I run for miles and miles on end until I could feel my stomach muscles writhe in pain. I could feel my lungs bursting, craving for any type of air. I could see Jake's house in the clearing and that was my white flag, my realization, that I was safe and I could surrender.

I cease from running and fling myself forward trying to catch my breath. I try and slow my immense breathing. I feel as if I have run for an entire day through the cold bitterness of the alps. Trickles of sweat pour down my face like a waterfall as the strands of my midnight hair stick to my forehead. My breath slowly begins to come back to its normalcy and the dark clouds in my vision begin to subside. The afternoon sun half covered by the clouds burns down into my flesh.

That's when the realization hits me like a ton of bricks. It resurfaces itself back into the depths of my mind and for a moment I feel as if I shall faint. No, I will control myself and think rationally. There are always reasons for why things happen….right?

I stand up and push the loose fallen strands of hair out of my face and I begin to walk back into Jake's house. That seems to be the safest place. Everything seemed to be more dangerous to me now. Knowing that someone like Laurent is after me causes my mouth to become desert dry. I try to swallow but it feels like nails digging into my throat.

I get to the top of the stairs and shakily open the door. I expect to find Jake inside the house but to my surprise he is nowhere to be found. The house is completely quiet and the lights are all shut off. I take off my shoes and slam the door pushing my back up against it in relief. I had survived I was okay. I let my mind slowly wander to Laurent and those terrifying blood colored eyes. Those eyes would haunt my dreams. Not only because of the color but because of the hatred, the lust, that glided through them as well. Laurent wanted me. Not in a way where he would want to hold me close and cherish my body, but in the way a lion would lick its lips before pouncing on its prey. I shake that thought away and back away from the front door. I walk towards the kitchen and open a cabinet grabbing a glass. I hold the glass tightly, my hand is still shaking and I fear it will drop. I walk towards the sink and turn the water on filling my glass to the brim. The water is cold I can feel its icy temperature hit the glass perfectly and my mouth aches for me to drink. I gulp the water down in one sip and refill the glass again. As I drink more I hear the front door begin to rattle and I immediately drop the glass. It shatters to little pieces all around me on the floor. I begin trembling as I duck down below the sink and curl my body together in defense. He's back. He's going to finish the job this time and no giant dog will distract him…

Giant dog… I think about the massive sized animal but that didn't seem to scare me as much as the dark eyed figure that wanted me dead. The door swings open and I can hear the footsteps walk onto the wooden floors. I hold my breath and close my eyes.

"Leah," I hear that familiar voice and It's like the keys to my freedom. I lift myself up from my sitting position and stare at my cousin with happiness and relief. I immediately shield my eyes when I notice that he's naked. I mean, as naked as he would have been after he came out of the womb. I wince away in disgust.

"Jake, really why in the world are you naked?" His voice is urgent when he responds.

"Are you hurt?" I shake my head and sigh.

"No Jake I'm fine, I mean can you please put clothes on." He is silent for a moment and I assume he is looking for something to dress himself in. After a couple of moments he says,

"Okay you can open your eyes now." I slowly, hesitantly, lift my hand away from my eyes and I am relieved to know that he is finally dressed. He is only wearing some blue jeans but anything is better than his naked uncovered body. I notice the ripples and bugles of lean muscle along his arms and abdomen. Times truly have changed and it seems as if he has become so much more buff overnight.

"Thank goodness," I say with a sigh, "did you want my eyes to bleed?" Jake has an irritated look on his face. He trudges towards the couch with his new ripped jeans on and sits down. He motions towards the other side indicating he wants me to sit next to him. Without one word I walk towards him sitting down. Anytime Jake is silent I know something has to be wrong. He never lets me put in the last word and that in itself scares me. Secondly, I wanted to know why he thought I was harmed. He couldn't have known about the situation….I mean, no one was even there. "How did you know something was wrong?" Jake looks at me and shrugs,

"You look awful anyone could have guessed." I could tell there was a secret inside his statement he didn't make sense. It's as if he's hiding something from me. This isn't like Jake. We could always tell each other everything. As kids I'd tell him my darkest fears as we'd lie outside watching the stars. I told him I was afraid of heights and how I feared I'd always fall off of a cliff. He told me he was afraid of not being wanted. I reassured him that he would always be wanted as long as he had me and his family. Even at the youngest age Jacob has always had such a lot of wisdom.

