CHAPTER THREE
Impossible
It wasn't easy convincing Jacob to harbor a vampire down at the reservation, let alone protect her, but he was forced to take the burden, when Edward implied that he would have to send Nessie with Emma to the woods, if he refused. I hated manipulating Jacob in that manner, twisting his arms to go through with it, but it seemed like the safest option. I mean what harm could such a weak vampire cause in a colony of wolfs; the worst thing they have to put up with is the stink, which most of them are used to by now.
Carlisle prepared a week supply of blood for Emma, Jacob was instructed to stay put until he gets a call from the Cullen's. Nothing was left for chance; we knew Demetri and Felix would be ears-dropping, so no word was to be spoken about Emma.
As expected, the next morning Demetri and Felix were at our door, and the whole family was in their reception. There was always something commandingly alarming about the volturi members, especially those two, the way they advanced on us in their black cloaks was captivating and intimidating at the same time.
"I see you have been warned," Felix said in his husky bullying voice eyeing Alice.
"You must also know why we are here, so where is she?" Demetri menacingly added in his immortal apathy.
"Well, we told her you were coming and gave her a choice to either stay or go and she chose to keep running," Carlisle answered in a confident, composed tone.
"We would have stood by her if she chose to stay too, you know," Edward declared trying to make our bluff more credible.
"We were counting on it," Felix attested advancing forward but Demetri immediately stopped him just as Carlisle stopped both Edward and Emmet.
"You better not be lying to us, we hate being lied to," Demetri added his voice threatening.
"We have no interest in picking up a fight with the volturi Demetri, we had more than our share of it, so rest assured, no one is lying, and unless you need something else from my family, I think you both should leave now," Carlisle responded, his voice firm and secure, keeping eye contact with both our nemesis. I was always amazed by how Carlisle imposed his self respect on others, even if they are the most lethal vampires on earth, his dedication and loyalty toward his family and what he was obviously willing to do to protect it, was more intimidating and dangerous than any other weapons we could have.
That was all it took for Felix and Demetri to leave our house, but they didn't leave our area as easily. They spent days scanning the woods for Emma's scent, going through all the areas she traveled over and over. We could see how mad Demetri was for being blind for the first time, the more clueless he got the more determined he was to find her. It was his first time experiencing this block and that made him sure we were hiding her somehow.
It has been almost a week and all of us were getting edgy, we couldn't speak of the matter, but we all shared the same fears. One thing I was grateful for is the fact that Nessie was in my arms not trapped somewhere in the woods with Emma, but I was still not at ease with the fact that I laid the burden on Jacob, and that I was completely oblivious to what was going on there.
Our patience was running out, but so was Demetri and Felix endurance. When frustration finally gotten to them, they decided to leave. Alice saw them pay a visit to the extension of our family south, so we were safe ... for now.
I didn't wait a second more; I urgently picked up the phone to call Jacob who answered anxiously,
"Bella, I thought you'll never call, listen I want you and Edward to come over here as soon as you can, okay,"
Jacob voice was tense, although he tried hard to mask it; I could sense agitation and distress in his tone.
"What is going on Jacob is there something wrong?"
With an impatient sigh that confirmed my doubts, Jacob urged me to come with a promise of explaining everything when we get there.
"I knew it, I knew we couldn't trust her, I knew this was a bad idea. I wonder what she did; I just hope she didn't hurt anyone."
Edward did not comment, he did not even argue, he just eyed me in despair and rushed me to the car.
As we closed in on Jacob's house, we could notice the commotion surrounding the place, all the guys were there, some even as wolfs. It didn't take long for Edward to read through their thoughts the colossal event that Jacob found hard time explaining to me over the phone.
Without granting me an opportunity to comprehend what was going on, Edward stormed out of the car heading for Jacob.
"Where is she?" Edward demanded furiously.
"Well, that's the problem, she locked herself in my room and she refused to come out, she overreacted to the whole situation," Jacob stated in a tight voice.
"Can you blame her?!" Edward wondered rushing inside the house with Jacob by his side.
I stepped out of the car, with all eyes on me, especially Leah's, I mean I am used to her resenting eyes but this time it was different, her glares carried hatred. The whispers and murmurs around me were intensifying, and were starting to make me self-conscious, I rushed towards Jacob's house, but Edward was already out, with Emma shielded between his arms, before I could dwell on the fact that my husband was cordially carrying another girl, I noticed Seth running in our direction, screaming for us to wait. I realized more drama was coming our way.
Though breathless Seth urged for a chance to explain, "Edward, try to understand, it's not something I can control, you know that, they all know that, yet they deny me my right, I mean none of them reacted that way when Jacob imprinted on your daughter!"
