

Love at first sight? But more powerful? My voice still sounded dubious, and he could hear that.

Its not easy to explain. It doesnt matter, anyway. He shrugged indifferently. You wanted to know what happened to Sam to make him hate the vampires for changing him, to make him hate himself. And thats what happened. He broke Leahs heart. He went back on every promise hed ever made her. Every day he has to see the accusation in her eyes, and know that shes right.

He stopped talking abruptly, as if hed said something he hadnt meant to.

How did Emily deal with this? If she was so close to Leah . . . ? Sam and Emily were utterlyright together, two puzzle pieces, shaped for each other exactly. Still . . . how had Emily gotten past the fact that hed belonged to someone else? Her sister, almost.

She was real angry, in the beginning. But its hard to resist that level of commitment and adoration. Jacob sighed. And then, Sam could tell her everything. There are no rules that can bind you when you find your other half. You know how she got hurt?

Yeah. The story in Forks was that she was mauled by a bear, but I was in on the secret.

Werewolves are unstable, Edward had said.The people near them get hurt.

Well, weirdly enough, that was sort of how they resolved things. Sam was so horrified, so sickened by himself, so full of hate for what hed done. . . . He would have thrown himself under a bus if it would have made her feel better. He might have anyway, just to escape what hed done. He was shattered. . . . Then, somehow,she was the one comfortinghim , and after that. . . .

Jacob didnt finish his thought, and I sensed the story had gotten too personal to share.

Poor Emily, I whispered. Poor Sam. Poor Leah. . . .

Yeah, Leah got the worst end of the stick, he agreed. She puts on a brave face. Shes going to be a bridesmaid.

I gazed away, toward the jagged rocks that rose from the ocean like stubby broken-off fingers on the south rim of the harbor, while I tried to make sense of it all. I could feel his eyes on my face, waiting for me to say something.

Did it happen to you? I finally asked, still looking away. This love-at-first-sight thing?

No, he answered briskly. Sam and Jared are the only ones.

Hmm, I said, trying to sound only politely interested. I was relieved, and I tried to explain my reaction to myself. I decided I was just glad he didnt claim there was some mystical, wolfy connection between the two of us. Our relationship was confusing enough as it was. I didnt need any more of the supernatural than I already had to deal with.

He was quiet, too, and the silence felt a little awkward. My intuition told me that I didnt want to hear what he was thinking.

How did that work out for Jared? I asked to break the silence.

No drama there. It was just a girl hed sat next to in school every day for a year and never looked at twice. And then, after he changed, he saw her again and never looked away. Kim was thrilled. Shed had a huge crush on him. Shed had his last name tacked on to the end of hers all over in her diary. He laughed mockingly.

I frowned. Did Jared tell you that? He shouldnt have.

Jacob bit his lip. I guess I shouldnt laugh. It was funny, though.

Some soul mate.

He sighed. Jared didnt tell us anything on purpose. I already told you this part, remember?

Oh, yeah. You can hear each others thoughts, but only when youre wolves, right?

Right. Just like your bloodsucker. He glowered.

Edward, I corrected.

Sure, sure. Thats how come I know so much about how Sam felt. Its not like he would have told us all that if hed had a choice. Actually, thats something we all hate. The bitterness was abruptly harsh in his voice. Its awful. No privacy, no secrets. Everything youre ashamed of, laid out for everyone to see. He shuddered.

It sounds horrible, I whispered.

Itis sometimes helpful when we need to coordinate, he said grudgingly. Once in a blue moon, when some bloodsucker crosses into our territory. Laurent was fun. And if the Cullens hadnt gotten in our way last Saturday . . . ugh! he groaned. We could have had her! His fists clenched into angry balls.

I flinched. As much as I worried about Jasper or Emmett getting hurt, it was nothing like the panic I felt at the idea of Jacob going up against Victoria. Emmett and Jasper were the closest thing to indestructible I could imagine. Jacob was still warm, still comparatively human. Mortal. I thought of Jacob facing Victoria, her brilliant hair blowing around her oddly feline face . . . and shuddered.

Jacob looked up at me with a curious expression. But isnt it like that for you all the time? Havinghim in your head?

Oh, no. Edwards never in my head. He only wishes.

Jacobs expression became confused.

He cant hear me, I explained, my voice a tiny bit smug from old habit. Im the only one like that, for him. We dont knowwhy he cant.

Weird, Jacob said.

Yeah. The smugness faded. It probably means theres something wrong with my brain, I admitted.

I already knew there was something wrong with your brain, Jacob muttered.

Thanks.

The sun broke through the clouds suddenly, a surprise I hadnt been expecting, and I had to narrow my eyes against the glare off the water. Everything changed color  the waves turned from gray to blue, the trees from dull olive to brilliant jade, and the rainbow-hued pebbles glittered like jewels.

We squinted for a moment, letting our eyes adjust. There were no sounds besides the hollow roar of the waves that echoed from every side of the sheltered harbor, the soft grinding of the stones against each other under the waters movement, and the cry of gulls high overhead. It was very peaceful.

Jacob settled closer to me, so that he was leaning against my arm. He was so warm. After a minute of this, I shrugged out of my rain jacket. He made a little sound of contentment in the back of his throat, and rested his cheek on the top of my head. I could feel the sun heat my skin  thought it was not quite as warm as Jacob  and I wondered idly how long it would take me to burn.

Absentmindedly, I twisted my right hand to the side, and watched the sunlight glitter subtly off the scar James had left there.

What are you thinking about? he murmured.

The sun.

Mmm. Its nice.

What are you thinking about? I asked.

He chuckled to himself. I was remembering that moronic movie you took me to. And Mike Newton puking all over everything.

I laughed, too, surprised by how time had changed the memory. It used to be one of stress, of confusion. So much had changed that night. . . . And now I could laugh. It was the last night Jacob and I had had before hed learned the truth about his heritage. The last human memory. An oddly pleasant memory now.

I miss that, Jacob said. The way it used to be so easy . . . uncomplicated. Im glad Ive got a good memory. He sighed.

He felt the sudden tension in my body as his words triggered a memory of my own.

What is it? he asked.

About that good memory of yours . . . I pulled away from him so that I could read his face. At the moment, it was confused. Do you mind telling me what you were doing Monday morning? You were thinking something that bothered Edward.Bothered wasnt quite the word for it, but I wanted an answer, so I thought it was best not to start out too severely.

Jacobs face brightened with understanding, and he laughed. I was just thinking about you. Didnt like that much, did he?

Me?What about me?

Jacob laughed, with a harder edge this time. I was remembering the way you looked that night Sam found you  Ive seen it in his head, and its like I was there; that memory has always haunted Sam, you know. And then I remembered how you looked the first time you came to my place. I bet you dont even realize what a mess you were then, Bella. It was weeks before you started to look human again. And I remembered how you always used to have your arms wrapped around yourself, trying