〖 chapter xxxi: STONE COLD〗
Wysteria and her mom were driving out of the Reservation towards Bella's house. The two hadn't really spoken much since yesterday afternoon when Wysteria had returned from Emily's house. Wysteria swallowed hard, giving her mother side glances as she bit her bottom lip. She had to say something. She had to ask. "You know." Wysteria said. "About everything." Her mother exhaled slowly as if she had been holding her breath this whole time.
"Yes, I knew." Her mother said.
"You knew about Sam? About my visions or dreams I thought I was having and you... Did nothing?"
"I... I didn't know what to do Wysteria. This has never happened before." Wysteria frowned as they continued to drive along.
"Jacob said the wolves haven't manifested for only a couple of generations."
"No, I'm not talking about that." Her mother said. Wysteria turned to look at her. "I'm talking about you. Nobody has seen anything like you since..." The words died in her mothers throat.
"Since?" Wysteria prompted.
"Since before America was discovered sweetheart." Wysteria swallowed hard, feeling slightly sick to her stomach.
"What... What am I?"
"They... We can explain it better tonight honey." Her mother said. Wysteria sighed. She just wished someone would tell her something concrete. Wysteria zoned out, biting her lip and almost didn't see the rust colored truck until they had nearly passed it. Wysteria whirled around to look at it and her mother looked at her startled.
"Turn around." Wysteria commanded. Her mother slowed the car down.
"What? Why?" Her mother asked, car idling in the middle of the road. There weren't any cars coming or going which was good but Wysteria didn't want to hesitate.
"That's Bella's truck back there." Wysteria said, pointing. What was Bella doing out here? Did she forget that Wysteria was coming over. Her mother slowly did a U-turn in the middle of the road and then came to park behind Bella's truck on the wet dirt just off the asphalt. Without even thinking, Wysteria jumped out of the car and began to run through the forest in search of Bella.
"Wysteria!" Her mother shouted but that did nothing to stop her. Wysteria had a horrible feeling that something was wrong. Bella was in danger. She needed to find her friend.
Wysteria ran through undergrowth and pushed aside tree branches and shrubs as she shouted Bella's name. She ran around rocks and logs, head swiveling left and right. Why did she have such a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach? All she had seen was Bella's truck. It wasn't like that was a bad omen or anything and yet... "Bella!" Wysteria called again.
"Wysteria?" Wysteria came to a halt and looked around wildly. Not far ahead of her, Wysteria saw Bella staring at her confused. Her head was cocked and she had a backpack on. She had her thumbs hooked around the straps and her hair pulled back out of her face in a ponytail. "What are you doing out here?"
"Me!" Wysteria exclaimed, rushing towards her friend. "What are you? I told you I was coming over remember?"
"Oh right..." Bella said, blushing slightly. "Sorry but... I just really missed..." She didn't say his name as Wysteria walked up the hill towards her. "I miss him Wysteria and theres this meadow up here somewhere that he took me to a couple of times and... I just want to see it. I just need to see it. I don't know." Bella said, shoulders slumped, a defeated look on her face. Wysteria reached her friend and immediately wrapped Bella up in a hug.
"I'll go with you. You don't have to go alone." Wysteria said with a smile. Bella nodded, looking like she was holding her breath so she wouldn't cry. "Let me text my mom that I found you and that we'll be right back." Bella nodded again and Wysteria took out her phone, shooting her mother a quick text.
Momma Bird
Sweetheart, please come out of the forest. I don't want you and Bella wandering around when there could be something out there.
Wysteria didn't know why her mother didn't just say vampire. Maybe she was afraid to. As if saying the word would call one to you. Wysteria told her they would be fine and she smiled at Bella, putting her phone away and taking her friends hand. "Cone on, let's find this meadow."
The two friends walked in relative silence, their shoes the only things making noise as they squished through the dirt and plant matter. "So you and Jacob are okay?" Bella asked.
