Seth was outside, pacing back and forth; or should I say…wolf-Seth. He had transformed and I assumed it was out of anger. I exhaled deeply and he finally looked up. There was a twinkle of expectation in his eyes and I rolled mine at the ground.
"Well that was just extremely awkward," I mumbled under my breath, running my hands through my hair as I walked down to him. He was still shifting awkwardly on his paws, whining.
"Sorry I'm a magnet for drama," I mumbled to him as I reached out and stroked his nose. He whined again, leaning into my touch. "I know. Thanks for being so nice," I smiled, kissing his nose. He whimpered and I kissed his nose again. Now his tongue lolled out of his mouth and I could see a smile on his face.
"Need some pants?" I asked him. His giant head nodded. I giggled, and tiptoed into the house. Everyone was gone. Either they went off somewhere else, or they hid somewhere. Locating his pants quickly, I was back to him in an instant, finding that he was waiting for me patiently in his wolf-form. I tossed the clothes at him and he snatched them out of the air, careful not to puncture holes in the fabric with his sharp fangs.
He trotted behind a cluster of trees, transformed back, slipped his clothes on, and came back to me dressed; well almost fully dressed…shirts weren't usually commonly found in werewolf packs… His arms quickly and unexpectedly flew around me and pulled me into an iron-bear-hug. I gasped for breath and struggled to pull away. When he finally did set me back on the ground, there was distress in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"'bout what?"
"'bout keeping you here…It'd probably be safer in La Push. They wouldn't mind us being there; and they'd love kicking some vampire butt," he explained. I rolled my eyes.
"I should be saying sorry! I'm sorry I came," I mumbled, and gasped as he pulled me into another bear-hug.
"Don't be sorry!" he whined, and I felt myself being lifted up into the air and twirled around in a circle. I felt like I was in one of those sappy, princess and prince fall in love, movies. I blushed at the thought. When Seth set me back down, the blood gradually resumed circulating throughout my body.
I twined my arms around his neck, staring him seriously in the eyes.
"I wouldn't have gotten you into all this mess. You and Jacob's pack, and Sam's pack, and the Cullens," I sighed. He huffed again and kissed my cheek tenderly.
Seth snorted.
"I'd find you sooner or later, you know?" he grinned. I smiled, leaning my head against his shoulder.
"I'm glad," I murmured.
We stood in silence for just a little while. I held him and he held me, and I couldn't help but feel the loving warmth between the two of us.
Finally the silence was broken: "So is there any chance I could still see La Push before my impending doom?" I asked him, trying to sound as nonchalant about my death as possible. There was a low rumbling in his chest and I rubbed his back to try and calm him down a bit. It worked. He took a few deep breaths and then he was fine.
"Ignoring the last part," he began in a very dark and solemn tone. "Yeah, sure! Why not? I mean, I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind. If he did, my mom would probably kick his butt," he finished in a much lighter, Seth-like, cheery tone. I smiled back at him, just widening his smile when I kissed him fully on the mouth.
Seth asked Jacob first, who was very kind enough – he must've been in a better mood all of a sudden – to agree, to ask Sam; since the Alphas in the pack were the only wolves of separate packs that were allowed to communicate "telepathically." Same said, through Jacob, that we were allowed. Seth was very happy to hear this, considering it had been a while since he had spoken to his mother, Sue Clearwater.
We were walking hand-in-hand toward the territorial border of La Push. It was nice doing this, but soon enough I knew Seth would get a bit impatient and – in the kindest, most polite way that is verbally possible – ask if he could carry me the rest of the way; the rest of the way to the border and then through the residential area of La Push to the beach. I'd never been to First Beach before, and was quite excited.
"It's really beautiful at sunset, Eliza! We should stay and see it! Um, but only if that's alright with you," he inquired.
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "Why'd I have a problem with it? I love the beach! Well, uh, except for the part where sand gets in some places where, er…you get what I mean," I mumbled the end with embarrassment. I seemed to talk way too much around Seth. Gosh, how stereotypical was that!
He laughed.
"Yeah, I get it. We might be there for a couple hours if you want to see the sunset, s'that okay?"
I nodded.
"That's fine with me."
"Cool. Hey, uh…"
He stopped us and turned to face me. I smiled up at him and he blushed down at me.
"I'm really anxious to see Mom again, but I don't want to rush you or anything…if you want to walk it's alright, but-"
"Naw, it's fine with me. Uck, stop being so polite!" I teased him, nudging his side with my elbow. He swayed to the side and then straightened back up, nudging me with his own elbow. We laughed until I was flung safely on to his back and held him for dear life as he burst into his inhuman sprint.
