CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴsᴛʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

As I lay back, arms resting behind her head, the sound of rustling grass filled my ears. Somewhere, amongst the trees, Edward was taking his time to bring Bella up to the field where we would take part in another fighting session with the wolves. No doubt he was prolonging his time alone with her and shortening the time they'd be in our presence. Emmett and Jasper were wrestling, hands gripping each other's arms as they fought with near equal strength. Their play fights weren't often something anyone wanted to watch.

Alice wasn't much better either. Her face had turned sour as she scanned the field, drifting off into herself every few minutes. Even her lips tasted burnt, her kisses desperate, using them to distract herself. Now she sat beside me, calmer than before, but with a slight scowl still twisting her face. My eyes flicked toward her, where she was sitting up, leaning back against her outstretched arms, and then to Jasper and Emmett.

"Do you think they'll ever get bored of that?"

"It's unlikely," she said, her voice distant.

I shuffled until my head lay against her lap, and looked up at her. "Not even in a hundred years?"

She smiled, finally glancing down. "Not even then."

The wolves arrived close to the same time as Bella and Edward did as if Jacob could sense her presence. She was the middleman between us, a safety net. With her standing around, neither of our two groups would risk doing anything.

"Where are the rest of the wolves?" Bella asked, eyeing the taller of the three wolves at the front- Jacob.

"They don't all need to be here. One would do the job but Sam didn't trust us enough to just send Jacob, though Jacob was willing."

"Are those his usual wingmen?" I asked, and Edward made a face. "Quil and Embry?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Bella turned, peering up at Edward. "Jacob trusts you."

"He trusts us not to kill him. That's about it though."

"So what are we doing tonight?"

"Last time we demonstrated. Tonight we put it to practice," Jasper said, his arms folding across his chest, shoulders squaring.

Rosalie raised a perfect brow. "With the wolves?"

"It's the only way they'll know what to expect."

"What's wrong?" Alice asked as we made our way back to the house from the field.

I shrugged, looking to each of the Cullen members. They all seemed so calm and collected as if this was some normal family trip, where they were hunting animals rather than vampire newborns.

"This all feels impossible," I finally said, glancing over to her momentarily to see she was already staring at me, or rather at the base of my neck.

"Well, we thought it was impossible to ever find the necklace, and look what you're wearing right this minute," she said, motioning to the necklace, which I hadn't even realised I had been holding.

"Seth found it, not us."

"But it was still found," she said, then her face brightened mischievously. "There's another thing that some of us thought was impossible that turns out isn't."

"What is it?"

"I really shouldn't say anything until they've told you but..."

"But you really can't hold a secret. Tell me, Alice!" I said, nudging her impatiently.

"BellaAndEdwardAreEngaged!"

"What?"

"Bella and Edward are engaged."

"No, I heard you. I just can't believe it."

Edward, I could believe would want marriage. He was old fashioned in his own ways and he loved Bella enough to want to show that fact off. But Bella... it wasn't that she was particularly modern, just that the idea of her being under so much attention didn't seem natural.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely positive. He gave her a ring half an hour ago," Alice said, practically grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow."

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that maybe this is something we all need," I said, pausing before I asked her. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm trying to decide what dress I'm going to pick out for Bella," Alice exclaimed. "I'm thinking vintage."

"I like that idea."

"I think you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward. I can't see where you are exactly but the storm that's coming in seems particularly bad in that general area," Alice said, her lips twisting as she tried to force herself to see something else, something clearer than the blur she was receiving thanks to the wolves. "It's going to snow on the mountains."

Bella shivered beneath Edward's arm as he showed her to the back door of the double garage. "Ew, snow."

"Wear a jacket."

Edward began to shuffle around the garage as he pulled an already half-filled bag from beneath one of the counters. With careful eyes, Alice watched him back silently, leaving us unsure of whether it was Edward she didn't trust, or if it was her own visions she was wary of.

"Where will William be?" Edward asked, glancing nervously at his sister.

Before Alice could speak, I answered for her. "Wherever I am. You won't have to worry about him sneaking up on you."

"Bella, could I speak to you alone?" Alice said suddenly.

Edward's head snapped up to her, eyes narrowed. "You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be Alice," he said quietly. "I'd rather you didn't."

"This isn't about you Edward," Alice insisted. The look on his face said otherwise. "It's not."

Bella sighed. "Let her talk to me."

"You asked for it."

Alice walked past me on her way to Bella, taking my arm to drag me with her. "Elide. You can be a part of this discussion."

Bella seemed worried. "Discussion? What's wrong?"

Alice huffed crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't you love us?"

"Of course I do, you know that."

"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting us?"

"Oh," Bella's mouth dropped open, her face flushing. "You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things. It was Edward's idea anyway."

"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me?" Alice corrected herself. "To us! I expect that kind of thing from Edward, but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister."

"Alice you are my sister, both of you are."

"Words!" Alice scoffed, throwing away a hand.

I rolled my eyes at her childishness. "Let me be the voice of reason," I said, taking Bella's hand proudly. "Bella, we will be thrilled about your wedding whether we attend it or not."

"Hollow words!" Alice shouted again, adding a flair of dramatics to her voice.

Bella huffed, folding her arms. "Fine you can come, but there won't be much to see." Alice turned to look at her, though her face was still held in an unimpressed look. "What?"

"How much do you love me, Bella?"

"Why?"

She hopped forward, taking Bella by the shoulders. "Please, please, please let me do your wedding!"

"Alice, don't do this to me," Bella groaned, turning to look at me expectantly.

"I'm not getting in between this," I said, holding my hands up. Alice frowned, sticking out her bottom lip. "But... surely it wouldn't be so bad to have a little thing with the family."

"This is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me!"

"I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'll never tell you that. And Esme- think of what it would mean to her," Alice pleaded, and I almost thought she was ready to get down on one knee and beg.

"But it's what you want in the end, Bella," I reminded her, sending a playful warning glare to Alice.

"What I want, sure," Bella scoffed.

"I'll owe you for a decade."

"You'll owe me for a century!"

"Is that a yes?"

"No. I don't want to do this," she said, turning her nose up. "Edward!"

Edward slid over to us, the large hiking bag slung over his shoulder effortlessly. A glare was already focused on his sister and did not appear to be going anywhere. "Thanks so much, Alice."

"So are you going to show us the ring, or not?" I said, hoping to interrupt the argument and diffuse the tension between the Cullen siblings. Bella bit her lip, glanced up to Edward, and then slowly showed us her hand, only to reveal a bare ring finger. "But Alice said-"

Alice nodded her head swiftly. "I saw him put it on!"

"Wedding's still on," Bella reassured.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Bella has issues with jewellery," he said, then his eyes landed on Alice. "We have to go."

"Edward's right. You have to set the trap and make camp before the storm comes," Alice said, and her face was back to being wary and standoffish. "Don't forget your coat, Bella. It seems unseasonably cold."

"Already got it."

"Have a nice night," she said, kissing Bella on the cheek before she floated off into the house.

I shoo my head and enveloped Bella in a tight hug. It would be a hard two days up ahead. "Ignore Alice," I whispered. "Stay safe."

☽

Sorry for the lower quality of this one. Ngl I kinda hate writing dialogue-heavy chapters like these- I never have inspiration for decent descriptions to pair it with :)