*DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to the Twilight Saga and it's characters. This is purely artistic fiction drawn in inspiration from Stephanie Meyers words.

*This chapter contains PG-13 imagery, dialog and strong language. Reader discretion is advised.

*This chapter features a pov change.

JACOB POV

Nightfall was fast approaching; we were nearly halfway to the top of the peak. Steadily, I trekked up the winding trails, and the cardinal-colored sun quickly sunk behind the horizon. Setting the tent up for the evening instantaneously became a top priority. Large clumps of fluffy snow started to fall from the sky, accumulating over the barely visible trail. Thick fog was rolling down the side of the mountain, obscuring most objects in the distance. The closer we went to the peak, the higher the altitude. The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature plummeted. Before we left, the weather forecast had predicted a mostly calm, clear night. However, a winter storm was brewing, judging by the wind picking up. I knew the weather would just worsen. Thanks to Alice, Bella was comfortably snuggled in several layers of winter clothing. The Cullen's had also given us two sleeping bags, a few blankets, and many other necessary provisions. All of which was strapped to my back with the tent. A little further ahead, I could see a part of the trail diverge to the left and settle onto a flat plane. The broad expanse was covered in minimal snow, and abundant with swaths of sturdy pine trees. That spot would be as good as any to hunker down in.

I focused on the sound of absolute silence, tapping into more of my boundless energy. Every step I took was one closer to cuddling Bella in the tent. Another step toward keeping her safe. She stirred in my arms, adjusting her head to fit perfectly in the crook of my warm neck. Bella had fallen asleep not long after we started the journey, and I was relieved she was finally getting some rest. She deserved it—more than anything. Sleep meant that she was healing, physically and hopefully mentally. The last few weeks were rough, I couldn't even begin to imagine how she was feeling. To me, nothing could compare to the heartbreak of seeing her in a puddle of her blood. I'd give up everything I was, or could ever be, to erase that cruel memory from my mind.

As much as I would have liked to talk with her on the trail, I was apprehensive that she would still be upset about my decision regarding the battle. Bella already spent the entire truck ride to the foothills openly rebuking my choice to fight. Her words came from a place of loving concern, but they implied a lack of confidence in my capabilities. I couldn't blame her. That monster had stolen her right out of my arms and managed to inflict more damage than he ever did before. I had to at least try to fight, none of these vampires could read minds like him. He knew when to strike, and that's exactly why he was able to get her away from me. Still, I didn't say anything in the truck. I don't like arguing, and I know she doesn't like it either. Old Quil's words were still rattling around in the back of my mind. I wanted to hope that he was wrong. I refused to allow another leech to hurt her, for any more pain to befall her. This time, I'd get to rip the bloodsucking vamp apart. We would celebrate the death of Victoria soon enough, and get on with more important things, like planning our future together.

I turned down the path to the flat plane, trudging through an unexpected patch of snow. Bella startled in my arms; her eyes wide, gasping for air.

"V-Victoria! Victoria's here!" She shrieked.

"What?" I whipped my head around, expertly surveying our surroundings. There was nothing but the sound of the wind. "Bells, are you sure?" She sucked in a gulp of air and recalibrated.

"Wait. No... I'm sorry. It was a dream." She shivered, somehow pulling herself closer to me.

"Oh," I frowned, "another nightmare?" I continued pushing through the dip in the trail until we reached the plane.

"Another? They're constant. I never have anything but them." Bella paused, "it's freezing. Are we close to the peak?"

"No, we're a little over halfway. There's a storm blowing in, we need to take shelter. We'll continue at daybreak."

"We're gonna put the tent up here?" She sounded confused.

"No, you're gonna sit down and I'm gonna put the tent up," I nodded, leaning down to set her on a boulder. I waited to ensure she was stable enough to shrug the pack off my shoulders.

"I d-don't mean to s-sound insensitive but hurry p-please. It's so c-cold." Her teeth were chattering with every word.

I had seen this type of tent before in commercials, it was obscenely expensive. It was a top-of-the-line, jade-green tent that could easily hold up to six people comfortably, weatherproof, and made of highly durable nylon fibers. I was grateful for that. It must have been close to below zero by now. Even with my elevated internal temperature, it was starting to feel mildly uncomfortable. I went to work quickly, jamming the poles into the frozen ground using my supernatural strength. Years of experience helped me with this part. A few minutes went by, the tent was correctly erected, and secured. The large provisions bag, aside from food, sleeping bags, and blankets, remained outside to keep inside dry and less cluttered. I removed my shoes, and changed my socks before I entered the tent. This was done out of respect, and to maintain as much body heat as possible for Bella. She was convinced that she needed lots of layers to warm up. Contrarily, with my added heat, she would start sweating and lose body heat eventually.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked, digging through some of the stuff that was packed for us.

"A little." She was laying inside one of the sleeping bags, trying to keep warm. I'd fasten another one to it so she would be warm, but I wanted to make sure she ate before she slept. Food would help keep her body warm through the night.

