Jacob's POV
Our main focus was to get to the Cullens before the pack did. We were miles ahead now so there was a slim chance that they would catch up to us at this point. Jesse and I were stunned to silence, the shock of what we had done was echoing around us in the form of the howls of our brothers.
Mere seconds later the sound we'd been fearing interrupted our dazed thoughts - it was the soft impact of big paws against the ground, chasing after us. "Keep going Jess." I threw myself forward, speeding through the dark forest. We just had to get close enough so that Aria or Edward could hear the warning in our heads. Leah wouldn't be able to stop us alone.
And then I caught the mood of the thoughts behind us. Not anger, but enthusiasm. Not chasing... but following. Eagerly might I add.
My stride broke. I staggered two steps before it evened out again.
"Wait up. My legs aren't as long as yours."
"Fuck sake." Jesse grumbled. "This kid wants a death wish."
"SETH! What do you think you're DOING? GO HOME!" I hollered angrily, I didn't want this responsibility at all!
He didn't answer, but I could feel his excitement as he kept right on after us. I could see through his eyes as he could see through mine. The night scene was bleak for Jesse and I - full of despair. For him, it was hopeful.
I hadn't realized I was slowing down, but suddenly he was on my left flank, running in position beside me, like Jesse on my other side. "I am not joking, Seth! This is no place for you. Get out of here."
The gangly tan wolf snorted. "I've got your back, Jacob, just like Jesse. I think you're right. And I'm not going to stand behind Sam when—"
"Oh yes you are the hell going to stand behind Sam! Get your furry butt back to La Push and do what Sam tells you to do." Jesse intervened, not wanting Seth to make the biggest mistake of his life.
"This isn't your fight, Seth!" I added begrudgingly.
"No."
"Go, Seth!" I growled.
"Is that an order, Jacob?" Seth retorted. His question brought me up short. I skidded to a halt, my claws gouging lines in the mud. Jesse stopped too a little further ahead, he loped back to meet us.
"I'm not ordering anyone to do anything. I'm just telling you what you already know."
Seth plopped down on his haunches between Jesse and I. "I'll tell you what I know - I know that it's awful quiet. Haven't you guys noticed?"
I blinked. My tail swished nervously as I realised what he was thinking underneath the words. It wasn't quiet in one sense. Howls still filled the air, far away in the west.
"They haven't phased back," Jesse said, suddenly becoming aware of the silence just like I was.
I knew that. The pack would be on red alert now. They would be using the mind link to see all sides clearly. But I couldn't hear what they were thinking. I could only hear Seth and Jesse. No one else.
"Looks to me like separate packs aren't linked. Huh. Guess there was no reason for our fathers to know that before. 'Cause there was no reason for separate packs before. Never enough wolves for two. Wow. It's really quiet. Sort of eerie. But also kinda nice, don't you think? I bet it was easier, like this, for Ephraim, Benjamin, Quil and Levi. Not such a babble with just four."
"Shut up, Seth." I complained.
"Yes, sir."
"Stop that! There are not two packs. There is THE pack, and then there is us. That's all. So you can go home now."
"If there aren't two packs, then why can we hear each other and not the rest? I think that when you turned your backs on Sam, that was a pretty significant move. A change. And when I followed you away, I think that was significant, too."
"You've got a point," I conceded. "But what can change can change right back."
He got up and started trotting toward the east. "No time to argue about it now. We should be moving right along before Sam..."
He was right about that part. There was no time for this argument. We fell into a run again, not pushing ourselves quite as hard. Seth stayed on my heels, holding the Third's traditional place on my left flank, Jesse still on my right.
There was no sound of pursuit, but we all stepped it up a little at the same time. I was worried now. If I couldn't tap into the pack's mind, it was going to make this more difficult. I'd have no more advance warning of attack than the Cullens.
"We'll run patrols," Seth suggested.
"And what do we do if the pack challenges us?" My eyes tightened. "Attack our brothers? Your sister?"
"No - we sound the alarm and fall back."
"Good answer. But then what? I don't think..." Jesse began worriedly.
"I know," Seth agreed. Less confident now. "I don't think I can fight them, either. But they won't be any happier with the idea of attacking us than we are with attacking them. That might be enough to stop them right there. Plus, there're only eight of them now."
"Stop being so..." It took me a minute to decide on the right word. "Optimistic. It's getting on my nerves."
"No problem. You want me to be all doom and gloom, or just shut up?" He asked, still all too enthusiastic.
"Just shut up." Jesse and I grumbled in unison.
"Can do."
Silence was a serenity.
Aria's POV
I pulled the blanket tighter around myself as I stared out into the dark trees surrounding the house. I wasn't cold, I just needed the comfort.
The first set of howls sounded about an hour ago, a few minutes after Jacob had left. I guess that indicated the pack had found out. It was silent for a while and then I heard Jacob's distinct howl and then Jesse's which sounded like he was in pain. That was the one that had me rushing out here to wait on the porch.
It was heart wrenching to not know what was going on, to not be able to leave, but Bella had gotten worse and I couldn't risk leaving her side. It was bad enough being out here. The stress had made her deteriorate far more quickly than the rate she had been before. The baby had become restless and not even my closeness could calm it.
Trying food wasn't even an option at this point anymore, she was now hooked up to a drip that provided Bella with the nutrition she needed but since then she had thrown up twice more. Bella had now been transferred to a hospital bed Carlisle brought in a few days ago. At the moment it was based in the lounge area so there was more room for us to all be around her.
It sounded like her heart was working in overdrive now, trying to keep her alive. Her breathing was worse too, it was harsher, laboured. It hitched and broke in strange rhythms. She'd whimper in her sleep every so often, the baby's movements causing her pain. I'd have to go back in again soon...
Another bout of howls screeched eerily through the cool night, sending a chill right down my spine. I stood up abruptly and ran down the steps till my bare feet hit the dewy grass. These howls were nothing like before, they were menacing, angry, before they just seemed worried as they called for a meeting.
"What is it?" Emmett asked from inside the house, clearly disturbed and on edge.
"I don't know. They're too far away for me to hear their thoughts." I answered, straining to try and hear something.
"What do you think is wrong?" Edward pressed suddenly beside me in front of the house.
"Well it's obvious they know but I've never heard them sound like that before." I whined, teetering on my feet not sure if I should make a break for it... I was sure Bella would understand.
