The Mating Dance

by Xavier2163

AU Edward Cullen and his adoptive family moved to Forks to start a new life, but Edward’s life suddenly changes when he’s drawn into Bella Swan’s strange and dangerous world. Vampires mate for life, but what happens when that mate is human? OOC Lemons ExB

13. Bonfire

Disclaimer: Written under the derivative fan works act. All rights reserved to the original creator, Stephanie Meyer.

Title: The Mating Dance

Rating: M for sexual situations, lemons, and hot, steamy, angsty vampire lovin', underage drinking, smoking, drug use and overall bad behavior.

Premise: Alternate Universe. Edward Cullen and his adoptive family have moved to Forks to start a new life, but Edward's life suddenly changes when he's drawn into Bella Swan's strange and dangerous world. Vampires mate for life, but what happens when that mate is human?

Alternate Universe: Canon pairings eventually, pretty much OOC, ExB of course.

POV: EPOV (Edward), Edward's turn to continue the story. Alice will be back later on and maybe Bella, too.

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Author Notes:

Please note that this story is rated M for a reason, if you'd prefer not to deal with mature themes, please do not read this story.

This chapter is a little shorter than the others, but I wanted to keep it separate from the previous chapter and the following chapter. Let the Drama continue. Please review and let me know what you think.

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Chapter 12 Bonfire

I watched as Katy turned and fled out through the gym doors with tears streaming down her cheeks. Michaela turned and glared at me for an instant, and I could read the accusation and anger at my apparent betrayal of Katy's trust in her look, and then she turned and followed Katy out the doors. She was Katy's best friend and she left to find her and try to comfort her.

I knew I hadn't handled this well. I could have made this easier for Katy, but I couldn't leave Bella to follow after her. My bond to Bella was too new and too strong as I held her and let them leave. I knew I had to talk to Katy, but I couldn't do it in this instant. I'd told Carlisle that I felt evil and the villain for hurting Katy and leaving her for Bella. I knew it was still true as I watched them leave. I could still feel my love for Katy, but Bella was the center of my universe now.

I held Bella in my arms as we danced, and it felt right. I knew it was where I was supposed to be. It was where I needed to be, but I could feel my conscience weighing on me and intruding on my good mood and sense of well being. I'd made promises to Katy, and I was breaking those promises now. I knew I had to talk to Katy before I could truly be at peace with Bella. I'd told Katy that I'd never cheat on her while she was my girlfriend. It was beyond rude of me to have kissed Bella in the gym at the dance while I knew Katy was watching us. I knew what that must have done to Katy, but I hadn't been able to control myself in the heat of the moment. It was a thin excuse, but only another human that has felt the power of the mating bond in that instant could have understood how powerful the compulsion to be joined with Bella was. It was truly a supreme act of will power that had limited my actions to the barely socially acceptable level that I had been able to maintain so far.

I knew I had to talk to Katy before I could go any further. I had to let her go and tell her we were over. I was wrong to simply take up with Bella without talking to Katy first. I'm sure she knew already, but I owed it to her to talk to her and tell her in person, face to face, and make a clean break in our relationship. I couldn't truly explain to her why I was leaving her without putting her in danger, but I couldn't simply cast her aside either. She'd know if I lied to her, but if I exposed the secret to her then her life was forfeit. If she had to believe that I was a jerk and was leaving her after a year together because I'd found somebody else, then I would have to live with that guilt to protect her.

Bella and I spent most of the rest of the dance out on the dance floor as I held her in my arms and we moved together to the music. I really didn't want to ruin the mood, but I had to explain to Bella what I had to do.

"Bella, love, there's something I still need to do tonight… I still need to talk to Katy. I still need to tell her I've made my decision. I owe her that… I haven't handled this well, and I know she's hurting. I promised Katy I'd never cheat on her… I know she's feeling that I've betrayed her and broken her trust…"

"Is that the only reason, Edward?"

"No, I suppose if I'm totally honest, I have selfish reasons as well. You know I want you, and I need to be with you, but I feel bad about what I've done to Katy. I need to apologize to her, and try an explain myself, but part of that is to rationalize this to myself to make myself feel better about leaving her. I know that probably sounds bad, but it's the truth. I need to break up with Katy as much for my own peace of mind as hers."

"Ok. Let's find her and finish this. You're mine now, and I want you to be ok with this. I know if things had worked out differently I'd want you to tell me to my face. I probably wouldn't have handled it well. I probably would have run away, but it's what I would have needed if I were in her position."

"You want to come with me? You aren't going to hurt her, are you?"

"No, I'm not going to hurt her. There's a part of me that wants to, but I can control it. You're my mate, Edward, and I'll stand beside you and support you in whatever you have to do. I'll give you privacy to talk to her if you like, but I'll help you find her."

"And you aren't jealous? I thought you'd object to me talking to her…"

"I wouldn't say I'm not jealous. My instinct is to destroy her as my rival. You're mine, and I don't want that bitch anywhere near you. I really do want to kill her, but I'd like to think I'm better than that. We're bonded as mates, and she can't come between us. Examine your feelings for Katy now. Is there any possibility that you could want her anymore?"

I thought about what Bella had said. I thought about my feelings for Katy. I did still love her, but it was insignificant and paled in comparison to what I felt for Bella now. I would have to be a total male whore to even consider being with Katy now. I wasn't. I didn't think it would have been possible for me to want to be with Katy now. Bella was my universe and she was all I wanted now.

"Ok, I see what you mean… No, I couldn't be with her anymore. I need you, but I still need to talk to her. It's the right thing to do."

"That's why I'm not going to hurt her, Edward. That's why I haven't hurt her after all this time, when my instinctive reaction cried for her blood. We can rise above our instincts and control ourselves. Our sense of right and wrong, our intellect and force of will let us rise above our instinct to 'do the right thing'. We can choose not to be monsters."

"I'll never think of you as a monster, love. Alright, let's see if we can find her if she's still here." I took Bella's hand, and we left the dance floor to see if we could find Katy.

