Chapter Thirty

Carlisle

I tried to speak to Quil Ateara but he refused to speak at all, and I had no leverage to use other than that Jasper had already threatened.

"I know nothing more than I have already told you. Our lives mean nothing if we give in to threats from your kind, the pack will avenge your actions Dr Cullen be sure of that."

After that I left him to it although I doubted he would do anything to trace the pack, as far as he was concerned they may not have had the elders blessing for what they did but now it was done and the elders would stand behind Sam. Knowing this I went to find Emily hoping she might still be in her cabin as it was well away from the rest of the village although she might well have fled at Jasper's threat along with the rest of the villagers.

As it was her cabin although still standing was deserted. So, she had run or maybe already left with Sam and the pack. I checked the lean to garage and found the car gone but I did discover something, Charlie's scent in there. He had been here fairly recently and I doubted it was a social visit. I thought he had probably been spirited away in Emily's car but by her? Or by one of the pack? It was impossible to say, the scents of all the pack were in here. I stood thinking, then went back inside and riffled her drawers until I found an address book with her cell phone number in it. I had been banking on her doing what all humans seemed to do, write their cell phone number down in the easiest place to find to remind them. I would send her a message and hopefully she would listen to my warning.

I tried to be as diplomatic as possible, after all Sam was not only the pack alpha but her husband too. Emily was largely an unknown quantity to me but I thought I knew enough about women to believe she would not want to be responsible for any deaths or the kidnap of children. She might not even know Sam and the others had stolen the children. I took out my cell phone and wrote out my message.

Emily, the village was destroyed looking for clues to the children's whereabouts. If the elders do not produce children and Charlie Swan in twenty four hours they will die too. Speak to Sam, have him bring the children back or at least have them speak to their family to avoid more needless deaths. You will never be safe or know any peace if the children are not returned where they belong.

Dr Cullen.

All I could do was to hope she would speak to Sam and make him see sense, surely he didn't want to start a war? I certainly hoped not.

Sam

The meeting with Emily had gone worse than I expected, whatever I said just made things worse and I had no idea how to placate her. True I had used her and that was enough to set her against me and she liked Charlie. The fact she had been forced to drive him all this way with no explanation was bad enough, but when she found out what I was doing I saw something change in her eyes, she no longer admired me as she had done and I didn't know if I could save our relationship though I had to somehow.

I was almost back at the village when I heard beeping and pulled over taking Emily's cell phone from my pocket. Someone was trying to get in touch with her and I wondered who, possibly Sue Clearwater who just might have some advice for me. I opened the text message and my blood ran cold. How had Cullen gotten Emily's number? The village was destroyed? And now the Cullens were threatening to kill the elders. What did he mean by MORE needless deaths? Who was dead? Was he referring to Jared or had more died at the hands of the leeches? If Emily could see this she might understand the kind of monsters we were dealing with. She had been taken in by Cullen's peaceful veneer, forgetting what the doctors mask disguised. I started the engine and floored the gas pedal, I needed to get back and fight for my tribe, my elders and my home.

As soon as I got back I went to find Atiqtalaaq and explained the situation, I had tried phoning Harry and Billy but the lines were dead, proof that he hadn't lied about the destruction of the village. If only Jared hadn't been killed I could have phased and learned exactly what was going on but up here I was blind and deaf to the actions in Forks.

"You believe this leech and his words?"

"I'm afraid not to brother. I have to take the pack and return to Forks, free our elders and kill the leeches."

"Not alone Sam, I'll send some of our guardians with you and we will ensure the children are spirited away."

"What about Charlie?"

He looked at me coldly,

"He is important to you? Perhaps you could offer him as an exchange for your elders? If not we will dispose of him, after all, leech lovers are as bad as the leeches themselves."

I didn't care what happened to Charlie, Atiqtalaaq was right, as a leech lover he deserved to die. I was grateful for his offer of help and called together the pack, before we left I had to choose a beta and I still had no idea which of the others was worthy of the position. They gathered around me coming from the cabins and further afield to hear why I had called the meeting but excited it might be to choose the new deputy. I explained the message Cullen had sent Emily and Atiqtalaaq's offer to send some of their guardians with us. It meant waiting until the next day as he had to call them in from other tasks away from the village but I thought I could delay any leech action if I sent a message back that we were willing to talk and that the children were safe. He may not believe me but he couldn't afford to take any chances and it would gain us a few precious hours. There were murmurs from some of the pack who wanted to leave immediately but once they understood the delay would enable us to wipe out the Cullens they calmed down.

"Shouldn't you choose a beta before we leave Sam? After all you are going to need a deputy if we are to fight the leeches."

"Yes Paul I know that and I have deliberated long and hard on the choice. I want you all to know the person I chose I feel will be the best of you to lead the others into battle."

Paul smiled and stood a little more erect looking at me keenly, knowing I was about to choose him so when I called Jake forward his face twisted in rage.

"NO! I am the next in line Sam and I'm as good a fighter as Jake, better in fact. He's too young and inexperienced. You have no right to choose him over me."

I stared into Paul's eyes,

"Nevertheless Paul, I have made my choice and you will abide by it. Jake is now pack beta and all of you will accept that, all of you."

Annie

I wasn't there when Atiqtalaaq made the deal with Samuel but it didn't take long for the essence of it to reach me and I went looking for our deputy who it seemed was aware I would find out and was trying to avoid me. He knew I would not be happy with the decision he had made, he had no right to offer our guardians to Samuel without Johnny's blessing. I caught up with him in the stores where he was hiding pretending to be checking on supplies while the route into the big towns was still open.

"Annie, did you want something?"

I just stared at him and he sighed handing a clipboard to the young woman who had been standing with him,

"Carry on."

I turned and walked outside knowing he would follow me then stopped when I thought we were far enough from other ears, at least human ears.

"What exactly do you think you are doing? What right have you to lend our guardians as if they are a bowl of sugar?"

He tried bluster,

"Look Annie, I am Johnny's deputy and when he is away I make the decisions."

"No, when he is away you see to the daily running of the village and ensure our safety. Any serious decisions must be handed over to him and as he is in possession of a cell phone that should not be too difficult. Or you could ask one of the other guardians to contact him for you. If you don't then I will."