Disclaimer: This story is rated T/ M (Mature). Content may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. It will most likely contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, suicidal ideations, and strong language.
Port Angeles
Layla's Pov
Jacob spotted me from the street.
I left Iris the card Niccolo had given me to take care of the bill. I thought talking to Jacob before Rowan got involved would be best.
"Are you doing this out of jealousy? You don't have to do that. I want to be with you," Jacob said.
I hated fighting with him, especially when he said everything I wanted to hear, but Rowan and I were close to reducing the vampires' numbers.
Rowan still wouldn't change his mind about receiving help from the La Push pack. If his mission this coming weekend succeeded, I would agree to let the subject slide.
"I don't trust you." I stammered, somewhere between a truth and a lie. "What do you mean, you don't trust me?" Pain flickered across Jacob's face.
Rowan and Iris came out of the cafe looking for me. "I have to go," I said.
"What is he doing to you? Why can't you see anyone else?" Jacob gripped my arm. "He's not doing anything." I defended.
"I'd let her go." Rowan held my other arm. "Maybe you should." Jacob argued.
I was worried they would start pulling. "We don't need a macho man fight. For Christ's sake, it's Sunday." Iris said, totally uninvested.
"Please." I looked at Jacob, and he dropped his hand first.
"Anytime, anywhere." Rowan edged. "Fine, the loser has to back off." Jacob agreed.
"Seriously?" I hedged, storming past them. I linked arms with Iris, who was eager to leave.
Monday, La Push High
None of the guys were at school yet. I found it suspicious that they weren't loitering around their normal spot before classes.
Before I could reach my first class, Iris called me.
"Jacob's here with his crew. His fighting Rowan on the lawn." Iris panted like she was running. "Damn it." I turned around.
By the time I arrived at Forks High, the action was over. Outside, a cop car was parked with no one in it.
I caught a glimpse of Iris's mom and Rowan re-entering the school with the principal.
"EJ!" I ran up the steps to meet him in the dispersing student crowd. "What happened?" I asked once I reached him.
He took my hand and showed me, which wasn't much since EJ caught the tale end of the fight.
There was no clear winner but more bruised ribs, and bloody noses. Jacob was on the sidewalk chatting it up with Charlie.
"That crazy shapeshifter," Iris hissed under her breath. EJ perked up, and he asked me a question with his ability: 'How does she know?'
'I only told them about Jacob and the pack so that no boundaries will be crossed.' EJ frowned, waiting for an explanation.
''Rowan's a werewolf. I was going to tell you after the sessions, but I didn't want to lose you, so-'
"I understand," EJ answered aloud. I wasn't off the hook yet. I parted with him to address Iris.
"Are you done with the weird staring contest?" She edged.
"Yes." EJ left my side, and I wondered if I had offended him. His friendly passing smile said otherwise.
"You need to speak some sense into my cousin. He won't listen to anyone else," Iris said. I was unsure of what to say. Rowan hardly listens to me, either.
"I'll talk to him later. I need to speak with Jake first." I marched over to him; he was cracking jokes with Charlie. My presence diffused the light atmosphere.
"I should let you go, Jake. Stay out of trouble." Officer Swan left in his cop car.
"What's gotten into you? Did you really have to go out of your way to harass my boyfriend?" I winced at the word boyfriend.
"He wanted the smoke. All I did was show up." Jacob defended without batting an eye. "You guys are a piece of work." I huffed, marching away.
"You're going through a lot of trouble for a guy you don't even like." He followed me.
It made me sad seeing his black eye, but I reassured myself it would heal within the hour.
"Who says I don't?" I asked. Jacob's jaw clenched.
"I wouldn't be seeing him if I didn't care." My words seemed to assault him more than the physical wounds.
"Why are you with him?" He demanded.
"I don't know. Sometimes, when you meet the right person, you know." The thrown-together words sounded false in my own ears.
"You can't be serious." Jacob laughed humorlessly at my feeble attempt at conviction.
Tears welled in my eyes because I didn't want to do this. "Go ahead. Laugh at my feelings, Jacob."
His haughty anger lessened. "You can see why I'm frustrated. It doesn't make sense how you are with him. Layla, I miss you."
"I miss you too, but I don't want to hurt you." The words left my mouth before I could censor them.
"If it were anyone else in the world, I would be patient. I'd wait for you, but he's not normal and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Bothering my girlfriend again, Black?" Rowan said, stepping between us. "Cool it, Rowan. Are you expelled or what?" I questioned.
"Suspended for two days," He answered.
