Trouble and Bonding

Back at Bella's home, Charlie and Billy had discovered the arrival of the vampire covens. Some of the more foolish members of the pack had gone out and provoked one of the hungry ones—Jasper Hale—and had almost been killed before Sam stepped in and saved them.

Charlie and Billy were furious of the state of their injured members and were determined not to let the same fate fall on any of the other members of the pack. But they would still need information so they would know how to fight them if it came to a battle. Charlie wanted to know more about the vampires, so Billy called a pack meeting.

Everyone gathered around as Billy hooked up a projector to show slides.

"There is a legend about these people. My ancestors called them 'the Cold Ones.' Centuries ago, there was a man who was not man," said Billy. "He possessed great strength, speed, accelerated healing, agility, durability, and heightened senses. He was immortal—ageless and undying—and powerful, but at a terrible price: he drank the blood of animal or human to keep his thirst at bay and was a monster. Destruction and death followed his every move. With one swift bite, he changed others to be like him. After three days of agony, those he changed were like him."

"How many are there?" Charlie asked.

"They are beyond counting," said Billy. "Some are nomads and travel on their own across the world. Others live in huge covens and go whenever someone starts to notice their immortality. Legend has it, some prefer to drink only the blood of animals, but that doesn't make them trustworthy."

"How can you tell what blood they drink?" Charlie asked.

"The legend says those will eyes of topaz are drinkers of animals and blood red drink a humans. Black eyes usually show their need to hunt."

Charlie sighed. "Will they come after the pack?"

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't," said Billy. "All I know is that they are dangerous and some would prefer to see us dead."

"And if comes down to a fight, how do we kill them?"

"Again, this is just legend, but I believe, a werewolf, fire, or another vampire could kill them."

"Bah!" said Sam. "I say we destroy them now before they kill anymore people! I'll take the strongest of us and attack—"

"You'll do no such thing, buster, unless you want your hide in a jail cell," Charlie interrupted, sounding stern. "We don't know just how strong these creatures are and we're outnumbered. We will not endanger the pack with recklessness and stupidity. No one will attack until I and Billy give the order. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," said Sam, looking furious.

"Okay, no one is to go near these vampires or leave our grounds without an escort!" he ordered. "I'll tell Bells this as soon as she and Jacob get back. Sound the drums, Sam, and then ask for reinforcements. If it comes to an attack, I want back-up."

"Yes, sir."

Charlie stood at the window and thought of Bella. Silently hoping she wasn't in danger, wherever she was.

XXX

Jacob, Bella and Edward were talking underneath one of the trees and bonding far easily that anyone would've suspected for the past few hours. Edward told them why he, his family and the Volturi were there and Bella and Jacob told him all about their pack and their lifestyle.

Edward was surprised that they knew he was a vampire, and even more so when he learned that they didn't care and accepting of him. He couldn't believe it when they told him Jacob was a werewolf and Bella was the leader's daughter.

"You can't change?" he said.

Bella shook her head. "I can run fast and I've got sharper senses than a human's, but I can't change into a werewolf like the others. And this makes my dad worry more over me."

"And it doesn't help he's also the Chief of Police," said Jacob.

"He means well, but he never stops fussing," said Bella. "He even…" she cut herself off.

"He even what?" Edward asked. "What is it? You can tell me?"

Bella sighed. "He wants me to get married to Jacob, even though we don't love each other. We've made it clear we like each other as siblings, but he and Billy won't listen."

"It's like talking to a brick wall," said Jacob, frustrated. "Nothing's definite yet, but no doubt things will be soon."

"Sounds awful," said Edward.

"Yeah, well, enough about us, tell us about your Coven—not the Volturi," said Bella. "What're they like?"

"Well, Carlisle's a really great doctor. He's the father figure anyone could ask for. Esme's gentle and kind and you can go to her with anything. Rosalie can be a bit pig-headed and stubborn, but she's loyal. Emmet's a huge goofball, you'd like him. Jasper's quiet and has a little trouble controlling his thirst around humans, but he's okay. And Alice is this perky little nightmare sometimes. She loves shopping and if she gets an 'exciting' vision concerning one of us, she won't tell us what it is until it happens."

"She gets visions?" said Jacob, surprised.

"Yeah," said Edward. "Some of us have special gifts. Jasper can send out calm feelings, Alice gets visions and I hear thoughts. But I can't read Bella's."

"Is there something wrong with me?" she asked.

Edward chuckled. "I tell you I'm a vampire with telepathic powers, and you think there's something wrong with you? Oh, Bella…"

"She's just weird that way," said Jacob, grinning and dodging a smack from Bella.

"So, why were you so freaked out when Jacob and I were watching you? Was my scent that bad?"

Edward shook his head. "No, actually, it was wonderful. You smell so good, I almost couldn't control it. I wasn't sure what I smelled at first, but when I saw you, I knew I couldn't hurt you."

"Wow," said Bella, slipping her hand into Edward's and intertwining their fingers. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"So, your family hunts animals?" said Jacob.

"Yeah, we're considered 'vegetarians.' Not all of our kind likes our style."

"Sounds terrible," said Jacob. "So, have you ever found a real place you felt at home at?"

Edward shook his head. "Nah," he said. "I never really found anything that special or exciting."

"Do all the vampires hate our kind or…?" Bella's voice wandered off.

"I don't know. I think you're fine. Aro thinks you're stupid mutts, but I—"

"He said what?" Bella interrupted, anger in her voice. "What he means is, not like you."

"You think I'm an ignorant savage
And you've been so many places I guess it must be so
But still I can not see
Is the savage one is me
How can there be so much that you don't know?
You don't know

You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Bella showed him a bear cub and several other forms of life that were perfect in their own way.

Edward was intrigued by Bella and Jacob's views and began to enjoy what they were showing him.

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth

The three of them went running through the forest and Edward felt stronger than before. He felt more alive as he breathed in the scents of nature, Jacob and Bella.

When they rolled down the hills and Bella ended up on top of Edward, he thought he wouldn't able to control his desire to kiss her.

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

There was beauty everywhere he'd never before.

The smallest of things seemed wonderful to him now.

He felt so happy and alive as long as Bella was there.


For whether we are warm or ice-cold skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountains
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind

When the three stopped to rest, Bella and Edward were holding each other close and almost kissed when the soft sound of drums met their ears and Jacob got a message on his phone.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked, noticing the fear on their faces.

"There's trouble," said Bella. "We have to go."

"Wait, don't go," said Edward.

"We must," said Jacob. "Same just called and said one of the pack's injured. Charlie will want Bella home right now."

"I want to see you again," said Edward.

"You can't. I have to go," said Bella, seeming both reluctant and desperate. "Good-bye, Edward."

Knowing he couldn't stop her, he let her go and watched until she was out of sight. His non-beating heart ached to see her leave, but what choice did he have, even if he did love her? Could they ever truly be together, despite them being from two different worlds?