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Bella stomped to the tent and pulled out a blanket, wrapping it around herself for warmth.
"Are you sleeping with him, Bella?" Edward asked her bluntly. She turned to glare at him. Seth hunkered down, glancing at them both awkwardly. Even in his wolf form, Bella could sense his discomfort.
"That's none of your business," she spat.
"You have." Edward decided as he drew closer to her. His eyes grew wide as he realized what he'd stumbled upon when he arrived. "Here?" He asked angrily. "This morning, when you knew I would be here?"
"I'm sorry, Edward," she said sarcastically, still glaring. "I was a little focused on the fact that I might not see him again."
"Oh, sure. He's a teenage boy, Bella, I'm sure he made the most of it." Edward grumbled.
Bella's cheeks flared red with anger. "Jacob might be seventeen, but he's more mature at seventeen than you are at over a hundred years old."
He scoffed loudly. "Well, that makes sense now, I guess," he said bitterly, ignoring her insult.
"What does?" she asked icily.
"It's why you smell differently to me now," he said sadly. "His smell isn't just on you, Bella. It's practically seeping from your pores."
"Good. Maybe vampires will stop trying to fucking kill me," she snarked.
Edward stared at her glumly. "I know you're not mine anymore, Bella, but to feel so much finality behind the thought of it…"
"You already knew that, though," she said. "You know I love Jacob and you said you'd respect it."
"I do respect your decision," he yelled. "It has killed me inside, Bella. Every single day. Seeing you with Jacob, knowing he can give you a life I never can… I have kept my word. I have tried to be just your friend. That doesn't mean it doesn't rip my heart out."
For the first time in weeks, Bella felt the scars inside of her chest tear open as she stared at Edward. He was a burning man before her, his anguish plain to see. Shoving her fear aside, she walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. They held each other silently for a moment. Before she could pull away, Edward brought his lips to hers, his soft cool breath intoxicating her. The world spun as his lips lingered against hers, leaving her speechless. As she raised her arms to wrap around his neck, Seth whined loudly, breaking the haze Edward was creating around her. She jerked away from his lips and brought her hand to her mouth, touching her lips cautiously while disbelieving what he'd done. What she'd done.
She'd kissed him back.
"I had to, Bella," he said. "Just one last time."
A loud footstep crunched near the treeline. Seth jumped up and growled, turning to face the noise behind him.
"Well, well, well," Victoria said, chuckling. "Look what we have here, boys." As the redhead moved out of the way, two male figures emerged from behind her. While one snarled at them angrily, the third familiar face made Bella gasp in surprise.
With skin now as pale as Edwards and shining in the early morning light, Mike stepped slowly out from behind Victoria.
"Bella?" Mike's eyes darted to Edward and back to her suspiciously.
Bella released a cry of rage, throwing the blanket around her shoulders to the ground.
"What did you do?" she screamed at Victoria pointing at her accusingly. Edward pulled Bella back by her waist as she tried to stomp forward.
Victoria laughed. "Nothing he didn't beg me for, trust me," she hissed. Edward and Seth growled in unison, furious.
"Mike," Bella said in disbelief, "Why? Why would you want this?"
"He made a decision. I saved his life," Victoria said, reaching out to lightly stroke her hand down his face. He closed his eyes and cringed, taking a deep breath as he tolerated her touch.
"Naturally, she should make you uneasy," Edward said to Mike. "You don't remember it all, but she didn't save your life. She ended it."
Mike shook his head, clearly confused by Edward's words. "I was dying," Mike said. "They - they found me."
"Because Riley made you crash your car," Edward said. "I can see it," he admitted, tapping his temple. "Ben's dead, you know?" Mike took a step backward.
"I told you about his mind tricks," Victoria said.
"She doesn't give a damn about either of you," Edward said coldly. "She created you both for revenge. She always planned for me to kill you, Riley. You're supposed to be my distraction while she goes after Bella. And Mike, she knew you want Bella for yourself. Victoria has watched you for months."
The other young men both looked at him in shock.
"He lies," Victoria growled. "The whole coven lies. Especially Edward."
"She'll be glad to be rid of you," Edward continued to Riley. "You've only been a pawn in her game. She's using all of you for two reasons. To help her kill Bella as a way to torture me, and to avenge her true mate. James."
"Don't say his name," Victoria hissed. "You have no right."
"Oh I have every right," Edward said boldly. "Since I killed him. Didn't I, Victoria, sweetheart?"
Victoria seethed, her red irises darkening by the second.
"She doesn't love you. She never did," Edward said to Riley, but glancing pointedly at Mike and then at Bella. His hint was subtle but Bella understood. Edward had always hated Mike's undeterred pursual of her.
