Chapter Text
“River, how are you not worried?”
River looked to his left, where Bella was walking through the opening in the woods, the moonlight washing over them. He looked forward again, eyes getting heavy. Still, he didn’t think he would be able to sleep even if he was at home during this ungodly hour. He was glad he had his jumper. The cold would certainly be an issue without it–especially since he didn’t think he’d ever see his jacket again.
“Have you just not been paying attention the past few months?” River asked. “Of course I’m worried, but it’s always one thing after the other. If I took everything to heart I think I would explode.”
“So what, your plan is to dissociate your way through every problem?” Bella said.
“For now, yes,” River said. Easier said than done, though. His fears would always seep through, no matter how much he repressed them. “Better than suffering more.”
“Relax, you two,” Edward chimed in from ahead. “This is going to be easy. The newborns will be completely taken by surprise. They’ll have no idea that werewolves even exist. I’ve seen how they act in a group, the way Jasper remembers. I truly believe that the wolves’ hunting techniques will work flawlessly against them. And with them divided and confused, there won’t be enough for the rest of us to do. Someone might have to sit out.” He said that last part teasingly, to try and lift the mood.
“Because vampires and werewolves get along so well,” Bella mumbled.
“If it bothers you this much, why don’t I take you back home?” Edward offered.
“No,” Bella answered. “I’m coming.”
After the party, Edward took them back to their house, but neither one of them felt comfortable staying at home when two groups of supernatural beings that hated each other and were also important to the teens would be meeting. Their parents were already asleep, so they got changed and Edward carried them through the woods at top speed. He stopped not far from the area, and now they were walking through the large open field, towards the other Cullens. It took River a few moments to realise that it was the baseball clearing. That was the last “relaxing” day they had with the vampires before everything fell apart. River felt strange being here again, to say the least.
“River looks pretty tired to me,” Edward said.
“As if I could sleep right now,” River answered.
“You know what,” Bella said in a new thoughtful voice, “I think it’s all connected. Not just the two, but all three.”
Both Edward and River glanced at her in confusion.
“What are you talking about?” River asked. Clearly, the clearing had also reminded Bella of their unfortunate encounter with Victoria and her now dead companions.
Bella held up a hand, ticking off her points with a finger each. “The newborns in Seattle. The stranger in our house. And Victoria.”
Edward frowned. “It wasn’t Victoria in your house.”
“She can’t make new friends? Think about it. If it is Victoria doing this in Seattle, she’s made a lot of new friends. She’s created them.”
There was no hard evidence to prove that Victoria was the one behind everything, but it did make more sense the more River thought about it. He thought it might be Caius, but this didn’t feel like something the Volturi would plan, despite their lack of interference so far. Both the Volturi and Victoria had very reasonable theories for creating this army. Edward confirmed his thoughts.
“It’s possible. I still think the Volturi are most likely–especially Caius. But your theory–there’s something there. She’s tried so hard to get to you both so far, and this plot would put her in no danger at all from us, if she sits safely behind and lets the newborns wreak their havoc here. And maybe little danger from the Volturi, either. Perhaps she’s counting on us to win, in the end, though certainly not without heavy casualties of our own. But no survivors from her little army to bear witness against her. In fact, if there were survivors, I’d bet she’d be planning to destroy them herself… Still, she’d have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature. No fresh-made newborn left your parents alive…” Edward nodded to himself, smiling at Bella. “Definitely possible. Regardless, we’ve got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure.”
Bella sighed. “Maybe I’m just reacting to this place. It makes me feel like she’s close by.”
“She’ll never lay a finger on either of you. I promise,” Edward said sternly.
“I just want everything to finally be over. I can’t take much more of this,” River said.
“If Victoria is behind this, then there’s a possibility we can end things for good this time,” Edward said reassuringly. “If I get a chance, I’ll take it.”
“Are you two joining our practice?” Emmett asked jokingly when they caught up with everyone. It seemed like no matter what, Emmett could never take a situation seriously. River wasn’t really complaining, though. Less misery to go around.
“Yeah, so you better watch out,” River answered. Carlisle watched him silently, obviously wanting to ask if he was alright, but River had made it fairly obvious he was sick of people asking him that, as it just made him more angry. Carlisle respected that.
