My gift to all the mother's celebrating Mother's Day this weekend.

This hasn't been beta'd since I didn't want to bother my wonderful beta, Lea on Mother's Day, so unfortunately you get all my mistakes as well. Hopefully they are few and far between.

SM owns Twilight, but we all know that.

Ch 19

E POV

"Come here Bella."

I bit the inside of my mouth to stop the chuckle bubbling inside of me at the sight of Bella standing nervously a few feet away. Her hands worried the hem of her shirt and her eyes kept darting from my face to the ground, unwilling to maintain eye contact.

We were finally alone though I could hear my family moving in other parts of the house, giving us the illusion of privacy. I still needed to come to terms with my own feelings on the events this evening before I said too much to Bella. I didn't want to scare her any more than I may have already tonight with my volatile emotions. I had been so cautious in my dealings with her to keep the possessive side of my nature at bay. I wanted to explain everything in my own way, but tonight ended any chance of easing her into this life.

Seeing that dog holding her captive unleashed the demon inside of me. My jaw ached to bite her and inject so much venom in her body that there would be no question I had claimed her as my mate. Hearing her say those vile words, saying she chose him over me was my undoing. My scent, though faint, was coming from her pores and there is no overcoming that once it's begun.

I don't know why the dogs were lying to her, but I intend to find out. Carlisle's promise prevents me from retaliating for tonight's atrocity, but it won't stop me from making sure it doesn't happen again. Carlisle may rule our coven, but I have the final say in anything regarding my mate, just as he or my brothers have the final say over their own mates.

If my gift worked on Bella I'd have known what she was up to, however misguided her actions were. But Bella's mind is closed to me so all I had to go on were her actions. The moment those words left her mouth I was blinded by a possessive rage and if Emmett hadn't been holding me back I would have torn through anyone standing between us to mark and claim her forever.

Alice was screaming in my head for me to see the vision in her mind of the outcome of those actions. I would have killed Bella's father in my attempt to get to her and so severely injured Bella she wouldn't have survived the change. I would have destroyed my very reason for living.

I will be forever grateful to Jasper and his gift for giving me the solution to stop tonight's atrocity before that dog could take her away or I destroyed the woman I loved. Jasper wisely remained focused on Bella's emotions while the rest of us were focused on the dog holding her captive. He saw the truth behind her actions and realized Bella held the answer herself to stop the night from escalating into an all-out war, because I would have never allowed her leave with that dog and my family would have helped.

That's what Bella needed to learn about accepting a vampire as a mate. In our world, mating is forever and there's no walking away or allowing a mate to turn their back on their bond once it's made. Bella was using her human nature to solve a supernatural conflict. She didn't understand the bond we were forging, but she would soon.

At Jasper's whispered words to me to 'call her' I saw the vision change in Alice's mind. Instead of the night ending in tragedy, the dog would be forced to back down and admit his false claim. The minute quantity of my venom she had ingested from our kisses, was just enough for it to work. It wasn't enough to stop her ability to fight the call, but it was enough for her heart to recognize it for what it was. In time, with more venom in her system, she won't be able to ignore me.

Before Bella, I had begun to lament that I would never have someone to call with the growl all male vampires produce. The mating call is a special growl used to call our female. It isn't like the aggressive sound we issue in battle or to warn other males when their proximity to our mate is too close. This sound is solely for our mate's benefit. It doesn't carry a threat within the tenor of its sound. It warns and demands attention while reassuring the recipient there is nothing to fear, that they are loved above all others.

I have heard Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper issue that growl towards their mates over the years when they thought their actions might endanger their safety or in play. Vampires are predatory and aggressive and love to hunt. I am looking forward to the time when Bella and I can play and have her lead me on a merry chase.

"Um, I can explain," she squeaked. "I was just trying-"

The rumble built again in my chest, halting her excuse. I understood her actions and loved her all the more for her bravery, but that didn't change the fact that she tried to accept a false claim. I appreciated the effort, but it was time for Bella to learn what being mated to a vampire really meant.

She chewed on her lower lip nervously, but took the steps that brought her within reach so I could hold her once again. I pressed her head gently against my chest, letting the gentle rumble soothe and reassure her of my love. Pressing my lips in her hair, I inhaled the faint scent of that dog where he had touched her, reminding me of the threat he had posed to Bella tonight. I wanted to rub up and down her body like a cat until she was covered once again in only my scent.

"That really isn't fair, you know," she grumbled quietly against my shirt.

I pulled back and tilted her chin to look at her. "What's that?" I asked, curiously.

