He charged through the trees to meet his brothers. Their howls, while horribly timed, were deeply concerning. Maybe this would be his chance to finally put that leech down once and for all, though he had really hoped they would have more time to plan it out. Killing Laurent was simple; he had no idea there were wolves in the area, so they had the element of surprise. This leech had plenty of time to figure out their patterns and learn how to evade them. The pack had not been so studious.

He couldn't change the past, but he could make her feel safe again. She would never have to think about vampires again. No more stalkers, no more hospital stays, no more killers. She could just be Bella. But In the back of his mind, there was always a nagging worry that she still wanted him, that the manipulations ran so deep that Cullen could waltz in at any time and carry her off without a fight. He wanted to trust her. He knew he needed to trust her. Someday, when she was ready, he was going to have to ask her.

The entire pack was yelling in his head the second he phased.

Shut up, Jacob. I don't need to hear you bitching about your blue balls.

Just tell me why you called me out here, already, Jacob huffed.

She's back.

We tracked her scent but we keep missing her

Where?

Somewhere near the old edge of our territory. I think she's messing with us.

Jared is just up ahead. He's going to come from the side so we can corner her. Paul, I want you on the other side.

Got it.

The rest of the pack converged on the same point, following the sickly stench towards the clearing that used to separate their territory from the Cullens. Something wasn't right, though. Her behavior, the smell, none of it was like what they had tracked. The smell burned his nose, but it was somehow different from the the redhead.

I don't think this is her. It doesn't smell right.

What do you mean it doesn't smell right? Did she bring a friend this time?

No, it's something else. We might have a new one.

Fantastic. And here I was thinking I was going to get to sleep tonight.

When the trees cleared, there was a white figure standing on the other side, its yellow eyes looking back at them through the blackness. It did not try to run, or even move, but stood deathly still. What, did she send someone to parley? She should know that they would shred it on the spot.

The pack stood by the edge of the clearing, snarling and snapping, one sudden movement away from leaping the chasm and tearing the bloodsucker apart. He recognized where they were: the same meadow where they put the black haired leech down.

"I'm not here to fight you." It's voice rang out, and he instantly recognized who it was.

It's him. It's Cullen..

What the hell is he doing here?

He clearly has a death wish.

Easy, Jake. Remember the treaty.

Fuck the treaty. He has no business being here.

What're you going to do, kill him? We're supposed to be looking for the redhead. Cullen isn't a threat.

Cover me. I'm phasing back.

That's a terrible idea why-

He leapt out of furry skin, and his connection to the pack was cut off. Jacob was human once again. He could still feel himself trembling from the pure hatred that he had held onto for so long. Just one wrong move. Just one excuse to rip off his head and end that condescending expression once and for all.

"I've only come to talk. I will still abide by the treaty. But I suppose I could call you if you are not amenable to that."

"Sam, do you mind if I approach? Shouting across the line isn't very efficient. This isn't even really my territory anymore. You have permission to cross the line to my side if you would prefer. "

Sam growled, but seemed to settle down more than the rest of the pack, who were still snarling and baring their teeth. Sam and Jacob proceeded to the middle of the meadow with great unease. Cullen had a lot of nerve showing up in Forks again after what he pulled, and he had no intention of going easy on him.

"I don't think that's unjustified," Edward replied coolly. He hated that a vampire could read his thoughts. The pack was bad enough, but an enemy was one hundred times worse.

"Get the hell out of my head, leech. You wanted to talk, so start talking."

"Believe me, I take no pleasure in hearing any of it. You're clearly still a novice when it comes you shutting out...certain thoughts." he wrinkled his nose. "I can still smell her on you, dog."

Jacob stepped forward before stopping himself from losing his temper. Phasing back would make it much harder to keep his cool around him. His natural instincts had a way of trying to override his better

"Give me one good reason why we shouldn't tear you to shreds right now," he snapped, perhaps he was too angry to keep himself from phasing back.

"Because we share a common goal. I can help you kill Victoria."

He abhorred the idea of spending a second longer with Edward than he had to, but he couldn't dismiss such an offer outright. He couldn't deny her a chance to live freely again. No vampires means no more late night patrols, no more sleeping through class, no more new kids ruining their lives in this sick existence. His thoughts could be just his own, and he could once again have Bella all to himself. Being a regular high school student again would be nice. But this one better stay away from her.

"I will. You have my word. In fact, I don't want her to know I was ever here. I've believe I've done more than enough harm where she is concerned."

"You're fucking right you have. Do you have any idea what she was like after you left? For months, I watched her drag herself around like a zombie. You took years off her life. She barely ate, barely slept, and for a while I was scared she was going to hurt herself. You have no idea what you put her through or how long it took for her to even smile again. I swear to god, if you undo any of that, if you give me any reason to think that you might interfere in her life ever again, I will put your head through a wall."

Jacob heaved, too angry to even focus on what they were supposed to be doing. He sometimes imagined what he would say if he ever saw Cullen again. Every tear she shed because of the leech enraged him, every time she jumped at a sudden noise or woke screaming from a nightmare. He hated that she still thought of him. He could always tell by the distant look in her eyes when his name came up. She might find a way to forgive him someday, but there was no way in hell he would. He hoped Edward would feel guilty for what he'd done the the rest of his cursed existence.

