A/N Hey everyone, I've had a little bit more spare time between writing the rest of the story and now have devoted some extra time going over my work and editing my past chapters. So while this is still a rough draft compared to previous chapters having them Beta'd I'm hoping you'll all be happier with the more frequent updates. The amount of people reading the story is really great and it's a real boost especially considering how I'd not been sure if I'd start posting on the site again. You've all made me happy I stuck with this idea and started back on fan fiction though so thank you all my readers. And thank you too any who have recommended the story out or have reviewed it's always really cool getting to know what you guys think. Oh and too all my American readers I'd like to wish you all an early happy 4th of July and look forward to hearing back next week when I update again.

RED DAWN

SUMMARY: Edward had always warned Bella that the pack were dangerous. Hostile, volatile and aggressive in nature. She ignored him, testing even Edward's own vampire instinct by staying friends with his enemy, Jacob. One event will change them all, Bella never truly understood the supernatural world. Didn't understand the aggression that lay dormant even in her controlled mate until it was too late. Warning: Violence and Character death.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all the Characters.


Chapter Four

"Gentleman, I believe you wish to gain my attention" Edward smirked coming to a stop and the vicious insults both had planned to snarl at them had fallen limp at their tongues. Both speechless and fearful to finally see the embodiment of the tales of the cold ones they'd always feared. The Cullen family no longer seeming a weak imitation of their enemy, they were the real thing.

There was a long pause then as both sides stood, neither daring to even look away as if by blinking or shifting even slightly would reveal some type of weakness in the foundation of their set formations. The Quileute members, Billy Black and Sam Uley however for most parts were just mortal men, the stillness of the Cullen's unnerved them. They'd become so used to them all making themselves appear mortal. Not only to those around Forks but even in the rare meetings between both species sides, they had always seemed very human. Of course the pack had always known the truth but now seeing them all, standing so still they appeared stone like and unyielding. And then the red eyes, and confidence and the cool dark velvety edge to Edward's tone, introduced to them strangers. For the first time they did not recognise this man, always a boy to them in mind before, now he appeared much more than that. They'd believed they'd known all they had too about the Cullen's, now they felt as blind as Alice with her visions now.

In the silence though there was the thoughts of both men Sam Uley was enraged by the deaths and attack on those he cared for as brothers. Being the oldest of the wolves he'd introduced each member into this life, on his own as was the duty of the alpha. Billy Black's anger was from the murder of his son. He'd been inconsolable when Sam and Jared had come to find him to tell him about Jacob. He'd demanded to be allowed to see the bodies, being taken to his home where it had once been filled with his children and wife and then seeing now he would be alone. Seeing all his hard efforts to keep his son with him and the pack alive as a united power were failed, because to him Sam was never to be the leader. Without Jacob, Billy Black saw no future for the pack. Seeing his son, the future leader of their people so large and strong to Billy's eyes reduced to nothing more than a lifeless body with grotesque gaping wounds. His body dumped like the life that had once been within his son had meant nothing, it had physically made Billy sick.

His hatred had been clear on the Cullen's from the beginning of them arriving, he'd only endured the treaty because Sam had been the only one to shift. Also Ephraim Black had been sure they could coexist, that had never allowed Billy to see past his disgust though, and even at his own bloodline's treaty he'd always desired its destruction. Finding his son dead, finding his daughter's imprinter Paul his body so disturbingly mangled foam and puss leaking from his mouth and eyes as the venom had worked its evil. It had broken an edge to Billy's usually focussed mind, now it seemed lost of control and Edward was seeing the beginnings of twisted thoughts before hidden to him. Secrets that went against all that the pack were supposed to stand for.

"You stand there so smug. So sure of your actions, you are nothing but a parasite. A monster you have killed my son, the future leader of my people. You have killed my daughter's future husband and paralysed a young man cursing him to the life stuck in a wheelchair" Billy spat towards Edward his hands gripping his own wheelchair tightly. Edward remained emotionless as Billy Black angrily yelled at him.

"You will pay for your crimes against our tribe. You and your entire coven of leeches will pay" Billy roared loudly his eyes warn tired and bloodshot from exhaustion. Pointing wildly towards them wishing for them to react wanting them to lash out. Sam had refused to attack instantly at finding the bodies, he'd refused to take the pack and attack the Cullen's which had infuriated Billy. Sam's only concession had been that he'd bring Billy to face the Cullen's, he wouldn't leave Billy alone realising finally that the Cullen's would kill when provoked. He would stay by Billy's side, but he refused to bring the young members of the pack to face these foes. Not while they were still unprepared.