I absolutely loved the thrill of the wind rushing around us; through every crack of space left between us; sculpting around our bodies as Seth ran. It was chilly but hard to dislike because it was so calming at the same time. Seth's pulse was the only thing I could hear right now. My face was buried in his neck. I wondered if he minded or not, my warm breath against his skin. It might feel cold to him, against his burning skin. I remembered Seth telling me something, like, he ran a temperature of 107° F or something…yeah, that hot.
I was introduced to Sue Clearwater, Seth and Leah's mom, who was at her house reading when we arrived (apparently this was surprising to Seth because she was usually at Charlie Swan's house). She greeted me with a cold, distant smile. Her eyes never left Seth. She had that look of warning on her face whenever she glanced over at me.
"She doesn't like me," I observed.
We were standing in the shallow area of the waters. My sweatpants were rolled up to my ankles so that they didn't get too wet when the waves receded and then pressed forward, crashing into our legs. On numerous occasions, I had to hold on to Seth's shoulder so that I wouldn't get knocked over.
"That's not true," Seth said hesitantly. I knew he was lying.
"Lots of people don't like me. I'm guessing your mom doesn't 'cause you imprinted on me," I assumed, whispering the word "imprint."
Seth sighed.
"Does it really matter what other people think? Sure, it gets kinda annoying sometimes, but why should we care?" he mumbled, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
"'Cause…y'know how you were talking about the whole, 'our future' thing? Well…so was I and…" I took a deep breath. "If - and strictly if - I stay…I think it'd be nice if I had a few friends other than you, Bella, and Alice. Not to sound greedy or anything, but you get my gist," I explained.
"Yeah. That'd be cool. But y'know, they'll all lighten up once your Hunters are gone," he shrugged.
"So you're okay with the plan?" I looked up at him questionably.
He shrugged his shoulders, his brows knitting together in a very cute scowl.
"I'd be happier if you lured Aaron away in particular just so I could kill him," he admitted.
"But they'd come after me anyways, you know that. That's the whole reason they'd be here; to kill me. I doubt Aaron would be the only one who wasn't distracted by the Cullens. I just hope Alice will get the Volturi over here in time," I sighed, rubbing his chest.
"Yeah…but…" he trailed off. There was no way he could maneuver around my counter-reply. His scowl didn't go away yet.
"'But' nothing. I'll be fine. I promise. I'll be with Bella and Alice. They won't let the Volturi hurt me," I shrugged.
"Assuming the Volturi get there and choose to rid of your Hunters first before going after you," he mentioned. I rolled my eyes.
"Be happy. And thanks for the optimism on my safety." My tone had very thick sarcasm to it.
"I'm sorry, I'm just saying. I'm trying to tell you all the possibilities. It's kind of hard, y'know. There're a few good things and a few flaws too. For one, the Volturi plus another fifteen vampires? I dunno, Eliza," he said with much uncertainty.
"Well the Volturi are supposed to be the good guys," I reminded him. He rolled his eyes.
"The only vampires I consider 'good-guys' are the Cullens," he told me. I set my head against his chest and smiled at the warmth.
"You get what I mean. I'll be fine. I promise you," I said firmly.
"Wanna bet on it?" Seth suggested quickly. He had a wide grin on his face.
I frowned.
"Bet what?"
"I can bet you that something's going to happen and you're gonna get hurt."
I frowned. He was so pessimistic; like he knew he wouldn't be able to protect me or something. I wasn't so worried about my death as long as Seth was safe and healthy and happy.
"Fine. What's at stake?"
Who knows? This could be fun.
He thought about it for a moment, rocking me from side to side while he thought.
"If you stay out of trouble the entire time your Hunters are here… then I'll owe you my soul," he began and I giggled. He ignored this, staring into my eyes deeply as he thought again. "But if you get hurt or injured or anything at all, then…" he trailed off as he thought. He began rocking me from side to side again and I rested my head back against his chest.
"I'll give you my heart and soul. I'll show you how much I love you in the best way that I can," I finished for him. He looked down at me, astonished, his eyes wide. "That's my offer…but you can change it if you want," I added in a mumble. Seth suddenly scowled.
"Mm… you make my offer sound like crap compared to yours," he pouted. I scoffed, a smile playing across my face and soon his. I held his face in my hands and kissed him lightly. It was a very timid, relaxed, Seth-like kiss.
