Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Claws

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 21:

Falling had never been natural for Bella. Jumping from helicopters, swimming underwater for long periods of time, racing at breakneck speeds on the ground and in the trees, she excelled at.

Jumping into complete darkness high above the ground was not her favorite activity but one she had accepted as a necessary evil for the sake of the mission. This was her first combat jump from high altitude and she found herself enjoying it a bit. It felt as close to flying as she imagined it could ever be. She quickly became used to the wind in her face, her cheeks flattening at high speed, eyes squinting through the air and to the ground below, waiting for the moment she could catch sight of something.

A quick look to her left and right told her the girls were having no problems. Once they reached 5000 feet the chutes were deployed, nearly simultaneously.

The jerk surprised Bella a bit but soon she felt comfortable enough to enjoy the ride. The pain flared in her chest once again but she held her breath and gritted her teeth. This was no time to focus on pain, but rather a time to drown it out.

At 1000 feet, Bella could make out the dense forest canopy that made up this section of what was normally a barren land.

At 500 feet, Bella used her claws to cut away the chute and entered freefall, crashing through several small branches before finding her footing on a larger one. She winced at the noise of 96 girls landing but knew it couldn’t be helped. Taking a look around her she saw no hostiles on the ground. She activated the orange light on her bracelet, a flash of orange showing up beyond her, lighting up the trees as if it were Christmas for a moment,then they were gone. The signal had been given, take to the ground and move to the combat zone.

The trip was short, only a half mile from the intended target. The girls knew the plan, split up into teams and converge on the entrance to the hole in the ground, one that had been made by miners into the top of an old abandoned base.

The team leaders spread out, circling the hole and remaining in trees for the most part, except for Bella’s team which went to high ground on a rocky outcropping just behind the entrance to the underground hell.

Moments later thousands of heartbeat emitters landed spread out over a mile radius, one nearly hitting Bella in the head.

The forest was no longer silent. The girls had to use their superior eyesight now to their advantage.

Seeing they had 62 minutes till sunrise, guessing the ghouls would return in 50 minutes as was their standard procedure before, Bella took the opportunity to grab thermite out of her pack along with detonators. Motioning for her team to stay, she took off into the open field toward the entrance and dropped into the hole in the ground.

The smell was so horrible it nearly knocked her back. It was easy to see this had once been a base. Rock crushed much of the main room, machinery lying underneath it, but she also noted several bones, human from the look, strewn across the area.

She could not imagine being stuck here for twenty years, starving but unable to die. The thought chilled her. The man who had done this to humans was a true monster and it reinforced what Mother had told her. The Organization had lost its way. Attempting to alter an adult’s DNA with an unknown entity was stupid, careless and had zero chance of succeeding.

Shaking off the thought, remembering she wasn’t there to sightsee, Bella began placing thermite charges onto surviving support structures. Most of the base was surprisingly intact as far as infrastructure, only certain small areas caved in completely. Another failure that was supposed to be a failsafe.

Once she had planted explosives on the support beams she moved outside quickly and returned to her team.

Bella was glad Tracy was with her, even if the young girl was staring at Bella once again. Bella motioned with her head to pay attention to the trees and the girl quickly did so.

They waited, unmoving, their heartbeat lost in thousands around them.

Fifteen minutes to sunrise she saw the enemy. They were running quickly, searching for prey no doubt before bedtime. They had not taken to the trees, passing under many that held Jaguar in them, fingers on the trigger and waiting for Bella’s word.

She watched, making sure the creatures had all gathered in front of her girls, moving to the middle of the kill zone they had created. Checking the forest one last time she saw no stragglers and counted 42 of the enemy.

Bella pressed the button on her watch, sending a greenlight to all the Jaguars.

The forest lit up in gunfire, surprising the creatures below and striking nearly all of them. Bella stood and fired her own rifle, walking slowly down the outcropping, taking aim at each carefully, striking three in the eyes and pleased to see them drop.

She missed the fourth heading her direction. The creature, onto the sound of gunfire, was moving at near vampire speed, dodging her bullets. She fired once again at the same time as another Jaguar, missing once again, but her teammates bullet hitting the ghoul’s forehead. The bone had caved but the creature slowly stood.

“Eyes! Only the eyes!” Bella told her team through the radio as she rushed towards the fallen ghoul and shot him in the eye.

