Submission

by Katrina-H-Creates

Edward returns to Forks to save Bella from the Volturi; she finds herself irresistibly drawn to his newly dominant and intense nature, igniting a fiery passion between the pair as he finally claims her virginity for his own.

1. Chapter 1

A/N: The plot remains the same, all chapters are edited now!

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Submission

Chapter One: Now or Never

Bella Swan

I managed to lift my head from the pillow that morning before I thought of him for the first time. I had dreamt about him a little last night, reliving the last moment we were together, the smell of the forest, the ache in the pit of my stomach, and the look in his eye as he said goodbye. I got out of bed and undid my hair tie before re-scooping it off my shoulders and into a bun above my head before I began making my bed. It was Saturday, and from the alarm clock across from me, I could see it was just a little after six. I had the entire day ahead of me, and there was plenty to be done. Perhaps I'd start with some grocery shopping and cook and freeze some meals for Charlie's return on Monday. Maybe I'd wash my truck afterwards and order some takeout for my dinner as a treat. It doesn't take me long before I find myself in the bathroom, brushing my teeth while trying not to look at my own reflection.

Whenever I looked in the mirror, I expected to see the girl I was before he left—the girl he loved—and not the shell I had become. If he were here right now, we'd already be making plans for our day together. We'd probably drive out of Forks and go up into the mountains, somewhere we could be alone and happy. I missed him every day. Sometimes it felt like it might just kill me, but on the days I woke up completely numb, I was grateful, like today. It was on these types of days that I got stuff done, made up meals for the week, hung out with Jacob, or even caught up on some schoolwork. All the other little things in life, like music and books, hadn't been a priority to me since he left; somehow the words and lyrics didn't hold the same weight with me as they used to. Sometimes I'd have moments of sheer clarity; I'd think about how I was neglecting my family, friends, and even my studies. I'd go around my room scrubbing everything down, de-cluttering so much that I could actually see my bedroom floor again. I'd send emails to my mom and get myself weeks ahead on my homework.

It was a perfect high all the way up to the moment my head hit the pillow, then I'd wake up to the empty to-do list, and suddenly I didn't have the strength to get out of bed. It didn't matter if he wasn't a part of it; I knew deep down I had the strength to live without him; I just didn't want to. There was no fixing me; everything I did and everywhere I looked reminded me of him. I'd thought about leaving, going home to my mom and Phil, and starting a new chapter. But it would feel like I was retreating, going back to a life I no longer knew. I couldn't fool my mom like I could, Charlie. I didn't belong in Florida, and for the first time in a long time, I don't feel like I belong in Forks anymore either. I was reminded of us everywhere I went: the tall trees he had climbed to show me a bird's-eye view of the forest; all the greenery reminded me of the meadow; and even the rain reminded me of our first conversation. I'm eighteen; I could leave, drop out of school, try my luck in some big city in a small apartment, get myself some window baskets, and get a job to distract me from the train wreck that was slowly becoming my life.

No way; I hated cities. If I had to go somewhere, it would be a quiet state where the air smelled clean and your neighbors gave you a wave in the morning but didn't pry into your business; somewhere I could maybe make a difference, step a little outside of my comfort zone, and even dare to be part of a community or something. It's crazy how quickly your mind begins to wander when doing something as mundane as brushing your teeth. I stopped then and focused on the day ahead, rinsing out my mouth and washing my face and hands before leaving the bathroom to return to my bedroom to get dressed. Something simple today: jeans and light blue sweater—nothing out of the ordinary for me. I made my way downstairs afterwards, laundry and jacket in hand. My plan was to go grocery shopping, come home, and make a few trays of lasagna. Charlie would be home late Monday night; he was on a weekend fishing trip and finally taking a well-deserved break after hunting Jacob and the rest of the wolves these past few weeks. I knew that after he came home, cleaned up his equipment, and gutted his fish, he'd want nothing more than a hot shower and a home-cooked meal.

Perhaps I'd even get a whole chicken and portion it up for meals and sandwiches for him to take to work. He'd have a mountain of paperwork to come back to too, and by the way he inhaled his dinner at times, I could just tell when he skipped lunch. Besides, if I cooked some meals and got the place cleaned up for his return, maybe he'd stop worrying about me so much. The idea of him and my mom worrying just caused my insides to knot up and refuse to quit. I constantly felt like I was disappointing them; I just had no idea how to act in a way that wouldn't worry them. It seemed everything I had done since Edward left just wasn't meeting their criteria for belief. I dumped my clothes into the machine and made a mental note to remember and pick up fabric softener at the store as I put on my jacket and made my way to the front door, collecting my keys on the way. I always liked to check out the window before leaving my house since Edward and the Cullen's left town. I heisted discovering a skinny, broad-shouldered man was making his way up the frosty footpath, parcel and clipboard in hand?

I made my way towards the door almost tripping over my own two feet. No big surprise there but a delivery certainly was.

"Isabella Swan?" He asked as he climbed the porch steps, heavy on his large feet.

"That's me."

"Sign here, please." He held out his clipboard and pointed to the blank line with the word 'Signature' typed above. I took the board from him, signed my name, and handed it back.

"Have a nice day."

He passed me the parcel before turning and walking away. I looked at the medium-sized cardboard box in my hands. It had a shipping label and my name and address on it, and the only thing written under 'sent from' was the word Mrs Alice Cullen but no return address.

I cut the elastic tape around the box like fine silk, my heart racing a hundred miles per hour in my chest, my cheeks flushed, and my mind racing for possible explanations for this arrival, my eyes not leaving it as I shut the door behind me, heading for the kitchen in search of scissors. I opened the box and removed the bubble wrap and other packing materials inside used to protect whatever it was she had sent to me out of the blue. I'd been reaching out to her from the moment they left town, and now, after all these months, I finally get a response? It didn't make any sense. Inside there was a black binder and an embossed envelope. I kept both of them in my hands as I took a seat on the kitchen floor, not bothering with the nearby table and chairs.

With my back leaning against the cabinets behind me, I placed the binder down on my lap and wasted no time opening the envelope, breaking its seal, and hurrying to read whatever was inside for me to find. I opened up a single page, my heart bursting at the sight of Alice's handwriting and my eyes threatening tears as I began to read.

Bella,

There is so much to say in this letter that I hardly know where to begin. Yesterday afternoon, I received a vision of you. I have not stopped keeping an eye on you since the moment we left Forks, and I'm glad I didn't. I understand you already know about the Volturi and the lengths they have gone to throughout the years to keep the secret of our kind from humans. I'm afraid that news has reached them that you might be a danger to our secret, and you might go as far as exposing it.

We believed Victoria was responsible for this turn of events and that she has become aware of the fact that you are now alone in Forks and without our protection, making you an easy target for anyone the Volturi will send your way. The vision I had of you, however, does not involve you coming to harm but instead involves you receiving my letter and changing the course of your life. The binder I have sent to you has all the necessary information you'll need to take you further and assure your safety. It contains one of the safety nets Jasper has gathered for us throughout the years, should the Volturi ever come for us. The binder holds within it a spell that must be cast as soon as you have all the requirements in place. I have secured, along with the spell, the history behind it, information on the witch who created it, and how it came to save her life. It's a protection spell; it casts a powerful shield that will stop the Volturi from finding you indefinitely. The spell itself requires great sacrifice; you will have to push yourself beyond what you thought possible and either accept it as your fate or face a future I cannot yet see. Now you must brace yourself for what I am about to tell you; even with the threat of the Volturi, I know this next part will hit you much harder.

Edward is on his way to Forks. He is aware of the spell, but what he doesn't know is that I have written to you.

He is against the casting of it; he believes he'll be able to keep you safe and keep you hidden, but Bella, that will not be the case. He refused to hear anything further from me and ended the call. He'll return to Forks at midnight on the 27th and head straight to your house. This spell will work like a blanket of sorts around each person involved in it. It has its positives and negatives for vampires. But if you can convince Edward to perform this with you, then it will allow him to walk in the sunlight; he'll be able to taste and digest food without issue, and his temper will adjust. But as I said, there are also negatives, but that will come later in your reading. There is a lot of work to be done before he arrives. You will have a lot to do and put into place before then. Remember, if anyone can convince him to do this, it's you. Time is already running out for you to do this.

Focus, Bella, and remember that every second counts.

You must perform the spell on the same night he returns to Forks, and no matter what, you must be gone by morning by any means necessary. You can't anyone where you are going, not Charlie or your mom. I'm sorry, Bella, but I doubt you'll see either of them after tonight. The decision rests in your capable hands, and I know you will make the right choice for you and my brother. You are stronger than you think; you've always known what you wanted, and you've never ever backed away from hard work. This is what needs to be done for the both of you to remain together for years to come.

Remember, sometimes things don't have to be normal to be beautiful. Our paths may not cross again for a while, but until they do, know that we are all behind you, thinking of you each day and hoping for your future together.

The clock is already ticking.

All my love,

Alice

The Volturi, or vampire royalty, as Edward described them, were coming to Forks to kill me. But Edward was also on his way here. I truly didn't know which was worse; I feared both of them might be the end of me. I couldn't face either of them; I didn't even know if I could pick myself up off the floor right now. They're coming, he's coming, and it's worse than that tick tock tick tock tick tock. Both my hands were trembling as I dropped the letter to my side and stared down at the binder. Whatever was inside might just save my life, but Edward was somehow against it, and Alice said it required sacrifice, and I wasn't sure I was prepared to sacrifice anything more.

All I could feel right now was fear and my heart battering against my chest. I was freezing. I wanted to run upstairs, climb into bed, and wake up from this apparent nightmare. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. I picked up the binder between both hands and finally opened it. It was a mixture of things: old journal entries, sketches of three women together and another of them with a man, and all kinds of other information. The information went back as far as the sixteenth century, and I began reading preserved and cataloged documents pertaining to alleged witches of that time period. I read about their lives and families, how quickly everything changed for them when they were suspected of witchcraft, and the letters they wrote to their families as they waited in a jail cell in unspeakable conditions while awaiting trial, as well as about the witches who managed to escape and those who somehow thrived despite the nightmare that was their daily lives for a very long time.

The further I looked, I found one name in particular continuing to make an appearance: Holly Elizabeth Doyle. Her date of birth was unknown; however, it was believed she came to the States with her parents somewhere in the very early seventeenth century. Her father was a carpenter who organized a marriage between Holly and a very promising apprentice of his by the name of Jonathan Petersen. Unbeknownst to Mr. Doyle, his eldest daughter had no intention of marrying, and when Holly divulged this to her future fiancée, he went straight to the town pastor, claiming that instead he did not want to marry Holly as he had suspected for some time that she was in fact a witch. Sensing the dogs at her door, the young Holly made the very courageous decision to flee in the middle of the night and spare her family the heartache of a trial.

After years of turmoil, starvation, and countless degrading jobs, Holly would come to a newly constructed town by the sea. Here she would find steady work as a housemaid in one of the larger houses; it was here she would meet Olivia Wilson, a vampire, and Harriet Richards, another witch. In less than a year, they would all be accused of witchcraft with no circumstantial evidence; neither of the girls had practiced witchcraft in over five years. A few of the town's folk, however, were not impressed by their ability to construct medicines that treated the suffering and impoverished. Each of them considered running, but it was Holly who instead devised a plan for them to remain together and beyond the grasp of the town's folk. She carefully devised a spell with the assistance of Olivia, Harriet, and a man Holly was set to marry by the name of Joseph Jones.

Together, they constructed a fire, and each of them surrendered their blood to the flame before joining hands and chanting the same spell as the flames grew high above their heads. Upon the last chant, the flames extinguished without a breath of wind in the air to aid them. By performing this spell, Holly, Harriet, and Olivia became Joseph's wives, and a shield was cast around them. Each of them took the same vows, each wife holding equal measure in the eyes and heart of their husband, as their bond of love and sacred trust was formed forever. Holly would later write in the journal she kept in her last year of life that she could still recall the feeling of the spell wrapped around her that night like a blanket as they all worked together to escape, packing their lives up into a single horse and cart, never to be seen again. Holly, Harriet, and Olivia remained married to Joseph for the rest of their lives. Harriet was the first to give Joseph a child; Holly would give him his next four. It would be another five years of prayer and devotion before Olivia would finally be blessed with her first child.

"Wait a second. That can't be right." I said to myself then.

I sat upright on the floor as I re-read the last few sentences before confirming that Olivia was indeed a vampire. Olivia's history was unknown; how she came to become a vampire wasn't documented, nor was her life before she came to meet her friends and husband. However, her desire to have a baby was recorded in Holly's journal, where she wrote of the different methods Olivia would try throughout the years: she'd go to church and pray almost daily that she would be blessed; she'd drink tonics made for her; and she'd only drink aged blood. One day she finally became pregnant; there were no difficulties throughout the pregnancy, no risk of miscarriage, no bleeding, or even spotting. Olivia would go on to give her husband a total of five children without any complications. Holly went on to write that she didn't hear of another vampire pregnancy until she was fifty years old; it was such a rare occurrence that it became nothing more than a rumor and, eventually, a thought impossibility.

Further into the journal, Holly speculated that she believed that each child born from their joined marriage appeared to strengthen the spell in the years that followed. The cloak that I hadn't felt around me in months has returned stronger than ever since Harriet's son's birth; now we can be confident that our bloodline was always meant to be shared, that the spell continues to hold, and will continue throughout our lives with the blessings of children to come Holly wrote. Although there is little information about Holly's death, it is believed that she died in 1764.

Followed the next year by her husband, and then Harriet a few months after that. Nothing further was written about Olivia or any of their children. I was at a complete loss for words.

Vampires aren't able to have children; Edward told me so himself. Had he lied to me about it? Or did he actually believe that it was impossible?

"Oh, my god."

Suddenly Alice's words catapulted through my mind, and everything became brutally clear to me. In order for me to live, we would have to replicate Holly Doyle's spell, meaning Edward would have to marry me and two other girls at the same time. I immediately found the strength to pick myself up off the floor. If the Volturi were coming after me, I was going to pack my bags and get out of here before they got me. I stopped dead in the kitchen doorway, casting my eyes down at Alice's letter on the floor. She couldn't see my future if I didn't perform this spell; if I didn't convince Edward that it was the only way, then my life was a blank canvas. For all I knew, today was my last day; I might not wake up tomorrow, never read my favorite book cover to cover, make eggs for Charlie, buy toothpaste, pass a test, or grow old. There was no way I could cast this spell. I could see why Edward had refused to hear about it; the idea was insane. Edward doesn't love me anymore, despite the fact that I still love him. Even so, there was no way I could stand back and be his wife while he was the husband of two other girls. It would break my heart; there was no way I could be part of any future that involved Edward having three wives. He was on his way to Forks right this second; I wanted him here right now, but at the same time, I didn't. I'd often wondered what I'd do if he and I ever crossed paths again, whether I'd take the moral high ground or not, and right now, all I wanted was to live.

The Volturi were coming for me, and I was focusing on seeing Edward instead. What was going on with me right now? I needed to get my mind straight and focus on staying alive and nothing else. Alice said that without this spell, she didn't know what was going to happen to me, which also meant she had no idea what was going to happen to Edward either. She said I had to find a way of convincing him that the spell was the only shot at survival. Edward left me, and yet she still believed I was capable of such a thing; he didn't listen to what I wanted back then, and if he had, he would never have left Forks in the first place. He was only coming here now out of guilt—there it was, the hard but necessary truth behind his actions. If we didn't do this, then we would both face the Volturi, and I'd possibly have to watch Edward die.

I couldn't allow that to happen, nor could I imagine spending the next sixty to seventy years of my life on the run, never trusting another person, sleeping in a different bed every night, worrying someone might poison my food, holding my breath every second Edward wasn't with me, and watching everyone around me like a hawk. No, that wasn't a life for me; I knew me, and I'd go crazy in a matter of months, if not weeks. I had to be rational and mature and come up with a solution to all of this. I returned to the kitchen, took a seat at the table this time and not the floor, and stared down at the letter. If this was the only way Alice saw my future, then I had to trust her and somehow come up with a way to make this work. Just because Joseph had an intimate relationship with his other wives didn't mean Edward had to do the same, but now that we were no longer together, that meant he was indeed allowed to, should he wish. He could sleep with anyone he wanted now that we weren't together. The idea of it brought tears to my eyes, however—the idea of him sharing with other girls what he and I had not and now never would. But if I stepped away from reality for just a second and pretended I had it within me to perform this spell, then I would need some plans set in place immediately in order to think clearly.

