**** Disclaimer: I do NOT own the recognizable events, characters, or places in this story. Characters and events, as well as the Twiverse, belong to Stephanie Meyer. Forks, Port Angeles, and other real places belong to themselves, their own entities. ****
Bella had nearly been broken from the initial assault from the Venom. It had twisted around her, grasping her tightly and angrily. The Venom laughed whenever Bella yelled out in her pain.
"See, dear Isabella?" The Venom had taken on James' body once again, his pale arm holding her tight to his body, his other hand gripping her chin so tightly she wondered why it didn't break. He was forcing her to look at the wolves, who were standing there watching her torture. They were pacing and snarling, even jumping forward a few times- yet something kept stopping them. The Venom-James chuckled and licked down Bella's neck with a soft groan. "You will make a beautiful vampire, my dear. Just give in to me- let me save you."
"Do not listen to the Venom, Bella." The Great Wolf's voice was a harsh contrast to the voice of the Venom-James. He was commanding and deep, his tone was harsh yet soft. "There is no end to the pain if you choose Venom."
Bella grabbed a hold of the Venom-James hand and wrenched at it, the force behind her anger startling the Venom into actually releasing her and changing shape again with a snarl. It was now back to its formless grey blob, slowly circling the girl on the edge of the void. It surged forward to slam into the girl, knocking her down with a cry.
"If you won't willingly take me," The Venom began with an almost visible sneer in the grey mass. "Then I will break you, and when you are broken and vulnerable I will forcefully overtake you."
Bella grit her teeth and picked herself off the ground, she would not give the Venom the satisfaction of being able to kick her while she was down. She found the strength to stand firm against the next attack of the Venom, it laughed wildly as it slammed into her, knocking her back and almost off of her feet.
"You'll give in, little human. You'll give in eventually. How long do you think you can hold out against the pain?" The Venom lashed out again, this time taking the shape of Edward. "You're a human, nothing more. But with me you can live forever, you can have immeasurable power, beauty. Do you not remember how you used to see this face? What did you describe it as? The god Adonis? Perfection? You could have all of that, Isabella."
"I would have that, yes." Bella said through teeth clenched so hard she felt they were glued in place. "But I would lose me, I would become a ghost of myself. You would always be there, waiting and watching. The monster inside me would have teeth and venom, and it would wait. Wouldn't you?"
"Oh, Isabella. You've been listening to Edward's 'father' Carlisle too much. Would it matter that you would lose pieces of yourself? Your soul would still be yours, there under the surface. I don't take that away- I just block it." The Venom-Edward smiled and held up a hand, twisting it this way and that as he looked at it in amusement. He curled his fingers a little as his smile grew cold and cruel. "And yes, I would reside inside you- just under the skin. Waiting, wanting, hungry."
"I will not give in to that, I don't care what you say. Taking Edward's face wont sway me. Neither will taking James' face make me want to accept you." Bella's voice was strong, though pained. The Venom-Edward reached out with the hand he had been inspecting and scratched at her- Bella screamed as her skin opened, barely bleeding, only to heal moments later.
"Oh how fun, I can't kill you by tearing you apart and bleeding you out. But like any silly human you feel pain." The Venom-Edward began to change, his face shifting with his voice into that of the Venom's version of James. "This will be so fun. How about we play a game, little Isabella? Let's see how well you remember."
The blackness around the Venom suddenly began to change and distort into a very familiar place. The Venom itself surrounded three sides of her, contorting into mirrors that showed her reflection back at her- the strength and fear written all over her face reflected to her. Bella looked so foreign, so wrong, to her own eyes. The twisting lines that stretched across her skin moved and twitched violently- a testament to the anger of both the wolves and the Venom inside her body.
The Venom-James chuckled as Bella stared at herself. She was different than she had been before- the Venom could not smell her fear this time. The scent of her fear was marred by her attempt at strength, but that didn't matter to the Venom. Here, in this place, it had all the time it needed to break the human- to ensure that she would accept the gift it offered, willingly or otherwise.