The ghouls were not as mindless as she had hoped, beginning to zig in and out while making their way to their enemies, locking onto the gunfire. Bella and her team, Tracy slightly behind her continued to walk towards the fray, rifles set to semi auto and squeezing off one shot at a time. Light was beginning to peak over the horizon and Bella hoped that would give them another edge.

A scream of pain in the distance told her at least one ghoul had broken through and reached a Jaguar.

The sounds of gunfire changed. Bella realized why when she fired her weapon and it clicked harmlessly. They had all ran out of ammo. She pulled her handguns and went to work, firing at the creatures who were now rushing her.

Taking a quick look over the battlefield, she was pleased to see their initial assault had cut the enemy forces in at least half.

“Team 4 is being overrun!” a new voice said over the com. Team 4 was west of Bella.

“Team 3 break off and converge on team 4.” she said into her wrist calmly. Despite the loud noise of gunfire, the smell of the ghouls and the screams on the field, both friends and enemies, Bella was enjoying herself. She was close, close to running out of ammo and having no choice but to let her true nature shine.

A part of her mind told her to be worried. Her teams had expended thousands of rounds of ammo and the enemy still had half its force remaining.

“Sit rep.” Bella ordered.

“Out of ammo and seven down.” the leader of team 3 told them. The other two teams reported 8 and 10 casualties but the fight was ongoing. Bella looked behind her and found two of her girls engaged with a ghoul.

“Tracy, take my gun.” Bella ordered, tossing the firearm to the fifteen year old. “Let the Jaguar loose ladies. Time to go feral.”

A roar that could be heard miles away erupted over the battlefield. The first attack was done. They still had the advantage of numbers and it was time to finish this the best way they knew how.

Bella ran towards two ghouls, jumping at the last second in the air to avoid their claws, taking the left ear off one and the right off another. Landing on her feet as always, she turned to the screeching creatures and dug her claws into their thick skinned throats ripping away. The creatures fell and her team rushed forward into the fray.

The excitement she felt was gone when a ghoul bit into her shoulder from behind, locking its razor sharp teeth into her, crunching her collarbone.

Flipping to the ground with the creature still latched on, Bella tried to spring up but the ghoul held strong.

Tracy rushed Bella and put a shot in the ghoul’s eye, then pried the teeth from Bella’s shoulder.

“Thanks kid. Stay behind me. If I go down, join another team. How many do we have left?”

“Aron and Kiera are down. Their throats are ripped open. You are hurt. That bite is deep. Stay behind me.”

“Do as you are told! I’ll live. You stay back with that gun and provide support. Do not go hand to hand. Stay human and finger on the trigger.”

Bella tested the shoulder for motion and ran forward into the main battle sight, her team converging with another. The sun rose and blood, red Jaguar blood and black ghoul blood, covered the snowy white ground. There were no teams any longer, just combatants locked into life or death battles.

Bella gave herself over to the animal inside her, beginning to bite her enemies from behind, latching onto the back of their throats and ripping. Some of the Jaguars had taken to the trees only to jump down immediately and kill in groups of two or three.

The ghouls were fast up close as well with their strikes. It was obvious they had spent two decades fighting each other. Had Bella been completely conscious of what was going on she would have been impressed. Instead she was lost in her nature, her years of training kicking in from instinct alone.

She had ripped the throat of one ghoul with her teeth before she was grabbed by two behind her. They threw her to the ground and fell on her but her feet were raised. The creatures were stuck on her feet, her claws digging in. A twist of her body and a slight kick to the eye left one creature in pain while the other lay helplessly on the ground. She swung, her fist breaking through its strong chest and found the heart, ripping it from the body.

Bella turned. looking for the next target and saw the field had spread in the daylight. Ghouls and Jaguars were no longer grouped together in large numbers, now fighting in groups of four on one.

Two rushed Bella who found herself alone. Another two hit her from the side.

Feeling teeth cutting and clamping into her body, she struggled, tossing one, only for another to bite her harder. She felt a razor sharp tooth embed itself into one of her ribs and flesh tear away.

Roaring she jumped, throwing the four ghouls off of her, along with the flesh that was in their mouths.

Before another had a chance to recover, Tracy jumped onto him. Bella saw a creature rush from behind the young girl and yelled.

