Bella arrived at the reservation around afternoon with a gift for Seth So far Jacob hasn't returned,
She wondered if she should drive to La Push but before she turned around she could see Billy being pushed out of his home by Sue.
"Billy, sue!" Bella said and hurried towards them. "I'm sorry, I'm just here to take some stuff from my cabin and then I'll leave" Bella said looking at them guilty.
Sue smiled and Billy greeted her "Hello Bella, why the long face?" Billy asked.
"Well Jacob is upset with me so I assume you don't really want me here" Bella said pulling her sleeve down to provide warmth for her hands.
"Jacob is not angry Bella, In fact he regrets the things he said to you" Billy said.
"But why didn't I hear anything from him?" Bella asked.
"He thought you were angry, It took me tooth and nail to make him call you yesterday to apologize but when you didn't pick up he thought It's over between you" Sue said.
"Oh, I didn't ignore his calls, I uh I went to Florida for a few days to clear my head, I was so hurt when he left me behind and.." Bella cried.
"Hey, It's okay" Billy said comforting, "It's all a misunderstanding"
"When he comes back you can talk things out" Sue said.
"Where did he went?" Bella asked.
"Canada, he needed to clear his head before confronting you" Billy said.
"I'm not upset with him, Isn't there any way I can reach him?" Bella asked.
Billy shrugged no, "He'll come back today, and Bella thank you for being so forgiving and patient with Jacob"
"Well I'm happy he's no longer angry, But I'll never let him down like this again" Bella said.
-/-
In the Hoh rainforest A young girl who has recently been turned were feasting upon hikers, along with her new vampire friends. They smelled something and Brie covered her nose. "They are here" Brie said and a staggering silhouette of a wolf towered towards them. Sam snarled at the newborns they slowly stood up and started to run as the wolves came after them, they were on their way home from Canada until they heard horrible screams in agony, The wolves will not stop chasing them until all of them are dead. They managed to catch some fleeing vampires who were surrounded, Sam attacked first and dismembered them. The one's escaped didn't look back when they heard their team mates scream before they are silenced.
Sam perked his ears and the others heard it too, Seth all the way at the reservation was howling very loudly that the vampires are on their way to attack them. Jacob became frightened his father and friends are there. And raced after Sam.
Back at the reservation Seth was howling and Bella came to his side, "Seth what on earth is wrong?" Bella said. Why is he making such terrifying noise?
"Seth are you in pain?" Bella said but Seth remained a werewolf he gentle grabbed her arm with his jaws towards the house.
"Ouch hey what are you doing? let go" Bella whined.
"He wants you to get inside" Leah said giving Bella a harsh push almost making her fall on her backside.
"Now get going" Leah yelled and looked at the forest snarling as her skin starts to become reddish.
The door of the largest house flung open and Sue with Billy yelled at Bella to get inside,
"Hurry Bella vampires are close!" Sue beamed, Bella gasped and ran towards them, Sue held her arms open and Bella clashed into her.
Sobbing and crying "They have come for me" I'm so sorry" Bella said and Sue guided her inside.
"Nothing will happen to you if you remain here" Sue said and darts towards the door.
"Leah! get inside now" Sue ordered.
Leah looked at her mother but didn't obliged. Seth was ready to attack and Sue kept yelling at Leah to please come. When Sue hurried towards the stairs Leah began yelling at her.
"Get back inside mother!" Leah growled. "They are coming" And Leah felt her rage bulge when multiple vampires were revealing themselves.
Leah had no fear and then Sue knew why, shocked Sue closed the door and barricaded it with a wooden plank,
Sue shivered holding her hands in front of her mouth, "My Daughter.. but how?" Sue whimpered.
Sue didn't keep her eyes off her daughter in her hiding place and then it happened Leah ripped out of her clothing as thick fur surrounded her and let out a snarl.
Bella watched on in awe, Leah.. paced. She's a werewolf.
Sam and his pack arrived just in time when the Vampires were standing there immobile as a familiar face came towards them, It was Irina.
"All of you will pay for what you have done to my mate!" She screamed irate at the wolves and when Jacob came standing close to Leah she eyed him and Jacob eyed her back, her eyes lit up like a blind woman seeing sunlight for the first time. And Jacob felt that pull towards Leah.
How did she become a werewolf? Jacob wondered but questions will be asked later because the vampires attacked.
Sue placed dynamite sticks towards the entrance door and Billy loaded his revolver gun, if the vampires managed to kill every werewolf then they will come here to drink their blood.
"Sue, Bella when it's clear that the Wolves are losing then you need to get out from the back door and seek refuge in the forest, Don't look back but do whatever that needs to be done to keep yourself from harms reach" Billy said.
I'll stay behind" Billy said as he kept his composure. he doesn't want to live anyway If Jacob perishes.
