HUMANITY. ❪ Paul Lahote ❫ ✓

fifteen

"The pack needs to leave," Carlisle announced. "The Volturi won't honor a truce with the werewolves."

"Where's Jacob?" Bella suddenly asked.

Jacob emerged from the trees, and Bella sighed with relief. He saw her but stopped once he heard something. Leah cornered one last male newborn who was hiding before charging.

"Leah, don't!" Edward shouted.

It was too late. Jacob tackled the newborn as it leaped into the air, intent on killing Leah. The newborn crushed Jacob, and he howled in pain.

"Jacob!" Bella shouted.

The pack immediately pounced on the newborn, tearing the newborn off of Jacob and tearing his head off.

Carlisle quickly reached Jacob and examined him as he moved around in pain. "The bones on the right half of his body are shattered," Carlisle said.

"Jacob, you idiot. I had it," Leah hissed.

"Leah," Sam said.

She immediately quieted down.

Carlisle sighed. "I need to set the bones before his accelerated healing kicks in. It's already starting."

Edward shook his head. "We need to get him out of here. We're not gonna win a fight with the Volturi."

Sam nodded. "We'll take him back to Billy's."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," Carlisle said.

"Hang in there, Jake. We got you," Bella said.

The pack carried back into the woods, their figures growing more and more distant. Iris stared at Paul's back as he helped carry an injured Jacob back to the reservation. She wanted to go with them - to help Leah with any guilt and anger, to help their gloom perhaps bloom a little into happiness, or to even just keep Paul company and keep his mind off of Jacob's pain.

"They're here," Alice whispered, snapping Iris out of her thoughts.

Iris shared a look with Edward. He had heard every one of her thoughts. He gave her a subtle smile, rubbing his thumb on the back of her neck for comfort for a moment. The Cullens gathered in the center of the field, converging around Bella.

"It appears you've done our work for us," Jane said as Felix, Demetri, and Alec flanked her sides. Jane looked around, noticing the ruins and Bella. "Impressive. I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact."

Carlisle smiled. "We were lucky."

Jane softly scoffed, a sound that every vampire could hear. "I doubt that."

"It appears we missed an entertaining fight," Alec said.

Jane smiled. "Yes. It's not often we're rendered unnecessary."

"If you'd arrived a half hour ago, you would've fulfilled your purpose," Edward shot back.

"Pity," she merely said. Jane spotted Bree, who was still crouching by the fire. "You missed one."

"We offered her asylum in exchange for her surrender," Carlisle defended.

"That wasn't yours to offer," Jane said.

As Jane moved to Bree, Esme shot Carlisle a concerned look, but Carlisle subtly shook his head.

"Why did you come?" Jane asked Bree.

Before Bree could even answer, Jane used her power on her, sending an invisible searing current through Bree's body. Bree screamed in pain, and Bella flinched at the sound and look on Bree's face.

Iris put her hand on Bella's forearm and nuzzled her cheek onto the girl's shoulder.

Esme quickly stepped up. "They came to destroy us - to kill Bella."

Jane ignored Esme and continued her torture. "Who created you?"

"You don't need to do that. She'll tell you anything you want to know," Esme pleaded.

Jane smirked. "I know."

Carlisle put a hand on Esme's shoulder as a sign of comfort. Bree's screaming suddenly stopped as Jane waited for an answer.

Bree heaved heavy breaths she didn't need. "I don't know. Riley wouldn't tell us. He said our thoughts weren't safe."

"Her name was Victoria," Edward spoke. "Perhaps you knew her."

Carlisle stepped in. "Edward, if the Volturi had knowledge of Victoria, they would've stopped her. Isn't that right, Jane?"

Jane looked at them, almost as if she were curious. "Of course," she replied. "Felix."

Felix moved to Bree upon her command.

"She didn't know what she was doing. We'll take responsibility for her. Give her a chance," Esme pleaded once more.

"The Volturi don't give second chances. Keep that in mind. Caius will be interested to know that she's still human," Jane hissed. "Take care of that, Felix. I'd like to go home," Jane said.

Felix easily tore off Bree's head, her screams and whimpers the last thing the Cullens heard before her demise.

"Thank you, Felix. Until next time," Jane directed toward the Cullens.