EPOV

                I held her close, feeling her shattering pain in my bones. There was a part of me that was dying along with Jacob because a part of Bella was dying as well. I stroked her soft hair to comfort her and to steady myself. Bella’s body was wracked with dry sobs.

                Jacob’s motionless form lay in front of us. He looked perfectly tranquil in the fading light. It was as if he were sleeping. His eyes were closed; he had fallen at an abnormal angle, but the shifting shadows covered him like a blanket.

                I didn’t know what to say to comfort her. I wished again that I could read her mind, find out what to say. I felt powerless and useless. I must have shifted away in my defeat because Bella’s head swept up.

                “Don’t leave me.” She sounded so fragile and broken that I wept inside. Why did this have to happen? It wasn’t fair. I pulled Bella even closer, wishing to crawl inside her skin and take away her pain. My family left the field. Esme was fully healed, but Carlisle was overprotective. Alice tried to stay, but decided it would be easier for Bella if there were less people.

                When they had all one, Bella’s pain doubled. How could this dry flood ever stop? Then, suddenly, Bella stilled. Her sobs stopped as if they had never been. She pulled away slowly and turned in an almost defensive crouch. I heard a low growl in her throat. Her eyes were black and full of anger. I had never seen her so terrifying. There was death in her eyes.

                “Bella…” She turned to me, not speaking. I saw the determination there. There would be no stopping her. We both rose, and Alice ran to us. She carefully draped a blanket over Jacob’s body.

                “I’ll watch over him, Bella.” Bella nodded tensely. There was very little civility left in her. She was moving with purpose, carefully controlled. It mirrored my own actions when I had first met her, complete and total loss of control while that last fragment of humanity kept your loved ones safe.

                Bella turned and raced off faster than I had ever seen her go. I followed without a thought. We were one entity now. It was easy enough to pick up on the trail and we followed it by unspoken agreement. It was s perfect partnership. She would do anything to avenge her friend and I would do anything to keep her safe.