Chapter 27: Unexpected Conversation
As Ethan stepped out of the cave, the cold dawn air brushed against his skin. His body was exhausted, but his mind was alert. The first thing he did was expand his senses, searching for signs of his pack. He needed to know that everything was in order. However, what he found was chaos.
The sound of a fight alerted him instantly. He could hear fierce growls, the clash of bodies, the crunching of earth and branches breaking under the weight of the wolves. Without hesitation, he headed toward the source of the conflict. When he reached the clearing, his eyes widened in surprise. In front of him, Paul and Jacob were in the middle of a violent battle. What shocked him the most was seeing Jacob in his wolf form. Up until the previous day, Jacob hadn't shown any signs of transformation.
"How is that possible?" Ethan thought as he moved closer.
Sam was there too, trying to intervene but failing to calm the two young wolves. Ethan couldn't understand what had happened. Still perplexed, he made a quick decision: he transformed into his wolf form and ran toward the fight. As he arrived, he let out a howl that echoed through the forest, a deep, powerful sound that reverberated among the trees. The effect was immediate. Jacob and Paul stopped fighting and lowered their heads in submission. Even Sam, who was always composed, looked at him in surprise.
Ethan walked slowly toward them, his imposing figure dwarfing the other wolves. It was clear that his transformation had changed since they last saw him. Paul and Sam exchanged glances: Ethan was now larger, his claws were black as obsidian, and his eyes... they were no longer those of an uncontrollable beast. Though the fury was still there, it was now contained, as if he had learned to master it.
Jacob, for his part, couldn't take his eyes off him. He had heard from the others about Ethan's unique transformation, but seeing it in person was something else. The creature before him was immense, imposing, and radiated a power that made Jacob feel the need to bow even lower, recognizing his older brother's supremacy.
After calming the fight, Ethan returned to his human form. He approached Paul and Jacob with a serious expression on his face. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice firm but controlled.
Paul, still a bit agitated from the fight, shrugged. "We had a little disagreement, nothing serious," he said, though he avoided looking Ethan directly in the eyes. Jacob nodded silently, clearly embarrassed.
Sam, with his arms crossed, was more direct. "Where have you been all week?" he asked, his tone indicating concern.
Ethan looked at him, confused. "Week? I was only gone for a day, at most."
"You're wrong," Sam replied, frowning. "You've been missing for a whole week."
Ethan blinked in surprise. "A week?" The pieces began to fall into place in his mind, explaining why everything seemed so different when he left the cave. "That explains a lot..." he murmured.
He shook his head, determined not to waste more time on details he couldn't change. "Alright, catch me up on what's happened while we walk to Emily's house. I want to know everything."
As they made their way to Emily's house, Sam began recounting the events. "The first thing you need to know is that Bella Swan already knows our secret."
Ethan stopped dead in his tracks, his expression changing immediately. His eyes sharpened with a mix of surprise and contained anger. "How did that happen?" he asked seriously. "Only the tribal leaders and the Cullens were supposed to know about us."
Sam sighed before answering. "It was Jacob. He gave her enough clues, and she figured it out on her own."
Ethan slowly turned his head toward Jacob, who was behind him, with an expression that mixed disappointment and warning. Jacob lowered his gaze, uncomfortable. "I'm sorry..." he muttered, feeling small in the presence of his older brother.
Ethan took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "I'll let it slide this time, Jacob," he said, his voice more controlled than expected. "But only because it's my fault for not being here to guide you properly this past week. Don't let it happen again."
Jacob nodded silently, feeling both grateful and guilty at the same time.
When they arrived at Emily's house, Ethan felt a mix of relief and surprise to see the other boys gathered. But what really caught his attention was Bella's presence, sitting at the kitchen table with Emily. Ethan let out an exasperated sigh when he saw her. "Whose idea was this?" he asked with a slightly irritated tone.
Sam stepped forward. "It was my idea," he said without hesitation. "I asked the boys to bring her. I felt it was important for her to understand what's going on."
Bella, visibly uncomfortable, slowly approached Ethan. "Hi," she said softly, trying to break the tension.
Ethan looked at her for a moment, assessing the situation, before finally nodding. "It wasn't the way I would have liked you to find out about all this, but... hi, Bella. It's been a while since we last saw each other."
Bella nodded nervously. "Yeah, it's been a while."
Ethan shook his head slightly, feeling the situation escalating unnecessarily. "Jacob," he said, turning toward his brother, "why don't you take Bella for a walk? Explain what she needs to know. I need to rest. This week has left me exhausted, and honestly, I need a bath. The smell here is starting to confuse me."
Jacob quickly nodded, grateful for an excuse to leave the tension in the room. "Come on, Bella," he said, gesturing toward the door. Bella followed him, casting one last curious glance at Ethan before leaving.
As they walked along the beach, Bella couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "Jacob," she said, breaking the silence, "how do you transform into a wolf?"
"It's genetic," Jacob said. "When vampires are nearby, the gene awakens. There's not much more to explain."
"Isn't there a way to stop it?" Bella asked, her tone full of concern. "This feels so wrong."
Jacob stopped abruptly and looked at her with a mix of anger and pain. "Do you really think that?" he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Do you think I chose this? I had no choice, Bella. This is how I was born. I can't help it."
The anger in his voice was palpable. "Oh, wait, am I not the kind of monster you like? Do you only like vampires?"
Bella stepped back, surprised by the intensity of his words. "It's not what you are, Jacob. It's what you do. You... you kill."
Jacob looked at her incredulously. "We haven't killed anyone," he replied firmly. "The only thing we hunt is vampires."
Bella was speechless, absorbing what she had just heard. "Vampires? You can't kill vampires..."
"Of course we can," Jacob replied, his tone still annoyed. "Don't worry. We're not going to touch your beloved Cullen. We have a treaty with them."
Bella, trying to fix things, said, "That's not what I meant. It's just that... vampires are dangerous. They can kill you."
Jacob sighed, tired of the conversation. "The vampire that almost killed you is already dead. The pack and I tore him apart, and Ethan has already killed others who passed through Forks a while ago. The only one left is that red-haired vampire."
"Victoria?" Bella asked, a shiver running down her spine.
"Exactly," Jacob replied. "This past week, she's been coming back, but she always manages to escape. We still don't know what's drawing her here."
Bella looked at him with a mix of terror and certainty. "I know why she's coming. She wants to kill me."