Katrina had always loved the feeling of electricity. The tingling sensation that traveled through her veins, the static it left behind. It was a drug to her, making her an addict even before she became immortal. She loved the feeling of the pulse it left in the air after a big storm, the way it cackled in the sky as she raced to the battlefield. How it seemed to bring her sword to life on the battlefield rendering opponent after opponent useless, how it made her horse anxious to run toward the enemy and leave dust trailing after them; they were a force to be reckoned with.
Her horse was lighting, its hooves were thunder and she...she was justice.
She loved the way electricity left her hair standing, how it made her feel like she was alive. Like she was powerful, unstoppable. When she was human that may have been true, when she was a newborn the statement could have been truer. She participated in the succubus times with her sister and she loved every second of it. Women, Men, and humans, in general, were putty in her hands. She expertly crafted them as stories of ecstasy.
She didn't feel powerful anymore.
No, instead her hands trembled and her throat seemed to have a permanent lump in it. All of it was the human's fault, Isabella's fault. Now she was weak. Her father would be so very disappointed.
"Do not lose, ever. Katrina, you are my daughter, you do not bow to anyone."
She could hear his voice echo in her mind, bouncing in her ear canals. She could see his blurry face as he grasped her chin forcing her to look into his eyes. The terror that washed over her when he did that. Or the terror that came when he lifted his other hand to make contact with her face.
"3..2..1...Contact" She would whisper to herself when he did that. He would be utterly disgusted if he saw her now. Pining over someone who refused her. Weak he would say, and he was right.
He had always been right.
Now as she looked at the Cullen family she couldn't help but feel so weak as they made her stand aside as they cooed over the human.
Her human. The very human that fate had picked to intertwine their strings indefinitely. Of all of the supernatural beings, of all of the humans, she and her sisters were picked to accompany this beautiful creature for all of the time.
Not that she owned her. Isabella wasn't an object that she could possess. But she was her human, the human that made her complete in a way that nobody ever could. She was her destiny and without her, she felt like she was free-falling with no landing.
Her confidence had disappeared
I n the eyes of Isabella Swan, she felt inferior, less than; she loved every second of it. She loved how for a second she was all that Isabella saw. For a moment she was all that Bella thought about. Then that moment deteriorated in front of her eyes when Isabella turned to Edward.
Her face softened, and her body relaxed as he welcomed her into his stone arms. She never relaxed with her like that, she always looked at her cautiously and watching, she was observant when she was with her. She was looking and seeing the pained expressions but ignoring them altogether.
That hurt her the most, the blatant ignorance towards them. How she could she every aspect of their being and then willingly turn away into his arms. It made no sense to the warrior who had been looking for a mate for far too long. She wanted to scream into the wind about how unfair this immortal life was.
Edward clung to Isabella as she rested in his embrace. He watched her for a few seconds before he looked up and a conquering smirk covered his face.
He was so accomplished.
He had the girl. He had won the game they started too late in.
At first, he loved her out of obligation, his family loved this human far too much to see her suffer.
Though it was clear that human, her dearest Isabella, was enthralled with both Rosalie and Edward when she first met them. However, there was simply no way Rosalie would have done this charade with the human. She had Emmett and she hated facades.
So Edward took the place, he acted like a loving husband but he was toying with his food. Ultimately not letting her change, he was sniffing a well-scented candle that he had all for himself.
Kate hated that smirk.
He hated how Isabella acted like a lamb in his presence and how he.. he became a lion, a king of something that never should have been his. However, Isabella loved him and though Kate wished that was her, she respected that. She respected her mate's wishes because that's what love was.
To be happy that they are happy even if you needed, wanted, desperately needed to be happy as well.
She didn't bother picking up the flowers that left her mouth anymore. She couldn't find a reason to do so, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.
Often she found Isabella trailing behind her like a lost dog picking up the whole flowers that now had stems. The disease seemed to be growing with every breath she took, with every blink of her eye her chest got tighter.