"Oh yeah umm... Let's talk about that at your house. I have a lot to say." Wysteria said with a wary smile. Bella nodded slowly, eyes on the ground so she wouldn't trip over anything. Wysteria pursed her lips. "How are you feeling?" Bella shrugged.
"It was just a bad day today." She murmured. "The anniversary of when I first talked to Edward passed." Oh my God, it had. "And I don't know it's stupid sometimes I can think about him and be happy and other times... It all feels like a dream. Like maybe my boyfriend never..." Bella sighed.
"Never was a hot, immortal guy?" Wysteria prompted. Bella smirked.
"Yeah, that."
"Well if he wasn't then I don't know how you all convinced me that he was." Bella snickered. "Overall you're... Okay thought right?" Bella pursed her lips.
"I wasn't for a while but I guess I was able to hide it pretty well, even from you and Jacob." Wysteria cocked her head, confused. "Remember when we went snowboarding that first time? And I insisted that we keep going, keep pushing?" Wysteria nodded. "Well, I was doing that because when I first went down that hill on Jacob's board I don't know what it was exactly maybe the adrenaline rush but... I saw Edward. Like an apparition or something and I wanted to continue seeing him so..."
"The dirt bikes." Bella blushed.
"Yeah. I did a couple of other dumb things too. Stood on the edge of a tall building. Got on the back of some random dudes motorcycle. I even debated going cliff diving but then I chickened out." Bella shrugged.
"Well hey, you could come cliff diving with Jacob and I! A bunch of boys at the Rez love that shit. Jacob said he would take me sometime." Bella smiled.
"You would support my adrenaline junkie addiction?" Wysteria shrugged.
"Maybe. I don't know." Bella laughed.
"Well.. The last couple of things I did haven't worked. I stopped seeing him and I just... I thought maybe if I did something like this, went to the meadow... Then I could see him. It sounds stupid doesn't it?" Wysteria shook her head.
"No. This is easier than skydiving out of a plane at least." Bella laughed and bumped her shoulder against Wysteria's
"It should just be up ahead." Bella said with a smile. Wysteria nodded, following her up. The two of them saw the meadow before they reached it and Wysteria bristled, swallowing hard. This couldn't be the palace. This couldn't be it right? Bella had described it as being the most beautiful place she had ever been. Wysteria looked to Bella but her friend had a stony expression. They kept walking, emerging out of the forest and onto the surprisingly dead grass. "This isn't right." Bella whispered, her eyes slowly scanning the brown and yellow field. Wysteria pursed her lips. It looked like this one area had been... Destroyed. As I it had never existed. "Edward wouldn't have killed this place too would he?" Bella whispered. Wysteria could see that she was trembling.
"Hey, spring will be here soon and this place... It'll come back to life Bella. Maybe it had a hard time surviving in the winter. I mean... There's not really any trees to keep the grass alive here." Bella looked like she was about to cry though. She hung her head. Wysteria heard the snap of a branch and looked up, startled. Was something out there? Could it be Victoria? Fear seized Wysteria's heart. She grabbed Bella's arm. "Bella, I think we should leave." Wysteria said, eyes slowly scanning the forest. If Victoria was out there... Why didn't she just kill them? Instead of Victoria stepping through the trees though, Wysteria saw a man with a dark complexion, and dark hair. Even from her place across the entire meadow, she could see that his eyes were blood red. "Bella." Wysteria said, her grip on her friends arm tightening. Bella looked up.
"Laurent." She said, confused. Wysteria looked at her with surprise. Laurent? The vampire that was supposed to be with Cullen's "cousins" in Alaska? The vampire who had warned the Cullen's about how dangerous James was?
"Bella." Wysteria said, through her teeth. She didn't like the way the vampire was looking at them. Faster than the girls could move though, Laurent was in front of them, smiling. Wysteria felt like throwing up. As her stomach churned, thunder rumbled overhead.
"Isabella Swan." Laurent said, as if Bella's name was a prayer. "What a surprise to see you here."
"We live here." Wysteria said when Bella said nothing. "What are you doing out here?" Laurent looked to her and laughed.
