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〃Right；〃 he murmured。
Sorry I didn't do any good today。 Told you she wouldn't listen to me。
〃I know。 I never really believed she would。 But。。。〃
You had to try。 I get it。 She any better？
His voice and eyes went hollow。 〃Worse；〃 he breathed。
I didn't want to let that word sink in。 I was grateful when Alice spoke。
〃Jacob； would you mind switching forms？〃 Alice asked。 〃I want to know what's going on。〃
I shook my head at the same time Edward answered。
〃He needs to stay linked to Seth。〃
〃Well； then would you be so kind as to tell me what's happening？〃
He explained in clipped； emotionless sentences。 〃The pack thinks Bella's become a problem。 They
foresee potential danger from the。。。 from what she's carrying。 They feel it's their duty to remove that
danger。 Jacob and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us。 The rest are planning to attack tonight。〃
Alice hissed； leaning away from me。 Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance； and then their eyes ranged
across the trees。
Nobody out here；Seth reported。 All's quiet on the western front
They may go around。
I'll make a loop。
〃Carlisle and Esme are on their way；〃 Emmett said。 〃Twenty minutes； tops。〃
〃We should take up a defensive position；〃 Jasper said。
Edward nodded。 〃Let's get inside。〃
/'// run perimeter with Seth。 If I get too far for you to hear my head； listen for my howl。
〃Iwill。〃
They backed into the house； eyes flickering everywhere。 Before they were inside； I turned and ran
toward the west。
I'm still not finding much；Seth told me。
/'// take half the circle。 Move fast— we don't want them to have a chance to sneak past us。
Seth lurched forward in a sudden burst of speed。
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We ran in silence； and the minutes passed。 I listened to the noises around him； double…checking his
judgment。
Hey —something coming up fast！he warned me after fifteen minutes of silence。
On my way！
Hold your position—/ don't think it's the pack。 It sounds different。
Seth —
But he caught the approaching scent on the breeze； and I read it in his mind。
Vampire。 Bet it's Carlisle。
Seth； fall back。 It might be someone else。
No； it's them。 I recognize the scent Hold up； I'm going to phase to explain it to them。
Seth； I don't think —
But he was gone。
Anxiously； I raced along the western border。 Wouldn't it be just peachy if I couldn't take care of Seth
for one freaking night？ What if something happened to him on my watch？ Leah would shred me into
kibble。
At least the kid kept it short。 It wasn't two minutes later when I felt him in my head again。
Yep； Carlisle and Esme。 Boy； were they surprised to see me！ They're probably inside by now。 Carlisle
said thanks。
He's a good guy。
Yeah。 That's one of the reasons why we're right about this。
Hope so。
Why're you so down； Jake？ I'll bet Sam won't bring the pack tonight。 He's not going to launch a suicide
mission。
I sighed。 It didn't seem to matter； either way。
Oh。 This isn't about Sam so much； is it？
I made the turn at the end of my patrol。 I caught Seth's scent where he'd turned last。 We weren't leaving
any gaps。
You think Bella's going to die anyway；Seth whispered。
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Yeah； she is。
Poor Edward。 He must be crazy。
Literally。
Edward's name brought other memories boiling to the surface。 Seth read them in astonishment。
And then he was howling。 Oh； man！ No way！ You did not/ That just plain oT sucks rocks； Jacob！
And you know it； too！ I can't believe you said you'd kill him。 What is that？ You have to tell him no。
Shut up； shut up； you idiot！ They're going to think the pack is coming！
Oops！He cut off mid…howl。
I wheeled and started loping in toward the house。 Just keep out of this； Seth。 Take the whole circle
for now。
Seth seethed and I ignored him。
False alarm； false alarm；I thoughtas I ran closer in。 Sorry。 Seth is young。 He forgets things。 No one's
attacking。 False alarm。
When I got to the meadow； I could see Edward staring out of a dark window。 I ran in； wanting to be
sure he got the message。
There's nothing out there— you got that？
He nodded once。
This would be a lot easier if the communication wasn't one way。 Then again； I was kinda glad I wasn't in
his head。
He looked over his shoulder； back into the house； and I saw a shudder run through his whole frame。 He
waved me away without looking in my direction again and then moved out of my view。
What's going on？
Like I was going to get an answer。
I sat very still in the meadow and listened。 With these ears； I could almost hear SetlYs soft footfalls；
miles out into the forest。 It was easy to hear every sound inside the dark house。
〃It was a false alarm；〃 Edward was explaining in that dead voice； just repeating what I'd told him。 〃Seth
was upset about something else； and he forgot we were listening for a signal。 He's very young。〃
〃Nice to have toddlers guarding the fort；〃 a deeper voice grumbled。 Emmett； I thought。
〃They've done us a great service tonight； Emmett；〃 Carlisle said。 〃At great personal sacrifice。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 I'm just jealous。 Wish I was out there。〃
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〃Seth doesn't think Sam will attack now；〃 Edward said mechanically。 〃Not with us forewarned； and
lacking two members of the pack。〃
〃What does Jacob think？〃 Carlisle asked。
〃He'snot as optimistic。〃
No one spoke。 There was a quiet dripping sound that I couldn't place。 I heard their low breathing—and
I could separateBella's from the rest。 It was harsher； labored。 It hitched and broke in strange rhythms。 I
could hear her heart。 It seemed。。。 too fast。 I paced it against my own heartbeat； but I wasn't sure if that
was any measure。 It wasn't like I was normal。
〃Don't touch her！ You'll wake her up；〃 Rosalie whispered。
Someone sighed。
〃Rosalie；〃 Carlisle murmured。
〃Don't start with me； Carlisle。 We let you have your way earlier； but that's all we're allowing。〃
It seemed like Rosalie and Bella were both talking in plurals now。 Like they'd formed a pack of their
own。
I paced quietly in front of the house。 Each pass brought me a little closer。 The dark windows were like a
TV set running in some dull waiting room—it was impossible to keep my eyes off them for long。
A few more minutes； a few more passes； and my fur was brushing the side of the porch as I paced。
I couldsee up through the windows—see the top of the walls and the ceiling； the unlit chandelier that
hung there。 I was tall enough thatall I would have to do was stretch my neck a little。。。 and maybe one
paw up on the edge of the porch。。。。
I peeked into the big； open front room； expecting to see something very similar to the scene this
afternoon。 But it had changed so much that I was confused at first。 For a second I thought I'd gotten the
wrong room。
The glass wall was gone—it looked like metal now。 And the furniture was all dragged out of the way；
withBella curled up awkwardly on a narrow bed in the center of the open space。 Not a normal
bed—one with rails like in a hospital。 Also like a hospital were the monitors strapped to her body； the
tubes stuck into her skin。 The lights on the monitors flashed； but there was no sound。 The dripping noise
was from the IV plugged into her arm—some fluid that was thick and white； not clear。
She choked a little in her uneasy sleep； and both Edward and Rosalie moved in to hover over her。 Her
body
jerked； and she whimpered。 Rosalie smoothed her hand across Bella's forehead。 Edward's body
stiffened—his back was to me； but his expression must have been something to see； because Emmett
wrenched himself between them before there was time to blink。 He held his hands up to Edward。
〃Not tonight； Edward。 We've got other things to worry about。〃
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Edward turned away from them； and he was the burning man again。 His eyes met mine for one moment；
and then I dropped back to all fours。
I ran back into the dark forest； running to join Seth； running away from what was behind me。
Worse。 Yes； she was worse。
12。 SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T GRASP THE CONCEPT OF 〃UNWELCOME〃
I was right on the edge of sleep。
The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour ago—the forest was gray now instead of black。 S