"Imprint?! On who?! Emma!?" I gasped in disbelief, I had so many scenarios of what could have happened, but this was beyond anything I could imagine. No wonder Leah hates me, I may be responsible for tainting their whole breed.
"Not you too Bella, you have experienced celestial love yourself," Seth pleaded desperate for support.
"She is a vampire, you are a wolf Seth, it is not celestial, it is not magical, it is not even eccentric, it's impossible," Edward said dryly, refuting Seth argument.
Seth was about to continue his deliberation when Edwards abruptly stopped him addressing the whole pack,
"Thank you all for your help, we will be forever in your debt, but Seth I would really appreciate it, if you don't come to our house these days."
Edward was firm, cold, and to some extent inconsiderate, he swiftly moved to the car with Emma in his arms. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob and Leah preventing Seth from following us.
Back at the house, everyone was quiet trying to absorb how it could have happened. Although Emma was not in the room with us, we all avoided discussing the matter, at least not openly. Every now and then I would notice Edward face scowl in response to someone thoughts, until he finally burst in anger,
"No, he is not imaging it, it is a solid imprint feeling in his head, it was real in all the pack thoughts as well," he declared in an answer to Rosalie thoughts who shrugged of his attitude towards her.
Edward turned his focus to Jasper "No, her venom can't kill him, because she barely has any left in her weak body," Edward stated exchanging a glance with Carlisle that only I could understand.
"I don't know how you could even be thinking of that right now?!" Edward wondered in evident rage, frustrated with Carlisle.
"Well, it is a possibility son, wolfs only imprint on the female who is suited to carry the best breed," Carlisle commented in his usual scientific enthusiasm, that Edward was not too keen to share. Carlisle statement ringed in my ears; I have had that discussion with Jacob before, but even though the rule was absolutely true, I didn't think it applied to vampires. However, the potential and the possibilities that this assumption offered, made Alice and Rosalie yearn for it to be true.
"You mean there is a chance she can have babies?!" They both asked in the same breath, eager and anxious.
"I am not saying anything; I just think it's something to consider," Carlisle rushed tuning down their enthusiasm, but I believe it was Edward's hostile stare that made them temporarily drop the subject.
Emma was coming down the stairs, so the discussions were over.
"How are you feeling darling," Carlisle warmly asked her.
"Actually, I feel great," Emma answered her voice calm and pleasant.
"You look great," Emmet hinted, referring to an observation we all noticed, Emma's face was glowing, she seemed more tranquil more serene. The whole family was admiring the new radiance in her face, but I could see Carlisle was puzzled by it.
At that time, Nessie walked into the room, obviously sad, I opened my arms for her but she just ignored me and continued her way toward Emma. I was hurt to see my baby that upset, something was seriously troubling her, but what added to my pain, is the fact that it involved Emma.
Nessie chose to talk to her in her own private way. The way she preferred, that allowed her to express herself better, and gave her freedom and security. I watched carefully for Emma's reactions and answers desperate to figure out what was wrong with my daughter. With a stiff face and a firm gesture, Nessie reached to touch Emma's face,
"I am not keeping Jacob away, what on earth gave you that idea," Emma replied stunned.
Her answer didn't satisfy Nessie, who narrowed her eyes and increased the pressure of her hand on Emma's face.
"Last week! Nobody told you?!" Emma wondered flashing a glance toward us, and then continued "Jacob was hiding me darling that is why he could not come last week, he did me a huge favor.
"You see, he is coming for you today and you two will have lots of fun," she added.
Flashes of relief crossed Nessie's face, and her shimmering smile lightened up her face again. She threw herself into Emma's arms with such liberation that could only contribute to the heavy burden she was carrying.
I was completely oblivious to Nessie's stance in all this mess, the fact that I was insensible to her feelings for a whole week, tormented me. I knew how important Jacob was to her, but I overlooked it all. She was in my arms all week, yet I bounded her with concrete walls, ignored her questions, her doubts and left her on her own to speculate.
My chain of self-resenting thoughts was interrupted by Edward arms containing me, his warm compassionate look, eased my pain a bit but didn't erase it.
"So Jacob is coming, how about Seth?!" Emmet teased, barely holding his laughter; it looked like he was longing to comment for quite some time.
"Well, if he is to come, he would come for me and I can't see my own future you know," Emma lightly joined the joke, lifting the mood of the whole room, and everyone who was shying away from the issue shared in the laughter.
"I am happy you can joke about it darling," Carlisle said in his pleasant voice, flashing a light smile.
