8 Lives (Sequel to Shattered)

Epilogue: A Wish

The Cullen’s tensed and growled; teeth bared, prepared to spring at her. They monitored her every movement, waiting for the opportunity to attack. But they knew that they could not attack her because of her visible shield; they cursed the ground as they thought of ways around the shield.  Jacob trailed behind her, almost as a lost puppy followed after its mother.

“Yes, it is for the greater good, but you wouldn’t know anything about 'greater good' would you? I thought you were a friend, but-” Bella moved away from Edward,but not before she released his shirt that she clung to and moved his damp bronze hair away from his eyes. She moved her thumb over his cheek, his delicateness still stunning her to silence, even in his death; she winced.

“A friend? You were nothing but a person that I had to observe.” Jasmine interrupted matter-of-factually. Her eyes narrowed as Bella stood shakily; her cold eyes dared Bella to defy her. The grin on her face faltered to one of a thin line- showing no mischievous thoughts. Keeping it all hidden the way she shielded her devious thoughts and plans until this moment. The precise moment that would ignite her happiness that overflowed her, and create a memory that she would forever cherish.

“Well it doesn’t matter who or what I was to you. I’m going to bring him back and-” Bella's voice trembled, and her breaths that she did not need turned into short pants of desperation. She had to bring him back. There was no way that she could go on. Life would be meaningless without him, he was her light to happiness; without him she was in a serenade of  miserable darkness. 

“How about you ask yourself how you’ve retained your memory.” Jasmine rocked on her heels feeling every bit of satisfaction that she predicted as she watched  Bella's eyes widen as the moments ticked by. 

Bella stood for a moment confused as to how her memory came flowing back to her. Her eyes glistened in the rain as mind searched for an answer, but she nonetheless came up blank. Her thoughts had not come as she chased after Edward, it was more of a pull that came over her as he ran into the depths of the forest. As she cradled his head as he spoke his last words, still there had not been an ounce of realization that hit her. Nothing that even connected herself to Edward had floated into her mind. Not a kiss, a touch or even a moment of innocence had crossed her mind, As his eyes shut close and his body came as still as the ground he lay on, her memories encompassed her brain to the point where it had become overwhelming to bear.  It came back, right when Edward’s eyes fluttered closed. In order for her to have her memory back Edward had to die, she gasped and began shaking her head as one picture floated in her mind: his body losing the war against himself by fighting the bite of a werewolf. Jacob. 

“No, no, this can’t be happening. No.” Bella whispered desperately as she moved her hand over her mouth and looked back at Edwards drenched form. His body had not moved, it stayed almost as still as the stone texture that they were compared to. Her insides broke as she fought every fiber in her body to not believe her assumption. But it was the only way. There was nothing else that could have ignited her memories back into her brain. She willed herself to see another way, anything other than the assumption, that in the back of her mind she knew was the answer.

“Ahh my dear yes indeed it is true, there is no fighting it anymore. The reason you have retained your memory is because Edward had passed. The moment his life stopped, the memories of the two of you together had come back. The moment you complete the spell- not that I would dare to let you do so, but hypothetically if I had a conscious and let you; when he would come back your memory wouldn’t be there anymore." Jasmine looked down at Bella; her trembling lip as she stared down at her husband.  Together they were unbreakable, but away from each other the pain was unbearable. 

Bella remembered the way Jacob lunged at her, teeth neared ready to pounce her. Prepared to sink her teeth into her, and finish her as if she were an obstacle that he had to pass and not a person of importance to him. The fear wrapped around her like a blanket encompassed  a shivering child in its warmth. But as she thought back to Jacob's murderous wolf form, teeth prepared to sunk itself into her, she realized what person she was to him.