Charlie and Tess were still watching the film, some romantic comedy with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo about a ghost and how she wasn’t dead but in a coma and they needed to save her and such, completely unaware of what had just happened. As Edward and I walked into the living-room, Charlie turned away from the screen. The worry was still in his eyes and I knew I wouldn’t see it leave for quite some time.
“What was that about?” he asked me. Tess turned around when he spoke and she smiled up at me. I saw no concern in her eyes.
“There’s something we need to tell you, Charlie,” Edward said. “Something important.”
Tess glanced at Charlie, silently communicating with him, and then looked at me. I raised my eyebrows, a sign that she should leave. She understood. She quickly kissed Charlie on the cheek and stood up.
“I’ll leave bạn three to talk,” she đã đưa ý kiến before disappearing from the room. Charlie made to stand but I moved faster and sat down tiếp theo to him. Edward hovered behind me.
“What’s going on?” Charlie sensed something was wrong. “Is the wedding off?”
I shook my head. How did I explain it to him? A quick ‘you’re going to die soon’ hoặc a ‘I’m very sorry to inform bạn of your impending death’ attached with an explanation?
“Are bạn pregnant?” Charlie asked, looking completely shocked. “Is that why bạn were so upset the other day? Why bạn were so attached to Kyo?”
I shook my head laughing.
“No Dad,” I said. “I’m not pregnant.”
I couldn’t help but feel immense sadness at the fact I couldn’t get pregnant. My smile faltered and I looked down at my hands, tears welling up in my eyes. I felt Edward’s hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him and saw my own sadness in his eyes. His lips were pressed together in a fine line and I didn’t want to know what he was thinking now.
“It’s nothing to do with the wedding,” Edward said, still looking at me.
I hadn’t been careful with my thoughts.
“Then what is it?”
“Mitchell is going to kill us.” I spoke so fast I didn’t think Charlie had understood me until his face went deathly white. His mouth dropped open and his eyes unfocused.
“Not only me and you,” I spoke on ignoring the way he had reacted to the first piece. “But Edward too.”
He still hadn’t spoken. I think he was in shock. I glanced at Edward who only tightened his grip on my shoulder. I looked back at Charlie who closed his mouth and focused on me.
“Mitchell wouldn’t hurt anyone,” Charlie said, shaking his head. “He is my friend. Why would he hurt us?”
He was denying it just like I had. He had to believe it hoặc we would all die.
“I had a vision,” I told him. “I saw myself die, I saw bạn die and I saw Edward die.”
He continually shook his head, unwilling to believe his friend would try to murder us. Mitchell was his friend and he’d stuck bởi Charlie. He had helped save my life and Charlie’s so why would he hurt us? It was insane to think these things of Mitchell who seemed so sweet and caring but it would be dangerous not to.
“Zach told me,” I explained. “Mitchell killed Loretta and hurt Zach and Kyo. Zach đã đưa ý kiến that he’d been warped bởi grief and that he blamed him for a part in Loren’s death. He blames me too.”
bạn couldn’t not understand what was going on in Mitchell’s mind. Although I didn’t like that he was out for revenge, bạn could see why. Loren, despite his evilness, was his father and, dictator hoặc not, Mitchell obviously loved him. He was willing to bring him down, even kill him, but he wasn’t expecting the amount of pain it caused. I didn’t see it and I’m certain Charlie didn’t either. No one can predict what happens tiếp theo when a loved one dies.
“But bạn didn’t kill Loren,” Charlie said. “I did.”
“But I did it first,” I reminded him. “I killed him with the gun and it was just a fluke that he came back again. Don’t forget that if Loren hadn’t tried to murder me bạn wouldn’t have gone after him.”
Charlie was silent for a moment but I knew the anger was building up in him. It bubbled up and overflowed and Charlie shot up angrily.
“You shouldn’t be paying for this!” he shouted. “Again, my actions are hurting you!”
I stood up to and took his hand, trying to calm him.
“Listen to me,” I said. “This will not turn out like I saw. We will stop him before he even tries it.”
Charlie nodded vigorously.
“Of course we will. We need strategies and plans. We need thêm help.”
I nodded and pulled out my cell phone.
“That’s why I have a chó sói, sói on speed dial.”

