Chapter Eighteen

Angela

Once outside Jake gave vent to his anger by punching a few trees and growling loudly, I'd seen him angry before and I knew he wouldn't harm me intentionally but having been warned by Emily and Sam I stood back until it had run its course.

"That bastard, I knew it was down to him. He's been nothing but trouble from the first day he saw Bella"

"Jake in fairness she was as crazy about him as he was about her"

"Yes and I never worked that one out. He's a blood sucker, a cold stone mannequin, how could she bear him near her? You saw how cut up she was when he left, how she almost went crazy but as soon as he was in trouble she dropped everything and ran to Italy to help him. Now look where its got her. Now she's one too and who is there to help her?"

"Carlisle said Jasper"

"Exactly. The guy who attacked her and caused Edward to leave in the first place. Now is that totally messed up or what?"

"It sounded like he was the only one who could help and if Alice Cullen was right, if they are meant to be together, he's the right person"

He looked at me and shook his head,

"You girls are all the same. You all see the bad guys as Knights in armour fighting to save you, what is it?"

"Jake I think you should calm down. There's nothing you can do until we know more and Carlisle has promised to let Billy know the minute he hears anything. Don't forget Sam ordered you to stay away from Charlie, you can't tell him anything and don't look at me like that, I happen to agree."

I didn't like the slow smile that spread across his face.

"Jake..."

He smiled at me,

"Yeah Sam told me I couldn't talk to Charlie but he said nothing about Edward Cullen, come on"

He dragged me over to the garage where Quil, Embry, and Paul, were mucking about with a couple of old motorbikes that Jake and Bella had picked up to cannibalize for their own bikes.

Jake told the others what he'd heard from Carlisle and the boys were all annoyed and pumped then he suggested casually that they might like to run a few patrols close to the Cullen property, hoping to find Edward alone.

"You stay here with Emily and Leah and don't say anything to her or Sam about where we've gone."

I nodded rolling my eyes, Jake was looking for trouble and I hoped Edward was in the house. When I walked into Emily's alone Sam looked over,

"Where is he? If he's gone to Charlie's..."

"He hasn't"

"So where is he?"

"He asked me not to say"

That means I wont like it."

He groaned and got up, striding to the door,

"He's gone looking for Edward hasn't he?"

I nodded sadly,

"And taken some of the others with him."

I nodded again.

"Emily ring Carlisle and warn him, Angie stay here till I get back"

And he was gone shimmering into wolf form as he ran out of the cabin. It never even phased me any more seeing guys change from human to wolf form so I guess I could see how Bella could ignore a vampires cold touch and fearsome reputation if she loved one of them.

Carlisle

When the phone rang I hoped it might be Jasper but instead it was Emily Uley with a warning that Jake and some of the wolves were hunting for Edward. I had expected trouble between Jake and Edward once Jake found out that Edward was responsible for Bella being taken, but not quite this soon. I went to the top of the stairs and called down to Esme,

"Edward? I think he's gone into town."

"Ring his cell phone and tell him to stay there. Jake is on his way over and I think he wants a fight."

I went outside with Emmett to see if we could head off the confrontation, we met up with Jake and his friends just off our driveway,

"Go home Jake, Edward isn't here and he won't be back while you are here"

"Who told you we were coming?"

"That's immaterial. Killing Edward wont help Bella now, or Charlie"

"And sending a killer to help her will? I know all about Major Jasper Whitlock Carlisle. I did some digging on him. He's a bigger threat to her than any of you, the leech is a killer with too many notches on his belt for my liking. Edward got Bella in this mess and no one seems to find that upsetting or disturbing"

"Jake, Edward didn't tell Aro on purpose, Aro reads minds, thoughts, and he picked up that Edward couldn't read Bella's mind"

"I don't see that it matters. He's been nothing but bad news for Bells. You didn't see what she was like when you all left. After he told he he didn't want her any longer, I did. I picked up the pieces for her, put her back together only for you and your family to rip her life apart again and ultimately take it away from her so you'll forgive me for wanting someone to pay and Edward is the obvious candidate. As Emmett stepped forward blocking Jake's path down the driveway the other boys shimmered to wolf form and also moved forward. Jake growled in his throat and his form too began to shake as he phased. I stepped forward to stand beside my son,

"We're outnumbered Carlisle"

"Yes but we have to protect the others. Jake won't care who he takes out and there's no way he's getting to the women."

As Jake lunged forward to meet Emmett's steel like arms the other two wolves attacked me from both sides. The larger of the two, and the more dangerous, I fought off successfully but the smaller of the two caught my leg in its jaws and started to shake it. I felt a rending and knew it was only seconds from being torn off when I heard a loud snarl and the wolves stopped their attack and cowered down, faces almost touching the ground in submission. Emmett came to my side and helped me up as Sam appeared from the trees transforming as he approached.

"I'm sorry Carlisle. I came as quickly as I could. This attack was not sanctioned. Jake apologise to the Doctor and get back to the Res, Harry and Old Quil are eager to have a word with you"

As the wolves skulked off Sam came over to me,

"Will you be OK?"

I pulled up the leg of my pants and saw the bite leaking venom before nodded,

"Yes. It will heal. Thank you Sam."

"Don't thank me Dr Cullen. I feel the same way Jake does but we have our own rules and ways of doing things. He acted without permission, in violation of our treaty"

Saying this Sam turned and ran back into the trees,

"Friendly bunch aren't they."