Prologue

Fear.

It was the only thing I've ever really known. For the past ten years of my life I've been a victim to it, a sort of prisoner you could say. Since that fateful night, fear had managed to wrap a merciless binding around my heart, my life, my very existence. It had taken a hold of me like a cancer – slowly but surely it had spread, weakening my body, mind, and soul. What was worse than that, however, was that I had let it. I had allowed the fear to take over, to shape my life into what it is now. And every day of my life I ask myself the same question.

Why?

It was just a simple question, yet it held all of the answers in the world. Why allow myself to succumb to this fear? Why grant myself this pain? This emotional suffering? My mother had always told me that I was strong, that I could overcome anything. But if that was so, I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't be two thousand miles away from my beloved hometown, from the life that I had once lived and no longer knew. I wouldn't be hurt, lost…afraid.

And most significantly, I wouldn't be Chastity Ann Tucker, a city girl born and raised in San Francisco, California. Isabella Marie Swan, the name that my parents had given me twenty-six years ago, no longer applied. That girl was dead. She had died a long time ago, when she had let that fear sweep in and destroy her life. But none of that mattered now, not anymore. She couldn't go back, no matter how much she wished, how hard she prayed, how long she wept.

Isabella Marie Swan was lost forever.

Chapter One

"You've reached HEART Animal Rescue Center, this is Chastity speaking. How may I help you?"

It was yet another day in the life of Chastity Ann Tucker, the timid yet sweet twenty-six-year-old blonde who had moved back to San Francisco, her hometown, six years ago with big plans for a career. No one who worked for her and the animal rescue program she now owned and operated knew much about the pale blonde-haired woman with the heart-shaped face and haunted, dark brown eyes. Anyone who looked into those eyes could see that she had experienced great turmoil, but so far no one had managed to get close enough to understand why. Wrapped around her was a tight bubble, designed specifically to push away anyone who had any ideas of getting close. It was for her own protection that she built up these brick walls.

Lifting a pen from the chaotic mess that was her desk, she scribbled down a couple words on a blue notepad and nodded into the phone. "Of course Mrs. Gibbs, I'd be happy to bring the little one in. How old did you say she was now? Two weeks? I'll see what I can do for her. Would you be able to drop her off tomorrow? Nine o'clock sounds great. I'll organize a team to help bring her in. You're very welcome, Mrs. Gibbs. See you soon."

Chastity frowned as she ended the call. Poor thing, she thought, pursing her lips as she went over the story the woman had told her in her head. Just a two-week-old puppy, thrown carelessly in a trash bag and tossed into a dumpster. How could a person be so cruel? So heartless as to dispose of a helpless animal as if its life meant nothing? Shaking her head, Chastity was just about to sign onto her computer to notify her employees of the new rescue when her secretary, a lively twenty-two-year-old with long, light brown hair and glasses framing her bright brown eyes, bounced into her office.

"Morning Miss Chastity! How are you today? I just got a call from Carlisle. He wanted me to tell you that Max, the Saint Bernard we rescued two months ago, is ready to be adopted. He met a couple just yesterday who he said might be interested in adopting him. He wanted to know when would be a good time to set up an appointment. I checked your schedule and I think the perfect time would be after lunch, seeing as you have meetings on and off for the rest of the day. Would that be okay with you?"

"Yes, call Carlisle and let him know that I'd be happy to have the couple meet Max at one o'clock. Did you give them my number?"

Angela nodded and wrote something down on her clipboard, her glasses sliding an inch down her nose. Glancing up, she pushed them back in place and then flashed her boss an eager grin. "Oh, they're going to love him, I just know it! Who wouldn't love Max?! He's just the sweetest dog ever. I can still remember the time when we brought him in – all caked in mud and that awful chain embedded in his neck. Thank goodness that finally healed. He looks as good as new now, don't you think? I'd take him myself if I didn't already have four dogs and five cats. Speaking of which, did you know-"

"Angela," Chastity interrupted, her expression clearly showing her exasperation and amusement at the younger girl's exuberance. "Breathing, it is a necessity. Remember that. Now please tell Carlisle and let him know, seeing as he's probably getting impatient being held on the line for the past five minutes while you've been chattering away."

Angela gasped. "Oops! Sorry, Miss Chastity."

