The Tale of the Brokenhearted

Chapter 17: Who Do You Love?

Bella's POV

I'd been thrown into quite a few scary and strange situations since I'd met Edward Cullen, but something about this meeting told me that this may top the cake. I sat on the Cullen's sofa beside Jacob in the living room of the Cullen's beautiful (or maybe magnificent, or enormous) home. He sat with his elbows on his knees and looked as if he were ready to pounce. Alice sat in the chair in across from us. She exchanged a couple of small smiles and then looked at her watch and then concentrated on the door. The others started to trickle in, Carlisle, Esme, and so on. It was clear that this was big and it was also clear that we were waiting for Edward. The day was becoming night and he still wasn't home.

I hadn't heard from him all day. That was weird. He hadn't even texted me. Granted, I hadn't texted him either. Last night I'd had a date with Jacob and I was honest and told Edward that I was going. I wanted everything out in the open until I officially made up my mind. I really enjoyed hanging with Jake; he made me laugh. I felt safe and normal. Nothing was ever that easy with Edward, but I wasn't sure if that meant I loved Jacob more or if I was just considering the easy way out. I wondered if Edward was mad that I went, when I told him about it he seemed unusually indifferent. As a matter of fact he seemed distracted by something else completely.

It had begun to rain and there was still no sign of Edward. Jacob was squirming anxiously, I knew it couldn't be but so easy for him sitting here surrounded by vampires. Alice looked toward the window once more and then her watch.

"Okay, Edward should be here soon but we should go ahead and start talking. He catches up to speed pretty quick. Somebody looks like he's about to lose his kibble." Alice teased Jacob and he mumbled something under his breath.

"What's this about Alice? Is this about the increased number of murders in the surrounding areas? I figured it had something to do with your kind." Jacob said grimly. "We've already begun patrolling our area."

"You're right to be concerned. We think that the damage is being done by newborn vampires… a lot of newborns. It seems like someone is creating an army." Jasper perched on the arm of the chair that Alice was sitting in.

"They are creating an army, dear. I've seen it. We'd actually like your assistance as it seems they are coming for," Alice gave me a look of sympathy, "you Bella." I wasn't surprised. I wasn't making any real friends in the vampire community, besides the Cullen's of course, and I was still unsure about some of them, Rosalie mainly.

"Who's after Bella?" Jacob stood up immediately alarmed.

"We don't know," Carlisle answered. "All we know is that our kind has been circling around her home and in your territory. We just want to make sure she's safe." Jacob nodded as he tried to calm himself but stress and anger still had him shaking slightly.

"We'll fight. I'll talk to Sam and the others and round everyone up." Jake sat back down beside me and pulled out his cell phone and began texting Sam. Meanwhile the others talked about who they thought might be the leader the obvious thought in my head would've been the volturi but I was assured that this wasn't there style.

"Sam's in," Jacob announced. "He asked me to get in touch with Leah. He hasn't seen her for a while. He wants everyone close and prepared."

"He hasn't seen her? She was just here a few days ago." I looked to Alice, whose eyes widened and then the door opened. Edward came in wearing his normal brooding face, but this time the look was laced with something else I couldn't place my finger on. He took a moment to shake some of the drizzle from his hair then he surveyed the room, looking last to Jacob and me.

"Alice can you tell when all of this will be taking place?"

"The war? I'm not positive that it's a for sure thing yet Edward," she offered bluntly. "I'm hoping that we can somehow avoid war all together." She leaned against her husband's knee.

"That's a little naïve, sweetheart," Jasper said as he rubbed his fingers through Alice's short locks.

"I have to agree with Jasper," Edward finally settled into the seat beside me. "We aren't at all prepared. I, for one, have never fought a vampire newborn, I don't know their weaknesses, neither does the pack."

"We should all train for this," Esme added. "Jasper, can you give us some pointers?"

"We really need to try to pinpoint when this is taking place, Alice," Edward pleaded softly.

"I know brother, I am working on it, believe me.

Edward's POV

The room was filled with low murmurs, and my head was filled with guilt. I couldn't believe what I had caused, the hell I'd caused in Bella's life and I was considering… it didn't matter what I was considering, Leah wanted no part of me. She was smart not to want me. All I would do is cause her life to be as dangerous and stressful as Bella's now was. I covered my eyes with my hands and tried not to think of the last look Leah had given me.

"Hey," Bella whispered as she placed her hand on my back. "Everything is going to be fine. We'll be ready." She offered me a supportive smile and I reciprocated the expression.

"I'm so sorry… for everything," I whispered. I noticed Jacob's glare out of the corner of my eye. I even felt bad for him being involved in all of this mess. Then his mind asked a question that I hoped he wouldn't express out loud.

"What was Leah doing here?" he asked it anyway. "She's supposed to be living outside of Forks and getting away from all of this." Jacob raised his hand dismissively.

"She works in Forks," Alice stated. "I think she just wanted to get away from the stuff going on in her personal life. Maybe it'd be best if we left her out of this." Alice glanced at me and I'd have to be sure to thank her later. I did not want Leah in this fight. I didn't want her hurt.

"There's strength in numbers, and while Leah may not be the strongest, she's smart and really fast." I smirked at Jacob's comment. It reminded me of my own abilities, I may not be the strongest vampire but I was really fast. We were so much alike, but I seriously didn't want her in this fight.

"What makes you a Leah expert anyway, Alice?" Jacob asked, and Bella seemed more than interested in Alice's response.

"Alice, Rosalie, and Leah have been hanging out some, that's all." Esme was even helping cover. I didn't like being the cause of Esme lying. I ran my fingers through my hair, anxious for this conversation to be over.

"Well, maybe we should all work on trying to get in touch with her." Jacob suggested. "I will work on getting Sam, maybe he'll allow her the option to decide whether or not she wants to fight, but she does need to be closer to us all, for her own protection. I know some of you may not agree, but she should fight. We all should." Jacob stretched and his stench became stronger. I noticed that Rosalie held her nose. "I really ought to leave, Bella, do you need a lift?" Bella looked from me to her Jacob with confusion in her eyes. I took a deep breath and sighed I was becoming extremely tired of this situation I didn't know what to feel anymore. I decided to make it easy on her.

"You should go, Bella. I will see you tomorrow." I kissed her cheek and her temperature began to rise, pink colored both her cheeks.

"Okay," she whispered. She said her goodbyes to the rest of the family. Alice looked at me with questioning eyes her thoughts blaring her concern for me. She wanted to talk, and this time I did, too. Even with all the doom surrounding us there was only on question blaring in my head. Who do you love?