"Here. This will help." I handed her a packet of trail mix, this brand had lots of chocolate in it. She hesitantly reached for it and nibbled a small handful.

"Trail mix?" She muttered, perplexed.

"It's high in protein, plus the chocolate will help you maintain energy."

"How come you know so much about camping, Jake?" Bella arched a brow, a shudder working its way through her core.

"It's common knowledge on the rez. We know about surviving the elements." I replied quietly, biting into a granola bar. She smiled, finishing another handful of the trail mix. We finished our impromptu meal and washed it down with what tasted like apple juice in a canteen.

"That made me feel like a little kid again." She huffed.

"Was it the trail mix or the juice?" I chuckled, zipping our sleeping bags together.

"Both. It reminded me of the snacks they'd serve at latch key." Bella paused, rotating to nestle into my open arms. "At least it wasn't Goldfish. I hate those things."

"But they're so cute." I teased, holding her close to me. The wind whistled around the tent; the snow was falling faster.

"They taste like cardboard." She wrinkled her nose up at me, "I've never liked them."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind for the future," I said, taking a mental note.

"Jake," she whispered, "why are you fighting tomorrow?" Her voice was barely audible and full of strain. She sounded like she was crying. I pulled back slightly so I could see her face better and sure enough, there were twin trails of moisture down her cheeks.

"Bells, haven't we beat this horse enough?" I felt even worse now, I didn't want to be the reason for her to cry.

"No, you didn't answer me earlier." She sniffled, pouting at me.

"What didn't I answer?" My eyes narrowed and I swallowed uneasily.

"The same question I just asked. Why are you fighting?" Bella went silent, awaiting an answer.

"I've already said why. I'm fighting to protect you." My tone was firm, my words were too sharp. She flinched and my heart sunk into the depths of my stomach. She was more damaged than I realized.

"You don't have to fight. Everyone else is fighting," she murmured, "I need you, Jacob. I need you with me. I don't want to be alone ever again." Bella buried her face into my chest and stifled an angry sob. I rubbed her back assuredly, seeking out her chin so I could look into her eyes.

"Please look at me, Bella." I pleaded, my voice breaking. She glared up at me, and I cupped her jaw tenderly. "I'm going to rip every single one of them to shreds. All of them. I tried being on the defensive, and it hurt you. It's the only way to protect you now. To attack them before they get the chance."

Bella's mouth popped open in shock, "but what if you get hurt?" I rubbed away one of the stray tears that escaped the corner of her eye with the flat pad of my thumb.

"Then that's the price I'll pay. I'd do anything to make this all go away. I want you to be safe—happy."

"I don't want you to get killed over me." Her eyes shut tightly, and she grimaced. "I hate that I can't defend myself. I'm useless."

"I won't get killed. I doubt any of them would even land a hit on me. I'm much too fast." I caressed the thickest part of her cheek, peering at her pained expression. "You don't need to do anything. Please have faith in me. I promise I'll be ok—that I'll make it back to you in one piece."

Bella reopened her eyes and stared into mine. I got distracted by her beautiful face. At that moment, I wanted to kiss her so badly. Not just a small kiss, or a peck, but really kiss her. It had been so long since our last kiss like that. I was waiting patiently for her to heal; I didn't want to jeopardize her progress. Since her choice had been repeatedly violated by that monstrosity, I couldn't risk shattering her psyche because of my cravings. It would always be about consent; I wanted her, but I'd rather her be happy if it meant giving that up. She pressed her slightly chilled palm to my fiery cheek and sighed softly. I relaxed my tense muscles, nuzzling into her hand.

"I do have faith in you. It's Victoria I'm scared of. I love you so much. I'd have nothing without you..." She trailed off, the silence was deafening.

My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. She nudged further up and gingerly kissed the tip of my nose. I held my breath, swallowing any growing signs of desire. She sensed my reticence, scowling in turn.

Her voice was melancholy, "why won't you kiss me?" I grit my teeth together, trying to hold back more. A feeling of pent-up longing was emerging from inside me. My eyes snapped open, and I held her face steadfast.

"I don't want to hurt you," I whispered, my stomach turning inside out.

"You won't. Please," she responded, threading her fingers into my hair. "Kiss me. I want you to kiss me," she closed her eyes, and I lost a grip on my resolve.

I moved forward the rest of the gap between us, meshing our lips together. Trying to be delicate, I resisted putting any weight on her. She still had broken bones, albeit mending ones. I kissed her gently, molding her tiny frame to me carefully. Casts or not, it was only her to me. She did not cry out in pain, or remotely show any signs of distress. Instead, Bella came alive in my arms. The glowing embers that had once been lit long ago, rekindled in the dim light of the lantern. The shadows inside the tent made her seem more grown-up like we weren't eighteen and figuring out what we wanted. Bella was determined in her search, her hands furled into fistfuls of my hair. She was pulling me to her, and the once endearing mood was changing—becoming fervent, desperate. Each kiss became a frantic, emotional pursuit, I was losing the fight against my inner demons. I sincerely tasted her passion, matching it without hindrance. The familiar, alluring sounds of her mewls between kisses ignited the flame within me. My heartbeat was steady, as was hers. It was so warm, too warm. I was on fire. Wait. I pulled back, attempting to catch the breath she had promptly stolen.

