Chapter 17

Complications

(Bella)

This was bad. Not only had we now picked a fight with the Volturi for creating a newborn in Charlie, which while technically not our fault since someone else had bit him first and all we did was speed it up so he wouldn't suffer, but now we had killed a member of their guard. Now, on top of that, we would have another newborn in Angela.

Angela; that brought up another issue. It wasn't fair to Ben to make him think that Angela was dead. I couldn't make him go through what I did when Edward left me, and even worse what Edward went through when he thought I was dead. It would destroy him. I only had one option, despite what Jasper and Rose thought. They had been the loudest voices in favor of the 'Angela died in an accident' plot. It wasn't fair to her parents either; they'd have to be told too.

"Knock, knock," Alice sang as she knocked on the door of Edward's room in the Cullen's house.

"Hey Alice," I smiled back as she entered. Alice all but danced into the room. She was just so light on her feet, even for a vampire.

"Where are the boys?" She asked despite the fact that she knew exactly where Edward, Charlie, and Jacob were and that was out with Renesmee.

"Out hunting." I sat on the bed and couldn't believe how guilty I felt for having to leave now. If everything went well, then I'd be bringing Ben back to learn everything. "But you knew that already, didn't you?" I laughed.

Alice frowned. "I suck at small talk, so I'm just gonna say it. Why do I see you going to see Ben?"

"Because he's gotta know that Ang is okay." Alice smiled guiltily as well. I should of known that she'd understand. "Was there anything else?"

"Why do I see you biting him?"

It had been an idle thought and nothing other than that. But in the end I knew that me biting a human was a very bad idea. Still, I hadn't completely given up on the idea. "You saw me changing him?"

"No," she answered almost chiding, "I saw you kill him. Bella, you're still too young to change him."

"But Charlie-"

"Charlie was different," she interrupted. "First, he was your father. Second, he already had some venom in his system that made his blood not as… well delicious. If you bite someone who is still completely human, I don't see you stopping until it's too late."

"I was afraid of that," I said now knowing that me biting Ben was out of the question, but still he had to see Angela now. "What do you think about me telling him about Angela? About us?"

She looked at me sympathetically. I should have known that she be on my side on this one because she really liked Angela too and like with me, in her crazy little head she had to of already spent hundreds of hours with her. And Angela was a lot like me, just as comfortable listening to someone as she was talking which was perfect for a little chatterbox like Alice. "I think you're right about that, but please Bella, don't try to change Ben yourself. We don't need any more trouble with the Volturi right now. Telling Ben is gonna be bad enough, but another newborn would be too much."

I wanted to change the subject; it had been more than twelve hours since Angela was bitten, and unlike me who was incapacitated and Charlie who was almost at peace after he was bitten, Angela hadn't been able to stop screaming and crying in pain from the burning she was going through. I understood now what Edward and Rosalie had told me about their transformations and how painful they could be when one wasn't being held in the arms of someone who loved them. "We're in trouble with the Volturi?" I asked trying to sound surprised.

"Bella, not only do we have two newborns and you are about to break the most absolute of all vampire laws. And even worse, we've killed a member of their guard. That's something they can't let go unanswered."

"When?" I asked in reply. I knew that this time we couldn't count on any real help from our allies who helped us with Renesmee, well other than the Denalis. Because of Tanya's new connection to Charlie, they would be forced to help us. There still was the chance to get help from some of our friends, but there was no way to know exactly who.

"The exact timing hasn't been decided yet. Aro is trying to round up as many witnesses as he can, but he's been having issues. Too many remember what happened a few years ago, so he's calling in as many favors as he can to get the few he has so far. Our most recent 'transgression' might urge more to come." She stressed 'transgression' in air quotes.

This was a good thing, I had to tell myself. Aro couldn't have another failure like he did last time, so there would be no reasoning with him. I knew that he had the final say about any action that the guard undertook, so it was his fault that my dad and Angela had been bitten. This was a grudge that I wouldn't be able to let go. He'd pay for it with his life.

"What do you think about your dad and Tanya?" Alice asked looking nervous.

I had to assume that she'd seen more than I already know. Could she have possibly already seen them get married? "It's really none of my business," I said sounding so disinterested that it had to be a lie. Renee had gotten her happiness after all, so shouldn't Charlie too?

