Shifting Moon

 Wednesday morning at school, all anyone wanted to talk about was the break-in last night. Teachers were going through all the rooms looking for any missing items or vandalism. Charlie was there with the secretary and the principal, trying to figure out if it was an early senior prank or if it was something more malicious.

 I went about the day, racking my brain about what to do to make Bella safe. Crazy plans about trying to trap James came and went. It wasn't until biology that I wondered why I wasn't upset over killing Jessy. Sure, he was a threat to me and my family, but he was also a sentient being. Was it weird that I didn't feel anything over killing him? Killing Henry, I could excuse because of the first shift thing, but shouldn't I be at least a little torn up that I hunted and killed someone?

 I shoved the question aside as unimportant for now. Hopefully, it was just not in my nature to care for those who presented themselves as prey to me. Edythe had told me that Edward was going to fly to Phoenix today with Carlisle and Emmett to move Bella to somewhere safer and more controlled until we dealt with James permanently. That was why only her and Rose came to school today.

 I wanted to go as well, but knowing that Victoria was still out there somewhere stopped me from leaving Charlie's side. Hopefully, she had gone to join James, and they would be together when we finally caught up to them. I wondered if this would be the norm now when we came across carnivore vampires. Would it be kill or be killed every time? That led my mind to wonder why vampires hadn't become a larger part of the population than they had. If all it took was one bite to turn someone, then why not increase the population of vampires, safety in numbers?

 When I asked Edythe about it during lunch, she just shrugged it away as greed. When you feel you are the Apex of humanity, why share it? Her family would only turn someone for personal reasons and if their life was in danger. She herself questioned Carlisle about why they didn't turn people like Albert Einstein or Steve Hawkins. Giving them immortality with their gifts would help the world advance.

 She also brought up a topic that surprised me more than I would have admitted. Not everyone was able to handle the extended life of a vampire. A surprising number of vampires went to the Volturi each year to request their own deaths. Tired of the never-ending day and unwilling to go on, they begged for a quick death. The Volturi would sometimes seek to change their minds, but usually they just had Alec numb them and their guard would end them.

 The rest of the day passed with nothing being accomplished. I held hands with Edythe as we walked to her car when my phone rang. I was quick to answer it and a little surprised when an unfamiliar voice asked if I was Thomas Raizel. When I replied that I was, she informed me that my truck was ready for pickup. It took me a moment to remember what she was talking about.

 After hanging up, "Ha, I completely forgot. I bought a truck before this whole thing started." 

 Edythe smiled, "Let's go get it. I can't wait to ride with you."

 In less than an hour, I was pulling out of the dealership and following Edythe so she could drop her car off and we could go for a drive. Knowing that Charlie was safe during the day with so many people around, let us relax our watch over him. As we pulled onto the long driveway to her house, Edythe suddenly picked up speed. I was confused as to why she felt the need to arrive just seconds faster, but I was quick to follow her regardless. 

 When Edythe got to the house, she came to a skidding stop and was at my door before I could get my transmission in park.

 "Something is wrong, Thomas. I can hear panic in Esme's thoughts." Then she was gone in a blink, and the front door was left open. I followed as quickly as I could. By the time I got to the front room, I saw Rosalie standing still as a statue and Esme and Edythe talking so quickly that I couldn't follow what they were saying. 

 Esme turned to me and started to explain as Edythe watched me.

 "Thomas, I need you to listen to me and try to stay focused on my voice. Keep your mind as clear as you can. Please."

 I took a breath and nodded my head, not trusting myself to talk.

 Esme began, "While Alice, Jasper, and Bella were waiting for the boys and Carlisle to arrive at the Phoenix airport... Bella slipped away somehow. She had given Alice a note she said was for her mother, but when she disappeared, Alice read it and found out that James had Renee."

 When I heard that James had Renee, all thinking stopped. My body started to tremble, and I felt the flames of my anger rising. Then I felt cool arms wrap around me, and Edythe was talking to me.

 "Hold it together, Thomas. We need some answers from you, and you can't give them if you lose yourself to this. Calm down and help us find Bella. Alice saw James in a room of mirrors, and Bella said it looked like her old ballet studio. Do you know the name of it or where it is so they can find it fast? They know it's close to her house, but not exactly where."

