Hopeless Devotion ~ A Jasper Hale Story

Chapter 23 - Suprise Visit and Speculation

Saturday, March 4th

The front door slammed so hard it rattled the windows. Bella stumbled in, cheeks flushed, eyes wide. Charlie and Harry—both still in their coats—looked up from the kitchen table.

"She's back," Harry said, pushing his chair out.

Charlie's sheriff instincts kicked in. He stood, tugged on his jacket. "Bella, start talking. What did you see out there?"

Bella's voice trembled. "It wasn't a bear, Dad. Five huge wolves came crashing through the trees and chasing after something."

Charlie's brow furrowed. "Five wolves? Right here in Forks?" He reached for the landline. "Harry, join me. We're organizing a search party—see if we can track them down before someone gets hurt."

The two men left in a rush. Rain spattered the porch as their boots disappeared into the night.

As soon as they were gone, Tiffany spun on Bella. "What the hell, Bella? You went into that meadow alone? You nearly got—you could've been killed!"

Bella flinched at the anger in Tiffany's voice. "I had to know. People were panicking about something—tracks, howls. I thought maybe if I saw for myself—"

"Seeing for yourself?" Tiffany slammed her palm on the counter. "You put Dad and Harry at risk now, too! They'll be gone all night searching for wolves that shouldn't even be here."

Bella's eyes filled. "I told Dad the truth—I couldn't just brush it off."

Tiffany crossed her arms, furious. "There's truth, and there's stupidity. Wolves don't belong in Forks in packs of five—no normal woodsman would believe that. You're dragging all of us into your nightmare."

Bella's voice dropped. "I'm sorry—"

"No, you're not," Tiffany snapped. "If this is what you think is bravery, you're wrong. You're reckless. You're putting everyone in danger—and for what? A ghost hunt? You don't get to half-know the stakes, Bella. There's more out there than bears and men with bad intentions."

Bella looked away, shame and frustration warring on her face. "I'm scared, Tiff."

Tiffany's anger softened just enough. She stepped closer. "We all are. But this has to stop. No more solo missions into the woods. No more vague warnings. If you see something—anything—you come straight home and wait for help."

Bella nodded, voice small: "Okay."

Tiffany took a deep breath, the rain pounding like a war drum outside. "Tomorrow, we regroup. We keep Dad safe. And you stay inside until we figure out what the hell is really going on."

Bella met her sister's eyes, and for the first time that night, Tiffany saw something fierce there. Not just fear, but resolve.

They stood together in the kitchen as the storm raged on—two sisters bracing themselves for dangers they could barely imagine, bound by blood and the promise to protect each other no matter what lurked in the shadows.

Tiffany pulled her jacket tighter around her as she stepped onto the porch, the night air cold and heavy with rain. Her fingers trembled slightly as she fished her phone out of her pocket. She needed to call Leah—fast.

Ringing...

Leah's voice came through, low and cautious. "Tiff? What's up? You sound serious."

Tiffany glanced over her shoulder, as if the dark woods might be listening. "Leah, something's wrong. Bella went out alone to that meadow—there were wolves. Real wolves. Not just some story. Five of them chased some guy away. Dad and Harry are out searching now."

There was a pause on the other end. Tiffany could hear Leah's breath hitch. "Wolves? Like the legends? Like them?"

Tiffany nodded, even though Leah couldn't see her. "Exactly. And Bella had no idea what she was walking into. She's putting everyone in danger, Leah. I don't know if she even realizes it."

Leah's voice grew tense but guarded. "You're sure it wasn't just some animal? Or a pack of dogs?"

"No. I saw how serious Charlie and Harry were. This is different. And Bella's scared, but she won't stop. I'm worried."

Leah was silent for a long moment. "I need to know more. And you need to be careful, Tiff. You don't know how deep this goes."

Tiffany's jaw tightened. "I'm not backing down. If the pack is real, and if they're out there, everyone needs to be ready."

Leah's voice softened, almost like a warning. "We'll talk more soon. Stay safe."

The line went dead, and Tiffany swallowed hard. The night had just gotten darker — and the danger closer than ever.

Tiffany paced her room, the phone still warm in her hand. Leah's warning echoed in her mind, stirring a storm of suspicion and unease. Wolves. Real wolves. If Leah was tense, that meant the pack wasn't just some harmless legend.

Her thoughts raced. Jacob... Leah... and those other guys. Could they really be wolves? She clenched her jaw. She wanted to confront Bella, to tell her to be careful—but after Bella's reckless trip to the meadow, putting everyone in danger, Tiffany wasn't sure she'd listen. Not now. Not after proving how foolish she could be about this.

No. Tiffany had to keep this to herself, at least for now. She'd watch. Wait. Gather more pieces before dropping the truth on Bella again. This time, it had to count.

The weight of the secret pressed down on her chest, but she squared her shoulders. Protecting Bella didn't always mean spilling everything. Sometimes, it meant knowing when to hold back—even if it meant carrying the burden alone.