Jacob PoV

When Alice had called me at my house I was already preparing to leave. It had been a busy day. I had met with Sam and we had discussed a lot about the future. With no imminent threat at hand, we had both decided to keep patrols to a minimum and let the others live their life as normally as they could. Seth would resume going back to school even if he had protested loudly against it. He liked the free life of a werewolf, always running around in the woods freely, chasing after vampires and going down to the beach with his brothers. The horrors of the battle seemed long forgotten and I was glad he could rebound so easily.

After Sam had gone and I had gotten everyone else out of my house too (the Black Pack as they called it, seemed to see it as their new headquarter) and found that I had still a little time left, I had powered up our ancient computer and looked online around a bit. Since I had thought a lot of my future with Bella and decided I didn't want to stay on the side lines while she graduated and went off to college and got a good job. I had to figure out a way for me to move on as well. Going to school wasn't an option for me anymore, I had already missed too much and with my second "job" as vampire hunter, where regular schedules were a thing, you could only dream about, it was impossible. But there must be other ways.

I surfed around a bit and found an institute that offered online courses to get your high school diploma. You only had to attend personally for the end exams, and I was sure I could manage that. I saved the website's name and logged off. Maybe there as a future for me after all apart from being a vampire hunter?

Then the phone rang, and it was Alice who told me that she hadn't been able to contact Bella all day and that she was worried. I tried to calm her and told her that I was on my way there to check.

Charlie had opened me, looking not surprised but also not very happy to see me. "I'll set another plate" he spoke instead of a greeting and let me in.

"Good evening, Chief Swan." I tried to be as polite and friendly as I could. I wanted to stay on his good side, after all I was dating his daughter and didn't want any trouble. "Is Bella around?"

"Upstairs" came a call from the kitchen.

I found Bella kneeling on the floor, hastily stuffing something in a space under her floorboard.

"What are you doing?"

She turned around and looked at me like a mouse being face to face with a cat. Her eyes were red and her face white, smeared with tears and damp hair was clinging to it. She had something in her hand which looked kind of like a CD, but I wasn't sure. Her chest heaved and lowered hastily; her hands trembled. She looked guilty and at the same time panicked.

"Bella?" With two strides I was at her side, pulling the CD from her hand and embracing her. Her body was too thin and too cold, so I held her tighter. At first, she tried to resist, her fists banging weakly against my chest but soon her resistance faded and instead clung to me. Small sobs escaped her body and as I stroked her hair and her back and murmured soothing words my eyes looked around to find out what had upset her so. Something sprung to my mind, a picture that lay on the ground. It showed a smiling Bella wearing a blue dress. At her side, arm slung over her shoulder was he. He smiled as well, looking down on her. They seemed like any other ordinary couple, but they were not. Something about him stroke the viewer as odd. Maybe it was his too white skin or the odd, golden colour of his eyes.

I didn't know how this picture had shown up here, but I knew that it was the source of her tears. Seeing this picture must have brought back memories. Memories that she had buried deep inside her and that she had tried so hard to forget.

Damn this bloodsucker

I know she would not have kept something like that, not after everything so it had to have been him who hid this stuff somewhere she would eventually find it.

When? And why?

All the same. It did not matter if he had hidden it years ago or just yesterday, he had managed to hurt her again and I knew it had to end now. I had to end it now. This bloodsucker had to go, once and for all.

No matter how, I would make him leave.

With gentle pressure I brought Bella to her bed and made her lie down. I sat on the edge of her bed, but I did not lie down beside her. I had to do something else first.

Luckily, her eyes were already closing, her pale face relaxed. I covered her with her blanket and hummed the song she liked so much. After only a few minutes she had fallen asleep, and I could quietly leave her room. Downstairs, Charlie was standing beside an already set table. He seemed surprised when he saw only me coming downstairs.

„Everything alright?"

„Yes. Bella just doesn't feel all that well. She's asleep."

Charlie sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. „It's about that Cullen kid, isn't it?"

I was surprised by this sudden insight.

„Jake, I am not stupid. I've Seen Dr. Cullen working back at the clinic again and figured out his family must be around too. I know she loves you very much, but he was her first love and that's not something you easily forget. It must have brought up a lot of old memories, knowing he's back. Has she seen been seeing him since he came back?"

I shook my head. „And she never will, as long as I can prevent it."

„Maybe she should, at least once. It could help her get to terms with her past and help her move on."

„With all due respect, Chief but I don't think that this is a good idea. She nearly broke in half when she found some old pictures today. I don't know what would happen if she saw him again in person."

