To those who are still reading this, thank you for your continued interest. I know haven't updated in a while. Life has been busy. Writing-wise, I'm trying to find my footing again. Hopefully this chapter reads okay. *fingers crossed*

To those who commented on the last chapter (Goldielover, guest, catgrl, Kayozm, Ruiniel, kouga's older woman, anon, leelee202, BeMyLover, Nissa-Cullen, LexiSalvitore, guest, guest, and S1203), words cannot express how much I appreciate and value your reviews.

CHAPTER 13

THE COLD ONES

It was ten o'clock, and Bella had just woken up.

Still dressed in pajamas, she walked by her father's bedroom, and noted that his bed was neatly made. Having slept like the dead for a few short hours, she wondered if Charlie had pulled an all-nighter or if he had already come and gone. Hoping to find out, Bella ventured down the creaking stairs, and entered the kitchen to find a note on the table.

Hey, Bells. It was really late when I got in. Hope I didn't wake you. I slept for a bit, but now it's 7:30 and I'm heading out again. See you tonight.

Mouth pulling in a half-smile, Bella gave a long-suffering sigh. It was so typically Charlie. After decades as a cop, he still lived for his job. The note went on,

If you head out to get some air, don't go in the woods or in the trails out back. I'll explain when I get home.

Dad.

Bella frowned. "Weird," she said. But even weirder was the can of pepper spray Charlie had left on the table. The post-it attached to it read,

Carry this with you. It'll give your old man some peace of mind.

Baffled, Bella picked up the pepper spray and re-read both notes. At a loss, she debated giving her father a call, but ultimately decided it could wait. Whatever this was, Charlie would tell her tonight. Besides, her mind was already occupied, buzzing with questions stemming from what she'd experienced last night, the realization that Carlisle Cullen was something other than human.

Intent on following through with her answer-seeking visit to La Push, Bella headed back upstairs, where she gathered a fresh set of clothes from the dresser and closet. As she pushed the hangers aside to fetch a dark gray sweater, a unique and inviting scent wafted to her nose, courtesy of the jacket and scarf that now hung amidst her own things, items the doctor had dropped in her driveway last night.

"Are you okay?" The memory of his words ferried her back to those reality-altering moments when he had held her body in the wake of her fall. A fall he had stopped with superhuman speed.

The stone-like feel of him had freaked her out, it was true—same for the sniffing and growling—but once Carlisle had shaken out of… whatever that was, his concern for her wellbeing had taken precedence. Shocking strangeness aside, he'd been genuinely worried about her, had wanted to reassure himself that she hadn't gotten hurt during her fall.

It was the thing she clung to this morning, the reason she wasn't shaking like a leaf right now. Yes, she was unnerved and frightened on some level—who wouldn't be? But her intuition tempered some of those fears, telling her that, regardless of what he was, Carlisle seemed like a good and caring person.

But what was he exactly? Maybe she was too curious for her own good, but Bella couldn't let it go, and wouldn't. For good or for ill, she was determined to find out what he was.

With the morning hours already getting away from her, she brushed her teeth and stepped into the shower. Before long, steam had risen all around. Pivoting on the spot, Bella closed her eyes, and tilted her head into the spray. As she smoothed her waterlogged hair, her mind began to drift, carrying her toward the dream she'd had in the wee hours of the night. A strange dream in which she had found herself in a large, dimly lit room.

At first, the walls and furniture had been relatively formless, the details blurred like the image from an out of focus camera. Her eyes drawn to a warm orange glow, Bella had discerned the dark outline of a figure. A man, standing before a fireplace.

"Hello?" she had called as the haze had begun to clear, revealing details a little at a time. The man had been wearing slacks and a cardigan, she had noted, and his hair had been the warmest shade of honey-gold.

Carlisle?

His forearm resting against the mantle, he had been staring down at the flames, the set of his shoulders hinting at a weary sort of loneliness.

Driven by curiosity, the dream-version of herself had approached slowly and without a word, netting his attention as she had come to stand by his left shoulder. As Carlisle had beheld her with a soft and searching gaze, Bella had tilted her face to observe his remarkable eyes.

At first, Carlisle had seemed rather puzzled by her appearance. But then, with a kindling warmth in his gaze, he had straightened his spine and smiled in unmistakable gladness, a look so pure and earnest, it'd sparked a smile of her own.

Whether the dream had unfurled beyond that point, Bella couldn't say. Such was the nature of dreams, she supposed. Unless she wrote them down upon waking, they were usually quick to fade.

Contemplative minutes went by. Once the last of the suds had slipped down the drain, she shut off the water and stepped out.

As Bella exited the steam-filled bathroom, her fingers working to adjust the tie-around belt of her bathrobe, she padded into her bedroom, and made for the window, where she opened the roller blinds to reveal—surprise, surprise—a cloud-covered sky. At least it wasn't raining today.

With her gaze sweeping the pale horizon, Bella wondered what Carlisle was doing now, what he was thinking or feeling. Did he even go to work today?