"And who are you my dear?"
"Wysteria Redbird and Bella and I were just leaving." Wysteria pulled Bella and turned them both around but Laurent was there, standing in their path.
"What's the rush? I haven't seen Bella in quite some time. I would like to catch up with her." Laurent said.
"Well, Bella and I will be late for dinner." Wysteria wished she hadn't said that because Laurent was looking at them like they were his dinner. Laurent smirked and looked to Bella.
"I went to the Cullen's, thought I should say hi but there was nobody there." Laurent said. Wysteria prayed that Bella would remain calm, keep up a cool demeanor.
"They had to move on. They felt they stayed here too long but Edward, Alice... They visit all the time." Bella said, managing a smile. "I'll tell them I saw you when they visit tomorrow. Or you could stick around and see them if you like." Wow, Bella was a pretty good liar. Laurent grinned.
"Are you lying to me Bella?"
"No." Wysteria and Bella said at the same time. Laurent didn't seem to believe them. He circled them slowly. Bella and Wysteria followed his movements.
"Victoria sent me." Bella stiffened and Wysteria started to beat herself up for not warning Bella sooner about her. "She wanted to see if the Cullen's had left. If you were... Unprotected." She's not alone. Wysteria wanted to scream. She has me and the wolves.
"She's not unprotected." Wysteria said, taking one step forward, feeling brave.
"Ria." Bella whispered, gripped Wysteria's arm tightly to prevent her from getting any closer to him. Laurent laughed.
"Ah yes, I can smell them on you Ms. Redbird but your wolves aren't here. Are they?" Wysteria glared at him. "And I don't think you're powerful enough to stop me little bird." Thunder crashed above them.
"You don't know anything about me." Wysteria said through her teeth. Laurent didn't seem phased.
"I'll kill you both quickly. Victoria won't be pleased but... At least Bella will be dead and this will all be behind us." He smiled at them like he was doing them a kindness. "She has such horrible things planned for you Bella. The least I can do is show you mercy." Bella didn't seem to be listening to him, she was transfixed by something behind Laurent. Dear God, was she seeing Edward right now? Wysteria glared at Laurent.
"You won't hurt either of us." Laurent laughed.
"Who is going to stop me?" Laurent lunged and Bella screamed as Wysteria threw up her free arm, as if that would stop a vampire from attacking. When Wysteria didn't feel her throat being ripped out, she slowly opened her eyes. Bella had apparently closed her eyes too because when Wysteria opened them to look at Laurent, Bella screamed again.
Instead of a mad vampire with blood red eyes, what stood in his place was a stone statue of him, preparing to strike. His hand was inches from Wysteria's face. The girls stumbled back, shocked. "What happened!" Bella said, breathless. "He's... He's stone!" Wysteria lowered her hand, the only thing between her and Laurent. Had she done that? How? Wysteria heard the snapping of more twigs and she stiffened. Was Victoria here? Had she been watching. Wysteria turned around and slowly, out of the forest came six large wolves.
"Bella, don't freak out." Wysteria whispered as they slowly approached. Bella was digging her nails into Wysteria's arm. First a vampire and now six large wolves were bearing down on them, Bella must have been on full freakout mode. Wysteria locked eyes with a large brown wolf, his eyes were the same color as Jacob's and she breathed a sigh of relief. Wysteria smiled as Jacob came forward and made a series of whining noises.
"What? I don't know what I did." Wysteria said, reaching out and touching Jacob's muzzle.
"Wysteria!" Bella exclaimed, yanking her back with so much force the two girls almost stumbled into Sam. Bella squeaked.
"Bella, Bella it's okay. I need you to calm down. The wolves are... Nice." Wysteria heard the wolves do some form of a laugh and she glared at them. "Shut up." She said to them as Sam began to circle the stone statue of Laurent slowly.
"He... He said your wolves weren't here. Are these..." Wysteria nodded slowly.
