Chapter 3: The strength of a woman.

A/N: Thank you to des1rdeffect for telling me where I could find some of my old stories! I would love help in that area! You all are awesome!

Forks Washington

Charlie Swan slammed his empty coffee cup on his desk as he filled out the fifth report of the day.

Same old, Same old, Teenagers vandalizing an abandoned property.

He sighed as he looked at the clock.

3 am.

He needed to go home, shower, and reset himself, but he just couldn't do it. Home was quiet—too quiet.

They were no longer filled with the laughter and smells of home-cooked meals his daughter once made.

Charlie closed his eyes and wiped away the tears that welled up in his eyes.

She's not dead.

She's not dead.

My daughter is not dead.

Besides, what was he going to say? Thirty days ago, my daughter was dragged off by a vengeful vampire during a war.

Yeah, that would go over well. It was already bad enough that she had been immersed in the supernatural world.

He blamed the Cullens and the pack but most of all he blamed himself.

If he had just paid more attention to her.

A heavy knock on his door made Charlie look up and reach for his gun. However, his guard dropped when he saw who it was.

Emily Uley and Sue Clearwater.

" Alright, Chief Swan. I think you've worked enough. It's time to come home.."

Charlie felt his shoulders sagged.

He was tired and he needed to sleep but-

A soft hand on his shoulder made him look up again.

It was Sue, smiling down on him.

"stop it, Charlie. Let it rest for now. Just come home."

It was then that Charlie felt a small portion of his burden released as the two women walked him out of his office and escorted him to Sue's home.

….

"NO! NO FREAKING WAY SAM!" Jacob yelled as the pack, the elders and Charlie sat in the meeting lodge.

It had been thirty days since Bella was taken, the pack had been running nonstop to try and find her. To make it worse Paul was gone too but Jacob couldn't care less about the freak. He just wanted Bella. His Bella. He had been so close to having her heart and now this.

The words that just came out of his alpha's mouth. It made Jacob's wolf come to the surface, growls permeating the air.

"We have no choice, Jacob. Bella has been missing for over thirty days. We have searched the whole Olympic peninsula and parts of Canada but we can't search any farther. I can't risk the pack like that. Not only do we have responsibilities in our personal life but we have a responsibility to the tribe and this pack. I have a responsibility to this tribe and this pack, which means making-" Sam stopped as he stood and looked up at the ceiling. He swallowed a few times before he continued. " Hard decisions. Hard decisions that I didn't want to make. That I hate to make but … we need the help. I won't have any more of my pack so exhausted that they can't fulfill their duties or go out and live their lives. That's not fair to them."

"Oh, but it fair to Bella?!" Jacob raged. The day after the newborn battle, it had been revealed to him that Bella was gone. He tried to go find her but his body wouldn't let him. It had been broken beyond use, at least for two weeks anyway. But the moment he was healed, Jacob sprinted to the trail where Bella's scent last lingered. He hadn't stopped searching sense.

And now, Sam dared to tell them they were stopping the search for Bella and letting the Cullens take over.

"you can't do this Sam! Why would we trust them! They have been nothing but horrible to her since the beginning. That mind reader broke her heart in those woods and then the little seer kidnapped her! And just when we thought we were done with them, here they turn up again! Bringing war and that redhead to our lands! And now you're suggesting we let them take over the search for her! The very last people WHO SHOULD BE NEAR HER!"

"YOU WILL LOWER YOUR VOICE IN THIS LODGE PUP! And remember your place Jacob black!" Sam's Alpha timber roared.

However, Jacob stood tall.

"I AM THE RIGHTFUL ALPHA!" Jacob roared back

It was then Sam had Jacob in a restraint.

"YOU MAY BE THE RIGHTFUL ALPHA BUT YOU ARE NOT FIT TO LEAD AS ONE! NOW LEAVE MY PRESENCE BEFORE YOU HURT SOMEONE. GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" Sam ordered Jared and Embry.

As soon as Jacob was escorted out, Sam sat down exhaustion hitting him like a truck.

"I understand this may upset a lot of you but the Cullens can go farther than we can and no, I don't trust them. Not one bit but if it gives us a chance to try and save Bella then we have to take it."

"how do we even know she's alive?" Leah asked as she shoulder-bumped her brother. He hadn't been the same since the newborn battle. Why would he after he had been bitten by a miracle, Paul was able to suck out the venom before it could do any permanent damage. Leah shuddered at the thought of their third in command, He had a….dark presence. But she would still thank him nonetheless. Well, that's if she saw him again. He had gone missing the day Bella disappeared.

"don't talk like that," Brady growled. " She's alive. She has to be."

Leah could only hope.

…..

Bella grunted and felt nausea hit her like a truck as she pulled the wolf behind her. The downpour hadn't stopped and they needed to find shelter but the big bad wolf decided to pass out right after they killed Victoria.

She couldn't help but believe that this was one of her wolves. She didn't just believe it, she felt it. When she was with the Pack Bella could feel the connection. It was a feeling of unity, of peace, the connection was… alive and supernatural of sorts.

The question was …which wolf was it?

"It can't be any of the pups? Is it not Leah? It's not Leah or Sam but… is it Embry? Nah, it's not. But its not any of the other guys either… so who-"

Bella froze when she realized just who this wolf was.

"Paul?" she whispered.

The sudden crackle of thunder and lightning made Bella jump. It was pitch black and she had no idea where she was going.

"darn it.." she cried " God… im to ask but I need your help again. I don't know where to go or what to do…"

Once again as if God was listening, something…miraculous happened.

"Isabella.." a deep and yet soft voice called.

Bella turned and gasped.

A figure cloaked in all white wearing a white hood stood at a distance from her. A warm glow seemed to be surrounding them.

"this way child."

Bella followed, trying to ask questions the being refused to answer.

Before she knew it, the figure had led her to a cave hidden by an alcove of leaves.

And the minute she turned, the figure was gone, plunging Bella back into the darkness.

…

"Oh thank God.." Bella praised as she wearily blew on the fire.

That was another plus to being a cop's daughter.

Survival tips.

The least she could do was make a fire out of nothing but thankfully, she still had Paul's lighter that made making the fire quicker.

Was the wolf next to her Paul Lahote? She asked herself as she turned to look at the unconscious wolf.

Bella closed her eyes and lay down.

Why would Paul Lahote come to rescue her?