my eyes followed his。
I saw her at the same moment that I caught her scent。
Her warm； clean； human scent。
Bella was half…hidden behind the arm of the sofa； curled up in a loose fetal position； her arms wrapped
around her knees。 For a long second I could see nothing except that she was still the Bella that I loved；
her skin still a soft； pale peach； her eyes still the same chocolate brown。 My heart thudded a strange；
broken meter； and I wondered if this was just some lying dream that I was about to wake up from。
Then I really saw her。
There were deep circles under her eyes； dark circles that jumped out because her face was all haggard。
Was she thinner？ Her skin seemed tight—like her cheekbones might break right through it。 Most of her
dark hair was pulled away from her face into a messy knot； but a few strands stuck limply to her
forehead and neck； to the sheen of sweat that covered her skin。 There was something about her fingers
and wrists that looked so fragile it was scary。
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She was sick。 Very sick。
Not a lie。 The story Charlie'd told Billy was not a story。 While I stared； eyes bugging； her skin turned
light green。
The blond bloodsucker—the showy one； Rosalie—bent over her； cutting into my view； hovering in a
strange； protective way。
This was wrong。 I knew how Bella felt about almost everything—her thoughts were so obvious；
sometimes it was like they were printed on her forehead。 So she didn't have to tell me every detail of a
situation for me to get it。 I knew that Bella didn't like Rosalie。 I'd seen it in the set of her lips when she
talked about her。 Not just that she didn't like her。 She was afraid of Rosalie。 Or she had been。
There was no fear as Bella glanced up at her now。 Her expression was。。。 apologetic or something。 Then
Rosalie snatched a basin from the floor and held it under Bella's chin just in time for Bella to throw up
noisily into it。
Edward fell to his knees by Bella's side—his eyes all tortured…looking—and Rosalie held out her hand；
warning him to keep back。
None of it made sense。
When she could raise her head； Bella smiled weakly at me； sort of embarrassed。 〃Sorry about that；〃 she
whispered to me。
Edward moaned real quiet。 His head slumped against Bella's knees。 She put one of her hands against his
cheek。 Like she was comforting him。
I didn't realize my legs had carried me forward until Rosalie hissed at me； suddenly appearing between
me and the couch。 She was like a person on a TV screen。 I didn't care she was there。 She didn't seem
real。
〃Rose； don't；〃 Bella whispered。 〃It's fine。〃
Blondie moved out of my way； though I could tell she hated to do it。 Scowling at me； she crouched by
Bella's head； tensed to spring。 She was easier to ignore than I ever would have dreamed。
〃Bella； what's wrong？〃 I whispered。 Without thinking about it； I found myself on my knees； too； leaning
over the back of the couch across from her。。。 husband。 He didn't seem to notice me； and I barely glanced
at him。 I reached out for her free hand； taking it in both of mine。 Her skin was icy。 〃Are you all right？〃
It was a stupid question。 She didn't answer it。
〃I'm so glad you came to see me today； Jacob；〃 she said。
Even though I knew Edward couldn't hear her thoughts； he seemed to hear some meaning I didn't。 He
moaned again； into the blanket that covered her； and she stroked his cheek。
〃What is it； Bella？〃 I insisted； wrapping my hands tight around her cold； fragile fingers。
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Instead of answering； she glanced around the room like she was searching for something； both a plea
and a warning in her look。 Six pairs of anxious yellow eyes stared back at her。 Finally； she turned to
Rosalie。
〃Help me up； Rose？〃 she asked。
Rosalie's lips pulled back over her teeth； and she glared up at me like she wanted to rip my throat out。 I
was sure that was exactly the case。
〃Please； Rose。〃
The blonde made a face； but leaned over her again； next to Edward； who didn't move an inch。 She put
her arm carefully behind Bella's shoulders。
〃No；〃 I whispered。 〃Don't get up___〃 She looked so weak。
〃I'm answering your question；〃 she snapped； sounding a little bit more like the way she usually talked to
me。