"You have nothing to say? You stand there red eyed blatantly disrespecting your promise. You have fed from humans. We see it in your eyes, are we to believe you haven't killed the Swan girl?" Sam said and a deep guttural hiss vibrated around them as Edward's eyes turned from red to black. Carlisle needing to place a hand on Edward's shoulder to prevent him from taking a step forward.

"You do not speak her name" Edward growled glaring at Sam menacingly.

"If your kind could control yourself this would have never happened. You yourself know of the lack of restraint you dogs have. Is your own imprint not deformed from your hand" Edward taunted Sam hitting him verbally with the attack that so deeply wounded Sam's mind.

The guilt he carried at being the one to so deeply harm the woman he was imprinted upon, still to this day it affected him. Edward was surprised by the images that filtered through Billy's mind though. Of more people harmed, in such a way as both Emily and Bella had been. It shocked Edward even as he held tightly to his anger, to his control to mask what he was seeing in both men's minds.

"You won't speak of Emily" Sam growled back his shoulders tensing and bunching up under the skin impressively.

"Then we are at an agreement you will not speak of my mate and I won't speak of your imprint. While I must say I commend you on your bravery or perhaps stupidity for showing here. You aren't welcome and this is our lands" Edward hissed pointing behind both men from the direction they had come from "I suggest you leave. Nothing you have to say is of any importance to us" Edward said with finality.

"No it wouldn't be. You kill our men and you expect us to do nothing..." Billy Black tried to intervene yelling and it aggravated Edward his mind so much like Jacob's had been. Both men having this same belief they were always right, both incredibly manipulative of the people around them, both hiding a darkness that was circled around the benefitting of only themselves.

"I expect you to realize that your words mean nothing to me" Edward hissed as he shifted Carlisle's hand from his shoulder moving to step forward into the space in front of him. As Sam moved to stand in front of Billy, to all but block Edward from Billy.

"Your son, Billy. He shifted. He transformed into the beast that your people hide. He hurt Bella, he cut into her soft human skin and carved her up he sprayed her blood against your garage wall. I ran to her, I ran to save her from your son and he decided to stop me. So deep his hatred he would leave the girl he claimed to love dying on the floor at his hand to fight me. He wanted to get between a vampire and his mate, does your tales not speak of how deadly that is? Did the tale of the third wife teach you nothing Billy Black? I killed your son. I did it quickly and without any effort because he means nothing to me when the life of my love hangs in the balance" Edward snarled Jasper working his influence to try and calm his brother his anger escalating to heights Jasper hadn't felt from Edward ever before.

"Do you wish for me to repent, plead for your forgiveness so you can deny it and then I allow you to take my life? Would this give you your hunger for vengeance? If you are waiting for me to give you my life, child you shall be waiting longer then you shall live. Your son paid for his act against Bella with his life. You and I both know the secrets you hide Billy Black consider this the justice owed" Edward said darkly as his family looked on at Edward confused. Realising he was picking up on things from Billy's mind, though Jasper's curiosity piqued at the possible secrets the chief of the Quileute's could possibly have.

"I don't care about Bella" Billy yelled surprising many of those around the confrontation Edward's own family members as well as Sam looking at Billy stunned.

"She's done nothing but create problems for my people. Believe me I want her to pay for my son's death just as much as you" Billy yelled hysterically his anger looming on the very brink of his human sanity. Edward merely looked at the elderly man in his wheelchair with a deathly silence that made the very hairs on both Sam and Billy's arms stand at attention as Edward looked down at the wheelchair bound human.

"I would take your chief away from here if I was you dog" Jasper finally spoke up then the first of the Cullen's to speak out as Edward had completely stilled his gaze unwavering on Billy's form. Billy's body panting with the exertion from his yelling and his heartbeat franticly thumping wetly in the ears of Edward.

"Very foolish of you to bring a grieving man to only anger your enemy when you desire peace is it not" Jasper said using his ability to see and predict the emotions that Sam was feeling. Edward had seen that Sam wanted no more death and even the shock at what Billy had said.