Given the haste with which he had fled, and the abject horror on his preternatural face, Carlisle's panic had been clear. She had a good idea why; by stopping her fall, he had spilled the secret of his otherness. To protect what remained of that secret, would he go so far as leaving town? She couldn't be sure, but it certainly seemed possible.

Strangely distressed by the idea, Bella was about to push away from the window when her attention snagged on a parked vehicle a little further down the road. Normally, she would have paid it no mind, but because this was Forks, where luxury cars weren't exactly the norm, this red BMW stood out. Discarding the useless observation, Bella fetched her cell phone, and sat at her wooden desk chair. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to call the hospital, just to see if Carlisle was there.

Activating the call, Bella licked her lips, and waited for the first ring. By the second ring, her eyes had risen to her corkboard, where her notes and clues were displayed like a detective's evidence board.

"Forks General, how may I direct your call?"

Swallowing her sudden nervousness, Bella sat a bit straighter. Oh God, what if he's there? A part of her wanted to talk to Carlisle—and she would, if he hadn't skipped town—but if he answered now, what would she even say? "Hey, it's Bella, the lady you sniffed last night? I'm calling because I'm trying to identify your species. Could you meet me at the diner at two?"

Yeah, no.

"Hello?" The receptionist broke through her musings.

"Hi. Um, I was wondering if Dr. Cullen is in today?" Bella wiped a sweaty palm over her bathrobe.

"Dr. Cullen…" The woman hummed. "Let me check something here." The sound became muffled, like the receptionist had pressed a hand over the phone. Owing to the utter silence in the house, Bella managed to catch what was being said. "Do you know if Dr. Cullen is in today?" the lady asked another person.

"No, he called in sick before shift change."

Though unsurprising, his absence left a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Hand rising to remove her towel from her damp hair, Bella bit the inside of her cheek, and wondered what to do.

"I'm sorry," the receptionist said as the line cleared again. "But Dr. Cullen isn't available today. Did you want to make an appointment?"

"No, no," she stammered. "That's alright. I'll just call some other time." But just as Bella was about to hang up, an inexplicable feeling came over her, prompting her to do a figurative U-turn. "Wait. Next time he's in, could you let him know that Bella Swan called?"

"Bella Swan? Alright. And the call back number?"

Once Bella had given the number and severed the call, she sat there for a few seconds. Maybe he did skip town. "Shit."

But a sick day didn't necessarily mean that he was gone. He might be playing it safe. Waiting and worrying, wondering if I'm going to say anything. Not that she was planning on telling anyone. Who would believe her anyway?

Except for Jacob. His father as well. In fact, she was fairly certain that the Quileutes knew what Carlisle was. But their collective rancor complicated things. No matter, Bella was going to find a way to broach the subject with one or both of them. By end of day today, she would have the answers she needed. Or so she hoped.

"Alright," she told herself. "Stick to the plan."

Less than an hour later, Bella had donned her jacket and was waiting for her taxi. Because this was a cooler day, she opted to wear gloves and a gray beanie. Remembering Charlie's note, she decided to indulge her father by grabbing the pepper spray, shoving it into her purse just as the cab pulled into the driveway.

Tim is such a sweet guy, Audrey's text message read. I had the best time last night. Are you up for a gab fest later?

As the taxi continued toward the reservation, Bella smiled at the screen, and wrote back, Of course! Only I'm not sure what time I'll be home. I'm going to see Jake in La Push. Text you when I get back?

Sounds good, her friend replied. I'm glad you're finally out of the house. Anyway, I gotta get back to work. Enjoy your day!

Genuinely happy for Audrey, Bella pocketed her phone, and watched the rolling vista beyond the window. The cab was nearing First Beach, the first in a series of three beaches that comprised La Push's iconic seascape. When the familiar shoreline finally came into view, Bella leaned closer to the glass to take in the imposing rock formations, and the large foaming waves that were pounding the pebbly shore. It was entrancing, the rhythmic surf and cloudy skies adding to the mystical beauty of the place, commanding her attention until a wall of Sitka spruce blocked her field of vision.

Five miles later, the cab pulled into the heart of the reservation, where humble homes dotted the forested landscape.

"It's that red house right over there," Bella told the cab driver.

Encouraged by the sight of Jacob's truck, she paid the fare, and exited the vehicle.

Billy's house was a modest wooden place with narrow windows, the dull red paint making it resemble a barn. Thanks to the small extension, that Jacob had built as an attached bachelor pad, the house wasn't as cramped as it used to be.

As the cab drove away, Bella knocked on the glass-paneled door. Normally, she would have called in advance, but because everyone had been treating her like a cracked porcelain doll, cautioning her to take it easy every two minutes, she had thought it best to just show up. Besides, this was Jake. Even if they didn't hang out as much as they used to, he was like family to her.

Met by silence, Bella knocked again, and peered into the porch-like entryway. Seeing nothing but empty coat-hooks and a cluttered shelf, she pressed her face closer to the glass. There was no movement inside. The small kitchen beyond the porch appeared empty.

"Great…"

Hoping Jacob was in the garage, Bella was about to head on over there when a boy suddenly rounded the corner of the house, startling her.

