gift for selfpreservation from the start — maybe it’s a talent of hers。 In any case； this plot would put her in no
danger at all from us； if she sits safely behind and lets the newborns wreak their havoc here。 And maybe little
danger from the Volturi； either。 Perhaps she’s counting on us to win； in the end； though certainly not without
heavy casualties of our own。 But no survivors from her little army to bear witness against her。 In fact；” he
continued； thinking it through； “if there were survivors； I’d bet she’d be planning to destroy them herself。 。 。 。
Hmm。 Still； she’d have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature。 No freshmade newborn left
your father alive。 。 。 。”
He frowned into space for a long moment； and then suddenly smiled at me； ing back from his reverie。
“Definitely possible。 Regardless； we’ve got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure。 You’re very
perceptive today；” he added。 “It’s impressive。”
I sighed。 “Maybe I’m just reacting to this place。 It makes me feel like she’s close by 。 。 。 like she sees me
now。”
His jaw muscles tensed at the idea。 “She’ll never touch you； Bella；” he said。
In spite of his words； his eyes swept carefully across the dark trees。 While he searched their shadows； the
strangest expression crossed his face。 His lips pulled back over his teeth and his eyes shone with an odd light
— a wild； fierce kind of hope。
“Yet； what I wouldn’t give to have her that close；” he murmured。 “Victoria； and anyone else who’s ever
thought of hurting you。 To have the chance to end this myself。 To finish it with my own hands this time。”
I shuddered at the ferocious longing in his voice； and clenched his fingers more tightly with mine； wishing I
was strong enough to lock our hands together permanently。
We were almost to his family； and I noticed for the first time that Alice did not look as optimistic as the
others。 She stood a little aside； watching Jasper stretching his arms as if he were warming up to exercise； her
lips pushed out in a pout。
“Is something wrong with Alice？” I whispered。
Edward chuckled； himself again。 “The werewolves are on their way； so she can’t see anything that will
happen now。 It makes her unfortable to be blind。”
Alice； though the farthest from us； heard his low voice。 She looked up and stuck her tongue out at him。 He
laughed again。
“Hey； Edward；” Emmett greeted him。 “Hey； Bella。 Is he going to let you practice； too？”
Edward groaned at his brother。 “Please； Emmett； don’t give her any ideas。”
“When will our guests arrive？” Carlisle asked Edward。
Edward concentrated for a moment； and then sighed。 “A minute and a half。 But I’m going to have to
translate。 They don’t trust us enough to use their human forms。”
Carlisle nodded。 “This is hard for them。 I’m grateful they’re ing at all。”
I stared at Edward； my eyes stretched wide。 “They’re ing as wolves？”
He nodded； cautious of my reaction。 I swallowed once； remembering the two times I’d seen Jacob in his
wolf form — the first time in the meadow with Laurent； the second time on the forest lane where Paul had
gotten angry at me。 。 。 。 They were both memories of terror。
A strange gleam came into Edward’s eyes； as though something had just occurred to him； something that
was not altogether unpleasant。 He turned away quickly； before I could see any more； back to Carlisle and the
others。
“Prepare yourselves — they’ve been holding out on us。”
“What do you mean？” Alice demanded。
“Shh；” he cautioned； and stared past her into the darkness。
The Cullens’ informal circle suddenly widened out into a loose line with Jasper and Emmett at the spear
point。 From the way Edward leaned forward next to me； I could tell that he wished he was standing beside
them。 I tightened my hand around his。
I squinted toward the forest； seeing nothing。
“Damn；” Emmett muttered under his breath。 “Did you ever see anything like it？”
Esme and Rosalie exchanged a wideeyed glance。
“What is it？” I whispered as quietly as I could。 “I can’t see。”
“The pack has grown；” Edward murmured into my ear。
Hadn’t I told him that Quil had joined the pack？ I strained to see the six wolves in the gloom。 Finally；
something glittered in the blackness — their eyes； higher up than they should be。 I’d forgotten how very tall the
wolves were。 Like horses； only thick with muscle and fur — and teeth like knives； impossible to overlook。
I could only see the eyes。 And as I scanned； straining to see more； it occurred to me that there were more
than six pairs facing us。 One； two； three 。 。 。 I counted the pairs swiftly in my head。 Twice。
There were ten of them。
“Fascinating；” Edward murmured almost silently。
Carlisle took a slow； deliberate step forward。 It was a careful movement； designed to reassure。
“Wele；” he greeted the invisible wolves。
“Thank you；” Edward responded in a strange； flat tone； and I realized at once that the words came from
Sam。 I looked to the eyes shining in the center of the line； the highest up； the tallest of them all。 It was
