Breaking Dawn

Chapter Five: Friday, August 11th

My mouth drops. "What? How? Who?"
"His name is Leonard," Alice sighs, "He and Victoria had a pact that if either of them died, the killer and killer's family would be killed. Leonard and Victoria were friends before either of them turned. Leonard had lived in America, and just before he left, Victoria changed him. He asked her to."
James, Victoria, Laurent, and now Leonard.
"Is he alone?"
"Yes, from what I have seen."
"Does Edward know?"
"No. Leonard doesn't plan on coming here for another six months, I don't want to ruin the wedding for you or Edward."
"Alice," I manage to get out. I don't know what to think, let alone what to say.
"You should sit," Alice suggests.
I feel my hands trembling, and I do as she says. "He doesn't want just me."
"But you're the weakest one in the family."
"But he wants to kill all of us," I say slowly.
"The rest of us will be fine," Alice insists.
"I'll have the pack help us," I tell her.
"Bella," she sits next to me, "you can't tell anyone. The minute you tell is the minute he changes his mind. This stays between us. We probably won't even need the pack's help."
"Edward can hear your thoughts," I remind her.
"I won't be thinking about it, and I will be able to tell when he will hear it, and I will avoid those moments by avoiding him."
"You really think that's going to work?" I ask her.
"No," she sighs, "but somehow it has worked so far."
"We have to tell him. He's going to find out, one way or another."
"I know, but when he finds out, he's going to freak out."
I think for a moment. Is there any way to make this easier news for Edward? My mind is in a million places, on a train that is going far away from me. How doesn't he know already? How couldn't he tell that Alice was here? Has he really been that blindsided by Jacob that he can only focus on our love life? "I'll tell him."
"Bella," Alice sighs. I can tell that she has seen what will happen if I tell him. I'll say something wrong, or I will word it the wrong way, and Edward will put me under his constant protection. "We can think of another way to tell him."
I bite my lip. I love Edward, but with how he has been acting, I know I couldn't stand to be stuck with him for a long period of time. Also, Charlie wouldn't allow that.
"Alice," I start speaking before my mind has even comprehended what I want to say, "I'm telling Charlie that you will be staying with us for a while. He adores you anyway. I'll just say I need girl time."
"And the wedding?" She retorts. "I'd expect you to be staying with Edward after your wedding."
I put my hands together and squeeze as if it will null the pain from what I'm about to say. "I'm postponing the wedding."
"Bella, he's going to think you're leaving him!" Alice says roughly. She thinks for a moment. "You're not leaving him, are you?"
"No," I say, too quickly. "No, I love Edward."
"That is not what he's going to be thinking once you tell him the wedding is off. And Jacob is going to think it is because you're choosing him."
What if I want to choose him? No, I don't want to choose him. Edward and I are engaged to be married, how could I entice myself with thoughts of another man, his true enemy?
"Alice, this is too much for me." I run my hands through my hair. "I need to go to bed."

My dreams are strange, wrong. I see myself with Jacob.