Being There
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.
A/N-thanks for the awesome reviews everyone. They really made me smile. Here is the next chapter..
Nikki :)
Part Sixteen
Paul made Bella kneel down behind some thick shrubbery. "Stay there and don't move. I'm going to scout around a bit."
Bella nodded. She immersed herself amongst the foliage and curled up into a ball. She wished she could quieten down the loud beats of her heart. Everything seemed so quiet, eerily so. Even the normal sounds of the wildlife sounded muted, as if they too were holding their breath. Time seemed to pass slowly. As each second passed Bella began to feel increasing panic. Why was Paul taking so long? She wondered whether to risk moving so she could have a better view of her surroundings, then she decided against it. She had caused enough trouble for one day.
The sound of a twig cracking underfoot made her head shoot up and her heart beat even more erratically. Bella strained her ears as she tried to hear for any more signs of movement. More tense moments went by achingly slowly; she felt like she was being driven insane. Then the sound that she had been dreading reached her ears and Bella knew she was doomed.
"She's nearby. I can smell her," Victoria's high pitched child like tones made Bella's blood run cold.
"It's hard to tell with the dog smell overlapping everything," a male voice answered her. Bella assumed it must be Riley. "Why are you so hell bent on getting her, Vicki? There are easier victims."
"I told you, she was responsible for the death of a dear friend of mine," Victoria retorted.
"Are you sure he was just a friend? By the way you act he sounds like he was a lot more than that," Riley whined. "What about me?"
Bella heard some rustling and to her horror she saw Victoria's bare dirty feet inches away from where she was hiding. Riley was in front of her, he was actually wearing boots. She heard Victoria's voice change tone as she tried to placate a jealous Riley. "You know I care for you. I fell in love with you, that's why I spared you and changed you so we could be together."
"Please let that be true, Vicki," Riley answered, his voice sounded sad. "I love you but sometimes I feel like you are just using me."
"Never, come here," there were sounds of kissing which made Bella's stomach lurch. Victoria really did have Riley under her thumb.
"Are you convinced now?" Victoria purred. Riley chuckled and there were more sounds of kissing. "Come we cannot waste any more time. I can smell her scent mixed in with the dog's, she is close."
Bella's breathing kicked up a notch as she tried to keep very still. Where the hell was Paul? She saw Victoria walk away from where she was hiding; Riley following after her. There were sounds of sniffing and branches breaking. It seemed to be going away from her hiding place. Slowly Bella relaxed as everything went quiet again. She hadn't been detected, or so she thought...
Without warning a hand shot through the foliage and grabbed her by the hair. Bella screamed in pain as she was forcefully yanked out of her hiding place and dropped on the ground. She crumpled at Victoria's feet. "You really thought your pathetic little hiding place would conceal you. I was hoping for some more fun; you are making this too easy." She cackled.
Bella rolled onto her back and stared up at her attacker. Victoria smiled back at her, licking her lips as she began to circle around her. "Where are your protectors now, girl. First your beloved vampire leaves you all alone and now even the dogs have got sick of you. I cannot believe my beloved James died because of you." She spat angrily.
"James?" Riley suddenly appeared in Bella's line of vision. "Beloved? You said he was just a friend."
Victoria sighed irritably. "You are spoiling my fun with your pathetic jealousy. Either help or stay out of it." She snarled.
"You were using me weren't you," Riley began to stalk Victoria, his lips pulled back in anger.
Victoria was becoming impatient. She was becoming sick of Riley's constant whining. "Yes if you must know. You were useful for a while but now you are beginning to get on my nerves. You are nothing like my James, nothing." She screeched.
Bella saw Riley's face change, a mad light shone in his red eyes as he suddenly launched himself at Victoria and knocked her flying. They rolled out of sight into the undergrowth, although Bella could still hear their screams and curses as they fought. She shuddered for a second before she managed to pull herself together and begin crawling toward some cover. Her whole body hurt from where she had been chucked to the ground. Pain tore through one wrist as she tried to use it; she wasn't sure if it was broken.
She finally managed to reach another set of bushes, she crawled through; the spiky thorns clawing at her hair and scalp. "Oh help me, someone help me..." she mumbled over and over. She collapsed again onto the muddy ground, her energy finally spent. Cradling her injured wrist in her hand she closed her eyes and waited to die.
XXXXXX
Minutes or hours later, Bella didn't know which, her eyes flew open as she heard the sound of snarls and growling. She heard Victoria cursing and a loud snapping sound. More scuffling reached her ears and then a loud howl rent the air, followed by another and another. Suddenly everything erupted around her. Bella curled into a ball as the sounds of fighting increased.
Victoria's screams rent the air as she fought her assailants with everything that she had in her; but it wasn't enough. With the loss of Riley to back her up she was unable to fight the overwhelming numbers. A large russet toned wolf jumped on her back as the silver grey and the black wolves bit down on her arms. With one hard pull the russet wolf pulled her head from her shoulders and tossed it aside. It rolled along the forest floor, the eyes and mouth still moving in shock as if Victoria still couldn't believe that she had been beaten. Quickly the wolves began to dismember the rest of her and within minutes three of them had changed back into their human forms so they could build a small fire and set what was left her alight. They threw her head on last and had to cover their ears as her dying screeches echoed around the forest.
