SOPHIE'S POV

Emmett killed the trespasser. But the frequency at which Vampires were showing up around here was extremely concerning. They refused to tell us why they were coming. They just kept repeating that the message was for Renesme. But what could they honestly want from a child?

The energy was drained from my body as I stood there, taking emotional hits for the fourth day in a row. I wasn't angry, I was simply sad and depressed now. They'd taken the fight out of me. So they tried a different tactic.

Rosalie lunged at me.

My heart pumped the adrenaline through my system and I felt the heat spreading around my body as a protective mechanism. I wanted to phase.

She punched me and I growled, flipping her over and punching her back. She threw me off and I hit a tree.

That's when I felt the rage fill me.

My body shook with anger and my eyes zeroed in on Rosalie. On the threat. "Bring it on mutt." She hissed. And with those words, I froze.

"No." I stated, frowning.

Rosalie stared at me. "What?!"

"No." I repeated, not moving. "I will fight when I decide to fight. Not before." I turned around and headed inside, but before I reached the door, Rosalie tackled me to the ground again.

"You don't get a choice as to when you are attacked, idiot." She laughed, my face shoved into the dirt. "But you have to deal with it when you are."

I growled.

"So what's it gonna be? You or me? Who wins? Who lives?" Her breath was on my face, like bleach suffocating me.

And then I lost it. I screamed and threw her into the brick of the house. Running over I felt my fists clench. I grabbed the first thing I could and stabbed her straight through the arm. She cried out as the metal caused her minimal pain.

"Just because I'm not a wolf, doesn't mean I wont cut your throat and burn your head on a pike." I then realised what I had done. Backing away, I took a deep breath.

Carlisle shook his head with disappointment. "That isn't control." He scolded.

I had had enough of this shit. "You expect me to die rather than defend myself? That's the lesson? The fuck you trying to teach me?! To roll over and let you win?!"

Carlisle shook his head again. Was that all he did?

"The point is that you know when to attack, and when to defend yourself." He lectured. "Not every attacker is an enemy, Sophie. You cant treat them all that way."

I watched Emmett prying his mate from the wall where I had staked her. Guilt crept in. She frowned at me, but didnt look angry. She looked... She seemed to actually respect me.

"Maybe you should take a break." He suggested, rubbing his temples. Clearly wolves were harder to train than Vampires.

But he was right, I needed a break. So I figured that I should take a run. It was the only way to clear my head.

I took off through the woods, ignoring everything surrounding me and just letting my mind go blank. I felt the breeze on my face, and the drops of rain from the clouds trickled down my face. It was soothing, and it almost made me calm. Maybe running would be my thing.

I had been so caught up distracting myself, I hadn't noticed where I ended up. It was a small enclosed area, where the trees hung down over the grass. And then I saw the pond. And all I could think about, was Jacob. I thought about him bringing me here as a wolf after what I did. And I thought about how kind and gentle he had been.

Maybe in a different life, we could have worked. Maybe it wouldn't have been so rocky and messy. And maybe we wouldn't have been so caught up in making each other jealous and crazy, we could have made something of our relationship.

And then I cried.

I don't know whether it was the stress, the fact the Cullen's had been putting my emotions through the ringer, or that I missed the pack and my family, but I needed that moment to just cry. And being surrounded by this little alcove, I felt safe to hide here, until I was ready to return to the Cullen's once again.

JACOB'S POV

I was on patrol for the fourth time this week. This was punishment by Sam for breaking that Cole kid's nose. He deserved it. I swear if he hadn't come into her life, Sophie would be here.

Shut up Jake. Jared's voice whined.Can you mope after our shift?

Embry frowned.She'll come back, won't she?

He blamed himself. I mean, it was partially, if not totally, his fault. But I had already yelled at him every day since she left and I had done my quota for the day.

If my sister comes back, I am gonna kick all your asses and let her watch.Paul growled. He blamed us all too. His thoughts are, if we had looked out for her rather than be obsessed over our own problems, she wouldn't have felt like she had to leave.

We all blamed ourselves for losing her. But the truth non of us would face was that she chose to leave. And whatever the reason, we all contributed to her pain.

But we couldn't change that now. We just had to find her. And I would find her.

Even if it killed me.