For starters, I'd need my own space alone with Edward, which meant we'd need a home of our own. I couldn't even begin to adjust to the idea of living in the same house with him and two other girls; it'd be too much to bear. We wouldn't be troubled for finances; Edward was indeed incredibly wealthy, and so, perhaps, we could find houses in close proximity, if not side by side. Perhaps I could track down a new development scheme—a newly constructed neighborhood where brand new properties were ready for the taking. Of course, we'd have to come up with a story to explain why we were all moving into our houses on the exact same day; the last thing we'd want is to raise eyebrows on our first day. But there was more than the landscaping issue surrounding this decision.

There was a question about how we could live this life together. This spell meant Edward would have to spend equal time with each girl involved in it in order to keep the spell strong for years to come. And so whoever entered into this with me would have to be on board with the reality that their day-to-day lives would involve Edward being by their side and living in the same home, if not every other day, then every other week. I suppose a schedule of sorts would have to be constructed by us; certainly, Edward could not be involved in such a thing; getting him to agree to this spell would be difficult enough without involving him in what came afterwards.

I had the hardest decision of my life ahead of me should I find the strength to actually do this. I would have to be the one to decide which girls to ask. Alice said in explicit detail that I would have to have everything in place for Edward's arrival to ensure the timeline of events that followed worked to our advantage. She said we had to perform the spell tonight and be gone from Forks by the morning. The reality of the situation was this: Alice couldn't see my future after tonight because there was a chance I would either be dead in a few hours or Edward and I would perform the spell with two other girls, and Alice wouldn't be able to see our futures at all. I don't know which one I hoped for as both choices were terrifying in their own ways. I had a choice to make: I could sit here and wait for the inevitable or I could attempt to stay alive.

"You're okay." I assure myself, raising to my feet and shaking my hands out in front of me as they tremble uncontrollably.

I stare down at the letter on the table and then at the binder with the spell in it. My heart is in my throat; I'm trembling, and I feel like I might be sick. I stop dead in my tracks, as there is no time for pacing; there is no time for anything but decision-making and actions.

"Stop!" I almost yell at myself before I take a deep inhale.

Okay, if I stay here, I die, and Edward possibly dies trying to protect me in the process, and I'm never going to let that happen. As tears prick my eyes, I force myself to accept the logic. The spell doesn't require Edward to be intimate with any girl participating in it; all it states is that whoever performs it must have complete trust in the person they are marrying. Which meant if I did do this, if I chose to live, then I would have to find two girls that could accept the reality that Edward was a vampire and that if they were willing to help us, they had to accept that, trust that he wouldn't hurt them, and leave Forks with us tonight. I was trembling harder than I did on my first day of school, harder than when Edward and I shared our first kiss, and when I made the decision to move to Forks and be away from my mom for the first time in my life. What I needed to do right now was simply impossible. I couldn't be selfish and choose to live with Edward forever, not with the added complications of two other girls who had to be included in the spell.

If I chose to live, it would mean Edward and I would be married and he would be married to two other girls; that would make us modern-day polygamists to the outside world, and polygamy was illegal, which meant that we would have to find a way to hide, to lie, and to deceive for the rest of our lives. But hiding a secret was already part of my daily life already. I knew Edward didn't love me anymore, and that was what made the decision to choose to live even more difficult. I knew that Edward was more than likely going to end up falling in love with the other girls that came into his life. However, I was never going to fall in love with anyone else; there was no doubt in my mind that Edward was the love of my life, and nobody would ever compare. I still desired him, yearned for him, loved him, and wanted to be with him. If I did this, then I was choosing to spend the rest of my life in misery; I would have to watch the man I loved, the love of my life, be in love with someone else or even two someone else.

No wait! There I go again!

This spell demands trust, not love. Edward was never going to agree to this spell; he'd leave Forks in a heartbeat and try and save me from the Volturi. That wasn't an option for me; I wasn't going to allow Edward to die protecting me. There was only one way forward; I was going to have to find a way to convince Edward that this spell was the only way for us to survive.

"It's going to be okay," I whisper to myself. "Everything is going to be okay."

I can't afford to sit around and wait for the inevitable to happen. I collected my laptop from the sitting room and brought it with me when I returned to the kitchen and to my seat. I took a deep breath before typing in my search. The Volturi wouldn't know about the spell; they'd expect Edward and I had gone on the run, which meant they'd be looking at places around the world that had very little sunlight, some places similar to Forks. But since this spell meant Edward was almost human with the expectation of drinking blood, this also meant we could actually go somewhere warm.

Tears pricked my eyes at the notion that Edward could finally live the human life he'd always wanted; he'd be able to walk around in the sunlight without sparkling and eat food again. It was the life I'd always wanted for him, with the exception of us spending eternity together alone. I had to be smart with my search; we couldn't go anywhere either of us had been before, and we couldn't live too close to my mom and Phil as we couldn't risk bumping into them. The first state I thought of was Kansas. I couldn't recall any vampires living there from what Edward had told me, which was a good start, and I could just picture myself and Edward in a small town that was not dissimilar to Forks. However, when I searched for property development sales in Kansas, I found nothing but apartments and land for sale in a good price range. I let out a loud sigh, dropping my head into my hands.

This was hopeless. I was wasting precious time. I was going to have to be realistic with my search and focus on a location that was accessible for us. We'd need a way to travel from Forks to wherever we ended up living; it couldn't be a plane, a train, or a boat; it would have to be within driving distance, no passports necessary. The fewer cameras on us, the better. I shifted my search to Iowa next, but again, although there were beautiful houses for sale, none of them were side by side. I then shifted my search to Texas, where I found three homes up for sale; however, they were all one-bedroom cottages and insanely priced.

"Wait," I whispered to myself.

What if we didn't move so far from Forks? I brought up my map of the USA and brought my cursor over the state of Utah.

"Utah," I read aloud as my cursor hovered over it.

I knew Edward could afford anything, but the Volturi would see the house they lived in here in Forks and start looking for properties in that style. I didn't want us to live on the beach; I didn't want housekeepers and gardeners; I wanted to move somewhere where I wouldn't have to worry about locking my door at night; where we'd have a community; somewhere where I could buy in bulk and make a living for myself. There were plenty of developments all over the place. Just over twenty to thirty minutes later, I couldn't believe my luck when I found not only one but three houses, side by side, each with their own unique design and house layout. I began to read through the descriptions of each individual house and took a look at the real estate agent's photographs.

They were beautiful and all completely brand new; even the grounds surrounding them were made of dirt and required sod. It was so brand new that we would have had to lay out our own grass and make it a home from complete scratch. I was smiling ear to ear as I took it all in. Obviously, I couldn't decide this on my own; it would have to be agreed upon by everyone involved, whoever they may be. The first property came with a hefty price tag of seven hundred thousand dollars. The house's charming brown exterior radiated a certain charm, giving it a welcoming and cozy ambiance. The straightforward front porch was adorned with elegant maroon window shutters, adding to its overall appeal. Inside, you were greeted by a grand entrance featuring a spacious sitting area and dining room on the right.

A welcoming archway led you into the kitchen, with a snug sitting area just beyond to the left. The kitchen, boasting stylish dark wooden cabinets and sleek black granite countertops, seamlessly flowed into the adjacent pantry and laundry room. Unlike the other two houses, this one included a basement, perfect for bulk storage and shopping, allowing us to reduce our trips to town and keep our shared marriage a secret. I meticulously scrutinized every detail of the enlarged photograph of the master bedroom in this property, feeling a deep sense of interest. If we did cast this spell, this could be where Edward and I would spend our nights together, possibly for the first time. The middle property bore a striking resemblance to the first one, but its front porch exuded a delightful and inviting charm. The second story was painted in a rich, deep shade of green, while the lower level featured a soft, delicate grey.

The entrance was situated on the right side of the building rather than in the center. Unlike the first house, this one boasted a private pool area nestled in the backyard. Although the bedrooms were more spacious, the kitchen was quite small. The total value of this house came to four hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars. Lastly, the final house was valued at six hundred and twelve thousand dollars. Its color evoked the serene beauty of a moonlit sky. The kitchen was more impressive than those in the other homes, and unlike the previous two houses, each bedroom had ample closet space.

This house offered a generous layout while maintaining a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The master bedroom was located at the far end of the hallway, separate from the other three bedrooms. I decided to produce all the information I could, so I printed off the images of each house and the full description. But I didn't stop there; I then sent copies of the blue prints of each individual property to my printer upstairs. Along with property taxes, I gathered information about the town of Sandy, including the nearest stores, shops, and landmarks, as well as even local businesses. I then collected the sheets and placed them in a binder alongside the letter from Alice. With that done, I returned to my laptop and spent the next hour or so reading articles about the history of polygamy in the US. I felt the need to educate myself on the topic and learn how we could live our lives here. I found numerous websites that spoke about the issue and even some blogs written by women who were living with their husbands as well as another wife. I then studied the law and discovered that Utah had not only decriminalized polygamy in 1890, but they'd also enacted a law stating that in the case of a legal marriage, a woman is considered a legal wife and is therefore entitled to child support and alimony.

I found an article written by a lawyer that stated that the chances of a man being convicted of polygamy were extremely rare, especially if the union was consensual. It was almost as if I was searching for permission to do this. I didn't print any of the polygamy information out. I shifted my attention over to the possible routes to get us from Forks and to Sandy, Utah. Alice said I was stronger than I thought, and in that moment, I was because I was keeping it together despite my trembling body. I printed a total of ten different routes to get us there, and I studied the map for well over an hour to ensure I got us all the necessary information. I included all the possible gas stations along the way, public restrooms, areas we could stop to stretch our legs if we absolutely had to, areas where road works were happening, back roads we could take if we felt it was necessary, along with the longest and shortest routes between us and freedom. I'd gone upstairs to my bedroom and began to sort through the paperwork. My hands refused to stop trembling; I couldn't seem to get warm, and I knew I was going into some level of shock from all the news. I practically jumped out of my skin at the sound of someone knocking on the downstairs.

The Volturi wouldn't knock; they'd be in the room with me right now, breaking my neck, and I seriously doubted Edward would be so polite after everything we'd gone through as to knock. I gathered myself and made my way downstairs to the front door, opening it to find no one on the other side. I peaked my head around the corner and found no one there. I was about to shut the door when I heard the knock again. I whirled my head around, finding the sound coming from behind me, and shut the front door before making my way to the back of the house. I unlocked the backdoor; we never even used this door when taking out the trash; it was purely decorative at this point.

I unlocked the door to find Leah Clearwater on the other side, using the lids of our trash can to cover her naked form beneath. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying; her hair was matted; and she smelled like the forest. It didn't take a genius, though it took me a minute to put the pieces together. I stepped to one side, and she made her way past me and into the house. Jacob had mentioned Leah to me; she was Sam's ex-girlfriend. I shut the door behind me and kept my eyes to the ground as I made my way past her, giving her some dignity as I retrieved my robe from the ironing basket and exchanged it for the trash can lids, which I returned outside while she dressed.

Jacob was a werewolf, but he'd kept Leah's identity hidden until now, and why he did so, I don't know. Not that it matters right now anyway; this girl was clearly upset and needed help. It was hardly the time for questions; right now was the time for a shower and a change of clothes. I made my way back to her, and Leah tightened the ribbon of the robe as tightly as she could before she ran her hand through her hair.

"What can I do?" I asked her.

She merely shook her head as if she were just trying to gather her thoughts.

"Jacob," I stopped to swallow hard. "He never mentioned you were a were-"

"I wasn't," She stopped to sigh. "I wasn't; I just fazed for the first time; maybe over an hour ago, I don't know. I'm a late bloomer."

Leah looked away from me, her lower lip almost trembling. "My father died this morning."

I didn't know what to say; I had no idea Harry was even sick. I didn't want to make any assumptions or be insensitive.

"Leah, I'm so sorry," I told her.

"Don't act like you care," she snapped, startling me. "I know who you associate yourself with, okay? If it wasn't for the Cullens being here for so long, I wouldn't have been this way in the first place."

"Leah, what can I do?" I stepped forward.

"I don't know! I don't know what to do!"

She was in pain; she was grief-stricken, and I wasn't helping. She must have been fazed and returned to herself only moments ago. My house must have been the only one she knew around here. She clearly didn't care for me, but she knew my past, and besides, she was naked and cold. She needed support, although she seemed to be the type who would sooner die than admit it.

"Look, I just need some clothes, alright?"

"Yeah, of course."

I turned to leave her when I stopped hearing the smallest sob escape from her mouth. I didn't dare turn around and attempt to comfort her. I took a deep breath.

"I'm going to run you a bath and leave fresh clothes in the bathroom for you." I told her.

"I don't need your help!" She snapped harshly again, almost snarling at me. "Just the clothes."

Sometimes even the shyest and most timid must find a little bark behind their bite in situations such as these. Just the act of repeating yourself is enough to calm and distract someone in pain.

"I'm going to run you a bath and get you some fresh clothes," I repeated. "Then I'll leave them in the bathroom for you."

"Bella," she called after me. I stopped turned to face her. "Thank you."

I nodded and made my way up the stairs. I wasn't sure which of my clothes would fit her; she was much taller than me. I opened the chest of drawers where my t-shirts were and took a look through them. I settled on a white top and a pair of grey leggings; she could wear a pair of my socks; and I also left her a sports bra. My heart was racing in my chest as I began the necessary work. Suddenly, all thoughts of Edward and the Volturi were pushed back to the farthest part of my mind. Leah had just lost her dad; she was in pain, and for some reason, she had landed up right here on my doorstep. So this wasn't about doing the right thing; this was one girl helping out another.

This was the reality: when things fall apart, even the most unlikely pairs find their way to each other. I secured the plug for the tub and began to run the hot water, quickly adding to it some lavender-scented bubble bath, a handful of Epsom salts, a rose-scented bath oil, and a small pink bath bomb from a collection my mom had sent me over Christmas. As the tub filled with hot, steamy water and fluffy bubbles, I continued to work on setting up the bathroom. I unruffled the bath mat and returned it to its proper place. I cleared Charlie's shaving products off the sink. I swapped them out for a new bar of vanilla-scented soap and a small tea light candle in a glass holder that I covered with a lid. I got fresh white towels from the closet, one for her hair and the other for her body, and a few white face cloths, which I placed on either side of the tub.

I opened the one window we had in the bathroom slightly to keep the air filtering through. I got rid of any empty product bottles around the sink and quickly replaced them with the backups from beneath the sink before I brought in the box of tissues from my bedroom and placed them by the sink. I returned downstairs and had barely made it to the last step when she rushed past me and disappeared upstairs, slamming the bathroom door shut.

I waited at the bottom step, half expecting her to return in under a minute, but she didn't. Five minutes later, with still no sign of her, I made my way off the stairs and into the kitchen. I used this time to make her a BLT with some chips on the side and a tall glass of Coca-Cola. I placed it on the table across from where I sat, using my time to go through the information I had gathered yet again, ensuring that I understood the spell perfectly, going over the chant in my mind again and again. It was all cart before the horse anyway; there wasn't a chance in hell I'd find two girls willing to help us before midnight. Anyone who did help us would have to be supernatural, or I'd have to expose Edward's secret to a terrified human who may or may not believe me. It wasn't as if I could prove anything without him here; all I had was a bite on my arm that could have been easily caused by an animal of some sort. With only hours until Edward's return, actions had to be taken sooner rather than later; this was something I couldn't leave until the last minute. I held my breath when Leah entered the room twenty minutes later. Her hair was damp, and she had changed into the clothes I had left out for her.

It was clear she had been crying again, and something about hot water did something for me too; it was a release of sorts for me. I held out my hand towards the empty seat, encouraging her to sit and eat, and she reluctantly caved and tucked into the food right away. She was hungry; she wasn't even pausing to taste; she was eating ugly and not giving a care in the world about it, and why should she? I wasn't about to start judging her; I was practically on a first-name basis with a few of the delivery guys at this point. Since Edward left, I hadn't taken care of myself, which I regretted. I should have made a better effort to tap into my pain rather than layer it with food and silence.

Leah was in pain; I couldn't imagine the pain of losing a parent so young. I wasn't sure if it was the stress that had caused her to faze, but she was handling it surprisingly well. I guess deep down in her heart, she must have believed it might be possible one day that this might happen, even if that meant being the only female in her pack. Crazier things have happened in Forks. I couldn't imagine not seeing Charlie every day, but sadly, if this plan came together, that would have to be the case.

"Thanks." Leah blurted, breaking my train of thought.

"You didn't have to do this. I better get going."

"Sure." I said, lowering my head and returning to my reading as she slid her chair back.

"What's got your attention so badly anyway?"

I glanced at her for a moment and shook my head.

"Nothing worth talking about," I responded before getting out of my seat, remembering my manners. "If there is anything I can do to help." I said.

Leah studied me "Right now you look worse than I do."

