Chapter Thirty Two

Carlisle

I knew only too well how lucky we'd been to get away with Bella and all our lives. I recognised Garrett as he attacked and could only bless the fortune that had saved us from an attack by Jasper or Peter Whitlock, but I knew this was only a short respite, they would be coming for all of us. Giving Charlie the spare headset again I explained the situation to him,

"They'll be coming for us Charlie. We don't have very long. Your only safety lays in keeping Bella on the Quileute reservation, the wolves will keep her safe, and you, because believe me, without their protection you'll be dead and she'll be back with The Major in a matter of days."

"What about you?"

"We can leave the country, unless you give us away that is."

He looked into my eyes then nodded,

"Yeah, you go. After all you helped me. Will he follow you?"

"Not if he gets Bella back, at least not straight away but there will be a reckoning sometime in the future. He won't forget what we did and he has all the time in the world for revenge Charlie. If you leave the Res you will be in terrible danger."

"I thought you said he wouldn't hurt me, Bella wouldn't allow it."

"You keep her from him and she will turn on you Charlie, I guarantee it."

"Why don't we take Bella with us? We can keep her safe just as well as the wolves."

I looked at Edward with contempt,

"You never give up do you son? Bella doesn't want to be anywhere near you so that's not going to happen."

He glared at Charlie but I interrupted,

"Charlie's right Edward. You lost your chance with Bella. She'd only be more determined to escape if she was with us."

Charlie

As soon as the helicopter landed and we were on our way back in Carlisle's Mercedes I rang Billy and told him what had happened.

"I need sanctuary on the Res for Bella."

"You need it for yourself too Charlie but I have to take your request to the Elders. I'll ring you back"

Carlisle looked over his shoulder,

"If they refuse Charlie you'll have to come with us. Its your only alternative."

"Can you keep us safe?"

"I hope so, at least as well as the wolves."

We were only a few miles from Forks when my phone rang, simultaneous with Carlisle's,

"Charlie I've spoken to the Elders but they're split. By offering you refuge we are putting the tribe at risk. If it were anyone other than The Major involved I might have swung it for you but they wont lay the tribe open to his reprisals, I'm very sorry Charlie but you can't bring her here."

I shut the phone off without speaking and shook my head at an enquiring look from Esme, then heard Carlisle's words.

"Bella is Charlies daughter and he is responsible for her."

"You can threaten as much as you like but she's not going back."

"Then come, we'll be waiting for you."

He put his phone down with a sigh,

"That was Charlotte Whitlock with a warning. If we don't take Bella back then they're coming for all of us."

"I take it this isn't an idle threat?"

"No its a promise Charlie. I take it the Quileutes won't give you refuge?"

"No, it's too dangerous for the tribe. They won't take the Major on."

"I'm not surprised although I thought they might make an exception for you, after all you're almost one of them and with Bella being so close to Jake, still...you have to leave with us Charlie."

"I can't just up and go Carlisle, I have a job, a house, a life"

"If you stay in Forks you'll lose them all, he'll tear down anything standing between him and Bella. All we can do is disappear and keep moving."

"What about the Denali's? Do you think they'll help?"

"Its putting them in terrible danger Esme."

"We can't outrun him for long, we need allies Carlisle."

"Do you really think they're going to help when they find out we kidnapped Jasper Whitlock's mate?"

"I think we have to try, we can't defeat him alone"

This Major Jasper Whitlock was beginning to sound like a one man army!

"He is Charlie"

I turned to Edward,

"What?"

"A one man army. He is, or was"

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Well you know we're vampires so I guess telling you the rest won't hurt. I read minds."

I looked at him frowning,

"In that case how did you not know Bella's thoughts? You must have known she'd decided to go find him."

He shook his head,

"I can't read Bella's mind, its closed to me"

I smiled, at least one of us could throw a spanner in the works.

As we arrived at the Cullen house they got out and the huge Emmett Cullen took the wheel turning to grimace at me,

"I'm driving you to your house. You have fifteen minutes to pack what you need then we meet the others at the airstrip in Port Angeles."

"You don't look very happy"

"I'm not. I don't like any of this, I don't like the idea of Jasper Whitlock looking for us or Bella being snatched and drugged. The whole thing is a monumental cock-up, but now it's happened we have to deal with the consequences."

He drove the rest of the way in silence and stopping outside our house he turned again,

"I'll wait with Bella. You grab what you really need and hurry."

I ran inside, the unease of the Cullens had rubbed off on me too. Grabbing an old case and rucksack I grabbed some of my stuff and the emergency money I had stashed away then went into Bella's room just tipping her drawers into the case and picked up her I pod and laptop then ran back down and straight into Jake at the bottom of the stairs.

"What the hell do you want?"

"I want to help"

"Well the Elders refused to help so I'm going with the Cullens."

"I'll come too, for Bella"

"I don't think so Jake. You had your chance like Edward and you blew it too. Now I have to go."

I stepped round him and out of the front door as he turned to watch.

Emmett was out of the car standing by the rear door closest to Jake, guarding Bella's still sleeping form. He nodded as I threw the case and bag in the trunk then slowly got back in the car and drove off towards Port Angeles.

"What did he want?"

"Jake? To help."

"Really? He should have persuaded the Elders to give you sanctuary, it's the safest place for you now."

"And Bella"

He looked at me and shook his head,

"1. She's not in any danger. 2. She's gonna pull The Major to her wherever she goes. No one is safe around her."

"Everyone seems to have a healthy respect for this guy."

"We've all heard the stories about him. You'd be crazy not to avoid his notice if possible. Having you with us is tantamount to hanging a target on our backs."