Chapter 23 – False Hope
Jacob would understand why I wanted to speak to Emily. When we arrived on the beach, the sun was beginning to set in the distance, getting closer to the water. Jacob and I sat on our bleached tree bench. His arm rested on my shoulders, "Bella, what do you want to do after graduation?" My graduation ceremony was on Monday. I wasn't worried about my final exams; I just wanted them over. One less thing for me to be worried about. Jacob was so relaxed. It seemed like my hunter was gone. Jacob said he hadn't picked up a fresh trail in a long time, the Cullens haven't mentioned anything and Alice hasn't seen anything. Was I safe again? Another thing to take off my list of concerns. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." Jacob held me closer, "Just let me know what you want." "You don't have to do anything for me." Jacob's hot hand held mine. He made small circles in my palm. With this other hand, he played with my hair between his fingers. "Well, either way, congratulations, Bella." I smiled, "Thank you, Jake."
I turned my head to look at him and he was already looking at me. I hadn't kissed Jacob in a long time. He pressed his lips to mine and I felt awful. Our lips moved against each other. His breath was warm and his lips were hot. His hand held the back of my head, locking my lips to his. I didn't fight him, but inside my mind, I was screaming at myself. What was I doing? Emily and Alice were joking, but maybe there was a seed of truth to it; I was balancing two boyfriends. In this moment, I wanted to stay with him. His lips parted mine and his arms held me closer. He ended our kiss and stared at me, "Why did things have to change?" I blinked, "Because they always do." We looked at each other and there was nothing but the sounds of the waves crashing. I picked up the sound of graveling moving underneath someone's feet. "Hey Emily." I looked back and she smiled, "Sorry to interrupt." I looked at Jacob, "Can we get a minute?" Jacob smiled, "Sure." Jacob strode off to the trees. Emily hugged me, "What happened with Jacob?" "You first." Emily exhaled a long breath, "Sam was furious, but he didn't show it. He was just concerned that I was with a vampire. He ready to hit the ceiling before he came to get me. I told him that when it came to Alice, I didn't see a vampire. I saw someone I liked and a fun person." I blinked, "You told him that?" Emily and I spoke about Sam and Jacob. We both argeed that supernatural men were overprotectively hard-headed. When it came to protecting someone they cared about, they were irrational.
Jacob and I walked along the beach until it was getting almost too dark. "Hey, you haven't done it in a while. Why don't you come over to my house for dinner?" Jacob made a face, "I don't know…" I smiled, "I'll make lasagna." "I'll be there." Jacob followed me in his car and I raced ahead of him. Getting out of his car, Jacob snorted, "Fine, you win this once." "Hey, I was winning on the bikes too." He shook his head, "Nope, that doesn't count because a leech interfered." By the front door, Jacob froze in his tracks. "What is it?" He looked behind himself, "Get inside now!" Jacob practically pushed me inside and slammed the door. I felt his hand was shaking as he pushed me inside. I've seen that look on Jacob's face before. Something wasn't right. I went into the kitchen and waited. Jacob was gone for almost half an hour. The back door flew opened and I jumped. "I've called Sam. I am not leaving here tonight." "What is it?" Jacob looked around the room, "The vampire, he's back. Stay here." Jacob ran up the stairs and I heard doors opening. I went to begin making dinner. "Ok," Jacob moved so quietly, that when he came back, I jumped again. "He wasn't in the house and Paul's outside." My heart began to race, "He came back." Jacob wrapped his arms around me as tears welled in my eyes. I actually thought I was safe again.
Jacob stood guard while I made dinner. I thought about calling the Cullens, but that would be difficult with Jacob and Paul around. I didn't want to cause a conflict. Paul came inside when Charlie came home. He said he couldn't resist the smell of my lasagna. The three of them spoke about sports the entire evening and I was beyond bored. I went to my room and tired to calm myself. I put on my birthday CD and listened to my lullaby. Lying on my bed, the music calmed my nerves until I had fallen asleep. My dream continued. The thorns that were reaching for me had changed into vines and they began to wrap themselves around my arms and legs, pulling me back into the darkness. I fought against them, digging my nails into the dirt, but I wasn't strong enough. I was pulled back into a sea of ferns and tall grass. I looked around myself as I got to my feet. This setting was familiar, only this time I was running. I was searching and searching, coming up with nothing. I saw someone in my periphery, but it wasn't Sam. I ran until I fell into an abyss of complete darkness. I woke up screaming as I did before. "Bella! Bella!" I sat up, feeling hard fingers around my arms.
