He rolled his eyes。
Just then； the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us； and it felt like it was blowing straight
off a glacier。 The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain。 Though the light was vanishing as
the grisly cloud covered the sky； I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us。
Jacob stepped up the pace； keeping his eyes on the ground now as he flat out sprinted。 I curled more
willingly against his chest； recoiling from the unwele snow。
It was only minutes later that he dashed around to the lee side of the stony peak and we could see the little
tent nestled up against the sheltering face。 More flurries were falling around us； but the wind was too fierce to
let them settle anywhere。
“Bella！” Edward called out in acute relief。 We’d caught him in the middle of pacing back and forth across
the little open space。
He flashed to my side； sort of blurring as he moved so swiftly。 Jacob cringed； and then set me on my feet。
Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug。
“Thank you；” Edward said over my head。 His tone was unmistakably sincere。 “That was quicker than I
expected； and I truly appreciate it。”
I twisted to see Jacob’s response。
Jacob merely shrugged； all the friendliness wiped clean from his face。 “Get her inside。 This is going to be
bad — my hair’s standing up on my scalp。 Is that tent secure？”
“I all but welded it to the rock。”
“Good。”
Jacob looked up at the sky — now black with the storm； sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow。 His
nostrils flared。
“I’m going to change；” he said。 “I want to know what’s going on back home。”
He hung his jacket on a low； stubby branch； and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance。
22。 FIRE AND ICE
THE WIND SHOOK THE TENT AGAIN； AND I SHOOK WITH IT。
The temperature was dropping。 I could feel it through the down bag； through my jacket。 I was fully
dressed； my hiking boots still laced into place。 It didn’t make any difference。 How could it be so cold？ How
could it keep getting colder？ It had to bottom out sometime； didn’t it？
“Wwwwwwhat tttttime is it？” I forced the words through my rattling teeth。
“Two；” Edward answered。
Edward sat as far from me as possible in the cramped space； afraid to even breathe on me when I was
already so cold。 It was too dark to see his face； but his voice was wild with worry； indecision； and frustration。
“Maybe 。 。 。”
“No； I’m ffffffine； rrrreally。 I don’t wwwwant to ggo outside。”
He’d tried to talk me into making a run for it a dozen times already； but I was terrified of leaving my
shelter。 If it was this cold in here； protected from the raging wind； I could imagine how bad it would be if we
were running through it。
And it would waste all our efforts this afternoon。 Would we have enough time to reset ourselves when the
storm was over？ What if it didn’t end？ It made no sense to move now。 I could shiver my way through one
night。
I was worried that the trail I had laid would be lost； but he promised that it would still be plain to the
ing monsters。
“What can I do？” he almost begged。
I just shook my head。
Out in the snow； Jacob whined unhappily。
“Gggget out of hhhere；” I ordered； again。
“He’s just worried about you；” Edward translated。 “He’s fine。 His body is equipped to deal with this。”
“Hhhhhh。” I wanted to say that he should still leave； but I couldn’t get it past my teeth。 I nearly bit my
tongue off trying。 At least Jacob did seem to be well equipped for the snow； better even than the others in his
pack with his thicker； longer； shaggy russet fur。 I wondered why that was。
Jacob whimpered； a highpitched； grating sound of plaint。
“What do you want me to do？” Edward growled； too anxious to bother with politeness anymore。 “Carry
her through that？ I don’t see you making yourself useful。 Why don’t you go fetch a space heater or
something？”
“I’m okkkkkkkay；” I protested。 Judging from Edward’s groan and the muted growl outside the tent；
I hadn’t convinced anyone。 The wind rocked the tent roughly； and I shuddered in harmony with it。
A sudden howl ripped through the roar of the wind； and I covered my ears against the noise。 Edward
scowled。
“That was hardly necessary；” he muttered。 “And that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard；” he called more
loudly。
“Better than anything you’ve e up with；” Jacob answered； his human voice startling me。 “Go fetch a
space heater；” he grumbled。 “I’m not a St。 Bernard。”
I heard the sound of the zipper around the tent door pulling swiftly down。
Jacob slid through the smallest opening he could manage； while the arctic air flowed in around him； a few
flecks of snow falling to the floor of the tent。 I shivered so hard it was a convulsion。
“I don’t like this；” Edward hissed as Jake zipped the tent door shut。 “Just give her the coat and get out。”
My eyes were adjusted enough to see shapes — Jacob was carrying the parka that had been hanging on a