"Okay, I'll see you later then. Unlike some people, I have class." "What, no goodbye kiss?" Rowan pressed to piss off Jacob.
"My boyfriend doesn't get rewarded for bad behavior." I smiled vindictively. "Bet I you would like my bad behavior." He grinned flirtatiously.
"Are you missing a tooth?" I lied, jabbing at his vanity. He low-key panicked, checking for himself by swiping a tongue over his teeth.
With Rowan and Jacob's suspension, I was worried about what they were up to while I was stuck in school, catching up on my studies.
Iris told me Rowan might be scouting out parts of Seattle for our vampire-hunting plans in a few days.
Jacob came by in the evenings with Billie, Sue, and all the rest. I suspected Jake was behind these dinner plans.
I quickly realized it wasn't about me; Syd really did enjoy their company, and I'd been avoiding more than Jacob lately.
Exhausted and fed, I sat on the couch, disengaged from conversation but listening nonetheless.
I felt the weight shift on the couch. Jacob sat next to me silently as the tv played. His arm stretched behind me.
It was a willful effort not to lean into his warmth, beckoning me like a moth to a flame. "Relax." Jacob's fingertips grazed my cheek gently.
I looked up at him and touched under his eye, which was slightly puffy, but the discoloration was gone. "Are you okay?"
"I can hold my own," Jake answered, testing the waters; he leaned into me. "Good." I let out a shaky sigh and lifted myself from the couch.
"I think I'm going to head to bed." I couldn't get cozy with Jacob on the couch, not when I had a pretend boyfriend and real hurt to sift through.
Thursday was the only day I could get away to see EJ, and I knew I had much explaining to do, too.
I stood on the Cullen's front doorstep, unsure how upset this coven would be with me, but maybe EJ kept the werewolf secret to himself.
"Come in," Carlisle answered. "I was thinking EJ could come out with me. Is that okay?" EJ bounded down the stairs.
"Where would that be?" He asked. "My house up the hill," I explained.
"We'll be back in time for dinner. I want to show her the tree house Emmett built me!" EJ took my hand and we were gone.
EJ showed me his tree house first, which was had an attached swing. It was far enough from the manor that we could speak freely.
"Did you tell them?" I asked. "Not yet. I've been gathering information from Iris this week." He explained while sitting on the swing, I absentmindedly pushed him.
"Discretely, of course. I figured you'd want to talk to me about it." He clarified.
"That's true. You must know Rowan will hunt your family down once his sense of smell returns. You're lucky he's been in fight after fight..."
"He is bad at blocking his face." EJ laughed. I stopped pushing. He was taking this too light-heartedly.
"Rowan will kill them if you guys don't move, and if you move, it will be hard to-" 'Be friends." EJ finished.
"Exactly," I said. "But Rowan isn't staying. I saw that in Iris's mind.""What do you mean?"
"He wants to go home and find his mom and whoever killed his father," EJ explained. I nodded. That was fair.
"Are you really dating a werewolf?" he asked, making a face. "Not really. I'll answer more of your questions later, okay?" I rubbed my cold hands together.
"Right." EJ jumped off at the peak of the full swing and dismounted gracefully. I clapped as he bowed for dramatic effect.
I half expected the Halloween decor to be littered about. It was been months since I've been here.
"Esme likes cleaning. They picked up after the party," EJ noted. He's read my mind enough to anticipate my thoughts.
I started a fire in the wood stove and pulled over a bundle of throw blankets and pillows we could warm ourselves in.
"I'll let everyone know you couldn't make it for dinner." He said before taking my hands. I paused, slipping out of his grip. "Is it that bad?"
EJ's mouth formed a hard line. "I don't think it's as bad as on the mountaintop, but-" He shrugged. "Okay, then."
I've gotten this far. Why turn back now?
EJ's gift opened up Bella's memories for me again.
The Voltori's arrival in the battle's aftermath. Jane, Alic, and Demitri were all sent to assess the newborns—a pile of vampire parts burned with black billowing smoke. A small girl around EJ's age surrendered to the Cullens, but there were no exceptions. Jane tortured her first then Demitri killed Brie.
"We make no exceptions." Jane started, glaring at Bella, who was still human. "The date is set." Alice defied. After the departure of the intimating trio, Carlisle and Edward fled to assist Jacob in La Push while Bella kept up appearances with Charlie.
After talking with Alice and being interrogated by Charlie, Bella was La Push bound to see Jacob. He was all wrapped up in his bed, waiting for her. EJ was right. Their heart-to-heart was difficult for me. With each confession, a new knife plummeted into my core.