We made our way through the gym, but the crowd was already starting to thin out as people said their goodbyes and left for the night. I realized it was close to midnight now, and the dance would be ending soon. Bella asked Esme to check the ladies room, but Katy and Michaela weren't there this time. We went outside through the doors where Katy had fled earlier, and there were groups of people talking outside in the cool night air. There were couples together in the shadows, and I saw Bella scan the area. She took a deep breath, and turned to me and shook her head.

"She's not here, Edward. She must have left when she ran outside with Michaela. I'm sorry. I guess we should have tried to find her earlier."

"I'll drive over to her house, and talk to her there. I wanted to avoid a scene with her father, but I guess I'll have to face him eventually."

"I'll come with you, if you think it will help…"

"It's alright, Bella. I did this. I'll have to face Katy's father eventually…"

"Edward, Katy isn't at home," Brittany Jensen said behind me. She was coming out of the gym with Dean. "She went to the bonfire in La Push with Michaela. If you want to talk to her tonight, that's where you'll find her."

"Thanks' Brittany." She nodded, gave me a sad look, and then disappeared into the dark with Dean as they made their way to the parking lot and his car.

Bella waited until they were gone, and then she led me off to the side away from the doors so we could talk.

"Are you sure you need to talk to Katy tonight, Edward? I can't go to La Push with you. I'm not even sure it's still safe for you to go. I don't know what Sam will do… I don't like the thought of you going there by yourself, but I can't break the treaty. Sam Uley isn't going to invite me to come to La Push…"

"I have to end this, Bella… I can't keep putting this off until the time is convenient for me… This isn't just about me. I need to do this so we can have a future together. Katy deserves this much from me. Sam isn't going to do anything… I'm still human and the treaty doesn't prevent me from going to La Push. If anyone has broken the treaty, it's them, but I tricked Jacob into telling me the legends. I knew he didn't believe them, and Alice told me I'd learn about what you were that Saturday in La Push. I kept pushing until I got the story out of him…"

"I don't like this, Edward. You're already bound by the terms of the treaty, even if it doesn't prevent you from going onto their land. You're one of us now even if you haven't been changed yet. It isn't safe… I couldn't bear to lose you after you're finally mine…"

"I'll go with him, Bella." Alice stepped out of the shadows by the door. She'd already changed out of her dress and looked like she was ready to go. "Nothing's going to happen. It'll be ok. I'll take Edward to La Push to talk with Katy. Why don't you go find a snack or something? You've got to be starving, and you don't want anything…, unexpected… to interrupt the mood later… Ok? I'll feel better if you've hunted…"

Bella looked down, and I was sure if she could have blushed she'd be red halfway to her toes right now.

"Ok, Alice, you're right… I need to hunt… I'm just worried about Sam."

I reached up and took Bella's perfect jaw in my fingers, and raised her chin so I could look into her eyes.

"I'll be ok. I have to do this… I love you, Bella. I have to finish this. Sam won't do anything. Now go hunt… We'll be back in a couple of hours. Ok?"

I leaned down and Bella tilted her face up to me and our lips met. I felt the cool perfection of Bella's lips move on mine as my lips molded to hers. Her arms moved around my neck pulling me down to her as I wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her perfect body closer to me. My lips parted and our tongues met. It was slick and sweet and velvety strong. I felt the electricity flash down my spine and I had goose bumps on my skin as our kiss deepened and became more passionate.

I heard something, but it sounded faint and far away. Was that a hand on my shoulder? Suddenly reality flooded back into my awareness.

"Edward! Snap out of it! C'mon lover boy," Alice said as she shook my shoulder, trying to get my attention. She was trying to pull me away from Bella "Focus, Edward! This was your idea. Now, c'mon, let's get this over with, and then you'll have the rest of the night!

I took a half step back and broke our kiss. I heard a low growl come from Bella. Her eyes were darkening and turning black as she glared at Alice. I reached out and took her jaw in my hand and turned her head to look at me, and her eyes started to lighten as I stared into her eyes. I felt the tension go out of her and she relaxed as I ran my other hand up and down her back.

"I'm sorry, love. Go hunt and we'll be back soon. Ok?"

Bella nodded, and glanced at Alice a little sheepishly, "Sorry, Alice. I'm still working on that. It's a mate thing… I didn't mean to growl at you…"

"It's ok. I understand what you're going through. I've been doing enough growling myself the last couple of weeks to last a lifetime… At least now maybe Jasper will come to his senses… C'mon, Edward, Let's do this."

Alice turned away and started to walk to the Volvo. I caressed Bella's cheek one last time, and then stepped away. It was hard to move away from her. This was the farthest apart we'd been, and the first time I hadn't been touching her since I took her hand at the dance. It felt like I was pushing against a current that flowed toward Bella as I moved to follow Alice. I took another step, and then another. It became marginally easier the farther I moved away.

I glanced back at Bella and she seemed rooted to the spot and hadn't moved. Her eyes were closed tight and she looked like she was in pain. I steeled my resolve, turned away to walk to the car, and then suddenly in a rush it became easier to move. I glanced back again, and Bella was gone. I could feel her moving away south towards to denser forest south of town.

Before I'd touched her she would have long since been out of range for me to sense her presence if she was that far away, but now I could still feel her as she moved south of town past the last houses and entered the forest. I understood what Alice meant when she said that she knew that Jasper was close by now.

I got in the car, and Alice was waiting for me. We pulled to the exit from the parking lot, and it took all my will power to turn north onto Spartan Avenue to drive away from her. It was easier to turn left onto C Street, but it took another effort of will to turn right and north onto Forks Avenue. I was driving away from Bella, and it felt wrong although I understood what I had to do. I drove through town and past the city limits onto Highway 101 heading north out of town toward the turn off onto the 110 toward La Push.

The connection that I felt to Bella had been becoming more and more tenuous the farther north I drove. The familiar tug in my stomach felt like an elastic band stretched thin between us drawing us together. It felt like it was stretching thinner and thinner, more fragile with every mile that stretched between us. I was about to turn onto Highway 110 when I must have finally reached the new limit of my range.