"Actually it was fun for a brief moment; Seth is a really nice boy. When he came down on his knees and asked me to marry him, and kept on babbling about how we were meant for each other and how I am the one who is supposed to carry his children, I was about to burst in laughter. But, instantly two of his friends came to his side and started pulling him away. With his struggle and their persistent, in seconds the three of them were fighting wolfs, and I was in the middle of it all. The safest option for me was to remove myself from the equation and wait it out," Emma shared her version of the story.
I could see hope beaming in the eyes of both Alice and Rosalie again, when they heard Emma's remark about "The baby", the potential the issue offered them was overwhelmingly tempting, it took all the patience they had to contain themselves.
"Well, we will both find a way to work this out; I have no doubts about it," Carlisle firmly asserted.
Suddenly Edward and Carlsile exchanged a look, and then they both nodded. They looked like two soldiers on a mission, and when Edwards requested that we head home for a talk, I knew his mission was all about me!
Our walk home was quiet; I was still pained by my motherhood inadequacies, Nessie's flustered eyes, and Emma's denouncing glares haunted me all the way to the cottage. Once inside, I laid myself on the first piece of furniture I stumbled upon, dropped my head into the palms of my hands and just crashed. Edward gentle hands were rubbing my back, and his soft kisses brushed against my hair, then he spoke in his warm voice,
"It was a very stressful week on all of us Bell, besides you do not solely take the blame, I was there too. You are a perfect mother; don't let this get to you."
"Well, it doesn't show, I completely ignored my baby, left her to suffer for a whole week, denying her the simplest right for an explanation, and the worst thing is that I didn't even notice" I cried in an evident anger that was misdirected, so I immediately corrected myself,
"I am sorry, Edward, I didn't mean to take it out on you."
"It's ok, that's what I am here for," he said in a gentle whisper, with a daunting smile that could melt away all the hurdles in the world.
"Ah... What would I do without you," I fell deep into his arms, dropping my worries on his shoulders. He happily accepted, holding me tighter to his heart, containing my stress and washing away all my pain.
"This is a good place to start," he gently sighed, softly rubbing his cheek against my hair, pampering me with subsequent kisses.
"Start what?" I asked pushing myself deeper into his arms.
"I have a favor to ask you" his voice still a chanting whisper.
"Oh ... Here we go," I frowned, turning my back at him, because I knew it has something to do with Emma.
"Carlisle is talking to Emma as we speak, trying to convince her to go hunting, and he thinks she would go only if... I ...was the one to accompany her."
"No way, heck no, that is impossible, I won't allow it, I just won't. I am sorry," words just gushed out of me, incoherent, disordered but loud and with one constant notion, it will never happen.
"Please Bella, you trust me right?" I nodded "then you have nothing to worry about."
"I trust you; I don't trust her, you two alone in a forest urgg... no... no, I am sorry," I was edgy, my voice was trembling and my argument was lame.
"What about now, would you allow it?!" His voice was barely audible, even though he spoke right into my ears, his soft lips slowly traced down the line of my jaw all the way to my lips, and he tenderly kissed me.
"I ... I ... I" I stuttered through the kiss, hardly holding myself together, it took the entire well I had to break it off.
"Flirting won't grant your wish Edward, don't even dream about it," I tried as much as I could to compose my voice, but I was terribly failing, my voice was breaking with inconsistent high and low pitch tones, which was really embarrassing.
His face beamed with an irresistible wide smirk as he pulled me closer to him and kissed me again, a kiss that was fervent in passion, but tender in nature.
"No, "I barely managed, unwillingly pulling myself away from him.
Although on the surface, he acted disappointed, but I could see though his fake pout that he could barely hold his laughter, that mean look in his eyes gave him away; he was enjoying himself to the maximum.
"What?!" I asked him confused
"What what?!" He mused
"What's with the look?!"
"I am tempted."
"By what?!"
"You are impossibly sexy when you're jealous," he firmly stressed on the jealousy part.
"Jealous - who is jealous – Me, I am not jealous," my voice was irrationally loud and shaky, I wished I could mask it, but I just couldn't.
His laughter filled the room, and he drew himself closer to me wrapped his arms around my waist and breathed down my neck,
"Just sexy, then."
"This won't work either Edward, seducing me won't get you anywhere."
Though I was being serious, he just laughed harder, and then abruptly he became intense, looked deep into my eyes and spoke in his velvet, tantalizing voice,
"I won't go anywhere in the world without you Mrs. Cullen, I can't stay a second away from you."
All my guards were down, I was willingly overpowered. All the teasing was worth hearing those words, and seeing that wide smile on his face, the smile that renewed my trust in our love after a long week of unjustified doubts.
The relief I felt was short lived, because even though he wasn't going alone, the threesome idea wasn't that much appealing either.
