four possibilities。 The first alternative； the best one for Bella； would be if she didn’t feel as strongly for me — if
she got over me and moved on。 I would accept that； though it would never change the way I felt。 You think of
me as a 。 。 。 living stone — hard and cold。 That’s true。 We are set the way we are； and it is very rare for us to
experience a real change。 When that happens； as when Bella entered my life； it is a permanent change。 There’s
no going back。 。 。 。
“The second alternative； the one I’d originally chosen； was to stay with her throughout her human life。 It
wasn’t a good option for her； to waste her life with someone who couldn’t be human with her； but it was the
alternative I could most easily face。 Knowing all along that； when she died； I would find a way to die； too。
Sixty years； seventy years — it would seem like a very； very short time to me。 。 。 。 But then it proved much
too dangerous for her to live in such close proximity with my world。 It seemed like everything that could go
wrong did。 Or hung over us 。 。 。 waiting to go wrong。 I was terrified that I wouldn’t get those sixty years if I
stayed near her while she was human。
“So I chose option three。 Which turned out to be the worst mistake of my very long life； as you know。 I
chose to take myself out of her world； hoping to force her into the first alternative。 It didn’t work； and it very
nearly killed us both。
“What do I have left but the fourth option？ It’s what she wants — at least； she thinks she does。 I’ve been
trying to delay her； to give her time to find a reason to change her mind； but she’s very 。 。 。 stubborn。 You
know that。 I’ll be lucky to stretch this out a few more months。 She has a horror of getting older； and her
birthday is in September。 。 。 。”
“I like option one；” Jacob muttered。
Edward didn’t respond。
“You know exactly how much I hate to accept this；” Jacob whispered slowly； “but I can see that you do
love her 。 。 。 in your way。 I can’t argue with that anymore。
“Given that； I don’t think you should give up on the first alternative； not yet。 I think there’s a very good
chance that she would be okay。 After time。 You know； if she hadn’t jumped off a cliff in March 。 。 。 and if
you’d waited another six months to check on her。 。 。 。 Well； you might have found her reasonably happy。 I had
a game plan。”
Edward chuckled。 “Maybe it would have worked。 It was a well thoughtout plan。”
“Yeah。” Jake sighed。 “But 。 。 。 ；” suddenly he was whispering so fast the words got tangled； “give me a
year； bl — Edward。 I really think I could make her happy。 She’s stubborn； no one knows that better than I
do； but she’s capable of healing。 She would have healed before。 And she could be human； with Charlie and
Renée； and she could grow up； and have kids and 。 。 。 be Bella。
“You love her enough that you have to see the advantages of that plan。 She thinks you’re very unselfish 。 。
。 are you really？ Can you consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are？”
“I have considered it；” Edward answered quietly。 “In some ways； you would be better suited for her than
another human。 Bella takes some looking after； and you’re strong enough that you could protect her from
herself； and from everything that conspires against her。 You have done that already； and I’ll owe you for that
for as long as I live — forever — whichever es first。 。 。 。
“I even asked Alice if she could see that — see if Bella would be better off with you。 She couldn’t； of
course。 She can’t see you； and then Bella’s sure of her course； for now。
“But I’m not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before； Jacob。 I won’t try to force her into
that first option again。 As long as she wants me； I’m here。”
“And if she were to decide that she wanted me？” Jacob challenged。 “Okay； it’s a long shot； I’ll give you
that。”
“I would let her go。”
“Just like that？”
“In the sense that I’d never show her how hard it was for me； yes。 But I would keep watch。 You see；
Jacob； you might leave her someday。 Like Sam and Emily； you wouldn’t have a choice。 I would always be
waiting in the wings； hoping for that to happen。”
Jacob snorted quietly。 “Well； you’ve been much more honest than I had any right to expect 。 。 。 Edward。
Thanks for letting me in your head。”
“As I said； I’m feeling oddly grateful for your presence in her life tonight。 It was the least I could do。 。 。 。
You know； Jacob； if it weren’t for the fact that we’re natural enemies and that you’re also trying to steal away
the reason for my existence； I might actually like you。”
“Maybe 。 。 。 if you weren’t a disgusting vampire who was planning to suck out the life of the girl I love 。 。 。
well； no； not even then。”
Edward chuckled。
“Can I ask you something？” Edward said after a moment。
“Why would you have to ask？”
“I can only hear if you think of it。 It’s just a story that Bella seemed reluctant to tell me about the other
day。 Something about a third wife 。 。 。 ？”
