We left the house as soon as the sun began to set, following Alice out into the forest where she believed we would cross paths with Victoria. With the wolves not being able to expand their perimeter with the Cullens' return, Victoria had been able to slip through again. 

Bella and Edward had left yesterday morning before school just in case Victoria chose to show up a night earlier than she had previously decided. Luckily, she didn't make that choice. 

The woods were cold and eery, the slight sound of forest creatures and the rushing river acted as background noise as we all stood in formation, facing all directions, ready and waiting for Victoria. I had my barrier down in case I was able to hear her thoughts before Alice would see her. 

"Are you sure this is where you saw her?" Carlisle spoke up, breaking the intense silence. 

"She's almost here." Alice spoke softly and instantly Victoria's voice filled my head, but I couldn't yet tell which direction she was coming from. 

"I can hear her thoughts." I alerted everyone and Emmett came to stand beside me. 

"Where is she?" He asked as I tried to focus on her. 

Edward had been teaching me how to handle my gift. How to zone in on a specific voice and if they were close enough, identify exactly where they were. In that time, Carlisle had also been studying me. We had discovered that I was the strongest out of all family members — even Emmett. I held the same strength as a newborn vampire, and I was faster than Edward, making me also the fastest. Though I had these advantages they did have their problems. Unlike the others I could tire so I had to be careful how much I used them at certain times, I couldn't exhaust myself. 

Victoria's voice got louder and seemed to be coming from my left. My head shot round to see a flash of red before Alice called out, "on your left!" 

All of us immediately took off, Emmett taking the lead followed by Rose and Jasper and I not far behind, I had to pace myself if I had a chance of getting to her.  

Emmett was gaining on her, it was the fastest I had ever seen him run. He reached out to her and was able to grab her shoulder, but she was able to flip him off and continued running as he fell to the floor grunting. 

We all continued knowing Emmett would get up. Jasper picked up his speed excelling in front of Rose and me.  

Victoria made a bold move next, jumping onto Quileute land across the river and landing on the other side as we all skidded to a stop at the riverbank.  

"Wait! She's in their territory." Carlisle spoke as Victoria began to move again, running across the bank on the other side of the river. 

We all followed down our side of the riverbank, our speed slightly behind hers. "She'll get away!" Esme shouted as we all picked up our speed. 

Growls filled the air as Embry, Paul and Jared burst through the trees hot on the tail of Victoria, their jaws snapping at her. "No, she won't!" Jasper yelled pulling away from the rest of us. I increased my speed as well, coming up beside him, however, I still didn't reach my top speed. 

The boys were inches from catching her as we ran over the rocks. Embry's jaws were close to grabbing her, but she jumped and landed back over on our side of the river. She began to jump against the trees, Jasper did the same in hope of catching her but missed only by a few inches and tumbled to the ground. 

I then took a deep breath knowing I was the only one left that was close enough to catch her. I pushed on, now reaching my full speed as I came up right behind her. She looked over her shoulder and panic set over her face as I grabbed her by her hair, her own arms latching onto mine as we fell to the ground and into a tree, my grip on her hair loosening. 

She stood only a fraction of a second before I did, taking the lead again as I jumped to my feet and joined the rest of the family in the chase. 

From her change in direction, I could tell that she was ready to make the jump again, but Emmett's pace wasn't letting up. She took the jump and Emmett's speed didn't slow down. "Emmett no!" Rose warned but Emmett didn't listen and took the leap across the river too. 

The next part seemed to happen in slow motion: the wolves stopped chasing Victoria and moved on Emmett instead. Paul leaped up grabbing Emmett before he landed on Quileute territory and tossed him into the river with a harsh growl. 

We all stopped on the bank forgetting Victoria as we watched Paul and Emmett face off against each other. 

Panic set in as I stared at what was unfolding in front of me. I couldn't let anything happen between the two, they were both family. I jumped down onto the bank to get closer staying on the Cullen side of the river.  

