AN: This was pre-read by babylopez2008- thanks for returning it so quickly! If I get a beta-ed version, I will update with that.

Thanks also to april666king, sujari6, Humble4, TeamEdward4Ever23, juney83uk, team jazper, khartgrove513, DreamOfTheEndless, and IcarusToSun for all of your kind reviews. I loved reading each one.

I received my 100th review this week. Thank you so much to everyone who has left one!

Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

Enjoy...

Bella

I try to sleep, but it's no use. The events of today haunt me when I attempt to close my eyes.

I've been wondering why I took Edward's admission of not being human so calmly. I think I handled it well, although I did end up running away. Maybe that's because I don't know if I believe it completely. I mean, I should believe it, right? I saw what the other one was capable of today.

I thought I lived in a sane and rational world, but now I'm not so sure. How is any of this even possible?

Should I now be worried that there's a… vampire… running around? Is she going to come back for me? It's ironic how over a week ago I wanted my life to end, but now I'm scared of losing it. Edward said he would protect me. I don't know if I can believe him. I want to, but why would he do that for me?

He compared me to a drug. Maybe he wants me all to himself? I don't mean me, I mean my blood.

That thought saddens me. He'll only ever want me for that and nothing else.

Was I hoping for something more with him? We weren't really even friends, more like acquaintances. I can't deny it any longer that I find him attractive, but isn't that a little… I don't know, weird? I mean, he's technically dead. He drinks from humans to survive. He kills people… he's a murderer.

What if I'm next? What if he kills me?

Calm down, Bella. He said he wouldn't hurt you, I think rationally, but nothing about this whole situation is rational in the slightest.

My thoughts are only focused on Edward, but the fact is, the rest of the Cullen's lied to me. Alice, my first friend in this new town, deceived me. That hurts. I knew there was something a little different about them on that first day, but this?

And Dr. Cullen…. He's practicing medicine on people and he's a vampire! Maybe he does it so he's surrounded by a constant supply of snacks. I mean, if he's looking after a guy in a coma, then who would know if he just had a quick bite? He performs surgery on people. He must be surrounded by blood every day. I guess that would be his idea of Heaven.

Then there's Esme… somehow her betrayal stings the most. I confided in her, and she couldn't do the same for me. I haven't even seen her since then. Was she even around today? Why didn't she see how I was? Maybe I'm a temptation to her as well. Maybe she doesn't want to be around me.

As difficult as this is going to be, I resolve myself to stay away from Edward and the rest of the Cullen's. Hanging around with vampires is bound to get me killed, right?

I turn on to my other side in my bed and pull the covers up around my neck. It's not exactly comfortable, but I just need some sleep. I can think things through properly when I wake up.

Hopefully I'll still be alive in the morning.

Edward

It hurt to see her walk away. I didn't want her to. I wanted her to stay with me at all times so I could protect her better. I'm not doing a very good job of it so far.

Thankfully, Alice had the foresight to know that Bella would want to leave when she did. Knowing that she needed some space away from out family, Alice asked Esme to call Charlie to pick her up. He arrived just in time. I'm not able to read his thoughts very well, but he could tell that something had happened to his daughter. He wasn't all that happy about it, obviously.

I wonder if Bella inherited her defensive mind from her father.

Jasper and Emmett decided to give tracking the nomad another go after we received a phone call from Carlisle at the hospital. He had just pronounced the time of death on a male body. He died from blood loss in an animal attack. We knew what that really meant.

A vampire attack.

That could have been Bella…

I can't think like that. I won't allow it to happen. I promised her.

I think Bella's death might just be the end of me too.

How did this happen? Why do I feel this way about her? This wasn't something I anticipated when I planned to return to Forks. I've been stuck in this seventeen year old body for over one hundred years now, and not once have I felt anything close to this. Is it love?

It's difficult for me to admit it, but what else could it be?

I feel my cell vibrate in my pocket. Jasper. Have they found the nomad?