“When will our guests arrive?” he asked Edward.
Edward concentrated for a moment. “A minute and a half. But I’m going to have to translate. They don’t trust us enough to use their human forms.”
Carlisle nodded. “This is hard for them. I’m grateful they’re coming at all.”
River couldn’t really say he was surprised, he just hoped there wouldn’t be a repeat of the Emmett and Paul incident. They waited for the wolves to arrive, but River was surprised when he counted ten of them stalking through the treeline. Last time he checked, he thought there were only eight after Seth and Leah.
Carlisle took a slow step forward. “Welcome.”
“Thank you,” Edward responded in a flat tone. The words had obviously come from Sam. River’s eyes landed on the giant black wolf standing ahead of the others. It was almost impossible to see in the darkness. Edward continued. “We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control.”
“That is more than enough,” Carlisle answered. “My son Jasper has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are defeated. I’m sure you can apply this to your own hunting style.”
“They are different from you?” Edward asked for Sam.
Carlisle nodded. “They are all very new–only months old to this life. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you–it shouldn’t be difficult. The numbers may go down. The newborns fight amongst themselves.
“Do you know when and how they’ll arrive?”
“They’ll come across the mountains in around two days, in the afternoon. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path,” Carlisle explained.
“Thank you for the information. We will watch.”
Jasper stepped up. “Carlisle’s right. They’ll fight like children. The two most important things you’ll need to remember are, first, don’t let them get their arms around you and, second, don’t go for the obvious kill. That’s all they’ll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they’ll be too confused to respond effectively.”
Then started the duels. Emmett went up first, all cocky and raring to fight as always, just to end up on the ground three times over. River could barely even see the fight as it happened, as both Emmett and Jasper were moving at top speed. He was sure the wolves could see it though, and obviously that was all that mattered.
Up next was Alice. Unlike Emmett, she didn’t seem to try and make big flashy moves. She merely made slight movements whenever Jasper lunged or swung at her, using her foresight to evade every attack with as little effort as possible. In the end, she came out on top, playfully kissing Jasper, who smiled at her.
Then Edward. The fight went about as much as River expected. Jasper had experience, but Edward could read his mind, so neither of them managed to really land any blows on the other, and it ended in a draw.
The rest of the vampires–Carlisle, Rosalie and Esme–had their turns. It got to a point where it all just blurred together for River, and he didn’t pay it too much attention. The wolves' sharp eyes never left the vampires, though, picking up on everything.
After a decent amount of time had passed, Jasper turned back to the wolves. “We’ll be doing this tomorrow. You are welcome to observe again.”
“Yes,” Edward answered in Sam’s voice. Bella was slouching slightly, probably feeling tired. River was also feeling pretty tired now–more than before. “We’ll be here.” Then Edward sighed. “The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents–so they don’t make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it would make it easier for them.”
“Certainly,” Carlisle said to Sam. “Whatever you need.”
There was a gloomy, throaty grumble from the wolf pack as they all rose to their feet. As they approached, it was possible for River to make out the colours and differentiate each one–the ones he had seen before, anyway.
Sam was in the lead, of course. He approached Carlisle, the pack on his tail. Jasper stiffened, but Emmett, on the other side of Carlisle, was grinning and relaxed. Sam sniffed at Carlisle, seeming to wince slightly as he did. Then he moved onto Jasper and the next wolf took its turn.
River eyes landed on the familiar russet-brown wolf. His stance was casual, somehow exuding nonchalance over what the rest obviously considered an ordeal.
The wolf seemed to feel River’s gaze, and he looked over at him with those brown eyes. River stared back with a reserved expression. He did say he would consider talking to Jacob after graduation, and he supposed the guy deserved some answers at the very least, rather than radio silence. Jacob did want to talk, anyway.
The wolf’s muzzle fell open, pulling back over his teeth. It would have been a frightening expression, except that his tongue lolled out the side in a wolfy grin. Bella giggled and a soft smile snuck its way onto River’s face. Jacob’s grin widened over his sharp teeth. He left his place in the line, ignoring the eyes of the pack as they followed him. He trotted past Edward and Alice to stand not two feet away from Bella and River. He stopped there, his gaze flickering briefly towards Edward. Edward stood motionless, making no move to stop Jacob. Jacob crouched down on his front legs so that his face was no higher than Bella’s, staring at her, measuring her response.
