Disclaimer: This story is rated T/ M (Mature) Content may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Will most likely contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and strong language.
Recap:
My throat constricted in his grip. I couldn't breathe.
"We can talk more on the road, Layla. Don't be difficult about this." Logan reached into his pocket and pulled out a cloth.
I took the opportunity to spit in his face. It landed in his eye, making him hiss and drop the chloroform rag.
"You little bitch-" Instead of wiping his eye or reaching for the cloth, he went to strike me.
Layla's Pov
Suddenly, I was ripped from the brick wall and fell to the ground.
Logan was gone, and no one was there in the alley with me. I scrambled to my feet.
Not questioning my stroke of luck, I sprinted through the rain, my hair and clothes clinging to me.
I yanked on the car door handle several times. It was locked.
"Are you alright?" Beautiful Rosalie stood right behind me with groceries in one arm and my purse in the other.
"I think I need to make a phone call. Thank you, Rosalie." I grasped the handle of my purse. When her hand didn't budge, I looked up at her.
"Do you need help?" She asked. My eyes flickered to the side building for any traces of Logan King.
"No..." My answer was unconvincing. She let go anyway, allowing me to get into my car.
Rosalie's Pov
I dumped my groceries in the back of my red convertible and watched EJ's little friend drive off before I made my move.
Layla was clearly rattled. No one stood in this type of downpour for the hell of it, and the marks around her neck...
I made my way towards the area she kept glancing towards. I took a deep inhale to see if I could catch a scent.
There it was—one of my kind. I sprinted down the crevice of buildings and leaped catlike over the wall.
In the woods, at a distance, I saw movement. I sprinted to evade the rain and sought shelter under the canopy of trees.
I listened carefully, past the drips of rain and scurrying creatures feeding away.
"Do you hear me?" A trill-pitched voice threatened. "Yes." The blond boy from the post was kneeling before her, looking as if he was about to puke.
No, he already did by the stench. "He's my prey." The tall, lanky woman hissed, crouching between me and the boy.
When I didn't assume an offensive stance, the vampiress's shoulders eased, and her stance narrowed.
"Fine." I glanced down at the human filth and back up at the woman's round crimson eyes.
I could see the curiosity and confusion in them, assessing my tawny amber eyes.
"Are you the one who killed those hikers?" I questioned. "Yes." She hissed cautiously.
"My coven lays claim to this peninsula. We ask any passerby to hunt in Seattle onward to avoid suspicion."
The boy began to sneak off, but she didn't move. She stood up straighter, nearly five foot ten. "Greta Keller."
"Rosalie Hale." I returned the introduction. Judging from her short hair and over-plucked eyebrows, she must have been turned around in the 1920s, a decade before me.
"Why are your eyes like that? Do you have some ability to change them?" Greta twisted her head in fascination.
"No, I haven't fed in a while." I tried not to turn my nose up at her.
"Huh. I would share, but I can't with this one." She smiled at me and then spoke over her shoulder.
"Logan-" She sang. "Don't make this too much fun for me. I might get carried away!" Greta coiled to spring.
"One more thing." I raised my voice. She froze. "The girl from earlier, don't so much as touch her."
"Noted." Greta's friendly smile disappeared. I couldn't blame her for being upset; vampires never liked being told what to do.
It would be best to tell Carsisle about this encounter when I returned.
Inside my beloved sports car, I flipped down the mirror to adjust my hair and reapplied the petal pink lipstick in my glove box.
I didn't like that girl with creepy eyes making me stand out in the rain. But I suppose it wasn't so bad since the trash was going to be taken out for me.
My cell phone rang. "Hey, my monkey man." Delighted to hear from my mate. He and EJ were the only ones who could put a genuine smile on my face.
"Are you good, Angel face?" Emmett questioned. "Why wouldn't I be?" I flipped up the mirror and began the drive to Cullen Manor.
"Alice called. She had a vision..."
Layla's Pov
I sniffed, my nose running in the freezing rain; rain dripped off the overhang of the visitor center roof and spattered on my head.
I pressed the red call box button again and waited.
If what I saw wasn't a hallucination and Logan King was here in Forks, I needed to anonymously report sighting him so the police could handle him.
My heart pounded, never having to call the police like this before. I'd rehearsed my lines in the car, but when the buzzing line picked up, I forgot everything.
"911, what's your emergency?" When I didn't answer right away, the man spoke again. "Hello? This call line isn't for pranks."
"Yes, I-I would like to report some suspicious activity..." I gave them a description of Logan King and spoke of what he did to me as if I were a third-party bystander at the grocery store.
"Is the girl okay? Where is she now?" "I-I don't know; she got away." I hung up, paranoid the police would come here first.
Jacob's Pov
Syd was reluctant to let us in the house. Seth was a key factor in persuading our way inside.
Embry had picked him up from their wolf watch and drove by his mom's store for some snacks.
That's where his sister Tiffany and her friend Paige invited themselves over. Layla seemed cool with them at school, so I let the unannounced guests join us.
Quil was hovering by the plasma screen, pulling out his DVD options for the evening.
"Looks bigger on the inside," Paige whispered, stepping down into the sunken living room.
"I could get used to this." Embry dove onto the couch and kicked his feet up.
"Shoes off, and clean up the mess when you kids are done," Syd grumbled, retreating to his office.
"I can't believe she invited you guys over before us." Tiffany scowled. "Er, Jake, more than Layla kinda planned this," Embry informed from on the couch.
Paige lingered by Seth but took every opportunity to snoop around.
I took a moment to step out front as the others set up, looking for Layla. She was supposed to be back by now.
Minutes Later, her car rolled up.
When I met Layla in the rain, she was soaked to the bone. The rain-drenched white shirt she wore translucently clung to her curves.
My eyes went wide, and my mouth went dry. "What happened to you?" Quil questioned. I shoved his face forcefully back inside the house.
"Go get changed. We got this." I mumbled, brushing past her to help unload the trunk. Layla didn't respond; with teeth chattering, she darted inside.
I didn't think much about the unpleasant expression. I attributed it to the freezing rain and all of us barging into the house before her.
When she returned in dry clothes, Paige was popping popcorn, and the guys had broken into the many bags of chips on the island.
"Sorry, guys. It's a hurricane out there." Layla apologized, shutting off the overhead lights.
Her smile was convincing, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"It's all good." Quil finished his first bag of chips. "We need a tie-breaker for a movie!" Seth bounded up to Layla with tonight's options.
I pulled out the pizzas from the oven. "Um, maybe start off with the Zombie one or Texas Chainsaw?"
"Ha! Told you. Texas Chainsaw wins!" Embry gloated from the couch. Tiffany looked unimpressed while Paige made a sour face.
"Hey, you guys tagged along." "Shut up, Embry." The siblings argued.
With the snacks spread and lights turned off, the thunderstorm outside was the perfect backdrop for the scary movie marathon to begin.
Tiffany and Paige sat on the plush carpet close to Seth while. Embry and Quil fought over Syd's armchair.
The loser would have to third wheel on the couch with me and Layla. She sat in the middle, hardly touching the food she had placed on the coffee table.