Suddenly the elastic band broke and it felt like it ripped a huge gaping hole in my chest when it snapped back through me. I'd felt a dull ache in my chest before when I was separated from Bella, but just as the bond was a thousand times stronger now, so was the pain of separation. I gasped and almost lost control of the car as the pain slashed through my chest. I managed to pull over to the side of the road and stop as the pain of the loss overcame me. It was like the connection was violently broken and I could feel real physical pain as I was overcome with an anguished longing to turn back and be with Bella again.

"God, Alice! Is this what you've been going through? Does this get any easier to live with?"

"Not really. I suppose I've gotten used to it now, but it doesn't really get any easier as long as you're apart. You just learn to live with it. It's better when your mate is close enough that you can feel them. At least you know Bella will be waiting for you when you get home. Jasper is still in Seattle, since Esme came out here to be with dad. Carlisle has been with Esme ever since they made the bond so he has no idea what to expect. We should probably warn him if Esme hasn't already. Do you want me to drive, Edward?"

"No, I can handle it. It just took me by surprise. You should have said something…"

"Sorry, force of habit. I've been living with this need to know bullshit for so long; sometimes I forget the things that are ok to talk about."

"Is there anything else I should know?" I asked as I pulled back onto the highway and started toward La Push again.

"I'll let you know if anything comes to mind. Part of the deal that I made with Esteban was that Jasper would keep watching Bella until you either came around and accepted the bond, or your time ran out and they had to take your oath. He couldn't spend time with me because the bond is too distracting in the early stages. He wouldn't have been able to do his job if he was with me. He had to keep his distance, or he'd be watching me, not you and Bella. Now Jasper is free. Bella has passed her tests to officially join Esteban's household guard, and you've accepted the bond."

"So this is what you've been waiting for? If this is the early stage of the mating bond is it supposed to get easier later on? How long is this 'early stage' supposed to last?"

"Yeah, sorry if I've been kind of bitchy lately, but now you know what I've been living with all these weeks. As far as this 'early part' of the bond is concerned, it's different with every couple. At least that's what Bella told me. She's only really met two mated couples before but she's heard stories. Rose and Emmett in Seattle are mates, and Eleazar and Carmen in Alaska are mated. Bella told me this early stage doesn't last long, and should be over quickly."

"How long is 'quickly'?"

Alice chuckled. "You're quicker than I gave you credit for. Yeah, how long is quick for people that live forever? Bella said it's usually over in a decade or two, and then things should settle down and you'll start to feel normal again. Of course, is that human normal, or vampire normal? Considering none of us are vampires yet and she's only five years old. I guess that's something else we'll just have to experience to know what she's talking about."

"A decade or two! I'm going to feel like this every time I get more than a couple of miles away from her for the next twenty years?"

"Well, stick close to her, and don't get too far away. This is a survival instinct. You're stronger as a pair, and more likely to survive together than on your own. Besides, there are other benefits that outweigh the negative aspects, but I'll let Bella explain that to you. Your range is limited because you're still human. It's like that to make it easier for the vampire to find their mate and keep them close until they're changed. The range will increase exponentially when you're equals."

"Why does Bella need to tell me? What else are you hiding, Alice?"

"Bella needs to tell you because I'm not going to sit here and discuss the intimate details of your personal relationship. I love you, Edward, but you're still my brother! This is something you need to discuss with your mate."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, oh…"

"Ok, so when we get to La Push, is there anything I need to watch out for?"

"I'm not sure… La Push is always kind of sketchy for me. Easy things like the weather, the waves, and automatic stuff like that are easy and still come through, but it's like there are holes in what I see there… I still haven't figured it all out yet."

"Ok, that's not real helpful, but thanks' for letting me know."

"Edward, be careful what you say to Katy… I've been watching our path unfold for a long time, and I've had to make choices… You've had choices and you've had to live with the consequences. There are consequences for the choices I've made too… All I can tell you is that I've tried to steer us toward the path that keeps our family safe and strong…"

"Alice, what are you trying to tell me?"

"You know the law… Katy doesn't have a mate to protect her like you and me. She can't find out the secret or you know what will happen."

"I know, Alice. I've been worrying about this for weeks. I have to protect her, but she'll know if I lie to her. What else aren't you telling me? What are the consequences of these choices you've made?"

"You know I can't tell you or it will effect your decisions. Just think about what you say tonight. It's your only chance to effect how this plays out… Please don't hate me Edward, but I'm doing this for our family. I've probably already told you more than I should have… I'll do anything to protect Jasper. You have to know that I'll put you and Bella and Carlisle and Esme before anyone else to keep you all safe. I hate the choices I have to make, but I have to protect our family…"

"You're scaring me, Alice… Why can't you just trust me and tell me what you know?"

"I do trust you, Edward, but I told you not to fall in love with Katy over a year ago, and look where that got us! It's taken you five weeks to decide that you're supposed to be with Bella instead of Katy, and she's your goddamned mate! If I gave you all the options I've seen, it would take you weeks to agonize over all the details, and I'd be as blind as the kids at school! These situations require snap decisions to move to the best path, not weeks of deliberation. Maybe if you could get inside my head and see what I see, you'd be able to help, but you can't. I'm doing the best I can with what I've got to work with."

"Ok, Alice. You know I trust you, but we've got to work on this information transfer thing. I wish you'd share more details with me. I don't like being in the dark any more than you do, and not knowing doesn't help if I still make the wrong decision."

We were driving through La Push now, and I turned off La Push Road onto the side street that led up onto the bluffs overlooking First Beach. It was after twelve thirty in the morning now. It was probably closer to one, but there was loud music pounding out a beat up in the clearing at the top of the bluff. It was dark, but there were bright pockets of light around the bonfires burning on the bluff. There were a lot of people milling around, and I was careful as I pulled over to where the rest of the cars were parked off to one side along the north edge of the clearing.

