Edward explained everything that had transpired—their encounter with James and Victoria, the near-constant pursuit, and the unsettling fact that James had shifted his focus entirely onto Teddy. Jacob listened in silence, his expression darkening with every word. When Edward finally finished, Jacob's fury erupted.
"You let a tracker get this close to him?!" Jacob's voice was a dangerous growl. "Teddy's just a kid! And you thought it was a good idea to bring him out in the open while there's a rogue vampire on the loose?"
Carlisle attempted to diffuse the tension. "We've been doing everything in our power to protect him, Jacob. We didn't anticipate James would shift his focus so quickly."
Jacob wasn't having it. "That's not good enough. You should've known better. If anything happens to Teddy, it's on you."
The room fell silent. Even Rosalie, who usually met Jacob's anger with her own, looked subdued. They all knew Jacob was right.
Without another word, Jacob stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Once outside, he phased into his wolf form and took off into the forest, his thoughts a whirlwind of rage and fear. He knew he needed to inform the pack immediately. Teddy was beloved among them; his charm, his innocent curiosity about their shapeshifting, and his bond with Jacob had made him a little brother to the wolves.
At the pack meeting, Jacob relayed everything the Cullens had told him. The other wolves listened in stunned silence, their minds buzzing with anger and concern.
"How could they be so careless?" growled Paul, his temper flaring as usual. "They've put Teddy right in the middle of this mess."
Embry shook his head, his thoughts calmer but no less worried. "And they didn't think to warn us sooner?"
There were mutterings of discontent, especially regarding Harry's decision to leave Teddy in Charlie Swan's care instead of with the tribe. Some believed the pack would have been the better guardians, given their enhanced senses and ability to fend off vampires. But Jacob quickly silenced those thoughts.
"You all know why Harry did what he did," Jacob said firmly. "If Teddy had stayed with us, it would've caused a fight between us and the Cullens over who gets to protect him. Harry didn't want that. He needed everyone focused on Teddy's safety, not fighting each other."
The pack begrudgingly agreed. They knew Jacob was right. Teddy's safety was paramount, and any division between the wolves and the Cullens would only weaken their defenses.
Sam, the pack's alpha, stepped forward. "Our priority is keeping Teddy safe. We'll double patrols around Forks and Charlie's house. If those vampires set foot on our land again, they won't leave alive."
The pack howled in agreement, their resolve strengthened. Jacob, though still furious at the Cullens, felt a surge of relief. He knew his brothers and sisters in the pack would do everything in their power to protect Teddy.
Meanwhile, back at the Cullen mansion, the family regrouped, fully aware that tensions with the Quileute were at an all-time high. Edward, reading Jacob's thoughts as he left, felt the weight of their decision to protect Teddy without consulting the wolves.
"We've made mistakes," Carlisle admitted, his voice heavy. "But now we have to focus. James won't stop, and neither can we."
Esme placed a hand on his arm. "We'll protect Teddy. No matter what."
With their fragile alliance now strained but intact, the Cullens and the Quileute prepared for the battle they knew was coming. Both sides understood the stakes: keeping Teddy safe was not just a duty but a promise they couldn't afford to break.
The phone rang sharply, cutting through the stillness of the morning. Bella, still groggy, reached for the receiver.
"Bella?" her mother's voice called, warm and familiar. Relief flooded Bella as she heard Renée's voice, but it was short-lived.
"Mom?" Bella began, but her mother's voice suddenly cut out, replaced by a low, sinister chuckle.
"Bella," James purred, his voice cold and mocking. "I've got your mother. If you want her to live, you'll do exactly as I say."
Panic surged through Bella. "What do you want?"
"You'll find a way to leave the Cullens," James instructed smoothly. "Their protection won't help you now. Go to your mother's house. There's a number next to the phone. Call it when you arrive."
The line went dead. Bella clutched the phone, her mind racing. She knew exactly where this would lead—to the dance studio, the room of mirrors. She could almost see her fate unfolding, and it was certain death.
Bella's hands trembled as she sat at her desk, pen poised over a piece of paper. She wrote quickly, her heart heavy with each word.
Edward,
I love you more than anything. Please forgive me for what I'm about to do. You must promise not to come after James. I couldn't bear it if you got hurt because of me. Take care of Charlie. Take care of yourself. I'll love you forever.
She sealed the letter, placing it where Edward would find it after she was gone. Her resolve hardened—this was the only way to protect them all.
Bella burst into her mother's house, her breath coming in short gasps. She immediately spotted the phone and the note with the number written in James' neat handwriting. Her fingers shook as she dialed.
"Good girl," James said when he answered. "Now, the dance studio. You remember the way."
Bella hung up and felt a sickening weight settle in her stomach. She drove to the dance studio, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Inside, the air was eerily still. The door was unlocked, as James had promised. Bella stepped into the cavernous room, her eyes immediately drawn to a flickering light.
On a large TV screen, an old home movie played—a twelve-year-old Bella laughing as her mother filmed her. Bella's stomach dropped. Her mother wasn't here. She had never been in danger. James had played her.
"Figured it out, did you?" James' voice echoed as he stepped out of the shadows.
Bella turned to face him, her terror masked by a brave front. "You won't get what you want. I told Edward not to come."
James smirked. "Oh, he'll come. I'll make sure of it."
