“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？” he murmured； pitching his voice below the thrum of the
music。
“It’s related；” I admitted。
He processed that for a minute； leaning his head to one side while he read my face。 “You know something
you’re not telling me 。 。 。 something big。”
What was the point in lying again？ He knew me too well。 “Yes。”
Jacob stared at me for one short moment； and then turned to catch his pack brothers’ eyes where they
stood in the entry； awkward and uncomfortable。 When they took in his expression； they started moving；
weaving their way agilely through the partiers； almost like they were dancing； too。 In half a minute； they stood
on either side of Jacob； towering over me。
“Now。 Explain；” Jacob demanded。
Embry and Quil looked back and forth between our faces； confused and wary。
“Jacob； I don’t know everything。” I kept searching the room； now for a rescue。 They had me backed into
a corner in every sense。
“What you do know； then。”
They all folded their arms across their chests at exactly the same moment。 It was a little bit funny； but
mostly menacing。
And then I caught sight of Alice descending the stairs； her white skin glowing in the purple light。
“Alice！” I squeaked in relief。
She looked right at me as soon as I called her name； despite the thudding bass that should have drowned
my voice。 I waved eagerly； and watched her face as she took in the three werewolves leaning over me。 Her
eyes narrowed。
But； before that reaction； her face was full of stress and fear。 I bit my lip as she skipped to my side。
Jacob； Quil； and Embry all leaned away from her with uneasy expressions。 She put her arm around my
waist。
“I need to talk to you；” she murmured into my ear。
“Er； Jake； I’ll see you later 。 。 。 ；” I mumbled as we eased around them。
Jacob threw his long arm out to block our way； bracing his hand against the wall。 “Hey； not so fast。”
Alice stared up at him； eyes wide and incredulous。 “Excuse me？”
“Tell us what’s going on；” he demanded in a growl。
Jasper appeared quite literally out of nowhere。 One second it was just Alice and me against the wall；
Jacob blocking our exit； and then Jasper was standing on the other side of Jake’s arm； his expression
terrifying。
Jacob slowly pulled his arm back。 It seemed like the best move； going with the assumption that he wanted
to keep that arm。
“We have a right to know；” Jacob muttered； still glaring at Alice。
Jasper stepped in between them； and the three werewolves braced themselves。
“Hey； hey；” I said； adding a slightly hysterical chuckle。 “This is a party； remember？”
Nobody paid any attention to me。 Jacob glared at Alice while Jasper glowered at Jacob。 Alice’s face was
suddenly thoughtful。
“It’s okay； Jasper。 He actually has a point。”
Jasper did not relax his position。
I was sure the suspense was going to make my head explode in about one second。 “What did you see；
Alice？”
She stared at Jacob for one second； and then turned to me； evidently having chosen to let them hear。
“The decision’s been made。”
“You’re going to Seattle？”
“No。”
I felt the color drain out of my face。 My stomach lurched。 “They’re coming here；” I choked out。
The Quileute boys watched silently； reading every unconscious play of emotion on our faces。 They were
rooted in place； and yet not completely still。 All three pairs of hands were trembling。
“Yes。”
“To Forks；” I whispered。
“Yes。”
“For？”
She nodded； understanding my question。 “One carried your red shirt。”
I tried to swallow。
Jasper’s expression was disapproving。 I could tell he didn’t like discussing this in front of the werewolves；
but he had something he needed to say。 “We can’t let them come that far。 There aren’t enough of us to protect
the town。”
“I know；” Alice said； her face suddenly desolate。 “But it doesn’t matter where we stop them。 There still
won’t be enough of us； and some of them will come here to search。”
“No！” I whispered。
The noise of the party overwhelmed the sound of my denial。 All around us； my friends and neighbors and
petty enemies ate and laughed and swayed to the music； oblivious to the fact that they were about to face
horror； danger； maybe death。 Because of me。
“Alice；” I mouthed her name。 “I have to go； I have to get away from here。”
“That won’t help。 It’s not like we’re dealing with a tracker。 They’ll still come looking here first。”
“Then I have to go to meet them！” If my voice hadn’t been so hoarse and strained； it might have been a
shriek。 “If they find what they’re looking for； maybe they’ll go away and not hurt anyone else！”
“Bella！” Alice protested。
“Hold it；” Jacob ordered in a low； forceful voice。 “What is coming？”
Alice turned her icy gaze on him。 “Our kind。 Lots of them。”
“Why？”
“For Bella。 That’s all we know。”
“There are too many for you？” he asked。
Jasper bridled。 “We have a few advantages； dog。 It will be an even fight。”
“No；” Jacob said； and a strange； fierce half…smile spread across his face。 “It won’t be even。”
“Excellent！” Alice hissed。
I stared； still frozen in horror； at Alice’s new expression。 Her face was alive with exultation； all the despair
wiped clean from her perfect features。
She grinned at Jacob； and he grinned back。
“Everything just disappeared； of course；” she told him in a smug voice。 “That’s inconvenient； but； all things
considered； I’ll take it。”
“We’ll have to coordinate；” Jacob said。 “It won’t be easy for us。 Still； this is our job more than yours。”
“I wouldn’t go that far； but we need the help。 We aren’t going to be picky。”
“Wait； wait； wait； wait；” I interrupted them。
Alice was on her toes； Jacob leaning down toward her； both of their faces lit up with excitement； both of
their noses wrinkled against the smell。 They looked at me impatiently。
“Coordinate？” I repeated through my teeth。
“You didn’t honestly think you were going to keep us out of this？” Jacob asked。
“You are staying out of this！”
“Your psychic doesn’t think so。”
“Alice — tell them no！” I insisted。 “They’ll get killed！”
Jacob； Quil； and Embry all laughed out loud。
“Bella；” Alice said； her voice soothing； placating； “separately we all could get killed。 Together —”
“It’ll be no problem；” Jacob finished her sentence。 Quil laughed again。
“How many？” Quil asked eagerly。
“No！” I shouted。
Alice didn’t even look at me。 “It changes — twenty…one today； but the numbers are going down。”
“Why？” Jacob asked； curious。
“Long story；” Alice said； suddenly looking around the room。 “And this isn’t the place for it。”
“Later tonight？” Jacob pushed。
“Yes；” Jasper answered him。 “We were already planning a 。 。 。 strategic meeting。 If you’re going to fight
with us； you’ll need some instruction。”
The wolves all made a disgruntled face at the last part。
“No！” I moaned。
“This will be odd；” Jasper said thoughtfully。 “I never considered working together。 This has to be a first。”
“No doubt about that；” Jacob agreed。 He was in a hurry now。 “We’ve got to get back to Sam。 What
time？”
“What’s too late for you？”
All three rolled their eyes。 “What time？” Jacob repeated。
“Three o’clock？”
“Where？”
“About ten miles due north of the Hoh Forest ranger station。 Come at it from the west and you’ll be able
to follow our scent in。”
“We’ll be there。”
They turned to leave。
“Wait； Jake！” I called after him。 “Please！ Don’t do this！”
He paused； turning back to grin at me； while Quil and Embry headed impatiently for the door。 “Don’t be
ridiculous； Bells。 You’re giving me a much better gift than the one I gave you。”
“No！” I shouted again。 The sound of an electric guitar drowned my cry。
He didn’t respond； he hurried to catch up with his friends； who were already gone。 I watched helplessly as
Jacob disappeared。
18。 INSTRUCTION
“THAT HAD TO BE THE LONGEST PARTY IN THE HISTORY of the world；” I complained on the way home。
Edward