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crooked。
The blood had already stopped； it looked like it had no source as it trickled down his lips and off his
chin。 He cussed； wincing as he pulled at the cartilage。
〃You are such a pain； Jacob。 I swear； I'd rather hang out with Leah。〃
〃Ouch。 Wow； I bet Leah's really going to love to hear that you want to spend some quality time with her。
It'll just warm the cockles of her heart。〃
〃You're going to forget I said that。〃
〃Of course。 I'm sure it won't slip out。〃
〃Ugh；〃 he grunted； and then settled back into the couch； wiping the leftover blood on the collar of his
tshirt。 〃You're fast； kid。I'll give you that。〃 He turned his attention back to the fuzzy game。
I stood there for a second； and then I stalked off to my room； muttering about alien abductions。
Back in the day； you could count on Paul for a fight pretty much whenever。 You didn't have to hit him
then—any mild insult would do。 It didn't take a lot to flip him out of control。 Now； of course； when I
really wanted a good snarling； ripping； breakthetreesdown match； he had to be all mellow。
Wasn't it bad enough that yet another member of the pack had imprinted—because； really； that made
four of ten now！ When would it stop？ Stupid myth was supposed to be rare； for crying out loud！ All this
mandatory loveatfirstsight was pletely sickening！
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Did it have to be my sister？ Did it have to be Paul？
When Rachel'd e home from Washington State at the end of the summer semester—graduated
early； the nerd—my biggest worry'd been that it would be hard keeping the secret around her。 I wasn't
used to covering things up in my own home。 It made me real sympathetic to kids like Embry and Collin；
whose parents didn't know they were werewolves。 Embry's mom thought he was going through some
kind of rebellious stage。 He was permanently grounded for constantly sneaking out； but； of course； there
wasn't much he could do about that。 She'd check his room every night； and every night it would be empty
again。 She'd yell and he'd take it in silence； and then go through it all again the next day。 We'd tried to
talk Sam into giving Embry a break and letting his mom in on the gig； but Embry'd said he didn't mind。
The secret was too important。
So I'd been all geared up to be keeping that secret。 And then； two days after Rachel got home； Paul ran
into her on the beach。 Bada bing； bada boom—true love！ No secrets necessary when you found your
other half； and all that imprinting werewolf garbage。
Rachel got the whole story。 And I got Paul as a brotherinlaw someday。 I knew Billy wasn't much
thrilled about it； either。 But he handled it better than I did。 'Course； he did escape to the Clearwaters'
more often than usual these days。 I didn't see where that was so much better。 No Paul； but plenty of
Leah。
I wondered—would a bullet through my temple actually kill me or just leave a really big mess for me to
clean up？
I threw myself down on the bed。 I was tired—hadn't slept since my last patrol—but I knew I wasn't
going to sleep。 My head was too crazy。 The thoughts bounced around inside my skull like a disoriented
swarm of bees。 Noisy。 Now and then they stung。 Must be hors； not bees。 Bees died after one sting。
And the same thoughts were stinging me
again and again。
This waiting was driving me insane。 It had been almost four weeks。 I'd expected； one way or another；
the news would have e by now。 I'd sat up nights imagining what form it would take。
Charlie sobbing on the phone—Bella and her husband lost in an accident。 A plane crash？ That would be
hard to fake。 Unless the leeches didn't mind killing a bunch of bystanders to authenticate it； and why
would they？ Maybe a small plane instead。 They probably had one of those to spare。
Or would the murderer e home alone； unsuccessful in his attempt to make her one of them？ Or not
even getting that far。 Maybe he'd smashed her like a bag of chips in his drive to get some？ Because her
life was less important to him than his own pleasure。。。
The story would be so tragic—Bella lost in a horrible accident。 Victim of a mugging gone wrong。
Choking to death at dinner。 A car accident； like my mom。 So mon。 Happened all the time。
Would he bring her home？ Bury her here for Charlie？ Closedcasket ceremony； of course。 My mom's
coffin had been nailed shut。。。
I could only hope that he'd e back here； within my reach。
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Maybe there would be no story at all。 Maybe Charlie would call to ask my dad if he'd heard anything
from Dr。 Cullen； who just didn't show up to work one day。 The house abandoned。 No answer on any of
the Cullens' phones。 The mystery picked up by some secondrate news program； foul play suspected。。。
Maybe the big white house would burn to the ground； everyone trapped inside。 Of course； they'd need
bodies for that one。 Eight humans of roughly the right size。 Burned beyond recognition—beyond the help
of dental records。
Either of those would be tricky—for me； that is。 It would be hard to find them if they didn't want to be
found。 Of course； I had forever to look。 If you had forever； you could check out every single piece of
straw in the haystack； one by one； to see if it was the needle。
Right now； I wouldn't mind dismantling a haystack。 At least that would be something to do。 I hated
knowing that I could be losing my chance。 Giving the bloodsuckers the time to escape； if that was their
plan。
We could go tonight。 We could kill every one of them that we could find。
I liked that plan because I knew Edward well enough to know that； if I killed any one of his coven； I
would get my chance at him； too。 He'd e for revenge。 And I'd give it to him—I wouldn't let my
brothers take him down as a pack。 It would be just him and me。 May the better man win。
But Sam wouldn't hear of it。 We're not going to break the treaty。 Let them make the breach。 Just
because we had no proof that the Cullens had done anything wron