TANYA POV
I have no idea how long we just stood there looking at each other but I didn't care. I just looked at him, taking in his features. His high cheek bones, his jaw line, his wavy hair, his bronze skin, his full lips.
Mmm.
Down girl.
The most striking part of his face is his eyes which were the most gorgeous shade of green that I've ever seen. He blinked a few times before he shook his head and smiled shyly. He walked over and stuck his hand out.
"Hi." He murmured. "I'm Thomas."
I took his hand and shook it. The second our hands touched I felt an electric spark. We both gasped a little and looked at each other. I was surprised by how hot he was. His body heat was practically scalding.
"Tanya, why are you holding hands with that dog?" I heard my annoying sister Kate ask. I turned to give her an irritated look.
"This dog is my mate." I snapped as I moved closer to Thomas. My shoulder brushed against his arm. "I've felt the pull towards him at Bella and Edward's wedding."
"Is this why you've been miserable? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Yes and I didn't say anything because I didn't want to upset Irina." I turned to her and frowned. She was looking at the third wolf who was just staring at her. I felt Thomas tense up. I looked at his face and he was staring at the two of them with wide eyes.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"I'm not sure." He said. "Embry, you alright bro?"
The wolf in question just nodded mutely without taking his eyes off of my sister.
"Thomas I think you need to tell everyone who doesn't know what happened the story." Edward said. "That way they can get a better understanding of the situation."
He shot Edward a grateful look and cleared his throat.
"A few days ago, a few lower members of the guard were in forks." He said. "Bella, Renesmee, and Jacob were hunting and one of their members saw them."
"Why were they here?" Eleazar asked.
"To check on Bella. To make sure that Edward kept his promise."
He turned to Edward.
"Didn't you tell Aro that she was changed?"
"I did. She was going to visit them with Carlisle but then this happened."
"But why would Aro send all these people?"
"He didn't," Thomas said, bringing the attention back to him. "Jane was the one that sent them."
"And you know this how?" Eleazar asked.
"Can't you sense it? My gift?"
Eleazar frowned and stepped towards Thomas.
"May I hold your hand?" He asked and Thomas nodded. He reluctantly let go of my hand offered it to Eleazar. I frowned at the lack of contact between us.
After Eleazar grasped his hand, he frowned in concentration. He did this for a few moments before he spoke.
"I see." He said. "Your gift is similar to the one Alice has. There something more but I can't tell you what it is."
"Is that a bad thing?" Thomas asked sounding wary.
"I'm not sure." He said smiling. "But we'll cross that bridge when it comes. So you saw Jane sending this group here?"
"No. I saw her issuing a few tasks for this group." He explained. "She never said what they were, but she sent them to New York. I had a vision of a vampire named Ivan telling Jane that their task were almost complete."
"How long was the gap between this vision and when they showed up?"
"About a month."
"Who was in this group besides Ivan?"
"Gianna, Alexi, and Afton." He practically spat Afton's name. "Ivan had some business to attend to but the other three were here."
"And what happened?"
"Gianna was the one who saw the Renesmee. Emmett Jasper, myself and my packmate Leah tried to catch her." He said. "Afton and Alexi intercepted us and took us by surprise. After our little...scrap they ran away like cowards. We would've caught them but we lost their scents."
"Did they get to the highway or something?"
"No, one of them was blocking the others scents. I know it wasn't Afton but the other two I wasn't sure about."
"It must be Gianna," Eleazar said. "Alexi is nothing more than another vampire they have for their army. He does nothing special and is nothing special. Just another pawn."
"There's nothing we can do about it now," Edward said. "Alice gave us a month."
Me and Eleazar cocked our heads to the side while the others furrowed their brows.
"So long?" I asked.
"Their bringing everyone not just the guard." Edward said while clenching his teeth. "Aro, Marcus, Caius, even the wives."
"This is impossible." Eleazar murmured, mostly to himself.
"I would've said the samething a few days ago my friend."
"But that doesn't make any sense. Why would they put themselves and the wives in danger?"
