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The Quileute boys watched silently； reading every unconscious play of emotion on our faces。 They were
rooted in place； and yet not completely still。 All three pairs of hands were trembling。
“Yes。”
“To Forks；” I whispered。
“Yes。”
“For？”
She nodded； understanding my question。 “One carried your red shirt。”
I tried to swallow。
Jasper’s expression was disapproving。 I could tell he didn’t like discussing this in front of the werewolves；
but he had something he needed to say。 “We can’t let them come that far。 There aren’t enough of us to protect
the town。”
“I know；” Alice said； her face suddenly desolate。 “But it doesn’t matter where we stop them。 There still
won’t be enough of us； and some of them will come here to search。”
“No！” I whispered。
The noise of the party overwhelmed the sound of my denial。 All around us； my friends and neighbors and
petty enemies ate and laughed and swayed to the music； oblivious to the fact that they were about to face
horror； danger； maybe death。 Because of me。
“Alice；” I mouthed her name。 “I have to go； I have to get away from here。”
“That won’t help。 It’s not like we’re dealing with a tracker。 They’ll still come looking here first。”
“Then I have to go to meet them！” If my voice hadn’t been so hoarse and strained； it might have been a
shriek。 “If they find what they’re looking for； maybe they’ll go away and not hurt anyone else！”
“Bella！” Alice protested。
“Hold it；” Jacob ordered in a low； forceful voice。 “What is coming？”
Alice turned her icy gaze on him。 “Our kind。 Lots of them。”
“Why？”
“For Bella。 That’s all we know。”
“There are too many for you？” he asked。
Jasper bridled。 “We have a few advantages； dog。 It will be an even fight。”
“No；” Jacob said； and a strange； fierce half…smile spread across his face。 “It won’t be even。”
“Excellent！” Alice hissed。
I stared； still frozen in horror； at Alice’s new expression。 Her face was alive with exultation； all the despair
wiped clean from her perfect features。
She grinned at Jacob； and he grinned back。
“Everything just disappeared； of course；” she told him in a smug voice。 “That’s inconvenient； but； all things
considered； I’ll take it。”
“We’ll have to coordinate；” Jacob said。 “It won’t be easy for us。 Still； this is our job more than yours。”
“I wouldn’t go that far； but we need the help。 We aren’t going to be picky。”
“Wait； wait； wait； wait；” I interrupted them。
Alice was on her toes； Jacob leaning down toward her； both of their faces lit up with excitement； both of
their noses wrinkled against the smell。 They looked at me impatiently。
“Coordinate？” I repeated through my teeth。
“You didn’t honestly think you were going to keep us out of this？” Jacob asked。
“You are staying out of this！”
“Your psychic doesn’t think so。”
“Alice — tell them no！” I insisted。 “They’ll get killed！”
Jacob； Quil； and Embry all laughed out loud。
“Bella；” Alice said； her voice soothing； placating； “separately we all could get killed。 Together —”
“It’ll be no problem；” Jacob finished her sentence。 Quil laughed again。
“How many？” Quil asked eagerly。
“No！” I shouted。
Alice didn’t even look at me。 “It changes — twenty…one today； but the numbers are going down。”
“Why？” Jacob asked； curious。
“Long story；” Alice said； suddenly looking around the room。 “And this isn’t the place for it。”
“Later tonight？” Jacob pushed。
“Yes；” Jasper answered him。 “We were already planning a 。 。 。 strategic meeting。 If you’re going to fight
with us； you’ll need some instruction。”
The wolves all made a disgruntled face at the last part。
“No！” I moaned。
“This will be odd；” Jasper said thoughtfully。 “I never considered working together。 This has to be a first。”
“No doubt about that；” Jacob agreed。 He was in a hurry now。 “We’ve got to get back to Sam。 What
time？”
“What’s too late for you？”
All three rolled their eyes。 “What time？” Jacob repeated。
“Three o’clock？”
“Where？”
“About ten miles due north of the Hoh Forest ranger station。 Come at it from the west and you’ll be able
to follow our scent in。”
“We’ll be there。”
They turned to leave。
“Wait； Jake！” I called after him。 “Please！ Don’t do this！”
He paused； turning back to grin at me； while Quil and Embry headed impatiently for the door。 “Don’t be
ridiculous； Bells。 You’re giving me a much better gift than the one I gave you。”
“No！” I shouted again。 The sound of an electric guitar drowned my cry。
He didn’t respond； he hurried to catch up with his friends； who were already gone。 I watched helplessly as
Jacob disappeared。
18。 INSTRUCTION
“THAT HAD TO BE THE LONGEST PARTY IN THE HISTORY of the world；” I complained on the way home。
Edward didn’t seem to disagree。 “It’s over now；” he said； rubbing my arm soothingly。
Because I was the only one who needed soothing。 Edward was fine now — all the Cullens were fine。
They’d all reassured me； Alice reaching up to pat my head as I left； eyeing Jasper meaningfully until a flood
of peace swirled around me； Esme kissing my forehead and promising me everything was all right； Emmett
laughing boisterously and asking why I was the only one who was allowed to fight with werewolves。 。 。 。
Jacob’s solution had them all relaxed； almost euphoric after the long weeks of stress。 Doubt had been
replaced with confidence。 The party had ended on a note of true celebration。
Not for me。
Bad enough — horrible — that the Cullens would fight for me。 It was already too much that I would have
to allow that。 It already felt like more than I could bear。
Not Jacob； too。 Not his foolish； eager brothers — most of them even younger than I was。 They were just
oversized； over…muscled children； and they looked forward to this like it was picnic on the beach。 I could not
have them in danger； too。 My nerves felt frayed and exposed。 I didn’t know how much longer I could restrain
the urge to scream out loud。
I whispered now； to keep my voice under control。 “You’re taking me with you tonight。”
“Bella； you’re worn out。”
“You think I could sleep？”
He frowned。 “This is an experiment。 I’m not sure if it will be possible for us all to 。 。 。 cooperate。 I don’t
want you in the middle of that。”
As if that didn’t make me all the more anxious to go。 “If you won’t take me； then I’ll call Jacob。”
His eyes tightened。 That was a low blow； and I knew it。 But there was no way I was being left behind。
He didn’t answer； we were at Charlie’s house now。 The front light was on。
“See you upstairs；” I muttered。
I tiptoed in the front door。 Charlie was asleep in the living room； overflowing the too…small sofa； and
snoring so loudly I could ha