twenty.
::joke's on you::

"god knows I've tried to be kind"
—charlotte lawrence

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—happy reading :))

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Jacob had driven Bella home, pulling up in front of the Swan household. But was quick to shut Bella's door before she could get out of the car. Suddenly going into protective mode once he detected that a vampire was present.

"Wait. There's a vampire," Jacob hissed out. Quickly trying to start the car to get them out of there.

"How do you know?" Bella questioned, looking around.

"I can smell it. I'm getting you out of here."

Bella turned around in the seat and spotted a car parked on the other side of the street. "That's Carlisle's car. They're here," Bella told him, going for the truck door.

"Bella. It's a trick," Jacob called out to her, following her out of the car. "Stop, you gotta come with me."

"They won't hurt me," Bella said, glaring at Jacob who stopped her.

"If a Cullen is back here, this is their territory. The treaty says we can only defend our own lands. I can't protect you here. I can bring you back to Althea," Jacob tried to reason with her. For a split second thinking maybe bringing up Althea would sway Bella. How silly of him to think that.

"It's okay. You don't have to protect me."

"You're about to cross a line," Jacob trailed off.

"Then don't draw one. Please?" Bella begged before rushing inside. Jacob slammed the truck door in anger. But he refused to leave until he knew she was completely safe.

Once Bella had learned it was Alice who was inside the house. She had to explain to Alice what had happened. Since the one time Alice got a glimpse of Althea in her visions was the moment when her heart stopped before everything got blurry. It left the girl in a frantic state, rushing to get to Forks. She had left her sister, Rosalie, in a state of shock when she darted out of the door after telling her she saw Althea die the moment she and Bella fell off a cliff.

To say Alice was confused after learning that Althea was still alive was an understatement. Her face showed her complete puzzlement. She was sure that she had seen her die. And she was correct, Bella explained that Althea's heart did stop beating but Paul did CPR. Once he was told to stop she had suddenly came to five minutes later. The vampire was relieved to say the least but she was left with questions of her own. Carlisle had to know something. They were all rather curious of Althea before, but now, things were getting a lot more confusing. He had to have some sort of answer to how it was possible.

"Is Edward back?" Bella questioned.

"No, it's just me. He only checks in every few months. He wants to be alone. He's been torn after everything," Alice explained.

"So you saw Althea die in one of your visions after seeing us fall into the water? Did you tell anyone?" Bella asked.

"Only Rosalie. She's probably not handling it well but I should call her and tell her what's going on. Maybe it's best that Edward never learns of this," Alice brought up, Bella's brows furrowed in confusion. Alice was quick to change the topic once she caught a whiff of wet dog.

"What is that god awful smell?" Alice scrunched her nose up in disgust.

"Oh, it's probably me. Or Jacob," Bella answered her.

"Jacob who?" Alice questioned, not knowing who she was talking about.

"Jacob's kind of a werewolf," Bella told her. "Along with Althea's boyfriend."

"Bella, you both should know werewolves are not good company to keep," Alice scolded.

"Speak for yourself," Jacob spoke up, walking into the room. Alice stood to her feet quickly. Jacob looked to Bella. "I just needed to make sure you were alright. See you were safe."

Bella tilted her head slightly, "I thought you couldn't protect me here?"

"Guess I don't care," Jacob stated.

"Well, I'm not gonna hurt her," Alice said, catching the longing look the two were giving to each other.

"No, you're just a harmless Cullen. I'm talking about the other bloodsucker that tried to kill Bella and Althea because of you," Jacob spat out.

Alice turned to Bella in confusion, "Victoria?"

Bella nodded her head, "Yeah, Victoria's been around. She wants to kill Althea now too along with me."

"I didn't see her. I didn't see you or Althea get pulled out of the water either. I can't see past you and your pack of mutts," Alice hissed out at Jake.

"Don't get me upset," Jacob moved closer to Alice but Bella came in between the two. Bella looked to Alice and the girl understood what she was asking for.

"I'll give you a minute," Alice said.

"Hey, you're not going anywhere. You're gonna come back, right?" Bella questioned the vampire.

Alice nodded, "As soon as you put the dog out."

While Alice was outside, she was quick to call Rosalie. Though what Rosalie told her made the other girl pause in place.

Edward had called to speak to Alice but Rosalie had told him she had gone to Forks. Rose being upset explained that Alice had seen Bella and Althea fall off a cliff into the ocean and Althea hadn't made it. Quickly seeing Edward's next future actions flash through her mind. Alice was quick to swing open the door to the Swan's house.

"Jake, who was that?" Bella wondered.

Alice walked into the kitchen with a look of fear in her eyes.

"Bella. It's Edward. He thinks Althea's dead. Rosalie told him why I came here. How I never saw you get out of the water and how I saw your sister die," Alice informed the girl.