"What will you do?" Bella asked shocked.
"I'll shoot them and take all of these demons to my grave" Billy said.
"But" Bella said terrified wishing she had her phone with her so she could call Edward but it's in her car and the phone booth has been destroyed in battle as one vampire threw Leah against it.
" At least you have a chance to survive. and maybe find a safe place in Hawaii for the remaining Quileute's, that will be my final wish" Billy said and no longer responded to Bella trying to talk him out of it, Billy knows due to being wheelchair bound he's just going to slow them down at least his final act on this Earth will not be for nothing
Sue has given birth to werewolves and maybe more will be born in the future.
Bella watched on in the gap of the wooden house, her tears blurred her vision as she cried for Jacob, He's being tortured by that pale demon Irina and Bella is too weak to stop her The other wolves have their hands full and are unable to protect each other.
Billy placed her hands against his ears not to hear his son wail in pain, it was so horrible that he can't protect his son, why did the wolf gene passed him by? He would have been there with his son in battle.
"No Jacob" Bella cried,
"Bella stay put" Sue said, " I know it's hard but you're just going to make Jake more vulnerable when you go up there"
"I know, I will not make myself vulnerable but maybe I can distract them" Bella said wiping her tears.
"Bella don't you dare go up there" Billy snaps at her,
" Do you want your son to die?" Bella yells at him back. "Then let me save him" Bella said.
Billy didn't know what Bella is going to do and pleaded Sue to stop her.
Sue carefully walked towards Bella when she grabbed a vase from the table, " Bella stay, don't put yourself in danger" Sue said.
"I won't Sue, you have my word" Bella said and ran outside despite Billie's protest Sue let her leave.
Bella was shocked seeing a bloody battlefield, some wolves have been Killed by the rampaging vampires. the wolves managed to kill most of them but they are in critical condition and Irina seems to be the most powerful Vampire of them all.
Irina smashed Jacobs head against the ground, Jacob turned back into a human he was bathing in his own blood and Irina grinned demonically.
ready to make the final blow Jacob clutched his eyes shut but she ceased in her attack she looked behind her and saw Bella standing there she smelled her blood it was so delicious her eyes grew big when Bella cut her arm with a sharp rock, blood gushed out of her wound and Irina stood straight to come after her.
"Bella no! Run!" Jacob shouted, she stood there paralyzed Irina was fighting her urge not to drink her blood she wanted revenge but her thirst was stronger.
"No!" Jacob roared pacing into a werewolf and charged towards Irina she didn't had enough time to smack Jacob away and he bit her against the shoulder, when she rolled with him on the ground he pinned her down and the last thing she saw was Jacob's jaw opening and ripped her head off.
"Bella" Jacob whimpered and turned back into a human shivering carefully Bella ran toward Jacob, " Jacob" Bella said tearful and placed a scarf around his nude frame.
His ribs were poking out and his condition was critical, " Please help him!" Bella said when a few surviving Wolves came to her side, Seth Leah and Sam were the only survivors of the Attack, the others are gone. Bella cried but Jacob seems to be unconscious. They turned back into humans not caring about Nudity in Bella's presence.
Hours have passed but Bella refuses to leave until Jacob wakes up, Seth was with her in wolf form, His paw was broken but treated. He's unable to fight another horde of vampires but refuses to leave her side while Leah was inside Jacobs room along with his father.
watching over him.
Jacob slept for hours and then his healing ability kicked in, he was already recovered enough to walk around but he remained in bed, He felt so embarrassed, He said the worst things to Bella but she still risked her life to save him, how could he ever make this up to her? How could he explain his betrayal without having her freak out on him?. He was never in such a huge pickle.
He could pretend nothing happened but Bella is not stupid, she will know. Jacob smelled her scent and knows he's going to get yelled at.
He watched Bella coming in, both were hesitant to speak, Jacob thought she's angry with him, and Bella still thinks he's angry for cheating on him with Edward.
"Bella" Jacob said sitting in bed, "Please come here" Jacob said and Bella did so sitting on a chair close where he was.
She grabbed his hand and they eyed each other, And Jacob started to weep, he felt so embarrassed and Bella hasn't said a word.
" Don't you just sit there, yell.. Tell me you hate me..to go to hell, call me all kinds of names under the sun" Jacob said.
"Jae why?" Bella said gentle.
"Because I deserve it, I've treated you so horrible.. I ghosted you and yet you're willing to put your life on the line to save me" Jacob said. "I should have died"
"I want to die" Jacob cried, " No I won't let you do that" Bella said.
"You're staying right here, with me" Bella said moving his hair away and affectionately cradled his face against her shoulder.
"No, You're going to hate me.. Bella I have to tell you something and I want you to know that I want to make this work between us still" Jacob said as tears kept falling down.