I heard EJ gasp at my pain, and he held his core. "I'm sorry," I whispered. He grunted, continuing the visions anyway.
"Maybe I'll be such a menace the pack will take me out." Bella said.
"I'd hamstring anyone that tried. Who knows, depending on how much you stink, I might still take you."
"Until my heart stops beating." "Maybe even then...I'll always be waiting in the wings, Bella."
"Love you, Jake." She kissed his cheek. "Love you more." The vision drifted into a glimmer of Bella's pain.
I felt all the suffering twist together in a vacuum, swirling so hard it was an imploding eddy. EJ had to release me to evade the under-toe.
"Layla?" I didn't know how long I had been out of it. I woke up lying on the hardwood floor.
My cheeks and the base of my neck were soaking wet, and my eyes stung when I opened swollen lids.
EJ knelt over me. The smoldering fire was mere glowing embers, and the dim light cast its shadow.
"I almost called Carsisle," EJ mumbled in his hoarse voice. "I wasn't sure if you were going to wake up."
"How long?" My disembodied voice questioned. "Almost Fifteen minutes."
I sniffed and exhaled largely. "The hard part is over." He reminded me, pulling my shoulders up to sit upright. I sighed in response.
"I want you to be okay, but you haven't been," EJ noted. "These things take time," I said to comfort him.
Friday
With the second fissure of a self-inflicted heartbreak, I went through the motions the following morning.
The world around me was white noise, so fuzzy that nothing made sense.
I felt feverish, and I couldn't recall the last time I ate. All this over a boy who loved someone else.
I didn't flinch when someone accidentally slammed my hand against a metal locker door.
I watched the bruise develop at my desk in class. It was the most fascinating thing that day.
If someone had talked to me, I hadn't noticed.
"Layla," Jacob's repetitive voice, growing lower, called me out of my fog.
"Pass up your pop quiz," the teacher instructed. I managed my name and date and nothing else. I passed it up anyway.
When the bell rang, I picked up my sluggish pace and left the classroom for the lunch hall.
I rushed through the line, unsure what the hurry was, and took my tray outside in hopes the bitter cold would snap me out of this depressive stupor.
The food on my tray was unappealing. It might as well have been made of plastic.
Bile rose in my throat, and a surge of weakness rolled through my body. I thought I was going to be physically ill.
Scratch that I was sick.
I bolted from the table and threw down the bag I didn't know was still hooked on my arm.
I rounded the corner, stumbling into the grass, dry heaving.
There was nothing in my stomach to give. I sat back on my butt, prickling with tears and trembling from the cold shivers shooting underneath my skin.
"Layla!" Jacob found me on the ground, much like the first days we met. "I'm not okay." I hiccuped into a sob.
He bent down next to me. "What do you want me to do?-" My head spun with the fever.
"Hold me."
Jacob's Pov
"I'll take care of her," Billie assured me.
According to the nurse, Layla hadn't been taking care of herself, and that, coupled with fatigue, has caused her to become sick.
"She'll be okay," he repeated. Conceptually, I knew that, but looking at her now lying in my bed, I knew something was deeply wrong.
And I blamed Rowan. Since he arrived, everything had gone downhill. I would find out the truth when she woke up.
"You can't miss your tests today, with the fights earlier this week-"
She was out cold, indicating no movements soon.
"I got it. Don't let her leave." I bent over to kiss her burning forehead and hesitated out the door.
Layla's Pov
Everything hurt, but at least I could think straight with the fever dying down.
I wasn't at school. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.
As the walls became familiar, I heard a muffled sports channel blaring from the next room. I was in Jacob's bed.
This was the last place I wanted to be, with EJ's latest vision haunting me.
"Over dramatic, idiot." I hissed to myself. I was such a fool for letting myself get like this.
While trying to sit up, my head hit the wooden headboard.
The beads from the charm I gave Jacob scratched against the wood, swaying side to side. He had hung it here of all places.
I don't know what it was: envy, jealousy, hurt. I yanked the charm off, snapping the binding.
Beads popped off in every direction. I tried to collect them, shoving them in my jean pockets along with the charm.
That's when I heard Billie's wheelchair creak closer. I had barely shoved on my shoes when he opened the door. I flew past him.
"Layla! Wait!" Billie called after me. "I can't stay." I burst out of the house and ran through the woods, depleting my newly gained energy.
My eyes smarted with tears when I bent down to pick up the leather charm I dropped while running.