"It doesn't make sense from that angle. Alice said there was more to this than just punishment for what they think we've done. She thought you could help us."
"What could be more than that?" Eleazar said as he started pacing.
"Besides the obvious?" Thomas asked. Eleazar stopped pacing to regard him.
"The obvious?"
"How many people in this room posses an ability?"
"Including me and you, six. Those two however," He glanced at the other wolves. "Have alot of potential."
"Potential for what?" The wolf standing by Bella said while narrowing his eyes.
Thomas murmured something in a language that I was not very familiar with. Whatever he said caused the other wolf's expression to soften.
"Forgive him Eleazar," Thomas said. "We're all a little on edge."
"That is understandable."
"Where are the others, Edward? Carlisle and Alice and the rest?" I asked.
"They went to get help." He said. "Gather some of our friends."
"No matter how many people you ask, we can only do one thing for you. And that is fight to the death."
"There will be no fight." Thomas said at the same time Edward said. "That's not what we're asking you to do."
"Then what?"
"We're just looking for witnesses. If we can make them pause, just for a moment. If they would let us explain..." He touched Renesmee's cheek. She grabbed his hand and held it pressed against her skin. "It's difficult to doubt our story when you see it for yourself."
"Is her past that important?"
"Only as it foreshadows her future. The point of the restriction was to protect us from exposure, from the excesses of children who could not be tamed."
"I am not a threat." Renesmee said. "I never hurt Grandpa or Sue or Billy. I love humans. And wolf-people like my Jacob." She dropped Edward's hand to reach back and pat Jacob's arm. The other wolves started snickering until Edward growled at them. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"If they didn't show up when they did, we could have avoided all of this." Thomas mused. "Renesmee grows at an accelerated rate. By the end of the month, she'll have gained at least six months worth of development."
"Well, that is something we can certainly witness," Carmen said in a decided tone. "We'll be able to promise that we've seen her mature ourselves. How could the Volturi ignore such evidence?"
"How indeed?" Eleazar mumbled as he started pacing again.
"Yes, we can witness for you," I said. "Certainly that much. We will consider what more we might do."
"We're not asking for anything more than that." Edward said shaking his head.
"If the Volturi won't pause to listen to our case, we cannot stand by," I insisted. "Of course, I can only speak for myself." I turned to Kate. "What do you say?"
"Do you doubt me so much sister? Do you doubt that I would do nothing?"
"Well it is a suicide mission afterall." I said with a shrug.
"I'm in." She said with a grin.
"I, too, will do what I can to protect the child," Carmen agreed. Then, as if she couldn't resist, she held her arms out toward Renesmee. "May I hold you, bebé linda?"
Renesmee eagerly went into her arms. Carmen told her she was easily the most beautiful child that she ever saw in spanish. I glanced at Irina who was looking shyly at the wolf named Embry. He smiled widely at her.
"Irina?" I called and she glanced at me.
"Yes?"
"What do you say?"
She looked at the ground nervously.
"You don't trust us." Thomas said. It was a statement, not a question.
Irina looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Of course I don't," She said and I saw Embry's face drop. "Why should I trust you after you killed my friend."
"We told you Irina," Edward said. "He tried to kill Bella."
"I don't buy that." She said. "He wanted a better life. To live in peace with humans."
"Are you calling me a liar?" Edward demanded. "Are you calling my mate a liar?"
Irina didn't say anything but I could tell that she didn't mean to make it sound like that.
"Maybe you should show her," Edward said glancing at Thomas. "Show her what happened."
"Show her?" I said glancing between the two. Thomas smiled at me and took my hand in his.
"I can sort of do something similar to what Renesmee does. I can't do it as often as her and I can only show people my visions."
"What does this have to do with Laurent?" Irina asked.
"I can show you what he tried to do and why."
"How do I know this isn't a trick?"
"You don't." He said with a shrug. "But what have you got to lose?"
Irina looked at the floor for a few moments before nodding her head. Thomas squeezed my hand then walked over to Irina. He paused to murmur something to Embry and he glanced at Edward. Edward inclined his head after a moment.
