laying　my　limp　head

against　his　shoulder。　He　struggled　to　balance　me；　to　keep　me　from　sagging

over；　one　way　or　the　other　He

brushed　the　sweaty　hair　back　from　my　face。

〃Who？〃　Jacob　asked。　〃Can　you　hear　me；　Bella？　Bella？〃

〃She　wasn't　Laurent's　mate；〃　I　moaned　into　his　shoulder。　〃They　were　just　old

friends〃

〃Do　you　need　some　water？　A　doctor？　Tell　me　what　to　do；〃　he　demanded；　frantic。

〃I'm　not　sick—I'm　scared；〃　I　explained　in　a　whisper。　The　word　scared　didn't

really　seem　to　cover　it。

Jacob　patted　my　back。　〃Scaled　of　this　Victoria？〃　I　nodded；　shuddering。

〃Victoria　is　the　red…haired

female？〃　I　trembled　again；　and　whimpered；　〃Yes。〃

〃How　do　you　know　she　wasn't　his　mate？〃

〃Laurent　told　me　James　was　her　mate；〃　I　explained；　automatically　flexing　the

hand　with　the　scar。

He　pulled　my　face　around；　holding　it　steady　in　his　big　hand。　He　stared

intently　into　my　eyes。　〃Did　he　tell

you　anything　else；　Bella？　This　is　important。　Do　you　know　what　she　wants？〃

〃Of　course；〃　I　whispered。　〃She　wants　me。〃　His　eyes　flipped　wide；　then　narrowed

into　slits。　〃Why？〃　he

demanded。

〃Edward　killed　James；〃　I　whispered。　Jacob　held　me　so　tightly　that　there　was　no

need　for　me　to　clutch　at

the　hole—he　kept　me　in　one　piece。　〃She　did　get　pissed　off。　But　Laurent　said

she　thought　it　was　fairer

to　kill　me　than　Edward。　Mate　for　mate。　She　didn't　know—still　doesn't　know；　I

guess—that　that〃　I

swallowed　hard。　〃That　things　aren't　like　that　with　us　anymore。　Not　for　Edward；

anyway。〃

Jacob　was　distracted　by　that；　his　face　torn　between　several　different

expressions。　〃Is　that　what

happened？　Why　the　Cullen