A Cullen Loves A Hale Book 3

Chapter 1 Inner Turmoil

Emmett sat there in the tall grass for a while staring at his hands He let out a sob as he heard Alexis mournful howl in the distance. He didn't even notice when Jasper came up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Brother?"

"She could have bitten my head off, but she didn't. Under all that anger, she still loves me, Jasper, I felt as plain as day."

"I told you she still loved you."

"Yeah, but I also felt her sorrow, she doesn't trust me, she thinks I'm going to hurt her again."

"Well, you'll just have to convince her that you're not going to do that." Jasper tells Emmett.

"Yeah, but how?"

"You'll think of a way, now come on, Alexis really did a number on Edward, we need to carry him back to the house."

Jasper and Emmett take their time walking up the hill, after all Edward wasn't going anywhere without them. When they reach the top they see that Carlisle had already found Edward's severed arm. Bella was standing off to the side with her mouth covered in shock at what Alexis had done. Bella was horrified at how easily Alexis was able to rip his arm off and nearly cleave him in two. But she was more upset that Edward had the nerve to attack her cousin in the first place for not changing her back into a person that he could manipulate.

Alice walked over to Bella and wrapped an arm around her, "Come on, Bella, I'll take you home."

Bella, still stunned, simply nods as Alice leads her out of the woods back towards her house. As they walk Alice studies Bella's face, she knew that Bella had changed over the past few months and it had only been for the better. She tried to tell Edward that his old tactics were not going to work on Bella anymore, that she was different, stronger. But he didn't want to listen. They walked on in silence for a while until Alice put her hand on Bella's shoulder.

"Bella I'm sorry for leaving you like that, I tried to tell him it wouldn't help, but he wouldn't listen."

"I know it's not your fault, Alice, he made you all move. The only person he couldn't control was Rosalie, but that was to be expected, she's always been independent."

"Yeah she has." Alice agrees.

They continue to walk in silence until they get to Bella's back door. Bella and Alice give each other a hug.

"Are you all here to stay?" Bella asks.

"Yes, all except Emmett and Rosalie, of course. They're heading back to Seattle, so Jasper and I will see you at school on Monday and if Edward is healed by then so will he." Alice explains.

"Tell him I hope he feels better."

Alice raises an eyebrow, Bella rolls her eyes.

"I'm not completely heartless, I do still care for him, I may even still love him. But I'm a different person now, stronger more confident. and I have no intention of going back to the way I used to be, I like the way I am now."

"As you should, I think what Lexie did to you, did you a world of good." Alice comments.

"Thank you, maybe someday Edward will see it like that and we can be friends. But until he realizes this is the new me and I'm here to stay. I don't want anything to do with him, can you tell him that for me?"

"Sure I'll pass on the message." Alice says as she waves goodbye to Bella.

As Alice was leaving, she saw movement in the trees across the street from Alexis' house. She flashes over and finds Alexis in her Lycan form standing just inside the woods, Alexis turns and growls at Alice as she approaches.

Alice holds up her hands in surrender, "I'm not here to cause trouble Lexie, I just want to help. Let me go to your house and get a change of clothes for you."

Alexis pauses for a moment, then nods. In a flash Alice is gone and back with a change of clothes for Alexis. She takes the clothes from Alice, steps behind a tree and transforms back. Once she's dressed she comes out from behind the tree.

"Thank you, Alice, I appreciate your help." Alexis says and walks off.

"He still loves you, you know." Alice tells Alexis.

Alexis pauses, she turns and looks at Alice and shakes her head, "It doesn't matter if he loves me or not, I can't trust Emmett anymore. I can't trust that if things get rough he won't just up and leave again, Alice. What he did is unthinkable to Lycans, you don't leave your mate, ever, no matter what."

"He made a mistake, can't you forgive him for that?"

"That's a pretty big mistake, Alice and I don't think I could ever forgive him for that. It's too big of a risk on my own heart."

"So then you still love Emmett?"

"I won't lie to you, yes, I still love Emmett, but is the risk worth it? No I don't think it is." Alexis says as she turns to walk into her house.

"You two will be together, I've seen it." Alice comments.

Alexis sighs, "For once, Alice, I think your vision is going to be wrong."

And with that Alexis goes into her house and shuts the door.

Alice stands there for a little while and stares at the house, she sighs and turns around to head back to her house.

"I don't think so, Lexie, my visions are never wrong." Alice says to herself with a smile.