He didn't give me a chance to think or refuse, he knew I was weak, and I happily let him take advantage of me. His hands always found their way to my bare skin no matter what I was wearing. The touch of his marble fingers sent shivers down my spine, and left me helpless and thirsty for more. If I still had a heart not only would he hear its beats, he would feel the thuds pushing against his body, and although I didn't need breathing my inhalation was fast and soundable.
"So what says you Mrs. Cullen are you coming?"
I barely nodded, clutching on to his chest, while he just smiled with an obvious self-contented smirk, swept me off the floor and carried me to the bed that is not intended for sleep!
As the sun rays escaped through the window shield and sparkled off Edward's face, I knew my soul wasn't doomed or cursed, I had my heaven...a heaven that would last me forever. Edward met my stares with a humble smile, he was in a rush to start the day, but I wasn't yet ready to let him go. I pulled him back, into my arms, and enjoyed the proximity for a short second, before his face suddenly tightened, reflecting anger and deep chagrin.
"What's wrong?" I wondered anxiously.
"You need to get ready, Jacob is here and he wants to talk to you," he said in a stiff dry tone, which corresponded to the level of his annoyance.
"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" I demanded, desperate for an explanation, although I knew from the look on his face, I won't be getting any.
" His thoughts are too loud, but he thinks it's a private talk, so I will let him shock you," there was no humor in Edward's voice, whatever Jacob was going to tell me obviously disturbed him so I didn't drag it further.
Jacob was waiting for me by the house, Edward casted a terrifying glare at him and then spoke,
"I will wait for you inside, we need to leave early," his tone was still dry, but a bit tuned down. He walked slowly toward the house eyeing Jacob.
"Hay Jacob, what's so urgent?" I demanded loudly, trying to break their eye contact placing myself between them.
"Where are you going?" he asked curiously.
"We are going hunting with Emma, but I guess you are not here to talk about that, are you?"
"It's about Emma alright! Look Bella, she has to leave, I mean you helped her hide and all, but now she needs to go," Jacob declared firmly, his Alfa character imposing itself on his words, he found no hard time giving me and my family orders, and that pushed all my buttons. I did not accept his attitude or his tone so I answered aggressively,
"Well, that is not your decision to make Jacob, she is a part of the Cullen family and she will leave only when she desires," I couldn't believe I was saying these words, but Jacob stance was so provocative, I couldn't help myself.
"Then make her want to leave Bella, this is extremely serious!"
"I don't understand, what's the big deal, Jacob? Seth just imprinted, he didn't do a crime, aren't you all bounded to respect his choice!"
"The big deal!...This can taint a whole blood line, Bella. Seth imprinted on our enemy, on the main reason we transformed in the first place. The whole tribe is in a state of alert, the elders think she bewitched him, casted some black magic spell on him. Some of the pack members think he went completely mad, while the rest think she is one of the main evils to inhabit earth. Sam wants to send a full pack to terminate her, and Leah thinks she can take her head off alone, and you are asking me what the big deal is?! This could lead to war, Bella, war!" Jacob tone was a mix of wary and menace.
"You can't come here flashing the war word in front of me Jacob, and expect me to get scared by it. As far as I can see, this is a pack problem and you need to solve it by yourselves, Emma is not at fault here, besides we have a treaty that you all must honor," I stated firmly trying to refute his threats and avoid a clash that could easily evolve from the inside of the house.
"I can't believe you are giving me the "it's your problem" argument Bella, after all we have been through together," his breaking voice tuned down my temper and allowed me to see beyond my anger to my Jacob, the Jacob who was always there by my side, even when it meant risking his own life, just to protect me.
"Please, just listen to me, the elders believe she is evil, this should at least count for something. Forget about Seth, I do not trust her being this close to you, to Nessie. If you can manage for her to leave, you will be sparing us both lots of hostility and animosity," his pleading voice hit a string inside me, and touched my not so hidden fears and doubts about Emma. I tried as hard as I could to conceal it, not to support Jacob claims and give him more reasons to be stubborn about the issue. I could sense the tension building up inside the house from my over protective family, and I was alarmed that at any second things could get out of hand.
"Please Jacob, you need to leave now, and I promise you I will discuss all you said with the rest of the family. I understand where you are coming from, but please you don't need to push it further." I tried to as much as I can to contain the situation, my heart went out for Jacob, but the decision wasn't mine to make.
Inside the house everyone were on their toes, Edward being the most edgy, Carlisle signaled us all for silence which was immediately accepted by me, the discussion was going to be tough at the very least, so any delay was more than welcomed. Emma seemed to be the only one oblivious to our wolfs situation either by choice or by some miracle she didn't hear the conversation, she was all hugs for Nessie before we left for our hunting trip.