Leah's POV
My bedroom door had barely closed before I was hopping out of my bedroom window and landing on the ground two stories below. I stumbled a little, something I'd never done, but I caught myself and ran for the woods. The farthest away from Cullen land and my house that I could get.
The nausea and headache was gone. The pain had left when I'd phased, but the actual phasing had felt like fire running through my veins, shooting up my bones. It was worse than my first phase. But most of the pain came from my stomach. Like my bones were protesting, pushing against my skin.
Once I'd got to the woods, I dropped the blanket, phased and then picked it back up in my teeth. The pain subsided finally. The human aches disappearing altogether and the sharp pains from phasing dulling down to an almost dull throb.
I couldn't be around them right now. Any of them and if I stayed, Seth would just be freaking about how sick I was the whole time. He'd be more angry than worried if I left, thinking I was mad. I hoped, anyway.
I trekked through the woods until I found a small cave-like crevice between rocks and I snuggled into the spot and made myself comfortable after nestling into the blanket. The pain was more bearable in the like this and I felt less vulnerable. Whatever was rolling around in my stomach had more room now and I felt relieved, even as the pain started coming again. I just felt miserable.
Edward's POV
I watched, trying to control my temper, as Jared, Paul, Quil, and Embry carried Sam into Carlisle's study. They left Carlisle to his work and returned to the livingroom.
My entire family was already there, and all simmering with anger from what we heard. Seth came in the door with Jacob just then and my head snapped up to see them. "Where's Leah?"
Seth sighed. "She's ignoring everyone. Right before we left, I went to check on her but she wouldn't even answer and let me into her room."
I nodded curtly, not trusting myself to speak. I'd either sound like I was sobbing, which at that moment, I wanted to do. Or I'd take all my anger out on the poor boy that I'd started to think of as my little brother.
"I should go kill that worthless asshole right now." Rosalie hissed suddenly. "I should go in there and rip his dick off and shove it down his throat."
"You could literally do it, too." Seth said, his voice flat. He seemed to not care either way.
The room quieted again. You could hear a pin drop. And then, suddenly, Sam was screaming. No one went to check. I'd expected all the wolves to suddenly panic and assume Carlisle was killing him, but they stood stock still. A few winced at the sounds, but no one moved.
...it's the least he deserves... Paul was thinking...If I'd have known...
...did he really try to rape LEAH?...-Jared ...How could Sam do that? He was such a nice guy...
...supposed to be the Alpha...-Brady...I hope he gets demoted...
...sadistic bastard, he already has an imprint...-Quil...He had that shit coming...
...can't believe he would try that after what he put her through...-Collin...Leah should've killed him...
...I should've helped Seth and Jake...-Embry...Hell, I would have if I'd known...
Then the thoughts started to change a little. More concerned for Leah than killing Sam.
...Leah really fucked him up, though...- Paul was amused by that. He sobered. ...But she looked bad after...
...I wonder if she's okay?...-Jared was thinking...I didn't see him get her but she was bleeding...
...She looked like she was in pain...-Brady
...All that blood...-Quil
...I'm sure she's fine. Just pissed or something...-Collin
...If that son of a bitch hurt her somehow...-Embry
...She didn't even answer me...-Seth was thinking. A lightbulb seemed to click on in his mind. ...She left!...
...Maybe I should go check on her...-Jacob
...He looks really worried...-Jane
...Why would someone try to rape their own packmate?- Felix was wondering.
...Jane likes her for some reason. They aren't too bad, I guess...-Alec
...He looked bad! That girl fucked him up!...-Demetri
...I hope Leah's okay...-Alice
...I'm gonna explode if someone doesn't actually TALK or calm down somehow...-Jasper
...I wonder if Leah will let me help her next time...-Rosalie
...Shouldn't be holding Rose back, bastard deserves...-Emmett.
...That poor girl! I'd have...-Missy
And then there was the usual void where Bella's thoughts should go. For once I was glad I couldn't hear them. I just knew she'd be thinking some snide things that I'd want to snap her neck for.
...I hope they're okay...The sweet, scared voice came from Renesme and my head snapped up to see her on the staircase, wide-awake. I gave her a sweet smile, which she understood, and rushed to me. I cradled her in my arms gingerly and rocked her. Her hand came to my face and images raced through my mind.
Leah's face as she sat in the kitchen, looking scared and pained. Her leaving quickly. Everyone standing around the phone as we heard the screaming and accusations only an hour or so ago. And then, made-up images. Her fears.
Leah, bleeding to death in a house. The house she imagined Leah owned. None of us had ever been past the Treaty Line. Leah, puking into a toilet. Leah crying.