"Aria don't." Jasper warned but I ignored him, I jumped, ready to land in front of Paul in attempt to calm him down. 

As I was about to land something hard knocked into me and all I could feel around myself was water and a blasting pain to my head. I squeezed my eyes shut afraid to open them as I heard multiple growls back above the surface. 

I felt someone grab my arms and I was pulled to the surface and the air filled my lungs again. "Aria! Aria are you okay?" I opened my eyes to Emmett's voice though everything seemed to be spinning. "Carlisle!" I heard splashes next and then I felt Carlisle beside me. "She smashed her head on the rocks." Emmett's voice sounded as I brought my hand round to the back of my head. It hurt so much.

I brought my hand back round to my face and gasped when my hand was coated in red. "She's bleeding we have to take her back to the house." Carlisle began to lift me, and I shook my head ignoring the pounding in my ears. 

"Just wait a second." I began as my vision began to clear. "I'll be fine in a second." I squeezed my eyes tight as I tried to regain control. 

I regained complete focus when I opened my eyes again and found Carlisle and Emmett staring down at me. "Are you okay?" Emmett asked as they helped me to my feet. 

"I think so." I muttered even though there was still a slight pinch of pain from where I had smashed my head against the rock. 

"Your head has stopped bleeding, but I think you should get some rest." Carlisle instructed and I nodded. 

"If it's alright I would like to go home tonight?" I asked and he nodded, and I turned my head to the wolves. 

Jared was cowering away from Embry and Paul as they hissed and snarled at him, no doubt he was the one that had stopped me from landing on wolf territory. 

"Embry?" I spoke softly and he turned his large head to look at me. I dropped my barrier in order to talk with him. 

"Could you get the message to Jesse somehow that I'll be coming home tonight?" I asked softly and his large head nodded. 

"I will, are you sure you're okay? You know we have to tell your dad and Jesse about this. Jared can't go unpunished." He growled the last part as he turned to look at Jared. 

"Leeches aren't welcome on our land." Jared spat and Embry and Paul growled lowly at him. 

"We'll see what Sam has to say about that in a moment." Paul cut in and Jared snarled baring his teeth. "Meet us at your house."  

"Okay." I nodded; I was about to put my barrier back up when another voice added in to the conversation. 

"You did what to her?!" It was his voice, Jacob, I could see that he was charging through the forest as the image of Jared knocking me down replayed in his head. "Jared, I will fucking kill you for touching her!" His voice was angry and rugged, and his breaths were deep and harsh. 

"Oh shit. Aria make your way home now. We'll see you soon." Embry said quickly before turning towards Jared and biting at his side to get him to move forward and then all three of them disappeared into the trees.  

"What was all that about?" Jasper asked as I kept my eyes trained on where the boys were last standing. Jacob had seen Jared hurt me again, what was he going to do to him? 

A loud howl filled the air which I recognised to be Jake's, and many others then followed. 

"Err, Jacob saw what just happened, there's a meeting and I have to go." I explained and their eyes widened in worry. 

"You'll have to go back to the house to collect your things, then we'll run you to the border." Carlisle said rubbing my back and I nodded. 

Emmett and Carlisle helped me out of the river even though I told them I was fine and then we ran back to the house. I knew I shouldn't have but the whole way back I couldn't help but think about how Jake was reacting to what just happened. He seemed so angry. I was nervous about what he might do. 

* * *

Before I could even see my house, I could hear the loud yelling coming from it. We were lucky we didn't have any close neighbours around us. I caught all of the pack's scents and my dad's. 

"You fucking touched her!" Jacob yelled and then I heard struggling. 

"Jacob calm down!" It was my dad's voice, but he sounded just as angry as Jake. 

"He could've killed her." Jake responded just as I jogged round the side of the house to see him being restrained by Paul and Quil and Jared was standing a few metres away from him with an emotionless face, Seth and Embry restraining him, too. 