We got out of the car to head over to the party. Alice had taken the time to change, but I was still wearing my suit. I took off my tie and threw it into the back seat and loosened the collar of my dress shirt, opening a couple of buttons.

I wasn't sure where we'd find Katy, and we headed for the first group of people around a bonfire. We weren't quite halfway there when I noticed movement to my left as we moved along the trail at the edge of the clearing next to the forest border. I'd been looking at the bonfire we were walking towards, and I'd lost my night vision. My eyes weren't adjusted to the dark, and I was startled when somebody grabbed my arm and turned me to face them.

It took a minute for my eyes to adjust enough to see who it was that had grabbed my arm. Jacob Black was standing on the little side trail. He wobbled a little like he'd been drinking. He had a haunted look around his eyes and face once my eyes adjusted enough to see some detail. He seemed upset and acted like he wanted to pull me down the side trial he was standing on.

"Edward, I was hoping you'd show up tonight." He glanced around a little apprehensively. "You're alone, right? Just you and Alice?"

"Yeah, Jacob, what's wrong? I thought you guys were throwing a party for Home Coming tonight?"

"Yeah, we're partying, but we gotta talk to you in private. C'mon, the guys are over here…"

Jacob started to lead me down the trail into the forest on the east side of the bluff. I followed Jacob down the trial, and Alice followed me. We weren't to far from the main clearing, but the trial dropped down to a lower level and went around a bend in the hillside effectively shielding it from the top of the bluff. There was another smaller campfire, and Quil, Embry, and Seth Clearwater were lounging around the fire. They were sipping on beers. Quil reached into a cooler and passed beers to us when we came over to the fire. We sat down on one of the blankets they had spread out on the ground by the fire and got comfortable leaning back against some fallen logs.

"Edward, man," Jacob started when we were settled. "I've been talking to the guys, and I gotta tell you…, we're kinda freaked out about that shit that went down at Sam's shop out at the airport last week."

I glanced at Alice, and she made a slight movement shaking her head no as she tilted her beer back to take a sip to cover the movement. She didn't want me to say anything, and expected me to play along.

"Yeah, Sam and the guys totally freaked me out with the guns and shit. I seriously thought Paul was gonna kill someone going off with that assault rifle like that."

Quil and Embry turned and looked at each other and nodded, like I'd confirmed something they'd been discussing. Seth just stared at me, and his eyes got big like he hadn't believed the story until I backed up what Jacob had told them.

"Edward, don't try and bullshit me! I was fucking there, man! I want the fucking truth! I've tried to talk to Sam and Paul and Jared, and they won't tell me shit! They just say chill out and wait. Either I'll know or I won't. What the fuck does that shit mean?"

"It's good advice, Jacob. Wait and see what happens. You don't want to get involved in this if you don't have to."

"Goddamn it, Edward! That's the same bullshit speech Sam's giving us. Goddamn it, I was there, and I know what I saw! I know what I felt! I'm the one that had a gun held to my head while you guys argued!"

"I'm sorry, Jacob. I never would have done anything to put you in danger If I knew Sam and the guys were gonna react like that."

"It's all fucking true, isn't it? That's what this is all about, the fucking treaty. That chick you brought to the shop, Bella, she's one of them. She's a Cold One, and that's why Paul and Jared freaked out!"

The rest of the guys kind of shuffled around and looked down. Quil and Embry wouldn't meet my gaze, but Seth seemed excited, as he waited for me to respond. Jacob glared at me, waiting for me to try and refute his claim.

"C'mon, Jacob, you said yourself that the legends are all a bunch of horseshit. This is the twenty-first century. There aren't any Cold Ones with glowing red eyes. Paul just freaked because she was wearing Moreno colors. Bella goes to Forks High School. She's a fucking cheerleader, man!"

The guys seemed to relax a bit, and looked back at Jacob to see how he'd react.

"Don't try and bullshit me, Edward. She grabbed me and held a gun to my head! Her hands were ice cold and she moved so fast. She dodged the bullets, tackled me, and held me until you guy's were done talking!"

"She was wearing leather gloves, Jacob! We'd been out cruising on our motorcycles for a couple of hours before we showed up at the airport. My hands were ice cold too. She's into martial arts like Alice, and Paul missed."

"Yeah, right, I'm not fucking blind, Edward! I knew she was different the second I saw her! I'm not stupid either. Don't you think I notice what goes on around here? How a lot of the guys change when they grow up. You know, when they get to be about my age! Paul and Jared, they were normal guys a year ago. Hell I went to school with them, and we grew up together. Then all of sudden they go through this weird growth spurt. It happens like that here in La Push. One summer they'll grow a fucking foot taller and put on a hundred pounds of solid muscle. I've watched it happen over the years…"

"Every year, a couple of guys get bigger, meaner; they get a short fuse and get pissed off at stupid shit. Most of them leave town and their families never hear from them again, but not Sam, or Paul and Jared. Sam left, but he came back and got a seat on the Tribal Council. I'm sure things would have worked out different if he hadn't stayed in La Push, but now Paul and Jared follow him around like he's the fucking second coming of Christ!"

"This is a small town, Jacob. A lot of kids leave home and don't come back. They've probably been dreaming about getting out their whole lives. What's so strange about that?"

"Nothing's strange about that if it didn't fit so well with the legends and the treaty."

"So what, you think they turn into werewolves? Are you listening to yourself? This is 2006, Jacob. This isn't the middle ages or some fairytale."

"Ok, Edward, I get it. So this is all just bullshit. The treaty doesn't mean anything. There aren't any monsters, and my ancestors just made up all the legends to scare each other and have a laugh around the campfire."

"It's not like that, Jacob. You should be proud of your cultural heritage."

"Yeah, right, I'll work on that. So this means I can say whatever I like to whoever I want. I don't have to protect the secret because there's no secret to protect. I could call a press conference, or write a book. Maybe go to the university in Seattle and tell them all of my people's legends, to record them for posterity."

"You should listen to Sam, Jacob," Alice told him. "He's looking out for you. He's doing the right thing."