"Maybe we should be thinking something like, 'We come in peace.'" A very quiet, distant voice entered my head, I recognised it as Seth.
"I can hear Seth." I told Edward quickly. My range was more than double Edward's so he'd be able to hear them through my own thoughts.
"Go for it." Jacob.
"Aria?" He called my name hesitantly. "Aria, you there? Okay, now I feel kinda stupid."
"You sound stupid, too." Jesse. Oh my god, Jesse. Why couldn't I hear anyone else?
"Think she can hear us?" Seth wondered. This was the first time I had ever wished to be a wolf, just so I could howl back to them.
I dug through their minds deeper to try and see if I could find out why they were alone. There was definitively more than three howls. I could see the distinct link between the three of them, it was close knit and bound by allegiance... allegiance to Jake. He had done it. He was an Alpha.
They were close enough now that I could hear the three sets of thunderous footfalls in the distance, charging with purpose through the undergrowth. "Hey, baby. If you can hear me - gather the guys. We've got a problem."
"We've all got a problem," Seth corrected.
I looked to Edward in fear before he rushed back into the house to collect Jasper and Emmett. A fight was coming, a fight I had never dreamt of having to take part in. Edward, Jasper and Emmett swiftly joined me on the porch. I threw the blanket I was still holding around myself to the ground, it would only get in the way.
The boys broke through the trees onto the big lawn and I didn't waste anytime as I ran to meet Jacob, my hands wrapping themselves around his thick, wolf neck. "You scared me." I whimpered as I felt him rest his head on my shoulder, his way of hugging me back. "All the howls—"
"I know, I'm sorry. We have a lot to explain." He was apologetic but his tone still held a sense of urgency.
"Jacob? What's going on?" Edward asked warily from behind me. I stepped away from Jacob and moved to Jesse, giving him a quick hug too as I hadn't seen him for a week.
To answer Edward's question, Jacob let his mind run over the confrontation with Sam, moving through it backwards. Seth and Jesse thought with him, filling in the gaps, showing the scene from other angles. They stopped when they got to the part about the "abomination," because Edward hissed furiously and leaped off the porch.
"They want to kill Bella?" he snarled flatly.
Emmett and Jasper misjudged it immediately, thinking that the boys were here to kill Bella, not to warn us. They were right next to Edward in a flash, teeth exposed as they moved on the small pack.
"Hey, now," Seth thought, backing away.
I moved hastily, stepping between Jacob and Edward and the imbeciles. "Not them you fury-filled idiots. Sam's pack is coming."
Emmett and Jasper rocked back on their heels; Emmett turned to Edward while Jasper kept his eyes locked on Jacob.
"What's their problem?" Emmett demanded.
"The same one as mine," Edward hissed. "But they have their own plan to handle it. Get the others. Call Carlisle! He and Esme have to get back here now."
Carlisle and Esme were out hunting and Jacob whined at hearing this. The family being separated would work to Sam's advantage. A growl ripped through my chest, how could he betray us like this? Trying to force my imprint to turn against me, slaughtering my family so I was the only one left standing. Jacob was right, I never would've forgiven that. The idea of myself killing Sam whilst blinded with grief and rage ran through my mind.
"They aren't far," Edward said in the same dead voice as before.
"I'm going to go take a look," Seth said. "Run the western perimeter."
"Will you be in danger, Seth?" Edward asked.
"I'll head east, meet him in the middle." Jesse said. "You need to coordinate with the Cullens." He said to Jacob.
With Edward's nod they both did a one-eighty and veered off into the darkness before turning in their opposite directions. "Be careful." I called out after them.
Edward, Jacob and I stood facing each other in the dark meadow, Emmett was muttering into his phone. Jasper was watching the place where the boys had vanished into the woods. Alice appeared on the porch and then, after staring at Jacob with anxious eyes for a long moment, she flitted to Jasper's side. She wished she had seen this coming.
"This isn't the first time I've owed you my gratitude, Jacob," Edward whispered. "I would never have asked for this from you."
Jacob's thoughts then swirled back to his earlier conversation with Edward. They were discussing what the baby was doing to Bella until one of the most stupid things Edward had ever said was repeated through Jacob's memories.
I turned to glare at Edward and he cringed away from my eyes. "No!" I shouted, snapping Jasper's attention back to us. Emmett ended his phone call abruptly.
"Aria—" Edward tried and I scoffed as I stormed over to him.
"Don't you Aria me! How dare you even consider this. And you—" I spat turning to point at Jacob. "How could even agree to this? You're both as stupid as each other." I snapped, shoving Edward back once.
"What's going on?" Emmett asked coming to stand beside Edward but I ignored him.
"If Bella dies, you will not leave this baby alone without a parent. No matter how obsessed Rose is, or how much Esme and I long for a chance like this, you will help raise that baby!" I snarled shoving his limp body again. He wasn't listening, he couldn't even consider liking the baby let alone love it.
I also ignored Jacob's confused thoughts concerning my longing for a baby one day, we'd have to discuss that soon. He changed the subject out of awkwardness. "Sorry I didn't do any good today. Told you she wouldn't listen to me."
"I know. I never really believed she would. But..."
"You had to try. I get it. She any better?" Jacob asked looking to me but Edward answered instead.
His voice and eyes went hollow. "Worse," he breathed. I touched my hand to Jacob's fur and showed him the hospital bed and the drip.
"Jacob, would you mind switching forms?" Alice asked. "I want to know what's going on."
He shook his head at the same time Edward answered. "He needs to stay linked to Seth and Jesse."
"Well, then would you be so kind as to tell me what's happening?" She asked patronisingly and I scowled.
He explained in clipped, emotionless sentences. "The pack thinks Bella's become a problem. They foresee potential danger from the... from what she's carrying. They feel it's their duty to remove that danger. Jacob, Jesse and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us. The rest are planning to attack tonight."
Alice hissed, leaning away from Jacob. Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance, and then their eyes ranged across the trees.
"Nobody out here," Seth reported. "All's quiet on the western front."
"Same this way as well." Jesse added, his eyes peeled on the track ahead.
"They may go around and slip through your gaps." Jacob advised watching them as well.
"We'll make a loop." Jesse decided, increasing his speed a touch.
"Carlisle and Esme are on their way," Emmett said. "Twenty minutes, tops."
"We should take up a defensive position," Jasper said.
