10 Years Later
Bella's Point of View
The air was crisp and filled with excited chattering. The wind blew icily past the small amount of exposed skin of my face. In response my body trembled – I leaned in closer to Edward's side, enjoying the warmth of his body close to mine. It was still something I wasn't quite used to, Edward being warm. Edward glanced down at me with warmth filled in his emerald green eyes – his arm moved tighter around me as he pecked at the top of my head.
"There are extra blankets in the car." He spoke softly.
"I'm alright, once Darius gets back with the hot chocolate, I'm sure it will warm me up." I replied with a smile of my own. I couldn't help it; in this first moment I was so content.
Tonight, we were attending the high school football game, we were here to support to our son, Charlie, my brother, little Greg and of course our grandchildren. Afterwards we would be stopping at our favorite restaurant to celebrate. This would be the last game of the year; we have had a good season. Since our school here in Ribbonwood would was a mix of humans, vampires and werewolves the only fair way for them to compete would be to go against each other. So, the school is divided into six different teams, they would just rotate each week.
Darius made his way back and passed hot chocolate to me and coffee to Edward. He had a distracted look on his face as he sat down next to me. His eyes hadn't left his phone since he got here.
"What's wrong Darius?" I asked nudging him as I took a small sip of the hot chocolate. The warmth of the liquid slid thickly down my throat, warming me up instantly. I let out a quiet sigh in relief.
"I'm just waiting on an update on a patient, Louis said he would be calling any minute." Darius said running his hand through his hair as he finally met my gaze.
"You know, the hospital can survive without you for a few hours." I said with a light chuckle. "You know how mad Mason was, the last time you didn't pay any attention to the game."
Mason is Darius and Alice's first born, they spoiled him fiercely in his first years of life, but when Alice gave birth to Gracie, Mason has been desperately trying to regain Darius' full attention. Mason reminds me completely of Darius, he acts just like him, however he has Alice's bubbly hyperness. He is a good kid.
At my comment Darius tucked his phone away with a wary expression coming to his face. "You're right, it's just been so crazy at the hospital lately, renovations are finally done, I have more beds available then I have staff. So, a lot of the work gets put in my lap."
It took many years of hard work, but Darius has turned the clinic into a three hundred bed, fully operated hospital. He purchased the clinic only four years ago. Now he was in the hiring process, it would be hectic until he had enough staff. I was very proud of my son; he was really well respected in our community and he did his very best to help people anyway he could.
"Just let me know if you would like any help with the hiring process, we do have a wait list of new residents to Ribbonwood, I'm sure there may be some of them with qualifications." Edward spoke up.
Darius nodded slightly. "Thanks for the offer dad, but I want to do this myself. You've already done so much for me. I couldn't put more work on your plate. I know you are just as busy running this town."
Edward chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders. "Let me know if you need anything, you know that I'm always here."
Darius and Edward exchanged warm smiles.
It warmed my heart to see that throughout these years Edward and Darius remained as close as ever. I only wish that the same could be said about Demetri and Darius' relationship. I thought maybe they would reconnect and build some kind of relationship, but that hasn't happened. Not yet at least. Darius wasn't interested in putting any effort into getting along with Demetri. They acknowledge each other in passing; while they are out in public and of course they send some brief time together on holidays and birthdays, but Demetri seems to completely focus his time and energy on Elijah. This does seem to annoy Darius a bit, but year after year the annoyance is decreasing. I was never a huge fan of Demetri, but I didn't ever want my son to feel unwanted, or ignored by his biological father. I wanted to protect him from those kinds of feelings. I was truly happy that Edward was here and became his one and only father figure.
"You're the best," Darius grinned. "I hope that I can be at least half the father you have been to me."
I lightly stroked Darius' cheek. "You are a wonderful father."
Darius caught my hand with a deep blush painting his cheeks. "Mom, please." He muttered in embarrassment.
I couldn't help but laugh in delight. He was adorable, even now as an adult. I still could see my sweet baby boy. I wished with all my heart to go back in time, just to see that precious baby boy one more time.
"That reminds me, were is Alice?" Edward spoke up as he scanned the crowds of people sitting around us. We had reserved seats for the whole family to sit together. Being the mayor of town had some perks. We got the best seats here. Although, it would have been much more comfortable without the gossip and whispering of those sitting closest to us. Edward and Darius were seen as royalty in Ribbonwood, it brought on a lot of attention. I wasn't the biggest fan of all the fans they appear to be getting on a daily basis, but I've learned to get used to the staring.