"Leah's gonna be fine, honey. Don't worry." I told her. "She's strong. Like us."
Renesme's doubt didn't fade, but she tried to smile anyway.
"Oh, honey..." Bella crooned, stepping forward and opening her arms in offer to our daughter. MY daughter. Renesme glanced to me warily, and I thought she was asking if it was okay to hug her mother before she thought, Do I have to, Daddy?
I felt my undead heart lurch but shook my head. I was sad for Renesme, to have a mother that she no longer wanted. I was sad that she'd been so betrayed by her mother that she hesitated to even touch her. But I wouldn't want her to think Bella was changed when I knew she wasn't. And I wouldn't force Renesme to react with her.
"Nessie?" Bella asked, sounding heartbroken.
I looked away from the woman I once thought to be the love of my life. Now, all I could think about was Leah. "She doesn't want a hug, Isabella." I told her coldly, pulling Renesme into a tighter hug. My little girl nestled against me, offering and accepting warmth and comfort.
I didn't look as Bella walked away.
Leah's POV
I'd figured out what was wrong.
I felt stupid to not think about it before, really, and it made since. Edward had super-sperm or something after all. I mean, I wasn't naive enough to think vampires didn't fuck humans before, but somehow he'd been the only one to impregnate one. Or, one of very few...there was Nahuel, I remembered.
I'm sure most vamps killed their 'lovers' after the deed, but not all. And only some of those got girls pregnant. Bella was one of those to have a half-vamp baby. And now, I would be too.
Bad thing was, although we'd found out shifters wouldn't die from Vamp venom, we were still pretty sure that if it wasn't sucked out, we would. Edward could bite me all he wanted, as long as he took the venom out with his sucking. But he couldn't change me. And that was the only reason Bella survived. None of the others had.
Although, none of the others had been shifters.
But let's be real, here...shifters weren't unbreakable. We were fast and strong. Probably close to Vamp-ness, but I didn't have marble skin. And my non-marble skin was going to be split open by this kid when it was time for birth.
And oddly enough, I still couldn't think of him or her as a monster. Just different. Like Nessie, whom at first, I'd thought to be a monster. But she wasn't. She was half human and half vamprire. So, she needed blood and she was strong. That was all it meant.
My child would be even more different. Maybe instead of being weakened by the human half, it would have an advantage. It would still be a little weaker than pure vamps, because the skin wouldn't be quite marble-y, but maybe it would be able to phase. That would freak some people out. And the teeth would come in handy when fighting other vamps.
And then another half of me was worried. What if it came out as some sort of beast? Insatiable and always wanting blood. What if it was mentally unbalanced because of the wolf half?
I felt tears rolling out of my eyes but I couldn't sob. It would just turn into a howl. My baby...with or without Edward, would never have a normal life. Would probably be in danger just for being a half-breed.
I knew Bella was only like a day pregnant when she started getting sick. I'd had sex with Edward like...two days ago? And she'd had Renesme after like a month.
The sun that was starting to come out would make it the third day for me. Could I do this for an entire month? Could I take what I now assumed to be kicking for an entire month? Jake had told me that Bella had got broken ribs and a broken pelvis bone. She'd been miserable.
Until she'd drank blood!
I hopped to my feet quickly, shaking the blanket away from me and sniffed the air. Deer!
I was off like lightning, through the clearing and loping past trees and stumps before I even thought. The deer were running now, hearing my approach, and scared. I ran harder and caught up only a few feet from where they'd been eating. I went for the biggest...a buck with huge antlers...and latched jaws over its throat. The jerking stop I'd caused had me using the momentum to swing it around.
It hit the ground with a crack of bones and thud and I tore the throat quickly, going for less pain. I mean, I could relate with being treated like an undeserving animal.
It was dead in seconds and I adverted my eyes from the deer's unblinking, tormented gaze. What the fuck! I'd hunted before, why was I feeling so guilty now?
I almost laughed the myself as the idea hit me. Fucking hormones! It's been almost three days! This is ridiculous! I've ruined Edward's life. Just trying to date a guy safely and BAM I'm knocked up.
I shook my head of the thoughts in favor of devouring the dead animal at my feet, chomping through meat and tendons. The texture and feel of the snapping and squishing made me wince in disgust at myself and my actions, but the worst part was the taste. It tasted rich and thick and a part of me was thinking ew, coppery blood.
But the part that scared me was the part that seemed to finally relax and untense. It was feeling satisfied and thinking, Ahhhhhh, it's sooo good.