“I’m not mad about that anymore,” Bella said, obviously talking about the kiss. She reached out and brushed her hand through the fur on top of his head for a few seconds. Jacob seemed to like that, and Bella smiled, looking at River. “Feel his fur.”
Jacob eased back from Bella, looking at River. He still didn’t know where they stood, but he waited for River’s response.
Maybe it was the tiredness, but River didn’t really care much about anything at the moment.
“Okay.”
Jacob shifted towards him with slow, cautious movements, before dropping in front of him. River reached out, brushing his against the fur on the side of Jacob’s face. His brown eyes closed, and he leaned his huge head into River’s hand. A thrumming sound resonated in his throat. Maybe the fact that this form didn’t truly feel like Jacob helped River deal with being so close. It felt like he was interacting with a wolf more than Jacob.
The fur was soft and warm against River’s skin. He ran his fingers through it curiously, learning the texture, stroking his neck where the colour deepened. Jacob seemed to take River’s passive behaviour positively, as he moved forward and licked River’s face from chin to hairline. That woke him up fully.
“Gross, Jake!” River complained, jumping back and smacking at Jacob. Jacob dodged out of the way, and the coughing bark that came through his teeth was obviously laughter. River wiped his face on the sleeve of his jumper.
It was only at that point that he realised everyone was watching them, the Cullens and the werewolves–the Cullens with perplexed and somewhat disgusted expressions. It was hard to read the wolves’ faces, but River thought Sam looked unhappy.
Edward still looked critical, but he kept whatever he was thinking to himself. He already wasn’t fond of Jacob, but even less so after what happened with Bella.
The other wolves were backing away now, not taking their eyes off the Cullens as they departed. Jacob stood by the teens, watching them go.
“Ready to go?” Edward asked them, but before they could answer, he sighed and looked at Jacob. “I’ve not quite figured out all the details yet,” he said, answering a question in Jacob’s thoughts.
The Jacob-wolf grumbled sullenly.
“It’s more complicated than that,” Edward said. “Don’t concern yourself.”
“What are you talking about?” Bella asked. River watched, confused.
“Just discussing strategy,” Edward said.
Jacob’s head swiveled back and forth, looking at their faces. Then, suddenly, he bolted for the forest. As he darted away, River noticed a square of folded black fabric secured to his back leg.
“Where’s he going?” The question slipped from River’s lips.
“He’s coming back,” Edward said. He sighed. “He wants to be able to talk for himself.”
River frowned. He didn’t want to do this now. He was hoping for like a day or two to prepare, and also get some sleep.
After a couple of seconds, Jacob bounded back into view, on two legs this time, wearing nothing but his cargo shorts. He was alone now, but the other wolves surely wouldn’t stray too far until Jacob rejoined them.
It didn’t take him long to cross the field, though he stayed clear of the Cullens, who stood talking quietly in a loose circle.
“Okay, bloodsucker,” Jacob said when he was a few feet away from them, “what’s so complicated about it?”
“I have to consider every possibility,” Edward said. “What if someone gets by you?”
Jacob scoffed at the idea. “Okay, so leave them on the reservation. We’re making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. They’ll be safe there.”
River groaned in annoyance. “You’re talking about us. Okay.”
“I just want to know what he plans to do with you guys during the fight,” Jacob explained.
“Do with us?” Bella repeated.
“You can’t stay in Forks,” Edward answered in a pacifying way. “They know where to look for you both there. What if someone slipped by us?”
“So what about our parents?” River said.
“They’ll be with Billy and Sue,” Jacob assured him quickly. “If my dad has to commit a murder to get them there, he’ll do it. It probably won’t take much, though. It’s this Saturday, right? There’s a game.”
“This Saturday?” Bella asked in disbelief. River laughed dryly, pressing his hands to his head. It really felt like the universe was testing him. Bella reached for his shoulder but he moved away.
“Don’t.”
