38
Leah moved to the door with a happier step. Paul opened it for her as he was preparing to walk through once she came inside. She looked at him with genuine happiness before moving back inside. Paul came out and walked over to me, locking his hands on my hips.
"What was that about?" he asked with a gentle chuckle. I looked over at the door and smiled.
"I asked her to be godmother to any children we have." I replied looking up at him to see he looked mildly stunned but after looking at the door himself he finally looked back at me with a soft smile.
"That is a great idea." he said before leaning in and kissing me gently. I leaned into him gently biting on his bottom lip before he pulled back, keeping his forehead against mine. "You know I was thinking, since this place is ours, maybe we should make use of it if we don't plan to permanently stay here." I tilted my head looking him over now.
"What do you propose?" I asked and he gave a deviant smirk pecking the tip of my nose before kissing my face evenly all over.
"Mmm maybe our own personal love nest to do any and all things in it?" he asked. My eyes flexed as I was taken aback by his idea. A place to do everything we wanted together with no one stopping or watching us?
"That is a great idea, Mr. Lahote." I said and he grinned.
"I knew you'd like it Mrs. Lahote." he replied. Hearing him say that made my heart flop with joy and I leaned up to kiss him passionately before hearing the door open. We pulled back to look to see it was my mother, smiling politely at us.
"Paul, if I am not interrupting anything, I would like to speak with my daughter." she announced and Paul nodded immediately looking at me before kissing my forehead and separating from us.
"Of course." he said giving a slight bow and walking back inside. Mother smiled at him as he left and continued to smile at me as she walked over to me staring up at the moon.
"I have spoken with the Cullens. They have agreed to close around when the expected mothers give birth. In case these Volturi decide to attack, we will be ready to defend them. With all of us around, we should be able to hold out. Sam has allowed them this one time to come onto their lands." she said. That was indeed good news, however I was sure now was not the time to discuss such matters at a party. I gave a respectful smile and nodded.
"That's good. But you didn't just come out here to speak about family matters." I pointed out and she nodded.
"No I did not. I came to give you my gift." she replied before removing her big green Dooney and Burke purse off her shoulder. I gave her a light scolding look.
"Mother, you gave me a house." I replied before she looked at me pointedly.
"No, your father gave you a house. This one is from me alone." she said before pulling out a large black jewelry box. My eyes widened as she opened it and revealed a twenty-inch white gold necklace, but the pendent itself struck me. It was of a silver sun with brightly flashing flames and a golden moon inside the sun. They were one. I looked at Mother who just smiled at me lovingly.
"I am devasted, honestly, that this will be the last territory we share together. But this was made in Cairo for you. I planned to give it to you on your eighteenth birthday. At first there was no moon, until I found out Paul imprinted on you and I had the jewelry makers add it. I knew you would like it." she said and she removed the necklace from the box and held it out to me. It shined under the lights of the balcony. Its beauty matched the ring Paul gave me. I dipped my body and bowed my head so she could put it on me and slowly she did. The metal was cool against my chest and I leaned back up gently grazing my fingertips against the pendent before looking up at Mother to see her admiring me. She raised her hand to gently rest beneath my chin. "It is to show you, that no matter what you choose, where you go… I will always be with you."
The sincerity in her words almost scared me for it seemed like she was saying goodbye to me now. I sniffled feeling my eyes water before leaning in and hugging her tight to me. I feel her arms wrap around me and hug me tight to her. She always had a motherly scent, a smell that was on her clothes and in her car. Her smell was warm and gentle and made me feel safe all the time. It was in her blood, her skin. I could always trust her.
"I love you, Mother." I replied as my thank you and she sniffled some herself.
"My love for you is everlasting." she whispered in my ear before giving the side of my head a gentle lick. Once we returned to the party, I was shocked to see Bella and Edward speaking to Ma'at and a few others of the pride. Carlisle and Esme were speaking to Father and Micah, when Leo came over to slowly join the conversation. I wondered what they're even talking about. But I guess it was still nice to see them talking. Something was better than nothing. Paul finally caught me and smiled.
"Hey, we have to head out and do one more patrol before the night ends." he said and I nodded and kissed him gently.
"Be careful." I replied and he winked.
"Always am." he said before separating to Jared and the others. Leah gave me a more hopeful look before leaving with Seth. I smiled as she left, seeing a different mood in her eyes. I would say if anything, this party was only the beginning of the truce we had between the three clans. But soon, I knew something would come to really test our newly born bond.
