When I returned from taking Bella home, I didn't wait to seek out my brothers, I quickly found them playing a video game in the living room. I situated myself on an armchair and watched Emmett and Jasper curiously. My company was a bit of a shock to them – I wouldn't usually sit in the living room while they played their childish games, instead opting to be alone in my room or go out for a run. My quietly watching them play unnerved the pair. I was slightly amused by their confusion.
Emmett was the one who spoke up. As he paused the game, the noise of snarling zombies and gunfire ceased. "Uh… is there something we can do for you, Edward?" Emmett asked with a furrowed brow.
I leaned forward to rest my elbows on my knees as my eyes flickered between my brothers. "Do either of you know how to play Weichi?" I asked shrewdly.
"Is… is that some sort of game?" Emmett asked.
"A board-game, yes." I nodded seriously.
Emmett and Jasper exchanged looks. "Why are you being so… intense?" Emmett asked.
"Bella asked me if either of you knew how to play. It is something that she enjoys." I explained, even though I didn't feel as if I were being 'intense' as Emmett had put it.
At my explanation, Emmett and Jasper both smiled knowingly. "Ah, that makes sense." Jasper drawled.
"What? What makes sense?" I demanded.
"It's for Bella." Jasper stressed with a wicked grin. "You want to do something that will make her happy, yes?"
I narrowed my eyes into a scowl. "And what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, brother. Nothing at all." Jasper raised his hands in surrender before dropping them back down to his knees. "And in answer to your question, I have never heard of Weichi."
"Me neither." Emmett added. "What is it?"
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Bella said it's a strategy game from China, her Father taught her how to play but she doesn't know anyone else who knows the rules." As I spoke my brothers listened politely.
"And?" Emmett prodded.
"And when I drove her home she mentioned that she would enjoy having someone to play with." I snapped, I was desperately trying to keep my cool but my brother's thoughts on how adorable I was, was not doing anything to help my mood. I didn't think that I was doing anything wrong by wanting to do something that would make Bella happy. I also didn't think it was anything to mock me over. However, I knew my brothers didn't need a good reason to tease me – they would take whatever they could get and they would run with it.
"What's the game like?" Emmett asked curiously.
"I don't know! I've never heard of the game before now." I huffed out.
"I'll Google it." Jasper drawled as he pulled out his cellphone.
Emmett watches over Jasper's shoulder and I watch through Jasper's mind as Jasper Googles the game. After a quick review of the history of the game, Jasper finds the rules and after a quick look at it he pauses and looks over to me.
"It seems very…" Jasper paused and then said, "Complicated." At the exact same moment Emmett says, "Cool."
They were both, indeed, correct. The game seemed deceptively simple at first, place stones, create territory, earn points, win. But the more Jasper read, the less clear it became.
"I'm gonna go grab my laptop." Emmett announced right before he sprinted out of the room in a blur of vampiric speed.
And that is how the three of us spent the next 17 hours. Jasper researched the game on his cellphone, Emmett used his laptop, and I followed along with them both by sitting there silently scanning their minds. When I realised that it was now past 10am I decided I should probably bathe and change my clothes before I go and visit Bella.
I had hoped that she would agree to spend the day at my house again. After a rocky start the day before it had pleased me greatly how Bella had been comfortable in a house filled with apex predators, and it wasn't for a lack of survival instincts. In fact, on the contrary, Bella seemed to have an abundance of survival instincts. Instincts that had warned her away from my family. I didn't fault Bella for her reactions. If my family's response to Bella's scent was any indication, I would wager that faced with a similar situation, I would not fare any better. And yet… Bella had agreed to come to my home. From the moment she had crossed the threshold she had fought against every primal instinct she had. Bella could have run; bolted away in an involuntary response of terror and fear and self-preservation. Instead she had stomped down that very normal reaction, and greeted my parents with a smile. Bella had sat down and played games and made jokes with my brothers – two monstrous creatures who Bella had every reason to fear… and yet… she didn't.
Bella trusted them, trusted me. All because she held such a deep affection for me.
It was astounding. Unfathomable. After her entire species was butchered to near extinction, after she had been attacked as a child, after having every reason in the world to never give me her trust, she… did.
I was so unbelievably grateful that Bella trusted me, that I wasn't going to look too hard at the why or how of it.
It was almost noon by the time I pulled up to Bella's house, and when I knocked on her door I was surprised by the fact that Bella was still in her pyjamas – because that's what they most certainly were. Bella's sleep-pants were long and faded, the fabric looked soft from being worn and washed so many times, but her shirt was… was mine.
It was the shirt I had lent her after her transformation, the shirt Bella had been cuddling with, the shirt she said she would eventually return to me. Seeing her standing there in my clothes sparked a peculiar fire within me, somewhere deep in my chest it flickered and burned and caused my stomach to swoop dramatically.
"You're here early!" Bella beamed up at me. "Just couldn't stay away, huh?"
I chuckled softly. "Bella, it's almost mid-day. Did you only just get out of bed?" I allowed my eyes to travel down Bella's form once again, and as I noticed the way my shirt hung loosely off Bella's frame, exposing the ivory skin of her shoulder and collarbone, I felt that queer swooping sensation in my gut again.
Bella didn't seem to notice me noticing her as she shrugged casually and turned to walk further into her house. "Nothing wrong with sleeping in every now and again." She quipped.
I let the door swing shut in my haste to follow her. "I'm never getting that shirt back, am I?" I jested. I didn't really want it back; the shirt was more hers now, than mine. However I needed the verbal confirmation that Bella wanted to keep it.
"Not if I can help it," Bella replied teasingly. I followed Bella into her kitchen where she walked over to the dining table that housed a Weichi board and what looked to be … bottles of wine? "Charlie found this in the basement, he thought you and your family would get more use of it than we would." Bella remarked as she handed over a small, folded piece of paper.
I unfolded the paper and began to read.
Bella, I didn't want to wake you. When searching for the Weichi board I discovered this crate of Blood Wine. Before the Great Massacre, Blood Wine was our main export to the vampire covens who resided in our territories. The method of its creation is a closely guarded Lycan secret and I created this batch during the revolutionary war to buy the support of a vampire to our cause. Since I have no use for such an item I thought you would like to gift it to your vampires. Have a good day, -Dad.
I had to read the note again, slowly this time, in order to fully comprehend its contents. It was a lot of new information to digest at once. The notion that werewolves and vampires had, at one point in time, been if not allies, at the very least trade partners, shocked me. How could vampires go from trading with werewolves to… slaughtering them? I knew that question would go unanswered – not even Charlie Swan knew why the vampires turned on the werewolves, and he was there. The concept of the Blood Wine both intrigued me, and disgusted me. If the werewolves used to trade this to vampires – vampires who most certainly did not share the same diet as my family – then surely the wine was made with human blood. The prospect of becoming inebriated was a coveted one – I had only partaken in alcohol a few times in my short mortal life, an experience that I remembered fondly. However, the idea of feeding on human blood sickened me. Not to mention the mere thought of doing so in Bella's presence. When vampires hunted we became… less. I prided myself on my humanity – or what was left of it. I did not want Bella to witness me in the throws of blood lust.