Despite this Isabella followed her more curiously, probably because of her favorite flower that seemed to spill out of the vampire's mouth. The brunette shoved them into her pockets till they overflowed or lifted them to her nose smelling not only the flower but Katrina. Unknowingly Isabella became calmer when she did such a thing, peace she rarely experienced happens in those couple seconds until the faint smell disappeared. Kate would smile and her mates' antics but then gazed off into the distance. Trying to ignore the hurt that seems to be building in her chest.
But the flowers didn't compare to how much her heart hurt. She wanted to scream from the pain, the betrayal. She wanted it to stop, she had to get it to stop, if only it would just...Stop.
She wasn't enough.
That was okay.
She was dissociating; a common emotional response to being dejected. She was staring out the window but ever aware of Isabella in the room though she was trying to forget why she was here.
She didn't have a reason to be, yet she stuck around; maybe she was addicted to the pain. Perhaps she fell in love with it. Maybe she loved the way it told her that it loved her and then it ran away.
Because why? did it matter if she was matched by fates strings only to suffer? This was suffering, and she was breaking, bending at the waist.
"Do not lose, ever. Katrina, you are my daughter, you do not bow to anyone."
She was bowing underneath this sadness, and Edward looked so happy. He looked so accomplished while he spent more and more time away from the human leaving her to walk aimlessly through the house. Bella's eyes were dark and her eye bags looked almost bruised from the lack of sleep. Grief did that to a person, especially when the person who got her through the worst time in her life died; because of her.
Did they forget that Jacob died? Perhaps. He was insignificant to the vampire's lives but Kate was aware and so was Irina, and Tanya. They comforted the human with every ounce of their being. Hoping that if they showed her that they would never leave her she too would not leave them. A desperate act, Kate had to admit.
Either way, Edward had simply left her alone, offering her no comfort. He was hoping the pain would subside but grief didn't work that way. It didn't shrink over time; you just learned how to work alongside it. How to allow it to take over your very being and then pack it into a small box at your convenience.
Despite her trying she couldn't seem to reach Isabella, her mouth couldn't seem to work and her words seemed to stay at the bottom of her flower-filled lungs.
Never had she felt so lost yet so completed at the same time, and not to mention her sisters who looked so stricken from disappointment with a dash of hopefulness. The Denali sisters were lost. They were lost because Bella was lost.
It happened suddenly without explanation when she heard a hummingbird's heartbeat.
It was strange, strange because the hummingbirds never came so close to the Cullens house during all the times she had been here, she had never seen them when she was visiting.
Only deep in the woods were untouched flowers laid basking in the sun's rays enjoying life without human involvement. It was an animal instinct to stay away from an apex predator.
Constant yet strong and quiet the heartbeat kept going, she wouldn't have been able to hear it if she wasn't paying attention to Isabella because Isabella was her whole world.
She heard it and she knew this was real. This wasn't a story, or her mind playing tricks on her.
Now yet another person had intruded into Bellas world and once again it was Edwards' fault.
A baby. The heartbeat came from Isabella.
The world seemed to stop.
It seemed to catch and plummet like a skydiver who forgot their parachute.
It was impossible, how could she live with herself if she allowed another Sasha situation to happen.
But the heartbeat was impossible to miss. This… child, it was alive. Her body locked as she prepared for the hardest decision in her life.
"Isabella?" Kate croaked her voice so shaky that she couldn't hear the b in Isabella's name.
The human looked up from the spot on the couch, a worried look was painted onto her face.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay?" Kate mentally slapped herself for that one, of course, she wasn't okay. "No I mean, Are you feeling-, no, I-" Kate tried to get out what she was thinking but her throat seemed to close and words could no longer leave her mouth.
"I'm feeling like I'm dying Kate." Bella said slowly worried about how the vampire was acting so weird all of the sudden.
The vampire tried to yell, words didn't leave her lungs.
