〃Oh。　Ugh。　Please；　Jacob。　You　think　I　should　kill　my　baby　and　replace　it　with　some　generic　substitute？
  Artificial　insemination？〃　She　was　mad　now。　〃Why　would　I　want　to　have　some　stranger's　baby？　I　suppose
  it　just　doesn't　make　a　difference？　Any　baby　will　do？〃
  〃I　didn't　mean　that；〃　I　muttered。　〃Not　a　stranger。〃
  She　leaned　forward。　〃Then　what　are　you　saying？〃
  〃Nothing。　I'm　saying　nothing。　Same　as　ever。〃
  〃Where　did　that　come　from？〃
  〃Forget　it；　Bella。〃
  She　frowned；　suspicious。　〃Did　he　tell　you　to　say　that？〃
  I　hesitated；　surprised　that　she'd　made　that　leap　so　quick。　〃No。〃
  〃He　did；　didn't　he？〃
  〃No；　really。　He　didn't　say　anything　about　artificial　whatever。〃
  Her　face　softened　then；　and　she　sank　back　against　the　pillows；　looking　exhausted。　She　stared　off　to　the
  side　when　she　spoke；　not　talking　to　me　at　all。　〃He　would　do　anything　forme。　And　I'm　hurting　him　so
  much。。。。　But　what　is　he　thinking？　That　I　would　trade　this〃—her　hand　traced　across　her　belly—〃for　some
  stranger's　。。。〃　She　mumbled　the　last　part；　and　then　her　voice　trailed　off。　Her　eyes　were　wet。
  〃You　don't　have　to　hurt　him；〃　I　whispered。　It　burned　like　poison　in　my　mouth　to　beg　for　him；　but　I　knew
  this　angle　was　probably　my　best　bet　for　keeping　her　alive。　Still　a　thousand…to…one　odds。　〃You　could
  make　him　happy　again；　Bella。　And　I　really　think　he's　losing　it。　Honestly；　I　do。〃
  She　didn't　seem　to　be　listening；　her　hand　made　small　circles　on　her　battered　stomach　while　she　chewed
  on　her　lip。　It　was　quiet　for　a　long　time。　I　wondered　if　the　Cullens　were　very　far　away。　Were　they　listening
  to　my　pathetic　attempts　to　reason　with　her？
  〃Not　a　stranger？〃　she　murmured　to　herself。　I　flinched。　〃What　exactly　did　Edward　say　to　you？〃　she　asked
  in　a　low　voice。
  〃Nothing。　He　just　thought　you　might　listen　to　me。〃
  〃Not　that。　About　trying　again。〃
  Her　eyes　locked　on　mine；　and　I　could　see　that　I'd　already　given　too　much　away。
  〃Nothing。〃
  Her　mouth　fell　open　a　little。　〃Wow。〃
  It　was　silent　for　a　few　heartbeats。　I　looked　down　at　my　feet　again；　unable　to　meet　her　stare。
  〃He　really　would　do　anything；　wouldn't　he？〃　she　whispered。
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  〃I　told　you　he　was　going　crazy。　Literally；　Bells。〃
  〃I'm　surprised　you　didn't　tell　on　him　right　away。　Get　him　in　trouble。〃
  When　I　looked　up；　she　was　grinning。
  〃Thought　about　it。〃　I　tried　to　grin　back；　but　I　could　feel　the　smile　mangle　on　my　face。
  She　knew　what　I　was　offering；　and　she　wasn't　going　to　think　twice　about　it。　I'd　known　that　she　wouldn't。
  But　it　still　stung。
  〃There　isn't　much　you　wouldn't　do　for　me；　either；　is　there？〃　she　whispered。　〃I　really　don't　know　why　you
  bother。　I　don't　deserve　either　of　you。〃
  〃It　makes　no　difference；　though；　does　it？〃
  〃Not　this　time。〃　She　sighed。　〃I　wish　I　could　explain　it　to　you　right　so　that　you　would　understand。　I　can't
  hurthim〃—she　pointed　to　her　stomach—〃any　more　than　I　could　pick　up　a　gun　and　shoot　you。　I　love
  him。〃
  〃Why　do　you　always　have　to　love　the　wrong　things；　Bella？〃
  〃I　don't　think　I　do。〃
  I　cleared　the　lump　out　of　my　throat　so　that　I　could　make　my　voice　hard　like　I　wanted　it。　'Trust　me。〃
  I　started　to　get　to　my　feet。
  〃Where　are　you　going？〃
  〃I'm　not　doing　any　good　here。〃
  She　held　out　her　thin　hand；　pleading。　〃Don't　go。〃
  I　could　feel　the　addiction　sucking　at　me；　trying　to　keep　me　near　her。
  〃I　don't　belong　here。　I've　got　to　get　back。〃
  〃Why　did　you　come　today？〃　she　asked；　still　reaching　limply。
  〃Just　to　see　if　you　were　really　alive。　I　didn't　believe　you　were　sick　like　Charlie　said。〃
  I　couldn't　tell　from　her　face　whether　she　bought　that　or　not。
  〃Will　you　come　back　again？　Before　。。。〃
  〃I'm　not　going　to　hang　around　and　watch　you　die；Bella。〃
  She　flinched。　〃You're　right；　you're　right。　You　should　go。〃
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  I　headed　for　the　door。
  〃Bye；〃　she　whispered　behind　me。　〃Love　you；　Jake。〃
  I　almost　went　back。　I　almost　turned　around　and　fell　down　on　my　knees　and　started　begging　again。　But　I
  knew　that　I　had　to　quitBella；　quit　her　cold　turkey；　before　she　killed　me；　like　she　was　going　to　kill　him。
  〃Sure；　sure；〃　I　mumbled　on　my　way　out。
  I　didn't　see　any　of　the　vampires。　I　ignored　my　bike；　standing　all　alone　in　the　middle　of　the　meadow。　It