"I need you to stay perfectly still," He said looking at Irina. "If you move you'll break the connection."
Irina nodded again as Thomas placed both of his hands on each side of her face. Nothing happened for a moment before I saw their eyes glaze over. Both their postures went rigid. Edward snarled and Embry growled. I guess Edward didn't like what he was seeing and Embry was just reacting to that. Strange.
Thomas let go and staggered back. He took in a few shaky breaths. Irina was frozen in her place.
"Did you see all of that?" Thomas said looking at Edward.
Edward just nodded stiffly.
"I told you it would be bad."
Edward didn't say anything.
"Is she okay?"
"She's just trying to process this information."
It took a few minutes before Irina blinked again. I heard Embry let out a breath of relief. Hmm.
"I-I," She paused to clear her throat. "I will stand by you. I just need sometime to myself."
She ran out the front door before either of us could say anything. Thomas looked over at Embry who had a hurt expression on his face.
"I'll be outside." He said dully before he left out the back door. Thomas tried to reach out to him but thought better of it.
"Ok what just happened? Why is my sister going all emo? And what's up with the mutt?" Kate said. The wolf standing by Bella glared at her. The corner of his lip curled up into a sneer.
"Jacob." Thomas warned. The wolf named Jacob gave him a sideways glance. "Now is not the time for this cousin."
"She has no right talking about our brother like that Beta." He snapped. I fought the urge to growl at him for talking to my Thomas like that.
"I know that Alpha, but we need to be calm." Thomas said softly. "They are here to help us. They are our friends."
"Family," I corrected. "We are your family."
Thomas beamed at me before he glanced at Kate with an odd expression. It was somewhere between irritation and bemusement.
"Well Katerina Denali," He said slowly and I heard Kate gasp slightly. While I stared at him with wide eyes. How did he know her full name? "You ask what happened? I just showed your sister what Laurent tried to do when he came back to Forks.
"You ask why she is going emo? She's trying to reevaluate whatever feelings she had for him. It's also even more confusing now that she just found her soulmate. Or is it the other way around?"
He directed that last part towards Edward who shook his head.
"She felt the pull towards him, which, like you said, is making her even more confused."
"Embry?"
"He's hurt."
Thomas rolled his eyes.
"Well thank you Captain obvious," He said sarcastically. "I don't think I could've worked that one out by myself if I didn't have your help."
A small giggle escaped my mouth which did not go unnoticed by the others.
"Wait," Kate said. "That dog is Irina's soulmate?"
"Stop calling them that!" I hissed.
"That's what they are," She said indignantly. "We're supposed to be natural enemies and now you and Irina are mated to two of them? Forgive me if I have trouble wrapping my head around it."
"Regardless of how you feel Kate," Carmen started. "They are your sisters mates and they will be given the respect they deserve." She shifted Renesmee to her right hip and placed her hand on the other one. She narrowed her eyes at Kate. "Am I making myself clear?"
Carmen rarely got upset but when she did, she wasn't someone you wanted to cross. Kate learned that the hard way when she made a tactless comment about Spain. Kate gulped nervously and nodded.
"Fine. I'll try to tone it down," She said. "That is the only promise I can make."
She walked towards Thomas and held her hand out.
"Welcome to the family, little brother." She had trouble sating the words but at least she was trying.
Thomas raised an eyebrow but shook her hand.
"What?" Kate asked.
"Nothing it's just...little brother? I look older than you."
Kate rolled her eyes.
"I'm older than you fido."
"Kate!" Me, Eleazar, and Carmen yelled.
"A Wizard Of Oz Reference? Recounting your exploits old wicked witch of the west?" Thomas said ignoring the rest of us.
"Really? Is that the best you can do?"
"No but I must commend the make up artists of that time." He said leaning in close and examining her face. "If they left you in your natural state, you would have freightened small children, or caused traffic accidents where ever you walked."
The corners of Kate's lip twitched like she was trying to hold back a smile.
"Not bad child, not bad."
"Thanks grandma." Thomas teased. "You know I'm always trying to seek your approval."
