leave a false trail to the clearing, Bella. The newborns are hunting, your scent will excite them, and they'll come exactly the way we want them to without being careful about it. Alice can already see that this will work. When they catch our scent, they'll split up and try to come at us from two sides. Half will go through the forest, where her vision suddenly disappears…"
"Yes!" Jacob hissed, excited.
I smiled at him, a smile of comradeship. At least he was on my side, the side of protecting Bella. That was what mattered.
If Bella were in the clearing, the newborns would go insane. It would make picking them off truly easy, Jasper thought.
"Not a chance," I told him, disgusted. How could Jasper think like that?
"I know, I know," Jasper said. "I didn't even consider it, not really." You think I would actually put Bella in that kind of danger, bro? She's like my sister.
Alice stepped on Jasper's foot, angry that he was keeping his thoughts to himself.
"If Bella were actually there in the clearing, it would drive them insane," he explained. "They wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but her. It would make picking them off truly easy…Of course it's too dangerous for her. It was just an errant thought." But he glanced wistfully at Bella. If you and Jacob both protected her, made sure that no one hurt her, it might work…
"No," I told him.
"You're right," Jasper said. I'm sorry, bro. I was letting my military instincts get the best of me. Of course it's too dangerous for Bella. He turned to Alice. "Best two out of three?" he asked, taking her hand as they went back to the field.
Jacob stared after him. How could you even think that, you filthy bloodsucker?
"Jasper looks at things from a military perspective," I said, defending my brother. "He looks at all the options—it's thoroughness, not callousness."
Jacob snorted. Right. He edged closer to us, drawn by his absorption in the planning.
"I'll bring her back here Friday afternoon to lay the false trail. You can meet us afterward, and carry her to a place I know. Completely out of the way, and easily defensible, not that it will come to that. I'll take another route there." I loved Jasper's idea of our meadow. Maybe being there would help calm Bella down. And I could at least stay with her there on Friday night and try to reassure her.
"And then what?" Jacob asked. "Leave her with a cell phone?"
"You have a better idea?"
Jacob smiled smugly. "Actually, I do." We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with Collin and Brady, but he's insisting on helping us. So he can stay with Bella. That way she'll be protected if anyone happens to find her, and as long as he's in his wolf form, he'll be connected to the pack and able to tell what's going on.
"Oh," I said. "Again, dog, not bad at all."
Jacob turned to explain to Bella. "We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two. He's still too young, but he's stubborn and he's resisting. So I thought of a new assignment for him—cell phone."
Bella tried to look like she got it, but neither Jacob nor I was fooled.
"As long as Seth Clearwater is in his wolf form, he'll be connected to the pack," I explained. "Distance isn't a problem?" I asked Jacob.
"Nope." We've gone up to three hundred miles to experiment. Still clear as a bell.
"Three hundred miles?" I asked. "That's impressive."
"That's the farthest we've ever gone to experiment," Jacob explained to Bella. "Still clear as a bell."
Bella nodded, but I could tell she was exhausted and still frightened. I tightened my arm around her.
"It's a good idea," I admitted reluctantly. I didn't like the idea of trusting werewolves with my angel's safety, but I had to be with my family to help fight, and I had to admit that a werewolf would do a good job of protecting her. "I'll feel better with Seth there, even without the instantaneous communication. I don't know if I'd be able to leave Bella there alone. To think it's come to this, though! Trusting werewolves!" I exclaimed, disgusted.
"Fighting with vampires instead of against them!" Jacob said, the same disgust in his voice.
"Well, you still get to fight against some of them," I said.
Jacob smiled. "That's the reason we're here." That and keeping Bella safe.