And So The Lamb Became the Wolf

6. You want I should teach her a lesson?

Bella had made a decision by the end of the day. She would tell the Cullen's about what had happened to her. She wasn't too keen on Edward. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't bothered by him either. She had expected being around him to hurt. You were supposed to be attached to your first love. She had truly loved him at the time. But she had felt inferior. She had felt like she couldn't belong with him. She couldn't believe he had been with her, and so she had easily accepted he would leave her. That pain sat in her chest for months. But now? Now, Bella was just grateful. She would always be thankful to him for not letting her become a vampire. The cold scar on her hand would be a constant reminder of his willpower and his dedication to doing what he believed was right. With this in mind, Bella wanted to make sure Edward knew she didn't hold their past against him. During lunch she had struggled to lift the barrier from her mind while thinking only I forgive you, I promise. It was slightly awkward to be around Edward to be sure, but she didn't feel any pain. She had no regrets about dating him, and if she was honest, she'd grown so much after he left her. The girl who had laid down in the woods and waited to die after he left was truly dead and gone.

Bella remembered the first few hours without Edward. She had been devastated, but not just by him. They had all left her. They had all abandoned her. When Sam Uley had carried her out of the woods and handed her to Charlie, she hadn't been sure she would make it. She was cold, she was wet, and she was heartbroken. Bella had never been completely abandoned before. Emmett had been kidding when he called her the Cullen pet. He was wrong about her being their pet, but he was quite close. She had been more of the Cullen's mascot. Someone to cheer for, to appreciate, to enjoy. A part of the team, but not a player. She had convinced herself that she was part of the family, but she knew when they left that she had been nothing. She was the home team mascot, and they didn't bring her to away games.

Bella smirked, knowing that the world had changed. They obviously cared about her. They came back because they were worried about her. She never wanted to be their mascot again. She wasn't a frail human who needed to be protected. Bella was determined to even the playing field. The only way to truly do that would be to show them who she is now. Mascot Bella was gone. Bella was strong, she was confident, and she was determined to live to the best of her ability. She didn't have to prove anything to them, but she would, if for no other reason than she could.

Bella checked her phone. She had no messages, and that was good news. Making it through an entire day without having to wolf out and check the perimeter of the rez was a good sign. The return of the Cullens may have the Quileutes on edge, but they had seen neither head nor hair of Victoria since their return. It made the wolves anxious that she had just disappeared. Jacob had told Bella today that some of the younger boys on the reservation were experiencing nausea and noticeable growth spurts. They didn't know what it meant, but it seemed connected to the return of the Cullens. Bella had shrugged at Jacob's concern. She knew Victoria would be back soon. Recently Bella had adopted a, 'What comes will come and we must meet it when it does' attitude. Quil and Embry loved it. Jacob? Not so much.

Bella wondered if she should tell Sam where she was going, but she decided against it. Instead, she sent Leah a quick text, 'Heading to the Cullen's, call me if you need me.' Feeling particularly excited, Bella ran and tried to slide across her truck hood. The old rusted paint had no gloss left to it, and did not give Bella the 'Dukes of Hazzard' slide she had been hoping for. Bella rolled off the hood and landed on her hands and knees on the pavement. She hopped up, trying to recover before anyone could see her. There was no one around. Bella watched the scratches on her hands heal. She had torn a hole in her jeans. Oh well, better luck next time. Bella chose to jog around the side of the truck, ripping the door open. The hinges squealed in protest. The truck roared to life. It was music to her ears. As fast as she could run, her beautiful monster of a truck was still her prized possession. Bella pulled out of her driveway, making her was to the Cullen's as fast as the old red beast would allow. So, not very fast.