Charlie pulled his cruiser to a stop at Emily's home, where presumably Sam and Jake were still recuperating. He looked around at the collection of familiar vehicles. Good, all his 'suspects' appeared to be in one place. That would make things easier for him.
Cutting the engine, he sat considering his first move when he entered her house. Demand answers straight up? Show them his cards first? No, he needed the evidence to be staring them all in the face or he figured they would continue their stonewalling and diversion efforts. Peeling the bandages off at least one of the 'snake bite' wounds it was then.
Charlie stepped out of the cruiser and walked up the path that led to the cute little yellow cottage. His hand was literally shaking with the anger he felt when he raised his fist to the door. Pausing to take several deep breaths for control, Charlie knocked.
Emily answered the door and Charlie didn't give her a chance to invite him in. "Miss Young," was all he said as he stepped inside and strode past her. Turning down the hallway, he entered the bedroom he knew the boys would be laid out in.
Pausing just long enough to register that Sue, Billy and Old Quil were all here, he pushed to the bed and reached for the visible bandage on Jacob's chest.
It was Sue who stopped him. Throwing herself against him to force him backwards, she caught his arm. "No Charlie, not like this!"
Charlie grabbed her by the shoulders. It took every ounce of control he had not to shake her or toss her out of his way, "Then like what Sue? Huh?! I know what backstabbing, lying, sons of bitches you all are! I know how bloody and bruised Bella was when she left Forks! I know her hand was bandaged and she sold her truck for as much cash as she could get then and there! Now get the hell out of my WAY!" His voice rose to a roar at the end.
Old Quil came over and clamped a hand on Charlie's shoulder, "Charlie, I know our actions don't seem like those friends would take, but I assure you, we are trying to help keep both you and Bella safe."
That did it; Charlie was done being patronized. In a flash one hand left Sue's shoulder and wrapped itself around the front of Old Quil's shirt, "Keep Bella safe huh?" His voice was a dangerous whisper. "So safe she is running from someone here. Someone I must have called a friend. And you rats know who."
Old Quil held up his free hand in an effort to calm the justifiably enraged Charlie. "You are partially correct in that Bella is running from someone and we know who. However, Charlie, I give you my word you have never called this person friend. In the meeting we held here tonight, it was decided we would tell you as much as we can. You are not Quileute and there are things here that you have not been privy to. There are further things that we are not at liberty to share with you no matter what."
"Come to the kitchen and sit with us. We will tell you about the Quileute's protectors and Bella. But you must accept what we share with you and not push for more. The knowledge of what is under those bandages would be a betrayal of a treaty the Quileute people have made in good faith. Your having that knowledge would not help Bella. Do you understand?"
Charlie looked between the hand on his shoulder and Sue, then glanced at the bed. A man who had twenty years on him and a woman. Billy in his non-maneuverable wheel chair and another small woman somewhere behind him. No way could the four of them stop him from getting that bandage off if he decided to go for it.
Should he? Or did he dare believe he would be given the truth if he calmly walked into the kitchen with them?
Lowering his hand from Sue's shoulder to her arm, he forced her next to Old Quil so that he could look his three friends in the eyes.
"How stupid do you think I am? You all just happened to decide right before I barged in here that you were finally going to come clean?"
Billy looked at Charlie with sadness, "We didn't enjoy keeping you in the dark Charlie, regardless of the necessity. However, none of us believe you to be stupid. We knew you were suspicious and before long you would find something that would lead you away from Forks. You have no idea how dangerous that would be. For you and for Bella."
"She should be here, where she would be safe. Under Quileute protection. Yet with Sam and Jake lying injured, she was forced away. She is in unimaginable peril Charlie; but if you go racing to her side, you will lead the danger straight to her. No matter how much you love your daughter, you are no match for this threat, my friend."
Billy nodded at the bed, "Bella's only hope for safety is in the recovery of those boys or getting where she is headed without being traced. That is why we are now willing to trust you with Quileute secrets."
Charlie sighed. He would have to resign his position as chief and turn his badge in, because he must be one gullible moron. He actually believed Billy's little speech.
"Alright Billy, lets go chat in the kitchen. And you better be damn sure you're telling me the truth, because come first thing in the morning, I'm heading after my daughter."
Emily stayed behind to watch over Sam and Jake while everyone else filed into the kitchen. Charlie made sure to sit where one of those overgrown boys couldn't walk up behind him without him knowing they were there. Billy might have been convincing, but the jury was still out on whether his friends were worthy of licking his boots, let alone of holding his trust.
Sue offered everyone a beer, but Charlie declined. For the next hour he listened to the most unbelievable stories of the Quileute Spirit Wolves and their natural enemies. Not once did they give a name or even descriptions for this enemy. Charlie got the feeling that information was intentionally withheld.
Charlie's mustache twitched. "Well Billy, this all makes for great camp stories, but what does this have to do with Bella?"