I answer it quickly.

"Tell me," I demand.

"We haven't picked up her scent yet, just traces of it. We did track something though."

"What?"

"It smelt like a dog."

I bet it's those Quileute boys running around. Maybe they've realised that there's an enemy in the area.

"Okay. Why are you telling me this?" I ask Jasper.

"Well, I thought you might like to know that it's headed in Bella's direction, that's all."

… Crap.

"Thanks, I'll go check it out." I hang up and return my phone to my pocket.

I think it's time to put the dog out.

Bella

I think I finally begin to drift off when I start to hear a sort of tapping noise on my window. I gradually, and reluctantly, open my eyes.

Is this it? Has she come for me?

I can't see a shadow on my curtains that are drawn in front of the window in question. That doesn't mean a lot though. She's fast; she could easily run away and back again just to frighten me even more.

Maybe I just have an over-active imagination? I take a deep breath to calm myself and get out of bed.

There's another tap at the window which makes me jump.

I wait for a couple of seconds to see if anything else happens. When it doesn't, I move towards the window and open up the curtains. It's a full moon tonight which provides me with enough light to see the ground below.

Jacob.

What. The. Hell?

I open the window as wide as it will go, and prepare to throw some abuse in his direction. How dare he scare me like that!

"Bella! Stand back," he shouts up at me.

Before I can do as he asks, he begins to make his way up using the tree to propel himself further. He jumps up from the ground, grabs a thick branch of the tree in both hands, and swings towards my window feet first. I've never seen anything like it. It's like he's a gymnast or something... How strong is he exactly?

He reaches my open window and I move back just in time for him to come in. He lands on his feet, and gives me a boastful grin when he meets my gaze.

I don't know whether to be impressed or completely annoyed at the invasion of my personal space.

Holy crow, I'm wearing my pyjamas! I walk over to my desk and pick up my hoodie from where I keep it on the back of my chair. As I do this, I say, "What are you doing here, Jacob?"

I cover up before he can answer.

Why am I only just noticing that he's not wearing a t-shirt? Isn't he cold? I avert my gaze from his chest before he can notice.

Too late, there's the grin again.

"Well?" I ask again.

"Just thought I'd say hey, so… hey."

Is he trying to be funny?

"Look, Bella," he begins when he notices my expression of pure irritation, "I was worried, alright? I just wanted to know that you were okay."

"What makes you think that I wouldn't be?"

Does he know something?

"I know, Bella."

"Know what?"

He sighs, sounding frustrated.

"What were you doing out in the woods today?" he asks me.

"That isn't any of your business," I state quickly and bluntly. How did he know where I was?

"Bella-"

"Just stop, Jacob," I sat loudly as the agitation I feel becomes too much to bear. "I don't understand you. First, you make jokes at my expense and act rudely towards me in my own home, and now you're in my room, in the middle of the night, asking me stupid questions. You've made it quite clear that you don't want anything to do with me, so why don't you just leave me the hell alone."

"No, you don't understand!" Jacob erupts as soon as my speech comes to an end. "There are… things out there, Bella. You're just not safe, alright?"

"No, it's not alright!" I stop myself from saying anything more as I realise that Charlie could wake up. I don't know what he would do, or say, if he saw Jacob in my room.

I take a deep breath and start again.

"If you can't explain to me why it isn't safe, then there can't really be anything to be frightened of, right?"

I know that that isn't exactly the truth, but it would be nice if he wasn't being so cryptic.

Does he know? About the vampires?

"What's so dangerous, Jacob?" I ask, hoping he will give me a straight answer.

He searches my face before he says, "I heard that someone died from an animal attack today."

Is that all? I imagine that that can happen several times a year in a place like this.

"And you thought it was me?" I ask, not really understanding where he's going with this.

"No, but when I smelled you-"

"What?"

I cover my mouth with my hand. We'd be lucky if Charlie didn't hear that.

