Chapter 18 — Alliance

Renesmee

"What do you think they're saying?" I said, anxiously looking out the window even though I couldn't hear or see them.

"We'll find out," said Aunt Rosalie. "But you're staying put. I won't let you within 500 feet of a werewolf."
"If they're so dangerous—" Nahuel began, but then stopped.

"Then why don't we just kill them?" finished Aunt Rosalie. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder."

"Rosalie!" Esme reprimanded. "They are our allies."

Suddenly, my mother, father, uncle, and grandfather were back.

"They're calling a tribal meeting," said Carlisle. "And they've invited us to attend to explain. On neutral territory."

"The clearing again," said my mother.

"I'm coming," I said.

"I am as well," said Nahuel.

"The two of you shouldn't come," said Jasper. "It's too dangerous."

"All of us against one werewolf, can't be too dangerous," said Uncle Emmett, looking excited.

"There are more," said my father. "Two more boys phased for the first time tonight."

Uncle Emmett rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like that's a threat."

"None of them are a threat!" said my mother impatiently. "Renesmee's coming. End of story. Let's go."

"Bella stop trying to play matchmaker," snapped Aunt Rosalie. "Renesmee cannot be with a werewolf. It doesn't make any sense."

"I wholeheartedly agree," said my father. "It's far too dangerous. If werewolves can kill us, think what they could do to her? Even by accident."

"Maybe we should stay here then," said Nahuel, looking at me with concern.

"Absolutely not," I said firmly. "I will be not be treated as a second class citizen in this situation."

"Always the theatrics," Aunt Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"Look who's talking" I shot back.

My aunt and I usually always got along, but her distaste for werewolves was grinding on me.

"I, too, become extremely frustrated," Nahuel murmured to me as we ran, "that I am always treated like a child. Like lesser. When my aunt hunts with me, she tries to protect me from the mountain lions. As if they could hurt me."

"It's so frustrating," I agreed. "I understand it comes from a place of love, but—"

"Yes, with my aunt as well, but—" he trailed off, both of us lost in our own irritated thoughts.

It was pitch black at the clearing when we arrived and a light drizzle fell, causing steam to rise on mine and Nahuel's skin. It wasn't long before they came into the clearing. I saw Leah, Sam, Seth, and a few other people I did not know. But mostly I was focused on the three wolves that crept out ahead of them. Two of them were gangily, uncoordinated, slightly smaller than the third. But the one in the middle was large, steady, and familiar. Jacob.

I stared at him. I couldn't help it. I wanted to drink him in, even in his wolf form. To know he was here so close… I felt Nahuel watching me.

"Is that him?" he asked. "In the middle?"

"Yes," I breathed.

Jacob seemed distracted, looking at the two young wolves and around at the vampire coven before him. But then, at last, he turned to look at me. I stared into his eyes, transfixed.

"Thank you all for coming," my grandfather spoke. "As Jacob has probably informed you all by now, your tribe is soon to be under attack by an ancient vampire named Joham."

"Why? Why is he coming here?" asked Sam, a clear voice of authority among the throng, as my grandfather was for us.

"He believes your kind poses a threat to his… experiment," said Carlisle.

"What experiment is that?" said one of the men.

"He's… attempting to create a master race. Half-vampire, half-human hybrids. Like Renesmee and Nahuel, here. Nahuel is his one and only son in the experiment. The rest are female. But Nahuel disagrees with what his father is doing and has come here to help us stop his father from what he's going to do."

Jacob's eyes shifted from me to Nahuel standing beside me. His eyes narrowed.

"And what exactly is he trying to do?" said Leah.

"I've been watching his decisions," said Aunt Alice. "He's stuck between three courses. On one hand he wants to alert the Volturi—"

"That vampire law enforcement?" clarified Seth.

"Exactly," said Aunt Alice. "But he doesn't really want to do that because then they'll know about his whole 'master race' plan and the Volturi probably won't be thrilled about that. It's hard to keep the secret when you're making half-vampire children left and right.

"So his other option is to try to take you out one by one. Every werewolf, every teenage boy in La Push."

"No!" shouted Sam.

There were other murmurs of horror around him. The wolves whined and howled their protest.

"The problem he foresees with this is that, although he'd be more stealthy, he'd also be more vulnerable working alone," Aunt Alice continues. "So his third option is to create an army."

"Not again," said one of the men.

"Again?" I said, confused.

"It wouldn't be the first time we've faced a newborn army together," said Seth, almost excitedly. "Before, there was a crazy female after your mom, Nessie, and—"

"Yes, but you're not the one who's fighting!" Leah cut him off. "It's our sons fighting. Our very newly transformed sons."

Seth's face turned from one of boyish excitement to one of deep concern. He looked at the light brown wolf, brow furrowed.

"The point is, we don't know what he's going to do yet," said Carlisle. "So we need to be on high alert. With your permission, we'd like to run the perimeters around La Push to make sure he's not getting in."

The tribal council looked at each other with unease.

"We know it's not your ideal option," my father said. "But Leah is right, your wolves are too newly transformed. They're more of a liability right now than anything else. Jacob is going to be taken up with training them. And I'm sure there will be more new wolves coming. Especially if Joham chooses the third option."

The tribal council looked extremely unhappy at these words, but they said nothing.

"You're right," said Sam, finally. "It is the only option for now. We have to protect our tribe—"

"What?" cried Leah. "Protect our tribe? By letting vampires run free around our perimeter? This goes against everything the Treaty—"

"These vampires are not our enemy," said Sam with conviction. "They are our allies. We have other enemies we need to prepare for."

"Well, no better time to start training your young wolves, right?" said Emmett, excitedly.

Leah's eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not."

"They have to learn at some point, Leah," said Seth quietly, though his eyes were full of concern.

"Jacob wants me to translate," said my father, his voice deadpan. "He says that he thinks it's a good idea for the boys to learn vampire fighting techniques sooner rather than later."

"It's ultimately Jacob's call," said Sam, solemnly. "He's Alpha."

Leah snorted. "Great, now I feel better."

Jacob bumped Leah's shoulder with his large nose. It did not warm her to him.

"Renesmee, Nahuel, you should stand back," said Uncle Jasper.

We obliged because it was easier than arguing, but we threw each other an exasperated look as we back against the treeline. I saw Jacob watching me. I wondered what he made of Nahuel's presence.