“How are your ribs, Bella?” Carlisle touched my shoulder gently.

“I’m fine.” I stood effortlessly and crossed the clearing to where Embry and Sam were trying to bring Jacob back to consciousness without much gentility. They shook his shoulders and pummeled him across the face a few times. I approached slowly, not yet sure of their reaction to me now that I was no longer a necessity to them. They both looked up at me with eyes full of uncertainty and indecisive confusion.

“Do you mind?” I gestured towards Jacob, asking permission to approach him.

They slowly stood, seeming to deliberately make no sudden movements. I realized with a start that they were…….afraid of me.

I crouched beside Jacob. His eyes were half closed and his breathing was labored. Carlisle said that he would be alright. His broken bones were almost entirely healed, but his unconsciousness was not something that his quick healing could speed up the progression of. The only thing that we could do for him now would be to get him safely back home.

Embry and Sam watched me cautiously as I slid my arms beneath him and lifted him, but they didn‘t object. He stank awfully, and he really was heavy. I had a brief memory of the big vampire struggling under his weight and grimaced with understanding. I was overly cautious to not touch his skin. The temperature was searing hot even through the fabric of his clothing. Even hotter to me now, I noted, than when I was a human.

“Lets get him back.” I ordered as calmly as I could.

“Bella,” Edward’s voice came from behind me. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Billy-”

“Edward, I’m fine. I wont touch Billy. I smell humans everywhere, I’m handling this.” It was true. I could smell traces of humans everywhere and my tracker instincts were telling me to pursue the appealing scents, but my morals and conscience were keeping me focused on the task at hand.

Edward’s eyes were full of disbelief and worry, but he allowed it and suppressed any further arguments. I looked around the clearing at the many pairs of eyes scrutinizing me, waiting for me to make a move. I began to run, slowly… staggering under Jacob’s weight. We ran in silence for a long time, no one speaking. Edward ran loyally at my left side and everyone else trailed shortly behind, keeping pace with me. Sam was the first to speak. He crept up on my right side and pulled me out of my thoughts.