James positioned a small digital camera on a tripod, the red recording light blinking ominously. "Let's leave him a message, shall we?" he said, his voice dripping with malice.
As James adjusted the camera, he began to talk, his tone almost conversational. "Did Edward ever tell you about Alice? She was a lovely little thing, locked away in an asylum. I was so close to making her mine, but an older vampire got to her first. Turned her before I could sink my teeth in. I've never forgiven him—or her, for that matter."
He looked at Bella, his expression darkening. "Edward didn't have the courage to do the same for you. And now, he'll watch you die."
Without warning, James lunged. Bella tried to back away, but he was too fast. He grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head against one of the mirrored walls. Glass shattered around her, cutting into her skin.
Bella cried out in pain as James kicked her leg, the bone snapping with a sickening crack. The room spun, and her vision blurred, but through the haze of pain, she saw James standing over her, his expression triumphant.
"I'll make it very slow," he sneered, leaning in closer.
Bella's thoughts drifted to Edward, to the love she hoped he would hold on to, even after she was gone. Please, let it end quickly, she prayed, as the darkness closed in around her.
In the darkness of her mind, Bella found herself drifting underwater, suspended in an endless, cold void. Around her, muted sounds echoed—a deep, wild snarl reverberated through the water, sending ripples of dread across her consciousness. She felt an excruciating pain in her hand, sharp and all-consuming, and a sense of finality washed over her. This is it, she thought. I'm dead.
But then, she heard it: a voice, soft yet urgent, calling her name. It was an angel, she was certain, pulling her back from the abyss. The voice grew louder, more desperate—Edward's voice. In the background, there was a cacophony of sounds: guttural growls, the sickening snap of bone, and a high-pitched wail that was abruptly cut short.
Edward sobbed, pleading with her to wake. Bella wanted to answer, but her body refused to respond. Slowly, through sheer force of will, she managed to cry out, her voice hoarse and weak.
A calm, authoritative voice—Carlisle's—began assessing her injuries. But Bella's focus shifted as her hand erupted in searing pain, as though fire raced through her veins. She screamed, begging for someone to stop the burning.
Carlisle quickly examined her hand and announced grimly, "James bit her. The venom is spreading."
Edward's eyes darkened with fear and self-loathing. "What do I do?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"You must suck the venom out," Carlisle said firmly. "If you don't, it will be too late."
Edward hesitated, the internal battle evident in his eyes. "What if I can't stop?" he whispered.
"You will," Carlisle assured him, though the weight of the risk hung heavy in the air.
With Alice holding Bella steady, Edward lowered his head to her hand. Bella's pain was overwhelming, but she clung to the sound of Edward's voice, grounding herself in his presence. As Edward began to draw out the venom, the fire in her hand slowly began to subside. He pulled back abruptly, his jaw clenched, and Carlisle confirmed that the venom was gone.
Bella, barely conscious, tried to convey something to Alice. "James... he knew... about you," she murmured, her words slurred and faint.
Alice gently hushed her, stroking her hair. "It's okay, Bella. Rest now."
Edward gathered Bella into his arms, holding her close as they left the shattered dance studio. The last thing Bella remembered was the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat and the comfort of his arms as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Bella awoke to the sterile light of a hospital room. Her body ached, but the familiar sight of Edward sitting by her side brought her immediate comfort. His golden eyes were filled with relief and love as he leaned closer.
"You're awake," he whispered. "How do you feel?"
"Like I got hit by a truck," Bella replied, her voice raspy.
Edward managed a small smile. "That's not far from the truth."
He explained what had happened: how he had stopped James, how Emmett and Jasper had ensured James would never hurt anyone again, and how Alice had watched the recording James made, finally uncovering the mysteries of her human past.
Bella's mother, Renée, soon entered, her face pale but relieved. She hugged Bella tightly, her concern evident. Renée shared that she and Phil had bought a house in Florida and invited Bella to live with them. But Bella, glancing at Edward, firmly stated she wanted to stay in Forks.
"Part of that decision is him, isn't it?" Renée asked with a knowing smile.
Bella nodded, and after a few more reassurances, Renée left the room.
When they were alone, Edward's expression grew serious. "Bella, you should go to Florida," he said quietly. "You'd be safer there, away from me."
Bella's heart clenched. "No, Edward. I'm staying with you. I need you."
He shook his head. "You don't know what you're asking. I'm dangerous, Bella."
"You saved me," she argued. "You stopped yourself."
"That doesn't mean I'll always be able to," Edward replied, his voice tight.
The argument escalated as Bella insisted she wanted to stay with him forever and asked why he refused to turn her into a vampire. Edward's face hardened. "Because I won't take your soul," he said. "I won't condemn you to this life."
Bella sighed, exhausted but defiant. "Alice saw it, didn't she? In her vision, I'm like you."
Edward didn't respond, but his silence confirmed her suspicion. As she drifted off to sleep, she whispered, "I'm betting on Alice's vision."
Author's Note:
Enjoying the story?
Consider joining my to get early access to more chapters and exclusive fanfictions! Even as a free member you will get one extra chapter and you'll receive early access to chapters before they're posted elsewhere and various other fanfictions.Your support helps me create more content for you to enjoy!
Join here: (dot)com(slash)Beuwulf