On the way back to mine, I call Jake so he and Bam are there when we arrive. I take Jake inside and he looks around.
As we come out, I got over to Edward and he puts his arm round me.
"Whoever it was," Jake says. "He left his stink behind. It'll be hard to miss when we cross it again."
"We'll handle it from here," Bam says.
"Seriously Bam, why are you still speaking for Jake when he's clearly okay speaking to me himself now?"
"Because I was made an honorary member of the pack, and Jake doesn't know what's good for you," he stares, giving Edward an evil look.
"We don't need you to handle anything," Edward says. "Or anyone."
"I couldn't care less what you need," Bam says.
"Alright, we're done here," Edward says.
"No, you're done here."
"Stop! I'm tired of this. From now on, I'm Switzerland, okay?"
Edward hates the idea but it's not about rivalry anymore. It was about my safety, and Charlie's. In the days that followed, I got them to at least try to work together. The wolves took over so the Cullens could hunt. It wasn't exactly an easy alliance.
It's been two weeks since the semi-alliance was formed, a day before my party and a week before the end of summer.
Edward is driving me to the treaty line to meet Jake and Bam because I'm going to the reservation while Edward hunts.
"I'm good here. You should go," I tell Edward when we get there.
"I'm not gonna be gone long. If he..."
"He won't touch me, Jake is gonna make sure of it."
"I don't trust him."
"Trust Jake."
"I don't trust any of them."
"Trust me. I'm perfectly safe. Don't rush. You need to hunt."
He grabs me gently and kisses me passionately.
"Do you have to do that in front of me?" Bam scoffs.
"Maybe rush a little," I say when the kiss ends.
Edward gets into his car and screeches away.
"So, what do you wanna do today?" Jake asks. "Bike, hike, just hang? Your call. But we're going to a party tonight."
We climb into the car and Jake drives back to the reservation.
That night, the three of us walk down to the campfire circle down on the beach.
"Are you sure this is okay?" I ask. "I really hate being a party crasher."
"Technically, you're a council meeting crasher. You see? The council leaders, Dad, Quil's grandpa and Sue Clearwater. She took over for Harry when he died."
"Okay, I should not be here."
I stop.
"Chillax, Bella," Bam says. "I'm here."
"You're okay," Jake says. "I thought..."
He sighs.
"I mean, they thought it would be good for you to hear the histories."
"The histories? The tribe's histories? Aren't they secret?"
"We all got a role to play, and you're part of this. I mean, it's the first time Seth, Leah and Quil'll hear them, too. But you two are the first outsiders. Ever."
We begin walking again.
"If I had known that, I would have, like... I don't know, dressed better."
"You look beautiful in whatever you wear," Bam smiles at me for the first time since I chose Edward.
"Jake!" a young man says and I presume that is Seth.
"Hey!" Jake says.
"It's about time you got here. Paul's been hoovering the grub, but I saved you some burgers."
"Good looking out, bro. Bella, this is Seth Clearwater, Leah's brother."
"Hi!"
"Newest member of the pack."
"Newest, bestest, brightest," Seth grins.
"And slowest," Jake mocks.
"Come on, your dad's about to start."
We go over and I sit on a log between Bam and Jake.
"The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning," Billy begins. "But we always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shape-shifters that transformed to the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone and cold as ice. Our warriors' sharp teeth finally tore it apart, but only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone. And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki's third wife could see that he would lose. The third wife was no magical being, with no special powers but one, courage. The third wife's sacrifice distracted the cold woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared. But one remains, the cold ones. Our magic awakes when they're near, and we sense it now. We feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming, and we must all be ready, all of us."
Later that night, Jake drives me to the treaty line to meet Edward, and we drive to his house.
'Seattle is in a state of terror,' I hear the TV playing. 'Police are baffled by the escalating murders and disappearances. Theories range from a vicious new gang to a wildly active serial killer.'
We walk into the room where Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett are watching the news so I look at the screen.
'Reporting live...'
"It's getting worse," Carlisle says as he switches off the TV. "We're going to have to do something."
"It takes more than one of our kind to cause the damage they're reporting," Jasper says. "Quite a few more. And they're undisciplined, conspicuous."
"It's newborns," Edward says.
"What are newborns?" I ask. "You guys keep saying about them but I don't understand."
"New vampires," Edward says. "In the first few months after the change..."
"That's when we're at our most uncontrollable," Jasper continues. "Vicious! Insane with thirst."
"Something to look forward to," Emmett jokes.
"No one's trained these newborns, but this isn't random," Jasper says.
"Someone's creating an army," Carlisle says.
"Well," Emmett says as he stands up. "Now we're definitely going to Seattle."
"An army of vampires?" I ask.
"And they've been created to fight someone," Jasper says.
"We're the only clan even close to Seattle," Edward says.
"Regardless of why they were made," Carlisle says. "If we don't put a stop to them, the Volturi will. I'm surprised they've let it go on this long."
"Maybe they're behind it," Edward says. "In Italy, I read Aro's mind. He wants me and Alice to join him, but he knows we'll never choose him as long as our family's still alive."
"An army could solve that for him," Jasper sighs.
It's the next evening and I arrive at my party alone to find it already in full swing. Trouble is, I don't recognise anyone. Luckily, as I look around for any familiar face, I see Jessica and Angela who come over.
"Where were you?" Angela asks. "Isn't this meant to be your party?"
"Yeah, well you know Alice."
"Actually, we don't," Jessica says.
The song changes in the background.
"I love this song!" Angela says. "Let's go."
They disappear, leaving me standing alone in a house full of strangers and the Cullens are nowhere to be seen.
I continue to look around and see Jake come in with Bam, Embry and Quil. Bam spots me so I go over.
"What are you doing here?"
"You invited me, remember?" Bam says.
"Was my right hook too subtle for you? That was me uninviting you."
"Look, Bella, I'm sorry about, you know, the kiss and your hand. I was being a dick. I'm really sorry. I brought you a birthday present."
He pulls out a wolf charm.
"Happy belated birthday. I made it myself."
"Wow! You made this?"
He nods.
"It's really pretty. Thanks."
I see Alice coming down the stairs in the background but she stops and goes into a trance.
"I'll be right back," I say as I push past the four boys and go over to Alice. "Alice, what'd you see?"
"The decision's been made."
"What's going on?" Bam asks, coming up behind us.
"You're not going to Seattle," I say.
"No. They're coming here."
"Where are the others?" I ask.
"Right here," Edward says as they come up behind us.
"Let's take this somewhere more private," Carlisle says.
We go into the study.
"They'll be here at first snow," Alice says.
"So we still don't know whose doing this or why?" Carlisle asks.
"I didn't see anyone I recognize," Alice says. "Maybe one."
"I know his face," Edward says. "He's local. Riley Biers. He didn't start this."
"Whoever did is staying out of the action," Alice says.
"They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision," Carlisle says.
"Either way, the army is coming around Christmas," Jasper says. "And there aren't enough of us to protect the town."
"Hold up," Bam says. "What damn army?"
"Newborns," Carlisle informs him and the wolf boys. "Our kind."
"What are they after?" Jake asks.
"They were passing around Bella's scent," Alice says. "A red blouse."
"They're after Bella?" Jake asks. "What the hell does this mean?"
"It means an ugly fight. With lives lost," Carlisle says.
"Alright," Jake says. "You're all leaving Forks to return to Hogwarts in less than a week. While you're gone, we'll protect Charlie and hunt for these two vampires."
"Thank you Jacob," Carlisle says before he stands. "That's sorted then. Let's get ready to leave."