Chapter 20: Elephant in the Room
"Let me get this straight," Neville stared hard at Jacob as they spoke long after the game had ended. "Your Alpha has commanded that you come back to England with us?"
"That's what he said." Jacob shrugged with a bit too much enthusiasm, and for once Bella could tell just how young he really was.
Neville sat back against a chair in Jacob's room and peered out the window in deep thought.
"I'll have to get approval from the Ministry—"
Jacob looked up at him questioningly, and Bella was happy to be able to answer something herself. "British Ministry of Magic, Jake." His mouth fell open, and Bella had to stifle a laugh.
"—and you'll need a liaison to escort you safely to each location, but Hermione should be able to pull a few strings."
"Excellent." Jacob pumped his fist exuberantly.
Neville pulled out his wand and glanced at Bella for a long moment before taking a deep breath and chanting a spell she didn't recognize.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Both Jacob and Bella jumped back as a shimmering, ghostly lion burst forth from the tip of his wand and filled the remainder of the cramped space of the room.
"Send the following message to Hermione Weasley:
Hermione, Bella's safe, and we're with the shapeshifters. I need an envoy from the Department of International Magical Cooperation as soon as you can. The tribe is requesting to send an emissary, and we're going to need a portkey. Also...can you send an owl to Minerva? Someone'll need to look after the Greenhouses for another day or two."
The lion disappeared in a flash, and Bella's mouth fell ajar. "What was that thing?"
"A patronus. It'll get the message to Hermione within the hour."
Her mind was buzzing with questions, but a deafening howl broke the three from their reverie.
"It's Sam." Jacob sprang toward the door. "You two stick around here just in case."
He took off out the door, and Bella led Neville back into the living room, where Charlie was laughing with Billy Black, beer in hand, though his eyes narrowed when they fell on Neville and Bella's entwined hands.
"Alright, Bells, I've had just about enough mystery to last me a lifetime. You mind telling me who exactly this Neville-fellow is, and why you two have been attached at the hip since he got here?"
Billy set down his drink on the end table and stared at them with equal curiosity.
"Neville works at the school I told you about." She tried to avoid specifics, as Billy was still in the dark about everything. "He's a professor...of horticulture." It was kind of true...
Charlie seemed unconvinced. "Horticulture?"
Neville stepped forward with complete assuredness. "My classes focus on plants that you're probably unfamiliar with, Mister Swan. You'd be hard pressed to find them anywhere else in the world."
Her dad nodded, finally catching on. "Right, well, I guess we'll talk more about that later." His eyes shifted to Billy nervously, and he faked a cough.
"I'm curious how my son seems to have no qualms with you, Mister Longbottom," Billy cut in without warning, "seeing as you're clearly pursuing Bella, and Jacob hated the boy who was with her before him."
Bella froze. Billy was testing Neville, trying to provoke him into giving something away! Her relationship with Jacob had never actually come up. How would he react? She was spared dramatics, however, and Neville didn't even flinch as he replied.
"I think you'll find that I share your son's aversion to Edward Cullen. He confronted Bella when we were in London, but Bella made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him."
An almost prideful smile found its way to the edge of Billy's face. "And you're...familiar the family?"
Neville glanced shrewdly between Charlie and Billy. Instead of answering he turned to Bella. "Forgive me, but I need to speak with Bella for a moment." He pulled her onto the porch.
"I feel like I'm trying to step around a vat of flobberworms. How much do they know?"
She racked her brain. "Billy knows about the shapeshifters and the vampires but not magic. Charlie knows about magic, but not vampires or the wolves."
"This is getting ridiculous. I was hoping Hermione would get to handle this part. This sort of encounter is what she lives for." He exhaled heavily and led Bella back into the front room.
"I know you're trying to figure out what I am, Mister Black, but I'm not so inexperienced with the world as you might wager. Your tribe of shapeshifters is part of a supernatural world of that's more vast than you realize."
Billy opened his mouth to speak, but he ignored him, turning immediately to Bella's father.
"Mister Swan, as your daughter is now recognized as a member of the magical community, per the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, you are entitled to know about any supernatural being you come into contact with. In addition to the tribe of lupine shapeshifters that reside within this reservation, the family you know as the Cullens are actually a species of vampire."
"Vampires?" Charlie spat. "The Cullens are—Bella, did you know about this?"
"Yes," she looked at the ground and blushed bright red.
Then he swung around to face Billy. "And you never told me anything! All these years of feeling like I was in the dark, and now I know why..."
Billy glared at Neville. "The legends of our tribe are closely guarded secrets. We are forbidden to share them with others."
"I'm sorry, sir, but the wizarding world has a slightly different view on matters. All magical beings and their families have the right to understand the world they really live in."
Charlie sat silently for several seconds. Finally he muttered, "Family camping trips, my behind...should have known there was something else going on with them."
"They don't drink from humans," Bella defended lamely. She wasn't sure why she was even trying to stand up for them after everything that had happened. Still...
"They are dangerous though," Neville finished the thought budding in her mind. "The blonde female tried to attack Bella today."
Billy breathed in a sharp intake of breath. "This cannot go unanswered."
Charlie rubbed his head, with a tipsy and overwhelmed countenance. "I need another beer."
"Oh, no you don't." Bella snatched the can and set it back in the cooler. "Now that you know everything, things are going to get better. And too much alcohol is not going to make things better."
Jacob suddenly burst in through the front door looking livid.
"Bella, you need to come out here; Neville, you should probably come too."
