Chapter 13: Bella's POV

"Pack your things," Jacob said, his voice firm but low, like he was afraid someone might hear him. His eyes stayed locked on the street outside, his jaw tight with tension. "We're leaving. Now."

My breath caught in my throat. I stood frozen for half a second, my eyes darting to the window as if I'd see the figure he was talking about. But I didn't need to see him. The weight of his presence was enough. I'd felt it since that first message.

I grabbed the duffel bag from the floor and started stuffing it with whatever we had. Clothes. Food. A first-aid kit Jacob had packed the day before. My movements were quick but shaky. My fingers fumbled with the zipper, but I forced them to work. I didn't have time to fall apart. Not now.

Jacob moved around the room like a shadow, his eyes constantly flicking to the window, then the door, then me. I could feel his unease like static in the air. It made every movement feel urgent. Faster. Move faster.

"Did you see him?" I asked, my voice quieter than I meant it to be.

"Yeah," Jacob muttered, his eyes sharp as he glanced out the window again. "Same guy from before. He's not alone this time."

My heart squeezed in my chest. "How many?"

"Three," he said grimly. "One on the street, two across from the motel. They're not even trying to hide it."

That realization hit harder than I expected. They want us to know they're here.

"Are they vampires?" I asked, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

"Don't know yet," Jacob replied, shoving his clothes into his bag with fast, sharp movements. "Doesn't matter. I'll handle them if I have to."

I knew he would. But that didn't make it any less terrifying.

10 Minutes Later

The duffel bag hung from my shoulder, the weight of it digging into my skin. Jacob had one too, slung over his back. He moved toward the door and turned the lock slowly, his movements quiet and deliberate.

"Stay behind me," he said, not looking back. "Don't stop for anything. If I say run, you run. Got it?"

"Got it," I whispered, my throat tight.

He pulled the door open with barely a sound, his body tense like a spring pulled to its limit. The hallway was quiet—too quiet. No voices. No footsteps. But that didn't make me feel any safer.

Jacob glanced back at me, his eyes sharp and steady. He nodded once. I nodded back.

We moved as one. Step by step, we made our way down the hallway toward the stairwell. My heart pounded in my ears, so loud I was sure someone else would hear it. My breath was shallow, each inhale slow and controlled. Jacob's footsteps were silent, each step perfectly placed. I tried to do the same, but every creak of the floorboards felt like a gunshot in the stillness.

"Almost there," he whispered.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, a bang echoed from downstairs. My breath hitched. Someone had kicked the front door open.

Jacob's head whipped toward the noise. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back, shoving me into the small space between the wall and the vending machine.

"Stay there," he growled, his voice so low it was almost a snarl. His eyes flickered to gold for a split second before he blinked hard, forcing himself to stay human.

"Jake—"

"Don't move," he snapped, his eyes locking with mine. "No matter what you hear, stay there."

I swallowed hard, pressing my back against the cold metal of the vending machine. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I could hear footsteps echoing up the stairs. Heavy, steady footsteps. Not rushing. Not running. Whoever was coming, they weren't afraid.

Jacob moved to the center of the hallway, his shoulders squared, his eyes trained on the stairwell door. He cracked his knuckles slowly, his hands curling into fists. He wasn't trying to be quiet anymore.

The door at the end of the hallway creaked open, and for a moment, I didn't breathe. A figure stepped inside.

He was tall—taller than Jacob—dressed in a black coat that brushed against his knees. His face was pale, his features sharp, and his eyes…his eyes were the same crimson red I'd seen on Victoria.

Vampire.

My breath caught in my throat, and my hands pressed flat against the wall as if I could push myself further into it.

The vampire's gaze flickered from Jacob to me, his smile slow and crooked.

"Cute," he said, his voice light, almost amused. "You're still protecting her."

"Last chance," Jacob said coldly, his voice filled with quiet, deadly resolve. "Turn around and walk out. Now."

The vampire tilted his head, his eyes narrowing like he was sizing Jacob up. "No, I don't think I will."

Jacob didn't wait.

He moved so fast I barely registered it. One second he was in front of me, and the next he was across the hallway, his hands already locked around the vampire's throat. The vampire slammed against the wall hard enough to crack the plaster. His smile vanished instantly, his hands clawing at Jacob's arms.

A snarl ripped from Jacob's throat, and in an instant, his body shook as he let the wolf take over. His human form blurred, muscles shifting, bones snapping, and suddenly there was a massive russet-colored wolf pinning the vampire against the wall. The vampire hissed, his fangs bared, and slammed his elbow into Jacob's side.

Jacob flinched but didn't let go. His teeth snapped, his fangs grazing the vampire's neck.

"Enough!" another voice barked from the stairwell.

My heart stopped.

A second figure stepped inside, and I immediately recognized him. It was him. The man from the street. The one who'd sent me the message. He wasn't like the first vampire. He moved slower, more deliberate, like he was in control of every second, every movement.

"Jacob," the man said, his tone as smooth as silk. "I'd let him go if I were you."

Jacob growled, his teeth still inches from the first vampire's neck. He didn't move.

"Let him go," the man repeated, stepping forward. His eyes were calm but cold, like he knew how this would end. "Or I'll make you."

I pressed a hand to my mouth, my chest heaving with shallow breaths. I'd seen vampires angry. I'd seen them deadly. But this was something different. This man wasn't just dangerous. He was calculated.

"Don't push me," Jacob growled, his voice distorted but still recognizable beneath the wolf.

The man raised an eyebrow. "This isn't about you, dog," he said, his eyes cutting to me. "It's about her."

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

He smiled, his gaze locking with mine. "You've caused quite the stir, Bella Swan."

I didn't answer. Couldn't. My body felt like it had turned to stone.

"You've got everyone watching you now," he continued, his tone like a teacher talking to a child. "Did you think you could run from that?"

He took a slow step forward, and I felt my heart lurch.

"Stop," Jacob snarled, his claws digging into the vampire he had pinned.

The man's eyes shifted to Jacob, his smile sharpening. "You're bold. I'll give you that." He flicked his wrist once—so fast I barely saw it—and suddenly Jacob was flying backward like he'd been hit by a truck. He crashed into the wall, the air knocked out of him with a sharp, guttural grunt.

"Jacob!" I screamed, rushing toward him.

"Stay back!" he coughed, his voice strained. His eyes snapped to mine, wild with panic. "Don't let him touch you, Bella!"

I spun around just in time to see the man standing inches from me. His eyes burned like fire.

"Boo," he whispered, and everything went black.