Edward nodded. "Let's get inside." They backed into the house, eyes flickering everywhere.
"I'll join them. If I get too far for you to hear my head, listen for my howl." Jacob said, mostly to me.
"Aren't you going to come inside?" I asked looking between him and the house.
"I have no clothes. Besides, I need to be out here with them. Just in case." He admitted, nuzzling himself into my neck.
"Just please please be careful." I kissed his muzzle, running my hand over the soft fur on the side of his face.
"I will. You'll know if anything's wrong. I love you." He promised.
"I know. I love you too." He then turned and ran toward the west leaving me alone in the meadow. "Oh, we have clothes here for you too!" I called out to him.
"You do?" He asked, surprised.
"Alice bought them after the wedding just in case. She thought you'd be around here more. I'm sure they'd fit Jesse. They may be slightly too big for Seth." I explained and smiled at the sounds of Jesse and Jacob's snickering.
"Hey, I'm still growing!" Seth argued, offended.
"Aria?" A meek Bella called from inside the house. She must need her space heater again.
"Bella needs me boys. If you can please come inside for something to eat and some rest." I offered and they accepted it happily.
"I'm still not finding much," Seth said as I turned to jog up the porch steps and into the house.
"Move fast - we don't want them to have a chance to sneak past us." Jacob instructed as I watched all three of them lurch forward at a faster speed.
When a silence fell amongst the boys I took my mind off them and allowed myself to concentrate on what was at hand. Bella was now sat up in her hospital bed, her hands clutching her stomach, her body would jolt every few seconds making her wince in pain.
"What's going on?" I asked tentatively entering the room.
"He has hiccups." Bella mumbled with a smile that kind of turned into a grimace due to the pain.
"Alright. I shall try to work my magic." I said walking over to the bed and sliding onto it beside Bella. She was so small now she only took up half of it.
I placed my hand on Bella's solid stomach, it jostling slightly because of the baby's strength. My warmth immediately slowed down the baby's disturbance making Bella and practically the whole room sigh with relief. I had read somewhere once that talking to babies whilst they were in the womb helped to calm them and improve their development. Maybe all it needed was a little comfort. I had heard Bella talking to her bump so why couldn't I?
"Hey little baby." I began and Edward's eyes widened.
"Aria, I don't—" Edward interrupted and I waved him off.
"Hush up." I said calmly, keeping my voice relaxed for the baby's sake. "That's was your daddy. He's a little sad at the moment." The baby hiccupped and I looked up at Bella, she was smiling through the pain. "He's sad because even though you don't mean to, you're hurting your mommy. You're very strong little one, and mommy just can't handle it."
"It won't understand you." Alice muttered and Rosalie shot a glare at her for me.
"You just need to be careful. We all need your mommy to stay healthy." I whispered to the bump. "Anyway I'm your Auntie Aria, or well, your cousin... oh who cares, you'll understand one day. I just wanted you to learn my voice so that when you're here you'll know I am... the warm person."
Bella actually laughed and everyone in the room actually smiled along with her. We needed a little cheering up and seeing Bella happy helped.
"You obviously know your mommy's voice, but you'll know Auntie Rosalie's too. She's a bit colder than me and mommy but she's around a lot. She's good at singing so maybe she'll sing you a lullaby one day." I looked over at Rosalie and she had a beautiful smile on her face. I had successfully uplifted spirits. When I looked back at Bella she was asleep, and from the still baby I guessed he was too.
"And you thought it couldn't understand her." Rosalie mocked with a smirk as I climbed off of the bed and slid the covers back over Bella.
The sound of Esme and Carlisle approaching quickly silenced us for a moment until they were making their way up the stairs and into the lounge area. "Seth found us and briefly explained the situation." Carlisle announced quietly, not wanting to wake Bella. "How's she been?" I opened my mouth to explain but a distant howl burst through the quiet night.
We froze and exchanged panicked glances until the howling cut off abruptly. "Who—" Jasper began but I already knew what he was going to ask.
"That was Seth." They we're too far to hear their thoughts... had they gotten Seth? Surely they wouldn't kill him? He's just a kid.
I sped over to the window and placed my hands on the glass. "Can you see anything?" Edward asked from behind me.
"No. Prepare yourselves just in case." I spoke quickly before rushing out the room and down the stairs to meet whatever was coming head on.
I heard Jacob's thoughts before his footfalls that were speeding through the forest. "False alarm, false alarm," He thought as he ran closer in. "Sorry. Seth is young. He forgets things. No one's attacking. False alarm."
I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding, relaxing instantly. "Edward, it's a false alarm." I said in my normal tone knowing he'd be able to hear me. "Tell everyone to relax."
Jacob sprang through the tree line and skidded to a halt once he saw me waiting outside. "Sorry. Seth overreacted when he found out what Edward asked me." He admitted embarrassed.
"I've let them know." I told him, taking a few steps closer. "Come inside, have something to eat. From your thoughts I can see that Seth and Jesse have it covered. Come rest, you can swap with one of them in a few hours." I offered and he fought with himself unsure of what to do.
"Go Jacob, we have it covered. We'll howl if something comes up. I'll make sure the kid behaves." Jesse assured, he didn't seem like he was going to tire anytime soon.
"Fine. I'll be two hours tops." Jacob declared. "I'll need those clothes now."
Suddenly Alice appeared beside me with some folded clothes in her arms. "Now, I know they won't be to your taste." She rolled her eyes, judging his carelessness for designer brands. "But they will have to do." She dropped a grey t-shirt and and pair of blue denim jeans onto the floor as well as some boxer briefs, socks and sneakers.
"How pleasant." Jacob said eyeing the Ralph Lauren boxers.
"Ignore her. Hurry up and get changed. I'll meet you inside." I said with a small smile before leaving him to do his thing. I entered the lounge again to Edward explaining what happened.
"It was a false alarm," Edward was explaining in that dead voice, just repeating what I'd told him. "Seth was upset about something else, and he forgot we were listening for a signal. He's very young."
"Nice to have toddlers guarding the fort," Emmett grumbled.
"Hey, it's only one toddler." I mused joining Emmett's side. "Jacob's just getting changed."
"Great. Dog stench." Emmett muttered and I elbowed him harshly in the stomach.
"They've done us a great service tonight, Emmett," Carlisle said. "At great personal sacrifice."
"Yeah, I know. I'm just jealous. Wish I was out there."
