abruptly　to　the　left。　I　was　afraid　to　look　away　from　him；　to　follow　his　glance；　though　he　hardly　needed　a
  distraction　or　any　other　trick　to　overpower　me。　I　was　too　amazed　to　feel　relief　when　he　started　slowly
  backing　away　from　me。
  〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　he　said；　his　voice　so　low　that　I　barely　heard　it。
  I　had　to　look　then。　My　eyes　scanned　the　meadow；　searching　for　the　interruption　that　had　extended　my　life
  by　a　few　seconds。　At　first　I　saw　nothing；　and　my　gaze　flickered　back　to　Laurent。　He　was　retreating　more
  quickly　now；　his　eyes　boring　into　the　forest。
  Then　I　saw　it；　a　huge　black　shape　eased　out　of　the　trees；　quiet　as　a　shadow；　and　stalked　deliberately
  toward　the　vampire。　It　was　enormous—as　tall　as　a　horse；　but　thicker；　much　more　muscular。　The　long
  muzzle　grimaced；　revealing　a　line　of　dagger…like　incisors。　A　grisly　snarl　rolled　out　from　between　the　teeth；
  rumbling　across　the　clearing　like　a　prolonged　crack　of　thunder。
  The　bear。　Only；　it　wasn't　a　bear　at　all。　Still；　this　gigantic　black　monster　had　to　be　the　creature　causing　all
  the　alarm。　From　a　distance；　anyone　would　assume　it　was　a　bear。　What　else　could　be　so　vast；　so
  powerfully　built？
  I　wished　I　were　lucky　enough　to　see　it　from　a　distance。　Instead；　it　padded　silently　through　the　grass　a
  mere　ten　feet　from　where　I　stood。
  〃Don't　move　an　inch；〃　Edward's　voice　whispered。
  I　stared　at　the　monstrous　creature；　my　mind　boggling　as　I　tried　to　put　a　name　to　it。　There　was　a　distinctly
  canine　cast　to　the　shape　of　it；　the　way　it　moved。　I　could　only　think　of　one　possibility；　locked　in　horror　as　I
  was。　Yet　I'd　never　imagined　that　a　wolf　could　get　so　big。
  Another　growl　rumbled　in　its　throat；　and　I　shuddered　away　from　the　sound。
  Laurent　was　backing　toward　the　edge　of　the　trees；　and；　under　the　freezing　terror；　confusion　swept
  through　me。　Why　was　Laurent　retreating？　Granted；　the　wolf　was　monstrous　in　size；　but　it　was　just　an
  animal。　What　reason　would　a　vampire　have　for　fearing　an　animal？　And　Laurent　was　afraid。　His　eyes　were
  wide　with　horror；　just　like　mine。
  As　if　in　answer　to　my　question；　suddenly　the　mammoth　wolf　was　not　alone。　Flanking　it　on　either　side；
  another　two　gigantic　beasts　prowled　silently　into　the　meadow。　One　was　a　deep　gray；　the　other　brown；
  neither　one　quite　as　tall　as　the　first。　The　gray　wolf　came　through　the　trees　only　a　few　feet　from　me；　its
  eyes　locked　on　Laurent。
  Before　I　could　even　react；　two　more　wolves　followed；　lined　up　in　a　V；　like　geese　flying　south。　Which
  meant　that　the　rusty　brown　monster　that　shrugged　through　the　brush　last　was　close　enough　for　me　to
  touch。
  I　gave　an　involuntary　gasp　and　jumped　back—which　was　the　stupidest　thing　I　could　have　done。　I　froze
  again；　waiting　for　the　wolves　to　turn　on　me；　the　much　weaker　of　the　available　prey。　I　wished　briefly　that
  Laurent　would　get　on　with　it　and　crush　the　wolf　pack—it　should　be　so　simple　for　him。　I　guessed　that；
  between　the　two　choices　before　me；　being　eaten　by　wolves　was　almost　certainly　the　worse　option。