I looked up from the note and stared over Bella's shoulder, I scrutinised the dark glass bottles that were sitting innocently amongst packing hay in a worn wooden crate, I was sure that if I were to uncork one of those bottles that I would reveal to Bella just what kind of monster I truly was. I slowly handed the note back to Bella, my movements sluggish. "What is in it?" I rasped, my voice surprisingly hoarse – coarse like sandpaper.
"You think I know?" Bella scoffed and shrugged in exasperation. "I didn't even know this stuff existed until I woke up to find it on my kitchen table!" She gestured tiredly at the bottles.
"My family does not consume the blood of humans, you know this." I continued sternly. I needed Bella to know that I wasn't a monster. I was not going to drink the blood of innocents, even if the blood was freely given. I did not know how Charlie Swan created this Blood Wine, but I was certain that he was a good man – a good werewolf – and he would not have murdered a human just to… buy the support of some wayward vampire in the midst of war.
"Yes." Bella agreed hesitantly as she slowly approached me as if I were a startled deer. "So does my Dad." Bella continued gently. I was still staring over her, staring at those bottles, so when her small hand – so warm and gentle – was suddenly touching me, gripping my bicep with a feather-light touch I tensed, forcing myself to remain still and not wrench myself out of her grasp.
"Edward, what the hell is up with you?" Bella murmured.
"I do not think it is a good idea for me to be around those bottles." I admitted weakly. I forced myself to meet her gaze. Bella's brown eyes were so open, so innocent and trusting. The very thought of breaking that trust felt like a spear to my heart. "A feeding vampire is not safe to be around."
"I don't think Charlie would have given me something that could be dangerous." I heard the note hit the floor as Bella grabbed my other shoulder.
I couldn't have Bella anywhere near me, not if I could be a danger to her. I tried to take a step back, to remove myself from her grasp, but when I tried Bella's hold on me tightened. With impossible strength that I should have been used to by now, Bella held me in place, refused to let me distance myself from her. "Bella, I have never heard of anything like this, not in my time as a vampire or in the minds of any vampire I have ever met." I whispered hoarsely, unable to take my eyes off the terrifying bottles.
Since the moment I had been turned, I had always been well informed – I prided myself on that fact. It was how I contributed to the family, how I helped protect my family – I was the one who knew things, between myself and Alice there wasn't anything that we didn't know. But now, I was faced with a complete unknown. So many question marks surrounded the Blood Wine, and I couldn't figure out a single answer.
Bella's warm hands tightened further, the sheer strength of her grasp could have twisted titanium. I could feel the pads of her fingers press into my iron flesh, and if I were capable of it, I would have bruised from the contact. Then, using that impossible strength, Bella shook me. The movement was quick and so unexpected I had to fight to keep my balance. The shock of the gesture forced my gaze back to Bella. "That makes sense, Edward." Bella soothed. "My dad said that the recipe for making it is a werewolf trade secret. It stands to reason that the knowledge of it was lost in the centuries following the Great Massacre." Bella's voice was even as she attempted to calm my concerns.
I nodded slowly in agreement. "Maybe we should take it to Carlisle." I suggested. If anyone knew what to do with the bottles, Carlisle would. At the very least he would appreciate the mystery of them. Instead of becoming distressed by their existence, like I had, Carlisle would delight in the opportunity to unravel the secrets of something new.
"That's probably a good idea," Bella easily agreed as she smiled hesitatingly up at me. "Are we gonna hang out at your place? I'm looking forward to teaching your brothers how to play Weichi."
I chuckled lightly and smirked at her as I ran a hand through my hair. "Emmett and Jasper have been researching the rules all night, they're very excited to play." I remarked.
Bella crouched down to collect the note from her father. "So they taught themselves how to play, from the internet, in one night?" Bella frowned doubtfully.
"We're vampires, love. I'm surprised it took them all night to figure it out." I teased.
Bella rolled her eyes. "Wait here, I'll go get dressed."
I waited patiently for Bella, listening at the gentle sounds of her padding feet, beating heart, and soft breathing as she readied herself for the day. It didn't take long before she was back, appearing around the corner like a vision sent from the heavens.
I couldn't stop the adoring smile from curling my lips, and even if I could, I wouldn't want to. "Let's go." I said as I picked up the large wooden Weichi board, thinking it would be best to allow Bella to carry the Blood Wine.
Bella scurried over to me and shoved the note in her pocket before, very carefully, picking up the crate of wine. At least she was taking things seriously. Bella followed me silently as I walked to my car, opened the trunk and gently set the antique looking board-game inside. Bella moved to also place the crate of wine in the trunk and I halted her with a gentle hand on her forearm. "It might be best to keep those safely in your lap. I would hate for the bottles to break in the trunk." I softly warned. I didn't want to think about what would happen if they did break in my trunk. I would probably have to burn my car. And I loved my car.
Bella nodded her agreement and began to walk towards the passenger side door. I closed the trunk and appeared at her side in a flash of supernatural speed. I respectfully opened Bella's door for her, and she slowly got herself situated in the car. I rushed around to the drivers side, got in and started the car just as Bella had finished buckling her seat-belt.
"You really think this will send you and your family into a blood crazed feeding frenzy?" Bella asked as she peered down at the bottles on her lap. So apparently she wasn't taking it as seriously as she should.
I frowned disapprovingly at Bella but bit back the urge to reprimand her for her naivety. I doubted that Bella would take such a lecture well. "I'm not sure," I admitted quietly.
I pulled up outside my house and before I could open Bella's door for her, she was already getting out of the car. "Would you bring in the Weichi board?" Bella smiled up at me.
"Of course, love." I replied easily. I moved at a human pace to the trunk of my car, speaking as I did so. "Carlisle, could you come down to the living room? Bella has something to show you." I didn't call out, or yell, or raise my voice in any way. I knew Carlisle would hear me. We all pretended not to hear each other, each of us were masters of ignoring conversations that weren't our own – but that didn't change the fact that each of us heard everything that was said in the house.
Carlisle answered not in word, but in thought. Of course, Edward.
Bella and I walked into the house and immediately headed toward the living room. Carlisle was already waiting for us and I sent a thankful nod in his direction as I sat the Weichi board down on the coffee table. Bella paused for the briefest of moments in the entrance to the living room and quickly scanned the area. It was obvious to me and my family that Bella was carefully cataloguing the location of each vampire in the room before she entered. Then, with a small smile, Bella followed my lead and placed her cargo on the coffee table.
Carlisle stood up from where he was sitting and walked over to look at the bottles of wine. "What is that, Bella?" Carlisle asked curiously.