"I'm fine," I assured her before stepping forward. "Are you sure there's nothing else I can do? Can I drive you back to the reservation?"

Leah paused in the doorway, crossed her arms, and returned to me.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I don't think I'd even enter the top ten thousand in your concerns right now."

It's true; if I were in her shoes right now, I wouldn't even be able to stand up, and yet here she was, this girl who clearly detested me and was trying to get answers behind my silence. If I told her the truth, she could easily run off and tell Jacob, and that could lead Edward right into a trap. Either way, she'd tell Jacob something was going on with me, as she just plainly didn't like me.

"It won't matter to you."

"So?" Leah replied, her face scrunching up like she had just sucked on a lemon.

I watched her return to her seat, sliding the plate to one side before placing her toned arms down on the table in front of her. I sighed, and it was a nice release before I slid down into my own seat, joining her at the table.

"How well do you know the Cullens?" I asked as I retrieved Alice's letter from inside the pages of the binder.

"Enough to keep my distance like any sane person would."

"Fair enough," I sighed. "Do you at least know their names?"

"I guess." she said before rolling her eyes.

"Do you remember the dark-haired girl? Alice?"

Leah merely nodded, almost bored.

"Well, she can see the future." I said.

Leah snorted, "Werewolves are real; vampires are real; you're telling me there's clairvoyance as well?"

"She gets visions, and trust me they are real," I paused and stared back at her. "Her ability has saved my life more than once"

"Like in her dreams?"

"No, vampires don't sleep."

"I thought that was another rumor."

"No."

Leah rolled her eyes, making no effort to mask her impatience. "So why are you telling me about this?"

"Well, you think the Cullens are bad? They're butterflies compared to the Volturi."

Leah leaned forward, curious; clearly, she thought the Cullens were the threat until now.

"The Volturi are vampire royalty in a sense; they weren't given the power; they merely took it, built an empire of sorts in Italy, and now whenever a vampire gets out of line or causes too much ruckus, they step in and deal with them by any means necessary."

"Like what?"

"They kill them, Leah, or, in some cases, they let them live but only after the punishment and make them only wish they were dead."

"How many of them are there?"

"To be honest, I have no idea, but they're gifted, like Alice, with abilities that would frighten any supernatural being on the planet, including werewolves."

"I doubt that."

"You shouldn't."

With that, I reluctantly handed her the letter. Leah studied it in my hand for a moment before snatching it from me. I watched her open it up and begin to read, seeing her expression change as the news of the Volturi's impending arrival washed over her like a tidal wave, bringing her down further and further until there was nothing but darkness. Leah swallowed hard as she handed the letter back to me.

"They're coming here?"

"If her letter is right, one or more of them may even appear as early as tomorrow."

"Why didn't you warn us? Why didn't you at least warn Jake?"

"Look at the postal mark, the letter just arrived, and then..."

"And then what? What took priority over this?"

"You." I stated unequivocally.

Leah looked away from me, then began drumming her nails on the tabletop.

"Tell me about this spell she was talking about."

Instead of explaining it, I handed her the same information I had been provided with, and as she began to read, I poured myself a glass of water in an effort to put off a threatening headache. I hadn't even eaten breakfast yet, and already I felt totally wrecked, almost destroyed. I returned to my seat and downed the glass in mere minutes, returning to refill the glass a further two times before Leah finished reading through the history of the spell and its requirements.

"She wrote in that letter that the spell had to be followed exactly the way it was back then."

I nodded in response.

"So she wants your boyfriend to be part of a spell that marries him to you and two other girls? So you can have a protection shield or something over you that's going to protect you all against these Italian vampires?"

"In a nutshell." I responded, raising my glass in a toast to my pending future, my expression completely blank.

"Well, you can't do it."

"You know what I'll face if I stay."

"According to Jake, you've been a zombie these past few months; everybody knows who is responsible for that."

"It's complicated."

"Right, I'd never understand." She paused to scoff. "Because I've never been dumped by the one person in my life I loved most."

"…Leah, I'm sorry."

"Save it," She paused to scratch the back of her neck. "He did you a solid by leaving town. My guy stayed and started seeing another girl. So you can sit there and reflect on how bad your situation is. But put yourself in my shoes: imagine he dumped you, stayed around, and then you see him with another girl after only a few weeks. You have no doubt that he still loves you, that what you two shared was unique, a once in a lifetime kind of love, that you're the girl in the movie to whom he'll pledge his love by the end, that this new girl is just a stand-in and you're the one."

Tears pricked my eyes as I attempted to picture the pain she had endured. I knew the history between her and Sam, and she was right to call me out on my thoughtlessness.

"You're right."

"I'm living the nightmare over here too."

For a moment neither of us said anything until Leah finally braved it and broke the silence herself.

"So, like I said, there's no way you'll do this spell."

"You," I paused again. "You need to explain that to me."

"You really think you can see him with two other girls? Share their lives together? Have miniature blood suckers with them?"

"I don't know him anymore." I answered her honestly.

"And even if I did, I wouldn't be witnessing it daily."

"What do you mean by daily?"

I handed her the next few pages of my research, again taking the risk that she might run off right this second and tell Jacob my intentions, but I figured she'd stuck around this long; she may as well continue to poke holes in my logic. I explained to her my theory that Edward could buy all three houses side by side, which each wife would live in, and together they could put together a schedule of sorts, where every few days or every other day Edward would live in the house with a different wife. I went on to explain about Edward and the sunlight and his diet, why I picked Utah, and how I believed life could be if enough effort was put into it.

"Leah, I know what I can handle. I know myself just like you do," I paused to sigh. "I know exactly what I can and cannot handle."

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"Why?"

"Because your perception of me is that I'm a naive teen who fell in love with a vampire?"

The phone began to ring then, and the answering machine in the sitting room immediately kicked in after the first ring. Charlie used to leave this on whenever he went away for the weekend, just in case anyone from work wanted to leave him a message to come back to. Plus, it wasn't as if I got many phone calls these days.

"Bella? Bella, are you there?" A seemingly distraught Angela asked over the machine.

"She's a friend from school." I explained as I got to my feet.

"Please come get me, my parents." She stopped and sobbed louder into the receiver. "I just found out they're getting divorced, and then I saw," She sobbed loudly again. "I saw Eric with Jessica; he had his hand in her blouse."

I reached out for the kitchen phone on the wall, answering her call.

"I'm here."

"Bella?"

"Yeah, I'm here; what's happened? Do you need me to come over?"

"No, I'm not home," She cried. "I'm driving."

"Okay, pull in; don't say anything until you've stopped the car, okay?"

"I can't."

"Angela, just pull over; okay, you're really upset. Just please listen to me."

"Okay, okay, I'm pulling in."

"Good, okay, good. Now," I stopped to run my hand down my face. "Uh, do you want to come over here?

I looked over my shoulder at Leah, who could hear Angela through the phone with zero difficulty; the poor girl was practically hysterical. I turned back around and held in the urge to sigh. I didn't have the time to deal with this right now. I understood she needed help, but I was in a practically unusual situation at the moment, and I needed time to think.

"No, your dad is there."

"Charlie's gone for the weekend. Just stop by."

"Are you sure?"

I glanced over at Leah again, who shook her head at me.

"Yeah, of course." I replied.

I hung up the phone and turned back in Leah's direction, finding she was turning the page on the papers in front of her, looking at the property details of the last house. The truth is, a small part of me was totally in love with the brown house that came first; the one in the middle was only slightly better because of the backyard pool; then came the one Leah was reading about, the one right on the end in soft blue.

I returned to my seat, crossing my legs together as I looked her way.

"This girl is coming over; does she know about the Cullens?"

"No, course not," I slid back into my seat and sighed. "I don't have time for this." I whispered.

"Never mind then." I thought I heard Leah say.

"Never mind what?"

She never looked up from the page only shrugged

"Tell me." I encouraged.

"No, if I do, then I might vomit in my own mouth."

"That wouldn't be the worst thing to happen in here today." I reminded her.

Leah huffed and ran her fingers through her damp hair, clenching slightly at the ends. She continued to glance in my direction without saying a word before she finally returned to her page-turning.

"I don't know. I just find it really strange that you need two girls to help you live, and suddenly, two girls show up." She said before looking at me for my response.

I held my breath then as her words sank in, trying to make some semblance of sense from them as her eyes met mine. Was she accusing me of setting this up? Or was she actually suggesting that she and Angela, whom she didn't know, be part of a spell that would marry them to Edward, a vampire she hated and might be tempted to kill?

"I think you're losing it." I said.

"I don't think I am." Leah replied and began to nod her head slowly.

"Leah, you're not serious. What are you telling me here?" I asked before I scoffed, "You're making fun of me, and...I'm not up for this."

Leah finally looked up at me and said, "I'm not," which she repeated slightly softer.

I shook my head in disbelief, but her dark eyes remained on mine until I finally stopped.

"You despise Edward."

"Yeah I do." She replied, almost through grinded teeth.

"So why would you even suggest such a thing?"

"Really? You can't think of one single reason?"

"I think I need to hear it from you."

Leah closed the binder, leaning her arms across it as she moved forward in her chair.

"All of the wolves are up in Canada right now, hunting some red-headed vampire they've been chasing for weeks," Leah paused and drummed her finger nails on the table briefly "The second they come back here, they'll know I've fazed; they'll be able to hear my thoughts and every thought I have for the rest of my life," She stopped and looked down at her drumming fingers "Including my grief for my father, my love for Sam and everything else a girl likes to keep to herself."

I continued to stare right back at her as she started to make a lot of sense.

Leah held Alice's letter in her hand then "I don't like him; I don't have to like him; I just have to trust that he's as committed to the spell and getting the hell out of here as I am. Simple."

I opened my mouth to speak but she stopped me "There is nothing else to work out or focus on. If he is genuine, then so am I. That you have my word on." She attempted to assure me.

I swallowed hard before reminding her of what was mentioned in the letter: "He doesn't want to do the spell."

"Well, regardless of what I think of you, his sister seems to think you can persuade him," She adjusted in her seat. "You seem the type to get things done the way you want. I don't have to like it to respect it."

"You could just be saying all of this to get me to drop my guard; the minute the spell is done, you could try and hurt him."

"I studied that spell; it binds the wives to the husband through blood and trust. I don't want to know the backlash of what might happen to me if I even thought about doing such a thing. The spell could hurt me, I wouldn't risk myself. Besides I'm giving you my word."

"You say that-"

"I guess you're going to have to trust your gut, just the way women like us have been doing for decades."

"So I should trust you based solely on the fact that you want to get out of town?"

"If you were in my shoes, what would you do?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but when I met her eyes, I found myself at a complete loss for words. I couldn't imagine the pain she was dealing with right now, but I knew for sure that if I were in her shoes, I'd be on the next flight out of here. I'd want to separate myself from my whole life here, and only Edward would be in the seat next to me, who wouldn't bat an eyelid as I squeezed his hand for support.

Leah wasn't the friendliest of people; she seemed to be the type who got things done on her own because she'd been let down by those who claimed they wanted to help her. Did I trust her? Not a chance. But did I trust that she wanted to get out of Forks and never look back?

"Look at me," I said softly, not wanting it to sound like an order but a request, before I leaned forward "This spell would bind you to Edward; you would become his wife." I said very slowly for her to take in the magnitude of this situation.

"I know," She said before nodding her head "I'm not doing this for you and especially not for him. This is my way of escaping the pack and to assure I remain hidden for the rest of my life."

"Leah," I sighed

"Look, I'm offering this solution with zero hidden agendas. I'm the only girl you probably know in this town who isn't after your boyfriend. Just her freedom."

"Please look at me," I repeated without sounding any more pathetic than necessary. She did so without the slightest hesitation.

"If somehow we got Angela on board and we somehow got her to come to grips with vampires, werewolves, and the idea of being Edward's wife," I hesitated "Not only do we have to convince Edward to do the spell, but we have to face the reality of our future," I leaned forward in my seat "You would be living in a house with him," I took a moment "None of us have any money, translation Edward would own all three houses and would be paying for your food, furniture and keeping you alive and safe."

I leaned back in the chair then "And if we're gonna do this right, if we're gonna keep this spell strong then the two of you have to continue to trust each other, you two can't spend all day every day keeping out of each other's way, you both would have to find a way to deal with each other."

"Says the girl who doesn't even realize yet she's gonna have to do the same thing," Leah met my gaze "As his now ex-girlfriend."

"Listen to yourself, you can't even say his name half the time." I said burying my face into my hands.

"I speak my mind and I'm sorry if you're sensitive to that but it's just who I am and-" She paused to take a deep breath "But I also know that I don't want to live this life anymore; I don't want to be a part of a group of men who act superior to me."

She shook her head, and I could see the tears forming in her eyes as she fought them off. That's when I realized it.

"You truly hate every single one of them, don't you?"

Leah met my gaze; she wasn't an angry woman in that moment; she was an honest one, and she nodded once, and that was enough.

"It's been tough." Leah admitted.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

I risked and asked "You okay?"

Leah just shook her head and wiped away a single tear the second it dared to escape her eye.

"They just talk down to me, like I'm not even a person." She stopped as her chin trembled.

"I'm gonna give you a minute." I told her before I got up and left the room.

I knew Leah was struggling to maintain her composure. When I returned to the kitchen she looked up at me with a neutral expression. I slid back down into my seat and rested my arms out in front of me.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked her.

Leah nodded.

"But can you do this?" She asked me.

"No." I admitted.

"Why not? Say what you're thinking."

I swallowed before answering, "I'm not going to pretend that I've really processed it all; I think, no, I know that seeing him will make me feel everything twice as hard, but at the same time, I think you and I are on the same boat, and that kind of helps."

"We are in the same boat. We both need to get out of here."

"But this isn't a situation where we can decide everything later."

Leah leaned forward. "Maybe it is. Maybe it's a case of the both of us or, okay, the three of us saying," She paused to gather her thoughts. "Maybe we push past all the cringeworthy moments and we say to each other, as three women, I don't know what's going to happen, but if you're in then so am I."

I nodded because she was right; that was a reasonable thing to do. I agreed with her; I felt the same way.

"I'm in if you are."

"I'm in." Leah said and I truly believed her.

This was something I knew I was going to remember for the rest of my life, this small moment. This was the first girl I trusted beyond the Cullen women and my own mom. I didn't fully understand why, she was still Leah and I knew very little of her. But there was just something in her eyes, a deep knowing look I knew.

"So then that leaves the question of, how are we going to get your friend on board? What was her name?"

"Her name is Angela Webber."

"Can you trust her?"

I brought my fingers through the top of my hair, then swept it slightly to the side.

"First, I'm going to have to convince her that vampires and werewolves aren't just in books and movies."

"How long did it take your blood sucker to confess the truth to you?"

"He didn't tell me, I figured it out on my own. I don't even know how I'm going to do this, though."

With that said, there was a knock on the front door, causing Leah and I to lock eyes.

"Times up." Leah said as I rose to my feet.

I went to the door with my heart threatening to burst out of my chest, I unlocked the front door to find Angela a blubbering mess. She immediately wrapped her arms around me and sobbed against my shoulder, unable to let go. I rubbed her back gently up and down, soothing her the best I could as I guided her inside and used the heel of my shoe to kick the door shut behind us.

We remained alone in the hall for a few minutes as she collected herself. I finally collected a few tissues for her and helped her dry her eyes before I reluctantly guided her into the kitchen, as time was of the essence. Leah had excused herself and attempted to leave, believing she was interrupting, but I convinced her to stay. Leah's having overheard Angela's telephone message put her immediately at ease when she admitted she too was having a bad day, and that's how she found her way here too.

I was surprised by Leah's sudden openness but was quickly reminded that Leah knew we were on a tight schedule and that she was doing what was necessary, like she and I were already on the same team or something. I encouraged Angela to tell us about it, and despite Leah being a perfect stranger, Angela took my seat and began to confide in us about the morning she had.

As she began, I gathered her a glass of milk and two aspirins to take. Her head must have been pounding with all that crying; I know mine would be by now. I took a seat between them and listened closely. Angela and her brothers were informed at breakfast that morning that her parents were getting a divorce. Her father was leaving Forks to live with a man he had met at church. Her mother was devastated and had made plans for Angela and her brothers to go and live with her grandparents for the next few months; apparently, she was going to a retreat in the south of France. Angela explained that the exact words she used were "Some me time."

Mrs. Weber left the table as Angela burst into tears, claiming she couldn't deal with her pain and had to focus on herself. Angela had dropped off her brothers at their grandmothers and returned home to find her mother getting into a cab without even saying goodbye. Her father was also gone; his side of the closet was completely empty, as were his office and his nightstand. He'd been aware he was leaving their home, and piece by piece, he had removed his things from the home. Then, if all of that wasn't enough, she had driven over to Eric's house when she couldn't reach him on his phone and pulled up only to discover Jessica's car was in the driveway. When she confronted them, Jessica revealed they had been seeing each other since the night of the dance, but Angela wasn't allowed to say anything and if Angela told, she was the bitch.

