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〃Where have you been？〃 he thundered； appearing through the kitchen doorway
with an ominous
expression。
I hesitated。 He'd probably called the Stanleys。 I'd better stick to the truth。
〃I was hiking；〃 I admitted。
His eyes were tight。 〃What happened to going to Jessica's？〃
〃I didn't feel like Calculus today。〃
Charlie folded his arms across his chest。 〃I thought I asked you to stay out
of the forest。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 Don't worry； I won't do it again。〃 I shuddered。
Charlie seemed to really look at me for the first time。 I remembered that I
had spent some time on the
forest floor today； I must be a mess。
〃What happened？〃 Charlie demanded。
Again； I decided that the truth； or part of it anyway； was the best option。 I
was too shaken to pretend
that I'd spent an uneventful day with the flora and fauna。
〃I saw the bear。〃 I tried to say it calmly； but my voice was high and shaky。
〃It's not a bear； though—it's
some kind of wolf。 And there are five of them。 A big black one； and gray； and
reddish…brown〃
Charlie's eyes grew round with horror。 He strode quickly to me and grabbed the
tops of my arms。
〃Are you okay？〃
My head bobbed in a weak nod。
〃Tell me what happened。〃
〃They didn't pay any attention to me。 But aftet they were gone； I ran away and
I fell down a lot。〃
He let go of my shoulders and wrapped his arms around me。 For a long moment；
he didn't say anything。
〃Wolves；〃 he murmured。
〃What？〃
〃The rangers said the tracks were wrong for a bear—but wolves just don't get
that big〃
〃These were huge。〃
〃How many did you say you saw？〃
〃Five。〃
Charlie shook his head； frowning with anxiety； He finally spoke in a tone that
allowed no argument。 〃No
morehiking。〃
〃No problem；〃 I promised fervently。
Charlie called the station to report what I'd seen。 I fudged a little bit
about where exactly I'd seen the
wolves—claiming I'd been on the trail that led to the north。 I didn't want my
dad to know how deep I'd
gone into the forest against his wishes； and； more importantly； I didn't want
anyone wandering near where
Laurent might be searching for me。 The thought of it made me feel sick。
〃Are you hungry？〃 he asked me when he hung up the phone。
I shook my head； though I must have been starving。 I hadn't eaten all day。
〃Just tired；〃 I told him。 I turned for the stairs。
〃Hey；〃 Charlie said； his voice suddenly suspicious again。 〃Didn't you say
Jacob was gone for the day？〃
〃That's what Billy said；〃 I told him； confused by his question。
He studied my expression for a minute； and seemed satisfied with what he saw
there。
〃Huh。〃
〃Why？〃 I demanded。 It sounded like he was implying that I'd been lying to him
this morning。 About
something besides studying with Jessica。
〃Well； it's just that when I went to pick up Harry； I saw Jacob out in front
of the store down there with
some of his friends。 I waved hi； but he well； I guess I don't know if he saw
me。 I think maybe he was
arguing with his friends。 He looked strange； like he was upset about
something。 And different。 It's like
you can watch that kid growing！ He gets bigger every time I see him。〃
〃Billy said Jake and his friends were going up to Port Angeles to see some
movies。 They were probably
just waiting for someone to meet them。〃
〃Oh。〃 Charlie nodded and headed for the kitchen。
I stood in the hall； thinking about Jacob arguing with his friends。 I wondered
if he had confronted Embry
about the situation with Sam。 Maybe that was the reason he'd ditched me today
—if it meant he could
sort things out with Embry； I was glad he had。
I paused to check the locks again before I went to my room。 It was a silly
thing to do。 What difference
would a lock make to any of the monsters I'd seen this afternoon？ I assumed
the handle alone would
stymie the wolves； not having opposable thumbs。 And if Laurent came here
Or Victoria。
I lay down on my bed； but I was shaking too hard to hope for sleep。 I curled
into a cramped ball under
my quilt； and faced the horrifying facts。
There was nothing I could do。 There were no precautions I could take。 There
was no place I could hide。
There was no one who could help me。
I realized； with a nauseous roll of my stomach； that the situation was worse
than even that。 Because all
those facts applied to Charlie； too。 My father； sleeping one room away from
me； was just a hairsbreadth
off the heart of the target that was centered on me。 My scent would lead them
here； whether I was here
or not。
The tremors rocked me until my teeth chattered。
To calm myself； I fantasized the impossible： I imagined the big wolves
catching up to Laurent in the
woods and massacring the indestructible immortal the way they would any normal
person。 Despite the
absurdity of such a vision； the idea forted me。 If the wolves got him； then
he couldn't tell Victoria I
was here all alone。 If he didn't return； maybe she'd think the Cullens were
still protecting me。 If only the
wolves could win such a fight
My good vampires were never ing back； how soothing it was to imagine that
the other kind could
also disappear。
I squeezed my eyes tight together and waited for unconsciousness—almost eager
for my nightmare to
start。 Better that than the pale； beautiful face that smiled at me now from
behind my lids。
In my imagination； Victoria's eyes were black with thirst； bright with
anticipation； and her lips curled back
from her gleaming teeth in pleasure。 Her red hair was brilliant as fire； it
blew chaotically around her wild
face。
Laurent's words repeated in my head。 If you knew what she had planned for you
I pressed my fist against my mouth to keep from screaming。
11。 CULT
EACH TIME THAT I OPENED MY EYES TO THE MORNING light and realized I'd lived
through
another night was a surprise to me。 After the surprise wore off； my heart
would start to race and my
palms would sweat； I couldn't really breathe again until I'd gotten up and
ascertained that Charlie had
survived as well。
I could tell he was worried—watching me jump at any loud sound； or my face
suddenly go white for no
reason that he could see。 From the questions he asked now and then； he seemed
to blame the change on
Jacob's continued absence。
The terror that was always foremost in my thoughts usually distracted me from
the fact that another week
had passed； and Jacob still hadn't called me。 But when I was able to
concentrate on my normal life—if
my life was really ever normal—this upset me。
I missed him horribly。
It had been bad enough to be alone before I was scared silly。 Now； more than
ever； I yearned for his
carefree laugh and his infectious grin。 I needed the safe sanity of his
homemade garage and his warm
hand around my cold fingers。
I'd half expected him to call on Monday。 If there had been some progress with
Embry； wouldn't he want
to report it？ I wanted to believe that it was worry for his friend that was
occupying all his time； not that he
was just giving up on me。
I called him Tuesday； but no one answered。 Were the phone lines still having
problems？ Or had Billy
invested in caller I。D。？
On Wednesday I called every half hour until after eleven at night； desperate
to hear the warmth of
Jacob's voice。
Thursday I sat in my truck in front of my house—with the locks pushed down—
keys in hand； for a solid
hour。 I was arguing with myself； trying to justify a quick trip to La Push；
but I couldn't do it。
I knew that Laurent had gone back to Victoria by now。 If I went to La Push； I
took the chance of leading
one of them there。 What if they caught up to me when Jake was nearby？ As much
as it hurt me； I knew it
was better for Jacob that he was avoiding me。 Safer for him。
It was bad enough that I couldn't figure out a way to keep Charlie safe。
Nighttime was the most likely
time that they would e looking ior me； and what could I say to get Charlie
out of the house？ If I told
him the truth； he'd have me locked up in a rubber room somewhere。 I would have
endured
that—weled it； even—if it could have kept him safe。 But Victoria would
still e to his house first；
looki