Instead of answering, Bella pulled out the crumpled note from her pocket and handed it over.
Carlisle took the note and studied it silently, but instead of focusing on the whole Blood Wine thing, Carlisle instead concentrated on a different part of the note. Carlisle looked up from the note to look at Bella with an expression of fond amusement on his face. "Your vampires, hmm?" He teased warmly. In his mind I could see how…pleased he was with the designation. Almost… proud?
I watched as Bella's face turned a pleasing shade of red as she gaped and sputtered through her embarrassment. Bella moved to swipe the note out of Carlisle's hands but Emmett moved with vampiric speed to intercept her. Bella huffed petulantly and turned her blushing face away, staring at the corner of the living room rug in earnest. "My Dad is just teasing me, ignore him." Bella grumbled.
Emmett quickly read the note and looked up in open shock. "Blood Wine?" Emmett gawked. "Carlisle is this for real?" Emmett looked at the wine with equal parts want and distrust.
Carlisle scrubbed his hand down his face and then rested his hand under his chin thoughtfully as he carefully picked up one of the dark glass bottles, held it up to the light, and squinted his eyes in an attempt to better see the contents. "I've never heard of anything like this. It's certainly interesting, but I would like to know more about its contents before I let any of my family drink it." Carlisle spoke as he returned the bottle to its crate. Carlisle looked questioningly at Bella who shrugged helplessly.
"Can't help ya there, Doc. I've got no clue. You could talk to my Dad?" Bella suggested.
Carlisle mulled that over for a moment before he nodded thoughtfully. "I may just do that, thank you Bella. This is a very thoughtful gift. I'll take it to my study and give your father a call." The oddest thing about that, was that Carlisle meant it. Instead of seeing the bottles of Blood Wine as the potentially harmful object they were, he truly saw them as a gift – as an opportunity to study something new, something totally unique. Just as I had assumed, Carlisle appreciated the mystery of the Blood Wine in a way I never could. To me, the unknown was frightening. To Carlisle, it was exciting.
Wanting to waste no time, Carlisle swiftly picked up the crate, he had to remind himself to move at a human-ish pace, lest he jostle the bottles and break them before he could uncover their secrets. Without waiting for further discussion, Carlisle breezed out of the room and up to his office to call up the Chief of Police – to discuss vampires, werewolves, and Blood Wine. It was certainly strange, how we had gone from carefully guarding all our secrets from the strangely perceptive Chief, to openly discussing supernatural wine with him.
Bella dropped onto the sofa, her limb loose and casual as she looked at the vampires in the room. To the others I am sure Bella looked like the picture perfect example of someone who was relaxed and at ease. I'm pretty sure Jasper and I were the only ones who could tell that Bella actually wasn't totally at ease – and I was certain that if Jasper didn't have his empathic abilities he wouldn't have noticed either.
"Who's ready to play some Weichi?" Bella quipped to the room at large.
I watched happily as Bella played a game with each of my brothers. I could see how much Bella was enjoying herself, and it wasn't just because she was finally able to play a game that she adored, but also because she was being intellectually stimulated. I couldn't blame Bella for her restlessness, now that I had been witness to the full extent of Bella's intelligence I now understood how much she held back at school and when she was around her human friends. After years of having to dumb herself down for the benefit of others, it must have been such a relief for her to finally let it all go. Jasper was enthusiastically allowing Bella's cheerful mood to affect his own, happy to be around someone with such clear and innocent emotions.
When Bella was finished with her game with Emmett, I couldn't help but speak up.
"How about we play a game?" I suggested lightly.
"Really?" Bella quirked an eyebrow.
"Please?" I added, and hoped it was enough to convince her.
Fortunately it was. Bella and I enjoyed a match, and I was delighted by the fact that I had gotten the closest out of the three of us to beating Bella at her own game. While I was relishing in my almost-victory, Bella pushed Emmett and Jasper to verse each other, they didn't need much persuading and readily agreed.
I was cuddling with Bella on the sofa while we watched my brothers play. Bella had folded her legs underneath herself and tucked herself close against my side, I was more than happy to let her invade my personal space. I folded my arm over her shoulders, and placed my hand on the side of her arm so I could hold her close to me.
Everything was going perfectly. Or at least I thought it was, until Jasper began to glance at Bella from the corner of his eye. I could see in Jasper's mind that Bella had begun to feel anxious, nerves that bordered trepidation – as if she were waiting for something bad to happen.
When Bella noticed the way Jasper had picked up on her change in mood, she shuffled awkwardly in place for a moment before speaking. "Uhm, I was wondering if I could ask a favour of you guys." Bella began hesitantly.
Alice looked up from watching her Mate's game and gave Bella a beaming smile. "Of course, Bella. Anything." She vowed.
Bella shifted her weight so she was sitting more upright and was no longer cuddled up against my side. I already was mourning the loss. Bella's eyes flickered nervously around the room before they settled on her lap. "Well, my Dad was telling me about how a young werewolf could force an out-of-phase transformation…"
My interest was immediately piqued. And I wasn't the only one.
"Out-of-phase?" Jasper gently interrupted.
"Yeah, like out-of-phase with the moon. I've never been able to, and Charlie thinks that with the recent advancement of my abilities that it would be okay to try a more… traditional method." Bella quietly explained. I understood what Bella was talking about, of course – because she had told me. Bella had explained how, in the past month or so, her strength had increased, not to mention her ability to rapidly heal herself – I had been witness to that particular skill myself, during the unfortunate incident in the school's locker room.
Bella looked up from her lap to face me, her eyes wide and hopeful. "How can we help, love?" I murmured.
Bella kept looking at me as she spoke. "Charlie said that usually a wolf's pack-mates would help them, but I don't have pack-mates. I do, however, have you guys." My heart bloomed in my chest, it hummed in pure bliss. Bella considered us pack-mates. After the crimes committed by our kind against hers, she thought of us as family. I didn't bother trying to stop the goofy smile as I stared at Bella. "The way Charlie explained it is that it's kinda like a group sparring match, with a wolf's pack-mates forcing them to shift with a combination of fear and intimidation."
"No." I immediately snapped. "Absolutely not." I continued with a growl. After everything I had done to try and distance Bella from the more savage, animalistic, and ultimately unsafe facets of my vampiric nature, here she was, actively asking us to… to attack her. It was simply unthinkable.
"Why not?" Bella protested as she shuffled down the sofa to distance herself from me, she levelled me in a hard glare, daring me to give her a good reason for my denial.
Luckily, I had plenty of good reasons.
"You want to fight multiple vampires at the same time?" I asked incredulously. "What if you get hurt?" I demanded.
"So what if I do!?" Bella yelled.
I couldn't stand it – how could Bella put so little value on her own safety? I shot up out of my seat and began pacing on the other side of the sofa.
Calm down, brother. Jasper thought pointedly in my direction. Your anger isn't doing anything to help the situation. He continued as he sent a powerful pulse of calm and tranquillity in my direction.
