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mission。
I sighed。 It didn't seem to matter； either way。
Oh。 This isn't about Sam so much； is it？
I made the turn at the end of my patrol。 I caught Seth's scent where he'd turned last。 We weren't leaving
any gaps。
You think Bella's going to die anyway；Seth whispered。
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Yeah； she is。
Poor Edward。 He must be crazy。
Literally。
Edward's name brought other memories boiling to the surface。 Seth read them in astonishment。
And then he was howling。 Oh； man！ No way！ You did not That just plain oT sucks rocks； Jacob！
And you know it； too！ I can't believe you said you'd kill him。 What is that？ You have to tell him no。
Shut up； shut up； you idiot！ They're going to think the pack is ing！
Oops！He cut off midhowl。
I wheeled and started loping in toward the house。 Just keep out of this； Seth。 Take the whole circle
for now。
Seth seethed and I ignored him。
False alarm； false alarm；I thoughtas I ran closer in。 Sorry。 Seth is young。 He forgets things。 No one's
attacking。 False alarm。
When I got to the meadow； I could see Edward staring out of a dark window。 I ran in； wanting to be
sure he got the message。
There's nothing out there— you got that？
He nodded once。
This would be a lot easier if the munication wasn't one way。 Then again； I was kinda glad I wasn't in
his head。
He looked over his shoulder； back into the house； and I saw a shudder run through his whole frame。 He
waved me away without looking in my direction again and then moved out of my view。
What's going on？
Like I was going to get an answer。
I sat very still in the meadow and listened。 With these ears； I could almost hear SetlYs soft footfalls；
miles out into the forest。 It was easy to hear every sound inside the dark house。
〃It was a false alarm；〃 Edward was explaining in that dead voice； just repeating what I'd told him。 〃Seth
was upset about something else； and he forgot we were listening for a signal。 He's very young。〃
〃Nice to have toddlers guarding the fort；〃 a deeper voice grumbled。 Emmett； I thought。
〃They've done us a great service tonight； Emmett；〃 Carlisle said。 〃At great personal sacrifice。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 I'm just jealous。 Wish I was out there。〃
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〃Seth doesn't think Sam will attack now；〃 Edward said mechanically。 〃Not with us forewarned； and
lacking two members of the pack。〃
〃What does Jacob think？〃 Carlisle asked。
〃He'snot as optimistic。〃
No one spoke。 There was a quiet dripping sound that I couldn't place。 I heard their low breathing—and
I could separateBella's from the rest。 It was harsher； labored。 It hitched and broke in strange rhythms。 I
could hear her heart。 It seemed。。。 too fast。 I paced it against my own heartbeat； but I wasn't sure if that
was any measure。 It wasn't like I was normal。
〃Don't touch her！ You'll wake her up；〃 Rosalie whispered。
Someone sighed。
〃Rosalie；〃 Carlisle murmured。
〃Don't start with me； Carlisle。 We let you have your way earlier； but that's all we're allowing。〃
It seemed like Rosalie and Bella were both talking in plurals now。 Like they'd formed a pack of their
own。
I paced quietly in front of the house。 Each pass brought me a little closer。 The dark windows were like a
TV set running in some dull waiting room—it was impossible to keep my eyes off them for long。
A few more minutes； a few more passes； and my fur was brushing the side of the porch as I paced。
I couldsee up through the windows—see the top of the walls and the ceiling； the unlit chandelier that
hung there。 I was tall enough thatall I would have to do was stretch my neck a little。。。 and maybe one
paw up on the edge of the porch。。。。
I peeked into the big； open front room； expecting to see something very similar to the scene this
afternoon。 But it had changed so much that I was confused at first。 For a second I thought I'd gotten the
wrong room。
The glass wall was gone—it looked like metal now。 And the furniture was all dragged out of the way；
withBella curled up awkwardly on a narrow bed in the center of the open space。 Not a normal
bed—one with rails like in a hospital。 Also like a hospital were the monitors strapped to her body； the
tubes stuck into her skin。 The lights on the monitors flashed； but there was no sound。 The dripping noise
was from the IV plugged into her arm—some fluid that was thick and white； not clear。
She choked a little in her uneasy sleep； and both Edward and Rosalie moved in to hover over her。 Her
body
jerked； and she whimpered。 Rosalie smoothed her hand across Bella's forehead。 Edward's body
stiffened—his back was to me； but his expression must have been something to see； because Emmett
wrenched himself between them before there was time to blink。 He held his hands up to Edward。
〃Not tonight； Edward。 We've got other things to worry about。〃
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Edward turned away from them； and he was the burning man again。 His eyes met mine for one moment；
and then I dropped back to all fours。
I ran back into the dark forest； running to join Seth； running away from what was behind me。
Worse。 Yes； she was worse。
12。 SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T GRASP THE CONCEPT OF 〃UNWELE〃
I was right on the edge of sleep。
The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour ago—the forest was gray now instead of black。 Seth'd
curled up and passed out around one； and I'd woken him at dawn to trade off。 Even after running all
night； I was having a hard time making my brain shut up long enough to fall asleep； but Seth's rhythmic
run was helping。 One； twothree； four； one； twothree； four— dum dumdum dam—dull paw thuds
against the damp earth； over and over as he made the wide circuit surrounding the Cullens' land。 We
were already wearing a trail into the ground。 Seth's thoughts were empty； just a blur of green and gray as
the woods flew past him。 It was restful。 It helped to fill my head with what he saw rather than letting my
own images take center stage。
And then Seth's piercing howl broke the early morning quiet。
I lurched up from the ground； my front legs pulling toward a sprint before my hind legs were off the
ground。 I raced toward the place where Seth had frozen； listening with him to the tread of paws running
in our direction。
Morning； boys。
A shocked whine broke through Seth's teeth。 And then we both snarled as we read deeper into the new
thoughts。
Oh； man！ Goaway； Leah！ Seth groaned。
I stopped when I got to Seth； head thrown back； ready to howl again—this time to plain。
Cut the noise； Seth。
Right。 Ugh！ Ugh！ Ugh！He whimpered and pawed at the ground； scratching deep furrows in the dirt。
Leah trotted into view； her small gray body weaving through the underbrush。
Stop whining； Seth。 You're such a baby。
I growled at her； my ears flattening against my skull。 She skipped back a step automatically。
What do you think you're doing； Leah？
She huffed a heavy sigh。 It's pretty obvious； isn't it？ I'm joining your crappy little renegade pack。
The vampires' guard dogs。 She barked out a low； sarcastic laugh。
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No； you're not。 Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings。
Like you could catch me。She grinned and coiled her body for launch。 Wanna race； O fearless leader？
I took a deep breath； filling my lungs until my sides bulged。 Then； when I was sure I wasn't going to
scream； i exhaled in a gust。
Seth； go let the Cullens know that it's just your stupid sister —thought the words as harshly as possible。
' deal with this。
On it！Seth was only too happy to leave。 He vanished toward the house。
Leah whined； and she leaned after him； the fur on her shoulders rising。 You're just going to let him run
off to the vampires alone？
I'm pretty sure he'd rather they took him out than spend another minute