Three months later
"Yeah, of course I'll be fine. No, I'm not just bailing because I feel like a third wheel."
I roll my eyes as I review the open backpack in front of me for the last time while holding my mobile against my ear.
"I promise, Ange. Besides, do you really think that I would choose to go shopping with Alice over spending a weekend away with you, if I had a choice?"
Angela finally sighs in acceptance, the exhale creating some static on the receiver. "True… I swear you and Bella are almost allergic to shopping."
"Exactly. But since I'm going to be spending a month in Europe with you guys over the summer, I promised Alice that I'd spend at least this weekend with her." I lie through my teeth as I zip up my backpack and swing it over my shoulder.
In my hurry, I accidentally push the open acceptance letter from Yale off my desk. I don't bother to stop to pick it up - I hadn't gotten a scholarship and I can't afford the tuition. And I don't care what the Cullens say, I'm not letting them pay for me as well as my sister. Especially if they bribed my way in, which no matter how much Edward denies I'm not convinced they didn't do. I do however stop to pick up the other two opened letters that were pushed off with my Yale acceptance. The newer one was only two days old from Lulu and filled with complaints that I didn't write to her enough. The older one was already a week old from Demetri, congratulating me on my graduation and teasingly wondering if I was ever going to write back to him instead of just to Lulu. I hadn't responded to either letter yet; not that I was going to reply to Demetri's letter.
Walking down the stairs, I find Jared waiting for me already. He's let himself in (I don't know how and I don't want to know) and his brow is raised high with amusement at the blatant falsehoods I'm telling. I stick my tongue out at him while Angela continues to sigh mournfully in my ear.
"Okay, fine. But we'll miss you. And we'll definitely make full use of the summer together before we're all separated for college."
"Definitely." I echo a little hollowly. Jared's gaze sharpens as he notes the dip in my mood that Angela's words have caused but I turn away from him as I finish my call with my friend. "Enjoy your trip with Ben, Ange."
"See you next weekend, Mia."
Angela hangs up and I reluctantly turn to face Jared. My ex-boyfriend's folded his arms across his bare chest by this point and he peers down at me with a shrewd look in his eyes I don't like.
"So, any chance you've changed your mind and you want to finally tell me why the word 'college' makes you look like Paul when he's had more to drink than he can stomach?" Jared asks. I shake my head.
"Nope."
I toss my bag into his arms. Jared catches it without even looking but he doesn't let go of the subject as easily.
"Mia, I know something's going on and I know it's not just about Bella's… choices. Something about the idea of college has you on edge." Jared states firmly.
It reminds me why he was such a good boyfriend: Jared's naturally very observant. He was always good at reading me even when Bella couldn't and that hasn't changed even now. I sometimes think it's worse now that we're forever in the friendzone. He used to be much less direct when we were dating and he was more concerned about potentially hurting my feelings.
"I'm just apprehensive about going off on my own, that's all." I deny.
Jared scoffs as he follows me out of my house. I lock the door behind me before moving around to the back of the house while Jared trails along behind me.
"Right… and there's absolutely no special agenda behind your decision to go to sunny California?" He asks sarcastically.
"Maybe I'm just tired of all the rain. Two years in Forks was more than enough for my lifetime." I shoot back as we walk together toward the trees behind my house.
Only to be pulled to a stop as Jared's hand closes around my arm and he turns me around to face him.
"I'm serious, Mia. We may not be dating anymore but you're still my friend and I've never stopped caring about you." His face is perfectly serious and my eyes drop to the ground.
"I know. And you know I still care about you too." I mutter.
"So why won't you tell us what's wrong?" It's now so natural for Jared to slip into the pack plural that neither of us even notices it anymore. "Mia, we can't protect you from those Italian bloodsuckers if you won't let us."
But I couldn't let them. That was what I couldn't tell him or any of them. It was why Edward and the rest of the Cullens whom the traitor had told the truth to hadn't told anyone about my fate come next Spring. My mind flashes back to the group of vampires I'd seen in the Volturi castle, the small army of seasoned fighters that would be more than capable of completely wiping out the La Push pack if it came down to it. I don't even dare to picture my friends against the Guard, against Demetri. The pack has so far only really had experience in taking down one vampire even if (hopefully) that was going to change over the upcoming weekend. But if what Demetri hinted at was true (and based on passing comments from the Cullens, it was), he probably couldn't even remember all the vampires he'd disposed of over his long life.
No, I couldn't tell them my fate was as sealed as Bella's. They had to believe that my fate was as uncertain as Niki's was. Although it was starting to become clear that her future was also already set no matter how much Jacob tried to argue against it. Shaking off my thoughts, I plaster on an annoyed frown and roll my eyes.