“Behind you!”

Tracy lost in bloodlust did not hear or care. Almost in slow motion, Bella saw teeth bite into the young girl’s neck and arms twisting her head from her shoulders.

“No!”

Bella rushed the ghoul, punching through its chest and ripping its heart out. She continued towards the middle of the biggest brawl, slashing, swinging, ripping heads off. She was struck many times but didn’t feel any of them, biting every throat she could latch onto, taking out ghouls who had her sisters wrapped up.

The noise died down, the targets harder to find, most dead on the field.

A sudden flare of the usually dulled pain in Bella’s chest blinded her, causing enough hesitation for one ghoul to send a long claw into her abdomen and pull up, ripping her open. She stopped the hand before it reached her heart and bit down, ripping the hand off at the wrist while three of her sisters pulled him off.

Then there was silence.

Bella dropped to her knees and laid back on the snow, holding her midsection. Not a place on her body was without pain and she was bleeding profusely from her midsection.

The Jaguars surrounded her having seen their leader charging into the battle, killing the creatures she found easily. None of them had been able to rip through the beasts as effortlessly as Bella had.

But their leader was now on the ground, bleeding, chunks from her side missing, her collarbone exposed, her chest slashed deeply and her abdominal cavity ripped open. A deep gash ran over her forehead, nearly exposing her skull. She had to be dead.

Before the second in command could call for extraction, Bella opened her eyes.

“Are they all dead?”

Erica, the second in command knelt beside her, took her cool hand and nodded.

“How many of… us?” Bella asked breathlessly.

“32 of us died. We did good. We won. Don’t move, okay? We need to get you packed up and out of here.” the girl told her, wondering how Bella was alive and if she could even survive a helicopter ride to the nearest medical facility.

Bella shook her head slightly.

“Detonator is by entrance to the hole. Blow it. Make sure it is covered. Place thermite on the rocks above. Blow the inside first. It should cause the cavern to crumble in on itself. Then detonate the rocks above. Bury it. Make sure it is gone. How many injured?”

“All of us have injuries but most are healing already. Don’t talk, okay?”

Bella closed her eyes again.

Erica called one of the team leaders over with orders to blow the hole while the others began taking stock of the wounded who could not stand.

Bella’s form shifted to appear human and Erica feared the end was soon. She had fought like a savage beast on the field and had been torn up in the process, literally to pieces.

Taking off her shirt, the Jaguar wrapped it around Bella’s abdomen tightly, hoping to keep her insides from falling out. Her exposed rib was broken but her lung were still working slowly. Erica could hear the fluid filling them.

“Someone get a suction tube from a pack!” she ordered, the puddle of blood beneath Bella growing.

Bella remained on the cool ground, beginning to feel her body losing temperature, shivers running through her. She wasn’t feeling any pain now, just a feeling of resignation. She had done her best, led her girls to victory. They had survived intact and now she wanted to sleep.

She heard voices above her but could no longer make them out. She thought she heard a girl ask how she could still be alive, then the sound of choppers landing nearby.

Tracy. The fifteen year old girl who had saved her once in this battle had been beheaded.

“Bella? Can you shift? It would help if you shift. Just hang on, okay. Help is here. We are going home.” she thought she heard Erica tell her. She had just met Erica in the team briefings and liked the girl. She was strong and competent, smart. She would help Mother do what needed to be done.

Thoughts filled her head as she drifted, memories of her childhood. Memories of torture and of love. She thought of Julie and her lying in bed together after a hard day, Julie swearing they would be astronauts one day so she could take Bella away from all this. What Bella never told her is she wasn’t sure if she wanted to leave. Julie was never meant for this. Julie cried when she killed a human, and Julie felt fear. Bella would have taken her away, to protect her, but if she had been alone there was no chance Bella would have dreamed of leaving the Compound or ever tried to escape. Her life had been hell and she had to get a reward now, right?

Bella thought of Charlie, of the strange vampires who had somehow become her friends, of Ty buying her a stuffed dog, teaching her to dance and binge eating ice cream and pizza while they played video games. She thought of Leah, so beautiful, running her finger over Bella’s claws, telling her she wasn’t a monster. She wished she had a chance to talk to her once more. Bella knew she could have loved her. Maybe she even did love her. She wasn’t sure but it most likely didn’t matter. She would never get a chance to talk to her, to kiss her just to find out how it felt.