"The right thing! I need to know what the fuck is going on so I can stop it! I don't want to be a fucking werewolf! Billy isn't one, I'd know. If my grandfather was one of them, how did it skip Billy?"

"You know the legends better than we do, Jacob," Alice told him. "If this was real and there was a way to avoid the change, you'd know more about it than we ever could. If you have questions about your father, why aren't you asking him?"

"I did, but he's as bad as Sam. Maybe worse, he wants me to change. He's hoping for it! Sam won't even admit that the legends are true. Maybe I should go to the university and talk to someone. Maybe that'll get their attention."

"You can't do that, Jacob." I said.

"Why not, Edward? Give me one good reason!"

I sighed. I couldn't keep doing this all night. "Because you're bound by the treaty, and it would be a violation of the treaty to tell anyone outside the tribe."

That got their attention. I heard Quil and Embry gasp, and Seth's mouth dropped open. They were all staring at me now.

"You're defending the treaty? You're not even Quileute. You wouldn't even know about the treaty if I hadn't told you!"

"No, I'm not Quileute, but I'm bound to defend the treaty with your people. I would have learned about the treaty whether you told me or not."

"Edward, that's enough!" Alice grabbed my arm to get my attention.

"He has a right to know, Alice! I went through the same bullshit, and he has a right to the truth!"

"Damn it, Edward! And you wonder why I don't share more with you? Sam had this under control! Its need to know information, and they don't need to know unless they're directly involved!"

"So it really is all true…" Jacob seemed to deflate a little, and sagged back against the tree trunk he was leaning back against.

"Jacob, we're not allowed to talk about this." Alice snapped at him. "You'll have to talk to Sam about this."

"Wait, you said you're bound to protect the treaty. You're not Quileute, but you would have found out anyhow… If you weren't going to learn about the treaty from us who would have told you about it?"

"Edward, remember what I told you. C'mon, we have to go find Katy. You can talk to her and then we need to go home!"

Alice was tense, and moving to get up. She placed her hand on my arm to get my attention, and pull me up, but I brushed her off and turned to look at Jacob.

"Not yet, Alice, he has a right to know the truth."

"Maybe, but it's not your place to tell him! Remember what I told you in the car! Now c'mon, we have to go right now!"

Alice was up on her knees now trying to grab my arm to pull me up and make me leave, but I ignored her, and held my ground.

"Isn't it obvious, Jacob? There were two parties to the treaty. If the Quileute's weren't going to tell us, then the other side would have to."

"Shit, they are real, aren't they…? Bella is one of them, and you're dating her… Are you fucking insane, Edward! You know what she is, and you want to be with her? She isn't even fucking human!"

Alice gave up and flopped back down and glared at me with a resigned look on her face and sadly shook her head at me. I suppose I'd failed her again, but I couldn't leave Jacob in the dark. I knew what that was like.

"It's complicated, Jacob… We all start out human. Sam was human once, and Bella was too… That's what Sam's waiting for… Why he won't tell you. He's waiting for all of you to change. I guess that's how they work it now, to protect the treaty. If you change, then they tell you everything, otherwise you don't need to know, and can stay blissfully ignorant. You wanted to know, so now you do."

"God, Edward! I warned you! I told you there were consequences, but you never fucking listen to me. Don't tell me I didn't warn you when this comes back on you!"

There was movement in the forest behind us, and I turned to see what it was. It was big and black and covered with fur. I grabbed Alice, and we scrambled to our feet. I jumped back around the fire as the wolf walked out of the trees. Alice scuttled back defensively, but I doubt there would have been anything she could have done but run for her life. Jacob gaped in awe and Quil and Embry jumped up ready to run, but they waited defensively to see what would happen. Seth was frozen, staring with his mouth hanging open as the huge black wolf walked into the tiny clearing in the trees.

It was covered with black fur, and it was shaped and proportioned like a powerfully built wolf, but it was as big as a horse. Alice wouldn't even come up to its shoulder if she was standing next to it, and the top of its head was taller than me. The giant wolf was standing still looking at us, and then it seemed to rear up on its hind legs. At first I thought it was going to attack, but I didn't feel any hostile intent coming from it. Its form became indistinct and seemed to melt and flow as it shifted to a smaller more compact shape, and suddenly Sam Uley was standing in front of us where the giant wolf had stood.

"Jesus, they aren't fucking legends! It really is all true!"

"Yeah, it's all true, Jacob," Sam said as he reached behind himself and pulled a pair of shorts around from behind his back and quickly pulled them on. "You guy's weren't supposed to find out like this. We only tell the new wolves after they phase for the first time. The transition and adjustment period can be traumatic. If you never took the wolf, then you weren't supposed to ever learn about this."

"You might want to rethink that strategy, Sam. Bella was telling me that their newborns make a much smoother transition if they know what to expect going in. It makes the change easier."

"Well, I guess we'll have a chance to test that theory thanks to you. You shouldn't have said anything, Edward."

"I couldn't stand by and leave Jacob in the dark. I owed him that much. It's harder not knowing, dealing with half-truths and people that dance around the subject but won't give you a straight answer. It was worse knowing that something was going on, but people that were supposed to be my friends wouldn't trust me with the truth."

"So why are you still here, Sam?" Alice asked. "No offense, but I figured you would have gone to Seattle and sold out for the cash. I think I met one of your cousins working for the Moreno's. Big guy named Josh. Ring any bells?"

"It isn't always about money, Alice. I do alright on my own, and Emily wouldn't have fit into that life. Bella said Edward was her mate. You know what that bond is like. We have something similar. When a wolf imprints on a human, they become the center of our universe, and we become whatever they need. Our bond is one-sided, and only the wolf feels the connection, but it's just as strong and just as permanent. I couldn't take Emily to Seattle, so I became what she needed and now I protect La Push like my ancestors did."

"Ok, that's all just great, I'm happy for you Sam. You've found your true calling in life. So how do I stop the change from happening? What if I don't want to be a wolf? Billy didn't take the wolf, neither did Seth's dad. Why didn't they change?"

