A/N: I tried to get this chapter up quicker. OK, so first thing's first, shout outs. Here's my list of thank you's...
MissAlyssaCullen – my first review ever, thank you so much for that!
Aurike- you only reviewed once, but your words meant a lot to me when I first started out.
Pure Angel Eyes- 6 REVIEWS! the most reviews of one reader. Thanks so much, your words were always kind. I love how my story touches you so deeply, that's what I wanted to do.
Twihard0117- I love how you think my story is unique. Thank you.
Shadowcub- you actually shaped my last chapter. I changed the layout of it because of your review. Proof that reviews have an impact.
Verseseven- thank you for the comments on the back story. It was kinda experimental.
Azrael8919- my latest reviewer. Hopefully I will get more reviews. I take everyone's words to heart and try to shape my story to please everyone. Thank you
and lastly to the anonymous reviewers. Thank you for your input as well. I hope everyone likes this chapter...IT'S ALL FOR YOU!
Chapter Fifteen: What else can I do?
Everyone stood still in shock, Sam was going over the tribe elders heads and trying to start a war with the Cullens. No one knew how this was going to end exactly, but they knew it would end badly. Emmett was the first to speak "we gotta get this shit sorted out!", Esme shot Emmett an angry look and he instantly hung his head. Bracken stood, looking lost in thought. "we do though!" Rose added, coming to Emmett's defence. "we need to come to a peaceful solution to all this. War with the wolves is not the answer" Carlisle said stepping in, "no, but kicking their asses is the answer" Emmett threw back at their father. As everyone else joined in the argument, throwing their ideas in. no one was watching Bracken. Except Jasper. Jasper watched Bracken closely as he read her emotions, he could feel she was lost in thought. He could feel her fear, confusion, anger... determination. Finally, Bracken found her voice "Emmett's right". Everyone stopped arguing to look at Bracken in confusion, "what the hell?" Bella asked. Bracken continued "well, not about kicking the wolves asses. But he is right about kicking someone's asses". "Oh will you be a bit clearer" Edward said out of frustration, Bracken looked at her brother as her voice dropped to barely a whisper "the pack". Everyone looked at Bracken in shock, she couldn't be suggesting what they think she was suggesting. "your saying we have to take on the pack?" Bella asked, Bracken shook her head "no I'm not saying that...I have to". Alice held her hand over her mouth as she gasped "no you can't!". Bracken shrugged "yeah I can, I have to", everyone looked at Bracken in shock and disbelief.
Carlisle stepped forward and placed his hand on Bracken's shoulder "please Bracken, think about what your saying. Your talking about taking on your old pack". Bracken looked at her father and nodded "yes father, I do know what I'm saying. I'm talking about ending all of this once and for all". Esme looked at bracken in despair, she knew that to allow her youngest daughter to go up against her old pack was to allow her daughter to die. She would not and could not let that happen, she would not lose a child. "you cannot do this Bracken, you cannot take on all of them and live" Esme pleaded "think about this please". Bracken sighed and headed to the stairs "I have thought about this, while you all were arguing I was doing nothing but thinking. This is my mess and I have to be the one to sort it out, I can't let anyone else take that risk for me", Esme let out a quiet sob and hid her face in Carlisle's chest as Bracken walked up the stairs to her room. Everyone stood around in silence, unable to think of anything to say to make the situation better. They all knew this was a suicide mission, but no one could get through to Bracken. Jasper walked to the stairs, as he started to climb them he said quietly over his shoulder "let me deal with this". Jasper stood outside the bedroom door and closed his eyes, he could already feel strong emotions leaking through the cracks. Opening the door slowly he was nearly knocked to his knees by how powerful Bracken's emotions were, Despair, guilt, anger and sadness filled the room and pushed Jasper backwards away from the room. Jasper fought with everything in him to close his mind to those feelings and walked slowly into the room. Stood looking out of the full length window was Bracken, even with her back to Jasper, he knew she was not happy.