It caused me to pause for just a fraction of a second, before I managed to throw off his power with practised ease. It wasn't an easy thing to do – Jasper had a way of manipulating people's emotions in such a way that it was difficult to tell that he was even doing it. It was only due to decades of experience with Jasper and his Gift, that I was able to block it out. So, instead of allowing myself to be subdued by the sudden feelings of – calm down, relax, everything is okay, safe – that Jasper was forcing me to feel, I instead held onto my righteous anger and let it grow and boil in my gut.
Boy's stubborn as a mule, I swear – I made an effort to ignore the rest of Jasper's mental tirade.
"Bella, you can not be serious right now!" I snapped, pausing in my pacing just a moment to glower down at her before continuing again, I was unable to stay still lest my anger truly get the best of me.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Bella get up from the sofa and cross her arms defiantly across her chest. Even through my pacing I didn't miss the way Bella squared her shoulders, planted her feet squarely as if to ground herself – Bella was subconsciously readying herself for a physical attack. "I am being very serious, Edward." Bella returned my hostile tone. Then, her face softened slightly and she sighed, "I don't think you understand how important this is to me." I didn't respond, I didn't think anything was more important than Bella's safety. "Mastering the ability to shift out-of-phase is the one thing standing between me and complete control of my abilities! There is so much that I can't even begin to understand or do, and I never will unless I can overcome this first!" Bella pleaded with me, her voice rising and falling as she tried to contain her emotions.
I stopped pacing and braced my hands on the back of the sofa, looking Bella directly in the eye. "You are not putting yourself in unnecessary danger, I won't let you." I snarled. Even though I was trying my best to ignore my family's thoughts at the time, at that moment I got the distinct impression from each of them that that was the wrong thing to say.
With the way Bella's expression immediately morphed into one of righteous fury, I couldn't help but think they may have been right. "Oh, I'm sorry. Let me!?" Bella sneered, her eyes were narrowed as she glared at me cruelly as if I were a bug on the bottom of her shoe. "Also, as far as I'm concerned it's not unnecessary!" She spat before she twisted around on the spot to look at my siblings. "So, Edward's out but will you guys help me?" Bella asked with her hands on her hips. "Please?" She added meekly.
My siblings were clearly torn, Emmett really wanted to wrestle with Bella, but he didn't want to go against me. For all of Emmett's teasing and immaturity, he was very loyal, and I knew that when push came to shove he would have my back. Jasper could feel how much this meant to Bella – which didn't help with the guilt I was experiencing for trying to deny Bella this – but he was also wary. Jasper took to heart what I had told him about how Bella wasn't in control when she was a wolf. That when she shifted there was nothing left of her human mind, that all Bella was left with was the mind of a wolf, a wolf who had the capability to destroy us as easily as we could destroy each other – only with Bella, there would be no reasoning with her. I didn't think that this would be an issue, from what Bella had told me, once a werewolf had total control over their transformation, they would also retain their human mind while transformed – it would protect them from becoming mindless animals.
As it were, Jasper was looking to Alice, waiting to see if she could offer any insight to our predicament. Alice didn't have any visions, however she did look thoughtful and I heard her idea a mere second before she voiced it. "If anything did go wrong, Carlisle would be here to help." Alice said thoughtfully.
Yes, yes I would. Carlisle thought as he rushed into the room in a show of vampiric speed. Carlisle had been silently listening to our discussion from his office, unable to reach the chief and unwilling to open the Blood Wine in case it was indeed dangerous, he had spent the last few hours frantically searching his library for any mention of the substance. He had found none. So this, this was his chance at uncovering something else about werewolves, to further his understanding of them.
Carlisle had always taken such a scientific view of his vampirism, but with the added addition of werewolves to consider, he was beginning to doubt his previous understandings. Carlisle was already considering just how far he could take things, of what would be considered polite in these circumstances. In his mind I could see images, fuzzy around the edges, that instantly told me they were fantasies and not memories – of Bella, sitting in his office as he drew her blood to study it under his microscope. Of drawing some while Bella was in her wolf form and comparing the two. Of exposing Bella to silver nitrate to see if she reacted to it in the same way she did to Alice's silver ring. Of placing a drop of silver nitrate in a vial of Bella's blood to see if it would boil.
My anger grew with each new scenario and I stalked forward, moving in front of Bella to block her from my father's gaze. A feral snarl rippled through my body and my lips twitched menacingly as I growled at Carlisle. "She is not some science fair project, Carlisle!" I seethed.
The growl – so savage, so vampiric – was more than enough to pull Carlisle out of his thoughts. Carlisle at least had the decency to look ashamed for his musings. "I didn't mean it like that, son. But even you must admit that it is an interesting prospect, and Bella herself seems very keen to try it."
I wanted to argue that it was not, in fact, an interesting prospect. But before I could speak, Bella did.
"I don't have a pack." Bella announced to the room. I turned around to look at her, moving to the side a little so Carlisle could also see her. At least no one was going to bring up my atrocious display. "All I have is Charlie, and that's not enough, so I'm asking for your help. I know you're vampires, but I'm asking you… begging you, will you be my pack… just for today, just for this." Bella's eyes were wide and unguarded, her shoulders were slumped down as if she were attempting to make herself as small as possible as her arms hung loosely at her sides, her feet were no longer placed in a wide, defensive stance, but rather were close together as she placed her weight on her left foot to purposefully make herself off-balance. It was a perfect display of hope, and loneliness, and agonising desperation. So perfect, that I couldn't help but wonder if it was fake – just another one of Bella's masks that she wore with such finesse. Bella's ability to read a room and expertly transform her temperament, shift her mood and manipulate her body language in such a way as to ensure she got what she wanted was second to none. I was sure that Bella didn't even know she was doing it – or the effect she was having on the rest of us. I was convinced it was a werewolf thing, it had to be.
"Please." Bella begged.
I couldn't find it in me to continue to fight her. Bella was just standing there, looking so small and helpless, so hopeless and dare I say, pathetic. I couldn't bear it for a moment longer. I heaved out a tired sigh as I approached her. "I will not take part in this, but if this is something that you need I will not stand in your way either." I pulled her into my arms and nuzzled my nose into her hair. "Also I'm stepping in the moment I think things are getting out of hand." I murmured sullenly against the top of her head.
Bella pulled away, just enough to grin up at me. "I'll take it." She declared smugly before she reached up on her tippy-toes and pressed a light kiss to the tip of my nose. I nearly go cross-eyed in an attempt to watch her. Bella happily spins around. "So you'll help me?" Bella asked my siblings.
Bella's previously meek demeanor was nowhere to be found. She seemed to naturally radiate pure confidence as she awaited the responses of my siblings.
"Hells yeah!" Emmett replied enthusiastically.
"I'd be happy to," Jasper nodded.
