Chapter 24 – Too Late

We ran along the treaty line. Jacob was attacked by the vampire and I saw it through the wolves' minds. Emmett and Jasper were along with me. Seth, get to Emily and check on her. Do not leave her alone. One of the younger wolves ran off. The wolves did not know where these vampires were taking Bella and I was getting anxious. I found their trail. They're taking her to the cliffs. My eyes widened. Sam, Em's fine. I'll take her inside, then change back. Sam was getting ready to head towards the cliffs. "Sam!" He looked back at me, "Please, let us come with you." Absolutely not! No Cullens are allowed on our land! The black wolf glared at me. Emmett and Jacob stood behind me and readied themselves. "Sam, we want to do this honorably. We can help you." We don't need your help. Sam turned away, Stay on your side. We can handle this. Sam took several steps away. My foot itched to step over the line, but Emmett's hand clamped down on my shoulder. Edward, the treaty. I sighed, but my mind was half-crazed. "Sam! She's my Emily." Sam's foot halted in mid-air. "I can't stay here knowing she's in danger. Could you do the same if it was Emily?" Sam's mind drifted to the sight of his unconscious love. He thought about the pain in his heart it caused him to see her hurt.

"Sam, I love her and I can't lose her. Not again. I swear to you, once this is over, we will never come onto your land again." He huffed, We save Bella, then you get back to your side. I exhaled in relief and my mind began to clear, "Thank you." I nodded to Emmett and Jasper. We followed Sam to where Bella was being held hostage. The vampires were being pursued by two other wolves. They followed Bella's scent, marred by the scent of her captors. I saw through the pursuing wolf's mind, that Bella was struggling against her captors hold, as they dragged her body along the ground. They're getting closer to the cliffs. Of all the voices in Sam's mind, this one surprised me; it was a woman's among all the men's voices. I am with the Cullens and we are heading to the cliffs to cut them off. I told Emmett and Jasper the plan. Don't worry, Edward. We'll get to her in time. The air ripped with howls, I can't believe he let them on our land. We could handle this without them. Sam was getting annoyed, Enough. Focus. The female wolf was getting closer and she heard their voices. "Victoria got herself killed. It wasn't my fault." "She hunted you, because you and the Cullens hurt her for no reason." "No reason? Her mate decided to hunt me for sport and got himself killed. That's why Victoria hunted me." "Her mate? I was her mate." "She lied to you. Her mate was James." The female wolf finally got to the cliffs. She was Bella lying on the ground, with the male vampire clutching at her throat. He released her and Bella looked at the wolf with pleading eyes. Leah, do not attack them on your own. I made out the way to the cliffs. I pushed myself past Sam, leaving Emmett and Jasper behind.

I made it to the cliffs and I saw her. The girl picked Bella up off the ground and held her arm, angling her body over the edge of the cliff. Emmett, Jasper and Sam finally made it to the cliffs. More wolves joined us; a large silver grey one, a chocolate brown and a russet one. Let me at him! The russet wolf stepped forward. Jacob, Sam ordered, stand your ground. Jacob grumbled to himself, but obeyed. This is for you, Victoria. The male vampire was clearly ignorant to the truth. "Riley, Bella was telling you the truth. Victoria was lying to you. She loved James and they were both foolish enough to come after Bella. They're both dead and together again. Don't be as stupid as them." "Riley, let's hurry this up. I'm thirsty." The girl looked at Bella, Since she's going to die anyway and she smells good. It's a shame to let all that blood to go to waste. The girl bared her teeth at Bella. "Bree, not yet. Soon." Bree snapped her jaw shut and looked at us, Not soon enough. Jacob stepped forward and Bree saw him. "Ah-ah," she leaned Bella further over the cliffs. She gasped in fear, looking down at the waters. Jacob! Stand down! Jacob drew his muzzle back and growled at the pair.

