CHAPTER 44 - POWERLESS
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Jacob
Arnold dropped me on the stone-hard floor as if I was some meaningless pet. I stood on my feet. My wounds had healed completely by now, so it didn't hurt much.
Sam and the others scattered to the corners of the hall. In the distance, I heard a clapping sound and two sets of footstep coming out of the shadows. The darkness was so thick that it clouded my vision, though I could still tell by the loud echo that it was a huge place. The vibes echoed distantly from the walls. So the place must be huge. Perhaps a warehouse of some kind, or maybe an abandoned mansion.
"Nicely done, Arnold," a deep male voice complimented. His footsteps closed the distance between me and him. "Now we have them all."
I stood on my feet to face the dark figure in front of me. Despite the thick darkness, it was easy to see his size and build. Muscular, but lanky and barely tall enough to reach my chin. A smaller dark figure stood closely behind him. The bigger bloodsucker approached me.
"Nice necklace," he said and approached to touch the pendant that dangled on my stomach. I caught his hand before he could touch it and quickly yanked it off. The smell of his burning fragrance was vaguely familiar, like I'd smelled it from somewhere before.
Before I knew it, someone else pushed me to the floor.
"How dare you?" a female voice said through her teeth.
"Easy, Nora," the figure said and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure he's just being loyal. After all, the wolf and the hybrid are quite protective of each other. Which would make her and the rest of her coven very useful if we can persuade them to join us."
I looked up at them fiercely and asked in a sharp voice. "What do you mean?"
Someone sighed as I got back on my feet.
"Oh, the dog's concerned for its owner, huh?" the figure teased darkly, and then continued. "You see, we didn't just want you and you packs." I understood before he told me. "It's true that I wanted you in the first place, but then I figured that since the Cullens were powerful enough to thwart the Volturi... Well, let's just say it would be a huge addition to us."
My head filled with fiery anger as realization came to the surface. They - these twisted bloodsuckers - weren't happy enough with me? Didn't they get what they wanted today? They wanted me, and they held Nessie hostage to make me surrender, and I did. Wasn't that supposed to be enough? I gave up everything, my pack's freedom, my life. And most importantly, her. But they weren't satisfied with me or Sam or the others; they wanted Nessie and her family, too?
The blazing fury burst through my chest, sending the animal out of me again. I was on all four paws in one half second. My improved sight broke through the overwhelming darkness, and I saw the face of the supposed leader. And I recognized him at once. One of vampires who attacked the school last Halloween... and the only who got away. And then, something else caught my eye. One of the females vampires behind him, the one appeared with him. The victim Jessica - or newborn, for a better term. I could see the colors of her pale skin and her blood red eyes despite the lack of light in the area. Of all the times everyone thought she was dead, she was a vampire. She looked intensely at me.
"Put him down," she whispered the same time Sam's voice reflected the sentence.
I was suddenly pressed to the ground again when the howling wolves jumped on me. All of them immobilized me completely, pressed me to the ground from head to tail.
"Aw, look," the other female, Nora, teased darkly. "The puppy's all stirred up. Why don't you get on with the treatment, Jessica?"
She grinned at her. It took me a moment to understand the word, treatment. My muscles struggled and tried to break free of the other wolves' hold on me. Their combined effort continued to keep me grounded, but I didn't give up. One of the paws slipped under and I quickly used the opening to loose further. A hand grabbed the end of my tail, and then suddenly I was stiff. Weak to the ground, absolutely defenseless. My motivations dulled completely. I couldn't even find the strength to move my paws or to bark. It was like being drugged by morphine. The hand removed from my tail.
"He was getting noisy," Arnold murmured.
"Well done," the dark-haired leader complimented and wrapped his arm around Nora's shoulders and shared a smile with her, then turned to Jessica. "Let's get on with it, Jess. It's about time. Arnold, you know what to do."