She sighed and hugged herself tightly. Jacob looked confused once again, probably making a new mental note to add to the long list in his head.
“But what about keeping them in La Push?” Jacob asked.
“Bella’s been back and forth too much recently,” Edward said. “They share a scent, and it will be all over the place. They need to be somewhere hard to find.”
Jacob gestured to the deep forest east of them, to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains.
“So hide them here,” he suggested. “There’s a million possibilities–places either of us could be in just a few minutes if there’s a need.”
Edward shook his head. “Their scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried them, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with their scent, it would catch the newborns’ attention. Alice isn’t sure exactly which path they’ll take, because they don’t know yet. If they crossed the scent before they found us…”
Jacob and Edward both grimaced at the same time.
“You see the difficulties.”
“There has to be a way to make it work,” Jacob muttered. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “Wait, my scent disgusts you, right?”
“Hmm, not bad.” Edward was two steps ahead. “It’s possible.” He turned towards the Cullens. “Jasper?”
Jasper looked up curiously. He walked over to them.
“Okay, Jacob.” Edward nodded at him.
Jacob turned towards the teens. His gaze lingered on Bella for a couple of seconds before it drifted to River. Jacob’s expression was a strange mixture of emotion that River couldn’t decipher.
“What?” River asked defensively.
“We’re going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail,” Jacob explained.
“I don’t follow.”
“You’re going to have to let him carry you, River,” Edward said.
River frowned. Bella stepped forward.
“I can do it if you don’t want to,” she offered, concerned. Edward didn’t hide his distaste for that idea.
Jacob clenched his fists at his side, before relaxing. He looked more determined now. “I’d prefer it be River.”
Because he wants to talk…
River couldn’t really deny Jacob without making things difficult for everyone else. He also didn’t want to look like a whining child, so he caved.
“Fine,” he mumbled. He moved towards Jacob, planning to go around to his back. Jacob stopped him. River looked at him confused.
“What’s the issue–”
He was interrupted when Jacob crouched down and slipped an arm under his legs, the other on his back, and easily picked him up. He grabbed onto Jacob’s shoulder instinctively.
“Seriously?” River hissed.
Jacob didn’t say anything as he turned away from the others and paced swiftly into the woods. River also stayed silent as the dark closed around them. He was uncomfortable in Jacob’s arms. It felt too intimate–surely Jacob didn’t need to hold him so tightly. It was also the first time River had been this close to Jacob since that day on the cliff’s edge. But he was distracted back then. Now, he could entirely feel the warmth coming from Jacob’s firm body. River wasn’t small–he was still about Jacob’s height, and he had some muscle–a little more than the average 18-year-old. So it felt strange to have someone pick him up like he was made of styrofoam. River tried to avoid looking at Jacob directly–their faces were already so close. River’s heart was beating hard against his chest, which he was certain Jacob could hear. He cursed himself internally, trying not to tighten his grip around Jacob’s neck, which would give away his discomfort. It wasn’t hard to guess that Jacob didn’t share that discomfort–at least at this part. Their coming conversation was sure to be uncomfortable.
Jacob cleared his throat, tightening his arms slightly. “So, about the last few… well, weeks…” He seemed to struggle to find his words for a couple seconds before he settled on something. “What did I do to make you hate me?”
River kept his gaze fixed on the dark ahead of them. He sighed. “I don’t hate you.”
“Really? Because you won’t even look at me.”
River swallowed before looking around at Jacob, who was watching him back.
Too close.
River’s heart was hammering against his chest. Jacob’s face was clear enough in the moonlight for River to see it fully. His eyes held many emotions. The main ones seemed to be confusion and pain.
“That’s not because I hate you,” River said.
“So what then?” Jacob pressed, but now there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Do you like me?”
River stayed silent, but that was answer enough for Jacob.
“I can tell now–from your heart; I make you nervous.” Jacob’s tone was almost prideful. “I just… thought it was a negative response before, since you avoided me like the plague.”
River shook his head. “Well it’s… not.”
Jacob seemed to subconsciously hold River closer to his body, almost possessively. “I wish I’d known this sooner. It could have made things so much easier.”
River frowned. “How? You literally confessed that you love Bella and kissed her.”
