straight line — unavoidable； implacable； but predictable。 Maybe it was wrong to limit her that way。 She had to
be capable of adaptation。
“You know what I think？” I asked Edward。
He laughed。 “No。”
I almost smiled。
“What do you think？”
“I think it’s all connected。 Not just the two； but all three。”
“You’ve lost me。”
“Three bad things have happened since you came back。” I ticked them off on my fingers。 “The newborns
in Seattle。 The stranger in my room。 And — first of all — Victoria came to look for me。”
His eyes narrowed as he thought about it。 “Why do you think so？”
“Because I agree with Jasper — the Volturi love their rules。 They would probably do a better job
anyway。” And I’d be dead if they wanted me dead； I added mentally。 “Remember when you were tracking
Victoria last year？”
“Yes。” He frowned。 “I wasn’t very good at it。”
“Alice said you were in Texas。 Did you follow her there？”
His eyebrows pulled together。 “Yes。 Hmm 。 。 。”
“See — she could have gotten the idea there。 But she doesn’t know what she’s doing； so the newborns
are all out of control。”
He started shaking his head。 “Only Aro knows exactly how Alice’s visions work。”
“Aro would know best； but wouldn’t Tanya and Irina and the rest of your friends in Denali know enough？
Laurent lived with them for so long。 And if he was still friendly enough with Victoria to be doing favors for her；
why wouldn’t he also tell her everything he knew？”
Edward frowned。 “It wasn’t Victoria in your room。”
“She can’t make new friends？ Think about it； Edward。 If it is Victoria doing this in Seattle； she’s made a
lot of new friends。 She’s created them。”
He considered it； his forehead creased in concentration。
“Hmm；” he finally said。 “It’s possible。 I still think the Volturi are most likely 。 。 。 But your theory — there’s
something there。 Victoria’s personality。 Your theory suits her personality perfectly。 She’s shown a remarkable
gift for selfpreservation from the start — maybe it’s a talent of hers。 In any case； 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；” he
continued； thinking it through； “if there were survivors； I’d bet she’d be planning to destroy them herself。 。 。 。
Hmm。 Still； she’d have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature。 No freshmade newborn left
your father alive。 。 。 。”
He frowned into space for a long moment； and then suddenly smiled at me； ing back from his reverie。
“Definitely possible。 Regardless； we’ve got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure。 You’re very
perceptive today；” he added。 “It’s impressive。”
I sighed。 “Maybe I’m just reacting to this place。 It makes me feel like she’s close by 。 。 。 like she sees me
now。”
His jaw muscles tensed at the idea。 “She’ll never touch you； Bella；” he said。
In spite of his words； his eyes swept carefully across the dark trees。 While he searched their shadows； the
strangest expression crossed his face。 His lips pulled back over his teeth and his eyes shone with an odd light
— a wild； fierce kind of hope。
“Yet； what I wouldn’t give to have her that close；” he murmured。 “Victoria； and anyone else who’s ever
thought of hurting you。 To have the chance to end this myself。 To finish it with my own hands this time。”
I shuddered at the ferocious longing in his voice； and clenched his fingers more tightly with mine； wishing I
was strong enough to lock our hands together permanently。
We were almost to his family； and I noticed for the first time that Alice did not look as optimistic as the
others。 She stood a little aside； watching Jasper stretching his arms as if he were warming up to exercise； her
lips pushed out in a pout。
“Is something wrong with Alice？” I whispered。
Edward chuckled； himself again。 “The werewolves are on their way； so she can’t see anything that will
happen now。 It makes her unfortable to be blind。”
Alice； though the farthest from us； heard his low voice。 She looked up and stuck her tongue out at him。 He
laughed again。
“Hey； Edward；” Emmett greeted him。 “Hey； Bella。 Is he going to let you practice； too？”
Edward groaned at his brother。 “Please； Emmett； don’t give her any ideas。”
“When will our guests arrive？” Carlisle asked Edward。
Edward concentrated for a moment； and then sighed。 “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 ing at all。”
I stared at Edward； my eyes stretched wide。 “They’re ing as wolves？”
He nodded； cautious of my reaction。 I swallowed once； remembering the two times I’d seen Jacob in his
wolf form — the first time in the meadow with Laurent； the second time on the forest lane where Paul had
gotten angry at me。 。 。 。 They were both memories of terror。
A strange gleam came into Edward’s eyes； as though something had just occurred to him； something that
was not altogether unpleasant。 He turned away quickly； before I could see any more； back to Carlisle and the
others。
“Prepare yourselves — they’ve been holding out on us。”
“What do you mean？” Alice demanded。
“Shh；” he cautioned； and stared past her into the darkness。
The Cullens’ informal circle suddenly widened out into a loose line with Jasper and Emmett at the spear
point。 From the way Edward leaned forward next to me； I could tell that he wished he was standing beside
them。 I tightened my hand around his。
I squinted toward the forest； seeing nothing。
“Damn；” Emmett muttered under his breath。 “Did you ever see anything like it？”
Esme and Rosalie exchanged a wideeyed glance。
“What is it？” I whispered as quietly as I could。 “I can’t see。”
“The pack has grown；” Edward murmured into my ear。
Hadn’t I told him that Quil had joined the pack？ I strained to see the six wolves in the gloom。 Finally；
something glittered in the blackness — their eyes； higher up than they should be。 I’d forgotten how very tall the
wolves were。 Like horses； only thick with muscle and fur — and teeth like knives； impossible to overlook。
I could only see the eyes。 And as I scanned； straining to see more； it occurred to me that there were more
than six pairs facing us。 One； two； three 。 。 。 I counted the pairs swiftly in my head。 Twice。
There were ten of them。
“Fascinating；” Edward murmured almost silently。
Carlisle took a slow； deliberate step forward。 It was a careful movement； designed to reassure。
“Wele；” he greeted the invisible wolves。
“Thank you；” Edward responded in a strange； flat tone； and I realized at once that the words came from
Sam。 I looked to the eyes shining in the center of the line； the highest up； the tallest of them all。 It was
impossible to separate the shape of the big black wo