XXXXXX
"Bella, Bells honey. It's me. I'm here," Jacob crawled through the dense foliage not caring that the thorns ripped at his skin. He found Bella curled up in a foetal position, hands covering her ears as she shook. He quickly pulled her into his arms and wrapped his whole body around her as she began to cry hysterically; all the fear and panic leaking out of her as she clung to her saviour.
They stayed like that for a while until Bella's sobs lessened. Jacob looked at her face and began to kiss her soft skin gently. "It's okay now, Bells. She's gone, it's all over. You're safe now."
"Gone? What happ...happened to P..Paul?" She asked him shakily.
Jacob's expression darkened. "Let's not talk about him right now."
Bella swallowed and winced because her throat hurt. "Jake, is he hurt?"
"Not yet he isn't," he said evenly.
"It wasn't his fault. I messed up Jake. My dad didn't believe that I was really ill," Bella babbled. "It's all my doing."
Jacob stroked her sweat stained hair off of her face. "Stop that, it's not your fault. Lahote messed up, he knows he did. He let his distrust of you get in the way of his duty."
"How did you find me?" Bella asked instead. She lay back against him and closed her eyes.
"Paul was following their trail, but the wrong one. They had deliberately set a trap; they must have been stalking you both all the way from Forks. It gave them plenty of time to double back on themselves. When he realised he had been duped he called out for us. Luckily we were all close by..."He told her.
"Seth phased didn't he?" Bella asked him.
"How do you know about that?" Jacob continued to stroke Bella's hair, the action seemed to be keeping her calm.
"I rang your house this morning. I spoke to Billy," Bella began to cry again as the adrenaline leaked out of her body and she became weak.
"Come on let's get you out of here." Carefully shielding her with his body, Jacob carried her slowly out of the bushes into the open. She whimpered when he lifted her up into his arms properly to carry her back to La Push.
"Have you hurt yourself?"
Bella cradled her wrist in her good hand. "I think I might have broken it." She mumbled.
The other members of the pack encircled them both. Sam was in front and he gave Bella a kind smile. "I'm relieved...well we all are that you're okay."
"Thank you," Bella gave him a weak smile.
"I need to get her to a hospital, Sam. She's hurt her wrist and has other scratches that need to be checked out." Jacob cradled her close to his chest as he spoke.
"Go, we'll finish things off here," Sam began to step back when Paul strode forward.
Jacob growled at him and began shaking. "Get the fuck away Lahote. You've caused enough trouble."
Sam put a warning hand on Paul's shoulder. "Do as he says."
"I just need to say I'm sorry," Paul looked directly at Bella as he spoke. "I never thought this would happen, I.."
"Get him away Sam," Jacob was on the verge of losing it.
Sam waved Embry and Jared over. They immediately caught hold of Paul and hauled him out of sight. Jacob calmed down when he was gone. He bid Sam and the others goodbye and left to take Bella to the hospital.
XXXXXX
Charlie marched into the emergency room at Forks hospital. A nurse pointed out to him where his daughter was located. He pulled the curtain aside that was wrapped around the cubicle for privacy and glared at Jacob, who was sitting by Bella's bed, holding her good hand. Her other hand was wrapped in a cast all the way up to her wrist.
"What the hell happened, Bells?" He demanded. "The last time I saw you I had dropped you off at school. Why are you here and with him?"
"Dad, please," Bella's voice was weak. Everything that had happened earlier had exhausted her and she couldn't cope with her dad's anger.
"Charlie I know that this doesn't look good." Jacob interjected quickly.
"Damn right it doesn't." Charlie snapped. "I knew she was going to meet you today after that act she tried to put on this morning about being sick. So she still skipped school anyway."
Jacob didn't dispute him. If Charlie wanted to think that; then let him. Jacob had no other excuses to give him anyway. "I'm sorry," was all he said.
"Sorry," Charlie blustered. "How did my little girl end up in hospital with a broken wrist? What were you both doing? I had enough of this when she was seeing that Cullen boy. I at least thought you would take care of her."
Jacob felt his resentment rising at being compared to Edward. "Do not ever compare me to him. I love Bells and always take care of her."
Charlie glared back at him, but before he could issue a retort a nurse accompanied by a doctor pulled back the curtain. They glanced uneasily at the tall muscular man and the chief of police as they stared each other down.
"Everything all right here?" The doctor asked nervously.
"Fine," Charlie muttered. "Can I take my daughter home now?"
"Well not just yet. We need to speak to her privately for a moment," the Doctor replied nervously.
"What about?" Charlie questioned.
"Dad, please," Bella begged him again. She turned her attention to the Doctor. "It's okay you can speak in front of them."
The nurse exchanged a glance with the Doctor. "I think it best if we talk to you alone first." She hedged.
Bella was becoming stressed. If they wanted to speak to her alone, it could only be bad news. She clutched onto Jacob's hand tightly. She needed him to stay. "I want them here, please." She begged.
"I'm staying," Jacob said adamantly as he hugged Bella reassuringly.
"Well if that's what you want," the Doctor finally gave in. "I have the results of your earlier blood work that we took as a precaution. We always cover every possibility when a person has been injured to make sure there is no sign of infection."
"Is there?" Charlie asked worriedly.
"No," the Doctor said quickly.
"Well what then?" Charlie was getting impatient with the man's cryptic answers.
The Doctor cleared his throat. "Your daughter is pregnant, Chief Swan." He finally revealed.
A/N-thanks for reading!
