And So The Lamb Became the Wolf

27. I'm in Charge

Bella used her power to hold the newborns while everyone decided what to do, but it was getting increasingly difficult. She panted from the effort while digging her front paws into the scarred dirt of the field. Bella used some of her waning energy to push her mind out to Rosalie. I can't hold them forever. Rosalie nodded.

Carlisle examined Sam. He gently touched the damage to the wolf's spine. The Cullen patriarch seemed to expect Sam to be in pain, but Sam didn't react. Carlisle touched Sam's lower back, and then his back paws. Nothing.

"We need to decide what to do now," Rosalie said to no one in particular. She watched Bella struggle. "Bella can't hold the newborns forever." The Cullen's looked away from Sam for a moment and noticed the newborns were getting antsy. They seemed to be escaping from the hold Bella had on them.

"What do we do?" Esme questioned her husband.

"Edward," Carlisle said, "you need to tell us who the threats are, and you need to do it now." Edward looked at his father figure in surprise. "Now. If Bella can't hold them forever you need to look into their minds and tell us who has to," he sighed, "go. Who has to go." The pain in Carlisle's voice was plain to Bella, but she didn't have the time or emotional capacity to feel bad for him. She was pushed to her limit.

Edward's face hardened, but he did as Carlisle asked. The Cullen's formed a protective circle with their wolf and vampire allies. They didn't have enough manpower to stop every vampire if Bella failed, but they could do their best. Edward stood in front of each vampire and asked them one by one, "What will you do after this?" Bella didn't check to see what he was looking for. Rosalie walked up to Bella and put her hands on either side of the wolf's shaking head.

"Just hold on," Rosalie said.

Edward moved from vampire to vampire. "Bella, let go of this one." He pointed to the bulky young man who resembled Emmett. Bella felt the strain ease up as she let go. Carlisle continued to check Sam for damage. He was covered in scrapes and was missing patches of fur. Edward found another vampire whose thoughts must have been convincing. "Bella, let go of her." A young blonde woman with terror in her eyes was released by Bella immediately. She stood up slowly and resembled a deer in headlights. Bella sat up a little straighter. "This one too, Bella."

Bella released the next newborn Justas Alice screamed. "Not him!" Emmett tackled the young vampire back to the ground, and Bella mentally enveloped him again. "He was lying to you, Edward. He planned to go hunt as soon as he was clear of us."

We're running out of time, Bella impressed upon Rosalie.

"Edward, hurry!"

"Jazz?" Edward inquired.

Jasper looked at his brother and nodded. The cracks on Jasper's arms were vanishing as he approached Edward. As soon as Edward gave a curt nod, Jasper reached out and tore the offending newborn to pieces. Alice remained close by to offer emotional support. Jasper was cold and methodical, and he didn't need any help dispatching the vampires; He carried on without pause. Jasper's pale, scar-covered arms were exposed in his newly sleeveless shirt. Bella couldn't ask what they were checking for without sacrificing the strength she needed to keep them immobile. Bella trusted the boys. As each newborn was incapacitated the strain on Bella's mind lessened. A pile of body parts formed in the center of the clearing. Rose never looked away from Bella. As things got easier for her, Bella held onto the connection to Rosalie's mind. Don't look, don't look, don't look, Bella chanted to herself. The other wolves were simply background noise to Bella, who was afraid to focus on anyone but Rosalie.

When all was said and done, only eight vampires of the newborn army had survived Edward's test. Alice wrapped her arms around Jasper. Bella couldn't imagine the damage this ordeal had done to him. Bella collapsed onto the ground, her wolf form exhausted and shaking. The other wolves looked around, taking in the strange sight around them. Pile of pale body parts littered the ground. Jasper, Emmett and Edward walked over to Rosalie. She relinquished her hold on Riley as the boys took him. Bella didn't raise her head, but she heard the thunderous, shocking noise of a vampire being dismembered. After that, everything was silent. Bella opened her eyes just in time to see a fire raging over the pile. The wolves were walking the entire clearing. They picked up stray pieces of vampire and brought them to the fire where they would be destroyed.