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I frowned。
Jacob rolled his eyes； impatient； and reached down to yank me up into his arms。
“Don’t be such a baby；” he muttered。
But his eyes flickered to Edward； just like mine did。 Edward’s face was posed and smooth。 He spoke
to Jasper。
“Bella’s scent is so much more potent to me — I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried。”
Jacob turned away from them and paced swiftly into the woods。 I didn’t say anything as the dark closed
around us。 I was pouting； unfortable in Jacob’s arms。 It felt too intimate to me — surely he didn’t need to
hold me quite so tightly — and I couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like to him。 It reminded me of my last
afternoon in La Push； and I didn’t want to think about that。 I folded my arms； annoyed when the brace on my
hand intensified the memory。
We didn’t go far； he made a wide arc and came back into the clearing from a different direction； maybe
half a football field away from our original departure point。 Edward was there alone and Jacob headed toward
him。
“You can put me down now。”
“I don’t want to take a chance of messing up the experiment。” His walk slowed and his arms tightened。
“You are so annoying；” I muttered。
“Thanks。”
Out of nowhere； Jasper and Alice stood beside Edward。 Jacob took one more step； and then set me
down a half dozen feet from Edward。 Without looking back at Jacob； I walked to Edward’s side and took his
hand。
“Well？” I asked。
“As long as you don’t touch anything； Bella； I can’t imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to
that trail to catch your scent；” Jasper said； grimacing。 “It was almost pletely obscured。”
“A definite success；” Alice agreed； wrinkling her nose。
“And it gave me an idea。”
“Which will work；” Alice added confidently。
“Clever；” Edward agreed。
“How do you stand that？” Jacob muttered to me。
Edward ignored Jacob and looked at me while he explained。 “We’re — well； you’re — going to leave a
false trail to the clearing； Bella。 The newborns are hunting； your scent will excite them； and they’ll e exactly
the way we want them to without being careful about it。 Alice can already see that this will work。 When they
catch our scent； they’ll split up and try to e at us from two sides。 Half will go through the forest； where her
vision suddenly disappears。 。 。 。”
“Yes！” Jacob hissed。
Edward smiled at him； a smile of true radeship。
I felt sick。 How could they be so eager for this？ How could I stand having both of them in danger？ I
couldn’t。
I wouldn’t。
“Not a chance；” Edward said suddenly； his voice disgusted。 It made me jump； worrying that he’d
somehow heard my resolve； but his eyes were on Jasper。
“I know； I know；” Jasper said quickly。 “I didn’t even consider it； not really。”
Alice stepped on his foot。
“If Bella was actually there in the clearing；” Jasper explained to her； “it would drive them insane。 They
wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything but her。 It would make picking them off truly easy。 。 。 。”
Edward’s glare had Jasper backtracking。
“Of course it’s too dangerous for her。 It was just an errant thought；” he said quickly。 But he looked at me
from the corner of his eyes； and the look was wistful。
“No；” Edward said。 His voice rang with finality。
“You’re right；” Jasper said。 He took Alice’s hand and started back to the others。 “Best two out of three？”
I heard him ask her as they went to practice again。
Jacob stared after him in disgust。
“Jasper looks at things from a military perspective；” Edward quietly defended his brother。 “He looks at all
the options — it’s thoroughness； not callousness。”
Jacob snorted。
He’d edged closer unconsciously； drawn by his absorption in the planning。 He stood only three feet from
Edward now； and； standing there between them； I could feel the physical tension in the air。 It was like static；
an unfortable charge。
Edward got back to business。 “I’ll bring her here Friday afternoon to lay the false trail。 You can meet us
afterward； and carry her to a place I know。 pletely out of the way； and easily defensible； not that it will
e to that。 I’ll take another route there。”
“And then what？ Leave her with a cell phone？” Jacob asked critically。
“You have a better idea？”
Jacob was suddenly smug。 “Actually； I do。”
“Oh。 。 。 。 Again； dog； not bad at all。”
Jacob turned to me quickly； as if determined to play the good guy by keeping me in the conversation。 “We
tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two。 He’s still too young； but he’s stubborn and he’s
resisting。 So I thought of a new assignment for him — cell phone。”
I tried to look like I got it。 No one was fooled。
“As long as Seth Clearwater is in his wolf form； he’ll be connected to the pack；” Edward said。 “Distance
isn’t a problem？” he added； turning to Jacob。
“Nope。”
“Three hundred miles？” Edward asked。 “That’s impressive。”
Jacob was the good guy again。 “That’s the farthest we’ve ever gone to experiment；” he told me。 “Still
clear as a bell。”
I nodded absently； I was reeling from the idea that little Seth Clearwater was already a werewolf； too； and
that made it difficult to concentrate。 I could see his bright smile； so much like a younger Jacob； in my head； he
couldn’t be more than fifteen； if he was that。 His enthusiasm at the council meeting bonfire suddenly took on
new meaning。 。 。 。
“It’s a good idea。” Edward seemed reluctant to admit this。 “I’ll feel better with Seth there； even without
the instantaneous munication。 I don’t know if I’d be able to leave Bella there alone。 To think it’s e to
this； though！ Trusting werewolves！”
“Fightingwith vampires instead of against them！” Jacob mirrored Edward’s tone of disgust。
“Well； you still get to fight against some of them；” Edward said。
Jacob smiled。 “That’s the reason we’re here。”
19。 SELFISH
EDWARD CARRIED ME HOME IN HIS ARMS； EXPECTING that I wouldn’t be able to hang on。 I must have fallen
asleep on the way。
When I woke up； I was in my bed and the dull light ing through my windows slanted in from a strange
angle。 Almost like it was afternoon。
I yawned and stretched； my fingers searching for him and ing up empty。
“Edward？” I mumbled。
My seeking fingers encountered something cool and smooth。 His hand。
“Are you really awake this time？” he murmured。
“Mmm；” I sighed in assent。 “Have there been a lot of false alarms？”
“You’ve been very restless — talking all day。”
“Allday？” I blinked and looked at the windows again。
“You had a long night；” he said reassuringly。 “You’d earned a day in bed。”
I sat up； and my head spun。 The light was ing in my window from the west。 “Wow。”
“Hungry？” he guessed。 “Do you want breakfast in bed？”
“I’ll get it；” I groaned； stretching again。 “I need to get up and move around。”
He held my hand on the way to the kitchen； eyeing me carefully； like I might fall over。 Or maybe he
thought I was sleepwalking。
I kept it simple； throwing a couple of PopTarts in the toaster。 I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflective
chrome。
“Ugh； I’m a mess。”
“It was a long night；” he said again。 “You should have stayed here and slept。”
“Right！ And missed everything。 You know； you need to start accepting the fact that I’m part of the family
now。”
He smiled。 “I could probably get used to that idea。”
I sat down with my breakfast； and he sat next to me。 When I lifted the PopTart to take the first bite； I
noticed him staring at my hand。 I looked down； and saw that I was still wearing the gift that Jacob had given
me at the party。
“May I？” he asked； reaching for the tiny wooden wolf。
I swallowed noisily。 “Um； sure。”
He moved his hand under the charm bracelet and balanced the little figurine in his snowy palm。 For a
fleeting moment； I was afraid。 Just the slightest twist of his fingers could crush it into splinters。
But of course Edward wouldn’t do that。 I was embarrassed I’d even had the thought。 He only weighed
the wolf in his palm for a moment； and then let it fall。 It