"Aria!" Jesse called out before running over to me. He joined me quickly, "Thank god you're okay." He hugged me tight before checking me over. I froze when his face fell. He was practically glaring at me, and I didn't realise what was wrong until it hit me... I didn't replace my contacts. "Why do they look like that?" He seethed quietly; thank God he was blocking everyone from seeing me.  

I looked down at the floor, I was both shocked and embarrassed with myself. How could I be so careless? I fiddled with my fingers as I explained. "They've been like this since I was first bitten." I looked back up at him and he was still glaring into my blood red and ocean blue eyes. Now I was a physical reminder too.  

He suddenly stepped to the side, revealing me to everyone and my heart sunk into my stomach. Some gasps sounded but nothing could have prepared me for the look of actual fear on my dad's face. "Dad, I-" I stepped forward but stopped when he took one back. 

"Guess you didn't know your imprint had the eyes of a leech, did you Jacob?" Jared sneered and I felt my blood boil. He had done enough to me, I was going to end this now even if it meant killing him, he's tried to kill me more than once! 

I appeared in front of him instantly and smirked when he jumped slightly. "I dare you to insult me again." I hissed; my hands clenched into fists as I glared up at him. 

"Aria, calm down, okay?" I ignored Jesse's call and kept my eyes on Jared's face. 

He smirked almost evilly before he jerked, he his head back and repositioned it to spit right in my face. Without a second thought, ignoring Jake's outraged roar in the background, I grabbed him around the throat, ripping him from Seth and Embry's clutches and threw his body across the field. 

Before he hit the ground, I knew what would happen. His body exploded into his wolf alter ego as I wiped his saliva from my cheek. As I was about to position myself ready to fight Jake exploded too, his huge body rushing to stand protectively in front of me before charging at Jared. Their snarls and growls were viscous as they tore and clawed at each other.

"Jacob!" I protested; this was my fight. I didn't need his help, not anymore. The sound of my voice caused a distraction, his large head whipped around to look at me instead of Jared charging at him, it was if invisible brakes had shuddered his legs to a stop. 

I realised my mistake, horror coursing through me as I watched Jared's front left paw sink into Jake's chest and raked itself all the way down it. He yelped, briefly shaken before he propelled forward, his jaws clamping down over the back of Jared's neck and jerked his head to the side to inflict pain and tear at his skin.

Sam intervened then, phasing instantly, growling and hissing harshly at the both of them before sending them off into the forest. Jesse was gone in a flash, running into the house and returning about thirty seconds later with three pairs of shorts. Leah, Quil and Seth were already working quickly to pick up the remains of the clothes the three boys had been wearing. As if erasing the last few minutes completely. 

I was on my own again then, Dad hadn't moved from the porch, the remains of the pack were gathered across the field staring at me too. It couldn't be that big of a deal, right? I hadn't changed in myself. 

The three boys then re-emerged from the tree line, Jake and Jared both covered in their own blood as it dripped down their torsos. To not have healed already meant that they were pretty deep wounds. My hands shook as I looked at the four deep slashes across Jake's chest and I couldn't control the fury that enveloped my body at the thought of someone hurting him. No Aria don't feel anything for him!

I caught Sam's eyes as he watched me warily. "Restrain them." He commanded as Seth, Paul, Embry and Quil went back to their original posts. "Aria why didn't you tell us about this!" He demanded and my eyes shot back to him. 

"Why do you think?" I snapped now glaring back at Jared, admiring Jake's work of the puncture wounds along the back of his neck. 

Jesse looked over me and winced when he saw the blood covering the back of my shirt. "I want him out of the pack." Jesse shouted turning and pointing at Jared. 

"That isn't something you get to choose." Jared spat at him before his gaze locked with mine and he smirked. I was going to kill him. 

"Don't look at her. Please let me go so I can kill him!" Jacob spoke out harshly trying to get out of the boys' grasp. I tried to push it away, but I couldn't help the ache that I felt in my chest as I looked at his pain filled face. 