If Leah only knew the truth of what she really was, she would never love a monster that could kill a human so brutally without hesitation. This was for the best.

Bella heard nothing, felt nothing and assumed she was dead. She couldn’t hear her heartbeat.

Then she felt a jolt. She was on something rolling. Voices around her were shouting. Something about surgery, blood, one man asking how she could still be alive.

She felt Mother’s familiar hand grab hers.

Bella cracked her eyes open. She was on her back, moving, rolling and Mother was right beside her, clutching onto her.

“You are going to be alright. You are healing. You have held on for hours. We are going to make you better, I promise.” Mother told her.

Mother was in Peru. How was the woman here? Where was she?

She thought she recognized the ceiling of the Compound before she closed her heavy eyes again. She had been in Russia, right? Her chest had flared in pain and she had felt a claw open her up.

Bella felt an IV enter her neck, heard the beeps of medical equipment. Mother was in surgeons garb leaning over her.

“Sleep my Bella. When you wake up you won’t feel any pain.”

“I’m not dead?” Bella managed to whisper.

Mother shook her head.

“I won’t let you die. You are too strong to die. You are my little girl. Relax and let me take care of you, alright? You had surgery on the plane but you need more. Just keep hanging on. I still need you, Bella.”

Bella closed her eyes and as always, did what she was told.

Outside the compound a half mile away were five vampires on a large tree branch watching the Compound intently. They had found the hidden military airport in Rio, seen the girls get out of the two large planes and the injured were wheeled to medivac choppers and lifted off.

They had seen Bella, wrapped in sheets and bloody bandages on one of those stretchers, appearing dead. Emmett had clamped a hand over Rose’s mouth before she could scream.

Now they stood in the jungle, listening, trying to hear any news. Edward crouched in the middle of them had his eyes closed, stretching his gift farther than he had before. Choppers continued to land, uninjured girls arriving but he could hear none of their thoughts.

He finally picked up the thoughts of the humans inside the base.

“Edward, please tell me you got something. There is a whole mess of emotions in there and I can’t sort any of them.” Jasper told him.

“I can hear the doctors… I hear Hildebrand. I can see… she is in the operating room… Bella was… she can’t believe Bella is alive… she is happy. Something about a plan… she needs Bella…”

Edward opened his eyes, having just seen Bella through Hildebrand’s eyes on the operating table.

“She is nearly torn to pieces.” the man whispered. “Her… she healed some of her wounds but is still regenerating tissue over… the places her skin has been ripped off… she was gutted, she was literally gutted. Her intestines are… oh God.”

The vampires stayed silent after that, digesting the information, trying not to dwell on the visual and waiting for Edward to hear more.

“I can hear a surgeon, he is working on her. Her bones are trying to realign but she doesn’t have enough blood. They are going to have to give her a blood transfusion but Hildebrand is concerned that her blood may be diluted. They are going to give her shifter blood… blood from a control subject who completed the change… what is wrong with these monsters?” he asked himself but the others heard him.

“Can we get her out?” Rose asked, doing her best to ignore Edward’s description.

“She will die if we move her now. We couldn’t get in regardless. The guards are alert, scared of the Jaguars going feral. Her skin is beginning to grow again, her bones mending but… her intestines, they have to be repacked. She can’t heal completely until that is done. They are trying to keep her alive long enough for her body to heal once her digestive track is repaired… she looks dead. Hildebrand is convinced she will live. She survived the flight from Russia…”

Edward closed his eyes again and placed his head in his hands, wishing he could cry, wishing he hadn’t seen Bella in the shape she was in. Her body had even more scars, slashes that may not heal. Black blood coated her face, hands and feet, no doubt belonging to the creatures she had fought.

“All of you go to Rio.” Edward told the group. “She will live. I will stay and listen, watch. She will need time to recover. If they don’t let her come back, I will call you. We will figure out someway to get into the base. I can listen to the guards, get a layout and find the weak points.”

Jasper shook his head. “No way. Those girls are wound up right now but I guarantee they will be on the prowl in the morning. Its starting to rain. Our scents don’t need to be here. Come with us. Give it a couple days and we can sneak back in, find out what’s going on.”

