Chapter 12 – Scent
I got home after a few hours. My arm still throbbed from this afternoon, but I couldn't let Charlie know. I told him I spent the day with Emily and went to Port Angeles with her and Alice. "Well, that's great. I'm glad you had a good time. It's been so long since you've been out with friends." I smiled, "Thanks, Dad. You know, I really want to get to bed." I groaned silently as I got undressed. My shoulder was stiff and sore, just like Carlisle said. In the shower, the hot water soothed some of my pain. I knew I couldn't sleep on this shoulder tonight. I went back into my room and sat in bed and brushed my wet hair. I was angry with Jacob and Edward. I know they both cared about me, but do they have to be so uncivilized with each other? I sighed and put my brush down. I paced my room, thinking. Was there something I could do for them to be civil towards each other? But that may never happen. I knew they both wanted me for themselves. Edward was in love with me and Jacob is beginning to care about me. I cared about them both, but I had to admit that I still loved Edward. But Edward damaged me. The day I saw him, if I were stronger, I would have run into his arms. I know now it wasn't true, but that does not undo the pain I felt by his words and in his absence. I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed deeply. I had to face it to myself; I had to choose between Edward and Jacob.
I stared at the floor for a long moment. There was a screeching sound outside my window. I looked up and saw complete blackness outside my window. I went over to the window for a better look and still saw nothing. I locked it, "Edward, please, leave me alone tonight." I went to bed and quickly fell asleep. My recent dream continued. I was walking alone down a path. I came to a fork in the road. The two paths looked exactly the same, but I didn't know where to go. "Bella?" I looked down one road and it was Alice. "Bella." I looked down the other and it was Emily. They were both smiling and held their hands out to me, "Let's go." I looked behind me and the road disappeared and was soon overgrown with bushes of thorns. I couldn't go back, but I couldn't decide which road to take. The thorns grew and they were getting closer to me. I had to make a choice.
The light of the next morning woke me. My eyes opened but I didn't get out of bed right away. Why did I have to choose between Emily and Alice? They were both my friends and I couldn't decide. I got up and groaned. My arm was completely sore. I looked at my shoulder and purple bruises had colored the skin. They ran down my arm, getting lighter as it reached my elbow. "Oh man." I took up a small mirror in my nightstand drawer and looked at my neck. There were some bruises on the left side. The discoloration would take days to fade. I got out of bed, to look out my window and, mercifully, Charlie was gone. I ran downstairs, to the phone. Before I dialed the first number, my doorbell rang. I sighed and answered the door, "Luckily, it'll be a little chilly this week, so you would be good in long sleeve shirts." I smiled, "Thank you, Alice." Alice looked at my arm, "This will clear up by Thursday. Charlie won't see it." I nodded, "Thank you so much."
On the floor, by her feet was a paper bag. "Alice, what is that?" She smiled, "I knew you needed tops, so I brought some for you." I shook my head. "Don't be difficult, Bella. You'll like them." "We'll see." Alice took my good arm and dragged me upstairs. In my room, she emptied the bag on my bed and it was a lot of blouses and tops. I hate to admit it, but I was impressed with her selections. "Thank you, Alice." I looked out my window and saw a streak on the glass. I went over to it and saw it was imbedded in the glass, like a crack. "Alice, could you talk to Edward about last night?" "Last night?" I looked back at her, "Yea, he was here and I asked him to leave." Alice had a perplexed look on her face. "Bella, why do you think he was here?" "I heard him." Alice came over to the window, "Where'd that come from?" She was staring at the fracture in the glass. I looked at her, "I assumed he did that, trying to get in here." She looked up and me, "He wasn't here." "What? Alice, I….. " "No, Bella. Edward wasn't even near Forks last night or at home, for that matter. After we left yesterday, Em and Jas took him to Mt. Rainier. They're just getting back now." Alice and I stared at each other. Alice looked to the floor, "Bella, Edward has entered this room silently dozens of times. You would have never heard him. He made sure of that." My heart began to pound in my chest. Alice closed her eyes, "I saw nothing last night. I was home with Esme, Carlisle and Rose. I didn't see anything." Alice threw my window open and sniffed at the air, "But someone was here." Alice closed the window and took out her phone. "Jasper, Jasper, come quick. Someone was at Bella's house. I could still smell him. Please, hurry." Alice flipped her phone closed and her face was a mask of concern. She became a statue as she stared out the window. She didn't blink once since she hung up the phone.
Her head moved slightly, "They're here." Alice threw a shirt at me, took my hand and we went for the stairs. My front door was closed and I saw Emmett at the foot of the stairs. "Just outside her window is where the scent is the strongest." Emmett flew past us. Jasper and Edward were staring up at us, "Alice, what happened?" Jasper demanded. Alice looked at me and I stared back, "Bella thought someone was here last night and she thought it was Edward. Whoever it was left a mark on the outside of her window." "I think he went through the woods. I'm going to follow the trail," Emmett was suddenly behind me. Edward dashed up the stairs, into my room. I could feel a sense of calm come over me. I looked at Jasper and he smirked. Edward was back down the stairs, "Let's go. Jasper?" "I'm coming with you." Jasper was up and down the stairs in a flash. I bit down on my lip. I know Jacob and Sam asked me not to, but they needed to know. "You should know, the pack thinks there's another vampire here. They said it was the one they hunted the day they killed Victoria."