It was difficult to find a place to meet with the pack. The Cullens wanted to be involved with everything and the Người sói obviously needed thêm information other than ‘Alice and I had visions Charlie, Edward and I were going to die. We need help’. At first Sam insisted we meet at La Push. When I explained the Cullens were coming that idea was out the window. Carlisle suggested his house but Sam đã đưa ý kiến they weren’t allowed on the Cullens’ territory.
“Can’t we just forget the treaty for a couple of hours,” I đã đưa ý kiến in frustration. “Charlie’s and Edward’s lives are at risk here.”
“And yours,” Jacob đã đưa ý kiến quietly. “Don’t forget about yourself.”
I sighed. How could I forget about my life? It was my fault we were asking the Người sói and ma cà rồng to work together again. They were mortal enemies. They should be having fights and biting each other’s limbs off. They shouldn’t be getting together to discuss battle plans to fight some enemy that wasn’t theirs. The ma cà rồng were the only enemy of the wolves. They shouldn’t be fighting to keep a vampire alive. But would they really? I doubt they would. They would only protect me and Charlie. Edward was not a priority in their case.
“Yes, Jacob,” I said. “I won’t.”
“Hold on a một phút Kay,” he đã đưa ý kiến and I heard the sound of his hand covering the mouth piece. I waited patiently, my thoughts wandering back to Edward. I had let my guard slip. I’d let him hear the yearning I had for a child of my own. But it was only a phase. It would pass and I wouldn’t want babies. I was only young. I didn’t have the maternal instinct yet.
“Kay?”
“Mmm?” I said, discarding the hình ảnh of copper haired em bé from my mind.
“Sam đã đưa ý kiến he will forget the treaty and we’ll meet at the Cullens.”
“Great,” I đã đưa ý kiến but I didn’t feel so great. Now that the Người sói were actually coming to the meeting and were now involved I couldn’t help but feel fearful for them.
“I’ll guess I’ll see bạn later then,” Jacob said.
“Yeah, but wait,” I said. Something was nagging at me. I knew there was a boy in the pack who wasn’t as old as Jacob. Jacob turned eighteen this năm with me. Although his body was still sixteen from when he’d first phased. But I was sure there was someone in the pack who was Nữ hoàng băng giá at fifteen.
“Yeah?”
“Who’s that boy that’s like a năm younger than you?”
“Oh Seth?” Jacob sounded surprised I’d mentioned him.
“Yeah, how old is he?”
“Seventeen now, but technically fifteen because he’s stopped ageing.”
So I was right. I hoped there was no one younger than him. I had to know.
“Is there anyone younger?”
“A few new wolves, some about fourteen. But don’t worry.” Jacob sensed that from me. “They are thêm than capable to take care of themselves.”
“Okay,” I gulped. “I’ll see bạn later.”
I snapped the cell phone shut, feeling that I may have sentenced a couple of kids to death.

Only a few Người sói came to the meeting. They sat in their human form around a huge bàn in the dining room. Carlisle sat at one end of the bàn with Esme standing behind him. Edward sat on his right and I tiếp theo to him. Jasper sat across from Edward and Alice across from me. Surprisingly, Rosalie sat tiếp theo to me and Emmett across from her. She patted my leg gently and smiled warmly at me. I was beginning to feel worried again. Sam sat at the opposite end with Jacob on his right and another wolf, Paul, on his left. I was surprised to see a girl amongst the wolves. I didn’t know that girls had the chó sói, sói gene. Edward introduced her as Leah Clearwater. Leah was the older sister of Seth, the chó sói, sói I’d asked Jacob about. Seth sat across from his sister, another chó sói, sói named Jared tiếp theo to Leah and then Charlie across from Jared. Tess had insisted on being at the meeting. I didn’t want her to be there. This was just between us and the Người sói and the Cullens but Charlie let her come. She was a part of the family now, he had said. She has every right to be there to help protect us, he had said. She wants to help, he had said. She hovered behind Charlie, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders. The Cullens already knew Tess. Apparently she visited them often. I didn’t like that. The chó sói, sói pack didn’t like another addition to the vampire side but didn’t say anything mean to her. Sam introduced his pack and Carlisle introduced his family and Tess and then everyone turned to me.
“Jacob đã đưa ý kiến bạn had the most detailed vision,” Sam said. He stared at me intensely with dark eyes and I almost shrank back in my seat. “Can bạn explain it to us?”