Alice slapped her husband on the back of his head.

“We aren’t going anywhere. Not until we know she is okay.” Alice said, leaving no room for doubt.

“She isn’t okay.” Edward whispered. “Hildebrand has her. She has had Bella under her thrall for days. Bella will live, she is sure of it. She says her plan will… damn it, woman! Can you keep focus on a single thought?!”

Edward listened more intently to the doctor, drowning out the chaotic thoughts around her. He heard her wonder if she should feed Bella a human after she recovered to bring her strength back more quickly. The woman’s thoughts showed Edward what had happened, what Bella had done to that doctor before she left and thought the consumption of human meat may help her regain her strength sooner.

Bella had eaten him and Hildebrand watched every moment, taking a sick pleasure in it. The woman was already thinking of handing over someone named Hanover to Bella. What was she doing to the girl who got excited every lunch about Esme’s sandwiches?

“Edward!” Emmett practically shouted. “What is she thinking of?”

Edward took a moment and shook his head. They did not need to know what Bella had done at this woman’s orders. Edward would never reveal that. “Her thoughts are all over the place. Bella will live, that is what is important at this moment. I will listen to her tonight, find out if she has a course of action once Bella is safe. If you want to stay, I would recommend we back away a few miles. I need to test my range and no Jaguars need to smell us. They won’t go far from the base, the older ones at least, but the younger ones do use this area as a training ground. We need to back away. Someone call Charlie, let him know Bella is alive. Tell him she was injured but will be fine.”

Bella woke once more in severe pain strong enough that even she was uncomfortable. She had no idea how much time had passed since she lay on the snowy ground of Siberia, surrounded by bodies of both her sisters and the monsters they had been sent to destroy.

Mother was standing to her side and gave her a soft smile.

“Hello daughter.”

Bella tried to open her mouth, to ask how long she had been out but couldn’t find her voice.

“Don’t try to talk. You are safe. We are home in the med bay. I am so proud of you.”

Proud? She was lying in the med bay in severe pain, pain that should not have bothered her but did.

“You should be dead, Bella. You were ripped open, literally. Yet you still led your team to a glorious victory. We only lost a third of your sisters. You killed 14 of those monsters yourself. You were the only one strong enough to break through their breast bones and rip their black hearts from their chest. Unfortunately you were quite injured. Everyone thought you would die in field. We weren’t sure you would survive the flights home. You lost 72% of the blood in your body before you arrived. Yet here you are, alive and victorious. My greatest creation.”

Bella realized she was naked under the sheet so reached down to her belly where the stinging was most intense.

“Don’t Bella.” Mother told her, taking her by the wrist. “You were cut wide open to your sternum. It has taken days for your body to heal due to the blood loss. You will have another scar to show your sisters. Your legend continues to grow my child. That jagged scar will be a warning to all that you cannot be killed.”

Bella closed her eyes once again, trying to come to grips with the pain. She needed answers.

“How… long until I can fight again?”

Mother chuckled. “Tomorrow you can begin feeding again. Your intestines and stomach are healing nicely. The day after that we will run your through some physical tests to determine your strength and speed. If you meet requirements you will be released after a day or so. I do not want you to stress yourself. Perform only to the best of your ability. Your strength will be back soon. You should also know you picked up a bit of decoration in the field. Shift your body.”

Bella did as directed with great effort.

“Look at your arms. Your body is covered in them, even over your scars.”

Bella saw her arms and nearly cried out in shock. Dark spots, a blend of patterns, covered her arms. She lifted the sheet over her, confirming that they did cover her body.

“Not even our control subject had spots, beautiful rosettes, until she shifted permanently. The fact that you carry them now when you shift is further proof that you will be able to control this evolution. This afternoon you should be able to walk. I will have you brought to my room. You can sleep in my bed. Not at the foot either. You will be under my covers tonight so I can keep watch over you. I have contacted your support team. They will be expecting you between 3-7 days depending on your recovery. I don’t want you to go back into the field any less strong. I understand this Chief Swan has told the school you are having brain surgery. Clever man I suppose. Go back to your human form and rest. You may have visitors. May of your sisters have asked to see you but I’m not sure yet if I will allow it. You need your rest.”

