A/N hey guys, got another chapter for you. I personally like this one alot. Let me know how you feel!

Chapter 5

"You creeper!" I shouted. The guys in the room cringed at the hilarity in my voice. "You followed me into the forest and watched me… watched me be all emotional? That's revolting Sam!" Then another thought occurred to me. "Oh my God, is that how you found me in the forest the first time? You FOLLOWED me there?" I started sputtering and flipping out. Jake came up behind me and held me steady.

"I didn't stalk you Bella," Sam said, affronted.

"So you WEREN'T the person that growled at me in the forest? Because I'm pretty sure I can recognize that sound."

"I'm not going to deny being there and growling at you, but I wasn't doing it to stalk you, I was doing it to protect you and make you want to run back to the safety of your home."

I snorted in response. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't need your protection."

He gave me a withering glance. Jake responded for him, "Come on Bella, look at your history. You nearly got killed by a car, lost in the forest, and apparently bitten by a vampire. That's not to mention the fact that you knowingly dated a vampire. You must have some sort of death wish."

I sighed. What did he know about any of it? "I agree I have been in some near death experiences, but its not an issue anymore. And I still don't see why you feel you have to be involved."

Sam looked intently at me for a moment, then some resignation appeared on his face. "Fine, I will tell you why we are involved and why you must tell us which one of them bit you." He took a deep breath, steadied himself… but still seemed to be trying to figure out how to put what he was saying.

Jake was getting frustrated so he burst in, "Bella, do you remember what we talked about that one time at First Beach?"

"How could I forget?" I said with a small smirk.

"Not about the vampires, the stuff before about my ancestors."

This stuff I was fuzzy on. It hadn't mattered, the only thing I had cared about was his story of the 'Cold Ones'. "Ummm, slightly?"

Jake sighed. "The stuff about the guys that could turn into wolves." Now I remembered.

"Yeah?"

"Well Bella…"

"We are shapeshifters," Sam interjected, trying to get straight to the point. "It is our duty to protect the people of the area from vampires." His words were echoed by a chorus of "Bloodsuckers", "Stinkers", and "Murderers".

I looked at them all. They looked so serious. I was about to laugh, when I realized that they looked to serious about this. "Are you for real?" They nodded. "And so you want to protect me from vampires?" They nodded again. "Well, you are too late aren't you? They are gone. They left me here." My eyes fell to the floor and I took a deep breath to keep from becoming to emotional.

"We still need to know which one bit you. We made a treaty with them that says that they may stay here only if they don't bite anyone while they are here." Sam explained.

"None of them bit me."

"Well you obviously have a bit mark on your hand. And as far as I know, they have been the only vampires you have come in contact with."

"You are wrong about that. This bite was from a vampire named James. He tracked me down to Arizona and bit me there. In fact, if it hadn't been for Edward, I would be dead. He sucked out the venom." I answered honestly.

The wolves seemed floored by this information.

"They can do that?" Embry whispered to Quil.

"Not usually, the only reason he could do it was because… he… had desensitized himself to me" I finished lamely. "So, now you know that the Cullen's didn't break your stupid treaty. I think I will be going now." I turned to head out the door.

"Wait," Sam called. "I have one more question."

"What?" I was really done with this bizarre conversation. I wanted to get back to my house and forget every memory brought up this afternoon.

"Why do you seem to think you don't need our protection?"

I paused. I wasn't sure I wanted to tell them, I hadn't told anyone yet and it seemed wrong that the first people to know about it would be almost complete strangers. But then again, who else but them would understand this kind of revelation?

"Well, it's kind of complicated. What do you know about the Cullen's?"

Sam was thrown by this question and thought for a moment. "That they are vampires that don't hunt humans?"

I sighed. "Do you know anything about their abilities?"

"Abilities?"

"Well, when people are turned into vampires, their strongest human trait is enhanced. For Edward, he could read peoples' minds. And the reason I brought it up was because I had always been shielded from his ability."

The wolves' eyes looked as if they were to pop out of their skulls. The glanced at each other worriedly. Apparently they hadn't known about the abilities.

"And now, after he left and wasn't protecting me from physical harm anymore, my mental shield has developed into a physical manifestation," I finished.

Now the wolves looked skeptic. Sam stepped towards me and looked at my eyes. "Are you sure Bella? Maybe you just need some rest…"

"Look, you want me to prove it? Someone get me a knife."

Sam shook his head but went to his kitchen and brought back a butter knife.

"Sam, that think couldn't hurt me in a million years, get me something heftier." He came back this time with a knife that he had obviously made himself. "Thank you."

I took the blade and held it against my palm, then I took a deep breath and made to slice. But as expected, it just slid of the sin with no damage made to my skin. The boys whistled.

"Damn Sam! Did you see that?"

"I saw it. Everyone outside. Now."

We all trudged out the front door and into the forest a bit before stopping. The Sam turned toward me and spoke, "I know you think you are invincible, but I think we should test it a little more. After all, there are things that are much more deadly than a handmade knife." He turned away and walked a bit further. Then, he suddenly turned toward me and ran at me, he leaped into the air and his body was thrown away. In his place was the biggest wolf I had ever seen.

"Wow," I said as it fell on me.