"Sorry, Jacob, it's too late for you. The ability to phase is genetic. You've got it on both sides of your family, and your grandfather was Ephraim Black. You're in the direct line of Chiefs, and you've already been exposed to the catalyst, so it's pretty much a given that you'll take the wolf. Seth here might have been able to avoid it, but I doubt it now."

"Shit, Sam! What did you do to me? How was I exposed to this catalyst? Is it some kind of drug or something?"

"No, nothing like that, it's purely environmental. Our genetics react to the presence of the Cold Ones. We don't know exactly what the trigger is, but Harry, Billy and old Quil never took the wolf because they were never exposed to vampires when they were the right age. They out grew it after a couple of years, and they just never phased. As far as we can tell, most of the Quileute tribe carries the gene, but it takes the right combination of hormones and exposure to vampires to trigger the change. It usually happens close to the end of puberty, when you leave childhood behind and become a young man. If the change isn't triggered, then you outgrow the ability as your body changes."

"I ran away from home and went to Seattle that summer to get away from La Push. Fucking Seattle is the vampire capitol of the Pacific Northwest, and there was no way I could avoid being exposed living there. I came running back here after the first time I changed to talk to old Quil. I'd heard the legends, but I never believed them until I phased that first time. He helped me adjust and learn to control it, and then I imprinted on Emily. I couldn't leave after that."

"Same thing happened with Paul and Jared. They were making runs to Seattle when they started to work for me and got exposed in the city just like me. That's why I was keeping you and Quil and Embry away from the city. I was trying to give you a chance at a normal life, but that's pretty much shot now. There are vampires living in Forks, and that's close enough to expose all of you. Hell, Bella's even been out to the shop, and she was close enough to touch you Jacob. It's just a matter of time now. Like Paul said, either you'll know by thanksgiving, or it won't fucking matter."

"Shit! So that's it? I'm just supposed to accept that I'm going to turn into some kind of monster?"

"It's not so bad once you get used to it, Jacob. I hear the money's good if you sell out to the Clans as one of their goons. They'll teach you how to fight, and treat you like a king until someone gets the drop on you and cut's your head off or something. Otherwise it's pretty peaceful here in La Push these days. There hasn't been a vampire attack on our side of the line in fifty years according to the council records."

"La Push is off limits, Sam. Their guards patrol their side of the treaty line to keep them out. The only vampires that are going to wander into your territory are deranged nomads that don't know any better, or want to die anyhow and come here to suicide."

"Huh, makes sense, I guess. They got a good thing going with a steady stream of new wolves coming out of here for them to buy off as guards. So what about you, Edward? You seem to know everything now. How much longer are you going to be human? You know if you let her change you, you won't be able to come back to La Push. You won't even be able to stay around here. You'll be the monster then. At least we don't eat people."

"We haven't worked out the details yet, Sam. Maybe after graduation… They don't eat people either anymore. They control their urges… It just takes time to adjust. They don't have to kill to feed."

"Yeah, but they want too. Maybe more of them than you know about. There's more going on than you know or they've told you. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life… She's your mate, and I know how strong that is. You couldn't fight it if you wanted too. Just keep your eyes open. Don't let them bullshit you, Edward. You're a smart guy, stay safe mon ami."

"Thanks' Sam, I'll be okay… Thanks' for the heads up. Are you gonna be okay Jacob? What about the rest of you? Are you cool with this?"

"No, I'm not 'cool' with this! My whole fucking world view just shifted, Edward! I just found out that all the legends I grew up thinking were bullshit are the real oral history of my people! It's all fucking true, and I'm going to fucking turn into some kind of monster because your new girlfriend moved to town!"

"Shit happens, Jacob. You take the hand life deals you, and roll with it. Your grandfather knew that. Give it some time, man."

"She's a fucking monster, Edward! And you want to be a monster like her!"

"It's better than being dead! I love her, Jacob. She's my soul mate, and I want to be with her. I need her, and if I have to change so we can be equals, then so be it."

Jacob turned and looked at Sam again. "This is why you dumped Leah, isn't it. She was crushed when you broke up with her, and started dating her cousin! It's all part of this imprinting thing. Is that going to happen to me too? Am I going to suddenly find somebody I fall in love with and do that to Leah all over again?"

Then Jacob turned back to me. "This is why you're breaking up with Katy isn't it? Bella showed up and she imprinted on you! You're dumping Katy because you're caught up in some kind of crazy magic. How can you be ok with this! It's just wrong, man!"

"Bella didn't imprint on Edward." Alice told him. "That's a wolf thing, but the mating bond works kind of like that. Some of Bella's people go for centuries without ever finding their mate. Some never do. It doesn't pick the person for us, it let's us know who they are when we find them."

"And that's better somehow? What about the people that you've chosen to be with before you find this soul mate of yours? They're just shit out of luck, and get cast aside so you can be happy?"

"They're human; they'll heal and move on. I suppose it'll really suck for Leah if you imprint, but that doesn't always happen, does it?"

"No, imprinting is uncommon," Sam said. "We think it's a way to limit the population. Wolves that imprint are exclusive to their imprint partner, and remain steadfastly faithful. Wolves that don't imprint seem to have a heightened libido, and the urge to seek out many different partners. It's a genetic imperative to spread the wolf gene and increase the population."

"Oh this just gets better and better. So I'm either going to find my one true love and dump my girlfriend to be with her, or I'll be a fucking man whore that's unable to commit and wants to get laid by anything that moves on two legs? Even if I don't find somebody else, I'll still drive Leah away if she isn't enough for me. How does this not make me a monster?"

"I'm sorry, Jacob. You wanted to know the truth. Is it any easier knowing? Sometimes I wish things were the way they were before Bella came to forks, but I can't turn back the clock, and even if I could I can't say I'd want it to turn out differently. You guy's take it easy. I need to find Katy, and talk to her. That's why we came out here tonight."

"I don't think that's going to be too difficult, Edward," Alice said.

