Chapter Sixty Nine

Tanya

I'd been expecting hostility from Bella or Jasper, or even both, after all I had turned her father and I was the one who started this whole thing off speaking out of turn but it had seemed I might have gotten away with it until now. Bella projected hatred and anger as we left the house and I understood she was about to make her stand but I was a pretty good fighter, I'd had to be over the years. After all I drew other women's men to me, through no fault of my own and often it had led to confrontations but now I just wanted a quiet life with my own mate. I finally felt complete and happy and I wanted Bella and I to be friends for Charlie's sake. He thought she would accept me for his sake but I thought he was being way too relaxed and naive about the whole thing.

I had defended myself when I had to but the sight of her two huge wolves had terrified me. I'd heard of the guardians of course, living in Denali it was impossible not too. Their leader lived here and the local guardians watched over their territory jealously. We avoided their areas and as a result I'd never met one in the flesh. These were wolves and the local guardians were bears but both sounded formidable. They were our only natural enemies and I knew a pack could kill a nomad with ease so could these two kill Bella and myself as easily?

When Bella addressed them I thought she was out of her mind but I was even more shocked when one phased to human form to speak with her and I found out these were the wolves from Forks, come all this way to get revenge on me. I expected Bella to stand aside and let them tear me apart and I was relieved when she explained she wouldn't let them take me, if only for Charlie's sake. I still didn't relax though, the situation hadn't become any safer after all. The one she called Sam appeared to be pondering her words but then I heard the sound of more paws on snow and looked around to see six more wolves had joined the party, circling us and growling menacingly.

Bella

So the whole pack had come looking for Tanya and my dad! I wasn't sure I could protect us from an attack this big and powerful but I would try if forced to. I thought about trying to talk our way out of it again but then all the anger and resentment I had felt towards Tanya burst through my resolve and I saw red, blood red. Without even thinking I threw out my shield to cover Tanya and went for Sam as the pack Alpha. I think I surprised him because I knocked him off his feet and as he hit the ground he phased back to wolf form all snapping teeth and scrabbling claws the first of which scored my vampire skin and I felt venom flow from the wound enraging me still further.

Tanya

I tried to go to Bella's aid but something was preventing me and I shouted at the other wolves trying to get their attention. Two of the smaller ones tried to attack me but bounced off an invisible wall a few inches from my face and I knew Bella was protecting me to her own cost but then I'd heard she could spread her shield out so why wasn't she shielding herself as well as me? The only answer I could come up with was that her rage was driving her on and making her reckless.

"Think of Jasper Bella, what will happen to him if you are hurt or killed. Stop and think please."

I had no idea if she could hear me over the combined snarls of the pack as they paced around Sam and Bella fighting in the snow which was now stained with both blood and venom.

I shouted again and she looked up from holding the wolfs snapping fangs from her throat and I saw her eyes were red with blood lust. she wasn't going to listen to anything and I was terrified for her life. Another wolf slunk up to try attacking me and I turned my attention to that although it couldn't get through then suddenly there was a deep howl from the other wolves and I turned back to see the one called Sam, back in human form, limp in Bella's blood smeared arms. She threw him to the ground and screamed in exaltation at her victory but I could see it was to be short lived as the other wolves moved in for the kill. Unable to bear the sight of her ripped to pieces I closed my eyes and prayed. As I did so silence fell over the wolves and I opened them again to see a young man walk into view followed by two others much bigger and stronger looking but then looks could be deceptive, Jasper being a case in point. He didn't look anywhere near as strong and ruthless as he was until you saw his eyes and as I looked into the young man's eyes I saw that same look and knew I was in the presence of great power and strength, this was a leader not a follower.

Bella

I staggered forward slightly readying myself for the next attack which I knew would come from all sides. I wanted them to attack, I needed to feel more warm bodies cease moving beneath my hands, throw more lifeless bodies to the ground and keep on doing so until this terrible rage was finally quenched. When the wolves stopped suddenly as if they had been frozen I looked up to see Tanya staring over my shoulder and whirled round expecting to see an even more formidable foe. There were three men standing watching me but these were no mere mortals, these three were guardians, I could smell the scent of bear on them and I straightened up wiping my blood stained hands on my jeans and gritting my teeth against the pain from the bite and claw wounds I now sported.

"Phase back now."

The younger man's order was obeyed instantly and a group of young men I recognized stood watching the newcomer warily.

"Who is the pack second?"

Jared stepped forward slightly,

"That would be me"

"Why are you here? This is many miles from your tribal lands."

"We came to avenge a friend and the breaking of a treaty."

"A friend? Another member of the tribe?"

"No, the police chief from Forks. She…"

he pointed at Tanya,

"Bit him and turned him into a leech."

"And he attacked the tribe?"

"No, he left with her but by biting him she broke the treaty."

"I see and just what did that treaty say?"

"The Cullens wouldn't bite any humans, either hunting or to turn them, or come on to the Quileute land and we wouldn't attack them or reveal their presence to the humans."

"So what reason do you have for being here? On my land attacking these two?"

Jasper

I'd had a bad feeling while out hunting and made my way back along with Charlie who said he felt something wasn't right. There was no one at the house but I followed my instinct and Charlie came along,

"Do you think Bella and Tanya got into a fight?"

"I don't know Charlie but there's been something on Bella's mind for a while now. I think she blames Tanya for everything that happened."

Charlie grimaced,

"Tanya's been feeling bad about it all but she was hoping as everything turned out OK that Bella might forgive her, she wants to be friends."

"Charlie, Bella's a newborn and although she's controlled that rage isn't far below the surface. What upset her most was my torture at Maria's hands and your conversion, forgiving those isn't going to be easy for her."

Charlie opened his mouth to answer when we heard screams from up ahead and we broke into a run, snow whipped up around us at the speed of our passing