Chapter 25- take 463…

Bella POV

I felt useless. There was nothing I could do to help, and the reason we were in this mess in the first place was me. Victoria was after me. Victoria blamed me. It was me that she wanted dead. And because of that, she was destroying so many innocent lives and wreaking havoc on the whole of Seattle. And there was not a thing I could do.

I was a weak and useless human. She was a masterminded vampire, probably with a supernatural talent for evading capture, and now she had an army. A newborn army.

Alice's vision on Monday afternoon only served to confirm Jasper's worst fears as to the situation in Seattle. Victoria had had months left almost entirely unchecked to gather her army and train them into the killers she needed, and now the newest member of her army was a young girl called Bree. Alice's Bree.

When we finally caught up with Alice at the house after she stormed out of school she looked more dangerous than I had ever seen her. Her eyes were pitch black, her hands more like claws than the delicate fingers they usually were, and it took all of Emmett's strength to hold her back from the rampage she wanted. She looked like a vampire and for the first time she scared me, and I think it was the first time the smallest member of the family had scared anyone else in the room.

But it meant plans were put into place, and favours from friends were called in.

By Thursday, they were all in Seattle and I was alone.

Well, I wasn't really alone, as I sat beside my window I could occasionally catch a glimpse of the large black wolf that was keeping watch. As soon as it became clear the Cullen's would need to intervene in Seattle I was on the phone to Jacob, and thankfully all the wolves were happy to help out. Well Jacob said they were, and seeing Sam keep guard in the trees beside my driveway certainly gave me confidence.

But it was lonely being in Forks, going to school, and trying to keep busy without Jasper. Charlie was working all week, still busy with the search for Austin that was never going to find anything, and it felt like all I had for company was the uncomfortable feeling in my chest that kept telling me I was too far from Jasper. By Saturday the feeling was the strongest I had ever felt it, and I wasn't sure I could last until he came home. It was all consuming, I needed to hear his voice, I needed to feel his touch, smell his calming scent. But I had to be strong and make do. Because he was out risking his life to help us, to protect me.

I had to be strong, but I was getting to the point where I didn't know how much longer I could last with this before I started screaming.

And when Jacob walked into my kitchen on Saturday morning after Charlie left for work, it was like I could breathe a little easier again.

Jacob had always had that ability about him; to put me to ease. He was happy, he was friendly, and he was safe. I could have told him everything, but he already knew. As soon as he saw me, siting at the kitchen table with my legs pulled up to my chest and leaning up against the foggy window he was at my side and wrapping his arms around me.

I hated falling apart but it was all too much. I felt useless and like a burden. I was worried for Jasper, my adopted family, worried for tiny Bree who was going through hell, worried for Austin and whatever might have happened to him, and I was worried for what was going to happen in the future. What if they found Victoria? What if they didn't find her? What if they found where she was hiding her army? What if the army found them? What if it was all a trap? And through my whole breakdown, which must have lasted a half an hour, Jacob sat beside me, letting me cry onto his shoulder and saying soothing words. It wasn't as good as Jasper's soothing influence, and his warm arms felt foreign and wrong, but it was better than the devastating loneliness I'd been dealing with.

When my tears had stopped flowing, and I'd dried my eyes on my hoodie sleeves before downing the ice cold glass of water Jacob placed in front of me, he suggested we get out of the house and do something to keep my mind busy.

And that was how I found myself wandering along First Beach once again, after spending a few hours with Jacob in his garage before I began to get restless again.

It was unseasonably sunny this afternoon but just as cold as a typical January morning, but the cold comforted me. Oh how I had changed since I left Arizona a little under a year ago where I actively sought out the heat. Now the cold just reminded me of Jasper's cool embrace and helped settle the feeling in my chest. But it was still there and I found myself rubbing at my chest again.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you keep rubbing your chest like that?" Jacob asked me as we made our way to one of the large trees washed up on the beach.

"It's hard to explain, I don't know if I can explain it properly." I began. It had become such a part of my life and I dealt with it every day, but I never put it into words. I decided to begin at the beginning. "Do you believe in soul mates Jacob?"

He laughed at first. "You know, if you'd asked me that a few months ago I would have said you were full of shit." He answered. "But after joining the pack I've seen a few things that have changed my mind about that."