"Seth doesn't think Sam will attack now," Edward said mechanically. "Not with us forewarned, and lacking three members of the pack."
"What does Jacob think?" Carlisle asked.
"He's not as optimistic." As if on cue he entered the house, his heavy footsteps echoing through the halls and up the stairs. "Hello Jacob." Edward said politely.
"Hi." His eyes were fixed on Bella, she choked a little in her uneasy sleep, and both Edward and Rosalie moved in to hover over her. Her body jerked, and she whimpered.
Rosalie smoothed her hand across Bella's forehead. Edward's body stiffened - his back was to me, but his expression must have been something to see, because Emmett wrenched himself between them before there was time to blink. He held his hands up to Edward. "Not tonight, Edward. We've got other things to worry about."
Edward and Rosalie's arguments were always close to becoming physical but someone always intervened. He never started on me because he knew I was the only one warm enough to sooth Bella and the baby.
Edward turned away from them, and he was the burning man again. His eyes met mine for one moment, and then at Jacob, before he sunk to the floor beside Bella's bed, just at the right angle so he could still see her.
Esme stood from her armchair and turned to Jacob. "Come, let me get you some food." She touched his arm and he flinched, jumping out of his trance of watching Bella.
He nodded, still dazed and followed Esme into the kitchen area without hesitation. He was tired, stressed and disorientated. Esme noticed and was doing what she done best, she was being a mother and Jacob was in need of care. He was suffering like the rest of us, Carlisle even said it himself, Jacob was now a part of the family so he would be treated that way.
* * *
The sun had risen behind the clouds an hour ago - the forest was grey now instead of black. After Jacob had eaten last night I brought him upstairs to have a nap. He had promised the boys he'd only be gone for two hours but when it reached that time he was still asleep.
I went down and out into the forest to ask if they would like me to wake him up. They said they were good for a few more hours so I promised to wake him up in another two.
I slept with him for a little while until I heard Edward shouting for me through his mind. Bella was being disturbed again and Rosalie had calmed the baby slightly with her singing but Bella was getting cold. I curled up beside her, practically spooning her, and we talked about the fact I hadn't told Jacob why it was different for Rosalie and I. We drifted off to sleep soon after, the baby included.
The sound of Jacob's footsteps coming down the stairs woke me but not Bella. The families watchful eyes moved from us to Jacob standing at the entrance of the room. "How long have I been out for?" He asked guilty, rubbing the back of his neck.
"About five hours." Edward said dully, casting his eyes back to Bella.
"The boys agreed it was best if you rested for a little longer. Re-charge your batteries and all." I explained in a whisper from Bella's side. Jacob's thoughts then filled with confusion as to why I was laying with Bella like this. Edward decided to explain.
"You know it hurts her. It seems Aria has a gift with babies. Just her touch alone can help calm it, when that happens Bella can sleep." He wished he could be the one in my position but his hatred for the baby was too strong, and he was too cold for Bella whilst she was in this state.
"Don't make me out to be some miracle worker. I'm just warm, he likes that." I had found myself starting to use the pronoun 'he' more thanks to Bella. I wasn't quite sure though, my bets were that it was a girl.
"It likes it when you talk to him too." Alice added from across the room.
"Well I'm the only one that's tried it properly. I'm sure it would like to hear all your voices." I said pointedly, eyeing Edward meaningfully.
Another awkward silence fell upon us as we all turned our attention back to Bella. Her breath wheezed and cracked suddenly but soon enough it went back to normal, well normal being when it didn't sound as harsh.
"Aria, will you walk me out?" Jacob whispered across the room.
Rosalie's furious eyes shot to me as I began to untangle myself from Bella. "Rose I'm promise I'll be back before she wakes up." She called slightly but she still didn't like the fact I was leaving. "Who was you thinking of swapping with?"
"Seth. We can each do shifts for the same amount of time as I did." He explained and I turned to Alice.
"Do we anything that might fit him? He's a little smaller." I asked Alice and she seemed to think about it for a second before she zoomed off upstairs and returned seconds later.
"I didn't grab any shoes, I don't know what size he is." She explained handing the small pile of clothes over to me.
"It's fine. He can go barefoot. Thank you." Jacob said sincerely before placing his warm hand on the small of my back to lead me out of the house.
The night air was cool and fresh, it had to be around two in the morning. The sky was mostly clear for once, the moon was uncovered and it cast down a shimmering white across the ground. "You look beautiful." Jacob's soft voice told me and struggled to hide my blush.
"Oh, please! I look like a mess." It was true, I was wearing the same sweats I had done for about two days now and one of Emmett's old 'University of Chicago' t-shirt from the 70s.
"You're beautiful." He stated again, pulling me into his arms. "So you're the baby whisperer now. I didn't know you could speak demon." He smiled like it was a joke but he clearly hated it, hated the baby and that I cared for it.
"Don't start." I whined placing my head against his chest, his heart playing a rhythmic beat against my ear.
"I'm just curious. How can you love something that's killing her?" He asked resting his head on top of mine as he held me.
"I didn't at first. I was just respecting Bella's wishes. It's different for Rosalie and I, we..." I took a deep breath in. "We can't have children, well I know Rosalie definitely can't. It's very unlikely for me as well despite being half human. A baby will be something we'd always long for. Bella didn't think she ever needed one but now she has the chance we want to help her." I finished shakily, not wanting to cry.
Jacob's thoughts were jumbled. He had never thought of me not being able to have kids. He humanised me too much sometimes. But it was like he was seeing things from a new angle, from my perspective.
He kissed my forehead longingly. "I love you." He whispered, inside his head he was telling me to not lose hope. He was too scared to say it out loud.
I nodded at his inner thoughts before looking up at him. "I love you too."
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and we kissed slowly for a moment. We had missed each other desperately.
"I guess I need to go." He said sadly after he pulled away. He began to strip off, handing me his clothes as he went. He hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his boxer briefs. "I think Alice would kill me if I tore these apart." He stripped until he was fully naked and once he was a few steps back he let the heat roll over him until he was a wolf again.
"Jake!" Seth said excitedly.
"Hey man." Jesse said coolly, he wanted to act manly but he was happy to see his leader again.
"Hey guys, still clear?" Jacob asked whilst he nuzzled into my shoulder again.
"Yup, it's all good." Seth said happily as he charged through the forest.
"Seth I want you to take a break." Jacob said but there was an edge of authority to it.