"As well you should young man."
Well they got along pretty fast.
Eleazar started pacing again while Kate and Carmen gushed over Renesemee. I felt Thomas lace his fingers with mine. My hand was so small compared to his but they fit together perfectly. I looked up at him and he smiled at me before he looked over at Renesmee.
"This little one is special," I mused. "Very hard to resist."
"A very talented family," Eleazar murmured as he paced."A mind reader for a father, a shield for a mother, and then whatever magic this extraordinary child has bewitched us with. I wonder if there is a name for what she does, or if it is the norm for a vampire hybrid. As if such a thing could ever be considered normal! A vampire hybrid, indeed!"
"Tactile thought projection." Thomas said while Edward asked, "What did you just call my wife?"
I looked at Thomas questioningly as Eleazar stopped pacing to regard the both of them.
"A shield, I think. She's blocking me now, so I can't be sure." Eleazar answered then he asked Thomas. "Tactile thought projection?"
"Yes I uh sort came up with the name after doing some research." Thomas answered a bit shyly and I smiled at him. He had nothing to be shy about.
"Indeed?" Eleazar asked with a smile on his face. Never in his existence has he met someone who could identify abilities. Well, by merely doing research I mean.
"A shield you say?" Edward said.
"Come now, Edward! If I can't get a read on her, I doubt you can, either. Can you hear her thoughts right now?" Eleazar asked turning his attention to Edward.
Thomas threw his head back and burst into laughter. His laughter echoed throughout the house. I must admit, it was a very pleasant sound but I was confused as to why he was laughing. After he calmed down he looked over at Edward.
"You never told anyone that you couldn't read her mind?"
"No." Edward grumbled.
"Oh I guess you didn't want word to get around that the great Edward Cullen was incapable of doing something." He teased and Edward rolled his eyes.
"Interesting," Eleazar mused. "That would indicate a rather powerful latent talent, if it was manifesting so clearly even before the transformation. I can't feel a way through her shield to get a sense of it at all. She must still be raw, she's only a few months old."
"It could be genetic," Thomas suggested. "I mean mine is. My mother's gift is not as strong as mine but it's powerful enough." He glanced at Edward. "You said you had trouble reading Charlie right?"
"From time to time."
"I think that if, and I do mean if," He said giving Bella and Jacob a pointed look. "Charlie were to become a vampire, he would be a shield as well, just not as strong as Bella."
"That's possible. No one ever conducted a study and I've never encountered someone like Bella who was this strong." Eleazar said. He tilted his head to the side as if to examine her. He gave Edward something that resembled an exasperated expression. "And someone who is apparently unaware of what they're doing. Totally unconscious. Ironic. Aro sent me all over the world searching for such anomalies, and you simply stumble across it by accident and don't even realize what you have." Eleazar shook his head in disbelief.
Bella frowned.
"What are you talking about? How can I be a shield? What does that even mean?" She said.
"I suppose we are overly formal when we rank things like this." Eleazar said. "Truthfully, categorizing talents is a subjective, haphazard business; every talent is unique, never exactly the same thing twice. Thomas and Alice are great examples." He glanced over at Thomas with a smile. "But you, Bella, are fairly easy to classify. Talents that are purely defensive, that protect some aspect of the bearer, are always called shields. Have you ever tested your abilities? Blocked anyone besides me and your mate?"
"It only works with certain things," She told him. "My head is sort of...private. But it doesn't stop Jasper from being able to mess with my mood or Alice from seeing my future."
"Purely a mental defense." Eleazar nodded to himself. "Limited, but strong."
"Very strong." Thomas interjected.
"Aro couldn't read her." Edward added. "She was human at the time though."
Eleazar's mouth hung open as did the rest of my coven.
"Jane tried to hurt me, but she couldn't," Bella said. "Edward thinks Demetri can't find me, and that Alec can't bother me, either. Is that good?"
"Are you kidding?" Thomas said incredoulusly. "That's a great thing! If you could only cover other people."
The second he said that his whole body went stiff and his eyes glazed over.
