PETRICHOR , paul lahote.

030. gluskab

IT WAS DARK WHEN THE PLAN WENT INTO MOTION.

Jacob and Lena were stood in the forest, ears sharp. They heard the distant footsteps of Leah and Seth, who ran up behind them. "They're coming." Leah said.

"We know." Jacob replied, eyes sharp as well.

"We should phase, Jake." Leah added, "We can't protect ourselves like this."

"They'll see it as a threat." Lena replied, then looked into the trees where she knew they were waiting and raised her voice, "We wanna talk! I'd be easier if we could hear you too."

That's when more footsteps sounded, and Paul and Jared revealed themselves through the trees. They stared at Jacob, Paul actively avoiding Lena's eyes as he spoke, "This isn't your territory anymore. How's your new family working out?"

"You done?" Jake asked.

Then Quil and Embry revealed themselves, Quil making a snide comment to Jacob,  "You coming home, Jake?"

"You can all stop pretending like I'm not here." Lena spoke up harshly, "Just because you're all scared to look at me doesn't mean you shouldn't."

The four boys looked at her, but remained silent. Lena spoke again, "We want to finish this, but first we want Sam to take back Leah and Seth."

"What?"

"No way!"

"Quiet." Jake shushed the siblings, "We want them safe, and we want this over."

There was a moment of quiet amongst the group, the tension thick. Jacob and Lena nodded at one another before the former finally said what he needed to say, "Sam needs to wait until Bella is removed from the problem."

"You mean 'til she's dead?" Paul stated, and Lena sent him a firm glare that he avoided looking at.

"Ease up, Paul." Embry spoke.

"Then what?" The angry boy said.

"Tell Sam that when the time comes...we'll be the ones to destroy it." Jacob continued, ignoring Seth's disagreement as he spoke, "We're the only ones who can. They trust us."

"You expect us to believe that either of you would betray Bella like that?" Paul snarked, sending dirty looks to them both.

"Not at all." Lena said, forcing him to look at her. She kept her eyes on him, her glare firm but smirk evident as she spoke once more, "We just needed to stall you for long enough."

That's when the sound of howls echoed through the forest, and every head turned to the sound. Paul glowered at them, "You played us!"

They didn't say anything and the boys left, with Embry giving one last longing look towards them that they tried to ignore. Lena took a deep breath, brushing off the heavy beating of her heart and making her way back to the Cullens.

The news that Esme, Carlisle and Emmett had hunted successfully lifted everyone's spirits a little, but the atmosphere was still tense. Lena, Alice and Rose were chatting with Bella in the living room, discussing baby names, and Edward was giving a tense 'thank you' to Jacob following Lena's orders.

When the two men entered the room, Rose and Alice helped Bella stand whilst Lena stood beside the blonde with a smile. She watched Jake and Bella smile at one another before she spoke, "Why don't you tell Jacob what you've decided?"

"What now?" Jake stressed, and Lena almost laughed.

"Rose and Lena are trying to talk Bella out of her baby names." Edward mused, shaking his head. "They hate them."