Over the course of the next six weeks, things had settled into a steady rhythm. Sam and Jared seemed closer than ever, having no secrets between the two. Paul was my everyday confidant, and thus far his bond remained the same. The pack was functioning as normal, and we held bonfires every Friday night.

Sam absolutely loved that I was so happy, and his wolf did too. It seemed like I'd worried unnecessarily about him eventually regretting it. I'd taken more time to spend with Sam's wolf, often laying out with him to watch the stars as he listened to me talk about anything and everything. We also took long walks down the beach, just as we had in the beginning, something that was just for us.

But Victoria had returned three times over the weeks, skirting the borders of the reservation, looking for a way past the pack to come get me. She seemed to like to draw things out, play with the guys. Whenever they'd start to get comfortable again, she'd be back to rile them up. I knew she was a fan of games and I begged for it to be over soon.

I was now 18.5 weeks pregnant with a definite noticeable baby bump protruding, which both of my men seemed to be in love with. I'd started to feel the baby move around 16.5 weeks, and thanks to their super senses, they were able to feel it right away, too.

I was supposed to have had another ultrasound at 18 weeks to find out the gender, but Victoria had ruined that for me.

Just before we were supposed to go to Sue's clinic, on a day I wasn't scheduled to work, Victoria had been spotted and Sam was called out to help. I could've still had the scan done, but I wanted Sam there with me and I refused to do it without.

Quil had finally phased two weeks prior and he was overly excited about being a wolf and having his two best friends back. His wolf felt the same protection as the rest of the pack towards me and the baby. He'd been let in on all of our secrets right away and had actually congratulated me for snagging two guys at once. He was even cool about the whole other timeline situation, letting it roll off his back like it was completely normal.

The Cullens still hadn't come, but I had a nagging feeling that it wouldn't be long before they did. It burned in my gut, and I knew it was going to happen eventually, especially since Alice had made her visit. As soon as Edward could hear her thoughts, he'd know.

I was resting on our new, much bigger sectional couch (that we'd had to buy as the pack grew) with Paul as Jared and Sam were patrolling.

"How do you do it, B? Being with two different guys seems like it would be a bit exhausting, switching back and forth all the time." Paul asked as we watched tv.

"It's different, but it's not really exhausting. It's just right. We all fit, kind of like a puzzle. Sam knows when I need to be with Jared, and Jared knows when I need to be with Sam. And yes, Paulie, they both know when I need my bff time with you." I explained to him with a smile.

"It's hilarious to run with the two of them. With the rest of the pack, they don't think about it, but when it's just me phased in with them, it's all about you, B. I can't even imagine the kind of things they think about when I'm not phased in with them." Paul said laughing.

"Well that's nice to know…" I muttered, but the thought had actually excited me that they were so comfortable exchanging thoughts about me like that…

He didn't have time to say anything else before we heard a pained howl come from the woods outside, making Paul sit up immediately.

"Stay here." He commanded as he rushed out the door and phased right away, just outside. Before even a minute, he phased back and rushed inside, closing and locking the door, picking me up and taking me quickly to the bathroom inside my room.

"Paul, what's going on?!" I asked, panicked.

"Big Red crossed the border. She's on the reservation. Jake and Embry joined in the chase, but I have to keep you safe." He told me, standing guard at the door.

I started to panic further. She was on the reservation. I cradled my stomach, worried that she'd come for me, that my innocent child would pay for it.

He stood like a statue in the doorway for over an hour until I heard the guys outside. All five of them came through the door and I rushed to Sam first, barreling into his arms as he scented my mark.

After I let go, I threw myself into Jared's arms and let him scent me as well, though he never got close to the mark Sam had made.

I pulled away and looked at them. "What happened?" I asked quickly.

"She crossed the border onto our lands. Jared had been on the other side of the reservation, and she was following after me because I have your scent on me. Jake, Embry, and Quil joined in, chasing her as she followed me. Spirits, Bella she was really testing us today. She was literally singing about all the things she'd do to you when she finally got you. When Jared got there, it threw her off for a split second because where you had been with him last night, your scent is all over him. I managed to bite off her arm while she was distracted, but the rest of her got away. We destroyed the arm though, so she's down one limb." Sam told me.

"They can't regenerate, can they?" Quil asked me quickly.

"No, they can't. If you destroyed the arm, then she's only one handed from now on." I told them.

I was surprised that she'd gotten distracted because my scent was on Jared more so than Sam. My scent was always on Sam, so she must've gotten used to that, but since it was on Jared so heavily, she was thrown off.

"I can hear the gears turning in your head, babe. What kind of ideas are you coming up with?" Jared asked, knowing that I'd thought of something.

"What if we can trick her again?" I asked, thinking about a plan.

"She knows that Jared has been with you now, she won't make the same mistake again." Sam responded.

"I know, but what's the thing vampires crave the most?" I asked with a grin.

"Don't you dare think you're going to go out there bleeding as bait, Bella." Sam warned quickly.

"No, I wouldn't risk the baby like that. I was thinking that I can get Sue to draw a few vials of my blood and when Victoria comes back, we can warm it up and- I know this sounds disgusting- but we can have you guys carry the vials in your mouths and then break them when you get close enough to distract her. If all of you have them, she won't know where it's coming from!" I told them excitedly.

"Dude, that actually doesn't sound like a bad plan. It won't hurt Bella or the baby, and it should distract her long enough for us to get a bite at her, but it'll have to be quick." Paul suggested, agreeing with me.

"Five small vials. That's it, no more." Sam said sternly. "We can go to Sue tonight."

I nodded and they began to talk about what else they'd need to do.

I thought about it and since we were going to Sue…

"Think we can get her to do the ultrasound at the same time?" I suggested, since we were going anyway.

"I'm going to go call her. You go sit with Sam, your heart rate's too high, babe." Jared responded, heading to the bedroom where his cellphone was. Sam sat in the recliner and I slid onto his lap, where he placed his hands on my swollen belly. The baby began kicking at his hand as soon as he touched me.

"I love you, honey." Sam whispered in my ear as he caressed me softly.

"I love you too, Sam." I told him, leaning up to kiss him with a smile.

Jared came back minutes later with the confirmation that Sue would do the ultrasound and the vials of blood at 5pm.

From the couch, Jared watched as the baby kicked Sam's hand and said, "Come on, that's not fair! The baby was sleeping earlier when I wanted her to kick!"

"Well maybe he doesn't like when you call him a girl." Sam replied.

It was an ongoing argument. Sam thought the baby was a boy and Jared thought it was a girl. I truly had no idea. I would lean a different direction based on the day, but I really couldn't pinpoint which one it could be.

"We'll find out tonight, so you guys can stop now." I laughed.

"50?" Jared asked Sam, confusing me.

"Nah, J, 100." Sam replied.

"Deal." Jared said, leaning over to shake Sam's hand.

"Did you just bet 100 dollars on the gender of our child?" I asked both of them, incredulously.

"Fuck yeah they did, B. The rest of us are only in for 25 each." Paul said, laughing.

"Seriously?" I asked. "And what did you bet on?"

"Girl, easy." Paul said. I turned my attention to Jake.

"Boy. Think about it, Bells, passing down the wolf gene and all?" Jake said to me before I looked over at Embry.

"Girl. I'm with Jared on this one." Embry told me, surprising me. Normally he agreed with Jake. I then looked at Quil.

"Boy. Sorry, Bella, but this kid has two alpha genes." Quil responded, throwing his hands up and shrugging.

So three boy votes and three girl votes. I was interested in seeing which half of the pack was right.


A/N- What do you think it'll be?!