A/N: Loving everyone's thoughts and theories on the last chapter! Enjoy more of the unveiling of this latest plot twist!

Disclaimer: S.M inc.

Chapter 25

Mate

The road had blackened with a drape of thick storm clouds as I closed the distance between the Cullen's new home and my future. All I could see in my mind's eye were crimson red eyes burning into mine, blood pouring from slashes on my arms, as granite hard fingers clawed at my skin.

Against them I had been powerless.

Carlisle's words haunted me. My mind pulled desperately at the last pieces of sanity scattered through my head.

Renee and her flamboyant dress, her eyes dancing as she pulled me along towards the club in the last hours before our deaths...

Sitting on the couch with Charlie as we watched the game...

Running through the forests with Seth, plunging our bodies into the rushing waters against all reason, flying...

Jacob...

My hands gripped my already dented and marked steering wheel. Sooner than later, I was going to have to replace it. I turned my eyes towards the black forest on either side of the road, wind rocking the limbs of thickly boughed trees and groaning against my sensitive ears.

They were out there somewhere, the Vampires who wanted to kill Anna.

He wanted me.

My foot slammed against my breaks as a figure rushed across the road, then, before tearing into the opposite forest. The sound of my teeth clenching like steel grated my ears as I pressed on the gas. My senses immediately heightened with the burst of adrenaline. My instincts as half predator and half prey were at war with one another, though the predator, the Vampire won in the end.

I'm being hunted...

Whatever had crossed the road, was far too tall and thin to be a deer, or anything other than what my mind told me was true and the realization sent a sickly cold chill down my spine.

I saw Jake's face in my mind one last time, his face twisting with anger, laughter, hatred and lastly, overflowing with love. I smiled, a cry escaping my lips as I realized Jacob loved me.

CRASH

My body was crushed against the steering wheel, the metal giving way against my form. The hood crushed into itself, and tilted forward so it lifted high into the air. Glass shattered all round me as the vehicle flipped and rolled into the ditch, into the trees.

Anna, I thought immediately, with our last encounter fresh on my mind. I turned my head, my body trembling, thankful that the glass was too weak to cut into my skin and only graze it. And I gasped as a powerful, ripping sound began, bringing dim light into the darkness I lay within. The sound was painful, grating, metal screeching against itself, pulling apart, twisting. Two firm hands reached within and pulled me out before I could think, before I could see, could breathe.

Wind blew through the trees, roaring against my ears as an echo of the crash still ringing about my head.

My face was crushed against a granite hard chest and I hung, limp as we raced through the forest. While outwardly I felt helpless, deep down inside I was furious. The beast that should have been raging, fighting back against whoever had totaled my car and now carried me, insisted on hibernating instead. Yet I knew now that it wasn't Anna who had attacked me. If it had been, I would already be dead.

We raced through the trees a ceaseless, maddening blur. To my shock and horror, I felt the sudden, overwhelming desire to close my eyes and rest, to fade away to the easy rhythm of footsteps lighting beneath me.

I gasped, jolted awake, as we rose into the air with a defying leap and landed hard upon the earth once more. The trees became a mere blur amid the shadows. Snow began to fall in sudden, dancing flurries, stinging against my cheeks, the faster we raced over winter hardened ground. And it was then, a familiar scent caught deep in my throat, sickeningly sweet and obviously Vampire. He smelled of cold and desire and faintly of peppermint.

With a renewed fury and outrage, my limbs came to life again and I struggled against his grasp, clawed at his covered skin, ignored the hisses of pain as I reached struggled to jump from his arms, only to be pressed more firmly against his chest.

We fought this way, even as we broke through the trees into a clearing and towards a structure I knew very well. We nearly made it to the front porch when I thrust my leg against his grasp, momentarily surpassing his strength. And we crashed together into the snow, tumbled and landed into a low crouch opposite one another. I fought to ignore the pain in his topaz eyes.

"Bella…" he pleaded with me and reached out to me with his hand.

A pang of guilt flooded me, at the sight of where my fingernails had just marked his skin.

I breathed heavily, shaking still from shock, from fury and the weight of what I knew now. I glared at the Vampire standing in front of me. "Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again!"

Jacob's body, lined with all its old scars flashed in my mind.

Edward's face fell. He knew.

"Bella, let me explain! I was trying to save you!"

"From what? A future Alice saw and you couldn't control?!"

He frowned. "What? What are you talking about?" Yet there was something that flashed behind his perfect features, a look, a darkness behind his eyes that betrayed his doubt.

"Bullshit!"

"Bella. If I hadn't gotten to you in time they would have taken you!"

I blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

A wry, yet pained grin tilted his mouth. "The Vampires I've been tracking, the ones who just tried to kill you."

I took in his rumpled clothes, his muddied shoes and pant legs. Snow rested upon his head and chest, remaining frozen against his equally frigid body. It barely thawed against my own supernaturally cooled skin.

"But, you're supposed to be hunting," I sputtered. "Carlisle said…"

"What you needed to hear—Bella." Edward took a step towards me.

I could not force myself to pull away against the urgent warning my conscience screamed in my mind.

"Alice and Jasper are still patrolling the borders of the wolves territory. I caught your scent a couple of hours ago." He took another step, his eyes pleading. "I didn't know you were coming to us so soon."

I flinched when his hand covered mine. "I wasn't coming for you."

The weight of sorrow in his eyes, emanating from his touch was overwhelming. "I know."

For a long moment we stood barely apart. I shivered, arms wrapping about my chest and his gaze quickly hardened.

"Come on inside Bella, you're freezing."

I hissed as his hand made contact with my arm. "No."

"Bella, please. Let me explain. But first, you need to get out of this weather. It's far too cold. Let's get you warm."

The glowing light shining from within the Cullen's old home was tempting and inviting and though everything in me screamed against him, I followed my former love inside.

I was surprised to find my cell phone still in my pocket and hoped I wouldn't have to call Charlie about missing the wedding rehearsal. I had left my purse in my car, and at this point and time, I had no desire to run all the way back. I wasn't even sure if I could find it by myself. I would rather die before asking Edward.

He had a cup of freshly made tea in front of me within minutes, letting the silence weigh between us, and calm my fury to a more reasonable, muted anger. I knew I wouldn't get the answers I wanted out of Edward, and at this point, would rather not talk about Jacob with him again. I knew Edward would confront Jacob because of me, and I knew, without a doubt, Jacob would murder him. To my surprise, after everything, the thought of Edward's death was still painful.

I looked at him in silence, searching his face then for the Vampire I had loved, wondering faintly how it was possible so much could have changed. As his tortured topaz eyes rose to meet mine, I knew then how much had changed. Because nothing in me swooned toward his physical perfection. If anything, my gaze only hardened.

"Forgive me, for not telling you the truth before, Bella. Jasper and Alice wouldn't allow me to search alone once they found out. Especially when Alice had a vision of you with them…"

His eyes drifted, and I glanced past the glass wall and shower of white ghosting the darkness. A chill ran down my spine. "What did she see?"

Topaz eyes flashed to mine. "You were one of them Bella."

I was frozen. "What do you mean?" I suddenly felt so very small.

"You were with him, the one that turned you and murdered Renee. You were…" His face twisted, body tense and rigid as he dug his fingers into the granite countertop. The stone groaned against his grip. "It was the first vision Alice has had of you since…"

Our eyes met and his anger vanished, replaced with defeat.

"I understand you're trying to protect me," I began, "Thanks, but did you have to wreak my car?"

"I didn't wreak your car, Bella. One of them did. Alice barely managed to dissuade him before he went after you. I didn't know if I would make it to you in time, or if you were..." he paused, pain lacing his words as he leaned over the counter. "Bella, do you understand why you have to stay with us now? Why it's not safe for you in Forks? He can't protect you like we can." His tone was twisted, bitter.

"That isn't your decision."

"Well your decisions, my love, only lead to the future Alice saw."

"I need to get out of here." I moved to go only to find Edward standing in front of me, hands braced upon my shoulders.

"Bella, wait!"

I twisted against his touch, as it burned my skin like frozen flames. "Let go of me!"

His grip hardened, grew demanding, until I met his eye.

"Bella, you're not going by yourself. Let me drive you home at least." It was only the memory of the devil's frozen hands against my neck, of his deep voice whispering against my ear and his teeth against my neck, that made me hesitate.

Edward was silent the first few minutes we rode together in Carlisle's latest Mercedes model, eyes trained hard on the road ahead, scanning the trees nearby occasionally.

My phone sat dead in my hand, lifeless I now realized and probably filled with angry messages from no telling who.

We pulled into Charlie's small drive, empty of his cruiser now. The lights were off inside. I mentally pinched myself for leaving everything behind in my totaled car. Now I would have to sneak in through my window as Edward had done countless times before.

Oh, the irony...

Edward opened his door the same moment I did, and I turned. "What are you doing?"

"Letting you borrow the car until we can find you a replacement." Yet there was an edge to his voice as I faced him outside the car, eyes locking over the roof and through the thick snow.

