When she entered the family room the following morning every eye turned in her direction but she ignored most of them, doing a quick scan to find the person she wanted to talk to.

"Jacob." She said, keeping her voice level and waiting until he met her eye before continuing, "I need to hunt."

She heard Jasper shift, moving forward as he said, "Aleesia I can take you-"

"I don't want you." She answered, not letting him finish his sentence. She returned her attention back to the wolf and asked, "Jacob will you take me hunting?" At least him I can trust to keep me safe.

The thought was unspoken but she knew Edward heard her and she didn't care. Jacob had protected her while they were all out on a wild goose chase hunting for the same vampire that had managed to get to her and hurt her. If they had stayed with her, if they had told her, then maybe it wouldn't have happened.

She knew it was unfair. She knew that Jasper was more than capable of protecting her but he had failed her when she needed him and that was an open wound she was still trying to heal.

Jake hesitated a second, looking a little uneasy at being put in the middle but he nodded his agreement and followed behind her as she walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance at the family vampires.

She walked into the woods, listening to the crunch of the melting snow under her shoes as she weaved through the trees, allowing her senses to heighten. Then she took off, listening for any woodland creatures that would make a decent meal to quench her burning thirst. She could hear Jacob running in wolf form, keeping a small distance from her so she could do her thing and she appreciated it. She felt much safer with him there.

About two miles from the house she picked up on the scent of something feral and warm blooded. A mountain lion. She hissed, the scent of blood scorching her throat so she followed the scent up a hill where the terrain became a little more rocky.

Jacob stayed back so it wouldn't sense him but close enough that he could protect her and waited, watching as she pounced. The cat had sensed her at the last second and tried to bolt but it was no use. She grabbed its hind leg and twisted until it snapped, rendering the animal immobile. Aleesia was vicious, ripping into the lion's throat, draining it of blood. Part of him felt sick at seeing this but another part of him knew she needed it. It was what happened when both her wolf and vampire genes came to the surface, battling to be the hunter. He supposed after the last few days she deserved to release her pent up aggression, he just felt a little bad for the wildlife.

Aleesia dropped the corpse to the forest floor and walked away feeling much calmer than she had since the attack. Her thirst was back to a bearable level and her emotions, though still very strong, were in check. Now she would be able to think with a clear mind.

She approached Jacob where he sat, watching her and she took a seat next to him, not caring that the snow was soaking through her clothes. They were covered in blood anyhow.

They sat in silence for a moment before she finally spoke.

"Thank you, Jacob. For saving me. For getting there in time to stop him. I know you knew about him and part of me is angry with you for not telling me but a bigger part of me is grateful that you came in time to save my life and protect Nessie. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her." Aleesia said quietly, meaning each and every word from the bottom of her heart.

Jake let out a small growl and bumped her shoulder gently with his massive wolfish head. She smiled at him, knowing that was his way of saying no problem and stood up.

"Let's go back. I need to talk to Renesmee and make sure she's okay." She said, thinking about the way Nessie had gone off on her family. She was concerned for the girl's emotional and mental wellbeing.

It took them only a few minutes to reach the house. Jake stopped somewhere in the tree line to shift back and pull some clothes he had stashed out there before joining her and entering the house. Aleesia didn't bother talking to anyone as she headed for the stairs. She could hear Renemee's heartbeat coming from her room so that's where she was going.

She pulled up short when Bells rushed into her path looking nervous and wringing her hands.

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry because that wouldn't be enough but I did want to say thank you. Thank you for protecting my daughter. Thank you for being there." Bella rushed out, sounding almost breathless as she spoke, then stepped aside, clearing a path to the stairs.

"That's what you do for family. You protect them, even at the cost of your own life." She answered then brushed past, ignoring the heavy stares coming from the other room.

She took the stairs two at a time only stopping once she reached the right door. She knocked twice and waited for the quiet "come in" that soon followed. Aleesia entered quickly and closed the door behind her before turning her focus to the girl who sat on the full sized bed in the middle of the room. She was buried in a pile of blankets with her head tucked against her knees and Aleesia could see her tiny form shaking as she cried.

"Oh Ness," She whispered and ran to the bed, tackling her friend in a hug, "It will be okay. Everything will be okay."

"I yelled at them. I yelled at Jake." She whispered, her voice scratchy from crying.

"You have every reason to yell at them. You're hurt and you're angry. That's okay, Renesmee. And if it helps, I'm not shunning Jake. He got there in time to save us, so I forgave him. You can too if you feel like it but you don't have to." Aleesia replied, wanting to give the girl a reason to make up with Jake. She knew being angry with him was tearing her apart.