Was it wrong to steal back a piece of myself when so many parts of my heart were robbed?
Jacob's Pov
Billie rolled down the ramp I made him. "Where's-" I asked. "She's not here. Layla went home."
I found her before Syd came home, draped over her bed. I moved Layla so she wouldn't fall off the side in her sleep.
"I wish you would talk to me," I brushed her sweat-damaged hair. "You're scaring me, Layla."
Shallow breaths escaped her lips. "Jake, why?" It was fever babble. "I'm right here," I said. Her head hung to the side.
"No." "I am." I sat on the bed and squeezed my imprint's hand.
"You don't love me," she pulled away, turning over in her sleep.
"How could you say that? Of course, I love you." I tugged on her form, she still faced away from me.
"Not like that," she mumbled incoherently.
Part 2: A Good Day for Killing Vampires
Saturday
Rowan's Pov
It was D-day. A Death Day for vampires, and V-day— Valentine's Day for humans who were ignorant to the monsters festering in the city.
"Let's hope the snow holds off." Iris leaned forward to watch the road between us. Layla was awfully quiet, almost bleek.
She was taking this seriously, which was good.
"If you don't stay with Iris, I need you to watch for the female vampire who leads the drunken crowd to be fed on." I said.
"The blocked-off road between the stockyard storage and boating warehouses leads up behind the building where you donated your blood. There's a basement with two doors. That's where Tessa will take them. An old telephone pole behind that bar is the correct entrance," Layla explained, slowing by the establishment.
"Where does the other door lead?" I questioned. Layla pointed to the iron railing on the opposite side with white-painted steps.
Hardly visible if you weren't looking for it.
"The new ones are locked up down there." She explained in the same expressionless voice. "New people?" Iris asked.
"No," Layla answered, taking another street. "New vampires." I spat out the window.
"If Niccolo finds out I'm here, he might take me to feed. So if I disappear, don't worry about me." Layla said. I looked over at her in disdainful disagreement.
I didn't want to allow it, but I needed to dwindle the number of vampires for better odds.
"We'll meet by the bridge beside the park around 2 am." I solidified.
"Iris, can you give us a moment?" I asked. "We have to switch places for me to drive, so duh." My cousin grumbled, getting out.
Layla and I were momentarily alone.
"I need you to make the best decisions for you tonight. You may be on lookout, but I'm not solely looking to you for direction tonight; don't reach out unless you absolutely need to." I placed the Bluetooth earbud in her palm.
"Okay." Layla bit her bottom lip. "Please be careful. I can't live with the guilt if-"
"Trust me, I got this." I leaned in to kiss her, but Layla jolted back when my lips brushed hers.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little jumpy." She explained, pulling away.
Layla's Pov
Rowan hugged Iris goodbye, then jogged down the street until he disappeared.
Iris took the wheel, driving around a few blocks before dropping me off by the docks. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Iris asked.
"You'll regret it," I mumbled. Iris pulled over to the curb.
"Hey, Iris. If anything creeps you out tonight or you feel scared, drive off without us. We won't hold it against you. Rowan can run back, and I'll find my way."
"Cool your tits, Rowan gave me a similar speech. I admit yours was more sincere, but I'm not leaving." She promised.
"Sure." With a quick embrace, I was on my own, too. "Wait." Iris rolled down her window.
"I know I should butt out 'cause it's not my business, but I need you to know Rowan really does care about you."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked. "If it comes down to Rowan or me, choose him," Iris informed me.
"Don't say that. We'll be fine." I stormed into the shadows, letting my invisibility phase me into thin air.
Anxiety wracked my chest. The night was alive with couples and desperate singles mingling in the technicolored light.
Red and pink beams shimmered against the tall beams holding the warehouse in place. I slipped past security and met Caleb in the back.
"You're here?" Caleb greeted me, surprised. Greta watched me carefully from the corner. I wished she wasn't here. That could complicate things.
"I was wondering if I could step in as one of the ambiance dancers tonight." I jabbed to the circular raised platforms on the second level.
He agreed, and Greta's creepy doll eyes followed us.
I masked the blue tooth ear bud under my hair and watched the inside of the rave from my new vantage point.
Rowan's Pov
Once I lit this match, the other vampires would catch on.
I needed a place to stash the broken bits of bodyguard I dismantled so I could continue the hunt.
I hid in the alley, waiting and watching. Picking up a rock, I chucked it at the cameras behind the buildings, shattering them.
Soon enough, a leech came to check the damage. I ripped him apart too, and easily, adding it to the messy pile of limbs.
