again； 〃I made you a promise。 I had no idea it would be so hard to keep； but
that doesn't mean I'm not
going to try。〃
He saw the inprehension in my face。 〃After that stupid movie；〃 he reminded
me。 〃I promised you that
I wouldn't ever hurt you So I really blew it this afternoon； didn't I？〃
〃I know you didn't want to do it； Jake。 It's okay。〃
〃Thanks； Bella。〃 He took my hand。 〃I'm going to do what I can to be here for
you； just like I promised。〃
He grinned at me suddenly。 The grin was not mine； nor Sam's； but some strange
bination of the two。
〃It would really help if you could figure this out on your own； Bella。 Put
some honest effort into it。〃
I made a weak grimace。 〃I'll try。〃
〃And I'll try to see you soon。〃 He sighed。 〃And they'll try to talk me out of
that。〃
〃Don't listen to them。〃
〃I'll try。〃 He shook his head； as if he doubted his success。 〃e and tell me
as soon as you figure it out。〃
Something occurred to him just then； something that made his hands shake。 〃If
you if you want to。〃
〃Why wouldn't I want to see you？〃
His face turned hard and bitter； one hundred percent the face that belonged to
Sam。 〃Oh； I can think of a
reason；〃 he said in a harsh tone。 〃Look； I really have to go。 Could you do
something for me？〃
I just nodded； frightened of the change in him。
〃At least call me—if you don't want to see me again。 Let me know if it's like
that。〃
〃That won't happen—〃
He raised one hand； cutting me off。 〃Just let me know。〃
He stood and headed for the window。
〃Don't be an idiot； Jake；〃 I plained。 〃You'll break your leg。 Use the door。
Charlie's not going to catch
you。〃
〃I won't get hurt；〃 he muttered； but he turned for the door。 He hesitated as
he passed me； staring at me
with an expression like something was stabbing him。 He held one hand out；
pleading。
I took his hand； and suddenly he yanked me—too roughly—right off the bed so
that I thudded against his
chest。
〃Just in case；〃 he muttered against my hair； crushing me in a bear hug that
about broke my ribs。
〃Can't—breathe！〃 I gasped。
He dropped me at once； keeping one hand at my waist so I didn't fall over。 He
pushed me； more gently
this time； back down on the bed。
〃Get some sleep； Bells。 You've got to get your head working。 I know you can do
this。 I need you。 to
understand。 I won't lose you； Bella。 Not for this。〃
He was to the door in one stride； opening it quietly； and then disappearing
through it。 I listened for him to
hit the squeaky step in the stairs； but there was no sound。
I lay back on my bed； my head spinning。 I was too confused； too worn out。 I
closed my eyes； trying to
make sense of it； only to be swallowed up by unconsciousness so swiftly that
it was disorienting。
It was not the peaceful； creamless sleep I'd yearned for—of course not。 I was
in the forest again； and I
started to wander the way I always did。
I quickly became aware that this was not the same dream as usual。 For one
thing； I felt no pulsion to
wander or to search； I was merely wandering out of habit； because that was
what was usually expected
of me here。 Actually； this wasn't even the same forest。 The smell was
different； and the light； too。 It
smelled； not like the damp earth of the woods； but like the brine of the
ocean。 I couldn't see the sky； still；
it seemed like the sun must be shining—the leaves above were bright jade
green。
This was the forest around La Push—near the beach there； I was sure of it。 I
knew that if I found the
beach； I would be able to see the sun； so I hurried forward； following the
faint sound of waves in the
distance。
And then Jacob was there。 He grabbed my hand； pulling me back toward the
blackest part of the forest。
〃Jacob； what's wrong？〃 I asked。 His face was the frightened face of a boy； and
his hair was beautiful
again； swept back into a ponytail on the nape of his neck。 He yanked with all
his strength； but I resisted； I
didn't want to go into the dark。
〃Run； Bella； you have to run！〃 he whispered； terrified。
The abrupt wave of deja vu was so strong it nearly woke me up。
I knew why I recognized this place now。 It was because I'd been here before；
in another dream。 A
million years ago； part of a different life entirely。 This was the dream I'd
had the night after I'd walked
with Jacob on the beach； the first night I knew that Edward was a vampire。
Reliving that day with Jacob
must have dredged this dream out of my buried memories。
Detached from the dream now； I waited for it to play out。 A light was ing
toward me from the beach。
In just a moment； Edward would walk through the trees； his skin faintly
glowing and his eyes black and
dangerous。 He would beckon to me； and smile。 He would be beautiful as an
angel； and his teeth would
be pointed and sharp
But I was getting ahead of myself。 Something else had to happen first。
Jacob dropped my hand and yelped。 Shaking and twitching； he fell to the ground
at my feet。
〃Jacob！〃 I screamed； but he was gone。
In his place was an enormous； red…brown wolf with dark； intelligent eyes。
The dream veered off course； like a train jumping the tracks。
This was not the same wolf that I'd dreamed of in another life。 This was the
great russet wolf I'd stood
half a foot from in the meadow； just a week ago。 This wolf was gigantic；
monstrous； bigger than a bear。
This wolf stared intently at me； trying to convey something vital with his
intelligent eyes。 The black…brown；
familiar eyes of Jacob Black。
I woke screaming at the top of my lungs。
