Author Note : I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! There will probably only be a few chapters left! Let me know how you guys feel about this chapter!

Disclaimer : I don't own Twilight or its characters.

Chapter 19.

Jacob's brown lupine eyes stared at Bella in shock. His muzzle parted as another whine left his throat. Then his eyes snapped to the black wolf behind her, who still lay on the ground panting in pain.

"Sam had no right to order the death of my dad." Bella's voice sounded through the night and Jacob glanced back to her. "He had no right to order the death of any human. So much for being protectors." She scoffed as she turned to glare at the black wolf who growled back at her as he struggled to get to his feet.

Bella felt a change in the air and glanced back to see Jacob's body shimmer. He morphed and stood before her as a human, still looking the same as she remembered, though his face was slightly older.

"Bells, how did this happen?" Jacob's voice was tortured as he took in her red eyes and pale skin.

Bella growled at the nickname Jacob chose to use, the nickname Charlie had always called her. "Don't call me that." She hissed at him as she stepped forward.

Sam growled at her movement as he made it up to four paws and Bella's eyes connected with Irina's. The Denali woman's eyes were onyx as she gazed at Bella. Her body practically vibrated with rage as she inhaled the scent of wolves from the air. Then, with a nod from Bella, Irina darted towards Sam and collided with him. The sounds of his bones snapping echoed around the clearing as Bella turned her head back to Jacob, whose skin had begun to vibrate.

"We didn't mean for any of this to happen, Bella! We thought Charlie was changing. What else were we supposed to do?" Jacob asked her frantically as he tried to step around her to get to Sam, but Bella stepped with him to block his way.

"You didn't even check him that night. You just let Paul kill him!" Bella hissed at him.

Sam yelped loudly behind her, and Jacob's eyes became frantic. "I don't want to fight you, Bells. Please!"

"You all brought this on yourself the day you killed my father." Bella's voice was calm as she spoke and gazed at Jacob with hardened eyes. "Your whole pack deserves everything coming to them." She sneered, and in the distance, she heard more yelps moving closer along with a dragging sound.

Jacob lost his fight with his wolf and morphed. He lunged around Bella to get to Irina, but Chelsea was there, shoving the russet wolf while he was midair. His body collided with a tree, but he regained his balance quickly and sprinted towards Chelsea.

Bella growled and lunged towards him, her arms wrapped around his neck as she twisted her body. Jacob arced through the air with her and slammed into the ground, dirt and leaves flying up around them.

A struggle began between Bella and her previous best friend. She pulled back to miss his snapping teeth and ran her fingers down his neck, relishing in his yelp as her sharp nails sunk into his skin and pulled his fur away in strips when she finally released him. Blood pooled and dripped off his fur as he jerked away from her.

Bella vaguely saw Rosalie helping Irina, ensuring Sam couldn't run away. She saw Chelsea standing in a crouch nearby, prepared to help her with Jacob if needed. Bella couched with a hiss as she saw Jacob's body tense as he prepared to lunge at her. His russet body flew forward the same moment some bushes rustled nearby.

Bella watched as a blur of silver flew through the air and collided with Jacob, sending him rolling on the ground into the trees. Bella straightened as her body warmed, and her chest ached slightly, causing her to glance to her left and meet her mates eyes. Her eyes glimpsed Emmett, speeding around Marcus and making his way to Rosalie, standing behind her shoulder as backup while Irina took her anger out on Sam.

Marcus's arm was being lowered from an outstretched position, and his ruby eyes darkened as he took her in. Bella's hair was wild as it blew lightly in the wind, and her face smeared with blood. Her eyes were onyx as she stared at him, and her lips tilted up in a smile. Marcus was at her side in an instant, pulling Bella to his body as he smiled down at her.

"We brought the other two wolves to you, Isabella." His voice rasped out deeply, and Bella shuddered lightly as she took in his blood spattered skin and ripped clothing. "I had a bit too much fun with the one you call Embry, I remembered how you described his wolf." Marcus ran his hand over Bella's shoulder that was no longer marred with scars.

Bella glanced over his shoulder and saw Caius entering the clearing dragging Embry behind him. Jasper and Alec followed, the latter carrying a tan human leg. Embry's leg, Bella realized.

"Their limbs phase back?" She asked Caius as she pulled slightly away from Marcus.

Caius grinned evily. "It would appear so!" He exclaimed as he dropped Embry. "We can test it some more if you'd like? Maybe start with puppy toes." He cackled as he bounced on his feet, his blonde hair marred with blood.

A growl drew Bella's attention to the silver wolf Marcus had thrown. She heard bones cracking as his back popped and moved before he finally straightened up on four legs, with Jacob helping by nudging his russet head under his silver belly.

Bella rocked back on her heels as anger filled her body. She growled at the silver wolf who glared back at her with hateful dark brown, almost black, eyes.