"Is he okay?" I said without taking my eyes off of him.
"He's having a vision." Edward said. "What he's seeing is a good thing...I think."
After a minute or so, Thomas blinked and shook his head.
"Well that was interesting."
"What did you see?" Jacob asked.
"Bella," He said looking at her. "Well it was in her POV. She was protecting us all."
"I'm going to fight?" She asked. She sounded slightly hopeful. Edward looked horrified.
"No," He said shaking his head looking at her strangely. "You'll, what's the word here, project your sheild. You'll be able to block others."
"How?"
"You practice." He said it as if it should have been very obvious.
"Well how?"
"You practice with some of the vampires that come here. They have mental gifts that could be used offensively."
"Kate can help in the mean time right?" Edward asked her and she shrugged.
"Sure."
At the questioning look from Bella, Edward explained.
"Kate's got an offensive skill," Edward said. "Kind of like Jane."
Thomas snorted and Bella flinched away from Kate.
"Now Bella and Kate will be the best of friends. Way to go mind reader." Thomas quipped.
"I meant her gift, not her personality." Edward retorted.
"But you didn't say that now did you?" Thomas countered.
Edward narrowed his eyes but said nothing else.
"Don't worry I'm not sadistic about it," Kate said with a laugh. "It's just something that comes in handy when I wanna fight."
"You have to teach me what to do!" Bella insisted grabbing Kate's arm. "You have to show me how!"
Thomas stepped forward when Kate winced.
"I'll teach you, if you stop crushing my arm."
"Oh god I'm sorry!"
"Well, you're projecting alright," Kate said rubbing her arm. " That current should have shocked your arm off."
"She didn't mean any harm Kate," Edward grumbled. "There was no need for that."
They both ignored him.
"Current? No I didn't feel anything," Bella told Kate. "Were you projecting?"
"I was." Kate said looking slightly put out. "Hmm. I've never met anyone who couldn't feel it, immortal or otherwise."
"You can only project in on your skin?" Bella asked amd Kate nodded.
"Before I could only use my palms like Aro,"
"Or Renesmee." Edward interjected and Thomas hissed softly.
"Stop interrupting Eddie boy." He said.
"After alot of practice," Kate went on as if nothing had happened. "I learned to radiate it all over my body. It's a great defense. Anyone who tries to touch me drops to the ground like a human who get's tasered. They don't stay down for long, but it's enough for me to finish them."
Bella went silent and Edward focused his gaze on Eleazar.
"Can't you think of one exception my friend?"
They both gazed at each other. Edward's face was tight with suspicion. Eleazar's face was unhappy and reluctant.
"I don't want to think of them like that." Eleazar spat through his teeth. I frowned, what is going on? "If you're right-"
"The thought was yours my friend," Edward reminded him gently. "Not mine."
"If I'm right...I can't even grasp what that would mean. It would change everything about the world we've created. It would change the meaning of my life. All of our lives. What I have been a part of."
"Your intentions were always the best Eleazar."
Me and Thomas moved closer to them.
"Does that even mean anything?" He said. "What have I done? How many lives..."
I placed a hand on Eleazar's shoulder.
"What did we miss, my friend? I wish to know so that I can argue with these thoughts." I told him "You've never done anything worth castigating yourself this way."
"Oh haven't I?" He muttered. He shrugged my hand off and began pacing again. I watched him for half a second then turned to Edward.
"Explain."
He nodded while still eyeing Eleazar.
"He's trying to understand why so many of the Volturi would come to punish us. It's not the way they should do things. Certainly, we are the biggest mature coven they've dealt with, but in the past other covens have joined to protect themselves, and they never presented much of a challenge despite their numbers. We are more closely bonded, and that's a factor, but not a huge one.
"He was remembering other times that covens have been punished, for one thing or the other, and a pattern occurred to him. It was a pattern that the rest of the guard would never have noticed, since Eleazar was the one passing the pertinent intelligence privately to Aro. A pattern that only repeated every other century or so."
"What was this pattern?" Carmen asked. She was watching Eleazar like Edward was.