"I want to go to sleep but behind my eyes are red-painted flowers" Hella held her eyes close for a second, then two before they snapped open. Her hair was in disarray and she looked horrible.
If Kate could just speak. Speak!
"I want to go home, home to Edward. But he is never here anymore." Bella's head fell into her hands.
Then she moved, which felt like moving mountains, or jumping across a canyon. Taking the small human into her arms rocking her.
"I- go-ou" I got you. Kate tried one last time before she realized that the roots had taken over.
Bella looked up in shock. Her hand snaked up to Kate's throat that bobbled every time her mouth moved trying to speak words but only silence met her ears.
Isabella's own throat tightened as Kate gripped her tighter, the vampire golden eyes seem to be yelling at her, begging her, to understand, to hear her.
A wet drop fell onto Bella's cheek. The human froze for a millisecond before wiping the tear off her cheek. It wasn't the humans. No, it was the Vampires, she had never seen a vampire cry. The emotion seemed to jog her memory.
She clutched onto Kate harder.
"It's okay I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry, It's okay, It alright. I'll do better, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll do better." Bella whispered knowing that Kate could hear her.
"Do not lose, ever. Katrina, you are my daughter, you do not bow to anyone."
Kate shook her head and placed her hand on Bella's stomach. Trying to shake Bella out of her stupor.
"I'm sor-"
Kate grabbed the human shoulders, she blinked her tears away.
Listen, Look.
Kate put her hand on Bella's stomach again. She patted it.
"Wha-"
Kate shook her again. Glaring at her.
Listen, Look.
Bella groaned in confusion, as she looked at what Kate was trying to say.
When did her stomach get so big? She hadn't been eating lately, in fact, she had been doing the bare minimum thanks to the Denali sisters, if it was her choice she wouldn't eat at all.
Kate patted her stomach again.
"No." Bella gasped. Her knees felt weak. She couldn't deal with this.
The vampire pulled Bella closer, tighter. Tears fell freely and the world faded away from both of them.
Could one feel so lost but at the same time finally found? That's what they felt; like they weren't enough but for a second that's okay.
Because even if they weren't enough, they were enough for each other.
"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Bella screamed into Kate's chest."I'm too young!"
"How do I raise a child!" Her breathing got harder. "My mother fucked up, I can't be like her! My father was practically non-existent in my life."
Bella tried to push Kate away.
"I raised myself, I can't raise a child!" Panicked was what Bella was. Her hands shook as she gave up realizing the vampire was not going to let her go.
Kate said nothing but she wanted to scream and shout. Oh, she was going to murder someone. Someone being Edward.
"I Can't," Bella sobbed.
In the front of the house, Edward came in slowly not knowing what was going on till he spotted them. He stopped in his tracks watching the two gripped onto each other like the world was ending.
"Bella." His voice said accusingly. His arms were crossed as he stared disapprovingly. The room froze in tension and two heartbeats sped up simultaneously. Kate could smell the fear that was coming off of Bella. It was bitter and ugly, which only brought Kate to hold onto her tighter.
Bella on the other hand stared at her husband with terror, his disappointment terrified her. More so, he didn't know about the child. Did he know? How would he act? What would happen?
"Edward." Bella breathed.
The male vampire cocked his head inhumanly at her voice a slight confusion laced his features as his eyes traveled to her abdomen.
"Impossible." He breathed taking a step back. "It cannot be mine." Edward snarled.
"It is." Bella's eyes teared up.
" I cannot produce children"
"I haven't done anything with anyone else!"
"It's impossible!"
"Obviously not," Bella said quietly, her hands gripping Kate's arms tighter.
Edward straightened, his face turned into stone. He knew what to do, and he would do it. "Worry not, Carlisle will help you with this...thing." he nodded reassuring himself "It will not plague us."
"It?" Bella croaked.
Edward walked towards her holding his hand out. "Let's go."