Apparently, Jessica was going through a lot that she couldn't talk about, and she felt attacked by Angela.

It was at this point that Leah looked at me and said, "And you gave her a glass of freaking milk?"

I had collected some more tissues for Angela and disposed of the used ones. I was speechless over what she had gone through; for her parents to practically abandon her, and then for Jessica to claim to be the victim in all of this, was insane. Both Leah and Angela had real-life problems compared to mine; in reality, both of their families were falling apart, they had real-life pain, and all I had to do right now was shut up and listen. Angela had no idea what she wanted to do; she loved her grandmother and grandpa, and she knew her brothers would be happy there; no doubt they'd go to the beach together today and probably see a Pixar movie that night.

They were the type of grandparents who were fun, gave you good gifts, but also knew when you were lying, which made them as perfect as can be to take care of them. She came here because she didn't want to spend the day alone; the thought of going home to her big, empty house with all the photographs and memories on the walls was too much. It was then that Leah confessed about the death of her father and how she didn't want to go home either. Angela had apologized for her loss and again offered to leave, thinking it was only appropriate. Leah told her to sit down.

Again, Angela had apologized to her for talking about divorce and cheating boyfriends when Leah was dealing with the worst pain of all. Leah stopped beating around the bush right then and there, telling Angela there was a way she could help her, actually help the both of us. Leah instructed me to put on a pot of coffee as she saw the blood drain from my face as she began to confess the truth to Angela about our plans.

It wasn't until I began pouring the coffee that I understood Leah's reasoning behind it: we were all going to need a lot of caffeine for the day and night ahead if Angela agreed to do this, and the more caffeine, the better for us in the long run. Leah spoke about the history of werewolves first. I didn't take my eyes off Angela as she listened closely, trying to keep up with Leah as she went into all the necessary and sometimes horrific details. She told her how many wolves there were and about them being in Canada chasing something that was hunting me. I didn't think it was possible for Leah to confess such things about the pack, but then I remembered she hadn't officially joined them yet, and until she did, I guess she could speak freely. When Leah finished, I had begun to confess the history of vampires and had just begun to mention the Cullens when Angela accused us of trying to make fun of her. Half an hour later and a lot more tears later, Angela still wasn't convinced and even got up to leave a few times. Finally, Leah had gotten up from the table, which made Angela do the same. I had rushed after both of them, only to bang into Angela in the hallway as we were confronted by a gray werewolf snarling back at us.

Angela opened her mouth to scream when I reacted faster, covering her mouth with my hand. Leah fazed back to her human form as Angela continued to scream into my palm and batter her fists into my arm, which was now holding her steady in place. Leah had gotten in Angela's face and repeated gently, "Breathe. Calm down."

Until Angela finally, and I mean finally, settled herself down to both our relief. I let her go and ran to the front door, opening it and telling Angela that we were wrong to tell her, that I understood if she never wanted to see or speak to me again, and that I was so sorry for involving her in this. Angela did leave. She left the house and went down to her car, starting up the engine. When she paused, she cut the engine and remained there for a few minutes during which time neither Leah and I said a word to one another. I didn't know if I wanted her to stay or leave but I felt the blood return to my face at the sound of Angela cutting off the engine.

Letting herself into the house and shutting the door behind her, her eyes were on me as she asked, "Why did you decide to tell me now?"

Leah got herself dressed in the kitchen, and together we all took a seat on the staircase, with me near the top, Angela around the middle, and Leah on the bottom. I wasted little time and practically blurted out that the Cullen family were all vampires. I, like Leah, explained their abilities, their diet and history, how they came to find each other and become a family, and the real truth behind how I discovered Edward's secret along with all the Cullen's additional abilities. Leah had gone into the kitchen and collected all the information and Alice's letter after I first brought up the subject of the Volturi.

Leah and I watched Angela read through Alice's letter, then the history of the spell, the wives, and the spell itself. Before going on to explain the Volturi, who they were, what they stood for, how I came to know of them, and confirming Alice's warning about them in the letter, Angela, like Leah, was shocked and couldn't believe I'd entered into such a relationship; she didn't need to know Edward was a vampire to see the love we had for each other before they left town; she didn't know Edward that well obviously.

"Yeah, I didn't even need to know Alice to know she was right in the letter; trying to convince him into this arrangement will be extremely difficult." Angela said

It was right around then that Angela clocked the exchanged looks between Leah and me and put two and two together. Again, Leah and I offered to let her leave and forget about the whole day, but Angela, being curious, continued to push. Like with Leah, I had to explain my theory about how life would be after the spell, and Leah supplied Angela with the information regarding the houses. Leah and I were at a complete loss for words when Angela spent more time looking at the pictures of the middle house than of the other two. There was no way that this was fate; it was merely a coincidence.

"Bella, you know how much I care about you, but I don't know if I can do this. I'm sorry."

"No, I get it. Trust me." I replied wholeheartedly.

Angela looked down at Leah and asked, "Are you considering this?"

"I am," Leah confessed. "I was in your shoes two hours ago.

"It took you two hours to decide to marry someone?"

"It took me five seconds for me to realize my fate if I didn't."

"Bella said so herself; this group of vampires is probably on their way to Forks this second and aren't the type to grant mercy."

"So you've met them?"

"No, and I won't be sticking around for introductions. I'm the only female werewolf in decades; they're going to find out and they're going to come after me," Leah shared before shaking her head. "I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure that doesn't happen."

Angela shifted uncomfortably before asking "Are you sure this isn't just a favor for Bella?"

"Angela." I said

"No, I don't even like her."

When I looked down at Leah, she shrugged innocently "Come on, let's not pretend otherwise. Let's just be honest."

"She's right, and to answer your question, it's not a favor to me; I mean, read the letter again if you have to; I'm just as new to this as you both are; I still don't know if I'm capable of doing this, I'm about to beg the person I love to marry me and two other girls just so that we can all survive."

I sighed heavily. "This isn't what I envisioned for my life."

"We're all in the same boat." Leah spoke out then: "Nothing is going to be the same again, spell or no spell."

"What do you mean by that?" Angela challenged her.

Leah sighed and crossed her legs before answering, "It means that I'm leaving Forks with or without doing the spell."

I locked eyes with Leah "You don't feel at home here anymore, do you?"

"It hasn't felt like home in a while, and after this morning, I just can't be here anymore."

The silence that followed was comfortable.

"I know I'm not needed here, and-" Leah looked at Angela and me, then said, "Maybe, I don't know, maybe I'm needed in Utah instead."

I dipped my head as I began to speak, not being able to look at either of them: "I know I have no right to ask either of you for help; Leah and I don't know each other, and Angela, I haven't been a friend to you or anyone really since Edward left town." I mustered up the courage to look at them, then said, "I'm asking the impossible of both of you, but I'm asking regardless. I'm not asking you to do it for me; I'm asking that you do this for you and only you."

"If you need to stay here for your brothers, then stay with my full support. But if—" I stopped myself from losing it and managed to keep my tone in check. "If you want to go, then say it, and there will be zero judgment or questions."

Angela tucked her hair behind her ear. "It's not just my family, Bella. I mean, what about school? We can't just walk out on our lives."

"I couldn't care less about school; after today, I feel like I've been hit by a truck, and finishing school is the last thing on my mind. I feel like I'm beyond it now; I don't need to ask permission to go to the bathroom; I don't care about getting a good grade or even going to college. I feel like," I paused and clasped my hands together. "I'll be honest and say I don't know what exactly I want in this moment, only that I want out of this town. Even if that means no more family and no more Forks, none of it matters in the long run if I'm dead."

"What I'm trying to say is, there is a lot to consider here," Angela said, dropping her hands. "If I were to agree to this," she looked back and forth between Leah and me. "We will all be married to Edward. I mean, do you hear how insane that sounds?"

"Yes." Leah and I both agreed together.

"We are talking about leaving our homes and moving to Utah to be different people, and..." Angela's knees trembled, as did her voice. "Besides the spell being really complicated and all that other stuff," Angela took a deep breath before she finally said, "Just the idea of leaving Forks makes me feel like a weight is coming off my chest that I didn't even know was there."

I immediately slid down a few stairs then and reached out for her hand, which she eagerly accepted. I watched her as she dried her eyes; I looked to Leah motioning for her and she joined us, sitting just one step down and across from Angela.

"I know I should be consumed with guilt over leaving, but I'm not." Angela continued, "I don't think I belong here anymore either."

For a while none of us said anything and Angela managed to pull herself together although her tears did not stop.

"But, guys, no for real. How do we get out of Forks without being followed by this Volturi?"

I couldn't keep a single thought right in my head, this was actually happening and it was happening quicker than I could keep up with. Angela and Leah were both agreeing to come to Utah and all the right and necessary questions were all being addressed with haste.

"Well, Holly wrote in the journal that after the spell they returned to their home to gather up their possessions." I explained.

"Right I remember that, she wrote about how they had to fit it all onto a single carriage because they only had one horse." Angela recalled.

"She said the spell allowed them a twelve-hour window to escape." I said

"Yeah that's right." Leah agreed.

"But we wouldn't need that long to get out of here." I said.

"Not even close."

"But we do need a way of escaping so no one, including the Volturi, will come looking for us."

"So if Edward arrives at midnight," I stopped.

"No, go on."

"Say what you were going to say." Angela encouraged.

"I just don't want to sound like I'm taking over, but in my option, I think if we managed to convince him then, I think we aim to be out or be heading out of Forks for four at the latest."

"That's a good idea. We should leave while it's still dark out, we could be on a highway by sunrise if we time it right." Leah replied.

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah I really think that's possible, yeah it is."

"I mean, think about it; her grandparents will call her tomorrow to check on her; you said Charlie is back on Monday, and I know the guys won't be back until then either; they said they weren't leaving until they caught her this time."

"So the time is actually close to freaking perfect." Angela said.

"How long would it take us to get to Utah?" You had directions printed out in the kitchen." Leah asked me.

"The fastest route would be around fifteen hours; but the trip alone is over a thousand miles, it's gonna be brutal." I told them.

"Plus we'd need to keep a steady speed to reduce our chances of being pulled over, make sure all tail lights and everything else is working to avoid trouble." Leah noted.

"It would be even better for us if we could get out of town with a car that would blend in on any road." I said.

"So that rules out both mine and Bella's car." Angela said.

I leaned forward "Actually come to think of it, Charlie's been keeping an eye on our neighbour's house while they're out of town. They have a station wagon parked in their garage. I know because Charlie went down there before he left for his trip to turn the engine over." I told them.

"Yeah but station wagon's aren't really popular these days. It would stick out." Leah noted.

I sighed and nodded.

"But at the same time, can we really afford to risk taking one of our own cars?" Angela asked.

She was right, her car had a customized purple tone that was a gift from her parents on her last birthday and my truck was well known throughout town with the roar of my engine alone. Anyone out in about early tomorrow morning could easily tell Charlie they saw my car or Angela's at four in the morning in town.

"And none of us are about to reveal they can hot wire a car so," Angela sighed "Do you think it's worth a shot?"

I nodded "Charlie never took the keys with him, they're on the front wheel where the owner left them."

"But what about the garage? How do you get in?" Leah asked.

"No it's unlocked, I know because Charlie mentioned how stupid that was, it was actually the first thing he said when he came back in."

Angela looked between us "We're talking about stealing a car right now? Seriously?"

"Would it be the worst thing?" I asked not even believing my own words.

Leah glared at both of us "If we stay here. We die."

Her words struck a chord with both of us. We had to get to grip with our reality and fast.

Our next stage was planning our cover. We discussed a lot of theories, some were more practical and others were just straight up ridiculous when we really thought about them. In the end it was Leah's plan that got the deciding vote. Leah's plan was for us to work together to make it appear like she had fazed into a wolf for the first time and in a moment of weakness she found herself in the forest near my house in the middle of the night. She was so consumed with her hatred for me and my relationship with vampires that she had entered my home in the dead of the night and found Angela and I there. Anyone would believe after the day Angela had that it only made sense for her to sleep over at a friend's house instead of going home to face her parents. It was then that Leah lashed out and brutally murdered the two of us. Then when she fazed back she was overcome with guilt and fear over what Jacob and the rest of the wolves would do to her.

Leah would spend the entire night covering her tracks, she would get rid of our bodies, clean down both our homes to remove all traces of our scents so the wolves couldn't find our bodies when they returned and when all the evidence was finally destroyed she would write a letter for Charlie to find. It would be from me explaining that Angela and I had decided to go travelling together and that I didn't know if I would ever come back again. I had told Leah that Jacob and Charlie would know my handwriting and that's why she said it was a good idea that she wrote the letter. It would support the wolves theory that Leah had killed us and it would also in time help Charlie to realize something had happened that night and I was truly gone forever.

We all agreed Charlie and the others would believe that I had wanted to run away after my break up with Edward. Angela said some people at school might even believe I had gone off to find Edward because shamefully they believed I was the reason he left. Angela like me didn't like the plan but agreed that it did make sense in the long run when all things are considered. She knew her parents would believe that after their announcement she didn't want to be around either of them.

Leah explained the wolves would know the truth but that they would cover up her crime just like they had when Sam attacked Emily. Leah told us both about that day, what had happened, where it happened and how the wolves covered it up. It occurred to me then that Charlie had never brought it up, how there was no report of any crime and how casual a subject it was among the wolves now. Leah was taking a huge risk in framing herself for our murders and we told her this repeatedly. This meant that no mattered what happened after tonight she'd never be able to return to Forks ever again. If the wolves believed she was a murderer then she would be signing her own death warrant if she ever crossed the state line. Leah had taken a few minutes alone in the kitchen to fully grasp the plan but she was confident in her decision despite our obvious unease.

"What will others think about you skipping town around the same time?"

"Grief." Leah replied flatly.

"I don't know about this. You'll never be able to face any of the wolves again."

"I'm aware."

"That means Sam too."

"I know," Leah said, tucking her hair behind her ear "I get that."

"Uh, does blood smell different from our scent?" I asked Leah.

"I ran by a dead hedgehog when I was fazed; it smelled like the forest, but the blood was, I don't know, like rust or something."

"So if we went with this plan, then..."

"All three of us have to get rid of our scents, Jacob, and the rest will be more convinced that I am responsible since I went to the effort of masking not only my scent but yours."
"So our clothes-"

"Not just clothes, bed linens, towels, blankets, cushions, couch cushions, curtains, shoes, scarves, gloves, and hats; gather them all up and scrub them," She sighed and drummed her nails as she looked around us "But that's only half the work. You'll need to scrub every inch of your house, put on hair nets or something and gloves, and don't take them off until you're out the door tomorrow morning. Scrub everything you've ever touched, and then scrub everything you've never touched, and then do it all over again. I cannot underestimate the strength of supernatural senses."

"She's right." I agreed.

"But what about the blood?" Angela asked "I mean it has to be our blood they find."

I got to my feet then and made my way out to the hallway, grabbing Charlie's keys to his cruiser and keeping an eye out for any neighbors as I headed outside. I opened up the trunk and began to look through his police issued first-aid supplies. I returned to the house with two new items in hand, closing and locking the door behind me.

"What is that?" Leah asked

I held them up for them to see for themselves. I had brought two blood transfusion sets from the first aid supplies.

I returned to my seat, and we began to talk about all the necessary work ahead of all of us. We discussed the products we'd need to scrub the houses down, along with our cars, lockers, desks, and chairs at school. I came up with the idea of how we would approach the spell: we'd leave a note on my front door for Edward to find, and when he arrived here tonight, he would see that we were united in our decision and that there was no turning back. We all understood that if Edward were to agree to the spell, we would all wish to travel to Utah without him just like the original spell casters had. I wanted to put the girls' minds at ease by saying that I didn't think of myself as any different from them and planned to tell Edward that.

We discussed what we'd need for the road; the fewer gas stops, the better, and that's when I came up with the idea of taking the gas canisters from our garage that Charlie didn't know I'd forgotten to throw out. There were five of them, and they were so huge that they'd probably fill up most of the trunk of the station wagon, but if I got them all filled, then we wouldn't have to stop for gas. We wanted to take every precaution, so we all agreed to not stop anywhere unnecessary, which meant no toilet breaks; we'd pull over on the side of the road when necessary, and that was it. We wouldn't even risk using public restrooms; we all agreed to brave it like adults and pee in the woods if and when we had to.