"Everything Charlie. Sam and Jake are two of the current Spirit Wolves. Sam is in fact the current Alpha and by Jake's birthright the alpha spot and chief of the tribe should be his."
Charlie huffed, "Come on, you really expect me to believe that those two boys in there turn into giant wolves?!"
Old Quil looked to Sue who nodded, and picked up Emily's kitchen phone to call Seth. She asked him to meet her in Emily's backyard. Seth was smart enough not to ask questions.
"No Charlie; we knew this was something you would need to see for yourself. Sue's children are also pack members."
"Again, what does this have to do with Bella?"
Sue laid her hand on Charlie's arm, "One of these enemies has been after Bella. The pack has been protecting her. She was caught alone the other day, but Sam and Jake got to her in time. However, both wolves were grievously injured defending her. That meant the beta of the pack was now in control, and he took his anger out on Bella. He exiled her with the threat of removing your protection if she didn't go. As the temporary alpha, he has the powerful ability to give orders that the other wolves physically cannot resist. Only Sam, the alpha, or Jake, the true chief should he choose to claim his birthright, would be able to challenge Paul's authority."
"Why is this thing after Bella?"
The three exchanged glances. Charlie could tell they had an answer but weren't planning to tell him. "Assuming I believe you – I don't – this thing must have a reason. What. Is. It." He was demanding, not asking.
Billy sighed, "We told you Bella has a chance to make it to safe harbor if we can keep the thing from following her. That safety is with those responsible for the death of the creature's mate."
Charlie thumbed his mustache as he processed this, "Alright then, why go after Bella?"
Billy shook his head, "I'm sorry old friend, we know that answer but cannot give you that information without violating the treaty."
Charlie wasn't willing to accept that, but for now let it go as he had a pretty good idea who this safe harbor was with. He hadn't forgotten those parallels between the Cullen's departure and Bella's. Every mention of the treaty reminded him of the Quileute's seemingly unfounded animosity towards the Cullens. Keeping his ruminations to himself, he changed the subject, "So what do you now claim is wrong with Sam and Jake? For damn sure it was no snake."
The three shared a glance. Carefully Billy said, "Our adversary is venomous. To the spirit wolves it is deadly. Both should have died that first day; however, Bella thought to remove the venom much as one would have treated a snake bite in the old days. Her actions have given the boys a fighting chance."
Charlie's mustache twitched as his anger rose again, "So they are alive due to Bella and yet this beta" he spit the word out with disdain, "still exiled my daughter?!"
"Charlie…all of us agree that was a revolting thing to do to her. Likely a death sentence. Paul has always had a temper. Being a spirit wolf makes that exceedingly difficult to control. Many of the pack resent the responsibility. Bella became someone Paul could take that out on and blame for Sam and Jake's poor luck." Billy tried his best to explain Paul's resentment of Bella without giving away its roots in her willingness to befriend the Cullen's. He didn't realize that Charlie had already made the connection and this only gave further credence to the theory for him.
"I have faith the boys will recover from this. I promise you Charlie, however this ends for Bella, Paul will pay for his betrayal when they do. The spirit wolves exist to protect life, not feed it to the devil. Paul has betrayed his heritage in casting Bella out. He betrayed the sacrifice Sam and Jake made to protect her."
Charlie tried his best to keep his emotions from swaying him into believing their hogwash; but he had to admit, the tear tracking down Billy's face when he finished speaking just now got to him. One thing he could readily admit was true – his child wasn't the only one in danger. That was Billy's little boy lying in the other room next to Sam.
A knock came on the back door then. Sue got up to answer it, careful to keep Charlie out of sight of the person there. Sure enough Charlie could hear Seth greet his mother. Sue stepped outside to talk to him in the yard, while Old Quil put a finger to his lips to indicate Charlie was to remain silent, then led him to the window at the kitchen sink which overlooked the back yard.
The three tribal elders figured they were pretty safe from Paul catching on to what they were doing and forbidding Seth from shifting as Paul should be asleep in his human form at the moment.
When Charlie looked out the window, he observed Sue speaking to Seth and then she turned her back on him. Seth walk a few paces away and stripped his shorts off. And then a sight occurred for which Charlie was wholly unprepared for, despite all the stories tonight.
One moment he was staring at the kid wondering why he had stripped down to his birthday suit and then next a wolf exploded from the very place Seth had been. Charlie jumped back in shock but managed to refrain from screaming like a little girl and unmanning himself.
The huge wolf lumbered towards Sue and opened his jaw. Charlie didn't think, he just reacted. Pulling his concealed gun out of his waist band, he took aim and was moments away from firing to protect Sue when Old Quil forcibly shoved his arm down and said, "Don't!"
Horrorstruck knowing he wouldn't get his gun back up before the wolf's jaws closed over Sue's beautiful face; Charlie watched helplessly as the wolf…licked her cheek?!