She nodded over her shoulder back toward the trail when I turned to look at her. I turned and looked back, and Katy was standing in the trees on the trail we'd walked down to this clearing. Her eyes were wide as she stood staring at us from the shadows. I could see the horror in her eyes and I knew she'd seen and heard too much. She turned and fled back up the trail when she saw me turn to look at her.

Shit! How long had Katy been standing there listening to us!

"Katy, wait! We need to talk!" I turned and ran after her.

I got back up to the top of the bluff, but she was gone. I looked around for her as my eyes adjusted to the dark again. There, she was heading toward one of the bonfires. I spotted Michaela, and Brittany and Dean were over there too. It looked like there were a lot of kids from Forks there. I saw Mike and Jessica, and Tyler and Lauren. I ran after Katy, and caught up to her halfway across the bluff in the dark between the bonfires.

I grabbed her wrist to stop her. She spun around to face me. I wasn't expecting the blow as she slapped me hard across the face. She raised her hand to slap me again, but I grabbed her other wrist to stop her.

"Let me go, Edward! I don't have anything to say to you!"

"Well I do! Calm down, Katy, can't we discuss this like adults?" I felt her relax a little, and I let go of her wrists.

"Fine, what can you possibly still need to say to me?"

"How much did you hear?"

"I heard everything, Edward! I didn't believe any of it until Sam came out of the forest and changed in front of you. She isn't even human, Edward! She's a fucking vampire! And you want to be one too! God, is this some kind of crazy nightmare? Why can't I just wake up and make all of this go away!" She was crying again as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"You aren't dreaming, Katy. It's all real. I didn't want any of this. You know I still love you."

She raised her hand to slap me again. "You know it's true. I can't lie to you," and she dropped her hand.

"Katy, you know I'll always love you, but I can't be with you anymore. You deserve somebody who can be committed to you alone. I had to make a choice, and I want to be with Bella. She's my soul mate. I can feel it now, and I know she's my true other half. If I tried to stay with you I'd always feel my connection to her, drawing me back to her. That isn't fair to you. I have to let you go so you can move on. In time you'll find somebody else…"

"I don't want anyone else, Edward. I love you."

"You need to forget about me and move on, Katy. We have no future together. I don't want to hurt you, but we can't be together anymore."

"This is that crazy magic thing you guys were talking about, isn't it! That's what's sucked you in. It's like you're under some kind of spell or something. I'm not going to let that bitch have you without a fight!"

"Katy, no, it isn't like that. Bella is my mate, and I want to be with her."

"Your mate? Do you listen to yourself? Who talks like that? Girlfriend, I can understand. Wife, I can understand, but humans don't have 'mates'. You're still human, Edward. A couple of weeks ago you wanted to be with me! I was your whole world. I was your girlfriend until that creature came to Forks and ruined everything! If I kill that bitch, will it break her hold over you? What do I have to do, drive a stake through her heart?"

"NO, Katy! You can't hurt her like that!"

"God, she's got her claws in deep doesn't she! I'm not going to give up on you, Edward!"

"Katy, please listen to me! You can't hurt her. You can't let them suspect that you know what they are. If they even suspect that you know their secret, they'll kill you. The only reason I'm safe is because Bella is my mate, and they know I'll be like her."

"How can you want that, Edward? Jesus, it was bad enough when you were just dealing a little on the side. I didn't like it, but I could understand it. It even made sense with your dad's clinic. He's helping people that have a real need for it. I went down there tonight because you went to talk to Jacob, and I thought they were trying to pull you in deeper with their drug business. Then I heard what you guys were talking about. This is so much worse, Edward! She's a monster! They're all monsters! And now you want to be a monster too!"

"They aren't monsters, Katy. They're just different."

"She doesn't age, and lives forever, right? How old is she?"

"No, they don't age after the change, but she's only twenty-two"

"Well not exactly cougar town. She drinks blood?"

"Yeah."

"Human blood from people?"

"Sometimes, but they don't kill them."

"And that makes it ok? Maybe she doesn't burst into flames in the light of day, but that's still monster in my book!"

"I don't think of her as a monster. I love her Katy.

"How can you say that, Edward, when you know what she is!"

"I'm sorry, Katy. I have to make a clean break so you can move on with your life and find somebody that can commit to you."

She winced in pain at my words and turned away for a minute. There were fresh tears were running down her cheeks when she turned back to face me.

"Don't do this, Edward. Let's leave and run away from here tonight. Just you and me, I still want you, Edward."

"I can't do that Katy. I'm bonded to Bella now. The connection is too strong. I couldn't leave her if I wanted to. I love her more now."

"You're breaking my heart, Edward. I love you! I still need you!"

"I'm sorry, Katy, I really am… but I love Bella now. She's my world now."

"How can you do this to me if you still love me? Doesn't what we've shared together mean anything to you?"

"I do still love you, Katy, but I can't be true to you. I'd just go on hurting you if I tried to stay with you. I'll always cherish the memories of the time we shared together, but I've made the bond with Bella, and I have to move on. Please try to understand. You know I'm not lying to you when I tell you I love you, but I love Bella too, and I've made my choice."

"You're right, you can't lie to me, but I wish you would this once... Please, lie to me and tell me you still want me. I'll still love you…"

"I can't lie to you, Katy. I love Bella."

"I know you believe it's true."

"It is true."

"It's really over, isn't it? This is what you want…" Katy reached into her pocket and took something out.

"I'm sorry, Katy. It's what I want. I don't want to hurt you, but I have to break up with you. I choose to be with Bella. I love her, and I need to be with her."

"Here, this is yours, Edward. If you're breaking up with me, then I don't want it anymore." I held out my hand, and she dropped my class ring onto my palm.

"I'm sorry, Katy… I didn't want it to end like this."

"Yeah, well I didn't want to lose you, Edward. I thought we'd be together forever."

