I took a deep breath。 “There was nothing to forgive。”
I wanted to skip past this part； the betrayals； the accusations； but I knew that we had to talk it through
before we’d be able to move on to anything else。
Jacob’s face puckered up like he’d just licked a lemon。 “I wish Sam had taken a picture when he found
you that night last September。 It would be exhibit A。”
“Nobody’s on trial。”
“Maybe somebody should be。”
“Not even you would blame him for leaving； if you knew the reason why。”
He glared at me for a few seconds。 “Okay；” he challenged acidly。 “Amaze me。”
His hostility was wearing on me — chafing against the raw； it hurt to have him angry with me。 It reminded
me of the bleak afternoon； long ago； when — under orders from Sam — he’d told me we couldn’t be friends。
I took a second to compose myself。
“Edward left me last fall because he didn’t think I should be hanging out with vampires。 He thought it
would be healthier for me if he left。”
Jacob did a double take。 He had to scramble for a minute。 Whatever he’d been planning to say； it clearly
no longer applied。 I was glad he didn’t know the catalyst behind Edward’s decision。 I could only imagine what
he’d think if he knew Jasper had tried to kill me。
“He came back； though； didn’t he？” Jacob muttered。 “Too bad he can’t stick to a decision。”
“If you remember； I went and got him。”
Jacob stared at me for a moment； and then he backed off。 His face relaxed； and his voice was calmer
when he spoke。
“That’s true。 So I never did get the story。 What happened？”
I hesitated； biting my lip。
“Is it a secret？” His voice took on a taunting edge。 “Are you not allowed to tell me？”
“No；” I snapped。 “It’s just a really long story。”
Jacob smiled； arrogant； and turned to walk up the beach； expecting me to follow。
It was no fun being with Jacob if he was going to act like this。 I trailed behind him automatically； not sure if
I shouldn’t turn around and leave。 I was going to have to face Alice； though； when I got home。 。 。 。 I supposed
I wasn’t in any rush。
Jacob walked to a huge； familiar piece of driftwood — an entire tree； roots and all； bleached white and
beached deep in the sand； it was our tree； in a way。
Jacob sat down on the natural bench； and patted the space next to him。
“I don’t mind long stories。 Is there any action？”
I rolled my eyes as I sat next to him。 “There’s some action；” I allowed。
“It wouldn’t be real horror without action。”
“Horror！” I scoffed。 “Can you listen； or will you be interrupting me with rude comments about my friends？
”
He pretended to lock his lips and then threw the invisible key over his shoulder。 I tried not to smile； and
failed。
“I’ll have to start with the stuff you were already there for；” I decided； working to organize the stories in
my head before I began。
Jacob raised his hand。
“Go ahead。”
“That’s good；” he said。 “I didn’t understand much that was going on at the time。”
“Yeah； well； it gets complicated； so pay attention。 You know how Alice sees things？”
I took his scowl — the wolves weren’t thrilled that the legends of vampires possessing supernatural gifts
were true — for a yes； and proceeded with the account of my race through Italy to rescue Edward。
I kept it as succinct as possible — leaving out anything that wasn’t essential。 I tried to read Jacob’s
reactions； but his face was enigmatic as I explained how Alice had seen Edward plan to kill himself when he’d
heard that I was dead。 Sometimes Jacob seemed so deep in thought； I wasn’t sure if he was listening。 He only
interrupted one time。
“The fortune…telling bloodsucker can’t see us？” he echoed； his face both fierce and gleeful。 “Seriously？
That’s excellent！”
I clenched my teeth together； and we sat in silence； his face expectant as he waited for me to continue。 I
glared at him until he realized his mistake。
“Oops！” he said。 “Sorry。” He locked his lips again。
His response was easier to read when I got to the part about the Volturi。 His teeth clenched together；
goose bumps rose on his arms； and his nostrils flared。 I didn’t go into specifics； I just told him that Edward had
talked us out of trouble； without revealing the promise we’d had to make； or the visit we were anticipating。
Jacob didn’t need to have my nightmares。
“Now you know the whole story；” I concluded。 “So it’s your turn to talk。 What happened while I was
with my mom this weekend？” I knew Jacob would give me more details than Edward had。 He wasn’t afraid of
scaring me。
Jacob leaned forward； instantly animated。 “So Embry and Quil and I were running patrol on Saturday
night； just routine stuff； when out of nowhere — bam！” He threw his arms out； impersonating an explosion。
“There it is — a fresh trail； not fifteen minutes old。 Sam wanted us to wait for him； but I didn’t know you were