"Geez, nothing's wrong. You're all just reading too much into things. Does Kim know you're like a fussy grandmother?" I ask and Jared sighs.
"Fine, don't tell me. But don't think for a second you've fooled me or Niki." Jared warns as we finally make it to the edge of the forest behind my house.
"Speaking of Niki, how was she? Did you see her before you came to pick me up?" I deliberately change topics. Jared shoots me a weary look to show exactly what he thinks of that but he readily follows along. That was the other thing that made him a great boyfriend: Jared isn't confrontational. He'll press but he won't push for answers.
'Kim's a lucky girl and he's lucky he found her.' I think to myself fondly while Jared answers my question.
"Yeah, I saw her. She was fine, just worrying about her bloodsucker." He scoffs.
But I know better and I nudge him in the ribs. "Come on, you liked Jasper back when you had no clue he was a vampire. Don't act like you didn't."
Jared pretends to be offended. "Me? Like a bloodsucker? Never."
I nudge him again (almost giving myself a bruise in the process) and Jared chuckles as we walk deeper into the cover of the trees.
"Okay, fine, so maybe I didn't think he was that bad for Niki. But finding out a guy wants to rip into her throat and drink her blood does change my opinion of him." He jokes.
"I'm pretty sure that's the last thing Jasper wants to do." I point out. "If anything, he'd probably rip into one of your throats before he'd willingly hurt Niki."
"Doesn't change the fact that he could easily do it in a second if he's not careful." Jared answers before tossing my backpack back at me. "But anyway, it's out of our hands now. Niki made her choice and what comes will come. My priority is to first make sure you all get through tomorrow."
"My hero." I drawl. Jared grins and he opens his arms wide.
"My lady." He mocks as he swoops me up into his arms princess-style. I pretend to swoon and he starts laughing even as he takes off at a fast trot, carefully making sure he keeps me close so that his scent masks mine completely.
For a moment, we trek in comfortable silence. Jared continues to hike through the forest, quickly making his way up to the mountain where he climbs up the rocks while carrying me like he's just taking a light stroll around the block. I watch the forest around me, enjoying the sounds of nature as I haven't for a while lately. They disappear quickly whenever the Cullens are around, and since Niki and Jasper reconciled he's been everywhere we have. So it's been a while and I feel oddly peaceful as I listen to the birds sing.
"You know."
"Hm?" I look up as Jared suddenly speaks.
His eyes are still facing straight ahead, but I get the sense that it's more because of his discomfort than because he actually needs to see where he's going.
"I never did say thanks. What I did when we broke up… you deserved so much better than that. I wouldn't have blamed you if you stayed pissed at me forever. But you've been really supportive since you found out about the pack and..."
As Jared trails off, I supply helpfully, "And imprinting?"
He nods, glancing down at me and I smile a little at him.
"Well, it wasn't something you could control whether it's turning into a big wet dog," he snorts at that, "or imprinting on Kim. And anyone who sees you two together can't deny that you suit each other. It's like watching two halves of one piece fit together. I mean, yeah, I was hurt and pissed at the time. But we've talked about it since, and I know you didn't want to hurt me. Just like you know I don't hold the past against you anymore."
And it was true. The first good thing about finding out the truth about the pack had been the fact that Jared and I had finally been able to talk openly and honestly. Admittedly, I hadn't taken the news that he'd broken up with me because Sam had ordered him to well at first. But after seeing how dangerous young wolves could be with their anger, I'd kind of seen his point about the physical danger. And seeing Jared and Kim… well, there was just no competition. Jared and I had been close and perhaps if there were no supernatural forces involved we might have fallen in love. But seeing the way Jared looked at Kim, I just knew. It was the same way my mom looked at Phil and the way Timothy looked at Alice.
Shaking off those thoughts, I finish firmly, "And besides, you and I will always be friends."
"'Course. And you know I'm glad we are." Jared agrees readily but there's an odd note in his voice. Before I can decipher it, he's continuing on.
"But as someone who once loved you in a way, I know something's changed in you since you got back from Italy."
Realizing what Jared's been leading up to, I tense instantly. He feels it easily.
"Before you left, you kinda just were happy for me and Kim. But now, when you come over, I get the feeling you feel… not lonely exactly but like you miss someone. Like you're reminded when you see me and Kim. And it's gotten worse since Niki made up with her bloodsucker."
He's now looking at me steadily and I groan internally. This is the reason Jared was a terrible friend to have when you wanted to avoid a topic: he never pressed for answers but he was a master of figuring them out for himself.