"Bella... we need to stop." I panted, trying to calm down.

"Why?" She pawed at my shirt collar and used it as a means to pull herself further up. Bella locked her good arm around the back of my neck and pressed her lips to the junction below my left ear. The skin was sensitive, and I shuddered at the feather-light touch.

"B-because," I groaned, "you have b-broken bones."

"I don't feel them right now." She replied breathlessly, tracing her tongue along the highway of my jugular vein. I increased my hold on her, my hands anchoring to her shirt. She shifted against me, and I felt the exposed skin of her stomach against my fingertips. I craved so much more in that waning moment.

"S-stop." A moan escaped my parted lips, and she mirrored me. She slid her hand down my back and lifted my shirt. Our stomachs touched briefly.

"I want you, Jacob." She whispered into my ear. Goosebumps peppered my skin, and a surge of heat filled my lower stomach. My lust strangled any semblance of thought until I felt her hand slide under my shirt and glide over my bare midsection. A pang of clarity stabbed through me.

"Not now. Not this way." I was fighting her again, and I almost lost.

"Don't you want it?" She paused meekly, "don't you want... me?"

"Yes. More than anything on this Earth. Especially right now, Bella." I huffed, pulling her hand from under my shirt. "But you have broken bones. And tonight isn't the night for it."

"You always say that." She recoiled, purposefully facing away from me.

"Say what? That you're healing from several major injuries?" I was mildly irritated, "it's just not the right timing. I won't take advantage of you."

"You always say 'it's never the right time'." She was almost shouting, coldly emphasizing her words, "just admit you don't find me attractive. That you don't feel the same way." I saw red for a brief moment, and I moved instantly to pin her against the down of the sleeping bag. Her eyes went wide the moment I held her in place. I was gentle but solid with my weight. She couldn't move.

"Because it's not," I hissed, "I wish you could see what you do to me."

"What do you m-mean?" She stuttered.

"I want you so bad. I want... everything. All of it. With you. Now and always. I have since the moment we first kissed," I glared down at her, "Bells, everything about you is so damn inviting to me." The fire was dying down inside me. My anger was softening. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want your body. Your kisses, your touch—" I held her hand to my face.

"Then why do you always stop me or pull away?" Her brows knitted together.

"I stop you because I want it to be special." I grimaced, "the night before the war is not special. You having broken bones, when it could hurt you all over again, is not special."

Bella was silent, mulling over my words. "Don't tell me you want to be married before... before being intimate, do you?"

"No, it's not that. I think... I just want it to be when we're not running from something, or when you're not wrapped in plastic to barely keep your insides held together." I sighed reluctantly, focusing on the auburn tinge on her curls. They were spread out around her cream-colored skin, her deep, rosy blush was prominent in comparison.

"I don't want it to be a date on a calendar, or perfect for that matter. I want it to be passionate, and real. I want to feel something after being numb for so long..." Bella was quiet again.

"What... what did you say?"

"I—I said, I don't care if it's special." She blinked rapidly.

"Not that. Did you say you want to feel something?" I recalibrated; the anger was bubbling up in my center. "Is that it? An adrenaline rush—like the cliff? Is that all my love is to you, Bella?"

"N-no. It's not." She was shaking, "I want to feel like I'm not crazy. That I'm truly desirable! I don't want to be wanted in a specific fashion—under the right set of circumstances. I want to be loved as I am at this moment. I don't want any conditions." The tears were falling down the slopes of her full cheeks again. My heart sunk into my stomach once more.

"I... I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." I sat up, pushing away from her. Was she comparing me to him? I had nothing to analogize her with. She was always the pinnacle of my life. I loved her from the moment I saw her in Charlie's driveway, after years of her absence from my life. The way she lit up, the curve of her smile when she nervously fidgeted, when she got frustrated and was so damn stubborn. Every single time she tripped over her two left feet. I loved her—I wasn't trying to fill the shadow of someone else.

"Jake," she reached for me, and I yanked my arm from her, "you don't."

"Has our love... always been a rebound?" I stared blankly, "you were just looking for the next best thing when he left." The ground felt like it was collapsing beneath me. My chest felt heavy, full of dozens of stones.

"Jacob—no. Listen to me—" I'd heard enough.

I was going to phase. I stood and unzipped the opening to the tent, quickly closing it as fast as I could after stepping through. Bella's voice was muted, the pinpricks of pain were cropping up all over my scalding skin. Steam billowed off my figure in the snowstorm, and I held my breath. The blackness had already seeped into the outer circle of my vision when I case to the realization. I was being a jackass. I took everything out of proportion and made a molehill out of an ant hill. Was I jealous? How could I be envious of a monster like him? I stared up at the bleak, swirling, white mass around me, it was zero visibility. My burgeoning phase was retreating, and blood filled my face. I needed to apologize. My clothes, skin and hair were already covered in a layer of snow. I sucked in a deep inhale, exhaling when my head felt less dizzy. I turned back around and reentered the tent, carefully shutting out the storm. Bella was curled up on her side, crying heavily into the bulk of the sleeping bag. When she noticed I had come back, she straightened and wiped her face with her sleeve.