Bella nodded her head, not really interested in seeing anyone at the moment. She fell asleep until the sight of Tracy’s head being bitten from her shoulders woke the girl. She sat up from the nightmare only to feel a hand on her shoulder pushing her back.

“Calm down, kid. Just a nightmare. Put those claws up.”

Bella shook her head then focused on the voice. It was Mac.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Erin wanted one of us with you at all times. She doesn’t trust the doctors after what that asshole did when you showed up. How you feeling?”

“Better.” Bella admitted and it was true. She slipped to the side of the bed and stood up, her sheet falling from her. Mac quickly covered his eyes and turned away.

“Whoa. How about you put on some clothes? There is a gown or something in the closet, or more sheets, or the sheet you just threw off. Anything? Or maybe get back in bed and I can stand outside.”

Despite her situation Bella found herself laughing quietly. “You really don’t work for the Organization, do you? Most of the guards around here love seeing us naked. I can sense their increased pheromones, hear their heart racing. They get off on it. Though considering my body looks like a jig saw puzzle that may thankfully change.”

“I’m not a damn guard and I don’t get off on seeing teenage girls naked okay? Just… put on some clothes, huh?”

Bella smirked and walked to the closet finding a robe. “I need my suit.”

Mac turned around slowly, making sure she was covered. Despite his tan skin Bella could see the blush on his face and found it endearing in a way.

“Your suit got torn to shreds along with you. Erin said she had some pajamas for you to wear in her room. I’m supposed to take you there as soon as you are able to stand. I guess you are feeling better?”

Bella took stock of herself, surprised that she felt a lot better. Besides the ever present pain in her chest, and a slight sting from her belly button to her sternum, she felt as healthy as ever.

“Yes. It’s never taken me three days to heal before. That battle was a… that was as close as I will ever come to seeing hell until I actually get sent there.”

Mac shook his head, wondering what the girl must think of things like that. Never being brought up with any religion, the girls were obviously well educated and concepts like Heaven and Hell or any spirituality must be difficult to understand on a personal level. These girls only worshipped one person.

“You think you are going to Hell, huh?”

Bella shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe. Don’t really care. I tend not to spend much time thinking about it. I wish… I just hope wherever I go… maybe it will be peaceful? Maybe I can be with… maybe I don’t deserve it. Maybe Heaven like everything else, is reserved for humans. What about you, Mac? Where do you think you are going after you die?”

The man laughed. “Already got my marshmallows packed for the eternal campfire. I think you will get a break though. God knows you deserve it. All you kids do. You hungry?”

Bella thought for a moment, not having thought about it. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Want to go to the cafeteria before I take you to Erin’s room?” he asked. “I think I actually smelt some meat being grilled. Better than the raw stuff, huh? How have you been blending into civilian life?”

“I’m not a civilian.” Bella told him quickly. “I don’t belong with humans. I just… I have a hard time… I’m not normal obviously and… humans don’t spend half their time in school and the other half fighting vampires and leading missions in Siberia against ghouls. Humans don’t get split apart and bleed out and still live, walking around 3 days later. Don’t ever forget what I am. I’m not a soldier or a civilian. I’m a weapon.”

The man cracked a grin. “Same could be said about me I suppose. I’m going back with you, to Forks I mean. Just for a few days. I want to get to know your support team. I was reading about them while you were asleep. I can’t wait to meet them. They seem like good guys.”

Bella stiffened a bit then brushed it off, shrugging her shoulders. It was that moment of hesitation that Mac caught. “They are decent soldiers I suppose. They leave me alone and let me do my job.” the girl lied.

Mac seemed to accept this, knowing it probably wasn’t true.

“You love Erin, don’t you?”

Bella nodded her head. Mac kept his face neutral, watching for any signs of deceit. If she was lying, she was damn good at it.

“Let’s get you a couple steaks and go see her. She has been bugging me for updates every fifteen minutes but has been stuck in meetings.”

The two left the room and made their way to the cafeteria. When Bella walked in, the room went silent. Every girl stopped eating and stared at her.

The girls looked at her in wonder. Half of them didn’t believe she was alive. Her wing had been closed off despite numerous requests from girls who wished to see her.

Mac saw it in the girls’ eyes. Erin was right. These girls would follow Bella into Hell. She was a legend before but now she was almost a deity. They looked at her with reverence usually reserved for Hildebrand.