"I'm sorry?" I giggled.
"You better be," he mumbled through my lips. His hot breath warmed my face as it blew against me.
"Can I do something to make it better?" I breathed after pulling away. My hands were rested on his chest now, my head against his collarbone. His arms remained snaked around my waist; surprisingly petite compared to his.
"Make your offer not so…tempting," he grumbled.
I blushed.
"Why?"
"'Cause otherwise I'll want to get you hurt," he threatened. A delighted, startled, and yet all at the same time scared gasp came from me next.
"Ouch!" I teased, but the expression of pain and agony on Seth's face totally wiped away my attempt to joke around. "Hey, what's up?" I placed a hand on his cheek and he leaned into my touch. My voice was full of concern. Seth just grinned at me.
"Nothin'," he shrugged. I looked at him skeptically and he blushed. "Seriously! Nothing's 'up'!" he exclaimed, raising his hands in defense. The next wave that hit us nearly knocked me down; it wouldn't have if Seth's arms were around me at the moment. But I caught myself in due time, before I dragged the both of us down into the salty water.
We rocked back and forth in silence for a while, until I opened my mouth again to speak-
"So why not your heart?"
Seth stared down at me with confusion.
"Hm?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. Why not your heart?" I tried to put on the best façade of disappointment and hurt.
Seth panicked for a second as he tried to put together what I was saying. Then his eyes widened, and then abruptly softened. A little warm smile snuck across his lips and he kissed me gently with it.
"You mean why I didn't offer my heart and soul?"
I nodded. "'Cause then your offer won't be crap compared to mine. It'd be the same," I mumbled in a tiny voice, with a very tiny grin.
Seth just chuckled and while my hands returned to his chest, he drew his up to my face. It wasn't the most stable thing considering the waves were getting a bit more violent, but the way he held my face was secure and gentle all at the same time. He brought his face just an inch or so from mine. One slightly movement and our lips would collide. I liked to think of that.
His eyes bore into mine, his sweet breath knocking every last trace of common sense from me.
"Because you already have my heart, Eliza."
And my heart totally stopped. It sputtered a bit before restarting, but when it did, it just stopped all over again when Seth pressed his lips to mine.
"You have ever since the moment I laid eyes on you," he moaned, pressing his lips even more firmly against mine. This was our second passionate kiss. Unlike the first, still. His tongue traced along my lips and then twined with mine, and before I knew it, my arms were around his neck and he had lifted me up against his waist. We were, or should I say he was, suddenly walking out of the water, and he laid me down on a beach towel we borrowed from his mom's house.
When we broke apart, I was gasping for air. Seth's breathing was fine, but the color of his face was another story. Across his usually-tan cheeks was a very thick layer of tomato-red. He was blushing more than I had ever seen him blush. Consequentially, this just made me blush.
I opened my mouth to speak, but suddenly he rolled off and was beside me; sitting next to me, his hands clutching the sides of his head.
"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" he apologized, smacking himself on the head. "Doh! You're so stupid, Seth! So stupid!" He growled at himself in a harsh whisper. I waited for him to calm down and then I placed a hand on his shoulder.
He looked at me when I said his name.
"It's fine, Seth. I liked it. It was pretty romantic, y'know?" I assured him. He grumbled something under his breath.
"That was too forward," he said. I scoffed. I had snapped.
"Whatever! I don't care, Seth! Are you seriously upset because you kissed your girlfriend?" I groaned frustratingly.
He blushed, and now it was his turn to wait while I calmed down. I did, taking slow and deep breaths.
"You don't mind if I kiss you like that?" he asked sheepishly. I blushed down, leaning toward him and closing my eyes. He did the same, and we kissed just like moments before.
When we broke part, I was being held in his arms.
"C'mon. Let's get back home. We've got a big day tomorrow, huh?" Seth whispered into my ear as he picked me up. We dried off our legs and I slipped my shoes back on. We walked back toward Sue Clearwater's house was, and then Seth picked me up and he ran back to the Cullens.
We were outside when we went to sleep. I had showered and put on a whole new pair of clothes. I mean, there is some logic in that; say the vampires came in the middle of the night? I wasn't about to run a couple miles in my pajamas!
I pulled a blanket over me and snuggled up against Seth's warm fur. Sighing happily, I closed my eyes. Seth's head was beside me and he was constantly bugging me by poking me with his nose.
"Ack! Seth, stop!" I complained, and I heard a little wheezy snicker coming from my wolfy-boyfriend.