Sam was struggling with it the loss of his friends and pack members, but also knowing that Bella was a human. Bella had been harmed he wasn't sure how responsible Edward could be held knowing all too well how any of the pack would have reacted to Edward crossing the treaty line even just to save Bella. There was also the shame, a long held regret and guilt that clouded his thoughts and emotions there, this long held secret of the pack and council one that made Sam feel like this was all warranted. That they'd deserved this action against them. It was only Edward though, in his complete silence and void of movement that registered this in the deeper part of his enhanced mind that was still focussing on the minds and thoughts that washed through his own immortal conscious.

"We aren't finished here. You will have to answer for what you have done to my pack. Two innocents killed another paralysed for the rest of his life. This will not be forgotten or ignored, whatever actions that are taken from this point on are on you" Sam said looking from Jasper to Edward.

Edward still in the same position, though he looked ready to strike at any given moment and Sam would much rather Billy be far away when that time came. When he'd need to fight against the vampires, he'd already mentally decided he would be the one to end Edward when the time came. He saw now that peace was certainly out of the question. His people's hatred was vast and unforgiving and he was beginning to see that with Edward taking the role as leader of his family there wouldn't be any hope especially with Bella in hospital.

"Stop... Sam. What are you doing I'm not finished" Billy yelled as Sam began to push Billy's wheelchair towards the tree line of the car park.

Edward watched like a predator stalking his prey, as Sam took every step watching both men's minds intently siphoning any intelligence his family would need for when the pack would eventually attack. The pack had made another vital error in judgement. While they had learnt from Bella the talents the family had within, they were arrogant to believe their very mortal minds could keep him from seeing. His family were hard pressed to block his gift and they had the added advantage of the vampire mind, Billy Black was human and Sam while a shifter his mind was no different. Edward watched and he unlocked, seeing every disgusting and disturbing act of the not so noble pack.

"Edward, are you okay?" Alice asked moving towards him once Sam and Billy Black had broken through the tree line and their forms became submerged by the foliage. But yet Edward remained still even as Alice placed her hand on his back.

"Son, you need to calm down" Carlisle said evenly moving to stand in front of Edward and break his line of sight.

Carlisle had seen this very similar look previously from Edward in his return from his human drinking days. When Edward would see something in a human's mind that usually tied to how he'd hunt. He'd see a dark thought, with darker intention and begin stalking them and their mind to wait for when they finally decided to act, and then he'd drain the human. Of course Carlisle had seen this when Edward had chosen to turn back to the animal diet, but he'd tried his best to help Edward through those moments that his hunter became all too clear. When an evil act was completely revealed through his mind reading and he decided that he would play the part of executioner for the truly wicked of the human kind.

"I would have killed him had he been allowed to continue" Edward gritted through his teeth, shifting his body then slowly as he tried to appear less stiff and ready to pounce.

"I should have expected it. The lack of concern they have for Bella even though one of them is the reason behind her injuries. He's Charlie's best friend and to him, she doesn't matter. Doesn't matter, if Jacob had hurt her or killed her. It would have been okay because he's a wolf and they have problems with control. They are so blind, his one argument all this time for our kind being around. That we may slip, we might kill and he knows the wolves are just as dangerous, but because they are his people's monster it doesn't matter" Edward hissed shaking his head.

"I should have seen this. The lack of care. The disregard of their pack's mistakes. No wonder they can't control themselves, any mistakes are covered up" Edward slapped his first against his own palm but what he'd said shocked Carlisle. His own mind faltering on Edward's words he couldn't understand what it meant that the pack had been covering up mistakes. Jasper took a measured step closer, seeing that he may learn sooner what the secrets Billy had been keeping were, now that his mind reading brother had discovered them.

"What do you mean mistakes have been covered up Edward?" Carlisle asked now concerned.

"Sam wasn't the only one to lash out. This wasn't the first time Jacob had hurt a human. All this time they've been shifting within the community but because of the lack of authority on La Push, because of it being a reservation and the council being in control they cover up everything. I've been so blind to it, Harry Clearwater's heart attack it wasn't a heart attack at all. Leah shifted too close to her father. Paul has done so multiple times and their people aren't unaware, even those outside of the council members of the tribe know, they've known all along. Billy he was so upset, so angry his mind was all but open to everything" Edward moved his hand up running his fingers through his hair gripping it tightly.