After the opening scene, she leaned back, curling in a ball, and gathered a throw pillow in her arms as a shield.
I scooted closer and felt her icicle toes through my jeans. "Jeez, Layla. You're freezing." I leaned close enough to bate her with my warmth.
"Sorry." She whispered, looking up at me with an anxious expression and despondent eyes.
Her heart rate was already rapid, though the movie was still building toward anything truly scary or jump scare worthy.
When Layla finally leaned into me, she sighed out of relief.
"Are you okay?" I whispered. "Yeah." She cringed into me as the killer moved in on the first victims, setting the scene.
"It's okay, it's fake," I whispered to assure her. "I know that." She whispered in a grumble back.
I rolled my eyes. Her actions said otherwise.
My imprint was almost in my lap mid-way through the movie when there was a wild rapping on the front door.
The other girls and Quil screamed while Seth jumped up to pause the movie.
Layla's face contorted in confusion as she slowly removed herself from me to check it out.
"Were you expecting anyone else?" I questioned. "It's probably Syd," Layla said.
Layla's Pov
"Syd's in his office," Embry informed me.
The adrenaline hit from the afternoon lingered in my veins and was sustained by the horror flick.
I searched for a peephole. Right, there wasn't one. I eyed Syd's hiking stick in the corner behind the door, contemplating grabbing it.
I gritted my teeth when the harsh knock continued in pace with the howling wind. "Layla?" Seth, who was closest, saw the fear flicker on my face.
Not wanting to show weakness, I threw open the door. No one was there—a painful gust of air shot needles of water at me.
Syd stomped over with a screwdriver. "God damn, door knocker." The brass knob was making the racket.
I stepped aside, letting him work.
We continued our movie night, moving on to the next when the storm picked up.
"You kids might want to head home before trees go down." Syd poked his head into the room.
"Um, I think I'm late for dinner, and I have a ton of homework," Paige compiled an obvious lie to get out of the next much scarier-looking movie.
Poor girl didn't seem cut out for anything horror-related. Besides, it was evident to me that the only reason she came was to hang out with Seth. Whether or not he purposely evaded or missed her subtle advances didn't matter. Paige was deflated and eager to leave.
It was up to Embry to drive, and they didn't want to leave their mother alone in case she needed something in this weather.
Quil and Jake were welcome to stay, but Jacob wanted to check on Billie, and Quil had to get back to his own family.
"I'm going to make sure the barn is locked up and check on the generator." Syd took a slice of pizza from the counter and left with them.
I decided to clean up a bit and package up all the leftover food. The house was strangely silent after everyone's company was removed.
Any little sound seemed to be amplified, and after a while, I needed to know every source of every strange sound.
As I fixed the faucet drip, a scratching sound against a window pane replaced it.
I walked towards the back door to see a branch from the surrounding bushes batting against the house.
Lightening flashed, and thunder cracked, making me jump and gasp at the same time.
I needed to calm down. It was horror film jitters coupled with this afternoon's scare. No one's after you. I coaxed myself out from staring out the back sliding glass door; I kept misinterpreting the shadows in the woodline as something emerging.
I migrated up to my room instead, grabbed my journal from the hidden compartment in the headboard, and started scrawling under my dim desk lamp.
As my words flowed in black ink, I released a bated breath. Soon enough, I filled five pages, and the pen I was using ran out of ink.
When I reached for another writing utensil in my drawer, I shuffled around, only to find my old phone.
I set it aside to restart as I tested out the new pen. Writing again, the repetitive chimes startled me each and every time.
I turned to consider reading the messages I've been neglecting. A small part of me gained hope.
Maybe it was Bethany who had news of my mother. Or my mother had been trying to get a hold of me.
Realistically, it was most likely the old group chat I've been avoiding.
Lightening flashed again, and the power went out. The blue light of the small screen was my only source of illumination.
And as soon as I read those messages, I wanted to drop my phone. Instead, my palm obstinately clung to it, shaking.
There were a couple from Liam and some from the group chat.
What was more concerning were the texts from Logan spamming me with insane shit.
Those messages evolved from 'I miss you, friend.' 'How are you doing?' To others, that showed off 'how great he was,' which mirrored his typical public social media posts, so that didn't bother me as so much as annoy me.
I scrolled down further to see a paragraph-long confession that centered around Logan and his lusts with pictures I wished to unsee—videos I refused to open. When I didn't respond to that, more unhinged stuff spun out.
'I'll give you the benefit of the doubt from being in the middle of bum fuck nowhere...but when we're alone again...'
This scenario didn't seem real. Who feels comfortable saying or sending stuff like this anyway? I thought, repulsed.
Someone who was coming off of a lot of substances. Someone who wasn't that stable to begin with.
He was also a boy with a bruised ego who would do anything from wounding his pride.
I could hear the memory of Ashely's voice ring in my ear. 'He blames you for what happened...'
My nerves opened up and rippled with the next wave of thunder. Tears of frustration clouded my vision.
A notification signaled that Logan was typing again. My heart thrummed uncomfortably in my chest.
That means he's seeing the messages I have just read. I began to hyperventilate. Was this afternoon for real, then?
'I'm not going back to LA without you, Layla.' I stared at the text blankly as if reading it over again would help me process it.
I needed fresh air. It felt like my tiny room was closing in on me. I ran downstairs.
Pacing the kitchen frantically and infuriated, I did the stupidest thing imaginable. I called Logan.
When he picked up the phone, I started yelling into the receiver.
"Leave me alone! I want nothing to do with you! Or your family! I saw what you did to Brianna. What the hell did she ever do to you?! Do you think I'm stupid?-"
I didn't know all of what I said in the floodgate of words because I was livid.
As soon as I was done with my fit, Logan's calm voice sent shivers down my spine.
"I'll let you mull over the texts. Three and a half weeks' worth of messages is hard to digest in one day..."
My breathing was still heavy and jagged. "Go home, Logan," I begged. The confirmation of our encounter this afternoon was unsettling.
He was here. In Forks. For me.
"So you don't believe I deserve a second chance?" He countered. I was silent. I believe anyone could change for the better if they chose it.
"I can't give you that chance," I stated definitively.
"You will, or people you love will continue disappearing." My heart sank in shock at his warning. "What?" My voice cracked.
What did he know that I didn't?
"I wonder if I asked you to step outside right now, would you do it for mommy?" His question made me turn for the glass door. Lightening illuminating it once more.
I swear that I saw a figure in the trees for real this time. I ran to grab something to defend myself.
I didn't know how to shoot, and Syd's shotgun looked too heavy on the mantle.
So, I found the next best thing propped up by the door along with the walking stick—a crowbar.
"Will you run away like last time?" I hissed, sliding the back door open and marching off the back porch into the rain.
The figure wasn't there in the trees anymore, but that didn't stop me from running barefoot across the grass.
"You wish. Behind you!" Logan shouted.
I gasped and swung, nearly falling over from the momentum.
"Don't worry. I'll find you." Logan laughed at his prank and hung up.