"Who are you?" he asked as she willed her startled heart to slow.

"You scared me." Bella smiled. Though she had never seen the boy in person, she knew his face nonetheless. After all, Billy was a proud grandfather with a fridge covered in magnets and wallet-sized school pictures. "I take it you're Jake's nephew? Rachel's son?"

Rachel was one of Jacob's older sisters. A twin whose sister was named Rebecca. Given that both sisters lived out of state, it'd been years since Bella had seen them.

Aged around twelve or thirteen, the boy was bundled in a hooded gray and red jacket. His name was—

"That's me. I'm Kai."

"Well hello, Kai. I'm Bella Swan. I'm good friends with your uncle Jake. Is he here?"

The boy flashed a white grin. "Wait, you're 'Car-Wreck-Bella'?"

"Car-Wreck-Bella?"

Kai pointed over his shoulder. "The lady who crashed the car we're fixing."

"Um… yeah, I guess that would be me." Confused, Bella laughed and narrowed her eyes. "You're helping to fix my car?"

"Uncle Jake and Embry did most of the work, but granddad's been lending a hand. I'm helping, too. I just topped off your engine coolant." A cocky sort of pride filled his features. This kid was definitely related to Jake.

"Kai?" Billy's voice reached them from around the house.

Looking to his right, the boy craned his neck and called out. "Granddad! The car lady's here!"

With a wave of his arm, Kai indicated that she should follow him. As the two went around the corner of the house, passing by a small stream and a cluster of moss-covered trees, Bella caught sight of Billy who was guiding his wheelchair out of the barn-like garage.

"Ah, Bella." His smile was warm and welcoming. "What brings you by? Came to see your car?"

"Hi, Billy. Yeah, I thought I'd come have a look. Is Jake around?"

"I'm sorry, he's not here."

"Oh." Perplexed, she pointed over her shoulder. "But his truck's out front."

For some reason she couldn't explain, Billy cast a discomfited glance toward the woods. But then, his smile returning, he told her that Jacob had left with some friends and would be back later today. "So you've finally met my grandson. Kai here is visiting for the week. Rachel's on a business trip in Seattle. She'll be joining us in a few days." Turning his chair, he pointed inside the garage. "You must be anxious to see your car. Come and have a look. You'll see it's coming along."

Billy wasn't exaggerating; the car looked good.

"The front bumper had a bit of damage," he began. "Same for the roof, but the pillars didn't move. Your chassis rails were fine, too. All told, the damage looked worse than it actually was." Guiding his wheelchair alongside the car, Billy pointed to the front bumper. "Jake changed the broken headlight. The roof skin. The window on the driver side door."

"Oh, wow. He did all that? Where'd he get the parts?" Bella appreciated the work they had done. She really did. But Jacob wasn't exactly rich. "This must be costing an arm and a leg."

Billy waved away her concerns. "One of his friends had a car, same as yours. The body was still in good shape, but he'd blown out his engine. When Jacob made an offer on it, the guy sold it to him for practically nothing."

Her brows rose. This had to have cost a pretty penny.

"Jake's done a lot of odd jobs for him over the years. A good number of them for free," Billy said, explaining that Jake's friend had been down on his luck for a while, but had since bounced back and now wanted to pay it forward.

"Well whatever Jake paid, tell him I'll cover it. And I'll pay for the time you all spent on this, too."

"Don't worry about it, Bella. Even if we're not related by blood, you're family. And family takes care of each other. Your dad drop you off?"

"He's working a day shift today. I took a cab."

"Ah, well that makes sense. Your dad probably has a lot to do, especially with all that's been going on."

"What do you mean?"

"That kid who disappeared?" A pause. "Behind the grocery store in town?" When he saw the question on her face, a shadow of concern descended on his weathered features. "You didn't know."

Bella shook her head.

Seemingly troubled, Billy wheeled his chair forward. "It's pretty cold today. How about we head inside? I'll heat up some lunch and tell you all about it."

"That's horrible. And they think an animal did it?" Bella asked from where she sat at the table, a cup of coffee warming her palms. She and Billy were alone in the small kitchen, the sound of Kai's video game filtering in from the adjacent living-room.

"That's what most people think," Billy answered as he fetched a large paper bag from the fridge.

"Wow," Bella murmured to herself. An animal attack. It would explain that cryptic note, she thought then remembered the pepper spray Charlie had left on the table. "Did they say what it was? A bear? A wolf?"

"It wouldn't be a wolf," Billy was quick to reply, his tone surprisingly defensive. But then, with a shrug, he allowed that it could be a bear. "A mountain lion would make sense, too." He closed the fridge. "But the forests here are vast, with a lot of hidden secrets. You never know what might be lurking around out there."

Twenty-four hours ago, Bella might have dismissed the statement as just another saying, but having seen and experienced the seemingly impossible, she couldn't help but find new and possibly hidden meaning in Billy's words.

As he spun his wheelchair toward the counter, Jacob's dad cautioned her to stay out of the woods, adding that she shouldn't wander alone either. From there, he unrolled the top of the paper bag, and peered inside. "I hope you're hungry. Harry dropped these off last night."