"Wait so they've killed human members of their tribe because of the anger. And Billy, Sue and Old Quil have just been covering it up?" Alice asked shocked, they all were.

Edward felt stupid though. How blind had he been, he'd been rejecting his ability for most of his life trying to tune people out instead of listen to what was being thought around him. Had he known to listen closer, he may have heard something. It hadn't helped the pack was aware of his talent so they'd tried to somewhat not think around him. Billy had made that mistake for them though now. The only member of the pack that he regularly dealt with was Jacob, and his thoughts were always so focussed on insulting him and thinking of Bella in ways that boiled inside of Edward. He'd forced himself to focus his mind elsewhere when around the mutt simply as a way to not upset Bella, and verbally address what he thought or to simply attack Jacob on the spot. And Jacob had deserved it for some of his thoughts too.

"It's why we know nothing about the younger boys, the ones I've only barely seen in thoughts. They're keeping them away from the community because they've began to speak out against the council and the deaths" Edward explained and finally Carlisle felt he'd heard too much. He couldn't believe something like this had been right under their noses, of course La Push wasn't their responsibility. They'd been gone for a long period of time when the pack had been awoken. He couldn't believe lives had been taken and no one had noticed enough to do anything about it or perhaps too scared.

"So much for protecting humans" Jasper said sarcastically.

"Ephraim would be ashamed of what they've become. I thought Old Quil would be able to control them. His father was a shifter, I'm shocked and deeply disappointed in myself for not noticing how different these members of the pack are compared to that of the past" Carlisle said with deep regret. Hadn't they often mentioned how much more hostile and violent these members had been, they'd always put it down to the youth of the members of the pack, but Sam was an adult. The same age now as Old Quil's father had been when they'd made the treaty.

"You can't be expected to know anything about the pack Carlisle. You had a good relationship with Ephraim and Old Quil's father but it was tense they never trusted us, not completely they'd have never explained the depths of what they were capable of" Edward assured Carlisle.

He'd seen the distrust, while the three original wolves of the pack had come to see Carlisle as an intelligent good man they'd by no means trusted him. They'd seen the entire family as a dangerous threat that they couldn't afford to anger. They'd even speculated that the eyes had been a lie created by vampire's so old their eyes changed colour showing them as even more powerful. It had been something Edward and Carlisle had been amused about during the time they'd been in Forks then. Over time the fear had left, the distrust had remained and then turned to hate.

"One thing is clear though, and that for all our talking about them being protectors of human life and that we're the natural enemy and danger to humans. They are the only ones taking human lives" Jasper said bluntly and it was true, while Edward had killed two members of the pack they had harmed innocents.

Edward had however begun to unravel a secret they'd even managed to keep hidden from him. From some of the images in Billy's mind Jacob and Paul alone had harmed and killed human's in the last recent couple of months, the stories of hiking accidents they believed to be Victoria may not have even been her, Edward listened as Jasper came to a somewhat similar theory.

"Those hiking attacks last month didn't mention any type of draining of blood. Limbs removed but nothing unusual for an actual animal attack...maybe?" Jasper's mind was remembering the image of the newspaper he'd read with Emmet when they'd been planning a scouting search towards the Seattle area for newborns and he'd noticed the kill closer to Forks.

"That's true Jasper" Edward said seeing the idea form in his mind about the hiking accidents of recent since they'd returned to Forks.

"It isn't out of the question with what I just saw. The pack may be responsible for some of the hiking accidents. We've assumed they were Victoria but even in the articles they've never mentioned about the blood draining. Also the fact people have been going missing not showing up dead on the streets it doesn't add up to Victoria's scheme. She's done everything she can to build her army secretly. Why would she go to that extent to just kill hikers around our home, as far as we know Victoria has only come here to look over the area and try to find gaps in our families defences" Edward further added to the thought track his mind was going on. Taking information from Jasper's own thoughts to help him express what he feared could be further signs of the corruption of the pack under their own lack of control.

"It's something we must look into even further. I know I've made my opinion clear on killing the pack and that still stands. I do not enjoy or agree with the belief we have to kill them. Them harming humans though must be addressed, we should return to the hospital. I'm sure our absence has been noticed" Carlisle said finally pulling his family back to the problem at hand first.

