There was a throbbing pain in the side of her head like someone had driven a piece of glass into her temple with a hammer. Blindly, Esme reached for the spot. Her fingers found no glass, but a sticky goo that smelled strongly of blood.
She winced, the sound strangled in her throat and she wondered how much more it would hurt to cry.
"Hello, Essy."
So that part hadn't been a nightmare.
"How did you find me?" she groaned.
"You signed the stupid divorce papers. Took me long enough to realize that once I signed them and you sent them back, your address would be on them. Do I look like an idiot to you, Essy?"
In Polaroid-like glimpses, she managed to open her eyes enough to gauge her surroundings. She didn't recognize the vehicle she was in, though the man beside her was frighteningly familiar. He hadn't changed much in the months they'd been apart, but after spending so many hours looking into Carlisle's kind face, Charles' features held a sharpness that made her pulse race.
"Where are we going?" she croaked. The world outside was dim, clinging to the last of the sunset.
"For a drive," he said, casting his eyes towards her. They lingered and appraised, in a way that used to make her shudder, only now it hurt to move, so she stayed very, very still. "There are some things we need to talk about."
Esme took a breath. It hurt going in and even more going out, so she changed to shallow gulps of air as Charles weaved them deeper into the forest, clutching her head as the pain travelled from the front to the back. She didn't recognize this part of the reservation in the dark, but she recognized the utterly mad look on Charles' face—she'd seen it before, over and over, when she'd thought one more blow might actually kill her—and the fear feeding through her veins gave way to one, pure moment of adrenaline. She rallied enough to yank the wheel from his grip, hurling them off the gravel path and plummeting them into a thick bank of trees.
The car spun out of control, lurching over uneven ground and ricocheting off trees as the slope grew steeper.
Charles shouted, calling her crazy. Esme just braced herself for impact, but before it came, there was a moment when she realized that they were airborne. It was an eerie kind of peace in that one moment. Silence consumed her until the beat of her heart began to echo in her head.
She squeezed her eyes against the swirling fog in her brain, knowing that when they hit the bottom she might not be able to recall anything. Ever.
The last thing she thought about was Carlisle.
When the collision came, she was grateful that it didn't hurt the way she had expected. In fact, she could barely feel anything at all.
Idly, as the last moments of consciousness lingered, she wondered if this was what death felt like?
It was almost nine when Jacob smelled the smoke. For several moments, he wondered if his dad had left the bread in the toaster too long again.
But his keen senses pulled him in another direction and he got out of bed, tip-toed across the floor, and threw up the window. It was coming from outside. A sour, metallic smoke filtered on the air. Any other day, he would have let it go. But now it was an intimately familiar smell—the smell of wrecked metal. The smell of an accident.
The fact that it was seemingly on the reservation was what concerned him. There seemed to be no commotion in the fading twilight. No sirens. No sign that anything was wrong, and yet something bugged him. Something wouldn't let him settle. So against doctor's orders, Jacob slipped on his sneakers and climbed out his window.
If his dad saw him now he would flip.
But seriously, he was fine. Better than fine actually and the feel of the earth and the smell of the pine on the wind filled him with adrenaline.
Jacob followed the scent of burnt metal around the back of the house and started on the gravel road leading to the highway. It only took him a few minutes before he found it—Esme's car, abandoned in the ditch, headlights flickering.
He could smell gas and something else. A man's cologne perhaps?
It wasn't familiar. And it definitely didn't belong to the Doc.
He walked around the side of the car, noting the deep tread marks in the gravel. Something had hit Esme, maybe even run her off the road.
And then took off?
There's no way, Jacob thought. No way she wouldn't have called the house. He squinted in the fading light. Something else had happened here.
He slipped into the trees, throwing his shirt over his head and kicking his shoes into the forest. With a steadying breath, he closed his eyes and felt a familiar heat rip through his body. He clenched his teeth as his muscles twinged. Okay, so maybe the Doc had been right about shifting, he thought as he swiftly crossed the road.
With his wolf eyes, he could see the tread of the other car much clearer and he followed that and the lingering smell of Esme and the other stranger. It led him deep into the woods and when he saw the state of the trees along the east bank—the one that led to the diving cliffs—his heart sank.
Jacob hurdled through the trees, nose turned to the ground, eyes casting around for a sign of the car, but as he neared the edge of the cliff, he knew what had happened.
One glance over the edge and he could see the outline of the car below, stuck in the ground at an odd angle.
He whined, a pathetic attempt when he couldn't use his voice. Closing his eyes, he zoned in on the sounds coming from the car. There was machinery still working. Electricity buzzed. And there it was . . . the hum of a heart, like the song of a bird, low and sweet. He couldn't tell if it was Esme's, but then she made a noise. A cry or a call, he couldn't be certain, he just knew he had to get the Doc before her heart stopped.
