Chapter Forty Eight

Charlie.

I had been trying to save Bella from the vampires and ended up forcing them to change her to save her life, not only that but I was responsible for the death of the wolf pack. Now I'd lost Bella and I knew once the Quileutes heard about what had happened they would blame me and that would be the end of my friendship with Harry and Billy. I could lie and blame the vampires but I wouldn't, it was down to me, and me alone. My life was a mess, a solitary mess now, and I had no idea what I should do. As I flew back everything went round and round in my head, the shot that knocked Bella to the ground, the accident which started the fight to the death, all my fault. When I got out into the car park in Seattle I realized there was something I hadn't considered, the Quileutes already knew what had happened, Paul the pack member who stayed behind had heard his brother wolves die and he and Harry were waiting for me by the car.

"Harry, Paul, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? You got my brothers killed and all you can say is sorry?"

"Paul, please let me speak"

Paul stepped back shaking in rage and shifting in form from wolf to man as his rage swept over him.

"Charlie I know why you went and why you took the pack with you but it doesn't alter the fact that all our young men are dead. Nor does it alter the fact that you were ultimately responsible for the deaths and even that of your daughter. While I understand that you grieve for her loss to the vampires it is nothing to the grief of the tribe for all the deaths. Someone has to pay for what happened."

"How and who? My daughter is one of those you are threatening now."

"She's a leech, she deserves to die and where is Edward Cullen?"

I hadn't thought about him when everything started, in fact the last time I had seen him was before we reached the cabin, he had branched out to look for any scouts, or so he'd said. I thought back but the fight was such a jumble I couldn't remember seeing him again.

"He doesn't know Harry. He was too busy watching my brothers ripped to pieces to worry about a lone vampire who was supposed to be on our side. So now what do we do?"

"I don't think it would have helped if Edward had fought, they had too many reinforcements"

"Yeah I'll bet he found a nice safe place and I'll bet you were hiding with him"

I glared at Paul,

"Shut your mouth, and remember its my fault Bella was changed, she didn't ask for it and she doesn't deserve to die"

"The events leading to her transformation are immaterial, she is one of them and we will be looking for revenge Charlie. If I were you I would stay well away from us and her."

Things were even worse than I thought although I didn't know how the Quileutes planned on fighting with the wolf pack destroyed. I wasn't sure whether I should tell Bella what was happening but the choice was made for me when Paul gripped my arm,

"You are going with us Charlie. That way you won't be blabbing to the leeches. I wanted to kill you but I was outvoted. Make my day by trying to escape, I have a valid excuse to rip you to pieces then."

Harry drove me to the Res followed by Paul and I knew this was far from over, I may have written my own daughter's death warrant for real this time.

Harry

I took Charlie to Old Quils place, he was the only one who wouldn't kill him on sight and Paul was staying in wolf form close by to make sure he stayed put while I went to meet the other Elders. We had decided to keep Charlie prisoner while we exacted revenge on the vampires for killing our young men. Billy had been in contact with some of the other guardian tribes and had been waiting for replies when I left. I heard raised voices when I got back to his cabin so something had happened. Sue was standing up shouting at Billy,

"You may have lost Jake Billy but I lost Seth and Leah so don't preach to me about the sanctity of human life. I say Charlie should die."

"Sue I know you are hurting but please remember it wasn't Charlie who killed our pack, it was the vampires."

"Yes and who took them there? Just to get his precious daughter back. Bella had made her decision, we should have left well alone. The only reason you allowed them to go was because of your friendship for Charlie Swan. They should never have been put in danger for one human girl and not even one of our own."

I put a hand on her shoulder and she turned into me tears of rage and sorrow running down her face and I held her as I addressed the others,

"Charlie is at Old Quils and Paul is watching him. Have we heard anything yet?"

"Yes, I spoke to Jerome from the Blackfoot Res, they won't get involved, he feels much the same as your wife. We shouldn't have become involved in things that had nothing to do with the tribe."

"Any word from Annie yet?"

"No, but she sounded more hopeful. The guardians are becoming concerned about the strength of the vampires although they aren't willing to start a full-scale war. She thought Johnny H might agree to a small force to eliminate those leeches involved in our packs destruction."

"See, she thinks more clearly than you. We deserve some revenge for our sons and daughter. There is only one wolf left and as long as the Cullens stay away no more will phase. We are unprotected as a tribe and its down to Charlie and his stupid daughter."

"Sue please, we need to think about this not just act in haste. How about the others?"

"The Lower Sioux Res and Wind River Res will send us some of their guardians so long as Johnny H and Annie agree. Fort Peck and Duck Valley still have to get back to us but at least they sounded positive."

The phone rang then and Billy picked up as everyone else fell silent,

"Annie its good to hear back from you. I hope you have good news for us."

"Billy, again you have my sympathy for the loss of your son. I have spoken with Johnny H and he is willing to listen and if he feels it is appropriate to help you out. He will be coming personally with four of the Guardians and as long as it doesn't look like degenerating into a full-scale war they may help you"

"Thank you and thank him for me will you"

"I will, good luck Billy. I think you will need it."

As he put the phone down Sue spoke again,

"Well at least they will help us. They see the necessity for revenge or the vampires will merely come in and kill us all, who will protect the tribes then?"

I wasn't as sure as she was that any of the tribes would help if Johnny H decided it wasn't in our interest to fight. All the tribes listened to him and I was convinced that the others had only agreed after hearing that he was coming to assess the situation. He was our most venerated warrior guardian after all.