"She is helping Gracie into her cheerleading uniform and probably giving the girls a pep talk." Darius said with a casual grin.
Alice became the cheerleading coach for the school, as soon as Gracie began begging to start a cheerleading group at school, Alice made it happen. The group was a mix of ages, the youngest being seven. They were all pretty cute, but Alice did mention there was some snobby girls and catty behavior at times.
"I'm sure Alice is relieved cheerleading season is over after tonight. She is pretty close to delivering, isn't she?" Edward said with a hint of amusement touching his lips as he began sipping his coffee.
Darius nodded with one short, hard breath. "I can't believe we are doing this all over again. Don't get me wrong – I'm thrilled. But the timing... just wasn't the best. I'm afraid I won't get enough time with the baby... with the hospital in such disorder."
"If anyone can figure this out, it's you." I said with a confident smile to my son. "We are just a phone call away if you need anything."
Darius glanced down at the slight pucker of my stomach with suspicion. "I think you two will have your hands full, for a while."
Edward glanced to where Darius was ogling, surprise dancing on his face. "Bella?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't think so, I'm just gaining a little weight." I said waving the both of them off. "We are quite careful."
In these past ten years, Edward and I have had Charlie; who was a beautiful surprise, he is half vampire so he grew quickly. He looked to be about sixteen right now. After Charlie we gave birth to another boy, Logan, who is fully human. Anthony is seven years old. He was a bit of a challenge; we love him dearly but he was such a little trouble-maker we decided that he would be our last. I had thought about getting my tubes tied, I've made the appointment, but it wasn't for another month or two.
"I don't know mom, I think you should stop by the hospital and get checked out, just to be sure. I can usually spot out a pregnant woman from a mile away. I'm sure Ingrid would be free to see you." Darius said pulling his phone out. His fingers quickly started typing.
"I wouldn't want to bother anyone... I could just pick up a pregnancy test on the way home." I said chewing at my lip.
"Nonsense, I gave Ingrid a heads up, she said she can see you at noon tomorrow. Please don't forget, do you want me to write down a reminder for you?" Darius said peeking up at me with a wide smile.
I sighed. "Alright, fine, but this is a bit of an overreaction to a little weight gain. I don't need a reminder, I may be getting older, but my mind isn't going quite that quickly." I chuckled.
Edward squeezed my hand, a cheerful smile coming to his face. I could practically see the excitement falling off him in waves. Honestly, I didn't think Edward wanted any more children. Maybe he just didn't want to hurt my feelings? We already had five children.
After a few more minutes of chit chatting, Alice made her way up the row of bleachers to where we were sitting. I could see Darius watching her every step with concern. He looked like he was about to jump up and catch her. I could understand his concern. These bleachers were pretty steep and Alice was very pregnant. She had a slight waddle to her walk, but she was glowing. Alice always looked so beautiful when she got pregnant.
"Hey everyone," She grinned as she took her seat next to Darius. He quickly wrapped a single arm around her and pulled her close to his head. He had a blanket ready to wrap around her.
"That coat isn't nearly warm enough sweetie." He said lightly stoking her flushed cheeks.
Alice pouted as she cuddled into Darius' side. "It's the most stylish coat in my closet. I had to look nice tonight. It's the last game of the year. Even though I can't manage to get it closed around the belly."
It was true, her stomach was jetting pretty far out past her coat, there was no way she could button it. Some things never change. Leave it to Alice to choose style over comfort. It was so like her.
"Did you happen to see Charlie or Logan down there?" I asked leaning forward a bit to get a clearer view of Alice.
Alice expression changed slightly. "Charlie is warming up for the game with little Greg and Logan is with your mother."
I felt a frown come to my face. "Rene is here... she showed up after all... she is sober... right?" I muttered lowly.
"Yes, she gave me her word. She is buying Logan a hotdog, she said that she would be up to seat with us in a minute." Alice said quietly. "I was going to take Logan with me, but he seemed really excited to see Rene... and I figured if I said anything she might cause a scene."
It's been a very challenging few years for my mother, she has been battling with alcohol for the past six years now. When my dad died... leaving her alone with a newborn... it really put a toll on Rene. She couldn't handle the loss of losing him, she shut down. For the first year she didn't leave her room, not to take care of her children, or herself. I remember Ezra and Kora took turns going in each week to make sure she would eat and bathe. Unfortunately, I had to take little Greg and baby Carly to live with Edward and I. There was no way that Rene could care for them in her condition. It was extremely hard; I had a brand-new baby myself at the time.
