Chapter 15

Memories Will Taunt You

Bella Cullen POV

After school, Esme said that she had to go to the grocery store, so I wanted to come with her. Emmett then acted like it was a magical adventure, so he tagged along. Esme asked me to go get some snacks, so I went down the aisle looking for something, when I remembered that my monthly visitor was coming up. That's a little uncomfortable in a house full of vampires, all of them knowing when you have your monthly bill, and all of them besides Jasper and my dad having to hunt a little extra.

"What else do you need, Belly Bean?" Emmett asks as I hand him a bag of chips to put in the basket in his hand.

I get an idea and turn to Emmett with a grin, which he returns with a dimpled one of his own, "Emmett, do you love me?"

"Of course, Belly! You're my baby sis!" Emmett says, a little louder than he should, but I just smile at him. I love having an older brother to talk to and joke with, which is a stark contrast from growing up alone. "Wait, why?"

"Is the self-proclaimed 'Prank King' up for a dare?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, and his eyes widen.

"Hell yeah! Bring it on!" Emmett says, bouncing on his feet in excitement.

"I dare you to go get me tampons." I say and the grin drops off his face, making me laugh.

"Uh... I don't know, Bells. I mean, I might get the wrong kind."

"Emmett, there isn't really a wrong kind... wait, are you too chicken?" Bella asks and Emmett frowns, puffing his chest out as if he's trying to regain his man-card.

"I am not a chicken. I'll be right back!" Emmett says, before speeding along down the aisle, making me laugh. I walk further down the aisle, waiting for Emmett, excited to tell Rose that I made Emmett go get me tampons. Oh, she's going to have a field day with this one. I walk a little further down the aisle, waiting for Emmett to get back with a smile on my face. Maybe this day won't suck after all...

"Well, what do we have here?"

I spoke too soon...

I hear the familiar voice from behind me, only it's deeper than the last time I heard it. Turning around, I'm met face to face with a taller, brawnier, and short-haired Jacob Black, the bane of my existence and one of my biggest tormentors. Standing next to him, I recognize are his minions, Embry and Quil. They look the same as Jake - taller, brawnier, and short-haired. I guess puberty really hit them hard...

"Jake, Quil, Embry." I say, flatly, trying to shrink into the ground. All of them top well over six feet, and I feel so puny under them.

"Finally let you out of the nuthouse, huh?" Jake smirks and I just a keep a straight face, not answering him. I try to look around for a way out, but I'm cornered in, "I asked you a question."

All I can see is that he's bigger, and therefore, stronger than me. He could hurt me, and he wouldn't even care... it's not like it's the first time. I glance around, trying to find my brother and mom, seeing if they could help me. Jake continues to glare at me, while Embry and Quil look a little uncomfortable.

"Leave me alone." I say, trying to walk away, but Jake grabs my arms and slams me against the shelves as I squeak. I hiss in pain as my back slams against the metal and it's Slimeball Steve all over again. I start shaking as I feel his disgusting hands on me and I feel the tears slipping down my cheeks, "Oh, look, I made her cry." he says, gripping my shoulders tighter, painfully and I know they're going to bruise.

"Jake, come on, man..." Embry starts, him and Quil looking extremely uncomfortable now, Quil has a hand on Jake's shoulder trying to pull him away, while I try to sink into the ground, the tears running down my face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I hear an enraged voice and turn my head, seeing my big brother standing there, huge arms crossed over his chest, glaring at the trio. Jake lets me go and they all step back, glaring at Emmett, who steps protectively in front of me. "I asked you a question."

"We were just welcoming Bella back to Forks. Our fathers were friends." Jake says and I move closer to Emmett, clinging to the back of his shirt for comfort.

"Really? It looked like you were putting your hands on my baby sister, and she didn't want to be touched... especially by the likes of you, mutt. Bella is under our protection, and you'll do well to remember that." Emmett growls and I glance around, seeing people walking down the aisle. Wait, why is he calling him a mutt? Under their protection?

"Emmett..." I whimper and he sighs, turning and slinging a brawny arm across my shoulder, but keeping me slightly behind him.

"Whatever, leech. Let's go." he directs at Quil and Embry, who follow him down the aisle. Emmett turns to me as they leave and cups my face, his a mask of concern. Leech. They know that they're vampires! How?

