Usual disclaimers apply, I'm an amateur, playing in the world created by SM.

Thank you to MsLiss and Rita01tx your reviews :)

The tension between Bella and Edward was becoming unbearable. Each day at school, she could feel his eyes on her, even when he wasn't looking. His presence was suffocating yet magnetic, drawing her in even as he tried to push her away. It was as if they were both caught in an invisible web, unable to break free despite knowing the danger. The whispers of the forest, the warnings in Edward's eyes, and the inexplicable force that seemed to pull her toward him were all pushing Bella to the edge of something she didn't quite understand.

The dreams hadn't stopped either—dreams of Edward, haunting her with his cold touch and his burning eyes. They left her waking up in the middle of the night, breathless and trembling, torn between fear and desire. Every morning, she felt herself drifting further into a shadowy realm, where the line between danger and love blurred. She found herself glancing at him during class, her heart racing with both fear and longing. Every restrained movement of his, every flicker of emotion across his eyes, only seemed to add to the complex pull between them.

She needed a break. She needed something—someone—who could help her remember what normal felt like. That's when Jacob Black called, his voice light and cheerful, inviting her to a bonfire at La Push. It was the perfect distraction from the swirling darkness that Edward seemed to carry with him everywhere. Bella jumped at the chance, grateful for the opportunity to spend time with someone who didn't make her feel like she was constantly teetering on the edge of a cliff, on the brink of some profound, dangerous transformation.

The drive to La Push was comforting. The trees lining the road seemed less oppressive here, their green vibrant rather than foreboding. The forest felt alive and welcoming—unlike the looming shadows that followed her in Forks. The sunlight managed to pierce through the misty sky, casting a warm glow over the road. It was a small relief from the darkness that had been building around her. She let herself relax, focusing on the sensation of the wind in her hair and the scent of salt in the air as she neared the beach.

As she pulled up to First Beach, Bella spotted Jacob almost immediately. He was standing near a cluster of driftwood, grinning in that easy, boyish way that made her feel lighter somehow, more like herself. It was a stark contrast to the heavy tension that seemed to envelop her whenever she was with Edward.

"Bella!" Jacob called, his smile widening as he waved her over. His presence radiated warmth, a genuine comfort in the cool, sea-salted air. "You made it!"

"Of course." Bella smiled back, relieved to be away from the weight of Edward's presence, even if only for a few hours. "I needed to escape Forks for a while."

"Yeah, you look like you could use a break," Jacob said with a teasing grin, his eyes softening as he looked at her. He gestured toward the bonfire that was already crackling in the center of a circle of friends and elders. "C'mon, let's go get you warmed up."

The firelight flickered against the darkening sky, casting long shadows across the sand. The sound of waves crashing gently against the shore was a soothing contrast to the quiet tension Bella had been living under. She allowed herself to breathe deeply, savoring the briny scent of the ocean mixed with the smoky aroma of the fire. Jacob led her to a spot by the bonfire, offering her a seat on a log beside him.

For a while, everything felt normal. They sat by the fire, listening to the older members of Jacob's tribe tell ancient stories of the Quileutes, the flames dancing in the wind as they spoke of old legends. Bella found herself relaxing, letting the rhythm of their voices wash over her like a lullaby, the warmth of the fire seeping into her bones. Jacob nudged her occasionally, whispering jokes about some of the stories, and she couldn't help but laugh, the tension in her chest easing.

But then something changed when one of the elders, Billy Black—Jacob's father—began to speak. His voice was deeper, more serious than the others, and the atmosphere around the fire shifted from light-hearted to something more somber, almost reverent. The laughter died down, replaced by an attentive silence.

"Many of the old legends we tell are true," Billy said, his eyes glowing in the firelight. "Our tribe has a long history of protecting these lands from dangers that most would never believe. We call them the Cold Ones—pale as death, stronger than any human, and hungrier than anything you can imagine."

At the mention of the Cold Ones, Bella's heart skipped a beat. She had heard that phrase before. It was what Jacob had called the Cullens—Edward's family. She shifted slightly on her seat, her eyes darting to Jacob, whose expression had grown serious.

Billy continued, his voice grave. "The Cold Ones have been our enemies for generations. The Quileute people were once protectors, warriors who could shift into wolves, creatures powerful enough to hunt them, to keep them at bay. Those who have the wolf's blood in them can still feel the presence of the Cold Ones. They are dangerous. Always have been. Always will be."

Bella felt a chill run through her. The air seemed to grow colder, and the crackling of the bonfire no longer brought her comfort. She glanced at Jacob, but he wasn't smiling anymore. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on the fire, an intensity in his gaze that she hadn't seen before. There was no hint of the carefree boy she had known. His silence was unnerving, and suddenly, Bella realized that this wasn't just an old legend. It was something Jacob believed—something that felt too close to the truth she had learned.

Billy's words echoed in her mind, and for a moment, she felt as if the shadows of the forest had followed her here, to this safe place, tainting the warmth of the fire with the coldness of fear.

After the bonfire, as the others began to disperse, Jacob pulled Bella aside, away from the warmth of the fire and the watchful eyes of his tribe. They walked along the edge of the beach, the sound of the waves filling the silence between them. Jacob's face was tense, his usual smile replaced by something more serious, more guarded.