"No, it's alright, she has been doing well. A week sober so far. Maybe she will surprise us." I said with a weak smile as I began to scan through the crowds.
"She didn't see Carly yet... has she?" Edward asked, lightly squeezing my shoulders as he kept his sights on Alice.
"She did stop and attempt to wave... but Carly completely ignored her." Alice said slowly shaking her head. "She looked pretty bothered... I can imagine she is going to have a lot to say after the game. I was going to stop and ask her how she was feeling, but she was already getting into formation with the rest of the cheerleaders."
Carly has been living with me, for her entire life. Rene has only held her once and that was the day she was born. I of course explained to her that Rene was her mother and I was her older sister, but she refused to acknowledge that. She doesn't accept Rene as her mother. She won't even refer to her, as her mother. Actually, she calls her gram. Carly calls me mom and formally requested that I adopt her, as my daughter. Of course, I didn't want to hurt my mother any further, but I didn't want to disappoint Carly either. I really did feel like I was her mother. I raised her. So, we never told Rene about the adoption. Maybe one day... their relationship will change.
Little Greg on the other hand was a bit old enough to understand what was going on. He knew and accepted Rene was his mother. But the fact that she had pretty much abandoned him and Carly, he doesn't want much to do with her either. He still lived with Edward and I and spent most of his time with Charlie. They were practically best friends. They did everything together and since they physically were about the same age, they always got along. It was the same way with Darius' son Masen, he would always tag along with Charlie and little Greg. Those boys were always getting into something.
I was deep in thought as I watched my daughters and their husbands make their way up the bleachers and over to sit with us. Kora was still in her formal wear from work. She was in a luxurious black dress, her complexion was flawless, her hair was down past her shoulders in a neat braid, she was radiating. Daniel on the other hand, appeared rough. He was still in his scrubs from the hospital. When he lost his job working for the delivery station, Darius got him a job, working as a nurse's assistant at the hospital. It was a job that Daniel complained about constantly, he always appeared so miserable and tired. It was clear that he was unhappy. Kora seemed completely oblivious to his suffering... that or she just didn't care. Their relationship had been rocky for the past few years. Edward predicted that they wouldn't be together long.
Kora had confided in Edward that she had been having an affair with one of the men at her office. The only reason she had admitted to that... was because she ended up getting pregnant and she wasn't sure who the father way. She wanted advice, but was afraid to tell me. She didn't want me to worry. To this day, I wish with all my heart that she would have told me.
Even to this day, no one talks about it. Kora gave birth to a daughter; she named her Senika. It was clear, that this child wasn't Daniel's. It was clear to everyone, except for him. He either was in complete denial about it, or he really was as dense as Kora described. Either way, no one ever brought it up. Even now, as Daniel held Senika in his lap and watched her play with her doll, he seemed content. Kora had a beer in her hand and a grin on her face. "It's good to see you all."
"Wow, found time out of your busy schedule to make it tonight." Darius said with a teasing smile.
"You're one to talk, mister president of an entire hospital." She shot back with a smirk. "Taking the night off from saving lives."
Ezra wrinkled her nose as she glanced between her siblings. "Still as boastful and proud as ever." She rolled her eyes as she sat her youngest son Isaac down. Isaac was practically identical to Seth, from his looks to his every feature. There was no denying that Seth was his father. Unlike Kora and Daniel, Ezra and Seth were going strong and their family was growing even faster than Edward and I's. Ezra had three sets of twins in the last ten years. They didn't appear to be slowing down either, Ezra is currently pregnant again, her bump was just starting to get noticeable. With all the children Ezra was having, she wasn't able to get her busy started yet. She planned on starting her own dentist office. The building is ready, a staff is on stand-by, but it doesn't seem Ezra can avoid getting pregnant long enough to open up shop.
"Well, excuse us for choosing to get our careers started before having a million kids." Kora snickered, letting her hand out to stroke Ezra's stomach. "Be happy Ezra, the path you chose is just as wonderful as ours. You are a fantastic mother, and someday you will open your office and be the best dentist in Ribbonwood."
Ezra smiled widely, a light blush coming to his cheeks. "Thanks Kor, I really am happy for the both of you."
Darius, Ezra and Kora began chit chatting, getting completely caught up. It warmed my heart to see all my adult children getting along and spending time together. Things have been so crazy lately, we all were so tangled up and distracted with getting Ribbonwood back on track, we haven't been able to spend as much time together as I would have liked. I'm aiming to change that this year.
