It's been a week since Jacob shifted into a wolf.
Bella's nightmares have come back. Even when I try to keep her mind off of things, like baking and even reading a book with her, it still seems that wasn't enough. Jacob's presence in her life was almost like a shield to those nightmares, and now that he wasn't allowed to talk to her for a while things shifted back to the way they were before.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with her..." I tell Paul over the phone, exasperated. "She's not functioning. It's like she's on autopilot again. And the screams... they wake dad and I up in the middle of the night. It takes her a while to go back to sleep." I groaned as I leaned my head against the wall, sitting Indian style on my bed. I had been working on some paperwork for school while Bella was at her own school. I wondered if she was aware where she was, or if everything she was doing was from muscle memory.
"I'm sorry, doll..." Paul murmurs o the other line, and I hear laughter in the background. He was at Emily's again, and I desperately wished I could be there - and usually would be... if I didn't have this five page essay to write. "I wish there was something I could do to make things better."
Sighing, I glanced down at the half-written essay. Thankfully I had until the end of the day until this thing was due. I really had to stop letting things go until the last minute, because this was royally stressing me out - among other things. "It's okay, babe. You just listening to me makes things easier," I assure him with a soft smile. I'd never experienced a relationship quite like this one. It put all my last few relationships on a very low bar.
Which wasn't very high to begin with, but they're set even lower now.
"I'll always listen to you, beautiful." He rumbled, and I heard a door click shut - telling me he was sitting on the porch. "Just like you always listen to me." I could hear the smile in his voice and I flushed, a smile forming on my own face. "We should go on another date this weekend."
"Another date, huh?" I smile at the thought. He had been busy with patrols, trying to keep people safe. Vampires were roaming the area, vampires who weren't the Cullens, and they were having a hell of a time trying to catch them. It made me feel uneasy, knowing that there was unknown vampires out there that weren't like the Cullens, who only fed on animals.
"We'll go to Seattle, I'll take you to a semi-fancy restaurant and we can go to the movies. You can choose, of course." Paul states casually and I grin at that.
"I like the sound of that." I admitted, but we could just hang out on the beach and cuddle and I'd still be happy with that kind of date. "But Paul, you know that I'd be happy just doing anything with you, right?" I told him softly with a small smile.
Chuckling, I imagined him nodding his head - even though he knew I couldn't see. "I know doll, but I want to do something special for you."
Finishing the conversation we hung up. I attempted to finish this essay, finally getting it done when I heard the door slam shut. My head snapped up, knowing Bella was home. Dad wasn't supposed to be back until a few hours after dinner.
Taking another hour to edit the essay, I pressed send - sighing in relief knowing I got it done. Closing the laptop, I decided to take a little break as I walked down the stairs - Bella was standing at the phone with a look of disbelief on her face. "Jacob busy again?" I asked her knowingly, and she turned to give me a scowl.
"It's the same thing every time I call. I can't believe he's blowing me off!" She slams the phone back onto the hook bitterly. "We were so close, what happened?" She whimpered, walking over to me as I gave her a hug - feeling her wrap her own arms around my waist.
"It's going to be okay, Bells." I tell her reassuringly, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. It hurt, seeing her like this again, knowing Jacob was only protecting Bella. Though I thought this was doing more damage than good, and I knew Jacob knew that too.
Though getting Sam to see that was another story all together.
I had thought about telling Sam about the nightmares, though I was sure he already knew. Paul knew, and even experienced them when he spent the night without dad's knowledge. Nothing would get Sam to budge on Jacob hanging out with Bella, or even telling Bella what they were since they were certain she already knew about the vampires.
Bella could obviously keep a secret, though I could see Sam's view on it. The less that knew they existed the better. Even if that meant people continuously thought they were some sort of a gang or cult.
Once Bella calmed down she went upstairs, towards her bedroom to sulk. Sitting on the couch, I opened the book I had laid on the side table. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown had just come out a few months ago, and it was genuinely interesting. I had made a promise to myself to read more books, and I thought I was doing an okay job of that. I had always loved reading, it was something Bella and I shared though our tastes were vastly different.
I had just finished a chapter when Bella bounded down the stairs, looking wild. She had her jean jacket on as I closed the book. "Where are you going?" I called out to her, a worried frown on my face.
"Hiking! Do you want to come?" She turns to look at me, placing her key ring inside the jacket pocket.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I glanced over at the clock. It was almost time for dinner, and I knew dad was going to be home soon. "You hate hiking though?!" I gaped in disbelief, staring at Bella as if she grown two heads.
