Breaking Dawn

“I want your permission to deviate from what we agreed to in our treaty with Ephraim. I want you to grant us an exception. I want your permission to save her life. You know I’ll do it anyway, but I don’t want to break faith with you if there is any way to avoid it. We never intended to go back on our word, and we don’t do it lightly now. I want your understanding, Jacob, because you know exactly why we do this. I want the alliance between our families to survive when this is over.”

I tried to swallow. Sam, I thought. It’s Sam you want.

“No. Sam’s authority is assumed. It belongs to you. You’ll never take it from him, but no one can rightfully agree to what I’m asking except for you.”

It’s not my decision.

“It is, Jacob, and you know it. Your word on this will condemn us or absolve us. Only you can give this to me.”

I can’t think. I don’t know.

“We don’t have much time.” He glanced back toward the house.

No, there was no time. My few days had become a few hours.

I don’t know. Let me think. Just give me a minute here, okay?

“Yes.”

I started walking to the house, and he followed. Crazy how easy it was, walking through the dark with a vampire right beside me. It didn’t feel unsafe, or even uncomfortable, really. It felt like walking next to anybody. Well, anybody who smelled bad.

There was a movement in the brush at the edge of the big lawn, and then a low whimper. Seth shrugged through the ferns and loped over to us.

“Hey, kid,” I muttered.

He dipped his head, and I patted his shoulder.

“S’all cool,” I lied. “I’ll tell you about it later. Sorry to take off on you like that.”

He grinned at me.

“Hey, tell your sister to back off now, okay? Enough.”

Seth nodded once.

I shoved against his shoulder this time. “Get back to work. I’ll spell you in a bit.”

Seth leaned against me, shoving back, and then he galloped into the trees.

“He has one of the purest, sincerest, kindest minds I’ve ever heard,” Edward murmured when he was out of sight. “You’re lucky to have his thoughts to share.”

“I know that,” I grunted.

We started toward the house, and both of our heads snapped up when we heard the sound of someone sucking through a straw. Edward was in a hurry then. He darted up the porch stairs and was gone.

“Bella, love, I thought you were sleeping,” I heard him say. “I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have left.”

“Don’t worry. I just got so thirsty—it woke me up. It’s a good thing Carlisle is bringing more. This kid is going to need it when he gets out of me.”

“True. That’s a good point.”

“I wonder if he’ll want anything else,” she mused.

“I suppose we’ll find out.”

I walked through the door.

Alice said, “Finally,” and Bella’s eyes flashed to me. That infuriating, irresistible smile broke across her face for one second. Then it faltered, and her face fell. Her lips puckered, like she was trying not to cry.

I wanted to punch Leah right in her stupid mouth.

“Hey, Bells,” I said quickly. “How ya doing?”

“I’m fine,” she said.

“Big day today, huh? Lots of new stuff.”

“You don’t have to do that, Jacob.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, going to sit on the arm of the sofa by her head. Edward had the floor there already.

She gave me a reproachful look. “I’m so s—” she started to say.

I pinched her lips together between my thumb and finger.

“Jake,” she mumbled, trying to pull my hand away. Her attempt was so weak it was hard to believe that she was really trying.

I shook my head. “You can talk when you’re not being stupid.”

“Fine, I won’t say it,” it sounded like she mumbled.

I pulled my hand away.

“Sorry!” she finished quickly, and then grinned.

I rolled my eyes and then smiled back at her.

When I stared into her eyes, I saw everything that I’d been looking for in the park.

Tomorrow, she’d be someone else. But hopefully alive, and that was what counted, right? She’d look at me with the same eyes, sort of. Smile with the same lips, almost. She’d still know me better than anyone who didn’t have full access to the inside of my head.

Leah might be an interesting companion, maybe even a true friend—someone who would stand up for me. But she wasn’t my best friend the way that Bella was. Aside from the impossible love I felt for Bella, there was also that other bond, and it ran bone deep.

Tomorrow, she’d be my enemy. Or she’d be my ally. And, apparently, that distinction was up to me.

I sighed.

Fine! I thought, giving up the very last thing I had to give. It made me feel hollow. Go ahead. Save her. As Ephraim’s heir, you have my permission, my word, that this will not violate the treaty. The others will just have to blame me. You were right—they can’t deny that it’s my right to agree to this.