Seth and Edward were speaking quietly and discreetly. I perked my ears to listen in, but kept my eyes on the children. I'm sure Edward wouldn't have minded involving me in any discussion... unless it had to do with Victoria. Even the mention of her name was enough to pull me into a state of rage. The fact that she remained alive tormented me the most. My father was dead, yet she is still breathing. It wasn't justice. I didn't understand how her trail ended with her getting life behind bars. If I would have been permitted into that court room, if I would have been permitted to give my opinion on her sentence... I'm sure she wouldn't be alive today.
"Can you explain to me, how that's even remotely possible?" Edward asked quietly, his tone was full of outrage.
"We assume that she seduced one of the guards at the jail. We aren't sure what to do with her at this point. In the conditions she is living in... it's not good for a pregnancy." Seth muttered barely above a whisper.
"Did you just say, what I think you said?" I asked, moving slightly over to get in the middle of this conversation. I could feel anger bubbling through my body. Heat flooded my face. I could barely contain myself.
"What is it mom, what's wrong?" Kora asked with a raised brow. Ezra and Darius looked at me with concern on their faces.
Edward and Seth mirrored the look of worry on their expressions as well. Everyone was quiet for a moment, not responding to any questions right away. I took this second to try and control myself.
"Answer me honestly. Did you just say, Victoria is pregnant?" I demanded, looked pointedly at Seth.
Seth visibly swallowed hard, before nodding his head slightly.
I bit my tongue, to hold back my displeasure with this news. It was the last thing I would have expected. Who would be so disturbed, that they would make love with that monster? It just didn't make sense. I wanted to know who did it.
"Who is the father, do you have any idea?" I asked quietly.
"More importantly, what are your plans for delivery? How sanitary are the conditions that she is in right now? How far along is she? She needs to be seen by a doctor immediately." Darius rattled of, getting his phone out to begin typing frantically.
"Are you joking, why should we do anything for that witch, she killed a bunch of people, including our grandpa. Why the hell should we help her?" Kora snapped, forcing Darius to put his phone down.
"Kora is right, we don't owe her anything." Ezra said with a glare.
"That baby inside of her, is innocent. It deserves a chance at life. We can't punish an infant for the crimes the mother committed." Darius fought with conviction.
Before anyone could say anything more, there was a loud whistle, signally the football game was about to start. This abruptly ended any further conversation. There were quiet mumbles back and forth as the crowd around us roared with applause. Edward and Seth were still talking to each other, even more quiet now. I couldn't hear them this time. But I would be sure to ask Edward for all the details after the game.
I quickly scanned through the massive amount of people, until I caught sight of Rene. She appeared to be hiding behind a port-a-potty, taking huge gulps out of a large can of beer. Disappointment instantly filled me. But that was quickly replaced with panic.
"Where is Logan?" I said quickly standing up from my seat.
"He is right here mom." A soft voice called out from the bottom of the bleachers.
I looked down to see Carly making her way up the steps of the bleachers. She looked adorable in her cheerleading uniform. A light shade of pink lip gloss was on her lips and a tiny bit of eye shadow was over her lids, which probably made Edward a little uncomfortable. Even though Edward wasn't her biological father, they still had a very close relationship. She referred to him as her father, and he still referred to her as his daughter. They cared for each other deeply.
Carly had him by the arm and didn't let go of him, until he was safely in my arms. She had a look on her face that suggested that she was very deeply in her thoughts.
"Thank you for looking out for him." I sighed in relief. "Now, do you want to tell me what's on your mind?"
She glanced at me with slight embarrassment. "Can we wait until after the game? I kinda have to get down here."
I nodded easily. "Alright, good luck down there." I smiled to her softly.
She returned the smile, before waving to Ezra, Kora and Darius. They all waved back at her. Logan on the other hand was now pouting as he sat in my lap. He looked between me and Edward. It was clear he wanted to be down on the field, playing with the rest of them. He was clutching a half-eaten hotdog in his hand and ketchup was all over his face.
"Why can't I play too?" He sighed.
"Sorry kid, you are just too little." Darius teased him.
Logan snorted. "I am big. I know I can do it." His green eyes were shining with enthusiasm. He really just wanted to be like his big brother Charlie - he looked up to him so much.
I reached down into my purse and got out a few wipes and cleaned off Logan's face and took the half-eaten hotdog off of him. Hopefully this wouldn't spoil his dinner. We all would be going out to eat after the game. I wish Rene would have asked me first. But I couldn't get too mad. She was trying... well she was... now she was chugging beer as if her life depended on it.