"Thanks. Edward, you have to go."

"Why?" His eyes hardened.

"You know why. Charlie's place is in their territory now and they won't hesitate to kill you."

Edward smirked dangerously. "They can try."

"I'm already late for the rehearsal, Edward." In that moment if felt surreal foolish even to mention something so normal.

"I shall have Alice drop off your things later, then."

I opened my mouth to reply, but when I looked up, he was already gone.

I ducked my head back inside the Mercedes to grab the keys and frowned to find a leather bound book resting in the drivers' seat. It was unmarked, unlike the others I had read, and my heart clenched as I realized exactly what Edward had left behind.

Love letters to his mate, to me.

Biting my lip, I grabbed the book and sprinted to the back. I made a quick climb up the side of my house. The flimsy metal lock broke and fell to the floor as I lifted my bedroom window. Letting the book drop just inside, I alighted easily on my hardwood floor and shut out the cold winds behind me.

For a moment of complete and utter silence, I stared back to the clouded night sky and turned, only to scream as hands grasped roughly about my neck. Warm breath labored over my face and a hard, yet soft body pushed me up against the wall, his thumbs grazing my jaw.

"What the fuck was he doing here!"

"Jake!" I gasped as he pressed harder against me. I cringed, knowing I smelled like Edward, knowing what Jacob must be thinking. His eyes were dark and murderous as they bore into mine.

"Why did he bring you home! Why the fuck haven't you been answering anyone's phone calls! Shit, Bells I've had half the pack searching for you, while trying to make up excuses to Charlie and Sue for you! You'd better have a damned good explanation for this or I swear..."

I interrupted, "Jake! You're crushing me!"

It was a lie. I was afraid. Not of what I thought he might do to me, but because it was impossible to think clearly with a naked werewolf pressed up against me, let alone Jacob. I gasped, struggling for air, for reason and sense, remembering our argument the night before, yet desperately yearning to know what was going on in his head. I knew then that he wouldn't understand any explanation that had to do with Edward.

His hands relaxed, moving from my neck and over my arms. I winced as his hands grazed the dirty bandage, and he suddenly pulled back, his gaze sweeping over my glass shredded clothes, my tossed and knotted locks. His eyes narrowed. "What the hell happened, Bells? Did he do this to you?!" His voice was deep, suddenly more fierce and dangerous than I had ever known it.

"No! No, he saved me. I—I was on my way home when they came."

"Who came!"

I flinched at the pain in his eyes. I knew it hurt him to know Edward had saved me when he could not. To know he wasn't there to protect me.

"Vampires, the same ones trying to kill Anna. The ones who want me." Jacob began to shudder, tremble, clenched his jaw as he sought control and I rushed to finish. "Edward and Alice were hunting in the woods nearby, when Edward caught my scent. They made it just in time to stop the one who totaled my car before he made it to me. Edward got me out."

Jacob was tense, his chest rising and falling against mine, and I found my hands clinging to his hard arms, desperate for his touch, remembering even as the emptiness in my chest filled, I could not live without him again.

"Are you alright?" His hands moved to check my limbs, brow furrowed. My hands moved to rest over his, and he froze at my touch.

"I'm fine."

His eyes rose, then flickered to mine. "You're staying with me at the Res until this over Bells."

"No, Jacob, I'm fine!"

My body was cool when his heat left it, his hands instantly grabbing a large tote bag hanging against the end of my bed. Ignoring my protests, he began walking about my room and throwing underwear and clothes into it quickly. I rushed to his side and tried to pry the bag from his grasp.

"Jake, let go! Jacob!"

His hands shook when he turned to face me, eyes liquid flame, his words heated as his fury. "Damn it, Bella! Your car just got smashed by a fucking blood sucker! Do you really think they're not coming after you still?"

"Jacob, they won't come into the pack's territory."

"Maybe you can stand to test that theory Bells, but I can't! This isn't just about your life, damn it!" His voice shook.

I stared back, numbed by his words. I saw Sue and Charlie's faces before my mind's eye, the pack and the Cullen's. I saw Sam's face as he spoke to me about Emily the night before, and knew that if Alice's vision did come true, if I did join these other Vampires, it would drive Jacob to a place worse than madness.

Letting go of the bag between us, I leaped into the air, threw my arms about Jacob's neck and wrapped my legs around his waist. I crushed myself against him, buried my face into his neck and said, "I'm sorry."

His muscles tensed and relaxed. Slowly, I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer into his embrace.

Review: What were Edward, Alice and Jasper doing in the woods? What are the Cullen's up to, you think?