Edward sighed, and - ignoring Jacob - came to stand on my other side, taking my hand.
"Ready to go?" he asked me.
Before I could answer, he was staring over me at Jacob.
"I've not quite figured out all the details yet," he said, answering a question in Jacob's thoughts.
The Jacob-wolf grumbled sullenly.
"It's more complicated than that," Edward said. "Don't concern yourself; I'll make sure it's safe."
"What are you talking about?" I demanded.
"Just discussing strategy," Edward said.
Jacob's head swiveled back and forth, looking at our faces. Then, suddenly, he bolted for the forest. As he darted away, I noticed for the first time a square of folded black fabric secured to his back leg.
"Wait," I called, one hand stretching out automatically to reach after him. But he disappeared into the trees in seconds, the other two wolves following.
"Why did he leave?" I asked, hurt.
"He's coming back," Edward said. He sighed. "He wants to be able to talk for himself."
I watched the edge of the forest where Jacob had vanished, leaning into Edward's side again. I was on the point of collapse, but I was fighting it.
Jacob loped back into view, on two legs this time. His broad chest was bare, his hair tangled and shaggy. He wore only a pair of black sweat pants, his feet bare to the cold ground. He was alone now, but I suspected that his friends lingered in the trees, invisible.
It didn't take him long to cross the field, though he gave a wide berth to the Cullens, who stood talking quietly in a loose circle.
"Okay, bloodsucker," Jacob said when he was a few feet from us, evidently continuing the conversation I'd missed. "What's so complicated about it?"
"I have to consider every possibility," Edward said, unruffled. "What if someone gets by you?"
Jacob snorted at that idea. "Okay, so leave her on the reservation. We're making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. She'll be safe there."
I scowled. "Are you talking about me?"
"I just want to know what he plans to do with you during the fight," Jacob explained.
"Do with me?"
"You can't stay in Forks, Bella." Edward's voice was pacifying. "They know where to look for you there. What if someone slipped by us?"
My stomach dropped and the blood drained from my face. "Charlie?" I gasped.
"He'll be with Billy," Jacob assured me quickly. "If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there, he'll do it. Probably it won't take that much. It's this Saturday, right? There's a game."
"This Saturday?" I asked, my head spinning. I was too lightheaded to control my wildly random thoughts. I frowned at Edward. "Well, crap! There goes your graduation present."
Edward laughed. "It's the thought that counts," he reminded me. "You can give the tickets to someone else."
Inspiration came swiftly. "Angela and Ben," I decided at once. "At least that will get them out of town."
He touched my cheek. "You can't evacuate everyone," he said in a gentle voice. "Hiding you is just a precaution. I told you - we'll have no problem now. There won't be enough of them to keep us entertained."
"But what about keeping her in La Push?" Jacob interjected, impatient.
"She's been back and forth too much," Edward said. "She's left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he" - Edward paused to look at me - "or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to look himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that. I can't leave her somewhere she's been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It's a very long shot, but I'm not taking chances."
I stared at Edward as he explained, my forehead creasing. He patted my arm.
"Just being overcautious," he promised.
Jacob gestured to the deep forest east of us, to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains.
"So hide her here," he suggested. "There's a million possibilities - places either one of us could be in just a few minutes if there's a need."
Edward shook his head. "Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella's scent, it would catch their attention. We're not sure exactly which path they'll take, because they don't know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us . . ."
Both of them grimaced at the same time, their eyebrows pulling together.
"You see the difficulties."
"There has to be a way to make it work," Jacob muttered. He glared toward the forest, pursing his lips.
I swayed on my feet. Edward put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer and supporting my weight.
"I need to get you home - you're exhausted. And Charlie will be waking up soon. . . ."
"Wait a sec," Jacob said, wheeling back to us, his eyes bright. "My scent disgusts you, right?"
"Hmm, not bad." Edward was two steps ahead. "It's possible." He turned toward his family. "Jasper?" he called.
Jasper looked up curiously. He walked over with Alice a half step behind. Her face was frustrated again.
"Okay, Jacob." Edward nodded at him.
Jacob turned toward me with a strange mixture of emotion on his face. He was clearly excited by whatever this new plan of his was, but he was also still uneasy so close to his enemy allies. And then it was my turn to be wary as he held his arms out toward me.