A yelp from her left made Bella's head turn just in time to see Irina sink her teeth into Sam's front leg. Her throat bobbed as she released venom into his would. A mournful howl left Jacob as they all watched the previous alpha begin to convulse, whimpers and foam leaving his mouth, before his body stilled. A roar brought her attention back to the silver wolf as it shot forward. Bella met him halfway, feeling the animals bones crack at the collision, but it didn't slow Paul down any.

Bella felt a brush of air at her neck and heard teeth snap. She flinched and whipped her head around to see Marcus grabbing Jacob by the tail and slamming him into the earth. Alec sped to the other side of Jacob, and the two corralled the russet wolf between them. Bella yelped as Paul's claw swiped out and caught her stomach. She fell backward with the silver wolf on top of her. Bella hissed angrily and slammed her foot upwards, catching Paul in the chest and pushing him off her.

Jasper was there suddenly, ramming his fist into Paul's ribs, splitting the skin open and breaking them. Paul yelped and stumbled backward. Bella jumped to her feet and made her way forward. She and Paul began to circle each other, and she saw that Irina had moved onto Embry, taunting the wolf before stomping her foot down on his leg. Bella felt the skin on her stomach come back together, healing. it was an odd feeling.

Bella saw Jacob try to jump over Alec's head only to drop to the ground as the vampire took his senses. She saw Paul stumble in front of her and realized Alec's gift affected all the wolves connected through the mind link. It also gave her the idea to try using her gift.

Bella cocked her head as she stared at Paul, who growled at her, his teeth showing as they dripped with saliva. When he lunged towards her, Bella didn't crouch down. Jasper sped to her side and prepared to defend her. Before he could, the wolf hit an invisible wall. He yelped as his muzzle connected with it, and Bella saw one of his teeth pop out into the dirt.

Paul's head darted around confused, and he darted to the left but hit the same wall. As the wolf ran around panicked, he realized he was enclosed in something.

"What's wrong, mutt?" Bella sneered at him. "Are you trapped?" She laughed as she watched him darting in circles.

Jasper stood from his crouch as he realized Bella had contained the wolf. Paul growled at Bella, and she furrowed her brows in concentration, watching his circling pattern, looking for an escape. His circles got smaller as she closed her shield in on him.

The silver wolf stopped and stared at her while panting, Bella could hear his heart slamming against his chest loudly.

"You killed the only family I had left!" Bella hissed as she stepped forward, and Paul yelped when he felt the invisible walls touch him as they pushed in on him.

Paul's breaths came out faster as he realized he no longer had room to move. The walls pushed in more, and he yelped as the pressure on his hips increased until a crack sounded throughout the dark forest and his hip broke.

"You ripped his face off with your claws!" Bella screamed at him angrily as she stepped straight up face to face with him.

Paul howled in pain as the shield pressed in tightly, his hips smashed into an odd angle, and a snap sounded as his ribs began to break even more. Bones began to rip out of his skin as Bella's shield pressed harder into him.

"He kept screaming for you to stop! And you didn't care!" Bella growled as Paul's mouth released whimpers and lupine whines before another painful howl left his throat as his legs were turned in and broke, the bones popping from his fur.

Blood dripped off his body and pooled on the ground. It rolled in a river from his body to Bella's shoes.

"This is for Charlie." Bella yelled over Paul's pained howls as she enclosed her shield completely and clenched her teeth at the pain it caused in her head.

Paul's howls choked off as his body was crushed completely, his spine snapping through his skin and his head leaning at an odd angle as Bella concentrated on twisting her shield. Paul's galloping heart sputtered to a stop, and Bella gasped as she released her shield, a snapping feeling wrapping around her brain. Her hand flew up to grab her forehead.

"Ow!" A small whimper left Bella's lips before she shook her head and raised it.

Paul's body dropped, a mess of blood, bones, and fur as he lay twisted like a pretzel.

"That was extraordinary!" Caius's exclamation broke the silence that had fallen over the clearing. "Do him next, do him!" The blonde king bounced on his feet as he pointed at Jacob, who was staring at Bella in shock.

Irina had ripped off another of Embry's legs and peeled off part of his fur. He lay on the ground at her mercy, unable to run away or defend himself.

Jacob whined as he stared at Paul's body and then back at Bella. Bella glared back at him as she marched his direction. A hand on her arm held her back, and she hissed before catching herself and shutting her mouth as she stared into Marcus's eyes.

Marcus's hand came up to brush across her head, his face tilted in silent question, and his brows furrowed in concern.

"I'm ok." Her voice was quiet as she spoke to him and leaned into his side.

A yelp broke Bella away from her mate as she saw Irina jump on Embry's ribs, crushing them. The wolf convulsed before yelping loudly as her foot landed on his chest. His furry body jerked and then stilled as his heart stopped. Irina continued stomping on him until blood began to splatter from his ribs.

