Jane.
"That would be the 'She' those blood-suckers were talking about," I spoke mostly to myself but both Rose – and Nessie, who was close enough now to hear us – gave me a disapproving look. "Sorry," I mumbled.
"She was attacked in the battle, killed nearly."
I thought back to the memories that I'd absorbed from the Pack, a vivid flash of bright images from Sam had come through when Alice had thrown Jane – powerless with Bella there to shield the army – to the mercy of Sam. He'd made short work of her, removing her head.
But no one had finished the job.
"Someone reattached her head after the battle and she quickly took place as their new ruler. She's angry, about Alec's death. She's out for blood."
Nessie looked up.
"But we're never going to let that happen," I finished for Rosalie. With the numbers the Sanctuary were gathering, I had no doubt we'd be able to keep Nessie safe. Just knowing that there were others out there that loved her and would fight for her lifted a weight from my shoulders that I hadn't realised was crushing me.
Renesmee gasped at the same time Rosalie's head snapped in the opposite direction, my ears picked up the footsteps moments later.
"Get behind me," I demanded as I leapt towards her, phasing-mid air and landed with my head high and teeth on show. Ness grabbed a handful of fur and flipped onto my back, hiding within the length of my fur and I could sense, through her hands, the concern radiating through her.
Rosalie took a defencing crouch aside me, one hand placed securely on the earth, the other raised with fingers bent into bone-like claws, ready to strike.
Less than twenty seconds later, her features softened, and a smile edged its way onto her lips. At her reaction, my own relaxed.
"It's them," She chimed, and Nessie squealed from above as four figures emerged from the thicket. Three women and one man. The first two I didn't recognise but they appeared to be related with the same dark skin, fine jaw and black hair except the woman's bounced in a thick afro around her heart-shaped face whereas the male was shaved short in a buzzcut.
The next two to emerge, we did recognise. Esme's caramel curls fell partly loose of the bun she'd tied them into, disturbed with the effort of running, her clothes were clad in mud and filth as if she'd crawled here? As did the woman by her side, with equally as mesmerising golden eyes. It took me a second to recognise her as Tanya; her typical mane of strawberry blonde hair only poked out a beanie she'd stuffed it into.
They smiled at Rosalie before spotting us and their faces slacked, mouths dropping open in surprise.
"Renesmee!" Esme yelled in surprise and leapt across the clearing, throwing herself at us. Nessie jumped from my back, meeting her grandmother in the air. The two of them collided and erupted with laughter as they hit the ground; Nessie was crying again.
Tanya met her in space between us, grabbing both Esme and Nessie and pulling them into a hug. "You miracle child!" Tanya wept, kissing Nessie's temple three times over.
The strangers cautious to approach – couldn't blame them. I'd be terrified of a truck-sized wolf too if I were them but slowly they neared, and circled the reunion to meet Rosalie and me.
"You found them." Commented the male in a deep, African accent.
"Bumped into them by accident, almost too late," Rosalie replied. At this, Tanya and Esme looked up as if dragged suddenly back into the horrible reality we lived in.
"What do you mean?" Tanya demanded of Rosalie. Esme took a moment to look my way, then handed Nessie to Tanya to come and hug me. Esme had always, always, looked out for me. Ever since the first time I met her when Victoria brought her army to Forks to kill Bella, Esme had welcomed me into their home. She fed me, clothed me, cared for me as if I weren't an enemy by birthright and instead, was just another child for her to love.
"I am so glad you're safe," She whispered into my ear. Normally, Vampires smelt…wrong and though there was a hint of it on her, she also smelt of Forks and home. Strange, to be hugged in this form, but I leaned my head against her shoulder to return it.
Rosalie recalled the story of the accident on the road and assured the male, who seemed overly concerned with the remains, that she'd sorted it.
"Renesmee, Jacob, this is Anita and Roland. Anita, Roland, I'm sure these two need no introductions."
The woman knelt slowly by Nessie's face and lifted her hands to touch Nessie's cheeks. Seeing this stranger so close to her, noting the blood-red eyes, I inched to step in but I knew the others would never have let her close if they thought she was a danger. "Hello, Renesmee. It is so very wonderful to know you."
Renesmee touched Anita's face in return and from the way the woman's eyes dropped, I knew she was seeing Nessie's memories.
"Spectacular." She whispered, returning to the male.
"Jane's forces are still in the area, then?" Tanya asked. "We shouldn't dawdle, we need to go."
We ran for an entire day, only pausing for Ness and me to pee and eat. Ness occasionally ran with them, still able to keep up even at her age, but when she tired and slowed, she took her usual spot on my back slept peacefully as if we weren't running nearing a hundred miles per hour.
At nearing noon on the second day, we'd travelled the span of the entire country, reaching the state of West Virginia. I nearly considered stopping to demand how much further until they slowed themselves.
"You couldn't have picked a safehouse closer to Wyoming?" Rosalie asked a day into the journey. Wyoming, where the previous safehouse had been until recently compromised. A newer member of the Sanctuary had private land in West Virginia, secluded enough for the army.
I agreed as much as we moved again through the forest, the trees around us were no longer wet and bare, instead, the white oak and river birch were frosted with fine layers of powdery snow; crystalised snowflakes decorating every leaf. The stampede of our footsteps slowed to a whispering crunch as we moved through the trees.
"We're here," Tanya announced. She nodded to me, an indication it was time to phase, and I found a remote part of the forest to shift back. I cursed their names as I, naked, hopped around in the cold as I scrambled to pull on layers. I might've had my own internal heater but the cold was still cold. With cargo pants, boots and a hoody on, I joined the others as they emerged through the trees to the building ahead.
To call it a cabin was an understatement. The building ahead was huge, wide enough to cut off the view on both sides. Made up of finely carved stone and ancient-looking wooden beams with frosted moss and ivy growing along the entire right side of the house; as if the forest had grown the cabin itself. The scent of warm, rich firewood and smoke breathed from the chimney, reminding me of home.
Silhouettes neared the windows; a chorus of whispers began inside.
"Come on." Esme beamed, taking Nessie's hand and leading us towards the porch.
~ Asher's Note ~
In this chapter, we reunite with some surviving members of the army, including the family and some recruits, Anita and Roland (who show up in some of my other stories – unrelated to this one). I hope you enjoyed
~ Responding to your reviews ~
Laurelleafsinger: Thank you for your review! At this time, Jacob only knows of one wolf that survived the battle – Brady Fuller – but has no idea where he is. As for other wolves with the gene, they would activate it if they came of age around vampires but now there are no vampires permanently in Forks, there are no active wolves. However, that does not mean we won't meet other wolves later in this story.