I used iron keys to unlock the guarded basement.
Stepping into the depths of an unfamiliar palce, the steel door opened. The room below erupted in hissing.
The hair on my neck raised, and a familiar rage pumped through my blood. I felt parts of me changing as I stepped down into darkness.
I tossed down the pieces of the vampires I collected. "I came to play." My voice distorted into a disturbing snarl.
The new vampires were caged. I grinned as they twitched and trembled. "Who are you?!" "What is he?" "He's not one of us. What do we do?" They hissed.
"Let yourselves out." I tossed them the keys. "It's a trap. Don't do it." "Hell, we can take him." The first one snatched the keys.
I waited on high ground, awaiting the challenge. My body shifted further, jaw jutting out with wolfish teeth, and I stretched out my claws for prey.
Layla's Pov
Greta got a call; she was leaving. Tessa was on the verge of leading a drunken mess of people to the blood bank.
"Layla?" Rowan's voice startled me. "Yes?" I answered eagerly. "I think it's time to leave." He sounded smug.
"Where are you?" "I'll meet you," Rowan answered.
"Be careful.-" I described to him what I saw, cupping my earpiece with discretion.
Rowan's line had cut out. I called Iris to catch her up to speed.
"Are you still there?" I asked her. "Oh, yes," Iris answered anxiously. "Is there Anything weird going on? Are you good?"
"Nothing but this fancy-pants guy and his blond girlfriend. Their black SUV is taking up the center of the road," Iris honked at them.
"No, no, no. Don't engage with them." "Is there a problem, miss?" Vitaly's voice echoed. I hung up and got down off my platform.
"Shit, Iris." I hissed. The main floor was flooded with drunken patrons. I pushed myself through. "Rowan!" I called through the noise.
"Where are you?" I muttered. "Looking for a man? I got you right here, baby girl."
A sweaty older man gripped my waist, pulling me off the dance floor towards the bar.
Rowan's Pov
I pushed through a group of a carbon-copied girl groupies and some guys about to make their 'big move' before the night's end.
"Excuse me, can you buy me a drink?" One of the red dresses stepped in my way. "My girlfriend has my wallet." I sidestepped her.
The damn coven leader had found Layla first. He pushed back her hair, exposing her neck. Bile rose in my throat; I fought the urge to sprint over.
His blood-red eyes locked with mine as he leaned forward to graze Layla's flesh.
"What are you doing?" She asked, flinching. "Having a little fun."
With a twisted grin, Niccolo backed away, disappearing into the crowd and probably leering at us from afar.
"You alright?" I pulled Layla into me. "Fine, you?" Layla gripped my shoulders for the dance.
"Having the time of my life." "Not too much fun, I hope." The tempo switched to a new song—some EDM mash-up with We the Queens.
"You know me," I smiled, holding her closer. I could feel her trembling.
"We can't leave just yet-" Layla said. "That's fine with me." I leaned down and kissed her, hoping the vampire saw.
"Rowan, don't do that!" She blinked, wide-eyed and fearful. "Why not?"
"We're not really together, and Niccolo's crazy. I don't know what he'll do to you. He already crushed a man's hand for touching me tonight." Layla whispered harshly.
"Who touched you?" I knew she shouldn't have come alone.
"Doesn't matter, he's probably dead. Let's go. We stayed long enough to make a point; now we need to check on Iris." Layla tugged me towards the exit.
Layla's Pov
Snow flurries were collecting in thin sheets on the ground. Flakes fluttered sparingly with the cold drift through dim lamp lights.
"She's by the bridge," Rowan contacted her. She was okay—freaked out, but alright.
My boots clomped against the cobblestone, nearly jogging to keep up with him. "Almost there." He reached for me.
Then Rowan shoved me aside at the last second. I fell into grimy bagged trash on the walkway and the crumpled cardboard boxes broke my fall.
Hissing and growling erupted. Lamely, I watched the fight from the ground.
"Run, Layla!" Rowan growled. "You think you can rip me apart and get away with it?!" It hissed.
I scrambled to get up, grabbing a broken wine bottle to defend myself. Like I had a chance.
"Go!" Rowan contorted his body. I turned, running away, when I heard a loud crack and snapping.
Rowan's cry made me stop to spin around. The vampire threw him into the side of the building and bit his forearm. Bricks were crumbling around them.
I had to do something. I couldn't take the leech on, so I settled on being a distraction. I cut myself with the glass.
