Eclipse Chapter 26 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Ethics

  • Bella is dying to visit Jacob, who's confined to bed in La Push, but she has to keep with her alibi of spending the weekend with Alice.
  • Haunted by the image of Bree, Bella asks Alice if she'll be like Bree. Alice admits that overcoming the thirst for blood takes a few years, but that it might be different for Bella, because she's chosen to become a vampire.
  • Back home, Charlie tells Bella that Billy and everyone in La Push acted strangely during the weekend, and that they heard wolves howling in the woods. He saw Carlisle and Edward transport Jacob home, wounded from what we know was battle, but that he's made to believe was a bike accident. Charlie admits that Edward's care for Jacob changed his attitude about him:

    "He seemed as worried about Jacob as you are – like that was his brother lying there." (26.83)

  • The whole weekend has gotten Charlie suspicious, though. He senses that change is looming on the horizon:

    "I feel like… I'm going to lose you soon… Will you tell me before you do anything major? Before you run off with [Edward] or something?" (26.95)

  • Bella promises she will.
  • Bella visits Jacob. He's mad that Edward played the tolerant guy and didn't blame Bella for kissing Jacob:

    "When are you going to wake up and realize that he's not as perfect as you think he is?" (26.146)

  • Nevertheless, Jacob is glad he kissed Bella, so that Bella know how she feels about him. He promises to let her go, though. For a moment they both acknowledge the future they would've had in a normal world:

    He… would have been my soul mate in that world… if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger… that could not exist in the rational world. (26.208)

  • Bella tells Jacob that she'll be transformed after she marries Edward. Jacob vows that he'll always be waiting in the wings – maybe even after she turns into a vampire.