After the little showdown, I ask Edward and Jake to call me when she's changed, telling them I'd be back tomorrow to see the baby. How did my life get this complicated? I turn into a big ass dog, my brother's best friend has an uncontrollable obsessive love for me, my cousin just had a baby not even 1 month after she got pregnant by a vampire, and now my cousin is turning into a vampire at this very moment. This can't be real, it has to be a nightmare or something someone fabricated like the Harry Potter books but not as good. Embry shuffles beside me, hitting his shoulder on mine, breaking my train of thought, "Hey. I've missed you."
I jump on his back, making him carry me back to my house, "I missed you too but with all that was going on, I really needed to be away. Not to mention what happened right before I learned about Bella's pregnancy." I think back to that day, giving him the play by play.
"Called it! That's why Paul's been extra grouchy lately, his Imprint ran away from him. What are you going to do about that whole thing?" Embry yelled, getting the attention of some of the Pack near us.
"GO TO MY HOUSE AND WE'LL TALK THERE. DO YOU WANNA SPEND THE NIGHT?" He nods starting to cheat toward my house away from everyone else, who's going to Sam and Emily's.
Embry throws me onto my couch, still covered in the blankets from the other week and my book, putting both of our shoes in the bin by the front door, "Okay, let's hear it Kota. What are you thinking?"
What am I thinking? Well at the moment I'm hungry but in regards to feelings and emotions I'm angry slash relieved about everything that went down with Bella, I'm pissed at Sam for wanting to kill Bella because of the baby, confused about Paul because I'm terrified of commitment. "Well that's it. That's why it's taken you this long to even give him a shot, you're scared of commitment and this is a "to the day we die" kind of commitment, but it's apparent that you two are perfect together, anyone with eyes can see it," Embry points out, listening to my thoughts rather than have me explain knowing that he'll get the truest answer from my thoughts.
"Whatever you say, okay then... but that's not a fear you just get over, is it?" I ask, playing with the ends of the blanket.
"The only way to get over that fear... is to take the risk and trust your judgement," Embry suggests, quickly moving on to something that didn't require our emotional vulnerabilities which meant putting a DVD in and eating.
Two Days Later
New Message: Jake
She's awake. Come over right now!
"Bye! I'll be back later!" I yelled, running out of Sam's house giving them no explanation as to why I sprung off the kitchen table and sprinted outside.
To Hell with the speed limit, I floor it making it to the Cullen's in less than 2 minutes when it would normally take about 6. I ran into the house, finding the entire Cullen coven, including little Renesmee, congregating in the second floor family room with the exception of Edward and Bella. Jacob was holding her when I came into the room but the 3 day year old, who looks like she's a few months old, sees me and starts grabbing at me.
"Awww look at my big girl. How're you today, Ness?" I coo, taking her from Jake.
Ness reaches her hand up to Jake's face because like the rest of her gifted her family, her powers don't work on me for whatever reason and she learned as much which the first two tries, "She says she's happy that Mommy is awake and that Aunty Kody is back."
We all laugh at the half breed baby that bounces in my arms, clamoring over the child we all adore. The Cullen's ears all perk up and turn to look out the glass wall, the Newlyweds arrived back from their hunt and Bella's dress was ripped up at the end.
"SHE CAN'T HURT HER, SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HER OWN STRENGTH," Jacob growls at me silently, knowing that if he verbally expressed his Imprint driven concerns the Cullen Coven would immediately belittle his concerns.
"SHE WON'T HURT HER OWN DAUGHTER. AND SHE DOESN'T KNOW YOU IMPRINTED SO DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID," I advise him as he runs downstairs to meet them.
Jacob runs back into the room straight to me and Rose, who's trying to steal Renesmee from me. As the couple walks into the room, the whole family turns to face Bella. My back remains to her, her smell becoming increasingly strong and repulsive.
"Welcome to the family," Esme coos in her motherly tone that I've grown accustomed to in the past three days.
"You look amazing, Bella," Alice compliments.
"Someone's been waiting to meet you," Carlisle smiles.
"Kota," Edward puts his hand on my shoulder, an action I've grown accustomed to in the past few days that I normally would have snarled at him for.
I turn to see my cousin, she always was a beautiful girl but now she was breathtaking. Truly fitting in with her new clan of supernaturally beautiful people, making Jake and I pale in comparison. Balancing Ness on my hip, I reluctantly turn over the infant to her mother. Renesmee tenderly touches Bella's face, showing her the first memory she has of her mother.
"What was that?" Bella asks, mesmerized by her gifted daughter.
I'm jealous that everyone can see and hear her with her touch but I can't. I once found myself grateful for my gift of shielding myself from their gifts, but now all I want is for Renesmee to communicate with me via a single touch.
Edward chuckles, smiling lovingly at his wife and beautiful child, "She showed you the first memory she has of you."
Bella refuses to take her eyes off her daughter, not wanting to miss another second of her, "Showed me? How?"
Edward and Alice chuckle at Bella's curiosity, wondering themselves how they obtained these special abilities in their second life after human death, "How do I hear thoughts? How does Alice see the future? She's gifted."
Bella notices how much older Renesmee looks for only being three days old, seeing that she already has a full set of teeth, "I've only been out for two days?"
She looks around the room for validation stopping at Carlisle, who most likely has the best answer about her baby's accelerated growth rate, "Her growth rate is unprecedented."
Bella looks adoringly down at her daughter, readjusting how she was holding Ness. Jacob looks as though he's ready to implode as he quietly yelped in fear of Bella dropping her child. "JACOB EPHRAIM BLACK, DO NOT DO WHAT I THINK YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO." I hiss in my head seeing that he protectively stepped closer to Bella, rolling my eyes at him taking action against my advisement, "All right. That's enough experimenting for one day."