I almost expected Charlie to e check on me this time。 This wasn't my usual
screaming。 I buried my
head in my pillow and tried to muffle the hysterics that my screams were
building into。 J pressed the
cotton tight against my face； wondering if I couldn't also somehow smother the
connection I'd just made。
But Charlie didn't e in。 and eventually I was able to strangle the strange
screeching ing out of my
throat。
I remembered it all now—every word that Jacob had said to me that day on the
beach； even the part
before he got to the vampires； the 〃cold ones。〃 Especially that first part。
〃Do you know any of our old stories； about where we came from—the Quileutes；
I mean？〃 he
asked。
〃Not really；〃 I admitted。
〃Well； there are lots of legends； some of them claiming to date back to the
Flood—supposedly；
the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on
the mountain to survive；
like Noah and the ark。〃 He smiled then； to show me how little stock he put in
the histories。
〃Another legend claims that we descended from wolves—and that the wolves are
our brothers
still。 It's against tribal law to kill them。
〃Then there are the stories about the cold ones。〃 His voice dropped a little
lower。
〃The cold ones？〃
〃Yes。 There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends； and some
much more recent。
According to legend； my own great…grandfather knew some of them。 He was the
one who made
the treaty that kept them off our land。〃 Jacob rolled his eyes。
〃 Your great…grandfather？〃
〃He was a tribal elder； like my father。 You see； the cold ones are the natural
enemies of the wolf—
well； not the wolf really； but the wolves that turn into men； like our
ancestors。 You would call
them werewolves。〃
〃Werewolves have enemies？〃
〃Only one。〃
There was something stuck in my throat； choking me。 I tried to swallow it
down； but it was lodged there；
un…moving。 I tried to spit it out。
〃Werewolf；〃 I gasped。
Yes； that was the word that I was choking on。
The whole world lurched； tilting the wrong way on its axis。
What kind of a place was this？ Could a world really exist where ancient
legends went wandering around
the borders of tiny； insignificant towns； facing down mythical monsters？ Did
this mean every impossible
fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth？ Was there anything sane
or normal at all； or was
everything just magic and ghost stories？
I clutched my head in my hands； trying to keep it from exploding。
A small； dry voice in the back of my mind asked me what the big deal was。
Hadn't I already accepted
the existence of vampires long ago—and without all the hysterics that time？
Exactly； I wanted to scream back at the voice。 Wasn't one myth enough for
anyone； enough for a
lifetime？
Besides； there'd never been one moment that I wasn't pletely aware that
Edward Cullen was above
and beyond the ordinary。 It wasn't such a surprise to find out what he was—
because he so obviously
was something。
But Jacob？ Jacob； who was just Jacob； and nothing more than that？ Jacob； my
friend？ Jacob； the only
human I'd ever been able to relate to
And he wasn't even human。
I fought the urge to scream again。
What did this say about me？
I knew the answer to that one。 It said that there was something deeply wrong
with me。 Why else would
my life be filled with characters from horror movies？ Why else would I care so
much about them that it
would tear big chunks right out of my chest when they went off along their
mythical ways？
In my head； everything spun and shifted； rearranging so that things that had
meant one thing before； now
meant something else。
There was no cult。 There had never been a cult； never been a gang。 No； it was
much worse than that。 It
was a pack。
A pack of five mind…blowingly gigantic； multihued werewolves that had stalked
right past me in Edward's
meadow
Suddenly； I was in a frantic hurry。 I glanced at the clock—it was way too
early and I didn't care。 I had to
go to La Push now。 I had to see Jacob so he could tell me that I hadn't lost
my mind altogether。
I pulled on the first clean clothes I could find； not bothering to be sure
they matched； and took the stairs
two at a time。 I almost ran into Charlie as I skidded into the hallway； headed
for the door。
〃Where are you going？〃 he asked； as surprised to see me as I was to see him。
〃Do you know what time it
is？〃
〃Yeah。 I have to go see Jacob。〃
〃I thought the thing with Sam—〃
〃That doesn't matter； I have to talk to him right now。〃
〃It's pretty early。〃 He frowned when my expression didn't change。 〃Don't you
want breakfast？〃
〃Not hungry。〃 The words flew through my lips。 He was blocking my path to the
exit。 I considered
ducking around him and making a run for it； but I knew I would have to explain
that to him later。 〃I'll be
back soon； okay？〃
Charlie frowned。 〃Straight to Jacob's house； right？ No stops on the way？〃
〃Of course not； where would I stop？〃 My words were running together in my
hurry。
〃I don't know；〃 he admitted。 〃It's just well； there's been another attack—
the wolves again。 It was real
close to the resort by the hot springs—there's a witness this time。 The
victim was only a dozen yards
from the road when he disappeared。 His wife saw a huge gray wolf just a few
minutes later； while she
was searching for him； and ran for help。〃
My stomach dropped like I'd hit a corkscrew on a roller coaster。 〃A wolf
attacked him？〃
〃There's no sign of him—just a little blood again。〃 Charlie's face was
pained。 〃The rangers are going out
armed；