Then there was the plan for tonight and the timeline. Angela offered to get the necessary items for the fire. We weren't going to use any flammable liquids; we'd burn wood and dead leaves just as they did. And I offered to be the one to go to the school and scrub down our lockers, chairs, and desks in case the wolves ventured there when they had no luck at the houses.

Angela and I went upstairs to the bathroom, armed with some plastic take-out containers and the blood transfusion kits. I was the first to take the needle, and I quickly did the same for Angela. We sat down on the floor of the bathroom and watched our blood make its way down our separate tubes and into the containers; it had to be enough so it was believable, and even though some of it would be mopped up and disposed of, the residue would remain for the wolves to smell. While we were doing that, Leah fazed downstairs and used her wolf nails to scratch the surfaces. We agreed on the corner of the rug so she could use it to disguise the markings, on the wallpaper that she could push the side table a few inches to the left to cover, on the floor of the kitchen that we'd cover slightly with the dust bin, and then on the backdoor around like she had broken in through it, she was going to leave paw prints to and from the backdoor for Jacob or one of the others to find and eventually cover up.

As we sat there alone on the bathroom floor, we reached out for each other's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze and release, focusing our attention on anything but the blood flowing into the clear containers beside us as it increased. What we were doing was idiotic but completely necessary if we were going to pull off our plan. Leah, Angela, and I had covered all our bases; we, like many women before us, had covered every minute detail before we made backup plans for our backup plans. We all agreed that what we were doing was stupid, selfish, and beyond reckless, but the idea of staying here—the idea of just waiting for the Volturi to track us—was enough to light a fire under each of us. We didn't have to be on the same page for our future in Utah to work for us; we didn't have to think about that yet. We agreed that talk could wait until we were out of the state and all together in the car.

We decided that our own focus was on the tasks ahead, and there were a lot of them for each of us to take responsibility for; none of us was sharking the weight onto another; we were all doing the heavy lifting together as a team of sorts. We'd been together for the past six hours, but it felt much longer. We'd encourage each other's ideas and truly listen to what the others had to say.

After the blood was prepared, we sealed it shut and kept it in the bathroom together with a bar of soap on top of my blood so I would know which blood was which. I gave a plaster to Angela and applied one to my own arm. When we returned to Leah, she was back to her human form and sliding on my leggings. I looked down at the rug, and despite only seeing the edge of the claw marks, you could tell they were there right beneath the surface and ready to be spotted when the time came.

"Remember, after you clean, you have to make sure you put everything back to the way it is now." Leah instructed

"I will," I assured her before turning to Angela. "Remember to wash and bring the clothes you're wearing right now back with you tonight. We will plant them in my room along with mine and make it look like we got into our pajamas and went to bed the night before."

"No problem. I'll remember."

"Also, don't forget to leave a note for your parents or grandparents to find stating you intended to spend tonight at my house; then it looks like-"

"I slept over, and we decided to run away that night or early morning." Angela finished my sentence.

I apologized to her then, for I knew I was repeating what she already knew. Each of us had gone over the plan step by step, and we were going to pull this off because we all had something to lose if we didn't.

"Alright, I'll take the forest back to my house; probably best no one sees me leave your place," Leah said, joining us then.

"Remember, when you clean your house, use the strongest bleach and disinfectants you can get your hands on, go red in the face, and don't stop until you physically ache."

"Okay." Angela and I agreed together.

"And remember to ditch your phones."

"Oh, before I forget."

I made my way upstairs to my bedroom and collected my laptop, bringing it back downstairs with me and handing it to Leah. "Could you get rid of this for me?"

"Why?"

"I already removed my browser history, but if you could break the hard drive in half and destroy the laptop just to make sure it's gone forever."

"Yeah I can do that I guess, there's a cliff that even Sam is terrified to jump off so the other wolves don't go anywhere near it. I'll break it into pieces and toss one half down that cliff and the other down another to be sure."

"Alright, so for right now all we need to do is get all the clothes and linens boil washed with bleach," I said to them "Cleaning our houses and packing our bags comes after we meet…Edward."

We were standing in the kitchen as I handed Leah the paperwork containing every route between us and Utah "You sure you don't mind studying them on top of all of this?"

"It's important, besides I don't have that much clothes to wash and my house isn't nowhere near the size as this." She said.

The station wagon we planned to take was old and wouldn't contain a GPS system, so we had to go old-school on this one, which worked out better for us anyway. It was one less way of us being tracked after we got out of town.

I looked between the two of them, and Angela nodded "Just go through it one more time."

Leah rolled her eyes, but I didn't want Angela to know.

"Okay, we meet at the meadow tonight as discussed. Then, assuming all goes well-"

"It will." Angela said softly.

"Right, well, assuming that, then we go home and we clean; we clean hard, and we pack only the clothes we know won't be spotted right away. And remember, whatever personal items we take are the same; we can only take a few photographs and childhood items. Don't take something you know for sure someone will notice." I said.

"And then later." Angela encouraged me to continue.

"Then later, we meet at my house for four and no later." I said.

Leah and Angela nodded along with me.
Although Angela and I exchanged a one-armed hug, there was nothing more than a nod exchanged between Leah and me. While Leah headed from my house via the woods in her wolf form, Angela, with her hood up, kept her head down as she left to head to her car. I didn't watch her leave; of course, I kept an eye from my bedroom window, where it was safe. We'd all agreed not to speak any further until we met at our agreed-upon location tonight; the fewer phone calls and distractions, the better.

From this second forward, every second counts.

After they left, I finally broke down. I cursed myself for even entertaining the idea of leaving Charlie behind to enter into a new life without him, my mom, or Phil. But the further away I was from him, the safer he would be; with me gone, he could live a warm and sheltered life free of further supernatural threats. I cried over the reality that, should I manage to convince Edward to participate, he would be married to two other girls come morning. Just the thought of him agreeing to dedicate his life to not just me but the three of us was enough to give me a blinding headache. I had no choice but to take aspirin to dull the ache and give me the relief I so desperately needed.

If I didn't look after myself, get a grip, and focus, then I would be useless. I wasn't going to face Edward in this current state; I refused to stand before him and be anything less than a beckon of strength and endurance. I made myself some scrambled eggs on toast with a tall glass of orange juice. I had the television on in the sitting room to provide me some ease with background noise. Although I had an endless to-do list and limited time to eat, I'd been crying for almost a half hour, and I was wrecked. I ate my food on a plate I'd heated in the microwave to ensure it remained warm, as I took my time taking small bites and taking the time to actually taste it, not just swallow it.

I had a cooking show on in an effort to distract myself over the course of the next twenty minutes or so. I couldn't write a to-do list; everything had to remain a secret; no actions we took today could be traced; and so sadly, everything had to remain in my mind and not be put on the page. After I finished clearing away my plates, I switched off the television and found a hair tie upstairs in my room to get my hair off my shoulders and up out of the way so that I might fully focus on the hard work ahead.

I returned to the kitchen and collected black bin bags from beneath the sink where I stored all our cleaning products. Upstairs in my bedroom, I collected every item from my closet, including all of my clothes, including my shoes, scarves, hats, and gloves. After they were all successfully bagged and tossed to the bottom of the staircase, I went to work stripping the linens off my bed, everything from the pillowcases to the comforter and blanket. Everything that contained my scent had to be removed, and it would.I could feel the energy returning to me as I began to do the necessary work.

I retrieved all the towels from the bathroom, every piece of linen from the hallway closet, all the towels, and every curtain from every single room of the house. I separated each item outside the washing machine and dryer, ensuring that I didn't damage anything in my efforts to remove my scent. Each item in the first load, just like the others to follow, was put into the washing machine with double the amount of necessary detergent and set to the highest heat setting possible. Along with this, a full cup of bleach was added. Leah said every piece of clothing and linen had to literally stink of bleach to ensure our scents were removed fully. She said by the time we left our houses tonight, we shouldn't be able to breathe for the fumes.

Once the first load of clothes was working away, I took this time to leave the house and head across town to my school. The building was used during the weekend for community groups such as Zumba, and the computer rooms for further education classes. I'd arrived armed with a bottle of bleach and even a bottle of nail polish remover. No one saw me as I made my way inside, and despite the building not having cameras, I kept my head down regardless and my hood in place. I had parked my car four blocks away from the school grounds to ensure my truck wasn't spotted near it on the day that would be forever known as the day I disappeared along with Angela and Leah.

Once inside, I made my way to my locker, scrubbed it completely, and removed all my books and gym clothes until it was empty. I had to cover my mouth so as not to chock on the scent of the bleach and nail polish remover as I shut the locker behind me. I disbursed all the collected materials into the plastic bag I had brought along with me. Angela had provided me with her locker combination, and just like my locker, the padlocks on each would appear secure when, in reality, I hadn't clasped either of them. This would only go on to support our future story that Leah had broken into each of the lockers to remove traces of our smell, making finding mine and Angela's bodies impossible for the wolves.

After scrubbing down and collecting all of Angela's locker items, I headed for the nearest door, armed with the bag. I returned to my car and drove across town to the Italian restaurant. It was there that I parked my car around the corner and headed down the alleyway behind the restaurant. I lifted the lid of the garbage bin and discarded the contents of the bag, and to ensure it stayed hidden, I tipped the garbage over the top of it. Once this was done, I returned to my car and headed to the closest gas station outside of the town of Forks to fill up the five gas cans I'd taken from the garage and had stored in the back of the truck.

When I got to the grocery store, I collected everything to stock the fridge, freezer, and cabinets for at least the next two months. I bought all the ingredients I'd need to make Charlie's favorite meals. Unknown to the girls, I was buying food for the road and planned to make us enough that it would keep us fed for over a thousand miles. I stocked up on a few of Charlie's products, such as aftershave, shaving foam, boxers, socks and razors—not enough that he would suspect anything; after all, I had done this before for him without him battering an eye. I wasn't going to do anything that would raise Charlie's suspicion; he already knew I planned to go grocery shopping over the weekend anyway.

I thought a lot about Charlie as I pushed the cart around the store and loaded it up. I prayed that somehow he would find some level of acceptance soon and trust that wherever I was, I was happy and loved. That's what I had to at least tell myself in order to go on with the new life awaiting me in Utah. But I still had to convince Edward, who was this time making his way to Forks. Alice hadn't mentioned where he had been all this time, but I doubted he'd remained close by. Deep down, I believed if he had been close to Forks, I would have felt him somehow, and I hadn't. I'd felt alone for so long, but not anymore, not since this afternoon with Leah and Angela. I wasn't sure exactly how they felt, but I felt a small connection when we were together. I believed it was spiritual, the three of us coming together the way we did. The way we had sat down together and come up with the entire plan in a single afternoon, no idea was too small, and no one felt disheartened or unheard.

Edward would be angry that I had gone to these lengths; he'd discover Leah was now a wolf and that naive Angela was now indeed part of the fold, so to speak. They both knew about the spell and were willing participants; they weren't ready to discuss what their marriages to Edward would entail, but they were able to give us their word that they were ready to enter this sacred trust, a partnership of sorts. We would all be united in this spell, but each of our marriages to Edward would be very different indeed. But I couldn't allow my mind to wander into anything relating to marriage right now. We all agreed that when the three of us were on the road to Utah, we'd know when we were ready to discuss such matters, and until then, we were putting a pin in it. There was simply too much to do before then, and each item on the list had to be checked off for us to go further.

I took in the town of Forks as I made my way back to the house. I was never going to drive my truck through this town again, so I decided to appreciate it one last time. And then, as I pulled up at the house, I took it in, the lawn, the gutters that were always a little loose, my bedroom window, and our mail box. This is where I lived when I fell in love and where I recovered when my heart was broken; it's where my parents lived together when they were happy, and it's where Charlie would live for the rest of his life. I snapped on a fresh pair of latex gloves before I began to unload the truck, keeping them on as I stocked up the fridge, freezer, and cabinets. Everywhere was loaded without appearing overstocked. Before I left the kitchen, I seasoned two large chickens and put them in the oven to cook. I made my way upstairs to the attic and collected all the luggage that I could. I'd brought a few with me when I moved from Phoenix, and I collected a few duffel bags too, just to make sure I had enough for the stuff we'd need on the road as well as my items.

The washing machine had been working away this entire time alongside the dryer, and finally everything was ready for the next step. I ironed the towels, bed linens, and curtains before returning them to their places around the house. Before I began on my own clothes, I decided no matter what, I'd only take things of clothing I knew I hadn't worn much around Charlie, and therefore he wouldn't notice they were gone immediately. I pressed each piece carefully. Something about knowing Edward was going to see me wearing them in Utah made me feel good. I wanted to do my best for him despite everything.

When I was done packing up my cases, I brought them upstairs outside the front door before I returned upstairs to my bedroom. I collected only a few photographs, as Edward had taken most of them and no doubt destroyed them when he left town. I took only my favorite book, some CDs, my hairbrush, and a few toiletries. I packed them into the cases downstairs and zipped up everything before I stacked each case neatly against the wall by the front door, so they were out of my way and I didn't have to think about them any further tonight.

I could have been knocked over by a feather when I looked at the clock above the fridge in the kitchen and discovered it was already eleven thirty. I had become so consumed by my tasks that the time had just completely flown in. I ran upstairs, brushed my teeth, and gargled some mouthwash before untying my hair and letting it fall around my shoulders. I couldn't change my clothes; there was no time. I often wished I was the type of girl who wore makeup. I was about to see my ex-boyfriend for the first time in months, and the most I had done was use some mouthwash and spray some body spray. This was an even worse feeling than waking up late on your first day of school or getting a phone call in the middle of the night.

I wrote out the note for Edward to find when he arrived at my house tonight. My heart had been battering in my chest the entire time at the mere idea that he would soon be reading it. I merely instructed him to come find me in our meadow and nothing beyond. I stuck the note to the front door, ensuring it would remain there in place until the time came. I switched on the front porch light to ensure it grasped his attention at first sight. I wasted no time after that and quickly ran down the pathway towards my truck. I drove across town in the dark and picked up Angela, who sat on nothing as she slid into the seat beside me, armed with our supplies for the fire. Neither of us said a word to the other as we drew up at the forest line, where Leah quickly appeared in the same clothes she had left my house in earlier. I cut the headlights on my truck only after she gave us a nod that all was well.

Together, we carried all the supplies we needed into the forest and towards the meadow. Angela had brought a large cast iron pot that dated right back to the sixteenth century; her grandmother had kept it for years in their back garden as a flower pot. We collected only the wood we found in the forest, using pine, birch, and whatever else we could get our hands on from the oldest looking trees, as the spell stated that the wood was cut in the cold months, which meant winter in today's time. We gathered leaves and together filled the pot a handful at a time until all was well. All of us, even Leah, were shaking from the drop in temperature as the night darkened. We could each see our own breath as we worked to collect the wood and leaves.

Once everything was ready, Angela stood to my left and Leah to my right in front of the pot, as we had planned. We were signaling a united front for Edward's arrival.

"Do you think he'll show?" Angela whispered through chittering teeth.

"He'll show." I assured her.

None of us had brought our phones; we relied on Angela's watch for the time. Twenty minutes later, there was still no sign of Edward. We were all keeping an eye on the forest surrounding us for any signs of life; the sky above was clear enough to see the stars as we grew all the more impatient.

"Are you okay?" I asked Leah, and she nodded not feeling the cold nearly like Angela and I.

I turned to glance at Angela next, who was shivering furiously.

"I'm fine." She said it through her chattering teeth.

We were all becoming tired of waiting; my feet were beginning to ache, and Angela's lips were turning blue from the cold.

"Do you hear anything yet?" I asked Leah.

"No. Nothing," She responded, "You'd think he would have showed by now considering their speed."

It was then that I began to worry: where was he?

"Should I start the fire?"

"Not until he's here." I said.

I could feel Angela watching me from the corner of my eye.

"I'm okay," I promised her, "I don't want to be angry; I just want to get on with this."

She nodded before she added, "We're here, okay?" I saw her look Leah's way, "Both of us."

"Yeah, whatever." Leah shrugged.

Angela looked at her watch. "It's almost time. Any minute now"

Right, just any minute now and I was going to see Edward, and even though I had all day to come up with something to say to him, I was now at a loss for words. I had missed him so much. I missed his voice, his smile, and the way he'd hold me close and kiss me tenderly. I missed our time spent in his bedroom, the times we'd spent in the woods, in the meadow, and the time we'd spend on the cliffs looking out across the water. I missed our conversations; I missed him teasing me about my clumsiness; the way he'd playfully bump against me as we walked; and I even missed him running me to school in the mornings.

I just missed him so much that I thought it might just kill me.

"He's here," Leah whispered "I can sense a vampire."

