about your disgust for werewolves。〃
〃No； Jake； no。 It's not that you're a… wolf。 That's fine；〃 I promised him； and I knew as I said the words
that I meant them。 I really didn't care if he turned into a big wolf—he was still Jacob。 〃If you could just
find a way not to hurt people… that's all that upsets me。 These ate innocent people； Jake； people like
Charlie； and I can't just look the other way while you—〃
〃Is that all？ Really？〃 he interrupted me； a smile breaking across his face。 〃You're just scared because I'm
a murderer？ That's the only reason？〃
〃Isn't that reason enough？〃
He started to laugh。
〃Jacob Black； this is so notfunny！〃
〃Sure； sure；〃 he agreed； still chortling。
He took one long stride and caught me in another vicetight bear hug。
〃You really； honestly don't mind that I morph into a giant dog？〃 he asked； his voice joyful in my ear。
〃No；〃 I gasped。 〃Can't—breathe—Jake！〃
He let me go； but took both my hands。 〃I'm not a killer； Bella。〃
I studied his face； and it was clear that this was the truth。 Relief pulsed through me。
〃Really？〃 I asked。
〃Really；〃 he promised solemnly。
I threw my arms around him。 It reminded me of that first day with the motorcycles—he was bigger；
though； and I felt even more like a child now。
Like that other time； he stroked my hair。
〃Sorry I called you a hypocrite；〃 he apologized。
〃Sorry I called you a murderer。〃
He laughed。
I thought of something then； and pulled away from him so that I could see his face。 My eyebrows
furrowed in anxiety。 〃What about Sam？ And the others？〃
He shook his head； smiling like a huge burden had been removed from his shoulders。 〃Of course not。
Don't you remember what we call ourselves？〃
The memory was clear—I'd just been thinking of that very day。 〃Protectors？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But I don't understand。 What's happening in the woods？ The missing hikers； the blood？〃
His face was serious； worried at once。 〃We're trying to do our job； Bella。 We're trying to protect them；
but we're always just a little too late。〃
〃Protect them from what？ Is there really a bear out there； too？〃
〃Bella； honey； we only protect people from one thing—our one enemy。 It's the reason we exist—because
they do。〃
I stared at him blankly for one second before I understood。 Then the blood drained from my face and a
thin； wordless cry of horror broke through my lips。
He nodded。 〃I thought you； of all people； would reali2e what was really going on。〃
〃Laurent；〃 I whispered。 〃He's still here。〃
Jacob blinked twice； and cocked his head to one side。 〃Who's Laurent？〃
I tried to sort out the chaos in my head so that I could answer。 〃You know—you saw him in the
meadow。 You were there…〃 The words came out in a wondering tone as it all sunk in。 〃You were there；
and you kept him from killing me…〃
〃Oh； the blackhaired leech？〃 He grinned； a tight； fierce grin。 〃Was that his name？〃
I shuddered。 〃What were you thinking？〃 I whispered。 〃He could have killed you！ Jake； you don't realize
how dangerous—〃
Another laugh interrupted me 〃Bella； one lone vampire isn't much of a problem for a pack as big as ours。
It was so easy； it was hardly even fun！〃
〃What was so easy？〃
〃Killing the bloodsucker who was going to kill you。 Now； I don't count that towards the whole murder
thing；〃 he added quickly。 〃Vampires don't count as people。〃
I could only mouth the words。 〃You… killed… Laurent？〃
He nodded。 〃Well； it was a group effort；〃 he qualified。
〃Laurent is dead？〃 I whispered。
His expression changed。 〃You're not upset about that； are you？ He was going to kill you—he was going
for the kill； Bella； we were sure of that before we attacked。 You know that； right？〃
〃I know that。 No； I'm not upset—I'm…〃 I had to sit down。 I stumbled back a step until I felt the
driftwood against my calves； and then sank down onto it。 〃Laurent is dead。 He's not ing back for
me。〃
〃You're not mad？ He wasn't one of your friends or anything； was he？〃
〃My friend？〃 I stared up at him； confused and dizzy with relief。 I started babbling； my eyes getting moist。
〃No； Jake。 I'm so… so relieved。 I thought he was going to find me—I've been waiting for him every
night； just hoping that he'd stop with me and leave Charlie alone。 I've been so frightened； Jacob… But
how？ He was a vampire！ How did you kill him？ He was so strong； so hard； like marble…〃
He sat down next to me and put one big arm around me fortingly。 〃It's what we're made for； Bells。
We're strong； too。 I wish you would have told me that you were so afraid。 You didn't need to be。〃
〃You weren't around；〃 I mumbled； lost in thought。
〃Oh； right。〃
〃Wait； Jake—I thought you knew； though。 Last night； you said it wasn't safe for you to be in my room。 I
thought you knew that a vampire might be ing。 Isn't that what you were talking about？〃
He looked confused for a minute； and then he ducked his head。 〃No； that's not what I meant。〃
〃Then why didn't you think it was safe for you there？〃
