Torn Tethers • Edward Cullen [2] [S.U]

[2]

A roar and a growl chorused off as a wolf and a vampire emerged to protect their human. Jasper lunged and Colton launched herself forward while Noah flung Bella back. Colton didn't even hear the crash of a body colliding with glass and she herself smashed like boulder into Jasper.

She could hear the crunch of her shoulder bone as it came into contact with the vampire's stone body. Colton had reacted before anyone and was holding someone who possessed more then twice her strength alone and was struggling. She was snapping at Jasper, snarling and clawing before she was being pulled back and Jasper was being restrained. It was only then did she notice the smell of blood that now consumed the room and the sickening pain of broken bone.

"Cole my love, calm down." They were outside now and Colton was shaking and seeing red. She could feel the burn coming on, the burn she wished hadn't become so familiar to her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She winced, the broken bone piercing her skin causing her to scream. "I need you to break the bone back into place."

Her mate stared at her in absolute shock. "No Colton, I won't, I can't do that."

"Edward,"She shrieked, "Break the fucking bone."

He seemed to be shaking just as much as she was as his cool hand gently pressed down on the shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," She panted, tears brimming her eyes. "If you don't now, it'll heal wrong."

With a deep breath, Edward surged forward, sealing their lips together before slamming down his hand down. She let a gasp as the sound of bone snapping into place rung in her hears.

"I'm so sorry,I'm so sorry." Edward repeated in a mantra as he scooped up his mate into his arms.

When Colton awoke, she felt like she was on fire.

Ever since her first 'shift' she had always run hot but this was different, she felt as though she had been set on the sun to dry and it was agonising.

In a flurry of pants and sweat she threw herself out of the darkness and into a sighting position, the action so quick that she couldn't even catch sight of where she was. Her chest rose and fell at an alarming rate as she staggered to breathe. She attempted to get into a standing position only for her joints to remain trapped. It was then that she realized that she was encased in a thick layer of woolen blankets that she recognized all to well.

She was home and in her bed, the sky was a faint see through dark grey telling her that it was almost dawn. That also meant that it was one of the coolest times of day and right now, nothing sounded better then freezing her ass off in the cold.

Colton clawed the sweat drenched blankets from her body and winced as she stood up but pushed on towards her door. Outside, it was just as cold as she expected and she inhaled the fresh air in relief. She imagined that to someone with a normal, human body temperature that the temperature would almost be unbearable but against her burning skin, it felt amazing.

Dirt slipped through the spaces of Colton's bare toes as she trudged through the maze of trees that she had perfectly mapped out in her head. She knew the way to the treaty line so well that sometimes she was afraid she was going to start sleep walking there.

The gorge seemed eerily expansive this particular morning, like it had split further open even though she knew that wasn't possible. It wasn't as if she was expecting Edward to pop out of nowhere, but standing there made her somehow feel closer to him, like he was there for her to grip onto.

Miraculously, he appeared in the space before her and she lit up at the sight of him. He was walking instead of running, bronze hair ruffled and pale hands shoved into the pockets of his dark jeans. Her smile decreased slightly when she fully took in his all too somber mood.

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately, her face twisting in confusion.

He raised his head, meeting her gaze straight on for the first time and the look in his eyes was indescribable. He didn't answer her for a good few moments and the silence grated on her nerves.

"We're leaving."

Out of every answer Colton had come up with in the course of the past silent moments, that had definitely not even been close to one. It was such a simple, two worded answer yet she had so many questions of its meaning.

She stared at him warily, choosing not to fully comprehend his words. "What do you mean we're leaving?"

"I mean," He paused, gold eyes flickering with some Colton didn't catch. "I mean that my family and I are leaving. Carlisle is now attempting to pass for 36 when he can barely pass for 30. People are going to start asking questions that we can't answer."

Colton couldn't help but chuckle, the sound painted black and humourless. "Thats bullshit Edward and we both know it. You think I would really believe you're all picking up and leaving because of something as idiotic as that?"

"It's true Cole, we can't stay here anymore."

"Don't give me that shit, give me something real, something that will actually make me believe that you want to leave." She demanded, voice low but loud and strong enough that he caught every word.

Edward stared at and Colton noticed how his resolve had solidified. That this was it. "We're a threat Cole and we're always going to be one. As long as we're here, you and Bella will never be fully safe and that's not something I, or Noah, can take anymore."

"And what about me Edward, what about what I can take?" Colton questioned defiantly. "You're so worried about how you being here is hurting me, what about what's going to happen when you leave huh? When you leave I'm probably going to end up shifting and the I'll be left even less human than I am now. So if you leave now, it's not for me, it's for you."

There was only silence then as two breaking hearts stood admit the trees of their homes, the separation that was the space between them nothing compared to that of what was happening to their once intertwined beings.

Edward spoke first, his voice ringing through the silence like some mournful song. "I'm leaving Cole. I don't want this anymore. And you're right it's for me. Because I can't deal with this anymore and I won't."

"Okay." Colton answered dryly, her eyes burning with tears. "Fine then. Leave. But don't you think I will ever forgive you or even consider taking you back. Because if you leave now, you're leaving forever. I will not wait for you, I will not save myself. So if you leave now Edward; don't even bother coming back."

The absolute and utter hurt in his eyes as he stared at her was unbearable and Colton had to cling to her resolve so that she didn't beg for him to come back as he turned around.

"Don't worry. I won't."

FUCK YOU EDWARD, FUCK YOU.