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the red sequins of Alice’s shirt。 The light only touched her face for half a second； but it was enough。
“Excuse me for a minute； Jess；” I mumbled； pulling my arm away。 I didn’t pause for her reaction； even to
see if I’d hurt her feelings with my abruptness。
I ducked my way through the bodies； getting shoved around a bit。 A few people were dancing now。 I
hurried to the kitchen door。
Edward was gone； but Alice was still there in the dark； her face blank — the kind of expressionless look
you see on the face of someone who has just witnessed a horrible accident。 One of her hands gripped the
door frame； like she needed the support。
“What； Alice； what？ What did you see？” My hands were clutched in front of me — begging。
She didn’t look at me； she was staring away。 I followed her gaze and watched as she caught Edward’s
eye across the room。 His face was empty as a stone。 He turned and disappeared into the shadows under the
stair。
The doorbell rang just then； hours after the last time； and Alice looked up with a puzzled expression that
quickly turned into one of disgust。
“Who invited the werewolf？” she griped at me。
I scowled。 “Guilty。”
I’d thought I’d rescinded that invitation — not that I’d ever dreamed Jacob would e here； regardless。
“Well； you go take care of it； then。 I have to talk to Carlisle。”
“No； Alice； wait！” I tried to reach for her arm； but she was gone and my hand clutched the empty air。
“Damn it！” I grumbled。
I knew this was it。 Alice had seen what she’d been waiting for； and I honestly didn’t feel I could stand the
suspense long enough to answer the door。 The doorbell peeled again； too long； someone holding down the
button。 I turned my back toward the door resolutely； and scanned the darkened room for Alice。
I couldn’t see anything。 I started pushing for the stairs。
“Hey； Bella！”
Jacob’s deep voice caught a lull in the music； and I looked up in spite of myself at the sound of my name。
I made a face。
It wasn’t just one werewolf； it was three。 Jacob had let himself in； flanked on either side by Quil and
Embry。 The two of them looked terribly tense； their eyes flickering around the room like they’d just walked
into a haunted crypt。 Embry’s trembling hand still held the door； his body halfturned to run for it。
Jacob was waving at me； calmer than the others； though his nose was wrinkled in disgust。 I waved back
— waved goodbye — and turned to look for Alice。 I squeezed through a space between Conner’s and
Lauren’s backs。
He came out of nowhere； his hand on my shoulder pulling me back toward the shadow by the kitchen。 I
ducked under his grip； but he grabbed my good wrist and yanked me from the crowd。
“Friendly reception；” he noted。
I pulled my hand free and scowled at him。 “What are you doing here？”
“You invited me； remember？”
“In case my right hook was too subtle for you； let me translate： that was me uninvitingyou。”
“Don’t be a poor sport。 I brought you a graduation present and everything。”
I folded my arms across my chest。 I didn’t want to fightwith Jacob right now。 I wanted to know what
Alice had seen and what Edward and Carlisle were saying about it。 I craned my head around Jacob； searching
for them。
“Take it back to the store； Jake。 I’ve got to do something。 。 。 。”
He stepped into my line of sight； demanding my attention。
“I can’t take it back。 I didn’t get it from the store — I made it myself。 Took a really long time； too。”
I leaned around him again； but I couldn’t see any of the Cullens。 Where had they gone？ My eyes scanned
the darkened room。
“Oh； c’mon； Bell。 Don’t pretend like I’m not here！”
“I’m not。” I couldn’t see them anywhere。 “Look； Jake； I’ve got a lot on my mind right now。”
He put his hand under my chin and pulled my face up。 “Could I please have just a few seconds of your
undivided attention； Miss Swan？”
I jerked away from his touch。 “Keep your hands to yourself； Jacob；” I hissed。
“Sorry！” he said at once； holding his hands up in surrender。 “I really am sorry。 About the other day； I
mean； too。 I shouldn’t have kissed you like that。 It was wrong。 I guess 。 。 。 well； I guess I deluded myself into
thinking you wanted me to。”
“Deluded — what a perfect description！”
“Be nice。 You could accept my apology； you know。”
“Fine。 Apology accepted。 Now； if you’ll just excuse me for a moment 。 。 。”
“Okay；” he mumbled； and his voice was so different from before that I stoppd searching for Alice and
scrutinized his face。 He was staring at the floor； hiding his eyes。 His lower lip jutted out just a little bit。
“I guess you’d rather be with your real friends；” he said in the same defeated tone。 “I get it。”
I groaned。 “Aw； Jake； you know that’s not fair。”
“Do I？”
“You should。” I leaned forward； peering up； trying to look into his eyes。 He looked up then； over my
head； avoiding my gaze。
“Jake？”
He refused to look at me。
“Hey； you said you made me something； right？” I asked。 “Was that just talk？ Where’s my present？” My
attempt to fake enthusiasm was pretty sad； but it worked。 He rolled his eyes and then grimaced at me。
I kept up the lame pretense； holding my hand open in front of me。 “I’m waiting。”
“Right；” he grumbled sarcastically。 But he also reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a
small bag of a loosewoven； multicolored fabric。 It was tied shut with leather drawstrings。 He set it on my
palm。
“Hey； that’s pretty； Jake。 Thanks！”
He sighed。 “The present is inside； Bella。”
“Oh。”
I had some trouble with the strings。 He sighed again and took it from me； sliding the ties open with one
easy tug of the right cord。 I held my hand out for it； but he turned the bag upside down and shook something
silver into my hand。 Metal links clinked quietly against each other。
“I didn’t make the bracelet；” he admitted。 “Just the charm。”
Fastened to one of the links of the silver bracelet was a tiny wooden carving。 I held it between my fingers
to look at it closer。 It was amazing the amount of detail involved in the little figurine — the miniature wolf was
utterly realistic。 It was even carved out of some redbrown wood that matched the color of his skin。
“It’s beautiful；” I whispered。 “You made this？ How？”
He shrugged。 “It’s something Billy taught me。 He’s better at it than I am。”
“That’s hard to believe；” I murmured； turning the tiny wolf around and around in my fingers。
“Do you really like it？”
“Yes！ It’s unbelievable； Jake。”
He smiled； happily at first； but then the expression soured。 “Well； I figured that maybe it would make you
remember me once in a while。 You know how it is； out of sight； out of mind。”
I ignored the attitude。 “Here； help me put it on。”
I held out my left wrist； since the right was stuck in the brace。 He fastened the catch easily； though it
looked too delicate for his big fingers to manage。
“You’ll wear it？” he asked。
“Of course I will。”
He grinned at me — it was the happy smile that I loved to see him wear。
I returned it for a moment； but then my eyes shot reflexively around the room again； anxiously scanning the
crowd for some sign of Edward or Alice。
“Why’re you so distracted？” Jacob wondered。
“It’s nothing；” I lied； trying to concentrate。 “Thanks for the present； really。 I love it。”
“Bella？” His brows pulled together； throwing his eyes deep into their shadow。 “Something’s going on； isn’t
it？”
“Jake； I 。 。 。 no； there’s nothing。”
“Don’t lie to me； you suck at lying。 You should tell me what’s going on。 We want to know these things；”
he said； slipping into the plural at the end。
He was probably right； the wolves would certainly be interested in what was happening。 Only I wasn’t
sure what that was yet。 I wouldn’t know for sure until I found Alice。
“Jacob； I will tell you。 Just let me figure out what’s happening； okay？ I need to talk to Alice。”
Understanding lit his expression。 “The psychic saw something。”
“Yes； just when you showed up。”
“Is this about the bloodsucker in your room？”