With everything that happened tonight I needed to know what was bothering her the most so I can work at alleviating her fears. Tonight proved Bella can be full of surprises. Again, I wished I could read her mind, because it's becoming very clear that she has a unique way of looking at life and I'm learning never to assume I have the answers where she's concerned.

Her gaze held the beginning of love I had dreamed of seeing in her eyes when she looked at me. She raised her hand and traced my brow lovingly. I knew she saw my love for her reflected in my eyes.

"That growly thing you do," she huffed. Her beautiful lips formed an adorable pout. "It's not fair.

My eyes narrowed indignantly at her terminology. "Growly thing?"

"Yes, growly thing. You need to teach me how to do it to you."

I shook my head in wonder of her ability to surprise me once again. Out of everything that took place tonight, the mating call is what she cared about. I saw the mirth in her eyes as she took in my disgruntlement.

Emmett's bellowing laughter echoed throughout the house at her words. "Sorry little Bella. That's for men only."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "They can hear me?" she whispered.

"Every heartbeat no matter how fast they beat for Eddie," Emmett replied. "Ow! Damn Rosie, what did you do that for?"

"Sorry Bella! Just ignore the big goon," Rose called out.

Bella buried her head in the front of my shirt. "I'm so embarrassed," she mumbled. "Damn vampires."

Laughter came from different rooms in the house as my family reveled in the humor and acceptance Bella showed towards us. She was not only a perfect mate for me, but a natural fit for my family as well.

I pressed my lips to her hair again. "Do you trust me?" I asked.

She looked up at me in surprise. "Of course I do," she responded immediately.

I scooped her up in my arms, grabbing the blanket off the nearby chair and darted out of the house as soon as the words left her mouth. She wouldn't be comfortable talking now, knowing my family could hear everything said between us. She needed privacy so she could feel confident in speaking freely.

I ran through the forest to a place I had visited when I needed a break from my family. The sun was just beginning to rise, painting the sky in rich shades of blue and pink, chasing the shadows from the meadow where I stopped. I held Bella a little longer, enjoying the feel of her in my arms, before lowering her legs so she could stand.

"We're here."

I waited to release her until she opened her eyes and I was certain her feet were steady, and then spread the blanket on the ground beside us. I watched her silently take in the beauty of the meadow, with its rainbow of colorful wildflowers and green grasses.

I smiled, happy that she liked it. Her eyes sparkled as she soaked in her surroundings and I was once again amazed that this beautiful creature was mine. She turned back to me and I cupped her face in my hand, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

"It's beautiful," she exclaimed in wonder.

"Yes, you are," I murmured, ignoring the beauty of the meadow. I saw only the beauty of the wonderful woman in front of me.

She covered my hand with hers and closed her eyes, pressing her face into my palm. "Thank you for bringing me here," she said softly.

I stepped closer until we were inches apart and used my hand to tilt her face upward as I lowered my head. I captured the sigh she released with my lips and slid my tongue past her open lips to touch hers. She wrapped her tongue around mine, stroking and sucking on it gently while my lips moved over hers ever so slowly. Before long I felt Bella's tongue enter my mouth and I reined in my control as she lapped at the inside of my mouth, tasting the venom that coated my mouth.

Now that I knew this was helping to infuse her with my scent I was tempted to allow the venom to flood my mouth, but withheld not knowing the ill effects it could still cause her. Carlisle would need to study this further, but in the meantime since the small amounts she did ingest obviously weren't causing any harm, it would continue building my scent within her safely.

It was just another reason to indulge and kiss her every chance I got.

I slowly lowered her to the blanket, only breaking our kiss when I knew she needed to come up for air. She remained frozen for a moment, still breathless from our kiss, before she slowly opened her eyes to look at me. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, tasting the venom left behind.

"You don't need a reason to indulge if you want to kiss me. I like kissing you too," she grinned. "Your venom or whatever tastes good; like honeysuckle."

I tucked her hair back from her face and leaned in again, grinning wickedly. "Well if you insis-" I froze a hair's breadth from her lips as her words played over in my mind and pulled back to study her features. Her eyes were slightly darker around the edges than they had been before, but that could be blamed on the emotions our kissing was stirring in her.

"Why did you say that, 'that I didn't need a reason to indulge'," I spoke slowly, not wanting her to sense my concern. My body went completely still, listening to the rush of blood pumping through her veins and counting the beats of her heart. Everything was the same as it had been before, but warning bells were ringing that something had changed.

Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion as she shrugged her shoulder, laughing at me. "You said having me ingest your venom was just another reason to indulge in kissing me and I wanted you to know you don't have to look for a reason. I'll happily kiss you anytime you want."

"Bella, I didn't say that out loud."