The White Feather

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

A/N-as I am not getting very much engagement on this site anymore I am not sure if I will be posting any future updates for my stories on here.

Chapter Thirteen

When Old Quil walked into the house he found Joy in the kitchen baking cookies. His grandson was standing up on a chair next to her licking a wooden spoon filled with cookie mixture. A lump lodged in his throat as he looked at them. This is what Jacob and Bella should be doing with their own mothers, but instead they were out in the wilds somewhere dealing with things that no child should ever have to go through.

"Oh, Quil, you're back." Joy finally noticed him hovering in the doorway. "These should be done in a few hours." She smiled as her son gave her his puppy dog face, begging for more of the mixture. "No way. You'll be sick." She chided him gently. "Go wash up for me, Quilly."

"Okay." Quil said reluctantly as he gave his mom the wooden spoon back. He climbed down off the chair and skipped over to his grandfather. "Hi, Granpop."

"Hey." Old Quil smiled down at the little boy and ruffled his hair. "Go on and wash up I need to talk to your mommy for a moment."

Young Quil grinned at his grandfather. His mouth was covered in cookie mixture. Once again, the elder was struck by melancholy. HIs boy was so young and innocent. He would do anything to protect him from the same future that was facing young Jacob. He watched as Quil darted off to the bathroom.

"Is everything alright, Quil?" Joy asked curiously. She had seen the play of emotions crossing the old man's face and wondered what was wrong.

Old Quil sighed heavily as he swiped at his eyes. Harry had shut down his attempts to get Sue Clearwater involved in the children's affairs. He had pinned all his hopes on Harry changing his mind, but he was being stubbornly protective of his right to keep his wife out of it. Old Quil knew there was only one other option. He gazed at Joy's open face. She was such a sweetheart and a good mother to his precious grandson. But unlike Sue she had been through a traumatic time. Losing her husband in such a tragic way had really impacted on her. Old Quil hadn't wanted to put any pressure on her now that she was finally coming out on the other side from her grief. But he was beginning to feel backed into a corner. Jacob and Bella needed help desperately. His hands shook at the enormity of what he was about to do.

"Quil, please sit down. You look unwell." Joy put her arm around the old man and guided him to one of the chairs. "Can I get you a drink?"

The elder shook his head. He gazed up at Joy, feeling guilt settle on his shoulders. He was about to make her world come crashing down around her again. Once he told her about the children, he was going to have to tell her about how poor Sarah Black had died, which also meant telling her the truth regarding her husband's tragic boat accident. Because his son hadn't died during a freak storm. Quil Ateara IV had been attacked by nomadic cold ones and had the life drained out of him before his body was flung into the water. Old Quil had been living with this knowledge for years, it tormented him daily, it gave him nightmares when he tried to sleep. And now because Harry refused to help, he was being forced to push the same burden onto Joy.

After salvaging some food and bottled water from the house, Jacob and Bella were back in their hideout. The weather was worsening. The rain came down in sheets. The children were sheltered but the torrential rain was beginning to drip through the thick umbrella of leaves covering them. Bella huddled against Jacob seeking warmth. He put his arm around her, shielding her with his body. He wasn't affected by the cold at all, but she was.

"I'm scared." Bella whispered with her cheek pressed against his chest. Somewhere nearby an owl hooted. The wind was getting up and the boughs began to shake making her even more fearful.

Jacob cuddled his Bella Angel close as she continued to shake with nerves. He was scared too but wouldn't admit it. In his mind it was more dangerous down there than up here. He looked down through the intertwining branches of the tree. He could easily make out the ground. Something dark was hunting there. He tensed, his nostrils flaring as he noticed a flash of red. There was a low snarling sound, then another flicker of red. Jacob knew who it was. He could smell the creature's vile stench even through the strengthening wind. It was the evil man's mate. She was scouting around, looking for him, looking for his Bella Angel. She was wicked. Even more black hearted than her male counterpart. The evil cold one with the long, dirty blonde hair had underestimated Jacob when he was faced with his wolf. It had been a vicious fight. Jacob had been acting solely on instinct. He had let the red wolf take him over until he was only pieces of Jacob inside the beast's mind. He had woken up in the aftermath, naked and shivering, panicked and unsure of what had happened to him. But now he was beginning to remember.

Bella sucked in her breath in alarm. She trembled in Jacob's arms as she saw the evil man's spirit floating in front of her. His reddened eyes were glinting evilly in the dark. He was laughing. Always laughing. Bella's screams were torn away by the wind, but down below the red headed demon heard them just as the evil man's spirit knew she would.