I pulled the phone away from my face, trembling in fear and fury until the cellphone's screen light went out.
I was left in the pitch black with whipping rain; as I walked back to the back screened-in porch, the sound of heavy footsteps approached.
Syd was still messing with the generator in the barn, so it couldn't have been him.
Waiting around the corner, I dropped my phone into my back pocket, fixed my stance, and wound up swinging as hard as I could.
"Ow! Goddamn it, Layla!" Jacob cried out. On the second swing, I released the crowbar. It hit the side of the house and ricocheted off in a loud clammer.
"Oh my God, Jake!" I shrieked. He spewed off a string of profanities, rubbing his side.
"Are you okay?!" That was a stupid question. All my might was behind that swing. "I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry. Did I break anything?"
"What the hell are you doing out here with a crowbar?" Jacob stood up straighter, holding his side. He grunted with his following intake of breath.
"I thought I saw something?" I was guiding him inside the house. He scanned the area, took a deep inhale, and grunted again.
"So you thought going out into the night, in the middle of a storm on your own, was a good idea?" Jacob sounded more upset with that than the fact I swung a metal instrument into his side.
"Yes?" I answered. He grumbled something incoherently.
Once we were inside the kitchen, I pulled an ice pack from the freezer for Jacob's side.
The lights came back on, and Syd reentered the house. "What's up with you? I thought you went home for the night."
"Jacob's staying as long as he likes." I defended occupied by overwhelming guilt. Syd opened his mouth to contest what I said.
"I hit him with a crowbar." I felt sickened and wanted nothing more than to retrieve the crowbar and ask Jacob to repay the blow.
Syd's stoic face burst into laughter. He crossed the room to see the evidence of my brutal surprise attack.
Jacob lifted his shirt, revealing his perfectly chiseled core tainted by the raised reddish raised welt.
It didn't look nearly as bad as I thought it would, but seeing a wound I inflicted on him was the worst feeling imaginable.
With an 'Atta girl' and 'Maybe you should relax on the movies.' Syd continued chortling to his office.
Jacob's Pov
Layla made me sit on the couch.
"Does it hurt, Jake?" Her large dark chocolate eyes pleaded with me. "I'll be fine. I've had a lot worse."
"Oh yeah, the bike accident." Her concern never wavered. The newborn vampire attack, I mentally corrected.
It was nice to see how much Layla cared when she let her guard down.
"Now, tell me, what were you so afraid of that you decided to do all that?"
I didn't smell anything alarming outside, but I needed to know if a bloodsucker was near to warn the pack.
Seth was on watch, pacing around the property, too. He would howl if there was anything out of the ordinary.
"I, um, heard something, so I wasn't going to take any chances. I guess, with the influence of the movie and my past experience in the barn..."
As Layla rambled, I caught sight of faint indentations forming into a bruise around her neck, like a hand had choked her.
"What happened?" She flinched at my tone. "Nothing, what are you talking about?" Fear flickered in her eyes, and I could hear her heart rate becoming erratic.
I dropped the ice pack. It sloshed, landing on the couch between us.
I leaned forward, brushing back the hair covering her neck. Holding her face still between my palms as I inspected the marks.
"Jacob, please. Stop." An unexpected blush warmed her cheeks. "Layla, who did this to you?"
"Ssh! Syd will hear you." She whispered. "Maybe he should know about it." I countered. I was getting an answer.
"No." She gasped. I stood up defiantly. "Jake!" Layla clung to my arm as if to stop me.
Her touch was magnetic and warm."Tell me everything, or I'm saying something." She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded yes.
"You two okay?" Syd called from his office.
"Follow my lead," She whispered. Layla opened and shut the front door, locking it.
"I was seeing Jacob out," Layla announced, gesturing me to go upstairs as she stood at the base.
"Does he need a ride?" Syd inquired. "No, he said he was good," Layla explained vaguely, taking up the stairs after me.
"I'm going to bed!" She called, waiting for Syd's returning, "Good night."
"Sorry about smuggling you into my room; I thought this would be more private." Layla apologized, turning off the dim lamp light and folding over a leather-bound book.
I sat on the foot of her bed, patting the spot next to me. There wasn't much else to sit.
Layla seemed to have trouble finding the right words, so I spoke first. "What happened?" My eyes locked with hers, and thunder rolled in the distance.
"Someone jumped me outside the grocery store in town. Don't worry; I already called the police about it." She quickly amended.
"What? Did you see who it was?" "Does it matter?" She whispered, not wanting to explain further.
"Yes! Why won't you tell me? Do you not trust me or what?"
"That's not it, Jake, it's just a long story...and I don't want you to get involved. It's out of our hands now, so.." She continued to minimize the situation.
"How many times do I have to say I care about you, Layla? If it's pertaining to you, I'm going to get involved." I pressed, careful to keep my voice low so Syd didn't march up here.
"I can't help but feel someday my bad luck will be too much. I don't want to hurt you." Her doe eyes widened, pleading with me in the dark.
"Too late for that," I mumbled, pouting when she pushed me away. Layla's eyes became glassy, and she touched my side, thinking I meant physically.
I felt bad about the guilt trip. I'd be fully healed in a literal minute if I wasn't already. The next flash of lightning lit up the room.
"Let me worry about all the bad luck." I adjusted myself on the bed so we were facing one another.
Layla's Pov
"Fine, I guess it doesn't matter if I'm leaving anyway." I took in a shaky breath.
Jacob's jaw tightened, holding back his disagreement so I would spill the beans.
I started my storytelling, working my way from the beginning. "Logan King attacked Brianna first. They're cousins."
"Is he the one who attacked you? That was the girl you went to Seattle with, right? Why-" The questions flew out of Jacob's mouth before I could explain.
My mouth shut, tightening and grinding in anger. "Because he's horrible." I subconsciously stroked the scar inside of my thigh.
When Jacob's black eyes darkened, I pulled my pajama shorts down further. "What did he do?" His husky voice lowered, almost sounding indistinguishable.
"I think the question is, what hasn't he done," I whispered. He gripped the quilt under him, the veins in his arms flexed.
My lips pressed together in a hard line, wondering if it was wise to tell him everything. "Tell me."
I guess if Jacob didn't like what I had to say, he didn't have to stay. Grief washed over me.
"Layla, please." He urged again.
I told him about Logan King and how he was heir to a wealthy and influential family in Los Angeles. This is how most kids in my school were, but with the Kings, they had old money and incredible connections. Because our parents ran in the same circle professionally, he'd been an inescapable toxic presence.
I spared him some gruesome details, but I let Jake know how Logan had used and abused people beyond repair. Whether that was social, mental, emotional, or all of the above. I wasn't sure Logan was capable of empathy.
As I went on, my brows twisted in hate and my nose in disgust.
Jacob listened, watching me intently. It was as if my pain bothered him just as much or more than me.
"He's always been able to get away with it too. No one can touch him. Well, not until recently...after my sweet sixteen fiasco, he had a photoshoot in Dubai. He ended up getting the equivalent of an arab princess pregnant on set. Nonconsensually. She also happened to be the daughter of Mr. King's business partner on the same trip." I explained, almost giving away the real reason why I was forced to move up here.
