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twisted up at the seaward end； like a hundred brittle tentacles。 I couldn't be sure that it was the same tree
where Jacob and I had had our first conversation—a conversation that had begun so many different；
tangled threads of my life—but it seemed to be in about the same place I sat down where I'd sat before；
and stared out across the invisible sea。
Seeing Jacob like that—innocent and vulnerable in sleep—had stolen all my revulsion； dissolved all my
anger。 I still couldn't turn a blind sye to what was happening； like Billy seemed to； but I couldn't condemn
Jacob for it either。 Love didn't work that way； I decided。 Once you cared about a person； it was
impossible to be logical about them anymore。 Jacob was my friend whether he killed people or not。 And
I didn't know what I was going to do about that。
When I pictured him sleeping so peacefully； I felt an overpowering urge to protect him。 Completely
illogical。
Illogical or not； I brooded over the memory his peaceful face； trying to come up with some answer； some
way to shelter him； while the sky slowly turned gray。
〃Hi；Bella。〃
Jacob's voice came from the darkness and made me jump。 It was soft； almost shy； but I'd been expecting
some forewarning from the noisy rocks； and so it still startled me。 I could see his silhouette against the
coming sunrise—it looked enormous。
〃Jake？〃
He stood several paces away； shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously。
〃Billy told me you came by—didn't take you very long； did it？ I knew you could figure it out。〃
〃Yeah； I remember the right story now；〃 I whispered。
It was quiet for a long moment and； though it was still too dark to see well； my skin prickled as if his eyes
were searching my face。 There must have been enough light for him to read my expression； because
when he spoke again； his voice was suddenly acidic。
〃You could have just called；〃 he said harshly。
I nodded。 〃I know。〃
Jacob started pacing along the rocks。 If I listened very hard； I could just hear the gentle brush of his feet
on the rocks behind the sound of the waves。 The rocks had clattered like castanets for me。
〃Why did you come？〃 he demanded； not halting his angry stride。
〃I thought it would be better face…to…face。〃
He snorted。 〃Oh； much better。〃
〃Jacob； I have to warn you—〃
〃About the rangers and the hunters？ Don't worry about it。 We already know。〃
〃Don't worry about it？〃 I demanded in disbelief。 〃Jake； they've got guns！ They're setting traps and
offering rewards and—〃
〃We can take care of ourselves；〃 he growled； still pacing。 〃They're not going to catch anything。 They're
only making it more difficult—they'll start disappearing soon enough； too。〃
〃Jake！〃 I hissed。
〃What？ It's just a fact。〃
My voice was pale with revulsion。 〃How can you… feel that way？ You know these people。 Charlie's out
there！〃 The thought made my stomach twist。
He came to an abrupt stop。 〃What more can we do？〃 he retorted。
The sun turned the clouds a slivery pink above us。 I could see his expression now； it was angry；
frustrated； betrayed。
〃Could you… well； try to not be a… werewolf？〃 I suggested in a whisper。
He threw his hands up in the air。 〃Like I have a choice about it！〃 he shouted。 〃And how would that help
anything； if you're worried about people disappearing？〃
〃I don't understand you。〃
He glared at me； his eyes narrowing and his mouth twisting into a snarl。 〃You know what makes me so
mad I could just spit？〃
I flinched away from his hostile expression。 He seemed to be waiting for an answer； so I shook my head。
〃You're such a hypocrite； Bella—there you sit； terrified of me！ How is that fair？〃 His hands shook with
anger。
〃Hypocrite？ How does being afraid of a monster make me a hypocrite？〃
〃Ugh！〃 he groaned； pressing his trembling fists to his temples and squeezing his eyes shut。 〃Would you
listen to yourself？〃
〃What？〃
He took two steps toward me； leaning over me and glaring with fury。 〃Well； I'm so sorry that I can't be
the right kind of monster for you； Bella。 I guess I'm just not as great as a bloodsucker； am I？〃
I jumped to my feet and glared back。 〃No； you're not！〃 I shouted。 〃It's not what you are； stupid； it's what
you do！〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 He roared； his entire frame quivering with rage。
I was taken entirely by surprise when Edward's voice cautioned me。 〃Be very careful； Bella；〃 his velvet
voice warned。 〃Don't push him too far。 You need to calm him down。〃
