THE WHITE SUN AT MIDNIGHT | J.BLACK

[46]

"I don't get it, Carlisle. In what way are they qualified to take care of her?" Paige's hearing picked up from the kitchen as she ate a luxurious lunch.

"Rosalie, stop it. They helped us; they protected Bella and Renesmee," Esme whispered, and Rosalie scoffed. Paige set her fork down on the table and pushed her chicken away as she walked to the living room. The minute she entered, the room fell silent.

Rosalie clutched onto Renesmee like a life support system with Emmett by her side, looking down at his niece. Esme and Carlisle sat across from them on the couch, with Esme gradually shaking her head. "Did I miss anything?" Paige asked, walking over to Rosalie and reaching out to Renesmee. 

Rosalie quickly drew back, and Paige glared at her. Once the vampire had calmed down, she let Paige gently stroke Renesmee's cheek. The baby girl woke from her soft slumber in Rosalie's arms, and her wide eyes looked up at Paige. Renesmee cooed with a melting smile as she was slightly fussing in Rosalie's arms.

Paige tried to take Renesmee from the blonde, who stood up in an instant. "What are you doing?" Paige said, trying to hold back the judgment from her tone.

"What are you doing?"

"Okay, let's not get in a fight, alright?" Jasper soothed as he and Alice entered, Rosalie and Paige felt a wave of serenity wash over them, and they both huffed.

Just then, Jake walked in with Bella and Edward a few meters behind him as they returned from Bella's first hunt. Jake didn't hesitate to go over to Rosalie and admire Renesmee. When Bella and Edward finally walked in, Esme stepped forward, the tension in the room crumbling.

"Welcome to the family," she glowed, and Bella blushed as she awkwardly crossed her hands in front of her.

"You look amazing, Bella," Alice said.

"Someone's been waiting to meet you," Carlisle stepped aside to reveal the three huddled around Renesmee.

"Rose," Bella called, and Rosalie turned around, revealing Renesmee. She gladly handed Bella her daughter, making Paige hold back a scoff at her change of behavior.

Then Renesmee lifted her small hand to Bella's cheek, who zoned out. When she returned, she had one question. "What was that?"

"She showed you the first memory she has of you," Edward explained.

"Showed me? How?"

Edward laughed. "How do I hear thoughts? How does Alice see the future? She's gifted."

"I've only been out for two days?" Bella asked, noticing how old she already looked for a two-day-old. Paige noticed Jake glance at her as his muscles tensed.

"Her growth rate is unprecedented," Carlisle mentioned.

"All right. That's enough experimenting for one day," Jake said, sounding so overprotective that it was almost a hiss. He went to reach for Renesmee when Edward called his name.

"She's doing great," he stated with a slight scowl.

"Yeah. Let's not push it, though," Paige stepped in, getting closer to Bella as well and trying to reach for Renesmee.

"What's your problem?" Bella snapped, and both werewolves froze.

"Oh. Do tell her, love birds," Rosalie spoke up, and the imprints gulped.

"This should be good," Emmett teased.

"Hold on a second. Bella," Edward grabbed Renesmee from Bella's arms as she eyed Paige and Jake.

Paige scratched the back of her neck. "Look, it was a wolf thing," Jake started.

"What's a wolf thing?"

"Erm- well, Sam was going to-, and you were well... we didn't know for sure, so.... we knew Edward couldn't do it by himself. Renesmee needed at least a mother, Bella," Paige trailed off, waiting to be screamed at for taking guardianship of Renesmee without Bella or Edward's permission.

"Take Renesmee out of the room," Bella seethed as Edward walked over to his wife and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Edward, don't touch me right now. I don't want to hurt you," Edward backed away, and the werewolves felt their hearts drop.

Bella snatched onto the back of Jake and Paige's necks, dragging them outside as they grunted in pain. She chucked them outside as they stumbled up.

"You stole my daughter?" Bella yelled.

"There wasn't really any other option! And we didn't steal her!" Paige said just as loud back.

"She's my baby!"

"And she needed parents!" Jacob yelled, gesturing to her and Edward. "We couldn't just abandon her! You wouldn't let us live if we did!"

"I'm still debating it," Edward mumbled with a sneer.

"I've held her once! One time! And already you two think you can take her from me? That she's your daughter?" Jake tried to shake his head but couldn't bring himself to do it. "She's mine!"

She then hit Jake in the gut, who fell to the ground, making Paige step forward, furious at her sister.

They heard several growls and turned to see Leah and Seth. "It's fine, Leah," Jake said, and the two wolves stopped.

"You're gonna stay away from her," Bella cut back in.

"You know we can't do that," Paige said harshly, only to receive a hard punch to the stomach. She rolled into a tree as Seth and Leah growled loudly. Jake helped her up, making sure she was okay.

"Stop her, Edward," Esme whispered.

"They said it's fine. She's amazing, right?" Edward exclaimed.

Jake stood all the way up, supporting Paige with an arm around her. "Do you remember how much you wanted to be around us three days ago? That's gone now, right?"

"Long gone."

"Because it was her. Ever since she was born, it was Nessie who wanted us there," Jake explained.

"Nessie? You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness monster?" Bella screamed, about to move toward the couple again, when a wolf blocked her. Paige looked toward Leah and Seth, who were on edge but hadn't moved. Bella flung the wolf into a tree, and it whimpered loudly.

Paige recognized that whimper. She ran over to the injured grey wolf and knelt down. "Ryland, are you okay?" Ryland whined as Leah and Seth guarded him, and Jake joined Paige's side.

Paige slowly turned back to Bella and the Cullens. "Bella, you know us better than anyone. All we want is for Ness... Renesmee to be safe. Happy," she said softly, almost sounding pleading. Bella sighed before walking inside with Edward and the Cullens. Paige and Jake turned back to Ryland, who was now getting up.

"Why are you here? You're supposed to be in Montana," Paige scolded before she heard leaves crunching in the woods. The Black wolves all snapped around to see three more wolves emerge. One had the familiar build and dark fur of Dakoda, another smaller with the same colored coat, and the last being the smallest and beige.

"Why.... why are you guys back?" 

"We knew our true leader," Ashton said, and Paige smiled.

"But Mika-"

"Is alright. They are great back there. But Ry and I knew Forks was our home," Chloe's bubbly voice piped up. "Dakoda and Ashton just tagged along. We are now lone wolves looking for an Alpha. And we hoped that you would take that position again."

Ashton and Dakoda let out puppy cries making Paige chuckle. "Sure, sure, fine! But Dakoda and Ashton will have to find a place to stay."

"Already have it sorted out," Dakoda said.

"So..." Jake trailed off, and Paige looked toward him again. "Why are they back exactly?"

"I guess I'm their Alpha again."