"Jacob!" Sam's booming voice silenced everyone, and Jacob stopped struggling. "Aria are you okay?" He asked and I nodded. "Jared what you have done is completely unacceptable, you know the rules surrounding the... situation." He paused for a moment to look at my dad who shook his head slightly. "Aria is Quileute therefore allowed on this land. You have been told that. Whatever you have against her must be forgotten. This is your last chance." Sam warned and Jared nodded before turning his gaze to me, a disgusted look on his face.  

"I'm not apologising to her if that's what you're asking." He shrugged and Jake growled lowly earning a smirk from Jared. "Seems Jacob's getting a little restless over there considering his imp-" 

"Jared!" Dad spat warning him. "Sam take him home, I want him off my land." Sam nodded at my dad's words before grabbing Jared and pulling him along, Paul following, leaving Jesse, Embry, Quil and Jake. "I've had enough for one night." He finished before turning on his heel and moved towards the house. 

Once Jared was out of sight Jacob was released, my heart panged with guilt as he hissed in pain when he flexed his arms and looked down at his body. I was well and truly torn. I wanted to hate him, hate him so badly I couldn't stand the sight of him. That was how I planned to act towards him the next time we crossed paths. But now he had defended me and got hurt in the process, and no matter how much my head was screaming at me hate him, my heart was was screaming right back.

My palms became sweaty before I made the decision to run to him, ripping off the bottom half of my shirt as I went. "Aria what are you doing!?" Jesse became irrelevant at this point; my heart infuriatingly had won this battle. Jake looked terrible, he had bags under his eyes, he looked physically drained, and I guessed that wound wasn't helping him.  

"Back off Jesse." I warned with an intense glare. It was then Jake noticed I was running towards him and when our eyes met it was like the life had instantly flowed back into him, he didn't even seem phased by my eyes. 

I stood before him and balled up the material from my shirt and began to wipe at the blood that had poured over his bare chest, wincing when he gritted his teeth at the contact. The blood stopped seeping through a few seconds after I began clearing up, and the deep flesh wounds slowly began to stitch themselves back together. When the material from my shirt became too blood-soaked, I threw it onto the grass.  

"Alright he's clean, let's go inside." Jesse ordered, causing my anger to boil up again. 

"Jesse, it's fine!" I refrained from shouting but hopefully my tone got my point across. I felt like I was being controlled by a puppet, forcing me to be with Jake all the while the sane part of me was being gagged and restrained inside of me. Jake was making me crazy.

"What?" Jacob and Jesse spoke simultaneously as they both looked at me in shock. To be honest, I didn't think Jake had taken his eyes off of me since I approached him. 

"Aria, do you realise what you're saying?" Jesse burst out obviously confused by my sudden change of heart towards Jacob... I was confused by my choices too. I nodded, keeping my own eyes fixed in Jake's deep brown ones. "But-"  

"Just give us a minute, please?" I asked softening my tone. Aria, no! My inner voice said. 

"Fine. I'm going back on patrol." He grumbled before motioning for the remaining members of the pack to follow. He stopped when he reached Jake and me. "If you do one more thing to hurt her, I swear to god..." He warned sternly. 

"I get it Jesse." Jake's voice was low and understanding but he still didn't take his eyes off of me. It was making me so nervous my stomach began to do flips. 

"Good." Jesse said before jogging off into the trees with the others. 

I stood watching Jake back for a moment, not entirely sure what I was doing in this situation. I hated that I could never manage to stay away from him. I wanted to cut ties, but it was like I wasn't allowed.  

He was still staring at me with the same level of intensity, and it was only in that second that I realised he was trying to take in my eyes. The one thing he hated about me had just been magnified, he was sure to go crazy. Now I hoped my heart felt stupid enough for making me do this. How could I let myself be alone with him when he hated vampires this much? 

I was too scared to tear my eyes away from his emotionless face. I was scared that if I looked away, he'd run. I couldn't watch that for the third time in my life. 

"Words can't describe how sorry I am." He began and I shook my head. 

