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at the end of the school year； sort of a celebration； but this year I decided I’d rather shop than hike； and not
one of them will stay behind with me。 I’m abandoned。”
Her face puckered； the expression so devastated that Charlie leaned toward her automatically； one hand
reaching out； looking for some way to help。 I glared at her suspiciously。 What was she doing？
“Alice； honey； why don’t you e stay with us；” Charlie offered。 “I hate to think of you all alone in that
big house。”
She sighed。 Something squashed my foot under the table。
“Ow！” I protested。
Charlie turned to me。 “What？”
Alice shot me a frustrated look。 I could tell she thought that I was very slow tonight。
“Stubbed my toe；” I muttered。
“Oh。” He looked back at Alice。 “So； how ’bout it？”
She stepped on my foot again； not quite so hard this time。
“Er； Dad； you know； we don’t really have the best acmodations here。 I bet Alice doesn’t want to
sleep on my floor。 。 。 。”
Charlie pursed his lips。 Alice pulled out the devastated expression again。
“Maybe Bella should stay up there with you；” he suggested。 “Just until your folks get back。”
“Oh； would you； Bella？” Alice smiled at me radiantly。 “You don’t mind shopping with me； right？”
“Sure；” I agreed。 “Shopping。 Okay。”
“When are they leaving？” Charlie asked。
Alice made another face。 “Tomorrow。”
“When do you want me？” I asked。
“After dinner； I guess；” she said； and then put one finger to her chin； thoughtful。 “You don’t have anything
going on Saturday； do you？ I want to get out of town to shop； and it will be an allday thing。”
“Not Seattle；” Charlie interjected； his eyebrows pulling together。
“Of course not；” Alice agreed at once； though we both knew Seattle would be plenty safe on Saturday。 “I
was thinking Olympia； maybe。 。 。 。”
“You’ll like that； Bella。” Charlie was cheerful with relief。 “Go get your fill of the city。”
“Yeah； Dad。 It’ll be great。”
With one easy conversation； Alice had cleared my schedule for the battle。
Edward returned not much later。 He accepted Charlie’s wishes for a nice trip without surprise。 He claimed
they were leaving early in the morning； and said goodnight before the usual time。 Alice left with him。
I excused myself soon after they left。
“You can’t be tired；” Charlie protested。
“A little；” I lied。
“No wonder you like to skip the parties；” he muttered。 “It takes you so long to recover。”
Upstairs； Edward was lying across my bed。
“What time are we meeting with the wolves？” I murmured as I went to join him。
“In an hour。”
“That’s good。 Jake and his friends need to get some sleep。”
“They don’t need as much as you do；” he pointed out。
I moved to another topic； assuming he was about to try to talk me into staying home。 “Did Alice tell you
that she’s kidnapping me again？”
He grinned。 “Actually； she’s not。”
I stared at him； confused； and he laughed quietly at my expression。
“I’m the only one who has permission to hold you hostage； remember？” he said。 “Alice is going hunting
with the rest of them。” He sighed。 “I guess I don’t need to do that now。”
“You’re kidnapping me？”
He nodded。
I thought about that briefly。 No Charlie listening downstairs； checking on me every so often。 And no
houseful of wideawake vampires with their intrusively sensitive hearing。 。 。 。 Just him and me — really alone。
“Is that all right？” he asked； concerned by my silence。
“Well 。 。 。 sure； except for one thing。”
“What thing？” His eyes were anxious。 It was mindboggling； but； somehow； he still seemed unsure of his
hold on me。 Maybe I needed to make myself more clear。
“Why didn’t Alice tell Charlie you were leaving tonight？” I asked。
He laughed； relieved。
I enjoyed the trip to the clearing more than I had last night。 I still felt guilty； still afraid； but I wasn’t terrified
anymore。 I could function。 I could see past what was ing； and almost believe that maybe it would be
okay。 Edward was apparently fine with the idea of missing the fight 。 。 。 and that made it very hard not to
believe him when he said this would be easy。 He wouldn’t leave his family if he didn’t believe it himself。 Maybe
Alice was right； and I did worry too much。
We got to the clearing last。
Jasper and Emmett were already wrestling — just warming up from the sounds of their laughter。 Alice and
Rosalie lounged on the hard ground； watching。 Esme and Carlisle were talking a few yards away； heads close
together； fingers linked； not paying attention。
It was much brighter tonight； the moon shining through the thin clouds； and I could easily see the three
wolves that sat around the edge of the practice ring； spaced far apart to watch from different angles。
It was also easy to recognize Jacob； I would have known him at once； even if he hadn’t looked up and
stared at the sound of our approach。
“Where are the rest of the wolves？” I wondered。
“They don’t all need to be here。 One would do the job； but Sam didn’t trust us enough to just send Jacob；
though Jacob was willing。 Quil and Embry are his usual 。 。 。 I guess you could call them his wingmen。”
“Jacob trusts you。”
Edward nodded。 “He trusts us not to try to kill him。 That’s about it； though。”
“Are you participating tonight？” I asked； hesitant。 I knew this was going to be almost as hard for him as
being left behind would have been for me。 Maybe harder。
“I’ll help Jasper when he needs it。 He wants to try some unequal groupings； teach them how to deal with
multiple attackers。”
He shrugged。
And a fresh wave of panic shattered my brief sense of confidence。
They were still outnumbered。 I was making that worse。
I stared at the field； trying to hide my reaction。
It was the wrong place to look； struggling as I was to lie to myself； to convince myself that everything
would work out as I needed it to。 Because when I forced my eyes away from the Cullens — away from the
image of their playfighting that would be real and deadly in just a few days — Jacob caught my eyes and
smiled。
It was the same wolfy grin as before； his eyes scrunching