"What did she promise you?" Bella asked Mike. He sneered at her.
"Promise me for what? I'm here to help save you" he yelled at her. "From him!" Mike pointed at Edward.
"What are you talking about?" Bella asked. "Victoria has been hunting me for months."
"We aren't hunting you, Bella. I didn't even know you were the person Victoria was looking for," Mike said, glancing uneasily toward Victoria
"He's lying," Edward said flatly. "He knew she planned to kill you, Bella. He overheard her plans as he was still in transition. Victoria didn't know he could hear her."
"Mike, you have to get away from her," Bella said. She beckoned for him to come to her. "The Cullens can help you with this. You don't have to be a monster."
Slowly, Mike relaxed and his mouth softened into a smirk. Bella's stomach felt like lead.
"Don't feel too sorry for him, Bella," Edward sneered. "He was hoping to trick Victoria, to take you and run, keeping you for himself while she and Riley killed me."
"I give you immortality and you betray me?" Victoria screamed. She spun on Mike in a rage, her hand around his throat. She slammed him back against the mountain wall. The shriek of his cracking flesh and a small shower of falling rock made Bella scream.
Edward was too close to Bella, his scent too potent as his sweet breath had filled the air around them. Bella's head began to throb as she swayed dizzily.
Riley was distracted, angrily watching Victoria assault Mike. Seth took advantage and jumped on Riley's back, clamping his jaws around the young vampire's shoulder. Bella heard the familiar screech of ripping vampire flesh as Riley's arm was torn from his body. He screamed in agony, lunging himself at the wolf. Victoria dropped Mike to the ground and charged at Edward, enraged. The ground rumbled underneath them as four supernatural bodies were slammed around. Mike recovered quickly, rushing toward Bella, and crouched in front of her possessively. Riley's screams for Victoria's help went ignored as she threw Mike a final disgusted glance and ran.
"You won't get a chance like this again," Edward screamed after her.
Victoria stopped and spun to face him, seething.
"You want her. You want to make me hurt as you hurt. You want to kill her like I killed James." Victoria's scream in response sounded more like a roar.
"When I tore him into pieces," Edward said coldly. "When I turned him into ash."
Victoria screamed again, flying across the snow towards Edward.
Bella shook with fear, frozen where she stood. Seth had been thrown off of Riley repeatedly, charging back at him to tear away pieces of his limbs each time. Edward and Victoria looked more like wild cats than humans as each hissed and attacked the other viciously. Victoria's long nails carved gashes into Edwards marble flesh as he held her in a headlock, pulling with all of his strength.
"No!" Bella cried as Mike scooped her into his arms and ran for the trees. He seemed to vibrate with negative energy, his touch making her stomach flip violently. She thrashed against him, hearing the screech of tearing Vampire behind them. Mike stopped abruptly, setting her on her feet. She attempted to run back in the other direction and he restrained her.
"It's not safe for you there," Mike yelled.
She spun on him angrily. "It's not safe for me here," she hissed.
Mike glared at her icily, the cold of his hands burning into her upper arms. "Why Bella?" He asked. "Why can't you see me? I know now what it is you saw in him," he said, nodding in the direction they came. "Now that I know who and what he really is."
"I don't care what he is!" Bella said. "That never mattered. I loved him for who he is, just like I love Jacob for who he is."
"Jacob? Really?" Mike asked and scoffed. "Bella, he's trash."
"Don't you dare!" she screamed back. "You've been missing for weeks. Jacob and Edward were both out helping to search for your fucking body every day, you ungrateful bastard."
"And probably hoping they'd find it," he said snarkily.
Bella gaped at him in surprise. "No one wished you dead, Mike. Not one person."
Mike sneered at her. "Was Cullen telling the truth? Is Ben dead?" Mike asked.
"Yes. He's dead, buried, and the whole town has been devastated over both of you." Bella said angrily. Mike smiled cruelly, his bright red eyes shining.
"And what about you, Bella? Were you devastated? Did you miss me?" he asked, cupping her face tenderly with his hand.
"I did," she said angrily, as her stomach rolled.
He looked at her in surprise. "Did?"
"Did," she said firmly. "I missed my friend, the good person I met when I moved here. You've changed in more ways than death, Mike." She could feel the negativity radiating from him. He felt cold. Mean. He laughed at her, only infuriating her more.
"Do you care at all about people's grief?" she asked him. "Your parents? The rest of your friends?"
"Oh, please, like you're not the fucking queen of selfish, Bella," He laughed again. He slung her up over his shoulder and ran. Bella hit and kicked at him until he wrapped both arms painfully tight around her legs.
"You've ignored me for too fucking long," he said angrily. "I've tried for two years to get you to just see me, Bella. It's time for you to spend some time with me."
