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weak like me to chase
after Laurent？
I couldn't make it add up。
A cold breeze whipped through the meadow； swaying the grass like something was
moving through it。
I scrambled to my feet； backing away even though the wind brushed harmlessly
past me。 Stumbling in
panic； I turned and ran headlong into the trees。
The next few hours were agony。 It took me three times as long to escape the
trees as it had to get to the
meadow。
At first I paid no attention to where I was headed； focused only on what I was
running from By the time I
collected myself enough to remember the pass； I was deep in the unfamiliar
and menacing forest。 My
hands were shaking so violently that I had to set the pass on the muddy
ground to be able to read it。
Every few minutes I would stop to put the pass dowr and check that I was
still heading northwest；
hearing—when the sounds weren't hidden behind the frantic squelching of my
footsteps—the quiet
whisper of unseen things moving in the leaves。
The call of a jaybird made me leap back and fall into a thick stand of young
spruce； scraping up my arms
and tangling my hair with sap。 The sudden rush of a squirrel up a hemlock made
me scream so loud it
hurt my own ears。
At last there was a break in the trees ahead。 I came out onto the empty road a
mile or so south of where
I'd left the truck。 Exhausted as I was； I jogged up the lane until I found it。
By the time I pulled myself into
the cab； I was sobbing again。 I fiercely shoved down both stiff locks before I
dug my keys out of my
pocket。 The roar of the engine was forting and sane。 It helped me control
the tears as I sped as fast
as my truck would allow toward the main highway。
I was calmer； but still a mess when I got home。 Charlie's cruiser was in the
driveway—I hadn't realized
how late it was。 The sky was already dusky。
〃Bella？〃 Charlie asked when I slammed the front door behind me and hastily
turned the locks。
〃Yeah； it's me。〃 My voice was unsteady。
〃Where have you been？〃 he thundered； appearing through the kitchen doorway
with an ominous
expression。
I hesitated。 He'd probably called the Stanleys。 I'd better stick to the truth。
〃I was hiking；〃 I admitted。
His eyes were tight。 〃What happened to going to Jessica's？〃
〃I didn't feel like Calculus today。〃
Charlie folded his arms across his chest。 〃I thought I asked you to stay out
of the forest。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 Don't worry； I won't do it again。〃 I shuddered。
Charlie seemed to really look at me for the first time。 I remembered that I
had spent some time on the
forest floor today； I must be a mess。
〃What happened？〃 Charlie demanded。
Again； I decided that the truth； or part of it anyway； was the best option。 I
was too shaken to pretend
that I'd spent an uneventful day with the flora and fauna。
〃I saw the bear。〃 I tried to say it calmly； but my voice was high and shaky。
〃It's not a bear； though—it's
some kind of wolf。 And there are five of them。 A big black one； and gray； and
reddish…brown〃
Charlie's eyes grew round with horror。 He strode quickly to me and grabbed the
tops of my arms。
〃Are you okay？〃
My head bobbed in a weak nod。
〃Tell me what happened。〃
〃They didn't pay any attention to me。 But aftet they were gone； I ran away and
I fell down a lot。〃
He let go of my shoulders and wrapped his arms around me。 For a long moment；
he didn't say anything。
〃Wolves；〃 he murmured。
〃What？〃
〃The rangers said the tracks were wrong for a bear—but wolves just don't get
that big〃
〃These were huge。〃
〃How many did you say you saw？〃
〃Five。〃
Charlie shook his head； frowning with anxiety； He finally spoke in a tone that
allowed no argument。 〃No
morehiking。〃
〃No problem；〃 I promised fervently。
Charlie called the station to report what I'd seen。 I fudged a little bit
about where exactly I'd seen the
wolves—claiming I'd been on the trail that led to the north。 I didn't want my
dad to know how deep I'd
gone into the forest against his wishes； and； more importantly； I didn't want
anyone wandering near where
Laurent might be searching for me。 The thought of it made me feel sick。
〃Are you hungry？〃 he asked me when he hung up the phone。
I shook my head； though I must have been starving。 I hadn't eaten all day。
〃Just tired；〃 I told him。 I turned for the stairs。
〃Hey；〃 Charlie said； his voice suddenly suspicious again。 〃Didn't you say
Jacob was gone for the day？〃
〃That's what Billy said；〃 I told him； confused by his question。
He studied my expression for a minute； and seemed satisfied with what he saw
there。
〃Huh。〃
〃Why？〃 I demanded。 It sounded like he was implying that I'd been lying to him
this morning。 About
something besides studying with Jessica。
〃Well； it's just that when I went to pick up Harry； I saw Jacob out in front
of the store down there with
some of his friends。 I waved hi； but he well； I guess I don't know if he saw
me。 I think maybe he was
arguing with his friends。 He looked strange； like he was upset about
something。 And different。 It's like
you can watch that kid growing！ He gets bigger every time I see him。〃
〃Billy said Jake and his friends were going up to Port Angeles to see some
movies。 They were probably
just waiting for someone to meet them。〃
〃Oh。〃 Charlie nodded and headed for the kitchen。
I stood in the hall； thinking about Jacob arguing with his friends。 I wondered
if he had confronted Embry
about the situation with Sam。 Maybe that was the reason he'd ditched me today
—if it meant he could
sort things out with Embry； I was glad he had。
I paused to check the locks again before I went to my room。 It was a silly
thing to do。 What difference
would a lock make to any of the monsters I'd seen this afternoon？ I assumed
the handle alone would
stymie the wolves； not having opposable thumbs。 And if Laurent came here
Or Victoria。
I lay down on my bed； but I was shaking too hard to hope for sleep。 I curled
into a cramped ball under
my quilt； and faced the horrifying facts。
There was nothing I could do。 There were no precautions I could take。 There
was no place I could hide。
There