"Won't you play with me, Isabella? Don't you remember?" The Venom-James reached out and stroked Bella's face with one hand, his smile twisting coldly cruel. "You ran from me then, you tried to save yourself. Don't you remember?"
Bella didn't even flinch at the burningly cold touch of the Venom-James, not willing to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting to her. He was, very deeply, but she would not allow herself the luxury of fear- she couldn't hold strong and still be afraid.
"I remember just fine, but I will not run from you." Bella replied as calmly as she could with such a shaking voice. Venom-James' fingers clenched on her jaw painfully, but Bella continued to talk through it. "But if it gives you pleasure to reenact our meeting then do so. You will not break me with pain."
"We'll see about that," The Venom-James chuckled darkly as it threw Bella into the mirrors it had created surrounding them. Bella cried out as she went flying, choking the noise off as her body smacked into the mirrors, they didn't even crack. "wont we?"
Bella lay there for a moment, whimpering slightly in the pain. Her body healed from the flight, it felt like a minimum of a couple ribs had broken. The cracking felt like lightening through her skin, but she still held herself strong against the storm. Bella had to be strong, the wolves would help- eventually.
What felt like an eternity later Bella's strength was truly beginning to fail- her body finally taking time to heal after breaking. Her breath was coming in short pants, her ability to stand took her much longer to find within herself, the Venom laughing at her feeble attempts as she failed over and over again.
She would not give in.
Bella finally managed to find her feet once again, the Venom went from laughing to hissing and snarling in a single instant. She couldn't tell if it sounded more like an angry cat or a ready to strike viper. Either way the Venom was proving to her once again that it was nothing more than animalistic instincts in a pretty wrapper.
"You told me to choose, Great One." Bella said aloud but barely, there was so much pain in her voice that it did not sound like her at all. "You told me to choose yet you have abandoned me, why?"
"I did not abandon you, Daughter." The Great Wolf said with a calm voice, his anger long since dissipated. The Venom surged forward and grabbed Bella by her throat, choking her. "You placed your trust in your pack- yet there is something blocking them from protecting you. Something has been done to mute your connection to your pack. You will have to trust them to figure this out- do not give in to the pain and the allure. The Venom cannot save you, that path leads only to destruction." The Great wolf sat as the other wolves continued to pace, Paul managed to easily pick his own out. It was snarling and foaming at the mouth, ready for the kill. His wolf, it seemed, was ready to kill for Bella- even in this place, wherever it was.
"I can't, Great One." Bella gasped out in desperation. "My strength is failing."
"Your wolf will come, Daughter. When your connection to the Pack is restored you will have their strength to call upon, and only then will you be able to contain and defeat this threat. Hold yourself strong, my child. You must hold yourself strong."The Great Wolf held his nose to the air and howled a heart wrenching howl into the darkness, his howl was long and tortured- Bella wondered if he was trying to howl for help of some kind, but she wasn't sure. Her vision began to darken and her body swayed in the grasp of the Venom.
Paul, Embry, Sam, and Jared ran after Jacob around to the front of the half destroyed cabin, the Keeper stood at the newly created entrance with a pensive look on her face. Jacob rushed past her only to be stopped by an old and ancient hand on his arm- he jerked as if electrocuted.
"You cannot help her, young wolf." The Keeper wasn't looking at Jacob as she spoke, her eyes had not left Paul. "Only her true imprint, her mate, can help her now. Though he will need your help to do it."
Jacob visibly blanched in his anger- he didn't want to help Paul. He still wanted to tear him apart, still wanted to murder him in cold blood. Paul had still stolen his Bella away, and no one was stopping the man whore from doing it either, and that was the worst feeling to Jacob. He turned to look from the Keeper to the Pack, his eyes falling to Paul as well. They narrowed for a moment before he finally slumped a little.
"What must we do, Keeper?" Jacob asked quietly. "How do we save Bella?"