"That's not what I asked," she said frowning. "I don't think he cares about your permission. I'm asking you what you think about it; just your opinion."

"It'll be kinda weird calling someone who used to hit on my husband god only knows how long ago my stepmom, but Charlie deserves to be happy."

Alice smiled, her perfect smile. "That's great."

"Oh crap," I groaned. "You've already seen them get married, haven't you?"

Alice smiled timidly. "Charlie's about to propose. I don't think he's gonna last more than a few weeks."

I sighed. He could do a whole lot worse than Tanya, and she'd help keep him out of trouble. Alaska wasn't all that far away, but would still be far enough where we wouldn't have to worry about anyone from around here seeing him.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked softly to Alice as we walked to the garage.

"Anything."

"Help Angela through it. I've gotta go talk to Ben. I'm gonna try and bring him back before she wakes up." I knew that for Ben to be within a thousand yards after Angela woke up would be way too dangerous. If Edward was right about a vampire's true singer being their soulmate, then surely Ben would sing to Angela. I didn't know if she'd be able to control herself. She didn't choose this life unlike Charlie and I did.

"Of course," Alice said with a sad smile on her face. I knew that the two of them were friends as well. I don't know why I even felt the need to ask Alice about this.

"Can you still see Ben," but my voice failed me before I could finish.

She smiled, a small nervous smile. "Yes, but it's still very faint meaning that it is the most likely scenario. But it is no guarantee."

"You were sure about me and Charlie."

"That was only after the two of you had made up your minds. Bella, I knew after the whole thing in Phoenix how bad you wanted this life, how bad you wanted Edward for eternity. I can't say I blame you."

"And Charlie?"

"Charlie understood the risk he took when he let us tell him about us. That made him willing. The added benefits of having you and Ness forever, plus what he hoped would develop with Tanya was just icing on the cake. Even before that, when Jacob told him that you had to change and might have to leave, he vowed to do whatever it took to stay in your life. In the end, vampire life was his only real choice for that."

"So how will Angie do with all of this?"

She had to know what I meant because she frowned and her eyes dropped. "About normal for us. She'll slip a couple of times, but should be okay within a few months."

"Can you see who?" Alice had to know what I meant; I was asking who Angela would kill.

Yet again, Alice shook her head. "No, but we'll all help her. She has a good moral compass, but the thirst is just too much for many newborns. Think of it like an itch; eventually, you just have to scratch it."

I understood what she meant, since I nearly slipped a couple of times in my first year, even coming so close to biting a human one time on the reservation that Jacob actually had to phase in front of a few people; thank god he was able to stop me. But more than that, I knew talking about it more would only waste time that I needed to have to bring Ben back in the next day or so before he wouldn't be able to see her for a while. Still we needed something to tell her parents. The truth wasn't an option; not yet anyway. But maybe someday. "See ya." I whispered as I got in my Ferrari and proceeded to fly down the drive at almost sixty miles an hour.

The drive to Pullman took about four hours. I flew the whole way there; I don't think the speedometer dipped below 100 the entire way. Edward was right about the 'after' car; driving fast was a lot of fun.

It didn't take long once on Campus to find where Ben's dorm was. When I pulled into the guest parking lot and got out of the car, I was surprised to smell the distinct scent of wolf. I sniffed again, with my nose wrinkling form the unpleasant scent. Three of them; of that I was certain. I remembered that Leah was looking at WSU, among other colleges. Her scent was definite. I wasn't completely sure of the other two.

I walked to the door and it wasn't hard to get let into the supposedly secured area of the dorm. No sooner had I walked up and gave a friendly smile that one of the guys tried to hit on me and let me in. "Sorry," I crowed showing my left hand.

The boy frowned, whispering under his breath, "Some guys have all the luck."

I chuckled, "I'm actually here to see a friend of mine. Ben Cheney. You know him?"

"Yeah, he's been a little bit of a wreck actually. His girl was supposed to call him last night, but she didn't. Now she's not even answering her cell."

Damn, I really should have thought about that, but how would I explain what really happened. They don't make a 'Sorry but your fiancée just got attacked by a vampire' Hallmark card. I chuckled under my breath at that thought, but quickly suppressed it. "You know which room he's in?"