tree next to the tent。
I tried to ask what they were talking about； but all that came out of my mouth was； “Wwwwww；” as
the shivering made me stutter uncontrollably。
“The parka’s for tomorrow — she’s too cold to warm it up by herself。 It’s frozen。” He dropped it by the
door。 “You said she needed a space heater； and here I am。” Jacob held his arms as wide as the tent allowed。
As usual； when he’d been running around as a wolf； he’d only thrown on the bare essentials — just a pair of
sweats； no shirt； no shoes。
“JJJJJake； you’ll ffffreezzzze；” I tried to plain。
“Not me；” he said cheerfully。 “I run at a toasty oneoheight point nine these days。 I’ll have you sweating
in no time。”
Edward snarled； but Jacob didn’t even look at him。 Instead； he crawled to my side and started unzipping
my sleeping bag。
Edward’s hand was suddenly hard on his shoulder； restraining； snow white against the dark skin。 Jacob’s
jaw clenched； his nostrils flaring； his body recoiling from the cold touch。 The long muscles in his arms flexed
automatically。
“Get your hand off of me；” he growled through his teeth。
“Keep your hands off of her；” Edward answered blackly。
“Ddddon’t fffffight；” I pleaded。 Another tremor rocked through me。 It felt like my teeth were going
to shatter； they were slamming together so hard。
“I’m sure she’ll thank you for this when her toes turn black and drop off；” Jacob snapped。
Edward hesitated； then his hand fell away and he slid back to his position in the corner。
His voice was flat and frightening。 “Watch yourself。”
Jacob chuckled。
“Scoot over； Bella；” he said； zipping the sleeping bag open farther。
I stared at him in outrage。 No wonder Edward was reacting this way。
“Nnnnn；” I tried to protest。
“Don’t be stupid；” he said； exasperated。 “Don’t you like having ten toes？”
He crammed his body into the nonexistent space； forcing the zipper up behind himself。
And then I couldn’t object — I didn’t want to anymore。 He was so warm。 His arms constricted around
me； holding me snugly against his bare chest。 The heat was irresistible； like air after being underwater for too
long。 He cringed when I pressed my icy fingers eagerly against his skin。
“Jeez； you’re freezing； Bella；” he plained。
“Sssssorry；” I stuttered。
“Try to relax；” he suggested as another shiver rippled through me violently。 “You’ll be warm in a minute。
Of course； you’d warm up faster if you took your clothes off。”
Edward growled sharply。
“That’s just a simple fact；” Jacob defended himself。 “Survival oneohone。”
“Cccut it out； Jake；” I said angrily； though my body refused to even try to pull away from him。 “Nnn
nobody really nnnnneeds all ten ttttoes。”
“Don’t worry about the bloodsucker；” Jacob suggested； and his tone was smug。 “He’s just jealous。”
“Of course I am。” Edward’s voice was velvet again； under control； a musical murmur in the darkness。
“You don’t have the faintest idea how much I wish I could do what you’re doing for her； mongrel。”
“Those are the breaks；” Jacob said lightly； but then his tone soured。 “At least you know she wishes it was
you。”
“True；” Edward agreed。
The shuddering slowed； became bearable while they wrangled。
“There；” Jacob said； pleased。 “Feeling better？”
I was finally able to speak clearly。 “Yes。”
“Your lips are still blue；” he mused。 “Want me to warm those up for you； too？ You only have to ask。”
Edward sighed heavily。
“Behave yourself；” I muttered； pressing my face against his shoulder。 He flinched again when my cold skin
touched his； and I smiled with slightly vindictive satisfaction。
It was already warm and snug inside the sleeping bag。 Jacob’s body heat seemed to radiate from every
side — maybe because there was so much of him。 I kicked my boots off； and pushed my toes against his
legs。 He jumped slightly； and then leaned his head down to press his hot cheek against my numb ear。
I noticed that Jacob’s skin had a woodsy； musky scent — it fit the setting； here in the middle of the forest。
It was nice。 I wondered if the Cullens and the Quileutes weren’t just playing up that whole odor issue because
of their prejudices。 Everyone smelled fine to me。
The storm howled like an animal attacking the tent； but it didn’t worry me now。 Jacob was out of the cold；
and so was I。 Plus； I was simply too exhausted to worry about anything — tired from just staying awake so
late； and aching from the muscle spasms。 My body relaxed slowly as I thawed； piece by frozen piece； and
then turned limp。
“Jake？” I mumbled sleepily。 “Can I ask you something？ I’m not trying to be a jerk or anything； I’m
honestly curious。” They were the same words he’d used in my kitchen 。 。 。 how long ago was it now？
“Sure；” he chuckled； remembering。
“Why are you so much furrier than your friends？ You don’t have to answer if I’m being rude。” I didn’t
know the rules for etiquette as they applied to werewolf culture。
“Because my hair is longer；” he said； amused — my question hadn’t offended him； at least。 He shook his
head so that