Jasper was making strategic plans for the layout we were faced with. If one of us could get behind them, we could get Bella out of here and eliminate those two. But that was the challenge; none of us could get behind them. If they hurt her in anyway, I'll take them both down myself. Emmett wanted Bella away from them and soon. "Riley," I held my hands up in surrender, "she has done nothing to you. Let her go." Riley smirked, "Poor choice of words." Moving quickly, he nodded to Bree and she released Bella's arm. My eyes widened as I heard Bella's scream and saw her body fall from sight. "NO!" Bree jumped over the cliff after Bella. I heard the booming splash of their impact. Before Riley turned around, Sam and I charged him. Emmett and the large grey wolf lept over the cliffs.


My eyes were fixed on Edward to the last moment. The hard fingers released me and I had no footing. I was falling. The sound of the air filled my ears so much that I couldn't hear my own screams. My hair whipped around my face as I fell towards the dark waters below. Looking up, I saw the girl spiraling towards me, smiling. She wrapped her arms around my body as I reached the water. The water was cold and dark, but I could see the bubbles leaving my mouth. I had no breath to wrap my lips around. I reached for the surface, but the stone arms around me were pulling me to the ocean floor. I thrashed against her hold, but it did nothing. My struggling slowed. All I saw was something bright coming towards. I knew it was the girl's teeth. She was getting ready to bite me. I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was alone and going to die. I blinked slowly as my body went limp. Edward, I love you. All I felt now was the cold. The icy water pierced my body like a thousand knives. It filled my mouth and went down my throat. There was no escape. Bree was going to kill me. If she didn't, the dark water would. My body was numb from the cold of the water.

My body was suddenly jerked in another direction. I was floating; the arms that felt like anchors were gone. I was knocked into something hard and warm. My head bobbed, as it felt like something was pulling me in another direction, making a straight path. My body was against something warm and it was getting hotter, warming me in the cold water. I couldn't tell if my eyes were opened or closed. What ever I was against, it pulled my body until I broke the surface. "Hang on, Bell!" This voice was familiar. I was being pulled again, but I couldn't tell which direction. Behind my eyes, I could see light, but I couldn't open them. I was too weak. Against my face, it was colder. I knew my head was out of the water and the wind smacked into my face. I tried to blink and all I saw a blurred vision, "Bella! Hold on!"


Sam, Jacob and the female wolf watched the body burn. They got her! My head snapped in the direction where they got Bella out of the water. Jasper and I ran through the unfamiliar land, but I got a good idea of its layout from the wolves' minds. Jacob was behind us. Is she all right? Dammit, Paul, phase back. We made it to the beach. Along the shore, I saw the russet skinned boy carrying Bella's body out of the water, followed by Emmett. I stood a few feet away from him, "Give her to me!" Paul grimaced at me. "No, Edward," Jasper calmed me, "She needs his body heat to get better." I watched as Paul lowered her body to the ground. He pressed his fingers into her throat, "Her pulse is slow." He gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation and did chest compressions. Those moments when Paul acted to save her life were the longest ones of my life. I only felt this way once before; as Carlisle worked over Bella to save her life after James attacked her. Like the last time, I felt useless to save her life. I had to rely on another to revived Bella.

I fell to my knees as her heart faltered. Paul was determined to save Bella. He didn't stop compressing her chest. "Come on! Stop being stubborn!" With that last word, his hands drove hard down on her chest and she gasped. A torrent of water flowed out of her mouth as her turned her body over on its side. She rolled back on her back, breathing on her own. She coughed weakly. Jasper stepped past me, "Bella, Bella, can you hear me?" She barely opened her eyes. She's fine, Edward. Just exhausted. We don't know how long she was under the water. "Jacob." Jasper looked down at her. "Jacob." She was calling for Jacob. Jacob Black, not me. Jacob strode over to her and took her up in his arms, holding her close to his body, "I'm right here, Bella." I stayed frozen to where I fell. She didn't want me. She wanted Jacob. In that moment, I knew. She made her choice.