er　about　that。〃

He　nodded。　〃You　should　know　that　we　can　only　watch　our　own　lands　with　a　Cullen

here。　You'll　only　be

safe　in　La　Push。　I　can't　protect　you　here　anymore。〃

〃Okay；〃　I　said　in　a　small　voice。

He　looked　away　then；　out　the　back　windows。　He　didn't　continue。

〃Is　that　all？〃

He　kept　his　eyes　on　the　glass　as　he　answered。　〃Just　one　more　thing。〃

I　waited；　but　he　didn't　continue。　〃Yes？〃　I　finally　prompted。

〃Are　the　rest　of　them　ing　back　now？〃　he　asked　in　a　cool；　quiet　voice。　It

reminded　me　of　Sam's

always　calm　manner。　Jacob　was　being　more　like　Sam　I　wondered　why　that

bothered　me　so　much。

Now　I　didn't　speak。　He　looked　back　at　my　face　with　probing　eyes。

〃Well？〃　he　asked。　He　struggled　to　conceal　the　tension　behind　his　serene

expression。

〃No。〃　I　said　finally。　Grudgingly。　〃They　aren't　ing　back。〃

His　expression　didn't　change。　〃Okay。　That's　all。〃

I　glared　at　him；　annoyance　rekindled。　〃Well；　run　along　now。　Go　tell　Sam　that

the　scary　monsters　aren't

ing　to　get　you。〃

〃Okay；〃　he　repeated；　still　calm。

That　seemed　to　be　it。　Jacob　walked　swiftly　from　the　kitchen。　I　waited　to　hear

the　front　door　open；　but　I

heard　nothing。　I　could　hear　the　clock　over　the　stove　ticking；　and　I　marveled

again　at　how　quiet　he'd

bee。

What　a　disaster。　How　could　I　have　alienated　him　so　pletely　in　such　a　short

amount　of　time？

Would　he　forgive　me　when　Alice　was　gone？　What　if　he　didn't？

I　slumped　against　the　counter　and　buried　my　face　in　my　hands。　How　had　I　made

such　a　mess　of

everything？　But　what　could　I　have　done　differently？　Even　in　hindsight；　I

couldn't　think　of　any　better　way；