"Aww man! Fine." He grumbled, leaving the perimeter trail as he started heading towards us.
"I have some clothes for you to change in to when you get here." I explained using Jacob's mind as a telephone.
"Thanks." Seth said cheerfully as he looked through the forest.
"I'll see you later." He whined slightly before he turned and rushed off into the forest, his paw prints echoing through the quiet.
* * *
Jacob's POV
Seth had returned after his five hours as eager as ever and Jesse reluctantly left his post to let Seth take his place. That was an hour ago now.
We were already wearing a trail into the ground. Seth's thoughts were empty, just a blur of green and grey as the woods flew past him. It was restful. It helped to fill my head with what he saw rather than letting my own images take centre stage.
Bella. Aria's apparent longing for a baby. I didn't even acknowledge the fact that she might not be able to have children.
And then Seth's piercing howl broke the early morning quiet.
I raced toward the place where Seth had frozen, Jesse phasing in moments later as he sprinted towards Seth, listening with us to the tread of paws running in our direction.
"Morning, boys."
A shocked whine broke through Seth's teeth. And then we all snarled as we read deeper into the new thoughts.
"Oh, man! Go away, Leah!" Seth groaned.
I stopped when I got to Seth, head thrown back, ready to howl again - this time to complain.
"Cut the noise, Seth." I ordered... god, I hated that.
"Right. Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!" He whimpered and pawed at the ground, scratching deep furrows in the dirt. Jesse skidded to a halt beside us then, his own distaste for the intruder flickering through his thoughts.
Leah trotted into view, her small grey body weaving through the underbrush. "Stop whining, Seth. You're such a baby."
I growled at her, my ears flattening against my skull. She skipped back a step automatically. "What do you think you're doing, Leah?"
She huffed a heavy sigh. "It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I'm joining your crappy little renegade pack. The vampires' guard dogs." She barked out a low, sarcastic laugh.
"No, you're not. Turn around before I rip out one of your hamstrings."
"Like you could catch me." She grinned and coiled her body for launch. "Wanna race, O fearless leader?"
I took a deep breath, filling my lungs until my sides bulged. Then, when I was sure I wasn't going to scream, I exhaled in a gust.
"Jesse, go let the Cullens and Aria know that it's just Seth's stupid sister. You need to rest. Seth, go back to patrolling." I thought the words as harshly as possible. "I'll deal with this."
They both compiled eagerly, happy to leave Leah's presence.
Leah whined, and she leaned after Seth, the fur on her shoulders rising. "You're just going to let him run around alone?"
"I'm pretty sure he'd rather be patrolling than spend another minute with you."
"Shut up, Jacob. Oops, I'm sorry - I meant, shut up, most high Alpha."
"Why the hell are you here?" I spat, resisting the urge to pace.
"You think I'm just going to sit home while my little brother volunteers as a vampire chew toy?"
"Seth doesn't want or need your protection. In fact, no one wants you here."
"Oooh, ouch, that's gonna leave a huge mark. Ha." She barked. "Tell me who does want me around, and I'm outta here."
"So this isn't about Seth at all, is it?"
"Of course it is. I'm just pointing out that being unwanted is not a first for me. Not really a motivating factor, if you know what I mean."
I gritted my teeth and tried to get my head straight. "Did Sam send you?"
"If I was here on Sam's errand, you wouldn't be able to hear me. My allegiance is no longer with him."
I listened carefully to the thoughts mixed in with the words. If this was a diversion or a ploy, I had to be alert enough to see through it. But there was nothing. Her declaration was nothing but the truth. Unwilling, almost despairing truth.
"You're loyal to me now?" I asked with deep sarcasm. "Uh-huh. Right."
"My choices are limited. I'm working with the options I've got. Trust me, I'm not enjoying this any more than you are."
That wasn't true. There was an edgy kind of excitement in her mind. She was unhappy about this, but she was also riding some weird high. I searched her mind, trying to understand.
She bristled, resenting the intrusion. I usually tried to tune Leah out - I'd never tried to make sense of her before.
We were interrupted by Jesse, thinking his explanation at Edward before he phased back, wanting to get the message across instantly. Edward's face, framed in the same window as last night, showed no reaction to the news. It was a blank face, dead.
"Wow, he looks bad," Jesse muttered to himself. The vampire showed no reaction to that thought, either. He disappeared into the house. Jesse pivoted after grabbing the new pile of clothes and headed back out to the tree line to phase back and get changed.
"What's going on?" Leah asked. "Catch me up to speed."
"There's no point. You're not staying."
"Actually, Mr. Alpha, I am. Because since I apparently have to belong to someone - and don't think I haven't tried breaking off on my own, you know yourself how well that doesn't work - I choose you."
"Leah, you don't like me. I don't like you."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. That doesn't matter to me. I'm staying with Seth."
"You don't like vampires. You can just about tolerate Aria. Don't you think that's a little conflict of interest right there?"
"You don't like vampires either."
"That's not true. I'm trying for Aria's sake. Besides I am committed to this alliance. You aren't."
"I'll keep my distance from them. I can run patrols out here, just like Seth and Jesse."
"And I'm supposed to trust you with that? You do also realise that we are each taking shifts. One of us goes and rests for a few hours inside the Cullen house. I can't trust you with that either."
She stretched her neck, leaning up on her toes, trying to be as tall as me as she stared into my eyes. "I will not betray my pack. I'll just rest and eat out here."
I wanted to throw my head back and howl, like Seth had before. "This isn't your pack! This isn't even a pack. This is just us doing what is right. What is it with you Clearwaters? Why can't you leave me alone?"
Seth, just coming around to us now, whined; I'd offended him. Great. "I've been helpful, haven't I, Jake?"
"You haven't made too much a nuisance of yourself, kid, but if you and Leah are a package deal - if the only way to get rid of her is for you to go home... Well, can you blame me for wanting you gone?"
"Ugh, Leah, you ruin everything!"
"Yeah, I know," she told him, and the thought was loaded with the heaviness of her despair.
I felt the pain in the three little words, and it was more than I would've guessed. I didn't want to feel that. I didn't want to feel bad for her. Sure, the pack was rough on her, but she brought it all on herself with the bitterness that tainted her every thought and made being in her head a nightmare.