"I did see you, Mike," Bella argued. She could feel the blood rushing to her face as she hung helplessly over his shoulder. "I wasn't interested in you romantically then and I'm definitely not interested now. I belong with Jacob," she said angrily.
"Doesn't seem like it," he huffed. "You were all over Cullen five minutes ago."
"You might be a vampire now, but your observation skills are still shitty," Bella yelled at his back. Suddenly she was upright, and her back scraped roughly against tree bark as Mike held her firmly in place.
"Isabella Swan," Her full name dragged slowly from his lips. He exhaled in her face, his sweet breath surrounding her. She swayed dizzily as she breathed him in, her stomach still rolling with dread. Mike's thin lips connected with her cheek as she turned her head and tried to push him away. He gripped her chin and turned her face to his, kissing her on the mouth. Attempting to squirm away made him chuckle against her closed lips. After a moment she froze, infuriated, waiting for him to pull away on his own. He ground her lips against her teeth as she clenched her jaw shut, refusing to part her lips for him. Mike finally pulled away from her and scowled.
"We're going to have to get that dog smell off of you," Mike laughed cruelly. Bella looked up in time to see a flash of copper rushing toward them. Mike tossed her roughly to the ground, turning to face his attacker as they collided. Bella screamed in pain as she landed on her shoulder. Mike flew backward, his back slamming loudly against a tree. She curled up protectively against flying chunks of bark and debris as the tree split. It fell to the earth with a resounding crash. Edward scooped Bella up quickly and ran. He headed back toward the tent where Seth waited, guarding a pile of burning limbs. Purple smoke rose in the air, the thick bleach and incense smell making her stomach churn again. Victoria's face stared at her unblinking as the fire consumed her.
"Put me down, put me down," Bella begged. As Edward gently helped her kneel, Bella heaved and began to sob. There was a ferocious growl as Mike ran into the small clearing and plowed into Edwards' side. Edward was tossed backward, causing Bella to roll across the snow-covered ground, barely missing the fire and her vomit. She scrambled toward the mountain wall, pressing her back against it as the two men faced each other.
"Things are going to change around here," Mike said cooly. "Bella is going to spend some time with me. She belongs with me."
"Never!" Edward snarled back at him. Seth growled at Mike, darting past them and in front of Bella protectively.
"That's nice, Cullen. Got yourself a guard dog," Mike said snidely.
Edward scoffed. "That's Seth. I believe you two have met."
Mike glanced at Seth in surprise. Seth growled at him, his large teeth fully bared in rage. "What the fuck?" Mike asked in surprise.
"I believe you already know me," said a gruff voice from the treeline. Bella gasped, looking up to see Jacob, enraged and oblivious to his complete nakedness. Despite how intimidating he appeared, she couldn't help the sigh of relief she felt to have him near.
"Jacob," Edward nodded in his direction, smirking. Jacob merely grunted in return.
Mike started to laugh. "Jacob Black. What a fucking joke," he said, cackling. Jacob strode toward him menacingly, his large form vibrating with rage. Mike's eyes widened as Jacob drew closer, assessing his large form. "You Rez rats never stop growing, do you?" Mike mocked him. "Anyone have a fucking loincloth?"
Bella shook her head in disgust at Mike's blatant racism. How had she never seen it before?. "You are not the person I knew, Mike," she said sadly.
"The polite coward you knew, Bella? No. No, I'm not." He said haughtily. "It's a shame you don't seem to like the new me very much. You'll get used to me, though, after a while. When you're turned, we'll have centuries together. You'll see. You seem to have a thing for assholes, anyway." Mike nodded in Edwards' direction. Suddenly, Mike rushed for Bella, tossing Seth out of his way.
"No!" Bella screamed as Seth landed, yelping in pain. Mike held Bella firmly beside him with one hand on the back of her neck.
"Keep your hands off her," Edward hissed as Jacob silently shook with rage.
Mike laughed again. "She's leaving here with me," he said.
"Get the fuck away from me," Bella yelled at him. "I'm no one's goddamned property!"
"You're not taking her anywhere, Newton," Jacob said firmly.
"You won't live long enough," Edward said to Mike, shooting Jacob another smirk.
"I'm already as dead as you are, these days," Mike said tensely.
"Mike, you're hurting me," Bella said as calmly as she could manage. He lessened his icy grip just enough for her to attempt to dart away from him. He clamped onto a handful of her hair and she cried out as he tugged her backward. A limping Seth roared, snapping his jaws viciously.
