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the wolf in his palm for a moment； and then let it fall。 It swung lightly from my wrist。
I tried to read the expression in his eyes。 All I could see was thoughtfulness； he kept everything else
hidden； if there was anything else。
“Jacob Black can give you presents。”
It wasn’t a question； or an accusation。 Just a statement of fact。 But I knew he was referring to my last
birthday and the fit I’d thrown over gifts； I hadn’t wanted any。 Especially not from Edward。 It wasn’t entirely
logical； and； of course； everyone had ignored me anyway。 。 。 。
“You’ve given me presents；” I reminded him。 “You know I like the homemade kind。”
He pursed his lips for a second。 “How about handmedowns？ Are those acceptable？”
“What do you mean？”
“This bracelet。” His finger traced a circle around my wrist。 “You’ll be wearing this a lot？”
I shrugged。
“Because you wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings；” he suggested shrewdly。
“Sure； I guess so。”
“Don’t you think it’s fair； then；” he asked； looking down at my hand as he spoke。 He turned it palm up；
and ran his finger along the veins in my wrist。 “If I have a little representation？”
“Representation？”
“A charm — something to keep me on your mind。”
“You’re in every thought I have。 I don’t need reminders。”
“If I gave you something； would you wear it？” he pressed。
“A handmedown？” I checked。
“Yes； something I’ve had for a while。” He smiled his angel’s smile。
If this was the only reaction to Jacob’s gift； I would take it gladly。 “Whatever makes you happy。”
“Have you noticed the inequality？” he asked； and his voice turned accusing。 “Because I certainly have。”
“What inequality？”
His eyes narrowed。 “Everyone else is able to get away with giving you things。 Everyone but me。 I would
have loved to get you a graduation present； but I didn’t。 I knew it would have upset you more than if anyone
else did。 That’s utterly unfair。 How do you explain yourself？”
“Easy。” I shrugged。 “You’re more important than everyone else。 And you’ve given me you。 That’s already
more than I deserve； and anything else you give me just throws us more out of balance。”
He processed that for a moment； and then rolled his eyes。 “The way you regard me is ludicrous。”
I chewed my breakfast calmly。 I knew he wouldn’t listen if I told him that he had that backward。
Edward’s phone buzzed。
He looked at the number before he opened it。 “What is it； Alice？”
He listened； and I waited for his reaction； suddenly nervous。 But whatever she said didn’t surprise him。 He
sighed a few times。
“I sort of guessed as much；” he told her； staring into my eyes； a disapproving arch to his brow。 “She was
talking in her sleep。”
I flushed。 What had I said now？
“I’ll take care of it；” he promised。
He glared at me as he shut his phone。 “Is there something you’d like to talk to me about？”
I deliberated for a moment。 Given Alice’s warning last night； I could guess why she’d called。 And then
remembering the troubled dreams I’d had as I’d slept through the day — dreams where I chased after Jasper；
trying to followhim and find the clearing in the mazelike woods； knowing I would find Edward there 。 。 。
Edward； and the monsters who wanted to kill me； but not caring about them because I’d already made my
decision — I could also guess what Edward had overheard while I’d slept。
I pursed my lips for a moment； not quite able to meet his gaze。 He waited。
“I like Jasper’s idea；” I finally said。
He groaned。
“I want to help。 I have to do something；” I insisted。
“It wouldn’t help to have you in danger。”
“Jasper thinks it would。 This is his area of expertise。”
Edward glowered at me。
“You can’t keep me away；” I threatened。 “I’m not going to hide out in the forest while you all take risks
for me。”
Suddenly； he was fighting a smile。 “Alice doesn’t see you in the clearing； Bella。 She sees you stumbling
around lost in the woods。 You won’t be able to find us； you’ll just make it more time consuming for me to find
you afterward。”
I tried to keep as cool as he was。 “That’s because Alice didn’t factor in Seth Clearwater；” I said politely。
“If she had； of course； she wouldn’t have been able to see anything at all。 But it sounds like Seth wants to be
there as much as I do。 It shouldn’t be too hard to persuade him to show me the way。”
Anger flickered across his face； and then he took a deep breath and posed himself。 “That might have
worked 。 。 。 if you hadn’t told me。 Now I’ll just ask Sam to give Seth certain orders。 Much as he might want
to； Seth won’t be able to ignore that kind of injunction。”
I kept my smile pleasant。 “But why would Sam give those orders？ If I tell him how it would help for me to
be there？ I’ll bet Sam would rather do me a favor than you。”
He had to pose himself again。 “Maybe you’re right。 But I’m sure Jacob would be only too eager to
give those same orders。”
I frowned。 “Jacob？”
“Jacob is second in mand。 Did he never tell you that？ His orders have to be followed； too。”
He had me； and by his smile； he knew it。 My forehead crumpled。 Jacob would be on his side — inthis
one instance — I was sure。 And Jacob never had told me that。
Edward took advantage of the fact that I was momentarily stumped； continuing in a suspiciously smooth
and soothing voice。
“I got a fascinating look into the pack’s mind last night。 It was better than a soap opera。 I had no idea how
plex the dynamic is with such a large pack。 The pull of the individual against the plural psyche 。 。 。
Absolutely fascinating。”
He was obviously trying to distract me。 I glared at him。
“Jacob’s been keeping a lot of secrets；” he said with a grin。
I didn’t answer； I just kept glaring； holding on to my argument and waiting for an opening。
“For instance； did you note the smaller gray wolf there last night？”
I nodded one stiff nod。
He chuckled。 “They take all of their legends so seriously。 It turns out there are things that none of their
stories prepared them for。”
I sighed。