Chapter 27: Unexpected Conversation
As Ethan stepped out of the cave, the cold dawn air brushed against his skin. His body was exhausted, but his mind was alert. The first thing he did was expand his senses, searching for signs of his pack. He needed to know that everything was in order. However, what he found was chaos.
The sound of a fight alerted him instantly. He could hear fierce growls, the clash of bodies, the crunching of earth and branches breaking under the weight of the wolves. Without hesitation, he headed toward the source of the conflict. When he reached the clearing, his eyes widened in surprise. In front of him, Paul and Jacob were in the middle of a violent battle. What shocked him the most was seeing Jacob in his wolf form. Up until the previous day, Jacob hadn't shown any signs of transformation.
"How is that possible?" Ethan thought as he moved closer.
Sam was there too, trying to intervene but failing to calm the two young wolves. Ethan couldn't understand what had happened. Still perplexed, he made a quick decision: he transformed into his wolf form and ran toward the fight. As he arrived, he let out a howl that echoed through the forest, a deep, powerful sound that reverberated among the trees. The effect was immediate. Jacob and Paul stopped fighting and lowered their heads in submission. Even Sam, who was always composed, looked at him in surprise.
Ethan walked slowly toward them, his imposing figure dwarfing the other wolves. It was clear that his transformation had changed since they last saw him. Paul and Sam exchanged glances: Ethan was now larger, his claws were black as obsidian, and his eyes... they were no longer those of an uncontrollable beast. Though the fury was still there, it was now contained, as if he had learned to master it.
Jacob, for his part, couldn't take his eyes off him. He had heard from the others about Ethan's unique transformation, but seeing it in person was something else. The creature before him was immense, imposing, and radiated a power that made Jacob feel the need to bow even lower, recognizing his older brother's supremacy.
After calming the fight, Ethan returned to his human form. He approached Paul and Jacob with a serious expression on his face. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled.
Paul, still a bit agitated from the fight, shrugged. "We had a little disagreement, nothing serious," he said, though he avoided looking Ethan directly in the eyes. Jacob nodded silently, clearly embarrassed.
Sam, with his arms crossed, was more direct. "Where have you been all week?" he asked, his tone indicating concern.
Ethan looked at him, confused. "Week? I was only gone for a day, at most."
"You're wrong," Sam replied, frowning. "You've been missing for a whole week."
Ethan blinked in surprise. "A week?" The pieces began to fall into place in his mind, explaining why everything seemed so different when he left the cave. "That explains a lot..." he murmured.
He shook his head, determined not to waste more time on details he couldn't change. "Alright, catch me up on what's happened while we walk to Emily's house. I want to know everything."
As they made their way to Emily's house, Sam began recounting the events. "The first thing you need to know is that Bella Swan already knows our secret."
Ethan stopped dead in his tracks, his expression changing immediately. His eyes sharpened with a mix of surprise and contained anger. "How did that happen?" he asked seriously. "Only the tribal leaders and the Cullens were supposed to know about us."
Sam sighed before answering. "It was Jacob. He gave her enough clues, and she figured it out on her own."
Ethan slowly turned his head toward Jacob, who was behind him, with an expression that mixed disappointment and warning. Jacob lowered his gaze, uncomfortable. "I'm sorry..." he muttered, feeling small in the presence of his older brother.
Ethan took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "I'll let it slide this time, Jacob," he said, his voice more controlled than expected. "But only because it's my fault for not being here to guide you properly this past week. Don't let it happen again."
Jacob nodded silently, feeling both grateful and guilty at the same time.
When they arrived at Emily's house, Ethan felt a mix of relief and surprise to see the other boys gathered. But what really caught his attention was Bella's presence, sitting at the kitchen table with Emily. Ethan let out an exasperated sigh when he saw her. "Whose idea was this?" he asked with a slightly irritated tone.
Sam stepped forward. "It was my idea," he said without hesitation. "I asked the boys to bring her. I felt it was important for her to understand what's going on."
Bella, visibly uncomfortable, slowly approached Ethan. "Hi," she said softly, trying to break the tension.
Ethan looked at her for a moment, assessing the situation, before finally nodding. "It wasn't the way I would have liked you to find out about all this, but... hi, Bella. It's been a while since we last saw each other."
Bella nodded nervously. "Yeah, it's been a while."
Ethan shook his head slightly, feeling the situation escalating unnecessarily. "Jacob," he said, turning toward his brother, "why don't you take Bella for a walk? Explain what she needs to know. I need to rest. This week has left me exhausted, and honestly, I need a bath. The smell here is starting to confuse me."
Jacob quickly nodded, grateful for an excuse to leave the tension in the room. "Come on, Bella," he said, gesturing toward the door. Bella followed him, casting one last curious glance at Ethan before leaving.
As they walked along the beach, Bella couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "Jacob," she said, breaking the silence, "how do you transform into a wolf?"
"It's genetic," Jacob said. "When vampires are nearby, the gene awakens. There's not much more to explain."
"Isn't there a way to stop it?" Bella asked, her tone full of concern. "This feels so wrong."
Jacob stopped abruptly and looked at her with a mix of anger and pain. "Do you really think that?" he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Do you think I chose this? I had no choice, Bella. This is how I was born. I can't help it."
The anger in his voice was palpable. "Oh, wait, am I not the kind of monster you like? Do you only like vampires?"
Bella stepped back, surprised by the intensity of his words. "It's not what you are, Jacob. It's what you do. You... you kill."
Jacob looked at her incredulously. "We haven't killed anyone," he replied firmly. "The only thing we hunt is vampires."
Bella was speechless, absorbing what she had just heard. "Vampires? You can't kill vampires..."
"Of course we can," Jacob replied, his tone still annoyed. "Don't worry. We're not going to touch your beloved Cullen. We have a treaty with them."