"Well, they're not my wolves. I mean one of them is." She felt Jacob nudge her in the back. Bella stared on in horror. To their left, Sam bit the head off the statue and tossed it to the ground before hitting the rest of the statue to break it into pieces. Bella yelped and Wysteria frowned at him. "Was that really necessary Sam?" Sam looked like he shrugged.
"You named them!" Bella exclaimed.
"No, Bella I..." Wysteria sighed. "Gosh this is why I wanted to talk to you at home." Wysteria took a deep breath. "Remember how you told me Edward was a vampire and I didn't try to dismiss you or call you crazy?" Bella slowly nodded, eyeing the wolves warily as they all gathered around the pieces of the statue. "Well what I'm going to tell you is that same level of... Unbelievable." Bella gave her a funny look. "Bella these are some of the Quileute boys from the Rez. They're, shape shifters... Werewolves I guess." Wysteria looked to Bella to gauge her reaction.
"What? Like in those Quileute stories about the spirit warriors?" Wysteria put her hands on her hips.
"How is it you know more about those stories than I do?" Wysteria demanded. Bella smirked.
"I did a lot of research about them remember? Them and the Cold One's." Wysteria shook her head.
"Well, just like vampires, they're real too." Wysteria looked out towards the wolves again who seemed to be arguing about what to do with the stone pieces.
"Wh-what are they doing?" Bella asked. Wysteria shrugged.
"I don't know. I think they're arguing about what to do. How do you kill a vampire exactly?" Wysteria suddenly realized she didn't know what it took to kill a vampire. Maybe she should brush up on her Quileute stories.
"Burn him in a bonfire it's what they did for James." Wysteria approached slowly, nudging Jacob so she could look at the broken statue. She kicked his stone head and Jacob whimpered next to her.
"Oh stop it. I'm fine." Wysteria said. She couldn't be sure what Jacob was saying exactly but she had this feeling deep inside her. A sort of understanding or... Something. She glanced across at Sam who seemed to be narrowing his eyes at her. "If I knew what I did... I would tell you." Wysteria said. Sam huffed, shaking his head. Jacob nudged her slightly and Wysteria reached up to run her hands through his fur.
"Wait, you did that?" Bella asked, approaching slowly. "You turned Laurent to stone?" Wysteria frowned.
"I... I think so. The boys certainly can't do that... Right?" Jacob shook his head as Wysteria scratched him behind the ear. "That's why I was coming out here. To tell you about Jacob and them and to invite you to this bonfire we're having tonight where I'll finally learn what the hell has been happening to me."
"Is that Jacob? The wolf you keep touching?" Bella asked, pointing at him.
"Oh yeah, this is Jacob." Wysteria said with a smile.
"Okay good because I was going to say... You seem more fond of that wolf than your boyfriend." Wysteria laughed and Jacob grunted a little.
"Well it's Jacob. I promise." Bella nodded and reached forward to touch his muzzle. Jacob let her and seemed to be giving her a wolf-ish smile.
"Can you... Understand them?" Wysteria shook her head.
"Well... I don't know. I feel like I'm guessing for the most part." She shrugged and the two girls watched as the wolves slowly broke the statue up into smaller and smaller pieces with their powerful paws. Eventually, Laurent was nothing more than dust in the wind. "We should get back. There's still a lot I have to tell you." Wysteria said, scratching Jacob behind the ears one last time before holding out her hand for Bella's. Jacob whimpered and Wysteria arched an eyebrow at him.
"I think he wants to watch over us?" Bella said with a snicker. Jacob nodded. Wysteria rolled her eyes.
"Overprotective idiot." Jacob half growled and Wysteria laughed as the rest of the wolves began to disperse, disappearing into the trees. Wysteria supposed they were probably checking to see if more vamps were around. She took a deep breath. "Come on Bella." Together, the two girls and one large wolf began to head out of the forest and back to the road.
A/N: This is another one of my favorite chapters!!!! Who wants to guess what Wysteria is?????? You're gonna find out soon!!!!
Also the fact that this story already has 10k reads is crazy to me. Is everyone starved for twilight fics???? Because.... I've got a new idea I've been working on lol