Logan hopped down off me and got comfortable between Edward and I. He thankfully was calming down and focusing on the start of the game.
At the very edge of the field the cheerleading team had begun their routine. Sam and Emily's daughter Brie was the cheer captain and led the rest of the girls. I took note of the proud smiles of Kora and Ezra as they watched their daughter's cheer. Addison was doing really well keeping up with the other girls, Darius designed her a prosthetic leg; honestly as long as she is wearing pants know would ever notice. She would get a new one each year to adjust to her growth. She works so hard to fit in with the other girls, I knew it was hard for her at times, but she was doing so well. She seemed truly happy.
On the other hand, Zoey was a lot like her mother. She fit in easily and was very well liked. She had a bit of an attitude, just like Kora. But overall, she is a sweetheart with large ambitions and goals.
There was also Carly, she wasn't as passionate about cheerleading, she only participated to be just a little bit closer to her crush. He is one of the football players, a human boy named Noah. There are several more cheerleaders on the team, I don't know all their names, but a few are in Carly's friend group.
They did their little routine and soon the game started. It was no surprise that little Greg was picked as the quarterback, he might be completely human, but he was strong and very well liked amongst the others.
Football wasn't really something that interested me, I was able to sit and watch it for a bit, but I ended up switching seats with Darius, so Alice and I could talk. Darius and Edward on the other hand was totally consumed with the game. Alice nice gave me half of her blanket so we could keep a bit warmer.
"You know Bella, there is an opening at the school for a culinary teacher, it would be a blessing to have you come in and teach the kids some practical skills." She grinned.
"Honestly Alice, I have so many kids to look after, Logan is a handful. And Darius thinks I might... be pregnant again."
Alice glanced down at my stomach, raising a brow. "You do have a little bump."
"Oh mom, you're just as bad as Ezra, I can barely keep up with Zoey, Zayne and Senika. I can't imagine having any more kids." Kora spoke up with an amused smile.
Ezra narrowed her eyes at Kora, but didn't comment as she cuddled little Isaac in her arms. He was so tiny and sweet. He had fallen asleep a while ago; the rest of his siblings were with their aunt Leah. She was watching the kids until after the game, then would be meeting us all for dinner. Isaac was here only because Ezra had taken him to be fitted with a pair of glasses.
"It's probably nothing, I might just be gaining some weight." I brushed off their comments.
"Well, I think this one will be my last." Alice said as she stroked her huge stomach. "I know Darius is going to so busy at the hospital, it would just be for the best. I'm perfectly content with three."
Kora nodded in agreement. "Me too," A strange expression fell on her face suddenly. As if she just remembered something disturbing. "I can't believe that monster is pregnant. How did she manage that?"
"I don't know, but something tells me who ever it is... Seth is going to end up firing." Ezra said shaking her head.
"Do you think they are going to let her out of her cell until she gives birth?" Alice wondered.
"Hell no," Kora and Ezra growled.
I had to completely agree with them. If I ever saw Victoria there is no telling what I would say, or do to that woman. I didn't want her death on my conscious. Whatever the plan was, I wanted nothing to do with it. I had many years of coming to terms with what happened and what she did, but I wasn't ready to forgive her. Let alone free her.
Edward must have been partially listening, because when he turned to stare in our direction, I saw a bit of concern on his face. "Don't worry, I will be taking care of this in the morning. We will figure something out. Victoria will not go free."
His word soothed me. But there was something in the pit of my stomach – telling me that something bad was going to happen.
"But she will receive the proper medical treatment, at least until that fetus is born." Darius said with a firm nod.
"Well, that means she won't be able to keep it. So, who will take care of the thing?" Kora asked.
"Well, the child will be put on the adoption list, she will stay at the orphanage here in Ribbonwood, assuming we don't find the father." Edward replied calmly.
Ribbonwood has one orphanage; it sits between Wellington Avenue and Ribbon Reservation. There are six workers. Emily Uley is the head of the orphanage and stays there almost all day. She has her workers scheduled for one person for daylight, another for evening and third for overnight. The six girls she has chosen are very trustworthy and very kind to the children. But it still breaks my heart knowing they don't have family. I have such a large family; I couldn't even imagine how my life would have been without them. It would be so very lonely and empty.
"It's too bad we can't put grandma Rene in a place like that, I really worry about her... she hasn't been staying with me... I don't know where she is sleeping at night." Ezra said with a slight sniff.
Kora looked to Ezra in shock. "Gram told me that she was still staying with you and Seth. If I would have known, I would have made her come stay with me for a while."
