beach； even the part
before he got to the vampires； the 〃cold ones。〃 Especially that first part。
〃Do you know any of our old stories； about where we came from—the Quileutes；
I mean？〃 he
asked。
〃Not really；〃 I admitted。
〃Well； there are lots of legends； some of them claiming to date back to the
Flood—supposedly；
the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on
the mountain to survive；
like Noah and the ark。〃 He smiled then； to show me how little stock he put in
the histories。
〃Another legend claims that we descended from wolves—and that the wolves are
our brothers
still。 It's against tribal law to kill them。
〃Then there are the stories about the cold ones。〃 His voice dropped a little
lower。
〃The cold ones？〃
〃Yes。 There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends； and some
much more recent。
According to legend； my own great…grandfather knew some of them。 He was the
one who made
the treaty that kept them off our land。〃 Jacob rolled his eyes。
〃 Your great…grandfather？〃
〃He was a tribal elder； like my father。 You see； the cold ones are the natural
enemies of the wolf—
well； not the wolf really； but the wolves that turn into men； like our
ancestors。 You would call
them werewolves。〃
〃Werewolves have enemies？〃
〃Only one。〃
There was something stuck in my throat； choking me。 I tried to swallow it
down； but it was lodged there；
un…moving。 I tried to spit it out。
〃Werewolf；〃 I gasped。
Yes； that was the word that I was choking on。
The whole world lurched； tilting the wrong way on its axis。
What kind of a place was this？ Could a world really exist where ancient
legends went wandering around
the borders of tiny； insignificant towns； facing down mythical monsters？ Did
this mean every impossible
fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth？ Was there anything sane
or normal at all； or was
everything just magic and ghost stories？
I clutched my head in my hands； trying to keep it from exploding。
A small； dry voice in the back of my mind asked me what the big deal was。
Hadn't I already accepted
the existence of vampires long ago—and without all the hysterics that time？
Exactly； I wanted to scream back at the voice。 Wasn't one myth enough for
anyone； enough for a
lifetime？
Besides； there'd never been one moment that I wasn't pletely aware that
Edward Cullen was above
and beyond the ordinary。 It wasn't such a surprise to find out what he was—
because he so obviously
was something。
But Jacob？ Jacob； who was just Jacob； and nothing more than that？ Jacob； my
friend？ Jacob； the only
human I'd ever been able to relate to
And he wasn't even human。
I fought the urge to scream again。
What did this say about me？
I knew the answer to that one。 It said that there was something deeply wrong
with me。 Why else would
my life be filled with characters from horror movies？ Why else would I care so
much about them that it
would tear big chunks right out of my chest when they went off along their
mythical ways？
In my head； everything spun and shifted； rearranging so that things that had
meant one thing before； now
meant something else。
There was no cult。 There had never been a cult； never been a gang。 No； it was
much worse than that。 It
was a pack。
A pack of five mind…blowingly gigantic； multihued werewolves that had stalked
right past me in Edward's
meadow
Suddenly； I was in a frantic hurry。 I glanced at the clock—it was way too
early and I didn't care。 I had to
go to La Push now。 I had to see Jacob so he could tell me that I hadn't lost
my mind altogether。
I pulled on the first clean clothes I could find； not bothering to be sure
they matched； and took the stairs
two at a time。 I almost ran into Charlie as I skidded into the hallway； headed
for the door。
〃Where are you going？〃 he asked； as surprised to see me as I was to see him。
〃Do you know what time it
is？〃
〃Yeah。 I have to go see Jacob。〃
〃I thought the thing with Sam—〃
〃That doesn't matter； I have to talk to him right now。〃
〃It's pretty early。〃 He frowned when my expression didn't change。 〃Don't you
want breakfast？〃
〃Not hungry。〃 The words flew through my lips。 He was blocking my path to the
exit。 I considered
ducking around him and making a run for it； but I knew I would have to explain
that to him later。 〃I'll be
back soon； okay？〃
Charlie frowned。 〃Straight to Jacob's house； right？ No stops on the way？〃
〃Of course not； where would I stop？〃 My words were running together in my
hurry。
〃I don't know；〃 he admitted。 〃It's just well； there's been another attack—
the wolves again。 It was real
close to the resort by the hot springs—there's a witness this time。 The
victim was only a dozen yards
from the road when he disappeared。 His wife saw a huge gray wolf just a few
minutes later； while she
was searching for him； and ran for help。〃
My stomach dropped like I'd hit a corkscrew on a roller coaster。 〃A wolf
attacked him？〃
〃There's no sign of him—just a little blood again。〃 Charlie's face was