"Bells, are you okay?" he asks and I shake my head, feeling disgusted with myself and with them. Emmett nods and keeps his arm around my shoulder, "Come on."

Emmett leads me outside and over to the car, sliding in the backseat with me and placing an arm around my shoulder. He flips out his cellphone and tells Esme that we're at the car, while I lean into my big brother's embrace, the tears still sliding down my cheeks. I can't believe that I'm letting those stupid boys affect me like this!

"Emmett, why did you call them mutts?" I ask and he looks down at me, a little uncomfortable.

"I'm going to let Jasper tell you that one, kiddo." Emmett says and I sigh, but nod my head. I can't believe that I saw them and I totally froze up. What the hell is wrong with me?

You're a pathetic fool, Bella.

Jasper Whitlock POV

The door to Bella's room slams shut and I close my eyes, focusing the emotions, which are pinning me to my chair, away and focus on the ones downstairs. Bella's are so potent, they literally can hold me down like a restraint. I stand up and walk out the door, hearing Emmett muttering curses and stomping around downstairs, so I decide to find out what happened first, before going to Bella, whose emotions are a little much right now.

"Stupid... fucking... idiots." Emmett grumbles under his breath, Rose walking over to her husband and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened, Em?"

"Those Quilete mutts, that's what. Three of them must have known Bella and ganged up on her in the store." Emmett says and the snarl that tears from my chest is deafening, shaking the very foundation of the house. Those dogs hurt my Bella? Rose growls as well, and I can see Esme clutching her purse so tight, the leather shreds like tissue paper in her hands. She looks down and sighs, before flitting out of the room.

Carlisle already met with the beta of the pack, Sam Uley, after the new pack was formed. Apparently, us moving here set in the fever that started the phasing. They have a new alpha of the pack, Jacob Black, who is a descendant of Ephraim Black, the old alpha. After he phased, he took over. They made sure that the treaty was the same, which I wasn't present for since I wasn't in Forks the last time they were here, but I understand the treaty. Imprints and Mates are basically a line you don't cross, and you are not to harm them, which they did. Technically, this could mean war, but we won't go there... yet. They try it again, I might have to teach these mutts a lesson.

"Em..." I growl out, and he looks over to me, "Did they touch her?"

He nods his head, and Rose then growls at this while I flit up to my Mate's room, hearing her soft sobs through the door, the sound tearing my heart in two, "Bella? Darlin'?"

No answer. Her emotions are about the same as they were, and I try to send her all of my love through the door, needing her to not cry or be upset. "Bella? Baby, can I come in?"

She doesn't give a verbal answer, but she sends her acceptance through her emotions and I open the door to her room, stepping in and shutting the door. I see Bella sitting on her bed, knees curled up to her chest and body shuddering with quiet sobs. I immediately flit over to her and take her in my arms, keeping her in my lap and tucked into my protective embrace.

"What happened?"

She sits in my lap for a while, wringing her hands together, while I stay patient and let her take her time. "I ran into the bane of my existence, Jacob Black... he's from the reservation. He was with his friends, Quil and Embry. He was just saying some mean things and when I tried to leave, he grabbed my arms and shoved me back into the shelf." I growl at this and she wraps her arms around me tighter, her warm breath on my neck. I place a kiss on her neck, focusing on claming myself down with her scent. "He would always make fun of me when I was there with my parents. I'm just frustrated, because I'm letting him get to me. I was...kind of scared, too. Because of the whole Steve thing... he was bigger than the last time I saw him and I just kept seeing his height and how brawny he is..."

I let loose another growl at this, not wanting her to be scared of those puppies. This changes things, since it was the alpha that touched Bella. That fucking idiot. I would gladly take out all of them, but we have a treaty. We may need to call a meeting however, and let their alpha know that those overgrown pups need a lesson in manners. One of them assaulted my Mate, and that's not fucking okay.

"Can I see?" I ask her and she looks over to me, staring into my eyes for a long time, while her emotions flicker from uncertainty, anxiety, love, and then acceptance. She unwraps her arms from around me and stands up, bringing her hands to the bottom of her jumper and pausing... before taking it off.

