ulled　you　out？〃

〃Yes。　Jacob　saved　me。〃

I　watched　curiously　as　an　enigmatic　range　of　emotions　flitted　across　her　face。

Something　was　bothering

her—her　imperfect　vision？　But　I　wasn't　sure。　Then　she　deliberately　leaned　in

and　sniffed　my　shoulder。

I　froze。

〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　she　muttered；　sniffing　at　me　some　more。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃

She　ignored　my　question。　〃Who　was　with　you　out　there　just　now？　It　sounded　like

you　were　arguing。〃

〃Jacob　Black。　He's　sort　of　my　best　friend；　I　guess。　At　least；　he　was〃　I

thought　of　Jacob's　angry；

betrayed　face；　and　wondered　what　he　was　to　me　now。

Alice　nodded；　seeming　preoccupied。

〃What？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　not　sure　what　it　means。〃

〃Well；　I'm　not　dead；　at　least。〃

She　rolled　her　eyes。　〃He　was　a　fool　to　think　you　could　survive　alone。　I've

never　seen　anyone　so　prone　to

life…threatening　idiocy。〃

〃I　survived；〃　I　pointed　out。

She　was　thinking　of　something　else。　〃So；　if　the　currents　were　too　much　for

you；　how　did　this　Jacob

manage？〃

〃Jacob　is　strong。〃

She　heard　the　reluctance　in　my　voice；　and　her　eyebrows　rose。

I　gnawed　on　my　lip　for　a　second。　Was　this　a　secret；　or　not？　And　if　it　was；

then　who　was　my　greatest

allegiance　to？　Jacob；　or　Alice？

It　was　too　hard　to　keep　secrets；　I　decided。　Jacob　knew　everything；　why　not

Alice；　too？

〃See；　well；　he's　sort　of　a　werewolf；〃　I　admitted　in　a　rush。　〃The　Quileutes

turn　into　wolves　when　there

are　vampires　around。　They　know　Carlisle　from　a　long　time　ago。　Were　you　with

Carlisle　back　then？〃

Alice　gawked　at　me　for　a　moment；　and　then　recovered　herself；　blin