I couldn't see what he was doing. Five seconds after their conversation ended, all of the wolves fell down on top of me. All of them weighted tons heavier than when they were pushing me to the ground, but it did seem like they were holding me anymore. My paws were no longer locked down, and I felt their bodies slide down my back. Jared's head slid down my shoulder until it fell three inches away from my face. His eyes were closed. And then I realized they weren't just physically weakened like me, but in slumber. This was probably the strongest extend of Arnold lurky gift. To turn his opponent into a completely helpless target by weakening them.
My attention shifted instantly when Jessica, the newborn, took shallow steps toward me. Each step she took sent a deep shudder. I knew what she was going to do with me - the same thing she did to the others. And there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening. The realization sent a question into my head: What will happen now? What will happen after she'd taken over my mind? Will they make me go after the Cullens? Bella? Nessie?
I tried to growl at her, to frighten her away, but I could barely breathe. The paralysis completely had me under. She took another step closer. Only a few more before I...
No! I won't let her get to me. I won't give them what they want! I won't let them make me hurt my Nessie! I struggled to feel my muscles again, to find my strength to get back on my feet. She took one more step. And then, I felt something. Some small amount of strength slipped through my frozen core.
I quickly used it to send a bark through my mouth. When she abruptly stopped, I realized I had succeeded. The leader and Nora stared at me in shock.
The power in me continued to rise and I found my paws again. But before I could press myself out of the pack's piled up weight, a hand caught my tail. Before I could whip it off, my strength failed again and I fell back down on the floor. I didn't give in, though.
I fought to find strength in my muscles again, to motivate my body. The immobilization and my will fought against each other, and neither side was winning. My paws were barely moving, and my throat barely released a growl.
"Now!" Arnold screamed.
I fought more strongly, doubled the effort. The immobilization lingered on as it tried to overpower, but I didn't give in.
Jessica lifted my face, and pressed her hands harshly on my mouth, forcing my teeth shut. Her eyes bore into mine. And then, I lost it all. My motivation disappeared, along with my consciousness, my will. My self.
I could no longer see, hear or touch anything. I was trapped in the darkness of my own mind.
Bella
Edward was the first to reach Renesmee's room before her high-pitched scream echoed through the walls. Rosalie, Esme and I half a second behind him.
"Nessie!" he shook her anxiously and woke her up.
I quickly rushed to them and pulled my daughter into my arms.
"It was just a dream," she muttered under her breath. "It was only a dream."
"Yes, it was just a dream," I agreed. "It's alright." I felt wretched for saying that, when nothing was alright.
Her murmurs turned into sobs. Edward brushed her hair down to her shoulder, but she didn't stop crying. Rosalie and Esme joined us on the bed to comfort her.
After a moment, she composed her sobbing and said. "It wasn't a dream, Mom. I saw it like it was right there in front of me. It was too real, too horrible."
I wasn't surprised. Last September, she ran down to La Push to visit Jacob, because she felt his pain. She knew that he was hurting from the loss of Billy then. So, why would it be weird for her to feel Jacob's pain right now?
They were made for each other, I'd come to terms with that a long time ago.
I composed myself from fisting my hands. If they were going to take away my best friend, a prominent person in my family, and the love of my daughter's life, they were making a terrible mistake. I will not let them get away with it. No matter what, I will find Jacob and bring him back.
"Don't worry, Nessie," I said in a sure voice. "I'm gonna bring him back."
Edward, Rosalie and Esme comforted her.
"Everything in our power, Nessie," Edward promised. "We'll find him and bring him back."
I met his eyes, and I knew we were thinking the same thing. Together, we'll bring him back.
"We will, too," Emmett confirmed - I didn't realize the rest of our family was in the room, too. "All of us."
We turned around to see them properly, even Nessie looked over my shoulders. In Emmett's eyes, there was no eagerness to fight or bloodlust, just determination.
"Jacob is a part of our family," Jasper said in a sure voice. Alice grinned at him.
Carlisle smiled gently as he nodded.
Yes, we will find him and bring him back. Together. But then I thought about Thomas and June - the latest additions to our family, and then my confidence fell one level.
