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precaution。 I told you — we’ll have no problem now。 There won’t be enough of them to keep us entertained。”
“But what about keeping her in La Push？” Jacob interjected； impatient。
“She’s been back and forth too much；” Edward said。 “She’s left trails all over the place。 Alice only sees
very young vampires coming on the hunt； but obviously someone created them。 There is someone more
experienced behind this。 Whoever he” — Edward paused to look at me — “or she is； this could all be a
distraction。 Alice will see if he decides to look himself； but we could be very busy at the time that decision is
made。 Maybe someone is counting on that。 I can’t leave her somewhere she’s been frequently。 She has to be
hard to find； just in case。 It’s a very long shot； but I’m not taking chances。”
I stared at Edward as he explained； my forehead creasing。 He patted my arm。
“Just being overcautious；” he promised。
Jacob gestured to the deep forest east of us； to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains。
“So hide her here；” he suggested。 “There’s a million possibilities — places either one of us could be in just
a few minutes if there’s a need。”
Edward shook his head。 “Her scent is too strong and； combined with mine； especially distinct。 Even if I
carried her； it would leave a trail。 Our trace is all over the range； but in conjunction with Bella’s scent； it would
catch their attention。 We’re not sure exactly which path they’ll take； because they don’t know yet。 If they
crossed her scent before they found us 。 。 。”
Both of them grimaced at the same time； their eyebrows pulling together。
“You see the difficulties。”
“There has to be a way to make it work；” Jacob muttered。 He glared toward the forest； pursing his lips。
I swayed on my feet。 Edward put his arm around my waist； pulling me closer and supporting my weight。
“I need to get you home — you’re exhausted。 And Charlie will be waking up soon。 。 。 。”
“Wait a sec；” Jacob said； wheeling back to us； his eyes bright。 “My scent disgusts you； right？”
“Hmm； not bad。” Edward was two steps ahead。 “It’s possible。” He turned toward his family。 “Jasper？” he
called。
Jasper looked up curiously。 He walked over with Alice a half step behind。 Her face was frustrated again。
“Okay； Jacob。” Edward nodded at him。
Jacob turned toward me with a strange mixture of emotion on his face。 He was clearly excited by
whatever this new plan of his was； but he was also still uneasy so close to his enemy allies。 And then it was my
turn to be wary as he held his arms out toward me。
Edward took a deep breath。
“We’re going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail；” Jacob explained。
I stared at his open arms suspiciously。
“You’re going to have to let him carry you； Bella；” Edward told me。 His voice was calm； but I could hear
the subdued distaste。
I frowned。
Jacob rolled his eyes； impatient； and reached down to yank me up into his arms。
“Don’t be such a baby；” he muttered。
But his eyes flickered to Edward； just like mine did。 Edward’s face was composed and smooth。 He spoke
to Jasper。
“Bella’s scent is so much more potent to me — I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried。”
Jacob turned away from them and paced swiftly into the woods。 I didn’t say anything as the dark closed
around us。 I was pouting； uncomfortable in Jacob’s arms。 It felt too intimate to me — surely he didn’t need to
hold me quite so tightly — and I couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like to him。 It reminded me of my last
afternoon in La Push； and I didn’t want to think about that。 I folded my arms； annoyed when the brace on my
hand intensified the memory。
We didn’t go far； he made a wide arc and came back into the clearing from a different direction； maybe
half a football field away from our original departure point。 Edward was there alone and Jacob headed toward
him。
“You can put me down now。”
“I don’t want to take a chance of messing up the experiment。” His walk slowed and his arms tightened。
“You are so annoying；” I muttered。
“Thanks。”
Out of nowhere； Jasper and Alice stood beside Edward。 Jacob took one more step； and then set me
down a half dozen feet from Edward。 Without looking back at Jacob； I walked to Edward’s side and took his
hand。
“Well？” I asked。
“As long as you don’t touch anything； Bella； I can’t imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to
that trail to catch your scent；” Jasper said； grimacing。 “It was almost completely obscured。”
“A definite success；” Alice agreed； wrinkling her nose。
“And it gave me an idea。”
“Which will work；” Alice added confidently。
“Clever；” Edward agreed。
“How do you stand that？” Jacob muttered to me。
Edward ignored Jacob and looked at me while he explained。 “We’re — well； you’re — going to leave a
false trail to the clearing； Bella。 The newborns are hunting； your scent will excite them； and they’ll come exactly
the way we want them to without being careful about it。 Alice can already see that this will work。 When they
catch our scent； they’ll split up and try to come at us from two sides。 Half will go through the forest； where her
vision suddenly disappears。 。 。 。”
“Yes！” Jacob hissed。
Edward smiled at him； a smile of true comradeship。
I felt sick。 How could they be so eager for this？ How could I stand having both of them in danger？ I
couldn’t。
I wouldn’t。
“Not a chance；” Edward said suddenly； his voice disgusted。 It made me jump； worrying that he’d
somehow heard my resolve； but his eyes were on Jasper。
“I know； I know；” Jasper said quickly。 “I didn’t even consider it； not really。”
Alice stepped on his foot。
“If Bella was actually there in the clearing；” Jasper explained to her； “it would drive them insane。 They
wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything but her。 It would make picking them off truly easy。 。 。 。”
Edward’s glare had Jasper backtracking。
“Of course it’s too dangerous for her。 It was just an errant thought；” he said quickly。 But he looked at me
from the corner of his eyes； and the look was wistful。
“No；” Edward said。 His voice rang with finality。
“You’re right；” Jasper said。 He took Alice’s hand and started back to the others。 “Best two out of three？”
I heard him ask her as they went to practice again。
Jacob stared after him in disgust。
“Jasper looks at things from a military perspective；” Edward quietly defended his brother。 “He looks at all
the options — it’s thoroughness； not callousness。”
Jacob snorted。
He’d edged closer unconsciously； drawn by his absorption in the planning。 He stood only three feet from
Edward now； and； standing there between them； I could feel the physical tension in the air。 It was like static；
an uncomfortable charge。
Edward got back to business。 “I’ll bring her here Fr