Edward had said that Charlie was ready to kill me； so he must know that—that
it was mine。 There was
only one person who could be behind this treachery。
〃No！〃 I gasped。 〃Why？ Why would Jacob do this to me？〃 The sting of betrayal
washed through me。 I
had trusted Jacob implicitly—trusted him with every single secret I had。 He
was supposed to be my safe
harbor—the person I could always rely on。 Of course things were strained
right now； but I didn't think
any of the underlying foundation had changed。 I didn't think that was
changeable！
What had I done to deserve this？ Charlie was going to be so mad—and worse
than that； he was going to
be hurt and worried。 Didn't he have enough to deal with already？ I would have
never imagined that Jake
could be so petty and just plain mean。 Tears sprang； smarting； into my eyes；
but they were not tears of
sadness。 I had been betrayed。 I was suddenly so angry that my head throbbed
like it was going to
explode。
〃Is he still here？〃 I hissed。
〃Yes。 He's waiting for us there。〃 Edward told me； nodding toward the slender
path that divided the dark
fringe of the forest in two。
I jumped out of the car； launching myself toward the trees with my hands
already balled into fists for the
first punch。
Why did Edward have to be so much faster than me？
He caught me around the waist before I made the path。
〃Let me go！ I'm going to murder him！ Traitor！〃 I shouted the epithet toward
the trees。
〃Charlie will hear you；〃 Edward warned me。 〃And once he gets you inside； he
may brick over the
doorway。〃
I glanced back at the house instinctively； and it seemed like the glossy red
bike was all I could see。 I was
seeing red。 My head throbbed again。
〃Just give me one round with Jacob； and then I'll deal with Charlie。〃 I
struggled futilely to break free。
〃Jacob Black wants to see me。 That's why he's still here。〃
That stopped me cold—took the fight right out of me。 My hands went limp。 They
fight； Paris falls。
I was furious； but not that furious。
〃Talk？〃 I asked。
〃More or less。〃
〃How much more？〃 My voice shook。
Edward smoothed my hair back from my face。 〃Don't worry； he's not here to
fight me。 He's acting as
spokesperson for the pack。〃
〃Oh。〃
Edward looked at the house again； then tightened his arm around my waist and
pulled me toward the
woods。 〃We should hurry。 Charlie's getting impatient。〃
We didn't have to go far； Jacob waited just a short ways up the path。 He
lounged against a mossy tree
trunk as he waited； his face hard and bitter； exactly the way I knew it would
be。 He looked at me； and
then at Edward。 Jacob's mouth stretched into a humorless sneer； and he
shrugged away from the tree。 He
stood on the balls of his bare feet； leaning slightly forward； with his
trembling hands clenched into fists。 He
looked bigger than the last time I'd seen him。 Somehow； impossibly； he was
still growing。 He would
tower over Edward； if they stood next to each other。
But Edward stopped as soon as we saw him； leaving a wide space between us and
Jacob。 Edward
turned his body； shifting me so that I was behind him。 I leaned around him to
stare at Jacob—to accuse
him with my eyes。
I would have thought that seeing his resentful； cynical expression would only
make me angrier。 Instead； it
reminded me of the last time I'd seen him； with tears in his eyes。 My fury
weakened； faltered； as I stared
at Jacob。 It had been so long since I'd seen him—I hated that our reunion had
to be like this。
〃Bella；〃 Jacob said as a greeting； nodding once toward me without looking away
from Edward。
〃Why？〃 I whispered； trying to hide the sound of the lump in my throat。 〃How
could you do this to me；
Jacob？〃
The sneer vanished； but his face stayed hard and rigid。 〃It's for the best。〃
〃What is that supposed to mean？ Do you want Charlie to strangle me？ Or did you
want him to have a
heart attack； like Harry？ No matter how mad you are at me； how could you do
this to him？〃
Jacob winced； and his eyebrows pulled together； but he didn't answer。
〃He didn't want to hurt anyone—he just wanted to get you grounded； so that
you wouldn't be allowed to
spend time with me；〃 Edward murmured； explaining the thoughts Jacob wouldn't
say。
Jacob's eyes sparked with hate as he glowered at Edward again。
〃Aw； Jake！〃 I groaned。 〃I'm already grounded！ Why do you think I haven't been
down to La Push to
kick your butt for avoiding my phone calls？〃
Jacob's eyes flashed back to me； confused for the first time。 〃That's why？〃 he
asked； and then locked his
jaw； like he was sorry he'd said anything。
〃He thought I wouldn't let you； not Charlie；〃 Edward explained again。
〃Stop that；〃 Jacob snapped。
Edward didn't answer。
Jacob shuddered once； and then gritted his teeth as hard as his fists。 〃Bella
wasn't exaggerating about
your abilities；〃 he said through his teeth。 〃So you must already know why
I'm here。〃
〃Yes；〃 Edward agreed in a soft voice。 〃But； before you begin； I need to say
something。〃
Jacob waited； clenching and unclenching his hands as he tried to control the
shivers rolling down his arms。
〃Thank you；〃 Edward said； and his voice throbbed with the depth of his
sincerity。 〃I will never be able to
tell you how grateful I am。 I will owe you for the rest of my existence。〃
Jacob stared at him blankly； his shudders stilled by surprise。 He exchanged a
quick glance with me； but
my face was just as mystified。
〃For keeping Bella alive；〃 Edward clarified； his voice rough and fervent。
〃When I didn't。〃
〃Edward—；〃 I started to say； but he held one hand up； his eyes on Jacob。
