Chapter Text
Prompt: What would happen if Laurent had bitten Bella in the meadow and turned her?
Under the canopy of withered trees in the once beautiful meadow, what I had always wanted had come true. I was going to be turned. Edward’s voice yelled with such fury that it was almost deafening.
“Mouthwatering.”
That was the last thing I heard before Laurent’s cold lips were on my neck. Pain engulfed my body the moment his teeth made contact with my skin. “I don’t believe it,” he muttered, taking a step away from me. I watched as he disappeared among the scenery, the air blowing through the air with noticeable force.
Behind me I could hear faint voices, movement in the surrounding woods. More distinctly, I could hear the breathing of a few very large animals. As the pain ripped through me, I turned my head to see what had scared Laurent.
To my left, mere feet from me, were two very large wolves looking at me as if I were prey. A third wolf was running at me, teeth blared. As badly as I wanted to move, the pain was debilitating, immobilising. All I could do was close my eyes and hope I went quickly.
The wolf approached with such speed, it was in front of me in seconds, jumping over my limp body, and continued on in the direction Laurent had run.
The burning turned to pure fire as the venom continued to rework my system. Was this really worth it? I pushed that thought away, knowing there was no turning back. This is what I wanted. Right?
“Bella!”
His voice. Through the pain, I opened my eyes to see him running towards me, through the wolves. I wanted to yell - scream at him to stop. If the wolves wanted Laurent, they’d want him too. But he passed through, the wolves actually giving Jake more room to pass through. In three strides Jake was by my side, supporting my head in his hands. If only he knew how much his touch hurt.
Tears welled in his eyes, hurt easy to read on his face. Sadness in his eyes. “Bella, how?” He knew. Something wasn’t adding up.
As much as I wanted to answer him, the pain had finally consumed me and all I could do was scream.
Three Days Later
I had practically been quarantined in the Black household since Laurent turned me. Finally, on day three, the pain had subsided. This was it - I was now a vampire.
I had been laying in bed for the last three days, any movement beyond unbearable. There was no sign of the Black’s or any of Jacob's friends around. I listened, hearing the bugs sing in the grass, the eagle's wings flapping as it picked up momentum through the air. It was almost overwhelming. It felt as though my mind had grown, memories feeling so distinct yet fleeting. It’s only been three days.
I frown, trying my hardest to focus on my memories from before. Everything seems so hazy. As if covered in a film that can’t be removed. Almost tainted.
Jacob had a grey zip hoodie, long sleeve top, and a pair of blue jeans he had grabbed from Charlie’s house ready for me to change into whenever I had woken up. I changed and took a breath. I tried focusing on my surroundings, keeping hope to hear someone, anyone.
“Do you think she’s alive?” A familiar voice asked. Emry.
“Emry,” a male voice sternly said. He continued on with whatever conversation he was having before Emry had interrupted. “Jake, you know what we must do.”
I could hear pacing. “No!” Jacob yelled. Even as a human I would’ve heard him from here. “She is not one of them. Not like that.” He sounded defeated. “Sam, there’s got to be something. Can she just leave? I can talk to her, have her never come back.” Jake’s voice cracked at the end. His sobs echoed.
My chest ached at hearing Jacob. My childhood friend, the boy who helped keep me together, my eternal sun.
Before I could register what I was doing, I flung Jacob’s room door open and in seconds was out the door. The smell of a dog immediately assaulted my sinuses. I stopped in my tracks, appalled by the odor. Then I heard a growl. I turned to my right and saw one of the wolves from the meadow standing guard around the Black home. He blared his teeth and growled, taking slow steps towards me. There was a familiarity in his eyes.
The bushes rustled behind the wolves with Emry, Sam, and Jacob appeared. Sam held up a hand, commanding the beast to yield. It obeyed and stopped approaching. The three men stayed by the wolf's side. My eyes locked with Jacob’s. He looked different. Taller, more muscular, and his hair was cut short. It’s only been three days. I try thinking back to the moment Laurent saw the wolves, but fail to remember how Jacob looked. I only remembered his touch.
