Twilight Midnight Moon

Chapter 9: A Warning at Prom

I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting the collar of my shirt for what felt like the hundredth time. This wasn’t me. I didn’t do “formal,” and I definitely didn’t do school dances, especially not ones at Forks High. But Dad had insisted—well, bribed me, really—giving me twenty bucks and saying it was important I went to Bella’s prom tonight.

“It’s not about the money, Jacob,” Dad had said, his voice low and serious. “You need to warn her. The Cullens... they’re dangerous. She needs to know.”

I’d rolled my eyes at the time, but I couldn’t ignore the look in his eyes. The legends, the stories—those things mattered to him. And the Cullens? Even though they never came near La Push, there was something off about them. Something I couldn’t quite shake. And now Bella, this girl I barely knew, was involved with them.

The dreamcatcher I’d made for her sat on the dresser next to my keys. It wasn’t much, but I figured it was a nice gesture—a good luck charm, something to keep her safe. If she was going to hang around with those weird Cullens, she could use all the protection she could get.

I sighed, grabbing the dreamcatcher and slipping it into my pocket. Quil and Embry would never let me live this down if they knew where I was going tonight. But I wasn’t doing this for them—or even for Bella, really. I was doing it for Dad. He trusted me with this, and for all my teasing and complaining, I couldn’t let him down.

The drive to Forks felt longer than usual. The night air was cool, and the stars were out, glittering through the dark sky. I didn’t bother cranking the radio. Instead, I thought about what I was going to say to Bella, how I could even begin to explain that her new boyfriend and his family weren’t normal. I had no idea if she’d believe me, or if she’d laugh me off. Either way, I had to try.

When I finally pulled up outside the Forks High gym, I could already hear the music thumping through the walls. A few kids were hanging around outside, but most were inside, dancing and celebrating their last big night of the school year.

I felt out of place as I stepped out of the Rabbit, but I wasn’t here to enjoy the prom. I was here on a mission.

As I walked up to the entrance, I caught sight of her. Bella. She was standing outside the gym with that guy—Edward Cullen. My stomach twisted at the sight of him, tall and pale, with his arm casually draped around her shoulders. There was something too perfect about him, something that just wasn’t right. It was like he didn’t belong here, didn’t belong around any of us.

I stopped in my tracks, watching them from a distance. For a moment, I considered turning around and leaving. Maybe Dad was wrong. Maybe this was none of my business. But then I thought about the look in his eyes, the way he’d talked about the “cold ones.” These weren’t just fairy tales to him. They were real.

Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and walked toward Bella. When she spotted me, her eyes widened in surprise. Edward turned to look at me too, his expression unreadable. I ignored him, focusing on Bella instead.

“Jacob?” Bella asked, a smile playing on her lips. “What are you doing here?”

I scratched the back of my neck, feeling awkward under her gaze. “Uh, hey, Bella. My dad sent me... He, uh, he wanted me to tell you something.”

Edward was watching me closely, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was being sized up, like he already knew why I was here. It made my skin crawl. But I pushed that feeling aside and focused on the reason I’d come.

Bella’s brows furrowed. “Your dad? Why?”

I glanced at Edward before lowering my voice. “He thinks you’re in danger. From, uh, the Cullens.”

Her face went blank for a moment, then she laughed—a nervous, shaky kind of laugh. “Jacob...”

“I know, I know it sounds crazy,” I said quickly, holding up my hands. “But he’s serious. He gave me twenty bucks to come here and tell you.”

That got a real laugh out of her, and for a second, I almost forgot why I was here. But then I caught sight of Edward again, standing just a little too still, a little too perfect, and the unease crept back in.

“I’m supposed to warn you,” I continued, feeling more serious now. “About the legends, the cold ones... Look, Bella, just be careful around them, okay?”

Bella’s eyes flickered between me and Edward, and for a split second, I thought I saw something—worry, maybe? Or doubt? But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by that stubborn look I’d already seen a few times in her. She wasn’t going to listen. Not tonight, at least.

Before I could say more, I remembered the dreamcatcher. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled it out and handed it to her. “Here. It’s for you. You know, for protection. Or good dreams, or whatever.”

Bella’s eyes softened as she took it, her fingers brushing against mine. “Jacob, this is really sweet. Thank you.”

I shrugged, trying to play it off. “No big deal.”

She smiled, but there was a tension in the air now, something that wasn’t there before. Edward hadn’t said a word, but his presence was enough to make the whole situation feel heavier.

“Well, uh, I should probably get going,” I said, stepping back. “Just... be careful, alright?”

Bella nodded, and for a second, I thought she might actually take the warning seriously. But as I walked back to my car, I could feel Edward’s eyes on me the whole time. There was something unsettling about the way he watched me, like he knew more than he was letting on. Like he wasn’t just some high school kid.

I climbed into the Rabbit, gripping the steering wheel as I started the engine. As I pulled away from the school, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was coming. Bella was in danger, whether she realized it or not. And even though I’d done what my dad asked, I wasn’t sure if it was enough.

The legends weren’t just stories. I knew that now. And I couldn’t just walk away from it all. Not anymore.