"That certain members of these covens were gifted," Thomas said. "Destruction and acquisition."
"Correct," Edward said with a nod. "Aro does not often personally attend a punishing expedition," Edward said. "But in the past, when Aro wanted something in particular, it was never long before evidence turned up proving that this coven or that coven had committed some unpardonable crime."
"Which they were probably framed for." Thomas cut in and Edward nodded.
"That is possible," He said. "Anyway, the ancients would decide to go along to watch the guard administer justice. And then, once the coven was all but destroyed, Aro would grant a pardon to one member whose thoughts, he would claim, were particularly repentant. Always, it would turn out that this vampire had the gift Aro had admired. Always, this person was given a place with the guard. The gifted vampire was won over quickly, always so grateful for the honor. There were no exceptions."
"Cowards," Jacob grumbled. "Their coven was just destroyed by the Volturi, and then they join them like it was nothing?"
"It's not that simple Jacob," Thomas said. "Something tells me that these vampires weren't in the right state of mind when these offers were made."
"Still," Kate said. "Being apart of the guard must be an honor."
"Bah!" Eleazar snarled.
"Thomas makes a fair point. There is one among the gaurd who has influence over the emotional ties between people," Edward said, explaining Eleazar's reaction. "Her name is Chelsea, she can either loosen or strengthen these ties. She could make someone feel bonded to the Volturi, to want to belong, to want to please them. . . ."
Eleazar came to an abrupt halt.
"We all understood why Chelsea was important. In a fight, if we could separate allegiances between allied covens, we could defeat them that much more easily. If we could distance the innocent members of a coven emotionally from the guilty, justice could be done without unnecessary brutality, the guilty could be punished without interference, and the innocent could be spared." He explained. "Otherwise it would impossible to keep the coven from fighting as a whole. Chelsea would break the ties that bound them together. It seemed like a great kindness to me, evidence of Aro's mercy. I did suspect that Chelsea kept our own band more tightly knit, but that too, was a good thing. It made us more effective. It helped us coexist more easily."
After he was finished, a terrible thought occured to me.
"How strong is her gift?" I asked glancing at everyone and squeezing Thomas' hand. He rubbed soothing circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear.
"I don't think she can break our bond honey girl," He said. "It would be next to impossible."
A shiver went up my spine when he called me honey girl. It felt great but I didn't know where he came with that name. I raised an eyebrow at him but he shook his head.
Later. He mouthed.
"Yes that's true," Eleazar said bringing my attention back to him. "Anything weaker than the bond between partners is in danger. In a normal coven, at least. That's how I was able to leave with Carmen." He paused as if considering how to word something. "But those were weaker bonds than those we have in our family, though. Abstaining from human blood makes us more civilized, lets us form true bonds of love. I doubt she could turn our allegiances, Tanya."
He smiled at me and I smiled back.
"I could only think that the reason Aro had decided to come himself, to bring so many with him, is because his goal is not punishment but acquisition," Eleazar said continuing his analysis. "He needs to be there to control the situation. But he needs the entire guard for protection from such a large, gifted coven. On the other hand, that leaves the other ancients unprotected in Volterra. It's too risky, someone might try to take advantage. So they all come together. How else could he be sure to preserve the gifts that he wants? He must want them very badly," He mused.
"Of course he does," Thomas murmured. "To be able to read minds from a distance, and knowing the future? Who wouldn't want that?"
Edward nodded.
"Last time I was in his head," He said. "I saw that he's never wanted anything more than he wants Alice."
Bella's mouth fell open.
"Is that why Alice left?"
Her voice cracked a little when she asked this question.
"I think it must be the reason," Edward said putting his hand to her cheek. "To keep Aro from gaining the thing he wants most of all. To keep her power out of his hands."
I frowned. I thought she just went to get help, I didn't realize that she just left. I caught Kate's eyes and I could tell she was thinking the same thing.
"He wants you too." Bella whispered to Edward. He shrugged.
"Not nearly as much. I can't really give him anything more than he already has. And of course that's dependent on his finding a way to force me to do his will. He knows me, and he knows how unlikely that is."