Her thick, curly red hair billowed around her face as she scuttled up the bole of the tree like a spider. Jacob stared down at her vicious face which gleamed ghostly white in the darkness. His Bella Angel was clinging to him. He could hear her heart racing inside her chest with fear. He looked around, seeking some form of escape, but there was none. They were trapped. His chest tightened as he tried to work out in his young mind what to do. Go further up, or go down. Going down meant crossing paths with the vengeful cold one, but going up meant risking the wild weather. His Angel could fall if he was forced to fight the evil demon climbing toward him.

In the end there was no choice to make. Jacob cupped his shivering Angel's heart shaped face in his hands and made her look into his dark eyes. Hers were wide with fear. "Down, Bella Angel. We fall down."

Bella gripped his shoulders as she tried to stop shaking. He was talking about jumping out of the tree. There was no way they could possibly climb down before the red head reached them. She fought to breathe as she stared into the deep pools of his eyes. If they didn't move death would reach them anyway. Tears dribbled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Jacob let go of her face and hauled her against his body, balancing nimbly on the thick branch as he stood up cradling his angel. He saw the vicious red head smirking as she drew closer. Her nails were like claws as she dug them into the hard wood of the tree trunk. Jacob held his breath and closed his eyes. Then like a leaf falling from the tree he fell backwards, with Bella clinging to him like a baby monkey. He plummeted to the ground, sailing past the angry red head who screamed in anger as she watched them disappear into the shadows.

The breath was knocked from Jacob's body as he hit the hard ground. He rolled over and over, his angel still encased within the safety of his arms. Leaves and other detritus hit him in the face. He coughed, trying to stop the ache in his chest as he fought to breathe. The rain hit his face. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. He could feel his angel crying against his chest. He cradled the back of her head as he tried to regain his senses. He gulped, drawing in air. His lungs burned with the effort. He was going to have to move. The red head would be on her way down now. She was fast. He had to be faster.

"Jakey." Bella gasped as she lifted her head and stared around in shock. She was sure that they were going to die. She couldn't believe they were still breathing. It was so dark. She couldn't see a thing. "Jake." She said again as she tasted the bitter salt of her tears on her tongue.

"Bella Angel." He rasped. He was finding it difficult to speak. He was getting hot. The red wolf was fighting to break free. His angel was too close. She could get hurt if he changed. Jacob had no choice but to push her away from him. He heard his angel cry out in fear, but he had to ignore her. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He wanted to grab her, to hold her tight and never let go. But the red wolf was coming. "Sorry, Bella Angel." He choked out as he scrambled to his feet and ran into the darkness.

"Jacob!" Bella cried in despair. He was gone. He had left her and she didn't understand. "Please come back. Please."

Bella couldn't see. It was too dark. She turned in a circle with her hands outstretched. The torrential rain smacked her in the face, her long, thick hair hung in sweaty tendrils against her skin. She was so scared. Where was Jacob? Why had he left her all alone in the dark? She cried his name over and over as she fell to her knees. She blundered forward, using her hands to feel her way across the saturated ground. Death was close. The red headed demon would kill her like she had killed Sarah. There would be no escape. Jacob was lost to her. He was gone and she was alone.

Bella felt cold fingers wind around her neck. She stared into the darkness, her tears blurring her vision. A familiar shape appeared out of the night. Bella felt herself being cradled against a soft body. Gentle lips kissed the top of head. "Don't be afraid, baby girl. I'm here."

"Mommy." Bella looked up at her mother's smiling face. "You came back."

Renee's expression was tender as she stroked Bella's wet hair off her face. "Close your eyes, baby." She crooned. "Close your eyes."

Bella sank into her mother's embrace and closed her eyes. Above her head sailed the red wolf. He collided with the vicious red headed demon and they began to fight. Bella didn't see or hear any of it. She was protected by her mamma angel, cocooned within her light.

It was dawn's early light that woke Jacob. He sat up rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands. Even this small movement was an effort. His brain felt foggy. He didn't know where he was or why he was here. Something soft brushed against his naked shoulder. Jacob opened his eyes to find the Alpha wolf standing over him protectively. The rest of the pack surrounded their leader. Jacob breathed deeply, still feeling a little disorientated. He felt something stir by his side. He focused his gaze only to find his Bella Angel sleeping beside him. Her cheek was resting on her hair which was acting like a satin pillow. She looked peaceful. Joy surged through Jacob as he called her name.

Bella opened her eyes and smiled.

A/N-thanks for reading!