He meant Harry Clearwater, a tribal elder of the Quileute tribe and a life-long friend of both Billy and her dad. It'd been a while since she had seen him, though. Same for his wife, Sue. "Is that his famous fish fry?"

Billy chuckled. "You know it."

As he placed the fish in the microwave, Bella asked, "Hey, what did you mean just now? About what might be lurking out in the woods."

Billy went still, his finger poised to activate the microwave. After a moment of hesitation, he pressed the start button and leveled a pensive look at her. "My people have lived here a long time. Some say we're superstitious, that our beliefs are nothing but fireside stories. But the white man isn't all knowing, Bella. There's a lot that people don't know or choose not to see."

"Like what?" she prompted, hoping to glean something that might shed light on the mystery that had brought her here. If Billy opened up about what he was alluding to—be it based in legend or not—it might provide a helpful clue, or even the key to solving the enigma that was Carlisle Cullen.

But Billy remained silent, his troubled expression indicating that he wanted to say something but was grudgingly holding back.

The moment stretched on, then the phone rang. As Billy excused himself and went to answer his landline, Bella couldn't help but sigh. Left to her own devices, her thoughts turned to the news he had given her just now, about that missing person. Wanting to know more, she fetched her cell phone to see what was being said on social media. Surfing a local gossip page, it wasn't long before she found the topic in question.

Predictably, the Facebook feed was loaded with comments. Some went along the lines of, "OMG, for real?" While others were asking who the missing person was.

"Not sure", one lady had written. "Police haven't released that information yet. I hear it was a guy. Late teens."

Unsettled, Bella read the next comment. It was from Mike Newton.

"Crazy news. Hope that kid is okay. I was actually at the Thriftway last night. Supermarket was busy."

On and on it went. People shocked by the news. As was usually the case when something happened, the page was filled with wild speculations ranging from a mugging gone wrong to an animal attack. One guy even went so far as suggesting it was a UFO abduction. Another joked it was Bigfoot. If not for last night, Bella might have laughed at the apparent absurdity of aliens and elusive bipedal apes. As it was, she couldn't help but wonder if that kid had been snatched by something one wouldn't automatically think of.

Though she hated where her mind went, Bella thought of Dr. Cullen. After all, he had been at the store last night. What if—

No. Bella severed that line of thought immediately. Growling and sniffing aside, this was a gigantic leap. She wasn't going there.

Bella set her phone down. Unnerved yet resolute in her desire to uncover something, anything, she swallowed her doubts and turned her focus back to Billy who had wheeled himself into the porch for privacy.

While she hadn't meant to eavesdrop, the house was small, and it was hard not to. "They're not back yet," he was saying in slightly hushed tones. "Uh-huh… Yup… No, I'll keep you posted for sure."

Posted? Curious, Bella craned her neck to get a better view. Even from this angle, she saw a definite tension in Billy's shoulders, like he was deeply concerned about something. Suddenly aware of her gaze, Billy glanced real quick in her direction, and brought a hand to the back of his neck. "Look, Harry, now's not a good time. Bella's here," he muttered. "She dropped by to see Jake." With these words, his demeanor lightened somewhat. Chuckling, he spoke a little louder. "We're about to have lunch. Thanks again for the fish fry. I'll talk to you later… Yeah, I'll tell her. Bye now."

What was that about?

And where was Jake?

"Sorry about that," Billy said as he navigated his wheelchair back into the kitchen, and placed the handset back on the charger. "That was Harry on the phone."

Though she had guessed as much, Bella feigned ignorance. "Yeah? How is he? I haven't seen him in a while."

"He's doing good. He wanted me to say hi." As Billy fetched a tub of potato salad from the fridge, Bella's mind kept circling back to what she had overheard just now. "They're not back yet… I'll keep you posted."

With growing concern, she activated her phone again, and fired off a text to Jake. Hey. Are you around? Receiving no reply, Bella chewed the inside of her cheek before sending one more message. I dropped by your place. Was hoping to see you.

Again no answer.

Unsettled, Bella gained her feet, and smiled at Billy. "Hey, let me give you a hand. Where do you keep your plates?"

Despite Billy's earlier unease, lunch was pleasant, the fish fry as good as she remembered.

"I made it to level three," Kai was boasting in between bites, referring to the video game he had been playing. "But then I fell in a hole and ran out of lives."

Billy chuckled, his gaze going from his grandson to Bella. "I'm surprised that thing still works. It's Jake's old Nintendo. I remember when he came home with it. Summer before high school," he explained. "He was quite proud, had bought it in a yard sale with money he'd made mowing lawns."

While Bella had never been much of a gamer, she remembered that game console. She had even played it a few times during her visits as a teen. She had never been very good, though.

To Kai Billy said, "What's the game again?"

"Super Mario Bros." He looked to Bella. "You know it? It's way old."

A snort of laughter escaped. "Way old, huh?"

"Well, it was made in the eighties, right? Or was it the nineties?"