"Sam and Emily?" I asked. It felt like a lifetime ago that I saw the two of them lay eyes on each other for the first time since Sam first phased, and from what I had heard they were together and causing quite the scandal due to his previous relationship with Leah.

"Yeah, how did you know about that?"

"I saw it happen. The bond forming. It's obvious to anyone who's had a bond like that when it happens."

"So the leech is your soul mate?"

"Jacob, don't, please." He at least had the sense to look a little ashamed at his comments. "But yes, Jasper is my soul mate, and I am his, and I don't know how wolves experience this but we have this bond and I guess I am always aware of Jasper and where he is. It pulls in my chest and when we're apart for more than a day or so the bond tries to force us back together again."

"So you'll never be able to spend more than a day or so apart without actually experiencing pain? I'd rather not thanks." He scoffed. "I'd rather never find my soul mate than be forced to spend forever with someone against my will."

"Well not exactly, it's worse for me because I'm human and this is most definitely a non-human experience. It won't be quite so hard when I'm a vampire."

And that seemed to be the worst thing I could have said.

"So he's just going to kill you?" Jacob yelled as he jumped up from his seat on the tree. "And you're okay with that?"

"He isn't going to kill me! I can't live without him and being human around vampires is a risky business so I'm going to join them!" I yelled back.

"You'd rather be one of them? A blood thirsty monster with no regard for human life?"

"Oh come on Jacob! You can't know the Cullen's and truly believe they have no regard for human life! They are the most caring and compassionate people I have ever met and I consider myself lucky to know them so well, to love them, and for some reason they all love me and are accepting of my choice!"

"Your choice?! Seems like a stupid choice to me."

"Well good on you for not making that choice then! But I'm an adult, and I know that this is what I want and I don't need your approval Jacob." I retaliated. "So if that's all you have to say to me, I'll just go get my car and head home." And I turned and stormed away.

Of course I was only short, and I had legs to match, and it was only a second later that Jacob was beside me.

"Bella, can't you see where I'm coming from though? They're dangerous! How many times have you been hurt because of them? Surely it isn't healthy to be around them?"

"Jacob, please stop talking. You've said your bit and clearly you aren't going to listen to me, but I have made my choice and I would like it if one of my best friends could support me in that. But if you can't then I'll be on my way." I didn't even stop, I just kept walking.

I ignored Jacob and his pleas for me to listen the whole way back to Billy's. That ten minute walk felt like a lifetime and must have been quite the sight for those who saw us. By the end I'd heard enough of Jacob's pleas and just wanted to be home by myself with a good book.

But because nothing in my life can ever go quite as I want it to, Charlie was waiting at Billy's, along with the Clearwater's and it looked like we were all there for dinner; I hadn't even realised how late it was.

"Hey Bells," Charlie said as I walked into Billy's to collect my bag and keys. "I hope you didn't have anything planned for dinner?" I wanted to say to Charlie that I wanted to head home and have an early night, I wanted to tell him that Jacob was being and asshole and I didn't want to be around him, but also I knew that with Charlie around Jacob wasn't able to continue his stupid argument.

So I just smiled, shook my head and told Charlie it was fine, that the steak I had defrosting in the fridge would be fine for tomorrow night.

Thankfully, Leah came to my rescue and pulled me straight out the back door and away from Jacob and they tension in the room.

"Thanks." I said, smiling weakly at her.

"No worries, but what's going on between you two?" She replied.

"Jacob's just being an ass about shit that's none of his business."

"When isn't he?" She laughed, and I couldn't help but join in and agree.

And as it turned out, hanging out with Leah was pretty much what I needed. It was light hearted, we complained about boys, and it was human. It gave me two hours of being human and while I was still incredibly anxious, I could push it to the back of my mind. And then while we all at dinner in the back yard, spread between the concrete slab that served as a deck and allowed Billy access to the yard and the grass a step down, I spoke with Seth, and Sue, and they further helped me distract myself.

Soon it had become bitterly cold, but being true to their Washington State heritage, Charlie and Harry built a small bonfire so the party could continue. The little fire sat on the small gravel patch between the house and the garage where I'd spent so many hours with Jacob fixing cars, and Jacob and I sat on opposite sides of the fire. We avoided all contact with each other, it was like we were pretending we didn't exist.

It was such a pleasant evening other than the hiccup with Jacob, and though I was getting tired and dreading the long drive home I had coming up, I just didn't want to go home.