"Bella, I'm so sorry." I started, quietly crouching in the opening. "What I said... all of it. Just ignore it. I was being an asshole." I shook my head, the snow on my clothes had melted. It was cold and wet, little beads of water clung to my eyelashes. I needed to change.

"You're right. You were being an asshole," she sniffled weakly.

"Yeah, werewolf tendencies. You can break up with me if you want." I wasn't being serious, but my sarcasm was too smooth. Bella shot up and croaked at my 'suggestion'.

"No! I don't want to. Please, don't..."

"Shh, it's okay," I backtracked, "I was being sarcastic." Jacob Ephraim—you complete and total idiot. You're gonna give her emotional whiplash. She swallowed another wave of sobs, her chest heaving unevenly.

"I... don't want... t-to break u-up." She managed in broken English.

"Neither do I." I scrubbed my hand down my face. "I love you, Bells. I'm so sorry." I apologized again.

"I love y-you." She hiccupped, hiding her disheveled face in her hands. We were silent for a little while longer, I was creating a tiny puddle from the wetness of my clothes.

"It's really snowing out there." I noted, surveying her response.

"Y-yeah. It is," she laid back down and turned away from me, "bet it's a lot colder, too."

"It was. Eye-opening." I laughed, digging through the bag for extra clothes. I found a new pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. The shirt was super tight and exposed an inch or so gap between the end of the hem and my waistline. It showed off the divots of my hips and bottom of my abdominal muscles. I didn't know whether Alice did that on purpose or not. Bella did not turn around until I sat down beside her on the sleeping bag again.

"Did you learn a lot out there?" She murmured.

"Not a lot, but enough." I agreed. My hand came to rest on her shoulder, and I pulled her back so I could look into her eyes.

"What did you learn?"

"That I'm a jealous man."

"Jealous? Of whom?"

"Who else," I sighed.

"You can't possibly mean..." her reaction was delayed, "Jacob, don't tell me you're jealous of someone who tried to kill me."

"Not that—before he went insane." I shut my eyes, "you worshiped the ground he walked on."

"He was my first love." Bella blurted out.

"You're mine," I replied flippantly. She stopped, covering her mouth. Bella processed my words for a good while.

"What?" She blinked, trying to make sense of my confession.

"You're my first love." I admitted, "you're my first everything." It was true. I'd never been interested in any other girls. They were all boring or annoying to me. Bella was the only girl I wanted. She was the only one who saw me as a person before I became this muscled-out freak of nature, and afterwards, too.

"There's never been... you've never been with—" She cycled through the motions, "Jake, there's no way." She shook her head, a cynical grin on her face.

"There's no denying it." I chuckled, "yep, I'm a virgin." Her face turned bright red again, she hid it in her sleeves.

"I am, too." She mumbled, barely audible.

"Yeah, I know."

"Is it that obvious?" She was mortified, peeking through the gaps of her fingers. I grabbed her hands and held them with mine so I could see her face.

"Kinda. A lot." I hid a smirk, "but there's nothing wrong with that. I think I'm trying to hold on to something that isn't there."

"What do you mean?" She squinted at me.

"Maybe I'm afraid of... how I'll perform, so to speak." She laughed softly. "So, I keep pushing it off," I rubbed the back of my neck restlessly.

"I mean, the first time isn't meant to be absolutely amazing." Bella rolled her eyes playfully, "there's a reason why there are so many books and movies about how awful or painfully awkward it is."

"I'm not worried about it being awkward. We have a lot of chemistry between us."

"Yes, that is true." She looked toward the floor of the tent. "Then what part are you worried about?"

"Like I said—how I'll perform. I want it to be perfect for you." I swallowed dryly, "I don't care about me. I want you to enjoy every second of it. But I'm scared I'll be terrible at it." My face felt entirely too warm. Was I blushing? Damn it.

"Jacob." She giggled, "really? Is that why you won't..."

"Yes, I know. Laugh it up," I scrubbed a hand down my face and groaned.

"I'm not laughing at you." She was suddenly serious. "I didn't realize that's how you felt. I thought with how polite you are, and how you rejected my advances, that you were trying to tell me that you didn't want me. That something must be wrong with me." Bella was quiet again, her mouth formed into a line. "I've felt that way before."

"It's a little different here. We're the same age, consenting adults, living in the twenty-first century and not dead. He is hundreds of years old, practically a dusty relic. He probably can't even—" My stomach twisted into knots even thinking about what I implied.

"He couldn't even kiss me." She muttered frankly. "Not like you do. No open-mouthed kisses. Ever."

"Wow." My jaw popped open. "What a prude."

