Chapter 8: Family

Edward's POV

I stood there just listening to steady thrum of his beating heart. It was a beautiful sound. I would have been happy just to stay here all night, holding my sleeping son, and listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart. I had to go back though. If I didn't the others would surely come looking for me.

I had taken only a few steps when I sensed that I was right about the others coming for me. I could hear Carlisle's thoughts from half a mile away. My confrontation with Rosalie and my sudden departure had him worried. I saw him in the distance. A second later Carlisle closed the distance between us.

"Edward what happened?"

"She tried to take my son away from me. She didn't want me to have my own son,"

He glanced at the sleeping baby in my arms before facing me again. "I thought you didn't want them,"

It bothered me that he was right. It bothered me that I was so ready to kill my own babies. It bothered me that I had once wanted to end their existence. "That was before I realized how wrong I was about them. They're not monsters. What was happening to Bella was not their fault. Bella was right to protect them from us,"

"Son were both in the wrong. We should have never even considered forcing Bella to do something that she didn't want to do. It goes against everything that I believe in. It was her choice and we should have accepted that from the very beginning. Then none of this would've happened,"

"You're right,"

"So why did you leave just now?"

"I had to get away. I had to get him away," I glanced down at my son who was still fast asleep.

"I'm sorry I don't follow,"

"He inherited my gift. Carlisle he inherited my ability to read minds. He was frustrated and overwhelmed from hearing everyone's thoughts at the same time. It was torture for him and I had to get him away,"

"He inherited your gift? That's interesting. It seems that Renesmee has a gift of her own. It's the exact opposite of mind reading. She can show you what she's thinking with a single touch.

"Renesmee?"

"It seems that's the name that Bella chose for her. Renesmee. EJ is his name. Can you guess what that stands for?"

I shook my head no.

"Edward Jacob,"

I felt a growl building up in my chest but I pushed it back down. Of course Bella would include that mutt in our son's name. Edward Jacob Cullen did have a nice ring to it. Although I would never, in a million years, admit that out loud.

We were only a block away from home now. I used the term home very loosely as it was just an abandoning building. We'd have to find a better place to stay but for now this would have to do. When I heard Jacob's thoughts my body turned rigid and than I was sudden filled with anger. The only thing stopping me from killing the mutt was the baby in my arms.

I found Jacob right away. He held my daughter and looked at her like he was seeing the sun for the first time. "You stupid mutt," I growled.

Jacob didn't even look scared. Such a shame.

"Edward I'm sorry. It's not-"

"You imprinted on my daughter," I was trying to stay as calm as I could.

"It's not my fault. I couldn't help it that I imprinted on Renesmee. It's a wolf thing that I have no control over,"

It didn't matter to me that he was right. I wanted to rip him to shreds. How dare he imprint on my daughter! No. I wouldn't kill the mutt. Bella would probably kill me if I killed him. Though who knows maybe she would want to kill him herself when she found out

"You know what Jacob? I won't kill you because that would upset Bella. But if she wants to kill you herself I might not stop her,"

The dog finally looked scared. Good. Actually I probably wouldn't let Bella kill him simply because she'd regret it later on. I just wanted to see Jacob scared.

"Now can I hold my daughter?"

He only held onto her tighter which infuriated me more. "I don't care about some stupid wolf claim you have on her. She is my daughter. As far as I'm concerned I have more of a right to hold her than you do,"

He handed her over very reluctantly. Renesmee placed her hand on my cheek and I saw my daughter's power first hand. She showed me her memories. She knew who I was. She'd somehow figured it out. My little girl. I was truly the luckiest man in the world. Blessed with something far greater than I could have ever imagined. I'd long accepted that I would never be a father. I was just happy to have found love and happiness with Bella. Now this. It was more than I deserved.

Bella. There was no more screaming. How had I not realized it sooner? Why wasn't she screaming? I hurried back to where I'd left her. She was lying absolutely still on the floor. But her heart was still beating strongly. Liam was sitting beside her looking equally concerned.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked urgently.

"Nothing," the boy answered. "She stopped screaming all of a sudden and I came to make sure that she was alright. I think she is,"

"Then why isn't she moving or screaming?" This wasn't normal.

"I think she's trying to keep it to herself. She has a very selfless personality. I wouldn't be surprised if she's trying to keep quiet so the rest of us don't worry,"

Of course. That is something that Bella would do.

"Liam. If you don't mind my asking. Why did you help Bella and Lizzie. Why would you help two girls you don't even know?"

"Because as soon as I saw them I knew what kind of trouble they were in. It's my gift. As soon as I meet someone I automatically know everything about them. I knew I could help them. I knew exactly how to help them,"

"You must know a lot about hybrid pregnancies them,"

"I know a lot about hybrids considering that I am one,"

Of course. Now it made sense. His scent confused me and now I knew why. He was a mix of two different species. Exactly like EJ and Renesmee. "I have so many questions,"

He smiled. "I figured. Ask me any you want,"

"Are there other hybrids out there?"

"As far as I'm aware just my three half sisters and my half brother. My father thinks he's creating some kind of super race. I hate it. He came looking for me several years after my birth thinking I'd join him and my sisters. He was shocked when I rejected him. My brother also rejected him,"

"Why?"

"Because I already had a family. I was raised by my grandparents. My human grandparents,"

I saw his whole story in his head. His mother had died giving birth to him. So his grandparents raised him. His grandparents knew the truth. His mother had told him everything before she died. When they saw him rip his way out of her body they had no choice but to believe. She begged her parents to raise him and they did. Despite his birth being the cause of their daughter's death they truly loved their grandson. They were a happy family,"

"What do you eat?" I asked.

"Blood and human food. I can survive on either. I prefer blood though,"

I was about to ask him another question when EJ woke up and started crying.

I hungry daddy.

"He's hungry," I said. "and so is Renesmee," her thoughts echoed those of her brother's.

"I'll be right back,"

A few minutes later I heard him coming back with something with something that smelled horrible. A few seconds later it became abundantly clear what was causing the awful smell. Liam returned with two bottles filled with a milky substance that must have been baby formula.

"Here," he handed me the bottles.

I pushed the bottle nipple in EJ's mouth. He only took one drink before spitting it out in disgust. I didn't blame him one bit. That stuff smelled awful. I didn't even want to imagine how it tasted. I didn't understand how human babies could find it appealing. I tried to give it to Renesmee and she also spat it right out.

EJ and Renesmee were both crying now. "I know your family drinks animal blood. We can try that. There's a rabbit just outside of the building,"

"Thanks. Let's give that a try,"

I stayed there and tried to soothe them while Liam when out and caught the animal. I heard him kill the animal and bleed it out. The bottles were now filled with animal blood when he came back.

I offered it to my son first. He made a disgusted face and spit it out. I tried to get him to drink it again but he pushed the bottle away.

Come on baby. Please drink it. I begged.

No. Yucky. He pushed it away again.

Liam had taken over trying to feed Renesmee while I worked with EJ but he wasn't having any luck either.

I sighed. "Do you have any human blood?"

He nodded. "Yes I do. Do you want to give that a try?"

"Yes,"

A minute later he came back with the bottles filled with human blood this time.

As soon as I offered it to him he latched onto that bottle and started drinking. He finished that bottle in three seconds. Renesmee was now greedily sucking the blood from her bottle as well.

More.

"I'll go get more blood," I said out loud.

Of course they would love the human blood so much. I was worried now. What if they hurt or killed a human for blood one day? How was I going to teach them that drinking human blood was wrong? How was I going to instill our family's values when they refused to drink animal blood?

I was at a loss now. I didn't know what to do.

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