I hesitated for a moment. I didn’t want to explain it again. It was horrible. My own death, Charlie’s death. Mitchell laughing as he revealed his crossed fingers and then tossing the match onto the wood. Edward being burned alive, his screams of pain. I closed my eyes for a second, took a deep breath and then as quickly as possible, relayed my vision for them.
Sam was thoughtful for a moment and I saw some of the pack look uneasy. They didn’t like the fact Mitchell could kill them with one hand. I saw Tess’ hands grip into Charlie’s shoulders. Her face was tense and her vàng eyes looked set to kill. Charlie patted her hand and she eased her grip.
“Why do bạn need all of us?” Leah asked suddenly. Her eyes were cold as she sought me out. “It’s only one man.”
“But a powerful man,” Charlie said. “You heard how he killed us. If he can do that with a simple motion, imagine what power he possesses.”
“Jenzis are like Charlie and I,” I đã đưa ý kiến to Leah. “They’re not sorcerers. Sorcerers are limited to only enchantments and spells but Jenzis can do a lot more. Mesmerising, shimmering, telepathy, telekinesis and thêm than bạn can dream. Even I am not at my full potential yet and I have some pretty powerful abilities.”
I demonstrated bởi lifting the bàn with my mind. Seth looked impressed and Jared nudged Paul. Leah looked away, trying to hide her amazement with a bored stare.
“So what do bạn intend to do?” Sam asked me.
“I thought that if we just waited for Mitchell to come here, then it would be on our territory and we could somehow have control. They are thêm of us than him and I doubt he would bring an army with him to kill only me. My dad is an added bonus and I think Edward would be safe. It seemed he only killed Edward because he was there.”
“I wanted to go and find him,” Alice said. “But I think Kayla is right. If we wait for him instead of rushing to kill him then it means we have thêm time to prepare and that could be an advantage.”
“Wait, what?” I said, staring at Alice. “Kill him?”
“Well what did bạn think we would do?” Jasper asked, smiling.
“Smack his hand and send him to the naughty step?” Emmett laughed. “Be serious Kayla. They guy is going to murder bạn without a một giây thought.”
But I didn’t want him to die. Mitchell wasn’t thinking straight. He was insane. I didn’t want him to be killed because he was grieving over his father.
Edward held my hand and made soothing circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. He knew what I was thinking; he knew I was panicking at the thought of Mitchell being killed. Wasn’t there another way?
“There is no other way,” Sam đã đưa ý kiến as if he could read my mind. “You must understand that if we don’t kill him first then it leaves bạn and Charlie at risk.”
“Death cannot be the only solution,” I insisted. “Can’t bạn just kidnap him and scare him into leaving us alone?”
Paul laughed this time and Leah looked at me with amusement in her eyes.
“Are bạn stupid?” she said, her voice mocking me. “Scaring him will do nothing. According to your vision he is not someone that is scared easily. According to bạn he laughed when he left your leech to burn. As would I for that matter.”
I stood up angrily. How dare she insult my future family like that?! I wanted to go over and cái tát, đánh đập, smack her stupid face and hiển thị her just how powerful we were and then see how she’d like to face a Jenzi.
“How about bạn come down here and say that?!” I said, threateningly. “I’ll hiển thị bạn just how powerful I am.”
Leah stood up too and she started to shake. Apparently she couldn’t fight anyone unless she was a wolf. Tess’s head turned sharply towards Leah and I heard a low snarl escape her lips. Charlie placed his hands on hers and watched her worriedly. He whispered something to her but she ignored him. Sam placed a hand on her arm.
“Calm down Leah,” he đã đưa ý kiến but Jasper beat him to it. Edward tugged on my hand but I was already seated and my anger gone thanks to Jasper. Tess had calmed down too and she began to play with Charlie’s fingers.
“Thank you,” Sam said, smiling up at Jasper. Jasper nodded and Carlisle cleared his throat.
“Moving on,” he said, quickly. “Does anyone have any ideas they’d like to share?”
He looked at each person in turn but no one spoke until his eyes fell upon Leah. She stood up and looked directly at me.
“I think we should leave,” she said. “Let her deal with it. It’s her problem, why should we be involved?”
I guess I’d made yet another enemy. Then again, she hadn’t seemed too keen on helping in the first place. I was about to stand up and defend myself when Rosalie stood up. I looked at Tess knowing she would not be happy about this. If the Người sói didn’t help me it also included Charlie and she was furious about it. Her hands had left Charlie’s shoulders and were balled up in fists. Her face pictured how angry she was and if Leah wasn’t careful she would be leaving a limb missing.