"Girls, that's not your responsibility, your grandma is supposed to get a job and a place of her own. You have your own lives to worry about." I sighed running my hand tightly over my face as I felt a migraine starting.
"She struggling really bad mom... I think you should try talking with her."
"Ever sense Carly started calling me her mother... in front of Rene... she has avoided me. I've tried reaching out... but she is so bitter and upset with me. She wants Carly back so badly..."
"But you are her mom." Logan said poking his head over to look at me with confusion. "Gram shouldn't be worried or sad about that."
Logan wasn't fully aware of how Carly fit into the family. We never went into much detail about it, Carly wished to keep Logan in the dark about it. She didn't want him to think any differently about her. She truly cared for him as her younger brother and didn't want that relationship to change.
Ezra and Kora frozen, not opening their mouths – just staring at Logan, unsure of how to respond. Thankfully Alice jumped in with a wide grin. "Of course, she raised Carly and has been there from the day she was born. Gram has nothing to worry about. Carly has a perfectly fine momma."
Logan smiled in response and with a nod went back to watching the game. I guess we dodged a bullet this time. That was a little too close. I would have to be a little more careful. If Carly wanted to tell Logan the truth one day, that would be her choice.
I turned slowly back to them. "The last time we spoke... which was probably a month ago... she was staying with a man she met at her AA meeting. I believe his name is Rodger. I guess she is in love... again..."
This was a common theme with Rene. She would go weeks of drinking, not being sober for more than an hour. Then she would decide she wants to get her life together. She would start going to AA meetings, where she would find a man... usually twice her age... and would fall in love with him. She would get a job, to keep the money flowing so they could drink. They would be in bliss, until all the drinking between the both of them puts them in the hole, to where they can't pay their bills. Soon, she would find herself broke, homeless and the man she fell so head over heels for leaves her to find someone else to buy them all the alcohol they need.
I've done everything I could to help her. I've paid her bills, I've gotten her jobs, I've even got jobs for some of the men she brought home with her. But it always ended the same. From now on, she wouldn't get anything from me. This was tough love. I didn't know what else to do. I just wish... my dad never died... no... I wish he didn't get murdered. This was all Victoria's fault. She destroyed my mother.
I could feel myself losing control over my temper, so I closed my eyes and just focused on the sounds around me. I could hear my children chatting back and forth, the cheering of the people around us, the chanting of the cheerleaders down on the field and the hard slam of sports armor hitting against each other. Alice was on one side, while Darius was on the other. Alice was gushing over Kora's outfit, while Darius was giving out a hoot when he heard Mason got a touchdown. My life wasn't completely perfect, but it was pretty close. Probably as close as possible. I should be grateful.
Suddenly there were several loud popping sounds, followed by shrieks. I jumped up from my seat as a few students down on the field hit the ground. It sounded as if someone had fired a weapon.
"Everyone, get down low and make your way behind the bleachers." Seth pulled out his megaphone and began directing. His eyes flickered all through the crowds.
"We need to get down there, what if one of the kids are hurt." Ezra said visibly shaking with panic.
"You need to stay down and evacuate with the others. I'm going down." Edward said looking at each of us with a serious expression.
Seth was on his phone now, calling in for backup. "All units to the high school football field, we have a shooting." He spoke so fast and fluid I barely could make out each word.
"I need to tend to the injured down there." Darius said, lifting his arms slightly as he focused down on the field. He created a large physical barrier around all the students on the field. "Come on, let's not waste any more time."
Edward, Seth and Darius all started making their way down. I didn't hesitate to follow after them. I handed Logan over to Ezra and Kora for the time being. I couldn't just sit here, I had children down there, that was probably scared out of their mind. Thankfully none of them seemed to notice as I trailed after them.
As we made it off the bleachers, it felt like I stepped into another world. People were screaming, running for their lives, crawling desperately across the ground to make it to safety. I searched through the mass of people, hoping to spot Rene. She was nowhere to be seen. I couldn't pause to look for her, I had to get to my kids.
Darius opened a small section of his barrier, allowing all of us inside. When he noticed that I had followed along, I saw the concern on his face. I could feel his barrier pressing behind my back, pushing my inside faster and turning as hard as stone. His shield was so strong, nothing could penetrate it. Which was a good thing, because shots kept getting fired towards us.
"The shooter is still in the area; can you expand the barrier to protect the entire school grounds?" Edward spoke as he went to examine the wounded students.