Charlie shrugged. „I don't want to meddle, it's just something I thought. You staying or not?"

„No, I have things to do but thanks" I declined his offer already halfway to the door.

„Jake? Whatever you do, please be careful. I don't want trouble around here, is that understood?" I heard Charlie call after me but I didn't respond. My body was already trembling with anger, my wolf thirsting for revenge. I would have to fight hard if I wanted to follow Charlie's advice.

I phased the second I was out of sight of the house and had tied my jeans to my ankle.

It didn't take me long to arrive at the Cullen's house. The treaty forbade me to go in but that wouldn't be necessary. I simply sat down within eyesight; my red fur clearly visible despite the late hour. The rain had stopped falling but the ground was still wet.

The house was dark, but I knew from the smell that at least someone was home. And I could wait. I would wait the whole night if necessary.

Luckily, it didn't come to that. About twenty minutes later the door opened and someone stepped outside. I knew at once who it was.

I turned and made my way into the woods, away from prying eyes. This was between me and him. And it would end tonight.

I didn't have to turn to know that he followed me.

When we reached a spot far enough away from the house I stopped. He stopped.

I growled. All my anger threatened to overpower me as my wolf cried for horrible revenge. It was harder in this form to keep the monster at a leash but somehow, I managed by reminding myself constantly that, despite everything, Bella wouldn't approve if I killed her former boyfriend.

I didn't look him in the eyes as I phased back and got dressed. What I had to say I wanted to say in his face. Not in my mind.

If looks could kill he would have fallen dead on the spot. But he was a vampire and technically already dead and besides, I needed him alive. I wanted him to know what he'd done to the woman he had claimed to love.

Rain dripped from the leaves and onto our heads. We mustered each other with looks and I knew he read my mind. If what he saw shocked him, he made a very good impression of not showing it.

„She found the pictures" he stated.

There you have it. Just like I thought.

„I can't help it" he replied. „You are practically screaming your thoughts at me."

I could scream so much more at you…

„Why did you leave them behind?" I didn't reply to his words.

„Because I love her and I wanted at least something of me to stay behind at her side." His voice was unreadable just like his face.

„Love her? You are always saying you love her but what you do is not love. I know your reasons, but they are no excuse for what you did to her. You almost killed her and when she was finally beginning to heal you hurt her again by showing up and letting her find your pictures and the CD."

„I didn't mean for her to find these. It was my full intention to stay away forever and let her live her own life but in the end I couldn't. I love her and I want to make it up to her."

„I want you to leave. Leave and never come back. She doesn't need you. All you ever did was hurting her and I won't let you do it again. It's over."

„I want to hear this from her. Let me talk to her. I swear if she says the same things to me that you are saying now I'll leave and never come back."

„No. You won't see her ever again. You are going to leave now." Or I swear to God, I'll kill you with my own hands if I must. Bella will probably never forgive me but at least she'll be safe

„So, you would violate the treaty? It forbids any of us to fight or to kill each other as long as the other doesn't attack first."

„I don't care about the damn treaty. Bella's safety is more important than any treaty ever made."

„I am not a threat to her."

Oh yes you are… „You are such an arrogant, selfish bloodsucker, there are no words for it. You claim you love her, then leave her. Then you come back because you couldn't deal with your own feelings. Then you say you only want to help her, making pathetic excuses in the hope that she will return to you. News to you: This will never happen. Now I say it one last time: Leave."

My wolf got stronger and stronger with each second and soon I wouldn't be able to control him anymore. Not that I wanted to. I was just waiting for the bastard to say something stupid that would allow me to kill him. Because otherwise he would never leave. He would for always be a threat to her and to us.

„Not unless I've talked to her."

That did it. This bloodsucker had obviously no sense of self-preservation whatsoever or if he had he didn't care what would happen.

With one last growl I let my wolf free. I phased within a nanosecond and was at his throat only moments after.

He hissed and bared his fangs, his fingers turned to claws.

Our fight was loud and violent. We were two monsters fighting over the woman we loved and there was no one to stop us.

We were both equally strong, both designed by nature to kill the other. Every wound I tore he gave back. Soon I was bleeding from several minor wounds, but I didn't care. My wolf gave me the strength I needed to fight and kill.

He hissed, I growled, he tore, and I bit.

I got my teeth around his midsection and threw him against a tree. The tree broke in two, he fell to the ground but immediately came up again. He jumped at me, got his arms around my body, and squeezed. I felt some ribs crack and howled in pain.

With my paws I tried to tear at him, but he evaded each time and only tightened his grip…