“Maybe bạn should leave,” Rosalie said, looking down on Leah. “You obviously have no humanity in your pathetic mongrel body. If bạn hadn’t noticed, three people’s lives are at risk. The fact that two people have had a vision of their death only increases the risk. If you’re not willing to save them, which your job is to protect at least two of these people, then leave my house now.”
Leah was speechless for a một giây before she regained her composure.
“I protect two of the people from vampires, not some mad Jenzi.”
“It shouldn’t matter who the threat is,” Tess spat at her. “You should be willing to help regardless.”
I only just realised how alike Leah and Rosalie were. If these two were to fight, there would be no winner. They were both determined and strong-willed. Both would never back down in a fight and would see it to the end. They could be sisters.
“Girls, please,” Esme said. “No arguments. We should be concentrating on formulating a plan to save the lives of Edward, Kayla and Charlie. Now sit.”
Rosalie sat down and with a last look of hatred at Leah Tess returned her hands to Charlie’s shoulders. Charlie looked up at her and smiled and her face softened. Surprisingly Leah sat down as well. I was beginning to think this was going to go nowhere. None of us could agree on anything. Leah didn’t want to waste her time protecting a vampire and thought that she shouldn’t protect us because it wasn’t a vampire who was going to kill us. Most of the pack was worried about facing Mitchell because of the ease at which he killed me and Charlie. Rosalie made it clear she did not like Leah and if we couldn’t work together then we would die.
Jacob stood up slowly and looked at Charlie.
“I will protect bạn and Kayla,” he said. “Even if it is on my own. Kayla is my best friend and you’re like a một giây father to me. I will not let some sociopath end her life hoặc yours.”
I smiled at Jacob and he smiled lopsidedly back at me. Then he turned to Edward.
“I will also protect bạn because I know Kayla cannot survive without you. I have seen the way she looks at you, I know your tình yêu is thêm than just bloodlust. I know bạn tình yêu her thêm than life itself and she the same. It wouldn’t be right if bạn two were not together.”
Oh. My. God. I stared at Jacob. I was thêm than shocked hoặc stunned. I thought I was dreaming. Jacob had just đã đưa ý kiến he would protect Edward. I knew Jacob didn’t like Edward, it was thêm than just the enemy hate thing. But he was literally vowing to protect Edward for me. Wow.
Edward frowned for a moment. He too was unsure of what he was hearing and seeing. Then he got to his feet and walked over to Jacob. He held out one white hand and Jacob took it.
“Thank you,” Edward said. “I don’t know if I will ever be able to repay bạn for this unimaginable deed bạn are doing for me but I will find a way.”
Carlisle clapped his hands together, applauding Jacob.
“Do bạn see the way Jacob has so easily put aside his differences?” Carlisle said. “I think we should all do the same. We will vow to protect each other and Kayla, Charlie and Edward. If all of us are looking out for each other there is no way any casualties will happen.”
“Carlisle is right,” Sam said, looking at each of his pack in turn. His eyes lingered on Leah and she sighed heavily. “We will do as Jacob did and put aside the treaty. From now on we are Những người bạn with the Cullens. We will protect them and they will protect us.”
The pack nodded. Whether they wanted to hoặc not, Sam was Alpha so they had no choice but to agree. I wondered what it felt like. To have to do what someone says and not be able to fight it. It was like being on a leash. So really they were dogs.
Because of Jacob, and a little help from Jasper, everyone seemed thêm agreeable and spoke to each other with courtesy and not with heavy sarcasm hoặc threats. I remained silent as they thought up plans and made rotas about who protected us at what ngày and time. I just watched and listened and absorbed it all.
I wasn’t okay with how readily everyone was to put there lives at risk. It seemed as if the Cullens really didn’t care about what happened to them. Emmett for one was begging for a fight. bạn could feel that some of the pack, Jared for one, was uncomfortable about facing Mitchell. I was too. It scared me deeply how easy he could kill someone. I wanted to know who he had learned it from. Loren was dead so it wasn’t him. hoặc had Mitchell learned it from Loren before he’d died? If he had, then that time last năm when he really did want to kill me on orders from Loren, I’d had a death sentence over my head since the first time I’d looked into his piercing blue eyes.