Seth was feeling guilty, too. "Jake... You're not really gonna send me away, are you? Leah's not so bad. Really. I mean, with her here, we can push the perimeter out farther. And this puts Sam down to seven. There's no way he's going to mount an attack that outnumbered. It's probably a good thing..."
"You know I don't want to lead a pack, Seth."
"So don't lead us," Leah offered.
I snorted. "Sounds perfect to me. Run along home now."
"Jake," Seth thought. "I belong here. I do like vampires. The Cullens, anyway. They're people to me, and I'm going to protect them, 'cause that's what we're supposed to do."
"Maybe you belong, kid, but your sister doesn't and she's going to go wherever you are--"
I stopped short, because I saw something when I said that. Something Leah had been trying not to think.
Leah wasn't going anywhere.
"Thought this was about Seth," I thought sourly.
She flinched. "Of course I'm here for Seth."
"And to get away from Sam."
Her jaw clenched. "I don't have to explain myself to you. I just have to do what I'm told. I belong to your pack, Jacob. The end."
I paced away from her, growling.
Crap. I was never going to get rid of her. As much as she disliked me, as much as she loathed the Cullens, as happy as she'd be to go kill all the vampires right now, as much as it pissed her off to have to protect them instead - none of that was anything compared to what she felt being free of Sam.
Leah didn't like me, so it wasn't such a chore having me wish she would disappear.
She loved Sam. Still. And having him wish she would disappear was more pain than she was willing to live with, now that she had a choice. She would have taken any other option. Even if it meant moving in with the Cullens as their lapdog.
"I don't know if I'd go that far," she thought. She tried to make the words tough, aggressive, but there were big cracks in her show. "I'm sure I'd give killing myself a few good tries first."
"Look, Leah..."
"No, you look, Jacob. Stop arguing with me, because it's not going to do any good. I'll stay out of your way, okay? I'll do anything you want. Except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can't get away from. If you want me to leave--" She sat back on her haunches and stared straight into my eyes "--you're going to have to make me."
I snarled for a long, angry minute. I was beginning to feel some sympathy for Sam, despite what he had done to me, to Seth and Jesse. No wonder he was always ordering the pack around. How else would you ever get anything done?
"Seth, are you gonna get mad at me if I kill your sister?"
He pretended to think about it for a minute. "Well... yeah, probably."
I sighed.
"Okay, then, Ms. Do-Anything-I-Want why don't you make yourself useful by telling us what you know? What happened after we left last night?"
"Lots of howling. But you probably heard that part. It was so loud that it took us a while to figure out that we couldn't hear either of you anymore. Sam was..." Words failed her, but we could see it in our head. Both Seth and I cringed. "After that, it was clear pretty quick that we were going to have to rethink things. Sam was planning to talk to the other Elders first thing this morning. We were supposed to meet up and figure out a game plan. I could tell he wasn't going to mount another attack right away, though. Suicide at this point, with you, Jesse and Seth AWOL and the bloodsuckers forewarned. I'm not sure what they'll do, but I wouldn't be wandering the forest alone if I was a leech. It's open season on vamps now."
"You decided to skip the meeting this morning?" I asked.
"When we split up for patrols last night, I asked permission to go home, to tell my mother what had happened--"
"Crap! You told Mom?" Seth growled.
"Seth, hold off on the sibling stuff for a sec. Go on, Leah."
"So once I was human, I took a minute to think things through. Well, actually, I took all night. I bet the others think I fell asleep. But the whole two-separate-packs, two-separate-pack-minds thing gave me a lot to sift through. In the end, I weighed Seth's safety and the, er, other benefits against the idea of turning traitor and sniffing vampire stink for who knows how long. You know what I decided. I left a note for my Mom. I expect we'll hear it when Sam finds out..."
Leah cocked an ear to the west.
"Yeah, I expect we will," I agreed.
"So that's everything. What do we do now?" She asked.
She and Seth both looked at me expectantly. This was exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to have to do.
"I guess we just keep an eye out for now. That's all we can do. You should probably take a nap, Leah. Now there's four of us two can rest and two can patrol."
"You've had as much sleep as I have."
"Thought you were going to do what you were told?"
"Right. That's going to get old," she grumbled, and then she yawned. "Well, whatever. I don't care."
"I'll run the border, Jake. I'm not tired at all." Seth was so glad I hadn't forced them home, he was all but prancing with excitement.
"Sure, sure. I'm going to go check in with the Cullens and Ari. Let them know the plan and then I'll join you again."
Seth took off along the new path worn into the damp earth. Leah looked after him thoughtfully.
"Maybe a round or two before I crash... Hey Seth, wanna see how many times I can lap you?"
"NO!"
Barking out a low chuckle, Leah lunged into the woods after him.
I growled uselessly. So much for peace and quiet.
Leah was trying - for Leah. She kept her jibes to a minimum as she raced around the circuit, but it was impossible not to be aware of her smug mood. But if there had to be four of us, it was hard to think of anyone that I wouldn't trade her for.
"Paul? Jared?" she suggested.
"Maybe Paul. Definitely not Jared." I confirmed.
She laughed to herself, too jittery and hyper to get offended, I wondered how long the buzz from dodging Sam's pity would last.
"That will be my goal then - to be less annoying than Paul."
"Yeah, work on that."
I changed into my other form when I was a few yards from the lawn. I'd take over from Leah when had finally had enough of tormenting her little brother. I hadn't been planning to spend much time human here. But I hadn't been planning to have Leah in my head, either. I pulled on the fresh, clean pile of clothes that were waiting for me on the porch steps and began to ascend the steps.
The door opened before I got to the steps, and I was surprised to see Carlisle rather than Aria step outside to meet me - his face looked exhausted and defeated. For a second, my heart froze. I faltered to a stop, unable to speak.
"Are you all right, Jacob?" Carlisle asked.
"Is Bella?" I choked out.
"She's... much the same as last night. Did I startle you? I'm sorry. Aria said you were coming in your human form, and I came out to greet you, as she didn't want to leave her. She's awake. Aria's keeping her warm again."
And Aria didn't want to lose any time with her, because she didn't have much time left. Carlisle didn't say the words out loud, but he might as well have.
I took a step forward, sat down on the porch steps, and slumped against the railing.
Moving whisper-quiet as only a vampire could, Carlisle took a seat on the same step, against the other railing.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you last night, Jacob. You don't know how much I appreciate your... compassion. I know your goal was to protect Bella and Aria, but I owe you the safety of the rest of my family as well. Edward told me what you had to do—"
"Don't mention it," I muttered.
