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BPOV
When I got to Edward's car, I sat down on the comfortable leather seats. I cranked the car with the spare keys Edward had given me just for times like these. I turned up the heat; knowing it wouldn't be long until Edward joined me thanks to Alice. As I sat there waiting, the only thing I could think of was Mike. He made me so angry! And the longer I sat there, the angrier I became. What kind of person did he think I was that I would just dump Edward to be with him? I guess I was just fed up with all of them, Jacob then Mike. Couldn't they all just leave me alone?
I was so glad I was going camping with the family this weekend. Well I was camping, and the rest of the family would be hunting. I knew this was the perfect distraction to get my mind off of the whole mess. I thought of Edward and me alone in a tent in the woods, and sighed. I blushed at the thought of what we could get up too.
Suddenly the door opened letting in the cold air from the outside. I jumped, and squealed out in fright.
"Edward Cullen, you scared me!" I admonished weakly.
"I'm sorry, love, you were quite lost in thought. What were you thinking by the way?" he asked with a sexy smirk.
"Jasper was getting quite a range of emotions off of you; anger, contentment, then lust. I can guess where the anger was coming from. I am sorry about Newton; if you wanted, I could arrange for him to never bother you again," Edward said mischievously.
I laughed.
"As much as I know you want to sometime, please don't kill any of our classmates, baby. Besides, I took care of Newton pretty well myself," I answered proudly.
"Yes, you did, I saw it all in Newton's thoughts. I am so proud of you for standing up for yourself. I have to say though; he is quite upset you said all of that in front of the whole class. Jessica is with him right now trying to console him. Poor girl, he is ignoring every word she is saying, and is trying to figure out what he did wrong," Edward said.
He and I both rolled our eyes at that. Idiot, would he ever learn.
"So, you were feeling contentment and lust; where did those emotions come from?" Edward murmured seductively.
I blushed under his intense stare, and swallowed hard.
"Well, I was actually thinking of being all alone in the woods with you," I said as my breathing quickened, and I looked at him with hooded eyes.
"I see Miss Swan, tell me how lustful thoughts come from thinking of camping?" he whispered.
We had leaned in closer to each other during out exchange. I giggled, and gave him a quick kiss.
"That is for me to know, and you to find out Mr. Cullen," I told him.
The look of surprise on his gorgeous face was priceless.
"Oh really Miss Swan," he growled, grabbed me, and brought me in for a searing kiss.
When we finally pulled away, I looked up at him confused.
"By the way, baby, what was Jasper doing here anyway? He is supposed to be at college, so no one can see him right?"
"I am not leaving you unprotected while Victoria is still out there sweetheart. Alice called Jasper after she saw you tell off Newton, and go to the car; he was watching from the woods," Edward answered smiling.
"Oh wow! Thank you for watching out for me, baby," I gasped then gave him a teary smile.
"That is what I am here for, love. Your safety is of the utmost importance to me. I love you so much," He whispered.
"I love you too, Edward," I said reaching over to give him a hug.
"Now, let's go get ready for a camping trip!" he exclaimed and laughed.
I laughed at him as we pulled away.
I stood there in shocked awe at my camp sight. There was no other word for it other than spectacular. When I was thinking about going camping, I thought there would nothing but a flimsy tent and a sleeping bag to keep me from the elements. I forgot to take into consideration my overprotective boyfriend. I have to admit though his tendency to overprotect really paid off this time. This was perfect!
Esme, Emmett, Rose and Jasper had worked that morning while we were in school to set this up for me, and I couldn't be more grateful. I had a Coleman insulated tent, although it looked more like a white cabin than a tent. It had insulated walls and a roof with ventilation for a small stove with a white tarp over that to keep out the rain. It did have a small stove and a large cooler filled with everything imaginable to eat. There were four portable heaters, an air mattress with flannel sheets, and a beautiful quilt. To top it off was a trunk full of warm clothes appropriate for cold weather camping. I didn't know how many times Alice thought I was going to change this weekend, but that's just Alice for you.
"This is so wonderful guys!" I said, and turned to kiss Edward.
I went over, and hugged Esme, Emmett, Rose, Jasper and Alice.
"Thank you so much, but why such a big tent if it is just for me?" I asked.
"Well, two or more of us will be here with you at a time love, so we had to get a big tent with lots of seating so we wouldn't be crowded," Edward replied.
"Oh! Well that make sense," I said.
I would want whoever was staying behind to be here in the tent with me, and not outside in the elements. Although I didn't say that out loud because they would think I was silly, since the elements didn't bother them. I still wanted them close to me.
That night, I slept so well! I only needed three of the heaters on since the tent was insulated. The bed was pretty comfortable, but the company was the best. The whole family talked and laughed about different things until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. This was turning out to be a great camping trip!