I felt my heart hammering inside my chest as I glanced around at the forest waiting for the slightest movement or sound that might reveal him.

"You're sure?" Angela asked.

"Positive." Leah assured us.

I took a deep breath. The moment of truth was finally upon us.

"Where is he?" Angela asked.

I bit my bottom lip as I looked around the forest for any sign of him, but nothing. I knew the fear I felt was because I was worried about his reaction to finding me here with Angela and Leah. I hoped he wasn't angry or upset. I didn't want to have to be the one to break his heart again, but I had no choice; this was the only way forward.

Finally, at long last Edward appeared, walking slowly across the meadow and heading towards us. I tried to read his expression, but it was difficult to see him in the darkness. I swallowed hard; I couldn't turn back now. No matter how hard I had tried to prepare myself for this moment, I wasn't ready for it. I couldn't believe it. He was wearing the exact same shirt he'd been wearing the day he left Forks all those months ago; it was torn and covered in dust, but it was him. I could tell it was him even in the dark, and I felt my eyes well with tears.

Edward stopped just under ten feet away from us. He took a step forward, then another, and another, until he was standing only a few feet away. The closer he got, the clearer his fury became. His eyes were wide as he took us in. I felt a pang of guilt as I realized that what he was seeing must have looked bad. I wanted to explain, but I couldn't find the words. His dark eyes remained on me for the longest time before they shot towards Angela, who almost took a step back in fear. His jaw clenched tightly as his gaze moved to Leah next, and his eyes narrowed.

I took a deep breath and waited for him to speak.

"Bella," He said, his voice low and husky. "What are you doing?"

It was obvious then why his gaze shifted to Angela so quickly; he'd read her mind and knew the truth; he knew about Alice's letter, the spell, and our discussion. When his gaze shifted to Leah, he must have sensed her inner wolf and knew that she was no longer just human.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Seeing him this way, I reached out and took both Leah and Angela's hands, much to their surprise.

"What have you done?" Edward demanded answers from me.

He stopped just a few feet away from the iron pot before us. He didn't look well; he clearly hadn't been taking care of himself since he left Forks. But at least he had recently eaten; probably when he knew he was coming to get me, he hadn't been around me in a while and probably didn't trust himself very well. I'd say he'd never hurt me, but he had before; he'd abandoned me and left me a complete wreck. We were standing in the same meadow that had been our sanctuary, where we could be ourselves and perfectly in love without having to hide. I'd been the one to pick this place, and I wanted Edward to see that I was so determined to do the spell that my final memory of our meadow would be tonight and the spell that would unite us forever with Leah and Angela.

"What I had to do." I responded, my tone and voice level in check, as he walked closer, so close, not one of us dared to move. I knew that Edward had the ability to overpower the three of us.

"Where have you been all this time?" I asked, wanting him to answer the questions that had been tormenting me ever since he left.

"I'm not discussing this in front of them. Bella, please, you have to come with me." Edward extended his hand towards me and began to edge close, but he didn't move past the pot between us.

He watched as each of the three of us tightened our grips. He would have to move past the pot between us in order to reach me, and I'd be damned if that was happening.

"She's not going anywhere." Leah said keeping her eyes fixed on him as he dropped his hand.

"Not until she's said what she has to say." Angela quickly agreed.

I slowly shook my head. "He doesn't need to hear from me; he's been listening this entire time." I said.

Beside me, I felt Angela's gaze upon me again as the reality of Edward's mind-reading abilities set in. I turned my attention back to Edward; his eyes were fixed on mine, and he looked furious.

"Bella, you don't understand what you've done."

Edward looked at Angela before shifting his gaze back to me.

"I know I've put her in danger by telling her, but the threat of the life that awaited her here was worth it," I told him before licking my teeth. "Besides, you did a lot of things to me; you promised you wouldn't," I paused to regroup. "You left me all alone."

"To give you a chance of..." Edward stopped and stepped back, the leaves rustling below his feet.

"Of what?" I questioned my expression, which was becoming even more rigid.

"To move on," Edward answered, "To have more. To live a normal human life."

I wanted to slap that look of superiority clean off of his face, the look he had been perfecting over the centuries.

"Bella is just fine the way she is," Leah added, her fingers entwined within mine. "Despite her taste in men anyway."

Edward locked eyes with me once more. "You know the threat we're dealing with. I have to keep you safe."

"The spell is all we need to keep us safe," I stopped and wet my lower lip. "I'm not going to spend days or weeks wondering how much time I have before one of them catches up to me."

"You actually believe I'd let any of them hurt you? Don't you know what you mean to me?" Edward demanded his tone, taking on that usual pained expression, when I was making no sense in his mind and he couldn't understand why I wasn't automatically agreeing with everything he had to say.

"You promised me you wouldn't do anything reckless. This is reckless; this is beyond torture; it's a death sentence for your heart and mine."

"But I would be protected. We all would. The Volturi will never stop. Ever!" I snapped.

Edward looked to Leah and Angela and said, "I suggest you both leave before-"

Leah's finger nails began digging into the skin of my palm. "We're not going anywhere."

"Spell or no spell, you're stuck with us."

Edward sighed, exasperated at the thought, as though this was some minor inconvenience he was going to have to learn to deal with. It made the blood boil in my veins.

He then looked to Angela and then back at me, "You told a human, the Volturi will come for her now. No matter what I do, you've made her my responsibility!"

"We're going to be responsible for each other now." I assured him.

Edward immediately turned his back to me. "This isn't the life you deserved." I thought I heard him say.

Leah's hand left mine. "No one gets what they deserve, only what they need." She said this before reaching into her back pocket on her way over to Edward.

She handed him the pages, which he very reluctantly took before Leah returned to my side. We all watched on as Edward glanced over the spell while I took Leah's hand back in mine, needing her strength. We watched Edward as he went through the pages containing all the information on the houses in Utah before he locked eyes with me once more.

"Why would you need three houses side by side?" Edward asked instead of reading their minds for answers.

Leah responded, "We're not going to leave Forks as three high school girls; we're leaving as women, and we need our own houses out there," She kept her gaze fixed on him. "Out there, we're women, your wives."

Angela stepped closer to me. "Three houses means you will live in three houses, one with each of us; the brown house is Bella's home; the middle one is mine; and the one on the end is Leah's," She paused when Edward looked at her, like she was speaking a different language. "We all need our privacy."

Edward lowered the pages to his side, and for a moment I saw a look of utter devastation on his face as he seemed to be taking it all in.

"I can't believe you're actually considering this." Edward said, looking at me.

"I am," I replied, "And you should be too."

"And what happens when you all discover you can't cope with it?" Edward asked.

"It's going to be hard, Edward. I get that." I snapped.

"It's not going to be hard, Bella; it's going to be impossible!" Edward shoutedat me.

"Don't underestimate us. We're stronger than you think." Leah argued.

Edward ignored her and turned to me. "You know the challenges we're facing already. Do you really want to add this to the list?"

"This isn't a thing; it's going to be our lives together." Angela said softly, and for a moment, it looked like Edward might just glare at her again.

"What do you get out of this?" Edward asked us.

Angela said it for the three of us: "We're unhappy right now, or at least I don't know I was until this afternoon," She paused and occasionally looked his way as she spoke. "When I was given the choice, when I was told I could get out of here—no more school, no more family drama, a clean slate, an opportunity to live a life where no one knew me, where I could be more than what was expected of me," She paused as tears pricked her eyes. "I could be more outspoken, brave even."

Once again, she paused and shook her head. "It's not about the danger facing us if we stay, not really; maybe it was at first, but it's different now. It's about what happens to us if we do this."

"You," Edward paused, his eyes fixed upon mine, before looking at Leah and then Angela. "All of you are being beyond naïve."

"Maybe, but if we stay here now, we all die." Leah reminded him.

"This spell is going to save all of us." I said that and tightened my grip on their hands.

"What if you change your mind?"

"I won't." I promised.

Edward sighed, and his shoulders sagged. "Bella, please don't do this."

"I have to," I replied, "And so do you. For all of us."

"We'll protect each other." Leah added.

Edward's jaw clenched and unclenched. "The Volturi will be watching us every second."

"They won't be able to find us." I told him.

"We know what we're talking about. We don't take any of this lightly." Leah said right after me, towering with my newfound strength.

Edward then turned his attention towards Angela. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Aren't you at all nervous about the idea of being around a very hungry vampire?" He directed his gaze toward Leah. "And a very unpredictable new wolf?"

"I'm not afraid." Angela answered, and I could hear the confidence in her voice.

"But you should be." Edward said.

"Why?" Angela asked, "Because I'm human?"

"Yes, because you're human and we're not!" Edward snapped.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend to understand all of this. There's a lot to talk about, and-"

"You have no idea," Edward said before glaring at me. "Just like you didn't."

I swallowed hard. "You and I were already in love before I knew what you were." I paused as tears pricked my eyes. "You put me in danger by falling in love, not by telling me you were a vampire."

"And now there's a new danger, a new threat, and the clock is ticking." Leah said

For a moment, none of us said anything. Edward and I just stared back at each other. I kept my eyes locked on his and barely even blinked as he seemingly accepted the reality that he hadn't returned to the girl he once knew. He scoffed and turned his back to us, causing the three of us to exchange looks and attempt to interpret his silence as a good or bad thing. With his back turned to me, it was easier to find my voice and finally say what I wanted.

"We know vampires can have children," I told him, "You shouldn't have lied to me."

"The chances are one in a million, and you were better off believing the lie."

"Just as rare as a vampire and a human falling in love, I'd imagine."

With that, Edward shook his head and ran his hand down his face.

I looked away from him, then said, "The spell will make you more human." I looked his way and down at his lips before meeting his gaze. "I suspect that the pregnancy risk factor will increase greatly."

Edward smirked, drawing his eyes away from mine.

"This spell, you being more human, makes having children almost a certainty, doesn't it?"

Edward locked eyes with me, then asked, "What do you think?"

"I think I'm sick of waiting."

"Bella..."

"Edward, we're not promising for the perfect marriage; we know this isn't your typical situation, but it's the only way we all get a chance at a new life without worrying that the Volturi will find us. We can build lives together there; we'll be completely different people from who we are now. And have the chance at a normal life."

"I thought you weren't a fan of normal life." Edward turned around, and then his eyes were on mine. "The girl I knew wanted to be a vampire and live forever."

"Do you see that same girl in front of you right now?"

Edward exhaled slowly. "You know what I meant."

"No, I don't. You left me, you broke my heart, and then you did something worse, you made me hate myself. I wasn't just broken; I was shattered. I needed you, and you weren't there."

Edward hung his head as though he couldn't bear to look at me.

"I know the woman I am. I know the person I want to become."

"A polygamist?"

"I don't care about labels; it's not what people call me; it's what I call myself."

"And you think you're ready to be someone's wife?"

"Shouldn't the more pressing question be, are you ready to be someone's husband?" I asked.

"So you're telling me this is what you want?" He stepped forward. "Three marriages, three houses, but one husband."

It was then that I was reminded of something Alice wrote—something that wasn't clear to me until right here and now.

"Sometimes things don't have to be normal to be beautiful." I quoted her.

"And how do you suggest we live this new life you have in mind? Is there a road map for that?"

"We've got everything in place to get us to Utah," Angela answered him. "The rest we'll work out."

Edward studied her closely, obviously reading her mind and learning of our decision for Leah to fake killing us and fake evidence to suggest that Angela and I had run away from Forks. The more I thought about it, the crazier our plan sounded, but it was the only way, and I knew we could do it.

"You do this, and it will kill Charlie." Edward told me.

"You take me on the run, and it will kill him too. At least this way, he believes I've gone off traveling with a trusted friend instead of running after my ex-boyfriend."

It was the first time I'd ever called him that aloud, and we both seemed to know it in that moment, so much so that we couldn't look at each other for the moments that followed.

"Look-" I paused and sighed. "We're not going to do this unless you're in it with us. You know about the spell now. You know what it entails, so let's not beat around the bush here."

"So I'm just supposed to decide right now what my future will be?"

"You didn't have trouble deciding my fate when you left me in the woods."

Beside me, both Angela and Leah exchanged a glance between each other at my hustling towards him.

"Are you with us?" I asked him.

"You don't know what you're asking."

"I know what I'm asking," I assured him, "But the choice is yours."

We all stared back at each other for what felt like forever, and when Edward finally made a move towards us, I locked hands with both girls, thinking it was all over. We watched him reach into the breast pocket of his jacket to retrieve something. He stood by the cast iron pot and revealed a silver zippo lighter, which he struck against his bent thigh to strike a flame, placing it against the leafy twigs sticking out of the pot and setting them on fire. The orange flames that licked the leaves went all the way up to the rim of the pot. He held onto the lighter for a bit longer as we all watched him; his thoughts were undetectable, which was most frustrating, to say the least. His stare was fixated on me, and he seemed so frustrated with how easily the three of us were holding our ground.

My heart sank, but I rejoiced all at once at the sight—the man I loved was choosing to be with me; he was choosing to be with all of us. Edward had just agreed to become my husband, Leah's husband and Angela's husband.

The spell stated that the man stood by the pot, and the women approached him when they were ready to become his wife. Angela supplied Edward with the slip of paper that contained the chant; we would all speak later. The three of us walked over to the nearest tree line, rubbing our arms for warmth. It was cold enough to snow by this point, and it made me want the warmth of Utah all the more. We dropped hands and formed our own circle.

"Okay, you brought the bandages for afterwards right?" I asked Angela, and she nodded.

"We're really doing this?" Angela whispered and I nodded.

Leah handed me the knife then, and we all looked at each other for what felt like the longest time. Although I didn't dare look behind me to be sure, I could swear I felt Edward's eyes upon me the entire time as he remained by the pot.

"This is crazy." Angela said as she stared down at the blade in my hand.

"Crazy works." Leah replied.

I gave them a smile and a nod before I closed my eyes. I unclasped the knife and brought the blade against my palm. I dragged it across my skin as hard as I could. A gasp escaped my throat as I felt the stinging sensation, and warm blood began to seep out of the wound. I didn't open my eyes as I handed the knife over slowly, but it was accepted and taken out of my hand as I turned around and opened my eyes to look over at Edward. This was the moment that mattered most, not just to me but to everyone present. Although I'd never seen myself as a bride, today was my wedding, and my walk towards Edward right now was the closest I would ever get to walking down the aisle.

The flames of the fire lit up the surrounding forest and his face. I'd been so cold for so long, and it felt like I was finally returning to the light. Edward, keeping his eyes fixed on mine, extended his hand for me to take. I couldn't help but smile as I placed my bloodied hand in his, and we interlocked fingers. Edward gently pulled me closer as we both stared down at our joined hands and the red liquid seeping out from the fresh cut on my palm. I prayed the scent of our blood wouldn't be too hard for him to deal with. The second our hands met, our union was set. I had surrendered my blood and trusted my hand to Edward's; therefore, I was and would now forever be the first wife of Edward Cullen.

I was officially Isabella Cullen.

Edward and I just stared back at each other. The only sound was the crackling of the fire as my body turned to butter from the heat and the thrill of his touch on my skin. We were married now, and yet there were no words. I couldn't say anything, and neither could he, because it wasn't just about us. Edward's eyes left mine, and at the sound of very slowly approaching footsteps, I looked over my shoulder and was surprised to find it was indeed Leah who had the courage to follow me next.

She wasn't smiling, nor did she look unhappy. I looked down at her palm, and just like mine, it was sliced and ready for the spell. I was conflicted over watching her as she approached Edward on his right-hand side. Though it pained me greatly to see them look at each other, I didn't look away. I watched as Edward's face softened and his gaze drifted from my eyes to Leah's. Just like he did with me, Edward offered his hand to hers only much more reluctantly, but unlike me, she didn't smile as their hands finally touched. I watched their hands in that moment as Edward's fingers curled around her wrist, and with a gentle pull, she stepped closer to him. Leah's eyes left mine for a moment as she looked at me. I could see the doubt in her eyes, the fear, the worry, the excitement, the confusion, and the sheer overwhelm of it all. I could see it all.

But they did the right thing after that; they finally stopped to look at each other as they stood side by side. Leah had just become Edward's second wife. I was surprised, as I had expected Angela to be the one to follow after me, but instead she was the last to join us. I watched her as she approached; she did smile, but not at Edward. At first, she smiled at me and at Leah before she finally almost sheepishly turned to Edward and accepted the hand that he offered from mine before she linked hands with Leah and me to form the circle. She didn't look at Edward, although his eyes lingered on her for a moment, almost as if he were worried for her, which I understood. Angela had opened her mind to so many things today that she was no doubt overwhelmed.