Bella turned her attention to Jacob as a mournful howl left his lips. Her lips turned down in anger as she glared at the russet wolf.

"Charlie loved you like a son, and you just let him die." She hissed as she moved forward. "We trusted you to protect us, and you betrayed us instead." Her voice broke as she spoke before she cleared it and stood up straight. "You don't get to get away with that." She hissed as she crouched down.

The wolf's body shimmered lightly, and then Bella was staring into Jacob's face. He held his hands out and shook his head.

"Bells, please! Everything happened so fast, and I didn't know what to do then. I was just a kid! We were all just kids." He waved his arm around at his fallen wolves. "We'd never been in that situation before. We had never been told what to do if we found a changing human." Jacob tried to explain.

"He wasn't changing!" Bella roared at him as she stepped forward quickly. "I was bitten, too. You saw them. So why just him!? Why not me too!? " Bella slammed her hands against his chest angrily, and Jacob fell to the ground, hissing in pain before bouncing back to his feet.

"You were talking to us. You were lucid. Charlie just kept screaming!" Jacob exclaimed as he pulled on his hair. "Like the venom was changing him, burning him." Jacob's eyes were wide as he stared at Bella.

"He was hurt and in pain. Of course, he was screaming." Bella sneered as she began to circle around Jacob. "But after murdering him, your pack still had the audacity to try ordering Sue to bring Charlie's son back so he could be part of your pack one day! The pack who butchered his father!" Bella growled angrily.

"Listen, Bells, just listen!" Jacob held his hand in front of him as if to hold her off. "If that kid phases one day, he gonna need to be part of a pack. He'll need someone to teach him. He'll need to protect La Push! That's what we're made for." Jacob's chest heaved as he kept turning to keep Bella in his eyesight.

"That explains everything!" Bella exclaimed. "Your protectors of La Push. So the pale faces in Forks are free game to maul, right!?" She growled.

Jacob began shaking his head, but Bella didn't let him speak. "My brother will never be part of your pack, Jacob Black." Bella vowed as she tilted her chin up defiantly.

Jacob's mouth opened, but a choked gasp left his lips instead of words as Bella darted forward quickly and slammed her sharp nails into his chest, squeezing her hand around Jacob's heart. His brown eyes widened as his body shuddered.

Bella's onyx eyes and wide bloodthirsty smile was the last thing Jacob Black saw before Bella ripped his heart from his chest. His body slumped to the ground, and Bella squeezed the organ in her fingers before tossing it at the dead body laying before her.

Bella's shoulders slumped as all adrenaline left her. Her anger gave way to exhaustion and thirst. She stumbled back slightly before a body pressed against her back, one arm wrapping around her hip as the other came around her waist. Bella whimpered as her hand held her throat. The scent of cinnamon filled her senses as her mate spoke, and his breath blew across her cheekbone as the hand on her waist came up to cup hers over her throat.

"Don't worry, bellissima, we'll find you someone to drink." He murmured as his lips drug over her skin.

She sunk back into his body, and her eyes glanced up to see the others pulling the bodies together in a pile. Rosalie glanced at Bella and nodded at her as if giving her approval. Chelsea looked at Bella worridly, so she gave the guard a small smile and got a relieved look back.

Bella tipped her head up to look at Marcus. Her lips brushed over his chin, and he tilted his head down towards her, their lips meeting in a small tender kiss. Bella pulled back, and black eyes stared into black as her lips tilted up in a small smile.

"Thank you." She said softly, and Marcus's own lips tilted up at the corners as he looked deep into her soul, seeing the words she wasn't saying.

Thanking him for being here tonight, for having her back, for helping with her revenge. Most importantly, thanking him for saving her, for changing her, for loving her. Marcus saw all those feelings looking back at him from her eyes.

Marcus brought his hand up to brush down her cheek and slide his thumb over the soft skin of her lips, lips that puckered into a gentle kiss over the pad of his finger. He tilted his head down until their foreheads touched.

"I love you." The words fell from his lips quietly, and Bella beamed up at him.

"Ti amo." The Italian words rolled off her lips smoothly and effortlessly, and Marcus smiled brightly at her as he pulled her back tighter to his chest.

Tha pair turned just in time to see Caius pull a flask from his coat pocket. As he opened it, the scent of vampire venom wafted across the forrest. Caius poured the substance over the wolves bodies, and with a nod to Jasper, the scarred soldier produced a lighter from his pocket.

In only a second, the La Push pack was consumed by fire, the orange flames flickering up high. Bella felt the heat flow across her face and relaxed further into Marcus, soothed by the warmth of the fire and the tingling on her skin where she touched him.

A sense of relief flowed over Bella, strong enough that a small laugh escaped her chest, causing her companions to glance at her.

"It's over." She laughed. "They're gone." She breathed out lowly.