"No problem," Darius nodded. I felt the barrier shift again, now stretching and pulling, I know longer could feel it pressing against me. It completely surrounded the school now. It was a bit thinner, but it still felt just as strong as before. Darius has truly mastered his abilities.
"Dad, over here, little Greg got hit." Mason called over. He was sitting next to little Greg – who was wincing, tears stung in his eyes as he held his shoulder.
Darius quickly moved to help.
I couldn't relax until I saw Charlie and Carly. Charlie was seated with one of the cheerleaders, he held her hand while she sobbed. Carly was on the other side of the girl, offering her water. They didn't notice that I was there at first, until I was about half way over to them.
Charlie looked at me, with the same green eyes as Edward and exhaled in relief. A strained smile came to his face as he waved. "Mom, could you bring dad over here, this girl has a bullet lodge in her stomach."
Carly looked up now, tears sliding down her cheeks. She looked really scared, but I could tell she didn't want to leave this girl.
"Edward," I called out, turning back around to see where he had gone. There was so much noise and panic in the air, it was hard to focus on just one thing. I could feel my blood pressure climbing, my heard was full of pressure, my chest was tight, my heart was racing so fast I could barely catch my breath. Thankfully Edward heard my call and wrapped up what he was doing with one of the injured students.
He was by my side in a moment, breathing heavily as well. "You shouldn't be down here my love. There are is still an active shooter nearby." He lightly stroked my cheek.
I moved my hand over his and shook my head. "I'm in Darius' barrier, there is nothing to worry about. But more importantly Charlie and Carly need you. They have a girl over here with a bullet in her stomach."
Without another word Edward quickly made his way over to Charlie and the injured girl. Luckily it seemed that no one was in critical condition. Everyone had minor injuries. Whoever fired those shots didn't aim to kill anyone. But there was something odd about the bullets they were firing.
Darius walked over to Edward and I with a handful of the bullets he was able to extract. "These are wooden bullets, hand-made. Definitely not professionally crafted. They are strange, each one is different in shape and size."
Edward inspected the wooden bullets with confusion and concern. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I didn't know what this all meant. We have had a long stretch of peace here in Ribbonwood, why would this start happening now?
By now the Seth and the rest of the police force had everyone evacuated and had begun a perimeter around the area. They fanned out, searching the edge of the forest for any sign of the assailant. In the distance there was smoke raising in the air. I couldn't imagine what could be burning out there. This part of the woods wasn't inhabited by any of the residents or Ribbonwood. All of it was considered hunting grounds for the humans. Hunting, fishing and trapping was a very popular activity here in town, there was near sixty acres of forest here, just for the humans to use as their sporting grounds.
For the safety of our people, we kept the surrounding forest divided into three sections, each for the use of humans, vampires and werewolves. Each species had their own section of woods to feel safe and comfortable, without fear of getting hurt, or hurting someone.
I watched as an ambulance drove up onto the football field, I didn't recognize the driver, but as Darius opened the back door, Mila and Ingrid came out with serious looks on their faces. They instantly went to the most injured girl. She had been the one with the bullet in her stomach. They weren't able to remove it, not without making sure it didn't pierce into a vital organ. Darius was being very cautious.
Ingrid paused only for a moment to give me a little wave, before helping lift the injured student onto a stretcher. Mila didn't bother to look in our direction. She knew exactly how I felt about her. She knew that I wanted nothing to do with her and didn't trust her for a minute. I held a lot of resentment towards her, because of my father. Maybe if she would have been honest in the beginning my father might still be alive today. But no, she chose to keep it all a secret. What else is she keeping a secret.
Edward now made his way over to me, just as Darius was walking over as well. They stood in front of me, watching me with concern. Darius spoke up first. "Are you alright? You look pretty pale mom."
I nodded, trying to force a smile on my face. "Of course, no one died... we have a few injured, but nothing to awful."
"The students with minor injuries are waiting here for their parents to come pick them up, I've already made of the necessary calls." Edward said lightly taking my hand in his.
I squeezed his hand tightly, hanging onto the comfort that it offered me. I wanted to appear brave and stoic in this situation, but inside I was in turmoil. All of this brought back memories of the past. It reminded me of when Victoria had gone on a killing spree in town. We lost so many wonderful people. It made me sick to my stomach that our students were being targeted.
Seth now jogged over to us as well, his expression was unreadable as he approached, but I could tell he was tense. His jaw was rigid as he looked between Edward and Darius. "I'll need to question these students once they are calmed down a little."