Alice smiled softly. "I'm not much of a fighter, I think I'll just watch if that's okay?"
"We should probably head out back then," Bella happily declared as she rushed out of the room at a speed that was just a little bit too fast to be considered human.
I suppressed a sigh as I followed behind, I didn't want Bella to think I was sulking or resentful of the fact I had lost the argument. I was a little bit miffed at the way Bella had seamlessly corralled a group of vampires into doing what she wanted, but I couldn't find it within myself to be too upset about it.
As Bella traipsed down the porch steps she casually lifted her shirt and flung it over the banister. I felt my eyes go wide as I took in the exposed expanse of her back, and then the subtle inward curve of her waist before it blossomed into her slightly wider hips that were still covered by her jeans. I knew I had seen Bella in such a state before, but that did nothing to diminish the effect it had on me. Not to mention, I was not fond of the fact that my brothers and father were there as well – this was not for them, they had no right to see Bella in any state of undress.
Bella misread my reaction and she rolled her eyes at me. "I like that shirt, and if this works I don't wanna see it all ruined."
I frowned, but said nothing as I sat down on the steps. Alice sat down next to me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. She seemed to understand why I reacted the way I did. Alice always had a way of knowing how I was feeling, or more importantly, why. Her mate may be able to sense others emotions, but he had no way of knowing the context behind them. Whereas Alice understood me. She understood me in a way that had frightened me when she had first arrived on our doorstep, her head full of thoughts and memories that weren't quiet memories but rather visions. For a while there, Alice was one step ahead of me in terms of our relationship, but I got there in the end. Sure, sometimes we bickered like cats and dogs, or like a pair of immature teenagers, but unlike when I fought with Rosalie, there was never anything malicious or mean to it.
"Okay, Wolf-Girl. How do you wanna do this?" Emmett mocked with a teasing smirk from his place on the lawn. Jasper was standing next to him, studying Bella closely, as she waited on the other side of the backyard, more than a dozen yards away.
Bella smiled back and shrugged. "I know just about as much as you do. We're all flying blind at this point." She huffed out a laugh.
"Alright." Emmett chuckled, in his mind I could see his plan take shape a moment before he put it into action. Unfortunately, Bella did not have the same luxury. Emmett dropped into a crouch before he took off at a sprint. Maybe it was because Bella couldn't read Emmett's mind, or maybe it was because Emmett was moving so fast that he was almost a blur, but Bella had hardly any time to react and only just managed to side-step Emmett before he could tackle her. It wasn't enough, however, and Emmett's shoulder clipped hers and sent Bella flying.
"Bella!" I shouted as I stood up in shock.
Bella soared through the air, flipping around multiple times before she landed with a heavy thud at the edge of the woods that surrounded the backyard, hundreds of yards from where she had been before. I watched anxiously as Bella pulled herself up to a sitting position, and the only thing keeping me from rushing over to her was Alice's small hand gripping mine.
"I'm alright!" Bella called out, I could hear the laughter in her voice. Nothing about this was funny, nothing at all. Bella treated all this like it was some sort of game, and not something that could end with her being seriously hurt. Bella was already being hurt – I could see the bruise on her shoulder, no matter how rapidly it was healing. If Bella was anything less than what she was, that hit would have pulverised her shoulder, if not killed her outright. As it was, I was surprised that it hadn't caused more damage, a break or dislocation, a hairline fracture at least. Alas, as Bella strolled back towards us, she seemed unaffected. "That hurt like a mother-fucker but the pain's already gone." Bella shrugged as she ran a hand through her hair to dislodge a few leaves that had been caught in her wavy locks.
"Are you feeling anything?" Carlisle implored as his eyes catalogued every inch of Bella, as if searching for any hint of her transformation. I couldn't help but smirk at that. If we managed to pull this off, Carlisle wouldn't have to look too closely to see the signs. It seemed that despite my graphic depiction of Bella's full-moon transformation, Carlisle still didn't understand just how gruesome it was.
"No, nothing." Bella replied with a small frown.
Jasper's thoughts caught my attention as he began to study Bella more closely. In his mind's eye I could see long buried memories flood forth – dozens of red-eyed newborns, each of them snarling at him with feral ferocity, the way Jasper snarled back, the way he wrestled them, forced them into submission all the while forcing them to feel intense terror. This was the way Major Whitlock ensured obedience, by beating others into submission.
"Jasper," I growled in warning. I did not want Jasper using any of those techniques against Bella. Not only was I unsure if they would even work, I did not want Bella to be exposed to that. To that side of Jasper. While the pair weren't exactly close, I feared that if Bella were to experience Jasper in that state it would ruin any chance they would have of forming a bond.
Jasper did not have the same concern.
Jasper had thought that it may cause Bella to fear him, to become wary of him in a way that she wasn't with the others, but that didn't seem to matter to him. To Jasper, it was a necessary sacrifice. Jasper was determined to help Bella achieve her goals, and if he had to ruin his budding friendship with the fiery werewolf to do so, well… he would do it.
That saddened me. Even now, Jasper never really believed he deserved anything good. In his mind, he could never pay for the sins he committed while under Marie's control.
Jasper ignored my warning, intent on his plan. He crouched down, his hands curled into menacing claws, a feral snarl made his lips twitch as his golden eyes darkened to black.
And then he was moving.
There was a reason Jasper was undefeated in our household, even my ability to read his mind did little to help me and only served to draw out our bouts longer than others.
Jasper zigzagged across the lawn in random intervals, and I could see Bella nervously trying to follow his erratic movements. As Jasper got closer he lowered himself further to the ground and then launched himself at Bella with a vicious roar. Bella couldn't do anything other than brace for impact. Alice's hand tightened in mine, holding me in place as we watched her Mate collide with Bella.
Jasper wont hurt her. Alice's thoughts were clear and resolute.
I wanted to believe her, I really wanted to believe her, but it was hard to do that; what with the way Jasper had straddled Bella's torso as he held her against the ground and snarled and snapped threateningly in her face.
Then, to my complete surprise, Bella bared her teeth and snapped back.
Bella was snarling and growling in earnest as she writhed beneath Jasper's weight. Jasper shifted his grasp in an attempt to secure his hold, and Bella took advantage of that to worm her legs out from underneath Jasper. In a move so fast I almost missed it, Bella placed her foot in the centre of Jasper's chest and heaved. She pushed Jasper away with the full weight of her body.
With a roar that rivalled that of any vampire, Bella threw Jasper away from her and the force of it sent Jasper flying.
I wasn't the only one stunned by the development.
As Jasper flew through the air, his mind was blank, just wordless surprise as he tried to adjust himself midair so he wouldn't land on his back. Jasper managed to right himself, somewhat, and landed heavily down on one knee. I turned my attention back to Bella, who seemed to be struggling to get herself off the ground. Bella stood up on shaky legs, her hands were clenched into fists at her side. I could hear her heartbeat, and it was thrumming rapidly like the wings of a hummingbird. Bella was gasping for breath, but I couldn't tell if it was because she was trying to catch her breath after managing to fight off Jasper – I still couldn't believe she managed to fight off Jasper – or if her harsh breathing was for another reason.
