CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
CAMPING IN THE MOUNTAINS

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IN THE END, IT was decided that Shay would stay with Edward and Bella up in the mountains while the Cullens and the pack fought against the newborn army. At first, Shay was against the idea, not wanting to leave Alice's side in fear that she'd get hurt. But everyone else seemed confident that they'd be fine so Shay tried to think that way too. Edward had promised to listen to everyone's thoughts during the battle to ease Shay and Bella's concerns, so that helped Shay feel a bit better with her place in the fight. But it didn't make parting with Sebastian any easier. 

The morning before the newborns were meant to arrive, Shay and Alice drove Sebastian to Cora's house. They had organised for Cora and her husband to watch Shay's younger brother over the weekend under the excuse that Alice was taking Shay on a road trip. Once Cora heard they were together, she was more than happy to take care of Sebastian, happily announcing to Shay that she knew she and Alice were meant to be when Shay called her up to ask for her help.

"Okay," Shay sighed as she looked over Sebastian's bags, which were piled around their legs as they stood facing each other on Cora's front porch. The woman in question was watching them from the doorway with amusement in her eyes. "I'm pretty sure we remembered everything, but if there's anything you want from home, make sure you ask Cora to take you there! Don't go wandering on your own, make sure you listen to what she and Ray have to say-"

"Shay, leave the poor boy alone!" Cora stepped in to interrupt Shay's rambles. "This isn't the first time he's stayed with me, and it's only for two days so don't worry! You'll be back before you know it."

"Yeah, you're right," Shay nodded, but inside her stomach was twisting with nerves. Sebastian and Cora had no idea what was really happening this weekend. They didn't know about the danger that Shay, the Cullens and potentially the rest of Forks was facing. This was just another weekend for them, so they had no idea why Shay was getting so worked up. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure," Sebastian shrugged, bouncing up and down on his heels with impatience. He was eager to head inside and see Raymond, who'd promised him a Star Wars movie marathon while Shay was gone. "Can I go inside now?"

Shay sighed before bringing the younger boy into a tight hug. Despite Sebastian's protests, she pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, holding him like she was never going to see him again, "I love you, Sebastian."

"Love you too," he grumbled as he forced his way out of Shay's arms. With one last wave over his shoulder, he disappeared inside, leaving Cora to take care of his bags. "Have fun on your romantic trip, Shay!"

Shay would've laughed had she not been sick with worry. Cora seemed to sense that something was off with her friend when she continued to stand there in silence, frowning in confusion at the younger girl, "Is something wrong, Shay?"

"N-No, of course not," Shay denied with a stutter, sparing a glance at Alice's shiny porsche, where the vampire in question was waiting inside the vehicle, listening to Shay's fearful mumbles with a frown of her own. "I'm just nervous."

"Oh, don't be. I'm sure you'll have a great time," Cora smirked, catching Shay's gaze and winking at her. "Now off you go! You've already delayed your trip by ten minutes!"

Shay hesitated, before she stepped forward and embraced Cora in a hug too. Cora laughed at her, patting Shay on the back for a second before she ushered Shay down the porch steps, "Get going, Shay!"

Once she was inside of Alice's car and away from Cora's teasing stare, Shay allowed her smile to drop. As Alice drove them back to the Cullen home, she reached over to Shay with one of her hands to squeeze her shaking fists reassuringly. Shay sighed, slowly beginning to relax at the touch, but she couldn't help the worry that settled within her. The closer they got to the newborn army's arrival, the more her fear began to heighten.

"Everything's going to be fine, Shay," Alice promised her. "I know you're new to this life and I know it's scary, but before you know it, you and Sebastian will be reunited and this whole issue will be over. Just you wait and see."

"Okay," Shay sighed. "I trust you."

If Alice said they would be okay, she had to have faith in her. She and the Cullens knew more about the supernatural than she did. So if they were confident, she didn't have to worry. But no matter how many times she told herself this, her wariness never quite went away.

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"THIS SUCKS," SHAY GRUMBLED as Seth Clearwater carried her up the mountain. To say that Shay was embarrassed that a boy her brother's age was strong enough to carry her through the wilderness would be a downright understatement, but it was even worse when snow began to fall in some parts of the forest. There was a snowstorm predicted for that evening, meaning Shay wasn't just camping in Forks' regular cold weather, she also had to deal with the freezing conditions that came with ice and snow. She didn't know why she was surprised by this. It was just her luck, really.

"It's not that bad," Seth chuckled, amused at the older girl's pouting face. Seth had only ever seen Shay Chambers from a distance, and while she wasn't her usual happy-go-lucky self, he rather enjoyed her company. So while Shay was frowning with hate at the snow, her pale cheeks tinted pink from both the cold and embarrassment, Seth couldn't refrain from laughing at her.