"Mia, I have to ask. Is it one of the Italian bloodsuckers?"
I avert my gaze, giving him the answer he's looking for. Jared is quiet for a beat before he asks softly, "Is he the reason you're planning to go to California?"
I refuse to respond and Jared sighs.
"Why is it none of you girls seem capable of falling for regular blokes?" He mumbles, almost to himself.
"I didn't say I'd fallen for him." I interject defensively. Jared just gives me a bland look that makes me flush. I look away again and this time the silence is tense as Jared runs steadily closer toward the camping ground that Edward had planned.
"Are you scared of him?"
Jared's question is so abrupt that I'm startled into replying without thought, "No."
Both of us pause at my answer; me because I'm startled as I realize that in my heart I really am not afraid of Demetri (even though I know I should be), and Jared because he senses that. He looks down at me again and his expression is pensive. I studiously study his shoulder, trying to hide my mortification but it's in vain. Even if he couldn't see my red face, Jared can easily hear my heart beating loudly.
"Mia," Jared murmurs at last and I tense. "You know I just want you to be happy."
"I know." I mumble.
I feel more than hear Jared sigh. Thankfully however, he doesn't say anything else. He doesn't mention the fact that the pack knows the Volturi are dangerous. He refrains from reminding me that the pack wants to protect me from everything Demetri stands for. And most of all, he doesn't bring up how I spent the entire year since finding out about the Cullens and even the pack adamantly prepared to live a normal, non-supernatural life. I'm already embarrassed enough that he knows it and I'm grateful he doesn't say it aloud.
We continue on without speaking, both of us lost in our own thoughts. We've almost reached the campsite by my estimate when my phone vibrates and breaks the silence that is no longer peaceful. Fishing out my phone from my pocket, I check the caller before answering.
"Niki?" I ask.
"Hey." My best friend answers in a tense tone. "Have you reached the campsite yet? Jake left a good hour ago and he mentioned Jared should be leaving around the same time."
"Yeah, should be getting there soon." I glance at Jared questioningly and he nods to confirm my assumption.
"Okay. Good." Niki exhales sharply before she adds in a worried undertone, "I kind of wish I'd decided to go with you."
"Well, it'll at least give Jasper peace of mind to know you're safe on the rez. And we can all use that." I say comfortingly, and Niki sighs.
"I know I called Bella selfish and stupid, but now that it's almost time… is it bad that I wish I'd done the same and asked Jasper to stay?"
I can hear the desperation clawing its way into my friend's tone so I say firmly, "No, it's not bad. But we both know that if you had, you'd be kicking yourself about now. It's only because you know you did the right thing for you that you're able to moan about it."
There's a beat during which Jared gives me a small smile and nod of approval, before Niki lets out a deep breath.
"You're right. And I know I'd never have forgiven myself if I asked Jasper to stay and someone else got hurt. At least he knows what he's doing and he's basically indestructible, but if something happens to one of the pack or, God, what if one of them bites Jake, Mia, it'd kill my dad-"
"They'll be fine, Niki." I quickly cut in before my best friend can go full spiral. "And Jake knows what he's doing in a fight. It's only in day-to-day life that your brother's an idiot."
She laughs a little half-heartedly at that but I'm pleased that some of the tension has left her voice.
"Yeah… how's your sister's hand now?"
"Still wrapped up last I saw her." I reply as I think back to my sister's slung hand as she left for the Cullens to have a sleepover with 'Alice' the day before. "Luckily she has her own personal icepack if it starts to hurt."
Niki snorts, as does Jared. We break through the trees by this point and into a rocky clearing right at the mountainside. There's a tent set up against the mountain and it looks almost welded in, it's so securely tied. I assume it's all Edward's handiwork. As we move further away from the trees, I spot Jacob darting off toward the other side of the clearing and away from where he apparently just deposited Bella beside Edward in the middle of the campsite.
"But looks like your brother was smarter today so I guess there's no need to worry." I tell Niki. Jared smirks while Edward shoots me a look of reproach.
"Okay, well, stay safe. We'll talk again soon." Niki stresses and I nod automatically, my eyes trained warily on my sister who has turned to look in my direction after following Edward's gaze.
"Sure. See you later, Niki."
I hang up the phone and pocket my mobile as Jared carefully sets me on my feet a good fifty paces away from Edward and Bella. I know that Jared's not comfortable getting any closer to Edward in his human form so I don't complain although I can already feel the chill nipping at me now that I'm not wrapped up completely in Jared's warmth. Edward picks up on my absent thought and he nods to the tent.
"There are sleeping bags and blankets if you want to get warmer, Mia."
