ACHILLES HEEL • TWILIGHT •

🐺 CHAPTER SEVEN 🐺

The next morning the two cousins were silently communicating. They now knew what was so off about the Cullens. During the ride to school, Mack debated on confronting Alice, she wondered how she knew what to say the day of the accident. Bella had told Mack about her plan to confront Edward, to which the red haired gave her a homemade stake just in case.

Mack sat in the library, silently going over what she should do. Confront, or not to. Suddenly two chairs were pulled out, and the red haired girl knew who now occupied them. The library now currently held three people inside, two undead.

"Why did you say what you did the other day?" Mack asked softly, knowing they could hear no matter what.

"It wasn't the first time I said those words." Alice whispered, unsure how the girl would react. Her future kept changing so much.

"My saviors." Mack said, her eyes full of tears as she locked eyes with the couple. Jasper gave a small nod. "I'm not crazy?"

Jasper frowned at her emotions, they were all over the place, but fear was not present. She should be scared, they could hurt her. Yet he was the first to speak of that night. "Alice and I were hunting when an overwhelming sense of fear hit me. Alice had heard your crying and took off immediately to help. You were so tiny, and yet so full of fear it would make a grown man cry."

"I should preface, that our family does not feed off humans, we drink animal blood. Jasper, he's the newest to the diet, which is why he was originally upset that I took off to help. That night, it was like blood had no effect on him. He immediately went to your side, and I went to your mother's. She wanted you safe before she let me get to her. Unfortunately, she didn't make it. I like to think she knew help would come eventually, but she knew to stay alive to make sure her world was safe." Alice spoke, venom pulling in her eyes. How she wished she could cry for the mother she couldn't save.

Mack sat their silently listening to their story of that night. She was holding back sobs, when her emotions suddenly felt calmer. "Is that why I'm so protective of you guys? Cause you saved me?" She asked.

"No, at least not that we're aware. You're just a kind soul, Mackenzie. We were sure you really wouldn't remember us, since you were inconsolable that night." Jasper said, it always took a lot to alter the girls emotions. "You, Mackenzie Sawyer, have a great power inside you. You feel so strongly, it overcomes a lot."

"What do you mean? How do you know what I feel? I barely know what I feel." Mack said, confusion hit Jasper like a brick.

"Some vampires are blessed with gifts. Edward reads minds, I see the future, and Jasper can feel and manipulate emotions." Alice said smiling at the girl.

"I gave you a headache didn't I? This morning?" Mack asked feeling guilty.

Alice chuckled, as Japser was just amused by the girl. "No, we can't get headaches. Though, it is quite frustrating when I can't see things coming." Alice spoke softly, not wanting the girl to feel guilty any longer.

"Can you tell me more about that night? Please, I hate asking uncle Charlie, he lost mom too." Mack said.

And so, it was decided that the trio would ditch that day. They sat in Emmett's jeep out looking a cliff, as Alice and Jasper both took turns talking about that night.

"Jazz and I secretly kept tabs on you after, we just wanted you safe. I was so excited when Carlisle mentioned us moving here." Alice said, recalling how happy she was to be able to interact with Mackenzie.

"We appreciate you always sticking up for our family, we know we don't make it easy." Jasper said, recalling how their first day, Mackenzie verbally assaulted multiple people on their behalf.

"I'm used to it, I have defend you guys on the Rez." Mack said, noticing how tense they got. "What's the story there?"

"We cannot go too deep into it, it's not our story to tell. They've always viewed our kind as enemies, and they're hesitant with our family despite our  feeding habits." Jasper spoke, sensing Mack's anger. "It's okay, we would do the same in their shoes."

"That's not fair though! They should give you guys a chance." Mack said, feeling frustrated.

"If you ever know the full story, you may give them some slack." Alice said, she loved Forks, but she knew the family felt guilty about the shifters.

***

The following morning, Mack was the first out the house. She grinned at Edward, before getting in her own vehicle to drive to school. Of course, the vampire had beaten her by ten minutes. She would have to talk to him about speeding with her cousin in the car.

"So Bella and Edward?" Jess asked as Mack walked up to their group.

"Good morning to you too, Jess. Yeah, I'm so happy for her." She said grinning, before waving at the Cullens, ignoring Rosalie's glare.

Mack was walking to her class, when she felt someone's arm go around her shoulder. "Pipsqueak, I'm so happy you know." Emmett's voice rang fro beside her.

"Guess the saying is true." Mack said grinning.

"What saying?" Emmett asked the girl.

"You are what you eat, cause Emmett you're basically a bear." She said giggling.

"You're so funny, pipsqueak." He said, thought he did let out a booming laugh at her joke. "Come on, theater awaits."

***

Mack sat at a table in the rec center, waiting for everyone to show up. She quietly hummed to herself, as she was finishing up her own work. She glanced up, after hearing footsteps and grinned when she saw Paul. Truth was, she was worried he would stop showing up, but she was glad to see him.

"You came back." She said, gesturing to the seat in front of her.

"Had to, someone said it's needed for what I want to do." Paul said, as he took the seat.

And the two spent the first hour alone, going over all course work Paul didn't fully understand. He would never admit out loud, but Mackenzie Sawyer was a good teacher. They had even talked about how Jared still hadn't gone back to school.

Eventually others came in, and Mack had to go help them. She won't mention how Kim's face held slight disappointment as Jared was a no show. Mack made a mental note to find Jared Cameron and confront him about missing so much school.