Edward's mind was reeling however, he had so many questions to ask Bella she'd been around the pack since they'd first formed he wondered how his usually observant mate had missed this. Not that he could fault her even his mind reading had missed it. Essentially it changed nothing. His opinion even before this new secret had come to light had been made, the pack were a threat to his family and mate he wouldn't allow. Billy didn't care about Bella and wished her to be punished just as much as Edward so he would do everything in his power to protect himself and Bella. Even if that meant killing a weak, elderly man in a wheelchair to ensure Bella's safety. Even in Billy's disabled human condition he would not underestimate an enemy while his mate was still easily vulnerable to anything.

As a whole the Cullen family had returned to the posts they'd taken up since Bella's arrival at the hospital, to all the colleagues of Carlisle they appeared as they always had. A strange yet loyal family that stood together. That's loyalty had even spread to the girlfriend of one of the children. People both respected and idly gossiped about it. Carlisle began his shift working in the wards while continuing to keep tabs on Bella, though he knew that any of his family members would have picked up on something had it been of any real concern. Emmet and Rose had returned not long after the confrontation with Billy and Sam. Jasper and Alice had caught up the family on what had happened. Everyone had simply left Edward to return to his mate.

Though his family worries didn't end at the news of the dirty secrets of the pack. Many of them felt concerned of Edward's emotional state, so drastically his opinions had shifted and with change so rare for a vampire. They found themselves questioning the drastically more threatening and confident Edward that was emerging. Jasper and Emmet were very much in approval of Edward's shifted personality while Alice and Esme were concerned about it, and what it could possibly come to mean for the dynamic of the family. Rose was content not to feel overly concerned by it, dramatic in nature herself she didn't see any reason why they'd feel Edward wouldn't be aggressive, and expected with the safety of his mate gained in the future he'd return to her more self contained brother.

Charlie had remained at his home, he'd been emotionally incapable of returning and with the constant watch of Alice they were confident he'd be fine left alone. The light of morning had finally cast over Forks and they were fortunate for the consistent dreary weather of their home, the concern of the sun all but forgotten.

"Alice has seen the Denali's arriving within the hour, we've decided to meet them a ways from this location just as a precaution. Jasper and Emmet didn't pick up on anything around us of wolves but better safe than sorry" Rose told Edward his family had continued to keep watch over him and Bella throughout the morning, reminding him to move as not to appear human.

It seemed that when everyone was giving Edward distance he slipped into a silent guard over Bella, he'd almost given one of the nurses a scare earlier. Alice watching so intently everything had almost missed the fact Edward's lenses had broken down and his red eyes had almost been caught by a nurse. They'd fixed the issue before it had become a problem but Edward was very much out of sorts when he had no need to be confronting his enemy or planning the end of them, he simply became nothing more than a statue beside Bella.

"That's a good plan" Edward agreed better to welcome the Denali coven away from the hospital they were more used to the isolation living out in the wilderness in Alaska. Only interacting with human's when they needed or wished too. While they had much longer experience with the diet the sister's, having followed the animal diet long before Carlisle's creation he wasn't sure of their restraint around an open wound.

"I get that your head is all over the place, but you've got to shake this off. Your this volatile vampire one minute and the next this silent gargoyle watching over Bella" Rose said never one to shy away from speaking her mind even if it caused confrontation. Edward looked away from Bella finally to fix his eyes on her face smirking slightly and Rose smiled seeing it on his face.

"Silent gargoyle. It's a rather amusing idea. People of course have in recent viewed them as monsters or demons but they were always simply protectors of the churches, they were placed on. Divine protectors monstrous in nature" Edward rambled softly smiling as he sighed rolling his neck as he reached forward cupping Bella's cheek rubbing his thumb softly into the smoothness of her unharmed cheek.

"I've certainly been called worse by you" Edward said with an almost playful tone.

"I feel it. She's going to wake soon I'm sure of it and then... then I suspect will be the hardest part of all this" Edward turned to his sister as she huffed moving her hair over her shoulder and leaning forward and taking one of Bella's hands and kissing her knuckles in a moment of showing true sisterly affection. A shame that it was while Bella was so unaware, she'd always believed Rose dislike for her without looking deeper into it.

"Bella do you hear this? He's losing his marbles as my lug of a husband would say so hurry and save us all" Rose said sarcastically then placing Bella's hand back down.

