Chapter Sixty Five

Edward

The closer we got to the Res the more careful we became but it felt as if the wolves were absent to me so I passed the information to Charlie who nodded,

"You stay here Edward. I don't want you to break the treaty yet, it's the one strong argument, you haven't and they have, but watch my back."

I nodded,

"I'll ring the house, see what's happening there"

He went in, the rifle still held in his hands ready for use, but the place looked quiet as he approached one of the cabins then I saw Harry Clearwater step out onto the porch. He put his hands up in surrender,

"Charlie?"

"Your boys murdered my girlfriend Harry, They broke into my house and killed my girlfriend with no warning."

"She was dangerous Charlie,"

"She was a woman under my protection and no more of a danger than the Cullens. You got the wrong woman Harry. Your pack of wolves ripped the head from the wrong woman and now they're going to pay for it. I used to think the law was right but I was wrong, I've decided to take a leaf from your book, law of the jungle, an eye for an eye and you give the orders, you and Quil, so this is for Tanya."

I could hardly believe it but Charlie pulled the rifle to his shoulder and fired straight into Harry's chest and as he fell I heard the screams of his wife and she rushed out falling to her knees at his side screaming his name but Charlie ignored her putting the rifle over his shoulder and walking towards another cabin ignoring the people coming from their homes to stare. Then Stuart answered the phone,

"What's happened Stuart? Did you get back in time? If you chickened out I'll kill you myself."

"No, I'm afraid not Edward. The wolves had already attacked and while we saved Esme and Alice they had already killed Josie and taken her head. I'm really sorry but I did try, I had to come back for Alice. How about Charlie?"

My phone dropped from nerveless fingers and I felt my anger rising, they'd not only killed Charlie's mate but mine too and while he had at least tasted vengeance I hadn't. I walked forward to join him in front of another cabin where the elder, Quil Ateara, stood with a young boy at his side.

"Charlie this is nothing to do with you. This is an old crime we are avenging. Go home."

"No Quil. This is a new crime. You killed my girlfriend, a girl I planned on marrying, and for what? You couldn't even get the right woman."

"Yes they did, eventually Charlie. .Josie is dead too."

Charlie turned to look at me and I saw the pain in his eyes before he turned back,

"You are no better than the Volturi deciding who lives and who dies, allowing your young men to act outside your own laws, attacking at will. Well no more Quil, you'll never sentence another innocent to death. This is for Tanya."

I caught Charlie's arm,

"Just a minute, there's still a chance Charlie"

He looked at me without saying anything but lowered his weapon as I turned back to Quil.

"Your pack took both the heads, where are they?"

He shook his head stubbornly,

"They are gone, we know the only way to kill a Changeling is to destroy the head."

"Both of them?"

He hesitated and I knew he wasn't sure both of them had been burned.

"Where are they Quil?"

Charlie's voice was as cold as the grave and he lifted the rifle once more,

"You've got ten seconds to tell me before I blow your black heart out of your back. Let your precious wolf pack save you now."

"My life isn't worth that much Charlie but I'm willing to sacrifice it to keep the vampires at bay so go ahead and shoot. You'll never get either head back, my life for two of them? That's a deal I'm willing to make."

He pulled the trigger without a moment's hesitation but the young man pushed the elder aside and took the shot in his own shoulder. I was on Quil before he hit the ground and tore out his throat spitting the blood to the dirt. I wanted none of his blood tainting me.

Charlie

I watched as Edward killed Quil, then turned away, I knew enough of bullet wounds to be certain the young lad would survive and I had one more visit to make so I shouldered my rifle and strode towards my goal the other Quileutes fading into the shadows. Billy sat there on his porch his hands by his sides and silent as I lifted my rifle then Jake appeared from the trees with Josie's head hanging from his hand by her hair. Edward screamed in pain and stepped forward but Jake brought the head up and I saw he had a lighter in the other hand so I called Edward back.

"Wait at least you still have a chance. So Jake, They've turned you to a murderer too?"

"It wasn't murder, she was a spy for the leeches, a forbidden being and the Cullens knew that."

"Do you really think they would have brought her back to Forks if they'd known what she was? Do you really think Edward would have risked his mate here among the wolves? I don't think so. And what about my girl? What had she done to deserve to die? What did you do with her head Jake? When they told you you'd got the wrong woman? Did that make you feel any remorse? Well did it?"

I waited but he had nothing more to say,

"You know Billy. I thought you were different. I thought we were friends but friends don't break into each others houses and murder the people in there."

I could feel myself weakening from blood loss but it didn't matter, I knew I still had enough energy left for one more shot.

"How does it feel to become a murderer of innocents? She was you know...innocent of the crime you blamed on her."

As they started to swim in my vision I spit blood on the ground,

"What's the point, you don't understand the difference. Go to hell"

I pointed the rifle at Billy knowing Jake would act to save his father and he did just what I expected, dropped Josie's head and leapt at me.

"Get her Edward and tell Bella I love her."

I turned the gun on Jake as the rest of the pack tore into view and the last thing I saw was Edward grab Josie's head and run as Jake was jerked back by the bullet that tore through his heart stopping it instantly then I felt the teeth on me and knew I was about to join my beloved Tanya.

Edward

I could have saved Charlie but I heard his thoughts and knew this was how he wanted it to end so as soon as he spoke I moved catching Josie's head before it hit the ground and taking off as fast as I could for freedom as the wolves descended on Charlie and I smelled the blood as they tore him to pieces. Bella would be devastated but I would make sure she know he had died a hero's death and one he was ready to embrace. He knew Bella was safe with Jasper, I heard it in his thoughts and I would tell her that too but for now I had to get back to the house before they destroyed Josie's body and with it her last chance to survive. As I reached the house I saw a bonfire in the garden and screamed at Carlisle to stop just in time. I could see a wolf body on the pyre and they were just about to send Josie's to join it as I stopped them then held up her head in explanation. Carlisle carried the body back into the house and I followed him with Stuart.

"Are the others OK?"

"Yes, they'll mend. Esme was very brave, apparently she took the wolves on alone giving the others time to barricade themselves in, or Alice would be dead too. What About Charlie?"

"He's dead but he took the Quileute elders with him, two of them at least, and Jacob Black."

"How?"

"Rifle shot to the heart and lungs, he was an excellent shot. Then the pack arrived and he sacrificed him self so I could save Josie. I have to ring Bella and explain while Carlisle heals Josie."