Kate had enough. She hated how he hadn't even considered Isabella's feelings. Isabella's face said it all. It showed the absolute fear that she had and that's all that she needed, she stepped in front of Bella. Growling silently at Edward who stopped in his tracks.
"Katrina. Do not test me" He said slowly.
What he didn't know was that his family had managed to finally catch up to him. They walked into the door he had left open. Rosalie had been leading the pack and watched as Kate struggled to form words. Her mouth moved but nothing left her mouth.
"What is going on here?" Rosalie said angrily as she watched Isabella cower behind Kate whose attention was divided, trying to assure Bella she was okay and protect her from Edward.
"It's an abomination. She wouldn't want it." Edward growled and answered Kate's thoughts.
"I'm sorry, I believe I asked a question. Rosalie growled and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Rosalie Hale was danger and fury packed tight into a perfect immortal body who took nobody's shit.
"Bella is pregnant," Edward said deadly quietly, matching his sister's mood directly, he directed at Rosalie.
"I want it." Bella squeaked from behind Kate. For some reason, she felt quite safe behind the blonde vampire. She could feel that Kate wouldn't let anything happen to her.
A singular snarl filled the room. Bella blinked only to see Edward's face significantly closer to her face. Kate held him at arm's length sending socks of pure electricity coursing through his venom. The heat made his knees buckle and his head bow, all his muscles tightened and his features were schooled in pain.
Kate's father had warned her of men who would take what they wanted. He had warned her that there would be a day a man would come into her life and give her everything and yet nothing at all.
He was right. Edward had brought Isabella into her life, into her sister's lives as well. Yet though he had introduced her meaning of living he had decided that he was the only one allowed to live.
Men were selfish like that.
But the few that weren't were gods in disposable bodies.
Edward was not a god. He did not get to choose Isabella's actions.
Watching as Edward struggled in pain she shook her head in disappointment, she let him go and he dropped to the floor like a limp rag doll.
Footsteps she knew better than her own came up from behind her. Irina and Tanya put their hands on her soldiers in a sign of support, yet no words were spoken between the trio. Maybe they knew the turmoil Kate found herself in and only chose this moment to intervene so she wouldn't be alone. She loved the way they knew what she wanted, needed before she did. The secret language that they had made between the three of them. All of them had trauma that has burrowed deeper since years had past and through the years they coped with it the best they could.
Whether it was sex, or getting so blood drunk they couldn't see their feet well, or both of those combined and some others that made the blonde vampire cringe thinking of it, they dealt with it together.
Now, they stood united; an unbreakable force daring for the Cullens to deny what their mate wanted so desperately.
It was silent for a couple more seconds. The heartbeats in the room sounded like gunshots into the silent void.
Rosalie's laugh started softly but picked up as the seconds went on. Her perfect hair was in disarray as she clutched her stomach trying to stop the roaring laughter that left her so unexpectedly. But louder and louder they grew and venom tears spilled out of her eyes, choking on her saliva she looked up catching her breath. She watched her brother as he struggled to sit up. The pathetic excuse for a man, for a vampire, for a being with a soul. Though he thought he didn't have one which explained a lot.
Glancing at Bella she gave her a comforting look before wiping the tears from her face and striding over to her brother with sass that made Emmett want to whistle.
He didn't whistle.
Rosalie grasped a fist full of his luxurious hair that had Bella fawning over him before he had even spoken a word to her. Rosalie had enough of the man child that was hunched before her.
"She will have the baby, and Edward if you come between them I. will. end. you." Rosalie was so close to his face that she could almost kiss him. Any amusement was wiped off her face and replaced with pure fury. But Rosalie was furious; that's all she would ever be. She had been wronged for too long. But that's another story, a story that had too many parts for it to be conveyed properly. The pain was simply too great.
The Denalis guessed it to be Rosalie's internal mothering instincts that lead to such aggressiveness on the behalf of their mate. Especially since Rosalie hadn't been too fond of her except for their momentary bond before the wedding, fleeting but meaningful. The blonde had always wanted a child, but that chance was stripped from her far too soon. Now Bella had just gifted her with the best present in her life.