"Why did you... why didn't you let me speak to him?" Bella yelled at Jacob.

"He didn't ask for you," Jacob told her. Not that he was lying to the girl. Edward was very specific when asking to speak to Althea or Charlie.

"Bella. He's going to the Volturi. He wants to die," Alice said.

Alice and Bella were quick to rush out of the house, Jacob following closely behind.

"Where's your sister? We need to get her before we leave," Alice announced.

"Like hell you're getting Althea. She's not going anywhere with you," Jacob spat out. There was no way they were getting to Althea, especially right now. And Paul sure as hell wasn't going to let her out of his sight either.

"He thinks they're dead. He won't believe it if she's not there. Edward has to see her," Alice told him. Bella looked between the two confused while Jacob held a stoned look on his face. If anyone knew what Alice meant, it would be Jacob. Althea was way more important than anyone would think. But something Jacob and Edward both shared was the love they had for the girl that of which overpowered any other thing. Including any feelings they both might've held for Bella.

"I can talk to him. I'll be enough," Bella assured Alice with confidence. Alice gave the older Swan girl an unsure look. Deep down knowing that Bella wouldn't be the person Edward wanted or needed to see. But potentially if they got there fast enough, they could get him to listen to Bella and hear that Althea was still in fact breathing.

"He left you Bella. He didn't want you anymore, remember?" Jacob had brought up.

Bella got into the car, looking at Jacob. "I'm not going to let him kill himself out of guilt."

"What about your dad? What about Althea?" Jacob wondered.

"I'm eighteen. Legally I can go where I want. And I left a note."

"Please, Bella. Just stay here," Jacob begged.

"I can't," She told him before Alice zoomed down the road in the car.

🐺🐺🐺

Jacob had gotten back to Emily's house quickly once Bella left. He was upset that Bella had chosen Edward over him. But to everyone else it was expected. Jacob had explained to Althea who had been looking off in the distance the entire time while his words flowed out into her ears.

She had felt a little gnawing in her gut once she heard that Edward was trying to kill himself once he was informed the Swan girl's were supposedly dead. Or at least, that she was "dead."A part of her had felt like maybe she should've been there to go with Bella. A sudden need to protect had washed over her. Not knowing if it was to protect Bella or even to help save Edward from dying, well, again. But it had been too late. Only time could tell what would happen.

A few days had passed. Charlie was distraught at the fact he lost his friend and that his eldest had up and left the country for a boy who had made her a zombie for months. He and Althea had attended Harry Clearwater's funeral, and after that he tried to get back into work. Keeping himself busy while one of his kids was god knows where. The male Swan was only appreciative that Althea had Paul to keep her company in those past few days. In Charlie's mind, he was the only boyfriend he approved of when it came to boy's his daughters seemed to get in a relationship with. Edward Cullen was at the top of his shit list.

"Althea, do you want to go to Jake's?" Paul questioned. He looked down at the girl who laid in her bed. She still hadn't gotten up and it was nearly 1pm. He was getting concerned with her. Billy had told him to be careful with her because her body and mind still needed time. Afterall, she had died. It takes a toll on a person mentally and physically. All Paul could do was be there for the girl, so that's exactly what he was doing. But he still couldn't help but worry. And he knew Jake was still upset with how Bella had taken off, so maybe the two best friends could help each other. It pained him to think of that as an option to trying to get back to some kind of normalcy. Since the last time he saw Jacob, Paul punched him once he learned he and Althea had kissed before along with the fact Jacob had feelings for Bella and Althea. It infuriated the Lahote boy. But deep down he knew Althea wasn't going to leave him. She made that very clear.

"I'm tired," Althea told him.

He let out a small sigh, "I have to go on patrol. I just don't want you to be alone. Maybe you and Jacob can hang out for a bit?"

"I'll be fine by myself Paul. It's okay. You can come back here after and stay the night if you'd like," Althea offered. She didn't want to still be babysat. Even though Victoria was still out there, she just hated the hovering lately.

"Are you sure?" Paul questioned.

"Yes, now go before I throw something at you," Althea said to him, dead serious with her words.

He leant down to kiss her softly, she smiled into the kiss. Feeling the warmness spread throughout her body.

"I'll see you later," Paul bid his goodbye before heading out of the room and leaving the house.

Not even 10 minutes later, knocking on the front door sounded before the doorbell began to ring. Althea groaned, rolling out of her bed. Annoyed.

"I swear to god, Paul. If it's because you locked yourself out, I'm going to hit you," Althea grumbled. She opened the door and came face to face with Rosalie Hale.

"Althea," Rosalie let out.

"Rose."