Amused, Bella speared another forkful of fish. "No, it was the eighties." Being an 80s baby herself, it was hard not to laugh at the fact that the classic Nintendo was as old as she was, if not a bit older.

"For a game console, that's kind of ancient," Kai went on to say. "It's fun, though. I haven't beaten all the levels, but I will. I just need a few more practice runs. Hey, granddad. Can I play again after lunch?"

Billy wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Your mom said you have homework assignments."

"I do, but I have all week to finish."

"I don't think your mom would like it very much if you waited at the last minute. Start your homework first, then you can play after. Alright?"

"Okay."

No sooner had Kai replied than a faint sound drew Bella's attention. Pausing mid-bite, she listened. She hadn't imagined it; there was a faint howling, from somewhere outside. "Did you guys hear that?"

Kai and Billy stopped with their forks halfway to their mouths. All was quiet now, but then the howling started again. A dog or—

"Is that a wolf?" Setting her fork by her plate, Bella intended to have a look when Billy raised a hand.

"It's alright, Bella. It's just the neighbor's dog." His smile was strained, his chuckle uneasy. "He barks and howls at any little squirrel that runs by." Now Billy cleared his throat, and indicated the table. "Silly me, I didn't even offer you a soda. Would you like one? I have Sprite and Coke in a cooler in the garage."

As Bella declined, Billy looked to his grandson. "Kai?"

"I'd like a Sprite. Want me to go, granddad?"

"Nah. You both go ahead and finish your meal. I'll be right back." With that, Billy grabbed his jacket and wheeled himself out.

Unaware of Bella's lingering bafflement, Kai ate another forkful of fish. "This is really good. You know, mom and I are supposed to visit again next summer? Granddad said he's gonna take me fishing then. He knows all the good spots."

Several moments went by. Concerned that Billy wasn't back yet, Bella rose, and made for the porch. Hand reaching for her coat, she was about to head outside when movement caught her eye.

It was Billy. Stopped at the edge of his driveway, he was talking to someone. A very fit man who wasn't wearing a shirt. The fuck? It was freezing outside. Squinting to get a better look, Bella thought she recognized Embry Call, one of Jake's friends.

As the two men spoke, they were soon joined by another man. Though she was certain it wasn't Jacob, Bella couldn't really tell who it was at first. Only when he turned and pointed toward the woods did she realize it was Sam Uley, another friend of Jake's. Just like Embry, he wore nothing but sneakers and knee-length denim shorts. Presently, he was nodding at Billy with what could only be described as a grave and perturbed expression.

"What's going on?" Kai inquired as he entered the porch. "Where's granddad?"

"He's in the driveway speaking to some of your uncle's friends."

The sound of a closing door caught their attention. Based on how muffled it was, Bella guessed that it came from the home's second entryway.

"Uncle Jake's back!" The boy beamed and hurried toward the living-room, where the connecting door was located.

"Hey, uncle Jake!" Kai knocked excitedly a few times. "Are you in there?"

A muffled thud reached their ears—the shutting of a drawer, she thought.

"Hey, Kai! Yeah," Jacob called from somewhere beyond the door. "Just a minute, okay? I'll be right out."

"Cool. I'll be in the kitchen." As Kai retraced his steps toward his spot at the kitchen table, he spoke loud enough for Jacob to hear. "We're having fish fry. Granddad went to get sodas in the garage."

Moments later, the door clicked open, and Jacob walked into the living-room. From where she stood in the kitchen, Bella saw that he was wearing loose-fitting jeans. Based on the downward motion of his arms, it seemed he had only just donned his t-shirt. A gray crewneck tee.

"Hey, Kiddo." Jacob was passing by the table, ruffling his nephew's hair, when he noticed Bella for the first time. Taken aback, he stopped in his tracks, and said her name. His smile broadening in delight, he asked what she was doing here.

"I dropped by unannounced, thought we could hang out if you weren't too busy. You were out with Embry and Sam?"

"I was." Under Bella's inquisitive gaze, he grabbed a glass from the cupboard, then went to fetch a carton of milk. "We've been training together. Running circuits around the rez. We have some pretty challenging trails in the woods out back."

Recalling the strangeness of what she had seen just now, Bella leaned back against the counter. "So do you always train without shirts?" Frowning and smiling at the same time, she aimed a thumb toward the window above the sink. "It's not exactly summer out there. Aren't you guys cold?"

"Cold? Nah." Prideful mirth filled his features. "Takes a lot more than a breezy day to keep us from hitting our goals."

With a long-suffering shake of her head, Bella smirked and looked him up and down. "Now I know why you've gotten so buff. Are you guys training for the Eco Challenge or something?"

Her teasing netted a chuckle. "Or something."

Though the mood was playful, the evasiveness of his answer was not lost on her. Remembering Billy's unease, and Sam's serious expression just now, Bella knew something was up. But what? As the front door opened, and Jake's father entered with two soda cans in his lap, Bella recognized that her search for answers was at a standstill. And with Kai in the room, now wasn't the best time to start asking questions about Dr. Cullen.