Jared scowls automatically, his teeth baring just slightly instinctively at the sound of Edward's inhuman melodic voice, but I just nod without really looking at him or Bella. The last thing we need is another fight while we're trying to be incognito until after the battle.
"Sure." I turn to Jared, who looks extremely reluctant to leave. I can tell every instinct of his is telling him to take me back to the reservation and away from the vampire, but I smile encouragingly at him.
"Thanks for bringing me here, Jared. Tell Kim I said hi, and be careful tomorrow." I remind him as I hug him goodbye. He relaxes minutely, especially as Jacob chooses that moment to trot back into the clearing in wolf form.
"See you later, Mia." Jared mumbles, his eyes still darting warily toward Edward before he backs away. He doesn't turn his back until he's disappeared into the trees and I almost sigh in exasperation at his silliness.
"They're not wrong to distrust us." Edward reminds me.
I glower at him. Then, without addressing him or my sister, and with only a 'Hi, Jake' tossed over my shoulder, I head toward the tent. It was going to be a very long night.
A few hours later, I'm regretting every decision I've made in life starting with my decision to follow my sister to Forks.
I should have stayed with our mom even if I didn't like how unhappy she was not to be able to follow Phil as he travelled around for his baseball team. I should have warned Bella away from Edward when we first met. I should have stopped her and Niki from going to that asinine baseball game with the Cullens that we couldn't even join in on anyway. I should have hit Victoria when I had the chance in Montana and maybe lopped off her head if possible. I should have stayed in Italy. If I had done any of those things, I wouldn't be on the verge of freezing to death right now.
"You're not going to freeze to death, Mia."
Edward breaks away from his quiet argument with Jacob about what to do about the cold to speak to me. I glare at him as best as I can through my constant shivering as the wind continues to howl outside and the temperature continues to drop lower and lower with every second. Edward's sat in the far corner of the small tent, trying to stay as far away from me and Bella as possible in the tiny space. I can't see him well in the dark, but I can hear the worry (for Bella), indecision and frustration in his voice even when he's talking to me as he tries to determine how worth it it is for us to suffer the cold. Well, for Bella to suffer, at least.
"You know I worry about you too, Mia." Edward's tone is reproachful now but I ignore him. He should know better than to answer my endless, random thoughts by now.
Edward sighs softly, not daring to breathe more heavily with how absolutely cold Bella and I are already. My sister and I are currently pressed tightly against each other, all our hard feelings currently pushed aside as we fight to survive through the night without losing a couple toes or fingers. Or even a nose.
Suddenly, Edward mutters, "That's the worst idea I've ever heard."
"Better than anything you've come up with."
Bella and I both start as Jacob's voice sounds from right outside the tent. "'Go fetch a space heater'. I'm not a St. Bernard."
The sound of the zipper around the tent door overpowers Jacob's grumbling in my ears and I whip my head around.
"D-d-d-don't you d-d-d-dare, J-J-Jake-!"
Jacob's already sliding into the tent through the smallest opening he can manage. Bella and I both cringe and shake so hard we're almost convulsing as the freezing wind swoops in through the tiny gap behind Jacob and washes over us. I swear I even see small flecks of snow enter the tent.
And then Seth slides in behind Jacob and finally the tent is mercifully closed. I hadn't even realized Seth had arrived as well although I suppose even if he'd arrived noisily I probably wouldn't have heard him over the miniature hurricane that seems to be going on outside. I shiver and hug my sleeping bag more tightly, trying to get even a fraction of a bit warmer. Although I have to say that it is slowly getting a tiny bit warmer already with the two werewolves' body heat filling the tiny tent.
My thought silences Edward mid-way through the string of complaints he's been making to Jacob. Jacob seems to realize the reason for Edward's sudden silence and he smirks.
"Told you it was a good idea." He gloats as he gingerly makes his way over to Bella.
Seth is already silently sliding along to me and unzipping my sleeping bag. I don't even complain as I instantly pull the younger boy straight into my arms. Seth flinches when my cold skin touches him before he chuckles despite how tense his shoulders are at being so close to Edward.
"Oh, G-God." I moan in pleasure as Seth's warmth instantly makes me feel better. It's actually almost painful to feel the sudden heat after being so cold I'd lost feeling in my extremities but this is a pain I'm willing to endure compared to the alternative. "Seth, you b-b-beautiful, b-beautiful boy."
Seth laughs again at me while the sudden silence around us makes me aware of the fact that Edward and Jacob had been arguing in the brief moment when I'd been too preoccupied with my own survival to notice. But my reaction to Seth's warmth, including how I was now burrowing my head into his chest while he zipped up the sleeping bag around him so that I was cacooned nicely in his body heat, has silenced whatever complaints Edward had. Bella's also squirming instinctively toward the sudden warmth she can feel even through the layers of our sleeping bags and Jacob pointedly shrugs off Edward's hand on his shoulder that I didn't even notice until now.