Jacob’s guilty expression was back. “Yes, I love her but I… I love you, too. I told you, my feelings around you both are so confusing. I care for you both, but it made things harder. Not as hard as when you started avoiding me, though. That’s why I did it.”
River almost got whiplash from Jacob’s sudden confession that he seemed to move on from just as quickly.
“After you and Bella ran off to Italy, I was hurt. And it only got worse after that. It felt like you two were slowly slipping away from me, and that scared me. It became real fear once I thought you hated me, and I didn’t even know why. And then Bella told me that she’s becoming a vampire after graduation.” Jacob grimaced again. “It was at that moment I realised the possibility that I would lose both of you was so real–I needed to do something. So I got desperate, and when Bella came down again, I laid it all out for her. She didn’t immediately shut me down–probably because she just didn’t know what to say–and I was looking for any positive response that my mind took that as a sign to kiss her. Obviously, it was a stupid decision, and I regret it.”
River’s heart sank now, after hearing all of that along with Jacob’s confession.
“You don’t love me Jacob,” River said. “You just think you do.”
Jacob frowned. “What are you talking about? If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that.”
“No, you really don’t.”
“And how would you know? Do you love me?”
“I don’t… I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore, let alone how deep my feelings for you are. It’s all just too much.”
“You’re not making any sense, explain,” Jacob said.
“It’s a long story,” River said. “But… Bella and I share more than just the same scent. Our… souls are the same. You said you felt a strange pull right? And with your confusing feelings–all of that started after you phased. It’s because of me, because of this stupid crap I’ve been forced to deal with. You don’t really see me. You see Bella, and your inner wolf gets confused.”
Jacob blinked. “You need to tell me more than that.”
“Like I said, it’s a long story. We won’t be out here for very long.” Jacob sensed River’s eagerness to get this over and done with.
“Yeah, okay. Maybe you’re right in the sense that a lot of this confusing stuff only popped up after I phased, but you’re still wrong.” Jacob’s eyes softened. “I liked you before I phased.”
Now River was the surprised one. “What? Since when?”
Jacob smiled softly, recalling a memory. “Do you remember that time you, Bella, your parents and Harry’s family came by for dinner? And we all sat outside?”
River thought for a moment. “Uh… yeah, I think so.”
“I can’t remember what we were talking about, but I think I mentioned to Dad that you played the guitar, and then Julie said something about you being desirable with girls. Everyone laughed, but that comment rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t know why at first, but then I realised, I cared. I cared about the idea of you being with someone, anyone that wasn’t… me.”
Jacob chuckled awkwardly. He seemed embarrassed. “That was a lot for me to take in at the time. I’d never been interested in a guy before, and it left me wondering where our relationship stood, since I also liked Bella. But like Bella, I wasn’t sure I had much of a chance of you liking me back, since you’re both older than me and would probably be interested in people in your grade. Still, it didn’t take me long to become okay with the idea of us three just being friends, even though I did want more. I thought that, as long as no one else had either of you, I could be happy with our friend group.” Jacob sighed. “Yeah, I know–that’s pretty selfish, but I couldn’t help it. Then, obviously, the whole werewolf thing happened and just made everything make even less sense. But the point is–no matter if the wolf thinks you are Bella, I still liked you on your own.”
“But… you still love Bella,” River repeated, not really knowing what else to say.
“Yes, but I love you as well,” Jacob said confidently.
River was beyond embarrassed. All of this could have been solved if he stopped being so scared and just talked to Jacob. “I’m so unbelievably stupid.”
“You’re not,” Jacob said. “You’re cool, funny, handsome, and I always feel at home with you. At least before the recent weeks. But you don’t hate me, right? You might love me?”
River was getting flustered from Jacob’s straightforwardness. “I don’t… I mean… I wouldn’t be surprised if I did. I’ve just been too caught up in my mental gymnastics and jumping to conclusions to think about anything else.”
“You’re not stupid,” Jacob reassured him. “I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s probably similar to me, right? Do you remember when you and Bella came to confront me on the beach after finding out I was a werewolf? Do you remember what I said about jumping to conclusions?”
River did remember that, because it explained his situation perfectly.