Angela was no longer the girl whose parents were getting divorced; she was now Angela, the third wife of Edward Cullen.
I made a promise to myself then to fight whatever jealously may come my way someday, to understand and fully embrace a polygamist lifestyle, even though I wasn't a hundred percent sure I could fully grasp the magnitude of it all. We all just stood there then, holding hands and looking at each other, our new family. I looked at the faces of my fellow sister wives, I guess I could call them now, and then at my husband. I would never hold myself above Leah or Angela. I wouldn't assume I was better than them; I owed them too much. In my mind, I knew we were all equal, and that was enough for me to keep moving forward.

As we chanted, the forest seemed to come alive around us, wrapping us in a symphony of sounds. The whispering wind rustled the leaves, a distant owl hooted, and the crackling of twigs under unseen creatures added an eerie undertone to our ritual. The flames grew above our heads, dancing wildly and casting long, flickering shadows that seemed to stretch and twist with a life of their own. Edward's eyes flicked towards the two others, their silent glances exchanged like lightning bolts of unspoken words. My heart raced, not just from the intensity of our chanting but from the suspense that hung heavy in the air.

We continued to chant, our voices melding with the forest sounds, creating a hauntingly beautiful harmony. The flames roared, their ferocity reflecting the power of our incantation. They swayed and whipped, their heat palpable even from a distance, until they transformed into a gentle simmer. Each flicker seemed to mirror the beating of my heart, which thudded louder with every passing second. I stole glances at Edward, his focused expression betraying a hint of worry. Leah and Angela kept their gazes locked on the flames, their brows furrowed in concentration. I could feel the intensity of the moment pressing down on us—a tangible aura of power and anticipation.

As we neared the end of the spell, my voice grew stronger, each word resonating with an inner strength I hadn't known I possessed. The flames gradually dwindled, their once-ferocious light softening into a warm glow. When the last word left my lips, I felt an overwhelming sensation envelop me, like a warm and very welcome blanket on a cold night. Relief washed over me, soothing my racing heart and calming my nerves. I glanced at the others, noting the subtle shifts in their expressions as they too felt the spell's completion. Edward's tense shoulders relaxed, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. Leah and Angela shared a look of triumph, their eyes gleaming with the success of our endeavor. In that moment, I felt a profound connection to them all, bound by the magic we had conjured and the shared experience of our success.

When our hands dropped, Edward's lingered on mine a second longer than it did with Leah, which she noted but said nothing about. Edward then looked toward Angela, his brow furrowing.

Angela looked toward me in result.

"What are you doing?" I asked Edward if his eyes were lingering on Angela.

"I'm just checking that the spell worked."

"How?"

Edward's eyes darted to mine. "I'm just checking," He paused. "There's nothing."

I looked back at Angela, who shrugged, not understanding what he meant by it either.

"What are you talking about?"

Edward looked toward Leah then with the same intensity, almost as if he were solving an invisible problem.

"I can't hear anything anymore." Edward said, and I began to wonder what that meant.

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's not a bad thing; it just means the spell worked."

"You mean you can't read our thoughts anymore?" Leah asked him.

"But I can still hear the thoughts of others," Edward said, looking out into the distance of the forest. "I hear them still, even at this distance."

"Just not ours?" Angela asked, looking between him and Leah.

This was amazing! It meant that Edward could truly have a normal relationship or friendship with us now. No more secrets, no more barriers, just our own thoughts to fill our minds and our hearts.

"Is that going to be a problem?" I asked him.

"It wasn't for us." He reminded me softly, almost in a whisper, before his knuckles traced mine.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and began to nod. "I feel the shield." I told them.

Edward looked my way, and I smiled. "It's there; I know it is."

"Good," Leah said. "So now what?" She asked.

Edward looked between us before he took a step away, leaving us alone together. I immediately found myself at a loss for words.

"Are you okay?" Leah asked Angela.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Angela said as she reached into the breast coat of her jacket. "I have the bandages."

Angela was the first to wrap her palm with the white fabric; I went next, and Leah followed me. Edward remained at a safe distance as we finished with the bandaging.

"Stupid question, but he doesn't need one right?" Angela asked us.

"No, he's fine." I answered her as we all stood closer to stay warm by the now empty pot.

"Can he hear us?" Angela whispered, and Leah nodded.

Leah rubbed her bandaged palm. "What do we do now?"

"I just need a second," I breathed out. "Just to process."

"Process what?" Leah asked me.

"Everything. What just happened? What did we just do?" I responded.

Angela nodded. "You're okay, Bella. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm freaking out too, but maybe we should have this discussion alone." She paused and looked back at Edward. "Without distraction."

Leah nodded. "Yeah, I think she's right."

"Yeah, I just need-" I cleared my throat before glancing over at him. "Just one second."

"We'll give you guys a minute." Angela said that then and nodded to Leah.

"Thank you." I said before they both walked further away from us.

I watched them go until I could no longer see them in the darkness. Edward came closer to me and stopped when we were within arm's reach. I looked up at him, taking in his features, his beauty, and his perfection. I tried to find the right words to say, but none seemed adequate to express the torrent of emotions swirling within me.

I crossed my arms. "So you've got all the details you need for Utah? The properties I mean."

He merely nodded, annoying me even more.

"And you're sure you're okay with this?"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Edward replied.

I swallowed hard and looked away from him. "Yeah, you're here," I paused. "I guess that's a start."

Edward sighed clearly, becoming frustrated with me. "Bella-"

"Don't," I snapped. "I don't want to do this with you."

"Then what do you want to do?"

I looked to him, and said, "I want Utah."

Edward scoffed and turned his back to me, causing me to walk around him and stop when we were facing each other again.

"You think this is easy for me?" I asked him.

"No, but I also don't expect you to be happy with this arrangement."

"Becoming a polygamist wasn't on my bucket list, Edward, but then again, neither was being left by you!"

"I did what I thought was best for you."

"Keeping telling yourself that."

I took a step back. "When will you have the deeds to the houses?"

Edward sighed, looking away from me. "By noon tomorrow."

"When will you leave Forks?"

"I'm imagine as soon as I'm done answering your questions, I guess."

I sighed "We'll need other stuff," I crossed my arms and said, "Stuff I assume you can get."

Edward nodded. "New forms of ID for all of you."

"And you."

"Obviously." Edward said this and almost smirked.

He looked my way. "I'll ensure all the documents are there for your arrival."

"We'll need everything, from passports to medical records, and we need high school diplomas." I informed him.

"I know." Edward said.

I nodded and tucked my hair behind my ear. "So if you're getting those along the way, then you should arrive in Utah around the same time as us, right?"

Edward nodded and stared back at me.

"We've got a car we're taking to Utah. We'll get rid of her tech before hitting the road, obviously, and we won't be stopping for gas since I took care of that." I paused, feeling his eyes on me. "What?"

"I never did kiss the bride."

I stared back at him before I shrugged and stepped back. "Which one?"

I turned my head to him, feeling so strong and proud of me for keeping it together, but the further I walked away from him, the quicker my smile faded. I'd actually gone and done it; I'd performed the spell, and now I was a polygamist. But still, that held second place to the reality that we now only had mere hours to get out of Forks before the Volturi arrived. When I caught up with Angela and Leah, we were right by my truck and all equally as cold as each other.

"That was quick." Angela remarked.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I just wasn't expecting it to be that quick."

"I said what I needed to."

"Apparently so."

Angela shivered before she said, "Okay, so we're alright now?"

"We're not alright," I said, shaking my head before taking her wrist in my hand to glance at the time. "We're actually ten minutes behind now because of me."

Angela slid her hands into her pockets, and I caught sight of the tears in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" I asked her.

"Nothing, I'm just..." She sighed and looked my way. "This is all really happening, isn't it?"

"It is," I said as I looked back at Leah, who was staring into space. "I know this is a lot to take in, and I wish it wasn't this way, but it is."

Angela nodded and wiped her nose. "Yeah, it's just that it was intense doing that."

"Yeah." Leah agreed, then finally looked my way at that point.

I sniffled, "Yeah, for me too, and those flames were insane."

"Tell me about it" Leah said as she glanced at the empty pot.

"So let's go through this one last time." Leah said, then changed the subject to my relief.

"Alright," I said, stopping to clear my throat. "Remember, wear hair nets and gloves from start to finish; don't take them off for anything; don't leave a single finger print at your places; scrub everything hard, even the stuff you think you've never been near; do it anyway." I said.

"Absolutely." Angela agreed.

"When everything is clean, it's time to ditch the phones; no one brings any tech with them; nothing that can be used to track us; no laptops, tablets, none of it. We can replace everything when we're finally there." I reminded them.

Leah reached into her back pocket and retrieved the letter she had handwritten for Jacob or Charlie to find later. Our aim was for them to believe Leah tried to copy my handwriting the best she could from the notebooks she took from my locker at the school that was now, thanks to me, empty and stinking of bleach.

"Edward's already left; he'll probably be on the road right now as we speak. And the Cullens are smart; they took everything when they left, so we don't have to worry that the wolves can trace his scent. It's gone just like the rest."

"Okay, so we're all at Bella's place for four a.m.," Angela said. "And don't forget the clothes I wore today are in your truck."

I nodded.

Leah looked my way. "Are you okay with stealing this car?"

"Yeah, Charlie turned the engine over before he left, so there shouldn't be any problems. But I'm still gonna check it's all working first like we talked about." I replied.

We never officially said goodbye before we each headed in separate directions. Leah took to the woods while Angela headed off down the street, wanting to return home herself, thinking the fresh air would help her. I got back into my truck and tried to focus on my driving and the hard work ahead of me now instead of the reality that I had just performed a spell that turned me into Edward's first, but not only, wife.

Edward had looked like a complete wreck; clearly, he hadn't been taking care of himself since he left me that day. His once-golden eyes were now dark and filled with sadness, and his face was drawn and pale. He looked tired and lost. It broke my heart to see him that way. I hoped that this was a result of him missing me as much as I missed him and that these months apart had been just as painful for him as they had been for me. Somehow we had convinced him into doing this, and I couldn't believe we'd actually pulled it off and that everything was coming together. But the hard work was still to come—not the physical side of getting out of Forks but the emotional journey that awaited us all. I knew it would be difficult to adjust to a new life, a new routine, and a new set of rules. But I was determined to make it work, to prove that we were capable of surviving and thriving despite the odds. Edward had to believe I was strong enough to handle this, so even if I had to fake it until I made it, I'd do it all.

When I was driving home, I told myself to focus on driving and nothing more. I rolled down both windows to breathe in Forks but also to aid in removing my scent from the car, which was a must. The first thing I did when I arrived home, before even cutting the engine, was give myself the talk I needed.

"Okay, there's no other way out now. Charlie will be fine; he's going to be okay. So is Jacob, and so is everyone else. You did this to save them; you did this to keep them safe, and now you have to be strong for them, for Angela, Leah and yourself," I paused before I turned the engine off and sat back in the driver's seat. "You have to be strong; you have to be ready for anything; don't let them know you're scared. Get in there, get it all done, and be the…be the first wife you know you can be."

I closed my eyes.

"There's no turning back now. This is it."

I got out of my truck then and made my way up to the house to collect everything I would need to scrub my truck. Tucked under my arm in the bag were Angela's clothes from today, which I tossed up the staircase to deal with later. Inside the kitchen, I collected everything for the truck: cleaning supplies, paper towels, and a bucket for any trash. Living with the town sheriff meant a house full of gloves and other useful items to me now. I snapped on a pair of latex gloves and then slid another pair on top of those ones just to be sure. I collected my hair and swept it under a black shower cap I'd used maybe once in my time here, ensuring not a single strand of hair was free. I wasn't taking any chances.

I set up my gear and started to scrub my truck.

Outside in the cold, I scrubbed down every single inch of my truck with bleach, both internal and exterior, opting to scrub the truck seats and door handles especially hard to ensure no traces remained. When I got inside, my first task was to destroy Alice's letter, the information on the spell, and my passport. Charlie had to believe I had taken it with me when I left. I ripped it all up into tiny pieces, and I burned it all in the kitchen sink before rinsing away the evidence, coating the drain with Drain-O, and boiling water from the kettle to ensure it was gone for good. My next job was destroying my phone. I split the SIM card in half, dropped one half down the toilet, flushing it five times to ensure it was gone. The other half I took with me and my phone as I headed across the street. I dropped the phone into the nearest storm drain, and the other half of the SIM card went into a dog mess bin across from my neighbor's house.

The small chicken, roasted to golden perfection, awaited my capable hands. I carefully broke it down, the knife gliding smoothly through the tender meat, transforming it into bite-sized pieces. Each piece was succulent, the juices glistening as they caught the light. I layered these delicate chunks onto fresh, crusty bread, adding a crisp bed of lettuce and a sprinkling of sweet, diced onion. A generous dollop of creamy mayonnaise, seasoned just right with a touch of salt and pepper, brought everything together. The sandwiches were a symphony of textures and flavors, simple yet irresistible. For variety, I also assembled some ham and tuna sandwiches, ensuring each one was a perfect blend of savory goodness.

Next, I turned my attention to making up some steamy vegetable soup. I raided the fridge, gathering a vibrant assortment of vegetables. There were plump tomatoes, earthy carrots, crunchy bell peppers, and a medley of greens. I chopped them meticulously, each slice precise and uniform. The pot was soon bubbling with this colorful array, and the aroma of simmering vegetables filled the kitchen, promising warmth and comfort. The hearty broth, rich and fragrant, was the soul of the soup. I ladled it into a large and sturdy flask, sealing in the tantalizing heat and aroma, ready to be served whenever hunger struck.

The sandwiches, meticulously wrapped in tin foil, gleamed like little parcels of delight. I took care to fold the edges neatly, stacking them gently into the waiting Tupperware. Each one was a promise of a satisfying bite. In the bag, I added individual bottles of orange juice and water; their coolness provided a refreshing contrast to the hearty meal. I included chocolate bars, crackers, peanuts, and chips; each snack was a potential moment of joy. With everything packed and ready, I felt a sense of calm. Given our current circumstances, it was unlikely we'd stop anywhere for meals, but with this feast, we wouldn't need to. We'd eat on the road and not stop for anything beyond refilling on gas.

I collected some plastic utensils, paper plates and bowls, napkins, and face wipes. I planned to keep this entire duffle bag in the back seat of the car so it would be handy for all of us. After all of this was packed, I collected three smaller individual flasks and made up hot chocolate for each of us. It would be cold when we left town, and our nerves would probably be shot to hell, so it was best that we had plenty of things to help keep us warm. As the hot chocolate heated, I collected a packet of painkillers for the road too. None of us would have taken care of ourselves properly tonight; we were all rushing around trying to get out. Sooner or later, our bodies were going to catch up with us, and we were going to crash hard. After the hot chocolates were ready, I slipped some mini marshmallows into each flask and finishing with some double cream. I sealed the tops on everything and double-checked that the Tupperware was all secure before I brought the heavy food and drink bag to the side of the front door.

I wanted to ensure this next phase of our escape plan was as carefree for Leah and Angela as I could manage, so I opted to take care of their needs. From upstairs, I collected everything we would possibly need to ensure the most comfortable car journey possible. I supplied sunglasses and a sun screen; I collected a range of old cassette tapes from the basements to take with us, mostly classical rock and western score music; I collected some novels and magazines; and for Leah, Angela, and myself, I set out three sets of heavy-duty blankets and two sets of pillows for each of us; and we each got a pair of thick socks. Once the smaller items were in the duffle bag alongside the food items, I separated the blankets and pillows and stacked them neatly beside my luggage by the front door to ensure it was all ready to go.

The next stage of my plan was to collect the station wagon we would be taking with us to Utah. I slid on my shoes and put up my hood before leaving through the front door. I moved quite a bit on my feet, hearing each step echo, given that it was late at night. It was even colder now, and it made me worry for Leah and Angela, who would in a few hours have to cross town carrying their luggage with them while fighting these plummeting temperatures. When I arrived at our neighbor's garage, I entered through the side door, which Charlie said was always left unlocked even when they were home. Once inside the garage, I took a moment to look around, and all was well. It smelled damp, and there were more than a few cobwebs, but nothing to distract me from the task at hand.

From inside my pocket, I collected the small bottle of bleach and cleaning solution I'd brought with me, and from the pocket of my jeans, I collected a packet of heavenly lime-scented wet wipes. I wasn't going to let us travel over a thousand miles in a car that wasn't clean. I opened the windows and doors to allow fresh air in as I began to wipe down every surface that I could. The car was very clean, but I cleaned it all anyway; I wasn't taking any chances. After ensuring everything was clean, I opted to ensure everything else in the car was brought to the standards we needed for the journey ahead of us, both mentally and physically. I got the arm rests into position, I set the radio station to a station that only played classical music and made no announcements what so ever, and I replaced their current car air freshener that was dusty and peeling with two 'new car' scented ones in both the front and the backseat.