"Of course you'd say that, you're practically a furnace," Shay scoffed, shifting uncomfortably in his arms. She'd been surprised, to say the least, when she stepped into his scorching embrace back when they departed from the Cullens and the pack. She didn't know much about the wolves, but she never expected them to radiate heat like the sun. She supposed she couldn't complain too much, though, since he was shielding most of her body from the cold air.

They arrived at their camping spot a couple hours later. From the looks of it, Jacob and Bella had just arrived, the latter heading over to where Edward was waiting for her. Seth dropped Shay down beside Jacob, the girl in question mustering a tiny smile and a 'thank you' before she moved to join Edward and Bella. She wasn't particularly close with anyone in the clearing, but she figured that out of their group, she knew Edward and Bella the best so she'd stick closest to them.

As she reached their side, Edward released Bella from a tight embrace, turning to where Jacob was watching them with a scowl, "Thank you."

Shay glanced between the two warily, sensing the tension brewing between them. She knew that both boys were in love with Bella, but she didn't realise just how much hatred there was between Jacob Black and Edward Cullen. If their circumstances were different, she would've found the situation amusing.

"You should head back before the storm hits," Bella said to Jacob, who shook his head at her.

"I'm staying here," he announced, continuing before Edward could try and protest. "You're gonna need my connection to the pack to keep tabs on what's going on."

Bella gasped at this, a tiny glimmer of hope in her eyes as she asked, "You're not gonna fight?"

"Seth will spell me in the morning," he corrected, glancing at the boy in question who was keeping watch on the area while they spoke. "He's not happy about missing the action, but it keeps him out of trouble."

Edward glared at him, drawing Bella close to his side as he directed her towards the tent he'd set up while he waited for them, "Let's get you both inside."

For a moment, Shay wondered who else he was talking to, before she noticed him gesturing for her to follow them. She did so without protest, tucking her hands into her coat pockets as the cold air ruthlessly pricked at her exposed skin. 

Shay had a feeling that the night ahead of them would be a long one.

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IT TURNED OUT THAT Shay's feeling was right. As the sky grew dark, the snow rained down in a thick and relentless blanket of ice. In a matter of minutes, the wind picked up at a ferocious speed, casting the falling snow in every direction. From where Shay was curled up under a mountain of blankets next to Bella Swan, she could hear the snow battering the outside of their tent without remorse, making it hard for the two humans inside to get warm. No matter how many blankets they added to their pile, they just couldn't chase the cold away. But unlike Bella, whose teeth were chattering as she shivered, Shay simply laid on her side with her back to the brunette girl and Edward, wishing she was anywhere but there. 

"I should've chosen a site lower down," Edward muttered, regretting his decision to reside at the very top of the mountain.

"It's fine," Bella insisted, before she was interrupted by another teeth chatter that screamed anything but fine. "I'm okay."

"What can I do?" Edward asked, desperate to help not just Bella, but Shay too. Before the snowstorm hit, he had Alice blowing up his phone ordering him to take care of her girlfriend, so he couldn't just let her freeze to death. But his body was ice cold, and he didn't have anymore blankets, so he had no idea how to help them.

As if sensing his turmoil, Jacob unzipped the tent door and shuffled inside. At their confused looks, he shrugged, "I can't sleep with all this teeth chattering going on."

"Neither can I," Shay mumbled into her pillow, her eyes half shut from where she'd almost fallen asleep.

"Forget it," Edward hissed, glaring at Jacob, who must've been thinking something that provoked the bronze-haired vampire. 

"She may need her toes someday. Shay too, though she seems to be fairing better than Bella," Jacob scoffed before his voice took on a taunting tone. "And let's face it, I am hotter than you."

If she wasn't so cold, Shay would have laughed at this, though Edward didn't seem to share her amusement as he gave another annoyed hiss. As Jacob tried to move towards the girls, ignoring Edward's displeasure, he reached out and grabbed him by the arm.

"Get your hands off me," Jacob growled, trying to shake away Edward's touch.

Edward snarled, his grip tightening, "Keep your hands off them then."

"Please don't fight," Bella begged while Shay simply watched them from over her shoulder. 

After a moment, Edward released Jacob's arm, seeming to weigh up his options. Then with great reluctance he was nodding, sinking back to the floor with a scowl as Jacob moved to sit between Bella and Shay. His arms looped around Bella's shivering frame as she sighed in relief, his radiating body heat enough to also comfort Shay from where she was lying a few inches away from them.

With that, Shay managed to get some sleep. They had to be up early tomorrow, so she wanted to get as much rest as she could. That night, Shay dreamed of a snowy field, fire licking at broken limbs as the Cullens stood around the flames gravely. Shay dreamed of ruby red eyes and teeth dripping with blood. And finally, she dreamed of an uneven heartbeat fading into silence.

A mere flicker of what was to come.