Jasper and the woman retreated back to the other side of the clearing to join their family once more. Michael’s gaze drifted to the little girl with bronze hair; the child that this whole incident was based around. The brunet’s expression remained stoic, but his gaze softened and warmed as she hugged her parents. Jacob stood close by, only to pull her into his own hug as her parents let her go.

He couldn’t bear to look Seth in the eyes, but the betrayal that the boy still felt toward him was noticeable in the way he moved as he stuck close to his sister and his pack. Michael felt shameful, knowing that this possible new-found family saw him welcomed into the arms of their enemies.

In all honesty, Michael thought about taking this as an opportunity to flee. His mind was racing as panic started to make itself known to him, but his heartbeat remained the same as to not draw more attention to himself. His sky-blue gaze flickered rapidly between everyone’s faces, starting to quietly back away from the group and into the woods.

His shallow breathing caught as he looked at the male with golden-blond hair, only to find that the man was already looking at him. Jasper’s eyebrows were furrowed, his expression clouded with confusion. He stepped forward, starting his advance toward the brunet, but the younger male turned tail and ran off into the woods. Michael didn’t stop or turn around, even as he heard Jasper’s voice call out his name. The once-familiar sound brought up memories that had occurred well over one hundred years ago. The brunet slowed once far enough away from the clearing. He rubbed harshly at his face with his calloused hands. Noting that his hands became damp from that action, Michael realized that he was crying. He didn’t know when he had started to cry, but it didn’t bother him as it usually did.

His mind was too occupied to care about the tears he shed for apparently no reason. Maybe, he thought, it was because the blazing honey eyes he had expected to see were now replaced with topaz. The meaning behind the change filled Michael with sorrow. The mischievous sparkle he was used to being in Jasper’s eyes was no longer there as he remembered it being.

Michael moved down into the river’s banks, carefully placing his steps to avoid slipping. Risky as it was, Michael needed to cool himself off. Stripping himself of his shirt and his jeans, Michael entered the frigid water. He waded through the water until he was about waist deep. He sunk himself down into the water until most of his body was covered.

His breathing and heart rate slowed as he let the cold take him over. His shallow breaths let out small clouds with each exhale. His panic slowly melted away as the cold water started to numb his body and his mind. Most creatures would have developed hypothermia by this point, but the icy water that nipped at Michael’s skin helped him think clearly.

The cool water washed over his body in waves, the blood on his neck from the fangs that had sunk into his neck washing away down the stream. Fractured sunlight covered the river and the area around it as it shined through the tops of the trees. It highlighted the beads of water on his tanned skin. The pale marks that littered his body stood out more under the light directed from the sun.

He remained in the water for a while longer. He climbed out and made his way back to the bank he left the remainder of his clothes on. He redressed himself in his jeans when he became mostly dry, using his shirt to dry the rest of his body as he didn’t need to actually wear it.

He looked up from doing so as he heard a sharp intake of breath. Bella’s caramel scent finally registered in his senses as his gaze fell upon her. Snowflakes were in her chestnut brown hair, as her body temperature was too low to melt the white flakes. She wasn’t looking at him directly, but her gaze hesitantly drifted over his bare torso, taking note of his scars for the very first time.

He didn’t back away as she came closer, but his body tensed as if he wanted to. She approached him slowly as if he was a wild animal she was trying not to spook. His breathing remained calm as she stopped in front of him, but his body flinched back away from her as she reached out to touch him. Her hand paused in midair, looking up at the tall male. His gaze was cast to the side as she registered the look of shame on his face.

Her body relaxed upon seeing this, glad to know that he still trusted her enough to openly display his emotions instead of hiding them behind his normal facade. Letting her hand drop a bit, she grabbed his right hand with her left one. She raised them up so his wrist could properly be seen in the light. She raised her right hand up, holding it up so her right wrist was next to his. His expression had turned to one of confusion, not sure what the smaller female was doing.

As she spoke, the sudden sound shocked Michael as it broke the peaceful silence. “We’ve never really looked alike, but at least we match now.”

The male brunet furrowed his eyebrows, not sure what the girl meant. As he looked back at their wrists, he realized that he could faintly make out what looked to be a bite mark on her wrist that matched his. It was only one of his many scars, but he was glad that was the statement Bella went with rather than asking him about them. Unbeknownst to him, Michael had a small grin on his face as his sky-blue eyes sparkled.

Isabella dropped their hands from their raised positions, but she kept ahold of his hand as she laced their fingers.

“Come on,” She said, “Let’s go home. The others are all worried since you disappeared.”

Michael froze at the statement, not wanting to face the questions he was bound to be asked upon his return. He didn’t have a choice, though. He wanted to see Nessie again before he disappeared back to his home in Phoenix, Arizona again. And Seth, if the boy even wanted anything to do with him now. But he couldn’t stay here for much longer. Seeing Jasper again had brought up many memories he had tried too hard to forget.

He let the smaller women lead him back to the house, trying to fight the panic that was making itself known to him once more. His grip on her hand tightened as they approached the house. He stopped in front of the door, not wanting to go inside. Bella patiently waited for him to gather himself, gently squeezing his hand in reassurance. After a brief nod from the male, Bella opened the door and led them inside.