“As you were, Ladies.” Bella told them coolly. The Jaguars quickly went back to their food and conversation started again.

“You are their hero.” Mac told her after the two finished their meal. Bella shrugged it off.

“I’m no better or worse than they are. We all give everything we have to the fight. That’s all that matters. I got lucky this time. One day my luck will run out.”

“Kid if you think luck had anything to do with it you should read the medical report when you were brought in. You did that. You survived.”

Bella shook her head. “My body did that. Look around you, Mac. We are made by science. I was just a success. Let’s go. I want to see Mother.”

Mac followed the girl to Erin’s private room, the room all girls looked at as a reward. If a girl was allowed to enter Erin’s quarters, they knew they were special. He still couldn’t believe what she put these girls through and they still strived to be in her presence.

He watched as Bella entered and approached Hildebrand, kneeling at her feet. No hesitation.

“Dress, then come back and relax.” she ordered. Mac stood in the back of the room and closed his eyes as Bella got dressed.

“She is decent, Mac. Ever the gentleman, one of many things I love about you. You can open your eyes now.” Erin told him fondly. He saw Bella was already kneeling at the woman’s feet again, her head on her Mother’s thigh, being petted like a house cat.

Bella closed her eyes and began purring. Hildebrand winked at Mac and allowed him to leave.

The next morning Bella performed her strength and speed tests while hundreds of Jaguar shifters of all ages watched. It amazed them all how a girl who was as thin as Bella was able to pick up so much weight. To Hildebrand’s joy, Bella was stronger than before the fight, faster as well. The girl used the pneumatic bar in the weight training room and dead lifted the equivalent of one ton. Her speed on the track was off the books as well. Her claws were able to cut through an inch of steel. All of these were personal bests. She had gone from near destruction to stronger than ever in the course of a few days.

The girls around her watched in awe, not only at her physical abilities but at the spots that covered her when she shifted forms. Whispers started around her, girls saying that she could not be killed. The guards heart beats raced, wondering if even a kill code could take her down and wishing Hildebrand would test it. It wasn’t to be though. After giving blood and DNA samples, taken by Hildebrand herself, Bella walked to a quarters she had been told was prepared for her. The girl had expected to stay in Mother’s room. The reason she was reassigned became apparent to her when she walked in.

Two blonde girls were waiting for her, wearing only small nightgowns that were nearly translucent.

“Ladies. I was told this would be my quarters tonight. Have I intruded?”

The taller blonde, one that Bella could not help noticing resembled Julie a bit, walked forward.

“Mother told us to take care of your needs tonight. Whatever you ask we will do without hesitation. Just tell us what you want.”

Bella shivered a bit, her heart beating faster. She had given into her primal urges often since she returned to the Compound but only in a sense. She had been alone for a very long time. A very long time. She felt her heart quicken and her incisors nearly dropping.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Bella brought herself under control. She may give into being an animal every chance she had but there was one thing she refused to give into.

“I want to sleep. I have a long flight ahead of me tomorrow. Good night ladies.”

The girls looked at each other disturbed. Mother had given them an assignment; one they were looking very much forward to. Now the object of their desire was turning them down.

“We weren’t made to do this. Mother asked and we volunteered. We weren’t the only ones. She said you might like our appearance. We weren’t ordered to be here. Mother told us if you did not want us, she could send different girls or just one of us.”

Bella stepped forward and rubbed the girl’s cheek softly. “I appreciate that. I really do. Sex though… sex means more than taking care of one’s needs. My girlfriend taught me that. Always remember. Don’t lose it, okay? Promise me. Little things like that are what keep us from becoming complete animals.”

“I promise.” the blonde told her after a moment. “I won’t forget.” She motioned to the other to follow her out.

Bella turned off the lights and lay down, trying to calm herself down. It would have been so easy to give in…

Leah. Why couldn’t it have been Leah? The ache in her had worsened through the day and she rubbed her chest. As unfortunate as it was, as painful as it was at times, she liked the dull constant pain. It reminded her of the girl she had so many conversations to have, the girl who was somehow magically linked to her. The girl Mother could never, ever find out about. Mother had been adamant about not having sex with humans so Bella was certain she would not allow any relationships, much less happy to find out about some imprint. For the first time in her life Bella was certain of her Mother’s love. She couldn’t lose that now, especially if Mother had a plan to take over the Organization. Afterward, Bella was sure she could be with Leah. Mother would be happy and maybe let Bella have something, some kind of life on the outside. Just not now. Mother couldn’t know.

