The next day, Alice and Jasper were watching over Charlie which gave Edward and Sara some free time. They decided to take a stroll around the woods. It was sunny but the woods were secluded enough that they wouldn't have to fear accidental hikers spotting them.

They walked slowly, for a change. The sun and the successful hunting trip last night made them lazy and since they wouldn't get Charlie back for a few hours, they had all the time in the world.

Sara smiled, holding Edwards hand. She enjoyed the feeling of them being alone. Living in a house with six other vampires and a baby didn't give any of them much time alone. There was simply always something to do.

„Did I tell you that I love you today?", Sara asked. Edward grinned. „Maybe, but I can never get enough of these words."

He gave her a small kiss on her cheek. „And have I told you how beautiful you are?"

„Not as beautiful as you."

Edward grinned; his eyes sparkling. He was about to lunge at her and cover her with kisses to show her how beautiful he found her when suddenly they heard a branch snap. Within seconds, Edward was standing in front of Sara, his fangs bared. A scent reached his nostrils, a scent he hadn't smelled in a long time and still never forgotten. Werewolf

Sara tried to look around him, but he was like a wall between her and the enemy. „Who are you?" Edward asked. „What do you want?"

Another branch snapped, then suddenly the woods parted, and a gigantic wolf appeared in front of them. He was easily the size of a big horse, towering over Sara and Edward. His fur was pitch black and his eyes shone red. He made no sound, but he didn't have to. Clear as day his thoughts entered Edwards mind, his special ability creating a bridge between them.

You ask me who I am, boy, so let me tell you: My name is Samuel Black. I am the true heir of Ephraim Black. My mother was his first-born child. When she was pregnant, she and her mate were attacked by vampires. They drained her dry and left them for dead in the woods. But before she died, she gave birth to me, her only son. An elderly couple happened to pass by and heard my cries. Not knowing who my family was, they took me in and raised me as one of their own. But the day I turned 17, a gang of vampires appeared. They killed my parents, after torturing them for a whole night. They took delight in their screams and pain. But throughout their suffering, they managed to not say a word about me, which saved my life. I was in the woods at that time, hiking as it was my habit. When I returned, the only thing I could do was to bury their bodies. It was on this day that I swore to kill every one of these monsters that killed my parents.

He growled. And I found them. And I made them suffer the same way they made my parents suffer. I had already phased at that time. The sight of my parents' dead bodies triggered it. I found them and I killed them. After that, I followed the others. I hunted and I killed every monster I could find. And there were many. Hundreds of them. I killed them all.

He growled again, louder this time and Edward positioned himself between the gigantic black wolf and Sara. You see, when the vampires killed my mother, they gave me something. Some sort of strength. The strength of both vampires and werewolves combined in one body. I eventually found out about the Quileute too and learned about my heritage, but I never approached them. After all, they had given me up for dead so why would I want anything to do with them?

Edward frowned. „And now that you found us, you want to kill us, too?" Sara went very still behind him.

No. At least not all of you. You feed from animals, leaving the humans alone. I am not a monster, not like them. But there is one thing. Sometimes, I was too late. Too many times, I was too late. Once, I found a group of vampires, feeding one a couple they had kidnapped. I couldn't save them, but I could avenge them. I chased and killed the vampires. All, but one. His eyes darted toward their house. There was one, a young one. He had blond hair and dark eyes. I was never able to find him. Until now. He growled. I think you call him Jasper.

„I remember that day. I was traveling in a group at that time, together with three other vampires. We weren't very close, and it was rather out of necessity that we travelled together. We were hungry for we had not eaten in days when he found this couple camping in the woods. It didn't take long," Jasper recalled, looking in the distance. „Afterwards, we dumped the bodies in the river and moved on. The shadow appeared this very night. At first, we weren't sure what it was but then it attacked. It ripped out Alec's throat like it was nothing. We others began to run but the shadow was too fast. It killed first Magnus, then Clarissa. I was lucky because I escaped while it was busy with the others. But I was careful from that day because I knew that this shadow was after me. I hid and only killed when absolutely necessary. Then I met Alice, and everything changed. But I guess the past has a way of keeping up with you," Jasper concluded ruefully, his gaze now downcast, his fingers intertwined with Alice's.

„Well, we all did bad things at one time or another. But that doesn't give this wolf the right to decide who can live and who must die," Alice responded. Her family nodded in agreement.

„What else did he say?" Carlisle asked Edward.

„That we have until tomorrow night to give Jasper up. After that, he would see us at his enemies as well," his son responded.

„But he cannot think that he could attack us and win?" Emmet asked. „I mean, we are 8 vampires, and he is alone."

„He said that both the strength of vampires and werewolves is in his body. Plus, he seems to have the ability to heal very fast, like all vampires. And he has hunted vampires for years. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses," his father answered. „He knows that eventually we will have to go out and feed. Either we go in pairs, and he attacks us one by one, or we go out as a group. But he will anticipate that and be prepared for this event, as well. He attacked and killed a group of four vampires and that was decades ago. He has surely grown stronger by now. He will find a way to separate and kill us, if what Edward and Sara say is true, which I have no doubt it is. Either way, we cannot win."