The vampire's head snapped in my direction, hissing as he released Rowan. I threw the bottle in their general direction and screamed, attempting to run away again.
"Hurry!" Iris pulled up at the end of the walkway. The vampire caught up to me before I could reach the car, holding me up by my hair.
Rowan, half transformed, began to rip the vamp in half from behind, cutting into the abnormal crystalized flesh with his teeth.
The vampire released me to defend himself.
Iris gaped, trembling at the wheel. I fell into the side of the vehicle. "Get going!" Rowan ordered, snapping a leg off the creature.
The vampire plunged his arm into his core. "No!" I shrieked.
Their fight became a blur again until Rowan won. He threw the vampire chunks into a metal trash can and lit it on fire with his lighter.
"I got the gasoline!" Iris scrambled to dump a small canister into the bin to accelerate the process.
Rowan approached me staggering and shifted back into his normal form.
Blood gushed out of him, and it looked like he was holding his insides in place.
Iris's Pov
Holy Shit. Snow flurries flew at my darkened windshield dizzyingly.
The back roads weren't well lit and were becoming icy. "How is he?" I asked every fifteen minutes to keep myself sane.
Layla held onto Rowan. They road loosely in the farback with the seats folded down.
I could see them in my rearview mirror if I chose to, but the smell of this much blood made me want to vomit. I rolled down the front windows for more air.
"Hold on, Rowan. We're going to get help," Layla tremored voice wasn't far from cry. "Should we go to the hospital? We're midway. I need to know." I asked anxiously.
"No, it's a full moon. Get me to a river." He wheezed, and I made the mistake of looking. Rowan appeared half dead, and I was too terrified to pull over.
"Layla?! What's the call?" I sped up, keeping my eyes on the road. "Go to Forks Hospital."
Layla's Pov
I called EJ. He told me where Dr. Cullen was and where to meet.
"Tell him to do everything humanly possible to save him." I hung up.
Forks Hospital was close, and I carefully watched Rowan's healing process. The wound wasn't gaping as it was before, but he still needed medical attention.
How much blood could a werewolf regenerate? And a vampire bit him.
I lifted his arm. The indentations were gone, but a smooth silver crescent line thin as a thread melted perfectly into a C shape. Soon, that would fade, too.
My fingers rushed to find his pulse when he grew colder. "Rowan? Rowan! Please, No." The pulse was so weak I couldn't find it.
That's when Carsisle tore him from my arms. "We were jumped in Seattle.-" Iris's voice sounded muffled, far away to me.
"Get her inside." Rosalie pulled me out of the back seat and handed me to EJ. I couldn't stop moving on autopilot—all the blood was triggering.
"Layla, what happened?" He shook my shoulder. With his ability, I was sure he could see it for himself.
Hours later, without the smell of blood invading my head, I became aware of being sandwiched between Iris and EJ.
Anne, Iris's mom, had arrived, shoving open the double doors open. She was too concerned to ask questions just yet.
Carlisle came out of surgery. "Rowan's stabilized. His injuries looked worse than I originally thought."
Now, it was Iris's turn to break down. "Thank you. Can we see him?" I stood up from the ICU waiting area.
"Soon." He turned to his family. I grasped EJ's arm. 'Rowan needs to go home.'
"Won't he recover better at home?" Anne asked, wary. "After I monitor his vitals overnight." Dr. Cullen returned to the ICU.
EJ agreed to keep an eye on things for me. Anne sent Iris and me to their home to clean up and change.
I was grateful to rinse Rowan's blood off and switch clothes. Iris lent me some sweatpants while I rummaged Rowan's dresser for the rest.
"That was the stuff of nightmares. How do you deal with it?" Iris towel-dried her dampened red hair.
I was brewing some caffeine before we returned to the hospital.
"I'm sorry I brought you into all this. I told you you'd regret it." I handed her a bitter cup.
"I don't, though. I'm glad you told me. If I hadn't stayed tonight, Rowan would have been bleeding out on the street." Iris shook her head.
"Who knows if his river healing thing works?" She added.
EJ's Pov
I lingered in the doorway, watching my Godfather work. Rowan's breathing improved, and more color returned to his face after the blood transfusion.
The merging smells were weird. After I touched Carsisle's arm, I knew he suspected a vampire attack.
He found no prominent indications other than the core wound, so he was second-guessing his assumption.
"I have another patient. Let me know if we need to file a report." He said. "Thank you Dr. Cullen." Anne didn't leave Rowan's side, but dozed off in the next seat.
I walked to his other side, pretending to check his pulse. Rowan's memories were brutal and incoherent.