Jake's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the drama or the wealth involved.
"Needless to say, his parents had enough. Logan's been on house arrest with an ankle monitor, forced sober, car sold...at least that's what I heard from Ashely."
I grasped my latest cell phone off the desk tabletop. "Brianna lives in the same mansion. Her family life is...complicated, so she lives with the Kings."
"And a couple of nights ago, Logan snapped. He attacked B when she was repacking an overnight bag to stay at Ashely's." My voice wavered, and I shakily held out the phone to show him the picture that haunted me all week. The one of Brianna bloody and beaten on the bathroom floor.
Jacob's Pov
I scowled at the screen, taking in the result of the first assault. That could have been Layla today if she hadn't gotten away.
"I don't know if it was because of the punishment or withdrawals..." Tears of frustration flooded her eyes.
"He didn't have to hurt her." Her lower lip quivered as I handed back the phone.
Great, it looked like I had another martyr on my hands.
I wrapped an arm around her, tucking my chin over her head. She should be more worried about herself.
When Layla regained composure with the help of a few deep breaths.
"If Logan had beef with his family, why was he up here looking for you?"
She was quiet again and went ridged at my side. "You can tell me." I purposefully softened my voice.
"I don't know. H-he's crazy." Layla stammered, sliding her hands up to my chest. I could tell she was preparing to push me away again.
"Logan wanted me to vouch for him in court so he could clear his name. I can't do that...I won't lie for him, especially not after what he did to B."
I held her tighter, and she leaned into me for comfort. After a moment, she whispered. "I wanted to fly back to LA this weekend."
Then I leaned back enough to look at Layla like she was crazy.
"Syd won't let me—another reason why I'm grounded this weekend." "He thought you were skipping town the day of your contact lenses," I deduced.
I wasn't going to let her go back to LA either way. "Yes, but he also doesn't know why I want to go." Layla looked at me meaningfully.
Meaning she was only sharing all of this with me. "I won't say a word." I gestured a zipper over my lips. The corners of her mouth twitched into a closed smile.
"If you agree not to run off without me." I amended. "Jake." She complained, pushing me away now. Layla couldn't go anywhere in my arms.
"I'm serious. Until that bastard is caught and in custody, your bad luck is as good as mine." "I only agreed you could keep my 'good luck,'" Layla argued.
"Maybe that's the problem. If you accidentally gave away all your good luck to me, maybe you should keep me around,"
"You're ridiculous." Layla fought a smile.
"Am I? Are you going to tell me why you swung on me outside?" I asked only teasingly on the surface.
Her face drained of color and was slathered with guilt. "Well? Did you see him out there?" I eased up.
"No, but I was afraid he might be." She genuinely answered. "Do you think he followed you back?"
"No. He disappeared after he threatened me." Layla touched her neck, face twisting in confusion.
"I don't know if Logan didn't want someone to see... I made an anonymous call to report the situation, and with his warrant, it's only a matter of time before the police find his description in the system." She reiterated.
Layla's Pov
"I'll keep an eye out and let the guys know." Jacob stood up to leave. The bed shifted from the lifted weight with a squeak.
I caught his hand. "No, You're not handling this; the police are. There's no sense in telling everyone either," I spoke in a harsh whisper.
"La Push is our land. We're Federally recognized, so we have our own set of rules and jurisdiction, well, to an extent." Jacob explained his reasoning.
"It would be good to let Charlie know, though. Do you have a picture of the kid?" "No way! He'll tell Syd." I whispered.
"Then I suggest you let me and my friends help." What was worse? Letting his pack of friends know about my issues or risk getting adults involved.
"Fine." I let go of him, flopping back on the bed. Wind and water pounded on the window in waves.
"Wait!" I sat up. "What?" Jacob asked.
"You can't go out in that, and what if Syd catches you?" I just realized how I accidentally trapped Jacob here without asking if he was okay with that.
Jacob watched me come up with a plan. "I know. You can have my bed, and I'll sleep on the couch." I pulled a pillow from my bed.
"I'm not going to kick you out of your bed, Layla. I'll stay until the storm lets up." I shook my head and wandered into the hall, poking my head into other doors.
Jacob followed me on my silent tour. The two guest rooms were full of storage. Fishing and hunting gear with every box of junk his children left behind.
When we came to the master bedroom, I went to shut it, remembering why it wasn't to be touched.
"I'm sorry, this one is off-limits, even to me," I whispered. Jacob nodded, and we returned to my room.
"My grandma Ruth's death hit Syd hard. Their old room is like a shrine to him." I explained so quietly I wasn't sure he could hear me.
"It's okay." I parted ways with him momentarily for my nighttime ritual.
I almost expected Jacob to have run back to his house.
He flipped back the quilt for me, and I crawled in. "You could use my car, I guess. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
I burrowed my legs inside, feeling a little awkward myself. Outside of an all-girls sleepover, I've never fallen asleep with anyone else in the room before.
It would be more polite to stay up with him anyway. I sat up and spread the wrinkles out of the quilt.
"Aren't you going to sleep?" He asked. "I'm not sure if I can..."
It would be even more embarrassing for him to witness my nightmares or worse. That and I hadn't removed my contact.
"Would it be better if I was on the floor?" He asked. "No," I said too quickly. "Okay, I'll stay." Jake chuckled.
We listened and watched the rain for a bit. "Are you sick of it always being around yet?"
I dragged my finger down the glass along the racing raindrops. "I've learned to count on it," I whispered thoughtfully.
The rain, when it wasn't this harsh, had a calming effect that eased me to sleep most nights.
"I know I've asked you before, but what do you miss about LA? What would you be doing right now?" He asked.
I went on about my favorite brunch spot and the flower shop again, but in more detail. I wasn't picky about flowers as long as they were in season.
Besides my mother, dance was the real reason I wanted to go back. I told Jacob every day out of practice felt like I was falling behind.
He could imagine how that would make me feel, but he couldn't relate.
"I've got two left feet." He said. "You can't be that bad." I insisted. I've seen the way he moved. Even with his large size, Jacob was graceful.
"No, really." He snorted. I kicked back the quilt and stood up.
"Have you even tried?" "Once or twice." He shrugged, joining me on his feet.
"I'll teach you." I put my CD player to the lowest setting on an old favorite mix disc I've choreographed from before.
"I guess I should know something. The Sam's Wedding is coming up; then there's Jared and Kim." He muttered, almost nervous or bashful.
There wasn't much space in my room, even after I kicked my stuff out of the way.
"A simple two-step is pretty easy." "Sounds self-explanatory," Jacob noted skeptically as I showed him the leading moves.
When I stepped into his arms, Jake seemed to know what to do after a while.
"Image you are the framework, moving around the room, keeping us from bumping into anyone...or anything." I giggled as he swiftly missed the desk corner.
"My job is to make you look good." I spun once fluidly in the limited space and back into his arms.
Jacob's hand could almost wrap around my waist completely. I was pretty sure that had to do with his size more than mine.