 I tried to take a breath, but my airway was tense and barely allowed any air in. It took a minute, but my mind was racing for answers as I tried to relax enough to speak.

 "Soft Steps Ballet Studio, it's less than 2 blocks from the house. Tell them to go down Tumble Road, no stop signs or school zones."

 Edythe reached for her phone as it rang and spoke too quickly for me to understand again. She held my eyes the whole time she spoke, and when she closed her phone, she spoke to me in a calm voice.

 "They just had to ditch the car they stole from the airport as a cop was starting to chase them. Edward is taking a chance and running there as fast as he can while the others are stealing another car from a parking lot."

 My mind was blank of anything but the thought to not shift. I stiffly walked to the couch and sat down, placing my head in my hands. Edythe sat next to me, "They will find them, Thomas. They have to." 

 I hated that I was so far away when Bella needed me the most, no matter how irrational it was. I knew the plan. Hell, I helped make it. But now with Bella in trouble and Aunt Renee dragged into it, I was second-guessing everything.

 "You can't blame yourself for this, Thomas. If you weren't here but with Bella, there is a chance that Charlie would be in danger. You can't be everywhere."

 I lifted my head and looked at Edythe, "I thought you couldn't read my mind unless I was shifted?" 

 "It doesn't take a mind reader to know what you're thinking. You tend to blame yourself for anything that goes wrong with your loved ones."

 The next 20 minutes crawled by with no word of what was going on. Images of Renee and Bella's broken bodies filled my head until finally, a phone rang. It was Esme's phone, and seconds after answering, she turned to look at me. 

 "Carlisle says Bella is hurt but will survive. They are rushing her to a hospital now. James never had Renee, he tricked Bella with a videotape. James was also killed in the fight. Let me learn more, and I will tell you everything."

 Relief flooded my mind and body. With no warning, my clothes exploded, and I was sprawled out on the chair in all my supersized tiger form, until suddenly it collapsed under my weight. My surprised look must have been funny because Edythe started to laugh near hysterically, and even Rosalie smiled enough to show her teeth.

 Once Esme got all the information, she ushered the three of us (Once I was dressed again.) into her Escalade and we discussed what we would be telling Charlie. Thankfully, there was no question of retrieving him before we flew to Phoenix. When we pulled into the parking lot of the Police station, Edythe, Esme, and I walked into the station. Rose was on the phone chartering a flight for us. For obvious reasons, the group of us couldn't fly commercial.

 Esme took charge and walked into Charlie's office. "Charlie, Bella has been hurt, and you need to come with us to Phoenix."

 Charlie jumped up, banging his knee into the open drawer of his desk, but didn't react to that. "What happened? She will be ok, right?"

 "Edward talked Carlisle into going to Phoenix to talk to Bella, and when they got there, they got a room not too far from Bella's house. She agreed to meet Edward under Carlisle's supervision and went to the hotel, but on her way up to the room, she fell down some stairs and almost went through a window."

 Charlie gasped and fell back down into his chair, his face turned white.

 Esme continued, "Luckily, Edward was nervously pacing the halls, waiting for her, and heard the noise. He found her and yelled for Carlisle, who came and immediately started to treat her wounds before rushing her to the hospital. She lost a good bit of blood and broke some bones, but she will heal from everything with time."

 Charlie stood up again, "I need to get a flight booked and packed. I need to be there for her."

 Esme interrupted him, "Nothing to worry about, we have a flight ready that will have us in Phones just after sundown. We can get you a change of clothes there after you see Bella. You just need a place to safely leave your gun, no reason to hassle with getting it through the airport." 

 Charlie began taking his gun belt off to put in the safe in his office when he looked at me, "Would you tell Ken what's going on and that he and Jeff will have to cover for my shift until I get back?"

 I nodded my head and quickly did as he asked. 5 minutes later, we were in the Escalade headed to the airport.

 A.N. I would like to thank everyone for their patience and in turn pose a question. Do you think Thomas should go on his training arch without Edythe? Let me know your thoughts.