Rosalie was quick to hug Althea. It had taken her a few days to get back to Forks, especially since they had to move all of their belongings back into their home. But she wanted to see Althea with her own eyes. See that she was in fact still breathing.

As the blonde vampire hugged Althea, she could sense the blood that still flowed through her body. Taking in that her face still had a pink color to it. She was still the alluring Althea. But there was still a difference.

"You smell like a wet dog," Rosalie brought up, causing Althea to chuckle.

"Yeah, kind of expected when my boyfriend is a wolf," Althea told her, Rosalie scowled in response.

"Werewolves are not–."

"I don't want to hear it, Rose. There's more to it. But I don't need you judging me. That would be like if I started to bring up all of Emmett's flaws or something. And besides, you don't get a say either way. You weren't here," Althea said, being brutally honest.

"I know. I've been a terrible friend. We all thought we were doing the right thing. But it just put you in more danger," Rosalie sighed. "I'm just glad you're alive."

"Yeah, me too," Althea agreed.

Though it felt like she was still dead.

"I wanted to have you come over. There's some things that need to be discussed. Alice and Bella are also back with Edward. I think maybe seeing him would do everyone good," Althea gave a weird look. She was surprised they were back. But why did she really need to see Edward. Especially when her brain reminded her to stand by not wanting to ever see him again.

"There's also things you should know about your sister," Rosalie informed Althea.

Here we go again.

What was up with Bella? God only knows when it comes to her.

"Rose, what is it about Bella?" Althea wondered. Not wanting to have to wait and Rosalie knew she wouldn't withhold the information from the girl.

"Bella is planning on being turned."

🐺🐺🐺

"What the hell do you mean you're going to be a vampire!" Althea yelled, standing in front of Bella outside of the Cullens house. Most of the family watched on from inside. While Rosalie, Edward, and Alice stood on the steps.

"It's what I want. I want to be with Edward," Bella told Althea who scoffed, turning slowly to glare at the vampire.

"I don't want her to be turned," Edward tried to defend himself. "I don't want this life for her."

Bella looked between her sister and boyfriend, "It's my choice, Al."

A stupid one.

"So you would toss away dad, me, Jacob, everyone just to be a vampire? Do you realize how horrible that sounds?" Althea brought up. And selfish.

"It's already set. After graduation. You can't change my mind," Bella shook her head. She wished her sister would see it from her own point of view. Bella loved Edward. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Bella wanted all of his love, and spending a lifetime with him made her feel like that was a way to guarantee just that.

Though that's not quite how it works.

"What if roles were reversed? And it had to do with Paul? Wouldn't you choose him?" Bella asked. Althea's anger rose inside of her. The audacity.

Emmett took notice of the way Edward's hands clenched at the name of a boy. A small smirk on his face. Emmett felt like he was watching a soap opera.

"I would choose my family first. No matter how much I care for him. My family would come first. And he understands that. He also wouldn't want me to throw away my future. Bella, have you realized how selfish you have been for these past few months? How many people you've hurt along the way? I'm a full supporter of being a little selfish from time to time, but literally that's you all the time, Bella. Have you thought about anybody else's feelings with all these things you're doing?" Althea wondered. All the questions had been popping up in her head. She was fed up with how Bella was acting.

"Maybe you don't understand because you don't love Paul as much as I love Edward..." Althea was at her final straw, advancing on her sister. Ready to yank her hair in response but Edward was quick to come between them. He wasn't trying to stop Althea just in honor of defending Bella.

No.

Edward was trying to stop the girl from hurting her sister because he knew it would weigh on her conscience no matter if Althea thought Bella deserved to be put in her place. That was just who Althea was even with the newfound fire in her.

"Althea, she's just saying things. Just take a deep breath," He tried to de-escalate, all of the vampires had felt the anger flash over them all. It was strong. And if they felt it, it could only mean Paul had felt it himself back on the reservation.

Without taking a moment to think, Althea was quick to grab the vampire and toss him away like he was a ragdoll. His back hit a tree before he fell to the ground. He coughed a little trying to regain his composure. All of the vampires along with Bella looked at Althea in shock. She threw the boy as if he weighed nothing. She was strong.

Inside the house Emmett who had been eating the entire scene up, looked over to Carlisle. "How the hell did she do that?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Carlisle answered. But a few things came to mind the more he thought of Althea's recent events. Carlisle looked down at the girl outside in curiosity. His own conspiracy floating around his thoughts. It all made sense in the way they all were never interested in her blood. And the sense of protection they felt for her. But he couldn't help but wonder if he was right, and what it meant for all of them in the end.

———

whattt??? Althea throwing Edward was bound to happen. You can't say you didn't see that coming.

let's be so for real right now. Edward would choose Althea in a heartbeat. But Althea would choose Paul 🤭

make sure to show some love on this chapter ;)
—cait