Since there was nothing else for it, Bella regained her chair, then lunch resumed. She and Billy and Kai had long since finished their meals when Jacob finally declared that he was full. After eating some fish fry and several servings of potato salad, he had made himself not one, but two sandwiches, which he had downed with three glasses of milk.

"What?" he asked when he caught her staring.

Kai had already left the table by now. Same for Billy who had returned to the garage to tinker with stuff.

"I can't believe you ate all that."

"Hey, it takes a lot of fuel to keep this machine going."

With an amused roll of her eyes, Bella tossed her paper napkin on her plate, and got up to wash her dishes.

"Come on, Bella. I got this."

Ignoring his protest, she turned on the faucet and plugged the drain. "There's hardly anything to wash. Four plates and some forks."

"And glasses," Jake pointed out, and stood.

She laughed. "Ooooh, I'm gonna fall over from exhaustion."

"You're impossible."

"And you're hovering." Enjoying their banter, Bella squeezed some dish soap into the sink, then tossed him a drying cloth. "Here. You dry."

Jacob gave a nod. "Fair enough."

A loud sigh sounded, followed by the thump of a binder landing on the table.

"What's up, kid?" Jake asked as Kai set his backpack on the floor and plopped down on a chair. "Bummed about homework?"

Kai's shoulders rose and fell. "Not exactly bummed. I just find it boring."

"I imagine you have more than one subject to choose from. Why not start with your favorite?"

"I have an English assignment that's not too bad. Teacher wants us to do a presentation on our favorite things. I'm gonna talk about super heroes."

"See? That's cool," Jake encouraged.

Kai perked up a little at that. "I suppose."

"Hey, Bella, do you mind if I jump in the shower real quick?" Jacob had just put the last of the dishes away. "I feel kinda grimy with all the running I did today."

"Sure, go right ahead."

"I won't be long."

As Jacob retreated to his bachelor pad, Bella drained the sink and rinsed it out. With nothing left to do but wait, she sought a seat at the kitchen table.

To wile away the time, Bella checked her cell, then allowed her gaze to wander around the room. Just like Charlie's place, Billy's kitchen hadn't changed much over the years. Same color on the cabinets. Same dining table. At present, a box of markers was laying atop of it, along with several drawings Kai had made.

Her mouth curving at the corners, Bella leaned forward to get a better look.

"You like superheroes?" Kai asked from across the table.

"Superheroes are cool. These are really good," she told him. "Is it okay if I take a look?"

"Sure." Seemingly proud of his drawings, Kai sat in the chair to her immediate right. "That one's Superman," he pointed out.

"You're really talented."

"I'm gonna draw my own comic books one day. That one's Thor." He pointed to the character's hand. "And that's his hammer, Mjolnir. Next page is Iron Man. He's awesome."

"What about this one?" Now she reached for the last page, a black and white drawing of a man hunched in a semi-aggressive pose before two very large, very angry dogs. By the set of their jaws, they were either barking or growling, clearly ready to pounce.

"That's just a drawing I did for fun last night. Those are the wolves." Seeing the question in her eyes, Kai said, "It's a story that Granddad told me. He says that the Quileutes are descended from them."

"Descended from… wolves?"

Kai nodded. "They can change shapes, from human to animal..." He snapped his fingers. "Just like that. They're brave and fast, and they protect the tribe. According to legend," he added.

"And the man? Is that your uncle Jake?"

A frown creased his brows. He seemed offended. "No. That's one of the bad guys."

Curious, Bella set the page back down. "Who are the bad guys?"

Kai lowered his voice. "The Quileutes call them the Cold Ones."

Her mouth worked, her pulse quickening as last night's events came rushing back. She stammered. "The Cold Ones?"

Another nod. "Just don't tell anyone I told you. Granddad says that they're secret legends. We're not supposed to share them with the palefaces."

As the boy returned to his homework, Bella couldn't help making parallels. Carlisle's cold and unyielding skin. The tribe's animosity towards him. The Cold Ones…

Granted, it wasn't much to go on, but at least it was a clue, something she could type in a search engine later this evening.

Heartened and bolstered by her discovery, Bella decided that this tidbit would do for now. Even if she had come here with a definite purpose, her afternoon with the Blacks proved pleasant and relaxing. But then Jake was always fun to be around. Seeing his interactions with Kai, it was clear that he loved his nephew very much. Kai, in turn, seemed to have great admiration for his uncle. The boy hung on to his every word, especially when the topic turned to cars. The two even played a bit of Nintendo for a while, with Bella and Billy watching as Jake's Luigi ran out of lives well before Kai's Mario.

"You've been here a few weeks," Jake remarked as three thirty rolled around. Since Billy was teaching Kai how to tie flies for fly fishing, Jacob and Bella had retreated to his bachelor pad to talk and hang out for a while. Functional and somewhat clean, the new addition had all the basics: an open concept kitchenette and TV room, a single bedroom, and a small bathroom with a stand-in shower.

"I imagine boredom must have set in," Jacob was saying to Bella as the two sat on his blue sofa. "You itching to get back to Seattle?"