"They can't hurt you again, Bella." Rosalie's voice cut across the forrest, and her golden eyes met Bella's black ones.

The knowing look in her eye made Bella realize she didn't know Rosalie as well as she thought she did. She was more than a vein creature who only took pleasure from her own reflection. Curiosity bloomed in Bella's chest as she took Rosalie in. Before she could ponder on it anymore, Jasper spoke up.

"You should head up to Port Angeles or Seattle to hunt, Bella." He suggested. "It wouldn't be good for the residents around here to catch a glimpse of your new look." He drew out his words, his southern draw dripping off his lips as he gave Bella a soft grin.

"Go to Port Angeles!" Caius exclaimed as he used a stick to poke one of the wolves' tails back into the flames, the fur sizzled into ash quickly. "We can meet at the jet afterward to head home. You two stop by the cars to get some clothes to change afterward." His eyes bounced between Bella and Marcus before settling on the former with a small smile. "You did good today." He nodded approvingly as he poked the flames again.

Bella ducked her head, suddenly feeling shy as the rest of their group kept giving her small glances. Her throat flared up in pain, and she brought her hand up to rub it again. Marcus ducked his head down to look at her, running his eyes over her dark ones and tracing the black marks under her eyes. She looked exhausted.

"Come on, Isabella." He murmured. "It will be a quick run there." Marcus ran his finger down her cheek.

Bella nodded quickly. She was thirsty and wouldn't mind some alone time with Marcus to process everything that had happened in one night. With another glance around at their group, who were still busy containing the fire, Marcus and Bella left to speed through the forrest.

Meanwhile, across La Push in a small cabin surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers, a woman stopped rolling out cookie dough in her kitchen. Her hand went to her chest as a pain shot through her heart, her scarred face scrunched up as a pained gasp left her mouth.

As quickly as the pain came, it was gone a second later. The woman blinked as she glanced around the kitchen. Her oven mitts with pictures of roosters sat on the counter next to a bowl of chocolate chips for the cookies she had been making.

She'd felt compelled to wake up and bake when her fiance had left for his patrol. It was an instinct she had gained since she met him. Being the wolf mother to a bunch of teenage boys, feeding them and giving them shelter when needed.

She had never wanted to be just a housewife and mother. She'd had plans when she lived back home with her family. Going to college and becoming a nurse like her aunt Sue was a dream of hers. She remembered her aunt doing a check-up on her once when she was just a child. She had loved Sue's printed nurse scrubs, and the medicine she got from the visit helped her flu symptoms immensely. She wanted to help people like Sue did.

That's why it was so easy for her to rush to La Push when she'd heard about her cousins panic over her missing boyfriend. She left home immediately to come comfort Leah, only for her helpful nature to backfire with one look into Leah's boyfriends eyes.

A rift formed between Emily and her cousin, her whole family really. They didn't understand the bond that formed with that one look, how a chain wrapped around her heart and connected her to a man she didn't even know. It was a constricting feeling, and she left for her home soon after, but he followed. No matter what she said or did, he wouldn't leave. Then she pushed him too far, and he scarred her face for life.

When he sat sobbing at her bedside, begging for forgiveness and wishing he was the one who was hurt, Emily's kind heart gave in. The chain wrapped tighter around her heart and drug her back to La Push with Sam.

But as the woman took a few deep breaths, she realized she could breathe fully. There was no constricting feeling on her chest pressing down like a heavy weight, no chain pulling and tugging her to someone, no need to nurture and make sure everyone was fed after their patrols. The need to please Sam Uley was gone.

A sob left Emily's throat, tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks as she shoved her baking supplies away from her and rinsed the flour from her hands. Her breath heaved as she ran to the bedroom and began to pack her things quickly. She didn't know how this was possible, how the imprint tying her to a man she didn't love had been broken, but she wasn't going to stick around to find out. She wasn't going to let Sam talk her into staying.

Emily Young snapped her suitcases closed and stepped outside. She was going home.

A few miles away from the Uley home, a woman gasped and sat up in her bed. Pain blossomed through her chest, and a pained yelp left her lips as her eyes overflowed with tears. She shakily got to her feet and stumbled down the hall to the bathroom.

She leaned against the wall with a short scream as her heart constricted with pain again. She shoved the bathroom door open and barely made it to the toilet before she threw up.

"Rachel!" Her fathers voice exclaimed as her screams had woken him.

Rachel heaved and sobbed loudly over the toilet as the ribbon tying her to her soulmate disintegrated, leaving her feeling empty and cold.

The squeaky noise of wheels made Rachel tilt her head up as her father made it to the doorway in his chair.

"What's going on?" Billy Black's voice was strong as he spoke, demanding an answer, but his eyes were wide and panicked as he watched his daughter scratch at her chest.

"It's gone!" She screamed. "I can't feel Paul anymore." She heaved against the toilet again as heavy tears and snot rolled down her chin.