"It wasn't because of that. Well maybe, but the venom in his mouth, he thought it would turn me if we kissed that way."

"Ew—I don't even want to know." I pulled her into my arms once more, enveloping her with my warmth and completing the circuit between us.

"It feels complete when you're with me, Jake," she sighed, closing her eyes completely, "like the hole in my chest is finally healed."

"I'm glad to be of service." I joked, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face.

"Don't say that." She scrunched her face up, hugging my arm, "you make me feel like you don't want to be here."

"Truthfully, I don't want to be on top of a mountain, getting ready to fight bloodsucking leeches in a few hours. But I do want to be by your side." I paused, "so I suppose it's a compromise."

"I guess I should say thank you." Bella trailed off. I could see sleep drawing her in once more.

"You don't have to say anything. I would gladly follow you through the apocalypse." She did not respond, instead, she curled her fingers around my hand.

Try as I may, I meagerly fell asleep for a few minutes at a time. My nerves were on edge; dawn had arrived, and the wind died down. It was snowing softly, but not like last night. The amount of snow was light and sporadic. Snow I'd prefer to see on Christmas, not when I'd have to fight a bunch of vamps. I woke Bella up and we gathered up the supplies and tent not long after. The sun began its climb and so did we. Seth joined us in wolf form when we had gone far enough up the summit. He informed me that he did not smell Bella until he was within range of us. A perfect distraction for the leeches. I reset the tent for her, placing a folding chair outside of the entrance so she could comfortably sit and wait for my return. Resting her bones would be in her best interest.

"Okay, Alice said they'd be further down this embankment. Somewhere in this valley." I held a map up, following the topography.

"How can you read that?"

"Not easily, but the best part is that when I get close enough—my nose does the rest." She flushed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Gosh. I feel bad for not brushing my teeth this morning."

"No, it's not like that." I laughed heartily, regretful that I'd have to leave her. "I have to go. The descent won't take me long, but the sun is almost past the middle of the sky. It won't be long now." I nodded and faced Seth.

"Sound the alarm if anything fishy happens. I'm counting on you, lil' bro." I flashed him a bright smile and pressed a kiss to Bella's forehead. She was nervously fidgeting with her arm cast.

"What is it?" I asked her, I knew that look.

"Please be safe." She wrapped her good arm around me as tightly as she could muster, burying her face into my chest.

"I always am, hun'," I whispered back.

I looked into her eyes and studied her expression. She stood on her tiptoes and signaled for me to come closer. We shared a semi-lengthy kiss, long for our standards and in Seth's company. He whined loudly, interrupting our poignant goodbye. I broke away from her slowly until I was facing the opposite direction. Fury swallowed me; I was on four legs once more after stepping away from Bella, running fast toward the foothills. Time was chugging full speed ahead, and with it, the window of reservations shrunk. No turning back and no stopping now. I was envisioning the look on Victoria's face when I ripped her head from her shoulders.

The Cullen's were gathered in the clearing Alice had told me about, the one where the army would appear. I rendezvoused with Sam's pack and Leah before meeting up with our partners for the war.

Are you ready?

Leah's voice was surprisingly chipper, it was refreshing.

Yeah, I think so. I'm just happy to be getting this whole thing over with.

Me too, Mr. Mopey Tail, let's get to work and shred some dead heads!

Leah was trying to help psych me up for the fight, a tactic that I appreciated.

She knew I was nervous about leaving Bella behind, but if I wasn't focused, then it'd leave me open for disaster to strike. A leech might manage to get their arms around me and hurt me. We joined the Cullen's and lay in wait for the army. Jasper had placed Bella's dress in the middle of the field, an invitation ripe for the taking. All of them seemed solemn about this development, except Emmett of course. He shared our eager sentiment and was thrilled with the decision to put an end to the other bloodsuckers. His blatant disregard for fellow vamps was peculiar, but I didn't question it that much. There was nothing but silence now, not even animals dared to forage around our supernatural gathering.

The first twig snap alerted all of us to a scrawny, tall, dark-haired newborn that was approaching. He observed our spread-out ranks, confusion contorting his crystalline face. Then another, and another peeled through the forest foliage. The first one gave no warning but instead screamed and broke into a dead sprint toward the right side of the pack. Sam accepted the challenge and charged forward, slamming into the newborn's hardened body. He clamped his jaws down on the stone substance and shook it violently. The vampire easily split into pieces with a garbled shriek of pain. The first kill.

I searched the multiple, marble-like leeches, their diamond-hard skin strangely glistening in the rays of daylight. No vibrant, red-headed Victoria. What? That was impossible. I didn't have enough time to react; all of them ran in different directions. Sam leaped forward, smacking one down and pinning it with his mighty paws. He viciously tore the head off of its squirming shoulders, all movement ceased once he tossed it away. Emmett was using his body as a battering ram, crashing into unsuspecting vamps that dared to move too close. He was laughing, readily rending their limbs from their bodies. The action was like a kid with a magnifying glass to an ant—fierce and quick. Alice and Jasper were twin streaks of lightning, combining their strength to slingshot into and separate two lone newborns still lingering towards the front of the clearing.