impossible to separate the shape of the big black wolf from the darkness。
Edward spoke again in the same detached voice； speaking Sam’s words。 “We will watch and listen； but
no more。 That is the most we can ask of our selfcontrol。”
“That is more than enough；” Carlisle answered。 “My son Jasper” — he gestured to where Jasper stood；
tensed and ready — “has experience in this area。 He will teach us how they fight； how they are to be defeated。
I’m sure you can apply this to your own hunting style。”
“They are different from you？” Edward asked for Sam。
Carlisle nodded。 “They are all very new — only months old to this life。 Children； in a way。 They will have
no skill or strategy； only brute strength。 Tonight their numbers stand at twenty。 Ten for us； ten for you — it
shouldn’t be difficult。 The numbers may go down。 The new ones fight amongst themselves。”
A rumble passed down the shadowy line of wolves； a low growling mutter that somehow managed to
sound enthusiastic。
“We are willing to take more than our share； if necessary；” Edward translated； his tone less indifferent
now。
Carlisle smiled。 “We’ll see how it plays out。”
“Do you know when and how they’ll arrive？”
“They’ll e across the mountains in four days； in the late morning。 As they approach； Alice will help us
intercept their path。”
“Thank you for the information。 We will watch。”
With a sighing sound； the eyes sank closer to the ground one set at a time。
It was silent for two heartbeats； and then Jasper took a step into the empty space between the vampires
and the wolves。 It wasn’t hard for me to see him — his skin was as bright against the darkness as the wolves’
eyes。 Jasper threw a wary glance toward Edward； who nodded； and then Jasper turned his back to the
werewolves。 He sighed； clearly unfortable。
“Carlisle’s right。” Jasper spoke only to us； he seemed to be trying to ignore the audience behind him。
“They’ll fight like children。 The two most important things you’ll need to remember are； first； don’t let them get
their arms around you and； second； don’t go for the obvious kill。 That’s all they’ll be prepared for。 As long as
you e at them from the side and keep moving； they’ll be too confused to respond effectively。 Emmett？”
Emmett stepped out of the line with a huge smile。
Jasper backed toward the north end of the opening between the allied enemies。 He waved Emmett
forward。
“Okay； Emmett first。 He’s the best example of a newborn attack。”
Emmett’s eyes narrowed。 “I’ll try not to break anything；” he muttered。
Jasper grinned。 “What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength。 He’s very straightforward about the
attack。 The newborns won’t be trying anything subtle； either。 Just go for the easy kill； Emmett。”
Jasper backed up a few more paces； his body tensing。
“Okay； Emmett — try to catch me。”
And I couldn’t see Jasper anymore — he was a blur as Emmett charged him like a bear； grinning while he
snarled。 Emmett was impossibly quick； too； but not like Jasper。 It looked like Jasper had no more substance
than a ghost — any time it seemed Emmett’s big hands had him for sure； Emmett’s fingers clenched around
nothing but the air。 Beside me； Edward leaned forward intently； his eyes locked on the brawl。 Then Emmett
froze。
Jasper had him from behind； his teeth an inch from his throat。
Emmett cussed。
There was a muttered rumble of appreciation from the watching wolves。
“Again；” Emmett insisted； his smile gone。
“It’s my turn；” Edward protested。 My fingers tensed around his。
“In a minute。” Jasper grinned； stepping back。 “I want to show Bella something first。”
I watched with anxious eyes as he waved Alice forward。
“I know you worry about her；” he explained to me as she danced blithely into the ring。 “I want to show
you why that’s not necessary。”
Though I knew that Jasper would never allow any harm to e to Alice； it was still hard to watch as he
sank back into a crouch facing her。 Alice stood motionlessly； looking tiny as a doll after Emmett； smiling to
herself。 Jasper shifted forward； then slinked to her left。
Alice closed her eyes。
My heart thumped unevenly as Jasper stalked toward where Alice stood。
Jasper sprang； disappearing。 Suddenly he was on the other side of Alice。 She didn’t appear to have
moved。
Jasper wheeled and launched himself at her again； only to land in a crouch behind her like the first time； all
the while Alice stood smiling with her eyes closed。
I watched Alice more carefully now。
She was moving — I’d just been missing it； distracted by Jasper’s attacks。 She took a small step forward
at the exact second that Jasper’s body flew through the spot where she’d just been standing。 She took another
step； while Jasper’s grasping hands whistled past where her waist had been。
Jasper closed in； and Alice began to move faster。 She was dancing — spiraling and twisting and curling in
on herself。 Jasper was her partner； lunging； reaching through her graceful patterns； never touching her； lik