Come to find out, that bond was tested two weeks later. I was on the porch with Mother as I stared at the sweating, naked backs of my aunts and adult cousins. They were all against a tree, panting and moaning and groaning in pain, as they were squatting with their legs wide open, their ankles hidden in the snow. It was time to give birth and the chilling air was nothing to these women. The smell of vampire and wolves were in the area as they were merely keeping watch to make sure no threat got to us. The forest was filled with a mixture of smells. Father and the rest of the males were trotting about the borders making sure no one tried to enter as well. I had a bowl of water with me walking down the row of trees patting the foreheads of these mothers as they were trying to push their babies out.
It was a stressful time so I made sure they were nice and cool. I looked over my shoulder to see Paul, Embry and Jared watching with low wines as they were the only ones permitted to be this close to the house. If the entire pack was here, or even the Cullens, the lionesses could shift due to stress and hormones of being territorial and the shift alone could kill the babies. They were completely mesmerized by the scene before the. My cousin, Yochevid, was the first to push her baby out. She dropped to the snow and scooped the child up before resting on the white ground. She panted and held her screaming newborn close as she leaned over and bit the umbilical cord right off. A baby girl, she had. I smiled happily at her and patted her head with water before nuzzling her head. We purred gently against each other before I stood back up and left her to tend to the other mothers.
"Rest, sister. You and your baby are safe." Mother called out easing, my cousins mind.
"Vitanja!" I heard my cousin, Ebony call out. I turned and ran up to her and already noticed the problem. She wasn't crouched down enough and this meant her baby could injury itself or break its neck. "My legs are locked and I cannot go down in time! Catch my baby it's coming!" And she was right. The baby's head was sliding right out and my arms shot out in time to catch it and the baby boy screamed loudly in my hands. Ebony quickly sat down and I handed the baby to her, so he would know her scent first.
"Bless you cousin." she panted and I nodded leaning back and watching as she licked the blood of her son's head and chewed off his umbilical cord. I sighed with great relief before looking down at my hands noticing all the blood on my hands and t-shirt. My brain was rattled with numerous thoughts and the emotions flooded over me. Mother approached me gently patting my shoulders.
"Good catch, honey." she said and kissed the side of my head. I just nodded feeling the shock wash away. The boy was beautiful, even as he screamed to the heavens. But he was alive, and he was safe. The rest of the mothers had their babies. We helped them inside where the others would help them clean and feed their babies. After a few hours, Carlisle showed up and Mother approached him slowly at the bottom of the steps.
"A few vampires did show up in the area. Sam and his pack along with my family were able to destroy them." he told.
"How many?" Mother asked him.
"Seven, but none were Volturi. They were drawn by the baby's blood. It is unlike anything we have ever smelled before. I want to inform you, that my family smelled it as well and our practices on animal blood were tested today. I will not put them in this kind of position again lest the treaty be broken." he told. Mother tensed some, but nodded.
"I respect your decision, Carlisle." she said. I did not know that our blood was something that was so strong, that it lured vampires here. I noticed Paul coming out of the woods in his cut offs. I was glad he was safe. Carlisle nodded and looked down some swallowing before looking up at Mother.
"Zena, Vitanja." he said and we both nodded at him before he was gone within a blink of an eye. Mother didn't look pleased by this before turning and just moving back inside. She had other important matters to deal with, she couldn't think on Carlisle's words now. But I could. Was our blood the thing that was drawing the Volturi here? Was that the reason they came to kidnap children all those years ago? I moved down the steps to Paul and he just looked at me blinking wildly.
"Wow… I never expect that this was how you guys gave birth." he said. I took his hands and wrapped myself into him, our combined body heat helped block out any cold air that dared to hit us.
"Some African women would do that hundreds of years ago. Some practices you just can't let go of." I said.
"If you get pregnant, are you going to want to do that?" he asked. He sounded worried and I looked up at him observing the concern in his eyes.
"If I do, then just know everything will be perfectly fine." I said. But he did not seem content at my words. But I knew why. He was worried that something could happen to me or the baby.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you." he said and I nodded caressing his face.
"I understand." I replied. And still the worry did not leave his eyes.
"The vampires we took down today, were vicious. I mean it was nothing new, but they were making every effort to get past us to get to you all. Right after we killed them all, all of the Cullens, Renesmee included, hurried back to their homes. Carlisle stayed behind to tell you mom and that's why I was near. Waiting, watching to see if he would do anything." he said and I winced at his words and nodded.
"Yes. This could mean an early migration for my family if my mother feels they cannot have their babies in a safe environment." I told before sighing. "Maybe that is why the Volturi have been skulking around, but not attacking. Maybe they are just watching and gathering information on our habits."
"This could be bad if they are. It means they're going to plan something big or unexpected." he said. I nodded.