I searched his face for anything type of positive emotion yet all I saw was shock.
“Bella,” he breathed, “yo-you look…”
“What?” I look over myself, unsure of what he’s talking about.
“Different,” he finished.
How could I look different? “I’m still m-” My voice. It sounded higher, more like Alice’s. My hand instinctively went to my throat. That’s not what I sound like. Panic washed over me. What did I do? I looked at Jake, pleading. “Jake.”
Without hesitation, Jacob ran towards me. As he got closer, the smell of his blood became more clear. My mouth was so dry, my throat burned. I looked at my best friend, and envisioned how sweet his blood would taste.
Horrified at my thoughts, I took several steps back. I stuck my hand out, asking Jake to stop. His pace slows but he still advances. “Jacob, I don’t want to hurt you.” I turned around and made a break for the woods.
The wind whipped through my hair as I gained speed. I dodged logs, rocks, and trees and I tried to escape the thought of Jacob’s blood. I need to eat, I thought to myself. I continued to run until I could no longer smell Jacob.
I finally stopped at the top of the mountain, far from any humans, and most importantly, far away from Jake. I closed my eyes and focused on my heightened senses. I could hear the small birds in the trees, the stream several miles down the face of the mountain running through, a fawn calling to its mother. Among the chatter I hearD heavy steps approaching the south end of the mountain. I quietly approach as I see a mountain lion stalking a deer. We both wait for the moment to strike our prey.
In one fell swoop the deer had run off and the lion was mine.
When I had finally felt under control of my thirst, I started making my way down the mountain. I took my time climbing down the mountain side, allowing my mind to wander. Every thought felt as if it were floating. Not from a disassociation, but from how much room I had in my head now.
It was jarring. Edward had never mentioned this part of the transformation.
Edward.
And that’s when it hit me. I haven’t heard Edward’s voice since the meadow.
The meadow.
“Laurent,” I muttered below my breath.
I looked down to see there was still a few hundred feet of mountain left to climb down. I looked up, seeing how far down I had made it so far. I need to see Jacob.
The wolves.
How was Jake able to be around the wolves? Why was one staked outside of his house, guarding it? What were Jacob, Sam, and Emry talking about before I came outside?
With too many questions, and a mix of desperation, I looked down once more to get an idea of the land below. My sight was so clear it was almost off putting.
Branches hundreds of feet down looked as clear and defined as if I were standing under the tree. Through the leaves I found a patch of ground clear enough for me to land.
I took a steady breath, bracing myself to let go. Breathing felt odd. Although my lungs were filling, it didn’t feel necessary. Everything was different. It was overwhelming.
I shook the disparaging thought out of my head and looked down again.
“Here goes nothing.”
I released my grip on the rocks and kicked off the mountain, allowing myself to free fall feet first. I managed to land somewhat gracefully, needing to use my hands to keep from falling forward. I looked around, hoping to get an idea of where I was. Jake and I had walked these woods countless times by now.
Every tree and rock looked the same yet different. It was hard to know exactly what I was supposed to look for. Although my sight had improved tenfold, my human memories feel different—look different— than they do now.
I decided to start walking and smelling. If my eyes can't guide me, then my nose will. The smell of the wolves was permanently burned into my mind. There was no forgetting it. I took a deep inhale, allowing all the smells to enter my nose.
Morning dew yet to evaporate; the salty water from a nearby brook; the faintest smell of Jacob mixed with wolf. I couldn’t suppress the grimace that came across my face. Jake never smelled bad, not even on his dirtiest days. My senses, even as a human, would’ve caught a smell this potent.
I shook off the offence and continued following Jake’s scent. Slowly, my human memories came to the front of my mind of my hikes with Jake. A smile crept across my face involuntarily as I thought about how much he tried teaching me about the different plants and animals native to La Push. I started to recognise my surroundings more and more as I continued to walk.