Billy pushed away from the doorway and rolled to the phone quickly. He began dialing his sons phone number, knowing he'd been patrolling tonight but hoping he would phase back to answer his phone. With no luck, he tried Paul's number, then the rest of the pack. All the numbers went to voice-mail. He dialed one last number, and Old Quil picked up.

While Billy Black explained to his fellow elder what he had just been told by his daughter, Rachel Black laid on the bathroom floor. Her wails echoed around the room and carried outside, into the forrest surrounding the little red home.

The scent of humans, smoke, and trash overwhelmed Bella from where she stood at the edge of some trees overlooking some rundown buildings. Marcus stood silently beside her as they waited. Neither could go inside the lit up bar looking the way they did. A black duffle bag sat on the ground behind them, one Marcus had grabbed that had extra clothes for after her feeding.

Their waiting paid off when two men burst from the door, raucous laughter following them until the doors shut, cutting off the noise.

"Over here, man." One of the men whispered as he led the other to an alleyway between the bar and some type of warehouse.

The man who spoke pulled out a baggie with something white inside it, pills, Bella realized. The second man pulled out some money, and they began to make an exchange. The wind blew their scent through the parking lot to the trees where Bella whimpered and leaned forward as she inhaled, her throat erupting into flames.

Her eyes glanced up to Marcus, and he gave her a silent nod. She was across the lot and on one of the men in a second flat. He gasped and flailed his arms around as her teeth sunk into his neck. Bella moaned against his skin as his blood filled her mouth. He tasted sweeter than the other humans she'd had, but it was tainted in a way. Almost like a too sweet artificial sweetner with a bitter aftertaste.

She heard the other man inhale, and a scream began to erupt from his chest but cut off suddenly. Her eyes glanced up to see Marcus knock the man out. Her human ran dry, and she dropped him to turn towards her mate, biting her lip as she stared between him and the human he held. Marcus's eyes were black as he stared back at her and his voice raspy as he spoke.

"We'll share." He took a step closer to Bella, dragging the man in front of him facing Bella.

Bella's body flushed with heat as she stepped closer and grabbed the man's arm as Marcus pulled the man's head up and sunk his teeth into his neck. A hiss escaped Bella's lips at the sight and she quickly ripped the man's long sleeve off to sink her teeth into his wrist, her eyes locked on Marcus's as she began to pull blood into her mouth.

Marcus growled lowly in his chest as she stared at him, and Bella whimpered at the noise as heat flashed through her body. The man ran dry quicker with them sharing and Bella quickly ripped the corpse away from Marcus as she lunged forward and wrapped herself around him, his hands coming up to support her when she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Their lips slammed together, and there was a clash of teeth, but Bella didn't care. Marcus nipped her bottom lip, and she wriggled against him with a whimper. Marcus groaned against her mouth and stepped forward to press her into the side of the bar.

Bella tangled her fingers into his hair by his neck and tugged lightly, making Marcus growl into her mouth. She rocked her hips against his as a breathy moan escaped her lips. Her skin tingled where he touched, and her body hummed at their closeness. She ached for him. As she rolled her hips into him again and moaned, Marcus pulled back and dropped her to her feet.

Bella whined slightly but stopped when Marcus grabbed the waistband of her pants to pull them down, leaving her bottom half bare to him. She pulled him back up and began pulling at his pants button, making it pop off. Marcus pushed her hands away and unzipped them. He hissed as Bella's hand wrapped around him and began stroking, ducking his face into her neck to nip her pale skin.

Marcus's hand found its way between her thighs and Bella threw her head back with a moan when he touched her, thrusting his fingers into her slowly. She rocked her hips against his hand faster as she stroked him harder.

"I want you!" She moaned at him before lunging for his mouth.

Marcus groaned against her lips as he pressed her into the wall, and Bella struggled to wrap her leg around him, but her feet were tangled in her pants, not coming off over her shoes.

Marcus pushed her leg down until her foot was flat on the ground again. "Don't rip them." He murmured against her lips as he turned her to face the stone wall, her pants sliding across the ground around her ankles.

Marcus pulled her arms up until he could press her hands onto the stone with his. He pressed up against her back and buried his face in her neck again, sucking on the mark he'd left there and making Bella's body erupt with warmth. She moaned as his hand found its way down between her legs, his fingers thrusting into her deeply as his tongue stroked the mark on her neck. Bella flung her head back on his shoulder, thrusting against his hand as a whimper escaped her lips.

She turned her head to bury her face in Marcus hair, her breathy moans releasing into his ear. He growled against her neck as he pulled his head away, making Bella whine.

"Marcus! Don't stop." She tried grabbing his wrist to pull it back between her legs.

Marcus grabbed her hip instead and pressed his other hand to her back, making her bend forward before he thrust into her. Bella moaned loudly and slammed her hands against the stone, pieces chipping off at her force as she pushed back against him to meet his thrust.