Understanding washed over Jacob's face before the hard mask returned。 〃I
didn't do it for your benefit。〃
〃I know。 But that doesn't erase the gratitude I feel。 I thought you should
know。 If there's ever anything in
my power to do for you〃
Jacob raised one black brow。
Edward shook his head。 〃That's not in my power。〃
〃Whose； then？〃 Jacob growled。
Edward looked down at me。 〃Hers。 I'm a quick learner； Jacob Black； and I don't
make the same mistake
twice。 I'm here until she orders me away。〃
I was immersed momentarily in his golden gaze。 It wasn't hard to understand
what I'd missed in the
conversation。 The only thing that Jacob would want from Edward would be his
absence。
〃Never；〃 I whispered； still locked in Edward's eyes。
Jacob made a gagging sound。
I unwillingly broke free from Edward's gaze to frown at Jacob。 〃Was there
something else you needed；
Jacob？ You wanted me in trouble—mission Acplished。 Charlie might just send
me to military school。
But that won't keep me away from Edward。 There's nothing that can do that。
What more do you want？〃
Jacob kept his eyes on Edward 〃I just needed to remind your bloodsucking
friends of a few key points in
the treaty they agreed to。 The treaty chat is the only thing stopping me from
ripping his throat out right this
minute。〃
〃We haven't forgotten；〃 Edward said at the same time that I demanded； 〃What
key points？〃
Jacob still glowered at Edward； but he answered me。 〃The treaty is quite
specific。 If any of them bite a
human； the truce is over。 Bite； not kill；〃 he emphasized。 Finally； he looked
at me。 His eyes were cold。
It only took me a second to grasp the distinction； and then my face was as
cold as his。
〃That's none of your business。〃
〃The hell it—〃 was all he managed to choke out。
I didn't expect my hasty words to bring on such a strong response。 Despite the
warning he'd e to
give； he must not have known。 He must have thought the warning was just a
precaution。 He hadn't
realized—or didn't want to believe—that I had already made my choice。 That I
was really intending to
bee a member of the Cullen family。
My answer sent Jacob into near convulsions。 He pressed his fists hard against
his temples； closing his
eyes tight and curling in on himself as he tried to control the spasms。 His
face turned sallow green under
the russet skin。
〃Jake？ You okay？〃 I asked anxiously。
I took a half…step toward him； then Edward caught me and yanked me back behind
his own body。
〃Careful！ He's not under control；〃 he warned me。
But Jacob was already somewhat himself again； only his arms were shaking now。
He scowled at Edward
with pure hate。 〃Ugh。 I would never hurt her。〃
Neither Edward or I missed the inflection； or the accusation it contained。 A
low hiss escaped Edward's
lips。 Jacob clenched his fists reflexively。
〃BELLA！〃 Charlie's roar echoed from the direction of the house。 〃YOU GET IN
THIS HOUSE THIS
INSTANT！〃
All of us froze； listening to the silence that followed。
I was the first to speak； my voice trembled。 〃Crap。〃
Jacob's furious expression faltered。 〃I am sorry about that；〃 he muttered。 〃I
had to do what I could—I
had to try〃
〃Thanks。〃 The tremor in my voice ruined the sarcasm。 I stared up the path；
half…expecting Charlie to
e barreling through the wet ferns like an enraged bull。 I would be the red
flag in that scenario。
〃Just one more thing；〃 Edward said to me； and then he looked at Jacob。 〃We've
found no trace of
Victoria on our side of the line—have you？〃
He knew the answer as soon as Jacob thought it； but Jacob spoke the answer
anyway。 〃Trie last time
was while Bella was away。 We let her think she was slipping through—we were
tightening the circle；
getting ready to ambush her—〃
Ice shot down my spine。
〃But then she took off like a bat out of hell。 Near as we can tell； she caught
your little female's scent and
bailed。 She hasn't e near our lands since。〃
Edward nodded。 〃When she es back； she's not your problem anymore。 We'll—〃
〃She killed on our turf；〃 Jacob hissed。 〃She's ours！〃
〃No—；〃 I began to protest both declarations。
〃BELLA！ I SEE HIS CAR AND I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE！ IF YOU AREN'T INSIDE THIS
HOUSE IN ONE MINUTE ！〃 Charlie didn't bother to finish his threat。
〃Let's go；〃 Edward said。
I looked back at Jacob； torn。 Would I see him again？
〃Sorry；〃 he whispered so low that I had to read his lips to understand。 '〃Bye；
Bells。〃
〃You promised；〃 I reminded him desperately。 〃Still friends； right？〃
Jacob shook his head slowly； and the lump in my throat nearly strangled me。
〃You know how hard I've tried to keep that promise； but I can't see how to
keep trying。 Not now〃
He struggled to keep his hard mask in place； but it wavered； and then
disappeared。 〃Miss you；〃 he
mouthed。 One of his hands reached toward me； his fingers outstretched； like he
wished they were long
enough to cross the distance between us。
〃Me； too；〃 I choked out。 My hand reached toward his across the wide space。
Like we were connected； the echo of his pain twisted inside me。 His pain； my
pain。
〃Jake〃 I took a step toward him。 I wanted to wrap my arms around his waist
and erase the expression
of misery on his face。
Edward pulled me back again； his arms restraining instead of defending。
〃It's okay；〃 I promised him； looking up to read his face with trust in my
eyes。 He would understand。
His eyes were unreadable； his face expressionless。 Cold。 〃No； it's not。〃
〃Let her go；〃 Jacob snarled； furious again。 〃She wants to！〃 He took two l