"Her mate must mark her with a permanent and unbreakable bond. It will tie their very spirits together- but it will also tie her to the Pack, the Tribe, and the Land." The Keeper replied with a wan smile. "He will need to bite his first mark, and within the new mark he will need to add his Pack brother's blood- to tie her to the Pack and the land of the Protectors. This mark is permanent and unbreakable, and is used in only the direst of circumstances. This cannot be taken back once done."
"What ties her to the Tribe?" Jacob's eyes narrowed again as he thought about it. There was only way that it would tie her to the Tribe that he could think of but he really didn't want to think about that right now. His hope was that he was completely wrong.
He wasn't.
"This mark, like any mark, constitutes marriage under the oldest of Tribal laws. However, this mark cannot be refuted by the Council- they cannot deny the binding of two into one, all they can do is delay it. Isabella would become Paul's wife, according to Tribal law." The Keeper's eyes still held Paul's as she spoke, gauging his reactions to her words. His eyes widened as she spoke. "She will have full protection from the Pack and Tribe, and nothing could break that bond."
"How does marrying her against her will to Paul fucking help?!" Jacob's body shook even under the hold of the Keeper, causing the other wolves to step forward to intervene if needed. "She isn't even conscious and you're scheming to tie her to him for the rest of her life. Does she even get a say?!"
"In a way, young one." The Keeper replied somberly. "Her Spirit has already chosen the Pack, though she does not yet realize the Pack is more than a vision in her mind. She has already chosen even if she did not realize the full extent of her choice when she made it."
"That…" Jacob growled deeply as his eyes found Bella's prone and pale form. She was barely breathing. He slumped to his knees, defeated. He took a deep breath and choked a sob. "Fine. If it saves her life, do it. But I will fight this, I will not allow her to be forced to remain married to Paul in the end."
No one said anything as the Keeper let go of Jacob's arm and moved into the destroyed cabin and picked up an intricately carved wooden bowl. There were wolves and what looked like ravens along the outside of the edge of the bowl. It was shallow and the insides shown with the iridescent rainbow colors of mother-of-pearl. She brought the bowl forward to Paul, handing it and a small black bladed knife to the tense wolf.
"You will need your Brother's blood, willingly given, for this to work. Your own blood is not required because it already flows through her veins, but you can add it again- to strengthen the bond." The Keeper's white eyes were serious as she looked at Paul. "The blade is ceremonial and made of black lightening glass, given to us by the Spirits themselves- this was the very blade that Taha Aki's imprint ended her life, and saved the Tribe, with. Use it wisely, young wolf, for time has not dulled its edge."
Paul took the knife carefully, holding it in his right hand with the bowl on his left. He looked to Sam and gestured for his Alpha to cut him, Embry took the bowl and held it beneath Paul's wrist. Sam took the blade soberly and took a deep breath.
"Do you willingly give your blood, this connection to your power within, to save your imprint, Bella?" Sam asked in a quiet voice. Paul gave a nod and a small sound of acceptance- the Alpha looked to the Keeper who nodded, apparently a verbal 'yes' was not required. Sam slashed Paul's wrist lightly, causing blood to flow. "It is done."
Paul pulled his hand away from the bowl, it continued to bleed for a few moments onto the ground before his wrist healed fully. He took the bowl from Embry and held it out to Sam, who stepped up with his own wrist ready.
"Do you willingly give your blood, this connection to your power within, to save your imprint, Bella?" Paul asked, causing Jacob's eyes to shoot up to the scene. He had heard of the legends about imprinting, but the only thing he could remember was that it was supposedly very rare. How could they have imprinted on Bella together? Sam nodded his head and gave a quiet 'yes' before Paul drug the knife blade across his skin. "It is done."
The process was continued on through Jared and Embry, both agreeing to give their blood and power to save their imprint Bella- Jacob becoming more and more confused with each member of the Pack. How could they all have imprinted on her?! What was going on here?
Paul stepped towards Jacob, who had not gotten off his knees, and leaned down to his final Pack Brother. He didn't enjoy the idea of having to ask Jacob for his blood- but the Keeper had been very clear that all of his Pack must give blood, now and again when the pack grew- if it grew.