Marcus squeezed her hips before wrapping an arm around her waist as he tilted his head down and captured her lips. The taste of strawberries filled his mouth, and he sucked on her tongue to savor the taste. He swallowed Bella's moans and thrust faster into her.

Her head flew back with a gasp as heat began gathering in her lower belly, and her hands scrambled to find purchase on the stone wall but only destroyed it further.

When Marcus dipped his head down to lick her mark and then sunk his teeth into it slightly, Bella slapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the scream that escaped her lips as her body shook around him. Her walls tightened and fluttered, and Marcus squeezed his arms around her as he released her neck, groaning into her hair as he thrust faster until his hips stuttered against her as pleasure flew through his body.

When he came down from the high his mate gave him, he glanced down at her. Bella's head was leaning back against his shoulder, her eyes closed, and a blissed out smile across her lips. Marcus chuckled as he dipped his head down to give her a gentle kiss, Bella's arms coming up behind him to wrap in his hair. She gasped when he pulled out of her and turned to face him, running her hand down his cheek as their lips met again.

The bar door slammed open and shut as a patron left the building to get into their car, breaking the couple apart. Marcus dipped down and pulled Bella's pants up before she could try, and she shifted as she felt the wetness pool between her legs, both of their fluids combined. Marcus zipped his pants up and pulled his shirt down to cover up the fact his button was gone, thrown somewhere on the ground.

His ruby eyes darted to hers. "We're gonna drag them down to that dumpster to burn their bodies. So people won't know they were drained of blood." He explained.

Bella nodded happily, in a great mood, as she knelt down to grab the leg of one of the men. She took up a fast pace, dragging the man, not even stopping when his arm slammed into the wall when she got too close.

Marcus shook his head and grabbed the second male as he began to follow her. When they made it to the dumpster, they threw the men in. The dumpster had been emptied recently, but a few bags of trash with bathroom paper littered the bottom. Marcus pulled a silver lgihter from his pocket, the kind with the lid you flip open. After lighting it, he dropped it onto the paper, and it lit quickly, the flames flowing across the bin. They watched as it began to consume the men, and then Marcus pulled her arm.

"Let's get changed." He suggested.

Bella nodded and hummed happily as she bounced slightly on the heels of her shoes. Marcus gave her an amused look, and she darted forward two steps to press her lips to his, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You make me really happy." She whispered to him after she'd pulled back.

Her eyes shined a bright red after her meals. They were lit up, and Marcus could see the moon behind him reflected back in them. Her hair was a mess of tangles and twigs, and her skin blood splattered. Her scent was a mix of him and her, and a possessive part of him preened at that.

He smiled back at her as he ran his fingers down her cheek. "You make me the happiest, Mia Bella." He kissed her gently, and Bella beamed up at him. "Clothes?" He suggested again as his other fingers fiddled with his buttonless pants.

If Bella could blush still, she'd be bright red. She bit her lip and swayed on her feet slightly.

"I'd much prefer you out of clothes." Her voice was breathy as her eyes looked down his body slowly and back up to meet his.

Marcus groaned and dropped his head back before putting his arm around her waist to pull her out of the alley and back to their bag.

"You just wait till I get you back to Italy." His voice held promises, and Bella giggled as she leaned into his side.

"What're you gonna do to me in Italy?" She asked with bright eyes.

Marcus stopped and whirled around to face her, her chest bumping into his. "Give you as much pleasure as you can take and then some. Until you're completely at my mercy and so sensitive that you beg me to stop." His voice was low, and his eyes darkened.

Bella gasped lightly as new wetness polled between her legs as she pressed against him, leaning up on her toes to kiss him. The scent of wet dog made her pull back, though, her face scrunched in confusion. Marcus tilted his head before awareness filled his eyes.

"The other wolf, Jared, lives here somewhere." He reminded her, and Bella's mouth made an O shape as she remembered.

She glanced down at her clothes littered with dirt and blood from both humans and wolves. She bit her lip nervously as she glanced back at Marcus. He leaned down to grab the duffle bag and pulled her into the forrest.

They ran through the woods until they found a shallow creek, only deep enough to cover their ankles, maybe.

"We'll clean the blood off here." Marcus told her as he pulled his shirt off.

Bella's lips opened slightly as she gazed at him, and Marcus grinned back at her, his ego growing with her attention solely focused on him.

"Get your clothes off, Isabella." He tugged at her shirt, and Bella snapped her mouth closed as she got her coat off.

She ripped her sweater taking it off, and her pants didn't fair any better. She toed her shoes off gently, trying not to break them. Marcus took a clean shirt from the bag and dipped it in the cool water before standing to strut her way, her eyes dropping down his form and back up as heat pooled in her belly.