My breaths were quick and short. I felt a cool breath on my cheeks, making my tears colder. "What happened?" I blinked the tears out of my eyes, "Nightmare." Edward's arms held me to his chest, "What was it?" I exhaled, "The same dream I've had since you left." He looked down at me, "What dream is it?" I blinked, "I don't want to talk about it." I moved out of his arms and saw it was almost time for me to go to school. "What are you doing here?" "I came to check on you, when I ran into Jacob and one of his friends." My eyes widened, "What?" "Jacob wasn't happy to do it, but he told me that the rogue came back. I came inside to see if you were all right. Your breathing was so shallow." I sighed and looked out my window, "Is Jacob and Paul still here?" "Yes. They haven't left. I told them I would watch you while you were at school." I blinked wildly, "I really don't want to go to school." My door opened and Alice was there. "I think it's a good idea for you to spend the day with Emily. Edward, Carlisle wants us to find this one today."
Alice threw some of my clothes on the bed and called Emily for me. Outside, Edward and Alice walked me to my car. Jacob, in wolf form walked out of the shadows of the trees across the street of my house. "He'll follow you to La Push." I looked back at their pale faces, as Edward opened my door, "What are you two going to do?" They looked at each other. "Don't worry about us, Bella," Alice soothed me. "We can take care of ourselves and we'll see you later." Alice looked behind herself, "Those wolves are anxious for us to leave." Edward brushed his fingers down my cheek, "Be safe." They turned and left. I got in my car and drove to La Push. When I reached there, I saw the Jacob wolf come out of the trees and he ran alongside my car. I drove straight to Emily's house. She was on the front porch, standing a few feet away from a large black wolf. Sam walked over to Jacob as I went over to Emily. "Sam, I'm sorry. It was my idea to invite Alice." He nodded his massive head and bumped his nose to my back, pushing me forward. Emily held her arms open and I hugged her.
Jacob and Sam stood in the front yard and they were joined by a smaller grey wolf and a sand colored wolf. Emily looked straight at the grey wolf. The grey wolf's eyes fell on me and they scared me. The sandy wolf looked at me and he exposed rows of sharp teeth. I realized it was smiling at me. The grey wolf snorted and turned away, trotting off into the trees. The other wolves ran off, leaving me and Emily alone. We stood there, watching the spot where they left. "Em, let's get inside." Emily and I sat in silence for a long moment. The silence was deafening. Emily cleared her throat, "Ok, we need to do something or we're going to go insane." I feigned a smile, "You're right." Emily went into her kitchen, "I don't know about you, but I cook when I'm upset." My eyebrows shot up, "So do I."
Emily and I cooked for hours, talking at different intervals. "Em, who were those wolves outside? I've never seen them before." Emily looked up at me, from the massive bowl the she was stirring in. "I really can't tell you. The only reason I know is because Sam imprinted on me and there are no secrets between us." I nodded, "Ok, I understand. It's just, the way the grey wolf was looking at me. He was so angry. And the sandy wolf, he was funny." Emily smiled, "Well, that's how they are." The sun was high in the sky, when Emily and I heard movement outside the house. I looked up, "They could be back." She and I ran for the front door. In the front yard, the Jacob wolf was looking back and forth, searching through the trees. "Jake?" He didn't look at me. His head snapped forward and he snarled. He sprinted towards the trees and a silver blur flew through the air, behind Jacob. The blur became solid as it stared at me. It was the vampire I met at the wedding. The one with the younger girl. He stared at me and Emily and smiled. Jacob charged him from behind. The vampire turned and, in a swift motion, and knocked Jacob back through the trees. The sound of wood creaking and trees falling filled the air. From behind me and Emily, cold hands clamped down on our shoulders, making us buckle to our knees. "Bree, leave the scarred one. We just want Bella." My eyes widened. "But, Riley, I'm thirsty." From the corner of my eye, I saw the small girl lean towards Emily.
"No! Leave her alone!" The girl tightened her grip on my shoulder, making me gasp in pain. The ground beneath my knees trembled, as Jacob ran back from the trees. The vampire named Riley looked back, "Annoying creature." Jacob charged forward, with his teeth bared and a roar ripping from his chest, as he went for Riley. Riley put his hands ahead of himself and they made contact with Jacob's chest and he was flung over Riley's head. His body rolled out of sight, on the side of the house. "Jacob!" Emily and I screamed. Riley looked back at us, "Bree, bring Bella and let's go before the others come." Bree knocked Emily down and I heard the impact her head made on the porch floor. I was being pulled away by the collar of my shirt, my feet dragging on along the ground, "Emily!" She wasn't moving and I was being towed away into the dark trees, like in my dream.