“It was just hard to believe things would go smoothly, when the chances of them going wrong were much higher.”
He nodded. “Yeah. It does feel like that.”
“But we’ve cleared that up, so… could we try?” Jacob asked. “I mean, a relationship.”
River’s expression morphed into one of longing. He really wanted to. But they weren’t out of the woods yet–figutarively speaking, in this sense, even though it could also be taken in a physical context. Yes, they had cleared this misunderstanding up, but River still had his colossal load of baggage and uncertainty about his future and Jacob’s situation with Bella. But right now, more than anything, River was most scared of Jacob finding out that he would also become a vampire. There was no way he would take that well.
River was pulled out of his thoughts when he realised Jacob’s face was even closer to his than it had been this whole time, and he realised Jacob was going to kiss him. River quickly brought his gaze down, and Jacob’s lips instead landed on his forehead. River felt like his head was burning after Jacob pulled away–it was a strange tingling sensation.
“Are you going to make a habit out of kissing people without their permission?” River asked.
Jacob frowned. “Did I read the situation wrong again? The way you were looking at me, I thought… you wanted it.”
River sighed. “I do. Really, I do, but not like this. You still love Bella. And whether or not you really love me just as much, you can’t tell me that there isn’t even a small part of you that sees this as a distraction from the pain you feel about her.” Jacob didn’t say anything. River continued. “I’m not angry. But I don’t want that to be the foundation for… whatever is going on now.”
“I don’t know what to do about her,” Jacob said. “I was hoping you could help me move on, but I get it.” They were quiet for a few moments as Jacob travelled. It looked like he had already turned around again at some point, heading back to the clearing, but River hadn’t paid enough attention to their surroundings to be sure. He could practically see the cogs turning in Jacob’s head. “Well, if I try to solve this myself, do you think you could wait for me?”
River nodded before leaning his head against Jacob’s shoulder. “Yeah. I don’t care how long it takes, as long as when we do start anything, it isn’t because you’re using me as a distraction. I’ve had enough suffering already.” River frowned again though. Would Jacob even still want to pursue anything if he knew River would eventually become a vampire? Maybe River would find a solution before that, though. He hoped, anyway. He didn’t have much hope left, but he really wanted this one thing if nothing else. He wanted to stay human.
Jacob tightened his arms around River. “Tell me what’s wrong. I don’t want you to suffer–let me help you.”
“Like I said, not now. We need a lot more time for that discussion. It won’t be pleasant, anyway…”
Jacob bit the inside of his cheek as he examined River the best he could without disturbing him, trying to decipher his inner turmoil. His eyes lingered on the wolf necklace, a feeling of pride passing through him. “How long has… whatever’s going on been going on for? Is anyone helping you?”
“Please just… let me relax for now. I’m tired and… you’re warm.” River had fully leaned into Jacob’s body by now. His mind was a flurry of emotions as it usually was these days. Despite all the things he would still have to iron out with Jacob, he was more happy than anything else. Because no matter what was going on around them–what would be going down very, very soon–for this very moment, he could relish in the warmth, wrapped up in Jacob’s arms. He could hear that rumbling in Jacob’s chest again. It was definitely a happy noise, then. He wondered if Jacob was conscious of it, or if it was his inner wolf speaking in a way.
“Okay,” Jacob said softly. “You can sleep if you’re tired. I don’t mind.”
They didn’t speak for the rest of the trip, even when Jacob pressed a soft kiss to the top of River’s head. They broke through the clearing again, and they soon regrouped with the others. Bella seemed to notice the tone shift immediately, a soft smile playing on her face. River looked around until his eyes landed on Jasper and Edward.
“Well?”
Jasper hummed. “As long as you don’t touch anything, I can’t imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to that trail to catch yours or Bella’s scent. It’s almost completely obscured.”
“A definite success,” Alice said.
“And it gave me an idea,” Edward started.
“Which will work,” Alice finished confidently.
Edward nodded. “Clever.”
Jacob scoffed. “How do you guys stand that?” He directed that at Bella and River.
River smiled, elbowing him lightly. “You can leave if it bothers you that much.”
Jacob looked at him, subconsciously tightening his grip. “No, I’m fine here.”