Rosalie pulled Bella off the couch。 Edward stayed where he was； sagging forward till his face was buried
in the cushions。 The blanket fell to the ground at Bella's feet。
Bella：s body was swollen； her torso ballooning out in a strange； sick way。 It strained against the faded
gray sweatshirt that was way too big for her shoulders and arms。 The rest of her seemed thinner； like the
big bulge had grown out of what it had sucked from her。 It took me a second to realize what the
deformed part was—I didn't understand until she folded her hands tenderly around her bloated stomach；
one above and one below。 Like she was cradling it。
I saw it then； but I still couldn't believe it。 I'd seen her just a month ago。 There was no way she could be
pregnant。 Not that pregnant。
Except that she was。
I didn't want to see this； didn't want to think about this。 I didn't want to imagine him inside her。 I didn't
want to know that something I hated so much had taken root in the body I loved。 My stomach heaved；
and I had to swallow back vomit。
But it was worse than that； so much worse。 Her distorted body； the bones jabbing against the skin of her
face。 I could only guess that she looked like this—so pregnant； so sick—because whatever was inside
her was taking her life to feed its own。。。。
Because it was a monster。 Just like its father。
I always knew he would kill her。
His head snapped up as he heard the words inside mine。 One second we were both on our knees； and
then he was on his feet； towering over me。 His eyes were flat black； the circles under them dark purple。
〃Outside； Jacob；〃 he snarled。
I was on my feet； too。 Looking down on him now。 This was why I was here。
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〃Let's do this；〃 I agreed。
The big one； Emmett； pushed forward on Edward's other side； with the hungry…looking one； Jasper； right
behind him。 I really didn't care。 Maybe my pack would clean up the scraps when they finished me off。
Maybe not。 It didn't matter。
For the tiniest part of a second my eyes touched on the two standing in the back。 Esme。 Alice。 Small and
distractingly feminine。 Well； I was sure the others would kill me before I had to do anything about them。 I
didn't want to kill girls。。。 even vampire girls。
Though I might make an exception for that blonde。
〃No；〃 Bella gasped； and she stumbled forward； out of balance； to clutch at Edward's arm。 Rosalie
moved with her； like there was a chain locking them to each other。
〃I just need to talk to him； Bella；〃 Edward said in a low voice； talking only to her。 He reached up to
touch her face； to stroke it。 This made the room turn red； made me see fire—that； after all he'd done to
her； he was still allowed to touch her that way。 〃Don't strain yourself；〃 he went on； pleading。 〃Please rest。
We'll both be back in just a few minutes。〃
She stared at his face； reading it carefully。 Then she nodded and drooped toward the couch。 Rosalie
helped lower her back onto the cushions。 Bella stared at me； trying to hold my eyes。
〃Behave；〃 she insisted。 〃And then come back。〃
I didn't answer。 I wasn't making any promises today。 I looked away and then followed Edward out the
front door。
A random； disjointed voice in my head noted that separating him from the coven hadn't been so difficult；
had it？
He kept walking； never checking to see if I was about to spring at his unprotected back。 I supposed he
didn't need to check。 He would know when I decided to attack。 Which meant I'd have to make that
decision very quickly。
Tm not ready for you to kill me yet； Jacob Black；〃 he whispered as he paced quickly away from the
house。 〃You'll have to have a little patience。〃
Like I cared about his schedule。 I growled under my breath。 〃Patience isn't my specialty。〃
He kept walking； maybe a couple hundred yards down the drive away from the house； with me right on
his heels。 I was all hot； my fingers trembling。 On the edge； ready and waiting。
He stopped without warning and pivoted to face me。 His expression froze me again。
For a second I was just a kid—a kid who had lived all of his life in the same tiny town。 Just a child。
Because I knew I would have to live a lot more； suffer a lot more； to ever understand the searing agony
in Edward's eyes。
He raised a hand as if to w