Marcus's lips twitched as he inhaled and caught her scent. He pressed the shirt to her face and began gently cleaning the blood off her pale skin. He cleaned down her chest and arms where most the wolf blood seemed to be. When her skin was mostly free of blood, Marcus started on his own skin.

"I could help." Bella whispered to him as her eyes darted all over his naked body, her plump bottom lip folding between her teeth as she nibbled it.

Marcus grinned softly at her. "It's ok, Cara. You should try getting some of the blood out of your hair in the stream." He nodded towards the water, and Bella automatically ran her fingers through her dirty hair, her face scrunching up at the grimy feeling it left on her fingers.

Marcus chuckled as she walked over to the water. She stood and seemed to ponder the best way to cleanse her hair before kneeling on her knees and tipping her head upside down in the stream. The water turned brown and red immediately, and Bella scrubbed her head, trying to get all the grime off her strands without shampoo. When the water ran clearer, she leaned back up, ringing her long brown hair out like a rope.

Hands joined hers, and she leaned her head back as Marcus began running his fingers through it, brushing out the tangles as best he could. This time, when Bella offered to help with his hair, he agreed. Bella gently washed his hair as he kneeled by the water and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. It felt as if the two of them were the only people in the world when they gazed into each others eyes, but the scent of wolf burst their isolated bubble.

"Let's get dressed, and if you want, we can track the wolf down. If you have anything you'd like to say to him, that is?" Marcus questioned softly.

Bella sighed. "I want to thank him for back then. We didn't call ahead, though." Her brows scrunched up with worry.

"We didn't bring a phone with us." Marcus shook his head and figured maybe he should finally let one of the guards set one of those cell phones up for him. "But he's probably already smelled us. And he's not came barreling out to attack. We'll be fine." He tried to reassure her but could tell it hadn't worked.

Marcus made his way to the duffle bag and dressed quickly before picking out some clothes for Bella. He helped her dress so she wouldn't rip the cloth. Marcus's eyes glanced over her as he helped her put her shoes back on.

"Back to being my prince charming!" Bella ran her hand through his hair as he knelt before her and giggled as he placed her toes into the shoe and slid it on.

Marcus chuckled. "And you're my princess, my queen." He glanced up at her and turned his head, placing a kiss on her wrist.

He stood and captured her lips before the smell of wolf wafted through the air again.

"Let's follow his scent." He nodded the way the smell had come from, and Bella let him pull her along.

They came to a small home on the edge of town, close enough for easy shopping but also backed into a wooded area. The whole property was marked in wolf scent, and Bella's face scrunched up.

An extended cab truck was parked next to a small SUV. On the other side of the newer truck sat an old orange hunk of metal, her truck.

Bella gasped out loud, and Marcus looked down at her questiongly. "It's my truck!" She exclaimed in a whisper.

"That orange one?" Marcus raised a brow as he glanced at it and then at the house again, his eyes full of confusion.

"Yes!" Bella hissed as she rocked back on her feet.

Memories rocketed through her brain of the day Charlie had told her he'd bought her a vehicle, a good vehicle for her. She huffed in amusement at the memory of squeezing information out of him before she finally got a glimpse of her orange beast of a truck. She had loved it at first sight.

The front door of the home opened, and a man stepped out, russet skin and black hair. His long sleeve shirt covered up his wolf pack tattoo, but Bella knew him.

"Jared." His name slipped from her lip quietly, and Jared's eyes roamed over her.

"Hey, Bella." His voice sounded relieved, and Bella pondered why until Marcus shifted next to her.

"This is Marcus." She glanced up at him and watched the wind blow his dark wavy hair around, drying it slowly. "My mate." Her eyes slid back to Jared, who stared at Marcus for a moment.

"Hey." Jared nodded at Marcus, who nodded back.

"We tracked your scent in the woods." Bella fiddled with her thumbs anxiously and leaned into Marcus slightly. "But Sue gave us your phone number. We didn't bring a phone with us though...to call you." Her voice got slower and hesitant.

Jared smiled slightly. "She called me and let me know you were in Washington. She thought you'd be by eventually."

Bella nodded at his words as her eyes slid back to her truck again. Jared noticed her gaze and stiffened slightly. Marcus wrapped his arm around Bella's waist as he noticed Jared's tense posture.

"Why do you have my truck?" Bella eyebrows scrunched down in confusion as she looked back at Jared.

Jared rocked on his feet slightly as he sighed and glanced around his yard. "Seth called me as soon as he realized you were gone, from that cottage at the Cullen's. We didn't know what had happened to you. If you were alive or dead." He swallowed loudly as he glanced at Bella and then away again. "I tried tracking your scent. And I smelled another scent, a new vampire. I thought you were dead." He scrubbed his palms into his eyes for a moment before looking back up at her. "I thought you were dead. That after everything, one of Victoria's newborns had gotten to you. That we failed you again, that I failed you. But your truck was there, parked in the Cullen's driveway. It didn't seem right just leaving it there. Leaving it behind." His brown eyes bore into hers, slightly red with tears as he swallowed again.

