FIVE YEARS EARLIER......
BELLA
It was one of the few warm and sunshining days that Forks, Washington had to offer about a month before I was supposed to marry Edward. As much as I hated the idea of getting married just out of high school, I had to admit that I was extremely excited about the whole thing. I loved Edward with my whole heart and soul and couldn't wait to spend eternity with him.
Alice, of course, had gone overboard with the planning of the whole thing. I allowed it because I loved Alice like a sister and didn't want to hurt her feelings. Unfortunately, that meant helping with the plans. Since I was the only human available to help plan the whole thing, I spent a majority of the time picking out what kind of chocolate I liked best for the cake or what kind of chicken I liked best for the entrees. I also had to deal with dress fittings and all that frivolous stuff.
It was rather annoying, especially since I had just spent the last week with some of the last minute details. I loved Alice to death and really didn't want to upset her but she was taking me away from my precious time with Edward. I knew we had all of eternity to be together but with everything that's been going on lately- between Alice needed my help with the preparations and Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper taking Edward away for some other family traditions and the family having to hunt every other weekend- the eternity that Edward and I were about to sharen seemed like a million mikles away.
Which was why Edward told his family that morning that he was taking me somewhere and we were not to be interuptted unless it was a dire emergency. He also insisted that we both leave our cell phones at home. If the family needed us, they had their ways of getting to us.
That's how we found ourselves lying in each other's embraces in the meadow. We laid there basking in our love for each other not saying a word. Edward would occassionally lean over and kiss some part of my body.
"So where are you taking me for our honeymoon?" I asked with a sly smile on my face as I gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Nice try but I'm not going to spoil the surprise, love." he smirked and kissed me back.
"Well, I figured since I didn't like surprises, you would..." I stated.
"Once again, nice try but I promise you that you will like this one." He replied then he leaned over and kissed me full on the mouth.
He had been slowly breaking his carefully coined rules for the past couple months. He thought that it would make things easier when the time came for us to try it for the first time. Taking the chance I had, because I didn't know how much longer it would last, I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. He kissed me with more passion than he ever had before and it felt amazing. That was until I felt him stiffen in my arms. Then he let out a low and threatening growl before pulling away from me.
"I'm sorry." I said worried that I had gone too far and he was angry. "I guess I still have a lot of work..."
He put his finger to my lips before I had a chance to finish my sentence.
"It's not you." He whispered. "Jacob's here and by the sound of his thoughts, it isn't a social visit."
He jumped up and dropped into a crouch position as Jacob stepped out of the trees.
"I should've known better than to think I could sneak up on you, bloodsucker." he said.
My heart filled with happiness as I jumped up behind Edward. If I hadn't been so happy to see Jacob after so many weeks, I probably would've noticed that the tension bewtween the two was much worse than usual. I would've also noticed that he was shaking nearly uncontrollable but all I saw was my best friend coming back.
I made to run towards him to give him a welcome back hug and tell him how wonderful it was to see him. Before I had even gone two steps, Edward flung his arm out in front of me and stopped me from going any further.
"Edward, it's fine. It's just Jake." I said struggling against him.
"No, Bella, it's not fine." Edward answered. "He isn't safe."
"What are you talking about?" I asked him.
"He didn't come here for a reunion." Edward answered. "Why don't you tell her what you did come, Jacob?"
"What's he talking about Jacob?" I asked turning my attention back to Jacob.
"Well, I've had a lot of time to think in the past couple weeks and I've decided that if I can't have you then I'll make it so he won't be able to have you either." Jacob answered with a twisted smile on his face.
I was confused by his words. I didn't understand what he meant by that. I turned back to Edward as panic and fear started to seep into my body.
"He wants to kill me." Edward clarified. My heart dropped into my chest as I turned my attention back to Jacob.
"You can't be serious Jake." I said. "What do you think that will accomplish? It's not like I'm going to want you if Edward's gone! Especially if you're the one who took him away from me."
"I thought about that one too." Jacob replied. "And I know that you won't want me anymore but I really don't care. I figure, if I have to be miserable than you can be too."
"Jake, think about this. You don't wanna let Sam or your pack down, do you?" I pleaded.
"Like I care what they think anymore." He replied with a smirk. "The only person's opinion of me that I ever cared about was yours. And now that doesn't even matter anymore."
"Bella," Edward stated. "Go back to the car, please. If I know Alice, she's already seen this and the family's on the way. Wait for them. The go back to the hosue with Esme. I'll deal with him."
"No." I stated. "I'm not going to leave you alone now. Not when he's crazy like this."
"Bella, I'll be fine. Just go. Please." he repeated.
"You should listen to him Bella. I really doubt that he'll wanna let you see him get his ass kicked." Jacob taunted.
"No, you asshole, I don't want to see her hurt and that's exactly what happens when a young mutt like you, loses control."
"Ha!" Jacob half laughed. "I seem to remember a time when you didn't mind to see her hurt."