Ness nodded and then Aleesia reached, pushing the blankets away from Renesmee's face and asked, "What else is wrong? You look sick."

Nessie frowned and swallowed, letting out a shaky breath before saying, "I have a very good memory. Usually it's a blessing but in this case it's a curse. I keep replaying it over and over in my head. I keep hearing your bones breaking and seeing you covered in blood. I hate it so much. I haven't been sleeping much." She admitted.

"Have you told anyone?" Aleesia asked, her concern growing for her friend.

"No." Renesmee whispered. "I've been so angry that I haven't really talked to any of them since we got home. I feel horrible for how I've been treating Jake."

Aleesia sighed and pulled her close, tucking her head under her chin, "It might help to talk to someone but I understand if you need time. We are both working through it and emotions are running high right now. You don't need to be scared though, okay? I'd never let him hurt you. And none of this was your fault so don't even think that."

Aleesia thought about her own problem and found herself frowning. Even now she could feel her fathers fingers pressing into her skin, his teeth tearing into her neck. She shuddered, and pushed it away. That was going to be something she'd have to work through. She didn't want to tell Ness about her own struggles, fearing it would make her feel even worse so she kept her mouth shut and did her best to comfort her friend.

After a while Renesmee shifted and sniffed before murmuring, "I'm hungry. Will you come with me to get food?"

"Of course." She answered, knowing neither of them wanted to face this alone.

Aleesia glanced down at herself and realized she was still wearing her bloody clothes and paused, asking, "Do you have something I can borrow? I don't think this is really lunch time appropriate." She gestured to herself as she spoke, earning a small laugh from Nessie as she nodded.

She led Aleesia to a rather large walk in closet and quickly found her a tank top and jeans that would fit her. She quietly thanked Renesmee who headed back into the room to give her privacy while she changed which she did quickly, not wanting to give herself a chance to change her mind.

They ignored everyone as they entered the kitchen and began hunting for human food. Renesmee pulled out the bread and peanut butter while Aleesia grabbed her the jelly and found the Ham and cheese for herself. They each made their sandwiches before pulling the food away and grabbing a glass of juice. They turned, taking their plates to the family room where the others were waiting. Aleesia sat on the far end of one of the couches and Renesmee sat next to her. A second later Jake took Nessie's other side making it impossible for anyone else to sit by them.

Aleesia watched out of the corner of her eye as Nessie reached her free hand over to grab one of Jakes, lacing their fingers together. Jake sighed and visibly relaxed while lifting their hands to place a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.

The family watched warily as the two girls ate their food, not saying a word for fear of setting them off. Neither of them was really eating enough and the family was concerned. They knew they had fucked up but they had no idea how to fix it.

Jasper and Alice watched from the other side of the couch as their mate ate her food. They wanted so badly to talk to her and ask for forgiveness but Aleesia had made it very clear that that would not be happening anytime soon. She wouldn't look at them much less talk to them. The emotions radiating through the room were giving Jasper the first migraine he had had since he was human.

Aleesia sighed when her plate was empty and got up to take it to the kitchen. She rinsed the dish off and placed it in the drying rack then braced her hands on the counter for support as she spoke her next words.

"I honestly don't care what any of you have to say. I don't want apologies or half ass excuses. What you did was wrong, plain and simple. Tomorrow I will be going back to school. I'm getting that damn diploma even if it kills me." She could feel them all tense up ready to protest so she turned around and pinned them with a glacial stare and added, "Let's make this clear. There are only two things keeping me in this house right now. One is Nessie and my concern for her well being. The second and only other reason is because I'm not stupid enough to think I can take on that vampire by my self and not end up dead. I do have some sense of self preservation it seems. That is all I have to say to you people."

With that she left the room and headed back to her bedroom where she locked the door and headed out to the balcony, wanting to stand in the cool, fresh air for a few moments.

Every word she had just spoken had shattered more of her heart but it needed to be said. They needed to know they had crossed a line with her and that it would not easily be undone. They had lost her trust, something she already didn't give easily. All it had taken was one bad decision on their part to break something inside of her that she didn't even know could be broken.

She drew in a shaky breath and released it, fighting back the pain in her chest that told her that her mates were hurting. She knew they were and as much as she loved them, as much as she wanted to hug them and tell them it was okay, she knew she couldn't. She wasn't ready for that yet.

She looked up, casting her eyes to the snow laden forest that surrounded the house and whispered, "I don't know where you are, you sick piece of shit but if I get my hands on you, I swear I'll find a way to end you." For every second that I'm in pain and for every moment of my mate's suffering you will pay. That's a promise.