Edward POV
Four days. It had been four excruciating days since this unknown girl, walked into our lives - walked into my life. Well, she wasn't unknown completely. We soon came to find out that her name was Isabella Swan, and that she lived nearby in the town of Forks. Her father, Chief Swan, had been on the news several times, asking for the all the surrounding communities to help find his beloved daughter.
Guilt rushed over me every time that segment ran on the news. His daughter was missing and she was here, simply laying down on Esme and Carlisle's bed. I sighed heavily. I was asked by Carlisle to watch Isabella while the rest of my family had gone to go hunting for the weekend. Not needing to go since I had gone the previous week, I stayed behind. After the short exchange of words I had with Carlisle and Esme I had a few previous nights ago, I needed to get away from the surrounding situation, and especially from Isabella. I took that time to think; I knew I wasn't being fair to judge Esme and Carlisle, it was just that I didn't know how Isabella was going to react once she… she woke up and learned of what had become of her.
But, I couldn't blame my family for what happened to her.
Someone else bit her. Someone else damned her to this life, my mind taunted me. I felt my hands ball into fists as I pounded them against my thighs. This wasn't fair! No one deserved this unwillingly. I should've been there, been there to protect her. You don't even know her, my mind stated. I shrugged. It didn't matter. No one should have to go through this, not even a stranger like Isabella. I vowed to get revenge on whoever decided to hurt her, to change her. If I ever …
I heard something stir, my eyes automatically looked towards Isabella's still body. Still nothing. I sighed. Carlisle was getting worried about her change, as well as the rest of my family. We asked Alice to look, to see if she could see anything.
"Of course I see Isabella becoming one of us, I just don't know when exactly," she stated more than once. But she'd been bitten and there had been no movement from her. No screaming, no physical pain was evident. She was changing physically, her pale skin, getting paler along with her features becoming more defined and prominent. She was beautiful, not that she wasn't before. But now... now it was becoming more apparent. I rose from my chair and gingerly took a seat next to her still body. My fingers longed to touch her newly harden skin. But, I was hesitant.
I was so intrigued by this girl – enamored even. I couldn't really place why, though. Was it because of the way she had come to us? Or was it how I felt the need-- no, the want to protect her, to avenge her? I shook my head. No answer came to me, but it didn't matter, what mattered was that I was with her, and I was going to protect her, forever.
Carlisle POV
I had told Edward that we were going hunting. True, we were going hunting, but we also came out here to do some investigating on Isabella's attacker. I didn't want Edward to know, he was acting extremely protective of her, and I didn't think he would approve of what my family had planned on doing. I pinched the bridge of my nose out of frustration - we weren't having any luck. I turned around, looking back at my family.
"Anything?" I whispered softly, knowing that everyone would hear me. I saw five heads shake 'no'.
Dammit! I thought. I was really hoping there was something out here that would help us track down her attacker. We traveled back to the place where I had first found her. I was sure that her predator had left something behind but alas, nothing.
I felt Esme approach me and gently rest her hand on my shoulder. "I don't think her attacker left anything behind, we would've found something by now." She was right, we've been out here almost four hours and scoured the entire forest.
"You're right, dear. Let's go." I reached for her hand, when someone gasped softly. It was Rosalie.
"Whatcha got there Rosie?" Emmett asked, noticing something silver in her petite hand.
"I …I think I've found something." Rosalie stammered as she held up a small silver necklace. I stared at it curiously, it was all too familiar. Rosalie looked at it intently. "I know what this is, Carlisle. Tanya has one. They all do."
Jasper snatched up the glimmering necklace, taking it from Rosalie, and studied it. "The Denali clan. It's their coven symbol." He looked at me, placing the necklace in my hand. I turned it over in my palm, taking in the intricate symbol.
Emmett took a step beside me. "What's it doing out here, then? Are they here for a visit?"
I shook my head. "No, they aren't due to be here for another month or so, last time I talked to them." I looked up at my worried family. "I think we need to head back and make some phone calls." They all nodded somberly, agreeing. I knew they were thinking the same thing as I was - something wasn't right.
BPOV
I was dreaming. I'd been dreaming for the past few days, or at least that's what it felt like. My dreams were random, as they always were. But, the one dream I remember, was the loveliest dream of them all. Well, it wasn't lovely to start out with, that's for sure. I remember … I remember being cold, and hurt. My whole body had ached, and I was screaming. Screaming for someone to help me. No one came, and I was sure I was near death. I continued to scream and cry until finally, a blonde, handsome stranger knelt down beside me. I stifled my cries and asked him who he was. He didn't give an answer, he seemed to be looking at my broken body. I looked at him, the pain almost becoming unbearable now.
"Please, please help me! I'm hurt and it burns … so bad." My breathing became labored, my heart rate seemed languid. The stranger still lingered over me, his eyes still roaming me.
His eyes. The color was familiar. A golden shade to match his golden locks. Then, I remembered another pair of golden eyes, not as light, but darker and … meaner. They had pierced into my own eyes, causing fear to strike my near broken body. I cried out again, but this time, I noticed that I was being carried, carried by the handsome unknown. In his arms I felt …I felt almost safe. It didn't take us long to reach a destination, but I was too weak to notice where he was taking me. I managed through the unbearable pain to peak through my heavy lidded eyes. I was sure I was dying. The sight before me was heavenly. His perfectly messy bronze hair framed his angelic angular face. He was looking at me intently, almost nervously. His eyes – almost the same golden eyes as my rescuer had, weren't exactly welcoming, there was a bit of bitterness to them, with a mix of concern. I found this a bit disconcerting. This was heaven, wasn't everyone supposed to have happy, welcoming faces?
I sighed at that dream, it had always ended at that point. Nothing more and nothing less to the replayed dream. I just wished I could finally wake up, I wanted to know where I was, what had happened. Things were different now, I could feel that. But what had changed? I groaned. I was getting tired of this shit.
Wake up! Stupid eyes, open! Open, dammit! I screamed at my brain. It seem to listen, as my eyes popped open almost instantly. The sight I took in, made my skin and my senses tingle.
Those eyes, the eyes I'd dreamt about a thousand times were now staring down at me. I swallowed and a small burning sensation formed in my throat. I groaned softly from the slight pain. The golden-eyed god seemed to notice and this time, he spoke..."Isabella?"
I frowned, "Who's Isabella?"