Silence fell between the two of them. I wasn't sure what was happening until I noticed the look in Edward's face. I had only seen that tortured look in his eyes twice. The first time when Jane was torturing him in Volterra and when Jacob was thinking...
"Jacob, stop it now!" I growled at him.
"Or what Bella?" He taunted. "Are you going to try to fight me? To hurt me? The last time you tried that, you ended up hurting yourself. You have to remember that I'm a werewolf and you're nothing more than a pathetic human."
"Don't call her that!" Edward said. "She has more guts and courage that a pathetic and cowardly mutt like you!"
The next couple seconds happened very fast. Jacob lunged. One second, I was looking at my best friend flying through the air, the next there was the sound of ripping clothes filled the air and a brown russet wolf was suddenly where Jacob had been. Edward pushed me back and I fell to the ground as he crouched in front of me.
"GO NOW!" he growled out before jumping at Jacob.
I knew there was no arguing with him after that so I ran towards the trees and prayed that I was going in the direction. The sounds of the fight where lost to me as I ran toward where I thought we parked the volvo.
I didn't know how long I ran but I finally some how managed to make it back to the spot where the volvo was. I was so relieved by actually finding the right place that I collasped to my knees as I clutched a stitch in my side.
I felt a cold hand on my shoulder after a minute and looked up to see Alice kneeling beside me with a look of utter concern on her face.
ALICE
I was sitting in my room going through some details of the wedding. Details that I didn't need Bella and Edward for because they just had to spend some time together today. Which didn't leave me with much to plan.
Rosalie, Esme, and I did a sizing on our dresses while I made sure the boys' tuxes were ready for us. We had to pick them up the next week and what not. There wasn't much else I could do from there. I went over a few of the reservations and made checked on the seating chart. That was about all I could think to do.
Which is why I decided instead, to order some things for the honeymoon. I knew Bella wouldn't be too happy when she first saw them but she would appreciate it later.
I had already spent around five hundred dollars on some of the best outfits money could by when I got the strangest feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. I didn't know what so I took a little peek into the futures of my loved ones.
Everyone came back safe until I looked at Bella and Edward. There future was completely blank. Which could only mean one thing....
"CARLISLE!" I yelled as I ran down the stairs.
"What is it, Alice?" Carlisle asked coming in from the kitchen.
"We need to get to Edward and Bella in the meadow." I stated a slight panic coming from my voice.
"Why what's happened?" he asked.
"I got a bad feeling so I looked into there future and saw nothing." I stated.
"What do you mean nothing?"
"Exactly what I said. It came out all black. And you know what that means."
"Werewolves."
"You and I both know that it's just one wolf, Carlisle. And I have a feeling that it isn't going to end well."
"Okay, we need to get to them." Carlisle stated. "Can you call them? You know, to give them a heads up?"
"I can't. Edward said they were leaving their cells at home so we wouldn't be able to bother them." I replied.
"Of course." Carlisle replied. "Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, get out here now!"
The rest of the family surrounded us in no time.
"What's up?" Emmett asked.
"Edward and Bella are in trouble and we need to get to the meadow, now." I stated.
"Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, take the jeep and Esme and I will follow in my car." Carlisle explained taking charge.
Everyone nodded in agreement and moved to do what we were told. I jumped into the back of the jeep, praying that we wouldn't be too late.
We pulled into the short dirt driveway to the entrance of trees were Edward parked his volvo about ten minutes later. The first thing I saw was Bella sitting on the ground clutching her side and gasping for air. I was out of the car and on the ground by her side in less than a second.
BELLA
"Bella, what happened?" Alice questioned in a state of near panic.
"Jacob came back." I gasped out. "He said that if he couldn't have me then he'd make sure Edward couldn't either. Then he attacked and Edward made me run. I don't know what happened."
Tears started falling as I tried to catch my breath and cry at the same time.
"Where were they?" Carlisle, who had dropped by my side too, asked.
"The meadow." I replied.
"Okay, Esme, would you take Bella back to the house and get her calmed please?" Carlisle asked.
"NO!" I yelled before Esme had a chance to answer. "I want to go with you guys. I have to know that he's okay."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Carlisle replied.
"There's seven of you and one of him." I stated looking at him in earnest. "I think I'll be alright."
Carlisle sighed but nodded hi agreement.
"Jasper, would you please, take carry her for us?" he asked.
"Of course." Jasper replied and bent down so I could crawl onto his back.
We took off the second I was situated. I closed my eyes and buried my head into Jasper shoulder blade, just like I did whenever Edward would run with me. I wasn't sure how long we ran before Jasper put me down. However, I didn't need his power to sense the sudden change in mood before I even opened my eyes.
I could feel the atmosphere change from fear and worry to anger and pain. When I finally got the courage to open my eyes, I regretted it. I found myself staring at a human Jacob. He was shirtless but had a fresh pair of shorts on, he was wearing a sadistic but triumphant smile as he stood in front of a fire which digusting smelling smoke was billowing out of. Panic seized my body as I searched the scene fruitlessly for Edward.
