NOTE: Here's another sporadic yet short installment. Now that my life has become busier with work and uni, I can only churn these out whenever I have free time (which is rare). So I'm very very sorry!

Chapter 23

Watching as the girl he once loved fled; Jacob swallowed the pang of guilt he had momentarily felt. No one could have predicted what had happened to Bella. It was not his or his pack's fault, he reasoned, squashing the brief remorse. Taking stock of the damage that she had inflicted, he was not surprised to find that even with his supernatural healing capabilities, there were many aches, pains and a few wounds. She was an impressive fighter, he'd give her that. All shades of crazy but a brilliant fighter nonetheless.

A groan interrupted his reverie, Carlisle was regaining consciousness. Limping over, Jacob was forced to shift his weight mostly to his left side. The earlier collision with Bella had done something wicked to his hind leg. Nudging Carlisle's face with his muzzle, he waited till the elder vampire finally came round.

"Bella!" Carlisle called, growing alarmed of his surroundings.

Jacob made a grunting nose and shook his head in response.

"Jacob?"

The wolf nodded in response before trotting off, only returning after he had changed back into his fully clothed human form. Resting against a tree, he watched as the vampire summoned the strength to stand.

"Was that truly Bella?" Jacob asked.

Carlisle grimaced at the mention of her name, "I'm afraid it was."

"She's become a monster."

"Indeed she has. I'm alarmed to find that Edward's reports of her haven't been exaggerated."

"He's seen her then?" the werewolf questioned, gaining interest at this latest revelation.

"After another covens' deaths, he went to Italy to meet with our superiors, so to speak. He found her there with them."

An uncomfortable silence ensued, both creatures lost in painful memories and deep thought. The earlier guilt Jacob had felt haunted him once more. His thoughts moved to what he had once shared with Bella, and how he had reacted in shock and denial once he had found her changed.

"It's my fault this all happened" Jacob snarled, his anger suddenly erupting as he pounded his fist against the bark in rage. "I told her to leave when she'd changed, I abandoned her."

The vampire shook his head in disapproval. "Bella is accountable for her own actions. Not you, not I, not even Edward. No one asked her to join the Volturi, no one made her this twisted. She is a monster of her own creation, and perhaps she is too far gone for redemption." Carlisle spoke the latter in a rather somber tone.

Looking up in alarm, Jacob moved forward. "You can't kill her! She may have changed but she's still Bella!"

"The girl you once knew is long dead wolf. She's a problem not just to my family but to my race. She'll expose us soon enough" the vampire reasoned.

"I'm warning you leech, you lay a hand on her and she won't be your only problem!"

Jacob's body began to shake as he slowly lost further control of his anger. Fists tightly clenched, the wolf forcefully fought of the urge to change into his other form. Stepping away from the shade of the trees, he moved in Carlisle's direction, stopping a mere foot away. The wolf refused to break eye contact.

Realising the severity of the situation, Carlisle finally had the sense to keep quiet. He had been a fool to speak so openly infront of the wolf. Perhaps the grief and never-ending travelling had finally gotten to him. Remaining static, he spoke his next words with caution. "She killed Rosalie, Jacob. My daughter."

"Then maybe that doesn't make you any better than her. You want revenge. Fair enough. I can understand that but you seem to be blinded by it leech. You're in denial. Bella Swan may have changed but it's because of our mistakes. She never went looking for the red headed vampire. She never asked her to drink from her. You and your coven left. I abandoned her. Yet she survived."

Annoyed by the vampire's inability to see past his grief, Jacob welcomed the urge to change into his wolf. As a wolf emotions were clear cut. There was little room for misunderstanding amongst his pack. Words were not necessary when they could just simply share thoughts. Brushing past Carlisle, he paused before the thickest part of the forestry. Throwing his head back, he let out an anguished howl, letting the remorse and guilt of his earlier actions fill it. He had wronged Bella but he would soon set it right.

I apologise for any plot holes, mistakes etc, please R & R, I really appreciate when you take the time to However no flames, I don't mind constructive feedback.