CHAPTER TWO

EMPTY ECHO

As I ran, I could hear people scouring the woods trying to find me. I didn't know how long I could outrun them all. What had happened back there? How was my shield hurting people and why did it only seem to affect Edward, Jasper, Alice and Renesmee? I had no time for answers and it didn't really matter at the moment. I was dangerous and I needed to get away.

That's when I almost ran smack into Jacob in wolf form. I turned and bolted in a panic. He was hot on my tail, but if I could get to a populated area he'd have to stop chasing me. He would never let himself be seen by regular people while he was in wolf form, and he wouldn't dare run around naked in public just to phase into human form to yell at me. Would he?

Jacob caught up to me near Charlie's house in the trees before I could reach the house and he phased into human form. I should have known that Jake wouldn't let a little nudity stop him from trying to save me.

He was trying to talk to me and calm me down. Considering he was standing there stark naked, it was hard to focus when I was trying desperately not to look at him and to find an escape route. Jacob had me backed up against a rock wall. I couldn't let him keep me here and risk hurting Edward and Jasper again. I had to get away.

"Bella! Stop!" Jacob pleaded. "You don't have to run. It's okay."

"Go away, Jake!" I yelled, trying not to look at Jacob's naked form. "You don't know what's happening to me. You all need to stay away!"

"Bella, please, don't do this. Don't push us away. We can help you." Jacob insisted as he approached me.

I tried to run off, but I ended up against a rock wall. I was about to climb it when Jacob grabbed me around the waist. I broke his grip, then turned and shoved him. Jacob somersaulted to a standing position and I thought I could get away, but then Jacob's words halted my exit.

"If you leave, Edward will die." Jacob snarled.

I froze and Jacob continued.

"You and I both know that he can't live without you. He won't live without you. Think of what you are sentencing him to if you leave, Bella." Jacob begged. At first I thought Jacob was just using these words as a tactic to stop me, but he sounded really angry. I didn't know that he cared so much about Edward, or really at all, for that matter.

I turned to Jacob, my mind a boiling sea of rage and fear. "It's no worse than his sentence if I stay." I hissed. Couldn't he see what a mess I was? Hadn't he seen what I was doing to everyone back at the house? Why did he always have to be so damned persistent!

"And Renesmee? You would abandon her too?" Jacob said with disgust.

My eyes darted, seeing nothing as I tilted my head back and screamed. "Do you think I want this?"

I had to keep it together. Edward was coming. I knew it wouldn't be long until he got here. I had to do something, I had to get away.

Being faster than the others, Edward did get there first. I became frantic and backed into the wall and panicked. I lunged to push Jacob across the clearing into Edward. I hoped to stop them both long enough for me to at least get a head start before Jacob could phase and Edward could come tearing after me.

Edward was too far away to stop me in time. I thought I could get away without hurting anyone, but I was wrong. There would be no turning back from this.

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