“What about it？”
Edward didn’t answer； listening to the story in Jacob’s head。 I heard his low hiss in the darkness。
“What？” Jacob demanded again。
“Of course；” Edward seethed。 “Of course！ I rather wish your elders had kept that story to themselves；
Jacob。”
“You don’t like the leeches being painted as the bad guys？” Jacob mocked。 “You know； they are。 Then
and now。”
“I really couldn’t care less about that part。 Can’t you guess which character Bella would identify with？”
It took Jacob a minute。 “Oh。 Ugh。 The third wife。 Okay； I see your point。”
“She wants to be there in the clearing。 To do what little she can； as she puts it。” He sighed。 “That was the
secondary reason for my staying with her tomorrow。 She’s quite inventive when she wants something。”
“You know； your military brother gave her the idea just as much as the story did。”
“Neither side meant any harm；” Edward whispered； peacemaking now。
“And when does this little truce end？” Jacob asked。 “First light？ Or do we wait until after the fight？”
There was a pause as they both considered。
“First light；” they whispered together； and then laughed quietly。
“Sleep well； Jacob；” Edward murmured。 “Enjoy the moment。”
It was quiet again； and the tent held still for a few minutes。 The wind seemed to have decided that it wasn’t
going to flatten us after all； and was giving up the fight。
Edward groaned softly。 “I didn’t mean that quite so literally。”
“Sorry；” Jacob whispered。 “You could leave； you know — give us a little privacy。”
“Would you like me to help you sleep； Jacob？” Edward offered。
“You could try；” Jacob said； unconcerned。 “It would be interesting to see who walked away； wouldn’t it？”
“Don’t tempt me too far； wolf。 My patience isn’t that perfect。”
Jacob whispered a laugh。 “I’d rather not move just now； if you don’t mind。”
Edward started humming to himself； louder than usual — trying to drown out Jacob’s thoughts； I assumed。
But it was my lullaby he hummed； and； despite my growing disfort with this whispered dream； I sank
deeper into unconsciousness 。 。 。 into other dreams that made better sense。 。 。 。
23。 MONSTER
WHEN I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING； IT WAS VERY bright — even inside the tent； the sunlight hurt my eyes。 And
I was sweating； as Jacob had predicted。 Jacob was snoring lightly in my ear； his arms still wrapped around
me。
I pulled my head away from his feverishly warm chest and felt the sting of the cold morning on my clammy
cheek。 Jacob sighed in his sleep； his arms tightened unconsciously。
I squirmed； unable to loosen his hold； struggling to lift my head enough to see。 。 。 。
Edward met my gaze evenly。 His expression was calm； but the pain in his eyes was unconcealed。
“Is it any warmer out there？” I whispered。
“Yes。 I don’t think the space heater will be necessary today。”
I tried to get to the zipper； but I couldn’t free my arms。 I strained； fighting against Jacob’s inert strength。
Jacob muttered； still fast asleep； his arms constricting again。
“Some help？” I asked quietly。
Edward smiled。 “Did you want me to take his arms all the way off？”
“No； thank you。 Just get me free。 I’m going to get heat stroke。”
Edward unzipped the sleeping bag in a swift； abrupt movement。 Jacob fell out； his bare back hitting the icy
floor of the tent。
“Hey！” he plained； his eyes flying open。 Instinctively； he flinched away from the cold； rolling onto me。 I
gasped as his weight knocked the breath out of me。
And then his weight was gone。 I felt the impact as Jacob flew into one of the tent poles and the tent
shuddered。
The growling erupted from all around。 Edward was crouching in front of me； and I couldn’t see his face；
but the snarls were ripping angrily out of his chest。 Jacob was halfcrouched； too； his whole body quivering；
while growls rumbled through his clenched teeth。 Outside the tent； Seth Clearwater’s vicious snarls echoed off
the rocks。
“Stop it； stop it！” I yelled； scrambling awkwardly to put myself between them。 The space was so small that
I didn’t have to stretch far to put one hand on each of their chests。 Edward wrapped his hand around my
waist； ready to yank me out of the way。
“Stop it； now；” I warned him。
Under my touch； Jacob began to calm himself。 The shaking slowed； but his teeth were still bared； his eyes
furiously focused on Edward。 Seth continued to growl； a long unbroken sound； a violent background to the
sudden silence in the tent。
“Jacob？” I asked； waiting until he finally dropped his glare to look at me。 “Are you hurt？”
“Of course not！” he hissed。
I turned to Edward。 He was looking at me； his expression hard and angry。 “That wasn’t nice。 You should
say sorry。”
His eyes widened in disgust。 “You must be joking — he was crushing you！”
“Because you dumped him on the floor！ He didn’t do it on purpose； and he didn’t hurt me。”
Edward groaned； revolted。 Slowly； he looked up to glare at Jacob with hostile eyes。 “My apologies； dog。”
“No harm done；” Jac