Neither could Mac. That was a problem, since he would be accompanying her to Forks. She had no doubt Leah would want to see her, Charlie would want to see her, hug her. The Cullens would be waiting for her.

She couldn’t show emotion in front of any of them. It would hurt. How she could she explain it with Mac around?

She slept fitfully and the sun rose too soon. After assurances by Mother that she would be visiting Bella in Forks within a month, causing the girl more stress, her and Mac were on a flight to Seattle, followed by a short flight to Port Angeles where a car would be waiting.

Bella found out that Mac was a chatty fellow and despite his size and intimidating appearance was surprisingly funny. He asked her questions constantly about Forks and her experiences on the outside. Bella told him about music she had liked, about her annoying classmates. She felt he was digging a bit too much, almost as if he sensed she was hiding things and wanted to know her secrets. Of course Bella had secrets, secrets she had to keep. How would she warn the people she cared about to stay away? The Organization had no doubt called her support team to tell them of her impending arrival but she doubted they would have mentioned Mac, perhaps to surprise those around her and see exactly how she reacted to them and they to her.

No emotion. Show no emotion.

The car ride from Port Angeles to Forks was one of the longest of her life. She focused on showing no emotion and braced herself to face Charlie. She would have to be cold in front of Mac towards the man. It hurt her to think of doing that but it was for his own protection. She hoped he understood.

Her nerves lessened when she pulled into Forks thanks to Mac.

“Bella, why don’t you drop me off at your support teams house. I think a guy named Jason Connolly is in charge, right?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s stop there and you can introduce me to your pack of soldiers. I’ll get to know them a bit better and you can go to your house and unpack. I’m sure you want to unwind a bit. We can meet up for dinner at Connolly’s around 6. Sound good?”

Bella let out a sigh of relief, hoping the man didn’t notice.

“That sounds like a great plan.”

The two pulled up to Connolly’s ten minutes later. The man was waiting at the door for her, no doubt he had been tracking he GPS in her head.

It was obvious from Connolly’s face he had not been told about her traveling companion. He appeared surprised, then confused and then very angry. Bella prayed he wouldn’t start a scene. Rather than hugging her, Connolly gave her and Mac a nod and moved aside so they could enter. Bella found her team waiting for her, all standing with looks of relief on their faces then morphing into surprise and anger resembling Connolly’s.

Bella chanced a glance at Mac and saw a vein bulging in his forehead.

“I’m back, ready to resume my duties.” Bella told them as way of greeting. “This is Mac. He doesn’t work for the Organization. He is Mother’s… Dr. Hildebrand’s personal bodyguard. I sustained some serious injuries on my mission. Mac is going to stay with me for a few days to make sure I am okay.”

“Yes I am.” he confirmed. “I will be stopping periodically to make sure everything is going well. I may join you on a few missions, just to observe of course. I understand that you gentlemen are somewhat competent but Dr. Hildebrand wants to ensure Bella is in the best hands. I’m sure I will not be disappointed. Bella, why don’t you drive home and unpack. I can get my bags from the car when you come back.”

Bella was a bit surprised by the quick dismissal but took advantage of it, wanting to see Charlie.

As soon as the door closed, Mac pulled a handgun at the same time Connolly did, only a few feet separating the barrels from each other’s heads.

“You want to tell me what you assholes are doing involved with the Organization?” Mac asked.

“As soon as you tell me why the hell you are the Devil’s personal bitch.” Connolly told him.

Mac took a deep breath and lowered his weapon.

“I’ve been working for five years for that woman, building her trust and watching her do things I never thought a human could possibly do to another, much less children, all so I can get inside information and put a stop to this. After all these years I have her complete trust. I have a plan to take out these fuckers, all of them at once, cut the head off the snake in one stroke. I sure as hell don’t need a bunch of Seals fucking this up. Now why are you working for those monsters?”

Connolly lowered his weapon and winked at his old friend.

“Good to see you again, Mac. I guess we got a lot of catching up to do. Never thought I would say this to a Green Beret but damn am I glad to see you.”