"You okay?" Jacob finally asked, his tone unusually somber as he looked at her, his eyes searching her face.

Bella nodded, though the unease in her stomach hadn't gone away. "Yeah. It's just… what your dad was talking about. The Cold Ones. You've mentioned them before."

Jacob's expression darkened, his gaze shifting away from her to stare out at the ocean. The moonlight glinted off the waves, but there was nothing calming about the sight now. "Bella, listen to me," he began, his voice low, almost a whisper. "I've been trying not to bring it up, but you need to know what you're getting into."

Bella frowned, confused by the sudden shift in Jacob's tone. "What do you mean?" she asked, her heart starting to pound in her chest.

Jacob ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident in the tension of his movements. "I know about Cullen," he said, the name coming out like a curse, his voice filled with disdain. "I've heard things. You need to stay away from him. He's dangerous, Bella. I know you think he's different, but he's not. He's a Cold One."

Bella's heart raced. She had expected Jacob to mention Edward, but the fear in his voice took her by surprise. She hesitated for a moment before she whispered, "I know."

Jacob turned to her, his eyes wide with shock. "You… you know?"

Bella nodded, her chest tightening as the weight of the secret settled between them. "I know what he is, Jake. I know he's… a vampire. But he's not like the others. He doesn't—"

Jacob cut her off, his voice sharp, almost angry. "It doesn't matter what he says, Bella. You don't understand what you're dealing with. The Cold Ones—they're predators. They can't change what they are. I don't care how long they've lived without feeding on humans. Sooner or later, they lose control. It's in their nature."

Bella took a step back, the heat rising in her chest as her emotions clashed—fear, anger, and confusion all fighting for dominance. "You don't know him, Jake. You don't know what he's like."

Jacob shook his head, his jaw clenching, frustration flashing in his dark eyes. "No, but I know what they're like. My tribe has fought them for centuries. Do you really think they're just going to let you walk away from this unscathed? You're getting involved with something that could kill you."

His words hung in the air between them, heavy and foreboding. Bella swallowed, the gravity of Jacob's warning settling over her. Part of her knew he was right. She had felt Edward's struggle to control himself, to keep his nature at bay. She had seen the hunger in his eyes, felt the tension in his body when he was close to her. But there was another part of her—a dangerous, reckless part—that couldn't pull away from him.

"Edward would never hurt me," Bella insisted, though the words felt weaker than she had intended. Even as she said them, she remembered the dreams—the way he had looked at her, the way his control had slipped. She wanted to believe he could resist, but deep down, there was doubt.

Jacob's jaw clenched tighter, his voice filled with desperation. "Maybe not on purpose. But you don't know what he's capable of, Bella. The stories my tribe tells—they're not just legends. They're warnings. The Cold Ones don't just live peacefully among humans. Sooner or later, something breaks. And when it does, people die."

Bella stared at him, her mind spinning. The weight of Jacob's warning pressed down on her, thick and heavy. He wasn't just trying to scare her—he was genuinely afraid for her. She could see it in his eyes, in the way his hands trembled slightly as he spoke.

Jacob stepped closer, his voice low and urgent. "Look, I care about you, Bella. You need to be careful. I don't want you to end up like the others."

Bella frowned, confusion crossing her features. "The others?"

Jacob nodded grimly. "There have been others before. Girls who got too close to the Cold Ones. They disappeared. Some say they were taken. Some say they were killed. No one ever saw them again."

Bella's stomach twisted, a cold fear settling in her chest. The world around her felt too quiet, too still, as the full weight of Jacob's words sank in. She had known the risks, but hearing it like this, hearing the history, the warnings—it made everything feel more real, more dangerous.

"Bella, please," Jacob whispered, his voice softer now, pleading. "Stay away from Cullen. Stay away from the Cold Ones. I don't want to lose you."

For a moment, Bella didn't know what to say. The truth of Edward's nature, the depth of his darkness—it had been something she had tried to rationalize, to accept. But Jacob's warning, the ancient history of his tribe, had shaken her. The Quileutes knew the Cold Ones in ways she couldn't understand. They had fought them, feared them, and now, Jacob was telling her to run.

But as much as she wanted to heed his warning, Bella knew she couldn't. There was something about Edward, something that pulled her in, despite the danger, despite the fear. She couldn't turn her back on him now—not when she had seen the struggle in his eyes, the way he had tried to protect her from himself.

"I can't, Jake," she whispered, her voice breaking. "It's too late for that."

Jacob's face fell, disappointment and frustration warring in his expression. He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes filled with a sadness that made Bella's chest ache. "Then just promise me you'll be careful. Promise me that if anything happens, you'll come to me."

Bella nodded, though she wasn't sure she could keep that promise. The pull toward Edward was too strong, too dangerous, and as much as she wanted to protect herself, she knew that the darkness that surrounded him had already claimed her.

As the night wore on and Bella drove back to Forks, Jacob's warning echoed in her mind, mixing with the memories of Edward's cold touch, his burning eyes, and the hunger that lurked just beneath his surface. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing on the edge of something vast and dangerous, a darkness that was slowly closing in around her.

She was caught between two worlds now—the ancient, protective legacy of Jacob's tribe and the dark, consuming pull of Edward's presence. And she knew that sooner or later, something would have to give. The path she was on was fraught with danger, with shadows that grew longer and darker with each passing day.