"Yes. They can't afford to make the same mistake to twice. The first time, they came to our lands with confidence, and we showed them how easy it was to destroy them for that. Now they may be trying to find cracks in our defenses. It's hard to tell and Alice can't see any decisions their leaders have made, which leads me to believe their minions are behind this. But I cannot be sure of anything. If these Volturi members continue to stick around, we will have to get together again and discuss a plan of action." I replied and he nodded holding me close.
"Agreed. But until then, we have a wedding to discuss." he said and I grinned the excitement now returning to my eyes.
"Most definitely." I said. "But I have never planned a wedding before. Maybe we should let my mother do it. My father insists on paying and so we can discuss what we want and tell them." Paul arched a brow.
"You really think your mom is going to just follow our lead?" he asked. He had a point. Mother would want to plan everything and since I am the one to be married, this was basically a royal wedding in her eyes.
"I guess we should talk to them first and make sure they understand after some time has passed with the cubs." I replied. Paul kissed my forehead and nodded.
"Most definitely." he said and we shared a deep kiss before my father came out.
"Vitanja, we need your help with the cubs. Paul." he said acknowledging my fiancé who nodded back.
"Leon." he replied and I smiled up at him.
"If I don't see you tonight, then I'll talk to you in school tomorrow." I replied and he nodded.
"Alright, hon." he said and pecked my lips once more before jogging off into the trees. I smiled as I watched his silver form take hold and disappear over a hill. For the remainder of the day, I was carrying babies and feeding toddlers, and braiding hair and dressing children and changing diapers, along with all the other women. The house was loud and hectic and for once, I felt like everything was too much. Of course Father and the men were relaxing on the couch with some of the much older cubs. I needed to get out and away from it all, but I couldn't do that until it was dark and everyone was leaving for their homes. Thank Ra. After getting cleaned up and I slid on my night gown, I felt myself still surrounded by everyone due to the scents of the house.
Once my gown and snow boots were on, I moved out into the cold. It was nothing to me. The wind lightly blew my hair as I stepped down and walked out into the snow moving to one of the familiar trails that would lead me deep into the trees. I wanted to think anyways.
I was getting married. I never really thought that would happen to me. Sure I could have found a mate and then we'd be bound, but that was it. I looked at my hand, observing the ring that fit just right around my finger. This was a good thing. With Paul I would be able to experience human interactions, human instincts. I didn't have to constantly live as a lion. I was sure we would have kids. It was a given with all the mating we do. But it couldn't be helped. We were addicted to each other and I liked this addiction to him. My fingers played with my necklace as I thought of how we met.
"You just had to push me into a lake." I muttered to myself watching as snow collected into my curls once more. I thought I would die with whatever pride I had. But it seemed maybe constantly thinking about pride was what made me unhappy sometimes. As I came upon the familiar lake I was pushed into, I started to wonder, was Andromache truly happy marrying someone else and having their children?
Was it so easy to accept or did it tear her apart on the inside to know her soulmate was someone she could never have? I looked at the water, seeing my reflection in the gentle ripples of the water. I tilted my head at what I saw. I was no longer some petite feline who at one point only cared about trivial things such as mating and birthing babies and protecting my bloodline.
I was a woman who would marry the man she loved and not form a pride or a pack with him, but a family. I see another reflection across the lake and finally look up to see a figure standing there dressed in a black suit. My entire body's instincts take over as a veil of pressure falls over my body at the figure. The smell tells me first he is a vampire, but my brain tells me I have met this scent before. He's in front of me in seconds, his speed is fast and sharp. Now he stands above me at 6'7. His hair aid black and cropped, his shoulders thick. But the necklace around his neck, along with his scent, made my mind go into a haze. I remember hearing screaming children ringing in my ears as they killed them one by one if they did not like what they smelled.
Blood was everywhere, fire ate their bodies. I remember the red of their eyes, demons, I thought, and the smell of their decaying flesh. The large demon with the gold V around my neck lifts me up my cheek, his pointer finger gliding down my cheek as he examined me.
"We have found one." His voice was deep and smooth like silk. I could never forget his voice. My body is shaking like my heart as I realize I have not turned yet to protect myself. I cannot, I am so gripped with fear from the screaming in my head, that I am paralyzed with fear. I feel his cold hand grip my cheek immediately and I gasp hard finally being brought back to reality.
The vampire stared down at me with a predator like gaze. His grip on my cheeks are hard and I can see fire dancing around him like when I was a little girl. His pointer finger brushes down the side of my cheek as his stare intensifies.
"You've grown." he comments almost innocently.