Shrugging, Bella was making her way towards the door - not waiting on me to agree or disagree with hiking. "I'm going whether you want to or not, Laney!" She calls back to me, making me curse.
Knowing Paul was about to go on patrol, I texted him quickly that I was going out with Bella to hike - just so he wouldn't be paranoid if he came over to my house and sensed no one inside. And so that he would know we were out there, in case something happened.
Stumbling after Bella, I tried to keep up with her long strides. When she was determined she could walk fast, and how she was getting through these thick woods without falling flat on her face was beyond me. "Bells, where are we even going?" I groaned as I followed after her. I should have just stayed at home, though I knew I would be beside myself with worry if I let her hike by herself, knowing how she has been recently.
"I just need to see something," she murmurs, mostly to herself - not realizing I can hear her.
Finally we made it to a clearing. There were dead flowers all around us as Bella dramatically falls to the ground, letting out a painful sob. I winced, staring at her in sympathy as she mutters something along the lines of 'not this too', making me sigh - knowing this was about Edward.
Something snapped in the distance, making my head whip up. At first I thought it would be the wolves, since I knew at least mine was on patrol. I stiffened when I saw a black skinned male looking at us curiously. "Bella..." I whispered to her, causing my younger sister to glance up as I nodded towards the intruder.
With crimson red eyes.
Scrambling to her feet when she saw him, she seemed almost relieved. "Laurent!" She exclaims, and I give her a look of bewilderment. So Laurent was his name? How did Bella know his name?
Laurent licked his lips, looking pleased. "Bella. Whose this with you?" Laurent was giving me a look I didn't like, making me clear my throat.
Bella snook a glance at me, her eyes wide as if she forgot I was even there. "That's Elaine. She's my sister," she explains and I give her a gobsmacked look.
How dare she tell this vampire my name?
I wasn't stupid. I knew from stories that's what this man was. His red eyes gave him away as he glanced me, giving me a once over. Only it wasn't how a guy or girl would check someone out in approval.
It was one that was inspecting it's prey.
"I thought you were in Alaska?" Bella started the conversation, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I felt uncomfortable, with the way the vampire was looking at me as if I was I was his dinner... and perhaps, in a way, I was.
Humming, Laurent glanced over at my sister. "I was. But I came down to visit the Cullen's, as a favor for Victoria, but it seems they left town." Victoria? I grimaced when Bella stiffened at the mention of the Cullen's leaving town as she put herself in front of me; as if trying to protect me from him.
Though I wasn't sure what she could do in this sort of situation. Especially with the stories the wolves had told me about what vampires could do.
"They visit all the time," she lies through her teeth. "I'll let them know you came to visit."
Chuckling, he glances between Bella and I in amusement. "Oh? I'm surprised they left you defenseless. Weren't you some sort of... pet to them?" He sneers.
"Pet?" I muttered incredulously, mostly to myself. The other two weren't paying attention to me, caught up in whatever game they were playing.
Bella shuddered beside me, though she stood her ground. "Yeah something like that." She agrees, a sad tone to it.
"Like I said before, I came as a favor for Victoria. She wanted me to... warn the Cullen's that she was coming. She'd be upset if I were to kill you." Laurent smirked as he stalked towards us, keeping his eyes on me. "It'll be quick and painless." He assures us, making my heart skip a beat.
"You don't have to do this!" Bella begged, and I gasped when I felt him press against me; his mouth hovering over my neck. "I'm sorry, Laney..." Bella whimpered and I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain that I knew was to come.
Before he could do anything though a deadly growl erupted in the forest. "I don't believe it..." Laurent trails off in disbelief, backing up from us slowly. Raising an eyebrow, I turned behind me - my heart beating in my chest when I saw who it was.
Relief instantly flooded in me as the wolves descended upon us, growling as they licked their lips. A big silver wolf glanced over at me, and I knew who that was.
I nodded, letting him know I was okay and he growled again. A russet brown wolf was inspecting Bella before they all chased after Laurent - who was basically a blur to my eyes. I had never seen the boys in their wolf form before, but seeing the entire pack together like that was another thing all together. And they all moved swiftly with practiced ease.
"Elaine, lets go!" Bella begged, pulling my arm and I allowed her to pull me towards home, knowing I would be getting a call from Paul later checking to see if I was really okay.