"Goodbye, Katy. You know you can't tell anyone about her. Please remember that. If you reveal the secret, they'll kill you, and I won't be able to protect you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Yeah, right, who'd believe me anyhow? Stay safe, Edward. Stay human as long as you can. You know I'll wait for you if you change your mind…"

"No Katy, this part of my life is coming to a close. I'll be with Bella now."

"I guess this is it then… Goodbye Edward…"

She turned and hurried away toward the bonfire where the rest of the kids from Forks were still partying. She didn't look back, and I stood and watched her walk away. Michaela was waiting for her, and hugged her, wiping away her tears and held her while she cried. At least she had a friend she could count on. I felt somebody walk up beside me while I watched the crowd gather to find out what was wrong with Katy. I looked to my side, and Alice was standing there.

"I'm sorry, Edward, are you alright? Alice asked.

"No, but I'll live. C'mon, let's get out of here."

"Ok. Do you want me to drive?"

"No, I can drive."

We got back in the Volvo and I got us turned around and back onto La Push Road heading east back to Forks.

"So what happened after I left?"

"Sam got everyone heading back home so he could talk with them in private later. Quil and Embry were a little shaken up by everything, but they're dealing. Seth just thinks it totally cool, and can't wait for it to happen to him, but he's a couple of years younger. He probably has longer to wait than the rest, unless something drastic happens."

"Drastic? Like what?"

"Sam said a big dose of the catalyst all at once could put his system into overdrive and force the change even at his age. You know something like a massive vampire attack on La Push, or visiting one of the clubs and being in a room full of vampires all night."

"He wouldn't do that would he?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, if he wants it bad enough."

"Huh. Ok. What about Jacob? Is he alright?"

"Jacob was still pissed off, and didn't look to be calming down anytime soon. He took off into the woods and wouldn't listen to any of us. Sam thinks it's a sign that he's close to phasing. The anger is one of the warning signs. He said he'd go look for him after he got the rest of them home safe."

"Shit, that's all we need now. A brand new werewolf running around La Push, that's pissed off and blaming Bella for making him change! Can this get any better?"

"Edward, there's something else you need to understand…"

"What Alice?"

"I warned you not to say anything. I told you there are consequences for our actions…"

"What are you trying to say Alice? I'm really not in a mood for cryptic comments and beating around the bush tonight. Just spit it out and tell me."

"They're going to kill her, Edward. You have to realize that Katy doesn't make it out of this ok. She knows too much. She knows too much because you couldn't keep your mouth shut when I told you to."

"Have you seen it?"

"No, I haven't seen it. The future is constantly in motion, and the decision hasn't been made yet."

"Then how can you know?"

"She's a seventeen year old girl, Edward, and you just told her to keep a secret that she can be killed for. She'll tell someone, and they'll find out. She's already on their radar because of your connection to Bella. They're watching her. If that conversation had taken place anywhere else besides La Push they'd already know. One e-mail, a text message, a comment on a cell phone, that's all it'll take and they'll know. It's not a question of whether or not they'll find out, but when, and how many people she'll take down with her."

"What do you mean 'how many people she'll take down with her'?"

"Collateral damage. They'll kill her, whoever she tells, and anyone else they think they need to kill to make sure the secret is safe. It'll look like an accident. Maybe a crash on the highway, a gas explosion, food poisoning, something random, but it won't be an accident."

"Alice, we can't let this happen!"

"I'm not arranging it! I'm just telling you what's going to happen! You should have kept your mouth shut when I told you!"

"What can we do?"

"I can call Jasper. It'll be quick and painless. Nobody else will die…"

"I meant what can we do to keep her safe!"

"You know the options. They're the same ones you had to choose from. She can die, she can register and give her oath to protect the secret, or she can be one of us. You and I both know she can't keep the secret, and she'll never willingly be one of us. That limits our options, Edward."

"There has to be another way…"

"I don't like it either, but it's the way our world works now. I'm trying to minimize the damage and save lives here. How many people have to die because of your mistake? The longer we wait, the more people will die. What if she goes home and tells Michaela while she's crying on her shoulder tonight, or heaven forbid she makes the wrong comment to Jessica. We could lose half of Forks high school over this."

"Katy's not that stupid, Alice. She won't screw this up."

"Well, somebody is going to have to have a talk with her to explain the realities she's going to have to live with. You and Bella are out, and I doubt she'll take me seriously enough. I suppose Esme can talk to her. I'll ask her when we get home if she's not upstairs with Carlisle."

"Esme will scare the shit out of her, and she'll probably arrange the hit herself if this is as serious as you say it is. Isn't there something else we can do?"

"God, Edward, you're as bad as Bella! You two were made for each other! Katy needs a good dose of scared shitless right now! That's the whole point of talking to her if you want her to stay alive! You go and tell someone be careful, don't do anything reckless or stupid… Here, guard this secret like your life depends on it, because it does mind you, but then you don't give her any details! She won't last two days, and she's gonna take at least one other person with her when she goes."

"Fine, have Esme talk to her, but we have to keep her safe. She deserves a normal life. I don't want anything to happen to her because of me."

"She's never going to have a 'normal' life now, Edward. Her eyes have been opened, and now she knows the truth. She'll never look at the world with the same innocence she had before tonight. The best we can hope for is that she survives this."

I just nodded and accepted the truth of Alice's statement. I was responsible for whatever happened to Katy now, and it was my fault that her eyes had been opened. I suppose Jacob was my fault too. Bella and Jasper had made the decision to move to Forks, but I had taken her to the airport, and exposed him to the catalyst to trigger his change. I was the one that had confirmed that the legends were all true for him, but it was already too late for him to do anything about it. I just hoped Jacob could forgive me, and wouldn't hold a grudge.

I drove us back towards Forks and Bella. It was a relief when I finally got close enough, and I could feel my connection to her snap back into place drawing me towards her. I felt a sense of relief as we turned back onto the 110 heading east towards highway 101. I was moving closer to where I needed to be. We were still miles from Forks, but Bella must be home now. I had been through a lot tonight. I wanted to put all of this behind me and move on. I needed Bella now, and I knew she'd be waiting for me when I got home.