Emmett-

From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew my life would never be the same. I was still just as dead as yesterday, that much was sure, but I swear at the sight of her, I suddenly felt like my undead heart might beat again. Don't get me wrong. With out a doubt, Rosalie Hale had been my mate. But perhaps Evie, well maybe-- just maybe, second chance mates really did exist.

I sighed in frustration, as I tossed her the keys to the ATV and turned away from her.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" she called.

Every fiber of my being, screamed for me to turn back around and get another glance at her-- but I couldn't. Even if it was possible that she was my mate, I wasn't ready.

"You're going to have to get back and forth somehow," I answered keeping my focus on the trees in front of me.

"Well how are you going to get back?"

"I'll walk," I answered.

I cringed inwardly as Evie mumbled something incoherent, before slamming the door of her cabin behind me. An incredible feeling of guilt washed over me-- from turning my back on her, to making her carry her own luggage-- but it had only been two years since I'd lost Rosalie and I just wasn't ready to move on yet.

"So did anything exciting happen while you were gone?" Alice beamed as I walked into the house.

"Wouldn't you all ready know if it had?" I muttered, forcing my way past her. I wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Well, someone's in a sour mood," she remarked, the smile falling from her face.

"There's no use in denying it, brother," Jasper chuckled, suddenly appearing next to his mate. "I could feel the connection you two had a mile away."

"So what," I replied with a frown and a shrug. My mind was already made up and there was nothing anyone could say to change it.

"So what," Alice practically shrieked as she repeated my words. "So what-- Emmett you can't be serious," she scolded. "I mean, c'mon! Isn't it obvious?"

"I don't think any thing is obvious," Bella announced as she and Edward walked in to the room.

I rolled my eyes, as I suddenly found myself surrounded by my siblings. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.

"Don't worry," I informed everyone. "Evie will never replace Rosalie."

"Nevertheless, I expect both of you to make Evie feel welcome here," Esme instructed as she too walked into the room. "I don't ever want a repeat of what happened today."

"Don't worry," smiled Alice knowingly. "I think both Emmett and Bella will come around soon."

"Why?" I questioned, annoyance heavy in my tone as I narrowed my eyes at her. "What did you see?"

"Speaking of which," Edward suddenly interrupted, "Alice, you need to be more careful," he told her. "Evie knew you had a vision about her."

"How could she have possibly known that?" I asked.

"In her thoughts, I heard her mention a Bennett witch and a Gemini coven," Edward explained. "I didn't even think witches existed."

"Well, up until a few years ago, I didn't think vampires and werewolves existed either," Bella pointed out.

I turned away from my family and headed up to my room, chuckling slightly to myself along the way. It would have been so easy for me, especially given my gift of strength, to have helped Evie with her luggage, but she had insisted on carrying it all herself.

My eyes darkened and my nostrils flared as an odd sensation suddenly flowed through me. She was a little beauty, I admitted to myself, gorgeous even. And although she was human, I could tell she was fierce. Suddenly I realized that I wanted her. All of her. And when the timing was right, nothing would get in my way.

***
Three months had passed since first meeting Evie, and so far, I had avoided her at all costs. Don't think I hadn't noticed how her eyes lit up every time I walked into the room, and if I'm being completely honest, sometimes it physically hurts me to be so cruel. But I was convinced it just wasn't time yet. I still wasn't ready to move on from Rosalie.

From the shadows of the tree line, I watched as Evie spun her tires trying to back out of the snow covered driveway. I rolled my eyes, and a snicker quietly escaped my lips-- that car was nothing but impractical for the conditions up here. As she turned her head, putting the car into reverse once more, I disappeared further into the trees. I had actually become well versed in spying on Evie without her knowing it.

Suddenly, Jasper and Garret materialized next to me. "You ready to go, brother?" Jasper asked, slapping me on the shoulder.

I had been so engrossed in watching Evie, that I had totally forgotten about hunting with the pair. I nodded my head, and followed them deeper into the forest, Jasper shooting me an all knowing smirk as we walked. Perhaps what I was doing, actually bordered on stalker.

Garrett warned us to watch out for the animals with tags when we finally spotted a few rogue bucks in the distance. I immediately felt my gums throb from thirst and watched as Garrett skillfully took down a deer. I had to admit, I was impressed with his quick dietary changes. I would have thought that after years of drinking human blood, he would crave it more, but he seems to have acclimated to our 'vegetarian' way of life easily.