The next morning, I woke up to find Carlisle had arrived. He had worked the late shift last night, and couldn't get here until this morning. He, Esme, Alice, Jasper and Edward were the only ones with me.
"Where are Em and Rose this morning?" I asked, after giving Carlisle a welcome hug.
"They left last night after you went to sleep. Em said it was boring now, so they are doing whatever it is they do while alone in the woods," Jasper said with a suggestive look.
"Oh. Enough said," I replied while blushing.
It was then that I noticed the wonderful smell. I looked over, and Esme was preparing my breakfast on the small stove.
"Oh Esme, thank you, but you didn't have to fix my breakfast," I told her.
"It's ok Bella, I love doing this; I can't cook for any of my other children, so please let me pamper you," she replied with a warm smile.
She was so sweet; so I kissed her cheek and said thank you as she handed me a plate full of bacon, eggs, and toast. It looked delicious. As I was sitting there enjoying my meal, Edward sat beside me, and played with my hair. We were all sitting there talking, when Alice's eyes glazed over. She was getting a vision that made her and Edward both gasp at the same time.
"When?" Edward growled standing up.
"Five minutes. We better hurry!" Alice replied.
"What is it?" I asked setting my plate down, getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach causing me to no longer feel hungry.
"Victoria!" Alice and Edward said at the same time.
"We can end this if we hurry. Esme, you stay with Bella. Carlisle, you come with us. The wolves are undoubtedly there since Victoria popped out of nowhere. We will need you to help keep to peace with the mutts," Edward said quickly.
Edward gave me a quick, but searing kiss.
"I love you, and I will end this!" he said.
Before I could reply, he and the rest were gone.
"I love you too, please be careful," I yelled anyway; then, I fell on Esme crying.
"He heard you Bella, and he will come back to you. They will all come back; it is four of them against one. Em and Rose will surely join them so there will be six then," she said sounding so confident, so that I couldn't help but believe it too.
EPOV
As I was running off, I heard my love yell.
"I love you too, please be careful."
I would end this nonsense today! Victoria was not going to escape today; we had a mind reader and a psychic, and we WOULD catch her. I would end this threat to Bella's life. Maybe then we could have a little peace.
As we ran, Alice was on the phone with Em. He and Rose would meet us there in one minute.
"We will be there in thirty seconds. We need to keep out of sight, until she lands on our side of the bank. I have seen that if she can see us before she jumps, she will go in a completely different direction and our moment is lost," She informed us.
According to Alice's vision, we will have one minute to coordinate with Em and Rose before she arrived. There would be plenty of time for us to find our positions and wait.
We arrived at the location Alice saw in her vision. It was a deep ravine separating the treaty line. Victoria landing on our side would give us just the opportunity we needed to attack. Emmett and Rose arrived one minute later, and we took our positions. We were just out of sight, but it gave us a perfect vantage point.
"Thirty more seconds," Alice whispered excitedly.
She had seen the outcome of this fight, and it was very good. Exactly thirty seconds later, Victoria came flying over the ravine. The four wolves following her were very angry she had escaped, and they were seriously fighting the desire to keep following her across the treaty line. One, I noted was Jacob, and he was livid. He was really hoping to catch the leech, and hoping to impress Bella. I couldn't help but agree for once with his derogatory statement. Victoria was definitely a leech, and one I was going to destroy.
The second Victoria landed on the bank we surrounded her, and Emmett and Jasper took hold of her arms. The wolves were furious pacing back and forth on the other side of the ravine, hoping she would escape us. There was no way.
I walked up to Victoria; the fear was written all over her face. She knew she was dead. Carlisle, the most compassionate one of us, didn't even bat an eyelash as I prepared to rip her to pieces. She had threatened Bella, one of his beloved daughters; even he knew she must be ended.
"This isn't over! Riley will avenge me. He will kill your pet; then, my James will be avenged!" she cried as I took hold of her hair.
"Who is Riley, Victoria?" I asked in my most soothing tone.
She tried to spit in my face, but her thoughts couldn't help but go to an abandoned warehouse in Seattle. I was able to see surrounding buildings; it would be simple to find. Emmett and Jasper would gladly go take care of her pet.
"That is ok, Victoria. My Bella, my mate, is no longer in danger. I am about to rip you to shreds; and thanks to your betraying thoughts, Riley will be gone by nightfall," I said with a smirk.
Victoria started shrieking in rage, but the grating sound was soon cut off as I ripped her head from her body. As we finished dismembering Victoria, I relayed the location to the others. As we lit the fire, it was decided Jasper and Alice would go and take care of the newborn. There would be no more dangers to Bella's life. They took off immediately.