"Oh, no, Bella," Mike chuckled and tisked at her.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bella yelled as she spun toward him, grasping her hair above his hand to relieve the pain in her scalp. "Let me fucking go." Mike kissed her lips again quickly, pulling back to stare at her as if she were some prized trophy. Bella spat at him, looking into his blood-red eyes. She searched for the boy she knew and saw nothing of him there. He held his grip on her hair, slowly following her as she unconsciously shuffled backward.
"Let's end this," Mike snarled and pointed at Jacob. He finally let go of her hair, smiling maniacally. "If you run from me again, I'll break your fucking legs, Bella." Snarls erupted from the others at his threat. He grinned again as Bella braced herself against the mountain wall.
"You could just leave now and thank me later," Mike teased Jacob. "She's just gonna break your heart anyway."
Jacob scoffed loudly. Mike smirked at him and said, "She will. My real fight here is with Edward. After all, he was the one kissing her when I arrived."
Jacob lost control with Mike's wounding words. He lunged toward Mike and phased. Mike watched him in shock as Jacob landed on him, knocking him onto his back. Standing on his chest. Jacob snapped his massive jaws at Mike's face. The screech of Mike's ripping flesh filled the air as Jacob finally made contact, ripping Mike's head from his body, and tossing it directly into the fire. Seth and Edward quickly dismembered the rest of Mike's body and added the pieces to the burning pile. Jacob phased back long enough to pull a newly traumatized and sobbing Bella against his chest. She cried out with the pain in her shoulder, and he let go of her abruptly.
"What happened?" he asked, inspecting her shoulder carefully.
"Mike tossed me," Bella said and sobbed again. "It wasn't h-him anymore, right? The change made him-"
"Mean," Edward said. "It enhanced his negative qualities. I told you once before that I hated the inside of his head. His ego was always his worst trait."
"Honey, I'm sorry," Jacob said, "But we need to get down to the clearing. Edward needs to carry you. You can't ride on my back or Seth's with one arm."
"Th-that's okay," she stuttered, trying to reign in her emotions. Bella lifted her good arm, sliding it around Edwards's neck as he lifted her carefully. He ran between the wolves, careful not to jostle her. They eventually flew into the clearing and Alice yelled for them to stop.
"They're coming!" Alice yelled at Edward and he froze. "Take her to the house, you have to go!" From behind her, a lone male newborn came out of his hiding place. He ran for Alice's back, his arm raised to strike. Leah jumped into action, plowing into him from the side.
"Leah, NO!" Jacob yelled and charged for them both, knocking the large newborn off of her. In a flash, he was up, throwing himself on top of Jacob, wrapping his arms around him.
"No!" Bella screamed as the vampire squeezed Jacob tightly.
The sound of crunching bone resonated across the field as Leah attacked from behind. She clamped onto one of the vampire's legs, ripping it off in her attempt to yank him off of Jacob. The rest of the pack attacked collectively, ripping him apart and tossing the pieces onto the large pile of burning bodies. Bella struggled to get out of Edward's arms, but he would not let her down.
Jacob had phased back, screaming as his face contorted in pain. The pack ran to phase back where they had stashed their clothing. Carlisle rushed to Jacob's side to start checking his vitals as he lay unconscious on the ground. The pack surrounded Jacob and crossed his arms across his chest. They lifted him carefully, looking eerily like pallbearers as they carried him out of the clearing.
"Get him home and stabilize him quickly. I'll be there as soon as I can," Carlisle told Sam, who only nodded in return.
"Jacob…" Bella said sadly. As Bella's voice rang out, she noticed a small, dark-haired vampire clinging to Esme's side. The girl sucked in a deep breath, catching onto Bella's scent. She screamed angrily. Carlisle rushed to help Esme hold her back as she struggled to rush at Bella.
"I want her," the girl screamed.
"No, sweetie. No," Esme cooed at the girl protectively. "Bella is our family, Bree. No…"
Bella and Edward both gasped, surprised by the display.
"Edward, leave," Alice shouted again frantically. "She can't be here!"
"They're looking for me, I can hear them," Edward hissed.
"Will someone get Bella the fuck out of here?" Rosalie hissed.
Paul strode over to Edward and Bella, holding his arms out for her worriedly.
"Come on, Sis, I got you," Paul said.
"Run," Edward said as he laid her in Paul's arms. Paul snarled at him and made a mad dash for the Cullen house, unfortunately rocking Bella all over the place as he ran. He apologized as she whimpered, running directly for her truck. As Paul gently sat her down in the passenger seat, the rest of the pack broke through the treeline. They lifted an awake and shaking Jacob as gently as they could into the back of the truck. Quil and Embry crawled in next to him to help hold him still. Paul hopped into the driver's seat and tore away from the Cullen's driveway, speeding toward the Rez as fast as Bella's old truck could go.
So, guys, what did you think? Did any of you see that coming? PLEASE REVIEW XO