Animal I Have Become

That night I sat up the whole night crying. I honestly didn't want anyone to die because of me. I heard Jacob hanging up the phone and sighed from outside the room I was in. Billy had asked him what was wrong.

"The body count has been raised to 17. It seems that he's taking one life every half an hour. And this time, he's changed his M.O," Jacob sounded restless.

"What should we do?" I heard another voice asked. I knew it belonged to Seth Clearwater.

"I'll stay here to protect Nessie," Jacob answered, his voice was firm. "I want you and the others to split and search for him. Send a signal if you find him."

"Okay," Seth sounded uncertain.

"Go now. Let the others know," Jacob ordered. A few seconds later, I heard the door closed.

Why was Damon doing this? Why can't he just leave the others alone and come for me? It is me he wants, not them!

Even if I were to leave this town, he might tail me up north and start attacking people there again. I don't know how I know, but I just do.

I've considered killing myself but I didn't want to hurt my family. And I especially didn't want to hurt Jacob.

The next day, I was sitting in the kitchen with Jacob. Billy had gone over to Charlie's with Seth to keep an eye on his safety. The news on the TV caught my attention.

"Police suspects that the increase of body count comes from different scenes. The reason for some bodies found is suspected to be a bad turn in some gang activities. And the reason for hikers who ended up dead is likely due to an animal attack. It is said to be the work of a big wolf -"

Jacob seemed to have caught that because he raised the volume up to listen to the news.

"A survivor, Malcolm Gontier, was taken to a hospital down in Port Angeles. He describes his accident in a rather peculiar way."

I frowned but kept watching as they showed the survivor who seemed to be hurt pretty bad.

"It was a wolf, no doubt about that," the guy said in a calm manner. "It was huge! It attacked me and I broken a few of my bones in the process!"

"That's a lie," Jacob hissed under his breath.

"The thing attacked me is no ordinary wolf though. It was a werewolf! Big, brown and scary."

I shook my head to shake the uneasy feeling off. The werewolves secret was out. This is bad.

The TV showed Grandpa in his uniform talking.

"Malcolm has obviously gone through a trauma. He's taken a few painkillers so his words isn't taken seriously. I believe that what he saw might have been a bear and I urge all who plans to go hiking anytime soon to hike until we find the bear," Grandpa paused and stared into space. "I mean, think about it. Werewolves aren't real."

Jacob coughed a laugh as he switched the TV off before he turned to look at me. "Charlie is a good actor. He knows that werewolves are real and yet -"

"I want you to take me to the meadow," I interrupted him.

Jacob looked up at me with a confused look.

"You told me to bring you along in case I head out to see him again," I spoke slowly with no emotions in my voice.

"Okay, I'll round the others up," Jacob was about to stand but I reached out and grabbed his arm. He turned to look at me with a confused look again.

"No. Don't bring the others. Please Jake," I pleaded.

Slowly, he nodded his head and pulled my hands away. "Okay, Nessie. But let me at least call Carlisle to find out why Malcolm insisted that it was us wolves."

He walked over to the phone and started dialing a number. While he talked to Carlisle, I rested my head in between my arms on the table. As soon as he hung up the phone, we started towards the door.

We were finally at the meadow, Jacob looking around the place with a wary look.

"You shouldn't have brought the dog with you," the same annoying voice said out of the blue.

Jacob turned to growl at Damon with a menacing look. I reached out for Jacob and shook my head. With my hand in his arm, Jacob cooled down a bit, but his body was still tensed - as though he was waiting for Damon to attack.

"Please stop killing the others," I pleaded, looking at Damon sadly.

Damon seemed stunned at my expression for a second before he regained his composure. He walked about five steps towards me.

"Not until you agree, Nessie. I thought you know that?" Damon smiled his evil smile.

I shook my head, feeling tears forcing their way out of my eyes. "Please Damon. Give me a day. That's all I ask of you."

Jacob looked at me with a frown, wondering what I was up to. Damon, on the other hand, was looking at me with an amused smile.

"Alright," Damon agreed and started to walk away. "But just one day though. I'm getting kind of sick with coming up with new ways to kill."

As soon as Damon was gone, Jacob made me look at him. "What are you up to, Nessie?"

I shook my head and started walking away from Jacob, feeling my energy drained with each passing second.

I walked myself all the way home, not listening to a word Jacob was saying the whole time we were walking. As soon as I reached the front door, Alice came out to give me a huge hug.

"You cannot do it, Nessie!" she whispered and shook her head with a pained look.

"Cannot do what?" Jacob demanded, standing behind me.

I looked inside and saw that the family was already at the living room as though they knew I had something to tell them. I looked up at Alice and knew that she probably saw my future and called everyone to a meeting.

I walked into the living room and stood in the middle. Everyone was looking at me with a weird expression, wondering what I was going to tell them. Daddy, on the other hand, was glaring at the floor as though he could rip the tiles to shreds.

"I know you're wondering why I called you up in the middle of this crisis. I've come to tell you that I've made my decision," I started.

"Decision?" Jacob interrupted looking at me. "What decision could be so important that you have to call the whole family here?"

I looked at Jacob with a sad look before looking up at the rest of the family.

"I've decided to marry Damon."