Eclipse (Twilight #3)(143)

The trees were a racing blur that flowed around him like jade waters.

"What happened?" I whispered again. "Before. When Seth was howling? When you were hurt?"

Edward hesitated.

"Edward! Tell me!"

"It was all over," he whispered. I could barely hear him over the wind his speed created. "The wolves didn't count their half . . . they thought they had them all. Of course, Alice couldn't see. . . ."

"What happened?!"

"One of the newborns was hiding. . . . Leah found him - she was being stupid, cocky, trying to prove something. She engaged him alone. . . ."

"Leah," I repeated, and I was too weak to feel shame for the relief that flooded through me. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Leah wasn't hurt," Edward mumbled.

I stared at him for a long second.

Sam - help him - Edward had gasped. Him, not her.

"We're almost there," Edward said, and he stared at a fixed point in the sky.

Automatically, my eyes followed his. There was a dark purple cloud hanging low over the trees. A cloud? But it was so abnormally sunny. . . . No, not a cloud - I recognized the thick column of smoke, just like the one at our campsite.

"Edward," I said, my voice nearly inaudible. "Edward, someone got hurt."

I'd heard Seth's agony, seen the torture in Edward's face.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Who?" I asked, though, of course, I already knew the answer.

Of course I did. Of course.

The trees were slowing around us as we came to our destination.

It took him a long moment to answer me.

"Jacob," he said.

I was able to nod once.

"Of course," I whispered.

And then I slipped off the edge I was clinging to inside my head.

Everything went black.

I was first aware of the cool hands touching me. More than one pair of hands. Arms holding me, a palm curved to fit my cheek, fingers stroking my forehead, and more fingers pressed lightly into my wrist.

Then I was aware of the voices. They were just ahumming at first, and then they grew in volume and clarity like someone was turning up a radio.

"Carlisle - it's been five minutes." Edward's voice, anxious.

"She'll come around when she's ready, Edward." Carlisle's voice, always calm and sure. "She's had too much to deal with today. Let her mind protect itself."

But my mind was not protected. It was trapped in the knowledge that had not left me, even in unconsciousness - the pain that was part of the blackness.

I felt totally disconnected from my body. Like I was caged in some small corner of my head, no longer at the controls. But I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't think. The agony was too strong for that. There was no escape from it.

Jacob.

Jacob.

No, no, no, no, no . . .

"Alice, how long do we have?" Edward demanded, his voice still tense; Carlisle's soothing words had not helped.

From farther away, Alice's voice. It was brightly chipper. "Another five minutes. And Bella will open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldn't doubt that she can hear us now."

"Bella, honey?" This was Esme's soft, comforting voice. "Can you hear me? You're safe now, dear."

Yes, I was safe. Did that really matter?

Then cool lips were at my ear, and Edward was speaking the words that allowed me to escape from the torture that had me caged inside my own head.

"He's going to live, Bella. Jacob Black is healing as I speak. He'll be fine."

As the pain and dread eased, I found my way back to my body. My eyelids fluttered.

"Oh, Bella," Edward sighed in relief, and his lips touched mine.

"Edward," I whispered.

"Yes, I'm here."

I got my lids to open, and I stared into warm gold.

"Jacob is okay?" I asked.

"Yes," he promised.

I watched his eyes carefully for some sign that he was placating me, but they were perfectly clear.

"I examined him myself," Carlisle said then; I turned my head to find his face, only a few feet away. Carlisle's expression was serious and reassuring at the same time. It was impossible to doubt him. "His life is not in any danger. He was healing at an incredible rate, though his injuries were extensive enough that it will still be a few days before he is back to normal, even if the rate of repair holds steady. As soon as we're done here, I will do what I can to help him. Sam is trying to get him to phase back to his human form. That will make treating him easier." Carlisle smiled slightly. "I've never been to veterinarian school."

"What happened to him?" I whispered. "How bad are his injuries?"

Carlisle's face was serious again. "Another wolf was in trouble -"

"Leah," I breathed.

"Yes. He knocked her out of the way, but he didn't have time to defend himself. The newborn got his arms around him. Most of the bones on the right half of his body were shattered."

I flinched.

"Sam and Paul got there in time. He was already improving when they took him back to La Push."

"He'll be back to normal?" I asked.

"Yes, Bella. He won't have any permanent damage."