"He knows your weaknesses though," Eleazar said frowning at his nonchalance before looking at Bella.
"We don't need to talk about this right now." Edward said quickly.
"He must want your mate too," Eleazar said ignoring Edward. "He would be interested in a gift that could block him even when the person was human."
Edward looked uncomfortable so he changed the subject.
"I think the Volturi were waiting for this, for some pretext. They couldn't know what form their excuse would come in, but the plan was already in place for when it did come. That's why Alice saw their decision before that group triggered it. The decision was already made, just waiting for the pretense of a justification."
"If the Volturi are abusing their power..." Carmen murmured.
"It doesn't matter," Eleazar said. "Who would believe such a thing? And even if others could be convinced that the Volturi are exploiting their power, how would it make any difference? No one can stand against them."
"Yet there are those that are crazy enough to try." Kate muttered.
"You are only here to witness Kate," Edward said shaking his head. "Whatever Aro's goal is, I don't think he's ready to tarnish the Volturi's reputation for it. If we can take away his argument against us, he'll be forced to leave us in peace."
"Of course." I murmured while Thomas snorted, but didn't say anything.
None of us looked convinced. I could hear a car on the highway heading up our path.
"Crap, Charlie," Bella muttered. "Maybe the Denalis could hang out upstairs-"
"No," Edward said while Thomas said. "It's not your father."
"Jasper and Alce sent Peter and Charlotte."
"You need to get into positions," Thomas said. "But we'll be alright. They'll join us."
"Why should we trust them?" Jacob demanded with a scowl.
"They're here to help cousin," Thomas said. "Alice and Jasper trust them, and I trust Alice and Jasper so-"
"And right now I don't trust any of them," Jacob snapped, cutting Thomnas off. "I don't trust anything or anyone those two cowards send our way."
A low growl rumbled in Thomas' throat. I looked up at him and I almost gasped when I saw that his green eyes were now amber. He let go of my hand and bared his teeth, which now looked like wolf fangs.
"Watch what you say cousin," He spat. His voice was deeper than before. "Or I might do something you won't like."
Jacob's eyes darkened and started bearing his teeth.
"Now is not the time-" Edward tried to say but was cut off by Jacob.
"Why are you defending them?" He growled. "They abandoned us! Do you not remember what you looked like after you found out they left? How you felt?"
Thomas threw his arm in front of me and lightly pushed me behind him.
"Of course I do." He said gnashing his teeth together.
"Then why are you defending those cowards?"
"Call them that one more time Jacob," He threatend in a deadly calm voice. "I dare you."
"They. Are. Cowards."
Faster than anyone of us could blink, Thomas flashed over to Jacob. He wrapped his right hand around Jacob's throat, and slammed him into the wall, sucessfully pinning him there. Thomas held Jacob's right hand when he tried to hit him. Thomas leaned in close so their noses were almost touching.
"I will say this once and only once," Thomas said in a cold voice that rocked me to the core. "No one and I mean no one, will disrespect Mary Alice Brandon or Major Jasper Whitlock in front of me. Anyone who even thinks of doing it will have hell to pay," He sneered. "Trust me Jacob, you do not want to aggravate me right now. We have too many vampires coming and this is the last thing we need."
He let go of Jacob who started rubbing his throat while coughing.
"If you cannot deal with that Alpha, I strongly suggest you wait outside," He said after Jacob caught his breath. "Because if you cannot control yourself, we," He motioned to all of us. "Won't have to deal with a bunch of human drinkers, but an overgrown puppy with a temper tantrum. Like I said, it was just a suggestion, after all you are the leader."
Jacob scowled at Thomas but didn't say anything. He just glared at the floor after a moment. We could hear the car pull up in the drive way. Thomas looked at me and smiled sadly.
I'm sorry. he mouthed. He looked at the door before I could tell him that he had nothing to be sorry for. Two car doors opened then closed, and I could hear two sets of foot steps.
"Showtime." Edward murmured as he went to open the door. Let's see how this plays out.