I refocused on finding Victoria until movement out of the corner of my eye caught me off guard. It was obscurely fast, as if I wasn't meant to catch it. The blur wasn't the Cullen's. It was a newborn escaping into the forest. I threw myself in the same direction. A sick realization plagued me as I was running behind it... The bloodsucker was heading toward the way of the mountain—to Bella. How? Impossible. Seth confirmed that my scent masked hers! Unless... they knew she wouldn't be here, and Victoria anticipated that we'd hide her nearby. That's why she wasn't here with the others. No!

BELLA POV

Sitting here and waiting was the worst thing I'd possibly had to do in my entire life. I hated waiting—and I hated that Jake was risking his life at this very moment as I twiddled my thumbs. This was pure torture. Worse still, it was snowing, and cold. I was bundled in multiple layers and a parka Alice provided, but it still didn't help. My teeth were loudly chattering, and they startled Seth, who was laying down a few feet away from me. He stretched and faced me, cocking his head to the side in a laughable, silly manner. His coat was a light tan color, the tips of his ears black in hue. His affectionate, cerulean blue eyes observed my shivering, and he flopped onto his belly right in front of me. I stifled a laugh and hesitantly reached out. He leaned forward the rest of the way and army-crawled until my body was resting fully against his side. A few minutes passed until he jerked his head up, wildly looking around the forest we were near. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, I had that feeling again. The very same one I felt inside the nightmare yesterday. We were being watched. My heart twisted inside my rib cage, and my stomach lurched.

"What is it, Seth?" I asked, aware that he could not speak back to me.

He growled; the sound was cautious—leery. It made me even more nervous. The sound of the bushes nearby rustling made my heart stop entirely and restart out of sheer fright. Seth had hunched down, baring his teeth. It wasn't Jake. A lone figure emerged from the brush, and I nearly swallowed my tongue. The person that stood before us was... Edward. It was him. I wasn't dreaming this time. I rubbed my eyes and pinched the skin on my hand, the stabbing pain on my wrist let me know this wasn't a nightmare.

"Stand down, Seth. I promise that I won't hurt her." His words were demure. His rich, sunny topaz eyes gleamed in the daylight, and mini rainbows reflected off his perfect skin onto the snow that surrounded us.

"No, don't listen, Seth. Keep him away." I leaned further into Seth's fur. My hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Bella, I can assure you that I am not here to harm you. I'm here to protect you." He urged, taking another step forward. Seth snapped his jowls in midair, warning Edward not to advance.

"Hah! That's a sick joke. Seriously, why are you here?" I scowled, "is it because you thought I wouldn't be protected?"

"No, I knew Jacob would do something stupid like that. Victoria is on her way here, she anticipated that you wouldn't be where the fighting took place. She was watching you the moment you left Charlie's house."

"How do you know that?" I stared incredulously.

"I can hear her thoughts. She's somewhere close by, time is of the utmost importance."

It was too late. More sounds from the forest, and suddenly, a thud on a high-up tree branch. My eyes slowly adjusted, and I was face to face with her again. The one time I'd seen her narrow, calculating face was in the clearing where the Cullen's played baseball. She sneered at me and scoffed at Edward. Victoria was not alone—a thin, inconveniently attractive, young man stood beside her. Another newborn? His bright red eyes bore into my soul. He held my balled-up shirt in his left hand.

"You won't get another chance like this again," Edward was shouting to her, "you want her. You want me to feel the exact pain you felt when I killed James. When I turned him into ash." He was cold, the sound of his voice held an icy edge. "A mate for a mate."

"Don't listen to him, Riley," Victoria hissed, "I told you about their mind games. He killed my friend, so I ran for my life." The other vampire seemed unfazed by Edward's words, focused on Victoria. He was trancelike. Seth growled louder, unsure of who to face.

"You're dead," Riley said, a determined smirk on his full lips.

He lunged through the air and tackled Edward onto the ground. Another second and Seth was knocked away from me. I was in the air; everything was moving so fast. My body connected with the frigid snow and helped to cushion my rough landing. Searing pain shot up my leg from the fall but it wasn't bad. I frantically searched for what was happening. Seth was fighting Riley, and Victoria and Edward were going blow for blow. I could barely keep up with their inhuman movements. The newborn vamp fired a cheap shot at Seth's face, following it by roundhouse kicking the side of his ribs. Seth flew into the pine trees yelping loudly, I winced with him. I looked up and both Riley and Victoria were on Edward now, working in tandem to tear his head from his shoulders.

I felt conflicted. Edward was going to die. A strange feeling of self-sacrifice shot through my heart momentarily and I thought of a quick distraction. The only thing I could use was my blood. I searched down around me; my frozen hands shakily grasped a sharp rock. I propped myself up and dug the end into my right forearm and dragged it across my skin. It didn't cut easily but a small line of blood formed, the adrenaline helped me to not feel anything. Joint snarls rung out, Victoria and Riley raised their heads and bared their pearly teeth to me. It was working, the scent of my blood was keeping them preoccupied. Edward locked eyes with me briefly, a soft smile on his lips.