He kept refocusing on Layla to escape the violence. 'Rowan. Can you hear me?' I tried to communicate with him.
He jolted awake. Groaning, he grabbed his core, pulling wires. "Rowan, Rowan. You're in the Forks Hospital." Anne's hands fluttered over him.
"You're safe now," I said. "Where's Layla and Iris?" He rasped.
"Here!" Iris came through the door with bagged breakfast. Layla wasn't with her.
Layla's Pov
Rowan was fine. Mad at me, but fine and thankfully recovering at an abnormal rate.
Iris told me he was on an all-liquid diet for the foreseeable week. Anne worked at the hospital, too.
She persuaded Dr. Cullen to bring Rowan home in the next 48 hours.
I had many missed calls from Syd. I dropped Iris off and managed damage control on the home front.
In the midst of all this chaos, I had forgotten to inform Syd of my alibi yesterday evening.
There were more cars than usual on Syd's U-shaped gravel drive.
The moment I stepped into the house, my grandfather was already yelling at me about 'where I had been' and 'what was I thinking' in front of company: Billie, Sue, and their kids, etc.
"The whole village has been out there looking for you! What do you have to say for yourself?" Syd finished his rant. "I'm sorry, I was at Iris's house."
"I gathered that much when I called Anne myself." As soon as I let out a breath of relief, I sucked it back in.
"Jacob here said that your 'little boyfriend' is staying with the Turstins. That's news to me. So, these past couple of weeks, you were at his place as well. Well, shacking up with him is over, young lady."
"What?!" "He hasn't come to my doorstep, so you ain't really seeing him until he does, and if you want to see Iris, she's more than welcome here."
Jacob's cocky expression melted under the hurt and betrayal on my face. "How could you." I brushed past him to marching to my room.
"You're grounded!" he called after me. "Clearly!" I shouted back. "For a month!" he added.
I went to clean the cut on my arm in the upstairs bathroom when Jacob came to reconcile.
He knocked on the door, and it cracked open on its own. "Layla, what did you do?"
"Step off, Jake. Stop acting like you care when all you want to do is get me in trouble."
I winced as the stinging peroxide bubbled up on the cut. "How did this happen?"
I didn't answer and continued to clean the wound. "Layla," Jacob demanded.
"Rowan got jumped after our date. I'm okay, and he's not. Now I can't see him because of your big mouth." My throat constricted with emotion.
The adrenaline had worn off hours ago, and the lack of sleep and collected fatigue caught up to me, making me less than friendly.
"I'm sorry," Jake mumbled. "No, you're not. You hate him. I get why but-" I sniffed.
He hugged me from behind and lifted my arm to the light so he could see my wound better.
"Looks like you need stitches." "No, I don't." I blinked.
"I'll drive you." He was doing this so I could see Rowan.
EJ and Iris had gone home while Anne was momentarily missing.
Jacob was well-behaved, standing in the doorway behind me. "Can I have a minute?" I whispered to Jake.
He stood outside the door as I sat next to Rowan, propped up in bed.
"Why is he here?" Rowan hissed. "I needed a ride. Syd's grounding me for the next month." I explained.
He made a face. "Are you alright?" I whispered, placing a hand on his bare chest.
"I would have healed faster if you two did as I said, but morphine is not half bad." He somewhat complained, tapping the IV drip.
"Good." I breathed. "Layla, I told Dr. Snow about your arm." Jacob dipped in the room.
"I hate needles. I'm sorry, I'll be right back." I obediently left.
Jacob's Pov
I glowered down at Rowan; stepping to the edge of his bed, I gripped the footboard.
"You expect me to believe some homeless guy jumped you?" He glared back at me wordlessly with that weird silver stare that somewhat glowed in the dark.
I smacked his injured core enough for him to feel it. He groaned, jerking in the bed.
"I don't know who you are or what you claim to be, but if Layla comes home hurt again. I'm coming for you whether she likes it or not." I threatened.
Rowan clenched his teeth, held his core, and sat up in bed. "Isn't this patient harassment?" he hissed.
"Rowan lay down!" Layla flittethed into the room. "Can I have some water?" Rowan asked he.
She uncapped a bottle and lifted it to him directly. I swear he glanced mockingly in my direction.
"Thank you, my lovely lamb." He said, brushing her face. "Do you need anything else before I don't see you for a while?" Layla questioned.
Then it was my turn for the gloating smirk. "A kiss." His request wiped it right off.