He whispered the counting under his breath, which made me smile.
His arms kept square until they were comfortable there. Then, Jake took the lead more confidently.
"What do you like about La Push? What would you be doing if I wasn't here?" I smiled up at Jacob cheekily, returning the question he asked me.
I thought Jacob would have slipped into a sales pitch about La Push to get me to stay, but he thought about his answer.
"Besides being one of the most scenic places? I like the swells of the ocean and the smell of the brine in the woods." He turned us in time to the music.
"And?" "There's always something to do and nothing all at once." Held me close to evade knocking over my lamp.
"It is beautiful," I looked into his deep black eyes. Jake smiled, slowing his movements with the next slow song.
He was more breathtaking. "If I weren't here?" I whispered. A pained look crossed his features, and his grip tightened.
I wondered if he could feel my thrumming heartbeat against his chest the way I could feel the magnetic heat of his skin through his shirt.
"I'd be waiting for you." "What?" I asked, confused. Was that pickup line? If it was, it might be working.
"What I mean is, after meeting you, I can't imagine it." How he said that was so genuine; it couldn't be some silly line. I didn't know what to say.
"What do you like about La Push?" He asked, sounding more husky than before.
If I wasn't projecting, I swear Jake was looking at me as if I was the only girl in the world.
"The same reasons as you," I answered, melting under his gaze. He disapproved of my copout answer.
But I shouldn't share with him the real answer because it would make things that much harder.
"I can't tell you," I whispered. We moved so slowly that I couldn't tell if we stopped or not. "Why not?" He asked.
My heart rammed into my ribcage because I liked him way more than I should, and I needed to know how much he liked me first before I gambled my future, my everything. But really, deep down, I knew I was already in serious danger of losing myself to him.
Jacob's Pov
Rain dripped down, almost trickling into the backdrop of the low music.
The way her brown eyes were, this sultry in the dark. It took me everything not to kiss her, but I wanted to hear her say it.
"Please?" I asked. Layla tripped over my foot and made me stumble into the dresser.
The movement knocked the CD player over. It broke open, and the disk rolled out across the floor, hitting the wall. "Shoot!" Layla hissed.
We froze and listened carefully for any signs of Syd waking. Layla pulled herself from me to pick up the pieces of the player.
"Sorry," I muttered. "Don't be." She assessed the unscathed CD and placed it on the desk.
Then she peered into the hall, listening as I was before. I followed her to the top of the stairs.
"I should get going." It was best to go before I started breaking stuff or got any ideas besides kissing.
"Okay. Be careful," Layla whispered.
I almost wanted her to ask me to stay again, but my imprint needed to sleep, and Seth needed a break from patrol.
Tip-toeing down stares, I hovered by the corner of Syd's office, waiting for the rhythmic snore.
Once I heard it, I moved in the opposite direction down the hall through to the living room. I was almost at the front door when a small blue light flickered.
It was a cell phone left on the coffee table. I thought someone must have left it behind earlier, so I picked it up.
The fantastical feeling from dancing with Layla fluttered to the back of my mind.
The imminent dangerous situation leering around my imprint returned and was glaring at me through the screen, Logan King.
Layla's Pov
Classes were canceled. After the storm, too many trees were down, and a few caught powerlines.
I was thrilled to sleep in and get some housework done that I'd neglected. Syd made us a late breakfast before heading out to help the rest of the village.
While sitting alone on the couch folding laundry, I couldn't help but wonder what Jake was doing now.
I hoped he was sleeping from the hours I'd stolen from him last night. Or would he be messing with the hord of power tools Syd was delivering?
I let out a sigh of defeat. I knew it was unreasonable to expect him to call.
It wasn't like dancing in my room late at night was a date or anything, but I couldn't help wanting to know if he really liked me for me or if I was some sort of replacement. A 'Bella 2.0' is how the other girlfriends of the pack put it.
I huffed, shoving the last of my folded items into the wide-brimmed basket, and headed up to my room to salvage it.
I made the room spotless and shoved the furniture against the walls as far as possible.
If I was lucky enough to dance with him again, I wondered if I could find some twinkle lights to hang at the local thrift store.
Who was I kidding? Like that could ever happen again. I stripped my bedding angrily for the wash.
Once I stuffed the washing machine, I tied my hair up with a stray scrunchie I found on the floor. There was a knock at the door.
Cursing under my breath, I rushed to put in the brown contact to cover my silver eye and answered.
It was Jake. My beaming smile wasn't matched, so it fell with my pride.
Jacob's face was stoic and almost angry. He held out his closed fist with something in it.
My heart dropped, and I held out my palm to receive whatever it was.
Was he giving back the charm? I swallowed to prevent the lump in my throat from building.
No, it was my old cellphone. The look on his face suddenly made sense.
"What did you do?!" This was a total invasion of privacy. He could have asked before going through all my old messages.
"I'm telling Charlie. Billie already knows." Jacob crossed his arms, acting like he knew what was best for me.
"How could you, Jake? If Syd finds out, he's going to flip! I'll never be able to leave the house alone again!" He thinks I'm being dramatic.
"It might be like that for a while." He admitted. "What?" The sting of betrayal burned behind my eyes, and Jake's tough exterior faltered for a second.
"Tell me you didn't do anything else stupid like message Logan back." I urged, angry now. His silence confirmed my worst fear of getting him involved.
I shook my head and turned to go inside. "Layla-" Jacob stepped up to follow me when I slammed the door.
I went to turn on my old phone to assess the damage, but all I discovered was a removed battery and a stolen SIM card. Jacob must have taken them out.
"I can't believe you." I sniffed, starting to freak out. "This is for your safety." I heard Jacob speak through the door.
I waited long enough for him to leave before I peeked outside.
"Where are you going, Koleishkah?" Syd didn't seem to be upset, so he must not have heard the news yet.
"I forgot a few things at the store. Do you think the roads are clear enough?" "Sure, but the Call Convenience store is closed."
"I'm going into town." "You sure you need to go? I'm not sure about Forks being clear."
"I'll press my luck," I muttered. "What?" "I said I need lady stuff." I lied. "Okay." Syd backed off at the mere mention of anything female cycle-related.
I drove off, not knowing what my plan was other than to find Logan before Jacob did.
I explored every unblocked road, from First Beach to the old stand-alone gas station just outside of town that gave me the creeps.
I pulled over on the highway to think of a better game plan. If I were Logan, where would I meet me? Or where would Jacob suggest meeting him in my place?
Logan would want to meet me somewhere on the outskirts of town, right? Jacob would aim for somewhere public, I think.
That narrowed it down to the gas station before Port Angeles or the diner entering Forks. The gas station was empty, so I checked the diner next.
I noted the cop car setting up a speed trap on the way in. I circled the building before I parked.
After a while of sitting there, I felt stupid for what I was doing. "This is ridiculous," I muttered to myself.
I decided to give up for the day and went to make good on my promise to Syd, so my outing wasn't a complete lie. It was best to be prepared. I stocked up on the essentials, plus some extra chocolate for my stash.
