XXIV. Something's coming.
Everyone was silent around the bonfire as Billy began talking. Jacob glanced at me nervously for a second before his gaze settled on his father. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion but a bad feeling settled in my stomach.
"The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning... But we've always had magic in our blood. They transform into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies, and protect our tribe." Billy stared. "One day our warriors came across a creature...It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone and cold as ice..."
Quil's eyes shot towards me as I tensed up next to him. I glanced at Jacob but he refused to meet my gaze, his jaw clenching as he felt my eyes on him. I looked back at Billy again, my eyebrows furrowing again.
"Our warriors' sharp teeth, finally tore it apart... But only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear, the Cold Man was not alone. And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village." Billy continued and I quickly pieced together that he was talking of two mates.
"Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe, after his son was killed. Taha Aki's Third Wife could see that he would lose... The Third Wife was no magical being, no special powers, but one... Courage. Enough for Taha Aki to destroy the cold one." he continued. "She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared. But one remains... The Cold Ones." he spoke, his eyes briefly flicking towards me. "Our magic awakens when they near. And we sense it now, we feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming. And we must all be ready. All of us." he demanded, his again finding mine.
Not caring to hear the rest of the story, I got up to my feet and started walking, everyone silently watching me. Jacob rushed after me, grabbing my arm to stop me. I came to a sharp halt and turned to face him. "This is why you brought me here." I snapped as I pulled away from him.
"You needed to hear it." he insisted firmly and sharply as he clenched his jaw again.
I scoffed, my eyebrows furrowing. "Why, did you think it was going to change anything?" I questioned him as I shook my head.
"I was hoping it would," he admitted, his voice filled with frustration and simmering anger.
"The Cullens have kept their end of the treaty. They don't eat or bite humans." I snapped sharply as I shook my head again. "They keep to themselves." I insisted.
"They don't bite anyone," Jacob repeated as he nodded his head. "So you're not going through with it anymore?" he questioned as he raised his eyebrows.
I scoffed loudly, smiling bitterly as I crossed my arms over my chest. "No, I am," I replied firmly as I nodded my head.
Jacob snarled as he began breathing more heavily. "They are dangerous, Ana!" he yelled at me.
"And none of you are!?" I yelled back at him as I backed away from him with cautious steps. In the distance I could see Quil and Embry standing up, watching Jacob closely along with the rest at the bonfire.
"No-" Jacob began to argue with me as he shook his head.
I cut him off with a loud scoff. "Right, go tell that to Emily." I gritted out as I clenched my jaw, my teeth grinding together as I glared at Jacob.
Jacob's face fell and he took a step back. "That's a low blow," he told me softly as he shook his head.
"I know," I replied unapologetically as I nodded my head. "And so was bringing me here." I snapped before turning around and walking away. I pulled my phone out of my pocket as I began walking towards the treaty line. Edward picked up on the first ring. "Edward." I sighed. "Can you come pick me up, please?"
"Ana!" Jacob called out as he followed after me in the dark.
"I'm on my way," Edward replied immediately and I could hear static and shuffling as he got into his car. I could already feel that foreign anger simmering deep inside my chest. Inside the part of my heart that was reserved for Edward's emotions. "Tell that mongrel if he touches you, he's dead."
I let out a soft and brief chuckle of amusement, silently nodding although he couldn't see. "I'll see you soon," I told him softly before ending the call, shoving my phone into my pocket.
Jacob caught up with me, walking next to me as I made my way down the empty road. "Ana, please just-" he began speaking, trying to grab at my arm.
"No!" I snapped as I pulled away from him, walking faster to put distance between us. "I have tried so hard to keep the peace with you, but you just make it impossible, Jacob!" I yelled over my shoulder.
"Look I'm sorry that I find it hard to let go of you!" he yelled back as he fell in step with me once again.
"You don't have to!" I yelled as I threw my hands up in frustration. "But you'd just rather have me dead than have me be something else!" I continued yelling as I walked faster, my anger getting me to the treaty line in no time.
"It's not fair to through that back into my face." Jacob snapped as he pointed a finger at me when we came to a stop near the line.