A chance to be a part of a child's life, to hold them, to care for them. It was a chance too precious to give up. Rosalie wouldn't let this opportunity out of her grasp so quickly. She wouldn't allow anyone to take that away from her.
"It will be a monster." Edward huffed in Rosalie's grasps. His hands clenched onto her hand that held him. His neck was exposed and a small ray of sunlight danced its way across his pale body making the room shine.
Bella was the only one phased by the view. The others were used to the dancing rays of light.
Kate shook her head she supposed she should have expected that out of the pretty boy. He was always quite...theatrical despite Rosalie claiming that she held that role.
Taking Bella into her arms, she guided her away from the frantic child of a man. Bella deserved better and she was old enough to know what she wanted and she would have what she wanted. It was her job to protect Bella and the things that she loved.
Turning around she saw Irina's panicked face as she stared at Isabella's stomach.
There was fear laced onto her face. Whether it was the impending threat of the Volturi or the fact that she now had to see Bella with Edwards spawn, she couldn't tell. A sharp look directed at Irina whipped the fear from her face and Instead replaced it with pure rage. Kate hadn't seen Irina so angry since the death of their mother.
Irina had her bag of troubles, she had been too weak when she needed to be strong. That anger carried over to her life now, she chose violence now. Confirmation with the enemy was her favorite pastime.
It was laughable really how the youngest of the blonde sister spew words of rage at Edward and yet no words came out. The roots had taken effect.
Too soon, too much, there was so much to say and yet they couldn't speak. Irina angrily raised her hand to smack Edward who managed to pull himself off the floor, Tanya caught her hand. She enveloped her sister into a hug they didn't know they needed. The hug conveyed everything that they no longer could.
See language was such a precious thing. You didn't realize how much you relied on it till it was too late. They weren't the first to experience this disease that was eating them from the inside out.
The Cullens watched with pity in their eyes, except for Edward whose eyes were black with fury.
Who were they to stand against him? He always got what he wanted. He had lost too much to be refused. Despite his predicament, he tried to yank himself out of Rosalie's hand.
He failed miserably.
"Enough son." Carlisle grabbed his arm.
The doctor was an interesting character. The way he chose when and when not to interfere was confusing and had no pattern. He wasn't the oldest in the room but he was by far the most controlled except for Alice who had already seen this. His face was no longer the calm smiling doctor that everyone knew. No, he was frowning his brows furrowed
Perhaps Carlisle had enough of the controlling behavior that Edward exhibited or his manipulating behavior. The Cullens didn't know why now the patriarch decided that it was finally time to put his son in place. But he did, ushering his son to the woods with such strength that Edward deem to pale in anticipation.
"We are so screwed" Emmett breathed.
He was right of course. This would bring the Volturi to their little corner of the world. They would know about the wolves and the child on the way. Two very illegal things. The punishment would be death.
The Denali sisters were ready though. They would not let their mate die without a fight; they would do everything in their power to keep her safe. But that didn't change how Bella looked like she was dying. This wasn't just grief from Jacob's death that had only happened a little bit ago. No this was something else...someone else.
The baby was killing this beautiful brunette; they didn't know how to help her.
They needed to help her.
Because if they lost her there would be no reason to try to push through this consuming disease.
A/N: *peeks around the corner* Heyyyyy, I haven't seen you guys in a hot second…. I'M SORRY! I've been super busy and I couldn't think of anything. Either Way here it is. It's a bit shorter than the other two chapters but I made it to at least 4000 words so that was nice. UM thank you everybody for their reviews, keep them coming because the last one made me want to write more hence why we are here reading this new chapter. Also, everyone say thank you to CJ because she is an ass and she made this chapter possible. Lastly thank me *Laughs* because I am me and yes….. Anyhow, see you when I decide to start writing again!
Forever yours,
AylaMoon