"Don't." I held a hand up. "Don't apologise. It's pointless if you do because you can't keep your promises. No matter what, you always break them. Do you have any idea what these past two months have been like for me? I have tried to not think about you every day and I'm failing." I broke off trying not to get upset. "Jacob... I'm fed up with your lies." I sighed, trying to blink the tears away. 

"Aria, please. I mean it when I say I'm sorry, I need you with me. Look at what this is doing to me. I know you need me too." He begged and I shook my head. 

"Just please stop talking." I looked up at him and I didn't even realise he had moved closer to me. With one more step I would be in his arms, I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. "I can't do this." I went to turn around, but he grabbed my wrist, and that familiar bolt of electricity ran through my body. Regrettably I had missed it. 

"Can't do what? I don't want to go anywhere. I want to be here, just talk to me please." He begged as he brought his other hand up to cup my face and my eyes fluttered closed at the contact and I leant into his hand. Stop! Step back!

This wasn't going to do me any good. "Jacob... I don't understand what you want." I stepped out of his hold. Good, now leave. "You've hurt me too much. I don't think we can go back..." 

"Ari," his eyes rimmed with tears as he moved forward again. 

"You shouldn't be here." I looked down at the ground and closed my eyes not wanting to cry, I had cried too much over this. 

"Please listen to me." He gently cupped my face in both of his hands and tilted my head to look at up him. "Open your eyes." He said softly and I opened my eyes to meet his. "I know I've hurt you. I see that now and I know that I can't lose you. I mean it, I swear I mean it when I say you mean everything to me." As he finished, he was close enough that when he spoke his lips brushed against mine. I was falling in all over again, what was happening to me?!

"Jake," I lifted a hand and held the side of his face as I stood on my tiptoes. "I want to believe you. I miss you so much, but I can't go on... With you... Like this. It's too painful." 

"Don't do this, not again." He brought my body closer to his, so we were pressed together and my breathing hitched. 

"Aria!" Dad's voice rang out from the front of the house breaking Jacob and I apart. Thank you, Dad.

"I've got to go." I began to slip away but he held onto my hand. 

"Please don't give up on me. I can prove it to you." He begged once again, and I shook my head. 

"Jacob listen to me." I slipped my hand out of his. "It's too late. I'm sorry but it is, my heart can't handle it anymore. You've pulled me in every direction and I'm tired of it all. I wish I could forgive you but I can't. I want to still be your friend, but we can't go back to the way we were. I won't be able to take it because I can't trust you."  

Is that what I really wanted to say? 

I wanted him to prove it to me. I wanted him to be mine. I wanted to trust him. I wanted him to keep his promises. I wanted to believe him. I wanted... but people rarely got what they wanted. 

Sanity was seeping back into control, and I couldn't let go of that little voice in my head telling me to stay away from him. I missed him so much, but I just couldn't do it. Civil friends was the only way he could stay in my life. But he couldn't come close to me again, I needed to get over him. 

"Please let me make it up to you." I couldn't handle his begging, the strain in his voice and the tears in his eyes. 

"Aria, come inside!" Dad called again and I looked back towards the front of the house. 

"Please Aria." He said again and I kept looking between him and the house. 

"How can I be sure you're telling the truth?" I asked him and he seemed hopeful for a moment. 

"Because I am, just please believe me!" He said quietly and I began to shake my head again. 

"We can't go back to the way we were before." I began and he nodded his head sullenly. "But..." I couldn't believe I was saying this. "I'll try." 

"What?" I guess he couldn't believe it either. 

"We can try to just be friends. Nothing more. That mean we can't do what we did before. No cuddling or sleepovers or me wearing your clothes... Do you get what I mean?" I asked shakily and he nodded. 

"If that's the only way I can still see you, I'll take it. I mean it Aria. I'll do this for you, I'll show you." He grabbed my hands in his and held them tightly. 

"Okay, but I have to go now. Goodnight Jacob." I smiled at him meekly before I let go of his hands and ran inside the house without looking back.