Bella pondered her answer. "I miss my cat, and I miss my friend Audrey. But honestly, except for the accident, being here hasn't been all that bad."

"That's quite the turnaround. I remember a time when you couldn't wait to get out of here."

"Times change, I guess." I've changed, she mused and thought of the recent twists and turns in her life.

"So what's the news on Evan? You guys figured things out or…"

Bella looked to him, then answered with a shake of her head. Now that the topic had shifted to her ex, a feeling of restlessness came over her. "Do you mind if we get out of here for a bit?" She felt rather cooped up.

"Not at all."

Jake fetched her things, and soon they were outside. Instead of strolling out in the cold, however, Jake promptly invited her to climb in his truck. Minutes later, the two were parked near First Beach, their eyes directed at the powerful surf beyond the parking lot.

Though Jacob had turned off the engine, he'd left the radio on, with Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" playing at low volume.

"He cheated on me," was all Bella said, all she could think to say.

Jacob eyed the steering wheel, his disgust manifesting in a lopsided sneer and a subtle shake of his head. "Unbelievable." A beat went by, then he looked at her. "How long?"

Bella heaved a sigh, her gaze straying to the pounding waves when she said, "Who knows. They work together."

"Shit. I'm sorry, Bella. That's… You want me to beat him up?"

This being Jacob, she couldn't tell if he was serious or not. Slack-jawed, she watched him until they both started to laugh. Hand rising to rub her temple, Bella said, "As tempting as that sounds, he's not worth it."

"You sure?" His joking further lightened the mood. She could always count on him for that.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Her smile fading, Bella watched the horizon for a few moments more. "I asked him to move out."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad—that he's moving out, I mean. Guys like that, they don't change."

"I suspect you're right."

As the radio kept on playing, alternating between rock songs and commercials, the two friends sat in silence for a while. Then they started talking about nothing and everything.

"So this guy is showing off, right? Spinning his back tire in the middle of the intersection, trying to impress some chicks in a nearby car. Anyway, Embry and I were at the red light behind him. The light turns green and he pops a wheelie. But instead of taking off, the bike just flipped backward, and the dude landed on his ass. Thankfully, the guy was fine, but he totally ruined his motorcycle. We laughed."

"What is it with men?" Bella's frame shook with hushed laughter. When her amusement gave way to contentment, she leaned her head against the headrest, and sighed. "Thanks for that."

"For what?"

"This. Talking. Laughing. Feels like old times. Sometimes I can't believe that it's 2017 already. Seriously, where did the time go?"

"You sound like my dad. What are you, like fifty now?"

"Certainly feels like that sometimes."

"Age is just a number, baby."

"It's weird, when I was younger, I thought that reaching thirty would be this depressing milestone. But leaving my twenties behind, it's not half bad. Even if all my plans went out the window," she added then fell into a contemplative and surprisingly uplifting pause. "Huh…"

"What?"

"Just thinking. With everything that happened with Evan, you'd think that I'd have this jagged hole in my chest, but… I don't. I mean, yeah it hurt, and I'm sad and angry that I wasted three years with him, but my world isn't going to crumble. My life isn't over."

A quiet second went by. Then, Jacob spoke. "I like it, this whole Carpe Diem thing that you've got going on."

Bella appreciated that. "I don't know if it's a personal philosophy or age-related maturity, but I'm okay. I truly am. Evan's a speed bump." Her smile turned impish. "And I'm driving on, sixty miles per hour with the windows rolled down."

"That's a good plan. Healthy."

"Isn't it?" Shifting in her seat, Bella stretched her back and legs, but ended up yawning. She hadn't meant to, but her late-night detective session was seemingly catching up to her. "Sorry. I went to bed super late last night."

"Sounds like you need to take it easy." Jacob turned the key in the ignition, and nudged his head toward the road. "Come on. I'll drive you home."

"I guess your father's still at work," Jacob noted as he pulled into the driveway. Predictably, the sky was as gray as before, the wind just as gusty. "Do you need me to stay a while?"

"That's alright. I'm just gonna fix some dinner, and crash." Unbuckling her seatbelt, Bella grabbed her purse, and thanked him for the ride.

Upon leaving the truck, she noted that Jacob had exited also. As he walked her to her door, he told her that her car would likely be ready within the next day or so. "I'll call you when it's done, then I'll drop it off."

"Sounds good. God, it'll be nice to have a car again." Bella fished her keys out of her purse, and unlocked the front door. "The work you did so far, it's amazing. Like I was telling your dad, whatever you paid, I'm—"

But Jake was no longer listening. Eyes suddenly rounded in alarm, he sniffed the air, and hurried inside.

Completely and utterly baffled, Bella watched as he halted in the entryway.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

His brown eyes were focused on the landing upstairs. Before she could process what was happening, Jacob was scaling the staircase like the house was on fire.

Wait, was it? Did Jake smell smoke?

Unable to run after him, Bella followed as fast as her body would allow. By the time she caught up with Jacob, he had already barged in her bedroom and was standing before the open closet.