"Do you willingly give your blood, this connection to your power within, to save Bella?" Paul asked quietly, his voice wavering in its strength. Jacob hesitated for a moment, staring at the bowl filled with the blood of the other wolves. Paul almost growled as Jacob thought about it, but held his instincts back- he knew that if he upset Jacob more than he already was then he wouldn't give his blood.
"As much as I don't want to, I will." Jacob replied as he held his own hand out to Paul, palm up. Paul breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he lightly pulled the black glass blade along the skin of his newest Brother. He would have to thank him, eventually.
Jacob's blood hit the bowl and it began to twist and swirl, the Keeper lurched forward and took it from Paul's hand.
"This is something best done alone," The Keeper said in her echoing otherworldly voice. "Since I no longer have a front door- could the rest of the Pack go by the fire? Or even the spring? This part of the marking is very… intimate."
Sam nodded and he stepped forward to grab Jacob- pulling the new wolf to his feet. In silence the four walked towards the pool of water in front of the cabin, near the opening to the meadow that they had arrived at. Jacob's bike was sitting on its side near the trees, having slid there when he threw his body off of it.
Paul knelt next to Bella, the Keeper standing next to him. She held the bowl of blood in her hand, chanting over it quietly. She stopped when Paul hesitated, unsure of what to do next.
"For this to work you will have to choose her, young one. You will have to lay bare everything you have done; you will have to choose her and only her. Once you have done that, once you have said what must be said, it will be time to mark her again." Paul opened his mouth to speak but the Keeper hushed him with a wave of her hand. "You will know when it is time, your wolf will tell you. Once you have bitten her make sure to break the skin again, your saliva from before has already begun to heal the first mark. I will give you the bowl when you are ready. Pour the blood into your mouth and then bite her one last time over the marked area. Lick the blood onto the wound, it and your saliva will do the rest."
Paul didn't really fancy the idea of having the blood in his mouth, even for something like this, but he knew that he didn't have any other choice. He leaned down to Bella, even from his knees he was taller than where she was laying. He brought his mouth close to her ear, his lips barely touching it. He took a small breath in to bring her scent into his nose, the light spiced smell giving him strength.
"Bella, my little Swan, my imprint, my mate… I know that you may not understand, nor do you know what is going on right now, but I am so sorry for what I have done. I denied you, the chance to know you, the chance to love you. I was selfish and angry- and through those actions I caused your separation from the Pack and the strength that could have saved you weeks ago." Paul pressed his lips gently against her neck just below the ear. He moved his lips downward gently, kissing the skin and licking. He was supposed to choose her and in his mind this felt right. When he reached the bite mark from before he stopped and waited. "I apologize for the pain, my Swan, but I cannot lose you. I may not know if I love you yet, but I will admit that here and now I choose you and only you. I pray you can forgive me someday."
With that he sunk his teeth, more wolf-like than human somehow- directly into Bella's previous mark. He bit until he could taste blood, drawing some into his mouth for a moment out of instinct. He made sure not to lick the wound before looking towards the Keeper. She handed him the bowl of blood, he brought it to his lips.
Before he could pour the blood into his mouth, however, an angry voice stopped his movements.
"This will stop now, by order of the Tribal Council!" Old Quil's voice rang out through the meadow. Standing at the opening, near the forgotten motorbike, was the entire council. Billy in his wheelchair, pushed by Joshua. Harry Clearwater and Old Quil stood side-by-side behind the only woman on the council, the widow Akil.
"Paul Lahote, as a council elder and your Chief, I am commanding you to stop what you're doing." Billy's voice was less rough than Old Quil's- but no less commanding. When Paul refused to drop the bowl, though Billy didn't know what was in it, he called out to Sam instead. "Samuel Uley, order your wolf to stop what he is doing."