"Crap, I shouldn't have said that," Jacob mumbles to himself. "Sorry, Bella, I have to go."

"Oh, no you don't," I say as I walk forward and grab his arm to stop him from leaving.

Jacob looks down at my hand that's holding on to his bicep. I'm doing the same because I can't quite believe just how hot he is.

"Are you sick?" I ask quietly.

"No," he replies. I look up in to his eyes. I think he's telling the truth.

He whips his head around to look outside the window. When he does, his eyes narrow. Without looking, he removes my hand from his arm and walks towards where his gaze is focused.

"Now I really have to go," he says as he sticks a leg out of the window.

"Are you crazy? Why don't you use the front door?"

"And risk Charlie seeing me? No thanks. Don't worry about me, Bella. I'll be okay."

And with that, he pushes himself away from my window sill and in to the night. I look down to see him land on his feet with a dull thump. How did he manage to do that so quietly?

Before I can shout out anything to him, he begins to run away down the street.

This is all so weird. Maybe I should call him in the morning and ask him to explain. Would he actually tell me anything though?

I move away from the window and creep over to my door. I open it slightly to check for signs of life. I can hear my father's snoring. I guess we didn't manage to wake him up after all. I breathe out a sigh of relief and close the door quietly.

I turn around with the intention of closing the window, but before I can take my first step, Edward is there, looking at me while sitting on my window sill.

My breath catches in my throat. I don't move or speak. Neither does he. He just stares.

So much for trying to distance myself.

"What are you doing here?" I ask quietly.

He takes this as an invitation to enter my room, closing the window behind him as he does so.

"Who was here?" he asks, ignoring my question.

"Uh, Jacob."

I finally command my feet to walk me to my bed. I take a seat on the edge of it, keeping my eyes on Edward.

"What did he want?"

Is it just me, or does he sound… jealous? I shake the thought from my head. That's a little ridiculous.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I think he wanted to know if I was alright."

Edward scoffs at what I say.

"What?" I ask, not understanding his reaction.

He looks down at his shoes as he says, "Nothing." He looks back up at me when he adds, "I don't want you hanging round with him, Bella."

I laugh.

"Are you being serious?"

"Deadly. It's not safe."

"Oh, and I suppose I'm safer with you and your family?"

"Yes, you are actually," he replies with a look of confusion on his perfect face.

I shake my head.

"I'm getting tired of this," I think out loud.

"What do you mean?" he asks as he moves slowly towards me. He looks down at my bed before walking over to my desk chair and taking a seat on it.

"I just hate not being able to understand stuff," I admit. "And I also don't enjoy being told what to do," I add quietly.

Edward chuckles a little which makes me look up at him.

"I can, uh, try to answer some questions, if you like?" he offers.

I nod. That would be nice.

"Why isn't Jacob safe?"

"That's not my secret to tell," Edward replies.

"Well, if you want me to stay away from him then you're going to have to give me something."

He contemplates this for a moment.

"Fine," he acquiesces. "There's a legend that the Quileute's have. It states that they're descended from wolves."

He doesn't elaborate. I guess that's all he's going to tell me.

"Like wolves? Real wolves?" I ask. He nods his response while staring intently at me.

Jacob is Quileute, and apparently not safe to be around… like a wolf, I guess. If Quileute's are the descendants of wolves then…

"But that's not possible."

"You want to talk about the impossible with a vampire?" Edward laughs.

I can't find the humour in this though.

"So, he's a wolf? But he's human!"

"You thought I was human," Edward says. "Everyone in this town does. Bella, Jacob is a shape shifter. He can choose to become a wolf. If you were too close to him when he phased… it doesn't bear thinking about."

Now it's my turn to laugh. I'm surrounded by the stuff of horror stories and nightmares.

AN: Check out DreamOfTheEndless's new story which I beta for. It's pretty brilliant! You can find the link on my profile page which I've updated. You can also find the links to the other stories I beta for. I recommend taking a look at each one!