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“You could have reached me at Bella’s house； of course。”
Jacob’s jaw flexed； and his brows pulled together。 He didn’t answer。
“This is hardly the place； Jacob。 Could we discuss this later？”
“Sure； sure。 I’ll stop by your crypt after school。” Jacob snorted。 “What’s wrong with now？”
Edward looked around pointedly； his eyes resting on the witnesses who were just barely out of hearing
range。 A few people were hesitating on the sidewalk； their eyes bright with expectation。 Like they were hoping
a fight might break out to alleviate the tedium of another Monday morning。 I saw Tyler Crowley nudge Austin
Marks； and they both paused on their way to class。
“I already know what you came to say；” Edward reminded Jacob in voice so low that I could barely make
it out。 “Message delivered。 Consider us warned。”
Edward glanced down at me for a fleeting second with worried eyes。
“Warned？” I asked blankly。 “What are you talking about？”
“You didn’t tell her？” Jacob asked； his eyes widening with disbelief。 “What； were you afraid she’d take
our side？”
“Please drop it； Jacob；” Edward said in an even voice。
“Why？” Jacob challenged。
I frowned in confusion。 “What don’t I know？ Edward？”
Edward just glared at Jacob as if he hadn’t heard me。
“Jake？”
Jacob raised his eyebrow at me。 “He didn’t tell you that his big 。 。 。 brother crossed the line Saturday
night？” he asked； his tone thickly layered with sarcasm。 Then his eyes flickered back to Edward。 “Paul was
totally justified in —”
“It was noman’s land！” Edward hissed。
“Was not！”
Jacob was fuming visibly。 His hands trembled。 He shook his head and sucked in two deep lungfuls of air。
“Emmett and Paul？” I whispered。 Paul was Jacob’s most volatile pack brother。 He was the one who’d
lost control that day in the woods — the memory of the snarling gray wolf was suddenly vividin my head。
“What happened？ Were they fighting？” My voice strained higher in panic。 “Why？ Did Paul get hurt？”
“No one fought；” Edward said quietly； only to me。 “No one got hurt。 Don’t be anxious。”
Jacob was staring at us with incredulous eyes。 “You didn’t tell her anything at all； did you？ Is that why you
took her away？ So she wouldn’t know that —？”
“Leave now。” Edward cut him off midsentence； and his face was abruptly frightening — truly frightening。
For a second； he looked like 。 。 。 like a vampire。 He glared at Jacob with vicious； unveiled loathing。
Jacob raised his eyebrows； but made no other move。 “Why haven’t you told her？”
They faced each other in silence for a long moment。 More students gathered behind Tyler and Austin。 I
saw Mike next to Ben — Mike had one hand on Ben’s shoulder； like he was holding him in place。
In the dead silence； all the details suddenly fell into place for me with a burst of intuition。
Something Edward didn’t want me to know。
Something that Jacob wouldn’t have kept from me。
Something that had the Cullens and the wolves both in the woods； moving in hazardous proximity to each
other。
Something that would cause Edward to insist that I fly across the country。
Something that Alice had seen in a vision last week — a vision Edward had lied to me about。
Something I’d been waiting for anyway。 Something I knew would happen again； as much as I might wish it
never would。 It was never going to end； was it？
I heard the quick gasp； gasp； gasp； gasp of the air dragging through my lips； but I couldn’t stop it。 It
looked like the school was shaking； like there was an earthquake； but I knew it was my own trembling that
caused the illusion。
“She came back for me；” I choked out。
Victoria was never going to give up till I was dead。 She would keep repeating the same pattern — feint
and run； feint and run — until she found a hole through my defenders。
Maybe I’d get lucky。 Maybe the Volturi would e for me first — they’d kill me quicker； at least。
Edward held me tight to his side； angling his body so that he was still between me and Jacob； and stroked
my face with anxious hands。 “It’s fine；” he whispered to me。 “It’s fine。 I’ll never let her get close to you； it’s
fine。”
Then he glared at Jacob。 “Does that answer your question； mongrel？”
“You don’t think Bella has a right to know？” Jacob challenged。 “It’s her life。”
Edward kept his voice muted； even Tyler； edging forward by inches； would be unable to hear。 “Why
should she be frightened when she was never in danger？”
“Better frightened than lied to。”
I tried to pull myself together； but my eyes were swimming in moisture。 I could see it behind my lids — I
could see Victoria’s face； her lips pulled back over her teeth； her crimson eyes glowing with the obsession of
her vendetta； she held Edward responsible for the demise of her love； James。 She wouldn’t stop until his love
was taken from him； too。
Edward wiped the tears from my cheek with his fingertips。
“Do you really think hurting her is better than protecting her？” he murmured。
“She’s tougher than you think；” Jacob said。 “And she’s been through worse。”
Abruptly； Jacob’s expression shifted； and he was staring at Edward with an odd； speculative expression。
His eyes narrowed like he was trying to do a difficult math problem in his head。
I felt Edward cringe。 I glanced up at him； and his face was contorted in what could only be pain。 For one
ghastly moment； I was reminded of our afternoon in Italy； in the macabre tower room of the Volturi； where
Jane had tortured Edward with her malignant gift； burning him with her thoughts alone。 。 。 。
The memory snapped me out of my near hysteria and put everything in perspective。 Because I’d rather
Victoria killed me a hundred times over than watch Edward suffer that way again。
“That’s funny；” Jacob said； laughing as he watched Edward’s face。
Edward winced； but smoothed his expression with a little effort。 He couldn’t quite hide the agony in his
eyes。
I glanced； wideeyed； from Edward’s grimace to Jacob’s sneer。
“What are you doing to him？” I demanded。
“It’s nothing； Bella；” Edward told me quietly。 “Jacob just has a good memory； that’s all。”
Jacob grinned； and Edward winced again。
“Stop it！ Whatever you’re doing。”
“Sure； if you want。” Jacob shrugged。 “It’s his own fault if he doesn’t like the things I remember； though。”
I glared at him； and he smiled back impishly — like a kid caught doing something he knows he shouldn’t
by someone who he knows won’t punish him。
“The principal’s on his way to discourage loitering on school property；” Edward murmured to me。 “Let’s
get to English； Bella； so you’re not involved。”
“Overprotective； isn’t he？” Jacob said； talking just to me。 “A little trouble makes life fun。 Let me guess；
you’re not allowed to have fun； are you？”
Edward glowered； and his lips pulled back from his teeth ever so slightly。
“Shut up； Jake；” I said。
Jacob laughed。 “That sounds like a no。 Hey； if you ever feel like having a life again； you could e see
me。 I’ve still got your motorcycle in my garage。”
This news distracted me。 “You were supposed to sell that。 You promised Charlie you would。” If I hadn’t
begged on Jake’s behalf — after all； he’d put weeks of labor into both motorcycles； and he deserved some
kind of payback — Charlie would have thrown my bike in a Dumpster。 And possibly set that Dumpster on
fire。
“Yeah； right。 Like I would do that。 It belongs to you； not me。 Anyway； I’ll hold on to it until you want it
back。”
A tiny hint of the smile I remembered was suddenly playing around the edges of his lips。
“Jake 。 。 。”
He leaned forward； his face earnest now； the bitter sarcasm fading。 “I think I might have been wrong
before； you know； about not being able to be friends。 Maybe we could manage it； on my side of the line。
e see me。”
I was vividly conscious of Edward； his arms still wrapped protectively around me； motionless as a stone。 I
shot a look at his face — it was calm； patient。
“I； er； don’t know about that； Jake。”
Jacob dropped the antagonistic faade pletely。 It was like he’d forgotte