Charlie looked in disbelief at the grinning Old Quil and then back at the wolf. He had to see this close up! He headed for the kitchen door but a quiet, "No." from Billy stopped him. He resumed his spot in front of the window and watched as Sue turned her back again and the grey wolf became Sue's fun loving son once more. Seth donned his clothes and took off through the woods while Sue returned inside.
When she stepped through the doorway, Sue took one look at Charlie, opened Emily's fridge and handed Charlie a beer. This time he took it. Then he holstered his firearm, plopped his butt right down where he stood, cracked the tab and upended the can.
Old Quil looked at Sue, "Did he suspect anything?"
Sue shook her head, "Seth has been very good to not question anything we do since Paul took over. So far as he knows his mother just needed some cheering up during a long night of caring for the boys."
Charlie spoke up, "Why did you stop me after he shifted, Billy?"
Billy sighed, "Because we don't know how far Paul will let his anger take him. To convince Bella to leave Forks, we know he threatened to hand her to the enemy himself, and leave you undefended. Seth would get a kick out of showing off for you, but we are concerned that Paul will retaliate by ordering the boys to leave you defenseless should he learn of what happened here tonight through Seth's memories."
Charlie's face hardened, "I can take care of myself. And Bella. I found her truck in Olympia and I'm going after her first thing in the morning."
Sue shook her head, walked over to Charlie and smacked him upside the back of his thick skull.
"Ow! Dammit Sue, what the hell was that for?!"
"For being a stubborn fool, that's what!" she then gave him the same look she used whenever Seth or Leah had disappointed her, "Did you listen to nothing we said tonight? Charlie, your weapons are useless against this enemy. You might as well arm yourself with pillows for all the impact your bullets will have. If you track Bella you will lead this killer straight to her. Is that what you want?"
Charlie looked at the pained faces of his friends. He finally believed they hadn't betrayed Bella and were doing their best by her in a rotten situation. "You are all serious. There's really nothing we can do?"
"The best thing you can do for Bella right now, is to stay put. Leave the truck hidden where it is. And Charlie – these monsters have amazing hearing – so no searching for Bella remotely either. The wolves watch over you but the risk to Bella is too great. Spend your free time hanging out in La Push, so the boys don't have to divide up so often. Act like you've accepted Paul's crap story and do nothing to give your knowledge away. And pray those boys wake up soon. So far the creature is still testing the wolves' defensive lines for holes. From that we can infer she still believes Bella to be in Forks. That won't last."
Charlie focused on the beer in his hand and nodded his head. Looking at Sue with raw fear, he swallowed and said, "Her trail will go cold Sue. Sam and Jake may not be able to find her if I don't go now. And it doesn't sound like any of you are certain she will find whom she's seeking…" 'because they aren't in LA' Charlie continued the thought to himself.
Sue knelt down next to him and placed a reassuring arm around his shoulders. Laying her head against his, she said, "I cannot begin to imagine what you are feeling Charlie, and I would be lying if I promised you Bella will be fine. I can tell you Bella stands a good chance of succeeding in her search as I started her in what I believe is the right direction. Despite a treaty being necessary for peace, I do believe Bella will find safe harbor with those she's journeying too. When Sam or Jake rejoins us, I can give them the same information I sent with Bella. They'll find her Charlie."
Charlie thought about what he knew of the Cullen's. He had no idea why they had truly left, but clearly it wasn't on good terms with Bella. He didn't care if they were like this enemy after Bella. He only cared about two things: could they protect Bella and more importantly would they protect Bella. He took another swig of his beer. He'd gotten fairly well acquainted with Carlisle through work before Bella ever moved to Forks. Given the way they had left Forks, Charlie couldn't be sure their interactions with Bella had been genuine but he was a pretty good judge of character. He would eat his hat betting Carlisle wouldn't turn away an injured and desperate Bella. The doctor was far too compassionate for that.
Charlie kept his thoughts to himself – now that his friends were finally sharing the truth with him, he didn't want to spook them into clamming up. He could handle not knowing specifics so long as they kept him in the loop on Bella, the she-devil's location and Sam and Jake. In fact, the more he thought about the wolves the less he wanted to know about what such a powerful predator was designed to destroy. As long as Charlie got his daughter back alive, they could keep their treaty secrets.
Picking himself up off the floor, Charlie offered a hand to Sue and assisted her up. Then he took another beer from the fridge and turned to his friends, "Alright, you've convinced me. I'll stay put and hold off on searching for Bella myself. For now. I need to do something productive though. So I'll take a few shifts caring for those boys in there. You all have my word I'll leave the bandages untouched." All bets were off it those boys died. He would be upfront about his intentions if that time came though.
Billy rolled his wheelchair over and clapped Charlie on the back, "Come on old friend, let's go say hello to my son."