'Huh… good job not shifting at that, Jake.' I think absently as I squirm around and unzip my jacket so that I can feel more of Seth's warmth directly on my skin. I hear Edward let out a noise of disgust and Jacob laughing but my eyes have started drooping now that I'm not too cold to even sleep.
I can vaguely hear Jacob and Bella whispering but I'm too tired to make out what. Seth's deep breathing above my head is also soothing as is the woodsy scent of his skin that reminds me of the forest. He's being uncharacteristically silent but I guess that he's already fighting with himself to be so close to Edward in his human form.
"Fanks Seth." I mumble, the words muffled and warping with how tired I am. He understands though.
"Anything for a friend, Mia. Now go to sleep."
I'm out like a light before he's even finished talking.
Nine months prior
"Werewolves." I repeated, staring at my sister like she'd lost her mind.
Bella had woken up screaming again, except unlike usual when she just cried she'd been screaming her head off like a lunatic. I'd run inside my sister's room, thinking the absolute worst: Laurent had come after us; Victoria had finally come for my sister like Laurent had said she would; there was some random murderer in the house. Instead, I'd found Bella all alone in her bed screaming hysterically into her pillow. It had taken me ten minutes to get her to calm down and tell me, in various bits of hysterics, what was wrong. By the time she was done, I was the one more scared because I was sure Bella had finally lost her marbles and needed to be institutionalized.
"Bells..." I started slowly, trying not to upset her with how ridiculous her theory was. Vampires existing was crazy enough, we didn't need to go around making up more supernatural creatures.
But Bella shook her head frantically. "No, Mia, you didn't see Jake last night. He was… It was like he was possessed. He literally couldn't tell me, he kept trying but it was like the words just stuck in his throat. But he kept reminding me that I already knew and he was right. I did, because he told me about it when he told me about the 'cold ones' down at the beach last year. I just forgot because I was so focused on them at the time, but don't you see? All of it's true. The Quileutes are descended from wolves and they made a treaty with the Cu- with them because vampires are werewolves' only enemy."
I stared at my sister in silence. She was absolutely crazy… except… I thought back to all the weirdness down in La Push lately. Sure, it could all just be gang activity and Jacob might just be high on drugs and my sister just unhinged enough to believe he was telling the truth. Except… I thought back to Niki's odd avoidance of the subject ever since Jacob had fallen 'sick', like she was uncomfortable whenever Bella and I trash-talked him and Sam and the whole gang. And my best friend, who had vocally loathed Jared after he broke up with me so abruptly, had suddenly become quite awkward on the rare occasion my ex-boyfriend was brought up. And the same thing when Embry was mentioned even though before, she'd basically screamed at the boy after he suddenly stopped being Jacob's friend and broke his girlfriend's heart much like Jared had broken mine. I'd just assumed it was because Jacob was now running around with the gang… but if Bella was right… it would make more sense. I'd never managed to understand how Niki could just accept Jacob's behaviour but if it was because he was really turning into a wolf…
But most of all, I thought back to the clearing. The giant black wolve had been flanked by four others. Sam, Jared, Paul, Embry and Jacob. What were the chances that the number of freakishly large wolves exactly matched the number of 'hall monitors on steroids'? And the wolf that had stopped to look at me with brown eyes that looked too familiar and far too intelligent for a wild animal… and then the wolf that had stopped to look at Bella. Jared and Jacob.
No, I tried to tell myself. I was just reading too much into things, hoping for things that weren't there. But the problem was, so far nothing had explained why the giant wolves from the clearing had left fleshy, human me and Bella perfectly alone and chosen to chase the marble, cold vampire instead when usually animals fled at the mere smell of a vampire. But this explanation provided the perfect answer. Of course they chased Laurent, because that was what these wolves did according to legend.
I shook my head slowly, my mind reeling with this revelation. If this was true… I looked up as Bella started to scramble out of her bed.
"What are you doing?" I asked as Bella started to strip and pull on regular clothes.
"I have to see Jacob." She explained as she struggled into a jumper. "I have to know."
I thought about stopping her. But I needed answers as well and I knew even if Jacob wouldn't (or apparently, couldn't) give them to us, Niki would if she knew we'd guessed enough. And if any of this was true, I needed to punch an ex-boyfriend for not trusting me with the truth and giving me a bullsh*t reason to breakup.
"Okay. Let's go."