"241," he answered. "See ya," he waved as he headed out to wherever he was going.

On the side of the doorframe of Ben's room was a sign that said who his roommate was; I should of known it would have been Austin. But there it was again, the scent of three werewolves coming from just inside the door; the strongest scent I'd caught of them since I left Forks. I knocked softly, and heard the sound of shaking and panting, followed by a voice I wasn't expecting.

"You need to calm down." It was Leah. I couldn't believe it; she had found Ben, but why was she telling him to calm down.

Just then, Ben came up the stairs and was standing next to me. "Bella!" He cried from the excitement of seeing me. He hugged me softly and shivered at my touch. It had been a little while since I hunted and the scent of him sent a flame down my throat. But it was easy to ignore it; this was going to be the mate of my best friend. I had to resist for her. "Hey Ben," I smiled back.

Then he pulled back from me. I knew what he was seeing. My eyes, just like the rest of the Cullens, somewhere between honey gold and black. No longer my old chocolate brown. I could tell the wheels in his head were spinning.

"Come on in. Austin's gonna love seeing you." Ben unlocked the door, and I was surprised to see Leah with a hand on Austin's shoulder, trying to calm him from trembling. Then the scent hit me even harder than it had earlier. That's when I put it together; Austin had to be part Quileute. He was a shapeshifter just like Leah and the third wolf in the small room, Collin.

Ben had to know everything now. His roommate was a frickin' werewolf, who could snap at any time. I cringed remembering how Sam's one split second loss of control permanently scarred Emily. Angela had been attacked by a vampire and was going through the painful three day conversion that I suspected Ben would do too at some point. I kept wondering what my best bet here was. I never even dreamed that Austin would end up a wolf, but then I saw the way that Austin and Leah looked at each other. It was the same way that Jacob looked at Renesmee. Then I noticed something else.

"You didn't!" I snarled at Leah. Austin had a canine bite mark on his left hand.

"I couldn't control it," she said nervously, "we don't know why we imprint."

That wasn't what I was talking about, so I pointed at the bite.

Austin looked down at what I was pointing at. "Oh, that," he said as he slapped himself with his right hand. "That happened when I was a little kid. Yeah, me and dogs; we don't get along."

Collin laughed at the irony of him being a werewolf now. "Whatcha think our best bet is here," Collin asked to both me and Leah, "do we show him here or should we go home?"

"I can't take all of you guys," I said. That wasn't the only reason; I'd never get the stink of three wolves out of my car.

"Why don't I take Austin and whoever else," Ben said grabbing his keys, "and you take however many you can."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," I added. Ben being around Austin right now could be very bad if something caused him to lose his temper. "I think it'd be better if Leah drove one car and you rode with me."

Leah looked into my eyes and her eyes looked terrified. Barely any volume came out as she lips the words, "Not a chance parasite."

Austin looked confused at Leah. I had to assume he was wondering why Leah would call me that. This was why I wanted the three of them together; so Collin and Leah could explain everything to Austin on the ride, while Ben would be safely in the dark until we got back to Forks.

She was right though. I needed to hunt first. The nice thing about Pullman was that it was in the middle of nowhere. There were some forests around, and that meant wildlife. "Why don't the three of you have breakfast and we can leave after that."

"But it's Sunday. We've got class tomorrow," Ben protested.

"Trust me," Leah sighed with a small cuckle, "school's the least of your worries anymore."

I nodded. Thank goodness that it was going to be raining almost all the way back to Forks, so I wouldn't have to explain the whole 'sparkling' thing… not just yet anyway.

The three relented and went to a buffet just off campus. I insisted on treating, but explained I wasn't hungry. As soon as the four of them they piled into Ben's little Jetta, I took off running towards the south; first at human speed and later at my full sprint when I was sure no humans were around.

It didn't take me long to find a small heard of elk just south of town. I drained two of them within a minute, and felt almost full. I kept debating taking another, but decided against it. I'd be able to resist Ben during our ride back.

In the end, Collin agreed with my suggestion of how to get back. Ben rode with me in the Ferrari, while the other three crammed into Ben's Jetta. About five minutes out of town, when my speedometer creeped back over 100, I could tell that something was on Ben's mind. Another minute later he asked me, "Bella, why did Leah call you a 'parasite?"