  The　wolf　closest　to　me；　the　reddish　brown　one；　turned　its　head　slightly　at　the　sound　of　my　gasp。
  The　wolf's　eyes　were　dark；　nearly　black。　It　gazed　at　me　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　the　deep　eyes　seeming
  too　intelligent　for　a　wild　animal。
  As　it　stared　at　me；　I　suddenly　thought　of　Jacob—again；　with　gratitude。　At　least　I'd　come　here　alone；　to
  this　fairytale　meadow　filled　with　dark　monsters。　At　least　Jacob　wasn't　going　to　die；　too。　At　least　I
  wouldn't　have　his　death　on　my　hands。
  Then　another　low　growl　from　the　leader　caused　the　russet　wolf　to　whip　his　head　around；　back　toward
  Laurent。
  Laurent　was　staring　at　the　pack　of　monster　wolves　with　unconcealed　shock　and　fear。　The　first　I　could
  understand。　But　I　was　stunned　when；　without　warning；　he　spun　and　disappeared　into　the　trees。
  He　ran　away。
  The　wolves　were　after　him　in　a　second；　sprinting　across　the　open　grass　with　a　few　powerful　bounds；
  snarling　and　snapping　so　loudly　that　my　hands　flew　up　instinctively　to　cover　my　ears。　The　sound　faded
  with　surprising　swiftness　once　they　disappeared　into　the　woods。
  And　then　I　was　alone　again。
  My　knees　buckled　under　me；　and　I　fell　onto　my　hands；　sobs　building　in　my　throat。
  I　knew　I　needed　to　leave；　and　leave　now。　How　long　would　the　wolves　chase　Laurent　before　they
  doubled　back　for　me？　Or　would　Laurent　turn　on　them？　Would　he　be　the　one　that　came　looking？
  I　couldn't　move　at　first；　though；　my　arms　and　legs　were　shaking；　and　I　didn't　know　how　to　get　back　to
  my　feet。
  My　mind　couldn't　move　past　the　fear；　the　horror　or　the　confusion。　I　didn't　understand　what　I'd　just
  witnessed。
  A　vampire　should　not　have　run　from　overgrown　dogs　like　that。　What　good　would　their　teeth　be　against
  his　granite　skin？
  And　the　wolves　should　have　given　Laurent　a　wide　berth。　Even　if　their　extraordinary　size　had　taught　them
  to　fear　nothing；　it　still　made　no　sense　that　they　would　pursue　him。　I　doubted　his　icy　marble　skin　would
  smell　anything　like　food。　Why　would　they　pass　up　something　warmblooded　and　weak　like　me　to　chase
  after　Laurent？
  I　couldn't　make　it　add　up。
  A　cold　breeze　whipped　through　the　meadow；　swaying　the　grass　like　something　was　moving　through　it。
  I　scrambled　to　my　feet；　backing　away　even　though　the　wind　brushed　harmlessly　past　me。　Stumbling　in
  panic；　I　turned　and　ran　headlong　into　the　trees。
  The　next　few　hours　were　agony。　It　took　me　three　times　as　long　to　escape　the　trees　as　it　had　to　get　to　the
  meadow。
  At　first　I　paid　no　attention　to　where　I　was　headed；　focused　only　on　what　I　was　running　from　By　the　time　I
  collected　myself　enough　to　remember　the　compass；　I　was　deep　in　the　unfamiliar　and　menacing　forest。　My
  hands　were　shaking　so　violently　that　I　had　to　set　the　compass　on　the　muddy　ground　to　be　able　to　read　it。
  Every　few　minutes　I　would　stop　to　put　the　compass　dowr　and　check　that　I　was　still　heading　northwest；
  hearing—when　the　sounds　weren't　hidden　behind　the　frantic　squelching　of　my　footsteps—the　quiet
  whisper　of　unseen　things　moving　in　the　leaves。
  The　call　of　a　jaybird　made　me　leap　back　and　fall　into　a　thick　stand　of　young　spruce；　scraping　up　my　arms