gone； and I didn’t know if your bloodsuckers were keeping an eye on you or not。 So we took off after her at
full speed； but she’d crossed the treaty line before we caught up。 We spread out along the line； hoping she’d
cross back over。 It was frustrating； let me tell you。” He wagged his head and his hair — growing out from the
short crop he’d adopted when he’d joined the pack — flopped into his eyes。 “We ended up too far south。
The Cullens chased her back to our side just a few miles north of us。 Would have been the perfect ambush if
we’d known where to wait。”
He shook his head； grimacing now。 “That’s when it got dicey。 Sam and the others caught up to her before
we did； but she was dancing right along the line； and the whole coven was right there on the other side。 The
big one； what’s…his…name —”
“Emmett。”
“Yeah； him。 He made a lunge for her； but that redhead is fast！ He flew right behind her and almost
rammed into Paul。 So； Paul 。 。 。 well； you know Paul。”
“Yeah。”
“Lost his focus。 Can’t say that I blame him — the big bloodsucker was right on top of him。 He sprang —
hey； don’t give me that look。 The vampire was on our land。”
I tried to compose my face so that he would go on。 My nails were digging into my palms with the stress of
the story； even though I knew it had turned out fine。
“Anyway； Paul missed； and the big one got back on his side。 But by then the； er； well the； uh； blonde 。 。 。”
Jacob’s expression was a comical mix of disgust and unwilling admiration as he tried to come up with a word
to describe Edward’s sister。
“Rosalie。”
“Whatever。 She got real territorial； so Sam and I fell back to get Paul’s flanks。 Then their leader and the
other blond male —”
“Carlisle and Jasper。”
He gave me an exasperated look。 “You know I don’t really care。 Anyway； so Carlisle spoke to Sam；
trying to calm things down。 Then it was weird； because everyone got really calm really fast。 It was that other
one you told me about； messing with our heads。 But even though we knew what he was doing； we couldn’t
not be calm。”
“Yeah； I know how it feels。”
“Really annoying； that’s how it feels。 Only you can’t be annoyed until afterwards。” He shook his head
angrily。 “So Sam and the head vamp agreed that Victoria was the priority； and we started after her again。
Carlisle gave us the line； so that we could follow the scent properly； but then she hit the cliffs just north of
Makah country； right where the line hugs the coast for a few miles。 She took off into the water again。 The big
one and the calm one wanted permission to cross the line to go after her； but of course we said no。”
“Good。 I mean； you were being stupid； but I’m glad。 Emmett’s never cautious enough。 He could have
gotten hurt。”
Jacob snorted。 “So did your vampire tell you we attacked for no reason and his totally innocent coven —”
“No；” I interrupted。 “Edward told me the same story； just without quite as many details。”
“Huh；” Jacob said under his breath； and he bent over to pick up a rock from among the millions of
pebbles at our feet。 With a casual flick； he sent it flying a good hundred meters out into the bay。 “Well； she’ll
be back； I guess。 We’ll get another shot at her。”
I shuddered； of course she would be back。 Would Edward really tell me next time？ I wasn’t sure。 I’d
have to keep an eye on Alice； to look for the signs that the pattern was about to repeat。 。 。 。
Jacob didn’t seem to notice my reaction。 He was staring across the waves with a thoughtful expression on
his face； his broad lips pursed。
“What are you thinking about？” I asked after a long； quiet time。
“I’m thinking about what you told me。 About when the fortune…teller saw you cliff jumping and thought
you’d committed suicide； and how it all got out of control。 。 。 。 Do you realize that if you had just waited for
me like you were supposed to； then the bl — Alice wouldn’t have been able to see you jump？ Nothing would
have changed。 We’d probably be in my garage right now； like any other Saturday。 There wouldn’t be any
vampires in Forks； and you and me 。 。 。” He trailed off； deep in thought。
It was disconcerting the way he said this； like it would be a good thing to have no vampires in Forks。 My
heart thumped unevenly at the emptiness of the picture he painted。
“Edward would have come back anyway。”
“Are you sure about that？” he asked； belligerent again as soon as I spoke Edward’s name。
“Being apart 。 。 。 It didn’t work out so well for either of us。”
He started to say something； something angry from his expression； but he stopped himself； took a breath；
and began again。
“Did you know Sam is mad at you？”
“Me？” It took me a second。 “Oh。 I see。 He thinks they would have stayed away if I wasn’t here。”
“No。 That’s not it。”
“What’s his problem then？”
Jacob leaned down to scoop up another rock。 He turned it over and over in his fingers； his eyes were
rivet