Bella was standing now, but she was still half-hunched over, as if it was too painful to stand at her full height. Then, Bella raised her head slowly, so slowly it was like just that simple movement was almost too much for her. Finally, her eyes met mine – they were wide, and brimming with tears, and I could see her brown irises were slowly starting to bleed into that otherworldly yellow that I recognised from her wolf form. It was beginning.
"Edward!" Bella gasped out my name, it was a barely there sound, more like a breath of air than an actual word. I heard it nonetheless. I also heard the sound of snapping bone as Bella lurched forward, scarcely managing to stay on her feet.
Alice's hand disappeared from mine and not even a second later I was at Bella's side.
"Bella! Are you alright, my love?" I asked as my hands fluttered uselessly over Bella's body, I wanted to help, but I was unsure if my touch would be welcome.
Bella opened her mouth to answer, but she didn't manage to form any words, maybe she couldn't. All I received in reply was a long, drawn out moan of pain – deep and guttural. Another horrifying sound emanated from Bella's body, the sharp crack of bone and Bella arched backwards like a woman possessed; her chest and torso were forced forwards by the strength of her bones breaking and reshaping themselves under her skin. Bella had to bend her legs and put her weight on the balls of her feet in order to remain upright as her body was forced to bend in an impossible way.
Everyone was silent. My family had gathered at the foot of the porch steps, unbreathing and unblinking as they watched Bella's transformation. Even their thoughts were silent save for a low hum of their vampiric instincts, which were telling them to run. The only one who was having any success in ignoring those instincts was Alice, who was watching with wide, golden eyes and a happy smile. The only sounds in the clearing that made up our backyard was the rapid beating of Bella's heart and the harsh sounds of her gasping moans.
The sound of another one of Bella's bones breaking echoed out, the unnaturally loud crack was mingled with Bella's hoarse scream as she was thrown forward by the power of her reshaping body. Bella fell to her knees, all the while gasping and moaning in pain, The noises she was making were so raw, so primal, but still very human. Bella teetered on her knees, swaying dangerously like a charmed snake, her hands were clenching and unclenching at her sides, grasping at nothing but air. Then with shaking fingers and a howling wail that was somehow both human and so inhuman it made me shudder, Bella reached up and began to claw desperately at her own throat.
I took a hesitant step closer, willing and waiting to see if she needed any help. Bella blinked up at me, her brown eyes were now completely yellow – bright and foreign in her still human face – and tears of blood were coursing down her face in rivers of crimson. Bella continued to tear at her own skin, mauling it horrifically and it was beginning to look like she had been attacked by a rabid animal. Another groan made Bella's lips twitch, and as the noise continued it tapered off into a wolf-like whine. The bones in Bella's shoulders began to squirm and twitch beneath her skin and with another pained moan she fell forward to rest her forehead on the now bloody grass. Bella remained still for a moment, each breath leaving her body in a gasp that bordered on a moan. Her moans of pain were soon drowned out by the sound of her ribs snapping and reshaping themselves, of her spine curving grotesquely, the vertebrae pressing against the confines of her skin like terrible spikes that had begun to pierce her skin, causing it to break and bleed. Bella's next sound was much less human: a howl of pain so animalistic that it seemed to be impossible that it could have come from Bella's still human mouth. Bella forced herself up, to rest on her hands. Hands I quickly realised were not quite hands any longer, rather they were halfway towards becoming giant paws. Bella's legs were horribly disfigured, her bones had elongated and her joints reversed to accommodate her wolf skeleton – but while those bones were still housed within Bella's human body it looked truly disgusting.
Behind me, I could hear my brothers and father growling faintly; a soft warning that they weren't even aware of making. I ignored them. I couldn't afford them any attention while Bella was in such agony.
Bella's face began to change, her gasping mouth now filled with terrific fangs as the bones in her face snapped and shifted to match her eyes. Finally, after what felt like hours, I heard the last of Bella's bones snap into place, her joints popping as they settled into their sockets.
Now, a large blood covered brown wolf stood panting where Bella once stood. Bella rested for a moment, taking a second or two to catch her breath, and I took a few steps backwards knowing what was coming next.
Sure enough, Bella shook out her fur like a very large, very wet dog, and a cloud of red mist filled the air around her before it settled to the ground. Then, with happy grunting growls, Bella consumed the remains of her human flesh, teeth, and fingernails.
Disgust. Wordless and silent, but powerful nonetheless. Then, came slightly more coherent thoughts from Emmett and Carlisle – Danger, threat, savage. But it was Jasper's thoughts who were louder, maybe it was because he had just allowed himself to feel and act on his vampiric instinct, or maybe it was because his Mate was present, but all I could hear from his fear fogged mind was – Fight. Protect. Defend. Protect protect protect.
Naturally, Bella didn't help matters when she threw her head back and released a long and loud howl. This one was so different from the others; I could tell it was one filled with elation and joy.
I moved closer to Bella, turning so my back was no longer to my family, which made Bella shift to keep me in her sights, carelessly putting her back towards the vampires who were acting not quite themselves at the moment. I made sure to keep one eye on them, I needed to keep them in sight at all times. Right now, they were more of a threat than Bella was. Carlisle had lowered into a threatening crouch at the sound of Bella's howl – a stance I had never seen him in outside of a hunt. In his mind I could see him fighting to regain control. He was fascinated by what he had just witnessed, but was struggling to listen to his analytical mind while his vampiric instincts were screaming at him the way they were.
I looked down at Bella, her bright yellow eyes blinked up at me and I knew. I knew that she was in there, that this wasn't the mindless animal I had first met during the full moon. "It's okay, Carlisle. She's in control." I murmured as I continued to stare at Bella. I lowered myself into the grass, not caring how the blood seeped into my trousers. Bella watched me with knowing eyes as she settled back onto her haunches, her tail thumped against the ground happily – almost in greeting. I reached out and set my hand on the side of her neck, and slowly caressed down her front flank. "Hey, Bella." I whispered reverently as I repeated the motion. At seeing me touch a dangerous – or at least in his mind – creature, Carlisle's thoughts shifted, and started to mimic Jasper's. Thoughts on how quickly he could remove me from Bella's vicinity, how to protect me from Bella should she attack. Carlisle's thoughts weren't so much words as they were instincts fuelled by emotions – and the desire to protect his firstborn. I looked at them from over Bella's head and raised a hand up. "It's okay." I pressed.
Bella finally seemed to realise that not everything was alright as she cocked her large wolf head curiously at me before standing and turning around to look at my family.
Jasper was still crouched low to the ground, he was using his body as a shield to keep his Mate out of view, but Alice wasn't content with that and kept trying to move around him, which then led to Jasper holding out one arm to keep her behind him.