Four pairs of eyes were on me. "When did they tell you this?" Edward asked. "This week. But they asked me not to tell any of you. They wanted to hunt it for themselves." Alice pulled me down the stairs, "You did the right thing by telling us. We can handle this faster than they ever could. Besides' I'm getting the feeling that this one was the cause of your accident." I looked at Alice, "What?" Emmett, Jasper and Edward were silent, until Emmett groaned, "Let's go now!" He threw my door open and was gone in that moment. Edward and Jasper followed after him, leaving me and Alice in the house. She closed the door, "They can handle this in no time. As for you, you are not leaving this house today, unless I'm with you." I nodded, "So much for seeing Emily today." Alice sighed, "I know. I would say call her to come over, but with this vampire in the area, I don't want it to come across her. She's better in La Push."
Alice and I sat in the living room, watching a movie and talking. Soon, we were focused on the movie. The phone rang and I went to answer it. It was Emily. "Well, I had to wash my clothes and hair as soon as I got home. I knew Sam would be upset that I was with a vampire, willingly. Above all, a Cullen. But I had a great time." Alice went for the front door, "They're back and they're not happy." I looked at the front door as Alice opened it. "Em, Em?" "What?" I jumped and looked up at Emmett. "Not you." Emily was getting anxious, "Bella, what is it?" I sighed, "Nothing. Can I call you back?" "Sure, bye." "Bye, Em." I hung up the phone and pushed against Emmett's chest, "Don't scare me like that." "You replaced me?" My eyebrows furrowed, "What are you talking about it?" He pointed at the phone, "Em?" I rolled my eyes, "That Em is a girl." He smiled, "Am I at least still your favorite Em?" I smiled and shook my head, "In the guy category." He grabbed his chest in mock horror and I push past him, "Leave me alone." Jasper was standing with Alice and Edward stood by Charlie's chair. Emmett walked with me into the living room and he pulled me down onto the couch. He groaned, "He got away." I looked at him, "You're mad that he got away?" I blinked, "Oh, I forgot who I was talking to." He looked at me and laughed. "Whoever this person was," Edward explained, "they went through the ocean, so it was pointless to follow him. At least, we have his scent." I looked at him. "Were you able to hear him at all?" He looked at me, "No. Whoever it was, they were gone hours ago. My concern is why they came here?"
"I wish I knew." I leaned my head back against Emmett's arm and he hugged my shoulder, "This was one of my reasons to not leave. You keep things so much more fun." Alice smacked Emmett in the back of the head, "That's not funny. She could have been hurt." "Alice, she got hurt with that mutt yesterday. Today, we're here and she hasn't gotten a scratch." I rolled my eyes, "Could you leave Jacob out of this?" Emmett shrugged, "Fine, I'll leave the puppy out of it." I groaned and tried to get up, but he wasn't letting me up. "Well, I'll keep my eye out for who it was. I honestly did not see anyone coming here." Jasper hugged her closer, "No one is blaming you." "But, Jas, he could have…." "Alice, stop." I had to speak up; I hated that she was beating herself up. Emmett looked at Alice, "Bella's right, Alice. It was a snap decision and he didn't come in." Edward was silent; his eyes fixed on me. Alice closed her eyes, "Charlie will be home in two hours." She sighed, "I really don't want to leave you alone tonight. He may come back." Suddenly, Alice smiled brightly, "Sleep over." She patted Jasper's chest, "You guys stay here. I'm going to run home and get some clothes."
My eyes widened, "You're leaving me alone…. with Emmett?" Emmett made me face him, "What is that supposed to mean?" I looked back and groaned. I turned my neck too far, forgetting about the bruises on my neck. I held my neck and Edward flashed in front of me, holding my leg, "What is it?" I exhaled deeply, "I forgot about the bruises." His fingers grazed my neck, "I'll get you the aspirin." Emmett shook his head, "You'd think she was a little girl the way he goes on about you." "Shut it, Emmett." Edward was back, handing me the bottle of pills and a glass of water. "Well, it's true. I mean you baby her." I drank my water at the perfect time. Emmett was looking at me to confirm what he said. Edward was getting angry, "Emmett, if it was Rosalie, you would be the same way." Emmett stare at him, "That's one thing Rose and Bella have in common; they're both very independent." Edward's face was becoming livid, "Do not compare Bella to Rosalie." I put my glass down as Emmett stood up, "I call it as I see it."
I put myself between them, "Ok, that's enough bonding." My back was against Edward's chest. Emmett looked down at me, "What you're going to hide behind Bella now?" I smack him in the chest, "No' I'm protecting you. I know his temper and so do you." Emmett's eyes widened. "Em, could you take Alice home?" I looked at him, making my eyes wider. "Please?" "Please Emmett?" Alice chimed in. Emmett rolled his eyes, "Let's go, Al." "Don't call me that!" Alice, Jasper and Emmett left, leaving me alone with Edward.