"Nothing in this life has ever been easy Edward. You and I, we've always known that. We've carried this burden both of us too long. She'll love you in spite of your flaws, she'll forgive your sins, and you only have to look at Emmet and I to see that. Or Alice and Jasper. Stop dwelling find those balls that had you break the treaty and ready for a battle because if I know Bella" Rose quirked a brow looking down to the fragile human who had so affectively taken purchase of her brother's heart.

"She's going to be one hell of a challenge with what we've decided. Before her it was always Carlisle and Esme who could reel you in stop you from doing things. You've showed they don't have that same pull any longer. You've grown up, now you've got to show my sister that family sticks together even in the shit storms" Edward chuckled at what Rose had said and he found it odd that it had been her who had been able to pull him from his silence and not either Alice and Emmet.

"I see my job here is done. We'll be gone some time may even drop by the house for some clothes. Esme has decided to help out around the hospital to keep her mind busy, as you know Carlisle is working" Edward nodded understanding as he let Rosalie leave the room looking over his shoulder to call back to her.

"Rose. Be careful out there" Edward said gently as she smiled at him and then rolled her eyes and walked away as Edward turned back to Bella leaning forward to kiss his mate's cheek "See love, I told you she'd come around" Edward told her proudly.

Edward was visited by Esme only for a short period after his siblings left the hospital. She'd been helping and playing with some of the children in the hospital and thought to give Edward a break away from Bella. She'd not voiced it but her main concern had been with Edward's taste of human blood that he'd be struggling. The reality was that while his throat no doubt burned for hunger it hadn't burned for Bella. How to explain it? He'd wanted too. To explain how in a frantic and overwhelming moment when he'd accepted that he was both a man and a monster he'd felt the weight of his instinct for Bella's blood wash away. She still smelled completely too appealing even with the foreign blood in her system from the transfusion but his instincts recognised Bella completely as she was to him, his mate. His soul mate, and love. How could you both hunger to kill and yet yearn to keep it forever, he'd even theorised the need to bite Bella had been so strong from the beginning because his instincts were trying to fix the issue of her humanity. How ironic would it have been that all along Edward's instincts hadn't simply wanted to feed and drain Bella but to deliver the bite that would recreate her in immortal life so they would be equals. It was something he'd desired to speak with Carlisle about but he knew it would have to be at a later point.

So Edward had allowed Esme the chance to enjoy spending time around children. He didn't want to part with Bella when he believed her so close to awakening, and he knew that he'd be gifting Esme a gift to have more time around the little ones. She'd have made a spectacular mother, such a sadness that she'd never had the opportunity to truly have one of her own.

Edward had noticed the woman's thoughts when she'd slowly approached Bella's room, from the waiting room his family had once been situated at. He'd seen her mind the moment her intentions became all too clear, she'd asked for the room that Bella Swan was staying in hoping to find him. She'd then waged an internal war within herself. On if she could face it or not, she didn't know if she was stupid or insane but she'd decided quickly she was more likely making a mistake but couldn't stop herself from making it. She'd been warned by them all not to come to the hospital. She'd almost come to physical blows when she'd tried to lunge at Billy Black as he'd told her she couldn't take her son to the hospital to receive professional care. Tiffany Call was Embry's mother. The boy who Edward had left alive but crippled. She'd wanted from the moment Embry had first shifted to leave La Push and take her son, she'd quickly come to realise her son needed the pack to help control him.

Little had she realised what she'd deemed as control had simply just been hidden better by the people she'd trusted. Tiffany had been forced to listen to her son's wails of pain and pleading for help by the council until she'd convinced her husband. If he didn't help her get Embry to Forks Hospital, she'd go back to her own tribe the Makah and reveal all. She'd threatened and lied to get Embry in the hospital in front of a real doctor. She'd known about the incident, heard the hushed whispers seen the bodies of the two young boys that had been her son's friend. Had heard the discussion between Billy and Sam, knew Bella Swan had been harmed. That a cold one had come to the lands attacked without provocation to get to Bella's blood. Tiffany while never respected within her people like the Black's or Uley's or even the Clearwater's wasn't stupid. She'd known all about Bella Swan's relationship with a Cullen. She'd managed to get it out of her traumatized son.

