My eyes opened to a bright, white light. I was in an unfamiliar room, a white room. The wall beside me was covered in long vertical blinds; over my head, the glaring lights blinded me. I was propped up on a hard, uneven bed - a bed with rails. The pillows were flat and lumpy. There was an annoying beeping sound somewhere close by. I hoped that meant I was still alive.

My hands were all twisted up with clear tubes, and something was taped across my face, under my nose. I had a feeling I was in a hospital, but the tube was uncomfortable.

I lifted my hand to pull it off.

"I wouldn't do that" cool fingers caught my hand, and I was surprised by the voice. I looked up to see Alice, which was surprising because I didn't know she was in Phoenix.

"What happened?" I turned my head slightly to look around the room, a brief feeling of sadness twinged when I realized Rosalie wasn't here, but it was soon covered up with fear as I didn't see my mom or aunt.

"We were almost too late. We didn't even think you would be in danger"

Then I remembered what the man said, they left me unguarded, alone knowing that my mom could have been hurt. I wanted to be angry, but right now all I cared about was my mom. "my mom?"

"she's okay, Rosalie and Esme checked up on her. They watched her until..." she trailed off "She's here with Eve, Esme convinced them to shower and get something to eat"

"what am I supposed to say?" I asked thinking about it... how do I tell them a vampire killed Toby and kidnapped me.

"we have that covered" Alice chirped up almost as if she were proud of thinking ahead "car accident"

"what?"

"well, the story was Edward came to Phoenix to convince Bella to come back to Forks and she fell getting hurt. But I decided to come along, and we convinced you to come with us, then of course Carlisle came because we need an adult. And while Edward and Bella were having a private conversation the two of us went to get some food, and a car hit the drivers side where you were driving. Causing you to break your shoulder and some ribs."

"but, what about..."

"we took care of it, Rosalie and Lucia realized you were taken shortly afterwards we didn't know why but we were too late. She got your car back to your house, so it looked like you left with us."

"what about Toby?" I asked my eyes filling with tears. I had hope he was still alive, but I knew he wasn't.

"we had to make it look like he got into a fight with a wild animal... I'm sorry Alex. Rosalie found him and informed your mother."

I paused for a moment thinking everything over. I was alive, my mom and aunt were alive. Bella was okay, only Toby was gone. it hurt more than anything, but I had to look on the bright side, I was alive, I was going to go home.

"exactly how bad was I hurt?"

"well, you have a broken shoulder, and arm. And some broken ribs. Thankfully you didn't lose too much blood."

"that is a good thing" I heard another voice, Carlisle "you have a rare blood type, it would have been hard to get you a transfusion. Thankfully though you didn't need it"

"thank you, Carlisle,"

"it wasn't a problem Alex, I'm glad that you are okay. Your mother will be here soon"

With that he and Alice left, only for my mom to walk through the door. She looked tired, exhausted with a cup of coffee in her hand. she was surprised to see me awake.

"mom?" I breathed out, I had believed she was okay, but seeing her here and alive was a huge relief.

"Alex" she rushed over to me weary of my injuries and the wires connected to me. "my baby"

Eve entered the room right behind my mother and was standing on the opposite side of me. "there are far more exciting spring breaks than this" she joked but I could see the tears in her eyes.

"I'm okay" I decided not to tell them why I was here, figuring Alice and Carlisle filled them in... I'm sure Carlilse got an ear full, but he held no ill-will.

"Alex, I thought you were gone for good... you can't do that. Toby and then you, I couldn't bear it"

"I know, I'm sorry. I really am"

"you could have told me or Eve or someone" my mom responded trying to keep from crying.

"i- "I thought for a moment, how do I tell them anything. "I didn't want to get your or Charlies hopes up if it didn't work out"

Neither woman knew what to say, but accepted it, just happy I was alive. "when can I go home?" I asked finally. I always hated staying at hospitals, all the tubes and wires were irritating.

"soon"

- - - - - - - - - - -

I got home Sunday, two days after I woke up. My mother didn't stop hovering for the rest of the school year. When I wasn't in school, I was at home. She managed to figure out how to be home the same time I was so that I was never alone.

The first few days I came back from Phoenix, Billy visited, I knew he knew I knew what the Cullens were. That I knew the truth, I told him in private what happened. How I would have been dead if it weren't for Carlisle and his family. He seemed to take that as a positive, he was thankful but still weary.

I was okay with that, because while they don't purposely hurt people their kind did.

At school things changed a little, Rosalie still didn't get too close or entertain any friendship between us. But I noticed she watched me more, I wasn't sure why because no one would say but it reminded me of concern.

Alice, though, has gotten closer to me. She sits with me in art and has on several occasions stopped by to help me work on my art project or just to 'hang out'. It was nice, but weird. in a way that having a vampire as a friend was weird.

Months passed and I healed, though I still had the crescent shaped scar on my left thumb. It was colder than the rest of my body and shined strangely in the sunlight. But unless you knew what the scar was from you would assume it was a piece of glass.

At night when I was alone was the worst time, I kept thinking about the fact that Toby was no longer laying beside me, that he died trying to keep me safe. The first few months the dreams were nightmares, I kept seeing James, him trying to kill me and I was terrified that I would look out my window and see a pair of red eyes searching for me.

But as the weeks turned to months those dreams began to fade away. I focused more on my project and putting on the final touches. The first attempt I made, was shortly after I returned home, when with a heavy heart I realized I was the prey. I would always be the prey. I hated it, I hated how weak I felt.

My dreams became plagued with the images of wolves and the tribe, the people.

It was uplifting, strengthening in ways I couldn't explain. I was still weak, but I survived and that itself was strong it was worthy of that title. So as the weeks went on my deer, my prey turned into the predator.

My protector.

Safe to say I got an A on my project. Then the school year ended, and summer began. I found myself sitting outside of my home next to the wolf statue, the one that currently holds a collar. The one thing that Rosalie had managed to grab.

My mom came out to sit with me. "So, what do you want to do this summer?"

I looked up, thinking about it. "Someplace warm and sunny with lots of adventure."

My aunt chuckled from behind us "I think we can find something like that"

And for the first time in a while, as the three of us sat watching the sun set, I felt safe and happy.