In another instant, Seth was back up and snatched the male vampire from behind by his shoulder. He screeched in pain, but to no avail. Riley disappeared into the foliage and the crunch of broken marble was loudly audible. The screaming stopped and Seth returned from behind the trees. He was growling toward Victoria, who Edward caught off guard and wrapped his hands around her throat. He shoved her down into the snow and leveraged with his foot, she was hissing and clutching at his pant leg until her head separated from her shoulders. All of her movement ceased. She was dead. I watched in relief as Edward threw a lighter on top of her lifeless figure and it burst into flame upon the snow. He was in front of me then, and I swallowed a scream. Seth angrily growled and rushed forward but was at odds with himself. Edward saved me after he tried to kill me. What?

"Here." He ripped some of his shirt and wrapped the material around my seeping wound. It burned a small amount. Otherwise, it helped stop the blood from freely flowing out. I was unsure of how to proceed. Everything about this encounter yelled danger to me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up in protest.

"Why? Why go through the trouble of killing her and saving me?" I whispered.

"I owed you a life debt."

"You were... Edward, you tried to kill me the last time I saw you." The words tumbled out of my mouth unevenly.

"Yes, and I cannot ever make amends—"

Our conversation was interrupted, and another wolf burst through the brush. It was Jake. He went through a series of emotions so quickly but immediately lunged at Edward who was shielded by Seth. I didn't foresee that happening. The two fought for many minutes, not hurting the other but snapping at each other's scruff. Jake eventually overpowered Seth and yet another wolf appeared behind him. I didn't know who it was. The next wolf was light grey with tan and white speckles throughout its fur. They went through the same process of understanding that Jake did, and then resigned to openly brush against Seth. The close proximity suggested it must have been Leah, there was no other reason for it. Edward turned back to me.

"I saved her life. I owed her that much." He muttered, facing Jake. The noise that escaped him was purely animalistic. He rumbled angrily and stomped the ground. All of his teeth were showing as he freely growled at Edward.

"It's true. He did save me. Although, I don't understand why." I added, standing up with difficulty. Jake came to my side, and I leaned against him for support. He would not phase back with Edward nearby.

"It's better if you don't, it's better to hate me." He was melancholy, he hung his head. Purplish, thick smoke rose over the tree line, revealing the other newborns were burning. When I looked back down, Edward was gone. The world was spinning on a warped axis, I felt sick. I fell to my knees and heaved the nonexistent contents of my stomach. A few minutes passed and Jake phased back, wearing only the pajama pants from last night. He rubbed my back and glared down at the rag on my arm.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked, squaring my shoulders against him.

"No, you can ask Seth for a detailed play-by-play of what happened. I'm not even sure myself."

"I'm so glad you're safe. I was following the dark-headed leech and lost him. I didn't make it in enough time." Tears stained his russet cheeks, and he pulled me into his strong arms. "I thought I lost you again."

"I'm okay. Little banged up, but I think my healing bones aren't broken. The snow helped." He didn't respond but turned to face both Seth and Leah.

"What is happening with the other Cullen's?" Leah and Seth didn't speak, but there was wolf telepathy being conducted. Jake looked down at me and recalibrated.

"He went back to the others. They're all talking—fighting actually. Not physically, but Alice and Rosalie are yelling at him."

"As they should." I harrumphed.

"The army is dead. No newborns remain except one. Carlisle and Esme offered her sanctuary."

"Why?"

"She's young, didn't know what was happening."

"Oh, how sad. I'm glad they're willing to help her."

"If you say so," Jake stilled, listening through the werewolf grapevine, "we need to go."

"Now?" I squeaked, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah, there's something else." He scowled, "more vampires approaching. Not like the others."

"What?"

Jake backed up and went back into the tent. He put on more clothes, and we descended the mountain. It was an emergency. I'm sure one of the others would grab the tent and other things. We reached the clearing a lot faster than we had gone up the mountain, we had the help of Seth this time. It was weird to them I'm sure, but Jake steadied me while we traveled on his back. It would have taken us the whole day on foot. When we entered the clearing, Emmett had his hands anchored on Edward's shoulders. This action was keeping him in place as he kneeled against his will. Jasper stood next to Emmett, tossing a loose limb into the fire before the others. When we got off Seth, Alice crashed into me. She hugged me too tight, and I wheezed.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Her voice was hoarse, "we thought he killed you."

"I'm okay. Jake got there in time."

"I wasn't going to kill her," Edward said defiantly. Emmett dug his knuckles under the valley of his collarbone, and he silenced after a groan.

"Yeah, yeah, sad sack." Emmett waved carefreely at me; a goofy smile plastered to his face. "Hey sis, glad you're still in one piece." Rose was dead silent, staring down at Edward. She turned her attention back to me.

"We were worried about you."