"Well, for the young lady we are taking to the hospital, you are going to have to wait." Darius said simply, before giving a nod to Edward and a quick hug to me. He jumped into the back of the ambulance, but hesitated as Mason came running over to him.
"Dad wait, what about family dinner tonight?" Mason said with a look of impatience.
"I'll just be making sure your classmate arrives safely, I'll be home soon." Darius sighed, giving his son a look. "Keep an eye on your mother."
Mason nodded with a glum expression – watching as his father closed the ambulance doors. The vehicle peeled out of the field, leaving us all standing here, dazed.
There was a sharp buzzing noise coming from Seth's pocket now, bringing all our attention to him. Seth didn't hesitate to answer. "What is it?"
I couldn't make out what was being said, but apparently it wasn't good news. Seth gasped and began to pace back and forth. "Are you serious? I'll be there as soon as possible." He said snapping his phone shut.
"They found another student; he is tied to a tree... and someone lit the tree on fire. We need to get there and help put the fire out." Seth said urgently. He took a couple steps back away from us and right before our eyes, he phased into his wolf form.
Edward reluctantly helped me up onto Seth and turned to Charlie and Carly. "Can you two stay here and make sure everyone gets picked up by their parents? We will be right back."
Charlie nodded, his emerald eyes mirroring his father's. "No problem dad, you can count on us."
Carly nodded as well, but didn't look quite as confident as Charlie. It was clear that she was still shaken by the events today. But she kept a brave expression on her face.
Edward appeared pleased with their answers and quickly got on Seth as well. He sat directly behind me. I could feel him pressing into my back and wrapping his arms around my waist to rest in my lap. He sat so still, even as Seth went charging into the wood. It was clear there was a lot on his mind. I wished for a moment to get a sneak peek inside his thoughts. Did he have suspicions on who this might be? Could this be related to Victoria somehow?
The wind was chewing fiercely at our cheeks as Seth ran through the thick forest. There was a harsh snapping of the sticks under his feet and the smell of smoke was beginning to reach us. I was freezing, but ignored it – I just clutched myself closer to Seth to utilize his fur. It helped a bit, but I was semi-aware of Edward's grimace. I didn't need to turn around completely, just out of the corner of my eye – I could see that this was bothering him.
I slowly drew myself back to curl more into Edward. He responded eagerly as he pulled me closer to his chest. The friction of his hands rubbing over my thighs warmed me up a little.
Thankfully we made it to where the student was trapped, Seth phased back into his human form so fast that Edward and I nearly fell to the ground. Some of the wolf pack was already there, working on extinguishing the flames. Jacob stomped over, tossing a spare set of clothes to Seth, since he had phased so quickly the clothing he had been wearing was completely ripped to shreds.
Edward blocked me from view as Seth dressed himself. I noticed how tense everyone was – And the moment that I took a good look at the student I understood why.
His legs were already completely engulfed in flames, he struggled desperately against his bindings – but the gag that was put in his mouth prevented him from screaming. I recognized the boy; I've seen him hanging with Charlie and little Greg a few times. They had gone fishing together often. It was just him and his mother – I think her name was Teresea. The scene in front of me was heart-wrenching. As a mother, I couldn't imagine my children being put in this position.
It would completely destroy me.
Everyone was working fast to get the flames out – it couldn't be soon enough. Bucket after bucket they made trips from the nearby lake to throw against the flames. It didn't take them long – the very moment the fire was out Edward and I made our way over.
Jacob had removed the chains that bound the boy to the tree and quickly assessed the damage to his legs. Seth removed the gag from his mouth – the second that he did the boy let out a shriek.
"It's going to be alright; we are going to get you to a hospital." Jacob said with concern on his face.
"Did you see who did this to you?" Edward asked gently, glancing between the boy's legs and his face. His legs were in really bad shape. The skin had practically melted off – leaving muscle and bones visible. I couldn't imagine the pain this young boy was in.
He shook his head quickly as tears slid down his cheeks. "No, I-I just woke up here." He forced the words out between his sobs.
"We need to get him to Darius." Jacob said as he carefully lifted the boy up in his arms. "Don't worry kid, we are going to get in contact with your parents."
Seth moved to Edward and I now, holding out the gag that he had removed from the boy. It appeared to be just a cloth, but as he unrolled it, a piece of paper was hidden inside.
"What's this?" Edward asked, raising a brow. He took the piece of paper and unfolded it. His expression turned sour as he read the paper allowed. "We have returned."
Thank you all for reading! I'm sorry for taking a really long time to get this story started! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it.