  and　tangling　my　hair　with　sap。　The　sudden　rush　of　a　squirrel　up　a　hemlock　made　me　scream　so　loud　it
  hurt　my　own　ears。
  At　last　there　was　a　break　in　the　trees　ahead。　I　came　out　onto　the　empty　road　a　mile　or　so　south　of　where
  I'd　left　the　truck。　Exhausted　as　I　was；　I　jogged　up　the　lane　until　I　found　it。　By　the　time　I　pulled　myself　into
  the　cab；　I　was　sobbing　again。　I　fiercely　shoved　down　both　stiff　locks　before　I　dug　my　keys　out　of　my
  pocket。　The　roar　of　the　engine　was　comforting　and　sane。　It　helped　me　control　the　tears　as　I　sped　as　fast
  as　my　truck　would　allow　toward　the　main　highway。
  I　was　calmer；　but　still　a　mess　when　I　got　home。　Charlie's　cruiser　was　in　the　driveway—I　hadn't　realized
  how　late　it　was。　The　sky　was　already　dusky。
  〃Bella？〃　Charlie　asked　when　I　slammed　the　front　door　behind　me　and　hastily　turned　the　locks。
  〃Yeah；　it's　me。〃　My　voice　was　unsteady。
  〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　thundered；　appearing　through　the　kitchen　doorway　with　an　ominous
  expression。
  I　hesitated。　He'd　probably　called　the　Stanleys。　I'd　better　stick　to　the　truth。
  〃I　was　hiking；〃　I　admitted。
  His　eyes　were　tight。　〃What　happened　to　going　to　Jessica's？〃
  〃I　didn't　feel　like　Calculus　today。〃
  Charlie　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest。　〃I　thought　I　asked　you　to　stay　out　of　the　forest。〃
  〃Yeah；　I　know。　Don't　worry；　I　won't　do　it　again。〃　I　shuddered。
  Charlie　seemed　to　really　look　at　me　for　the　first　time。　I　remembered　that　I　had　spent　some　time　on　the
  forest　floor　today；　I　must　be　a　mess。
  〃What　happened？〃　Charlie　demanded。
  Again；　I　decided　that　the　truth；　or　part　of　it　anyway；　was　the　best　option。　I　was　too　shaken　to　pretend
  that　I'd　spent　an　uneventful　day　with　the　flora　and　fauna。
  〃I　saw　the　bear。〃　I　tried　to　say　it　calmly；　but　my　voice　was　high　and　shaky。　〃It's　not　a　bear；　though—it's
  some　kind　of　wolf。　And　there　are　five　of　them。　A　big　black　one；　and　gray；　and　reddish…brown…〃
  Charlie's　eyes　grew　round　with　horror。　He　strode　quickly　to　me　and　grabbed　the　tops　of　my　arms。
  〃Are　you　okay？〃
  My　head　bobbed　in　a　weak　nod。
  〃Tell　me　what　happened。〃
  〃They　didn't　pay　any　attention　to　me。　But　aftet　they　were　gone；　I　ran　away　and　I　fell　down　a　lot。〃
  He　let　go　of　my　shoulders　and　wrapped　his　arms　around　me。　For　a　long　moment；　he　didn't　say　anything。
  〃Wolves；〃　he　murmured。
  〃What？〃
  〃The　rangers　said　the　tracks　were　wrong　for　a　bear—but　wolves　just　don't　get　that　big…〃
  〃These　were　huge。〃
  〃How　many　did　you　say　you　saw？〃
  〃Five。〃
  Charlie　shook　his　head；　frowning　with　anxiety；　He　finally　spoke　in　a　tone　that　allowed　no　argument。　〃No
  morehiking。〃
  〃No　problem；〃　I　promised　fervently。
  Charlie　called　the　station　to　report　what　I'd　seen。　I　fudged　a　little　bit　about　where　exactly　I'd　seen　the
  wolves—claiming　I'd　been　on　the　trail　that　led　to　the　north。　I　didn't　want　my　dad　to　know　how　deep　I'd
  gone　into　the　forest　against　his　wishes；　and；　more　importantly；　I　didn't　want　anyone　wandering　near　where
  Laurent　might　be　s