Emmett's posture was equally defensive, but he wasn't as low to the ground as Jasper was. Emmett's expression, which was usually so friendly and welcoming, was now twisted into a harsh scowl that looked foreign on his face.
Carlisle had managed to regain some measure of composure, but he was still lowered into a strange half-crouch with his hands curled into defensive claws at his side.
Bella made a distressed whining sound in her chest as she swung her large head to look at me, the question clear in her eyes, before she turned and looked at my family again. Bella shifted restlessly on her front paws as another pained whine formed in her chest. I could see Bella's wet snout twitch with each inhale, it was painfully obvious to me that Bella was getting crystal clear readings on my family's emotions, their reactions to her – and they were upsetting her greatly. Then, Bella slowly lowered her head – an alarmingly obvious sign of submission.
"Would you three stop it? Can't you see? You're upsetting her!" Alice chided from where she was half-hidden behind Jasper. "She's not going to hurt us." Alice spoke with a familiar sense of smug conviction that told the others she had Seen the outcome with her Gift – which was a rotten lie, Alice had Seen no such thing. She had not Seen the outcome of this experiment, she did not See what would happen should Bella achieve an out-of-phase transformation. The only thing Alice had Seen was that vision of the future she still kept so well hidden – the vision that promised me a happy future. The vision that had apparently remained unchanged.
Alice's confident words were enough to pull the men out of their defensive stances. Or perhaps it was their confidence in Alice that persuaded them. Either way, I was grateful for it.
At the sound of Alice's voice, Bella lifted her head and as I approached her she stood up to her full height. When I came to a stop next to her I couldn't help but notice just how large Bella actually was. The last time I had seen her wolf-form she had cowered down before running off, so I didn't have the chance to truly see how she compared. Bella was undeniably larger than any wolf I had ever seen, the top of her head reached the top of my chest. Of course, if any human did manage to get a glimpse of her, they could easily convince themselves she was just slightly larger than the average wolf. Humans were like that. In general they would try to find any logical explanation for anything weird they witnessed. Save for a few isolated cases, a large majority of humans were unable to factor the existence of the supernatural into their world view.
I caught Carlisle's eye and he finally seemed capable of coherent thought. I could see that Carlisle was already replaying what he had witnessed in his mind, the way Bella had clawed at herself pulling sheets of her own skin and fatty flesh from her body as if she were flaying herself alive. Torn between disgust and awe he thought his question directly at me. Is that considered normal? Was that the same as what you have previously witnessed?
I felt Bella nudge her large head against my side as I considered my answer. "Yes, although it seemed to take longer and looked a lot more painful than what I saw during the full-moon." I answered truthfully.
Bella made a soft chuffing sound, as if she were agreeing with me and that made me smile down at her.
Alice moved around Jasper, ducking under his arm and avoiding his attempt to manhandle her back to where she was. She happily danced over towards us with a beaming smile and came to a stop right in front of Bella, looking right into her wolf yellow eyes. "That was pretty cool, Bella." Alice chirped.
Bella's tongue lolled out of her mouth in what I think was a smile, before she huffed out another breath of air that made Alice's hair move. Alice, to her credit, managed to keep her happy smile on her face and not wrinkle her nose at the smell of Bella's breath fanning across her face. To me, Bella smelled the same as she always did – sweet and earthy and simply divine – if not just a little bit more. But to Alice, and to the others, what had made Bella's scent smell so unnatural and inhuman when she was in human form had been amplified dramatically: an invisible warning to stay away.
Bella took a tiny step forward and pressed her large, wet nose against Alice's cheek. Which caused Alice to erupt into a fit of giggles as she scratched at the fur on Bella's neck and wiped the wetness away with the back of her hand.
The others crossed the yard at a slow, human speed. Each of them were feeling terribly guilty for allowing their instincts to devour their rational minds as they had. After all, that was what our family prided itself on, on how we were different from other vampires, We had the ability to circumvent our more primal impulses in order to look at events from a rational view point, a skill that drinking human blood heavily hindered. Even so, they did not come as close to Bella as Alice had, instead they chose to keep a respectful distance between us.
Carlisle smiled apologetically at Bella, all tight lipped and soft eyes as he ran a hand through his dishevelled hair in an attempt to calm it. "I am very sorry about that, Bella. I'm not sure what came over me, it was… instinct."
Bella nodded her head in understanding, the particularly human motion looked very odd coming from the oversized wolf. As Bella nodded, a strange sound emanated from her torso – a loud gurgling sort of sound – it took me a second to recognise it for what it was.
Emmett's face exploded into a teasing grin, bright teeth and deep dimples softening his previously serious expression. "Hungry huh?"
Bella made a happy yipping sort of sound as she danced about on her front paws. A hot surge of affection erupted from my gut as I watched her and the peculiar sensation left me feeling light-headed. I had never felt this way about any living being in my entire existence. Sure, I loved my family, and I had thought I understood what the others had felt towards their Mates, since I had first row seats to their minds. Nothing, nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming weight of these emotions. I knew that if someone were to ask me to choose between Bella and the rest of my family, that the decision would be easy and instantaneous.
I would choose her. I would always choose her, no matter the cost.
Jasper made a point to catch my eye, a knowing smirk on his face. Those are some powerful emotions there, brother. His mind was filled with the memory of when he had met Alice in that Louisiana diner all those years ago, how as soon as he saw her he was overcome with the same emotions I was experiencing now. Took you a bit longer to get there, but you got there in the end. He thought towards me, his thoughts coloured with fond teasing.
The others were ignorant to my revelation, and to the silent conversation that I had just had with Jasper.
"I think Esme left some food for you in the fridge, why don't you shift back and we can see what we can scrounge up for you?" Alice suggested helpfully. She was still running her hand through Bella's fur, stroking her chest and scratching the fluff behind her ear.
Bella whined in response, the sound very different than the one she had made before. That noise was filled with sadness and distress, this one was more anxious and uncertain. She turned to look towards the woods before she turned her long body around to stare unblinkingly at me. I got the distinct impression that, in that moment, Bella wished I could read her mind – a thought that somewhat stunned me, as in the entire time I had known Bella she seemed to delight in the fact her mind was a mystery to me. I looked back into Bella's bright yellow eyes as her canine lips twitched in another anxious whine. Bella pawed at the ground restlessly, turning to look back at the woods, then back again to me.
I cocked my head to the side and looked at her curiously. I think I understood what she wanted. "You want to go for a run?" I guessed.
Bella yipped happily, bouncing up and down on her front paws and I couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. "Alright then," I readily agreed. Bella howled softly, a quiet sound that was more a strange cooing sound than an actual howl, as she rubbed her large head and neck against my chest.