That had been what had lead her to Bella Swan's hospital room where she was healing from the attack of one of the spirit warriors, where her boyfriend a cold one, would be. The same cold one, who had crippled her son. She'd wanted to look the vampire in the eyes, wanted to hurt him she wasn't sure what she wanted but she'd wanted some kind of answers. Billy Black had been allowed to confront them for Jake's death and she was damned well adamant that she'd get some too for what had been done to her son. So there she stood looking at the back of the young man who was cradling Bella's hand in his own, she saw this supposedly bloodsucking demon caring for a human who was as badly savaged as Emily was. She stood in the doorway with so much fear and anger and a knife clutched tightly in her hand as she moved closer into the room.

"I hope you aren't fool enough to believe that would work" Edward said coolly, as Tiffany stiffened while Edward had addressed the woman without even turning to face her. The distinct feeling that she'd made a fatal error in judgement twisting her stomach, she was standing in the room of one of the scariest tales of her people. A cold one was addressing her already knowing she'd intended to somehow try and hurt him with some stupid little knife like that would actually work.

"I... I... I hate you" Tiffany said even as a tear slipped down her cheek she'd always been a crier when she got this angry, she hated this boy, man, thing. She wasn't sure what he really was but he was the reason her son was looking at a life forced into a wheelchair. The reason he'd not stopped crying out during the night in pain and fear begging for forgiveness from this monster.

"I would not hold that hate against you Tiffany, but if I'm to be frank with you. Which I do believe you truly do wish, I couldn't care less what you feel about me" Edward said nonchalantly as he simply continued to caress Bella's knuckles with the tips of his fingers not even paying her attention enough to face her as he spoke, Tiffany found it only made her angrier.

"My son is in this hospital. His life forever changed because of you. He'll struggle for the rest of his life now because of you, he'll be haunted by everything that happened and he didn't even maim the girl, that was Jake" Tiffany spat angrily reaching up to wipe the tears off her cheek the knife now held almost limply in her hand.

She didn't seem him coming at her, one moment he'd been sitting in the chair his only movement his hand running over Bella's and the next she was pressed against a wall her throat held in what felt like an icy vice that only restricted the more she tried to scream or breath against the hold. She could barely register what could happen as she looked into the eyes of the cold one, they were a strange off brown colour that didn't seem right. She'd not expected for the young man too be so handsome she'd always expected them to be hideous monsters, she'd have been stunned by him had he simply been a stranger but he wasn't.

"She is not maimed" Edward snarled lowly growling in tone at the woman, his Bella wasn't maimed and he didn't care for the woman's reasoning behind trying to find her son's innocence in all this. Bella was his and her son had placed her at risk by simply getting in his way.

"I'm sorry" Tiffany wheezed out struggling against Edward's grip as he realised what he was doing and released her and stepped back away from the woman.

"I'd apologise but I've come to find your people bring out the worst in me" Edward turned his back on the woman his fists clenched but he could hear that she agreed that it worked the same way, the Cullen's bringing out the worst in the Quileute people.

"I just...I wanted" Tiffany didn't know what she wanted from this vampire, it all seemed so wrong now and foolish she was a grown woman and acting so stupidly. Knew the danger she was putting herself in, knowing her husband was sick with fever like some of the other men in the tribe it seemed a bug was going around again and she was the only one to care for Embry.

"Consider this a gift Tiffany Call. Your son Embry while crippled is no longer bound to his pack, he shall never shift again. He is free from the war that is coming" Edward said as he watched her mind the thoughts that centred around her husband Chris who was fever sick like some of the other men. He'd seen this before, suddenly the urgent need to contact his family.

"You want to save your son. Then leave Tiffany as you've wanted too from the first shift, take your son and run and make sure our path's never cross again. You want to keep your boy alive run and run quickly" Edward hissed at the woman the intimidation becoming all too much for the already shaken Tiffany Call, as she dropped the knife and ran from the room sobbing into her hand's. She was scared for her life and her son's. Edward was scared too though because he saw something she'd not put together in her human processing, the fever had struck the older men, the adult males of the tribe.

"God they're making the transformation..."