As the purple smoke started to rise, I heard a loud roar from across the ravine. It was Jacob Black, and he was furious.
"We could have had her leech!" Jacob yelled.
Yeah and Bella would have been all over me for being her hero.
His thoughts were pathetic.
"Bella will never be yours, dog, she is mine," I said in a menacingly calm voice.
"She could have been mine eventually, if you had just stayed away," He growled.
I would have worn her down, she would have been mine. I could be so much better for her.
He was really starting to get on my nerves.
"I would be so much better for her leech. You don't deserve her," he growled out.
"You are right about one thing, mongrel, I don't deserve her. But for some reason she loves me just as much as I love her. I will never let her go. She. Is. Mine." I said.
We stood there staring at each other across the ravine. Jacob got a pained look on his face as his thoughts were murderous.
"Remember leech that once you bite her, the treaty will be broken. I will come after you, and tear you apart and gladly burn the pieces. I hope you don't succeed in changing her; I would rather see her dead than turn into a soulless monster like you!" he said between clenched teeth.
I heard a horrified little gasp behind me. Jacob's face drained of all color. I turned, and there was Esme with Bella sliding off her back.
Esme's thoughts were remorseful.
I'm sorry, Edward, we got a call from Alice saying you had successfully destroyed Victoria, and Bella wanted to come see. Alice assured me everything would be safe if I brought her.
Alice evidently didn't take into account the dog. I couldn't be mad at Alice; she couldn't have known this would happen, and she didn't want Bella to worry about us needlessly.
"Bella...I...I didn't mean that!" Jacob choked out.
He didn't mean for her to know he felt that way.
"Which part Jacob, the part where you want to kill the love of my life, or where you want him to kill me?" Bella growled out.
Bella was so angry; she had tears running down her face. She stood there for a moment staring at the ground getting her emotions under control. When she looked up her face was determined and set, there was no nervousness in her voice.
"You helped me through a very hard time in my life; but it is NONE of your business, or any of the wolves for that matter, whether or not I am changed. It is MY choice, and you have no say in this. Now that I know your true feelings, I can't be your friend anymore," she said, her voice calm and sure.
"Bella NO!" Jacob growled out, his face grief stricken.
"No Jacob, you want my love and my family dead; then, you would rather see me dead than happy because it would be with your supposed enemy. That is something I cannot overlook. You have crossed the last line. Leave me alone Jacob, I wish you a happy life," she said; and with those parting words Bella grabbed my hand, turned around, and started walking off.
Jacob had phased when Bella turned around, and let out a long and mournful howl. Bella didn't even flinch or offer to turn around. I knew she was quite serious then, and I couldn't be more pleased. I hated it when Bella would go off to see the dog, but he just pushed her too far this time.
As we were walking back to the campsite, I picked up her hand and kissed it.
"I am so sorry love," I said, and I meant it.
I was sorry he had put her through this heartache, and she had to hear those hateful words. The mutt was wrong; Bella could never be a soulless monster, and with her I got a little bit of my soul back each day. She was my salvation.
"Don't be baby, I'm not. That was a long time coming. He just couldn't take no for an answer, and couldn't keep his mouth shut about you," she told me with a soft smile.
She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"By the way, I am so sorry for trying to sneak off and see him. Now that I think on it, I was definitely giving him the wrong impression, and that was so not fair to you. You are my best friend and soulmate, and I should have never done that to you, please forgive me," she said with a small smile, then put her hands around my neck and cried into my shoulder.
"Shh, my darling. I forgive you as long as you forgive me. He was in your life because I left. I will NEVER leave you again. I will talk to you if we have problems, please believe me and forgive me," I cooed.
We stood holding each other.
"I forgive you, and I do believe you. We are a team now; we can work through anything, as long as we work together. After awhile, I heard her stomach growl.
"Sorry, I didn't finish my breakfast, now that Victoria is gone, I am starving," she said while blushing.
I laughed, and threw her on my back.
"Come on, let's hurry back to camp. I don't think you saw your portable shower complete with hot water...did you?" I asked smiling.
I heard her gasp, and I chuckled at her obvious delight.
"No! I didn't, let's go!" she cried with a delightful giggle following behind.
As we were running back to camp, she leaned in and kissed my neck and whispered in my ear.
"Thank you for destroying Victoria. I am safe now because of you. We can really start our lives now; we have no one to fear."
I squeezed her arm that was around my neck.
"I would do anything to keep you safe. I love you so much, Bella," I said to her.
As we arrived back at camp, she squeezed me back and said, "I love you too Edward."
While we walked hand in hand, I couldn't help the relief that washed over me. My Bella was safe!
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