To the wolf's dismay, Bella's dad stood up as well. "Well, you're not keeping me outta this for another second."
"Charlie, I don't think—"
"I've heard enough excuses to last me a lifetime, Jacob. I know about everything, and I'm coming."
Jacob's jaw fell open, and he looked to his dad for help.
"Sorry, son, this goes beyond the whole tribe. But if he's coming along, I am too."
"What?" he spluttered in disbelief. "This...isn't a matter of who knows what, it's a matter of safety. It's too risky for either of you."
"What's too risky?" Bella was almost afraid to ask.
The wolf growled as he recalled his reason for coming in the first place.
"The Cullens are at the border. They want to speak with you."
Jacob was able to keep Billy and Charlie at the house, but only after offering more beer and an unconditional promise tell them everything afterward. So Bella, Neville, and Jacob now approached the border where half of the pack was waiting in their wolf form.
Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper stood just beyond the boundaries of the road, each with expressions of such remorse that Bella couldn't feel properly enraged. Emmett stood slightly further back from the rest, eyes full of pain and conflict that clashed with his normally lighthearted demeanor.
The patriarch of their family stepped forward, and Bella could sense even more of his heartache as he began to speak. "I cannot even begin to express how sorry we are for Rosalie's actions. We understand that the attempt on Bella's life and the female of your pack is unforgivable."
"You're damn right it's unforgivable," Jacob retorted angrily, and many of the pack growled in agreement.
"I know it's difficult to fathom, but in my daughter's mind she truly believed that giving Bella an ultimatum to return to Edward was the right decision. We didn't see how she would react to Bella's answer until it was too late for us to prevent the attack."
"Daughter or not, she tried to violate the treaty. She can never come back here, or we will seek vengeance."
Bella wasn't sure if Jacob was speaking for Sam or for himself, but his words rang with such authority that no one could doubt the truth of them.
"She has already left Washington, but we will respect your decision and ensure that Rosalie never sets foot near these lands or Forks ever again."
Emmett took a few steps closer, and some of the wolves growled, but he did his best to ignore them and kept his eyes on Bella.
"I never thought Rose would've...you're like a sister to us, Bella. I'm sorry we ever left."
"I know," was all she could say. She wasn't so sorry in hindsight as she thought she'd been before. The tingle of Neville's hand seemed to reverberate through her body, and there was nothing that could make her feel regret for the path that led her to him.
"It would probably be best if all of you left now," Jacob interrupted her thoughts as he addressed the Cullens. "I know you're sorry and everything, but I think I can speak for the whole pack when I say this. Leah and Bella almost got hurt because of you guys, and it's taking everything I have not to tear you apart right here, right now."
Every wolf snarled in assent, and Carlisle had to put an arm in front of Emmett to calm him.
"Of course we will respect your wishes. Again we apologize, and I hope that someday that we can meet again under less hostile circumstances."
Esme and Alice offered Bella one last despairing glance, then disappeared, and the men followed suit two seconds later.
"Hermione's going to go nuts over this. She had no idea about the tribe's history with vampires." Neville remarked as they made their way back through the trees to Jacob's house.
"When is she coming?"
"Could be any time, I suppose."
They walked for a few more minutes when a silvery light zoomed toward them.
"What is that?" Bella's hand flew to her wand pocket.
"Hermione's patronus!" Neville shook his head happily at the weasel, or otter, or prairie dog...or whatever it was.
"Neville, I got your message. The new potions master was more than happy to look after the Greenhouses until you get back. As for the envoy you requested, the Ministry can't spare anyone on such short notice, but I've found someone who is willing offer their assistance. Keep the northernmost part of the tribe's border clear, and we will meet you to discuss the specifics at eight tomorrow morning, your time."
Sam, Leah, and Jacob had gathered beside them by the time the patronus dissipated, though Bella wasn't sure how much they'd heard.
"We will make sure that part of the forest is clear for your friends. Jacob and Leah will have a lot questions they'll want to ask your friend before returning with you."
"Wait, what?" Jacob did a double take and stared at his alpha with dismay. "No way. Leah can't come."
"Excuse me?" Leah snapped back. "I have just as much right to go as you, if not more. Doesn't high school start up again any day now?"
For the first time since hearing that Bella dated Jacob, Neville's eyes widened with surprise, and Bella felt her cheeks flood with heat.
"That's three weeks from now; I've got loads of time. Besides, I'm more experienced when it comes to handling supernatural beings," Jacob argued smugly.
"Enough," Sam said with finality. "You go together, end of story. We need strength in numbers, and if all goes well, Jacob will be back in time for school." He turned to Neville and Bella, composing his features somewhat. "We will meet here at seven-thirty and escort you to the northern border of our lands."
They agreed and followed Jacob back to the house where Charlie and Billy had nodded off on opposite ends of the couch.
"High school?" Neville whispered with amusement as soon as Jacob was out of hearing range.
"Shut up, they age supernaturally after their transformation," she socked him in the shoulder.
He grabbed her still-clenched fist and trapped it in his own hand with a grin. "I suppose I'm one to talk. We've got, what, eight years between us?"
"Closer to seven," she argued as if that made such a huge difference. "I'll be twenty next month."
"Well, as long as you're legal," he joked, earning himself another swift punch in the arm.
Age differences were the least of Bella's worries at the moment. Trying to keep Jacob out of trouble would be tricky if she knew the wolf at all, but Leah? Keeping her in check would be a task in and unto itself.
She felt sorry for the witch or wizard who would have to deal with that.