Chapter Thirty Eight

Charlie

We made the workshop without being spotted and Leah helped me slide Bella into the back of the small vehicle that waited, keys in the ignition, just behind the huge corrugated metal door. She leaned in and kissed Bella on the forehead,

"Goodbye, Bella. I hope you make it and please don't feel ill of me. I love you like you were my own sister."

Then she turned to me,

"Please apologise to Jasper for me, it was an awful thing I did making that call and lying to him."

"I will but I'd better get going before we're missed."

Sliding the door shut she nodded to me and then pushed open the metal workshop door which made surprisingly little sound but then the wind was howling around the corner drowning out almost every other sound. I was just thankful the snow had ceased falling so visibility would be better.

Starting the engine I glanced at the map, lifted a hand in farewell to Leah and drove off into the unknown. It wasn't like driving on roads or even hunting in the forests and mountains back home. There I had signposts or landmarks but here all I could see was snow and I prayed I wouldn't get lost or if I did that Jasper would find us. Bella was restless, crying out and flailing about, trying to wrestle free of the covers heaped over her but she was too weak to do so and eventually she quietened down. her cries were like a drowning kitten as the excess saliva in her mouth and throat threatened to choke her. We had settled her against the side of the vehicle with her head raised afraid she might choke to death otherwise.

Leah

I returned to the village praying we hadn't been seen and to my relief, everything looked peaceful. As I passed Annie's cabin I glanced cautiously in to see her sitting by the fire eyes closed but I knew she wasn't asleep, she was listening, and if it was too quiet for too long she might become suspicious so taking a deep breath I knocked and walked in. If only I could distract her for a while Charlie and Bella might make it to Jasper before anyone knew they were gone.

Annie made coffee and debated whether to offer Charlie some but I deflected this, after all, he would be more interested in Bella than a drink right now. She saw the wisdom in my words but then asked if I wanted to go in and say goodbye to my friend.

"No, I Already said my goodbyes, Annie, now it's time for family. I wouldn't want to intrude."

Annie asked me about Bella's mother and I related how Renee had left Charlie when Bella was only a small child.

"That's so sad. I hope they still saw each other."

"Oh they did, and they talked on the phone. Bella visited from time to time, her mom remarried and lives in Florida now."

"That explains why she isn't here then. Do you know if Charlie has told his ex-wife what's happened? I would have thought she would want to be here, to be with her daughter if not to support him."

"He tried but he couldn't reach her and she couldn't get here in time now anyway I guess."

"True but it will be hard on him when he has to tell her of their daughter's death. Do you think he will want to take Bella's body back home? She could be buried here if he preferred. I know the elders would have no objection. It's something to think about later perhaps. Poor man"

She glanced at the door then frowned.

"I haven't heard a sound from Bella in a while. Do you think we should ask Doctor Hill to check on her? It may be that she has lapsed into a coma."

I shook my head thinking furiously.

"No, besides what could he do if she has? If Charlie wants us he'll soon let us know."

"Perhaps you're right, we'll leave him a little longer."

Charlie

I stopped at one point because Bella was making such distressing sounds but after holding her for a few minutes she quietened as if she knew who I was and deciding I wasn't far enough from the village to be safe from pursuit so I started off again. I had no idea how fast the shapeshifter wolves could run and I hadn't thought to ask Leah. I just hoped I didn't have to find out in person. I thought about Renee and how this would hit her, she and I had parted years ago and remained civil only for Bella's sake but Renee had always remained close to our daughter despite Bella's decision, once old enough, to stay with me in Forks. I think Renee had been too immature to be married and a mother so young, I just didn't see it at the time. She would blame me for not getting a hold of her and telling her so she could see Bella and say goodbye and I would take it in silence, it would probably be the last time we spoke. Even if by some miracle Jasper was able to find us and change Bella in time Renee could never know she survived. It was going to be hard enough for me knowing I had an immortal daughter who would never grow old or die but would live on blood, a despised creature by all others who knew of her existence. Despite all this I would fight to the very last to get her to Jasper, to see her saved from an early grave.

Leah

I knew they had discovered the vehicle missing and put two and two together when two of Johnny's men came crashing into the cabin disturbing the peace and hammered on Bella's door. Annie rose to her feet glaring at them,

"What's the meaning of this? Ukiuk, explain yourself."

He turned and glared at me suspiciously while explaining the situation to Annie,

"Someone stole one of the vehicles and there are tracks of a sled leading from this cabin. I think Bella is gone and I think she knows about it."

Annie turned to look at me searchingly then motioned for him to open the door. All three stood there staring in at the empty bed, at the empty room and then Ukuik turned back to me glaring angrily, a low snarl building in his chest, a sure warning that he was close to phasing.

"Where have they gone?"

I shook my head but didn't speak and he strode over grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me.

"They had to have help, Chief Swan didn't know his way around the village, he couldn't have done it alone. Now where have they gone? I know you know"

Annie tapped his arm as I began to shake myself, ready to phase,

"Ukuik, enough! Let her go. Leah calm down, there will be no phasing in my house, neither of you"

I pulled myself together glaring at Ukuik who had let me go and stood clenching and unclenching his fists, I could see he had guessed my plan.

"He's taking her to the leeches isn't he? Johnny told me you discussed it with him. You know what our feelings on the subject are. How could you do that to someone you profess to love?"

Annie looked equally shocked,

"Oh Leah! Is this true? You would let them turn Bella, your best friend, into a vampire? You must have told her father all our secrets or he would never have believed they could save her. That is a serious crime for which you will be punished severely surely you knew that?"

"I did what I had to do and I don't regret it."

As I answered her I made a bolt for the door eluding the other man who tried to stop me,

"You've got to catch me first."

I was in wolf form before I hit the snow covered ground outside and streaked away northwards. Let them follow me thinking I was trying to catch Charlie up. I would go a few miles then double back. If they didn't follow me they would contact Johnny for instructions and probably try to get to Charlie before he reached Jasper in which case he and Bella would need my help.

I heard no pursuit and doubled back after three miles hiding my tracks as best I could, then from behind a mound of snow, another wolf appeared and I recognized Jackie. She and I could hear each other's thoughts so we talked silently as I confronted her tensed ready to attack, if necessary, after all, Annie might have sent her.

"Why are you here?"

"I heard the commotion back at the village. How Bella's father has snatched her and was going to ask the vampires to save her. You're in real trouble Leah, they're calling you a traitor to your kind."

I felt my lip curl back in a snarl at her words while she looked around nervously,

"And what do you call me, Jackie?"

She swung her head back to study me, sharp teeth gleaming,

"I call you my pack mate, where you go, I go. After all, the guardians haven't exactly welcomed us with open arms despite Johnny's assurances that we are regarded as part of the family. Even in Denali, a lot of the guardians regard us with contempt or suspicion, as freaks. Which is a joke really, when you think about it, after all, aren't they freaks too? I admire the way you stick up for your friend, the way she stuck up for you too. I wish I'd had a friend like Bella or you. They're coming after Charlie, you know that don't you? And unless the vampire has friends he might well die too. Not that I care much about him but I won't see the guardians kill Charlie for love of his daughter, or you."

"Thank you, Jackie, let's just hope we're in time and there is no need to fight the others."

"Let's just pray he makes it for Bella's sake Leah."

After that we began to run, putting everything we had into reaching the cabin before our fellow guardians appeared.