fate unfolding in the palm of your hand °sam uley°

Chapter 8

It was hard to look at Edward without feeling immense guilt. The rest of the coven was now with them in the Calgary house. The mood was sombre and tense. Itoro couldn't look at anyone without feeling such immense guilt that it paralysed them. Jasper could barely move, overwhelmed by the guilt that came from Itoro, which just made them feel even worse and didn't help the situation at all.

"Bella won't – she's not going to be a problem anymore," Edward said, voice stiff. His face was streaked with stains from the venom. His clothes were singed from the tears too. He looked like he could barely stand, could hardly speak to them all. "She will live the rest of her life terrified of us. She doesn't want to be near us anymore. As a courtesy, we won't be returning to Forks."

Itoro felt sick. This was their fault.

"The wolves will keep her safe where we couldn't."

They got up and walked away, knowing that everyone was watching them go. This wasn't – fuck! This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Bella was supposed to have a nice birthday, accept gifts that were too expensive, and enjoy her time with them. It was ruined now. Itoro ruined it. They'd tried so hard to get used to her scent, to that divine smell, but it'd all been for nothing. They'd almost tore the poor girl's throat out.

They walked and walked, an invisible path that they followed blindly. She eventually came to a stop by a lake and sat at the edge. Their legs were pulled up to their chest and they stared blindly at the lake's surface. Edward had been so happy for the first time in years. Itoro could remember the baseball game, how light-hearted he'd been before the nomads came and ruined everything, and then Itoro went ahead and ruined everything before Edward and Bella had a chance to rebuild things. The two had been young and had some puppy love that would end up evolving into more. They were mates – or so Edward said. But now his mate was terrified to be near him because of her.

Rosalie's footsteps were faint but steadily getting louder. Itoro felt a mild spike of annoyance – at the fact they recognised Rosalie's steps as her own, and the fact she'd also come after them. She was following them, but there was a silent reassurance that only she could be. Itoro half expected Esme to come find them, or Carlisle who would try his best but be completely unhelpful. He never slipped up, never went for someone's throat the way Itoro did to Bella.

They'd never get the chance to try and forget it all. Their memory would let them recall it at will in perfect detail.

"We don't judge you. Stop acting like Edward," Rosalie said before she sat beside them. "You fucked up. Jasper and Emmett have fucked up enough for us. We've all made mistakes, hurt someone or killed someone,"

"You and Carlisle haven't." Itoro pointed out.

"Because we are exceptional, but neither of us have come across blood singers. You've been isolated, and while I understand why, you ... almost set yourself up for failure. You still tried, did your best, but like you said – you should start to go join us in the human world. Go to college or do baby steps and hang with us in public places."

Itoro nodded, but they still felt like shit. "I still hate myself for it."

"Of course you do. You're humane, you have empathy. You're a good person. You still make mistakes, and you need to build your resistance to human blood."

"I know. I will. I'm just ... Edward was so happy with her, and now she's gone and won't talk to us. I scared her into silence."

Rosalie hummed. "You pointed out we could scare her into silence, gaslight her, manipulate her. I'm sorry it happened the way it did, but Toto ... these things happen. Edward knew what he was doing bringing her to our house, knew that you're the newest to the diet. He risked her life as much as you tried to take it. We're all to blame, for failing the girl."