After the inside of the car was taken care of, I set out to work on the outside. I checked the tires and found that they were all full and in good condition. I gave the body of the car a proper once-over to ensure there was no damage. I then set to work on the tires with a bottle of tire cleaner and a sponge. I ensured they were all spotless. I then washed the windows before checking the oil, the lights, the windshield wipers, the mirrors, and finally the locks. I wiped down the door handles with a wet wipe. When it was time, I opened the garage doors and drove down their driveway before I returned and closed the garage doors behind me so it looked as though they had never been touched. I then parked the car directly in front of my house.

It was then that I realized I was trembling; I was shaking all over. I'd managed to get through the night without giving in to my fears, but now they were threatening to overwhelm me. As for my own truck, there was an old garage and storage unit just a few blocks from our street. There were always empty lots, so I took my truck there, shut the garage door behind it, and bolted it shut using the lock I had taken from the neighbor's garage. It might have been weeks or months by the time someone came across it and reported it to Charlie, but by then Charlie wouldn't have heard from me and neither would my mom, and they would have begun to realize I was gone forever.

When I returned to my house, I brought all the blankets and pillows for three of us out to the station wagon. I placed each of them in the appropriate seats before I carried out my suitcases and my bag of food and drinks and placed them in the backseat. I then went back into the house, collected my own backpack, and placed it in the passenger seat. I checked everything in the car; all the windows were locked, the doors were locked, and the trunk was locked. Some people might say I went too far with this, but then I thought about Leah and Angela and how they were leaving everything and everyone they had ever known, and if I could make that adjustment the slightest bit easier with some fluffy socks and some hot soup, then I was going to make that effort. This wasn't a road trip; from the second we got in this car, I knew it was going to be intense for all of us and that there was no going back.

I made my way back into the house and locked the door behind me before sliding on my shower cap and gloves to begin the cleaning. I was so tired now, but I was also nervous, and I knew I would not sleep until we were on the road, and the further away we got, the safer I would feel. But right now, the idea of cleaning every surface is overwhelming.

In the kitchen, I cleaned every countertop, the stove, the fridge, the microwave, the sink, the floors, the cabinets, and the utility room. I cleaned the living room, the bathroom, my bedroom, Charlie's bedroom, the dining room, and the stairs. Leah was right; every inch of the house had to be cleaned, even rooms we might not have been in for years, which meant I also cleaned the attic and the basement. It was exhausting. I was sweating under my layers of clothing, but I didn't stop. I was covered in bleach and cleaning solution, but I kept going.

As I cleaned, I was focused on what was ahead rather than what I was leaving behind. There was a lot to do between Forks and Utah, and it was up to the three of us to get there safely. For every route, there was a backup, there was an emergency tire ready should we need it, there was food and water to see us through the journey, and there were all the other little safety ideas we had come up with together also. But the emotional aspect of what lay ahead remained unclear; all I knew was the agreement we had made before the spell. Between here and Utah, we would decide on the schedule for the first week and who would be spending which night with Edward until next Monday. Deciding on this would be ten times harder than performing the spell, but I knew this was what I had signed up for and what I knew in my heart I could do if I tried.

The sitting room was a lot harder to clean than the kitchen; the couch and arm chairs all had to be removed so I could scrub the floor before I could run the vacuum around every edge of each of them to ensure there were no dust or particulates remaining that could have my scent upon them. I dusted every ornament, photoframe, and shelf. I dusted the lamps and the small table in the middle of the room. I then brought out a bucket and filled it with boiling hot water. I added some bleach and then took to the cushions on the couch and arm chairs to ensure they were as clean as they could be.

I left my bedroom for last, knowing cleaning Charlie's room was my biggest challenge. The second I entered his room, I immediately threw open the windows. Despite the late hour of the night, I needed to air out the room to ensure I didn't become emotional by the warm scent of my dad's clothes and linens. I didn't put on the fresh bed linens until the mattress was vacuumed, the headboard was wiped down, the curtains were changed, the carpet was vacuumed, the chair was dusted, the nightstands were dusted, and the drawers were all cleaned out. The closet was the hardest part; I couldn't keep my mind from wandering back to all the times I had hidden in there when I was little. Charlie's bedroom had never looked better. I'd reorganized everything to ensure everything that he often misplaced was in plain view on his dresser surface, as he wouldn't have me to help him anymore.

The bathroom was next; I had to clean the sink, the mirror, the bathtub, the shower, the toilet, the tiles, the walls, the floor, and the medicine cabinet. I threw away old and expired medication. I cleaned the shelves inside the medicine cabinet and wiped down the insides of the drawers. Then I replaced the towels, razors, shampoo, conditioner, and I made it to my bedroom, I was exhausted, but I just kept telling myself this was the last room. Everything was already packed; I just had to replace the bed linens and clean the room. It wasn't as emotional as I expected cleaning my bedroom to be, probably due to the fact that I was making peace with the reality that this wasn't my bedroom anymore. I half smiled, knowing I'd already seen pictures of my new bedroom and that in a few days I'd be sharing that room with Edward. I couldn't believe it; I was and will forever be Bella Cullen, Edward's first wife and a polygamist.

The truth was, I didn't care what anyone would think of me or what we had done tonight. Deep down, it didn't matter to me because I'd never been the type of person who worried too long about what other people thought of me. People were going to think whatever they wanted, and that was up to them. What mattered now was that Charlie was going to be okay, and we were going to be gone by morning and starting our new lives. After there were new linens on my bed and my curtains and lace curtains were back in place in my bedroom, which now smelled of bleach, all was well, and it was time for the second last stage of the plan.

I returned to the bathroom carrying my freshly washed clothes for the road and placed them on top of the sink counter out of the way. I began to run my bath, adding some bubble bath, wanting to savor the moment. This was going to be the last bath I had in my childhood home, and I was going to take my time. I was shockingly half an hour ahead of schedule for our timeframe, and I was going to use this to my advantage. Everything I touched in the bathroom would be scrubbed down before I left tonight. I didn't mind doing it twice. I needed a bath, but not just because I was stinking of bleach and my body ached; it was also because I wanted to relax my nerves.

I was going into the next phase of my life, not as Bella Swan the Forks high school student but as a wife and, someday, a future mother. As I stared back at my reflection in the mirror, I began to wonder about the person I was and the woman I would soon become. The girl I was wouldn't be about to make all the effort I was about to, but the woman I was, indeed, watched my reflection as I pulled my hair up into a tight hair bun. Regardless of what it looked like, as long as it was out of my face and off my neck, that was all that mattered.

I began by filling the sink with piping hot water and used the nail scrub and liquid soap to really get my nails clean. I began to scrub away all the dirt and grime I'd accumulated in the house that night. The water turned murky, but I kept going until my fingernails were clean. When I was satisfied, I dried them before I began to wash my face. I put some water in my hands and applied some soap before I began to scrub away whatever had been brought to the surface. The next stage was my eyebrows. I took my time and really made a real effort to make my eyebrows look more like modern brows than just features on my face. I then used the same tweezers to remove any long white hairs from my chin and neck before I put everything in place and set to work on my teeth.

I'd always taken great care of my teeth, but tonight I did so with a level of dedication I'd never known before. I cleaned my mouth and gums; I brushed and flossed; I scrubbed my tongue; I finished it all with some mouthwash; and I then repeated the process again before I cleaned my ears. I stripped out of my clothes and dumped them into the plastic bag I had prepared on the door handle of the bathroom. I slipped into the toasty hot water and braced myself as the heat soaked over my aching form.

I lay back in the bath and let out a deep sigh as I ran my hands over my face. I was going to be fine; everything was going to be fine. After soaking my aching muscles, particularly my knees and wrists, I began working on my hair. After shampooing and double conditioning, I tucked my hair back up into a messy, damp bun out of my way because I wanted to focus on shaving. Since I hadn't shaved since Edward left town, I had more than a little hair to shift. I'd never focused so much on shaving before; I even tided up a little between my legs, which was a new experience for me, just the sides and nothing too intense. I knew that Edward being back in my life didn't mean things were going to change physically between us; this wasn't for him, but for me and the new version I was going to be.

I didn't blow-dry my hair or use any towels when I finished in the bath. I let myself completely air dry before I changed into my clothes and scrubbed the bathroom all over again. I didn't regret my bath; I didn't feel overheated or at all nervous about the time I'd taken for it. If anything, I was proud of myself for taking the time to take care of myself when I did.

I double-checked that I had everything I needed from my bedroom before I headed downstairs to set the crime scene. My house and Angela's couldn't appear any differently, but blood would eventually be found with time. I used the blood I had produced earlier and brought it with me into the sitting room, where I moved the armchair and rug before I poured it out onto the floorboards. The other container containing Angela's blood I spread out onto the floorboards by the backdoor. I let both pools of blood spread out before I began the clean-up process. We had to make it appear that Leah had tried to cover up what she had done. I used a kitchen roll to wipe up all of the blood before I returned all the furniture back into place. I placed a few droplets on the dark wooden floors of the staircase and let them seep in instead of wiping them away.

I brought the kitchen roll I had used and placed it all in the kitchen sink. I collected a lighter and lit the kitchen roll on fire before I dropped the burning kitchen roll into the sink and let it burn before I ran the tap. I collected the drain cleaner and poured it down the sink to make it appear as though someone had attempted to get rid of the evidence. I then turned to the bags of rubbish I had prepared for the night and emptied all the contents of the bleach, cleaning solution, and drain cleaner into the rubbish before tying them up and bringing them out to the trash cans, which were going to be picked up just an hour after we were set to leave Forks.

The clothes I'd worn today were now covered in bleach, literally coated and sitting inside my washing machine along with Angela's clothes from today also coated in bleach.

It was twenty minutes before Leah and Angela were set to arrive, and there was still work to be done. From the kitchen, I collected all six hot water bottles and filled them with steamy hot water before taking them out to the station wagon. The car was a little dated, but it was going to get us to Utah without any major issues. I placed a blanket on each seat, stacked the pillows, and tucked a hot water bottle under each blanket and on the floor of each seat to ensure we were all toasted warm from head to toe. I returned inside and switched on the air conditioning, so it was on full. If the wolves came across the house first, it would look like Leah was trying to keep the house cold to ensure any lingering blood wouldn't stink up the house, and if Charlie found it first, then he'd just think I accidentally left it switched on.

With my hands covered by the sleeve of my black jumper, I went around the house, checking that all the doors and windows were closed. I switched off all the lights again, keeping my hand perfectly covered so there were no traces of my fingerprints. When I breathed in, I could smell the bleach and other proxicides used throughout the house, and it was a good sign—actually, it was amazing because it proved that I had done everything right. It was as if I had never lived here; my scent was gone from this house forever, and only old photographs and other nostalgic items of mine remained.

I was scared to leave. I was terrified over the idea of leaving home forever and knowing for sure that I could never return again. But this was the only way we would all survive the Volturi, and I'd rather live a different life from everyone else than not live at all. I would miss Charlie, my mom, and Phil. I'd miss hanging around with Jacob and my friends from school, but this next phase of my life was adulthood, and that was what I had to focus on instead, no matter how much it pained me.

Once all the lights were off, I stood by the front door, watching through the glass panel with my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for Leah and Angela's arrival. I slid on my black cap and laced my ponytail through the back. I was wearing an oversized black wool jumper, which was keeping me warm in the cold morning hour, along with black skinny jeans, dark sneakers, and a black raincoat, and it rustled as I moved. I slid on my black sunglasses, which I'd never worn before but held onto since buying them during a sale a year earlier. We were all going to do everything in our power to remain unseen tonight.

It was five minutes to four when a dark figure appeared down the street from my house, causing me to hold my breath. Tears pricked my eyes as Angela came into focus; she hadn't changed her mind; she was here and she was coming to Utah.

Angela wasn't just here; she was here with five minutes to spare. She'd come across town in the dead of night, completely alone, carrying everything she was taking with her. I watched as she edged closer to my house. She was dressed all in black like we had discussed; she was wearing a black heavy coat with leggings and dark shoes; her hair was braided into a side pattern and was tucked under a beine hat, which was also black; she was wearing sunglasses and kept her head down the entire way down the was following everything precisely right; she wasn't even risking the sound of her luggage wheels, she had two duffle bags slung across her chest and was carrying two suitcases in her hand with a backpack on her back. I'd been so worried that finding out about werewolves and vampires would have scared Angela off, but it hadn't. She had taken part in the spell and surrendered her blood to the flames just as we had, and she was doing it because she wanted to be with us.

I told myself not to look back, to simply lock the house door behind me and pretend I was going to school. I could feel myself starting to crack up as I stepped outside, but I held it together, clenching my jaw tightly as I performed every action. The cold air hitting my face helped too; it was growing colder by the minute. I locked the door behind me and mouthed 'Goodbye' before I forced myself to turn around and step forward into my new I looked over towards the station wagon, I was surprised to find Leah approaching it from the tree lines, also dressed in black and carrying a lot of mismatched duffle bags. I quickly made my way towards the car, and armed with the key, I unlocked the trunk, and both Leah and Angela began to load up the back of the car.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked as she looked over at me.

I nodded my head as I tried to push back the tears. "I will be," I whispered.

I wanted to ask them if they were okay and if this entire night felt as stressful for them as it had been for me. Leah had lost her father this morning, and yet here she was, not only loading up her own luggage but helping Angela too with hers. I'd never felt so sure of my decision until I saw the determination in both their eyes, and that's what kept me going when I needed it most of all.

We were silent as we worked; there was no conversation between us as we made sure we had everything loaded up into the car just right. Once we were all certain the car was ready, we closed the trunk and got inside. I was first inside, and I immediately turned on the engine and turned on the heat, knowing it would take a few minutes with an old car like this, but luckily I had prepared for this. Leah got into the passenger seat, and Angela climbed into the seat directly behind her. We all slid on our seatbelts and locked each one of the doors out of instinct. It was a human moment for all of us, supernatural lives or not. We were about to embark on a journey of a thousand miles, three women completely alone. We were going to be smart about this from the very beginning.

I didn't hesitate or show the slightest fear; I just began to drive. I turned the station wagon to the right and began to drive down my street. I couldn't look back at Charlie's house; if I did, it would have been enough to break me. Instead, I focused on the road ahead, knowing the exact route I was taking out of Forks, the one we all agreed upon, which conveniently was the same route I had taken with Charlie in his cruiser when I returned here. Inside the car, no one said a word; there was no sniffling or crying; we were just so focused on getting out of Forks that everything else was put on hold for the moment.

As we edged out of the town and into the road leading out of Forks, we were still all on edge, each of us keeping an eye out for any signs of the Volturi or even the wolves. We drove in silence for the next ten minutes or so, and it wasn't anywhere as uncomfortable as it sounded; it was necessary for all of us to remain equally focused. The only sound heard was Angela's seatbelt unclipping; she slid up and in between the gap between mine and Leah's seat as we edged closer to the sign wishing travelers a farewell from Forks.

Leah reached out and squeezed my shoulder with reassurance, but I wasn't surprised when I felt Angela's hand slip into my free hand, and she gave it a squeeze too. I was grateful for both gestures, but I didn't speak. I didn't want to show either of them the tears in my eyes as we passed the sign. The second we did it, it was official; we were in the clear, and we could never go back. Angela returned to her seat, clipping on her seatbelt, before grabbing a duffle bag she had brought into the backseat with her. Beside me, Leah reached into the pocket of the black hoodie she was wearing and retrieved the printed-out directions we had gone over earlier.

While I set about my task of getting us to Utah.

"Guys, there's hot water bottles under your blankets and one right at your feet." I said as I lifted myself up from my seat and set to work on single-handedly pulling my blanket up around my body. I draped it over me and tucked the edges under my arms to keep me warm.

I looked into the rear view mirror at Angela, who was setting up her little brother's newborn car mirror. We agreed that it made sense for all of us to have a mirror to ensure we could all keep an eye out for trouble.

"Okay, so we're going to stay on this road for the next two miles, then it's a right at the first exit." Leah said it beside me.

"Alright," I said before returning my attention to Angela. "Mirror, all set?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've got a clear view." Angela said as she angled it just right.

"We have to stay warm." I reminded them before increasing the heat in the car.

I focused on the road ahead of me as Leah began to read out the instructions for where we were going to be heading.

"Do you think he's left town already?" Angela asked out of nowhere.

I glanced up into the rear view mirror to see her staring right at me.

"He'll be hundreds of miles ahead of us by now." I replied.

"So now the journey begins."

I looked ahead at the road ahead. "No, now the hard work truly begins."

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You know what's not hard work? Leaving a comment :)