"You're lying to me," I cross my hands as a defense mechanism. I hated when he lied. I feel as if everyone was talking in riddles to me lately and lying. It's like I wasn't important enough to understand. They never even gave me the chance to comprehend. Jake rolls his eyes I can see that he too has been sweating. His crisp dark hair clenches with moisture at the side of his temple.

"I'm not lying."

"Yes, you are. Jake," I soften my voice and reach out and touch his knee. He flinches I can feel his muscles tighten under my hand. "it's me, remember, we always tell each other everything."

"Some things aren't meant to be told Leah." His voice is monotone as if he doesn't want to say more. I remove my hand from his leg and shake my head.

"What does that even mean?" I scream at him. I'm angry. I'm not a stupid child. Why does everyone insist on treating me like one? He stands up from his sitting position and crosses his arms pacing around the couch.

"You always need to know everything. Why can't you just be happy with what I'm telling you?" I'm hurt that he would raise his voice to me. What had I possibly done that was so awful? Had I really upset him that much? I can feel the tears slightly brim my eyes. I hold them in though he would never see my cry. I stand up and cross my arms.

"It's cuz you're lying to me! It's like you don't trust me."

"Not everything is always about you Leah-"

"If I were Bella you'd tell me," It comes out way too quick for me even stop it. His eyes take a darker hue and I know that I'm treading on dangerous waters.

"She has nothing to do with this," he says through clenched teeth.

"She never does, cuz she's perfect isn't she. She can't do any wrong," I'm acting like a child and I know it. Tearing down Bella wouldn't amount to anything but it felt so good. To attack the one thing Jake valued the most brought me some type of satisfaction. He was hurting me. He could see he was but it was like he didn't care. Therefore, I'd hurt him in the only way I knew I could.

"Watch it Leah," he growls as he points his finger at me.

"Fuck you Jake," I say as I turn around and run outside.

I slam the door behind me and I don't turn around to see if Jake is following me. I am so angry all I can see is red. I am running so fast… faster than I ever thought I could. I can feel my vision slowly heightening. I can hear the sound of the crickets chirping inside my ears. I can hear Jake's thoughts…. Which I'm guessing I'm imagining.

Leah…come…back…where…are..you…going….

At the sound of his thoughts I run faster my heart racing inside my chest. The wind hits against my face and it flies through my hair. I am running faster…faster…faster…

Until I feel this sharp pain. It is so overwhelming that I fall to the forest floor on my hands and knees. I scream into the darkness of the forest. I try and steady my breath but I cannot stop it. My anger is raging inside of me like a forest fire. I look down at my hands and I scream as I see my fingernails grow longer and longer. I lift my hands to my face in doubt. What is happening to me? My skin begins to peel backwards like a flesh eating disease. Am I dying? The pain knocks me backwards and I fall to the ground. I stare up at the darkening sky and the stars seem to grow closer and closer. Or maybe it's my vision heightening perfectly. I can hear Jacob again only this time I feel as if he's talking to me through my mind.

Leah…calm…down…you…can…control…this…

I hate hearing his voice it makes me more enraged. How dare he choose Bella over me! Me, his cousin the one person that would give their life for his. Bella barely even cared about him… she only cared about herself and Edward.

Edward.

For some reason that name makes me even angrier. I can feel my legs rip and I scream once more. What is happening? What is going on with my body? I feel less cold all of a sudden and slowly my vision fades to complete darkness.

I awake in a jolt as if no time has passed. I feel sticky and as I raise my hands to lift myself up I scream in terror. On my hands is blood, it reeks with a pungent order. It's smeared all over my entire body. I soon realize that just like Jacob I am too naked. I lift myself up as I see the body of a man lying next to me. His eyes are gouged out and he's mutilated, covered in the same blood, that's all over me. I back away in terror. Who has done this…what has done this? I shake my head in fear as I run away from the scene screaming my own agony inside my head.