safe and sound. twilight

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғᴏᴜʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

I nodded in agreement. "Not after all that's happened," I said. "He knows what I am now too."

I followed Alice outside around the back. I could feel her stare even as I turned my back to her, moving toward the tree opposite so I could climb up and perch mere feet away on another close branch. Alice had the kind of stare that felt as if she was looking straight through you, at the very essence of your movements and choices. In a way, she did, with her visions. But I had a feeling that even without her gifts, she would hold the strength and, in some ways, the mystique behind her looks. In one smooth movement, I turned on my heels catching her in the act.

"I know you want to ask something, so just ask," I said, adding a small chuckle as she simply raised a brow in response.

It was hard to make Alice feel embarrassed too. I liked that about her. Every move I made, I had to rethink- especially if it involved her.

"How long did it take for them to figure out what you were?"

"They didn't know until the day on the beach, I think," I said.

I waited for her to ask another question, for her to shuffle forward toward me and reach a hand out, as she'd already done on multiple occasions. But Alice remained perfectly still, her back rigid and eyes wide and pale. There was a shift in the air, and I recognised it well. When Alice returned from wherever her vision took her, she choked out a muffled sob of surprise.

"Alice?" I shouted, gripping her close by the arm. "Alice? What's wrong?"

Her eyes fluttered up, first looking to me before her focus shifted to the house, to Bella. "Edward. He's made a very bad decision."

She disappeared into the house before I could ask what it meant.

"Bella," she choked out.

Alice's face was drawn, her eyes wide and glazed over in a daze. Bella looked at me in questioning, before she scrambled to her feet, rushing to our side. Her hands reached out, taking the hand that I wasn't holding.

"Alice, what's wrong?"

Her eyes shifted to Bella finally, dropping into a frown. "Edward."

Bella's body stopped suddenly still, her eyes zipping to steady on the wall. She dropped, hands not even moving to stop her fall. His name was warning enough. Jacob lifted her, hands swooping beneath so he could carry her to the sofa.

"What did you do to her?"

Alice ignored him and I followed. "Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry."

"Stay back," he growled, the noise in his throat sounding animalistic.

As Alice crouched down beside Bella, her hand gravitating toward her shoulder, I shifted in front of them, blocking Jacob as he growled and groaned again. A deadly glare was shot my way before Alice broke it up.

"Calm down, Jacob Black. You don't want to do that so close to her."

"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus," he sneered.

Bella blinked rapidly, her hands failing to push against the settee, surprised at how she'd even gotten there. "Alice? What happened?"

"I don't know. What is he thinking?"

Alice dug around her bag, bringing out her phone and dialling a number, all within a few seconds.

"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now," she said, not giving her sister time to speak.

I could hear Rosalie shuffle around on the other end, her voice lowering, already knowing what it was all about. Alice's face darkened.

"He's not here."