CHAPTER SEVEN

CAUGHT

About a week after that night Jake was sick. He wouldn't see Bella. He wouldn't even take her calls. I drove back from school after my session with the counselor.

Oh, I almost forgot about that. I made the decision to start seeing the counselor at school. I go for about an hour after school three times a week. She recently mentioned music therapy. She was going to do some research and get back to me. I was interested.

I told her everything, sans the vampires and werewolves. I even told her about my and Embry's kiss. I felt slightly guilty about kissing Embry when I had a boyfriend. But it was impulse and probably one time. Neither Embry nor I spoke about or did anything else related to that kiss. We never mentioned that conversation again either.

When I woke up that Saturday morning and went downstairs, Bella was on the phone, leaving yet another desperate message on Jacob's machine. "Jacob. Please. Call me."

Dad and his friend Harry came in from the garage with their fishing gear and went into the living room. Bella hung up as I kissed my dad on the cheek in greeting and said hello to Harry.

"Harry and I will be back by three-" but he stopped. Bless him for trying to make it better, "It's mono, Bells."

"He's too sick to even call?" Bella whined.

"You just gotta wait it out. You know, I don't have to go fishing..." there it goes again. Someone's willing to sacrifice something for Bella but she still wants more. Or she doesn't care.

"No, go. I'll call Jess or someone."

"You know you got Callie," Dad said.

Bella acted like she didn't hear him, "I'll call Jess."

Dad didn't want to get into something right now, "Okay. But stay out of the woods. We're issuing a warning about those bears."

Bella nodded.

Then the phone rang. Bella almost had a panic attack so Dad took the phone and answered, "Hello?" He was silent for a moment, listening to whatever the other person was saying. He hesitated before holding the phone out to...

Me? "It's for you."

I assumed it was Tyler and rolled my eyes. I took the phone and held it up to my ear, "Hello?"

"Callie? I know." It was Jake's voice... I think.

"Jacob?"

But when I said that Bella freaked out, "Give me that!" She ripped the phone away from me and put it up to her ear, "Jake? Jacob? Hello?" She pulled the phone away, "He hung up."

"Must be a dropped call," I tried but no one bought it. But Dad looked thankful to me for trying.

Soon dad and Harry left to go fishing. Bella looked like she was going to have an aneurism, "I'm going out." She exited the room.

I found that the perfect time to call Jacob back.

Billy answered, "Hello?"

"Billy, it's me, Callie. I need to talk to Jacob, it's important."

Billy obliged with me and gave the phone to Jacob, "Callie?"

"Yeah..." I breathed out, happy to hear his voice after he had been so upset with me.

"I know."

I knew what he was talking about, "You phased?"

"Yes."

I sighed deeply, my eyes falling closed. "Me and Embry didn't want this for you. But we kind of couldn't wait until you were in on the secret. I hated keeping this from you."

I heard Jacob sigh, "I'm sorry about how I acted towards you."

I shook my head before I remembered that he couldn't see me, "It's alright. I understand."

"You're too good to me, Callie," Jacob said.

"I would argue with you but I need a favor." I opened my eyes and peered out the window. No Bella.

"Anything."

"I need you or some of the guys to go patrol the woods to look for Bella. She ran out and I know she's heading to the meadow."

"The meadow? Where?"

"I don't know where it it exactly. It's somewhere high up, by the clouds. Edward used to take her there."

"Okay."

He hung up.

Some hours later at three Dad and Harry came home like he said they would. I used a good casserole recipe from Sue's book and we all dug right in.

But about fifteen minutes later, Bella busted into the house, "Wolves!"

I froze. I told them to find her to keep an eye on her, not expose themselves.

"What?" I asked shocked.

"They're not giant bears – I saw them. Up in the meadow-" Bella stuttered out.

"Dammit, Bella. I told you not to go into the woods!" Dad chastised her.

"What did you see, Bella?" Harry asked carefully. And I realized that as an elder of the tribe, he probably knew about the guys.

"Wolves. They're wolves, Dad. Five of them. The size – of cars. I swear. They went after – something – and I ran."

Dad grabbed a phone as I spoke to Bella, "You probably imagined it Bella."

She glared at me, "No I didn't."

I felt Harry's curious eyes on me.

"Harry, can you get some men from the rez?" Dad asked.

I gave Harry a look, "Get Sam and some of his group. I'm sure they'd want to know about this."

Harry had a look of realization. He knew that I knew.

Dad was speaking into the phone, "Jerry? Put a hunting party together – tranq guns, large caliber shotguns – there's something dangerous out there."

Yes, I agreed inwardly, but that something dangerous wasn't the wolves.

All those missing hikers. Angela saying she saw a bear.

I don't know why I didn't realize it before.

The wolves were hunting a vampire that was killing people in the woods.

Bella told Dad that she need to go see a friend. I knew she was going to Jacob's. I sighed.

I had guessed that it didn't go too well when she came home dripping wet later that night. Dad's face fell when he saw how lifeless hers was. "Billy called, said you and Jacob had a fight. But, hey, you guys will work it."

Bella didn't react much, "I'm... going to change."

Uh oh.

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