"Rowan," Layla ran her hand through his hair. "If you're shy, Sasqush, you can leave," Rowan said.
Layla hesitated. I read the room and stepped out. I couldn't watch it.
"Are you serious? I thought you were hurt, and you think now is a good time to harass Jacob?" She whispered so quickly it was barely coherent.
"I'm your boyfriend, Layla; that ought to come with some privileges." "You are so lucky; you almost died tonight." Layla lectured.
I couldn't help but look. She cupped his face, kissed one cheek, then the next, and finished with his forehead.
"Don't ever scare me like that again." Layla hovered over his mouth but didn't kiss him and pulled away.
"Good night, Rowan, rest up. Come on, Jake."
Days later
Layla's Pov
Syd's lockdown was serious business; my car was taken away and lent to Jacob. So if I needed to go anywhere, I had to consult him.
The home landline was monitored, and my cell phone was temporarily suspended, locked up in Syd's filing cabinet.
I sighed, scribbling in my journal. Jacob had tried to visit me for the third time this week.
"I need to see Rowan." I requested it again. "No can do." Jacob denied me, also for the third time this week.
I knew they didn't like each other, but where did Jacob's kindness go?
"Then let me call Rowan on your cellphone." I reached out the window.
"So you can go through my messages again?" He retorted, calling me out for snooping last time.
"Goodbye, Jake," I said, ready to latch my bedroom window.
"Relax, here." He tossed it to me. "Thank you." I plugged in my old phone number, and Rowan answered.
"No, hey. How are yah? No flowers either, huh? Mighty rude of you." He was being a smartass, so Rowan was okay.
"I'm sorry. I would have visited by now, but you know the drill. Come over when you're healed up."
"Will do. By the way, is this a good line to reach you or—"No, it's not mine."
"Who?-" "Thank you, Rowan. I'll see you soon." I hung up and returned the phone to Jacob.
"So?" "He's fine," I said, drawing my legs up.
"What about him do you like? I'm a big guy. I can take it." Jacob sat on my roof past curfew.
"Or what about me do you not like? I can't figure it out." "You don't have to," I said softly.
"It's all I think about, please." He begged. "If I do, no questions," I negotiated. "Okay." Jake hesitantly agreed.
"I like that Rowan's honest, even if he's being an ass," I explained. "You don't think I'm honest?" I ignored his question, not wanting to start that fight.
"Rowan understands me more than I'd expect, and he's fiercely loyal despite what you've heard."
Jacob made a disrespectful noise to that. "Don't forget selfish and greedy." He added.
"Maybe that's something I wish I could be. Knowing what you want isn't a crime. Being scattered all over the place like me, hurts a lot of people—not just you."
Jacob pursed his lips, listening. "Plus, he's a great dancer. That's what we were doing last weekend."
"Is he a better kisser?" He began picking things out of the gutter.
I wouldn't know because I've never kissed Rowan myself. He's always pulled a stunt on me, and briefly.
"Jake-" He frowned, lower lip jutting out. "Fine, do you know what I don't like about you? If we were to date—"
I started out, trying to be careful with my words, but I failed entirely.
"I could never surprise you with a kiss. I'd either have to wait for you to sit down, or I'd be forced to climb you like a tree." Jacob snorted a laugh.
"I'd like to see you try," he grinned. His expression was so cute and boyish that I had to stare.
"What else? Or is me being tall the deal breaker?" He looked at me, speaking sarcastically.
"You're nosy and stubborn." "So are you." I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.
I'd feed into Jacob's problem-solving mode if I weren't careful.
"Sometimes, I feel like I'm a problem you obsess over fixing." I was surprised at my own honesty.
"I'm not a car where you can find the perfect part and put it back in place. No one can help me, so I think you should stop trying."
I slid away from the window sill and threatened to push it down. "Is it wrong to want to help someone you care about?"
"No, but—" "I promised to be there for you no matter what, even if you are making it difficult," he reminded me.
"You don't have to do that anymore." "Why not?" He stopped me from closing the glass. I heaved a heavy sigh.
"Hypothetically, if I contracted a rare disease, and I had days to live. What would you do?"
Jacob's brows furrowed in confusion over the random question, and concern molded his mouth.
"I'd try to find a cure, but if I failed, I'd spend every moment with you. If I didn't contract it, too, I would want to die with you."
His answer sounded so heartfelt and genuine, but I knew the truth. I was his replacement Bella.
Niccolo's pet name echoed in my ears like a ghostly moan. 'My Bella.'
How I wish I could believe Jacob and push past the unfortunate discoveries.