On my way back, I was starting to feel weak and clammy again. When I sneezed, I groaned. The freezing rain didn't do me any favors yesterday, did it?
No doubt I was getting sick. Syd met me at the door with a grumpy expression and sat me down for the long-awaited lab results from last week.
My hemoglobin levels were dangerously low, and my anemia was at an all-time high. So naturally, he lectured me about how the land of fruits and nuts has corrupted my way of life. I assured him I'd incorporate more spinach into my diet and spend more time outside for some sun.
He eyed me suspiciously before letting me off the hook. I felt worse by the minute, not like I was going to throw up or anything, but like I could pass out.
I only had enough energy to remake my bed and fall into it.
Hours Later, I sturred at a sound. I turned to face my window. Even when it was closed, the cool air radiated through the glass, and it felt good on my burning skin.
I drifted in and out of feverish sleep. I impatiently waited for it to take me under for sweet relief. Someone reached over to shake me.
I let out a short screech and covered my face, embarrassed by my terror.
Jacob had scaled to my roof and opened my window to check on me. I wasn't expecting him to come back after being such a snitch.
"I'm sorry, Layla." He sounded genuinely apologetic. I whined and didn't open my eyes and kept one arm draped over my face.
"Go away, Jacob." I slurred tiredly. "Hey, You okay?" He brushed my arm out of the way and placed a hand over my forehead.
His hand still felt warm, but not as hot as it usually was.
Jacob's Pov
Layla seemed out of it. "You don't look so good."
She slurred something I didn't hear. "Can I get you anything?"
"Cold." She whispered. "Do you want to be cold?" I asked.
"No, I am cold." That wasn't good; she was burning up and sweating without being under the quilts.
I crawled into her window and set my peace offering of a new CD player on the headboard.
Then I curled up next to her on the bed, wrapping my body around hers. "Go home, Jake. You'll get sick." Layla slipped into incapacitated sleep.
"Not me, honey." I kissed the top of her head, and she shivered, letting out a concerning cough.
Layla's Pov
What a weird dream. I dreamt Jacob was here with me last night.
An early night to rest helped me recover, mostly. I packed myself a thermos of soup and shoved plenty of cough drops in my purse.
I double-layered despite the deceptively sunny day and headed out the door.
"How are you feeling?" Jacob asked me in biology. I had been thoroughly ignoring everyone and their questions today.
Wasn't too hard when your ears were sort of stuffed up. "Good," I answered when I cleared my throat.
He frowned. I didn't mean to stonewall him, but I wasn't feeling well.
It wasn't until after school that Jacob spoke to me again. "Let me drive you home." He insisted.
"No." I remained persistent. The more I walked, the more I felt my fever return. "Please, Layla. You look like you're going to fall...over."
He tugged on my shoulder, and I nearly fell, staggering on my feet.
"Can you stop? Don't worry. Syd's got me on lockdown anyway." "But Billie hasn't said anything to him."
My stubborn expression melted when I realized Syd was just worried about my health and Jacob was trying to earn back my trust.
"I don't know how long Charlie will keep quiet about it, though." He continued. "Don't you have homework or something?" I spoke softer.
I didn't expect him to prove anything to me. Maybe he was entitled to act this way. If one of my friends were going through a stalker situation, I would be afraid to leave them alone, too.
"I could bring my books over." He offered. "I think I'm just going to sleep after I get back," I answered.
He knew the pile of compounded work we were given today to make up for Monday. "I'll help you."
"Help me sleep? What are you going to do? Sing me a lullaby?" I snorted. He pursed his lips as if in thought.
I leaned against the back end of my car. "Speaking of help. About the Logan thing..."
Jacob went all business at the mention of his name. "We could work together. You, me, and Charlie."
"Like set up a sting operation?" He questioned skeptically.
"Exactly; if you give me the sim card and battery back, I could message Logan to meet me. You guys could use me as bait! And-" I spoke excitedly. It felt better to scheme than to dwell on the whole 'woe is me' bit.
"You're not bate, Bella." Jacob cut me off, accidentally using that girl's name. My mouth must have hung open in shock because he quickly recovered.
"Layla. I won't purposely put you in danger." Jacob stepped forward to comfort me.
I shut my mouth and nodded in acknowledgment, then dodged his embrace to take the wheel.
"Layla, wait!" "Whatever, Jake. I'll figure it out myself."
Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue, but it hurt to know that when Jake was with me, he was possibly thinking of someone else.
April and Kim might be right. Maybe I'm just the rebound he's been looking for.
I pulled out of the lot, not without catching the pained look in Jacob's black eyes as I drove away.
I shook my head and popped in a cough drop. No waterworks, I coaxed myself as I drove to Syd's.
Hours later, I was sitting up in my room.
I kept my window locked and curtains drawn, completely blocking out my bedroom light.
I didn't feel up for company or replacing my contact after I'd taken it out. All I wanted was to reflect, read, and write.
Disappointment flooded my journal entry: It was my fault for letting Jacob in so close, for not seeing what he wanted from me. I don't see him as a bad person, though. I don't feel like I know the whole story, and I want to find out for myself. I wonder if Jacob would tell me if I asked again. That way, I could decide if it were safe for me to continue hanging out with him or if I should be more adamant about getting back to my life in LA. Each day, I feel like I'm getting farther and farther away from my passion and purpose. Could I stop liking or hanging out with Jake? He seemed to be my only sunspot in the land of rain and shadows...I'd feel guilty about leaving EJ and Iris, too, but that wasn't the same thing.
After the entry, I wrote another letter to my brother Zach. It hasn't been enough time for him to receive my last one, but it gave me peace of mind to keep him in the loop. Whether he cared or not, I guess I would find out eventually.
The next day after school, I skipped my last class, study hall, to get ahead of Jake.
There wasn't much to talk about because we were both solidified in our stubbornness. He also acted like the slip of the tongue never happened which both hurt and upset me all over again.
If he wouldn't work with me, it gave me no choice but to continue my search for Logan alone.
The police force here was small and understaffed, often supported by forest rangers, and they had a bigger problem.
Apparently, there was another death down by the docks—a man in his mid-forties outside of a biker bar.
I drove around town much like I did the other day, looping the roads that were once blocked off by the storm.
I was sure what I was looking for. It's not like Logan had his flashy sports car anymore. Where would he possibly be hiding in a small town like this?
Completing my route, I parked up by the diner and thought about ordering Syd dinner.
"Logan, Logan, Logan, where are you?" I whispered. There was no real reason for him to be here.
I was about to get out of my car anyway when I saw the blond head bobbing behind my vehicle. Seriously? The Beetlejuice quota worked.
Logan stopped and stared at me in the reflection of my side mirror. A shiver went down my spine.
"I'll find you," I recalled his last words to me on the phone. Honestly, I didn't think I would get this far, but I had to hurry.
Regrets knawed at me. I should have called Ashely and Brianna two days ago when I first encountered him.
They could have contacted their local authorities or sent for the Kings.
Logan had a phone with him. Couldn't they have tracked him down with that?