She's wearing a black tank top underneath of it but I don't spare any time for her exposed skin as I immediately focus on the darkening bruises right near her biceps, the shape of very large hands. I let loose a growl and am up, brushing my cold hands over them. Bella shivers at the contact, but doesn't flinch back. I then remember she was shoved into the shelves, and I move her hair over her shoulder, seeing a bruise on her back. Stupid fucking mutts!

I take her in my arms again and pepper her face with kisses, trying to fill her with as much love and serenity as I can. My Mate shouldn't be upset, never should she be upset. I'll make her happy, again. I need my Bella to be smiling.

"Jasper, Emmett called them mutts, and they called him a leech. How did they know?" Bella asks me and I sigh, knowing that I can't lie to those brown eyes.

"Bella, vampires aren't the only creatures out there. Jacob Black, he is the alpha of a shape shifter pack. Most of the boys you know are shape shifters. Their shape shifting form, are wolves. That's why Emmett called them mutts."

Bella's eyes widen and I focus on keeping her emotions calm, "Wolves?"

"Yes. They weren't always wolves, like when you knew them, but when we moved to the area, it triggered the change. They were made to kill us, but long before Alice and I even came to the Cullens, they made the treaty so that we could live in peace. They're nasty little shits, though..." I growl, burying my face in her hair, and taking a deep gulp of her scent.

"This is just... too much." I smell salt and pull back, seeing fresh tears trailing down Bella's cheeks as she keeps her head down. I spend the rest of the day with Bella in my arms, singing to her, breathing in her scent, and murmuring my love as she cries, before she tires herself out enough to fall asleep. I call Rose in the room and she looks murderous, before her gaze softens as it falls on Bella, "Can you change her into some comfortable pj's?" I wouldn't have a problem with changing her, but I want to give Bella some decency, because we aren't at that stage in our relationship, just yet.

"Sure." she replies with a smile, before I walk out of the room to leave them some privacy.

I walk down the stairs and into the garage to help Esme carry the groceries in. I can feel how angry Esme is, and I'm actually surprised. Well, I shouldn't be, since someone threatened her baby. We don't talk for the rest of they day, Bella being attacked affecting all of us. Carlisle comes home at seven and we call a family meeting, everyone gathering around the table.

"One of the Quilete wolves assaulted my Mate today." I start, multiple growls resounding from around the table. I glance up to see Carlisle's eyes completely black, and I'm, once again, surprised. He loses all the compassionate father figure, turning into a true vampire, radiating protectiveness towards my Mate. My beast sends his acceptance at this, our Mate's daddy is on our side. He sometimes didn't agree with Carlisle's pacifist ways, but they seem to be on the same page.

"What do you mean, son?" Carlisle asks and I sigh, looking over to Emmett, who was there.

"So, I was going to get something for Bella, when I smelled those dogs, and didn't trust Bella being alone. I found three of them ganging up on Bella and the one was holding her against the shelf."

"She has bruises." I cut in, my hands turning tightening into fists.

"Do you know their names?" Carlisle asks and I growl, my lips curling into a snarl.

"It was the alpha, Jacob Black."

"They violated the treaty! Those stupid overgrown puppies..." Rose growls and Carlisle takes a deep, calming breath.

"A war is not something we, nor Bella, needs to worry about right now. I think we're in a difficult situation at the moment, since it was the alpha who violated the treaty."

"Should we call a meeting?" Esme asks and I shrug, not thinking that it would help. I would like to meet with him though, and make him aware that I won't tolerate violence, or threats, against my Mate. Right now though, we just need to focus on Bella, and making sure this doesn't affect her as much as it should.

We're all sitting around the living room, where I feel Bella's emotions turn to fear and panic, but I recognize that she's still asleep, just having a nightmare. I get up to rush to her room when I hear her scream and am immediately by her side, taking her in my arms.

"Shh... it's okay, Sweetheart. I'm here. It's just a nasty dream. I won't let anything hurt you... don't worry, Baby." I murmur as I gently rock her and she doesn't wake up, so I pump her with enough lethargy and calm for her to have a dreamless sleep.

A/N: Long time, no see. This will be my last update until mid-November, when I'll have time to upload again. Same for my other stories. Don't worry, I'm not leaving forever.