Then, without waiting for anything else, Bella shot off towards the woods at breakneck speed, her soft howling noise grew louder and more jubilant as she went. "Bella! Wait for me!" I laughed. I barely gave my family a farewell wave before I took off after her. It was eerily reminiscent of that night during the full moon, but this was entirely different. This time Bella had her wits about her, and most importantly, this time Bella wanted me to give chase.
I quickly caught up with Bella who was running gracefully through the woods, when she noticed me running next to her she made a pleased chuffing sound and bumped her body against my own before she increased her pace to an impossible speed. Bella was fast. It staggering just how fast she was as I watched her dip and dive under branches and around trees. It took less than a second for me to lose sight of her in the thick undergrowth of the forest, but I could still hear her heavy footfalls and fast beating heart.
As I approached the wide river that was the border to the property, I spotted Bella sitting on her haunches, waiting patiently for me on the opposite bank. I launched myself across the river with a smile on my face to land elegantly at her side. Bella snapped playfully at my shirt-tail before she once again took off at a sprint. This stretch of woods was awfully familiar to me. Whenever my family or I were in need of a quick hunt these twenty or so miles of woodlands were where we hunted.
I was more than happy to follow along beside Bella as she ran through the woods. It was a struggle to keep pace with her but I wasn't going to complain. Every now and again, Bella would glance to her side as if to check I was still there with her. It was so surreal. It was still Bella, but she was a wolf; she was a wolf, but it was still painfully obvious it was Bella. The playful glint in her eye was still there, and the way she would occasionally bump into me reminded me of how Bella would bump her shoulder against mine when we took strolls together in the forest. Through all of that, though, were new behaviours and new mannerisms that were entirely foreign. I had become rather good at reading Bella's body language, but now she was a wolf, I found myself stumbling. Not only could Bella no longer speak, but I could not read her mind, and I was woefully inept at understanding her lupine gestures.
Bella slowed her mad dash sprint, instead of flying through the forest so fast that at times she wasn't even touching the ground, she relaxed into a fast jog. Bella was no longer casting me side eyed glances to check if I was still there, and as she slowed her jog she lowered her head to the forest floor. Bella paused for a moment, sniffing and snuffling at the mossy undergrowth before taking off again at a fast jog. I didn't speak as I followed in silence, and I am embarrassed to admit it took me a little longer than Bella to pick up the scent of a herd of black-tailed deer.
In the time I had known Bella, or more accurately, since I had become privy to her secret, I had noticed how Bella's senses had increased, how they had become more acute. Bella said it was just her growing into her werewolf abilities. I had taken that to mean it was some sort of special, werewolf puberty, which in my mind made sense. It would be very difficult for a young child to hide the fact they could hear people's heartbeats and sense their emotions, not to mention how overwhelming it would be to a child to experience those things. All in all, it was obviously very important to Bella. I knew she was troubled with feelings of inadequacy, and I hoped that I could help her through them because in my mind, Bella was anything but inadequate. Still, it was startling to be outdone by her.
I silently followed Bella through the woods as she continued her hunt. Her movements became more animalistic as she approached the grazing herd, she lowered her body to the ground until her underbelly was pressed against the earth. I stared, wide-eyed, in astonished wonderment as Bella's body vanished into the shadows of the mossy undergrowth of the forest floor. Lush, leafy ferns curled over top of her body as Bella skulked forward. If I didn't know she was there, I wouldn't have been able to spot her, even with my supernaturally enhanced vision. As it stood, I was struggling to see her even though I had just witnessed her melt into the shadows as easily as if she were one herself. Only the slightest rustling of a leaf, or the gentle movement of a fern, alerted me to her location.
I followed dutifully behind Bella in a lowered crouch, I was incapable of mimicking the way she managed to vanish so completely, but I still did my best to not spook her prey. Together, we approached a small clearing where the deer were peacefully grazing. Bella attacked without warning, catching the closest doe in her jaws before the rest of the herd even knew she was there. The other deer scattered into the woods, and the one that Bella was holding in her jaws put up a small struggle before Bella increased the pressure around its throat. There was a sharp snapping sound as the doe's neck was broken.
Blood dripped down Bella's muzzle as she raised her head, large yellow eyes blinked up at me, half-surprised as if she had forgotten I was there. I couldn't tear my eyes away, the smell of fresh blood and death filled the wet forest air and it made my eyes darken and my throat burn, but I didn't care. My thirst meant nothing. It was a small price to pay to be allowed a glimpse of Bella's vicious beauty. Bella was undoubtedly deadly, she was dangerous and destructive, and was capable of killing me as quickly and easily as she had the doe, but I did not fear her. I worshipped her. In that moment, it was clear to me: Bella Swan was a Goddess reincarnated into mortal flesh. Perhaps she was a Goddess of beauty, because she was without a doubt the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, both in human and wolf forms. Or maybe she was a Goddess of nature, that would surely explain the way she seemed to blend into any environment she encountered, whether that was the evergreen forest, or the man-made terrain of a bustling city. It was just as likely that she was a Goddess of death, frighteningly powerful, but ultimately inevitable. In truth, it didn't matter, because for whatever reason, Bella had chosen me, she was mine. For that alone I was the luckiest being in the universe.
Bella was still looking at me, her large yellow eyes drooped sadly and I frowned in confusion. An anxious whine sounded in her chest as she readjusted her hold on her kill. More blood dripped from the wounds on the doe's neck, and without looking away from me, Bella began to drag her kill towards me. The doe's head hung limply to one side as Bella held it's throat in her jaws, the sagging corpse dragged between Bella's legs as she awkwardly lugged her kill over. Without another sound, Bella dropped her kill at my feet. My breath caught in my throat as I looked from the dead doe, then back to Bella's wolfish face. Without breaking eye contact, Bella lowered her head and nudged the dead doe with her snout, its head moved slightly in my direction before lolling back again.
I didn't think I could love Bella anymore than I already did, but this. This was something else. Bella was sharing her kill with me.
All my worry about Bella seeing my more vampiric side, of scaring her away, or disgusting her, fell away with the weight of this gift.
I carefully cradled the neck of the doe in my hands and brought it to my mouth before I closed my lips over the wound Bella's fangs had created. Usually, I detested feeding from an animal that was already dead, instead preferring to drink my fill as the life of my victim slowly faded away into nothing. Death stopped the heart, stopped the flow of blood, the flow of delicious chemicals that every living thing produced when they finally realise that there is no escape. And yet, as I began to pull the blood from the already cooling corpse of the doe, I couldn't help but think that it was the most delicious meal I had ever had. It was better than any animal I had hunted for myself – herbivore and carnivore alike. Hell, it was better than the humans I had slaughtered during my rebellious phase. The blood that had already begun to congeal around the edges of the wounds did nothing to change my opinion as I drank my fill from the doe, Bella's keen gaze watching me all the while.
Beauty, nature, and death – Bella was all of these things and more. And regardless of what the future brought, I would never ever let her go.
A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked it, I'm looking forward to reading your reviews.