pained。 〃The rangers are going out
armed； taking armed volunteers。 There're a lot of hunters who are eager to be
involved—there's a
reward being offered for wolf carcasses。 That's going to mean a lot of
firepower out there in the forest；
and it worries me。〃 He shook his head。 〃When people get too excited； accidents
happen〃
〃They're going to shoot the wolves？〃 My voice shot through three octaves。
〃What else can we do？ What's wrong？〃 he asked； his tense eyes studying my
face。 I felt faint； I must be
whiter than usual。 〃You aren't turning into a tree…hugger on me； are you？〃
I couldn't answer。 If he hadn't been watching me； I would have put my head
between my knees。 I'd
forgotten about the missing hikers； the bloody paw prints I hadn't connected
those facts to my first
realization。
〃Look； honey； don't let this scare you。 Just stay in town or on the highway—
no stops—okay？〃
〃Okay；〃 I repeated in a weak voice。
〃I've got to go。〃
I looked at him closely for the first time； and saw that he had his gun
strapped to his waist and hiking
boots on。
〃You aren't going out there after the wolves； are you； Dad？〃
〃I've got to help； Bells。 People are disappearing。〃
My voice shot up again； almost hysterical now。 〃No！ No； don't go。 It's too
dangerous！〃
〃I've got to do my job； kid。 Don't be such a pessimist—I'll be fine。〃 He
turned for the door； and held it
open。 〃You leaving？〃
I hesitated； my stomach still spinning in unfortable loops。 What could I
say to stop him？ I was too
dizzy to think of a solution。
〃Bells？〃
〃Maybe it's too early to go to La Push；〃 I whispered。
〃I agree；〃 he said； and he stepped out into the rain； shutting the door behind
him。
As soon as he was out of sight； I dropped to the floor and put my head between
my knees。
Should I go after Charlie？ What would I say？
And what about Jacob？ Jacob was my best friend； I needed to warn him。 If he
really was a—I cringed
and forced myself to think the word—werewolf （and I knew it was true； I could
feel it）； then people
would be shooting at him！ I needed to tell him and his friends that people
would try to kill them if they
went running around like gigantic wolves。 I needed to tell them to stop。
They had to stop！ Charlie was out there in the woods。 Would they care about
that？ I wondered Up
until now； only strangers had disappeared。 Did that mean anything； or was it
just chance？
I needed to believe that Jacob； at least； would care about that。
Either way； I had to warn him。
Or did I？
Jacob was my best friend； but was he a monster； too？ A real one？ A bad one？
Should I warn him； if he
and his friends were were murderers！ If they were out slaughtering innocent
hikers in cold blood？ If
they were truly creatures from a horror movie in every sense； would it be
wrong to protect them？
It was inevitable that I would have to pare Jacob and his friends to the
Cullens。 I wrapped my arms
around my chest； fighting the hole； while I thought of them。
I didn't know anything about werewolves； clearly。 I would have expected
something closer to the
movies—big hairy half…men creatures or something—if I'd expected anything at
all。 So I didn't know
what made them hunt； whether hunger or thirst or just a desire to kill。 It was
hard to judge； not knowing
that。
But it couldn't be worse than what the Cullens endured in their quest to be
good。 I thought of Esme—the
tears started when I pictured her kind； lovely face—and how； as motherly and
loving as she was； she'd
had to hold her nose； all ashamed； and run from me when I was bleeding。 It
couldn't be harder than that。
I thought of Carlisle； the centuries upon centuries that he had struggled to
teach himself to ignore blood；
so that he could save lives as a doctor。 Nothing could be harder than that。
The werewolves had chosen a different path。
Now； what should I choose？
13。 KILLER
IF IT WAS ANYONE BUT JACOB； I THOUGHT TO MYSELF； shaking my head as I drove
down
the forest…lined highway to La Push。
I still wasn't sure if I was domg the right thing； but I'd made a promise
with myself。
I couldn't condone what Jacob and his friends； his pack； were doing。 I
understood now what he'd said
last night—that I might not want to see him again—and I could have called
him as he'd suggested； but
that felt cowardly。 I owed him a face…to…face conversation； at least。 I would
tell him to his face that I
couldn't just overlook what was going on。 I couldn't be friends with a killer
and say nothing； let the killing
continue That would make me a monster； too。
But I couldn't not warn him； either。 I had to do what I could to protect him。
I pulled up to the Blacks' house with my lips pressed together into a hard
line。 It was bad enough that my
best friend was a werewolf。 Did he have to be a monster； too？
The house was dark； no lights in the windows； but I didn't care if I woke
them。 My fist thudded against
the front door with angry energy； the sound reverberated through the walls。
〃e in；〃 I heard Billy call after a minute； and a light fli