My heart plunged into my stomach when I realized that he wasn't there. I shook my head unable to believe what had just happened. My Jacob wouldn't have done something like this? My Jacob wasn't a monster? Did I turn him into this?
I stood there in shock as I listened to the outraged growls of my family members. I knew they were all angry and wanted nothing more than to attack. The refrained, however, out of respect for Carlisle, Sam, and the treaty.
"What did you do, Jacob?" I asked trying to control my quavering voice.
"I told you Bella, that I make it so he couldn't have you either." Jacob smirked.
All of my emotions in that moment compbound together to create a rage unlike anything that I had ever felt in my life. All I saw was red. I found myself running at Jacob, my hands outstretched for his throat.
It didn't matter that I was running at a werewolf who could probably snap me in half before I landed a punch. Nor did it matter that the werewolf was my best friend. All that matter was the werewolf had destroyed the love of my life and he needed to pay. He needed to die. It was the only way to make things right.
"Jasper, stop her!" I heard Alice yell in panic as Jacob's body started shaking.
The next second, I felt cold strong arms around my waist and I was being pulled back against my will.
"No Jasper!" I yelled. "Let me go! He killed Edward! He needs to die!"
I struggled fruitlessly against him as he pulled me further back and held me tighter. I stopped only when Carlisle spoke,
"Jacob Black, you have murdered a member of my family without justification and that is a breach of the treaty. Which would normally mean war." He voice sounded so strong and angry. I was surprised that he wasn't pummelling Jacob. "But out of respect for Sam and the treaty, we're not going to attack. I'm pretty sure that Sam had no idea about this. However, he will find out. As for you, though, I would suggest that you leave and not come back. I'm not sure if will be able to show restraint the next time one of us sees you."
Jacob stated at us for a moment as if he was seriously considering taking all of us on. He, however, decided against it and ran off into the woods.
I collapsed to the ground in front of me sobbing uncontrollably. I wasn't even down there for a minute before I felt Jasper wrap his cold and strong arms around me. I felt him try to us his ability to calm me but there was just too much sadness and grief there for it to work.
In the end, Jasper resorted to doing it the human way, he started to rock me, stroke my hair, and whisper comforting things. None of this did any good. Edward was gone and my life was over. There was no consoling me now.
ALICE
I stared at the stop of smoldering ash that was once my brother lost in grief and sorrow. I couldn't believe that he was gone, it didn't make sense. He was finally happy for the first time in over a century. He had found his mate and was going to get married in less than a month. Why did he have to be taken away from that happiness? Why did he have to be taken away from us?
It wasn't fair. He had been one of the best people I knew. He was kind and funny and caring. Why did he deserve to have his life ripped away from him by one jealous wolf. It just wasn't right.
And what about Bella. What did she do to deserve to have the love of her life ripped away from her. Hell, what did we do to deserve our son and brother to get ripped away from us?
It just didn't make any sense. I knew there was a reason for everything. This esistence taught me that but I couldn't find a reason for this. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Why? I just couldn't wrap my mind around this.
I looked around at the rest of the family as they stood there lost in their own grief, ignoring the vision that had been trying to push it's way through for the last ten minutes. Rosalie and Emmett were standing about five feet away from the pile of ashes. Rosalie had her face buried in Emmett's shoulder, her body was racking with sobs. Emmett was looking solemn and doing his best to comfort her. Esme and Carlisle were in pretty the same position except Carlisle had his face buried in Esme's neck and they were both sobbing.
Jasper and Bella were on the ground a few feet away from the others. Bella was on the ground sobbing uncontrollably as Jasper held her. The selfish part of me was angry that he wasn't comforting me. I was his mate after all. However, the bigger part of me knew that Bella had needed him more than I did. Yes, we had all lost a brother, son, and friend but Bella, she lost a mate. That was something that one almost never got over.
As the truth sank in, grief overcame me and I dropped to my knees. Unable to fight it anymore, I burried my head in my hands and gave into the vision that was nearly attacking me.
I watched as Bella folded up a piece of paper and linked arms with Carlisle. I heard music playing from outside the room the were in. The two stepped out the door and into the lavishly decorated backyard of what looked to be our home in Alaska. She was wearing the dress that she was supposed to wear for her wedding with Edward. Curious as to who she was about to marry, I looked up to see Jasper at the alter smiling as his bride walked toward him.
I came back to the present in a bit of shock. I didn't understand what that was about. Were Jasper and Bella meant to be together? Was that the reason that Edward had to die?
But why? Why did Edward have to die? Why couldn't fate just have found a way to put them together without the tragedy? And if Bella and Jasper are meant to be together then where would that leave me? Alone?
A/N: What do you think? I hope this one was a bit stronger than the prolouge. Well, I hope you enjoy. Please review.