"If you prefer."
We sat in silence. I could hear the others in the house. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper, speaking in low, serious voices upstairs. Esme humming tunelessly in another room. Jesse's heavy breathing as he slept in some room upstairs. Rosalie, Edward and Aria breathing close by - I couldn't tell which was which out the vampires, but I could hear the difference between Aria and Bella's laboured panting. I could hear her heart, too. It seemed... uneven.
It was like fate was out to make me do everything I'd ever sworn I wouldn't in the course of twenty-four hours. Here I was, hanging around, waiting for her to die.
I didn't want to listen anymore. Talking was better than listening.
"She's family to you?" I asked Carlisle. It had caught my notice before, when he'd said I'd helped the rest of his family, too.
"Yes. Bella is already a daughter to me. A beloved daughter."
"But you're going to let her die."
He was quiet long enough that I looked up. His face was very, very tired. I knew how he felt.
"I can imagine what you think of me for that," he finally said. "But I can't ignore her will. It wouldn't be right to make such a choice for her, to force her."
I wanted to be angry with him, but he was making it hard. It was like he was throwing my own words back at me, just scrambled up. They'd sounded right before, but they couldn't be right now. Not with Bella dying. Still... I remembered how it felt to be broken on the ground under Sam - to have no choice but be involved in the murder of someone I loved. It wasn't the same, though. Sam was wrong. And Bella loved things she shouldn't.
"Do you think there's any chance she'll make it? I mean, as a vampire and all that. She told me about... about Esme."
"I'll say there's an even chance at this point," he answered quietly. "I've seen vampire venom work miracles, but there are conditions that even venom cannot overcome. Her heart is working too hard now; if it should fail... there won't be anything for me to do."
Bella's heartbeat throbbed and faltered, giving an agonizing emphasis to his words.
"What is that thing doing to her?" I whispered. "She was so much worse last night."
"The fetus isn't compatible with her body. Too strong, for one thing, but she could probably endure that for a while. The bigger problem is that it won't allow her to get the sustenance she needs. Her body is rejecting every form of nutrition. I'm trying to feed her intravenously, but she's just not absorbing it. Everything about her condition is accelerated. I'm watching her - and not just her, but the fetus as well - starve to death by the hour. I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. I can't figure out what it wants" His weary voice broke at the end.
I felt the same way I had yesterday, when I'd seen the black stains across her stomach - furious, and a little crazy. I also wanted to ask about Aria's chances of conceiving were but after seeing all this there was no chance Aria was going through that.
I clenched my hands into fists to control the shaking. I hated the thing that was hurting her. It wasn't enough for the monster to beat her from the inside out. No, it was starving her, too. Probably just looking for something to sink its teeth into - a throat to suck dry. Since it wasn't big enough to kill anyone else yet, it settled for sucking Bella's life from her.
I could tell them exactly what it wanted: death and blood, blood and death.
My skin was all hot and prickly. I breathed slowly in and out, focusing on that to calm myself.
"I wish I could get a better idea of what exactly it is," Carlisle murmured. "The fetus is well protected. I haven't been able to produce an ultrasonic image. I doubt there is any way to get a needle through the amniotic sac, but Rosalie won't agree to let me try, in any case."
"A needle?" I mumbled. "What good would that do?"
"The more I know about the fetus, the better I can estimate what it will be capable of. What I wouldn't give for even a little amniotic fluid. If I knew even the chromosomal count..."
"You're losing me, Doc. Can you dumb it down?"
He chuckled once - even his laugh sounded exhausted. "Okay. How much biology have you taken? Did you study chromosomal pairs?"
"Think so. We have twenty-three, right?"
"Humans do."
I blinked. "How many do you have?"
"Twenty-five."
I frowned at my fists for a second. "What does that mean?"
"I thought it meant that our species were almost completely different. Less related than a lion and a house cat. But this new life - well, it suggests that we're more genetically compatible than I'd thought." He sighed sadly. "I didn't know to warn them."
I sighed, too. It had been easy to hate Edward for the same ignorance. I still hated him for it. It was just hard to feel the same way about Carlisle.
"It might help to know what the count was - whether the fetus was closer to us or to her. To know what to expect." Then he shrugged. "And maybe it wouldn't help anything. I guess I just wish I had something to study, anything to do."
"Wonder what my chromosomes are like," I muttered randomly.
Carlisle coughed self-consciously. "You have twenty-four pairs, Jacob."
I turned slowly to stare at him, raising my eyebrows.
He looked embarrassed. "I was... curious. I took the liberty when I was treating you in June."
I thought about it for a second. "I guess that should piss me off. But I don't really care."
"I'm sorry. I should have asked."
"S'okay, Doc. You didn't mean any harm."
"No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm. It's just that... I find your species fascinating. I suppose that the elements of vampiric nature have come to seem commonplace to me over the centuries. Your family's divergence from humanity is much more interesting. Magical, almost." Carlisle laughed another weary laugh. "Aria's the same. Twenty-four pairs." He clarified and I raised an eyebrow in questions.
"In the twenty-fourth pair one belongs to your kind and then one to us. It's quite fascinating." He admired.
Then we heard Edward's voice inside the house, and we both paused to listen.
"I'll be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, Aria, would you mind accompanying me?" Edward sounded different. There was a little life in his dead voice. A spark of something. Not hope exactly, but maybe the desire to hope.
"What is it, Edward?" Bella asked hoarsely.
"Nothing you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second. Please, girls?"
"Esme?" Rosalie called. "Can you mind Bella for us?"
I heard the whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs. "Of course," she said.
Carlisle shifted, twisting to look expectantly at the door. Edward was through the door first, with Rosalie and Aria right on his heels. She smiled happily at me, like I had just improved her mood drastically all because she saw my face. It wasn't hard to believe, she had made me feel exactly the same way.
Edward's face was, like his voice, no longer dead. He seemed intensely focused. Rosalie looked suspicious, Aria of course already knew. Edward shut the door behind them.
"Carlisle," he murmured.
"What is it, Edward?"
"Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way. I was listening to you and Jacob just now, and when you were speaking of what the... fetus wants, Jacob had an interesting thought."
Me? What thought? Besides my obvious hatred for the thing? At least I wasn't alone in that. I could tell that Edward had a difficult time using a term as mild as fetus.