Sam winced, Billy's command hitting him deeply. It was the role of the protector to follow the orders of his Chief, to protect his tribe. He would have to order Paul- there was nothing that he could really do to stop the compulsion at this point. Before Sam could turn to order Paul, though, a growling voice was heard through the meadow- Sam closed his eyes in both relief and fear.
"No." Paul's voice was deep and more animal than human as he called out to the Council. Paul poured the blood into his mouth and then latched onto the bite mark he had just made on Bella's neck. Licking the blood across the wound he could literally feel her body taking it in as the wound closed under his mouth. Pulling away finally, once the wound had fully closed, Paul wiped the blood that had spilled- Bella's and that of his Pack mates- from his mouth and stood, turning to face his Pack and Council.
"What have you done?!" Old Quil yelled out, taking a few steps forward towards Paul and Bella. The rest of the Pack, including Jacob, stepped between the angry man and the cabin. They refused to allow the Council member to pass. "What are you doing?"
"They are protecting the imprint of one of their own. She is now bound to the land, the Pack, the Tribe, and her husband." The Keeper's voice rang through the once-peaceful meadow.
"Her husband?!" Billy's gruff voice was near apoplectic, he leaned forward as if to attempt to stand. "What is going on here, Samuel?"
"It is a long story, and one best said around the fire- Billy." Sam replied as he turned away from his Chief and walked towards the fire that was still roaring and large next to the cabin. "If you can manage to do so without interrupting us, then please join us for a while."
Bella was on the ground again, her body even more broken than she could have imagined possible. She couldn't find the strength to stand, not this time.
"I am sorry, Great One." Bella's voice was barely more than a whisper. She it was so far gone from repeatedly crying- her throat felt like it was on fire. "I don't know if I can get up."
"You must, Warrior." The Great Wolf's voice was pleading; he had watched the girl go through more than he believed even one of his wolves could have withstood. The Venom had quickly become relentless in its anger and pursuit of Bella's torture. "Your wolf is coming; you must hold on."
"You keep telling me he is coming, but he has not. I am alone in this, Great One." Bella sobbed as the Venom laughed. Just as she began to open her mouth one last time, a new voice cut through the darkness. She couldn't make it out well, but the voice was very male.
"I apologize for the pain, my Swan, but I cannot lose you. I may not know if I love you yet, but I will admit that here and now I choose you and only you. I pray you can forgive me someday." The voice was stark against the darkness, a light where there had been nothing but void.
Suddenly Bella felt a flash of pain where her neck met her shoulders, right in the dip of her collarbone. She screamed loudly only to be drowned out by the angry growls of the wolves and the incessant hissing of the Venom. She writhed in pain on the ground, clutching the wound that was bleeding again.
"He has come for you, Daughter. Summon the rest of your strength, summon the Warrior within your heart." The Great Wolf said as the rest of the Pack, including a new wolf- brown and snarling, sprang forward. "Summon the strength of the Pack to you- you have to summon them."
Summon? Bella could barely thing through the pain but she found her mouth opening once again, her screams and cries stopped momentarily.
"Through blood and life force I request the strength of the Pack- please." Bella wasn't sure what she was saying- but the pain began to recede as the wolves jumped forward as a single unit- attacking the Venom and driving it back in force. Only the Great Wolf remained, ancient and unmoving. He knelt down to Bella and nosed her gently, nuzzling her face with his greying snout.
"You have done well, Daughter. And now the strength of the Pack will live within you- flow through you- protect you. Remember Daughter, Warrior, that this is the first test of many- that you have a great choice before you, a role to play." The Great Wolf pressed his nose gently against Bella's forehead for a moment, her eyes fluttered a little. She was suddenly very tired. "Sleep, dear one. You must heal, so sleep."
A/N: I know, I know; another overly long chapter. I do apologize for the cuts in it but it played out best in my mind this way- I do so hope that you enjoy! The next one will be the final for this part of the plot (and thankfully the last true "setup" chapter!). There will be a small time cut, a few weeks, after next chapter. I do apologize for that, but there isn't much to build an in between chapter out of.
Thank you again to all readers and those who have reviewed! I hope you enjoy!