CHAPTER 17

I stayed true to my promise to Alec and stayed away from everything, remaining home while Bella was galavanting around with the Cullens and the wolves. Though I wasn't allowed to remain at home the night before the newborn army would arrive. I was forced to go camping with Bella, Edward and Jacob and a new shapeshifter named Seth. Sharing a tent with Bella and Edward and Jacob was awkward as Jacob and Edward had a pissing contest while Bella and I froze to death. The longer I laid next to Bella shivering, the more tired I got. I could feel my eyelids start to drop but I was roughly shaken by Edward. He looked worried as Jacob began to remove his clothes and slip under the sleeping bag with me. I protested at first, knowing Alec would not like this and the feeling of another man pressing against me felt wrong but I soon became too exhausted and soon passed out.

My eyes fluttered open as the sound of the tent opening filled my ears. I stretched my arms out as I yawned before pushing the blankets and sleeping bag off of me. Crawling out of the tent I saw a fresh blanket of snow covering everything and Seth in wolf form standing next to Edward and Bella a few feet away, they seemed to be having a disagreement. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Jacob, who had come over the ridge of rocks, stood above them. He could hear everything they were saying.

"You're marrying him!"

Bella looked startled by Jacob's loud protest before she turned on Edward.

"You knew he was listening!"

"Bella, he deserves to know."

Jacob had stormed off with Bella on his heel, calling for him to stop. I went to stand next to Edward, glaring at him as he turned to me.

"Nice going, Edward."

With a disgusted look on his face, Edward toward over me.

"I may not have revealed how far you went with Alec, but make no mistake. I know what you two did in the dark and I have no problem revealing that to my family."

It was like a switch flipped in my brain, and I instantly became protective of Alec.

"So what we have sex. I am his mate, and that means I can fuck him whenever and wherever I want and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it."

Before Edward could respond, Bella returned to us, looking upset but not as upset as she had been when she chased after Jacob. I waited to see if Edward would tell Bella what we had discussed, but it seemed like he wanted to hold it over my head a little longer. Edward looked at Seth reading his mind informing us that the newborns had arrived. Edward's face contorted into one of panic.

"She's close. I can hear her thoughts."

I started to look around wildly like I could spot whoever it was that was close while Edward sent Seth away, which did not sound like a good idea. Bella clung to Edward as I stood in the open like a deer caught in headlights.

"She knew we weren't there. She caught my scent. She knew you would be with me."

I could feel my heart hammering in my chest as I heard Edward say she wasn't alone. Edward had his eyes set on the tree line where I saw something black come out of the trees, almost screaming as I saw it was the guy Charlie had been trying to find. His name escaped me, but I remember seeing his parents crying as they handed Charlie a missing person's flier, begging him to find their son.

"Riley, listen to me. Victoria is just using you to distract me. She knows I will kill you."

I did scream a little as a redhead woman dropped from the trees, landing on the rocks next to Riley. I quickly moved to stand next to Bella as Riley continued to take slow steps toward us. Edward moved his gaze to Victoria as he continued to talk to Riley.

"In fact, she will be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore. I can read her mind, so I know what she thinks of you. She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James. It is the only thing she cares about, not you."

That got Riley to stop and look toward Victoria. He wanted her to deny what Edward was saying, he obviously wanted her to confess her love for him, to reassure him, and she did just that. Edward tried again to make him see reason but Riley was too blinded by Victoria.

"You're dead."

I tensed as Riley charged us but right before he got to us, Seth came jumping over rocks and tackled Riley. Seth has Riley's shoulder in his jaws as he thrashes his head around. Once Victoria saw that Riley was losing the fight she took off, quick to abandon him as Edward called out to her before she could get away.

"You won't get another chance like this again."

Edward took steps toward Victoria, further provoking her.

"You want her! You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James. When I tore him to pieces. When I turned him to ash. When I turned him into nothing."

I noticed Victoria had started to visibly shake with rage before she charged at Edward, sending them both to the ground. Victoria was the first up as she made to grab Bella, I pulled Bella back, toward me as Edward grabbed Victoria and threw her into the trees. Grabbed us, Edward pulled us along, trying to get us away from Victoria. We came to another small clearing where Edward let go of us as we ran up a slight slope leaving Edward room to fight Victoria. Edward pushed a tree over, knocking Victoria to the ground. Just when it looked like Edward would win, Riley came over the ridge and tackled Edward to the ground. While Edward and Riley fought Victoria took this chance to put Edward in a headlock, preparing to kill him. Bella pulled out my pocket knife, preparing to cut herself but I grabbed the blade of the knife, cutting through the muscles in my hand. The cut stung as I pressed down on the cut drawing out more blood, I could hear the sound of fighting but I was too focused on the pain I was feeling. Soon Edward came over to us, Riley and Victoria had been killed.

"Alice needs us to go."

Edward pulled out a lighter and threw it onto Victoria's decapitated body, causing it to go up in flames. Picking up Bella, Edward waited as Seth lowered down so I could climb on. Once I was situated, Seth followed Edward down from the mountain.