"Say that to him," Chastity said with a soft chuckle as Angela dashed out of her office, spewing a cloud of dust. Oh Angela, Chastity thought with a sigh. Despite the little seeds of annoyance that occasionally sprouted due to her secretary's constant chatter, Chastity admired the younger girl's devotion and unflappable energy when it came to her and her program. If it wasn't for Angela, things surely wouldn't be running as smoothly as they've been ever since she started the rescue center five years ago.

Her thoughts trailed to Carlisle, the co-owner of HEART and her faithful friend who she trusted more than anyone. In fact, he was the only man she did trust, come to think of it. He had always been there for her, through the very beginning. He was the only one who knew her secret, and her true identity. He was thirty-three years old and the father she had never had. The only feelings they ever had for each other was deep, abiding friendship, nothing more and nothing less. Her biological father, Charlie, had died when she had been five years old. He had died in a car crash, tragically. She had never really known or felt what a father's love was like until she had met Carlisle. He may only be seven years her senior, but when it came to any kind of relationship, age hardly seemed to matter.

Drifting out of her thoughts, Chastity grabbed a quick lunch that consisted of chicken salad and a bowl of fruit, before heading out of her office thirty minutes later for the appointment with Max and his new potential family.

At the end of the day, Chastity felt truly content. The appointment had gone perfectly. Angela had been right, the newly wedded couple had adored the happy, two-hundred-pound St. Bernard the moment they had laid their eyes on him. Max had been more than willing to let them roam their hands along his back, his legs, even his neck – which had been his most sensitive spot. Chastity had been amazed, for just eight weeks ago he had been scared and timid; wary of people because of what his owner, (former owner now) had done to him. He had been hurt and abused for the first two years of his life, but two months in her program had healed him and helped him grow into a whole new animal. Just that thought put a smile on her face as she locked up her office for the night and headed home.

She walked the three blocks from her office to her small but roomy condominium. The streets of San Francisco were alive as always as she passed by the restaurants and cute little café's filled with happy, laughing people. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, however, she couldn't help but glance over her shoulder every now and then as she rounded the corner. Call it being cautious or call it habit, but it always seemed that someone was watching her. Half the time she knew she was just being paranoid, and the other half she felt like something was nagging deep inside her, telling her that what she was feeling wasn't something she should push aside. She would always have to be careful and watch every step she took, every move she made. Even though she had a whole new identity and was an entirely different person, something inside her knew she still wasn't safe. Maybe it was the fear speaking to her, maybe it was her intuition. But whatever it was, it had Chastity on her toes with every step she took.

The moment Chastity entered her condo, she knew something was wrong. She could tell by the stagnant air that drifted around her, foretelling the presence of something, someone, who had been here just hours before. Her whole body froze, became instantly alert, as her mind immediately went into panic mode. Something brushed against her leg, and Chastity opened her mouth to let out a scream. When she realized it was only her precious pooch, Mattie, she clamped her mouth shut and bent down to swoop the five-year-old Yorkie into her arms, cuddling her close against her chest.

"It's okay Mattie, I'm here now," she whispered to the whimpering dog, before forcing herself to finally turn on the light.

What she saw made her mouth run dry and her skin turn sickly white. The messy, untidy kitchen she had left this morning was no longer messy and untidy. Dishes had been washed, dried, and placed back into the cabinets. The cereal box that she had left on the counter had been put away. The magnets on her refrigerator had been moved, and purposely. All color drained from her face as she moved forward, Mattie still placed in her arms, as she surveyed her disrupted apartment. With shaking hands, she reached out and turned the knob to her bedroom door. Stepping inside, she looked around and nearly fell to the ground when she saw that all of her clothes that had been laying in a messy heap on the floor were picked up and folded neatly on her bed. She let Mattie down, not watching as the little dog started sniffing the carpet and forced herself to walk into the bathroom. The towels that she had hung carelessly had been folded and hung perfectly on the bar beside the shower, and the toilet seat that had been up that morning was now down, causing a chill to run down her spine.

He had found her.

The sudden realization hit her like a hard slap to the face, and a choked sob escaped her throat.

No…how could this be? I've been careful. So very, very careful...

Her world began to spin. She stepped back, feeling her back brush against something, the wall, and with a trembling body she slid down it and onto the floor. She couldn't see, couldn't hear Mattie whimper in concern right next to her as her eyes slowly began to close, the life that she had so carefully led for six whole years crashing down all around her.

And then everything went black.

I do not own Twilight. Thank you for reading!