It had been dark for hours, and we'd long ago finished eating when I excused myself from the fire to go to the bathroom. I was just drying my hands when I heard a yell and then a scream.

"Dad!" Leah yelled. It rung through the house clear as a bell and I felt my blood freeze in my veins.

Something had gone terribly wrong, and I had an awful feeling about it.

My hands began to shake and I felt my breathing become rougher. I threw down the towel I was drying my hands with and forced myself to move.

Just one foot in front of the other. Step by step. I made my way through the little house all too quickly and then I found myself at the back door.

I hear someone demanding to know what was going on. Charlie.

I could hear voices begging to stop something. Leah and Sue.

There was growling. Jacob I think, though distinctly human still.

And then I heard it and my blood re-froze all over again.

Her voice was strangely childlike. It wouldn't have been out of place coming from some blonde haired child character in a cartoon between blowing bubbles with gum. It sounded sickly sweet and far too perfect.

"Come out and play Bella. We're having so much fun here, come out and join us." She teased.

I heard Charlie yell something in reply, I think he wanted me to run, but there was no way I could do that. I froze for just a moment, my hand on the door knob and my pulse hammering away in my throat.

"Just come out and no one will get hurt Bella." She called again.

I knew she was lying, of course she was lying, she wanted to hurt me, she wanted to hurt the Cullen's, and she was not afraid of hurting anyone in her way.

I heard a howl faintly in the distance and I knew the wolves had found her scent, it would only be minutes before they tracked her here if Jacob remained human, and if he didn't they'd be here even faster.

I took a breath and forced myself to open the door, stepping out onto the little deck again.

Billy grabbed a hold of my hand as I stepped out of the door and gave it a squeeze. I didn't know if he was trying to reassure me or hold me there. Perhaps it as both, and perhaps he didn't know either.

Victoria was standing in the middle of the yard, her red hair wild in the breeze and as bright as the fire still burning.

At her side though I saw the biggest issue. Laurent.

The tall, dark vampire looked positively feral. His eyes were dark red, clearly he was feeding on humans again after his brief stint with the Denali's, but he was thirsty.

And he had Harry.

He held Harry to his chest in a perverted embrace, one hand across Harry's shoulders, and his other hand gripping the top of Harry's head.

In the back of my head I could vaguely hear something Jasper said once. Something about assessing the situation, taking control, making your opponent play by your rules. I couldn't recall why he said that, I don't even think it was something he ever said to me, but with no better ideas I followed his advice anyway.

I was in the middle of the deck, door behind me and Billy to my left, still squeezing my hand. Seth was to the left of Billy, and he was vibrating, whether with rage, anxiety, or fear I didn't know but I was sure by the end of tonight Seth would be a part of the pack.

On the grass, a step down from the deck, there was Victoria, Laurent to her side, and Harry in his arms. Harry was silent, and his eyes closed, but there was fear and pain clear on his face.

I felt my phone in my back pocket begin to vibrate. I had to ignore it.

Over to the side of the yard the fire still flickered in the light, casting us all in an eerie light. Charlie was standing there, alongside Sue who had a hold of his arm. I could see his internal war on his features. His training as a police officer wanted him to take charge of the situation, remove the threat and deescalate the situation, but he as human and he still had human instincts. The child in me wanted my dad to save the day and sort it all out, but I had to step up and take control.

I could see fear plain of Sue's face. She knew just how dire this situation was and she also knew she had no power here. She held on to Charlie with one hand, and gripped tightly to her daughter with the other. She was trying to keep everyone calm, everyone safe, but when she looked at me I knew we were both thinking about just how bad this situation was.

I looked to Leah. I don't know if she had ever believed the stories she had been told about wolves and vampires growing up, but there was no doubt her perceptions on life had just been flipped upside down.

Jacob stood in front of this little group. He looked determined and ready to jump into action, but he and I both knew if he phased now it would be a death sentence for Harry.

I heard another howl, closer than before.

My phone began to vibrate wildly again.

"Victoria. Laurent." I reluctantly greeted them to buy some time.

"Bella, you know them?" Charlie called out.

"Unfortunately." I answered, not taking my eyes off of Victoria.

I heard another series of howls, the pack was getting closer by the second.