Later that evening, my family sat gathered around the tiny cabin we were sharing. Esme and Carlisle played a game of chess, while Alice and Jasper sat on the couch reading. Rolling my eyes in disgust, my eyes finally landed on Edward and Bella who were of course sitting in front of the fire whispering sweet nothings into each others ears.

My stomach churned, and for a moment I actually thought I might vomit. I was in serious need of some alone time and I hoped we would get out of here next week like Evie promised. Suddenly, I sat up a little straighter as it dawned on me Evie still wasn't back yet. Damn her and that stupid sports car, I thought while wondering if she was ok.

"What's so funny?" I asked leveling my eyes at Edward as he snorted in laughter.

"For swearing you don't like her, you sure think about Evie a lot," he replied.

Immediately my face flushed with anger. "I do not-"

"Ooo, someone's angry," Bella teased.

"If you think that's funny," Jasper laughed, "ya'll should have seen the face he made when Garrett and I caught him creepin'--"

Suddenly, the book Alice had been reading slipped from her hands, falling to the ground with a loud thud. Edward's head snapped in her direction and immediately I just knew it was about Evie.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Jasper asked, concern lacing his features as she grasped his arm.

"It's Evie," Edward confirmed. Seconds later, an incredible noise echoed in the distance.

I bolted out of the cabin, heading towards the sound as I frantically tried to locate Evie and her car. I flashed out of the woods, exiting on to the main road and began following the tire tracks, forged in the fresh snow. I followed the tracks for a mile or so down the road, running at full speed when my heart suddenly sunk into the pit of my stomach. It was evident by the prints, that a deer had run out in front of her. She'd swerved to try and miss it, but hit an ice patch in the process, losing control of the car and flipping over the guard rails down a cliff.

I stood next to the mangled metal, looking down at the wreckage below. There was no way she could have survived that. I leapt down to the car anyways, and quickly flipped it back over, the smell of her blood was intoxicating.

My eyes widened, and much to my surprise I could actually hear the faint beating of her heart. I rushed over to her, but the car had rolled so many times down the hill, that the doors had crushed inwards. Evie sat buckled in behind the steering wheel with her head slumped forward. Her heart beat slowed with every second and I knew that if I was going to act, I needed to do so quickly.

The door didn't stand a chance against my incredible strength, as I ripped it off it's hinges. With a strong tug I had freed her from behind the seat belt and she immediately fell into my arms. My heart broke as she whimpered and looked up at me, I couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of pain she was in.

As she struggled to keep her eyes open, I jumped back up the hillside and began running to our cabin.

"Hold on Evie," I said as I clutched her frail body to my chest. "Hold on."

Her teeth chattered as she nodded, and I attempted to hug her closer to me, but my body would be of no comfort to her. If possible, her heart continued to slow and by now she had lost so much blood, my shirt was nearly soaked with it.

My god, what have I done.

If I hadn't been such an ass, I might actually have been with her, or at least insisted we had driven my truck instead.

"C'mon Evie," I yelled. "If you die, I'll have no body left to be mean to," I said.

A faint smile crossed her lips as she glanced up at me, placing a small hand against my cheek. "Everything will be all right," she whispered.

I leaned into her touch, when all of a sudden she slumped against my chest. Her eyes rolled back into her head and the color completely drained from her face.

"No no no!" I cried, but it was no use-- her heart had stopped beating a moment ago.

I kicked in the door to our cabin, screaming for Carlisle as I rushed in. Esme caught a glimpse of Evie in my arms and hurried to my side.

"My god," she breathed as I laid Evie down on the couch, I angrily turned towards Carlisle.

"Aren't you going to do something?" I barked but he still just stood there.

"I'm sorry son, but there's nothing I can do."

I dropped to my knees next to her, grabbing her hand and bringing it up to my lips. As I held her knuckles against my cheek, my heart felt like it was torn into a million pieces. I'd lost not only my mate, but now my second chance mate too-- how on earth could I have been so stupid.

I sat there for what seemed like years, while the hushed voices of Carlisle and Esme swirled about the room. Suddenly, with a loud gasp and a horrific scream, Evie bolted up right on the couch. Her color returned almost immediately and she looked around, blinking frantically as she tried to get her bearings.

With an uneasy feeling, and much apprehension, my hand retracted from hers as I looked on at her in fear.

What the hell just happened-- I thought.