Chapter 17

When I woke up the next morning, Edward was gone. I tried calling him as I got dressed, but he wouldn't answer his phone. I went through my morning routine as quickly as I could, even skipping breakfast, so I could get to his house before the bus. I rang the doorbell, and Esme answered.

"Hello, Bella." She greeted me with her usual smile. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. "Where's Edward?"

"What do you mean where's Edward?" I knit my eyebrows. "I thought he was here with you."

"I thought he was with you last night. Unless he's hunting. But he knows he has school, so he should be back by now."

We stood there, the drizzle tapping on the leaves in the forest around us. Oddly, something had changed between us. Esme was practically my mother all these years, but now with the knowledge that she was a vampire, it was as if an invisible glass wall was set between us. "Do my parents know?" I wondered aloud.

"Of course not," Esme answered. "Do you think that Charlie would leave his precious little girl with a teenage vampire?"

I laughed. "Should I be left alone with a teenage vampire?" Esme didn't answer. I sighed. "Did my mom know, then?"

Esme slowly nodded. "You mother was an oddball, that's for sure. But she did always have a knack for noticing these kinds of things in everyday life. Do you remember her?"

"Vaguely. I mean, I think it's her. I have a vision of being held by my dad, looking at a woman hooked up to machines on a hospital bed. And Carlisle was there, too. But I don't know if that really happened… or if it's a dream. Something I made up."

Esme nodded. "Your mom was very sick. She always wanted to you to know something… she wanted me to wait until the right time to tell you. I think now is the right time."

"What is it?"

"That God made Eve out of Adam's rib so she would be strong enough to protect his heart."

"Esme, I have something to tell you." I told her the entire story about Jacob, and then the wolf I saw in the forest. By the time I finished, her eyes were wide. "Esme, what is it?" I asked. "It's just a wolf."

"It's not just a wolf," she whispered. By that time, the bus had arrived. "Come inside." Esme pulled me in by the wrist. "You can't go to school today."

"What? I don't understand…"

"Stay away from that boy Jacob, you hear me?" she warned.

"Wha… why?"

Esme didn't answer, but picked up the Cullens' old-style home phone quickly. On the circular dial, she called Carlisle. Once he picked up, she said in an urgent voice, "Carlisle, we have a problem. Bella said that she saw a wolf in the woods. And she made friends with a boy named Jacob, he's from La Push. I know, that's why I need both you and Edward here as soon as possible. Wait, you don't know where Edward is either?" Esme's eyes darted from side to side. "Well, this is fantastic. Yes, come home as soon as possible. Goodbye."

Esme turned toward me. "What else did Jacob tell you?"

"Um… he moved here with his dad because his mom passed away. I told you everything else. But really, what's wrong with a wolf?"

"It's not a wolf we're dealing with, Bella. It's a werewolf."

"A what?"