"Bella," Victoria nearly purred. "Come with me and I promise no one will get hurt."

"Victoria we both know that's a lie." I forced myself to answer. My voice was shaky, I crossed my arms against my chest to try and hide some of the visible shaking.

I looked at Harry again. He didn't look well, he was sweaty and kind of grey looking, and the pain on his face was more obvious. I remembered Charlie saying something months ago about being worried for Harry's heart and I just preyed I was reading him wrong.

"No one else needs to die for you Bella." She spoke again, her voice far too sweet for the words she said. "Not like that boy did, oh I had plenty of fun with him."

"You killed Austin?" I asked as I took a couple of steps forward, towards the edge of the concrete platform, and my heart broke. My worst fears were confirmed, he was dead, not just a part of her army, but dead.

"Oh I didn't want to, he was such a sweet boy and told me so much about you. I know all about you Bella. The sweet, awkward girl who swanned in to school in the middle of the year and suddenly everyone loved. You have all the boys after you, and you managed to snag not one, but two of the most desirable men in town and never sparred a glance towards your peers like Austin." She purred as she began to sneer, showing all of her perfectly dangerous teeth.

"How did you do it Bella? How did you manage to have so many men swoon over you? What is it about you that lures them in? The human boys you go to school with. Your precious Cullen's. My James."

That was the core of the problem right there. This was all for James.

When I was in Arizona fleeing James I was confused as to why. Why he targeted me. Why he wanted me so badly. Why this was happening. And then in the aftermath when I learned of Victoria's need for revenge I was confused as to why she was so determined to destroy me.

But as I came to know vampires, as human-like as the vampires I knew were, I realised they can be deeply territorial and possessive. When they choose something as their own, nothing could get in the way of them finding it and claiming it for themselves. I came to learn that James saw me as a tasty snack to begin with, but when the Cullen's, and more specifically Edward, stood in his way, it became the game that ended with his death and nearly mine. And then as the bond between Jasper and I grew, I realised that I too would do anything in my power to destroy the one responsible for his demise if the worst were to happen.

The relentless buzzing of my phone in my back pocket pulled me back into the moment.

I heard another howl.

"Victoria." Laurent pleaded, the first words I had heard him speak. "We should go now."

"No, I want her first." She hissed back.

In the distance I could hear snarling, the wolves were close and this was about to come to a head.

"Victoria! We cannot stay any longer." Laurent pleaded again.

"I need her!" She screamed.

And then she jumped.

She was coming straight for me, and there was nothing I could do. It was happening so quickly I couldn't even scream.

And then there was a blur of red-brown fur combined with vibrant red filled with snarls and growls and hisses.

I was still standing on the deck. I was still breathing.

Laurent yelled and threw Harry to the side and once again everything slowed down.

Harry let out a loud yell as he was released from Laurent's arms, but he hit the ground hard and he didn't make another sound as he lay face down alongside the base of the deck.

I looked up to the scene in the centre of the yard. Laurent's long dark hair was just visible as he darted into the trees, but Victoria and Jacob still stood at a standoff. Neither ready to make the first move.

I heard Leah scream for Harry, and I could hear Seth growling from where he stood behind me. Sue was crying loudly, and Charlie was yelling.

Suddenly Seth screamed and I turned to look at him and witness his first transformation into a wolf.

It barely even registered in my mind as the large wolf flew through the air and towards me, until he hit me. He just barely brushed past my right side but he was far larger than I was and it was enough to push me a few feet back. Unfortunately a few feet back meant a foot or so drop down to the ground and I was falling backwards.

I hit hard, and pain burned through my left arm that was underneath me.

I tried not to yell out, to grit my teeth and stay down and stay safe.

From where I lay on the damp ground I could see and hear the pounding of the wolves as they stormed through the yard and back into the forest behind the house.

There was another yell, it sounded distinctly feminine, and then there was more snarling and growls before everything went silent.

I was painfully aware of the sound of my own heartbeat. It pounded through my ears and my chest and seemed to echo through my left forearm. Each beat brought a pulse of pain.

"Bella!" I heard Charlie yell as he ran towards me. "Bella! Are you okay?"

"I'm alright Dad." I answered as he pulled me into his arms. "I'll be alright." It didn't seem right to bring attention to my arm at this moment. It was throbbing, but I could feel and move my fingers, and there were more important matters.