" I was going to call you and apologize but I thought you didn't want to speak to me again" Jacob said.
"Silly, I don't hate you for being upset with me, " Bella said comforting. " You had a right to be angry for such a disgraceful act"
"So now that we are here, can we just leave the past behind us and get back together?" Bella said happy.
Jacob didn't respond to that and let more tears fall.
"Bella, during the fight against the Vampires something happened between me and Leah" Jacob said guilty.
Bella looked away hurt, she felt so awful and just wanted to grab her coat and get out without giving him a single glance.
"It wasn't in my control I..
" So you've imprinted on her?" Bella said furious and pulled her hand out of his grasp wanting to get up.
" No, please I didn't do that.. I've been imprinted on" Jacob said.
" She's the first female werewolf, this never happened in generations and she imprinted" Jacob explains.
"Please say you'll pardon me" Jacob said when she kept her back towards him, "Every time I let people come close they end up hurting me"
" You've done the same thing Edward has done, You're leaving me behind for her while I have no say in things!" Bella said hurt.
" Don't see it that way, I will always love you.. If you want I'll stay with you" Jacob said.
" And then what?" Bella raised her voice.
"Do I just have to accept that you'll breed with her?" Bella said, " That's not the life I want, not anymore I don't want to be a second wife, I'm tired of holding onto the shortest end of stick to keep others happy, to settle for people's crumbs or allow myself to be a doormat otherwise I'm selfish" Bella ranted.
"But you know what Jacob? I'll gladly be selfish from now on, because If I only did what I wanted I wouldn't be in this mess and suffer from another heartbreak!"
Jacob eyed her saddened, " Bella, I always wanted to imprint on you but I can't control that, We imprint to secure the bloodline with the strongest genes
so that the werewolves don't go extinct, but this will not alter my love for you" Jacob said.
"Why not?" Bella asked.
"Because it's different for the imprinted, No matter how strong the connection between Leah and me is, I always have a choice to deny her as a mate, It will be hard, she won't leave my mind but I can still marry you and have you as my wife" Jacob poured his heart out but Bella felt nothing.
" I feel abandoned and betrayed by you" Bella said bitter.
" No-No I.. It was never my intention to be drawn to her but the imprinting happened and.." Jacob stuttered.
" I mean the things you said at my house, that I'm nothing but a dead vampire to you" Bella said.
" I take that back" Jacob said, " I was furious that the leeches returned to Forks and you'll be swept off your feet by his lies" Jacob said.
Bella looked away and It irks Jacob that he's causing her so much grief.
" Bella, this is my final offer.. I'll stay with you if you say the word," Jacob said.
" But then you'll be unhappy without her" Bella said.
" I'll be a lot unhappier with you hating me this much" Jacob said.
"I'll say no to Leah, I'll never come near her again If that's what you want" Jacob pleaded.
"No, One day you would want to return to her, besides you're needed here, Seth needs you. The pack and I'm not needed here anymore" Bella said.
"Bella please don't leave Forks because of me" Jacob said.
"Well maybe I should, after graduation It's goodbye" Bella said,
"Bella wait" Jacob said following her outside stumbling.
Jacob wanted to plead, get on his knees for another chance but knows he has no right to plead after coldly ignored hers to stay.
"Do what you have to do.. to forgive me" Jacob said accepting that he can't make her stop from leaving.
"Even if I don't get to see you for a long time" Jacob said as his face was wet.
Bella just eyed and went to her car, there was no pity, or regret in her features for leaving him behind, Bella is growing more and more love sick.
-/-
Edward was at his house he didn't hear from Bella the whole day, their chat can't be that long, He hopes that Jacob didn't hurt her.
He wished the stupid treaty line wasn't the only thing getting in his way to find her, not knowing why Bella hasn't returned always upsets him.
She never calls him when she's there to at least keep him calm.
for hours Edward stood with his arms crossed in front of a large window until he heard a car drive up towards the parking space. Edward looked down at the car but Bella didn't step out. Edward flinched when he felt his phone buzz on his desk and read the message Bella send him.
'I'm at your house, can we talk?' The message said.
And when Bella placed the phone back into her pocket the door next to her was opened and Edward sat in the passenger seat.
"How did it go?" Edward said seeing Bella so defeated was a clear give a way that they haven't reconcile.
"Well.. Bella huffed
"Jacob is with Leah now" Bella said. "I should have seen this coming" leaning her head against her palm.
"He has imprinted," Edward said.
"No, Leah imprinted on him" Bella said.
"He came with the news leaving me in utter shock, I left right away without hearing him further out because it's very clear now that we are done" Bella said not looking up.