"We haven't actually addressed that angle," Edward went on. "We've been trying to get Bella what she needs. And her body is accepting it about as well as one of ours would. Perhaps we should address the needs of the... fetus first. Maybe if we can satisfy it, we'll be able to help her more effectively."
"I'm not following you, Edward," Carlisle said.
"Think about it, Carlisle. If that creature is more vampire than human, can't you guess what it craves - what it's not getting? Jacob did." Aria spoke up, using a softer tone compared to Edward.
I did? I ran through the conversation, trying to remember what thoughts I'd kept to myself. I remembered at the same time that Carlisle understood.
"Oh," he said in a surprised tone. "You think it is... thirsty?"
Rosalie hissed under her breath. She wasn't suspicious anymore. Her revoltingly perfect face was all lit up, her eyes wide with excitement. "Of course," she muttered. "Carlisle, we have all that type O negative laid aside for Bella. It's a good idea," she added, not looking at me.
"Hmm." Carlisle put his hand to his chin, lost in thought. "I wonder... And then, what would be the best way to administer—"
Rosalie shook her head. "We don't have time to be creative. I'd say we should start with the traditional way."
"Wait a minute," I whispered. "Just hold on. Are you - are you talking about making Bella drink blood?"
"It was your idea, dog," Rosalie said, scowling at me without ever quite looking at me. Aria hissed under her breath and Rosalie sent her an apologetic glance.
I ignored her and watched Carlisle. That same ghost of hope that had been in Edward's face was now in the doctor's eyes. He pursed his lips, speculating.
"That's just..." I couldn't find the right word.
"Monstrous?" Edward suggested. "Repulsive?"
"Pretty much." I looked at Aria then, she was trying to hide her grimace. She found it gross too.
"But what if it helps her?" he whispered.
I shook my head angrily. "What are you gonna do, shove a tube down her throat?"
"I plan to ask her what she thinks. I just wanted to run it past Carlisle first."
Rosalie nodded. "If you tell her it might help the baby, she'll be willing to do anything. Even if we do have to feed them through a tube."
I realized then - when I heard how her voice got all lovey-dovey as she said the word baby - that Blondie would be in line with anything that helped the little life-sucking monster. Was that what was going on, the mystery factor that was bonding the two of them? Was Rosalie after the kid?
From the corner of my eye, I saw Aria and Edward nod once simultaneously, absently, not looking in my direction. But I knew they were answering my questions.
Huh. I wouldn't have thought the ice-cold Barbie would have a maternal side. So much for protecting Bella - Rosalie'd probably jam the tube down Bella's throat herself.
Edward's mouth mashed into a hard line, and I knew I was right again.
"Well, we don't have time to sit around discussing this," Rosalie said impatiently. "What do you think, Carlisle? Can we try?"
"Just take it a little slower, Rose." Aria said, placing her hand on Rosalie's forearm.
Carlisle took a deep breath, and then he was on his feet. "We'll ask Bella."
Blondie smiled smugly - sure that, if it was up to Bella, she would get her way.
I dragged myself up from the stairs and followed after them as they disappeared into the house. Aria held back waiting for me and clasped my hand in hers before we followed along. Her touch soothed the sickness I was beginning to feel at the concept of Bella drinking blood.
Bella laid flat on the hospital bed, her belly a mountain under the sheet. She looked like wax - colourless and sort of see-through. You'd think she was already dead, except for the tiny movement of her chest, her shallow breathing. And then her eyes, following the five of us with exhausted suspicion.
The others were at her side already, flitting across the room with sudden darting motions. It was creepy to watch. I could tell Aria wanted to do the same but holding my hand was stopping her from doing so. I could tell that being here had made her more of a vampire if that was possible.
"What's going on?" Bella demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her waxy hand twitched up - like she was trying to protect her balloon-shaped stomach.
"Jacob had an idea that might help you," Carlisle said. I wished he would leave me out of it. I hadn't suggested anything. Give the credit to her bloodsucking husband, where it belonged. "It won't be... pleasant, but—"
"But it will help the baby," Rosalie interrupted eagerly. "We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe."
Bella's eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckle. "Not pleasant?" she whispered. "Gosh, that'll be such a change." She eyed the tube stuck into her arm and coughed again.
Blondie and Aria laughed with her when we finally reached Bella, standing at the foot of her bed. I stood behind Aria, wrapping my arms around her waist. She felt slightly thinner, had she not eaten whilst she had been here caring for Bella?
She placed her warm hand on top of my even warmer ones. "I'm fine." She whispered in her mind, transferring her thoughts to me.
Bella looked like she only had hours left, and she had to be in pain, but she was making jokes. So Bella. Trying to ease the tension, make it better for everyone else.
Edward stepped around Rosalie, no humour touching his intense expression. I was glad for that. It helped, just a little bit, that he was suffering worse than the rest of us. He took her hand, not the one that was still protecting her swollen belly.
"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous," he said, using the same adjectives he'd offered me. "Repulsive."
Well, at least he was giving it to her straight.
She took a shallow, fluttery breath. "How bad?"
Carlisle answered. "We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think it's thirsty."
She blinked. "Oh. Oh!"
"Your condition - both of your conditions - are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory—"
"I've got to drink it," she whispered. She nodded slightly - barely enough energy for a little head bob. "I can do that. Practice for the future, right?" Her colourless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didn't smile back.
Rosalie started tapping her toe impatiently. The sound was really irritating. I wondered what she would do if I threw her through a wall right now. Aria scoffed at my thoughts, trying to muffle her laughter, everyone but Edward thought she was laughing at Bella.
"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?" Bella whispered.
Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. Rosalie stopped tapping.
"What?" Bella asked.
"It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella," Carlisle said.
"If the fetus is craving blood," Edward explained, "it's not craving animal blood."
"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it," Rosalie encouraged.
Bella's eyes widened. "Who?" she breathed, and her gaze flickered to me.
"I'm not here as a donor, Bells," I grumbled. "'Sides, it's human blood that thing's after, and I don't think mine applies —"
"We have blood on hand," Rosalie told her, talking over me before I'd finished, like I wasn't there. "For you - just in case. Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better."
Bella's hand ran across her stomach.
"Well," she rasped, barely audible. "I'm starving, so I'll bet he is, too." Trying to make another joke. "Let's go for it. My first vampire act."