CHAPTER EIGHT

THE CLEARING

Bella kept calling me every time she got Jacob's answering machine. He wasn't taking her calls, but I was.

"Bella... he has mono. It'll pass, he'll get better and everything will be okay.." I tried.

"He's too sick to come to the phone?" She asked.

I sighed, "I don't know what to tell you."

"Embry went through it too, right? Got sick, didn't take your calls. What did you do?"

I weighed the pros and cons of answering honestly. I leaned over my headboard, tacking a picture of Edgar Allan Poe and his cousin/wife onto my wall next to a picture of my mom and dad from their thirteenth wedding anniversary. I had painted a red heart around them. In a huff back when my mother left, I had ripped the paper right down the middle. But now it was crudely taped back together, the rip easily seen.

"I... went to his house. Demanded to see him," I said reluctantly, "But I don't think you should. You could... catch it or something."

She was quiet and I wished I hadn't told her the truth. "I guess. Do you want to go... take a hike or something?"

"Umm... Isn't that dangerous? With the bears?" I asked as I climbed off my bed.

"You know as well as I do but... I really just want to go... look for something. And you're the only one..."

"Who got left behind too?" I finished, guilty at not telling her that Jasper had come back to me. But I didn't want to throw it in her face that Edward still wasn't coming back to her, "Yeah, sure. I'll come pick you up?"

"Sure. Bye."

"Bye."

Bella led me to a clearing. She looked hopeful. But her face fell when we entered the clearing. The meadow was cold, gloomy and cloudy. I didn't know what she was expecting. She closed her eyes briefly, looking disappointed, and reopened them.

She stepped forward, falling to her knees, tears threatening. I stepped forward and put my hand on her shoulder. But then we heard a rustling noise. We turned towards it, peering into the woods. It sounded again from another part of the woods and we spun.

We turned around to leave but jumped when we saw... Laurent standing just ten yards away.

"Laurent?" Bella asked.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, incredulous.

"Bella. Heather." Laurent greeted cordially.

"Laurent!" Bella cheered, somehow happy to see him.

"I must admit, I didn't expect to find you here," Laurent paced.

"We live here," I pointed out.

"But you-" Bella started, "I thought you were in Alaska with Carlisle's friend."

"Tanya, I was," Laurent told us, "It was kind of him to arrange, given my association with James and Victoria."

I almost flinched at the memory but shook them from my head, "You warned us."

Laurent strolled in a slow arc around us, "I went to visit the Cullens, but their house is empty. I'm surprised they left you two behind. Weren't you... attached?"

Bella's smile faltered, fear seeping into her expression. I felt my face go pale. "Yes."

"Do the Cullens visit often?" Laurent fished.

Bella's eyes went out of focus for a moment before she stuttered, "Absolutely. All the time."

She wasn't good at lying. So I had to cover her ass. "They meet us at the house. I have a key. I've been keeping it up for them so someday we can return. Next time we see them, we'll let them know you came by."

Bella blinked, "Will they be able to reach you in Alaska?"

Laurent tsked, "I don't think so. Tanya's 'vegetarian' family was pleasant enough. But the dietary restrictions were difficult – living on nothing but animals."

I shivered, "I've heard it's a hard transition to make. But worth it."

Laurent stepped closer to us, "That's not why I left. I came back here as a favor to Victoria."

I furrowed my brow in confusion, "Victoria? You're still friends?"

Laurent shrugged, "More or less. She asked me to get the lay of the land with the Cullens. Because, well... I'm afraid Victoria is quite put out with you."

Bella looked petrified. So I jumped in again, "I can imagine."

"Yes. She feels it's only fair to kill the mates of the ones who killed hers. Eye for an eye, mate for a mate."

Bella stuttered out, "Edward will know who did it. He'll come after both of you."

Laurent didn't look scared, "I don't think he will. Nor Jasper." I flinched at his saying Jasper's name. "After all, how much could you have meant to them if they left you here unprotected?" He paused, "Victoria sent me here for information. She won't be happy about my killing you."

The breath whooshed out of me as I heard Bella say, "No, Laurent..."

He put a hand on her face, "No, no, no," he said sincerely, like he was being our friend, "Don't be upset. I'm doing you both a kindness." He looked at me, "Victoria plans on killing you slowly, painfully – whereas I'll make it very quick." He leaned in close to my neck and inhaled, "And you both smell so... mouth watering."

He faced us both, the blood lust building in his black eyes.

I heard Bella whisper, "Jacob..."

And I whimpered, "I'm sorry Jasper."

I closed my eyes, ready to die.

But the strike didn't come. I heard Laurent say right by my ear, "I... don't believe it." I opened my eyes to see him stepping back. He was gazing, horrified, at something behind us. Bella and I slowly turned to find...

An enormous black wolf sulking out of the darkness of the woods. It stalked towards us, and I wondered if it was Embry, but the eyes did match. A growl built in its chest. It stalked closer and closer.

The four more wolves soundlessly emerge from the trees, flanking the black wolf. They were huge, just like the wolf from my nightmare. Bella was frozen in fear behind me and I reached back to grab her hand. Her sweaty palm pressed to mine tightly.

I saw Laurent bolt the other direction. Each wolf sprinted after him. They disappeared into the woods.

I tugged on Bella's hand, "I have to get you home. We have to check on our families."

We both ran the hell out of there.

Bella called. "Billy said he was out with friends. But he told my dad that he had mono. Then he told me to go home."

I sighed as I scribbled into my notebook, "Was he... rude?"

I heard her give a frustrated sigh, "That's not the point, Heather. Something's not right."

"Bella... the last time you went digging for secrets, you found out that your boyfriend was a vampire."

She was silent. And I sighed, "Bella..."

"No... It's okay," she told me.

"No it's not."

Bella sighed, "You know what? I was alright with Edward's secret. I could handle it. If I could handle that, I can handle whatever's going on with Jacob. I'm going to try again. I'll call you later."

Then she hung up.

I was eating dinner when my phone rang. I answered with enchalada in my mouth, "Hello?"

"Hello Darling," I heard JAsper's voice on the other line.

I swallowed my food and smiled, "Hey... What's going on?"

"Alice and I are trying to convince the others to go back," He told me, "We've got Rose on our side. But Esme and Carlisle are dead set on respecting Edward's wishes. Emmett is kind of neutral and Esme said it won't feel right being back without Edward - the whole family."

"You just have to keep trying," I told him.

I heard him sigh, "I won't stop, Darling."

"So... when are you coming back? You are coming back right?" I tried not to sound too eager or panicked, but I knew that it seeped into my voice.

Jasper chucked, "Yes, darling. I'll be back to visit soon. Alice is estatic that I've caved."

I smiled, "That makes two of us."

"That makes three of us."

I was woken up from my nap when the phone rang. I groggily answered, "Hello?"

"Heather. It's Embry."

I shot up into a sitting position. Embry and I hadn't really spoken since the kiss and rejection. I was glad to hear from him, "Embry... hey."

"Uhhh... you'll never believe what happened..." he started in a scratchy voice.

"What?"

"Jacob imprinted on Bella."

Weren't expecting that, were you? Hehe, let me know what you think.

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