" I should have ended things when I learned more about Wolves and imprinting, Jacob mentioned several times that he feels no pull towards me but I stubbornly stayed, hoping that he'll imprint when I'm dead, I was so tired of ending up alone and hurt that I put myself last place in the relationship, I called myself selfish for wanting more.
"I'm tired of being screwed over, or that love doesn't even resemble marriages in movies, If this is love then I want nothing to do with it" Bella said.
Edward felt horrible, It's like he can't do anything right, Bella always ends up hurt, no matter how many distance he places between them
"I hate myself for forcing you in to this direction, If I didn't you wouldn't be experiencing another Heartbreak, I would have made you happy" Edward said.
"And You wouldn't be by yourself now" Edward said.
Bella wanted to tell Edward what happened at the reservation but Edward seems do be dwelling with self guilt and all those vampires are dead and they didn't come for them so they'll talk about this another time.
"it's okay, I'll focus on working, Rene asked to come live in Florida" Bella said.
" And after that horrible ordeal I'll take her offer"
"But you're so used to Forks, You pretty much have a house for yourself and and you have a part time job here" Edward said.
"Her friend is a manager at the Dollar tree store in Miami so I'll be hired right away" Bella said.
"Maybe it's better this way, at least no college debt piling up" Bella said warming up to her current situation.
"You won't go to college?" Edward said wondering why she would leave her academic career behind like that.
"Well so far my applications In Hawaii have been denied," Including New York , I don't have a lot of hope for the other ones" Bella said.
"But Bella.. you didn't say that" Edward said. "Why didn't you say anything?"
" I guess I was disappointed with myself" Bella said.
" But It's fine, I'll be happy in Florida with Rene, the Sun is always shining and I'm looking forward to a new life there away from all the drama" Bella said.
"And you application at Darth mouth?" Edward asked.
" Well I don't think I'll be accepted" Bella said.
"But can you at least wait until you hear from the other colleges?" Edward asked. " Please just wait a bit longer"
"Did Alice saw my future?" Bella asked and Edward nodded. It's not true but he'll do anything to keep her where it won't be hard to find her.
"And is there any danger in it?" Bella asked.
" I don't know, "I'll check with her soon.. " Edward said but then his face became serious.
"Wait why do you ask?" Edward wondered warily.
"Well I'm a Danger magnet remember?" Bella said and then Edward knew she's hiding things from him.
"Right.. are you going to tell me what you mean with that or not?" Edward said.
Bella touched her stitched up arm, " I used myself as bait" Bella mumbled.
"Sorry?" Edward asked .
Bella sighed and rolled up her sleeve,
"Your arm!" Edward shrieked and looked at it.
"My god Bella What happened to you? Did Jacob lashed out?" Edward demanded an answer. if that was so he'll kill him right now.
"I used myself as bait" Bella said more clear.
"Bait?" Edward repeated, " What do you mean bait?" Edward asked.
"There were vampires coming to the reservation, their leader was Irina" Bella said. 'She wanted revenge because the werewolves killed her mate"
"But it's not their fault, it was mine" Bella said stuttering.
"I went to the Meadows alone and I ran into Laurent, her mate.. Jacob and his pack killed him to protect me," Bella said.
"So I had to do something, I cut my arm with a glass shard to let the blood drip down and give Jacob a chance to kill off Irina" Bella said.
"If I didn't he would have died" Bella said fearing that Edward might become angry with her.
"Shhh, Bella it's okay" Edward said holding her tight and let her cry. He almost lost her by letting her go all by herself.
That ratchet treaty, Edward thought as he firms his hold around her. this is all his fault. He exposed her to all kinds of problems.
"I'll never forgive myself for leaving" Edward said. "No it's not your fault" Bella muffs against his shoulder.
"You can't blame yourself for what other vampires are doing" Bella said.
"No Bella, Nothing will ever excuse for what I've left you to face, I should have known better than assuming Forks without my presence is better for you" Edward said.
"But I'll keep you safe Bella, don't be afraid" Edward said.
"I'm not, They didn't come for me" Bella said, It was a Vendetta against the Wolves"
"One day they will come Bella, you are a singer.. and I'm not going to wait until one of them touches you" Edward said cupping her face.
Bella could tell Edward had the fright of his life, But It wouldn't be fair if she kept quiet about this, what if there are vampires who want revenge on him too?
" Would you feel better I move in with you until the coast is clear?" Bella asked.
"Yes, I wanted to ask but.." Edward said. "I think Denali would be better for you" Edward said.
"Alaska?" Bella asked,
"Yes, the cold will mask your scent, and I'll have Alice look through your future to see If there is more danger ahead of you" Edward said.
Bella nodded, Denali is very isolated she doesn't know If she can stay put for long but if she's the one the Vampires want next then she should stay away for a while until all threats are neutralized.