A Potter Secret

Discovery

Bella pulls off the road, and drives to Billy's house. Billy meets her outside. "Jacob's sick. You should come back later," Billy intercepts.

Bella shakes her head and charges past him. I need to see him now. She gets to Jacob's room and see he's passed out in bed. From the window, she see Sam and the others emerging from the forest. She runs out to meet them. She shoves Paul back. "What did you do to him?!" Bella demands.

Paul advances on Bella. "What we did?! What did he tell you?" Paul seethes.

"Calm down," Sam tries.

"He doesn't talk to anymore ever since you all started coming around," Bella explains.

Paul is so angry, their bodies begin to shake, nearly convulse. It unnerves Bella. "Paul, I said calm down, now! Paul, back off," Sam instructs.

"Too late," Jared mutters.

"Bella, get back!" Sam calls.

Paul falls forward but halfway to the ground there's a loud ripping noise and Paul explodes in silver-gray fur, becoming a massive wolf crouched and ready to spring! Bella, horrified, starts running back to Billy's house. Jacob runs out of the house towards Bella, jumping over the railing and over logs. "Run, Jacob!" Bella calls.

Just as they reach each other, Jacob dives headfirst into the air with another sharp tearing sound, shreds of cloth blast into the air, fur bursts from Jacob's skin he lands on the ground a gigantic russet-brown wolf, charging the Paul-wolf. Bella reels as the two wolves crash into each other, snarling and ramming one another. The sound is deafening. Their teeth flash at each other's throats. Bella stumbles backward as the fight carries the two wolves beyond the clearing and into the woods. Sam starts after them, kicking off his shoes. "Take Bella to Emily's place," Sam says. Sam disappears leaving an eerie quiet. A long silence.

"Guess the wolf's out of the bag," Embry jokes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella's truck, driven by Embry, pulls up to a tiny, weathered house with a window box full of marigolds. Jared, in the back, jumps out, opens Bella's door. He and Embry head toward the house. She doesn't move. "Pay up. She didn't puke," Embry says. Jared, annoyed, hands Embry five bucks. "Told you she was tough. She does run with bloodsuckers."

"Wait. We should go back, make sure Jacob's okay," Bella replies.

"I hope Paul gets some teeth in him. Serve him right," Jared jokes.

"No way. Jake's a natural. You see him phase on the fly? I gotta fiver says Paul doesn't touch him," Embry counters.

"Easy money. Paul's been at it longer."

Bella looks at them, appalled. They realize she's not following them. "Come on in. We won't bite."

"Speak for yourself," Jared replies.

Bella warily climbs out of the car, joins them. Embry pauses at the door. "Oh, hey, about Emily, Sam's fiancé, just try not to stare. It bugs Sam," Embry continues.

"Why would I stare?" Bella asks. But the guys are already entering.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Bella hesitantly enters behind Jared and Embry. She sees Emily at a counter, popping fresh muffins out of a tin. Emily's beautiful face is draped by long black hair. "You guys hungry? Like I have to ask," Emily says. Emily looks toward them now, revealing the other side of her face: A scar runs from hairline to chin, three red lines that pull down her eye and twist her mouth. "Who's this?"