I turned to face him, staring blankly while my eyebrows furrowed. It was cold, and a gush of wind blew threw my hair. "Yeah, and it wasn't fair to say that to me either," I told him as I slowly shook my head, tears brimming my eyes and running down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry, okay!?"He yelled in frustration. He huffed as tires screeched in the distance. "Great." he spat with a shake of his head.
Edward's SUV came to a screeching stop mere centimeters from the treaty line. "Ana," he called out as he got out of his car.
I rushed over the line and towards Edward before he could impulsively make his way over the line and towards me. I sniffed softly, placing my hands against his chest. "I'm okay," I assured softly.
Edward looked down, taking in the tears in my eyes, noting the anger and sadness inside my chest. He nearly growled as his eyes turned to Jacob. "Why don't you step onto this side of the line, Jacob?" he challenged.
Jacob stared at Edward, sensing the anger radiating off the vampire. He shook his head as he took a few steps back. "I think I'm good on this side," he muttered.
"Yeah, definitely safer." Edward agreed sharply as he nodded his head. "There's a reason I tried to keep her away from you." he snapped as he wrapped an arm around my waist, safely pulling me closer. "Because this is how I find her every time she's with you!" he yelled as he pointed an accusing finger at Jacob.
Jacob let out a scoff of bitter amusement as he shook his head. "How nice you didn't see her the last time she was with you last year!" he yelled as he pointed a finger back at Edward.
I flinched at his words. I had been so good to push all those memories of last year out of my head, but now Jacob had dared bring them up, stirring memories in my head that I fought to keep at bay and block back off.
Edward let go of me, stepping right up to the treaty line. "Come say that to me on this side." he challenged, his fists bawling up by his sides.
I sighed and rounded the car, opening the passenger door. "Edward, please just take me home." I insisted before getting in the car, slamming the door behind me before slumping into my seat and wrapping my arms around myself.
Edward shot Jacob a last glare before getting into the car. The tires screeched with the speed Edward reversed and spun around, taking off down the road. I silently watched him for a second before deciding to put on my safety belt.
"What happened?" Edward questioned, his fingers digging into the rich leather of his steering wheel.
I sighed softly. "He made me sit through his father talking about how your kind can be killed, how you're the enemies, and how something terrible is coming," I mumbled as I shook my head, and Edward's lips curled into a snarl. "He thought it would change my mind."
"Every day...I get closer to breaking that treaty." He gritted out as he clenched his jaw.
"You can't," I replied bluntly as I shot him a look. I turned my head, looking out the window. "Well...not sure if we have the wolves on our side anymore," I muttered as I pursed my lips.
"We'll figure something else out," Edward replied with a shake of his head, not too heartbroken over the departure with the pack.
I raised my eyebrows and turned my head to look at him again. "Like what?" I questioned as my head tilted to the side.
Edward side heavily, clenching his jaw again. "I don't know yet," he mumbled softly as he shook his head.
I sighed as well, throwing my head back against the seat and squeezing my eyes shut for a second. "Well, I think we're running out of time to figure things out," I told him as I opened my eyes, my eyebrows furrowing. "I can feel it," I mumbled, looking out the window again. "Billy was right about one thing."
Edward's eyebrows furrowed as he shot me a brief look of confusion. "What?" he asked, rather sharply. He couldn't phantom on what I could agree with.
"Something's coming," I mumbled and Edward's face went blank as his grip on his steering wheel tightened even more. "Something terrible," I whispered as I let out a shaky breath.
Edward looked at me and reached across the center console, taking my hand into his cold one. "Hey, we'll deal with it," he assured me as he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "We're going to my house tomorrow to talk to the rest," he informed me.
"Can't we go now?" I asked as my eyebrows furrowed, anxious to have this figured out and dealt with so that this could be just another situation I could push out of my head and block off.
Edward looked at me, slowly shaking his head. "After the night you've had, I'd prefer to take you home," he said as he gave my hand another soft squeeze.
"Edward, I'm fine." I insisted softly, already in the process of pushing Jacob out of my head.
"You need sleep," he argued as he firmly shook his head, giving me a stern look that left no room for an argument. "We'll go tomorrow," he said.
I sighed and slumped further into my seat. "Okay," I mumbled softly.