River raised an eyebrow. “You can also put me down now. My legs do work.”
“Are you sure you aren’t tired?” Jacob asked.
“I’m not going to fall over if you put me down.”
“What’s so funny?”
They looked at Bella, who had spoken to Edward. He was smiling, but shook his head, eyes flickering to Jacob.
“Sorry, it’s nothing.”
Jacob glared at him. “Stay out of my head.”
“I wasn’t trying to pry, your thoughts right now are just… very loud.”
River pushed away from Jacob, and Jacob set him down. He hoped Jacob wasn’t thinking anything embarrassing about him.
“Okay, so… what’s the plan?” he asked.
“Well, you and Bella are going to leave a false trail to the clearing. The newborns are hunting, your scent will excite them, and they’ll come exactly the way we want them to. Alice can already see this will work. When they catch our scent, they’ll split up and try to come at us from two sides. Half will go through the forest, where her vision suddenly disappears…”
“Yes!” Jacob exclaimed.
River only felt worse about Jacob being in danger now.
“Not a chance,” Edward said suddenly, his voice disgusted.
“I know, I know,” Jasper answered quickly. “I didn’t even consider it, not really.” Alice waited expectantly.
“If Bella and River were actually there in the clearing,” Jasper explained to her, “it would drive the newborns insane. They wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything but the two of them. It would make picking off the newborns truly easy…” Edward’s glare had Jasper backtracking. “Of course it’s too dangerous. It was just an errant thought.”
“Not a chance I’d let that happen anyway,” Jacob said in a threatening tone.
Jasper held up his hands before backing off to join the rest of the Cullens.
“Jasper looks at things from a military perspective,” Edward explained. “He looks at all the options. It’s thoroughness, not callousness.”
River shrugged. “It doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.”
Both Edward and Jacob’s faces morphed into ones of disgust. It was almost amusing to see them agree on something so completely.
“No.”
“Drop it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine.”
Bella clearly didn’t want to sit out if there was a chance that she and River could help, but she held her tongue for now. Edward got back to business.
“I’ll bring them here later–this afternoon to lay the false trail. You can meet us afterwards, and carry them to a place I know. Perhaps get another wolf as well? Unless you can carry them both at the same time.”
“I could, but it would be harder to make sure I keep their scent off our surroundings. I’ll just carry them one at a time, I don’t need any help,” Jacob said.
“Fine. You do that, and then afterwards I’ll find another route there.”
Jacob raised an eyebrow. “And then what, leave them with nothing but their phones?”
“You have a better idea?”
Jacob looked smug. “Actually, I do.”
“Huh… not bad at all.”
“Let’s remember not everyone here can read minds,” Bella interrupted.
Jacob turned to look at her. He was still standing pretty close to River, who backed up slightly to get a better view. “We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two. He’s still too young, but he’s stubborn and resistant. So I thought of a new assignment for him–communication. As long as he’s in his wolf form, he’ll be connected to the pack.”
“Distance isn’t a problem?” Edward asked. He was surely seeing the answer in Jacob’s head, but Jacob still explained for River and Bella.
“Farthest we’ve gone to experiment is three-hundred miles. Still clear as a bell.”
“It’s a good idea.” Edward seemed reluctant to admit that. “I’ll feel better with Seth there, even without the instantaneous communication. To think it’s come to this, though! Trusting werewolves!”
“Fighting with vampires instead of against them!” Jacob mirrored Edward’s tone of disgust.
“Well, you still get to fight against some of them,” Edward said.
Jacob smiled. “That’s the reason we’re here.” He looked off towards the treeline suddenly, then sighed. “Time to go. The pack has a lot to discuss.”
“We’ll be here later today,” Edward said–River wondered how long they had until the sun came up again.
Jacob gave a noise of agreement, sending one last glance at Bella and River before making his way towards the edge of the clearing. It was only once he had disappeared that Bella spoke.
“So, what happened?”
“I mean, it went well enough,” River said. “It’s so annoying, when things turn out to be way off what I was thinking.”
“Has he moved on from… me?” Bella asked cautiously.
River sighed. “Like I said. Well enough. For now, anyway.”