"Bracken, you have to know from a strategic position, what you are planning is suicide" Jasper spoke. Bracken nodded silently so jasper carried on "but your planning on it anyway", Bracken stood silently for so long Jasper thought she was not going to speak. Finally she spoke, her voice barely a whisper "I know what I'm planning is stupid, I know that I'm going to die. But I have to". Jasper watched Bracken closely, she refused to turn away from the window. Jasper knew Bracken was scared, he could feel her every emotion, but he also knew she couldn't see any other way out of this. Finally, after what seamed like an eternity, Bracken turned to face Jasper. Jasper could finally see the pain and sadness in the young wolf's eyes, a pain so bad it nearly broke Jasper's undead heart. Bracken walked to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, her eyes on the floor and whispered "I don't want anyone to die along side me, you've all done so much for me already". Jasper sat next to her on the bed and rested his hand on her shoulder "we did what we needed to do to save you, your a Cullen now. Your one of us", Bracken shook her head "how can you be so close to me? I took your mate from you". Jasper laughed and smiled "Alice wasn't my mate, we thought we were but it was obvious when she fell for you. You two belong together", Bracken looked at jasper in disbelief "but you weren't even upset when we told you". Jasper shrugged "Alice does what Alice wants to do, there's nothing I can do to change her mind. Besides, I only want her to be happy. She's happy with you"
Jasper stood up and held his hand out to Bracken "there's another way to solve all this, lets go back downstairs and we can deal with this... as a family". Bracken smiled and took Jasper's hand, following her brother downstairs. Everyone was sat on the sofas in silence, worry for Bracken hovering around all of them like a thick cloud. Bracken moved to sit next to Alice, who instinctively lent against Bracken and nuzzled her. Jasper went to stand next to Carlisle, everyone wanted for Carlisle to speak. Finally, he stood and addressed the family "something has to be done about this situation, we will not allow one of our own to walk into certain death alone. We will discuss this as a family and find a solution to all of this". "The only way to deal with them is for one of the bloodline to challenge the Alpha" Bracken said, Alice sat up straight in shock "you mean, you have to". Bracken nodded "I am one of the bloodline, none of the others will fight for me. If we try to take them all on then the entire family on both sides will join in... It'll be an all out war". "not like we mind that" Emmett said loudly as he jumped to his feet, Rose sighed "sit down Emmett". Edward spoke up "In a way Bracken's right, an all out war is not what we need. These wolves are bigger than the LaPush ones and we haven't got the time to get enough back up before they try dealing with things themselves".
As everyone got lost in conversation, trying to find a solution Bracken seemed to fall into yet another silence. Everyone watched Bracken in worry, finally after a few minutes, everyone noticed a smile forming on Bracken's lips. "I've found a solution, it's risky, but it'll work" she said as she looked around at everyone, everyone stood waiting patiently for her to speak. Bracken looked around "we go there and I challenge Sandy, he's the next in line and he'd love a chance to finish me off", Alice stood up quickly and looked at bracken in shock "but that's the same plan you had before!". Bracken stood "no it's not, I was just going to go there before. This time, we all go. They're bound by rules, Callum's obsessed with them. He'd never turn from a challenge, he'd make sure no one else went for us. Sandy would want to be the one to finish me off, you'd all be kept safe while I fought. The prize for winning would be that they leave immediately and never return to forks". Carlisle smiled "that could actually work Bracken, they would underestimate you. Not knowing about your new status as a werevamp would help you, being bound by the rules will work to our advantage". Edward nodded "our gifts will all help as well, we'll know what everyone is thinking, feeling and we'll be able to see any decisions made", Jasper smiled at Bracken. Jasper knew this would happen, It was like he had the ability so see into the future instead of Alice.
Alice sat down on the sofa and stared straight ahead, trying to get her head around the idea. As everyone sat down to work out the details of the plan, Bella sat down next to Alice. An understanding smile was all that was needed and Alice moved closer to her best friend and adopted sister, neither could understand everyone's excitement at the idea of Bracken walking off to her death. Edward please, you can't let her do this. You can't let her die Alice pleaded silently, Edward glanced briefly at Alice and shrugged. Alice looked at Edward with desperation in her eyes, someone had to be on her side. She wouldn't allow her mate to walk off to her own death so willingly, she would do anything to stop her. The plan was finalised, and everyone went off to spend some time alone together before they moved out. Bracken walked over to Alice and smiled softly at her "I know your worried about me, but please don't be", Alice looked up and shook her head "you ask me not to be worried about you, how can I not?". Bracken sighed "Alice, It may have been a few months since I've been in the pack, but I still remember the rules. I still know how to use them against the pack". Alice stood and moved to stand in front of Bracken "I will still worry about you, I'll always worry about you", Bracken nodded and pulled Alice to her. They stood like that for what seemed like hours, Bracken holding Alice, not saying anything. Finally, everyone entered the room and stood around the two. Bracken looked at Carlisle, still holding Alice "It's time". Carlisle nodded "It's time", "lets go hunt some wolves" Emmett said as he rubbed his hands together. Rose slapped Emmett over the head "this is not something to get excited about, this is serious now", Emmett hung his head "sorry Rose, but I have to find the good in all this". Bracken looked around at everyone "this is serious, we need to remember what we're about to. None of this is going to be fun, I can't 100% guarantee your safety. If I do die, Callum can decide not to honour the agreement". Jasper stepped forward and placed his hand on Bracken's shoulder "we know what we're getting ourselves into, we know the risks already. Your one of us, we always protect our own". Carlisle nodded "This is what family do, our only concern is making sure all of us survive this... and I mean all of us"
A/N2: OK, sorry for the wait. I never really have the time for writing, I try my best to set some time aside for it but then something always happens and the plans go out the window. I hope you like where the story is going, I'm trying to hurry stuff along and still keep the action going. I have a big idea for Bracken and Alice but I don't want the story to be like 50 chapters long, so I'm cutting out everything that's not that important and sticking to the big stuff. Any comments, questions and most importantly problems, let me know. I want to know that all my readers are happy, plus like I've said a million times now I write my story with you guys in mind. I think about what you all say you want or don't want.