School keeps me and my thoughts occupied during the following days. I am spending all of my time in school or at home studying. The pack has been working hard with patrolling. So when Embry drives me home from school I am not surprised to see Quil heavily asleep on the couch when I'm walking through the door. I grab a banana and then I walk to my room. I lay down on the bed eating my banana. I look at my bag standing beside the bed with all my school books in it. I should study, but I am really not feeling it. My head needs some rest and my body needs to move. I contemplate for a while but then I know what I need. A walk alone with my favorite music. I change clothes and grab my headphones before I head out. I shut the door carefully so Quil wont wake up, I don't know what Quil would think about me going out. I heard what Jared said the other day but how dangerous can it be to go out for a walk in the middle of the afternoon?

The walk feels really good. Some fresh air and a chance to gather my thoughts. There have been so many things happening lately. I needed some time for myself. After a while I end up by the cliffs and I stand still for a while and just breathe in the salty and fresh air and watch the steady pace of the waves. I even take my headphones off so I can hear the calming sound of the waves. I am just about to put my headphones back in when I turn and freeze.

There is a woman standing a couple of meters away from me. A woman with red curly hair. Pale skin. And red eyes. My instinct tells me something I don't want to believe. She´s a vampire. She´s Victoria.

I can't breathe. I can't move. I´m frozen by fear.

"Who are you?" Victoria asks. I am taken back by her beautiful, melodic voice. Then I remember what Sam told me, everything about a vampire is designed to be alluring. Their looks, smell and even voice. I stay quiet.

"Oh I know who you are. You are with them. The wolves. I can smell them on you. This is perfect."

"What do you want?" I ask with a shaky voice.

"I want revenge"

I look around. Maybe I could run. How far away can the pack be? Will they hear me if I scream?

Victoria laughs.

"You could never run from me. And screaming wont help, I promise. But don't you worry, I'm not gonna kill you. Not now at least."

"What?" I ask.

"I want her. The girl that took my love from me. He died because of her!"

In less than a second she is standing next to me and takes a grip on my arm. The grip is so hard that I cry out.

"What are you going to do with me?" I ask and hear my heart pounding.

"I could trade you for her"

Suddenly she throws me up on her back and starts running. She is running so fast that it feels like we are floating through the air. The trees in the woods are just a green blur and I feel dizzy. Then I hear something, howls.

"No" Victoria says and runs in a different direction. She keeps running. Suddenly she runs into something. Or not something, someone. We are thrown into the air and I am being ripped away from her. I land on the ground. I squeal out of pain and fear. I look up. Everything is happening so fast that my eyes can't follow. I see three people fighting. I see Victoria's red curly hair kicking a girl with long blonde hair to the side and a guy with bronze short hair trying to get a grip on her. Suddenly Victoria disappears.

"You go after her! I´ll take care of the girl" The guy with bronze hair screams to the girl with blonde hair and another guy who just arrived. The run of and the guy with bronze hair turns to me. He is beautiful. Pale, clear skin with sharp cheekbones and thick short bronze hair. His eyes are a warm yellow colour. He is beautiful but a feeling spreads through my body. The same instinct I had when I met Victoria. I crawl backwards, to get away from him.

He walks closer.

"You don't need to be afraid. I am not going to hurt you, I promise". He says. He has the same melodic voice as Victoria.

"You are a vampire!" I cry out. He looks at me and looks surprised. He looks at me with focused eyes.

"You are with the wolves"

I nod.

"I´m Edward Cullen, we don't hurt humans. You are safe."

I gasp. It's him. Edward Cullen, Bella's vampire boyfriend. I take a deep breath and relax an inch. I remember what Sam told me, the pack and the Cullens have a treaty. The Cullens don't feed on humans.

"Who are you?" Edward asks kindly.

"My name is Stephanie, I´m Quil´s cousin"

And Jacob's imprint I think to myself. Edward looks up again.

"Jacob imprinted on you?" Edward asks as if he cannot believe what he's saying. He looks taken aback. I nod carefully.

We are interrupted by loud voices. I turn around and I am embraced by a warm body.

"Oh thank God"

It´s Embry. He holds me with his arm and checks me over with his eyes.

"Are you hurt? Stephanie, are you hurt?" He asks frantically. He searches for something in my eyes. I shake my head no. I feel too overwhelmed and too shocked to speak.

Embry turns to Edward.

"What happened? Why do you have her?"

"Victoria had her. We ran after her and caught up with them here. She lost her grip on Stephanie and then ran away"

"Thank you" Embry says sincerely. He holds his arm around me tightly.

"Steph!"

All of us turn to the voice. Jacob is running from the woods. He looks rabid. He runs up to Embry and I.

"Is she hurt? Stephanie, are you hurt?" He asks and carefully pulls me from Embry´s arm into his own.

"She is fine" Edward says.

"She isn't fine. She is bleeding!" Jacob snarls. I touch my forehead with my hand and realize that I'm bleeding.

Suddenly Jacob turns me around and moves to stand in front of me.

"Embry, take her and leave. She´s bleeding" Jacob orders.

Edward snorts.

"Oh please Jacob, I am not tempted. The girl is safe"

"I am not taking the chance" Jacob says with a dark voice.

"Right, because she is your imprint? You haven't told us about her"

Jacob walks closer to Edward.

"Leave. Now."

"Have you forgotten that you are on our territory? You are the ones that should leave" Another guy is suddenly standing next to Edward. Another vampire.

"He is right" Another voice says. Sam and Paul are walking out from the woods. They quickly look at me before they turn to Edward.

"This is your territory. We respect that. We´ll leave"

"Did you catch her, Victoria?" Jacob asks.

Edward glances at the other vampire and then sighs.

"No. Seems like she got away again" He says bitterly.

"Too bad. But we want to thank you for saving Stephanie. You have our greatest gratitude. We owe you" Sam says with a serious voice.

"No problem. It was nice meeting you, Stephanie" Edward says.

I move away from Jacob so I can get a view on Edward, Jacob holds me back.

"Thank you, Edward" I say sincerely. He gives me a small smile which I return.

"Carlisle, I hope you can forgive us for our treaty violation. She's an imprint" Sam says and looks to the man next to Edward.

"There is nothing to forgive Sam. We are just happy that the girl is safe" Carlisle replies and then looks at me.

"Your wound needs to be looked after, do you want me to take a look at it? I am a doctor" He asks me with a kind voice.

"Yeah, thank you" I say with a small voice and nod.

"No. Sue can look at it" Jacob says.

"Sue´s a nurse, she helps us" He tells me. Then he turns to Sam.

"I don't want my imprint in the hands of another vampire again tonight"

Sam nods.

"Is that okay with you Steph? Sue taking care of your wound?" Sam asks me. I shrug my shoulders and nod.

We say goodbye and are just about to leave. Edward looks at me and then calls on Jacob.

"Quite a secret you have kept, I wonder what Bella will say about you keeping this from her"

Jacob gasps and releases his hold on me.

"Embry you take her, I need to go talk to Bella" Jacob says and looks down