Edward reached into his pocket dialling Alice and calling, pacing the foot of Bella's bed as he tried to get hold of his sister who would be blind to this new threat. When he received no answer Edward tried each and every member of his family finding that none of them had answered. Jasper, Emmet, Alice and Rosalie all unreachable. They'd gone to meet with the Denali and he knew that without a real reason they wouldn't be out of reach not with things as they were. As Edward paced trying to reach his siblings Charlie entered into Bella's room seeing Edward in the same clothes as the night before ruffled and crumpled from most likely sleeping in the hospital chair beside Bella all night. He could see straight away that Edward looked distressed until they fixed eyes on each other.

"Hey, Charlie. I really hate to rush out but... I have to speak with Carlisle it's urgent. I hate leaving Bella..." Edward turned to look at Bella and he lingered there his resolve to find his family weakening even then and Charlie could see that Edward was about to change his mind.

"Don't you worry about anything Edward go find Carlisle and I'll watch over Bells for now. You've been really great to our girl...She's. yeah she's really lucky to have you" Charlie struggled to get the words out at the last part of the sentence but he saw that it was true. Edward and his family really were a god send, Charlie could see that and they loved Bella a hell of a lot and he couldn't have any problem with that.

"Thank you Charlie" Edward placing his hand on Charlie's shoulder as he exited the room not looking back at Bella knowing that to look back, would be his own resolve broken and he'd end up staying in place.

Edward moved as quickly as he could at a human pace without being noticed by those around him following the scent of Carlisle through the hospital. Edward waited once he found Carlisle with a patient not wanting to create a scene, but he saw when Carlisle took note of his scent close by and then removed himself from the patient quickly.

"Edward is it Bella?" Carlisle asked concerned as Edward reached to his father gripping his forearm and pulling him away from the area they had been to ensure no human ears were listen in on the conversation.

"Tiffany Call she visited me while I was with Bella" Carlisle instantly feared that Edward had harmed the woman because she'd lost her temper at what had happened to Embry her son. Edward almost growled at Carlisle lack of belief in him, he'd not had reason to kill the human woman even if her spawn was or had been an issue.

"She revealed something in her mind. Some of the men within the tribe have started to succumb to a fever" Edward explained quickly trying to portray the seriousness of what he believed was happening or had happened already within the tribe.

"That doesn't sound too serious... not unless. No. You can't possibly mean?" Carlisle's eyes widened as he looked at his son then, finally understanding what Edward was trying to tell him

"How many have taken the fever Edward?" Carlisle asked seeing how dramatically this could change the entire situation, the number of wolves was what made them powerful, what made them dangerous.

"I don't know. I've tried to contact the others, they were going to meet with the Denali's but I received no reply. I hate to do this but I need you and Esme to watch over Bella and Charlie" Edward said he didn't want to leave but he really had no choice, with the chance the pack's size was growing and his siblings out there none the wiser to the growing threat the pack could becoming, he couldn't just leave them out there. He also couldn't leave Bella without protection as he looked to Carlisle the urgency clear even in his creator's eyes.

"Of course Esme and I will protect Bella son. Please though Edward do not go to La Push land's find our family and the Denali and return here" Carlisle begged of his son knowing that he may just rush to the tribe and take the fight to them now to prevent them from regrouping with larger numbers and mature wolves.

"Do what must be done Carlisle. As my mother asked of you, should it come. Do what no other can to save my Bella, Carlisle while I am unable to, you can't hesitate, please" Edward said gripping his father's shoulders firmly looking deeply into his soul as he spoke even then as Edward spoke Edward could see the memory of his human mother so weak and beautiful even as a human dying and pleading not for herself but for her son who lay dying beside her. Edward was giving Carlisle complete permission that should things go wrong that Bella's health were to take a turn for the worst to change her. Edward was giving Carlisle complete approval to change Bella.

"Of course. I'll protect her with my life" Carlisle said moving his hand's to squeeze Edward's forearms a moment passing between them before they stepped away from them and Edward span and moved towards the exit of the hospital Carlisle watching his son as he left. Edward only waited until he was far away enough from the hospital car park before he moved into a sprint bursting through the foliage that tried to block his path and as he began to run he opened his mind to the world that he tried so hard to shut out. He opened up his ability completely and listened as the thoughts of thousands of people filtered into his mind, he moved through the fog of mortal thoughts edging closer and closer almost tracking the minds he searched for. It was then he found them, found his family and the Denali and realised quickly that he'd been right in his fear, the pack had grown they'd took advantage.

One had fallen.

War was now.

Edward ran towards purple smoke rising up towards the sky...