He looked at me with guiltridden eyes。 〃I didn't say it wasn't safe for me。 I was thinking of you。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
He looked down and kicked a rock。 〃There's more than one reason I'm not supposed to be around you；
Bella。 I wasn't supposed to tell you our secret； for one thing； but the other part is that it's not safe for you。
If I get too mad… too upset… you might get hurt。〃
I thought about that carefully。 〃When you were mad before… when I was yelling at you… and you were
shaking… ？〃
〃Yeah。〃 His face dropped even lower。 〃That was pretty stupid of me。 I have to keep a better hold on
myself。 I swore I wasn't going to get mad； no matter what you said to me。 But… I just got so upser that I
was going to lose you… that you couldn't deal with what I am…〃
〃What would happen… if you got too mad？〃 I whispered。
〃I'd turn into a wolf；〃 he whispered back。
〃You don't need a full moon。〃
He rolled his eyes。 〃Hollywood's version doesn't get much right。〃 Then he sighed； and was serious again。
〃You don't need to be so stressed out； Bells。 We're going to take care of this。 And we're keeping a
special eye on Charlie and the others—we won't let anything happen to him。 Trust me on that。〃
Something very； very obvious； something I should have grasped at once—but I'd been so distracted by
the idea of Jacob and his friends fighting with Laurent； that I'd pletely missed it at the time—occurred
to me only then； when Jacob used the present tense again。
We're going to take care of this。
It wasn't over。
〃Laurent is dead；〃 I gasped； and my entire body went ice cold。
〃Bella？〃 Jacob asked anxiously； touching my ashen cheek。
〃If Laurent died… a week ago… then someone else is killing people now。〃
Jacob nodded； his teeth clenched together； and he spoke through them。 〃There were two of them。 We
thought his mate would want to fight us—in our stories； they usually get pretty pissed off if you kill their
mate—but she just keeps running away； and then ing back again。 If we could figure out what she
was after； it would be easier to take her down。 But she makes no sense。 She keeps dancing around the
edges； like she's testing our defenses； looking for a way in—but in where？ Where does she want to go？
Sam thinks she's trying to separate us； so she'll have a better chance…〃
His voice faded until it sounded like it was ing through a long tunnel； I couldn't make out the
individual words anymore。 My forehead dewed with sweat and my stomach rolled like I had the stomach
flu again。 Exactly like I had the flu。
I turned away from him quickly； and leaned over the tree trunk。 My body convulsed with useless heaves；
my empty stomach contracting with horrified nausea； though there was nothing in it to expel。
Victoria was here。 Looking for me。 Killing strangers in the woods。 The woods where Charlie was
searching…
My head spun sickeningly。
Jacob's hands caught my shoulders—kept me from sliding forward onto the rocks。 I could feel his hot
breath on my cheek。 〃Bella！ What's wrong？〃
〃Victoria；〃 I gasped as soon as I could catch my breath around the nauseous spasms。
In my head； Edward snarled in fury at the name。
I felt Jacob pull me up from my slump。 He draped me awkwardly across his lap； laying my limp head
against his shoulder。 He struggled to balance me； to keep me from sagging over； one way or the other He
brushed the sweaty hair back from my face。
〃Who？〃 Jacob asked。 〃Can you hear me； Bella？ Bella？〃
〃She wasn't Laurent's mate；〃 I moaned into his shoulder。 〃They were just old friends…〃
〃Do you need some water？ A doctor？ Tell me what to do；〃 he demanded； frantic。
〃I'm not sick—I'm scared；〃 I explained in a whisper。 The word scared didn't really seem to cover it。
Jacob patted my back。 〃Scaled of this Victoria？〃 I nodded； shuddering。 〃Victoria is the redhaired
female？〃 I trembled again； and whimpered； 〃Yes。〃
〃How do you know she wasn't his mate？〃
〃Laurent told me James was her mate；〃 I explained； automatically flexing the hand with the scar。
He pulled my face around； holding it steady in his big hand。 He stared intently into my eyes。 〃Did he tell
you anything else； Bella？ This is important。 Do you know what she wants？〃
〃Of course；〃 I whispered。 〃She wants me。〃 His eyes flipped wide； then narrowed into slits。 〃Why？〃 he
demanded。
〃Edward killed James；〃 I whispered。 Jacob held me so tightly that there was no need for me to clutch at
the hole—he kept me in one piece。 〃She did get… pissed off。 But Laurent said she thought it was fairer
to kill me than Edward。 Mate for mate。 She didn't know—still doesn't know； I guess—that… that…〃 I
swallowed hard。 〃That things aren't like that with us anymore。 Not for Edward； anyway。〃
Jacob was distracted by that； his face torn between several different expressions。 〃Is that what
happened？ Why the Cullens left？〃
〃I'm nothing but a human； after all。 Nothing special；〃 I explained； shrugging weakly。
Something like a growl—not a real growl； just a human approximation—rumbled in Jacob's chest under
my ear