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you。〃
〃Am I？〃 I mouthed； faltering another step back。
Laurent followed； lithe and graceful。
〃Yes；〃 he assured me。 〃I'll be very quick。 You won't feel a thing； I promise。
Oh； I'll lie to Victoria about
that later； naturally； just to placate her。 But if you knew what she had
planned for you； Bella〃 He shook
his head with a slow movement； almost as if in disgust。 〃I swear you'd be
thanking me for this。〃
I stared at him in horror。
He sniffed at the breeze that blew threads of my hair in his direction。
〃Mouthwatering；〃 he repeated；
inhaling deeply。
I tensed for the spring； my eyes squinting as I cringed away； and the sound of
Edward's furious roar
echoed distantly in the back of my head。 His name burst through all the walls
I'd built to contain it。
Edward； Edward； Edward。 I was going to die。 It shouldn't matter if I thought
of him now。 Edward； I
love you。
Through my narrowed eyes； I watched as Laurent paused in the act of inhaling
and whipped his head
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 e 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 whip