"Harry!" I heard Sue yell.

From where I was now sitting against the concrete I was able to see where Harry lay, his skin was pale and clammy looking, and his chest was barely moving with each breath.

They had a hurried conversation, Billy calling out his bit from where he still sat in his wheelchair beside the back door, and all I could do was sit and watch as they managed to drag Harry into Charlie's cruiser. Within minutes, I had gone from trying to talk down a homicidal vampire to listening as my father drove off like a mad man with sirens blaring, his best friend laying in the back seat unconscious and probably dying.

All I could do was sit there on the damp ground and clutch my arm to my chest. As I sat there and the rain began to fall the adrenalin of the situation wore off and left me gasping for breath. The world could have ended in that moment and I might not have noticed, all I was aware off was the pulsing pain in my arm and the ripping feeling in my chest with every sob, and the relentless buzzing in my back pocket.

I forced myself to take a few breaths, forced myself to reassess.

My chest felt a little less painful, though I did feel like I'd been run over and I was surely covered in bruises. My arm was painful, but I couldn't help but think I'd had worse. And it was true. Plenty worse injuries littered my past, and I had the sense to try and immobilise my arm which reduced the pain dramatically.

And then I remembered the buzzing again. My phone!

I shakily answered the phone and sobbed out, "Jasper!"

"Bella! You're alive! Where are you? I'm on my way back to Forks. Are you okay?" He replied almost too fast for me to keep up.

"It was Victoria!' I sobbed. I just kept repeating it. I couldn't believe it still. "It was Victoria and Laurent!"

"Bella its okay now, you're okay, I'll be there soon." He tried to sooth me. I could hear the wind rushing past him and I knew he was moving at an incredible pace but I just needed him here now. "Where are you?"

"I'm at Jacob and Billy's," I managed to choke out reasonably coherently. "But going to hospital soon." I added.

"Shh Bella, take a deep breath, try to calm down." He continued to sooth me.

And he kept talking to me in that soothing voice I loved for what felt like both an eternity and just a few moments until my tears had stopped and my breathing was normal.

"Bella try and get to the hospital, I'll be there in a little over an hour and I'll never leave your side again until we catch her, I promise."

"Thank you Jasper, I love you." I answered.

"I love you too, and I'll see you real soon."

And with those words from Jasper, his promise to be there soon, I managed to pull the pieces of myself back together and make my way inside.

Billy was sitting at the kitchen table, small first aid kit and ice pack in front of him as he hung up his phone.

"Is it just your arm that you've injured?" He asked.

"Yeah, pretty sure the rest of me is bruised black and blue but mainly the arm." I answered.

"Good," He answered as he pushed the icepack towards me. As I held it to my forearm he continued. "I just spoke to Charlie, they've rushed Harry into surgery, he's had a massive heart attack." I could see tears in his eyes and it hit me that Harry and Billy had probably grown up together and seeing him near death like that would be about the worst thing imaginable.

"I'm so sorry Billy. We'll head over to the hospital, I'll drive you." I answered quickly, putting everything down and making my way for the door.

"Thank you Bella, and I'm sorry you had to go through all that too."

I just nodded my thanks and lead the way to the truck, clumsily helped Billy into his seat using just my right arm, and we set off to the hospital.

I had a heavy feeling sitting in my stomach, I didn't think this was going to end well at all, but we needed to be there. We didn't speak the whole way and the silence settled heavily on top of us. But there was nothing to say.

Finally we found ourselves in the hospital waiting room where Charlie was sitting, hunched over with his elbows on his knees.

"Dad?" I quietly asked.

When he looked up at me my heart broke. His eyes were full of tears and his face was full of pain. He didn't need to say the words. I knew Harry hadn't made it. I sunk to my knees in front of him and let him cry onto my shoulder. There was nothing more I could do, and I found myself quietly crying along.

I cried for Harry, who'd had his life cut short because a monster had this vendetta against me. I cried for Sue, who'd lost the love of her life, and Leah and Seth who'd lost their father in horrific circumstances and had their lives turned upside down. I cried for Charlie losing one of his best friends. And I cried for Austin, the sweet boy who didn't do anything wrong but still ended up dead at the hands of a monster.

A.N. I have written and re-written this chapter a thousand times so I really hope that it's good and you like it. Please leave a review with your thoughts and enjoy xx