North Star

26. Home

I finally reach the house, but keep a safe distance to give myself a moment.

If I ran to the house I would reach it within seconds, but if I walked at a human pace I would reach the house within probably an hour.

The house sounds quiet, but I can hear the heartbeats of Nessie and the pack. Are they waiting for me? After what I did, they're probably keeping watch to see if I would return and then tell me that I'm not welcome anymore.

Okay, this is what I'm going to do, I'll cloak myself for a little bit and run to the halfway point from the house so that they don't know that I'm coming yet; since I can hear what Edward hears I want to hear anything that they might have decided. Maybe then, after I have heard what they decided, I'll do what I should do, either stay or leave.

I already feel the need to defend myself again, mainly because I'm nervous and feel like turning around now instead of going with my plan. My cloak immediately wraps around me, feeling a little bit too thick. I don't want to feel anxious so I coax my cloak to stay but not too strong; it tones the thickness down a bit.

The walk to the house increases my nervousness, so I decide to run. I reach the point where it is only about a fifteen minute human walk and I stay hidden from view, hoping they wouldn't smell me or sense my presence. It doesn't sound like they have noticed that I am near.

It wasn't her fault. I'm the one that pushed to find out a little bit about her gift. I got too excited. Where could she be? Hearing Edward's thoughts shocked me, I'm still not used to hearing him but I'm also shocked that I can hear his voice from all the way out here.

I'm so focused on staying quiet and calm without getting too antsy that I don't notice how far my cloak is flowing. I can feel its distance and it's reaching all the way to the house; I feel it wrapping around the whole house. A few days ago, this would have scared me, but now I'm just full of curiosity about what else it can do.

Shaking my distracted thoughts out of my head, I focus again on what's going on inside.

Edward is blaming himself for what happened. He shouldn't. If I didn't know how to control myself then how was he supposed to see the outcome of it all?

Edward? Are you sure we shouldn't go out to find her? It's been three days. Carlisle's voice rang through Edward's head. Edward shakes his head at him.

"She'll come home. She will, she just needs time," Edward assures him and everyone else, although his own thoughts weren't too sure if he is right. I don't know if he's right either.

"I don't know, Edward. She keeps fading in and out of my view, her talent keeps blocking me from seeing if she will come home or not," Alice disagrees with Edward. "I think I saw her coming home but I also saw that she debated against it. I can't see her."

When she says that, I see in Edwards head a blank image. Then things turn blurry and my face pops up but disappears.

"Well, we should have someone go out to look for her. You say she needs time and we can give her that, but let's just make sure she's alright," Rosalie spoke up. She is worried about me and I feel utterly horrible.

I smell something! I think it's her! A voice I don't recognize rings in my head.

"Cristal?" Edward speaks aloud, waiting for my response. I freeze in my spot, my dread getting a little more intense, I can't have them find out I'm here.

"Cristal? She's here?" Nessie's voice asks excitedly.

Looking through Edward's eyes I see that he is listening to the wolves and they are keeping watch for me around the perimeter.