"So I see. I was worried about all of you," I nodded. Alice pulled from our shared hug, and she looked to Esme and Carlisle. They were further back, shielding a very small and thin girl with long dark hair that reached her rear. She was crying, huddled on the ground, and hugging her knees to her chest. The wolves were lingering toward the edge of the forest line, and soon all of Sam's pack left. Leah remained in her wolf form, uncertain of Edward's intentions. That made two of us. She slowly backed into the shadows.

"I was told there were more coming," Jake interjected, staring down at Alice's mousy face. The mood changed.

"Yes, it appears a large number of murders, all of which were at the hands of the newborns from Seattle, caught the attention of the Volturi," Jasper responded coldly.

"Who are they?" Jake sneered.

"It's hard to describe. They're the oldest living vampires in our world, kind of like corrupt saints. They are very purist and don't share the same views about humanity or hunting as we do."

"Why are they involving themselves?" I questioned. My voice was small.

"They feel the need to impose their will on situations like this," Alice paused, "they don't like when one of us decides to make a coven of that size."

"What are they gonna do?" Jake's eyes narrowed.

"We don't know. They'll be here in a few minutes. It's best if you don't talk when they arrive. They don't like werewolves." She urged, holding my hand quietly.

"Yeah, what else is new? The feeling's mutual." He huffed.

A few moments later, three figures appeared through the foliage. They were dressed from head to toe in stark, black clothing, wearing crushed velvet, hooded cloaks to obscure their faces. The group slowly lowered their hoods and surveyed the damage. The vampire in the middle was miniscule compared to her counterparts. Her shiny hair was golden, almost white-blonde, and held in a tight bun at the base of her skull. Her crimson eyes were empty; a shiver ran down my spine. She looked all of sixteen, not much older. She was centuries old?

"It seems our influence was deemed unnecessary."

"Hello, Jane." Carlisle greeted. An uneasy smile was drawn on his lips, "we were lucky."

"To escape a coven of that magnitude?" The vampire on her right scoffed, he wasn't tall but was fairly muscular in build. His sandy blond hair was styled, sticking upwards in one direction toward the front. I witnessed his sunken eyes narrow at Carlisle.

"Yes, a miracle. I'm very grateful for my family." Carlisle reiterated.

"Family? Why is Edward treated as a prisoner?" Jane called, her piercing eyes lingering over Emmett who suddenly fell to his knees. He was doubled over in agony, paralyzed with severe pain. Only a muted grunt escaped him.

"Jane, please," Rose begged, touching her hands to Emmett's large shoulders. Emmett relaxed, sucking in a gasp of air. That vampire must have powers like Alice and Edward.

"And tell me, why is there a human here? Along with a werewolf." Jane smiled wickedly.

"She was Edward's mate," Alice interrupted, her eyes never looking Jane in the face. The blood in my veins ran cold and Jake glowered. He knew if he spoke up it would put me in danger.

"Edward, care to explain?" Jane giggled, outstretching her tiny hand. He stood up from his knees and grimaced.

"Yes, this is all my fault. I killed a rogue vampire's mate, and in turn, she created a coven to seek revenge." He paused, glancing over at me once more, "I ended it and killed her so she would no longer seek to harm Bella—whom I love." My heart skipped a beat.

"Hmm, a lot of useless poetic words." The tallest of the three vampires spat. He was much larger than Emmett, perhaps the goliath of the group. Medium length black hair gathered at his collar and framed his disapproving expression.

"Hush, Felix. Let him speak." She turned her attention to me; Jake protectively increased his hold on me. "If she is who you love, then prove it." The corners of Jane's lips slowly dipped upwards in a twisted smile.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"She is human, nothing but a pathetic mortal. Food for the likes of us. I fully expect you to be merciful and give her the ultimate gift." Jake growled, puffing his chest. "Make her a vampire if you love her so much. Right now—"

"Jane, wait. I have seen it." Alice called, her eyes darting toward the small vampire.

"Alice, no," Edward whispered.

"I'll change her myself." She clutched my hand, nodding solemnly.

"I will expect to see proof. Aro, Marcus, and Caius do not take broken promises lightly. We will return," she faced Esme, who still stood in front of the newborn, "and what is this?"

"We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender," Carlisle explained, holding Esme closer.

"That wasn't yours to give." The smile on Jane's face dissolved, and her mouth formed into a straight line. "No survivors."

"She didn't know what she was doing. She was turned against her will—she's only thirteen." Esme cried. Jane didn't seem to care. An indifferent expression was shown on her cherubic features.

"Take care of that, Felix." Jane placed her hood over the top of her head. "You have one month, Edward. Do not disappoint us. We do not give second chances."

The larger vampire became a blur, the snapping of more marble reverberated off the forest floor. Then Jane and the other two vampires were gone. I winced, the blood left my face and the room felt like it was spinning. Jake was trembling, but not from fear. A deep rumble was sounding from his chest.

Was this real? My life had turned upside down so many times in just a few, small hours. What could we do?