Bella was silent a moment as she gazed at her truck. Remembering being cradled against Leah after her world was torn apart, the way the she-wolf had held her and checked her over for injuries. How absolutely horrified and angry Jared was at the events that had happened. They hadn't been close friends, and Jared hadn't trusted her after her past with vampires. But that didn't matter when it came down to it. Bella and Charlie both were humans and fragile against things in this world. Meant to be protected. And when it came down it, Bella's past with the Cullen's didn't matter. Jared had raced her and her truck to La Push to Sue so that Bella could be treated. Jared put all his judgments and feelings about her ties to vampires behind him to help her when she needed him. Like a true Alpha should.

"I never got to thank you." Bella began as she turned her ruby eyes back to Jared. "For that night. For not agreeing with the packs' actions. For rushing into action to get me out of there. Charlie would've been so thankful to you for helping me." Her mouth snapped closed as venom tears filled her eyes. "You're a good man, Jared." Bella nodded and watched Jared's eyes tear up. "Nothing that happened that night was your fault. And I'm very thankful that you took me to Sue, that you helped me. If it weren't for you and Leah, I'm not sure what would've happened to me." Her eyes widened, and Marcus wrapped his other arm around her so he could pull her to his chest.

Jared nodded as his finger swiped under his eyes quickly. "I'm glad that you're ok, Bella." He paused for a moment. "Are you happy?" He asked her as his eyes glanced over her form.

Bella smiled brightly, and Jared did a double take as she glanced back at Marcus, whose entire face softened as Bella lit up. "I'm really happy." She turned back to Jared as she placed her hands over Marcus's forearms pressed against her waist.

Jared smiled at her gently. "I'm glad, Bella. I hope you get everything out of your new life that you want."

Bella's eyes glanced at his home and back to him. "Are you happy?"

Jared laughed lightly. "I'm happy, Bella. I'll probably be a lot happier from now on. Feels like a weights lifted." His eyes crinkled at the sides softly as his brown eyes gazed into her red ones.

After a moment of silence, Bella lost her smile. "You're the only alpha now." Her voice full of meaning, and Jared hesitated for a moment before nodding as he caught her drift. "You'll teach any new wolves if they need you, right? You'll be there for them?" She questioned him, her mind on Lucas.

Jared nodded immediately. "I will." He vowed. "I'll make sure that they understand what we were born to do. Protect all humans from harm." He declared as his eyes bore into Bella's.

Bella nodded back at him and smiled. "We've got to get going." She tilted her head back into Marcus's chest. "We've got to meet our friends. To go back to Italy." She specified.

Jared's eyebrows shot up. "Living abroad! You're moving up in the world, Bella."

Bella laughed at him and wondered how he would take the news that Marcus was a vampire king. She decided to keep that information to herself for now.

"Would it be ok to keep in contact, sometimes?" She asked hesitantly, and Jared beamed at her.

"I would like that, Bella. You've got my number, so you can call whenever." He suggested.

"Tell Kim I said hi?" Her statement was more a question.

Jared nodded with a smile. "I will. She's been getting over a cold, so she passed out from some medicine." His lips turned down into a frown as he glanced over his shoulder into the window of his front door, worry entering his eyes.

"You better get back to her, then." Bella said softly, and Jared turned back to nod as her as his feet began taking him back inside.

"Maybe if you call, you can talk to her?" Jared suggested.

Bella nodded with a grin. "I'll call." She promised.

"It was nice to meet you." Jared said respectfully to Marcus.

Marcus barely got the words "you too" out before the door shut behind the wolf, and they could hear his heavy footfalls leading closer to the heartbeat inside as he checked on his imprint.

"We better get to the jet." Bella murmured, and with another look at her orange truck, the pair began to run, the trees passing by them quickly.

When they made it to the jet and walked across the pavement, Caius stood up straight from where he'd been leaning against the stairs.

"Finally!" He exclaimed. "We've been waiting. Everyone is already inside." Caius was exasperated. "What took you so long? The sun's already coming out."

"We made a detor so I could talk to a friend." Bella informed him and watched as he inhaled, taking the scent of wolf in.

"Interesting." Caius murmured. "You'll have to tell me about your friend on the flight. We've stored Edward in the bathroom." He informed them, and a cackle exploded from Bella's lips.

They placed Edward in the bathroom just as they had Victoria before. She glanced up at Marcus, and her eyes took in the hint of shine across his face as the sun peeked through the clouds down at them. She squeezed his hand as she stared into his ruby eyes.

"Let's go home." She murmured.

Translations

Ti amo - I love you

Cara - Dear

Bellissima - Beautiful

Mia Bella - My beauty