„And if we lay out some kind of trap?" Sara asked. „Like sending Jasper out and hide in the woods to attack him when he is distracted or something?"

„This might work in theory, but I don't want to take any chances. He will be ready, no matter what we try. He has hunted our kind for years and he still lives. He has to have knowledge and tricks."

„So, we are doomed," Emmet concluded darkly, his base cap in his hands.

„Not if I give myself up," Jasper said suddenly. „He only wants me. I cannot let the rest of you suffer or get hurt on my behalf. He is right, I have to atone for my sins, sooner or later."

„We all did things we regret. Carlisle was with the Volturi, I myself travelled for a time and lived on human blood," Edward countered at once. „We won't let him win and just give up without a fight. We are a family, and a family takes care of each other." He glanced at Sara, who nodded with a smile.

„We just need more fighters. He may be able to go against 8, but not against 18, no matter how smart he is."

„But where do we get 10 more vampires? We don't know that many," Alice spoke against her mother.

„There is a group of vampires strong enough to overpower him. One who will come at once when they hear about the predator hunting their own," Carlisle responded, looking at his family.

Alice blanched. „You cannot mean…"

But Carlisle nodded. „We need the Volturi."

„But why not the wolves? We should at least call Jacob first and tell him. This wolf is his cousin, after all."

Sara nodded. „I already talked to him and he'll come here to assess the situation and try to get in contact with him."

Jacob came at once when he heard about the rogue werewolf. After greeting his daughter and giving his grandson a kiss on the head, he headed straight into the woods. He thought about phasing to find this Samuel quicker, but it had been so many years that he wouldn't know how his body would react to another phasing. In the end, he stayed right where Edward and Sara had first met the werewolf. He knew that, sooner or later, the other wolf would catch his scent and find him there.

He turned out to be right. After about an hour, branches snapped again, and someone entered the clearing. It was a young man with filthy hair, wearing only a loincloth to cover himself. His eyes shone red when he regarded Jacob. His lips curled back in a sneer and there was an air of disgust around him.

Jacob narrowed his eyes, looking him over. „So, you are the one calling himself the true heir of Ephraim Black?", Jacob asked. The other man, so much younger in appearance yet so much older than him, nodded. „My mother was his first-born daughter, so the title and everything it includes is mine."

„That would also mean that we are cousins. My father was your mother's younger brother, Bill."

The other werewolf shrugged. „That may be so. But I decided long ago that I didn't need a family. Didn't want one. Although we are related by blood, there are no ties between us." His short brown hair fell in his face. The short leather loincloth didn't cover much but it was handy when he was phasing. It was obvious that he didn't spend much time as a human. His voice was raspy.

„And your goal is to hunt all vampires until there are none left?"

Again, a nod. „Although as I told the clan, I will not hurt them as long as they give up the blond one." He bared his teeth in a threatening grin.

„You know that they'll never do that. They are a family. They would rather fight to the death than give up one of their own."

His cousin shrugged. „Then they are my enemies as well and I'll kill all of them if I must. He needs to be punished, they all do. Vampires are nothing but undead, blood-thirsting monsters. They do not belong on this earth."

Jacob cocked his head. „I agree with you, at least in the monster part. They are evil, at least most of them. But that doesn't mean that you can act as jury, judge and executioner at the same time. Do you really think you can take 8 vampires all on your own?"

Another grin. Blood coated the corner of his mouth. „I have faced worse."

„So that is what you want? Jasper delivered to your doorstep so you can give him the punishment he deserves?"

The other man lowered his head in a gesture of agreement. „They have until midnight." Then he vanished in the woods before Jacob had a chance to answer.

„He will not give up," Jacob said. „He wants Jasper and won't stop until he has him."

„And there is nothing you can do? He is your cousin after all," Alice asked.

Jacob sighed and raked a hand through his long, dark hair. „Family means nothing to him. And since he doesn't belong to a pack, there is no Alpha who could stop him. I can go back to the reservation but I'm not sure if that would do any good. Almost all of my former tribe have stopped phasing and have families of their own. My father is dead, along with most of the elder clansmen who might remember Ephraim and his children. They won't fight, even more because he is a werewolf and you just vampires."

„So that settles it. Since the wolves will be of no use to us, we have to relate on vampires' strength alone," Carlisle concluded.

„Which means the Volturi," Emmet answered, a look of concern in his face. Rosalie took his hand but remained calm.

„But won't that just make things worse? They are rigid and old-fashioned. We don't know how they will react to Sara and Charlie."

„Not good," her mate answered.

„We'll hide Charlie with Sara's parents. He only wants us, he'll let Jacob pass and Charlie with him" Edward answered, looking grim. „And she'll act as a vampire. No phasing, no eating real food. With just a bit of luck they won't see her other side and leave before things get too bad."