  wasn't　fast　enough　for　me　now。　My　dad　would　be　freaked　out—Sam；　too。　What　would　the　pack　make
  of　the　fact　that　they　hadn't　heard　me　phase？　Would　they　think　the　Cullens　got　me　before　I'd　had　the
  chance？　I　stripped　down；　not　caring　who　might　be　watching；　and　started　running。　I　blurred　into　wolf
  mid…stride。
  They　were　waiting。　Of　course　they　were。
  Jacob；　Jake；eight　voices　chorused　in　relief。
  Come　homenow；　the　Alpha　voice　ordered。　Sam　was　furious。
  I　felt　Paul　fade　out；　and　i　knew　Billy　and　Rachel　were　waiting　to　hear　what　had　happened　to　me。　Paul
  was　too　anxious　to　give　them　the　good　news　that　I　wasn't　vampire　chow　to　listen　to　the　whole　story。
  I　didn't　have　to　tell　the　pack　I　was　on　my　way—they　could　see　the　forest　blurring　past　me　as　I　sprinted
  for　home。　I　didn't　have　to　tell　them　that　I　was　half…past　crazy；　either。　The　sickness　in　my　head　was
  obvious。
  They　saw　all　the　horror—Bella's　mottled　stomach；　her　raspy　voice；　he's　strong；　that's　all：　the　burning
  man　in　Edward's　face：　watching　her　sicken　and　waste　away。。。　seeing　it　hurting　her；　Rosalie　crouched
  over　Bella's　limp　body：　Bella's　life　means　nothing　to　her—　and　for　once；　no　one　had　anything　to　say。
  Their　shock　was　just　a　silent　shout　in　my　head。　Wordless。
  ////
  I　was　halfway　home　before　anyone　recovered。　Then　they　all　started　running　to　meet　me。
  It　was　almost　dark—the　clouds　covered　the　sunset　completely。　I　risked　darting　across　the　freeway　and
  made　it　without　being　seen。
  We　met　up　about　ten　miles　out　of　La　Push；　in　a　clearing　left　by　the　loggers。　It　was　out　of　the　way；
  wedged　between　two　spurs　of　the　mountain；　where　no　one　would　see　us。　Paul　found　them　when　I　did；　so
  the　pack　was　complete。
  The　babble　in　my　head　was　total　chaos。　Everyone　shouting　at　once。
  Sam's　hackles　were　sticking　straight　up；　and　he　was　growling　in　an　unbroken　stream　as　he　paced　back
  and　forth　around　the　top　of　the　ring。　Paul　and　Jared　moved　like　shadows　behind　him；　their　ears　flat
  against　the　sides　of　their　head。　The　whole　circle　was　agitated；　on　their　feet　and　snarling　in　low　bursts。
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  At　first　their　anger　was　undefined；　and　I　thought　I　was　in　for　it。　I　was　too　messed　up　to　care　about　that。
  They　could　do　whatever　they　wanted　to　me　for　circumventing　orders。
  And　then　the　unfocused　confusion　of　thoughts　began　to　move　together。
  How　can　this　be？　What　does　it　mean？　What　will　it　be？
  Not　safe。　Not　right。　Dangerous。
  Unnatural。　Monstrous。　An　abomination。
  We　can't　allow　it。
  The　pack　was　pacing　in　synchronization　now；　thinking　in　synchronization；　all　but　myself　and　one　other。　I
  sat　beside　whichever　brother　it　was；　too　dazed　to　look　over　with　either　my　eyes　or　my　mind　and　see　who
  was　next　to　me；　while　the　pack　circled　around　us。
  The　treaty　does　not　cover　this。
  This　puts　everyone　in　danger。
  I　tried　to　understand　the　spiraling　voices；　tried　to　follow　the　curling　pathway　the　thoughts　made　to　see
  where　they　were　leading；　but　it　wasn't　making　sense。　The　pictures　in　the　center　of　their　thoughts　were　my
  pictures—the　very　worst　of　them。　Bella's　bruises；　Edward's　face　as　he　burned。
  They　fear　it；　too。
  But　they　won't　do　anything　about　it
  Protecting　Bella　Swan。
  We　can't　let　that　influence　us。
  The　safety　of　our　families；　of　everyone　here；　is　more　important　than　one　human。
  If　they　won't　kill　it；　we　have　to。
  Protect　the　tribe。
  Protect　our　families。
  We　have　to　kill　it　before　it's　too　late。
  Another　of　my　memories；　Edward's　words　this　time：　The　thing　is　growing。　Swiftly。
  I　struggled　to　focus；　to　pick　out　individual　voices。
  No　time　to　waste；Jared　thought。
  It　will　mean　a　fight；Embry　cautioned。　A　bad　one。
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  Were　ready；Paul　insisted。
  Well　need　surprise　on　our　side；Sam　thought。
  If　we　catch　them　divided；　we　can　take　them　down　separately。　It　will　increase　our　chances　of　victory；
  Jared　thought；　starting　to　strategize　now。
  I　shook　my　head；　rising　slowly　to　my　feet。　1　felt　unsteady　there—like　the　circling　wolves　were　making
  me　dizzy。　The　wolf　beside　me　got　up；　too。　His　shoulder　pushed　against　mine；　propping　me　up。
  Wai