"Jake, what the hell," she demanded, seeing neither smoke nor fire.

In slow bewildered panic, Jacob grabbed a garment off of a hanger, and held it up.

Bella froze.

"Why is this in your closet?" His voice was tense but low. His eyes, when he finally turned to face her, were filled with a worry so profound, it bordered on fear. "Tell me you didn't let him in here."

Her mouth worked. "How did you…" Bella couldn't even form the rest of the sentence. This was absolutely nuts. How could Jake possibly know about that jacket?

"You're hanging out with Carlisle Cullen?" He dragged a hand over his blanching face. "I can't believe this." Oblivious of Bella's mounting shock, Jacob blew out a calming breath, and went to stand by the foot of her bed.

"He's bad news, Bella. You can't…"

Her brows shot toward her hairline. Was she hearing this right? "I can't what?"

Now he looked to her, his lip curled in disgust. "You tell me. His damned jacket is in your bedroom."

Bella's mouth fell open, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "Excuse me? First of all, he's never been in my bedroom. Not that that's any of your business," she felt the need to clarify. "And what gives you the right to barge in here anyway?"

"I'm just looking out for you."

Seriously. Had she stepped through a damned portal? Was she in some parallel universe where down was up, and up was down? A world where nothing was as it seemed, where even the closest of friends kept secrets and creatures of legend were apparently real. "How did you know about the jacket?"

But Jacob wasn't answering. His jaw flexing, he dropped the jacket on her purple bedspread. "That's not important."

"Oh, I think it is."

Jacob turned away from her. In two steps he had closed the distance to the window, where he braced himself against the windowsill. "Fuck," she heard him say when he pushed off again. Doing so, Jacob came to a sudden stop, for his eyes had found the evidence board above her desk, where her search for answers was displayed for anyone to see. All those clues, all those questions and observations, compiled in a cohesive series of notes.

After several very tense, and very silent seconds, Bella's anger subsided enough to take the edge out of her voice. "You know what he is. Tell me."

"So you don't know, then? Good. Whatever you think, whatever you're starting to suspect about Dr. Cullen… you shouldn't go digging into it. And you can't tell anyone either. Not even Charlie. It's not safe."

With nothing but her intuition to go on, Bella stood her ground. "Carlisle would never hurt me."

"You sure of that?"

Bella shifted uneasily on her feet. "I am."

A sardonic chuckle rose in his throat, then his voice sharpened by a fraction. "You don't even know what he is. And trust me, you don't want to know."

Bella could have challenged him further by sharing what she'd learned today, about the Cold Ones, but Kai had entrusted her with that secret. The idea of betraying that trust… it didn't sit well with her.

When Bella made no reply, Jacob stepped closer to her. His features were downcast, a pained crease marring his brow. "You often say that I'm family to you. If you mean that, Bells, then you'll take my advice to heart. Stop looking into this. And stay away from him." His voice faded to a whisper. "I can't fucking lose you."

And with that, he looked away, and walked out.

"Seventeen year old Brandon Lane was last seen at seven pm behind the Thriftway in Forks," the news anchor was saying, the red banner at the bottom of the screen showing the words, BREAKING NEWS.

Her troubled stare directed at the television, Bella watched as they displayed a picture of the missing teenager—a brown-haired kid with big blue eyes and a happy smile. "While Police haven't ruled out the possibility of an animal attack, they are following all avenues at this point, and are asking the public for any information that might help locate the missing teen."

Unsettled by the broadcast, and still upset over her argument with Jacob, Bella shut off the television, but remained seated on the sofa. With her legs curled beside her, she reached for the laptop and opened the lid.

Armed with an actual term, Bella opened her browser and typed in the search bar.

The cold ones.

Scrolling through the search results, she saw many references to the Apotamkin, a creature in Native American mythology. While it was said that most Native Americans never truly believed in the Apotamkin—that it was but a cautionary tale to keep children from wandering off by themselves—Bella did not abandon her research.

Clicking on various links, she perused many articles and legends. Some were from the Pacific Northwest, others from Egypt and India.

Webpage after webpage she searched, her heart accelerating at the words that kept coming up on the screen. Demons of the night. Undead. Mentions of speed and strength. Cold-skinned.

Immortal.

With a twisting feeling in her gut, Bella blanched at what she was reading. "Drinks blood…"

By now her breath had quickened. Overwhelmed, she quickly closed the laptop, ending her search because she had read enough.

Bella knew. She knew what he was—or was reasonably certain at least. Her gaze went to the TV again. It was turned off, but that missing kid's face was graven in her mind. Same for the conversation she'd had with Jacob less than an hour ago.

"Carlisle would never hurt me," she had told him.

"You sure of that?"

Intuition and rational thought. Those things were now warring within her, filling her head with such turmoil, it was hard to think.

Earlier that afternoon, Bella had dismissed the possibility that Carlisle had anything to do with this kid's disappearance. Even now, her heart refused to believe it.

Carlisle couldn't have done this. He wouldn't. It's impossible.

A silent moment went by, then a trace of doubt arose.

Isn't it?

Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated.