Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Death and Resurrection
Chapter 36
"But how do you fit into all of this? I just don't see the connection, Bella," I say.
She bites on her bottom lip and I pull it out from between her teeth before she drew blood.
"It's only because my family have known the Voltaire's for a very long time. My grandparents were friends with Mary and her husband Randall in high school and the rest is history.
"When Bree and James were killed and my dad learned that his friend Billy Black was part of all of the incidents, he turned to his best friend, Ted Banner, and got his family involved. The Banners joined us willingly for some unfathomable reason. So we all got roped into the attacks, too."
She pauses again and pulls my face to look at her.
Her eyes are dark and intense as she says her next words. "When we started dating I knew I wanted to keep you out of this. It didn't matter – I never wanted you or your family to get hurt because of me. So I kept all of this a secret. How I was able to in the first place, is a mystery to me.
"And since I was the only one with the most emotional ties outside the family, we decided that – through the tip from Leah and Seth – I was the best candidate to take Mary's place. They wanted an eye for an eye, the Quileutes, since they couldn't get what they wanted. And killing someone else instead of her was good enough for them, too. We had to fake my death and make it believable.
"I never meant to hurt you, only keep you safe," she whispers.
I close my eyes as she starts to stroke my face, wiping away the tears that rolled down my face.
"It's okay, Edward. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."
I nod and pull her tight because I know.
Know that she'll always be in my arms.
Long explanation, huh? We've got two more to go and then onto the rest of the story…