Veil of Desire - Jasper Hale

1.10

The weekend had passed in a blur, and Catalina found herself unable to shake what she'd recently discovered. She'd spent the last two nights scouring the legends, piecing together every mention of wolves and their enemies, immersing herself in the stories of the Quileute. By now, her mind was tangled with questions, doubts, and theories that she couldn't share with anyone. The whole concept of a hidden, supernatural world felt surreal—and yet, after discovering Sam's truth, she could no longer ignore what she was learning.

The wolves were real, and the possibility of other creatures was suddenly, terrifyingly, plausible. But if the wolves existed, could it also be true that "Cold Ones"—vampires—roamed too? Each account she read seemed to echo what she'd been observing in her own life. The descriptions were chillingly similar to a certain family she'd befriended: the Cullens.

No. She refused to believe it. The Cullens, though mysterious, had been nothing but kind to her. Alice and Jasper especially had always been there for her, making her laugh and supporting her like family. And she'd even gotten close with the others. Spanish with Emmet and Edward was always fun. Noah was kind and Rosalie smiled at her. A rarity with the girl. And yet...the signs were too numerous to ignore. The cold, marble-like skin, the way they never ate, their graceful beauty that seemed almost unnatural. She shuddered, trying to chase away the unwelcome conclusion forming in her mind.

But then again, had she ever believed she'd be friends with people who could turn into wolves?

By Monday morning, her head was spinning with the possibilities, and she was no closer to finding any clarity. Despite feeling drained, she knew she needed to get to school. Bella had offered to drive her, and though Catalina wasn't thrilled at the thought of going, she was grateful not to have to drive herself.

When they arrived, Catalina instinctively glanced toward the Cullens' usual parking space, but it was empty. It was rare for them to miss school, and her heart sank at the confirmation of what she suspected. The sun was out today, illuminating Forks with a brightness it rarely saw. They're gone because of the sunlight, she thought grimly, her theories growing even more impossible to ignore.

Throughout the day, the absence of the Cullens seemed to loom over her. Every class felt like a drag, and her mind wandered constantly. Bella, Jessica, and Angela had planned a trip to Port Angeles to look for prom dresses, and Catalina had agreed to go along. Prom was weeks away, but the distraction felt welcome, if only to escape her thoughts.

After school, the four of them piled into Angela's car and made the drive to Port Angeles. The boutique they picked was small and packed with glittering gowns in every color. Catalina browsed through the dresses absently, her mind still spinning with questions. She tried on a few dresses to amuse Jessica, who was already gushing over her own choices.

For the most part, she pretended to have a good time, even managing a few laughs as she helped the other two girls pick out a dress. Yet she felt detached, her thoughts elsewhere. The day just didn't feel quite right, like something was going to go terribly wrong. She tried not getting distracted by that thought as she tried on the last dress. She knew it was the one the moment she picked it out.

After a while, Bella told the others that she'd like to make a quick stop at the nearby bookstore. Catalina offered to go with her, so they agreed to meet Jessica and Angela at a nearby restaurant after a quick browse. She paid for her dress and gave it to Angela for safekeeping before heading of with Bella.

It was growing dark as they left the bookstore and made their way down the quiet streets of Port Angeles. Catalina was again, buried into her own thoughts. Why would Bella want to buy a book on the legends? Did she know something? Had he same assumptions as herself? They were barely paying attention as they took a turn down a side street. Suddenly, a few unfamiliar voices echoed down the alley.