"You're not a very nice werewolf. Big bully," I teased, punching his hide. He whined, nudging me with his nose again. "Ugh, c'mon Seth! We need to sleep! It's gonna be a long day tomorrow. Hey, wake me up when you do, okay?"
He whimpered, and I kissed his nose.
"Okay?" I asked again. Now he nodded his head with a big grin. I sighed exhaustedly and rested my head back on his shoulder. He curled up around me and we both fell asleep.
So that was it. Tomorrow I would die. Tomorrow I would meet Vincent and Aaron and the others in the fields and they would kill me. Then the Volturi would come and hopefully destroy them all. Or maybe it would go the other way around. Maybe they wouldn't kill me. Maybe the Volturi would show up early and help the Cullens and the werewolf packs kill my Hunters, and then the Volturi would kill me. Either way, I would die; either way I would be out there. And I would die for Seth. For Seth's safety and for the safety of the Cullens. Sure…I could live with that…or die with that, if you want to take it literally.
The tension was building, growing, about the burst. We were in the big meadow that Alice and Bella had brought me to. Seth was in wolf form, and no matter how much I tried to convince him that he wasn't supposed to be there, he wouldn't leave my side; not until my Hunters' scents or the Volturi's were in a mile or so distance of the meadow.
Alice and Bella were by my side. Seth was pacing back and forth, whining, his ears drawn back to press against his skull. It was a nice day; not too warm and not too hot. I thought it was nice out. Yeah, a nice day to die, I thought bitterly. Bella's look of concern caught my attention.
"Bella… you can return to Renesmee and Edward y'know," I mumbled. She frowned and was about to open her mouth when I continued, "It's alright. I can take care of myself. I'll run if I have to."
Bella shook her head. "You can't outrun a vampire, Eliza," she reminded me.
I nodded.
"I know. But…you look so worried. And I understand, 'cause y'know, Renesmee and Edward…they're like your own personal 'Seth'," I told her. She smiled, and Seth was suddenly by my side, his tongue rolled out of his mouth and a little smile on his face. He lowered his muzzle into my reach and I wrapped my arms around it.
The little purring had come back. I giggled.
"You really wouldn't mind, Eliza?" Bella asked. I shook my head absently, my eyes closed as I inhaled wolf-Seth's own unique woodsy aroma. I let go of Seth for a moment so that I could hug Bella. She zoomed off after that, and my arms were back around Seth's huge muzzle.
There was silence. The wind whistled by us and the sun was just barely hidden behind the clouds. My upper body was clad in a three-quarter sleeved white-and-teal-striped shirt, and my lower body in jeans. No matter how perfect the weather, I was cold inside.
"Hey, uh… Eliza?" Alice's voice snapped me out of my epiphany. She had a nervous look on her face. "I didn't want to mention this before, but, uh…you know I can't use my gift when I'm around werewolves so do you…maybe…think it's alright-"
"If Seth goes now?" I finished for her. Seth let out a tiny yowl of agony. I shushed him down with a stroke of his long nose.
"Yeah…" Alice mumbled, shuffling her feet and staring at the ground.
I turned to Seth. The look in my eyes said what needed to be done, and the look in Seth's eyes said he clearly did not want to obey.
"Seth…you've gotta go. We need to know when the Volturi and when my Hunters are coming… for that, we need Alice and…for Alice to see her visions…you have to go. Anyways, you said you'd go along with this plan. I'll be fine. I'll prove it to you by owning your soul by the end of the day," I said proudly. Seth snorted; there was a very serious, un-Seth-like look in his eyes. He was frowning; I could tell by the way his eyes were a little closer and his forehead had creased. It softened when his stern look met my expression that mimicked his.
He whimpered, nuzzling my cheek; which was miniscule compared to the size of his cheek. I patted his muzzle again, kissing his nose. Seth turned around and took a few strides away; in this case, three of his strides closed about forty feet. He looked back and I could see the corner of his lip as he tried to smile. It twitched, and then he released a low keen again.
I forced a smile back at him. "Love you more," I called to him. He took another step away, his eyes never leaving mine. "Go on, now. I'll be fine!" I assured him.
Seth loped back into the forest. Parting was such sweet sorrow.
I looked back at Alice. She was sitting on the ground, and I came to sit next to her.
"Better?" I asked quietly, resting a hand on her fashionably-clad shoulder. She nodded, rubbing her temples.
"They're really close by. I'll estimate probably ten more minutes," she breathed.
"Who is 'them'?"
She looked at me.
"Your Hunters."