I searched the front seat for my phone. It wasn't in my purse. Must have left it at home on the charger.
Too late. I couldn't lose him. I followed where Logan went, behind the diner, keeping my distance.
He wore a navy hoodie and a light blue shirt with faded jeans that would normally compliment his complexion, but he looked a little gaunt and jittery. Like any little thing would set him off.
The grey backdrop of the sky amplified his piercing, bloodshot, ocean-blue eyes.
"Come with me." He jerked his head toward a car hidden hidden by the trees."Tell me what you know about my mom." I challenged him for information.
"She brought in some bad company from abroad. My dad wasn't too happy about it at first because there is some blame game going around about substances, so I don't know if she's guilty." He shrugged dramatically as if he did know something more.
"Who? And guilty of what?" I questioned too eagerly.
"I can tell you on the way to LA, or if you don't believe me, my parents can tell you themselves." Logan propositioned.
He was better at getting what he wanted than me. I couldn't think of anything I could leverage that wasn't an outright lie. I shook my head no and took a step back.
"You have to leave Logan. It's going to get so much worse for you if you don't go home now." I found myself pleading instead.
Anger twisted his face.
Why was I voguing for him instead of threatening him? For me to take a crowbar out on anyone, why couldn't it have been Logan?
He gritted his teeth, glaring at me. "If you don't come back with me right now, forget about the people you care about going missing; you will die, Layla."
I couldn't tell if that was a threat or a warning. Knowing Logan, it was most likely the latter.
I looked back at the diner. It was close enough for the kitchen staff to hear me shriek, or if I ran around the building, someone could see me.
He saw the decision play out on my face. I ran anyway. As an all-star athlete, Logan was naturally faster.
A replay of yesterday. My throat, his hand, me pinned against the wall kicking.
I was such a dumbass for thinking I could handle him on my own. What did I expect? For him to turn himself in?
I was careless, and now he was going to capture and kill me. He would probably dump my body off a hiking trail like the maniac serial killer.
Logan corrected his mistake the other day and pressed his body tightly into mine to keep me from fighting.
Maybe that was the least of my worries. He could do worse. Like, take my dignity and stain my chastity.
Fear leaped in my chest, and I held my breath.
"Don't be a little bitch about this." Logan hissed, probably fishing for the chloroform rag in his pocket.
I struggled, preparing to hold my breath until I saw over his shoulder figures emerge from the woods. My vision was tunneling, so I couldn't see clearly.
"The only little bitch I see here is you." Jacob ripped Logan off me, along with a portion of my shirt.
A pair of arms put me back. I screamed, not seeing who grabbed me.
"Relax, Layla," Seth assured me. Quil and Embry ran past us to assist Jacob or spare Logan. I couldn't tell.
"The police have to recognize him!" Embry reminded Jake, who had Logan by the throat, now pinning him against the building like he did to me.
The sound of Logan's skull smashing against the backside of the diner didn't sound good. If he wasn't seeing stars, Logan was about to. I was sure of it.
Quil laughed at the fear etched on his priceless face.
Logan looked like he was about to pee himself, not expecting to provoke a six-foot-seven Jacob Black.
I've never seen Jacob this intimidating—a powerful tower of pure muscle. Coiled and ready to unleash a very visible strength.
Yet I sensed something more that I couldn't put into words. An intangible threat mulling under his skin, ready to spring forth and rip apart.
I hated Logan more than anyone else, but for a moment, I feared for him.
Logan's brief fit of fear was gone, and a prideful fury replaced his perceived weakness.
When he struggled and failed to break free from Jacob's grasp, Logan made the mistake of swinging first.
"Fuck off, sasquatch!" The punch caressed Jacob's jaw like a feather. It had no effect.
But it was all the incentive Jake needed to strike back. Fists flew.
I cringed, trembling in Seth's arms. He pulled us farther from the fight.
Out of defense, self-defense, or offense, whichever. I didn't care for violence. My empathy made me twitch with every hit I forced myself to watch.
Logan dropped to the ground, holding his ribs, grimacing and grunting.
"Get. Up." Jacob challenged. This fight was set. Logan was too easy for him.
Quil paced closer to his friend. The look on Jacob's face and lack of fatigue made me realize he was pulling punches the entire time.
"Okay, okay." Logan pretended to give up but went for an uppercut as he got up.
That was a stupid move for how tall Jacob was. A swing and a miss. All Jake had to do was lean back and strike down, which was precisely what he did.
"Jake!" I rasped, my voice distorted from being choked out.
Blood slung across the ground, and a tooth, or teeth, shot out of Logan's mouth as he fell onto his hands and knees.
"Okay, Jake. I'm calling it," Quil warned, standing between them all too calmly.
Jacob's Pov
Red and blue lights flashed against the trees behind us.
"Everyone freeze!" The cop car announced. Officer Swan and Deputy Mark got out, flashing their concealed carry.
I raised my hands in compliance, and Quil grasped the back of the pretty boy's shirt from running away.
Charlie must have been in the speed trap across the way.
"What's going on?" He approached us. Deputy Mark circled the group to reach Quil and Logan.
Charlie zeroed in on Layla's desperate dark brown eyes, then on the marks around her neck and torn shirt.
Layla swallowed and looked away shamefully. The red ring around my imprint's neck made me want to hit him again.
"Hands off!" Logan growled. Quil grinned, pressing his face into the squishy earth beneath him.
"Is this the guy?" Charlie asked me. "Yeah."
"Layla, tell him. We were only talking!" The blond grunted.
"No." Layla's voice cracked. "Deputy," Charlie called him to approach Logan.
"Layla!" The blond called again while getting cuffed. "You could fix this! You could help." He begged Layla angrily.
"Help yourself, Logan. You've always been good at that." She glared.
"You'll regret this-" He spat blood at her feet and jerked in the Deputy's grasp, jutting his chest out at me like I hadn't wiped the floor with him.
"The only thing you should regret is your own actions, son." Charlie nodded once toward us reassuringly.
"What about him?! The asshole hit me first! Arrest him, too!" Logan detested.
I let a victorious gloating smirk grace my face. That only made him more mad. Good.
"Hm, Officer Swan, I believe running into a brick wall isn't an assault. What about you?" Mark muttered to Charlie, who agreed.
"You motherfucking-" Logan hissed a string of profanities.
"Subject is getting difficult to constrain. Deputy, I need backup." Charlie used his radio unnecessarily; then Deputy Mark tased the kid into the caged portion of the cop car.
"Take care, boys, and uh, stay out of trouble." With that, Charlie took off towards the station.
Layla's Pov
"What the hell was that Layla?" Jacob marched towards us. I flinched into Seth, who held me protectively.
"Go easy on her, Jake." Seth tried to ease the situation.
"I told you-" "To look through my phone? Rendezvous with Logan behind my back?" I snapped, pulling away from Seth.
That had to be the reason why they were here so fast. I held the hem of my shirt together with one hand.
"Layla, he would have hurt you. He was hurting you!" Jacob growled defiantly.
"Easy, Jake." Embry chided. "Calm down. Let's get back to Emily's and-"Quil continued.