Edward gave a faint chuckle, somehow amused by Jacob's declaration. "I'm glad she's in such good hands."

"However, I am aware that there has been one of your own who has already become a victim of the volatility of your kind. I would like to assure you that should she similarly come to harm, I would be happy to return that threat to you tenfold."

Jacob stared at him in silence, his eyes burning with hatred and distrust. How dare he even mention Emily as if his coven hadn't taken human lives before, and especially in front of Sam. His diplomatic skills could use some work.

"What makes you think we can't take care of the redhead?"

"Nothing," he replied, his voice somehow still very serene. "Your pack is powerful, but limited in what it can do."

"I've been tracking her for a month," he continued. "You forget that I can hear her thoughts. The reason you lost her for so long is that she's been covering her scent by hiding in the water about a half mile off the coast. I believe she retreated towards Seattle for one last feed before swimming back to the peninsula."

The pack resumed its defensive stance, turning to each other and snarling. Sam was obviously incensed. Even he couldn't deny such a huge oversight. She was lulling them into a false sense of security, and it wouldn't have been too much longer before she finally got to Bella and tore through the rest of Forks, literally right under their noses.

"Precisely. This is exactly why you need my assistance. I know how she thinks. I know how she's planning her attack and when. It would be foolish to refuse that information, but if you need more convincing, my offer is this: let me help the pack destroy her once and for all, and there will never be another Cullen in Forks again."

Jacob and the pack stared him down, unmoving, unblinking, and unconvinced. He still believed that there were ulterior motives to this, no matter now honorable he made them out to be.

Why?" Jacob started. "Why would you do any of this, after all this time?"

Edward's usual cold, calm demeanor slipped for a moment, and for the first time, Jacob could see something honest and sincere stirring under his stony exterior.

"Why do you risk your life protecting her, Jacob? The very same reason as me: I love her. I always will. I thought that I could give her everything she wanted, that I could keep her safe from the horrors of my world, but in the end I knew I never could. There would be no end to her suffering if she stayed by my side, even if she joined the coven. She's young. She had the chance for a normal life surrounded by her family and her friends. She could go to college, have a career, have children. She wouldn't have to sacrifice her life for a selfish creature who nearly let her die. I knew she didn't understand the consequences of living this half-life, and nothing I ever said could convince her otherwise. Leaving her was the most difficult thing I've ever done, Jacob, but I don't regret it."

"I see now that she's happy again, that she will have the life I wanted for her. I know how deeply you love her, and the care you take to protect her. And I know how ardently she loves you. I'm coming to you now to give her one last gift: Peace. Once this is all over, you will never see or hear from me ever again."

Jacob glanced over his shoulder at Sam who, while still clearly agitated by Edward's presence and his unnecessary commentary about his fiance, nodded his consent to the deal. An offer Jacob couldn't refuse. Jared whined, pawing at the dirt in front of him. Quil and Embry still had not let up. They were still trying to prove themselves.

"She wants to wait for another snowstorm. It seems that fresh, heavy snowfall helps to cover her scent, though not entirely. Knowing what Forks is like this time of year, it could be days or weeks."

Fantastic, he thought. Plenty of time to plan and practically no notice when it came. And what the hell was he going to tell Bella?

"Tell her the pack discovered it on their own," Edward said, intruding on his thoughts once again. "I know you made her a promise, and I apologize for making you break it."

"I'll be keeping an eye on Victoria so she doesn't suspect anything, so please carry on as you have been. Sam, I'm happy to coordinate with you. I won't cross the line without your permission, but the pack has an open invitation to my side when the time comes."

Sam snorted.

"Wonderful."

"One more thing, Cullen," said Jacob. "What really happened last summer, when she was in the hospital? I know she didn't fall through a window."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to ask her that yourself. It's not my story to tell."

And with that, Edward turned away and disappeared into the trees.

Several voices rang out the moment he transformed back.

We don't need the bloodsucker's help. We can take her out ourselves.

Don't be an idiot, Quil. It's a win-win. No more leeches and you might live to awkwardly creep on some poor girl another day.

So you're ok with this? Do you really believe that Cullen won't try to take her back?

Of course I'm not ok with this! Jacob snarled. He might even use this secret against me. I just have to trust her.

Having Cullen's information can only help, Sam interjected. It'll increase the chances that none of you are going to end up dead. I don't want to hear another word about it tonight. We finish our rounds and then we will start working on our strategy tomorrow night.

Does that mean I'm done for the night or-

No. Now that we know where she's been hiding, I want us to stay vigilant. I want to keep an eye on Cullen, too. You'll have all the time in the world afterwards, and at least none of us will have to see any of it.

Thank god

Quiet, Paul. Everyone still gets their usual nights, but with the understanding that you will drop everything if you get called in. We can talk to her tomorrow, Jacob. Everyone else is expressly forbidden from mentioning Cullen to or in front of Bella. If it becomes necessary to do so, it will be Jacob's responsibility.

Jacob let out a howl that soared over the forest and through the mountains, a warning to any vampire who dared to cross him.