The race through the woods to the Cullen property left him panting and aching along his hind legs. A sharp pain travelled from his hips to his ribs, but Jacob pushed on, lengthening his stride and weaving around trees and crashing right through ones he wasn't able to dodge quickly enough.
He passed Colin on patrol and the young wolf called curious questions after him, but Jacob just ran. He didn't have time for that now.
When he reached the border of the Cullen land he let out a long, piercing howl to let them know he was here. And that he needed help.
The lights in the house were on and he could see the outline of the family along the porch, their skin glowing under the night sky.
The grass in the yard was slick and he had trouble stopping as he skidded across the lawn, tumbling on his long limbs as he phased back. It was a poor phase and he could feel it as soon as he was human again, dropping to his knees and clutching his side.
"Doc!" he cried through the pain. Like clockwork, Carlisle moved to the stairs, flanked by his family. They stood unmoving, like ghostly figures cut from wax.
"It's Esme, there's been an accident. Her car was wrecked by someone. He took her," Jacob gasped, still winded from his run. "They pitched off a cliff on the reservation—"
"It's Charles," Alice said, her tiny frame appearing beside Carlisle's. Her eyes were wide and glassy, reflecting the lights from the house. "That's what those foggy spots in my vision were!"
Carlisle was in motion then, leaping over the railing and hurtling across the yard towards him. In the moments he had been here, the Doc had somehow had time to grab his bag.
"Carlisle, you can't," Edward said, racing after him. He was fast, catching Carlisle easily. "You know the treaty."
"It doesn't matter," Jacob cried, getting to his feet. He clutched his ribs as he prepared to shift again. Carlisle's eyes were frantic when he reached him. "She's dying!"
Alice gasped behind them. "I didn't see it," she said. "The stupid wolves shielded him. They've been all over her lately—in town, at the school. I'm sorry, Carlisle!"
"C'mon, Doc," Jacob said, ignoring the others. "Now! I can't protect your whole coven on Quileute land, but I can probably get you through. Hurry, there isn't time!"
"I'm sorry, Edward," Carlisle muttered under his breath. "Prepare the others. If it comes to a fight, just leave Forks." He pressed his hand to Edward's shoulder. "Take care of them."
Carlisle took off and Jacob phased in the air, sprinting as he touched the ground. Pain tore through his sides, but it took all his concentration to keep pace with the Doc. By the time they reached the reservation, Jacob realized that Colin had alerted Sam, and the border was being monitored by most of the pack.
They didn't go unnoticed, but Jacob managed to get Carlisle down to the beach, to the base of the cliffs, before the others managed to find them.
The car was wedged between sheets of granite rock and all Jacob could smell was blood and sea salt. It was a sickening combination and he circled the area as Carlisle navigated the rocks with ease, ripping the frame of the car open and pulling a body out.
Esme's body was limp in his arms, a dead weight against the sky, and Jacob crawled on his paws towards the spot where the Doc laid her down in the wet sand. Her heart hummed a slow, almost non-existent beat. She was fading.
"Esme!" the Doc said, almost like he was breathless. "Oh, my darling." His vampire hands trembled as they brushed lightly down her skin, over the bruising and blanching. The sight of fresh blood weeping from her too still body did not even phase him, but the guttural sob that escaped the Doc's lips made Jacob's heart pound.
Whatever their differences, this man loved Esme. Loved her enough to risk his life by coming onto the reservation.
Beside them, Jacob phased back, falling to his knees in the sand. He couldn't believe he was about to say this, but it was the only way. No matter what the Doc did, no matter what he pulled from that little black bag of his, she wouldn't survive this. He'd smelt the salty-sweet tang of spinal fluid as it seeped from her. Changing her was the only option and Jacob knew that.
"Bite her, Doc! If she's going to die, then bite her."
"I can't, Jacob," Carlisle seethed, "the treaty."
"Screw the treaty! You can hear her heart, I know you can. It's barely there. If it stops—"
Carlisle looked at him with quiet desperation. If it were possible for vampires to weep, he surely would be now. "The others are coming," Carlisle whispered, clutching Esme's body closer.
It was at that moment Jacob knew that the Doc was prepared to die for her. He'd heard what he told Edward before. If he lost Esme now, the Doc would stay right where he was and let Sam and the pack rip him to crystal dust. Well, Jacob decided, he wasn't about to let any of that happen.
"Ah, shit," he muttered, scrambling backwards to give himself room to phase. He bit down hard as his limbs shot out. After this, he was taking an extended vacation from phasing.
Sam was the first one out of the trees and Jacob stood tall against the backdrop of the cliffs, shielding both the Doc and Esme.
Jacob move, Sam commanded.
No.
This is an order, Jacob. They have broken the treaty.
Yeah, well, go big or go home, Jacob thought as he stepped back towards Carlisle and Esme, growling a warning at the pack.
Jacob!
He bowed under the threat of Sam's power as alpha, at the command and authority.
But he couldn't let Esme die. He wouldn't. It would be like losing his mother all over again. So what if she was a leech? She'd probably be the nicest leech in existence. And she'd be with the Cullen's. They'd keep her in line while she was young and crazy. Heck, he'd even help if that's what it took. Being a leech was better than losing her altogether, so he fought it. Sam's order.
No.
Jacob!
I said no!
He felt as the command snapped like an elastic pulled to the extreme. It rebounded, falling from his shoulders—the loss of a physical weight. He stood straight and tall in defiance of Sam, no longer heavy with the weight of shouldering the orders of the pack.
At that moment, he was free and it was glorious.
He smiled a wolfy grin at the rest of them, before turning on the spot and letting out a great howl. He was the descendant of Ephriam Black, the original creator of the treaty. He could agree to break it, just this once. And that's exactly what he planned to do. He snarled at Sam, warning him away.
Seth was the first to break away from the pack, crawling on his paws to Jacob's side. The further from Sam he moved, the easier it was. It only took Leah a moment, looking back at Sam with sad eyes before following her brother. Embry and Quil joined him next.
The silence he had enjoyed was suddenly overrun as the others filled his head.
He had split the pack.
He had become an alpha.
Watch them, Jacob told his pack, before phasing back. "Do it, Carlisle. Now!" he grunted. "Or this has all been for nothing."
He watched as the Doc stroked her skin softly, just a brush of his finger over her cheek. Then he sunk his teeth into Esme's flesh. Jacob heard the soft, barely there gasp as the venom leeched into her skin and he watched her body go rigid.
"We have to get her out of here," the Doc said, no longer consumed by dread, but a panicked hope. "Back to my house, where I can care for her." Now that her survival was clear, Jacob knew that the Doc had to get her away from the other pack.
"We'll escort you," Jacob said.
The Doc nodded, scooping Esme's small frame into his arms once more. He glanced between the wolves. Embry and Quil shot off into the woods and Carlisle raced off behind them. Several of the younger wolves in Sam's pack made to go after them but Seth warned them away and Leah snapped her teeth near their paws, causing them to retreat behind Sam.
Jacob turned on the spot, becoming a wolf once more. The pain wasn't any better, but his new role came with a distracting amount of responsibility. The first thing he did was send Seth and Leah to flank Embry and Quil.
They took off and as Jacob backed away from the other pack, unsure about whether they would attack him, Sam stepped forward.
Jacob. He watched him with dark, questioning eyes.
Clearly alpha's could communicate and Jacob took a moment to put his thoughts in order. Everything had happened so fast. Finally, he looked at him. I'm sorry, Sam. But I love her, too. And I couldn't watch her die. Besides, this is what she wanted. She told me so herself. So, the treaty can't really be broken, not when she chose this.
He was on our land. Without invitation.
By invitation, Jacob corrected. And if you try to harm either of them, you'll pit brother against brother. You have to know I never wanted that.
You're young, Jacob. Sam's nostrils flared. And foolish.
Maybe. Jacob trotted away. But hey, Sam, the way I see it, I just took Leah off your hands, so you should really be thanking me.
He watched Sam roll his eyes, then followed the others into the trees. Tonight there wouldn't be a war. Not between brothers. Tomorrow, well, Jacob would deal with that then.
He sat outside the Cullen residence for three days. His pack came to check in, but he mostly sent them home. They didn't need to be around for this part.
He listened to Esme scream for those three days, reminding himself over and over that this was better than death.
Sometimes the family came to check up on him, watching from their porch. The blonde Barbie doll left a bowl of water for him on the steps and her mate laughed gamely, saying he'd always wanted a dog. Jacob wanted to go a couple rounds with him and then see what he thought, though these were apparently the ones helping him rebuild his car, so he opted not to flash his teeth too much. The nicer leech, the one with the mind-reader, snuck out later and replaced the bowl with some water bottles and a plate of lasagna.
He couldn't hear as well as a human, so sometimes he sat in the woods, naked as the day he was born, letting his mind clear. The screaming happened in phases, fading into the background of his head, but at moments he was certain he'd go mad. It was easier to block out as a human. But he always returned as a wolf, because being able to hear was better than not knowing in the end.
Then finally, one day it stopped.
He heard the first tinkling words of Esme's new voice.
The first desperate cry as Carlisle wrapped her in his arms.
And he knew it would be okay. Not exactly perfect, she was a leech now after all, but she'd be happy. And that's what mattered.