Even the voice in my head was making no sense today。
I listened to him； though。 I would do anything for that voice。
〃Jacob；〃 I pleaded； making my tone soft and even。 〃Is it really necessary to kill people； Jacob？ Isn't there
some other way？ I mean； if vampires can find a way to survive without murdering people； couldn't you
give it a try； too？〃
He straightened up with a jerk； like my words had sent an electric shock through him。 His eyebrows shot
up and his eyes stared wide。
〃Killing people？〃 he demanded。
〃What did you think we were talking about？〃
He wasn't trembling anymore。 He looked at me with half…hopeful disbelief。 〃I thought we were talking
about your disgust for werewolves。〃
〃No； Jake； no。 It's not that you're a… wolf。 That's fine；〃 I promised him； and I knew as I said the words
that I meant them。 I really didn't care if he turned into a big wolf—he was still Jacob。 〃If you could just
find a way not to hurt people… that's all that upsets me。 These ate innocent people； Jake； people like
Charlie； and I can't just look the other way while you—〃
〃Is that all？ Really？〃 he interrupted me； a smile breaking across his face。 〃You're just scared because I'm
a murderer？ That's the only reason？〃
〃Isn't that reason enough？〃
He started to laugh。
〃Jacob Black； this is so notfunny！〃
〃Sure； sure；〃 he agreed； still chortling。
He took one long stride and caught me in another vice…tight bear hug。
〃You really； honestly don't mind that I morph into a giant dog？〃 he asked； his voice joyful in my ear。
〃No；〃 I gasped。 〃Can't—breathe—Jake！〃
He let me go； but took both my hands。 〃I'm not a killer； Bella。〃
I studied his face； and it was clear that this was the truth。 Relief pulsed through me。
〃Really？〃 I asked。
〃Really；〃 he promised solemnly。
I threw my arms around him。 It reminded me of that first day with the motorcycles—he was bigger；
though； and I felt even more like a child now。
Like that other time； he stroked my hair。
〃Sorry I called you a hypocrite；〃 he apologized。
〃Sorry I called you a murderer。〃
He laughed。
I thought of something then； and pulled away from him so that I could see his face。 My eyebrows
furrowed in anxiety。 〃What about Sam？ And the others？〃
He shook his head； smiling like a huge burden had been removed from his shoulders。 〃Of course not。
Don't you remember what we call ourselves？〃
The memory was clear—I'd just been thinking of that very day。 〃Protectors？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃But I don't understand。 What's happening in the woods？ The missing hikers； the blood？〃
His face was serious； worried at once。 〃We're trying to do our job； Bella。 We're trying to protect them；
but we're always just a little too late。〃
〃Protect them from what？ Is there really a bear out there； too？〃
〃Bella； honey； we only protect people from one thing—our one enemy。 It's the reason we exist—because
they do。〃
I stared at him blankly for one second before I understood。 Then the blood drained from my face and a
thin； wordless cry of horror broke through my lips。
He nodded。 〃I thought you； of all people； would reali2e what was really going on。〃
〃Laurent；〃 I whispered。 〃He's still here。〃
Jacob blinked twice； and cocked his head to one side。 〃Who's Laurent？〃
I tried to sort out the chaos in my head so that I could answer。 〃You know—you saw him in the
meadow。 You were there…〃 The words came out in a wondering tone as it all sunk in。 〃You were there；
and you kept him from killing me…〃
〃Oh； the black…haired leech？〃 He grinned； a tight； fierce grin。 〃Was that his name？〃
I shuddered。 〃What were you thinking？〃 I whispered。 〃He could have killed you！ Jake； you don't realize
how dangerous—〃
Another laugh interrupted me 〃Bella； one lone vampire isn't much of a problem for a pack as big as ours。
It was so easy； it was hardly even fun！〃
〃What was so easy？〃
〃Killing the bloodsucker who was going to kill you。 Now； I don't count that towards the whole murder
thing；〃 he added quickly。 〃Vampires don't count as people。〃
I could only mouth the words。 〃You… killed… Laurent？〃
He nodded。 〃Well； it was a group effort；〃 he qualified。
〃Laurent is dead？〃 I whispered。
His expression changed。 〃You're not upset about that； are you？ He was going to kill you—he was going
for the kill； Bella； we were sure of that before we attacked。 You know that； right？〃
〃I know that。 No； I'm not upset—I'm…〃 I had to sit down。 I stumbled back a step until I felt the
driftwood against my calves； and then sank down onto it。 〃Laurent is dead。 He's not coming back for