Edward has been a lot cooler about Jake's Imprinting on his newborn baby that I would have been, if I were in his shoes I would have beat the crap out of him. Hell I still do want to beat him for his involuntary imprint on my cousin's daughter, finding the Ancestor's choice for him a cruel and sick twist of fate. Bella, instinctually, pulls the babbling girl close to her chest when Jake tries to take her, baring her teeth at her best friend. Edward looks at me but we both know that there is nothing anyone can do to control his protective instincts, "Jacob. She's doing great."
I nod telling him silently to back off but he won't give, too scared that Bella's going to hurt her, "Yeah. Let's not push it though."
He, again, reaches for Renesmee only to have Bella back away from him, "What's your problem?"
I snicker, Bella's like me in the fact that she'll beat the shit out of him for his Imprint. Jake suddenly looks very guilty, making everyone in the room, including Renesmee, giggle and his sudden timidness. "Oh. Do tell her, Jacob," Rose prompts, enjoying this too much.
"This should be good," Emmett chuckles, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Hold on a second," Edward takes Renesmee from his wife and hands her off to Rose to make sure that she doesn't get hurt. I could tell by the look on Bella's face that she wasn't having any of this and the fact that Edward felt it necessary to take her child meant that she was gonna be pissed.
"GODSPEED JAKE. I TRIED TO WARN YOU."
Jacob sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, hesitantly explaining himself to her, "Bella. Look, it's a wolf thing."
Upon hearing the state of being Jake and I share Bella looks at me, growling, "What's a wolf thing?" I throw my hands up, shaking my head vigorously, not wanting her to be mad at me for his Wolfy crap, thoroughly repeating that I don't possess the ability he's referring to.
"Um... You know we have no control over it. We can't choose who it happens with. And it doesn't mean what you think, Bella. I promise," Jake scrambles to explain, knowing that he explained Imprinting to her before our Graduation.
Bella does not take her red eyes that burn with hatred and anger off her best friend when addressing Rose, realizing what Jake was trying to convey to her, "Take Renesmee out of the room."
Edwards comes up behind her and touches her shoulder, "Edward, don't touch me right now. I don't want to hurt you."
Edward takes his hand away, looking at Jake sympathetically. Furious with Jacob, Bella grabs hold of him his neck and literally throws him out of the house. "You imprinted on my daughter?" The Newborn bellows while throwing the wolf out of her house and out onto the lawn.
"It wasn't my choice!" Jacob defends, scrambling to his feet.
"She's a baby!" Thank you! The only other person who seems to agree with my thought process! This Ancestor's bullshit is sometimes really creepy!
Jacob, hearing my thoughts, sneers at me, "It's not like that. You think Edward would let me live if it was?"
Edward chuckles, leaning over the porch railing next to me, "I'm still debating it."
I look at Edward as if to say 'Don't Egg It On' because I know first hand that Imprinting can not be controlled. I explained the whole process and how it's like to be Imprinted on to them so they understand to some degree because from how they explained how their mates are, it's pretty much the same thing.
"I've held her once! One time, Jacob! And already, you think that you have some moronic wolfy claim on her? She's mine!" Bella punches Jacob hard in the face as Leah and Seth, in their wolf forms, arrive on the scene.
Jacob looks to Leah, who's announcing that she's ready to attack the Newborn vampire, "It's fine, Leah."
"You're gonna stay away from her," Bella commands, thinking her anger would be enough to keep Jake from being with his Imprint. I snort to myself, gaining the Cullens who surround me attentions, knowing myself that he won't do that from the many times I've cursed Paul away from me that his nature would always bring him back.
"You know I can't do that," Jacob explains peacefully to Bella before she punches Jacob hard in the stomach and he falls down again.
Esme looks concerned by the whole drama that's going down, turning to Edward and I as we chuckle at Jake's inner monologue about hating that Bella suddenly was stronger than he was, "Stop her, Edward."
I wave my hand dismissively and so does he, watching his wife with pure adoration, "He said it's fine. She's amazing, right?" I murmur in agreement making my way down to where they are, sensing that the entire thing is about to escalate.
"Do you remember how much you wanted to be around me 3 days ago? That's gone now, right?" Jacob asks, trying to prove his point but failing to see how stupid he's gonna seem when she punches him again.
"THIS ISN'T THE ROUTE TO GO, BUDDY! MAYDAY, MAYDAY! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!"
"Long gone," she growls at him, not acknowledging me as I stand beside him much like a lioness when she's tracking her prey.
"Because it was her. From the beginning it was Nessie who wanted me there," Jacob explains but something he just said clearly pissed her off.
"Nessie? You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness monster?!" She bellows whilst lunging at him, about to connect with him once more but Seth and I both step in between them, taking the punch. Seth flies into the tree, groaning in pain but Jake catches me before I could hit the ground.
"Seth, Kods are you okay?" Jacob asks, looking between the two of us.
"OW... I'M FINE," we chorus together whimpering in pain.
Bella looks absolutely mortified that she did that, her red eyes moving wildly between us, "I'm sorry."
I groan rubbing my ribcage, "He'll be alright and I'm okay too."
Jacob turns to Bella again, "Bella, you know me better than anyone. All I want is for Ness..."
Bella get angry at the mention of Jake's nickname for her, "Renesmee to be safe. Happy. Look, nothing ever made sense before. You. Me. Any of it. And now I understand why. This was the reason."