Bella, trying to fix things, said, "That's not what I meant. It's just that... vampires are dangerous. They can kill you."
Jacob sighed, tired of the conversation. "The vampire that almost killed you is already dead. The pack and I tore him apart, and Ethan has already killed others who passed through Forks a while ago. The only one left is that red-haired vampire."
"Victoria?" Bella asked, a shiver running down her spine.
"Exactly," Jacob replied. "This past week, she's been coming back, but she always manages to escape. We still don't know what's drawing her here."
Bella looked at him with a mix of terror and certainty. "I know why she's coming. She wants to kill me."
Chapter 28: Persecution and Loss
The days passed since the conversation with Jacob, and Bella tried to resume her life normally, although the restlessness persisted. The promise that the pack would be watching over her did not completely calm her thoughts. Meanwhile, Ethan felt a change inside him; since he had managed to pass the first test, a strange peace had invaded him, very similar to the peace he felt when he was around Rosalie. He no longer felt that constant rage that pushed him to explode every second, although deep inside he knew that this peace would remain until he completed the last test of his ancestors.
While patrolling, Ethan was reflecting on what Sam had reported about the murder of one of the vampires that accompanied James. The only one missing was the redhead, Victoria, who was prowling both the Quileute and Cullen territory. So Ethan decided that while the Cullens were not patrolling, he would not let this vampire roam freely around Forks.
Change of Perspective
A group of men, among whom were Charlie Swan and Harry Clearwater, patrolled the woods with weapons in hand, following reports of "giant animals" in the area. Harry knew deep down that they were referring to Ethan's pack, but he remained silent, trying to protect both his friend Charlie and his community. As they advanced through the terrain, they did not realize that Victoria was observing them from the top of the imposing trees, calculating her next move. Her target was Charlie, as he carried Bella's scent on his jacket, which convinced her of their close relationship.
Victoria smiled sadistically and prepared to attack. Harry spotted her and, without hesitation, pointed his gun at her to shoot, but with a superhuman movement, Victoria disarmed him and grabbed him by the neck, ready to end his life. Before she could do so, Jacob, in his wolf form, arrived just in time, charging at Victoria and forcing her to let go of Harry. However, the shock and strain were too much for Harry, and his weak heart could not withstand the stress. He fell to the ground, clutching his chest as life drained from him.
Jacob's howl resonated in the air, calling the pack. Ethan, who was patrolling the Cullen territory, heard his brother's call. He knew immediately that Victoria had left false trails to keep him away from her true target. With a mix of fury and frustration, he rushed toward the location, but Victoria, using her cunning, had already jumped off the cliff before he arrived. Frustrated, Ethan and his pack knew they had fallen into her game.
Bella's POV
For her part, Bella felt more alone every day. Edward's visions were becoming less frequent, and her desperation grew within her. Sadness suffocated her; the feeling of emptiness was so strong that she could barely think of anything else. What was left if Edward didn't come back? If she didn't feel his presence again? These were frequent questions that plagued Bella's mind.
In a fit of desperation and immaturity, she decided to head to the cliff where she once saw Sam and the other boys jump. Her mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts, convincing herself that this rush of adrenaline would somehow bring her closer to Edward. She felt that putting her life in danger would bring him back. But as she approached the edge of the cliff, a part of her knew it was a stupid idea. However, her broken heart no longer listened to reason.
She jumped into the water, but she was not prepared for the force of the waves. Soon, the current swept her away, and in her struggle to stay afloat, she hit her head on a rock, falling unconscious.
Jacob, who had quickly returned after the confrontation with Victoria, found her in time. He dragged her to the shore and, filled with concern, gave her first aid. Although he managed to save her, anger grew inside him. How could Bella be so irresponsible?
When Bella woke up, she felt the cold on her skin and saw Jacob next to her. The relief on his face was mixed with anger.
"What the hell were you thinking, Bella?" Jacob said, unable to hide his frustration. "You could have died."
Bella stayed silent, feeling shame sink into her chest. Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Jake... I don't know what I was doing. I just miss him so much."
Jacob looked at her for a moment, holding back his emotions, before responding more softly.
"I understand, Bella, but you can't keep putting your life in danger for him. This isn't worth it."
Change of Perspective to Ethan
Meanwhile, Ethan, after learning of Victoria's attack on Harry and his subsequent heart attack, quickly headed to the Clearwater house. The gravity of the situation overwhelmed him. Upon his arrival, he found the family and Charlie surrounding Harry in his final moments of life. Harry, in a weak whisper, asked to speak alone.
Ethan leaned in to listen, and Harry, in a broken and weakened voice, begged him to take care of his children.
"Seth and Leah are changing, Ethan. They will soon begin their transformation. Protect and guide them, please. Be the alpha you need to be for our people."
Ethan nodded solemnly as he felt the weight of responsibility fall upon him. With those last words, Harry Clearwater closed his eyes forever.
Ethan was left alone for a few moments, processing the burden he had just received. The responsibility of protecting the entire pack and, now, of guiding Harry's children toward their transformation was overwhelming. The pain in his chest was mixed with anger toward Victoria, toward the situation, and toward his own fate. But he knew that he couldn't hesitate.
At that moment, he received a message from Jacob informing him that Bella had jumped off the cliff and almost drowned. Frustration and anger took over him. He couldn't understand how someone could be so reckless, putting her own life and the lives of others in danger for such an impulsive decision.
"Take her home," Ethan replied sharply. "Then come back immediately. We have work to do."
También te puede interesar
Comentario de párrafo
¡La función de comentarios de párrafo ya está en la Web! Mueva el mouse sobre cualquier párrafo y haga clic en el icono para agregar su comentario.
Además, siempre puedes desactivarlo en Ajustes.
ENTIENDO