"Shut it." He spat at his friends. I've never seen him so upset that he was shaking. It was starting to scare me.
"I admit. What I did wasn't the smartest-" My voice trembled, and the crybaby tears were triggered. God, I wish I was born without waterworks on tap.
Jacob's tense stature diminished, and he stopped shaking when he saw my legs were.
"What's the trouble?!" Cheryl, the owner and manager of the diner, stepped out on the side cement steps to assess the commotion.
She dispersed the nosy patrons, waving them on or in the building.
"Nothing." I croaked, turning for my car. "No, you come inside, dear. You boys, I'm calling your parents."
"They didn't do anything."
"I'll take care of her, Ms. Cheryl. You can call my mom first if you want," Seth spoke up. "And you can call Charlie," Embry added.
Cheryl narrowed her eyes scornfully. "I think I'll call Officer Swan first."
"Fine with us," Quil noted. "Keep a move on." She dismissed them.
Cullen Manor, Days ago.
Rosalie's Pov
"How is he?" Esme asked me. "Upset. He's worried about Layla." I responded, meeting my family in our 'dining room.'
"Rightly so. What is it that you know?" Carsisle had Alice on speakerphone to share her vision with us.
"I saw Rose in the woods with this Greta. If you had challenged her or gotten too close, she would have used her ability on you..." Alice paused.
"What is it," Emmett demanded defensively.
"I saw her wrangle your nerve endings. Almost like Jane, but not. It's strange because her ability was closer to Jaspers in the vision, but in reverse? After torturing you, she would have left you there for Emmett to find you unconscious. In the vision, you went completely numb. You would have been emotionally numb, unable to feel a thing for months until we visited." Alice's voice squeaked, appalled.
"That's horrible." Esme reached for Carsisle's forearm. "It's dangerous. Did she say anything noteworthy in your encounter?" Carlisle asked me.
"I warned Greta that our coven possessed this area. I gave her no information about our numbers or abilities, just my name. It seemed like she was passing through." I gave Emmett a meaningful look.
"You don't know if she was with a coven or how long she was staying?" Esme inquired.
"She took the burden of the boy that threatened EJ's friend and left." I finished. "It was better to keep things brief," Alice interjected.
"Thank you, Alice." Carlisle appreciated. "Of course. I'll look out for anything else I may find." Alice paused again, and it sounded like Jasper had a question.
"How is the boy?" Jasper asked. I bit my tongue, not wanting to answer.
I wasn't ready to share EJ or willing to put his life at risk more than necessary, but Jasper and Alice deserved to know it was safe to come home if they wanted to.
"He's physically reached the age of fourteen, and He looks just like Edward when he was human," Carlisle spoke with a confidence I didn't have.
"Quite intelligent, too. He's taught himself how to play the piano." Esme added. "Well, that's excellent." Alice seemed to have mixed emotions.
Alice and Jasper weren't on board with the baby Bella conceived over her honeymoon with our brother Edward. We were first worried that it would take her life, and then they were concerned about the implications of having a monstrous halfling child. Coupled with turning Bella and handling her transformation, it was all too much.
Esme and I were the only ones who wanted EJ at first. Our mates were willing to stand by our decision to try to save his life and agreed to help raise him if EJ proved to be more human than a vampire.
"He's sweet, thoughtful, bright, and caring," I spoke up. "He's been asking to meet you two as well." As I continued, Emmett wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"That's good to hear, Rose. We'll have to plan a visit soon." Alice sounded more relieved.
"How are things with our new little sister? Any chomps at the bit?" Emmett asked incorrigible.
"The bet still wanes. Though we've had a few close calls." Jasper chuckled. "It's been a full-time job, but we knew this was coming." Alice sighed.
"Edward and Bella are hunting alone in Green State. We're feeding her every weekend as much as possible." Jasper informed us. He seemed chipper to train a newborn, as if he was putting his talents to good use.
"Are classes an issue?" Carlisle asked. "Most are online courses. Edward and I are pulling old papers and rewriting them to sound more like Bella. It's no problem. I'm sure we can keep this up for a minor degree to please both Charlie and Renee."
"Edward is sending the first batch of preplanned pictures thanks to Esme and Rose thinking ahead," Jasper noted.
It was my recommendation and Esme's execution that Edward and Bella take as many cheesy human prop photos before Bella was turned. Of course, with the wedding prep, there was hardly any time, but I insisted to Bella that if she wanted more time to speak with her parents, making valuable evidence made believable excuses. So Esme did a photo op with them at Dartmouth University, multiple fake vacations with a green screen, and we gathered some souvenirs from those places to appease Renee.
Apparently, it was a worthy investment because Renee has been starting to inquire about holiday plans. I felt terrible for Alice, who held the brunt of Bella's burden with her gift of foresight. Edward should be more grateful we'd been able to keep both his wife and child alive or living.
"Has he asked?" I whispered, but my family heard me. "No," Alice responded. "How do you want us to approach this?" Jasper inquired.
"After Bella's first year, if she hasn't killed anyone, can see him in person." I reiterated the same plan Emmett and I discussed. We didn't want to keep secrets unless we had to.
Now that EJ was of age, Alice and Jasper felt comfortable supporting us. The only problem would be if the Voultori found out and Bella's reaction to discovering her miscarriage was a lie. If she became enraged as a newborn, it would mean disaster for all of us.
My mind went back to that night they flew in on a private jet to Portland, where we picked them up.
Bella looking horrible and gaunt. Feeding her nothing but over-easy eggs and blood bags until she popped or broke...She had almost died on Carsisle's operating table upstairs.
Many bones were broken, and there was so much blood only the three of us could stay inside the house. After Carsisle carved out the not-breathing baby, he gave EJ to me while Edward injected the needle full of his venom into his bride's heart.
Bella was unconscious, not aware, as I took off with the baby, who came alive in my arms when I fled downstairs.
I washed baby EJ in the sink the best I could and wrapped him in a dish towel. Emmett grabbed my car.
From there, we fled to our house in New York. Only stopping for gas on the way. With my medical degree, I was sure I could keep him alive. He was my baby.
I was happier than I had been since meeting Emmett and feeling like a fugitive who robbed the Rockefellers and got away with it, too.
"Rose?" Emmett shook me gently. The room was empty, and I was alone with my mate. "Yes?" I whispered.
"They're not coming to take him. EJ belongs to all of us." He assured me. I swallowed a lump in my dry throat. If I could cry, I would have.
He held me there, stroking my hair. Emmett has been so patient and supportive of this whole process.
He'd put up with my excessive shopping for the nursery, went on carriage strolls every day with me until EJ got too big to fit, and would take as many pictures as I wanted, which was sometimes all day every day.
We were a real family—everything I've ever wanted. Except I would have named my baby boy something like Conrad or Max, but I wanted to respect Bella's wishes, especially since it seemed to be her last. And we knew if she went, Edward would follow. So Edward Jacob it was.
"Yes, I just wished he didn't have to grow up so fast. I wanted a little more time." I leaned into Emmett's broad chest and heaved dry sobs.